Tag: cryptocurrencies

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

The Best  Crypto Trading Bots Going into 2021

The increased acceptance of Cryptocurrencies is a boon for the financial sector. It promises to improve the inefficiencies of the mainstream financial systems. Again, their adoption expands access to services. Furthermore, it creates a unique investment opportunity. 

The increased acceptance of Cryptocurrencies is a boon for the financial sector. It promises to improve the inefficiencies of the mainstream financial systems. Again, their adoption expands access to services. Furthermore, it creates a unique investment opportunity. 

The increased acceptance of Cryptocurrencies is a boon for the financial sector. It promises to improve the inefficiencies of the mainstream financial systems. Again, their adoption expands access to services. Furthermore, it creates a unique investment opportunity. 

Their proliferation, however, is a nightmare to any would-be investor. According to CoinMarketCap, the total number of cryptos stood at 6,955 as of September 2020. Coupled with the fact that the crypto market never sleeps, this makes investments in the space daunting. We need solutions to deal with these challenges better. Here’s where trading bots come in.

Crypto trading bots are software apps that automate trade in cryptos. They scour the market for the optimal buy and sell values aiming to earn the user a profit. The volatility characterizing the cryptos market makes them all the more important. In this article, we look at them, factors to consider when selecting one, and finally, the outstanding bots going into 2021.

The case for Crypto Trading Bots

Crypto bots are essential in organizing one’s trades. Currently, the market is experiencing increased usage. Several factors explain this shift, and here we present the key ones.

i) Bots Eliminate the Human Element in Transactions

Left unchecked, emotions cloud the trader’s judgment. High-risk investments like cryptos require objectivity. Bots make transaction decisions based on rational analysis and interpretation of the market. This way, they eliminate impulsive and speculative trading that could imperil one’s investments

ii) Theirs is A Round The Clock Operation

The cryptocurrency space never sleeps. Again it is volatile. A momentary lapse and one could miss out on opportunities. Alternatively, they could incur losses. Here’s where trading bots come in handy. Their actions are automated. As such, they capture every shift in the market as it happens. This way, they save the trader the need to stay awake to track the market physically. Once configured, they automate transactions even when the trade is unavailable.

iii) They are Better at Multitasking

The crypto market is a maze. There are millions of transactions taking place in any instance. Physically tracking these is demanding even to the seasoned trader. Not so for the bots. They simultaneously track changes across multiple cryptos and exchanges. Thus they’re better at picking the best trades than us humans.

iv) Bots Streamline Transactions

For one to trade profitably, speed is essential. The market could quickly gain as it could fall. Unlike us, Bots execute transactions in a flash. Thus they enable timely settlements. Their use could make the difference between profit and loss.

Which Factors do You Consider When Selecting a Trading Bot?

Bots flood the crypto market. Each of these claims to be the real deal. Separating the quality product from the rest could be challenging. The following pointers will help you ease that decision:

  • Reliability- quality bots guarantee round the clock function.
  • Security- a good bot is robust and able to withstand attacks.
  • User experience- it should be easy to understand and use.
  • Affordability- a good bot offers efficiency at a fair rate.
  • Profitability- Quality bots enable users to achieve consistent profits.

Which are The Best Crypto Trading Bots Going into 2021?

Each crypto trading bot is unique. Moreover, no single bot is perfect. Selecting one boils down to individual preferences and how they fit into one’s trading strategy. Here are our best five picks moving forward. It is a random list, not an indicator of some particular ranking.

1. CryptoHopper

It is easy to use a semi-automated bot seeking to simplify crypto trading. It fashions itself as a tool that makes crypto traders maximize profits while reducing losses. Its key features include:

Social Trading

Through telegram trading, experienced analysts ( signalers) share insight on rising coins with other traders. Users may subscribe directly to these signalers. Moreover, they may automatically respond with a buy or sell order when it comes in.

It’s Cloud-Based

The service is entirely cloud-based. Therefore one can trade 24/7. One can log in anytime from any device.

Enables Exchange and Market Arbitrage

The arbitrage tool enables the user to benefit from the price differences between exchanges or crypto pairs. On enabling the bot, it searches for arbitrage opportunities. Besides, you don’t need to withdraw your funds from one exchange for another.

Market-Making

Through the market making bot, one can easily make markets and trade on the spread.

Strategy Designer

The strategy designer helps a user to develop a strategy enabling them to get the best trading signals. One can harness many indicators and candle patterns, including RSI, EMA, Parabolic Sar, CCI, Hammer, Hanged Man, and many more. Your Hopper will scan the markets 24/7 searching for opportunities for you. 

  • Backtesting/Paper Trading
  • Mirror Trading
  • Trailing Stop Tool

2. 3Commas

Incepted in 2017, 3commas is a popular crypto trading platform offering bot development functions. Its easy usage makes it ideal for users of all levels of technical ability. Its key features include:

SmartTrade

This feature allows trading across several exchanges from a single window. Smart trade allows you the following functionalities:

  • Trailing order- enables you to adjust Take Profit and Stop Loss parameters automatically
  • Smart Cover- allows one to sell and buy back their coins
  • Short orders

Wide Exchange Integration

3commas supports up to 13 different exchanges. This makes it convenient to trade over multiple platforms.

Portfolio Management

Through this feature, one tracks their investment. The user may:

  • Create their coin portfolio(s)
  • View portfolios of other 3commas users
  • Adopt other users’ portfolios to their needs
  • Balance their coin ratios

TradingView Signals

The TradingView signal finder allows instant tracking of the market. The signal finder issues four order types, namely:

  • Buy
  • Strong buy
  • Sell
  • Strong sell

Backtest

Users can simulate trading before executing actual trades. This way, they get to test their trading strategies and get a feel of the platform’s features.

3. Shrimpy

Shrimpy describes itself as the social trading platform for cryptocurrencies. It takes pride in simplifying portfolio management. Among its key features are:

Portfolio Management

Shrimpy enables you to connect all of your crypto exchanges and automate transactions. It helps you build a portfolio strategy. Also, through it, one can monitor the market. Its management tools automate portfolio allocations and rebalancing.

Social Trading

The platform has bet big on its community. Users have a forum for exchanging ideas and strategies. Again they get to educate each other on matters crypto. As a result, they increase their mastery of the sector.

Copy Trading

Shrimpy allows one to follow other investors on the platform. This way, they can model their investments on the leaders’. Copying the strategies of successful traders helps improve one’s profitability.

Robust Security

The platform boasts of robust security features. Each uses FIPS 140-2 security modules to encrypt all the API keys. Additionally, the platform only reads data for trading purposes. Therefore it’s unable to withdraw one’s funds. It also supports two-factor authentication.

Social Leader Reward

Through the social trading platform, Shrimpy creates leaderboards. Users earn $4 for every new follower they gain every month.

Shrimpy Universal Exchange API

Shrimpy offers its users an industry-leading API that facilitates crypto transactions, the instantaneous collection of data, and the management of exchanges.

4. Gunbot

Gunbot is an advanced bot allowing easy transaction of cryptos. After the user identifies a trading strategy, the bot automates it. Its popularity draws from the following features:

Multi-Platform Support

The software is compatible with different platforms. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ARM devices.

Multi Exchange Support

Gunbot supports the most popular exchanges. Additionally, the platform continues to support new exchanges. Further, it supports lesser-known spot exchanges through the CCXT library.

Strategy Presets for Beginners

For the uninitiated, trading can prove arduous. Gunbot eases things for the newbies. Its strategy presets allow them to trade easily as they learn the ropes. 

Wide Variety Of Trading Options

Gunbot users can buy and sell in 14 different ways. You can use all these methods within a customized strategy. Also, one may employ a set of confirming indicators to specify the trading conditions they want to allow. Including a stop-limit reduces one’s risk exposure.

Dollar-Cost Averaging(DCA)

Gunbot uses the double up method to average down assets automatically. The morbid allows one to reach a lower average price per unit as prices decline. Thus it enables exit at the lowest profitable price. Through DCA, one can set up the following options:

  • Trigger for DCA orders
  • The minimum price difference between buy orders while in DCA
  • Frequency of placing DCA orders
  • The ratio of volume purchased via DCA orders to the amount of quote units already owned.

Reversal Trading

Gunbot can automatically accumulate quote currency when prices go down. It does so without investing more than the initial buy order. This way, it helps bring down the break-even point.

Telegram Integration

Through telegram, one gets to interact with their bot. This feature enables:

  • Profit tracking- get profit/loss statistics for every trading pair.
  • Modify settings- change settings on the go, such as enabling or disabling pairs.
  • Get notifications on trades.
  • Monitor trades.

Final Thoughts

The crypto space is disruptive. Our continuing acceptance of cryptos is reshaping the financial landscape. Thanks to them, there’s the possibility of increasing financial access. Additionally, we can look forward to enhanced efficiencies and the opening up of investment opportunities. 

 As crypto markets are volatile and complex to navigate, we require better analyzing and strategizing tools. Crypto trading bots make this possible. They take the chore out of transactions while seeking profit for the investor. 

 In a market bursting with them, one should exercise caution in their choice. This article outlines the key factors to consider when picking one over the other(s). It goes on to identify the best bots going into 2021. Though not exhaustive, this guide is a good starting point in your crypto bot choosing journey.

Categories
Crypto Market Analysis

Daily Crypto Review, Jan 11 – Crypto Sector Plummets as BTC Drops to $32k

The crypto sector experienced dipped over $100 billion in market cap as Bitcoin, and the rest of the market plummeted. Bitcoin is currently trading for $35,165, representing a decrease of 13.31% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has dropped up to 20.64% on the day, while LTC lost 23.04% of its value.

The crypto sector experienced dipped over $100 billion in market cap as Bitcoin, and the rest of the market plummeted. Bitcoin is currently trading for $35,165, representing a decrease of 13.31% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has dropped up to 20.64% on the day, while LTC lost 23.04% of its value.

The crypto sector experienced dipped over $100 billion in market cap as Bitcoin, and the rest of the market plummeted. Bitcoin is currently trading for $35,165, representing a decrease of 13.31% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has dropped up to 20.64% on the day, while LTC lost 23.04% of its value.

Daily Crypto Sector Heat Map

Foglory Coin gained 589.61% in the past 24 hours, making it the most prominent daily crypto gainer by far. It is followed by NewsToken’s 175.33% and BELIEVER’s 166.3% gain. On the other hand, True Seigniorage Dollar lost 78.35%, making it the most prominent daily loser. It is followed by the 3x Long Bitcoin SV Token’s loss of 76.74% and 3x long EOS Token’s loss of 69.18%.

Top 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bottom 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bitcoin’s market dominance has moved down over a percent since our last report, with its value currently being 68.6%. This value represents a 1.2% difference to the upside than the value it had when we last reported.

Daily Crypto Market Cap Chart

The cryptocurrency sector capitalization has decreased slightly since we last reported, with its current value being $906.07 1,03 trillion. This represents a $2 billion decrease when compared to our previous report.

_______________________________________________________________________

What happened in the past 24 hours?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Technical analysis

_______________________________________________________________________

Bitcoin

Bitcoin has had an interesting weekend, with its price plummeting in recent hours. Its price dipped to the lows of $32,330 just a few hours ago as major buy positions got liquidated. The largest cryptocurrency by market cap slowly fell below the 21 and 50 moving averages, confirmed its position below then, and then headed straight to the downside with almost no pushback.

However, bulls picked up the pace and are currently fighting for the $35,000 level. Investors used this as a buying/accumulation opportunity, while most traders got liquidated (both short and long positions due to the sudden volatility).

BTC/USD 1-hour chart

Bitcoin’s technicals on the daily, weekly, and monthly time-frame show a tilt towards the buy-side with no or slight signs of neutrality, while its 4-hour overview shows a slight tilt towards the sell-side.

BTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (1-hour Chart):

  • Price is below both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its bottom Bollinger band
  • RSI is near the oversold territory (37.28)
  • Volume is above average

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $36,640                             1: $33,200

2: $40,000                             2: $30,640

3: $42,000                             3: $27,960

Ethereum

Ethereum matched Bitcoin in direction, but did so with increased intensity. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap dipped over 20% on the day as its price fell to just above $1,000. This level seems to have held quite nicely, creating space for Ether to recover.

Ethereum is now trading above the $1,060.5 support level and shows no signs of falling again. However, Bitcoin’s movement will greatly affect the future price direction of ETH.


ETH/USD 1-hour Chart

Ethereum’s technicals on the daily, weekly, and monthly time-frame show a tilt towards the buy-side with no or slight signs of neutrality, while its 4-hour overview shows a slight tilt towards the sell-side.

ETH/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical Factors (1-hour Chart):

  • Price is below both its 50-period and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its bottom Bollinger band
  • RSI is near the oversold (31.12)
  • Volume is significantly above-average

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $1,129                               1: $1,060.5

2: $1,211                               2: $1,047.5

3: $1,226.5                             3: $992

Litecoin

Litecoin was one of the major gainers today as well, with its price dropping from $172 all the way down to $124. While bulls did pick up the pace and returned its price to the ~$140 zone, Litecoin is still fighting to maintain its position and tackle the $142.1 level.

Litecoin seemingly got hit the hardest out of the three cryptocurrencies, with its price position still being fairly uncertain. This could prove to be a trading opportunity as the cryptocurrency might make a move independent of Bitcoin’s move in the short future (if Bitcoin itself doesn’t move first).


LTC/USD 1-hour Chart

Litecoin’s technicals on the daily, weekly, and monthly time-frame show a tilt towards the buy-side with slight signs of neutrality, while its 4-hour overview shows a strong tilt towards the sell-side.

LTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (1-hour Chart):

  • Its price is currently below both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price near its bottom Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the oversold territory (29.68)
  • Volume is on above-average levels

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $161.5                               1: $142.1

2: $181.3                               2: $128.42

3: $186.3                               3: $114.75

Categories
Blockchain and DLT Crypto Daily Topic

5 Portals That Rate And Rank DeFi 

There’s never a dull moment in the Defi sector. Continuous innovation in the space affords us products and solutions that ease our transactions. Additionally, the thriving Defi sector provides alternative investment avenues. Further, the investments attract better returns compared to those from conventional finance. It isn’t a wonder that investors in their droves keep boarding the Defi juggernaut.

There’s never a dull moment in the Defi sector. Continuous innovation in the space affords us products and solutions that ease our transactions. Additionally, the thriving Defi sector provides alternative investment avenues. Further, the investments attract better returns compared to those from conventional finance. It isn’t a wonder that investors in their droves keep boarding the Defi juggernaut.

There’s never a dull moment in the Defi sector. Continuous innovation in the space affords us products and solutions that ease our transactions. Additionally, the thriving Defi sector provides alternative investment avenues. Further, the investments attract better returns compared to those from conventional finance. It isn’t a wonder that investors in their droves keep boarding the Defi juggernaut.

In a sense, the ballooning of Defi is both a blessing and curse, A blessing in that it expands our choices and gives us greater say over our funds. On the other hand, many competing products could cause us headaches in product choices. The fact that genuine and fake projects dot Defi’s landscape further exacerbates this dilemma.

Luckily though, we’ve portals whose mission is to take the difficulty out of Defi investments. These scour the Defi sector, analyzing projects and trends for our consumption. In them, we have crucial allies for navigating the Defi maze. This article examines five portals that rate and rank Defi to our gain. We shall proceed to explore the features that make them a must-have tool in our investment journey.

1. DeFi Pulse

DeFi Pulse site enables you to find analysis and rankings of Defi protocols. Its salient features include:

Total Value Locked

This metric shows the amount of funds locked up in various DeFi contracts. A high TVL is indicative of a thriving economy. Defi Pulse uses a graph to capture the daily TVL progression.

Market dominance

This standard ranks projects according to their liquidity levels. Projects with higher liquidity are a stable and attractive investment option.

The Market Leader Share Metric

The Market leader share metric gives you a glimpse of the Defi categories available on Defi Pulse’s site. Major types include Lending, DEX’s, Derivatives, Payments, and Assets.

DeFi Pulse Farmer

The DeFi Pulse Farmer is the site’s newsletter. It covers the latest news and opportunities in the Defi space.

DeFi Lending

The Defi lending feature shows the interest that these protocols generate per year. Through this ranking, you can determine the most profitable investments. The platform also has a calculator that shows you how much interest you’d draw per month by locking a given amount of an asset.

DeFi Pulse Token List

The Token list is a directory of the legitimate tokens trading on Ethereum.  It serves to reassure users that they are dealing with a genuine project.

2. CoinMarketCap DeFi page

CoinMarketCap (CMC) has distinguished itself to be a trustworthy platform. Its Defi page lists tokens simply and conveniently, allowing for faster searches. Its other standout features are:

Cryptoasset Ranking

Here you find all the assets that CMC lists. You get to see the asset’s market cap, price changes within a day or week, its volume, and circulating supply.

Coin Details Pages

These provide in-depth information regarding a coin. The “market pairs” tab features prominently on these pages. Market pairs have unique confidence indicators that aid you in picking an exchange to trade. This confidence score mirrors the exchange’s liquidity.

Exchanges

Here you get to compare how the different exchanges fare. The exchanges fall into different categories, including spot exchanges, derivatives exchanges, and decentralized exchanges.

CMC’s Watchlist

The watchlist feature allows you to mark your favorite cryptos. In this way, you can easily track their performance.

Headlines

Keep abreast of the happenings in the crypto and blockchain space with this tool. The embedded Signals feature sends you news directly from a project or a given crypto protocol.

3. Etherscan

Etherscan is an Ethereum based platform providing analyses of the Defi sector. It debuted in 2015 and one of the longest-running independent projects built on the network. Its mission is to provide fair access to blockchain data. Some of its key features are:

DeFi Leaderboard

Through Etherscan’s leaderboard feature, you get to find up to date analytics and rankings of DeFi protocols. The rankings take into account the total value locked into the smart contracts. From the leaderboard, one can skim the following information:

  • The project’s rank
  • The project’s name
  • Its category
  • TVL in USD
  • Price changes in a day
  • Price changes over a week
  • The project’s market capitalization
  • The market cap to TVL ratio

Token Tracker

Etherscan tracks and ranks two kinds of tokens. First is the ERC 20 token, and secondly, the ERC 721 token, also known as the Non-Fungible Token.

ERC 20 token Tracker

In ranking the ERC 20 token, Etherscan identifies the project by name, states its trading price, and changes in 24 hours. Additionally, it indicates the token volume within a day, the token’s market cap, and its total number of holders.

Non-fungible Tokens Tracker

This tracker ranks the top ERC 721 tokens. It identifies the project and its volume first within a day and finally in a week.

Yield Farms Tracker

Yield farming is an essential component of Defi. Accordingly, Etherscan has provided a rank for the top yield farming ventures. You’ll find the project’s name, its start date, addresses, trading prices, and market cap in this ranking.

4. Loanscan

Loanscan is your go-to platform in matters of Defi lending. It gives you access to financial information and analysis for credit issued on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform supports loans from Compound, dYdX, Dharma, and Maker DAO protocols. However, it plans to introduce additional protocols and blockchains in the future. Minimalist in nature, it has two significant features:

Earn Yield

Here you get to know the amount of interest you’ll earn investing in a given platform. Besides showing the earning in terms of USD, Loanscan also compares the yield across cryptos. 

Borrow

This feature enables you to determine the cheapest platforms to seek credit. Again it lists the platforms and their lending rates for different cryptos. 

5. DeFiprime

DefiPrime is a feature-rich portal offering comprehensive information on different Defi projects. On this site, you’ll find news and blog articles relating to Defi. Additionally, you can conveniently search for projects under several categories. Some of the main categories include  Alternative savings, Daos, Payments, and Staking. The site eases the process of finding projects as it arranges them in niches. Thus, it saves you time.

Final Thoughts

The growth of Defi has placed us in a quandary. On the one hand, we celebrate the convenience of transactions, expansion of financial options, and notably, the financial freedom Defi affords us. That said, their proliferation introduces challenges in determining which products to choose. As the sector has its fair share of legit and fraudulent projects, this difficulty gains in significance. All is not lost, though. Some portals undertake analysis of the Defi market to keep us in the know. Using these portals takes the guesswork out of investing, guaranteeing us fruitful experiences in the space. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

IRS Will Start Enforcing Crypto Trading Laws Starting Now!

https://youtu.be/4xRQ988a2Zk

https://youtu.be/4xRQ988a2Zk


IRS Will Start Enforcing Crypto Trading Laws – Says Former Division Chief

A former top investigator has sent out a warning, claiming that “a high-stakes game of chicken” that’s currently happening between the Internal Revenue Service and cryptocurrency holders who fail to properly report their earnings will soon be entering a new phase. The warning stated that 2021 would be the year when the tax collection agency will begin to focus on pursuing “civil and, even criminal penalties.”

In an article co-authored by Don Fort, the former chief of the Internal Revenue Service’s criminal investigation division said that while the agency was focusing its resources on informing the public of proper reporting guidelines until now, it will now be turning to more stringent “enforcement.”

As he stated, “The IRS has been not-so-quietly positioning itself for a transition from education to enforcement in 2021.”

The article notes that the IRS will certainly enforce the law, starting with Coinbase. Coinbase answered a “John Doe” summons back in 2018 and handed over account information on close to 13,000 users, which could soon lead to crackdowns. 

The focus on crypto holders is partly due to a widening “tax gap,” meaning that the rift between the total income the Treasury gets from crypto taxes versus what the Treasury actually receives is larger and larger.

Ultimately, the article concludes that major trends, such as the addition of a question regarding cryptocurrency holdings now being prominently placed at the top of form 1040, only indicate that the IRS is slowly but surely gearing up for widespread efforts to root out tax underpayment.

“Even though the IRS has not yet made an announcement regarding mainstream tax evasion or money laundering cases involving digital currency, that trend should change in 2021.”

He ended the report by saying that “History has shown that underestimating the government is a fool’s game.”

Categories
Crypto Videos

Dash Is Selling Out It’s Privacy Focus In The Hope It Won’t get Culled!

https://youtu.be/4fG-Hqc4snM

https://youtu.be/4fG-Hqc4snM


Is Dash a Privacy Coin?

A recent tweet coming from Dash’s official Twitter account has invited much criticism. The outlash from Dash’s supporters is directed towards the fact that the cryptocurrency, which was once advertised as a privacy coin, is now wilting in the face of possible regulatory scrutiny and trying to pivot to non-privacy-focused crypto waters. 

On Jan 1, the US-based exchange Bittrex announced in a tweet that it would be delisting top privacy coins, including Monero, Zcash, and Dash.

The delistings of the top private coins follow a similar Dec 29, 2020 announcement that Bittrex would be delisting XRP as a result of an SEC lawsuit against Ripple, prompting further speculation that the exchange preemptively delisted the aforementioned privacy coins in anticipation of a wider regulatory crackdown. 

In response to the delisting, Dash announced in a tweet that they had immediately “reached out to Bittrex Exchange to request a meeting,” and that referring to the DASH cryptocurrency as a “privacy coin” is not exactly right. They added:


Taking a look back at 2017, on the other hand, archived screenshots from the Dash Foundation website show that the company advertised DASH as “the world’s first privacy-centric cryptocurrency.” The current Dash Foundation website has changed since and now says that Dash is “the leading payments cryptocurrency,” and doesn’t mention its privacy functionality anywhere.

In a recent tweet regarding the delisting CEO of DashPay, Ryan Taylor also minimized the cryptocurrency’s privacy features:

While the whole situation regarding Dash’s stance has prompted criticism on Twitter, proponents have noted that the cryptocurrency has released guidance on its privacy features in August. Official Dash website blog post shows that Taylor wrote that “regulators are concerned with exchanges possibly being unable to comply with KYC/AML regulations when transacting coins that offer privacy features,” because Dash is “often found on lists of cryptocurrencies with privacy enhancements.”

However, Taylor also wrote that Dash has been very successful in convincing exchanges as well as regulators that Dash is not a privacy coin.

The clarifications about Dash’s core focus come as a follow-up to an announced upgrade to Dash entering the testnet phase. This upgrade will include DashPay, a “social crypto-payments wallet.” 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

5 Ways Investors Lost Cryptos in 2020

Without a doubt, 2020 is the year that the crypto community experienced significant growth. Cryptocurrencies regained much of their lost value and reached new heights, thanks to their growing adoption. 

Without a doubt, 2020 is the year that the crypto community experienced significant growth. Cryptocurrencies regained much of their lost value and reached new heights, thanks to their growing adoption. 

Without a doubt, 2020 is the year that the crypto community experienced significant growth. Cryptocurrencies regained much of their lost value and reached new heights, thanks to their growing adoption. 

The crypto industry continues to grow, and investors are laughing all the way to the bank. Along with all this good, there were a host of crypto scams that left investors with a bad taste in their mouths. But how did these crypto scams occur? 

Cryptocurrency losses due to hacks on the DeFi platforms, theft, and fraud amounted to $1.8 billion within the first ten months of 2020, up from $4.52 billion in the entire previous year. The 2019 DeFi volume figure was negligible, but it now appears the DeFi platforms are lucrative for bitcoin thieves. With up to $98 million in losses, DeFi hacks made up 21% of the total crypto fraud in 2020, which is quite significant. But why so many crypto scams?

The USD value in DeFi cryptos and other cryptocurrencies has grown exponentially, attracting the attention of scammers, money launderers, and DeFi protocol hackers. Everyone, including those that don’t want to put in the hard work, wants a piece of the Bitcoin profits.

Scammers use different methods to get a piece of the crypto cake, but according to a report by CipherTrace, Ponzi schemes and investment scams are two of the main ways that investors lost cryptos in 2020. 

Let’s have a detailed look at how crypto investors made losses in 2020, shall we?

1. Ponzi Schemes 

Ponzi schemes have emerged as one of the favorite vehicles for crypto frauds, and it seems they are not going anywhere. Usually, the schemes promise investors quick significant returns with little or no risk. 

The first few returns are made from recruits’ funds, serving as bait for more investment into the scheme. Most of the time, there is little or no business development in the background to support the pyramid of promised returns. Eventually, the schemes come tumbling down, and founders vanish into thin air with the investors’ money. 

The classic crypto giveaway scam moved to YouTube from Twitter in 2020. In one instance, a hacker hijacked tens of YouTube accounts to broadcast a crypto giveaway falsely promising to double your earnings within a short period. The Ponzi scheme was broadcast live on YouTube, posing as a message from Bill Gates, the Microsoft CEO. 

2. Exchange Hacks 

Centralized exchanges provide a platform for the buying and selling of cryptocurrency. They act as middlemen, with various currencies for trading in a partially regulated environment, and are a favorite of newcomers in the bitcoin industry.

Unfortunately, centralized bitcoin exchanges come with a variety of risks. For starters, the funds deposited are entirely on the platform owners’ hands, which is somewhat risky.

In September 2020, hackers made away with a large haul of cryptocurrency worth $275 million from KuCoin, a popular platform, becoming one of the largest hacks. The cybercriminals used various methods such as diversifying into multiple currencies and mixers to avoid leaving a trail. 

But the decentralized exchanges were not spared either.

Another high-profile bitcoin theft in 2020 involved the Cryptocurrency exchange Bisq where virtual currency worth $250,000 was lost. The hackers used a vulnerability introduced after a recent update to the network, allowing them to manipulate fallback addresses and send the funds to the wallets they controlled. 

Earlier in the year, IOTA Foundation had to temporarily suspend operations following a cyberattack targeting the IOTA wallet app. The organization took steps to freeze the entire system within 25 minutes of reports that cryptos were being stolen from users’ wallets. 

3. Social Media Crypto Scams

The #cryptocurrency tag on Twitter hosts who-is-who in the crypto industry, including tech engineers, investors, and programmers. But the social media platform is one of the several ways that crypto thieves used to scam people out of their hard-earned cash. 

Hackers took control of the social media giant back-end referred to as the “God Mode” by hacking Twitter employees to access high-value accounts. 

On July 15th, the verified accounts of famous personalities such as former President Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Kanye West were hacked and used in a fake crypto giveaway. The hackers promised $2000 worth of cryptocurrency for just $1000, hauling over $121k of stolen bitcoins in the process. 

4. Sim Swapping 

SIM swapping is a relatively new crypto scamming method which is also gaining a foothold. Scammers convince the mobile service provider to move a number to a new SIM card in a device they control to perpetrate crypto scams. 

The method has become too familiar, especially in the cryptocurrency and Bitcoin industry. Usually, the hackers hope to access the victims’ cryptocurrency wallet through SMS sent to their phone for two-factor authentication. 

If successful, scammers access your phone, cryptocurrency exchanges, bank accounts, and other sensitive personal information to wipe your crypto wallet dry. Recently, Harvard University Ph.D. students and professors highlighted the increased risk of SIM swaps in 2020 in a research paper. Incidentally, one of the authors fell victim to a SIM swap.

In one unfortunate incident, a man lost $24 million through SIM swapping as a part of the coordinated attack. It has emerged that the 2020 twitter hacker was part of the SIM swap syndicate. 

5. Trickery by the Phishing Websites and ICOs

2020 has had more than its fair share of phishing scams, and especially in the crypto industry. The main route is often through email, where the scammers guide people to particular websites to steal their credentials, which they use to access their wallets.

Just recently, scammers successfully tricked an astounding number of people into visiting a replicated version of the popular cryptocurrency Ripple (XRP) ledger to steal more than $280k. 

Meanwhile, fake ICOs or the initial coin offering occur frequently and are a significant risk for bitcoin investors. Like an initial public offering, the initial coin offering’s main objective is to raise funds for the startup. But how do fake ICOs work?

Usually, fraudsters hype the project with fake ICO details to convince the investors. They use their website to promise heaven and earth to the users and then instruct them to make deposits in provided wallets. Sometime after the deposit, it becomes more apparent to the Investor that they were scammed. 

One good example is Big Coin, which used a variety of masked campaigns. They hyped their fake cryptocurrency’s capabilities and technical progression to convince investors and steal $6 million. 

Conclusion 

With cryptocurrency, due diligence is of utmost importance before dipping headfirst into the industry. Bitcoin tends to attract attention, especially when transitioning into the bull market. Everybody wants a piece of it, and less experienced investors fail to spot the red flags, losing money in the process.

It is still a crypto jungle out there, with scammers and thieves using old tricks in the book such as Ponzi schemes, hacking, and phishing, as well as inventing new ways to shake you off of your hard-earned money. But if there’s anything that 2020 has taught us is that the internet space can be very profitable, but at the same time, very risky. Analysts are in consensus that only education can help reduce the risks of crypto scams. Take extra care when investing and accessing your cryptocurrency wallets, and the whole experience will be worth it. 

Categories
Crypto Market Analysis

Daily Crypto Review, Jan 8 – Bitcoin Continues Its Rise as it Breaks the $40k Mark Briefly

The crypto sector pushed even higher as Bitcoin passed the $40,000 mark and created a new all-time high. Bitcoin is currently trading for $39,094, representing an increase of 5.35% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1% on the day, while XRP gained 23.53% of its value.

The crypto sector pushed even higher as Bitcoin passed the $40,000 mark and created a new all-time high. Bitcoin is currently trading for $39,094, representing an increase of 5.35% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1% on the day, while XRP gained 23.53% of its value.

The crypto sector pushed even higher as Bitcoin passed the $40,000 mark and created a new all-time high. Bitcoin is currently trading for $39,094, representing an increase of 5.35% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1% on the day, while XRP gained 23.53% of its value.

Daily Crypto Sector Heat Map

COVER Protocol gained 2124.46% in the past 24 hours, making it the most prominent daily crypto gainer by far. It is followed by KIMCHI.finance’s 1159.97% and TAI’s 265.52% gain. On the other hand, Stand Share lost 74.11%, making it the most prominent daily loser. It is followed by the Receive Access Ecosystem’s loss of 61.71% and CY Finance’s loss of 56.34%.

Top 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bottom 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bitcoin’s market dominance has moved up half a percent since our last report, with its value currently being 69.8%. This value represents a 0.5% difference to the upside than the value it had when we last reported.

Daily Crypto Market Cap Chart

The cryptocurrency sector capitalization has decreased slightly since we last reported, with its current value being $1,03 trillion. This represents a $2 billion decrease when compared to our previous report.

_______________________________________________________________________

What happened in the past 24 hours?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Technical analysis

_______________________________________________________________________

Bitcoin

Bitcoin has continued moving up, with its price surpassing the $38,000 and $39,000 mark without much problem. The largest cryptocurrency by market cap reached as high as $40,402.5 level before crashing down as bulls could not sustain the price. The price instantly dipped to $36,388 but quickly recovered to the $39,000 area, where it is consolidating at the moment.

Bitcoin has positioned itself for another push towards the upside as it quickly found support in the 50-hour moving average, proving that it doesn’t even need to dip to the horizontal support levels to stabilize itself.


BTC/USD 4-hour chart

Bitcoin’s technicals on the 4-hour, daily, and weekly chart show a tilt towards the buy-side with no signs of neutrality or bearishness. On the other hand, its monthly overview shows slight bearishness in the oscillator sector opposing the overall bullishness.

BTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is between its middle and top Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the overbought territory (70.36)
  • Volume is above average

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $40,402                             1: $38,140

2: $43,000                             2: $36,740

3: $46,500                             3: $35,610

Ethereum

Ethereum followed Bitcoin to the upside, pushing its price above its previous resistance levels and up to as high as $1292. Just like Bitcoin, Ethereum instantly dipped to $1,140 but quickly recovered. However, this is where the high correlation with Bitcoin ends, as Ethereum didn’t recover its recent highs but rather lost quite a bit of its value.

While it has recovered since the price dip, Ethereum is now right below the $1,211 resistance level. The cryptocurrency has a high possibility of passing it even if Bitcoin remains stagnant. Still, any moves that would contest the next resistance level would have to be backed by the largest cryptocurrency by market cap.


ETH/USD 1-hour Chart

Ethereum’s technicals on the daily time-frame show an overall bullish tilt with no hints of neutrality. On the other hand, the monthly, weekly, and 4-hour time-frames show some signs of neutrality or even bearishness.

ETH/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical Factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above its 50-period and at its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI has left the overbought area (63.27)
  • Volume is significantly above-average

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $1,292                               1: $1,211

2: $1,420                               2: $1,180

3: $1,500                               3: $1,092

Litecoin

Litecoin followed the market as well, pushing its price further up and breaking its previous resistance level of $174.5. However, while LTC did manage to break this level and post a new high of $181.25 for a moment, the price was unsustainable, resulting in a classic price drop, followed by a failed attempt of recovering (the moment when LTC hit the $174.5 level after dropping below it) acting as a confirmation of a price drop, and then a full-on retracement towards the downside.

Litecoin has bounced off of the $152.25 level beautifully and is now attempting to pass the 50-hour and 21-hour moving averages and continue its move up.


LTC/USD 1-hour Chart

Litecoin’s technicals on the 4-hour, daily, and weekly time-frame are bullish but show some neutrality or even bearishness. On the other hand, its monthly overview is completely bullish.

LTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Its price is currently above its 50-period EMA and at its 21-period EMA
  • Price at its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is neutral (54.95)
  • Volume is on above-average levels

Key levels to the upside:          Key levels to the downside:

1: $174.5                               1: $163.7

2: $181.3                               2: $155.25

3: $195.5                               3: $149.3

 

Categories
Crypto Market Analysis

Daily Crypto Review, Jan 7 – Crypto Sector Market Cap Over $1 Trillion as BTC Approaches the $40k Mark

Most of the cryptocurrency sector ended up in the green as Bitcoin passed $38,000. Another thing to mention is that the overall industry market cap has reached past $1 trillion for the first time in the history of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is currently trading for $38,400, representing an increase of 10.78% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by 7.78% on the day, while XRP skyrocketed, gaining 46.55% of its value.

Most of the cryptocurrency sector ended up in the green as Bitcoin passed $38,000. Another thing to mention is that the overall industry market cap has reached past $1 trillion for the first time in the history of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is currently trading for $38,400, representing an increase of 10.78% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by 7.78% on the day, while XRP skyrocketed, gaining 46.55% of its value.

Most of the cryptocurrency sector ended up in the green as Bitcoin passed $38,000. Another thing to mention is that the overall industry market cap has reached past $1 trillion for the first time in the history of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is currently trading for $38,400, representing an increase of 10.78% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by 7.78% on the day, while XRP skyrocketed, gaining 46.55% of its value.

Daily Crypto Sector Heat Map

X Infinity gained 896.37% in the past 24 hours, making it the most prominent daily crypto gainer by far. It is followed by 7up Finance’s 298.93% and EveryCoin’s 278.57% gain. On the other hand, COVER Protocol lost 99.48%, making it the most prominent daily loser. It is followed by UniMex’s loss of 97.1% and Team Heretics Fan Token’s loss of 91.66%.

Top 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bottom 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bitcoin’s market dominance has moved down slightly since our last report, with its value currently being 68.6%. This value represents a 0.7% difference to the downside than the value it had when we last reported.

Daily Crypto Market Cap Chart

The cryptocurrency sector capitalization skyrocketed and passed the one trillion mark since we last reported, with its current value being $1,005 trillion. This represents a $33.51 billion increase when compared to our previous report.

_______________________________________________________________________

What happened in the past 24 hours?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

Technical analysis

_______________________________________________________________________

Bitcoin

Bitcoin continued the upward trajectory and pushed past the previous all-time high with confidence, reaching a new high of $38,510 at one point. While the price did retrace after hitting the 37,800 at one point, but the 50-hour moving average created strong support, and BTC pushed back up to contest the all-time high level once again.

As we have mentioned many times, shorting of any kind and trading against the overall trend is most likely not optimal, and traders might find a good opportunity to long BTC each time it breaks the all-time high, as this is when it gets a large influx of buyers.

BTC/USD 1-hour chart

Bitcoin’s short-term technicals (4-hour and daily) are completely bullish, while its long-term overview is a bit more tilted towards neutrality.

BTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its top Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the overbought territory (72.04)
  • Volume is above average

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $37,800                                 1: $35,880

2: $40,000                                 2: $34,800

3: $43,220                                 3: $33,100

Ethereum

Ethereum’s chart looks pretty similar to Bitcoin’s, as they both moved to the upside in the same manner. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap pushed past many support levels and reached $1,225 before descending slightly. Alongside Bitcoin’s move to new all-time highs, this move contributed the most to the overall crypto sector market cap passing the $1 trillion mark.

Ethereum is currently trading within a narrow range, bound by $1,169 to the downside and $1,211 to the upside. If ETH decides to move up, the next most likely resistance level will be the $1,341.5 level. If, however, it breaks this range to the downside, it has many support levels.

ETH/USD 1-hour Chart

Ethereum’s technicals on the daily, weekly, and monthly time-frames are fully tilted towards the buy-side, while its 4-hour technicals are slightly more neutral.

ETH/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical Factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above both its 50-period and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is at its top Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the overbought area (73.41)
  • Volume is significantly above-average

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $1,211                                    1: $1,169

2: $1,341.5                                 2: $1,080

3: $1,425                                    3: $1,050

Litecoin

Litecoin increased in price as well, but while its chart looks similar to Bitcoin’s and Ethereum’s, it’s important to notice that it did not break the high it made on Jan 4. In fact, Litecoin almost got to the $174.5 level but quickly pulled back to $165.

Litecoin found strong support in its 50-hour moving average, which held it above $165 and kept it from possibly breaking $163.7 to the downside.

Litecoin’s next move will most likely be highly dependent on Bitcoin’s short-term movement.

LTC/USD 1-hour Chart

Litecoin’s technicals are fully bullish on every single time frame and vary from “buy” to “strong-buy” indicators.

LTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Its price is currently above both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price between its middle and top Bollinger band
  • RSI is nearing the overbought area (63.82)
  • Volume is above-average but descending

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $163.7                                      1: $155.25

2: $174.5                                      2: $149.3

3: $195.5                                      3: $143.5

 

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

What is IDO? Is it the End of ICO and IEOs?

Cryptocurrency and blockchain aim to reduce dependence on regulated financial models and centralized platforms. Unfortunately, the majority of the exchanges are still running as centralized and in fully controlled models. 

Cryptocurrency and blockchain aim to reduce dependence on regulated financial models and centralized platforms. Unfortunately, the majority of the exchanges are still running as centralized and in fully controlled models. 

Cryptocurrency and blockchain aim to reduce dependence on regulated financial models and centralized platforms. Unfortunately, the majority of the exchanges are still running as centralized and in fully controlled models. 

IDO or the Initial DEX Offering has emerged as a solution to ensure independence and autonomy. The interest in the decentralized token listing is growing, indicating a desire to move towards a no-restriction and higher efficiency model, and that is where IDO comes in.

Initial DEX Offering is only a few months old, and it has already become a preferred method to raise capital in DeFi and distribute tokens. Admittedly, the IDO community is inexperienced, but still, it is making great strides.

Shortcomings of the Initial Coin Offering

2017 was nothing short of a fantastic year for ICO, and anyone with some white paper on digital currency could raise funds. But as it turned out, most of them were scams, and billions of dollars were lost, highlighting ICOs as scammy. 

ICO has its place in the history books as it represents the first method that investors raised funds in the crypto realm, but its weaknesses are quite glaring, and therefore the need to move past it. 

Essentially, investors in crypto startups did not have the necessary knowledge background to assess the project’s viability. Some of them invested in rumblings on white papers, and others in ICOs with staggering high valuations. But that is not all.

Initial coin offering had a loophole, and most scammers exploited it gleefully. After ICO fundraising, the project teams were free to collect the funds in one lump sum. Even if the project teams were truly committed to the project, receiving such a sum in one fell swoop was distracting, and the motivation to continue with the project would diminish significantly. 

The other shortcoming was the absence of a decent governance mechanism to safeguard the investors’ funds. People who put up their money were left stressing about their investments’ fate, continually sifting through everywhere for news, and there was also the issue of gas wars.

The most common way to contribute or participate in ICOs was through sending money from personal wallets. This created a “gas limit,” which is the maximum amount of funds you are willing to part with as transaction fees to move up the transaction validation system’s queue. 

Gas wars occurred when particular investors put up transaction fees too high to push rivals down the queue. Over time, the initially overjoyed investors for winning the gas war would then begin to sulk as regulators and other bodies started to examine some of the fundraisings’ legitimacy. For example, the SEC is beginning the process of filing cases against some of the concluded ICOs. 

Considering all these factors, legitimate projects can fail to get sufficient funding through ICOs. This is mostly because of the diminishing reputation and the need for a better alternative. 

What is IDO?

The IDO fundraising method has striking similarities to ICO and IEO. However, it is decentralized and based on DeFi, a robust, innovative, and scalable open finance technology.

An excellent example of Initial DEX Offerings is the Raven Protocol-built IDO, the first of its kind, hosted on Binance DEX. The others in operation include UMA (a Synthetic asset) and BZX, a margin trading and lending protocol. Many other platforms already have IDO dashboards and are looking to throw their hat into the ring.

Not too long ago, UMA, BZRX, and COMP used Uniswap, popular for its fair and smooth way to deliver tokens to the market. This method of distribution has become standard and is open to public access. IDO empowers users from different countries to participate in the trade. That means people from all over the globe can purchase tokens from Raven Protocol and other token vendors. 

The Difference between IDO, IEO, and ICO

The main difference between IDO and IEO is the fundraising platform hosting them. On the part of the ICO, the operations and transactions are managed on an inner platform. 

On the other hand, the centralized exchange IEO (initial exchange offerings) hosts “ICO” in-house and is, therefore, the ICO’s mutated version. Unlike ICO, IEOs offer an additional layer of intermediation, only allowing legitimate projects. Unfortunately, a large number of IEO’s are selling similar tokens to ICO, which may complicate the whole issue.

No doubt, the regulatory landscape governing crypto exchanges such as EIO is complicated, but that does not shield it in any way. The U.S. regulator has made it clear that ICO token sales are the same as securities issuances, posing a significant risk to IEO issuers and contributors. It is not an exciting prospect to invest in a promising project only to enter the SEC’s bad books. 

Typically, IDO (Initial Dex Offering) is IEO and ICO rolled into one decentralized platform. IDOs emerged with the DeFi rally as a new form of raising capital on a decentralized platform. In the case of IDOs, it is the active community members that vet and approve projects and tokens. This mechanism is somewhat favorable as it incorporates diverse opinions. 

Also, DEXes and IDOs are part of the push to decentralization as regulators begin to shift their attention to cryptos. Furthermore, the synergy between DeFi and DEXes reinforces their value in the crypto world.

The exchange fee for IEO is spiraling out of control as the market develops, and together with increased scrutiny by the regulators put it at a disadvantage. The advantage of IDO over IEO is in its decentralized nature and scalability. You don’t need permission from any authority to trade in the exchanges.

Is IDO Replacing IEO and ICO?

The birth of new technology is most often similar to a human child that goes through various stages before it matures. IDO is still in its infancy and is quickly moving to puberty, with various noticeable characteristics such as instability. The concept of IDO is no doubt exciting and may replace IEO and ICO sometime in the future. However, it has to mature first before it can take over from IEO and ICO. 

UMA, the synthetic assets platform which placed $500k into a liquidity pool, best illustrates the above point. The total supply put up was 2% under a starting price of $0.26, similar to what the seed investors paid a couple of years ago. Investors scrambled to purchase the tokens, and the bonding curve effect occurred, raising the price in the process.

Competing traders set up higher gas costs, resulting in a higher $2 price of UMA within minutes. Some buyers were dissatisfied as they purchased the tokens at a higher price than the initial investors. 

This is the same problem that BZX’s buyers face on Uniswap, with BZRX token prices rising to 12 times within a minute. There is still no IDO model that balances fairness and the need to maximize the capital. In the future, this goal may become a reality, but there’s some distance to cover. 

Conclusion 

No doubt IDO is the next big thing in DeFi and blockchain finance. However, it is still in the development stage, with instability and slight uncertainties, and it may be some time before it becomes mainstream and replaces IEO and ICO. In the meantime, IDO is in a wait-and-see situation.

But that does not mean you should stay away from IDO, at least for the time being. It means that you should be prepared to deal with the price instability until the platform matures and stabilizes in a not so distant future.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Another Boom For BTC As Retail Interest Is Bitcoin on the Rise!

https://youtu.be/wNo1zEC5cHw

https://youtu.be/wNo1zEC5cHw


Retail Interest for Bitcoin on the Rise as the Cryptocurrency Reaches New All-Time Highs

Twitter analytics data indicates an increase in interest in Bitcoin. Social media interest in the largest digital currency by market cap sets new records across numerous key metrics as Bitcoin continues to post new all-time highs well into the $30,000s.

In a tweet that came out on Jan 2, the official handle for The TIE, a cryptocurrency data analytics firm, showed that the number of unique Twitter handles tweeting about Bitcoin has hit a new all-time high. The previous number was set during the peak of the 2017 bull run and counted around 64,000 daily tweets at that time. However, the current number eclipsed that.

Joshua Frank, CEO of The TIE, posted additional information indicating that the interest is just starting to grow. It is not limited to Bitcoin but rather extends to most cryptocurrencies.

According to Frank, since The TIE’s post on Twitter that showed the number of unique handles posting about Bitcoin rising above 70,000 in one day for the first time ever, the new total monthly tweet volume has eclipsed the December 2017 tweet count high of 135,000 and reached 140,000. In addition to this, the overall number of tweets about crypto has also hit a new high of nearly 250,000 in a 24-hour period.


The increased volume isn’t limited only to Twitter, however. Google search volume for the term “Bitcoin” is slowly climbing in stride with the cryptocurrency’s price. On top of that, phrases such as “how to buy bitcoin” are soaring as well.

On the other hand, searches for “how to buy Ethereum” remain rather low, despite a 24-hour gain of 20% to as high as $950.

Many have speculated that the increase in interest is due to “FOMO” coming from institutions, which, alongside with a large supply shortage, further pushed the price up. 

 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Dash Is Known for Privacy, But Should You Invest In It?

Dash was developed with privacy in mind and to overcome the shortfalls that Bitcoin was facing. Originally introduced as Xcoin in 2014, the crypto has rebranded twice – first as Darkcoin then as Dash. Speculation that Xcoin was a pump-and-dump scheme were rife and likely contributed to the name change. As the altcoin was being renamed to Darkcoin, it received press, which pushed its adoption among darknet markets. Ever since, Dash has had a somewhat controversial reputation to the effect that even some governments pushed for their delisting. 

Dash was developed with privacy in mind and to overcome the shortfalls that Bitcoin was facing. Originally introduced as Xcoin in 2014, the crypto has rebranded twice – first as Darkcoin then as Dash. Speculation that Xcoin was a pump-and-dump scheme were rife and likely contributed to the name change. As the altcoin was being renamed to Darkcoin, it received press, which pushed its adoption among darknet markets. Ever since, Dash has had a somewhat controversial reputation to the effect that even some governments pushed for their delisting. 

Dash was developed with privacy in mind and to overcome the shortfalls that Bitcoin was facing. Originally introduced as Xcoin in 2014, the crypto has rebranded twice – first as Darkcoin then as Dash. Speculation that Xcoin was a pump-and-dump scheme were rife and likely contributed to the name change. As the altcoin was being renamed to Darkcoin, it received press, which pushed its adoption among darknet markets. Ever since, Dash has had a somewhat controversial reputation to the effect that even some governments pushed for their delisting. 

Arguably, Dash offers the best privacy guarantee in the entire cryptoverse – and this can be proven by how authorities get all fidgety at the mention of the crypto. Just recently, the US Internal Revenue Service announced a mega reward for anyone who can help them break Dash’s privacy and find the origin of transactions.

Despite Dash appearing like privacy is all it offers, it’s hard to deny that the altcoin is a worthy competitor to the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, which are darlings to many investors. The crypto features prominently among the top 30 cryptocurrencies by market cap. It has significant daily trading volumes and can be exchanged with most major currencies – both fiat and crypto.

But wait, considering the reputational and potential availability challenges the cryptocurrency is facing, should you invest in it? Well, read on to find out what makes Dash a worthy investment.

Performance in 2020 

When choosing a good crypto investment, financial performance is among the key metrics to look out for. Throughout 2020, dash has shown rather erratic performance – call it volatility. Opening the year at around $20, Dash quickly rallied to peak $140 within weeks. Those who took advantage of this bull run undoubtedly tripled their investment. 

But it wasn’t long before the bears came calling and sent the crypto back to $40 at the beginning of April. In the subsequent months until June, Dash traded at between $60 and $80. This was the least volatile period for the crypto in the year. Still, these fluctuations were significantly high by crypto market standards.

After a brief rally in August followed by a correction in October, Dash seemed to stabilize in December, trading at roughly between $90 and $100. 

As to whether the crypto has enough volatility to challenge investors, the answer is an unwavering yes.

24-hour trading volumes have consistently declined over the year, which could imply two things: either, investors are HODLing their coins or just not buying as much. Usually, declining trading volumes are associated with falling prices. As for Dash, this has not been the case, not at least in 2020. One conclusion we can draw from this observation is that Dash has a rare element of resilience, and we can expect it to remain afloat in both good and bad times. 

Does Dash Have a Future?

Dash’s performance in 2020 leaves little doubt about its potential for short-term profitability, particularly with reference to its volatility. Volatility in crypto trading, just like in forex, allows investors to take advantage of price changes to make their cuts. In 2020, Dash showed price changes of up to 500%, which implies massive trading potential.

Trading Dash seems lucrative in the short run, but if you choose to invest in it for the long-term, are returns promised? Well, the indicators below give more insights on the direction the crypto is likely to take in the future.

#1 Dash development is funded 

Worth noting is that Dash is a next-generation crypto and a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The DAO is a collection of privileged nodes (masternodes) that invest back 10% of gains earned from mining. Well, this is not their primary function, but the dedication of a tithe to the network’s development promises sustainability, for instance, by building integrations fast and reliably. Unlike other cryptos, the continuous development of Dash does not entirely rely on a vibrant user community.

#2 The crypto responds to bull runs

In 2017 when a majority of crypto joined the historic bull run, Dash gained over 8,000%. Launched only 3 years before and trading at $0.12, the crypto had rallied to trade at $1,494 by the end of 2017. Dash entered 2018 with pride, flying as high as $1,000 – at a time when other cryptocurrencies were also flourishing. The entry into 2019 was not as flamboyant given the bubble had long burst, and most cryptos were heading for a correction. Even so, Dash maintained an impressive $100-$170 exchange rate. During past bull runs, the crypto’s behavior gives hopes that it will keep rising as other cryptocurrencies gain adoption.

#3 Crypto users are demanding more privacy

The demand for privacy across the globe is just increasing, and if there were a merchant trading this commodity, this would be the best time for them to cash in. From anonymous donations to buying what the government doesn’t want you to, privacy is increasingly becoming a selling point, and Dash takes care of this demand. To no one’s surprise, Alternative 36, Inc., an American e-commerce company, started accepting Dash payments for legal cannabis trade in the US.

#4 Dash offers superior performance 

Compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, Dash payments are fast. As cryptocurrencies continue to gain adoption in the retail industry, Dash might become a more favorable option for payments than its mightier siblings.

#6 Dash’s ‘InstantSend’ and ‘PrivateSend’ 

Dash offers some transaction versatility. You can choose to send money instantly or wait for miners to work at their pace. Similarly, you can decide to send money anonymously or leave traces. This versatility makes Dash suitable for use in a wider range of applications, and hence, increases its utility. To guarantee the future of a cryptocurrency, the utility is everything. 

Regulators Have Their Eyes Fixed on Dash. Will That Affect You?

Regulators are clearly unhappy with the level of anonymity that Dash provides. In Japan, they pushed exchanges such as Coincheck to delist Dash and other anonymity-focused cryptocurrencies. The US Department of Internal Revenue also made clear its intention to crack Dash’s privacy and other anonymity cryptos. You probably have fears that you may become a victim of such heightened surveillance. While such an event is possible, it is worth noting that the crypto is used for many legitimate trades, and there’s no earthly reason why you would be victimized solely for investing in Dash. 

Final Thoughts

Dash is one of the best-known anonymity altcoins, and this reputation might have blinded investors from seeing the crypto’s investment potential. For short-term ventures, we have seen that Dash offers unmatched volatility, where investors can walk in and walk out with huge profits within months. In the long term, Dash is equally promising – based on past performance, support for network development, increasing demand for privacy, and its utility, which is likely to increase. While there might be concerns about the surveillance authorities have on Dash, overall, its prospects for profitability overshadow these concerns. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

Miners Can’t Produce Enough BTC – The Reason BTC is Skyrocketing!

https://youtu.be/_5GMbTl3vns

https://youtu.be/_5GMbTl3vns


Miners Can’t Produce Enough BTC – The Reason BTC is Skyrocketing

Institutional crypto investment company Grayscale now has $20 billion under its control as its consistent Bitcoin buys heavily outstrip production. The ratio of Grayscale Bitcoin buys to BTC production is has now increased to almost three to one.

 

As noted by data analytics firm Coin98, Grayscale bought close to three times more Bitcoin than the amount miners added to the market in December 2020.

Miners can’t produce enough Bitcoin

In Dec, Grayscale added a total of 72,950 BTC to its assets under management (AUM). Over the same period, miners generated just 28,112 BTC, being only 38.5% of Grayscale’s buy-in.

These figures underscore what many currently describe as an ongoing liquidity squeeze in Bitcoin, where large, mostly institutional buyers, suck up any available supply and completely remove it from circulation, sending it to cold storage for long-term holding. This then creates a lack of supply while the retail demand remains constant of increases, causing the price of Bitcoin to rise exponentially, just like it did on Jan 3, where Bitcoin’s price skyrocketed and reached past $33,000.

The phenomenon of institutional investors sweeping the available supply was already visible in Nov 2020, but Dec 2020 saw a clear increase in demand from both Grayscale and other institutional entities.

Grayscale controls over $20 billion in crypto

Grayscale CEO Barry Silbert celebrated the end of 2020 by bringing the company’s total assets under management across its various crypto funds to over $20 billion. Looking back just one year ago, the figure stood at, compared to now, a mere $2 billion.


The company remains the single largest institutional player on the Bitcoin scene, far outstripping any other market participant. Its BTC holdings were coming out to $17.475 billion on the first day of 2021, with this number growing to an even higher dollar value as Bitcoin pumped to over $34,000. Newcomer MicroStrategy, while not an investment-focused company, now controls 70,470 BTC.

Going forward, analysts predict that the increasing demand for the fixed supply of newly mined Bitcoin will only create a bidding war and push the price further up. 

 

Categories
Crypto Videos

Privacy Is Dead – Bittrex to Remove the US Privacy Coin Markets! Withdraw Your Tokens Or Lose Them!

https://youtu.be/rwGDStC_HTE

https://youtu.be/rwGDStC_HTE


Bittrex to Remove the US Privacy Coin Markets – No More Monero, Zcash, and Dash Trading

Bittrex announced on Dec 29 that its exchange will soon be removing the US markets for the three of the largest privacy coins by market cap. The privacy coin market removal will happen on Jan 15.

In the announcement, Bittrex stated it is giving its users up to 30 days to withdraw their holdings:

“After the markets are removed, Bittrex would seek to provide its users with up to 30 days to withdraw any delisted tokens. However, in certain instances, the withdrawal period may be shortened. Users are advised to withdraw any tokens before the aforementioned withdrawal deadline.”

While a specific reason for the delisting wasn’t announced in the post, The Block’s Director of Research Larry Cermak speculated that the delisting is coming as a response to the latest FATF (Financial Action Task Force) pressure talk regarding AML regulations recommendations.

According to Bloomberg, all “virtual/digital asset service providers” (VASPs) will be obligated to collect information about their customers as well as the recipients of funds, and then send that data to the receiver’s service provider with each transaction.

As FATF recognizes cryptocurrency exchanges as virtual asset service providers, they will essentially be held to the same standards that banks and other financial service providers are held to. The new standards, published on Friday, Jun 21, 2020, are the officialization of FATF’s proposal made earlier in February 2020.

The controversial rule caused turmoil and was not well received by the crypto industry, as many crypto exchanges and wallet providers simply aren’t equipped to collect and send the data that would be required by FATF.

In response to the announcement that Bittrex shared on its official Twitter account, the prices of top privacy coins such as Monero, Zcash, and Dash all dropped in the range of 7 to 15 percent.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

Bye Bye Libra, Hello Diem!

If you think Bitcoin had a controversial entry into the cryptocurrency scene, think Libra. Diem, previously Libra, hasn’t even entered the market, and it is already getting unpopular nicknames like Global coin and Facebook Coin. 

If you think Bitcoin had a controversial entry into the cryptocurrency scene, think Libra. Diem, previously Libra, hasn’t even entered the market, and it is already getting unpopular nicknames like Global coin and Facebook Coin. 

If you think Bitcoin had a controversial entry into the cryptocurrency scene, think Libra. Diem, previously Libra, hasn’t even entered the market, and it is already getting unpopular nicknames like Global coin and Facebook Coin. 

Names stick, and Diem is already in a sticky mess. This permission-based blockchain deservedly suffers an identity crisis because it packages centralized financial services as decentralized exchanges.

Initially, Libra was a blockchain-based payment system conceptualized for anonymity and decentralization. However, lawmakers in various developed nations like the UK, France, and the United States spoke against it. Some did so immediately after Facebook unveiled the Libra whitepaper.

Libra’s release was meant for 2020, but an aggressive push back from regulators in 2019 obscured the plans. Different entities fielded varying concerns addressing the Libra whitepaper, and the pressure pushed Facebook and its partners into drastic actions. Some partners left, leaving Libra with a looming identity crisis.

In this article, we discuss the rise and fall of the Libra Association. We are also looking into what Diem has to offer and how it’s evolved since conception. Stick around to learn the original Libra concept and why it rebranded to Diem to reduce Facebook stigma.

The Original Libra Concept

Facebook initiated and championed the formation of the Libra Association, and it always had a crypto tech in the works. The plan was to launch a stablecoin, which would be backed by a basket of national fiat currencies and securities.

The Libra stablecoin was designed to be more stable than any national currency, and Facebook would integrate it within its extensive social media coverage. Therefore, the cryptocurrency would be stabler than Bitcoin and enjoy undisputed, global utility. However, the grand scheme fell under siege the same day it was unveiled.

The Libra Association was to create new currency units on demand and retire units redeemed for fiat currency. It was also planning to reserve transactional data on the ledger for Libra Association members only.

Therefore, the blockchain technology wouldn’t be pure but a hybrid, centralized blockchain. The Libra Association reserved the distributed ledger’s reconciliation only to its service partners to prevent random data analysts from scrutinizing transactions.

Basically, Libra proposed a system where traditional blockchain transparency was obscured and reserved for its partners only. The pretext for shrouding the transparency was protecting customers’ privacy, but Mark Zuckerberg unsuccessfully tried convincing the Senate that Libra would honor users’ privacy.

Libra Couldn’t Address Trust and Privacy Issues

The Libra Association failed because of trying to appease both legislators and crypto purists. Revolutionary bitcoin users prefer permissionless cryptocurrencies, which transfer value in a decentralized fashion. Decentralized currencies can bypass regulatory enforcement.

Since Libra was not decentralized, it was to rely on trust, qualifying it as a ‘de facto central bank.’ The Libra Association and its network would be run by powerful corporations working in collaboration, and sovereign governments were concerned the Libra currency would cause widespread economic instability.  

Unlike Libra, Bitcoin is apolitical, and it doesn’t need the backing of fiat currency. Bitcoin is designed to withstand the regulatory scrutiny that seems to be putting down Libra, and the pure blockchain network is trusted worldwide for its anonymity.

Remember, nobody really knows who created Bitcoin.

Libra is not censorship-resistant, and Facebook is infamous for infringing on users’ privacy. This social media platform was subject to Senate and Judiciary inquiries, and it was scandalized for abusing the privacy rights of billions of users.

International Regulatory Resistance: Why Are Governments Fighting Libra?

The French Finance Minister was the first to raise concerns over Libra, just minutes after the whitepaper became public. France strongly opposed Libra becoming a sovereign currency, and the ministry cited privacy issues and consumer protectionism.

The English central Bank was a bit more accommodating, but it called for regulation of the proposed permission-based cryptocurrency. German lawmakers took a more cautious approach, distrusting the motives of the currency.

The European Union didn’t want Libra outcompeting European currencies, mainly because Facebook has a firm marketing grip globally.

American politicians were also quick to thwart efforts of rolling out the proposed Libra Network. The United States House Committee on Financial Services directed Facebook and its partners to stop developing Libra.

The Federal Reserve, the President, Congress, and the Senate had severe concerns regarding money laundering, economic stability, national security, and privacy & consumer protection. 

In response to the sharp criticisms and widespread distrust, Facebook promised to halt Libra until regulators felt comfortable. C.E.O Zuckerberg also promised Libra wouldn’t bypass US regulators by launching in other nations.

Facebook’s lousy rapport with regulators over privacy and consumer protection took a toll on Libra. US regulators petitioned Libra partners to explain how the currency would safeguard national security, and the following partners consequently abandoned Libra:

  • PayPal
  • Visa
  • MasterCard
  • Mercado Pago
  • Booking Holdings
  • eBay
  • Stripe

Libra received overwhelming lousy press, and it acquired negative connotations such as:

  • Facebook coin: Libra partners were afraid they’d be considered complacent in privacy violations.
  • Global coin: Governments were afraid Libra would overtake national currencies with FB’s robust marketing capacity, undermining national security.

Libra Rebranding to Diem: the Fundamental Changes

Facebook had to address structural and branding issues with Libra. The designers of this digital currency made critical changes to attract regulatory approval. The most fundamental of all changes was liberating the cryptocurrency from Facebook.

Facebook and the Libra Association announced Libra would rebrand to Diem, and the currency would not compete with fiat currencies. Instead, Diem would only complement the dollar, and it would also abandon the strategy of stabilizing behind a basket of various national currencies.

Facebook first renamed its blockchain subsidiary to Novi from Calibra. Novi is Greek for ‘new way.’

Diem was also meant to give this digital currency the connotation of transparency. Diem is Greek for the word ‘day,’ and the network promises the transparency of daylight. If only it can earn the trust of governments and safeguard the privacy of users.

Apart from repairing brand image, the Libra Association had to rebrand because of trademark disputes with other international firms. Finco sued the Libra Association in a New York court for using its registered logo trademark, and the company claimed monetary damages from the Libra Association.

Four European companies also petitioned against the Libra trademark, arguing Libra was a current form of their verbal brands.

Parting Shot

This hybrid cryptocurrency is controversial because of its hybrid nature, but mainly due to Facebook’s robust marketing reach. Diem will likely revolutionize crypto assets significantly because of its permission-based blockchain. That’s why you should understand this proposed fintech.

Diem will only be backed by the dollar. It will offer widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies. This currency will combine the transparency and security of blockchains, and users can make secure global transactions.

This proposed digital has significant potential, and you should share your thoughts in the comments section. Do you have any concerns that the Diem Association needs to address? Let’s discuss.

Categories
Crypto Market Analysis

Daily Crypto Review, Jan 4 – Bitcoin Retraces Below $32k, Ether Breaks $1k!

The cryptocurrency sector is trying to find an equilibrium but was mostly volatile in recent days, with BTC retracing slightly and Ethereum skyrocketing towards its all-time highs. Bitcoin is currently trading for $31,796, representing a decrease of 8.08% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by a whopping 24.61% on the day, while XRP gained 7.37% of its value.

The cryptocurrency sector is trying to find an equilibrium but was mostly volatile in recent days, with BTC retracing slightly and Ethereum skyrocketing towards its all-time highs. Bitcoin is currently trading for $31,796, representing a decrease of 8.08% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by a whopping 24.61% on the day, while XRP gained 7.37% of its value.

The cryptocurrency sector is trying to find an equilibrium but was mostly volatile in recent days, with BTC retracing slightly and Ethereum skyrocketing towards its all-time highs. Bitcoin is currently trading for $31,796, representing a decrease of 8.08% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has increased by a whopping 24.61% on the day, while XRP gained 7.37% of its value.

Daily Crypto Sector Heat Map

Scanetchain gained 446.19% in the past 24 hours, making it the most prominent daily crypto gainer by far. It is followed by Amun Ether 3x Daily Long’s 246.1% and Education Ecosystem’s 195.84% gain. On the other hand, Basiscoin Cash lost 96.51%, making it the most prominent daily loser. It is followed by Wownero’s loss of 91.09% and Bridge Finance’s loss of 90.45%.

Top 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

 

Bottom 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bitcoin’s market dominance has moved down almost two percent since our last report, with its value currently being 68.7%. This value represents a 1.9% difference to the downside than the value it had when we last reported.

 

Daily Crypto Market Cap Chart

The cryptocurrency sector capitalization has increased greatly since we last reported, with its current value being $860.45 billion. This represents a $97.68 billion increase when compared to our previous report.

_______________________________________________________________________

What happened in the past 24 hours?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Technical analysis

_______________________________________________________________________

Bitcoin

Bitcoin had continued its move up slowly until Jan 2, when its price skyrocketed and reached as high as $34,800. With this being set as the new all-time high, BTC started retracing and consolidating within a wide range, bound by the all-time high to the upside and $30,807 to the downside.

Any strong pushes were easily foreseen by the gradual increase in volume, which is what traders should pay attention to when trading the largest cryptocurrency by market cap.

BTC/USD 4-hour chart

Bitcoin’s technicals are showing a strong tilt towards the buy-side. However, some of its time-frames show slight neutrality alongside the overall bullishness.

BTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is slightly above its 50-period EMA and above its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is neutral (55.04)
  • Volume is slightly above average

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $34,800                                 1: $30,807

2: $35,000                                 2: $28,337

3: $36,000                                 3: $26,340

Ethereum

Ethereum’s spike could be considered a late response to Bitcoin’s spike, as its price followed in direction but not percentage-wise when BTC pushed towards $35k. However, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap skyrocketed in the past hours, reaching as high as $1,169.

This push towards the $1k mark is historic, as the only real upside is the all-time high of $1,420 from Jan 2, 2020.

Ethereum is currently fighting to stay above the $1,000 mark, and its short-term future will be determined by it managing to stay above or retracing below this level.

 ETH/USD 1-hour Chart

Ethereum’s technicals look very much like Bitcoin’s, with the overall tilt being towards the buy-side, with oscillators tilting towards bearishness.

ETH/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical Factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above its 50-period and at its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is neutral (60.37)
  • Volume is descending from above-average levels

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $1,047                                     1: $1,009

2: $1,080                                     2: $960

3: $1,169                                      3: $932

Litecoin

Litecoin had an amazing 2-day run as its price increased from $124 all the way up to $175. However, the $175 mark stopped the bulls from reaching any higher, and Litecoin started retracing. The retracement also came as a response to BTC’s retracement, as the two cryptocurrencies are highly correlated.

Litecoin is now struggling to stay above the $155.25 level. However, its short-term price direction will most likely be decided by Bitcoin’s movements, rather than staying above or below any support/resistance levels.

 LTC/USD 1-hour Chart

Litecoin’s technicals on all time-frames are tilted towards the buy-side and show almost no bearish or neutral signs.

LTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Its price is currently above its 50-period EMA and at its 21-period EMA
  • Price is at its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the oversold territory (50.57)
  • Volume is currently on below-average levels

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $163.7                                      1: $155.25

2: $174.5                                      2: $149.3

3: $195.5                                   3: $143.5

 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

5 Best Staking Coins in 2020: Checking Out Number 4

Investors stake their cryptocurrencies by locking their assets for the reward incentives. Staking is similar to saving in banks because users lock their money in preferred financial services, but crypto staking earns higher ROI than fiat savings in banks. 

Investors stake their cryptocurrencies by locking their assets for the reward incentives. Staking is similar to saving in banks because users lock their money in preferred financial services, but crypto staking earns higher ROI than fiat savings in banks. 

Investors stake their cryptocurrencies by locking their assets for the reward incentives. Staking is similar to saving in banks because users lock their money in preferred financial services, but crypto staking earns higher ROI than fiat savings in banks. 

Staking is an innovation that allows users to reap maximum gains from their digital investments. Users can earn passively when their nodes validate and add blocks to blockchain networks.

Staking coins utilize a special, more user-friendly blockchain consensus for mining cryptocurrencies called Proof of Stake. In this article, we take a look at five of the best staking coins in 2020 you need to check out. But first, let’s get into the nitty-gritty details of the mining consensus. 

Proof of Stake vs. Proof of Work

Traditional Proof of Work (PoW) validates blocks of transaction information via complex cryptographic computing that generates consensus. In contrast, Proof of Stake (PoS) relies on democratic, open-source electioneering to select validating nodes for every block.

PoW rewards miners for solving mathematical problems with newly created crypto tokens, while PoS rewards validators with transaction fees. PoS systems select random users in the blockchains, making the networks impressively secure.

Proof of Stake systems start by selling a stock of pre-mined coins, and others switch from PoW systems. The switching process is called forging, and it includes locking coins in stakes. The size of each stake determines if it’s viable for validating the next block. Robust stakes have a more competitive advantage.

Nodes forge blocks by first authenticating transactions to match details on previous information blocks. Designers had to address the concern that wealthier nodes could get all the staking bids. Therefore, crypto startups implement:

  • Coinage selection: this strategy considers how long users lock their coins in stake. Coinage is determined by the number of coins multiplied by the period of stake. Coinage is reset to zero after forging, and networks stipulate minimum coinages for staking. This way, nodes with large stakes don’t get dominant control over the network.
  • Randomized block selection: this strategy is predictable, but it provides sufficient protection from corruption. The system selects validating nodes transparently via stake sizes and hash values.

Now, without further ado, let’s review the best staking coins in 2020 worth your time and fiscal investment. 

Best Five Staking Coins in 2020

NOW Token

This digital asset is native to ChangeNOW, a robust crypto exchange platform. The staking coin empowers users to buy numerous products within the NOW infrastructure.

The staking rewards are annual, and staking longer rewards more. You can lock as little as 10 NOW tokens and manage these digital assets via:

  • Token Freezer.
  • Guarda Wallets staking tools.
  • BEPTools.

The tool you use to freeze your tokens will automatically predict your rewards every week. Users stand to gain significantly by staking NOW tokens, yielding high interests, weekly rewards, and demanding little principal investments.

Decred (DCR)

This staking coin was announced in 2016, and it forked from Bitcoin. The designers, miners, and validators disagreed with internal Bitcoin governance. Therefore, they created this hybrid coin, which is powered by both PoW and PoS mechanisms.

The Decred platform makes DCR tokens attractive via:

  • Smart contracts.
  • Public proposal platform.
  • Cross-platform wallets.
  • Cross-chain atomic swaps.

Decred PoW/PoS mechanisms require miners to build new blocks by validating transactions. The miners earn 60 percent of block rewards, and DCR holders can obtain voting tickets for all open network proposals.

You can stake DCR in two ways:

  • As a solo voter.
  • Through voting service providers.

When voting solo, you need to use the native command line and connect your wallet to Decred’s blockchain. Voting service providers charge about five percent of rewards for staking on behalf of users.

It supports user democracy, empowering network members to vote for consensus. However, much like Bitcoin, Decred can’t scale easily, and it falls behind in transaction speeds.

Tezos (XTZ)

This cryptocurrency is novel compared to others since it was launched in June 2020. It serves multi-purposes and is reliable for executing smart contracts. It is the native coin of a self-correchttps://tezos.com/ting platform.

The Tezos blockchain utilizes a unique codebase, using the OCaml computer language. Its PoS consensus implements delegated Liquid Proof of Stake.

XTZ is popular because it offers high staking to third-parties, who claim up to 25 percent of staking rewards. The 2020 ROI for staking Tezos is 5-6%. It is stabilized by its codebase, which allows self-correcting and built-in governance. Thus, it minimizes the risk of hard forks like the case of Bitcoin’s blockchain.

Tezos are created via ‘baking,’ which is just another name for staking. Validators allowing fraudulent transactions are to lose all their staked Tezos immediately the incorruptible blockchain flags incorrect validating. This is significant because bakers must have 8,000 Tezos to stake.

Algorand (ALGO)

ALGO is permissionless and decentralized. It transcends bordered economies and bypasses the need for financial regulators and other third-parties. ALGOs are great staking coins because of the low transaction costs involved.

This coin is native to the Algorand network, which utilizes Pure Proof of Stake to validate transactions. It does not facilitate users to delegate staking responsibilities to other nodes.

This blockchain reduces the risk of dominant users taking over. It decentralizes the network and disallows staking delegations. Thus, it reserves the voting power for the majority’s interests. Staking ALHGOs is relatively easy, and you only need a non-custodial wallet to hold ALGO tokens.

Just one ALGO is enough for staking. Users can earn ten percent annual interest, 5.46% staking on StakingRewards.com, or eight percent on Binance. Algorand facilitates 1,000 transactions per second, attracting them because of easy user experiences. Staking rewards are paid out every 20 minutes.

Loom Network (LOOM)

The Loom Network is a Platform as a Service meant for dApp developers. It supports Solidarity dApps running on side chains of the crypto network. This platform allows different application developers to personalize their consensus-building mechanisms.

Validating Loom transactions is easy, and users can rely on Delegated Proof of Stake. Scaling becomes easier, but users still enjoy Ethereum’s blockchain security.

These staking coins come into the market in 2018, but users started staking LOOM tokens a year later. By 2020, the Loom Basechain bridged different chains via impeccably high performance.

Cross-chain functionality makes LOOMs attractive stake coins. Developers use this Platform as a Service network to pay for hosting, and staking users can enjoy the rewards of creating new blocks.

All you need is one of the following wallets that are compatible with Loom’s blockchain:

  • Trezor.
  • Metamask.
  • Ledger.

Users must meet gas costs on the Ethereum network by depositing some ETH. Afterward, they need to connect their wallets to the LOOM Basechain Wallet for staking.

This network is popular because you can delegate staking to validators, who will claim 25% of your stake rewards. You can expect an annual ROI of 17% from LOOM stakes.

Parting Shot

Let’s agree that these coins are all pretty attractive investment options. Their main benefits include:

  1. Fast delivery.
  2. Lucrative ROI.
  3. Transparent, immutable accounting.
  4. Daily and annual payouts.

Validators are much quicker than bitcoin miners, which makes staking coins appealing to novice users. 

Staking crypto coins is a great investment option for crypto users. It makes it easier to earn high-interest rates on your savings, and you can conveniently, securely convert fiat currency into digital currencies. 

Embrace staking coins as crypto asset institutionalization edges closer to reality. The next time your friends ask for a great investment idea, share this article with them. 

You can also check out these coins for yourself and start earning passively. Please share your best staking coins in the comments section. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

MoneyGram Distances Itself from Ripple!

https://youtu.be/LwPWHgzb680

https://youtu.be/LwPWHgzb680


MoneyGram Distances Itself from Ripple

 

Global money transfer service MoneyGram has updated its stance on its relationship with Ripple by clarifying the nature of their collaboration. The changed stance came as a response to Ripple’s recent lawsuit by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

MoneyGram issued a press statement on Dec 23, revealing that it has never utilized Ripple’s counterparty services, more specifically its On-Demand Liquidity (ODL) and RippleNet, for forex transactions. They stated: 

“As a reminder, MoneyGram doesn’t utilize the ODL platform or RippleNet for any form of direct transfers of consumer funds – digital or other. Furthermore, MoneyGram is not a party to the Securities and Exchange Commission action.”

The company also added: 

“We have continued to use other traditional trading counterparties even throughout the term of the agreement with Ripple, and isn’t dependent on the Ripple platform to accomplish any of its FX trading needs.”

Looking back in June 2019, MoneyGram and Ripple entered into a strategic partnership that planned to tackle MoneyGram’s cross-border payments. As part of this collaboration, Ripple was obliged to invest up to $50 million in exchange for the MoneyGram stock.

In February 2020, MoneyGram also revealed an additional $11.3 million investment from Ripple on top of the agreed $50 million. However, Ripple has now sold about $15 million of its stake in MoneyGram.

MoneyGram’s current statement of not being dependent on Ripple’s services corresponds to the narrative that previous events have set. Earlier in the year, the company debuted a real-time remittance service based on Visa rather than its blockchain partner.

Another Ripple partner Intermex also revealed back in March of this year that it wasn’t using the Ripple’s platform for remittance in its “core market.”

MoneyGram’s press release is just the latest in a series of actions taken by companies regarding either Ripple or XRP, with all of them backing out from the company due to the SEC lawsuit. On Dec 23, investment fund Bitwise Asset Management liquidated its position in XRP, while several cryptocurrency exchanges have also started to delist the XRP token. The fallout that came from the SEC lawsuit has also exerted strong negative pressure on the XRP price action, where the cryptocurrency dipped over 30% on Dec 23.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Binance Enables SegWit Support for BTC Deposits as Adoption Skyrockets!

https://youtu.be/FeqnIgIeYgk

https://youtu.be/FeqnIgIeYgk

Binance Enables SegWit Support for BTC Deposits as Adoption Skyrockets

Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges by volume in the world, has incorporated Segregated Witness, better-known as SegWit, support for Bitcoin deposits. 

The SegWit support was finally enabled for incoming deposits on Christmas Eve, Binance said in an official statement. Until this announcement, the protocol upgrade was enabled only for withdrawals. Effective immediately after the announcement, Binance users got the option to transfer funds to a SegWit address by selecting the BTC (SegWit) network. Binance further explained in the statement:

“Please note that SegWit should help reduce fees; however, if you incorrectly send incompatible assets to the desired address, your funds will not be recoverable, and therefore will result in permanent loss.”

SegWit

Implemented back in 2017, SegWit is a Bitcoin protocol upgrade designed to help with network scaling. Besides that, SegWit was implemented to help with fixing several associated bugs. This upgrade is known for the way it updates data on the blockchain, namely, by segregating signatures from transaction data. SegWit upgrade allows more transactions to be stored in a single block, thus doubling Bitcoin’s transaction capacity.

Data from transactionfee.info show that somewhere in the ballpark of two-thirds of Bitcoin payments currently use SegWit. However, even with SegWit implemented, Bitcoin continues to face scalability limitations, which many argue has impeded adoption for everyday use. Exactly those scalability limitations have transformed Bitcoin from a possible means of payment to a store of value. However, developers have not given up on BTC becoming a viable payment protocol.

Light Network

The Lightning Network has been proposed as a viable second-layer scaling solution for Bitcoin as a payment protocol. Unlike SegWit, which got implemented via a soft fork to the Bitcoin protocol, the Lightning Network is a layer that goes on top of Bitcoin, and that could enable instant and almost cost-free transactions.

Despite current limited transaction capacity, Bitcoin remains the uncontested leader of the digital currency market, with its dominance over other crypto assets recently hitting one-year highs and approaching dangerously close to 70% of the total cryptocurrency market cap. 

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic

Platforms You Should Join to Avoid Falling for Defi Scams

Scammers couldn’t have found a better place to thrive. What with decentralization, the anonymity of transactions, and a lack of regulation characterizing the space? 

Scammers couldn’t have found a better place to thrive. What with decentralization, the anonymity of transactions, and a lack of regulation characterizing the space? 

Scammers couldn’t have found a better place to thrive. What with decentralization, the anonymity of transactions, and a lack of regulation characterizing the space? 

Despite its positives, the Defi sector is a jungle that readily swallows the unknowing. Navigating it requires heart, but more than that, tact. Identifying the snares and how to avoid them is the key to profitable investments in the sector.

2020 has witnessed a burgeoning of Defi projects offering their services and products. A good number of these are dubious, itching for an opportunity to rob you of your funds. 

How then are these fraudulent schemes perpetrated? Is there a way of identifying them? What measures can one take to protect themselves from falling victim to them? Are there platforms to guide investors in determining the genuine from fake projects? 

This article hopes to build your capacity to make informed decisions within the space by answering these questions.

How Do Scammers Carry out their Activities on Defi platforms?

Scams are as varied as there are scammers. Here are a few of their favored methods of execution.

  • Exit Scams

An exit scam is a scheme hatched by unscrupulous crypto promoters to defraud the public of their funds. They dupe investors by setting up a project with an attractive concept. After collecting funds from the ICO, the perpetrators evaporate with the funds leaving the investors in limbo. In 2020, for instance, YFDEX.Finance conned investors of $20 million in just two days of operating.

  • Pump and Dump

Pump and dump schemes involve artificially pushing the demand for a given token. A small group of whales identifies and purchases a token with low value. Their action causes the token’s prices to appreciate. This price hike draws other investors to acquire the token hoping for gain. On the price reaching a certain level, the whales dispose of their holdings at a profit. Thus, the prices plunge, leaving investors with hefty losses.

  • Admin Imitator

Using a social media platform, for instance, Twitter, Telegram, or Discord, a scammer impersonates a Defi Platform’s support team member. The scammer used credentials similar to the platform’s admin. They then ask either for private keys to resolve specific issues. Alternatively, they may require members to send ETH to a given address to complete their scam.

  • Fake Airdrops and Rewards

Airdrops and giveaways help. Defi platforms raise awareness about their platforms. Also, they increase community participation. At times scammers may provide fake Airdrops and reward to access private keys and personal info. They then use these to defraud you of your funds.

  • Defi Rug Pulls

Defi rug-pulls are con games that involve minting new tokens and publicizing them, primarily via social media. After that, the project lists on Uniswap, and owners inject liquidity. The unsuspecting investors will swap their ETH for the new token. The instigators then drain the liquidity pool. This way, they make away with the funds leaving holders with worthless coins.

  • Hardware Wallet Theft

Another scam involves selling users compromised hardware wallets. Their setup creates backdoors allowing hackers to drain one’s funds.  

How do you Identify Scam on Defi?

As the Defi sector is replete with scams, knowing how to identify them becomes an essential skill. Here are a few pointers:

  • Their Offering- Genuine projects have unique products tailored towards specific pain points, doubtful projects, on the contrary, piggyback on successful projects’ products.
  • Development- Are the developers continuously updating the code? If not, it could be a scam.
  • The founders- Are they known? What’s their reputation within the crypto space? Shady projects will have shady frontmen too.
  • Tokenomics- How is the token distributed? Scams typically inflate the token price while holding a majority of the token.
  • Language Use- If they use complex Defi jargon, it’s possibly a scam; legit projects use simple language.
  • Promised Returns- If the deal is too good to be true, think twice before committing.

5 Best Platforms to Sign Up For to Avoid DeFi Scams

The security of your funds could be a sign up away. The rise of Defi Scams has resulted in the emergence of platforms to protect users in the ecosystem. These platforms take it upon themselves to detect scams so that you don’t have to. Here’s your must sign up to platforms to avoid Defi scams

LID Protocol’s LIFTOFF

LIFTOFF is a platform that uses LID Protocol’s Certified Presales service to protect investors and projects. The service facilitates projects to raise funds. When they meet their targets, a smart contract locks the raised funds and tokens on Uniswap or other lending protocols. 

Once the presale concludes, it mints the liquidity pool tokens and burns them. Thus, it permanently locks the liquidity on the lending protocol preventing the occurrence of rug-pull scams. 

SlowMist

This China-based company is a market leader in blockchain security. Besides serving over 70 DEXs, 110 wallet providers, and 40 blockchain firms, it supports more than 800 tokens. It audits these projects’ security systems and smart contracts. 

SlowMist made headlines when it raised the alarm over an impending $2.5 million DeFi exit scam by Emerald Mine (EMD). The platform had transferred to a private account a vast chunk of tokens that users had staked.

PeckShield

PeckShield is another Chinese blockchain security company that strives to enhance blockchain security and usability. It produces cutting edge products targeting large scale systems. It reports on hidden vulnerabilities within networks. 

Additionally, it creates products and services to counter these vulnerabilities. PeckShield also flagged the Emerald Mine exit scam.

Blockchain Audit

This New York-based firm does more than build secure decentralized systems. It also audits Blockchains and reports on different projects’ states of security. Blockchain helps identify counterfeits, bullwhip effects, and fake reviews, among others. 

Again, it is a good source of information on upcoming projects and their security.

KryptoGO

KryptoGO develops advanced blockchain solutions and offers consultancy services through linking projects with experts on various issues. It also undertakes audits besides reporting on different projects. 

Hence, it’s a valuable source of information for anyone researching a project of interest.

What to do to Protect Yourself from Scams?

To protect yourself against being scammed:

  • Do your research on the project before investing
  • Seek expert opinion on the project
  • Avoid sharing your private keys and personal information
  • Only get your hard wallets from legit outlets
  • Sign up to a platform that analyses Defi projects and trends

Final Thoughts

The Defi sector crawls with nefarious schemes. Consequently, it behooves every investor to be awake to this reality. Scammers have devised different ways of actualizing their goals. As such, knowing how to identify scam projects from the rest is critical. 

Simple actions like digging into the founder’s background, examining the project’s development history and its token structure can avert huge losses. Additionally, signing up to platforms like the ones identified here will guarantee you a safe investing experience.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Turkey Are Already Pilot Testing There CBDC In Mid 2021!

https://youtu.be/efxPyjMcX8o

https://youtu.be/efxPyjMcX8o


Turkey Announces CBDC Pilot Tests Planned for Mid-2021

Turkey’s Parliament central bank governor Naci Agbal updated the public on the development of its central bank digital currency (CBDC for short), revealing that the “conceptual” research had been completed and that the public can expect practical tests for such a currency in the latter half of 2021. This announcement came at a time where Turkey struggles with soaring consumer prices and an inflation rate currently in the double digits.

“There is a research & development project initiated on digital money,” said Agbal, according to two local news outlets. “Currently, the conceptual phase of the project has been completed. We aim to start the pilot tests in the second half of the next year.”


While this announcement came as a surprise to those that didn’t follow Turkey’s stance on CBDC’s in the past, the country was actually researching the possibility of implementing some form of a digital currency since mid-2019. In addition to that, a 2021 rollout of a digital Lira is not a new concept but rather an already expected but delayed scenario. Turkish president Recep Erdoğan announced in Nov 2019 that tests for a digital Lira would be complete by the end of 2020. The reason for the delays was most likely tied to Turkey changing its central bank head in Nov 2020.

The progress regarding digital Lira comes as the country’s central bank grapples with inflation being as high as 14%. In an official statement to reporters last week, Agbal – who got appointed as the central bank’s governor just last month — that the central bank is “determined” to reduce inflation and meet its year-end target of 9.4%. 


As we have stated before, Turkey is not new in the cryptocurrency sector. In fact, it is considered one of the most active countries in the world for cryptocurrency and digital transformation industry as a whole, with over 20% of its population holding some form of digital money. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

Miami To Become The First Crypto-Centric City? Winklevoss Twins Backing The Mayor!

https://youtu.be/w5Lx2O69oVo

https://youtu.be/w5Lx2O69oVo


Will Miami Become the First Crypto-Centric City in the US?

Miami mayor Francis Suarez has joined the Bitcoin advocates “club” as he offered more evidence that mainstream adoption is accepting the largest cryptocurrency.  

In a tweet that came out on Dec 24, Suarez stated that Bitcoin is a “stable investment during an incredibly unstable year,” then adding that he has just started learning about the best-known digital asset through figures like the Winklevoss brothers and Anthony Pompliano.

Cameron Winklevoss, left, and his twin brother Tyler leave a federal appeals court in San Francisco, California, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. Facebook Inc.’s settlement of claims that its founder Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea for what became the world’s largest social-networking website should be undone, former college classmates of Zuckerberg told an appeals court. Photographer: Noah Berger/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Tyler Winklevoss and Pompliano responded to Suarez’s tweet, with Tyler saying he and his brother Cameron will bring the mayor of Miami a “signed copy of Bitcoin Billionaires,” a book written about the aforementioned twins, while Pompliano called Miami a future Bitcoin city.

Suarez also indicated that his administration is currently exploring the idea of Miami truly becoming the first crypto-centric government in the US. However, he provided no further details on the topic.

Francis Suarez was elected the mayor of Miami in Nov 2017 after running his campaign as a nonpartisan candidate. Before entering politics, he founded a real estate title company, but also worked as an attorney.

Miami has often been described as one of the US cities with the biggest potential of becoming crypto-centric by some news outlets, mostly due to its lax state oversight and a large influx of foreign capital. The North American Bitcoin Conference, which featured figures like Charles Hoskinson, Riccardo Sagni, and Roger Ver, was held in Miami at the start of 2020.

Bitcoin’s explosive rally and bull trend, which it is currently in, is certainly driving new conversations about the digital asset to the table. This is especially true as this rally, unlike the one in 2017, was fueled mostly by corporate and institutional adoption, rather than the retail sector. Bitcoin adoption is increasingly viewed not as a speculation, but as a competitive advantage in an economy riddled with financial instability, record central-bank intervention, and significant asset-price inflation. 

Categories
Crypto Market Analysis

Daily Crypto Review, Dec 30 – Bitcoin Creates a New All-Time High; XRP Recovers Slightly

The cryptocurrency sector is stabilizing after Bitcoin’s failed push towards the upside, which in fact created a new all-time high, but just for a moment. Bitcoin is currently trading for $27,848, representing an increase of 3.41% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1.22% on the day, while XRP gained 5.71% of its value.

The cryptocurrency sector is stabilizing after Bitcoin’s failed push towards the upside, which in fact created a new all-time high, but just for a moment. Bitcoin is currently trading for $27,848, representing an increase of 3.41% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1.22% on the day, while XRP gained 5.71% of its value.

The cryptocurrency sector is stabilizing after Bitcoin’s failed push towards the upside, which in fact created a new all-time high, but just for a moment. Bitcoin is currently trading for $27,848, representing an increase of 3.41% compared to yesterday’s value. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s price has decreased by 1.22% on the day, while XRP gained 5.71% of its value.

 Daily Crypto Sector Heat Map

EveryCoin gained 371.17% in the past 24 hours, making it the most prominent daily crypto gainer by far. It is followed by Wownero’s 223.09% and Gala’s 167.69% gain. On the other hand, PENTA lost 98.72%, making it the most prominent daily loser. It is followed by AS Roma Fan Token’s loss of 64.83% and Reef’s loss of 64.46%.

Top 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bottom 10 24-hour Performers (Click to enlarge)

Bitcoin’s market dominance has moved up almost a whole percent since our last report, with its value currently being 70.1%. This value represents a 0.9% difference to the upside than the value it had when we last reported.

Daily Crypto Market Cap Chart

The cryptocurrency sector capitalization has increased since we last reported, with its current value being $737.31billion. This represents an $24.83 billion increase when compared to our previous report.

_______________________________________________________________________

What happened in the past 24 hours?

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Technical analysis

_______________________________________________________________________

 

Bitcoin

Bitcoin has broken its slight descending consolidation phase by bouncing off of the $26,000 level and pushing towards its all-time high level. While the level got barely broken and Bitcoin set a new all-time high, the bulls were not able to push past the resistance zone with confidence due to the lack of volume and buying pressure.

As a consequence of this, Bitcoin dipped to $27,600 levels, where it is consolidating at the moment. Traders should pay attention to volume movements, as these are the best indication of whether the move will actually break a support/resistance level at the moment.

If Bitcoin fails to break the all-time high level in the short future, we can expect a retracement that could reach the $23,000 zone.

 

BTC/USD 1-hour chart

Bitcoin’s technicals on the 4-hour and weekly time-frames are completely bullish, while the daily and monthly ones still contain some form of neutrality or bearishness.

BTC/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above its 50-period EMA and at its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its top Bollinger band
  • RSI is neutral (61.24)
  • Volume is slightly above average

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $28,391                                 1: $25,512

2: $29,000                                 2: $24,696

3: $30,000                                  3: $24,315

Ethereum

Ethereum has spent the whole day trading right below its immediate resistance level of $747. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap tried to break above it twice, but failed both times. Ether is currently descending in price as a consequence of the failed bull attempts which created a double top.

Ethereum traders have to pay attention to Bitcoin’s movements, as its movement (either up or down) will most likely cause Ether’s next move.

ETH/USD 1-hour Chart

Ethereum’s technicals on every time-frame are tilted towards the bull-side. However, they all contain slight neutrality or bearishness alongside the overall tilt towards the buy-side.

ETH/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical Factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Price is above both its 50-period and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is near its middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is neutral (58.07)
  • Volume is trading on above-average levels

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $747                                     1: $675

2: $800                                     2: $653

3: $900                                      3: $632

Ripple

XRP has spent the day trying to stabilize its price after days of constant price dips. The fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap bounced off of the $0.173 level, and propelled itself towards the next zone, sitting at $0.214.

XRP is currently fighting for the $0.214 level, and if no new news (positive or negative) pop out, its short-term price will most likely depend on whether it manages to stay above the $0.214 level or fall below it.

XRP/USD 1-hour Chart

XRP’s technicals on all time-frames are tilted towards the sell-side, with only the 4-hour and monthly overviews showing some form of neutrality.

XRP/USD 1-day Technicals

Technical factors (4-hour Chart):

  • Its price is currently far below both its 50-period EMA and its 21-period EMA
  • Price is between its bottom and middle Bollinger band
  • RSI is in the oversold territory (37.52)
  • Volume has spiked to above-average levels

Key levels to the upside          Key levels to the downside

1: $0.25                                    1: $0.214

2: $0.30                                     2: $0.14

3: $0.358

 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

How Defi will Help To Bank The Unbanked

The statics couldn’t paint a grimmer picture. According to the World Bank’s findex report of 2017, up to 1.7 Billion people are either unbanked or underbanked. They, for the most part, cannot access financial services. Where they do, it is inadequate for their needs. As access to financial services impacts poverty reduction, this statistic makes for sad reading. We need urgent interventions to remedy the situation.

The statics couldn’t paint a grimmer picture. According to the World Bank’s findex report of 2017, up to 1.7 Billion people are either unbanked or underbanked. They, for the most part, cannot access financial services. Where they do, it is inadequate for their needs. As access to financial services impacts poverty reduction, this statistic makes for sad reading. We need urgent interventions to remedy the situation.

The statics couldn’t paint a grimmer picture. According to the World Bank’s findex report of 2017, up to 1.7 Billion people are either unbanked or underbanked. They, for the most part, cannot access financial services. Where they do, it is inadequate for their needs. As access to financial services impacts poverty reduction, this statistic makes for sad reading. We need urgent interventions to remedy the situation.

So how then do we increase this access? The financial space continues to pursue interventions that’ll expand the reach of its services. One such intervention is Decentralized finance (Defi), a  product that promises to disrupt the financial landscape. In this article, we discuss the role of Defi in enhancing financial inclusion. First off, though, a look at the global state of the unbanked.

Banking the Unbanked is more than a third world issue

Banking the unbanked is a problem for the LDCs, right? Well, not exactly. It is easy to assume that underdevelopment confines it to developing nations. Statistics do, however, tell a different story. Ironical as it sounds, a significant population in the developed world suffers the same problem. In the US, for instance, up to 25% of its households do not have access to banking fàcilities. To effectively tackle the issue, there’s a need for a broader perspective.

How is Defi a Solution to the Challenges of Realising Financial Inclusion?

Defi exploits gaps in the traditional financial system. Chiefly it seems to expand access to financial services. It does so in the following ways.

i) Eliminates the Need for Brick and Mortar Facilities

Despite the adoption of tech, legacy financial institutions still depend on brick and mortar premises. Setting up a physical branch network is expensive. Banks may, therefore, not feel compelled to establish these everywhere.

Furthermore, some regions are far-flung. Banks might, therefore, deem it unprofitable to invest in them. These reasons and others prevent many from enjoying financial services. Defi could be the remedy for such.

Digitalization of Transactions Expands Access

As stated earlier, Defi dispenses off with the need for physical premises. It runs on the Blockchain. Consequently, it digitalizes every financial function. 

This way, it expands financial services to the remotest of places. Hence it allows the hitherto unserved segments the enjoyment of these services.

A good Internet Connection is all One Needs

A reliable internet connection is all one requires to get set. Using devices such as phones, customers can:

  • Open accounts
  • Deposit and withdraw funds from their accounts
  • Make payments for goods and services
  • Make P2P funds transfers

Cross-segment Solutions

There are solutions for every income segment. High-end customers may use in-phone apps, offline codes, and QR codes to transact. The lower segments can use SMS.

ii) Lowers the transaction Costs

High transaction costs discourage entry into the financial sector. The decentralization of finance allows P2P trading. Deploying dApps and smart contracts eliminate intermediaries. These attract transaction fees per transaction. Their removal significantly lowers or eliminates costs. As such, it spurs demand and use of financial services.

iii) Enhances Access to Credit Through P2P lending and Non-collateralized loans

Many of the Unbanked find it difficult to attract credit. Normally, banks consider them a high-risk refusing to lend them. They require them to put up collateral that is often not available. Their perceived high-risk profile means that the banks price their loans higher than their peers.

Defi programs provide ways out for them. They incorporate crowdfunding and P2P lending.  Anyone can easily get credit in these ways. 

Additionally, repayment rates are affordable. Again, lending proceeds regardless of one’s credit score. 

iv) Allows the Entry of Undocumented Person’s

Banks require documentation for one to open an account. These may not be readily available for one reason or another. Inability to produce them leads to denial of service.

Defi, on the other hand, insists on the autonomy and privacy of users. As such, they have relaxed KYC requirements. This is in keeping with the true nature of distributed ledger technologies. Less stringent KYC requirements enable a higher uptake of financial services.

v) Round The Clock Transactions

Using the Blockchain, one can transact at any time from anywhere. You needn’t worry that the bank is closed for the day, weekend, or holiday. Even with the incorporation of tech, legacy financial institutions run by the workweek and hours. Certain transactions cannot go on past the work hours or days. This feature is a drawback, especially in emergency cases. Defi provides customers with the convenience to transact at the times of their choice.

vi) Interoperability of Functions

Defi allows cross-platform convergence. Through Cross-chain composability, two or more Blockchains can communicate with each other. The convergence enables seamless transfer of digital assets between them. 

Significance of Cross-chain Composability

Cross-chain composability is significant in that:

  • Users needn’t migrate from their networks to other compatible one’s to execute transactions
  • It cuts down on transaction costs
  • Enables near-instant transfers

On the flip side, banks tend to have differentiated products. Often this differentiation prevents convergence. It is, at times, impossible to carry out certain transactions across networks. Even when this is possible, the process is lengthy and costly.

Final Thoughts

The financial sector evolves rapidly. Players within the space continue to innovate to improve customer experiences. Some of these inventions aim at easing the accessibility of services offered. That said, the current financial systems are inadequate. To date, a significant portion of the global population remains unserved. Considering the correlation between poverty reduction and financial access, this reality is telling. We need solutions to expanding financial inclusion, and on this score, Decentralized finance offers much promise. Increased adoption will radically alter the financial landscape bringing financial services to more people.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Sweden Leading the Way in the CBDC Sector – The First Country To Go Fully Digital?

https://youtu.be/p2jUHYaxx7o

https://youtu.be/p2jUHYaxx7o


Sweden Leading the Way in the CBDC

The Swedish government is currently progressing with its central bank digital currency by launching a formal review of a potential digital transformation to the digital currency.

According to a Bloomberg report published Dec 11, the review will explore the feasibility of moving the complete country’s payments infrastructure to a digital currency. Sweden features one of the most cashless economies in the world.

Per Bolund, financial markets minister of Sweden, reportedly said that the government expects to finish its digital currency review by the end of Nov 2022. Anna Kinberg Batra, a former chairwoman of the finance committee at Sweden’s central bank, would lead the initiative.

Bolund emphasized that ensuring that the digital payments system in Sweden functions in a safe way and is “available to everybody” is crucial. “Depending on how a CBDC is designed and which technologies are being used, it can have large consequences for the financial system as a whole,” the minister said.

Sweden has emerged as one of the leaders in the CBDC technology sector, announcing a pilot platform for its own digital currency known as e-krona in late 2019. In order to properly build the platform, Sweden’s central bank partnered with Accenture, a professional services company coming from Ireland. Riksbank launched its first e-krona CBDC pilots in February, claiming that the digital currency testing will be in operation until Feb 2021.

Sector

In Oct, Riksbank Governor Stefan Ingves expressed complete confidence that an e-krona CBDC should be issued by the central bank and fully recognized as legal tender. Last year, Ingves stated that Sweden’s central bank could not be the only institution that decides on the future of an e-krona implementation:

“Considering how important this issue is to the economy, the Riksbank cannot take this decision on its own. The decision on whether the e-krona should be introduced to the public is a decision that must have substantial political support.”

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

The Best Use Cases For Decentralized Finance Projects

There’s hardly a facet of our lives left untouched by blockchain technology. From the most ubiquitous to the complex of our engagements, its effects are discernible. But perhaps the one sector where its effects are most discernible is in finance. The shortfalls of the legacy financial systems provide the right environment for innovation to sprout. Fintech firms are outdoing themselves in the production of products and technologies aimed at bettering users’ experiences.

There’s hardly a facet of our lives left untouched by blockchain technology. From the most ubiquitous to the complex of our engagements, its effects are discernible. But perhaps the one sector where its effects are most discernible is in finance. The shortfalls of the legacy financial systems provide the right environment for innovation to sprout. Fintech firms are outdoing themselves in the production of products and technologies aimed at bettering users’ experiences.

There’s hardly a facet of our lives left untouched by blockchain technology. From the most ubiquitous to the complex of our engagements, its effects are discernible. But perhaps the one sector where its effects are most discernible is in finance. The shortfalls of the legacy financial systems provide the right environment for innovation to sprout. Fintech firms are outdoing themselves in the production of products and technologies aimed at bettering users’ experiences.

This year has seen the emergence of many disruptive technologies. However, non features as prominently as decentralized finance(DeFi). DeFi is technology’s response to an inadequate financial system. 

In this article, we tackle two significant aspects of Defi. First, the significance of Defi projects. We also present the best use cases to give you insight into this revolutionary technology. 

Let’s get into it!

What is the Significance of Decentralized Finance Projects?

Defi projects are universally beneficial. The buzz they continue to generate emphasizes this truth. Here’re a few of the benefits associated with them:

  • They streamline transactions- smart contracts execute exchanges increasing efficiencies.
  • Increase the security of transactions- they draw on the Ethereum blockchain’s Immutability to secure trades.
  • They are scalable- Ethereum’s composable software ensures that DeFi protocols and applications are interoperable, giving the developers and product the flexibility to build on top of existing ones. 
  • Increase transparency of transactions- distributed ledger technology enables one’s peers to access and verify their transactions, curbing fraud.
  • It is permissionless- DeFi facilitates anyone with a crypto wallet and the Internet to access its applications regardless of their location.
  • Gives the user control over their data- Web3 wallets like MetaMask interact with permissionless dAapps and protocols to provide users custody of their assets data. 

What are the Best Use Cases for Decentralized Finance?

From the preceding, it is clear that DeFi projects are beneficial. The question then arises, where can we best use this technology? DeFi technology has wide usage. The following are some of the prominent use cases.  

i) Management Of Assets

DeFi protocols give users full custody of their funds. Additionally, Crypto wallets help one easily and securely interact with decentralized applications (dApps) for different transactions. These transactions range from trading and transferring crypto to earning interest on their crypto holdings. Tracking one’s assets becomes easy this way.

ii) Gaming

Defi platforms are interoperable. This feature has opened up opportunities for developers to build cross-platform protocols across a variety of verticals. 

Ethereum-based games have gained popularity due to their inbuilt economies and rewards. Take the case of the PoolTogether game. Its users acquire digital tickets using the DAI stable coin. They then pool their tokens for lending on the Compound money market.

iii) Provision of Credit

DeFi allows the creation of P2P lending pools and borrowing contracts. For instance, Compound -an autonomous interest rate protocol- integrates with most DeFi platforms, enabling users to earn interest in crypto that they’ve lent.

Compound’s smart contract automatically matches creditors to borrowers. Additionally, it determines interest rates by comparing the volume of the borrowed to supplied funds.

iv) Decentralized Exchanges

Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) are crypto trading platforms allowing P2P transactions. They achieve this by eliminating central authorities. As they’re non-custodial, they mitigate price manipulation, hacking, and theft.

DEXs are the mainstay of token projects. They enhance their access to affordable liquidity as they allow projects to list without fees. This way, they differ significantly from centralized exchanges that charge higher prices per listing.

The degree of decentralization varies with the exchange. Whereas exchanges may centrally host order books and other aspects of a users’ account, they don’t hold their private keys. Examples of popular DEXs in the DeFi space currently include AirSwap, Liquality, Mesa, Oasis, and Uniswap.

v) Decentralized Insurance

Investing in cryptos (DeFi included) comes with its fair share of risks. As such, different products that hedge against risks in this space are available. They help protect against market crashes, hackings, failure of smart contacts, among others. Nexus Mutual is one such example.

The players within the Defi space underwrite the risk. That is to say, they pool resources to acquire the premium providing the cover. Utilizing smart contracts makes the products transparent. Anyone can access the payout terms via the Blockchain.

vi) Issuance of Synthetic Assets

Synthetic assets are tokenized representations of derivatives. An Ethereum based smart contract locks them to the Blockchain. These derivatives may represent real-world assets, including fiat currencies, bonds, commodities, or even cryptos.

Synthetic assets are tradeable. Consequently, they allow the disposal and acquisition of assets that are illiquid or difficult to obtain. The Synthetix protocol is essential to their issuance. It employs a 750% collateralization ratio that guards against price shocks.

vii) Liquidity Mining

Liquidity Mining, also known as yield farming, is holding digital assets for rewards. Through smart contracts, owners of crypto assets get incentives for keeping rather than trading them.

Participation in these projects requires stacking liquidity provider (LP) tokens. One obtains these through providing liquidity to a DEX, such as UNISWAP. Users then stake their tokens to mind new ones for exchange.

viii) Identity Management

Traditional financial systems rely on KYC guidelines to comply with AML and CFT regulations. Defi, on the other hand, uses Know- your-transactions (KYT) protocols to deter fraud and other financial crimes. KYT uses the behavior of participating addresses rather than individual IDs to assess and stem the risk for financial crime. The assessment is in real-time. 

ix) Enhancing Financial Inclusion

In tandem with Blockchain-based identity systems, DeFi opens up financial opportunities to those previously excluded. It eases collateralization requirements for those seeking credit. Again it delinks creditworthiness from such aspects as income and ownership of property. Instead, it shifts it to attributes like financial reputation and activity. 

x) Development of Stablecoins

A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency whose value depends on a stable asset or group of assets. The supporting assets could be fiat commodities or other cryptocurrencies.

Intended to mitigate the volatility of cryptos, they have found a home in the DeFi space. They are essential in remittances, borrowing, and lending. Another area they’re gaining prominence in is the Central Banks Digital Currencies.

xi) Provision of Marketplaces

Many marketplaces have arisen to exploit DeFi functions. These allow P2P exchanges globally. From them, traders and consumers enjoy a wide variety of products and services.

Final Thoughts

The year 2020 could be defined as the year of Defi. During this period, interest in this disruptive technology peaked. The heightened interest attests to its significance. Not only will it increase access to financial services, but also ease transactions besides securing them. The technology has wide useability. For instance, it is essential in credit provision, creating market places, and even combating financial crimes. Even though it is still developing, it has shown the potential to alter our economic landscape for the better. As we expand research and development in the area, we can only look forward to exciting products and solutions in the space.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

Top 5 DeFi Projects to Look Out for in 2021

The DeFi industry is still in its infancy stage but has already registered some impressive growth over the years. The industry’s total value is currently locked at $14.92 billion and is expected to grow in the coming year. 

The DeFi industry is still in its infancy stage but has already registered some impressive growth over the years. The industry’s total value is currently locked at $14.92 billion and is expected to grow in the coming year. 

The DeFi industry is still in its infancy stage but has already registered some impressive growth over the years. The industry’s total value is currently locked at $14.92 billion and is expected to grow in the coming year. 

There’s no doubt that DeFi brings about some unique solutions that are quite lucrative for investors of all kinds. If you’ve had your eye on the crypto industry for a while, there are chances that you’ve thought of putting your money in this exciting venture. But if you don’t know how to get started, you may feel stuck when choosing the best projects.

If you’re in this position, this article is just what you need. Buckle up, and let’s dive into the five best DeFi projects you should consider investing in the coming year. 

Uniswap

Anyone who has been in the crypto industry for quite a while will agree that decentralized exchanges were primarily associated with thin order books and poor UX. These issues, coupled with exorbitant fees, centralized gateways, and too many transactions was the reason dex enthusiasts demanded a simple yet effective decentralized exchange. 

Uniswap was launched in 2018 as an automated liquidity protocol for ETH and ERC-20 tokens. The platform has its own token, UNI, which is instrumental in governing protocol changes. 

One of the things that make Uniswap unique is that it doesn’t use order books but instead has an automated market maker. Users only need to select the assets they want to trade, and the platform automatically completes the transaction. 

Uniswap presents several advantages, which is why you should hop onto it already. It has no listing fees for new tokens, and users don’t have to complete the KYC checks. Besides, you get full custody of your funds and an excellent way to earn some extra tokens through the platform’s liquidity pools. 

If you choose to invest in the platform, you could either be a casual user, an arbitrageur, or a liquidity provider, all of whom play essential roles in the ecosystem. 

Yearn Finance

Yearn.Finance should be your go-to project if you’re looking to maximize the annual percentage yields on the cryptocurrencies you’ve deposited in DeFi. The unique project is an array of DeFi protocols built on Ethereum and designed for high-yield returns through liquidity pools and community governed lending protocols. Like Uniswap, Yearn Finance uses an automated market marker to allow users to convert tokens and earn from both lending and trading fees.

Yearn Finance is still relatively new in the industry, having been launched in February 2020. The platform had a rapid ascent in August, which saw its value rise to $650 million, accounting for a significant percentage of the entire industry’s value.

According to Jesse Walden, CEO of Variant Fund, “The unifying goal of all Yearn products is to create a simple, intuitive interface to all of DeFi.”

Yearn’s intuitive interface makes trading easier for all users. The platform is a portal for other DeFi products and has the YFI as its governance token. Yearn is considered entirely decentralized because the YFI tokens cannot be pre-mined, and the platform didn’t hold an ICO.

Although YFI was initially designed to be entirely community-governed, it can now be traded on other platforms such as Uniswap.

Curve Finance

You’ve probably heard of stablecoins, and if you know a thing or two about cryptocurrencies, they must have piqued your interest as an investor. Well, Curve Finance is an excellent DeFi platform if you’d like to trade-in stablecoins efficiently. It provides a solution to one of the most considerable problems in the DeFi sector; price slippage.

Like any other ideal marketplace, demand and supply forces determine the lending rates in DeFi. Now, suppose you want to trade between USDC and DAI. If the lending yield for USDC becomes higher than that of DAI, lenders will want to migrate to USDC. Curve Finance allows you to effectively do this and still earn better than you would with a regular DEX.

Switching between stablecoins effectively helps correct any anomalies in the interest rates that may result from mismatches in the demand and supply. Users can keep their profits once the interest rates are back to normal. 

Curve Finance provides one of the best ways to earn as a liquidity provider with returns of over 300% per year for BUSD. This is made possible by providing liquidity to other DeFi protocols using the deposited funds. This move generates interest for the other protocols, and Yearn, in turn, assigns the interest to liquidity providers. Additionally, they receive some CRV tokens and a cut of the trading fees from the platform.

DAI 

Speaking of stablecoins, DAI is one you should definitely watch out for in the coming year. The coin has its price pegged to the US dollar, which helps maintain its value. Whenever users on MakerDAO, the protocol behind DAI, take out a loan, the stablecoin is created. The decentralized nature of the protocol, together with the lack of volatility, ensures that DAI remains stable and transparent. 

Initially, you’d only be able to use ETH as collateral for DAI. However, the stablecoin now supports different cryptocurrencies as collateral for a DAI loan. You can place your cryptos and get them back for the same price, despite changes in the coins’ values. 

There are plenty of stablecoins available, so what makes DAI any different? Well, if you are really against censorship by governments and other regulatory bodies, you’re going to love using DAI. It is backed by smart contracts, which makes it resistant to censorship. It also provides privacy when transacting since users don’t need to complete KYC checks or create any accounts. 

Kava

Kava developers used various technologies to create a system that would allow users of significant crypto assets to access collateralized loans and stablecoins. The network uses USDX as its stablecoin, and users get to collateralize their crypto assets in exchange for the stablecoin. 

To help you gain a leveraged position in the market, you could take out several collateralized loans. For each of these loans, you’ll receive an equivalent amount of USDX to create synthetic leverage. You can then earn a passive income from the platform by staking and bonding your USDX coins. 

Kava uses a dual token system that ensures usability and flexibility. The native token for the blockchain is Kava tokens, which double up as the governance and voting tokens. Kava tokens help to ensure the platform’s security through staking, which also earns users block rewards. 

Kava has already made a name for itself in the business world by gaining some major entities’ attention. For example, Arrington Capital, Ripple, and Cosmos are behind this DeFi project, which provides some assurance in its profitability and sustainability. 

Parting Shot

There’s no denying that the DeFi industry has taken giant leaps over recent months and will continue to do so in 2021. Like most investors, you’ll undoubtedly want to add long-term value projects to your portfolio, and DeFi is an excellent way to go about it. 

Sure, it’s totally okay to be skeptical about new ventures such as this. However, the DeFi industry has proven to provide solutions to problems poised in centralized finance. 

Just as you would with any other investment, it’s best to do your due diligence and learn as much as possible before placing your money in a DeFi project. These five projects should give you an excellent head start for your 2021 investments. 

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic

5 Crucial Principles for Investing in DeFi

Unless you’ve been blind to the crypto industry in 2020, you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of the DeFi craze. On the one hand, some investors are minting lucrative yields from the industry. On the other, some are losing their life savings. 

Unless you’ve been blind to the crypto industry in 2020, you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of the DeFi craze. On the one hand, some investors are minting lucrative yields from the industry. On the other, some are losing their life savings. 

Unless you’ve been blind to the crypto industry in 2020, you’ve undoubtedly caught wind of the DeFi craze. On the one hand, some investors are minting lucrative yields from the industry. On the other, some are losing their life savings. 

If you’ve been following the trend, you’ve probably heard loads of things about investing in the new industry. Influential Bitcoin advocate, Anthony Pampliano, tweeted that all it took to shut down most DeFi dapps was for Jeff Bezos to shut down AWS. The tweet sparked quite a debate on the decentralization aspect, which is the core of DeFi projects. 

Truthfully, investing in DeFi is quite similar to any other worthy project. It comes with risks, and investors need to do their own research before getting on board. 

Well, DeFi is mostly uncharted territory for most investors, including crypto enthusiasts- which is why this article will come in handy. Here are some crucial principles you need to have in mind before deep diving. 

Check the Number of Active Users 

The value of a blockchain is dependent on the number of users, seeing as the technology solely relies on networks. Just like other network companies like Facebook, the more people who join the platform, the more valuable it becomes. 

When determining whether to invest in a Defi project, check the number of active users on the platform. Luckily, unlike other network companies, DeFi projects built on Ethereum allow you to view real-time data on the users. With other platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, you have to wait for the quarterly reports to get this insight. 

Additionally, you should also check the growth in the number of users. You want to invest in a project that registers sustained growth that keeps accelerating over time. The network effects of blockchain mean that the number of users won’t grow linearly as you’d expect, but rather quadratically, as shown below.

Source: Dune Analytics

Put Your Money in What You Understand

“Never invest in a business you cannot understand.” – Warren Buffet.

If you cannot take it from me, then take it from the investment mogul. Buffet has built his empire by investing in multiple businesses over the years, but he always keeps it simple. You should apply the same principle when investing in DeFi projects. 

The DeFi world is complex, and before placing your money anywhere, you should ensure you understand as much as you can. Scam projects take advantage of the industry’s complexity to dupe investors into getting on projects that will not yield much, or worse yet, lead to significant losses. 

It sure is boring, but go through a project’s documents, including the whitepaper, beforehand and understand the basic tokenometrics. What is the project’s native token, if any? How exactly will you make profits? What is the project’s primary aim? 

Similarly, you don’t have to leap for every DeFi project that seems promising. Implement the 20-slot rule to help you separate the wheat from the chaff. 

Watch Out for Gas Fees!

Most DeFi projects will quote gas fees for transactions, which are simply service charges. You’ll probably not bat an eyelid on the gas fees, but here’s why you should. 

For starters, these platforms won’t display the gas fees in fiat currency. Instead, they’ll have it in ETH, which makes it easier for you to ignore it. However, the fees are absolutely real, and when gas fees are high, you’ll probably end up making a loss. 

Say, for example, you want to invest $1000 in tokens, but the service fees are $50 worth in cryptocurrencies. With just one transaction, you’ll already have lost 5% of your investment. 

Usually, gas fees will skyrocket when there are too many people using the network. Therefore, you end up paying more for the same transaction. Higher gas fees also indicate you’re following the crowd, in the case of FOMO. 

As a rule of thumb, stay away from investing in DeFi when fees are high to avoid FOMO and FUD. 

Don’t Invest in the Platform, Buy DeFi Tokens Instead

If you’ve read up a bit on investing in DeFi, this principle is probably contrary to what you’ve heard from the industry. Yield farming is the most common strategy in DeFi platforms and involves moving your tokens between protocols and platforms to wherever they’ll earn the most interest. This approach is time-consuming since you have to keep checking what platforms are gaining interest so you can move your assets there. 

Although this is a popular way to invest in DeFi, stay away from it. Instead, invest in the protocol, which is quite similar to buying the company’s stock. 

I know what you’re thinking; most of these projects are decentralized, and there are no companies. So, how exactly do you go about that? 

Most DeFi projects will offer governance tokens that allow holders to vote on proposed changes. In this way, you gain something similar to a shareholder’s vote, which is like buying the company’s stock. 

Therefore, instead of locking up your crypto assets on the platform or chasing after yield farming, consider investing in the platform’s native token. If the project is viable, your tokens’ value will keep increasing with an increased number of users, which is just what your investment portfolio needs. 

DeFi is only a Portion of Your Blockchain Investment

Investing in blockchain projects is a fraction of your entire portfolio, and your DeFi investments should be a fraction of that. In other words, your investment basket is an entire pie, blockchain is a slice of it, and DeFi is only a portion of the blockchain investments. 

The majority of your investments should be in stocks and bonds. A smaller portion should then go to the blockchain projects you’re interested in, and an even smaller portion of this in DeFi. This way, if the DeFi markets were to crash suddenly, you’d only make a small loss. 

Similarly, with most of your investments are in stocks and bonds, a crash of the entire blockchain market will only slightly affect your portfolio. 

Endnote

Investing in a new industry requires caution, but when it comes to DeFi, you have to be particularly careful. There are two sides to the coin, and you could either make some good money or incur losses. Whatever the case, be sure it’s what you want to do and that you aren’t only following the ongoing DeFi craze. 

Every investment bears some risk, and you just need to decide which one’s worth your money. So go ahead and identify an investment you’d like and implement the above strategies for an enhanced fighting chance. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

It’s Not To Late To Buy Bitcoin – Follow The money!

https://youtu.be/qqDtIug8tu0

https://youtu.be/qqDtIug8tu0


Smartest People in the Room are Buying Bitcoin – Winklevoss Brothers Speak Up

Throughout 2020, over a handful of traditional financial giants have picked up stacks of Bitcoin, including the likes of billionaire investor Paul Tudor Jones and business intelligence company MicroStrategy. These investments are a part of a flow of big money that has recently entered BTC, Gemini crypto-exchange co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss recently stated.

“These are the most sophisticated investors, the smartest people in the room, buying up Bitcoin quietly, so it’s not a fear of missing out thing,” Tyler Winklevoss said in a CNBC interview, published on Dec 11. Major institutions are here now for this bull run, as opposed to Bitcoin’s retail-led bull run of 2017, Tyler explained.

Over the course of 2020, in addition to Tudor Jones and MicroStrategy, ack Dorsey’s Square, Stanley Druckenmiller, J MassMutual, and Guggenheim Partners have all invested substantial amounts of money in Bitcoin. Their crypto plays come as a response to the unstable global economic atmosphere.

Bitcoin is often compared to gold as a store of value as well as an inflation hedge. Both Druckenmiller and Tudor Jones align themselves with this narrative. Tyler Winklevoss added:

“You have publicly-traded companies such as Square and MicroStrategy putting their cash into Bitcoin because they’re worried about the oncoming inflation that would come with all the money printing and the COVID pandemic stimulus packages.”

When asked about Bitcoin’s volatility as an asset used for transactions, the brothers called Bitcoin with its current system a “buy and hold” strategy comparative to gold. “We see Bitcoin as an emergent store of value that will disrupt gold,” Tyler said. “So it actually doesn’t even have to be used as a currency, meaning that the volatility doesn’t matter if it’s actually a store of value.” The billionaire also expects dwindling volatility for the asset as time passes.

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Should You Invest in Privacy Coins in 2021?

As cryptocurrency use cases increase by the day, several investment opportunities have cropped up, making it increasingly difficult for fintech investors to choose their portfolios’ best options. 

As cryptocurrency use cases increase by the day, several investment opportunities have cropped up, making it increasingly difficult for fintech investors to choose their portfolios’ best options. 

As cryptocurrency use cases increase by the day, several investment opportunities have cropped up, making it increasingly difficult for fintech investors to choose their portfolios’ best options. 

One of the viable investment options in the crypto space is privacy coins. The first of these coins was launched in 2014, paving the way for several others. Today, there are about 86 privacy coins, each with its unique feature. 

Privacy coins are increasingly becoming popular among crypto enthusiasts and investors. If they have piqued your interest, you’re probably wondering if you should invest in them in the coming year. After all, they offer several lucrative benefits that you just can’t ignore. 

Well, this article seeks to provide some answers and determine whether privacy coins will bring in significant returns in 2021. 

What Are Privacy Coins?

Before analyzing their worth as investment vehicles, we must first define what they are and why they are causing a stir in the crypto world.

Privacy coins are a type of cryptocurrency that allows the users’ total anonymity when transacting on the network. Older cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, aren’t entirely private. The transactions are recorded on a public ledger, allowing anyone with enough resources and determination to track transactions from their origin to their destination. 

Privacy coins offer different levels of privacy to their users. Some of these coins hide the users’ ID, the origin of transactions, wallet addresses, and balances. The extra privacy makes these coins a favorite for users who prefer not to leave a trail when transacting on a network. 

The enhanced security features of privacy coins make them stand out from other cryptocurrencies. For example, Monero (XMR) uses ring signatures to blur the public ledger. This way, it becomes harder to trace the origin of a transaction, making it difficult to determine the number of coins held by a particular node. 

Dash, on the other hand, has the PrivateSend feature. It uses the CoinJoin technique to mix up the network transactions, quite similarly to how bitcoin tumblers work. 

Privacy Coins and Government Regulation

One of the most significant factors that’ll influence investments in privacy coins in 2021 is government regulation. Over the last few years, governments worldwide have been looking for ways to regulate crypto use in their sovereign states, and some have succeeded. 

For the most part, the regulation aims to make crypto transactions more transparent, which helps curb illegal activities. While this move is great for other cryptocurrencies, what does it mean for privacy coins?

Crypto enthusiasts are drawn to privacy coins by the lucrative security features. If government regulations are imposed on these coins, they risk being stripped of the extra-security features. 

Will this be the end of privacy coins, and should you invest in them in the face of this impending doom? 

Well, the truth is that members of the crypto community will always have an interest in privacy coins. As regulatory bodies worldwide continue finding ways to dictate how cryptocurrencies are used, the need to remain anonymous will increase. Therefore, investors will shy away from other cryptocurrencies, thanks to the increased scrutiny, and turn to privacy coins. 

The exact market size for these digital currencies is currently unknown. Still, crypto enthusiasts and investors will always turn to them to escape the watchful eyes of the government and regulatory bodies. Privacy coins will keep growing in places with crypto use restrictions as the added security becomes a significant selling point. Therefore, developers will have to find more ways to keep users’ data private on a network, which will ensure the continuous growth of the global market for privacy coins. 

3 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Privacy Coins

The privacy coin market will keep growing and is a worthy venture to look into in the coming year. These digital currencies provide several benefits, including reduced chances of money laundering incidents. 

If you’re still undecided, here are three reasons why you should put some of your money in privacy coin projects. 

Long-Term Use Case

The crypto industry is ever developing, and new projects keep emerging each day. Although most of them have some sustainable use cases, several don’t have much to offer. As more crypto projects flood the space, only those that provide actual solutions to users’ problems will survive. 

Most crypto enthusiasts got on board with digital currencies because of benefits like anonymity. However, they discovered that older cryptocurrencies like bitcoin weren’t exactly private. Therefore, developers came up with ways to curb this challenge, and privacy coins seem to be the best solution thus far. 

Investors and other crypto users will keep seeking to remain anonymous while transacting, which is why you can be assured that privacy coins are in for the long haul in the crypto industry. 

Freedom of Use

One of the biggest disadvantages of having the government track crypto transactions is that users are limited in using their digital currencies. For example, donating to political organizations or other counterculture groups becomes a problem, especially if the government is against it. 

With other cryptocurrencies, governing bodies only require access to the public ledger to track transactions on the network and figure out where the donations came from. Privacy coins dispel this disadvantage, thanks to the top-notch security features. Therefore, you can always donate to any organization of your choice without worrying about being tracked. 

Portfolio Diversification

Every investor worth their salt knows that one of the crucial factors to successful investments is diversifying their portfolios. Having different investment vehicles reduces the risk of loss and helps ensure greater returns. 

As a fintech investor, you have a variety of investment vehicles to choose from. Investing in privacy coins is one of the ways to get into the crypto industry. It provides a sustainable investment that has the potential for greater returns as more people get on board and find different use cases for these digital currencies. 

Parting Shot

So, is investing in privacy coins in 2021 a good idea? Absolutely!

The industry is growing rapidly, and 2021 will see more crypto enthusiasts get on board. Privacy coins offer one of the most sought-after traits in digital currencies-anonymity- which is why they’ll remain viable for quite some time. 

Like any other investment, you should carry out your research before staking your money. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to the best privacy coins to invest in, but remember, don’t stake more than you can afford to lose.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

How Bitcoin Has Transformed Crowdfunding

Before the world started seeing cryptocurrency as a valid way of sending and receiving money, global charities and fundraisers relied on slow, geographically-limited, censorship-prone, and expensive donation methods. Admittedly, raising funds to promote educational content for children with special needs wasn’t a particularly easy feat a decade ago – just, for example. Bitcoin came, and activities in the crowdfunding space started breathing a new life. Fundraising for charity causes moved from local to international audiences, and project champions shifted their reliance from donors to the general public. 

Before the world started seeing cryptocurrency as a valid way of sending and receiving money, global charities and fundraisers relied on slow, geographically-limited, censorship-prone, and expensive donation methods. Admittedly, raising funds to promote educational content for children with special needs wasn’t a particularly easy feat a decade ago – just, for example. Bitcoin came, and activities in the crowdfunding space started breathing a new life. Fundraising for charity causes moved from local to international audiences, and project champions shifted their reliance from donors to the general public. 

Before the world started seeing cryptocurrency as a valid way of sending and receiving money, global charities and fundraisers relied on slow, geographically-limited, censorship-prone, and expensive donation methods. Admittedly, raising funds to promote educational content for children with special needs wasn’t a particularly easy feat a decade ago – just, for example. Bitcoin came, and activities in the crowdfunding space started breathing a new life. Fundraising for charity causes moved from local to international audiences, and project champions shifted their reliance from donors to the general public. 

In this article, we look at how the adoption of cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin) has transformed crowdfunding. We will review why Bitcoin was best suited for the job and the different forms in which crowdfunding has manifested.

Why Bitcoin?

It would be unfair to dismiss the contribution that altcoins have made to the transformation of crowdfunding. However, Bitcoin remains the leading crypto and, by far, the biggest contributor to this transformation. The transformation has mainly been due to the following characteristics, which fiat currencies lack:

#1. Anonymity – There are crowdfunding causes in which contributors wish to remain anonymous. The (relatively) anonymous nature of Bitcoin has made this possibility a reality. 

#2. Global presence – Unlike fiat money, Bitcoin is available in virtually all the countries of the world. This has made it a suitable currency for collecting donations from multiple countries. 

#3: Lower transaction costs – Compared to traditional money transfer platforms, Bitcoin offers relatively lower fees. While this might not make much difference to a user donating $5, a charity could realize massive savings, particularly if it has to bear the transaction’s cost. 

While Bitcoin has taken the lead, other cryptocurrencies have gained popularity in the recent past, especially due to increased privacy concerns. For instance, Monero, Zcash, and Dash have seen a rise in use among fundraisers focused on privacy. 

Centralized versus Decentralized Crowdfunding 

The case against centralized crowdfunding has been gaining momentum, with proponents arguing that it goes against the spirit of cryptocurrencies. Centralized crowdfunding has nothing to do with the centralized nature of fiat currencies. Instead, it is the idea that crowdfunding should not be facilitated by organizations in business just for that. There are firms, such as Patreon, whose core business is collecting funds on behalf of charities. Such organizations have been condemned for giving preferential treatment to charities they consider worthy of public support. 

Given this background, crowdfunding can either be organized privately or through centrally-managed platforms. Similarly, it can be done for individuals or organizations. Crowdfunding platforms are able to reach a wider audience within a short time, but usually charge some commission. Some of the common ones include Classy, Fundly and Crowdwise, which are popular among nonprofits. For personal fundraisers, sites such as GoFundMe and YouCaring are common. Individuals can also raise funds by posting requests on social media. The bottomline is, there is no one way to crowdfund. 

So, let’s look at some of the different ways through which Bitcoin has made the crowdfunding scene more exciting. 

#1. Venture Capital (VC) Funding

When small and medium-sized enterprises want to expand, they usually seek capital from investors. In such cases, investors offer their support in exchange for part ownership of the enterprise, which they call equity. Such investors can end up acquiring a majority stake in the enterprise and controlling the company, possibly against the founders’ vision. This undesirable situation is easily avoidable through alternative crowdfunding approaches discussed below.

For various reasons, such as higher returns, venture capitalists have shown a lot of interest in supporting blockchain projects such as PiggyBank, BlockCypher, and Chronicled. The growing prospects for Bitcoin have further boosted the confidence venture capitalists have on blockchain-based startups.

Apart from inspiring traditional venture capitalists, Bitcoin has also created a new breed of crypto-focused VCs such as Node Capital. The contribution of such VCs in powering new enterprises cannot go unnoticed. For instance, investments in companies such as Coinbase and Ripple are now paying off handsomely. 

#2. Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)

ICOs have become the new standard for startups to raise funds for their projects. Unlike traditional venture capital funding, ICOs do not target high net-worth investors, neither do they promise equity in the business. On the converse, they allow ordinary people to contribute to the growth of a project and get tokens in return. These tokens can be redeemed, exchanged for crypto or fiat money, or accord holders special privileges in the company. 

ICOs provide startups with a promising avenue for generating funds for whatever project the founders envision. Without the widespread adoption of Bitcoin, most of these startups would still be struggling to raise capital to bootstrap their operations. 

#3. Anonymous Donations

Crowdfunding has found its way to anonymous donations, especially in the wake of increased government censorship. Where authorities believe organizations are raising funds for clandestine or outright illegal projects, they normally freeze donations. For organizations that insist on pursuing their fundraising objectives despite government restrictions, anonymous fund transfer becomes the only available option. 

Bitcoin offers a substantive level of anonymity when it comes to transferring funds. While receiving addresses can be linked to a specific organization, the actors behind the organization can choose to remain anonymous since transacting with Bitcoin does not necessarily involve any know-your-customer (KYC) processes. The obscurity provided by Bitcoin’s privacy also benefits donors since those who do not wish to be identified with a certain movement can donate without leaving any trace of their identity. 

Activism has equally benefited a great deal from anonymous donations, thanks to Bitcoin. Activist movements, such as #EndSARS would have suffered a large blow if donations were restricted to fiat money. You see, it is very difficult to raise money to fight a government when you’re relying on currency issued by the same government you’re fighting. Other than beating logic, such efforts are tantamount to pushing against the wall.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin has shaken many finance subsectors. Crowdfunding, which is a form of alternative funding, is among those sectors that have seen a massive transformation. Bitcoin has made crowdfunding possible from privacy-focused charities to those seeking support from global audiences in circumstances where it was previously impossible. The idea of crowdfunding using crypto has also inspired new funding initiatives, such as anonymous donations. It has also become easier for small organizations like startups to raise funds to power their ideas. End users have had new opportunities to contribute to ideas they believe in and would love to support – something that was less heard of before the age of Bitcoin crowdfunding. Overall, Bitcoin has made crowdfunding more accessible to the masses, which has in turn inspired radical ideas across the fundraising industry. 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Ready to Trade Cryptocurrencies? Read This First…

In 2013 I started investing in cryptocurrencies, to be more exact on Bitcoin. It all started when one of the people I followed on Twitter posted an image of a USB with the logo of a Bitcoin. On Twitter, he commented that he had started mining his first Bitcoins. The subject in question caught my […]

In 2013 I started investing in cryptocurrencies, to be more exact on Bitcoin. It all started when one of the people I followed on Twitter posted an image of a USB with the logo of a Bitcoin. On Twitter, he commented that he had started mining his first Bitcoins. The subject in question caught my […]

In 2013 I started investing in cryptocurrencies, to be more exact on Bitcoin. It all started when one of the people I followed on Twitter posted an image of a USB with the logo of a Bitcoin. On Twitter, he commented that he had started mining his first Bitcoins. The subject in question caught my attention as on the one hand I had not the remotest idea that it was a Bitcoin, and on the other hand, the word «mine» created confusion when trying to relate it to a device with a USB connection.

I made some searches and discovered that Bitcoin was a cryptocurrency or digital currency, open-source, decentralized, whose creator was unknown and that from its origin in 2009 had gone from worth cents to about $280, only to collapse later. I found the story very interesting so I kept looking for information on the web and especially on the Bitcointalk forum which was one of the few sites where you could find valuable things. At the end of that same summer, I bought my first Bitcoins so that I could better understand firsthand everything I was learning.

That was briefly my beginning in the world of cryptocurrencies. Since then everything has evolved a lot and I have had the opportunity to go through several bullish and bass cycles in which I have made countless successes and mistakes. In this post, I will comment on which are in my opinion the most important things if you want to start investing in cryptocurrencies.

Learn Before Investing

If you want to be successful by investing or trading you need to be trained and prepared for it. If we talk about cryptocurrencies we must add some additional difficulties compared to other traditional financial assets. First, it requires a learning process to understand its technology and peculiarities as well as having great volatility and less liquidity than other types of investment. Therefore, investing without any preparation can lead us to lose all our money so as a starting point I would recommend:

Acquire general knowledge about blockchain and cryptocurrencies: their basic operation, as a transaction occurs, where cryptocurrencies are stored and in general understand the entire ecosystem related to the blockchain.

Technical Analysis: it will allow you to analyze a chart, know in which phase of the market we are, and look for points of entry as precise as possible.

Fundamental Analysis: when we want to invest in a listed company we analyze its strengths, weaknesses, business model, certain ratios, etc. To invest in cryptocurrencies we have to do something similar so we have to familiarize ourselves with certain ratios, metrics, and factors to analyze in any project in which we are interested.

Be informed about the latest news, both those directly related to cryptocurrencies and others at the macro level that can also influence the price.

Focus on Long-Term Investment

A mistake I made for quite some time was to be too attentive to the short term and not to have a broader view of the market. With few exceptions, I think we should forget about short-term trading or intraday trading and it is better to focus on the medium and long term. The idea is to try to make profits in the big phases of climbs and to get away in periods of great noise and uncertainty. We must try to follow much of the trend when a new upward cycle begins.

In addition, focusing on longer timeframes reduces emotional and irrational reactions to the short term that most people are victims of when investing in any market. To sum up the ideas a bit, it is not necessary to open operations with cryptocurrencies every day or week, as it would almost certainly lead to losses. You will probably make 80-90% of your earnings during bullish cycles so for the rest of the time a good idea is to focus on preserving capital.

Worry About Safety

Most of you may have heard stories about stolen bitcoins, hacked exchanges, lost private keys, … etc. When all there is money on the table is important to take all possible security measures. It is often claimed that we are our own bank when we use Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, this tells us that we are the only ones responsible for protecting our capital.

Some of the things you can do to keep your investments safe are:

Activate the dual authentication factor: Enabling 2FA (dual authentication factor) is the first thing to do immediately after opening an account in an online exchange or purse where your cryptocurrencies are. All exchanges have this option and this way you make sure that if your login and passwords are compromised, theoretically no person has the possibility to enter your account unless they also enter the 6-digit code that only you have the power to access on your phone. Also, enable it in your email accounts.

If possible, avoid 2FA via SMS and use a single-use password application such as Google Authenticator that supports a multitude of exchanges and applications such as Gmail, Dropbox, Coinbase, Bitstamp, Binance, etc.

Protect your passwords: Use long, as secure as possible and different passwords on each of the pages or apps you sign up for. As it can be a bit cumbersome every time you want to access them, use a password manager. These programs allow you to store a lot of passwords in an encrypted database, so you only have to memorize one key to access all the others. Some recommended password managers are LastPass or KeePass.

Use purses or wallets for cryptocurrencies: This point and the previous one are related but are of such importance that I prefer to dedicate a single paragraph to it. A wallet (also called a wallet) is the place where we keep our cryptocurrencies and allow us to send and receive them. Although blockchain technology is very secure, exchanges or exchange houses are a very weak link within the ecosystem and the number of hacks that have occurred since the birth of Bitcoin has been countless.

Among some of the most important, we can highlight the hack of the exchange platform MT.Gox in February 2014 in which a total of approximately 744,408 BTC were stolen or the Cryptopia exchange hack in January 2019 in which approximately $16 million was stolen.

For all the above, avoid keeping your cryptocurrencies in exchanges and keep them as safe as possible using purses to keep your investments safe.

Don’t Invest Money You’re Not Willing to Lose

It’s a super-repeated phrase in the investment world, but it’s still a common mistake. During the last bearish cycle, Bitcoin lost approximately 84% of its value. Many other cryptocurrencies suffered much greater losses, not counting those that have disappeared along the way losing many people all the money invested.

Even if you have an investment plan, adequate risk management and you are able to manage your positions correctly, there are still other risks inherent to the investment in cryptocurrencies, such as those discussed in previous sections related to security, make you lose all your capital.

Therefore, as a starting point when investing in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin or any other crypto is that you’re only willing to invest the capital you are willing to lose. It must be money you don’t need in your day to day so that if you lose it doesn’t affect your life.

Develop a Critical Vision

One of the most widely used abbreviations in the crypto world is DYOR, which comes from the English «Do your own research» which means that you must do your own research before investing in a project. On the date I write this article, there are more than 2,000 cryptocurrencies and tokens on the market. Some are projects with great growth potential while others are destined to disappear or are simply scams. You may also find several hundred opinions on projects or predictions about the price of Bitcoin in the future on social networks.

For all the above my recommendations are:

-Be skeptical of information you may find in media such as blogs, RRSSs, or newspapers.

-Don’t invest your money based on other people’s opinions.

-Make your own analyses that support your investment decisions. So you will be solely responsible for your successes and mistakes and will be a good starting point to improve your strategies and make better decisions in the future.

-To analyze in depth a token or cryptocurrency and form your own opinion, some of the sources you can use are:

-Web page for project information, development roadmap, work team, etc.

-Read his whitepaper.

-Telegram groups/Discord.

-Social media, blog, and other communication channels

-Perform Google searches where you will find analysis and reviews.

All this information, together with the knowledge you acquire through learning, will lead you to ideas and thoughts of your own.

Bitcoin Is Tops

Although many competitors have emerged, Bitcoin remains the most important cryptocurrency due to:

  • Increased market capitalization
  • Increased number of users
  • Increased security of the network

Greater liquidity: when investing, Bitcoin has more volume of trading in exchanges than the rest of cryptocurrencies and is also the first trading in the regulated futures market. In addition, it continues to await the approval of an ETF that would allow a large number of investors to invest in Bitcoin without having to worry about the purchase and storage process as we do now.

Bitcoin as a reserve of value: some characteristics such as its scarcity or that it has no correlation with any other financial asset makes it gradually start to be considered as a possible reserve of value such as GOLD. According to the words of Jerome Powell, President of the Federal Reserve of the United States on July 11 «Bitcoin is a speculative reserve of value just like Gold». Considering from whom this statement comes must be taken into account. For all these reasons, and also for others, I consider Bitcoin the cryptocurrency with the greatest projection for the future.

For this reason:

-I always have bitcoin as a reference point when analyzing the market and planning the strategy to follow.

-When I invest in cryptocurrencies, I always maintain a high percentage in BTC as it usually has a good performance even though at certain times some altcoins may have higher returns.

FOMO: Watch Your Emotions

Some technologies may be new, but people’s behavior is old. Markets from the beginning are largely driven by emotions and the strongest are fear and greed. The expression «FOMO» (fear of missing out) whose translation is something like fear of missing something, refers to the emotions mentioned above and that lead us to make wrong decisions.

Very often, when a cryptocurrency in which we want to invest begins to increase its price quickly, we are tempted to enter for fear of staying outside and not making money. You have to avoid buying by chasing the price in this way as many times at the time of buying, the price will start to correct and we will get caught in losses.

As a significant example, we can think of many people in December 2017 entering into Bitcoin highs around $20,000 guided by FOMO. What does this lead to? On the other hand, the big investors were selling the Bitcoins that they bought at lower prices, which later led to the price drop and the beginning of the bearish cycle in which many people were trapped.

The way to avoid being dragged by emotions is to create an investment plan and follow it. Let us not enter when the market is widespread when we should have done so earlier according to our investment plan.

The cryptocurrency market is very unpredictable and volatile, so to start we can start with strategies such as DCA (Dollar Cost Averaging), in which we make purchases spaced in time. We will not capture the soils of the market, but we will get acceptable yields. On the other hand, being aware of our emotions and detecting in this case the feeling of thinking that we are going to stay out is a first step to correct it.

Conclusion

These have been the things that I consider most important when starting to invest in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, EOS, BNB, or any other cryptocurrency that you are interested in.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Origin Dollar Is Compensating Investors After The $7,000,000 Hack!

https://youtu.be/YYxblG_dqRM

https://youtu.be/YYxblG_dqRM


How Can DeFi Improve Adoption Rates? Origin Dollar’s Compensation Plan Announced

Decentralized finance stablecoin project Origin Finance announced its plan to compensate users affected by a $7 million exploit that happened in Nov.

On Nov 17, Origin Dollar announced that its yield-bearing stablecoin project had been the subject of a $7 million flash loan attack. While this attack is just another instance of the numerous hacks and exploits hitting DeFi projects this year, the Origin Dollar team’s response stands out as it intends to fully compensate the affected users.

In a blog post that came out on Friday, Dec 11, Origin Dollar product manager Micah Alcorn has laid out a multi-tiered plan that would immediately pay 75% of its users their lost funds, all denominated in Origin Dollar’s stablecoin OUSD.


On the other hand, for larger depositors, payments would be a slightly more complicated process, as they would involve a 1-year time-locked quantity denominated in the e-commerce utility token OGN. This means that whether or not these larger depositors will be 100% compensated for their loss will depend on the utility OGN token’s performance.

Even with the timelock included in the payout plan, Alan, a semi-anonymous core developer for the insurance-coverage protocol Cover, says that the effort coming from Origin might help attract new users to the DeFi space. 

He stated that this type of behavior sets a precedent that allows DeFi users to feel more confident in the platforms that they use, which would, in turn, help with the adoption of the protocols themselves. According to Alan, the Cover project he is working on has nearly tripled its total value locked ever since its users decided to cover the Pickle Finance hack.

Following the same trend, Nsure Network — another coverage protocol currently in testnet phase — has been doing great lately, rising nearly 60% on the month.

As the hack and fraud coverage tools develop, Alan recommends that developers take their time to seriously investigate launching projects with coverage plans and clear exploit contingencies as a core feature.

“DeFi needs to set a strong precedent that the protocols themselves need to be held accountable if they manage to get hacked, rather than its users. From what I’ve seen with the recent exploits happening, getting hacked simply means ‘Oops, we’ll make sure to patch this bug and do better next time’ to most projects. Having an “insurance fund” really brings comfort to users, as they now know that if the protocol gets hacked, their deposits are, at least to some degree, covered.” – said Alan.

If DeFi is ever going to truly break mainstream, these kinds of protections and contingency plans might be a requirement rather than just a luxury.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

What Exactly is Proof of Keys?

In crypto, there’s a saying: “not your keys, not your coins.” This means that if you do not have sole custody of your private keys, you cannot really claim to have ownership over your funds. If your keys are with a crypto exchange or any other third-party custodian, you may as well forget about being the true owner of your funds. 

In crypto, there’s a saying: “not your keys, not your coins.” This means that if you do not have sole custody of your private keys, you cannot really claim to have ownership over your funds. If your keys are with a crypto exchange or any other third-party custodian, you may as well forget about being the true owner of your funds. 

In crypto, there’s a saying: “not your keys, not your coins.” This means that if you do not have sole custody of your private keys, you cannot really claim to have ownership over your funds. If your keys are with a crypto exchange or any other third-party custodian, you may as well forget about being the true owner of your funds. 

Many crypto owners today make the mistake of leaving their funds on exchanges. But considering the insecurity history of crypto exchanges, they are far from the safest place to keep your cryptocurrency. Millions, (or perhaps billions) worth of crypto has been lost through hacks on exchanges. The most famous one is Mt. Gox, in which people lost vast sums of Bitcoin and are yet to be compensated up to this day. And while that may be several years ago, crypto hackers are always upping the game. This is to say exchanges are not a safe place to store your crypto. 

So, how does that have anything to do with proof of keys? 

Understanding Proof of Keys 

Proof of Keys is actually ‘Proof of Keys Day’ in full. The event is the idea of crypto investor Trace Mayer, who came up with the concept so as to spread awareness of the need for crypto owners to practice self custody of their private keys and, in so doing, reclaim their financial independence. Proof of Keys is an annual celebration every January 3rd. 

Proof of Keys day is an idea geared at preventing crypto investors’ reliance on exchanges to store their funds. The first Proof of Keys event happened on January 3rd, 2019 – to intentionally coincide with the day of Bitcoin’s genesis block. 

In essence, Proof of Keys Day is a day to celebrate financial autonomy. The bigger picture is to remind crypto investors of the importance of keeping their private keys in their personal wallets. By having full control of their keys, they can rest assured that no one has access to their crypto holdings. 

Crypto holders have access to numerous types of crypto wallets – from online wallets to paper wallets to desktop wallets to hardware wallets. However, hardware wallets are the most secure options out there – and among the most reputable of these is Ledger, Trezor, and KeepKey. Hardware wallets are not connected to the internet. This renders them immune to hackings and other online vulnerabilities. 

What are the Intended Outcomes of Proof of Keys Day? 

The philosophy guiding Proof Of Keys Day is perfectly in step with that of Bitcoin: to eliminate third-party intermediaries and operate in a trustless electronic money transfer system where parties can operate securely and confidently without sacrificing their financial sovereignty. With that, let’s look at the intended outcomes of Proof Of Keys Day: 

#1. Teach new crypto investors how to move funds around

Crypto holders should be knowledgeable and comfortable enough to move their coins around. While this may be as easy as ABC for veterans, it can be intimidating for newcomers. From the (seemingly) complex key numbers to the wide range of wallets, it can all look absolutely bewildering. For this reason, Proof of Keys Day encourages investors to familiarize themselves with the different types of cryptocurrency wallets and how to use them. It also reminds them how the transfer of value happens on the blockchain. 

#2. Remind crypto holders to actually own their funds 

Like we’ve mentioned before, the main objective of Proof of Keys Day is to encourage crypto investors to take ownership of their private keys. When you leave your funds on an exchange, you essentially forfeit complete control of your money. Though it takes place only once a year, Proof of Keys Day is a chance for people to reclaim control of what’s theirs. 

#3. Expose dishonest crypto exchanges

Financial entities are known for fractional reserve banking – which is the practice of leveraging existing customer deposits by lending out more funds than what they truly have at hand. While this profits the institutions, it’s risky for the real owners of the money since a ‘bank panic’ could cause bankruptcy for the institution. In the crypto space, Proof of Keys Day could encourage holes of crypto investors to withdraw their money from exchanges. If enough investors do that, it may expose exchanges engaging in fractional reserve tendencies or those that lie about their actual reserves. That’s if the publicly verifiable nature of blockchain networks has not already done so.

#4. Celebrate Bitcoin’s genesis block

Last but certainly not least, Proof of Keys Day allows investors from all over the world to celebrate the Bitcoin genesis block – the first day a block was mined on the Bitcoin network. The genesis block was the first-ever Bitcoin transaction. In the transaction, Satoshi Nakamoto sent 50 BTC to Hal Finney – an early Bitcoin developer. It’s also, to an extent, a day to remember the first ‘commercial” Bitcoin transaction when somebody bought two pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoins.

How to Participate in the Proof of Keys Movement

Whether you’re a newcomer to crypto or a veteran, you’ll find that participating in Proof of Keys Day is very easy. Again the idea is to express financial independence by moving all funds from exchanges or other custodial services. 

To get started, take an inventory of all crypto coins you have on exchanges. This will show you who really owns what in regards to your money. Then, proceed to choose a crypto wallet of your choice. Ensure to choose a wallet that you’re comfortable with and one with a sufficient level of security. Next, transfer your funds from custodial platforms to your personal wallet. This means you can now control your private keys and, with them, your funds. 

Some crypto investors celebrate Proof of Keys Day, even if for one day. This involves moving their coins from exchanges for one day in a symbolic move to affirm their financial autonomy. Active traders are the ones more likely to engage in this kind of practice. This is because they need to have their crypto funds in exchanges to facilitate trades. After the symbolic transfer of funds to their personal wallets, they usually move them back to exchanges. But for long-term investors (HODLers), it’s better to keep their money in their personal wallets. 

Final Thoughts

Proof of Keys Day is a simple concept – but quite monumental in meaning. It’s a day to remind crypto holders to take back ownership of their funds by taking control of their private keys. Hordes of crypto investors participate in the event with a single goal of affirming their financial sovereignty. It’s a day to educate people and remind them about crypto security principles in general. 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

What’s Ethereum 2.0 and Why Does it Matter? 

After a years-long wait, Ethereum 2.0 is finally here. Well, almost. The major upgrade will see the Ethereum network fix various scalability and security issues. The most notable shift will perhaps be moving from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to a proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol. 

After a years-long wait, Ethereum 2.0 is finally here. Well, almost. The major upgrade will see the Ethereum network fix various scalability and security issues. The most notable shift will perhaps be moving from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to a proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol. 

After a years-long wait, Ethereum 2.0 is finally here. Well, almost. The major upgrade will see the Ethereum network fix various scalability and security issues. The most notable shift will perhaps be moving from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to a proof-of-stake (PoS) protocol. 

But this is just a scratch on the surface. With Ethereum being one of the most important cryptocurrencies in the world, Ethereum 2.0 is set to shake up not just the Ethereum ecosystem but cryptoverse in general. 

Understanding Ethereum 2.0

Ethereum 2.0 is an upgrade to the Ethereum protocol. Also known as Eth2 or Serenity, the update is meant to improve the scalability and security of Ethereum. The current Ethereum blockchain, with the scalability of 15 transactions per second (TPS), can simply not handle the volume that would be required to handle millions of transactions per second. Eth2 will not just power dramatically more than that; it will also remove bottlenecks for developers and users.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin and the team have been working on Eth2 for years now. This is because scaling a blockchain without sacrificing security and decentralization is not an easy task. Eth2 will address these issues through several important features that will be starkly different from the Ethereum we have now. 

What’s the difference between Ethereum and Ethereum 2.0? 

What will mainly distinguish the two versions is that Ethereum 2.0 will feature a proof-of-stake consensus, implementing shard chains and the beacon chain. Let’s look at each of these features in more detail. 

#1. Proof-of-stake 

Ethereum currently implements a proof-of-work consensus model to secure the network and maintain and facilitate an incentive mechanism to reward miners who confirm and validate transactions on the network. Unfortunately, PoW requires huge amounts of energy – which is not sustainable in the long run. 

PoS is a far faster and sustainable alternative to PoW. PoS involves granting stakers in the network the right to become a validator and get paid to verify transactions. Other validators can confirm the “minting” of the block. If there are enough confirmations, the block can be added to the blockchain. Validators will then be rewarded with block rewards for the successful block. 

PoS is a lot of times better than PoW when it comes to energy-efficiency. This is because, unlike PoW, there isn’t an energy-intensive process required to validate blocks. This is also good news for individuals who want to help secure the network. 

Another feature that a PoS model will enable security on Ethereum 2.0 not previously possible with PoW. PoW is susceptible to a 51% attack. The PoS model will not only reward validators for being honest; it will penalize attempts at fraud. One such penalty will be ‘slashing,’ which will not only involve the validator in question being forced out, but all/part of their stake will be penalized. 

#2. Sharding 

Individuals who wish to access the Ethereum network have to do that via a node. Nodes store a copy of the entire Ethereum network, meaning they have to download it. This takes up too much storage and slows things down. 

Shard chains act like the blockchain but only hold a specific subset of the blockchain in question. This means nodes only have to manage a ‘shard’ of the entire network. This goes a long way in increasing transaction throughput and enhancing scalability. 

#3. The beacon chain 

Shard chains will work in a parallel version. This necessitates a mechanism of sorts to keep them in sync with one another. Enter the beacon chain, which will facilitate consensus to shard chains. 

Beacon chain is a completely new, proof-of-stake blockchain rendering that will be the coordinator of the whole ecosystem. The chain will facilitate data sharing between the shard chains and facilitate scalability. The beacon chain will be the first roll-out feature of Eth2. 

How Ethereum 2.0 Will Be Rolled Out 

Ethereum 2.0 will not be released at once but rather in three phases. Each phase will feature a crucial feature to contribute to the success of the new blockchain. 

#1. Phase 0

Phase 0 constitutes the first rollout, and it will come down to the release of the beacon chain, which is central to the network’s functioning. The beacon chain will start accepting stakers’ deposits in preparation for the proof-of-stake consensus. All registered stakers will not be able to withdraw from the contract until shard chains are put in place. Afterward, staking deposits will be locked up until the next rollout. The Phase needed a minimum threshold of 524,288 ETH to launch. This target has already been met and even passed. 

#2. Phase 1/1.5

The next phase will be two phases combined: Phase 1 and Phase 1.5. Phase 1 will bring with it shard chains, which will allow validators to produce blocks via a PoS consensus. Phase 1.5 will officially now introduce shard chains and begin the transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. This phase will be released in 2021. 

#3. Phase 2 

This will be the final phase, whereby the blockchain will fully support shard chains – which will have taken on new features and capabilities. The shards will have the ability to integrate with smart contracts, allowing decentralized applications (DApps) developers to mesh seamlessly with the network. This phase will be slowly rolled out in 2021 and beyond. 

When Will Ethereum 2.0 Be Released? 

The Ethereum 2.0 upgrade will start rolling out on December 1, according to a blog post by the Ethereum Foundation on November 4. The launch is conditional on at least 16,383 validators, each staking 32 ETH to make up 524,288 ETH. Vitalik Buterin led the way in depositing ETH, putting up 3,200 (worth more than $1 million), according to Etherscan, which tracks Ethereum transactions. See the launch pad where ETH is being deposited here. 

Ethereum enthusiasts are naturally excited about the launch and hope everything will fall in place. If the launch is successful, the Ethereum network as we know it will change a lot – and for the better. 

Closing Thoughts 

Ethereum 2.0 is a long-awaited update to the world’s second most popular crypto and blockchain network. Having been introduced to the world of smart contracts and DApps, the network has been the most popular go-to option for DApp developers worldwide. But in recent years, the network has been grappling with scalability issues that would have proven unsustainable in the long term.

The rollout of the new network will take a while, even longer than many expect. But as long as the train will soon leave the station – that’s good enough news for the community. 

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

What Exactly Are Dark Pools? 

The finance world has always been filled with curiosities. Money is a touchy subject, and people often go to extraordinary lengths to protect their positions. Out of this has emerged the concept of ‘dark pools,’ which are financial trading hubs taking place away from the public’s eye. 

The finance world has always been filled with curiosities. Money is a touchy subject, and people often go to extraordinary lengths to protect their positions. Out of this has emerged the concept of ‘dark pools,’ which are financial trading hubs taking place away from the public’s eye. 

The finance world has always been filled with curiosities. Money is a touchy subject, and people often go to extraordinary lengths to protect their positions. Out of this has emerged the concept of ‘dark pools,’ which are financial trading hubs taking place away from the public’s eye. 

What are dark pools? How did they come to be? We’ll be looking at that and more in this article. Importantly, we’ll see the role they’ve played in the crypto space, if any. 

Understanding a Dark Pool

A dark pool is a privately arranged venue/hub/platform where financial instruments’ trading is held. Dark pools are in direct contrast with public exchange markets, which are heavily regulated and have a lot of media visibility. A dark pool has no publicly available order book, nor is its trades publicly visible (or are only visible once executed). 

Dark pools’ liquidity is known as dark pool liquidity. Most dark pool trading is executed in block trades. A block trade is a particularly large volume trade, usually at a predetermined price. 

Dark pools hark back to the 80s when institutional investors used them to exchange huge amounts of securities. Dark pools allow traders to place large orders without letting them known their intentions first. This is important because the public knowing their intentions to buy or sell large volumes of a security could negatively impact the trade before they can get to carry it out. 

Dark pools have become a substantial part of global financial markets, and we’ll be debunking them further in this article, together with their application in cryptocurrency. 

Cryptocurrency dark pools

UK-based crypto exchange Kraken pioneered dark pools crypto in 2016. “Dark pool trading allows for orders to be placed out of sight so that traders can make large buy or sell orders (minimum of 50 bitcoin or 2500 ether) without revealing their sentiment to other traders. Advantages include reduced market impact and better price for large blocks,” said Joseph Powell, CEO. 

A few countries around the world have been friendly to the concept of crypto dark pools. This is saying something when you consider the crime reputation that cryptocurrency has. Bermudan digital asset exchange Omega One’s Dark Pool was awarded the country’s first-ever crypto exchange license: “We are now on-boarding select institutions, liquidity venues, and market makers with a trading volume of $10 million a month.”

Why Use Dark Pools? 

Let’s say an institutional investor, A, believes Bitcoin’s price will soon take a hit. They decide to sell $1 million worth of BTC to ride out the fall in price safely. But two problems are impeding this proposition. First off, selling such a large amount of BTC on any open exchange will impact the market one way or another. They don’t want to cause such a large ripple in the market. 

The other problem is, no buyers are willing to purchase such a huge amount of Bitcoin, at least immediately. So they will have to break down the sale into the more manageable pieces of $50,000 at a time, 20 times. 

This means: 

  • They will incur charges on all the 20 sales. 
  • The sale will affect the market and probably send retail investors offloading as well, causing the price to crash.
  • The sale could end up being more costly – it’s highly likely they will not be able to sell each BTC at the going price, but lower. 

If the institutional investor used a dark pool, they’d save themselves from the above unfortunate scenarios. Selling on an open market would expose them to potential loss and send a negative signal to the market. 

Advantages of using a dark pool

There are several benefits of taking it dark: 

  • Avoid impact on market sentiment: Traders who wish to make large trades can do so in a way that they do not send signals to the market.
  • Better prices: In a dark pool, both seller and buyer get better prices than they would in the open market. The buyer buys low, while the seller sells high.
  • No slippage: The majority of trades in dark pools are usually block-trades set at predetermined prices. Traders know they can execute the trade at the expected price.

Controversies surrounding dark pools 

  • Conflict of interest: Seeing as the order book is not publicly available, a trader has no way of knowing that a trade was completed at the best possible price. If the entity facilitating the trade has a conflict of interest, they can potentially obfuscate the real price.
  • Negative effect on markets: If a large part of trading is happening in dark pools, the real market price may not reflect reality. The finance market relies on the free flow of information, and if a huge part of trading is happening under the radar, the actual market is disadvantaged.
  • Vulnerability to predatory practices: Dark pools are perhaps the best playing ground for predatory practices. In particular, high-frequency traders who may have access to order book data can unfairly exploit unsuspecting traders. 
  • Enabling pinging: Dark pools enable pinging, a questionable practice that involves sending many small orders to obscure a big hidden order. Pinging is used to identify liquidity in order books and can have an unhealthy effect on the market.
  • Decreasing popularity: Dark pools are not growing more popular – quite the opposite. This means institutional investors might be moving away from the practice. When their existence is less compelling, their overall effect on the broader market is harmful.

Decentralized dark pools

Just like dark pools in the traditional finance market, dark cryptocurrency pools are available on some exchanges, as we previously mentioned. Unlike traditional dark pools, decentralized dark pools enjoy better and more secure verification. Such verification is powered by state-of-the-art cryptography. Also, crypto dark pools are run by automatic protocols that help maintain fairness for all participants and less likely to be manipulated by unscrupulous players. Zero-knowledge proofs and other cryptographic technologies ensure a high degree of transparency and integrity. 

If a trade involves more than one blockchain, it can be seen through by cross-chain atomic swaps that are not only cheaper but also remove the bloat associated with third-party intermediaries. Dark pools can also help in illiquid cryptomarkets by enabling traders to conduct high-volume trades without slippage. While a huge order would send a negative signal in an open illiquid market, it wouldn’t have the same effect in a dark pool. 

So far, dark pools haven’t had a major effect on the crypto markets due to the relative lack of institutional traders in the space. Whether this will change in the future is anyone’s guess. 

Closing Thoughts

Courtesy of their secretive nature, dark pools have been a source of controversy throughout their existence. When a part of investing and trading activity occurs underground, it can never be desirable on any market. However, with decentralized dark pools, we could potentially see a shift in not just how they’re perceived but their usefulness to various players. Open source approaches to dark pools could ensure that everyone uses the same rule book, alleviating much of the associated risk. 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

What’s a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal? 

Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency. It has completely changed how the world views finance while at the same time rallying an entire industry of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin holds (and probably will always hold) a very special place in cryptoverse. However, just like any new tech, Bitcoin has its growing pains. For this reason, Bitcoin developers are always coming up with improvement proposals for the network to make it even better. 

Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency. It has completely changed how the world views finance while at the same time rallying an entire industry of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin holds (and probably will always hold) a very special place in cryptoverse. However, just like any new tech, Bitcoin has its growing pains. For this reason, Bitcoin developers are always coming up with improvement proposals for the network to make it even better. 

Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency. It has completely changed how the world views finance while at the same time rallying an entire industry of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin holds (and probably will always hold) a very special place in cryptoverse. However, just like any new tech, Bitcoin has its growing pains. For this reason, Bitcoin developers are always coming up with improvement proposals for the network to make it even better. 

However, this is not done in a random fashion. Nine years ago, a man named Amir Taaki wisely came up with what’s known as a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) that anyone should follow to suggest changes to the Bitcoin ecosystem. This article looks at what exactly a BIP is and what it entails. 

What’s a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal?

A Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) is an established standard in which people can suggest changes to the Bitcoin protocol. Such a proposed change can be about any aspect, including soft forks, improved recovery phrase formats, the peer-to-peer layer, and so on. Usually, BIPs are made by crypto developers or generally people with advanced computing skills. 

A BIP is created by individuals who believe that they have an idea that could vastly improve the Bitcoin ecosystem. The first-ever BIP – labeled BIP 0001 was made by a person named Amir Taaki. In essence, BIP 0001 was the groundwork for future BIPs – including how they would work and the expected standards. Not every change to the Bitcoin protocol affects it, and not every change requires a BIP.  

How a BIP is Approved or Rejected

Every BIP is initially a draft submitted by one or more individuals. However, before it is a draft, it has usually undergone rounds of discussions on the Bitcoin development mailing list, Bitcoin social forums, etc. 

When the BIP author receives feedback from the community, they can change or improve it based on that feedback. If it’s a major protocol change, it will first have to be implemented as a trial. If community members reach a consensus on the proposal, it proceeds to implementation. The final stage will involve developers implementing the new BIP code and network participants choosing to download it. 

Types of BIPs

BIPs are usually recognized as belonging to three categories. Let’s take a look at each: 

#1. Standards Track BIPs

These are BIPs that seek to improve the Bitcoin protocol, things such as blocks, scaling solutions, verifying transactions, etc. As you can see, standard track BIPs really get to the core of Bitcoin and its underlying infrastructure. Due to this, if the community accepts these types of BIPs they can have a permanent/major impact on the cryptocurrency. However, thanks to Bitcoin being already solid and ‘mainstream,’ it can be tough for a standard track BIP to be implemented and put into motion. 

#2. Information BIP

These types of BIPs are mainly targeted at issues like the design of the protocol and general guidelines. What this means is that information BIPs do not target the heart of Bitcoin and its underlying tech. However, these BIPs are still important and can be helpful to the Bitcoin ecosystem. 

#3. Process BIPs 

As the name suggests, process BIPs are suggestions to the BIP process. In this way, process BIPs are a lot like Standards Track BIPs, except they apply off-chain. In short, process BIPs apply to issues related to bitcoin but not directly involved in the underlying tech and code of Bitcoin. 

Structure of a BIP

If you’d like to submit a BIP, you’re expected to follow a certain structure to do so. The structure consists of the following: 

#1. Preamble

A preamble is the first section of a BIP. Here, the author includes details such as the BIP number, title, metadata of the BIP, and the author’s contact information and identity (s). Info in this section is important because it makes the BIP organized and easier to be shared or looked up. 

#2. Abstract

This is a description of the BIP, and it’s usually 200 words or less. In the abstract, the author distillates the proposal in simple and brief terms. The essence of the abstract is for people to easily understand what your BIP is about and what the core message is. 

#3. Copyright

In this section, the author includes any relevant copyright info for the proposal. This could be publication licenses, and so on. If the author uses license info, they must detail it here and see to it that all legal parameters are adhered to. 

#4. Specification

In this section, the author talks about any new features or ideas proposing to the Bitcoin protocol. Here, readers should have their questions answered about what your idea is and why they should care. Indeed, the specification section is the flesh of your BIP. As such, the author needs to write this section so that it’s easy to understand and be taken seriously. 

#5. Motivation

This is where an author describes why their idea is an improvement to Bitcoin. Here, you need to talk about why the existing solution is not good enough and how your idea can improve it. This doesn’t mean that the majority of the community will be on board. Still, it’s in this section why you make your case for better for worse. Even before you think about coming up with a VIP, ensure your idea is persuasive enough. Otherwise, your BIP may not go anywhere. 

#6. Rationale

This section is in some ways similar to the above section. But instead of talking about why the idea is important, you explain how you reached the decision to create your own BIP. This could be the decisions you made concerning the design, how you pushed through perceived rejections to the proposal, and so on. In short, the rationale section is where you preemptively respond to your critics way before they get a chance to criticize your idea. 

#7. Backward compatibility

In this section, you inform readers whether your BIP is backward compatible. If it’s not, you should provide details about the incompatibilities, including how severe they are and how you plan to deal with them. 

#8. Reference implementation

In this section, the author should provide an example of the idea that other developers could implement in the future. In other words, this is where you demonstrate your idea and showcase it to the community. If you don’t have a completed example, then your idea won’t cut it. After all, people need to see the idea of working in real life and not have to imagine it. This means it’s good to have a reference implementation before you begin working on your BIP.

The Big Picture 

BIPs can be extremely valuable to the Bitcoin ecosystem, especially as Bitcoin continues to rise in value. If positive changes are made to the protocol, it could make the world’s most popular cryptocurrency even stronger. The reverse is true. 

Much of the BIPs submitted so far have been about scaling Bitcoin. Some of them have led to contentious disagreements within the community, leading to contentious hard forks such as Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Gold. Others like SegWit2x have been turned down by a majority of the community. However, others, like SegWit and The Lightning Network, saw the green light of the community. Such updates could prove very key for the Bitcoin scaling issue.

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Monero Reaches 2-Year High, Is It the Next-Best Alternative?

Recently (Oct 2020), Monero hit $139 – its 2-year high, and investors are expressing renewed confidence in this crypto. What’s even more inspiring is the fact that the cryptocurrency has maintained a consistent sideways or upward – but not downward – trend since then. Before the 2017 crypto bull run, Monero always shied from surpassing the $1 mark. But the boom seemed to have inspired this crypto to take on the major players. 

Recently (Oct 2020), Monero hit $139 – its 2-year high, and investors are expressing renewed confidence in this crypto. What’s even more inspiring is the fact that the cryptocurrency has maintained a consistent sideways or upward – but not downward – trend since then. Before the 2017 crypto bull run, Monero always shied from surpassing the $1 mark. But the boom seemed to have inspired this crypto to take on the major players. 

Recently (Oct 2020), Monero hit $139 – its 2-year high, and investors are expressing renewed confidence in this crypto. What’s even more inspiring is the fact that the cryptocurrency has maintained a consistent sideways or upward – but not downward – trend since then. Before the 2017 crypto bull run, Monero always shied from surpassing the $1 mark. But the boom seemed to have inspired this crypto to take on the major players. 

On the other hand, investors are all over the place scrambling for Bitcoin, partly why it is currently shining in glory. While most of those jumping onto the Bitcoin frenzy might be a bit late to the fiesta, the case could be different for Monero investors. Could it be the next-best alternative to Bitcoin at the moment?

Let’s take a closer look at this crypto and determine whether it can give Bitcoin a run for its money.

What Makes Monero Special?

Monero was invented in 2014 with one goal: to facilitate private and anonymous transactions. But Bitcoin was already doing that! Well, not quite. Bitcoin was thought to be anonymous, but that is not the case. With the Bitcoin blockchain (and many others), it is possible to trace the transaction’s origin because the blockchain is transparent. 

Monero, on the other hand, provides a high level of obscurity for transactions. We can’t say that it is impossible or not to tell the source of an XMR transaction, but as of now, that possibility remains a matter of conjecture. 

In this age, users seem to cherish privacy, even when they are doing nothing illegal. As Monero positions itself as one of the most private and anonymous cryptocurrencies, it is gradually becoming a darling to many. 

Other than providing unmatched privacy and anonymity, Monero is also cheap, fast, and easy to use – qualities that appeal to both neophytes and seasoned users.  

The Sudden Interest in Monero

It’s not only speculators and investors who have expressed increasing interest in Monero – hackers and regulators are also realigning their strategies around this crypto. For instance, Sodinokibi, a ransomware (criminal hacking) group, recently announced that they would start taking ransom in Monero instead of Bitcoin. They added that their decision to abandon Bitcoin was based on privacy issues, which Monero does not face. 

If you follow dark web affairs, you know that there is a close relationship between cryptocurrency adoption for illegal activities and the growth of Monero. This can be evidenced by Bitcoin’s momentary decline in 2013 after Silk Road, one of the largest black markets, was seized by the FBI. If we draw parallels between BTC’s adoption in the black market and Monero’s interest in the underworld, there can be no denying that Monero will soon become a much sought-after gem. 

Authorities are also showing interest in the crypto, albeit not for investment purposes. In September, the US Internal Revenue Service announced that it’s giving out a bountiful reward to anyone who can help them trace the source of Monero transactions. Europol also reported that Monero is fast rising as the standard for dark web transactions.

These events suggest that XMR’s adoption is likely to increase. With increased adoption comes increased volumes, market capitalization, and prices. 

Monero’s Historical Performance

The coin was launched in 2014, exchanging at about $2 or 0.005 BTC. After struggling for several years, the 2017 crypto bull finally came to its rescue, raising its value to over $400 at some point. However, XMR’s performance against BTC had started rallying way before the crypto boom. Since mid-2016, XMR had already started gaining against Bitcoin. This was a noteworthy trend since XMR has largely maintained its growth against BTC.

The crypto has also grown its 24-hour trading volumes tremendously. Just a year ago, Monero seemed to struggle to reach $100 million in daily transactions. Even during the 2018 peak when it was fetching $400 in XMR/USD trades, daily volumes hardly surpassed $200 million. At the time of writing, XRM was exchanging at only $116, but the 24-hour volume was hitting over $2 billion. In other words, 24-hour volumes have increased 20-fold in 12 months. There is no doubt investors are increasingly trying out this alternative. 

XMR/USD or XMR/BTC?

If you are convinced that Monero is a worthy alternative to Bitcoin, there’s one crucial decision you need to make – and that is whether to trade XRM with Bitcoin or with USD. After all, most exchanges that list XMR offer both pairs. It is important to evaluate this decision because XMR’s relationship with BTC and USD hasn’t been linear – there are times when the crypto has fetched more BTC than the equivalent in USD. In fact, this has been the case during most of its lifetime, except for the last few weeks where Bitcoin has grabbed headlines for its performance. 

Based on the historical exchange rates, it would be more profitable to exchange XMR with BTC when selling than with USD. However, owing to the trend reversal in the last few weeks of Bitcoin’s glory, it is important to watch how the curve extends. 

Concerns You Might Consider

While Monero is generally promising, there are two major concerns you might want to evaluate before picking it as an alternative to Bitcoin. 

#1: It might not be available on your favorite exchange – Due to the crypto’s high level of privacy, some major exchanges do not list it. This is especially true for exchanges that seek to comply with regulators. As we have seen, Monero is increasingly becoming popular in the underground economy, and reputable exchanges might want to distance themselves from it.

#2: Monero is widely associated with facilitating illegal trade – When you mention that you are a Monero, Zcash, or Dash investor, chances are you might be mistaken for being part of the dark web economy. Well, this won’t dampen your chances of successful crypto investment, but it’s worth keeping in mind all the same.

Final Thoughts

Monero is one of the fast-rising altcoins besides the fact that it has had a good track record in financial performance. In 2020, the coin has grabbed regulators’ attention due to its increased adoption in the underground economy. At the same time, the coin has consistently gained against both the USD and BTC throughout the year, save for the last few weeks where it has lost slightly against BTC. Also noteworthy is that the crypto’s daily volume has increased more than 20 times since the beginning of the year – signaling its increasing adoption. Although there might be a few concerns regarding the use of this cryptocurrency for covert activities, there is no denying it is a worthy alternative to Bitcoin.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

How to Buy Bitcoin with a Credit/Debit Card

Credit/debit cards have enabled us to make instant, convenient, and hassle-free payments since the founding of the Diners Club in the 1950s, and today, this possibility has been extended to the purchase of Bitcoin. Buying Bitcoin with a credit card is among the easiest ways to get yourself some crypto. 

Credit/debit cards have enabled us to make instant, convenient, and hassle-free payments since the founding of the Diners Club in the 1950s, and today, this possibility has been extended to the purchase of Bitcoin. Buying Bitcoin with a credit card is among the easiest ways to get yourself some crypto. 

Credit/debit cards have enabled us to make instant, convenient, and hassle-free payments since the founding of the Diners Club in the 1950s, and today, this possibility has been extended to the purchase of Bitcoin. Buying Bitcoin with a credit card is among the easiest ways to get yourself some crypto. 

But where can you buy Bitcoin using a credit card? And is it safe? What about transaction costs? We’ll look at these concerns and more in this article.

How You Can Buy BTC with a Credit Card

When it comes to buying BTC with a credit card, there are two main possibilities. 

i) Direct payment – This is the least confusing option. With direct payments, you go to the exchange’s website, make your purchase and use the Visa/MasterCard/AmericanExpress (or just the cards that are available) option. The checkout process will be similar to buying anything else with your credit card. 

ii) Through a payment gateway/ payment service provider – For reasons such as cost savings, bonuses, and offers, you might want to pay through a payment gateway or money transfer service provider such as PayPal and Skrill. If you’re new to buying BTC, or if you’re buying just a few coins, this long route might not make much sense. However, if you are a high-stake investor, you might want to take advantage of any slight margins, although with increased inconvenience.

To buy Bitcoin with your credit card through a payment gateway, you’ll need to load your payment gateway’s account with funds first. Then, when checking out from your exchange, you choose to pay with Skrill/PayPal or whichever method you’re using. 

Best Places to Buy BTC with a Credit Card

Most likely, you will be buying Bitcoin from a crypto exchange like Coinbase, Kraken, or eToro. There are other methods, such as buying from individuals, but we’ll be focusing on exchanges.

That said, the following are among the best exchanges where you can Bitcoin using your credit card. These exchanges have been selected based on ease of use, buying limit, security, and transaction costs. The exchanges are not ranked in any particular order.

#1. Coinmama

Purchases made with credit cards usually have various limits to mitigate fraud. Coinmana offers among the highest purchase limits. The exchange is also available globally, which makes it a convenient option wherever you are. Additionally, the exchange has a reputation when it comes to reliability and trust among its user community.

When buying BTC on Coinmama, you will need to register/ sign in and create a crypto wallet on the platform. Then, when you get to the step of selecting a payment method, you’ll be required to choose from either Visa or MasterCard. Card payments are instant and attract a 5% processing fee. This cost is a bit high compared to going through a payment provider such as Skrill (Skrill charges 2.5% of the transaction value). Nevertheless, the experience is swift.

#2. Coinbase

Coinbase allows you to buy up to $150 or €150 worth of BTC per week. Debit card payments are accepted in all countries where Coinbase operates. However, you cannot buy BTC with a credit card if you reside in the US, Canada, Australia, and anywhere within Europe. 

If you want to buy BTC on Coinbase using your card, you will need to set up your user profile and link your credit/debit card. Later on, when you are actually buying BTC, you will select your already-added card at checkout. Transactions cost 3.99% regardless of the amount, and settlement is instant. The buying experience on Coinbase is also smooth.

#3. Bitpanda

Bitpanda is another reputable exchange where you can buy BTC using your card. First, you will need a Bitpanda account to buy BTC. Once you log in to the account, you can navigate to the ‘Buy’ tab on the menu. Bitpanda allows you to add the payment method during checkout, so you don’t have to link your card in advance. 

After selecting ‘Buy,’ you will see large buttons with the names of some of the major cryptos and other buttons for payment methods. You will need to make the appropriate selections to proceed. If you pay by card, both credit and debit cards are supported, but it must be Visa/MasterCard. Once you have selected your card, the rest of the process is easy to complete. 

Bitpanda offers one of the most secure card payment options. To make a card payment for crypto purchases on this exchange, your card must have 3-D Secure verification enabled. Note that there’s nothing you can do if your card does not support this protocol (other than look for another exchange).

#4. CEX.io

CEX.io is one of the earliest cryptocurrency exchanges to exist. Even so, it has never moved its operations beyond Europe, some countries in South America, and some states in the US. It is still a great place to buy BTC using your card if you are from any of these regions. 

CEX.io boasts of unmatched security and trust. The exchange is registered in the US as a Money Services Business. In the UK, it is incorporated as a private limited company. CEX.io is also PCI-DSS compliant. PCI-DSS is the global security standard for card payment providers. Due to the company’s focus on security and compliance, user experience is adversely affected. For instance, transaction verifications can take up to 30 minutes. 

Security/ Safety

The security and safety of your credit/debit card are paramount. Generally, buying crypto using cards is not riskier than using your card for your regular shopping. However, it is important to do the basic checks to ensure that you are dealing with legitimate and reputable exchanges. 

When using your credit card to buy Bitcoin, you will inevitably share your details with your exchange. Thus, it is essential to ensure that you’re dealing with a legitimate exchange, and two, the exchange is reputable. If you leave your card details with a shady exchange, how can you be sure that your card details will not be used for fraudulent purchases?

Final Thoughts

Credit/debit cards are a relatively easy and convenient option for paying for your Bitcoin purchases. This payment option is also supported by most major exchanges like Coinbase, Coinmama, and Bitpanda. Additionally, paying for BTC with your card is safe, as long as you’re dealing with reputable exchanges. On the downside, cards have restrictive transaction limits, which may disadvantage large buyers. Also, some exchanges do not accept credit cards from certain countries. Whichever the case, you can always find an option among the many. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

Asset Mangers Being Left Behind By Not Understanding The Fastest Growing Asset Ever… Bitcoin!

https://youtu.be/sSO9K-GO7LY

https://youtu.be/sSO9K-GO7LY


Asset Managers Risk Their Careers by Not Understanding Bitcoin

Shapeshift CEO Erik Voorhees has spoken about the future of financial management in the future, stating that every asset manager should, even now, have an understanding of Bitcoin based on its astonishing rate of return.

Voorhees commented on this topic while retweeting data shared by analytics platform Messari co-founder Dan McArdle that shows Bitcoin dramatically outperforming every other asset over the last decade. 


While gold has made a return of 32% and the S&P 500 has tripled its investors’ money, Bitcoin has posted an astonishing 7,837,884% gain in ten years.

Looking at its 10-year life, Voorhees believes that Bitcoin is “vastly superior to any other investment.” He then stated that:

“One could be forgiven for not understanding Bitcoin eight years ago… but any asset manager today who remains even somewhat ignorant of this phenomenon needs to seriously check what they are doing.”

Voorhees is not the only one talking about the recent embrace of Bitcoin by institutions and the rest of traditional finance that is believed to underpin the most recent rally. Just the past week alone, half a dozen experts in the traditional finance sector made similarly bullish observations. On December 2, crypto trading firm Genesis CEO Michael Moro made a prediction that 250 publicly traded companies will put at least some of their funds in Bitcoin by the end of 2021.

On December 4, former JP Morgan commodity trader Danny Masters told CNBC that it would soon be a “career-risk to not have Bitcoin in your portfolio.”

BlackRock CIO Larry Fink also spoke about Bitcoin and warned that Bitcoin’s success could have a substantial impact on the US dollar and that it will even “take the place of gold to a large extent.” 

Of course, every asset has its bulls and bears, and no matter how many pundits back Bitcoin, or how many institutions put their money into it, gold bug Peter Schiff still remains unmoved, stating that Bitcoin and gold have nothing in common and that Bitcoin will never replace gold.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Michael Saylor Comparing Bitcoin To Lebron James? Institutional Investment Skyrocketing!

https://youtu.be/IS0peRBgi5w

https://youtu.be/IS0peRBgi5w


Bitcoin is like ‘Lebron James’ – MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor

 


In an interview with economist Marc Friedrich, CEO of MicroStrategy, Michael Saylor said that Bitcoin is just not the same asset it was in 2015 or 2017. As Saylor stated, the arguments against Bitcoin that were relevant two or four years ago are simply no longer applicable.

Bitcoin has grown exponentially since its peak in 2017. The growth happened in terms of infrastructure, fundamentals, as well as adoption. In the past year alone, many institutions have started to increasingly see Bitcoin as a store of value and an inflation hedge rather than as a speculative asset.

In 2017, Bitcoin critics said the cryptocurrency was too volatile and that there was a substantial risk of it dropping to zero. Saylor emphasized that these arguments have close to no relevance now because Bitcoin has evolved significantly in recent years.

Saylor said that Lebron James played basketball from ages 8 to 18, but then matured and evolved into one of the all-time greats. He said that Bitcoin went through a very similar period, stating that he thought that it was important to address the fears and anxieties of the crypto and non-crypto community head-on, but that people that still think that Bitcoin might go to zero are still living in the 2015 and 2017 timeframe. He compared Lebron James’ talent, which was, according to him, erratic and volatile in the early stages of his gameplay. But then he grew up and “destroyed everybody and everything in his way.”


One of the major changes Bitcoin has experienced since 2017 is its market structure. Going back to 2017, retail platforms like BitMEX were the dominant players in the derivatives market. Institutional platforms such as the CME have consistently processed volumes that were similar to leading retail-focused exchanges.

However, as of December 4, the CME Bitcoin futures market has an open interest of $1.14 billion, which is considerably higher than Binance Futures, Bybit, Huobi, as well as BitMEX.

On-chain data also shows a considerable increase in institutional interest. According to data coming from IntoTheBlock, the number of transactions valued at over $100,000 has increased twofold in 2020. This is indicative of the growth in institutional activity, the analysts stated. Furthermore, the total volume transferred in these transactions has experienced an even larger growth with 6x increase over the same period.”

Based on various factors, including the fact that the already-significant institutional involvement in the Bitcoin market is only increasing, investors like Saylor remain confident that Bitcoin is evolving into an established store of value.

Categories
Crypto Videos

What Would it Take for Ethereum to Fail?

https://youtu.be/RvJJc7x0DTw

https://youtu.be/RvJJc7x0DTw


What Would it Take for Ethereum to Fail?

Ethereum 2.0 has recently launched its Beacon Chain, concluding Phase 0 of a scaling effort. Although he expressed quite a bit of faith in Ethereum 2.0, Celsius CEO and founder Alex Mashinsky believe nothing has to be set in stone. The network could lose its spotlight if it doesn’t manage to scale quickly, effectively, and significantly.

“Ethereum needs to prove to the market that it can scale its transactions 100x without compromising on either security or decentralization,” Mashinsky stated when asked about Ethereum 2.0’s next hurdle after its Beacon Chain launch. “If Ethereum fails to scale, Cardano and Polkadot will take over the market.”

As of Thursday, December 3, Ethereum’s network hosts somewhere in the ballpark of 13 transactions per second, according to data coming from Blockchair. A 100-fold increase from now would total the network capacity to roughly 1,300 transactions per second.

Ethereum has served as the top blockchain for building decentralized applications over the past years. In 2020, the DeFi sector boom has largely taken place on Ethereum’s blockchain, as well. This surge in activity has led to incredibly high network traffic that Ethereum could not handle, and that at times resulted in high transaction fees. 

With Ethereum 2.0’s shift from a proof-of-work and onto a proof-of-stake consensus algorithm, scaling advancements should be evident very soon. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin previously stated that he believes the network has the possibility to scale to an astonishing 100,000 transactions per second.

The aforementioned network’s upgrade, however, faced a fair bit of delays before achieving Phase 0 earlier this month. MyEtherWallet founder said that he expects Ethereum 2.0’s next phases to take years to fully play out. Mashinsky didn’t give any specific time estimates, but he did give his vote of confidence in the network upgrade idea as a whole.

“I am a big believer in this upgrade, even if it will take longer than anticipated to scale and solve all the problems,” he said.

It’s important to note that Ethereum’s native token, Ether, also plays into the equation. Phase 0 requires all interested parties to lock up at least 32 Ether each, with a total of 524,288 Ether needed for the Beacon Chain launch. The Ether must remain locked until Phase 2 is live, and that could take years.


As more and more Ether is locked up for Ethereum 2.0 or used on different DeFi and CeFi platforms, the prices push to higher levels simply due to the scarcity effect. Almost all decentralized exchanges are denominated in Ether, which is also a huge advantage for Ethereum.

Categories
Crypto Videos

An Ethereum Fund Launching On The Toronto Stock Exchange!

https://youtu.be/YRrEMwkTQZY

https://youtu.be/YRrEMwkTQZY

Ethereum Fund Launching on the Toronto Stock Exchange

Canadian digital asset investment manager company 3iQ will be launching an IPO of an Ethereum exchange-traded trust, called The Ether Fund, on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker QETH.U. 

The maximum offering for the trust launch is $100 million, and 3iq announced that the offering’s closing date would be no later than Thursday, December 10 of this year. 3iQ currently counts more than $400 million CAD under management. The company maintains a right focus on just several cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

In a press release that came out Thursday, December 3, 3iQ noted that the listing comes with a patriotic backstory behind it. “The concept of Ethereum was first developed in Canada in 2013, and then launched by a group of technologists coming from all over the world,” the company mentioned.


Ethereum’s co-founder and main figure, Vitalik Buterin, is Canadian-Russian, and his family moved to Toronto when he was just six years old.


Traders south of Canada’s borders have already demonstrated a remarkable appetite for publicly available Ethereum investment options. Despite an incredible price premium, which at points went to as much as 500% relative to net asset value for Grayscale’s Ethereum trust ETHE, the company reports that more and more investors have decided to test the waters and try investing in crypto.

These funds and trusts are the preferred methods of investing in crypto for many traders, as not many people are able or willing to provide their own crypto custody and security options.

On top of that, traders have enjoyed a rapid expansion of this sector, with new fund offerings surfacing across the globe in recent months. In November alone, VanEck launched a Bitcoin exchange-traded note product in Germany, as well as the VanEck Vectors Bitcoin ETN, while 3iQ introduced The Bitcoin Fund to Canada.

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic

How to Spot Scams in Decentralized Finance 

If you have been in the crypto industry for more than a minute, you’ve probably heard about decentralized finance (DeFi). It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the crypto scene, having registered an 1116% increase this year. DeFi grew tremendously, increasing from $674 million in January to $14.185 billion today.

If you have been in the crypto industry for more than a minute, you’ve probably heard about decentralized finance (DeFi). It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the crypto scene, having registered an 1116% increase this year. DeFi grew tremendously, increasing from $674 million in January to $14.185 billion today.

If you have been in the crypto industry for more than a minute, you’ve probably heard about decentralized finance (DeFi). It is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the crypto scene, having registered an 1116% increase this year. DeFi grew tremendously, increasing from $674 million in January to $14.185 billion today.

However, the impressive growth also comes with a drawback; DeFi scam projects. 

Thanks to FOMO, scammers are jumping on board the DeFi craze. Blockchain’s properties of being permissionless and decentralized make it easy for anyone to launch fraudulent scams. Scam cases have been so prevalent that prominent entrepreneurs, such as Craig Wright, write off DeFi completely. 

The truth is that not all projects are fake. So, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? 

More on that later, but first, let’s have a look at the common DeFi scams you should be aware of. 

Common Types of DeFi Scams

Although criminals will come up with all kinds of DeFi scams, they most likely will fall under any of these four categories. 

i) Exit Scams

Exit scams are perhaps the most widespread DeFi scams around. In this case, developers announce a project’s launch and stir the crypto scene with details of the project. Once they have people talking about the project, the criminals disappear with all the funds locked in the protocol. 

Exit scams are usually hard to trace, thanks to the decentralized nature of blockchain. However, in an isolated incident, the world’s largest crypto exchange, Binance, announced in November that it had recovered 99% of the funds stolen from the platform through an exit scam. 

ii)Pump and Dump

Pump and dump schemes are no stranger to the financial world. These schemes are typical in the stock world and are used to boost stock prices on false statements. Crypto pump and dump schemes work similarly. Investors who are in on the scheme start by creating a buzz around a particular DeFi token. They increase the coin’s awareness on different social media channels, which results in a price increase. More unsuspecting investors get on board and buy the tokens, which further increases its price. 

Once the group reaches its target, the initial investors start selling their tokens. The massive sale of the tokens causes a dip in the prices. While the initial investors make a profit, those unconnected to the scam deal with significant losses. 

iii) Admin Imitator

Most of these scams happen on social media platforms such as Twitter, Telegram, and Discord. Usually, DeFi developers use this platform to form a community around their projects. 

Scammers use these platforms to target unsuspecting investors. They pose as one of the members of the support team and convince investors by using the same image and usernames as legitimate members of the development team. 

The scammers then pretend there’s an issue with the project and inform users of the same. They ask the users to send ETH to a specific address or send their private keys to solve the issue. 

iv) Discord Bot Scam

This is a relatively new tactic that scammers are using. The criminals create a bot representative of the DeFi project, which they use to send updates, news, and features updates via a link. Users who click on the link are then redirected to a compromised version of the DeFi platform. These bot scams usually end up in numerous phishing attacks on the users. 

5 Questions You Should Ask to Identify a DeFi Scam

So, how do you tell a legitimate DeFi project from a scam?

Before you invest your money, you need to ensure the project is viable. Finding the answer to these five questions will help you identify a DeFi scam from miles away. 

What’s the Project’s Purpose?

It may seem like an obvious question, especially for an investor who’s new to the crypto scene. However, taking a keen look at the project’s purpose can help you avoid hefty losses. 

DeFi projects are supposed to be innovative, and the legitimate ones usually are. However, most of the upcoming projects have nothing to offer and are only riding on the ongoing craze. 

Before committing your money, have a clear idea of what the project is all about. Does it bring anything new to the crypto scene? Is it an innovative solution? How different is it from its competitors?

Is There a Smart Contract Audit?

Project audits are a common feature in the DeFi space. For smart contracts, audits are an essential part of the development and help to ensure the project’s code is secure. 

Despite it being a requirement for developers to deploy their code with an audit, most don’t adhere to this. The audits are quite expensive, so scammers won’t bother incurring the additional costs. 

Sure, an audit report for a DeFi project doesn’t mean the platform is entirely safe and shouldn’t be a decisive benchmark for the ideal project. However, it’s an excellent indicator to help you weed out scam projects.  

Who Are The Founders?

Most investors don’t give a second thought about the founders, but it helps to have some information on them. 

Anonymity in the crypto space is not new; after all, it is one of the pillars of blockchain technology. Therefore, it’s not unusual to come across DeFi projects whose founders choose to remain anonymous. 

So, are all DeFi projects run by anonymous founders a scam? Not at all. However, if the founders are anonymous, they cannot be held accountable in case anything goes wrong. So, you can always go for a project with unknown founders, but you run the risk of losing everything and having no one to go after if you lose your money. 

Is There Any Developmental Activity?

One of the best features of DeFi is that most of the platforms are open-source. This means that the development team avails the code to the public so that anyone can make changes to it. Therefore, if you have any code-knowledge, you can always check out the source code to identify any malicious activity. 

The best part about open-source DeFi projects is that if they raise enough interest, more people get on board. You, therefore, have more people checking out the source code for any bugs; thus,  increasing the chances of spotting anything off. 

You should also check the developer’s activity. Are they often deploying new codes? It may not be enough to spot a fake, but a project with zero developer activity should undoubtedly raise some eyebrows. 

How is the Token Distribution?

When finding out more about a DeFi project, you should always pay keen attention to its tokenomics. For starters, find out more about the token’s allocation. 

As expected, the founders will probably hold the lion’s share for themselves. However, this could end up being a problem if the developers are scammers. They can easily hike the token’s prices and later dump their coins in the market, causing the token to lose its value. 

Additionally, the distribution model used is essential. An exclusive presale will mean that only a select few will acquire the tokens at first and cause hype around the project on social media. Airdrops are likely to cause a sell-pressure, while IEOs are more reliable since crypto exchanges put their reputation on the line. 

Do Your Own Research!

Figuring out whether a DeFi project is about to dupe, you can be an uphill task- yet, it’s quite necessary. After all, no one wants to lose their hard-earned money. 

Although these five crucial questions will give you a headstart, they aren’t conclusive. Before placing your money in a sinking ship, do your own research and learn all you can about the project. Not all DeFi projects are a scam, and if you get a legitimate one, it could end up being a worthy investment with massive profits.

Categories
Crypto Videos

Goodbye XRP! What Happens if XRP Gets Deemed a Security?

https://youtu.be/SVgZUJyBckA

https://youtu.be/SVgZUJyBckA


What Happens if XRP Gets Deemed a Security?

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse believes that his company can and will still thrive under a hypothetical scenario where its cryptocurrency XRP is declared a security by the United States lawmakers. 

Appearing on episode 439 of the Anthony Pompliano’s Pomp Podcast, Garlinghouse spoke about the implications of XRP being declared a security by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He said such a position is possible but that it would run contrary to the view that prevails among G20 markets.

While stating that “it’s very hard to look at XRP and say that it is a security,” Garlinghouse said:


“If XRP were deemed a security in the United States… you know, we have other G20 markets that have a completely different view. I’m not aware of any market in the world that thinks that XRP is a security.” Garlinghouse added that “over 90% of RippleNet customers are actually out of the United States,” suggesting that a possible unfavorable securities designation wouldn’t exactly hinder the company’s underlying business, but only its short-term popularity. If XRP were to be declared security in the US, investors would need to complete a broker-dealer registration with the US SEC.

XRP’s regulatory status has been a subject of intense scrutiny for a very long time now, with veteran futures and forex trader Peter Brandt being the latest of many public figures in line to declare it a security.

On the other hand, Congressman Tom Emmer, a Republican from the state of Minnesota, argued in August that XRP should not be deemed a security.

Ripple has been the subject of a major class-action lawsuit from disgruntled investors claiming that XRP is a security. This lawsuit alleges false advertising as well as unfair competition charges against Ripple. An amended filing from March 2020 claimed that Garlinghouse was shopping XRP to prospective investors while liquidating his holdings at the same time.

XRP is back in the limelight at the end of November as the market pushed its price above a multi-year high. The rally was a subject of heavy profit-taking, falling more than 28%.

Categories
Crypto Videos

How To Spot Bitcoin Bull & Bear Cycles Beginners Edition!

https://youtu.be/h3o5F1tGU2k

https://youtu.be/h3o5F1tGU2k


Bitcoin Bull and Bear cycles – Beginners Edition

 

Animals Bear Fighting With Bull

Since its launch over a decade ago, Bitcoin has seen a number of bull and bear cycles, with each one of them being greater than the last. However, many have tried to find an answer to the main question: What drives these cycles? Co-founder of Decred Jake Yocom-Piatt has claimed that the answer certainly lies within the human brain.

“Bitcoin’s bull and bear cycles are both functions of generic human psychology, attention spans, as well as its deterministic and diminishing issuance,” Yocom-Piatt stated.

Over the years, numerous parties have tried to find the reason behind and argue different cases for Bitcoin’s cycles, including PlanB’s infamous stock-to-flow model, which projects Bitcoin prices in the future based on its programmed halving events that happen every four years.

One major characteristic that sets Bitcoin apart from every other asset is its deflationary nature. It is programmed to have a finite supply, and that, combined with the ease of movement it provides, allows for borderless value storage better than any asset before.

Then, one might wonder whether the programmed supply that Bitcoin possesses dictates its price cycles on some level. This refers to its mining reward being cut in half every four years, essentially decreasing the amount of new Bitcoin put out on the market each time a block is mined. Its 21 million coins supply cap may also factor into this equation.

“Bitcoin’s rate of supply is constantly shrinking as a percentage of the circulation, with the addition of a massive supply shock every halvening,” explained Yocom-Piatt.

“Bull runs occur when the demand begins to outstrip the supply, driving up the price, which then gets the attention of myopic investors. After some time passes, these myopic investors’ attention span for a bull market fades away, and we revert back to a bear market. With each bull cycle, the overall awareness of Bitcoin grows, further sowing the seeds for the next bull cycle.”

Bitcoin recently approached its 2017 all-time high of $20,000, receiving a big chunk of mainstream media coverage during the time of the push towards the upside.

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Just How Promising is the NFT Market?

The NFT market is the collection of all NFT trades. So, let’s define NFTs first. An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a special kind of crypto token that just cannot be exchanged for another (possibly) equivalent token. 

The NFT market is the collection of all NFT trades. So, let’s define NFTs first. An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a special kind of crypto token that just cannot be exchanged for another (possibly) equivalent token. 

The NFT market is the collection of all NFT trades. So, let’s define NFTs first. An NFT (Non-Fungible Token) is a special kind of crypto token that just cannot be exchanged for another (possibly) equivalent token. 

In the cryptocurrency universe, there are coins, tokens, and other miscellaneous digital assets; and there are non-fungible tokens. Of all these, NFTs stand out for one cool reason: each token is different and can be uniquely identified. Let’s contrast them with currencies – a dollar bill can be exchanged for another dollar bill to put this into perspective. But it wouldn’t be that straightforward exchanging a diamond ring with another. 

Crypto Tokens Primer

Before diving deep into NFTs and their promising future, let’s first review cryptocurrency tokens from a wider perspective. 

Generally, a crypto token is a digital representation of an asset or a specific utility. For instance, such a token could represent redeemable loyalty points. Typically, these tokens can be exchanged for cryptocurrencies, fiat currency, or some special privileges. Like all other cryptocurrencies, they reside on the blockchain – which allows them to leverage all the benefits of distributed ledgers.

NFT Applications

One of the things that make the NFT market potentially explosive is its increasing adoption in various applications. Within the last few years, developers have come up with NFT-based solutions for different use cases. Let’s look at a few of these:

  • Crypto art – This emerging concept is a blend of art and blockchain technology. The idea has been used to help artists claim ownership of their works, create currencies specifically for buying artworks, and verify artwork’s authenticity, among other uses. Judging by the number of startups, there is growing interest in the use of NFTs in art. 
  • Digital collectibles – Collectibles such as trading cards have been developed based on NFTs. The Rare Pepes and Age of Chains projects are good examples of how NFTs have inspired the generation and distribution of digital collectibles. 
  • Gaming – The gaming industry is undoubtedly seeing unprecedented disruption levels, thanks to the invention of NFTs. There are already a myriad of NFT use cases within the gaming sector, and this list is growing. To understand the weight of NFTs’ potential in gaming, note that gaming activity on Cryptokitties (an Ethereum-based game that allows players to purchase, collect, breed, and sell virtual cats) once caused a traffic jam on the Ethereum blockchain. 

Why NFT Is set for Exponential Growth

As of June 2020, the total sales of NFTs had reached $100 million. The 1-year market performance of NFTs (between November 2019 and November 2020) has not been characterized by dramatic rises and falls – as has been the case with some of the major cryptocurrencies. Even so, the NFT market has shown a slow but steady growth within that period. Developments in the sector suggest that NFTs could only grow faster. Below are the top five reasons why you should think so too.

#1: Scarcity 

NFTs are designed with scarcity at the very core of their philosophy. Tokens such as trading cards and in-game assets exist in minimal quantities. For instance, each virtual cat on Cryptokitties is unique. This means that if you fancy the cat and really want to have it, you must be willing to spend some coins. This would not be the case if you could duplicate the cat or if all cats were equal.

As crazy as the idea sounds, the game’s logic’s psychological aspects make it work just as intended. The idea that there is only one unit of a certain item drives its demand.

#2: Fun and Simplicity

Compared to cryptocurrencies, NFTs are fun and simple to understand. These two features make it easy to learn and adopt NFTs for different uses. There is a multitude of NFT users who don’t even know they are enjoying the fruits of blockchain. In contrast, most cryptocurrency users are forced to learn some of the hard stuff about how crypto’s work is like picking a good wallet, avoiding scams, etc. In short, NFTs were invented (or have been adapted) majorly for fun use. 

Needless to say, the increasing use of NFTs in gaming will promote its adoption. Games have been used to promote the adoption of computers, health interventions, learning activities, and much more. These are all indications that the use of NFTs in gaming will give its adoption a power boost and ultimately contribute to this market’s growth.

#3: High Acceptance in Asia

Asia plays a crucial role in the gaming world. Even before cryptos came into existence, South Korea’s gaming industry had already invented the concept of redeemable in-house currencies, something that could allow you to convert in-house currencies to South Korean Won. Many fun, cute little characters (including many of the emojis we know today) were born in Japan.

The fact that most NFT projects (games in particular) target the Asian market means that they are likely to fit naturally into the region’s cultural context, and this will organically drive up the growth of the NFT market. 

#4: Attractive Investment

NFTs present themselves as equally attractive (if not more) as cryptocurrencies. Part of this high appeal comes from their simple nature. NFTs also highly resemble real-world valuables, which investors are already familiar with. An example is rare artworks whose valuation is widely criticized for being arbitrary. Factors such as who previously owned an artwork, the reputation of the gallery where it is curated, its provenance, etc., can exponentially drive up the artwork’s value. 

Back to NFTs – developers can easily create crypto artworks, such as game characters, and assign them these “special attributes.” In case you’re wondering why everyone won’t just create their characters and make money, well, it all boils down to scarcity. And this heavily depends on developer’s/investor’s creativity.  

#5: Mainstream Adoption 

NFTs are making their debuts in different sectors of the mainstream economy, and they are already creating a frenzy. Nike, for example, has filed a patent for its proposed CryptoKicks – physical shoes with digital identities. CryptoKicks will allow Nike’s customers to set apart genuine sneakers from knock-offs. Since it will be possible to trace a pair of sneakers’ ownership history, we might start seeing high-stake auctions and the like. The bottom line is, NFTs have officially entered the mainstream economy, and it won’t be the same again. 

Final Thoughts

NFTs are among the latest inventions on the blockchain. While they have been adapted for several utilities, their use in gaming is particularly notable. To date, NFTs worth $100 million have been traded – which is a sign of investor confidence in the relatively new concept. Also, 2020 has been a fairly good year for the sector, which has so far recorded a slow but steady growth. NFTs are easy to learn and use, which gives them an edge when it comes to quick adoption among user communities. Coupled with scarcity, high adoption in Asia, its attractiveness to investors, and increasing mainstream adoption, the future of NFTs is highly promising. Naturally, the next thing to look out for is how to take advantage of this promising future. 

Categories
Crypto Daily Topic Cryptocurrencies

How to Mine Litecoin: No One Will Ever Tell You This

Litecoin is one of the most popular cryptocurrencies today. The currency is a clone of Bitcoin and appears to ride on the popularity of the pioneer cryptocurrency. However, the crypto has its own merits – like being a ‘lighter’ version of Bitcoin and thus being used in day-to-day transactions. Litecoin is faster than Bitcoin – having a block time of 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, meaning it’s quicker and easier for Litecoin miners to make money. 

Litecoin is one of the most popular cryptocurrencies today. The currency is a clone of Bitcoin and appears to ride on the popularity of the pioneer cryptocurrency. However, the crypto has its own merits – like being a ‘lighter’ version of Bitcoin and thus being used in day-to-day transactions. Litecoin is faster than Bitcoin – having a block time of 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, meaning it’s quicker and easier for Litecoin miners to make money. 

Litecoin is one of the most popular cryptocurrencies today. The currency is a clone of Bitcoin and appears to ride on the popularity of the pioneer cryptocurrency. However, the crypto has its own merits – like being a ‘lighter’ version of Bitcoin and thus being used in day-to-day transactions. Litecoin is faster than Bitcoin – having a block time of 2.5 minutes compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes, meaning it’s quicker and easier for Litecoin miners to make money. 

Litecoin was created in 2011 by Charlie Lee, a former Google engineer. He modeled it after Bitcoin but with certain modifications intended to help it scale compared to Bitcoin. At the time of writing, the currency has a per-token value of $69.54 and a market rank of #7 with a market capitalization of 4.59 billion. 

In this piece, we’ll take a look into the nitty gritties of mining Litecoin.  

#1. Mining equipment

In the early days of Litecoin, the cryptocurrency could be mined using CPUs and GPUs. Litecoin uses the Scrypt hashing protocol – the first successful cryptocurrency to use it. Lee opted for Scrypt instead of Bitcoin’s SHA-256 due to the former being lighter and also because”using Scrypt allows one to mine Litecoin while also mining Bitcoin.” 

However, it’s no longer possible to turn a profit when mining Litecoin with CPUs and GPUs. This is because as competition has ramped up for the currency, mining difficulty has increased, requiring miners to use application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) developed specifically for the currency. One of the most popular ASICs for Litecoin include Bitmain’s Antminer and LTCMaster. ASICs tend to go for around $1,000 for older models and around $2,000 for newer models. It’s best to go for the newer models, which are more effective. 

 #2. Should you join a mining pool? 

Once you’ve identified which hardware to use, the next decision will be to mine solo or join a mining pool. A mining pool is a group of miners who share computing power to multiply the chances of finding a block and earn mining rewards. Mining alone means you will get to keep all the mining rewards plus a fraction of the transaction fees. (The current mining rewards are 12.5 LTC per block. This will be halved in the next Litecoin halving, which will happen in 2023). And even then, this will require that you have massive hash power (multiple ASIC machines). Mining with a single ASIC is almost guaranteed never to turn a profit. 

By contrast, concentrated computing power in pool mining makes it many times easier for the pool to discover new blocks and attain a reward. The reward is then distributed according to the contribution of each miner. Bear in mind pool mining itself is not guaranteed to turn a profit since it depends on chance, but earnings via a pool are more steady than solo mining. 

Before you join a mining pool, make sure to investigate it thoroughly. Some pools out there are outright scams, while others are just plain shady. Also, it’s not uncommon for a mining pool to fall victim to hacks. So always check a pool’s security history and how they handled any breaches, reputation, member reviews, and management team. Also, try not to keep large amounts of your proceeds with the pool. It’s good practice to transfer proceeds to your wallet as soon as possible. 

Some of the most trusted and popular Litecoin pools out there include F2Pool, LitecoinPool.org, ViaBTC, and ProHashing.

Litecoin: Cloud Mining 

ASICs and pools are not for everyone. Maybe you want to mine Litecoin and don’t have the means or desire to splurge on expensive hardware. Well, you’re in luck because there’s an option of cloud mining that allows you to pay a remote data center to do the mining for you.

With this option, you will be required to put up a certain amount of money – but not nearly as much as you would for an ASIC – to get access to the cloud mining platform. The more you invest, the more you stand to gain from the platform. 

We can’t stress this enough – cloud mining is even more susceptible to scams than mining pools. There are individuals out there who are happy enough to take strangers’ money without an actual mining operation going on on their side. This behooves you to do serious research before getting entangled with any cloud miner. One of the most reputable cloud mining sites is Scotland-based Hashflare, which also has data centers in Estonia and Iceland. Hashflare has been around since 2014 – demonstrating its credibility and staying power. 

Wallets 

The last thing you need to consider is where to store your Litecoin. You have a variety of options starting with the Litecoin Core Client. This is a wallet by the Litecoin Foundation and is open-source, feature-packed, and updated regularly to make it more robust and easier to use. With the Litecoin Core Client, you can store, send, and receive Litecoin as well as view the transaction history of the blockchain. To use this wallet, you have to download the full blockchain on your computer. Of course, it will take up a lot of space, but it pays a lot of security dividends in the long run. The wallet supports Windows, MacOS, and Linux. By using Litecoin Core, you also contribute to the network’s security and decentralization since you’re running a ‘full node.’ 

You also have the option of a cold storage wallet. A cold wallet is one that’s not connected to the internet. This means it is unhackable, and hence very safe. If you have a large sum of Litecoin, a cold storage wallet is your best go-to option. There are also paper wallets that constitute a physical paper in the form of a QR code or a string of alphanumerics. A paper wallet is safer than an online wallet, but it’s vulnerable to theft and damage through fire, water, and wear and tear. You can increase your paper wallet security by laminating it and putting it in a safe place that only you know about. These days, people even strongly advocate for ‘brain wallets,’ which constitute memorizing a seed phrase that you can use to recreate your private key. Obviously, a brain wallet is the most secure of all these options.

Other people choose to keep their crypto funds on exchanges. Exchanges have the advantage of quickly swapping your crypto for fiat. However, this option is not recommended. That’s because exchanges are famously the target of hacking, and you can lose your money in the case of a security breach. Also, you have limited control over your Litecoin in such a wallet. 

Final Thoughts 

Litecoin is one of the most relevant cryptocurrencies, and investing in it through mining is a savvy move. Of course, there are risks to every profitable endeavor, so make sure to do your due diligence before you go all in. 

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin or Ethereum in 2021, Where Should You Invest?

Bitcoin started the year (2020) on a rather low key, fetching only an average of $7,500 until July when things started looking up. Ethereum seemed to play the same tune for the first half of the year. Unsurprisingly, both cryptocurrencies showed steady growth against the dollar from July onwards. This trend can be confusing to investors – should you invest in Bitcoin or Ethereum in the coming year? In this article, we help clear the confusion by addressing each currency’s nature, its performance in 2020, and its prospects in the coming year. 

Bitcoin started the year (2020) on a rather low key, fetching only an average of $7,500 until July when things started looking up. Ethereum seemed to play the same tune for the first half of the year. Unsurprisingly, both cryptocurrencies showed steady growth against the dollar from July onwards. This trend can be confusing to investors – should you invest in Bitcoin or Ethereum in the coming year? In this article, we help clear the confusion by addressing each currency’s nature, its performance in 2020, and its prospects in the coming year. 

Bitcoin started the year (2020) on a rather low key, fetching only an average of $7,500 until July when things started looking up. Ethereum seemed to play the same tune for the first half of the year. Unsurprisingly, both cryptocurrencies showed steady growth against the dollar from July onwards. This trend can be confusing to investors – should you invest in Bitcoin or Ethereum in the coming year? In this article, we help clear the confusion by addressing each currency’s nature, its performance in 2020, and its prospects in the coming year. 

Are We Comparing Apples to Oranges?

Seasoned investors will be quick to note that Bitcoin versus Ethereum is an odd comparison, and they’d be right. Bitcoin is inherently a currency and not much more. On the other hand, Ethereum has DApps, smart contracts, tracking of digital collectibles, and many other uses. So, on a broader scale, comparing Bitcoin and Ethereum might not make sense. 

However, Ethereum has ETH, which is pretty much tradable like BTC. You can invest in ETH just as you would do with BTC. So, we can go ahead and compare BTC and ETH as investment alternatives.

Bitcoin versus Ethereum Price Trend 

Bitcoin usually sets price trends for all other cryptocurrencies, and any instabilities faced by the network sends ripples across the entire cryptocurrency universe. The performance of both Bitcoin and Ethereum followed a similar trajectory in most of 2020. In the first half of the year, Bitcoin seemed to struggle, and so did Ethereum. Both hit their all-time lows around March, but a keen analysis of the price history reveals that Ethereum was always trailing. 

This is an advantage if you are planning to invest in Ethereum since you have a better chance of predicting how things might turn out in the short run. If the 2020 Bitcoin-Ethereum price trend spills over to 2021, you can assume that ETH price fluctuations will follow Bitcoin in about 7 days. For instance, if you plan to buy ETH, wait for BTC to drop consistently for about 7 days and then jump in. Of course, do not religiously rely on this trend as other forces might come to play and disrupt the pattern.  

Adoption and Ease of Use

A cryptocurrency’s appeal and ease of adoption can give it some edge when it comes to investment. When there are plans to adopt a cryptocurrency for some industry use, its price usually hikes. For instance, in October, PayPal announced that it would start allowing Bitcoin spending on its network from early 2021. The plan is to incorporate most of the major cryptos ultimately. Still, the company mentioned that it would start with Bitcoin, which was good news for Bitcoin investors more than any other crypto investors. There had been rumors about this announcement from the beginning of October, and Bitcoin’s prices were already going up as the month began. Bitcoin was exchanging at the time of writing at almost $14,000 – the highest in 30 months. 

Visa and MasterCard had already introduced crypto credit and debit cards. They are currently seeking to extend the availability of these cards to Europe and states in the US that have yet to be covered. Cryptocurrencies are increasingly integrating into the mainstream economy, and we are likely to see an increase in such activities in 2021. Given that Bitcoin’s ease of adoption gives it an advantage over other cryptos, it might be a better choice. 

Consider the Impacts of the US Elections

US elections usually seem to shake the global economy. During Trump’s first presidential contest, there was widespread uncertainty over economic and political outcomes. Speculation that he could win led to a weakening of the dollar relative to the four major currency pairs. Bitcoin’s prices rose slightly at the same time – indicating that the two events could have been related. Generally, if there is political uncertainty, the dollar may weaken and cause reduced stock markets’ activity. In such cases, investors may turn to crypto trading.

If the elections sail smoothly, we can expect minimal disturbance to the stock markets. However, if political turmoil follows the elections, there is a chance investors will shy away from the stock markets, and, conversely, activity in the crypto space may increase. Naturally, Bitcoin would take the lead as others follow. 

Bitcoin’s Prospects in 2021

Since the start of Bitcoin’s bear market in 2018, the currency has struggled to surpass the symbolic $10,000 mark, which can be considered its 30-months resistance threshold, only hitting the high twice but briefly. However, since July 2020, Bitcoin seemed to have overcome the resistance, maintaining a minimum of $10K and having peaked at $13,950 in November. Between October 17th and 27th of the same month, Bitcoin leaped a whopping $2,000! All these arguments indicate that the currency is strongly poised for the bull market in the coming months.

Overall, things are looking up for Bitcoin. The upcoming PayPal integration and adoption by Visa and MasterCard are also expected to give it a major boost. Nevertheless, if you’re considering investing in Bitcoin now or in early 2021, bear in mind that a resistance/support flip at $14,000 is conceivable. Therefore, you may want to hold on until you observe downward movement within the $14,000-$12,500 range. 

Ethereum’s Prospects in 2021

Ethereum has exhibited a lot of uncertainty in 2020. For instance, between March 6th and March 12, the currency dropped from $243 to $112 – losing more than half of its value in less than a week. However, it showed steady growth between April and July before making a sudden upward move to $380 in August. Since then, it has appeared to be oscillating between resistance at $380 and support at $320. Of course, there have been sudden but brief spikes and falls in between, but this resistance/support pair gives a general idea of how the currency has been performing in the last quarter of 2020. 

There are numerous Ethereum projects that are currently going on, and others scheduled for early next year. Most of these ventures are decentralized applications (DApp) projects. However, none of them seem to have the potential to disrupt the crypto economy substantially. This could be partly because Ethereum has a rather low rate of adoption. Based on these observations, we are unlikely to see the currency make a bullish run. Even so, slow and steady growth in 2021 is very much conceivable. 

Judging from its performance in the last half of 2020, it would be safe to assume that Ethereum will be a low-risk-low-return investment, at least for the better part of 2021. 

Final Thoughts

Both Bitcoin and Ethereum offer exciting investment opportunities. Each has a unique profile that makes it suitable for different investor needs. Both currencies have also shown relative stability and growth in the last half of 2020. However, the high volume of activity involving Bitcoin indicates a higher likelihood of the currency shooting even higher in 2021. On the other hand, Ethereum seems to be poised for slow but steady growth in the next few months. All in all, it seems like a good time to consider investing in either. Just ensure you set your investment goals and check that they are aligned with the currency’s growth trends. 

Categories
Crypto Videos

CRYPTO – Cypherpunk Holdings Becomes 9th largest Public Bitcoin Whale!

https://youtu.be/ECmVP5wTkXw

https://youtu.be/ECmVP5wTkXw


Cypherpunk Holdings Becomes 9th-largest Public Bitcoin Whale


Cypherpunk Holdings, a privacy-focused investment company from Canada, has recently upped its stake in Bitcoin while simultaneously dumping Monero and Ethereum. The company disclosed on Nov 26 that it has added 72.979 Bitcoin to its reserves and that the expansion of its Bitcoin portfolio share started on June 30, 2020.

Cypherpunk funded this acquisition by liquidating its holdings of Monero and Ethereum, as well as through partial proceeds that came from a private placement of CA$505,000, or the US $388,000, closed on Aug 27. As an aftermath of the accumulation, the company now has 276.479 Bitcoin in its reserves, making it the ninth-largest public holder of Bitcoin. At current values, Cypherpunk’s stake in Bitcoin is worth just over $4.8 million.

At the moment, at least 14 publicly traded companies held Bitcoin on their books, with Cypherpunk being one of them. Combined, their holdings now amount to 66,896.59 Bitcoin, or $1.2 billion. This number is equivalent to roughly 3.2% of Bitcoin’s current circulating supply.

Cypherpunk Holdings, which currently trades on the Canadian Securities Exchange, has numerous privacy-focused businesses under its name, including Wasabi Wallet as well as Samourai Wallet. The company’s blockchain investments also include Hydro66, a green cloud infrastructure platform, and smart contract protocol Chia Network.

Cypherpunk Holdings is run by Antanas Guoga, also known as Tony G, a Lithuanian businessman, politician, and former professional-level poker player. He currently serves as an elected member of the Seimas, a legislative branch of the Lithuanian government. Prior to this, he served as a member of the European Parliament for Lithuania.

More and more public companies are converting their various holdings into Bitcoin as a more suitable store of value nowadays. MicroStrategy is the most prominent example of this trend, as it has converted most of its cash holdings into Bitcoin. The company now sits on a whopping 38,250 Bitcoin after nearly doubling its holdings this year. Galaxy Digital is the second-largest public Bitcoin holder, sitting at 16,402 Bitcoin, followed by Square holding the third-largest Bitocin holder spot with 4,709 Bitcoin.

Categories
Cryptocurrencies

How To Avoid the Bitcoin FOMO and Double Your Investment

‘The hardest thing to do in a bull market is to sit,’ says Mike Novogratz, a renowned Bitcoin evangelist. This is a feeling most investors can relate to. In a bull market, prices surge, and volumes skyrocket. And with the wave comes an irresistible urge to board the bandwagon – the fear of missing out (FOMO).

‘The hardest thing to do in a bull market is to sit,’ says Mike Novogratz, a renowned Bitcoin evangelist. This is a feeling most investors can relate to. In a bull market, prices surge, and volumes skyrocket. And with the wave comes an irresistible urge to board the bandwagon – the fear of missing out (FOMO).

‘The hardest thing to do in a bull market is to sit,’ says Mike Novogratz, a renowned Bitcoin evangelist. This is a feeling most investors can relate to. In a bull market, prices surge, and volumes skyrocket. And with the wave comes an irresistible urge to board the bandwagon – the fear of missing out (FOMO).

Beginning July 2020, Bitcoin has shown steady performance against the dollar and altcoins. However, it’s the currency’s performance in October and November that has left investors scrambling for the 18.5 million or so Bitcoins in existence. The Bitcoin FOMO is officially here, and many investors will make blind decisions. 

This article will look closely at the ongoing frenzy, what it means to investors, and how to approach it. 

Bitcoin in 2020

Bitcoin started 2020 modestly, only managing to fetch about $7K in January. It briefly jumped to $10K before plunging into an abyss, exchanging at less than $5K in March. But that seems to have marked the end of the dramatic falls. From mid-March, the currency started recovering steadily, and towards the end of July, it hit the symbolic $10K figure. Every time Bitcoin climbs to $10K, investors start getting all fidgety, as has been the case several times.

Since Bitcoin reached $10K in July, it has been going up almost consistently. In less than three months, it has gained over 50%, which is more than impressive. It isn’t easy to point out with certainty how things will turn out. However, investor greed and excitement is likely to push the figures even higher, at least in the short run.

What is the Fear and Greed Index Saying?

The crypto Fear and Greed Index is a contrarian scale that expresses investors’ general sentiment with regards to fear and greed. The idea is that when fear is high up there, investors will shy from trading, and that will cause prices to decline. On the converse, if investor greed is high, increased trading, and prices will rise. 

Different crypto fear and greed indices have shown a consistent increase in greed. A higher score represents more greed, while a low score represents more fear. Since these two factors are on opposite sides of the scale, one declines as the other increases. As reported by the fear and greed indices, the trend has closely resembled Bitcoin’s price trends all year long. 

Trading volume can give a clear picture of what is going on in the Bitcoin market. Exchanges everywhere are reporting sky-high volumes. 

An increase in volume usually triggers an increase in prices and hence an increase in market cap. 

What Has Caused the Sudden Interest?

When Bitcoin reached $10K in July, there was news all over the interweb covering this historical moment. Crypto evangelists and analysts, once again, resurfaced giving their expert opinions and predictions on how Bitcoin was going to double its value unless something ‘really wrong’ happens. You could look at it like a self-fulfilling prophecy, where speculators create so much hype that the market inevitably skews to their predictions. We certainly cannot underestimate the power that speculators have on market movements. In this case, there can only be little doubt that positive news about Bitcoin’s prospects contributed to increased interest in the currency. 

News is not the only positive thing that has been going around. In 2020, there has been a particular corporate interest in crypto. Several organizations, some of them high-ranking, have expressed interest in adopting cryptocurrencies. In October, Square – a global financial services provider – bought 4,000 Bitcoins for about $50 million, saying that it believes Bitcoin aligns well with the company’s purpose. Spending such amounts of corporate cash on buying crypto signifies corporate confidence in the future of cryptocurrencies. 

Just recently also, PayPal announced plans to have Bitcoin and other cryptos on its payments platform. This announcement was immediately followed by a surge in BTC prices to reach $12K. Several other top-tier corporations have expressed interest in mainstreaming cryptocurrencies, and this is undoubtedly part of the cause of the sudden surge in interest in crypto. 

What You Should Do

If you had not invested in Bitcoin before it broke the $10K barrier, you might be late to the party. Normally, by the time the buying frenzy kicks in, early-bird investors will be counting profits. Look at it this way, those who bought Bitcoin before July 26, that’s right before it surpassed the $10K high, are already counting a 50% profit less than three months down the line (BTC was at $15K at the time of writing). 

Even so, not all is lost. There are many indications that the Bitcoin market will be on the bull run for some time – how long that is, is a matter of conjecture. Therefore, you can still invest in BTC at this time and make profits. 

If you are determined to take the risk, here are some things to consider:

#1: Set Your Investment Goal – One of the unforgivable mistakes an investor can make is not to set goals. Such blind investments unsurprisingly end in tears. Setting a goal means having a plan for when to buy and when to sell. Just like gambling, you have to know when to hold them and when to walk away. For instance, you can decide to buy and sell when the price hits a certain figure, or you could decide to sell after a fixed term – regardless of whether you have gained or lost.

#2: Do Your Due Diligence – This is usually mandatory. Even if a reputable investor has advised you, you still have to do your due diligence. This may include seeking a second opinion, evaluating your finances, finding out whether you are ready to bear the risk, and so on. Because at the end of the day, it is your money that is at stake. Rushing into buying Bitcoin, especially amid such hype, may be regrettable. 

#3: Consider Altcoins – While all the attention is on Bitcoin, investors are busy ignoring other cryptocurrencies. When the Bitcoin market eventually heads for the bear run, investors might look at other cryptos. If you invest in the right altcoin at this time, you might be where Bitcoin’s early bird investors were before the frenzy began. 

#4: Sit on Your Hands and Lock Your Phone – Well, not literally, but if you can’t resist the temptation even when nothing makes sense, just avoid the markets altogether. This decision might save the little you have from drowning away in a possible market crash. As far as investment is concerned, you can consider that a profit.

Final Thoughts

Bitcoin’s recent performance has generated a lot of interest among investors. People are rushing to buy BTC, as evidenced by the increase in trading volume across exchanges. It would be great if we could all join the bandwagon, but extra caution is necessary for such market movements. Avoiding the hype is key in making a sound investment decision. You can invest in altcoins or simply avoid the markets until such a time when you can be under less pressure to make decisions.