The weird lore of Cobie: •born in the UK, studies computer science at Bristol University •works in tech and fintech, including Monzo Bank as product manager •buys Bitcoin in 2012 when it was under $10 •joins early crypto communities, fascinated by decentralization and markets 2014: Maxcoin chapter •launches Maxcoin with Max Keiser •one of the first “celebrity coins” ever made •project then collapses months later •Cobie leaves crypto, saying later “tech alone doesn’t move markets, narratives do” 2017–2019: quiet years in Web2 •works in startups, learning product growth and team scaling •stays away from crypto until DeFi 2020: returns with DeFi boom •becomes early co-founder and backer of Lido Finance •helps fund audits, grow trust, and explain liquid staking to the public •Lido grows into the biggest DeFi protocol by TVL •Cobie’s early LDO stake turns into millions same year: launches UpOnly with Ledger •a crypto podcast •guests include Vitalik Buterin, Michael Saylor, Do Kwon, Beeple, and Shkreli •sponsored by FTX before the collapse •Cobie covers the FTX hack live on air, exposing $400M in missing funds 2022: the Coinbase case •spots a wallet front-running Coinbase listings •posts the proof on Twitter •leads to the first insider trading case in US crypto history 2023–2024: builder again •launches Echo, a non custodial investment platform •connects investors to early-stage crypto deals •helps raise over $20M across projects like MegaETH, Initia, and Plasma •releases Sonar, a tool for public token raises 2025: joins Paradigm as advisor •focuses on liquid markets, trading, and DeFi trends today: •one of the last true OGs from the $10 Bitcoin era •still skeptical, still showing up everyday •Blocked StarPlatinum The last influencers from the class of 2012