Two Bit Matrix Review: Ten-tier matrix investment scheme
There is no information on the Two Bit Matrix website indicating who owns or runs the business.
The Two Bit Matrix website domain (“twobitmatrix.com”) was registered on the 14th of February, with a “Donald Shickle” listed as the owner. An address in the US state of New York is also provided.
A Google search of the Two Bit Matrix domain address reveals a Facebook profile belonging to “Donnie Shickle” (right). A caption on the profile reads:
Hi, I’m Donnie Shickle, singer, songwriter, musician, entrepreneur and modern day renaissance man of sorts.
I’m always looking to network with honest, reliable, open minded people who like to think outside the box.
Shickle’s Facebook profile has not been updated since November 2013.
Further research reveals a LinkedIn account bearing the name “Donald Shickle” (), in which Shickle claims to be the CEO of Two Bit Matrix:
Shickle also claims to be the CEO of “Mad Ad Cash”, which sounds like a recruitment-driven pyramid scheme:
Guaranteed Earnings
You have to do very little effort to start earning income. Just introduce your few friends to us and earn money.
The above is from the Mad Ad Cash website, with further research confirming it to be a matrix-based recruitment scheme.
In addition to launching dubious opportunities, Shickle has also been involved in a few of them as an affiliate.
On the Facebook group “Let Your Voice Be Heard”, Shickle has advertised Feeder Matrix (pyramid scheme), EZ Cash Gifts (cash gifting), This Christmas Cash (pyramid scheme) and as recently as February of this year, Zero2Pro (pyramid scheme).
Mad Ad Cash was launched in early 2014, with Alexa traffic estimates revealing the opportunity is dead. Two Bit Matrix would appear to be the successor of the scheme, although Shickle has been promoting both simultaneously.
Read on for a full review of the Two Bit Matrix MLM business opportunity.
The Two Bit Matrix Product Line
Two Bit Matrix has no retailable products or services, with affiliates only able to market affiliate membership with the company itself.
Once signed up, Two Bit Matrix affiliates can then purchase matrix positions and participate in the income opportunity.
The Two Bit Matrix Compensation Plan
The Two Bit Matrix compensation plan sees affiliate purchase matrix positions across a series of ten matrices.
A number of different sized matrices are used:
- 2×5 – sixty-two positions to fill across five levels
- 2×4 – thirty positions to fill across four levels
- 2×3 – fourteen positions to fill across three levels
- 2×2 – six positions to fill across two levels
- 3×3 – thirty-nine positions to fill across three levels
- 4×4 – three hundred and forty positions to fill across four levels
- 5×5 – three thousand nine hundred and five positions to fill across five levels
The basic concept is that as positions fill in any of the ten matrices a position has been bought, commissions are paid out as follows:
- Matrix 1 (2×5) – 50 cents per position filled (capped at $1)
- Matrix 2 (2×4) – $1 per position filled (capped $2)
- Matrix 3 (2×3) – $2 per position filled (capped at $4)
- Matrix 4 (2×2) – $4 per position filled (capped at $8)
- Matrix 5 (3×3) – $8 per position filled (capped at $24)
- Matrix 6 (4×4) – $12 per position filled (capped at $48)
- Matrix 7 (5×5) – $24 per position filled (capped at $120)
- Matrix 8 (4×4) – $60 per position filled (capped at $240)
- Matrix 9 (3×3) – $120 per position filled (capped at $360)
- Matrix 10 (2×2) – $180 per position filled (capped at $360)
Two Bit Matrix affiliates are encouraged to use commissions paid out to “upgrade” themselves to higher level matrices, however this is optional (beyond purchasing an initial 50 cent position in Matrix 1).
Positions in each matrix are equal to that of the payout per position filled (eg. 50 cents in Matrix 1 and up to $180 in Matrix 10).
Joining Two Bit Matrix
Affiliate membership with Two Bit Matrix is free, however affiliates must purchase at least one matrix position in order to participate in the income opportunity.
As such the defacto minimum cost of Two Bit Matrix affiliate membership is 50 cents (the cost of one Matrix 1 position).
Conclusion
Can you find two people with half a dollar and half a brain? If so, you will make money with Two Bit Matrix.
-Donald Shickle, CEO of Two Bit Matrix
With nothing being marketed or sold to retail customers, Two Bit Matrix is revealed to be a ten-tier Ponzi investment scheme.
And even then it makes little sense.
Payouts as described on the Two Bit Matrix website suggest that commission payouts are capped on the first level of each matrix tier offered.
What the other levels of the matrix are for then escapes me. If you can only earn on the first level, why bother having any more?
In that sense Two Bit Matrix operates more like a straight-line queue cycler, with the first level of each matrix tier offered serving as the queue.
Why it wasn’t just launched like that I have no idea.
In any event, mathematically the flow of funds into Two Bit Matrix is $411.50, with an eventual $1167 ROI paid out.
The ROI is paid out subject to continued affiliate investment in matrix positions, with there being no other demonstratable revenue-source existing within the company.
This qualifies Two Bit Matrix as a ten-tier Ponzi scheme.
Being a matrix-based scheme, once new investment in positions dries up the matrices themselves will stall.
Incorrectly, Shickle attributes this inevitable collapse on the size of the matrices used:
Most matrices are set up for failure right from the start because they are too wide and, or too deep. They use 3×4, 4×4 or even wider, deeper levels in the matrix.
Make no mistake, matrix-based Ponzi schemes collapse for the same reason any other type of Ponzi scheme does: a lack of newly invested funds.
The size of the matrix is neither here nor there, serving only to determine how much new investment is required before a ROI is paid out.
Once new affiliate recruitment slows down and nobody is buying new matrix positions, Two Bit Matrix will collapse.
First thing you need to know is that, there is no requirement to recruit members for money at Two Bit Matrix. It is an advertising site with the cheapest advertising in the world.
After advertising is purchased by anyone who registers, that person has already gotten their money’s worth. If that person decides that he or she may know other people who would like cheap advertising, They are compensated with 100% commissions for that referral.
If you are looking for cheap advertising, this is the place to be. If you are looking to make money, that can be done here as well, but let’s get one thing straight. Right here, right now.
Nobody is forcing you to spend your money, to try to make money. If you make money here, it is simply an added bonus. You are merely purchasing advertising on our high traffic web site.
It’s entirely up to you, if after you use our service here, you are happy with the service, to tell your friend relatives, neighbors and contacts. Your money NEVER touches our hands. That being said…
Only one referral is needed for you to break even. Two referrals will double your initial investment. After that, you will be forcing your referrals to make money and they will love you for it.
Cool. Affiliate recruitment however is required, otherwise nobody gets paid.
There’s only so much money existing affiliates will sink into positions.
…yet all one can buy is matrix positions.
Save the rest of the scam 101 excuses for someone else, nothing addresses the fact that all you’re doing is shuffling newly invested funds to pay off existing investors (position purchasers).
but according to shickle he is not running a ponzi scheme because :
so how many member positions does shickle personally hold? he says : “I am innocent in the eyes of God and hopefully he will see my heart is in the right place”.
i’m pretty sure his personal membership positions are all in the ‘Right Places’ too.
mywot.com/en/forum/54690-twobitmatrix-com?comment=289300
A stereotypical “Be Your Own Fraudster Instruction Manual” response if there ever was one.
It makes no difference if there is a “requirement” or “earnings are not guaranteed” or “it’s not a pyramid because those at the bottom can theoretically earn more than those at the top”
If members CAN profit mainly from recruiting others who recruit others, then the program is both illegal and, more importantly, guaranteed to fail.
Attaching a next-to-useless advertising component to the scheme makes no difference, either to the illegal aspect of your scheme or it’s chances of making money for anyone, other than those at the top of the pyramid.
For sure, you may well attract a small number of the HYIP ponzi / pyramid crowd and make a small profit for yourself,
“Small” being the operative word.
Otherwise, your Two Bit Matrix will remain just that – Two Bit (and extremely short lived)
wow. article wasn’t even done and the scammer was here to defend the scam. lol. that’s gotta be a record.
If you have to check this site to make sure nothing was written about your scam, you’re running a scam.
… you didn’t consult a MLM attorney before launching this POS, since they would have laughed in your face then told you this is so illegal you shouldn’t waste their time, and still bill you an hour for wasting their time.
I’m sorry but I have never seen so much ignorance in all my life.
Again, plain and simple. Marketers, or anyone selling anything in the world, who has anything to sell or anything to say, may purchase advertising on my website.
Our cost for advertising on our popular website is amongst the least expensive in the world, aside from free advertising, which anyone who has any experience knows is a waste of time.
We, at Two Bit Matrix can easily charge 10 times more than we are charging for advertising. Plus we do NOT have to offer any compensation who refer their friends, family and colleagues.
However, we will not let the ignorant remarks of anyone who has not done their due diligence to find the true meaning of a pyramid or ponzi scheme, deter us from offering what we believe to be a completely legitimate service.
If you are a leader, and not a follower. If you have your own mind for thinking for yourself, use your intelligence to see that we pay 100% commissions for efforts. WE NEVER TOUCH YOUR MONEY.
If someone decides that they would like to be a affiliate and take part in promoting the website, and a payment is made, they receive ALL of the profit from the sale.
Each new payment provides the commission for that affiliate. That means that there is never a lack of funds for payments to be made.
Please do not listen to rants and raves of people who have so much time on their hands that they go about bashing something of which they know very little, at most.
The fact that I was here defending myself before the review was completed only proves the fact that I am paying very close to my business and the last time I checked, this was a very commendable attribute.
If you would like some references or definitions of pyramids or ponzi schemes I will happily send you some links. Or better yet, here is my private phone number so you can contact me personally. (Ozedit: attempt to take discussion offsite removed)
Would I do this if I were a crook? Come on people, get a life, seriously!
PS Two Bit Matrix is here to stay. If you don’t like it, don’t look at it.
Donald R Shickle Jr
Admin – Two Bit Matrix
Whether advertising is sold external to the MLM compensation plan is irrelevant.
You’re selling matrix positions in an MLM matrix cycler. Whatever you bundle with that doesn’t matter.
C-c-cash gifting.
Oh, I don’t know.
Better ask the victims of Bernard Madoff, Andy Bowdoin, Paul Burks, Charis Johnson, Greg McKnight and Trevor Reed how much importance should be placed on having a name and address when evaluating a business model.
Sadly, I have. Many times. From owners of such schemes. Whether it’s willful blindness or ignorance I can’t tell, but I am willing to entertain the idea that you’re not an “intentional” crook.
Stay for as long as all the OTHER schemes you launched previously. History speaks for itself.
And those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
yet you keep posting it.
@donald Your site says “due to abuse and misuse of the system” you need to relaunch your site?
Also @Donald, you raved how great your ad site is, then why are you changing the domain to viralpaycheck?
To whom it may concern, I am as human as you are. You have some very legitimate questions and I completely understand your scepticism.
I don’t really blame you for lashing out at me but would you buy my advertising for 50 cents based on my merit alone. This would most definitely look like a scam.
I make no money based on the fact that I pay 100% commissions.
If you would spend your time finding something positive to review, you would remove your blinders, only to find that I and my website/program are nothing but legit.
Did you ever once consider that I have become so overwhelmed by trying to help the online world to create a legitimate income that I may have overlooked the little things.
I feel sorry for you, even though I am under attack here. There is no basis for your accusations, yet you continue to waste your time trying to find fault in something that you have no understanding of, whatsoever.
You may as well give up, because I will not, and although you have tried to insult me and discredit me I will not fall victim of retaliating… just the facts.
Please continue with your attacks so that I may continue to gather all of the ammunition that I need to move forward. To isolate and overcome any and all obstacles that come before me.
Your adversary, (wish you were on my side).
was hoping by now that you would see that you have come up against someone who you would be better off befriending.
Whatever, thank you for this opportunity to vent and react against any questions that I may encounter. You are making me strong and I thank you for that. I am hiding nothing but even if I was, you lack the power to do anything about it.
Donald R Shickle Jr
(Ozedit: spam removed)
Bloody hell, a real waffler admin this one.
What makes Two Bit Matrix a scam is you using newly invested funds to pay off existing investors.
There’s nothing “legit” about Two Bit Matrix using newly invested funds to pay off existing investors. It’s a Ponzi scheme.
The only person you’re helping with your Ponzi scheme is yourself.
Right. Except for the fact that you sit at the top of the company matrix, with however many positions you generated for yourself.
A Ponzi admin who doesn’t make any money, give me a break.
There are no accusations being made, merely facts based on Two Bit Matrix’s compensation plan.
Given you tried to spam your next scheme in your comment, I can only assume Two Bit Matrix has collapsed. Best of luck with the new scam.
Once again, these accusations are ludacris. I sell advertising on my semi-popular web site, period! When someone invites a new member who would like to advertise, I do not collect a single red cent from the promoter.
I collect ONLY when I generate a direct sale for myself. I DO NOT collect funds from anyone. 100% of commissions are paid to the promoter only. So the money can and will NEVER run out. There is no money collected by me whatsoever.
I have two positions in the matrix. At 50 cents for advertising on my site, I am just above broke. I pay for hosting, domain, advertising for the member site as a whole. However, you or anyone can get all of this for 50 cents.
I believe that I deserve the perk of holding a second position. In addition, I allow my members to hold as many positions as they like. Many of them hold 10 positions or more.
You may still think that I may be acting out of ignorance but you are still showing yours by insisting that I am doing something illegal. You need to look up the descriptions of the things that you are accusing me of.
Better yet, I have looked them up and I will list them here for you…
I collect no money so there are no returns. There is no capital and no investors so I do not run a ponzi scheme.
I supply products or services so I do not run a pyramid scheme.
Do your homework before you continue to throw around false accusations. Two Bit Matrix is here to stay, regardless of what I decide to call it.
I am a very busy man trying to do something positive here. I wish that I had as much time on my hands as you do, to keep trying to tear an honest person apart… shame on YOU!
You sell matrix positions on the proviso of a >100% ROI.
The Two Bit Matrix business model destroys the argument that you sell advertising credits. As does the SEC.
I mean really. Smacking ad credits on a Ponzi scheme? You’re not fooling anyone.
You’re running the show. You are responsible.
Ponzi schemes are illegal.
I sign up, I deposit funds through your opportunity, recrutment of new investors takes place and I collect a >100% ROI from subsequently invested funds.
That’s a Ponzi scheme and it all happens through your opportunity Donald.
Yeah, you and every other online pyramid scheme that attached an irrelevant product or service to chain-recruitment.
Until recruitment dies down and Alexa statistics suggest this has already happened.
I guess that’s why you’re here attempting to defend the indefensible.
There is nothing honest about scamming people through Ponzi schemes.
ponzi admin meltdowns = always funny.
I stumbled across your review again and I can’t believe then I’m allowing you the pull me back into such ignorance.
However you posed a question and I will answer it once again. The reason I’m changing my domain name and everything for that matter is because my home was destroyed by fire, I almost lost my life in a car accident and my fiance fell ill and passed away recently.
Because of these things lost everything. I am now trying to piece things back together and try my hand once again at running illegitimate internet business.
However, I still cannot believe that you still stand by this statement, and I quote… “I sign up, I deposit funds through your opportunity, recrutment of new investors takes place and I collect a >100% ROI from subsequently invested funds”.
Firstly and once again, you do not deposit funds. There are no funds deposited ever by anyone.
Upon making your payment 50 Cent’s for your advertising block, you pay the salesman directly to his account. 100% that $0.50 goes to the salesman who sold you advertising.
Should you decide that it was money well spent and you would like to purchase the upgraded advertising block for $1, you pay 100% of that dollar as a commission to the next salesperson in line.
On the other hand, if you feel as though you wasted your fifty cents on the initial advertising block, you move on and go about your business no harm done. If you’re advertising didn’t work you have no one to blame but yourself. I have no control over that.
In either case you are not required to recruit anyone ever. You received the advertising that you initially paid for. End of story.
It is only after you decide that the advertising has worked for you that you feel it’s worth while to tell other people about the advertising.
Since a position was automatically created for you when you paid the initial 50 cents, you will be paid 50 cents (100%) from every one of your sales.
Feel free to stop me when you see any Investments or funds being collected by me. If you can’t get this in your head by now and you have no hope whatsoever of understanding the difference between this and a Ponzi scheme.
If you had once taken $0.50 out of your pocket and actually tested the system, but then I could respect you, but you didn’t.
Instead you continue to preach that which you have not experienced and all of your users should know this because if you have not experienced it how can you pass on the word as truth.
I wish for the world to see this post and see you for the fraud that you are. Yes I said fraud because only a fraud we continue to try to pass on knowledge that they have not truly obtained by experience.
None of those events justify you running Ponzi cyclers. Be it Two Bit Matrix or under any other name.
The SEC has affirmed slapping advertising onto a Ponzi cycler doesn’t change the fact it’s a Ponzi cycler.
You’re not purchasing anything if 100% of what you pay is used to pay whoever recruited you. That’s a combination of gifting and pyramid recruitment (common component of a Ponzi cycler).
Irrelevant to Two Bit Matrix being a Ponzi cycler.
You can try to pseudo-compliance all you want, facts are facts. Two Bit Matrix was a ten-tier Ponzi cycler.
This definition from wikipedia does not describe any business that I have ever been a part of, let alone any that I have owned.
It’s in black and white, right here before your eyes so you can deny it all you like….
This is literally Two Bit Matrix’s business model, as covered in our review:
Any returns Two Bit Matrix paid out were sourced from subsequently invested funds.