Ciaran Ryan

Biography and Professional History

Ciaran Ryan is a veteran financial journalist based in South Africa, where he covers cryptocurrency, mining, stock markets, and governance for Moneyweb. He also hosts the weekly Moneyweb Crypto Podcast.

He began his career as a market analyst in the banking sector before moving into journalism, initially with the Johannesburg Sunday Times. His work has been featured in global publications including Forbes, USA Today, and the Australian Financial Review.

Ciaran also spent several years in the mining industry, working as a prospector in the Democratic Republic of Congo and later as a production manager at a gold mine in Ghana’s Tarkwa district. An active investor and analyst, he played a key role in introducing crypto arbitrage to the South African market.

He believes cryptocurrencies such as stablecoins and Bitcoin provide Africans with a powerful alternative to traditional savings systems, especially in environments where inflationary policies by central banks continue to erode the value of national currencies and personal savings.

In a world where inflation quietly erodes savings, cryptocurrencies offer a lifeline – not just for investors, but for anyone seeking financial sovereignty in unstable economies.

Ciaran has also been involved in developing algorithmic trading and arbitrage systems for crypto.

Expertise

Mining
Financial analysis
Crypto
Stocks
Technical analysis

Achievements and Education

Attended St. George’s College in Harare, Zimbabwe

Completed bachelor's degree in business at University College Dublin in the 1980s

Began his career at Standard Bank in Johannesburg as a market researcher and analyst

Joined the Sunday Times in Johannesburg in 1985 before transitioning to freelance journalism

Became an editor at eRepublic in California in 1999

Has authored several books including “Dictionary of Stock Market Terms”, “Mechanics of the Stock Exchange”, “Platinum Man” (a study of the turnaround of Impala Platinum under late CEO Steve Kearney), “Carey Chronicles” (a biography of Cathy Carey’s successful entry into business in her late fifties).

Today, Ciaran continues writing for Moneyweb, South Africa’s leading online investment website on crypto, mining, stock exchange, state-owned companies and governance.

He also hosts the Moneyweb Crypto podcast and the 88 Minds podcast.