Jason Akermanis launches own ‘Bitcoin killer’ cryptocurrency

Ex-AFL star Jason Akermanis has launched his own cryptocurrency — and he claims it will be bigger than Bitcoin.

Ex-AFL star Jason Akermanis is launching his own cryptocurrency. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Jason Akermanis has launched his own cryptocurrency which, in typical style, he says will be bigger than Bitcoin.

The Brownlow medallist and three-time premiership player is an investor in the business behind Zucoins which went live this week.

The latest cryptocurrency bills itself as “the world’s first peer-to-peer next generation cryptocurrency” which is quicker to process transactions, cheaper and less energy intensive to produce and more able to handle small purchases.

“Our coin will go down as a turning point in the history of crypto currency and its technology made here in Australia,” Mr Akermanis said.

“It’s far more advanced than anything out there. All cryptocurrency have the same three problems – speed, costs and scalability – and our technology solves it.

“No matter how you try to dress up Bitcoin, it will have all of those problems. Ours doesn’t.”

Jason Akermanis during his playing days.

The unusual venture pairs Mr Akermanis with Allan Endresz, an Albury business identity who was convicted of stock market manipulation in the 1990s and banned from being a company director amid numerous clashes and counter clashes with the corporate cop and tax office.

Mr Endresz is also the owner of racehorse Alligator Blood which was disqualified from last year’s $2m Magic Millions after testing positive to a prohibitive substance – a disqualification being challenged in the Supreme Court.

Mr Akermanis met Mr Endresz, who tried to sue the government for more than $4b in damages, during his time playing for Footscray and said the businessman didn’t hide any of his trials and tribulations.

“There is a lot to Allan’s story but I’ve heard both sides of it – you take the good and the bad with everyone,” he said.

“Al has taken more hate in his life than I think even I have and I admire him for being able to carry on with it.”

Alligator Blood owners Allan Endresz and Robyn and Jeff Simpson.

Zucoins have emerged from another of Mr Akermanis’s business ventures, Zukaz, an augmented reality marketing platform which allows users to collect discount retail vouchers in the same way they play Pokemon Go.

Zucoins are being sold for $60 each, the most expensive cryptocurrency yet in terms of initial price offering.

Mr Akermanis said the patented software behind the coin would cap production at 100 million, potentially creating a market worth $6 billion.

The former AFL star says his journey into crypto currency had left him a firm believer that the technology will fundamentally reshape how people buy and sell across the world by serving as a global currency.