Bitcoin intelligence, market media, and crypto insights by Fernando Nikolic
Fernando Nikolic is founder of Perception, a narrative intelligence and market research platform focused on Bitcoin and digital asset media analytics. Previously served as Director of Marketing and Communications at Blockstream for over four years, supporting product launches across mining, sidechains, and privacy tools. In 2025, Nikolic launched Perception to analyze crypto market narratives through data-driven sentiment mapping. The firm’s Bitcoin Media Sentiment Index tracks over 500 articles monthly across 40 publications.
Perception's Q1 2025 sentiment report was cited in three investor letters and by five digital asset hedge funds. Nikolic frequently speaks on Bitcoin podcast circuits and contributes to The Bitcoin Times and BTC Times. He is also known for his archiving of early Bitcoin essays and Satoshi-era communications. Current social media reach exceeds 70,000 followers across platforms. Nikolic’s work supports investor awareness around media framing, and equips founders with tools to manage protocol perception in volatile cycles. With expertise in message scaling and trust systems, Nikolic plays a central role in codifying Bitcoin’s public narratives in real time.
Fernando Nikolic: Bitcoin spending on burgers did not attract new buyers
People already convinced about bitcoin spent their bitcoin on burgers and fries cooked in beef tallow, according to Fernando Nikolic. He added that the number of people buying bitcoin for the ...
Trump and Bukele tapped bitcoiners for votes and headlines, Fernando Nikolic argues
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, described U.S. President Donald Trump and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele as taking advantage of the bitcoin community for their political interests. ...
Fernando Nikolic: Bitcoin changed perceptions of traditional investing for a generation
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, argued that Bitcoin has altered how an entire generation views regular investing. He described typical annual returns of 12% from stocks as unappealing, ...
Most people have never considered how money works, Fernando Nikolic notes
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, expressed the view that most people have not thought about how money works and have little interest in doing so. He added that sending them the Bitcoin ...
Bitcoin price prediction: Fernando Nikolic predicts $24,000 by December 31st
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, predicted that Bitcoin will be priced at $24,000 by December 31st. Nikolic also commented that making predictions requires little effort and anyone can ...
Ultrasound money thesis echoes Venezuela's bolivar redenomination, Fernando Nikolic notes
Fernando Nikolic compared the ultrasound money thesis in cryptocurrency to Venezuela's move to cut 14 zeros off the bolivar. In his view, bitcoiners highlighted this parallel in ...
Fernando Nikolic: Fear and Greed Index described as unreliable for bitcoin sentiment
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, criticized the accuracy of the Fear and Greed Index for bitcoin sentiment, stating that after analyzing 3.7 million data points, he considers the index ...
Samsung enables USDC-based dollar accounts on phones, Fernando Nikolic notes
Samsung has added a dollar account to 82 million phones, allowing people to see dollars in their wallet using USDC on Solana with custody held by Coinbase. No private keys or separate crypto app ...
Fernando Nikolic: Block brought back bitcoin faucet in April, sparking criticism from some longtime users
Block reintroduced a bitcoin faucet in April, an action that led to criticism from some individuals identifying as "real bitcoiners," who argued it did not match the faucet seen in 2010. Fernando ...
Nearly 3 million lost access to banking services overnight, Fernando Nikolic notes
Paraguay's largest bank by customer numbers has been shut down, causing nearly 3 million people to lose access to their banking apps, cards, and all bank services overnight. Fernando Nikolic, who ...
Fernando Nikolic: In Argentina, peso collapses drive people to seek U.S. dollars over BTC
Fernando Nikolic, Fernando Nikolic, stated that during two periods of hyperinflation in Argentina, people generally sought stability by moving to U.S. dollars rather than to BTC. He noted that ...
Bitcoin white paper does not reference blockchain, Fernando Nikolic notes
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, stated that after reviewing all nine pages of the Bitcoin white paper, he found that the document does not mention the term ...
Fernando Nikolic: 33 issuers object to OKX-ICE trading tokenized shares
A group of 33 issuers has raised objections to OKX-ICE trading their tokenized shares. This development was highlighted by Fernando Nikolic, who noted that representatives from Nasdaq reportedly ...
Uncertainty over introducing bitcoin custody solutions via MCPs, Fernando Nikolic notes
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, questioned whether now is the appropriate time to announce bitcoin custody solutions through MCPs. His comment suggests uncertainty about the timing of ...
Fernando Nikolic: 12 companies from 2025 bitcoin treasury cohort have sold all their bitcoin
Twelve companies in the so-called 2025 class of bitcoin treasury holders have sold all their bitcoin holdings. Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, stated that while he had previously ...
Hiring for storytelling in Bitcoin is challenging due to social dynamics, Fernando Nikolic notes
Storytelling is difficult to hire for in the Bitcoin space because the typical personality type is socially awkward, according to Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception. Nikolic also noted that ...
Fernando Nikolic: HSBC stablecoin RedCoin cannot transfer between HSBC’s two apps
HSBC’s new stablecoin, RedCoin, cannot be moved between HSBC’s PayMe app and the bank’s main Hong Kong app, according to its official FAQ. The product operates on HSBC’s private blockchain ...
Franklin Templeton introduces hybrid ETFs combining U.S. stocks and bitcoin, Fernando Nikolic notes
Franklin Templeton has registered two exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on Nasdaq this week that consist of 95% major U.S. stocks and 5% bitcoin. Each dividend payment from the stocks is used to ...
Fernando Nikolic: Fed began announcing rate decisions in 1994, added live press conferences in 2011
U.S. Federal Reserve rate decisions were not announced until 1994, after which market participants had to infer changes from market actions. Fernando Nikolic pointed out that live-streamed press ...
Access to the hardest asset in history could become easier for families, Fernando Nikolic notes
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, suggested that if Bitcoin ends up functioning primarily as digital gold, it would provide people around the world with easy access to what he described as ...
Fernando Nikolic: Bitcoin supply capped at 21 million contrasts with U.S. Fed’s flexible inflation target
Fernando Nikolic, founder of Perception, contrasted Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins with the U.S. Federal Reserve’s stated goal of 2 percent inflation "over the longer run." He ...
