Quote from: DrGregMulhauser on March 06, 2014, 06:44:23 PM

Quote from: coinreturn on March 06, 2014, 05:36:52 PM

...a realistic return that anyone familiar with EMAs and MACD indicator based trading can easily imagine what the returns would look like.

I am "familiar with EMAs and MACD", and I can say with 100% certainty that they tell me nothing whatsoever about what your "returns would look like".

Quote from: coinreturn on March 06, 2014, 05:36:52 PM

The remaining 25% will be used for more standard investments such as near-the-money stock options, traditional stock securities, and short to medium term secured business loans.

So 25% of the "portfolio" will be short BTC, invested in fiat-denominated instruments on exchanges which you haven't mentioned, and hedged against increases in BTC via mechanisms that you haven't spelled out, meeting AML/KYC requirements in ways you haven't elucidated.

Addressing these kinds of basics directly could help improve the plausibility of what you're proposing and help it possibly, maybe -- probably not, but perhaps -- even pass the sniff test.

1st part - We debated this---as to what kind of number to put in for potential returns on investment---and decided against putting anything specific in. Too low an estimate and investors might not buy, too high and they might get angry and underperforming. Generally speaking, the more volatile the market, the better for us. We've had some good weeks where we've doubled our holdings and others where the best we could do was 5%. We'd put our expected range at 10%-50% weekly but don't hold me to that, plenty of weeks could be better or worse.

2nd part - The 25% isn't exactly short/hedged against BTC but more of a diversification. We will be trading securities via TradeKing.com (formerly Zecco) which handles markets like NYSE, NASDAQ, other main exchanges internationally and OTC stocks in the U.S. This will be a mix of traditional hold/shorts and put/call options that are somewhat close to whatever symbols current price. The funds through TradeKing won't be to any crazy penny stocks and will generally be on companies with a fair size market cap or larger (think $250mill+).
Another part of this 25% will be in mid-april and will be a collaterized loan to a brick and morter business with terms at 1-year and 10% interest. The loan, if it materializes, is to one of our founder's ex-wife's boyfriend who has opened up an e-cig shop and has had a good deal of success but could use the capital to either expand inventory, hire employees, and/or open 2nd shop. Two of our members have already loaned him money last year(from our personal money) and have all payments on time. This loan will be secured with his car (which is worth $8500 resale and the loan won't exceed $5000) though since it involves other peoples money.

Hope this helps answer your concerns, thanks for posting.

-tom