[cwkoss]

I regret to inform you that none of those things are ponzi schemes. Many of em are certainly fraud, but a ponzi scheme they are not.

Your incorrect definition of ponzi scheme is essentially 'basic market dynamics in an inflationary economy' and would include the vast majority of financial products in the world, including the ones your probably trust.

Stocks only work if you can find another putz to buy it.

People who are early in any stock take money from later investors.

Also, anyone who purchased bitcoin in the first 12 of the 14 years it has existed is in the green. I think "only early investors" is a pretty superlative way of expressing that.

[masonium]

Stocks give you dividends from the underlying company. You reap a realized return (for most stocks) even if you never sell.