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Summary
The aim of this Fast-Check: Teach readers on pibazar.eu practical techniques for identifying hidden conflicts of interest in cryptographic analyses and financial reports.
Why is this important: In the previous two parts of the series, we saw two cases:
- Part 1: Martin Stránský (CEO Bit.plus) writes optimistically about Bitcoin – lack of disclosure
- Part 2: Ben Zhou (CEO Bybit) criticizes Pi Network – has its own motives
- In this Part 3 we will show you specific methodology how to detect these scenarios in advancebefore you become a victim of misleading analysis.
Article content
Estimated reading time: 7 minut
Audio and video overview [Czech]
Audio and video overview [English]
Methodology: 5 Key Signals of Conflict of Interest
Signal 1: "Who wrote this and what is the background?"
What to observe:
- Does the author have his own project/company in the crypto space?
- Does the author make money from the growth of a particular cryptocurrency?
- Does the author have a public conflict with a competitor?
Examples from our series:
| Author | Position | Conflict of interest | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Stransky | CEO Bit.plus (trades in cryptocurrencies) | Optimistic Bitcoin Forecasts Increase Volume | ✗ Hidden – no disclosure |
| Ben Zhou | CEO Bybit (exchange) | Criticism of Pi Network excludes competition | ✓ Obvious – publicly communicates the position |
| Anonymous X account | "Pi tech team" (pretending to be a team) | Lies about Bybit listing protect the project | ✗ Manipulative – posing as false authority |
How to apply it:
- Find basic information about the author (LinkedIn, website, X/Twitter)
- Ask: “Does this person have a financial interest in what they are claiming?”
- Check: “Is this interest disclosed in the article?”
Practical example – Check:
You are reading the article: "Bitcoin will rise to $200,000"
Author: Unknown "Analyst"Your steps:
✓ Step 1: Search for the author on LinkedIn
✓ Step 2: Find out if they trade cryptocurrencies
✓ Step 3: Find the disclaimer in the article
✗ Result: No disclaimer → WARNING
Signal 2: “Are the claims supported by sources?”
What to observe:
- Does the article have specific sources or just claims?
- Are the sources tangible and verifiable?
- Does the author mention data without explaining its origin?
Examples from the series:
| Claim | Source | Verification | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Bitcoin will be 106-115K" | Not mentioned | A fabricated forecast | ✗ Unverifiable |
| "Pi Network is a Ponzi" | Chinese Police Warning 2023 | Real, but without context | ⚠️ Partially verifiable |
| "Bybit was hacked for 1,5 billion." | CoinDesk, multiple sources | Publicly confirmed | ✓ Fully verifiable |
How to apply it:
- When you see a specific claim, ask, “How do we know that?”
- Try to find the original source (if cited)
- Verify the information with at least 2-3 independent sources
Practical example – Check:
You are reading: "Pi Network has 50 million active users"
Your test:
✓ Is the source cited? (in the article? in the discussion?)
✓ Go to PiScan.io or Pi App and check the current numbers
✗ You will find out: The data is 2 years old
→ WARNING: Outdated or misleading number
Signal 3: “Does it correlate with market reality?”
What to observe:
- Do the claims match what is actually happening in the market?
- If the forecast says X, but the market does Y – what happened?
- Does the author have a history of failure?
Examples from the series:
| Claim | Prognosis | Reality | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stránský about Bitcoin | 106-115K USD | $101,8K (2 days later) | ✗ 0% |
| Zhou about Pi Network | "Ponzi scheme" | Pi lives 5+ years without crashing | ⚠️ Theoretical concern |
How to apply it:
- Write down the forecast including the date.
- Come back in 1-3 months and check what happened
- Create an analyst “scorecard” – who is right?
Practical example – Check:
Calendar:
11/17/2025 – Author: “Eth will rise to $4000 by the end of the year”
12/31/2025 – You: You check – eth is at $2800
→ The author had 0% accuracy
→ You won't trust the next predictions from this author
Signal 4: “Is the author transparent and ready to debate?”
What to observe:
- Does the author respond to criticism or ignore it?
- Does the author admit that he was wrong?
- Does the author block his critics or is the discussion open?
Examples from the series:
| Person | Access | Transparency |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Stransky | They don't try to respond to criticism. | ✗ Low – ignores |
| Ben Zhou | He debates publicly, but is emotional. | ⚠️ Medium – communicates but is not neutral |
| PiNetwork | He makes statements, but is unnecessarily silent. | ✗ Low – reactive instead of proactive |
How to apply it:
- If you have a question → try writing it to the author (X, LinkedIn, email)
- Observe: Is he responding? Arguing? Or blocking?
- You conclude: "Is the author open-minded or is he just promoting?"
Practical example – Check:
You write a critique:
“Your Bitcoin prediction from 7.11 is incorrect because…”Answers:
✓ Good source: The author answers you, explains, or admits an error
✗ Bad source: The author blocks you, ignores you, or attacks you ad hominem
Signal 5: “Who benefits financially from your decision?”
What to observe:
- If you do what the author recommends – who benefits?
- Does the author have a direct financial stake?
- Can the author of a "pump and dump" scheme?
Examples from the series:
| Scenario | Recommendation | Who benefits? | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stransky: "Bitcoin 106-115K" | Buy Bitcoin | Bit.plus (volume) | ✗ High – can manipulate |
| Zhou: "Pi is a scam" | Don't buy Pi | Bybit (competitor) | ✗ High – competitive price |
| Anonymous Pi account: "Bybit rejected" | Support Pi | Pi Foundation | ✗ High – lie for support |
How to apply it:
- Before every investment, ask yourself: "Who benefits from this?"
- If the person who tells you the claim benefits → RED FLAG
- Look for analysis from people who they have no financial interest
Practical example – Check:
You are reading: “XYZ coin is the best investment for 2025”
Your analysis:
✗ Author: Founder of XYZ coin (profits from price growth)
✗ Platform: XYZ official channel (profits from propaganda)
✗ Timing: The article is published before the “pump” event→ WARNING: 100% manipulation
Practical Guide: Article Review Checklist
When you read any crypto article, go through this checklist:
Checklist
□ AUTHOR & MOTIVATION
□ Do I know the author?
□ Does the author have a financial interest in the topic?
□ Is this interest mentioned in the article? (disclosure)
□ Is this the author's opinion or a promotion?□ SOURCES & FACTS
□ Are the claims supported by sources?
□ Are the sources linked or at least named?
□ Can I verify the sources?
□ Is the data up to date?□ CONTEXTUALIZATION
□ Are opposing views mentioned?
□ Are risks mentioned?
□ Is the article balanced or one-sided?
□ Am I missing any important information?□ REALITY
□ Does this match what I see on the market?
□ Was the author right in the past?
□ How was he wrong?□ COMMUNICATION
□ Does the author respond to criticism?
□ Is he ready to admit a mistake?
□ Or is he acting defensive?
How to use it:
✅ 8-10 checked: The article is reliable
⚠️ 5-7 checked: Caution, you need more resources
❌ 0-4 checked: WARNING, don't trust blindly
Practical example: Application to two cells in a series
Example 1: Stránský on Bitcoin
Checklist:
✗ AUTHOR: CEO Bit.plus – has a BIG financial interest
✗ MOTIVATION: No conflict of interest disclosure
✗ SOURCES: No specific references to data
✗ REALITY: Forecast failed in 2 days (Bitcoin 3,97% below the limit)
✗ COMMUNICATION: The author did not attempt to defend or correctScore: 0/10 checklists checked
→ CONCLUSION: LOW CREDIBILITY
Example 2: Ben Zhou on Pi Network
Checklist:
✓ AUTHOR: CEO Bybit – interested, but IS transparent
⚠️ MOTIVATION: Zhou communicates his position publicly
✓ SOURCES: Citing Chinese police warning
⚠️ REALITY: Theoretical concerns (Ponzi) have not yet been proven
✓ COMMUNICATION: Zhou is verbal and discusses publiclyScore: 4/10 checklists checked (sometimes +0,5 for transparency)
→ CONCLUSION: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY – but read carefully
Resources & Inspiration
- Part 1 of the series: Martin Stránský and Bitcoin (pibazar.eu)
- Part 2 of the series: Ben Zhou vs. Pi Network (pibazar.eu)
- CoinDesk, Finance Magnates: Bybit CEO statements
- Cointelegraph, TradingView: Pi Network Analysis
- academic resources: Behavioral Finance & Media Bias
Publications: 17. November 2025
Status: VERIFIED – Methodology applied to examples from the series
Series: Part 3 – Practical guide to identifying conflicts of interest
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