Hi — I’m Jim Phillips, better known as ergophobe (or ergofobe on some platforms) in the crypto world. I’m the founder and chief editor of PTYcoin.

I’ve been a tech geek since I was five, hammering away on an Apple ][ back in 1980. Decades later, in 2011, I was living in Panama and working in IT at IBM when I came across Bitcoin. Money that was decentralized, censorship-resistant, and impossible to quietly debase — the idea grabbed me and never let go. In a country pegged to the US dollar, where so many people were shut out of the banking system entirely, it felt less like a speculation and more like a tool for freedom.

So I built one. I became Panama’s first Bitcoin trader and broker and turned PTYcoin into the country’s go-to on-ramp for crypto. Along the way I worked with OGs like Erik Voorhees and Roger Ver, helped launch exchanges like 1BTCXE and Panda Exchange, and mined Bitcoin through the noise of the 2017 scaling wars. We ran PTYcoin until 2024.

Why it’s back

What started as a Panama project was never really only about Panama. The questions that pulled me in — how do you hold your own money, move it freely, and keep it out of reach of arbitrary control — are the same ones people are asking across Latin America and around the world.

So PTYcoin is back, this time as a bilingual crypto blog. The community has outgrown its borders: still LatAm-rooted, now globally relevant. Whatever I write, you’ll find it in both English and Spanish, so no one’s left out of the conversation.

What to expect

  • News — what’s actually happening in crypto, minus the hype.
  • Analysis — markets and policy, explained in plain language.
  • Project spotlights — the builders and ideas worth your attention.
  • Guides — practical, self-custody-first walkthroughs for newcomers and veterans alike.

My north star hasn’t changed: freedom and opportunity through tools people can actually control. If that resonates — whether you’re an OG or just getting started — you’re in the right place. Got a tip, a project, or something you’d like to see covered? Reach me at info@ptycoin.com.