Let me explain in simple terms.brilliant, played yourself with a dictionary definition.
Who in BTC or HEX is paying the profits? no one is because there is no central entity that runs the show. FTX and Celsius, sure they are ponzis as they are the central entity ripping people off
People buy in, then people who bought in early sell, they make money from the people who buy in later.
Its a classic ponzi scheme.