{"id":"michael-jerlis","title":"Michael Jerlis","content":"**Michael Jerlis** is a serial entrepreneur, self-described \"Crypto & [Blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) Visioner,\" and public advocate for [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology, best known as the founder and CEO of the global cryptocurrency company EMCD.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m) He has guided EMCD's evolution from a specialized cryptocurrency mining pool into a comprehensive digital finance ecosystem.[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)​[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​ His other founded ventures include Prana Kitchen and electromotive.[\\[5\\]](#cite-id-aRaxnxiP56GHQtEL)\n\n## Education\n\nJerlis attended Bauman Moscow State Technical University from 2008 to 2013.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n\n## Career and Ventures\n\n### Early Career\n\nBefore entering the cryptocurrency industry, Jerlis worked in the IT department of Alfa-Bank, operated a data center, and was involved in a car-sharing service. He began his involvement with cryptocurrency mining in 2017. As a Russian-speaking entrepreneur, he operated in various global hubs, including Russia, Dubai, and Bali, before relocating to Miami, Florida.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m) As the primary spokesperson for his company, Jerlis frequently provides commentary on [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) mining, market trends, and the [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) [Halving](https://iq.wiki/wiki/halving), and has been featured in interviews with outlets such as coincodex.com, blockjournal.io, and coinedition.com.[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)​[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n\n### EMCD\n\nJerlis founded EMCD in 2017, conceiving one of Europe's first [mining](https://iq.wiki/wiki/mining) pools at a time when, according to him, the idea was met with significant doubt.[\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Gk9gnC7Leb4XBR9b) The company's mining pool officially launched in 2018.[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m) By 2019, under his leadership, the platform had become the largest mining pool in Eastern Europe, growing its client base from 40,000 to over 50,000.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)​\n\nIn 2020, Jerlis guided the company's [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) pool into the top 10 largest globally. That year, he secured an official brokerage partnership with [Binance](https://iq.wiki/wiki/binance) to launch Coin-margined futures trading and introduced an \"Accumulative account\" feature for users to earn a yield on their assets.[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m) The company's expansion continued in 2021 with the launch of a peer-to-peer trading platform, a mobile application, and dedicated services for institutional investors, growing the user base to 200,000.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m) Also in 2021, the company was officially registered in Georgia as a \"Virtual Zone Person\" to leverage certain tax exemptions.[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)​\n\nUnder Jerlis's direction, EMCD continued to innovate, reporting a 262% increase in total hashrate in 2022 and launching a feature that allowed miners to receive payouts in cryptocurrencies different from those being mined. He also oversaw the creation of a B2B platform for trading hashrate via fixed-term contracts.[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)​[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)​\n\nA significant milestone in Jerlis's career came in 2023 with the rebranding of the entire platform to Cyberbank emcd. to position the company as a \"digital bank for miners.\" This shift reflected his broader vision of building an integrated infrastructure connecting crypto services with the real-world economy.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)​[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7) This period saw the launch of hardware products like the \"Smart Heat\" (or \"Heatbox\") for at-home mining and custom firmware for ASIC miners. The company's user base grew to over 250,000.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)​\n\nJerlis expressed his guiding philosophy in an interview:\n\n> “EMCD is more than just a pool; it's an entire ecosystem that we are constantly developing. Our goal is to provide our clients with a full range of services for working with digital assets, from mining to financial instruments and innovative solutions like 'Smart Heat'.”[\\[1\\]](#cite-id-OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ)\n\nBetween mid-2024 and mid-2025, the platform added approximately 200,000 new users, reaching over 400,000 globally. As of mid-2025, the company's mining pool consistently ranked among the top ten for [Bitcoin](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bitcoin) and operated with a team of 320 employees across 27 countries. In a 2025 interview, Jerlis stated that he allocates over $1.5 million annually to the security of the company's infrastructure and announced plans for expansion into 40 new countries.[\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Gk9gnC7Leb4XBR9b)\n\n### Other Ventures\n\nIn addition to his work with EMCD, Jerlis's entrepreneurial activities include founding the ventures Cyberbank Performa, Prana Kitchen, and electromotive.[\\[5\\]](#cite-id-aRaxnxiP56GHQtEL)\n\n## Affiliations\n\nJerlis is a member of several business clubs, including Business Club Connect+, Business Club Minders, The [Bridge](https://iq.wiki/wiki/bridge), Uhome, and Liberland.[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n\n## Awards and Recognition\n\nJerlis and the company he founded have received multiple awards for their contributions to the cryptocurrency industry.\n\n#### Founder Awards\n\n* **Web3 Founder of the Year (2025)**, awarded at The BeInCrypto 100 Awards 2025[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n* **Best Crypto-Entrepreneur Under 35 (2021)**, awarded by investing.com[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n\n#### Company and Product Awards\n\n* **Best Mining Pool 2025** (for EMCD), awarded by Cryptonomist[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)\n* **Best Savings Wallet of 2024** (for Coinhold), awarded by crypto.news[\\[3\\]](#cite-id-Gk9gnC7Leb4XBR9b)\n* **Best Mining Service 2021** (for EMCD), awarded by [Blockchain Life](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain-life)[\\[4\\]](#cite-id-DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7)[\\[2\\]](#cite-id-Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m)","summary":"Michael Jerlis is the founder and CEO of EMCD, a global cryptocurrency company. He is an entrepreneur known for building the company from a mining pool into a c...","images":[{"id":"Qmb91KQG49E2gifZKPY3aJXuD94w46rVG8VFzfsUPNCLLw","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"People in crypto"}],"tags":[{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"}],"media":[{"id":"QmNvNDjAWcRV8wyyYdT5EmfSimrebF6wtqn3u2Q6eD4A9k","size":null,"name":"170972176904412hhwyjt21.jpg","type":null,"source":"IPFS_IMG"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"OlPIzXwn9z2d6OzJ\",\"url\":\"https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WrNc9cC9hBmRRXYEO1SL4W6odo33IFNYmcN0CBgnQXE/edit?tab=t.0\",\"description\":\"Structured Research Analysis: EMCD & Michael Jerlis\",\"timestamp\":1772538796313},{\"id\":\"Oy8QwngDAXdBtq4m\",\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerlis/\",\"description\":\"Michael Jerlis LinkedIn Profile Analysis\",\"timestamp\":1772626012043},{\"id\":\"Gk9gnC7Leb4XBR9b\",\"url\":\"https://techround.co.uk/interviews/meet-michael-jerlis-founder-and-ceo-of-emcd-and-techround-blockchain32-judge/\",\"description\":\"Interview with Michael Jerlis, Founder and CEO of EMCD\",\"timestamp\":1772626012043},{\"id\":\"DRSPcYTfGZKtHsy7\",\"url\":\"https://app.coinpedia.org/michaeljerlis/\",\"description\":\"EMCD Tech: A Comprehensive Overview\",\"timestamp\":1772626012043},{\"id\":\"aRaxnxiP56GHQtEL\",\"url\":\"https://t.me/jerlis\\\\_lives\\\\_here\",\"description\":\"Michael Jerlis Telegram Profile\",\"timestamp\":1772804555143}]"},{"id":"website","value":"https://emcd.io/"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://twitter.com/emcd_pool"},{"id":"telegram_profile","value":"https://t.me/emcd_en"},{"id":"youtube_profile","value":"https://www.youtube.com/@emcd_pool"},{"id":"twitter_profile","value":"https://x.com/jerlis_here"},{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerlis/"},{"id":"telegram_profile","value":"https://t.me/jerlis_lives_here"},{"id":"website","value":"https://hackernoon.com/u/MichaelJerlis"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"\"https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/QmV2qQWfj4FLSQmNkWmyfrTjRzYS8mxC22bzQDBjMZfBm8\""},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Removed Michael Jerlis content\""},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmV2qQWfj4FLSQmNkWmyfrTjRzYS8mxC22bzQDBjMZfBm8"}],"events":[],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8AF7a19a26d8FBC48dEfB35AEfb15Ec8c407f889"},"operator":{"id":"0xD761762F56019832557d9d3167D363EC45eD83A0"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":["bitcoin","litecoin","bitcoin-cash","dogecoin","ethereum-classic","dash"],"founders":[],"speakers":[]},"recentActivity":"{\"items\":[{\"id\":\"5d763711-589d-42c1-9682-5954e77fe8be\",\"title\":\"Michael Jerlis\",\"description\":\"Michael Jerlis is the founder and CEO of EMCD, a global cryptocurrency company. He is an entrepreneur known for building the company from a mining pool into a c...\",\"timestamp\":\"2026-03-03T14:39:38.462Z\",\"category\":\"Organizations\",\"status\":{\"icon\":\"RiGlobalLine\",\"label\":\"Wiki Updated\",\"iconClassName\":\"text-green-500\"},\"user\":{\"name\":\"0x8AF7a19a26d8FBC48dEfB35AEfb15Ec8c407f889\",\"address\":\"0xD761762F56019832557d9d3167D363EC45eD83A0\"},\"button\":{\"label\":\"View Summary\",\"icon\":\"RiFileTextLine\"},\"summarySections\":[{\"title\":\"Events\",\"subtitle\":\"Updated event dates to a more specific format, changed associated IDs, and corrected capitalization for a section title.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":6,\"changes\":[\"Changed event section title from 'organizations' to 'Organizations'.\",\"Updated event date from '2017-01' to '2017-01-01' and updated its ID.\",\"Updated event date from '2018-01' to '2018-01-01' and updated its ID.\",\"Updated event date from '2020-01' to '2020-01-01' and updated its ID.\",\"Updated event date from '2021-01' to '2021-01-01' and updated its ID.\",\"Updated event date from '2023-01' to '2023-01-01' and updated its ID.\"]},{\"title\":\"Images\",\"subtitle\":\"Added a new image and removed several existing gallery images.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":7,\"changes\":[\"Added image '170972176904412hhwyjt21.jpg' (ID: QmNvNDjAWcRV8wyyYdT5EmfSimrebF6wtqn3u2Q6eD4A9k).\",\"Removed image with ID: QmScdwE4ahStE8ZsMJynoFQs6nGmijym3nydSF4MzvSeAt.\",\"Removed image with ID: QmT43UHr64SwGiQ2Join9KEKCC2Ef6Bzik4a864F14tGW2.\",\"Removed image with ID: QmVXb2SpPZjRTJZh78afaaS1BviBsrsDcxkv6NwJXB8s95.\",\"Removed image with ID: QmQeVHjRh9ZgEb5xenBb7hhGZEiCm3v4MrdoyCRvmcD3Y1.\",\"Removed image with ID: QmPm5QyorzYtTPuFtN4ofsjd5swb8bkVqN1zJXbURJWyCk.\",\"Removed image with ID: QmT2Ba83L9RKXxRGDAHAsHCkZ5sr9ckzSB4nXhQwtuoJWS.\"]},{\"title\":\"Metadata\",\"subtitle\":\"Updated metadata by adding a wiki score and removing the empty speakers list.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":2,\"changes\":[\"Removed metadata field 'speakers'.\",\"Added new metadata field 'wiki-score' with value '81'.\"]},{\"title\":\"Summary\",\"subtitle\":\"The summary text was truncated.\",\"variant\":\"modified\",\"changeCount\":1,\"changes\":[\"Updated summary text from 'Michael Jerlis is the founder and CEO of EMCD, a global cryptocurrency company. He is an entrepreneur known for building the company from a mining pool into a comprehensive digital finance ecosystem.' to 'Michael Jerlis is the founder and CEO of EMCD, a global cryptocurrency company. He is an entrepreneur known for building the company from a mining pool into a c...'.\"]}]}]}"}