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Best Cryptocurrencies of 2018: What Are the Best Bitcoin Alternatives?

Important: This position should not be considered investment advice. The author focuses on the best coins in terms of actual usage and adoption, not from a financial or investment perspective.
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In 2017, crypto markets set a new standard for easy profits. Almost every piece or chip has made incredible returns. “A rising tide floats all boats,” as they say, and the end of 2017 was a deluge. The increase in prices has created a positive feedback cycle, which attracts more and more capital to Crypto. Unfortunately, but inevitably, this galloping market leads to huge investments. Money has been thrown indiscriminately into all sorts of dubious projects, many of which will not bear fruit.
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In the current bearish environment, hype and greed have been replaced by critical judgment and prudence. Especially for those who have lost money, marketing promises, endless shillings and charismatic oratories are no longer enough. Well, the fundamental reasons to buy or hold coins are once again Paramount.
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Basic factors in cryptocurrency valuation-

There are some factors that tend to overcome hype and prices, at least in the long run:

The adoption angle

Although the technology of cryptocurrency or ICO business plan may seem surprising without users, they are just dead projects. It is often forgotten that widespread acceptance is an essential characteristic of money. In fact, it is estimated that over 90% of Bitcoin’s value is a function of the number of users.
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While acceptance of fiat is mandated by the state, acceptance of cryptography is purely voluntary. Many factors play a role in the decision to accept a coin, but perhaps the most important factor is the likelihood that others will accept the coin.
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Security

Decentralization is necessary for the I push model of real cryptocurrency. Without decentralization, we’re a little closer to a Ponzi scheme than a true cryptocurrency. Trust in individuals or institutions is a problem – cryptocurrency tries to solve.
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If dismantling a coin or a central controller can change the transaction record, it calls into question its basic security. The same goes for parts with untested code that haven’t been thoroughly tested in years. The more you can count on the code to work as described, regardless of human influence, the more secure the coin is.
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Innovation

Valid coins strive to improve their technology, but not at the expense of security. True technological progress is rare because it requires a lot of expertise – but also wisdom. While there are always fresh ideas that can be screwed up, if it leads to vulnerabilities or critics of the coin’s original purpose, it misses the point.
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Innovation can be a difficult factor to assess, especially for non-technical users. However, if a currency is stagnating or not receiving updates that address important issues, it can be a sign that developers are low on ideas or motivation.
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Incentives

The economic incentives inherent in currency are easier for the average person to understand. If a coin had a large pre-mine or an ICO (initial offering) team had a significant share of tokens, then it is quite obvious that the main motivation is profit. By buying what the team has to offer, you play your game and enrich it. Be sure to provide tangible and reliable value in return.
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5 Cryptocurrencies to Buy in 2018

There has never been a better time to reassess and rebalance your crypto portfolio. Based on their solid fundamentals, here are five pieces that I think are worth holding or perhaps buying at their current depressed prices (which, just be warned, could go lower).
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#1. Bitcoin (because of its decentralization)

Number one belongs to Bitcoin (BTC), which remains the market leader in all categories. Bitcoin has the highest price, the widest assumption, the most security (due to the phenomenal energy consumption of Bitcoin mining), the most famous brand identity (forks have struggled to match), and the most development Active and rational. It is also the only piece to date that is represented on traditional markets in the form of Bitcoin futures on the US CME and CBOE.
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Bitcoin remains the main engine; The performance of all other parts is highly correlated with the performance of Bitcoin. My personal expectation is that the gap between Bitcoin and most if not all other parts will widen.
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Bitcoin has several promising innovations in the pipeline that will soon be installed as additional layers or soft forks. Examples are the Flash system (LN), tree, Schnorr signatures, Mimblewimbleund many more.
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In particular, we plan to open up a new range of applications for Bitcoin, as it enables large-scale, micro-transactions and instant and secure payouts. LN is becoming more stable as users test their various capabilities with real Bitcoin. As it becomes easier to use, it can be assumed that it benefits greatly from the adoption of Bitcoin.
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#2. Litecoin (because of its persistence)

Litecoin (LTC) is a clone of Bitcoin with a different hash algorithm. Although Litecoin no longer has Bitcoin’s anonymity technology, incredible reports have shown that Litecoin’s dark market adoption is now second only to Bitcoin. Although the currency I have is much more suited to the role of acquiring illegal goods and services, perhaps this is a result of Litecoin’s longevity: it was launched in late 2011.
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Another factor in Litecoin’s favor is that it integrates Bitcoin SegWit technology, which means that Litecoin is LN ready. Litecoin can benefit from the exchange of atomic chains. In other words, secure peer-to-peer currency trading without the involvement of third parties (ie exchanges). Because Litecoin keeps its code largely in sync with Bitcoin, it is well positioned to benefit from Bitcoin’s technical advances.

#3. Ethereum (because of smart contracts)

Ethereum (ETH) is currently experiencing some major problems. First of all, governments crack down on ICOs, and rightly so: many turn out to be either fake or bankrupt. Since most icos are launched on the Ethereum network as an ERC token 20, the ICO mania has brought a lot of value to Ethereum in recent years. If proper rules are put in place to protect investors, scams in Ethereum projects can claim some legitimacy as a crowdfunding platform.
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Another major problem facing Ethereum is the delayed transition to a new hybrid system of work and battery detection. Ethereum GPU mining is currently profitable, but Bitmain just announced an Ethereum ASIC minor, which will likely have an impact on GPU miners’ bottom lines. It remains to be seen whether this will change the POWs and how successful this change will be.

If Ethereum can survive these two main problems – regulation and mining – it will show great resilience. Otherwise, there are several competing currencies that follow its shadows, such as Ethereum Classic (etc), Cardano (ADA), and EOS.

#4. Monero (because of its anonymity)

Although its adoption in the dark markets is not all that might have been expected, I (XMR) remains the privacy of the prime minister. Its reputation and market capitalization are still above those of its rivals – and for good reason.

Monero’s code requires less trust than Zcash’s “loyal” key ceremony, and it had an honest start, unlike Dash. That Monero recently changed its Pow to defeat the development of a small ASIC for its algorithm confirms the commitment of the decentralization part of mining. The significant drop in hash rate is due to the new version, which is constantly being reported against ASICs. This could also be an opportunity for GPUs and even smaller processors to come to me. The new version of Monero, 0.12, also includes other improvements that show that Monero continues to grow along sensitive lines.

#5. iPRONTO (decentralized incubation platform)

iPRONTO is an incubation platform Ethereum chain dedicated to investors who are looking for a safe and reliable platform to invest in new ideas and future innovators who can present their ideas and get opinions from users, experts in the field about the practice and implementation of derived ideas.

Innovators’ ideas are supported because the NES in Smart Contract format will be signed between the expert platform and the customer if the client’s business idea is sent to the Commission for examination and registration on the platform. The idea will not be released to all users on the chain’s public platform, but only to selected members of the target community who are willing to sign a Smart Contract to maintain the confidentiality of the idea.

Stock market average

The art of averaging

Average is a term that can sometimes be encountered in the markets; this refers to the average price paid for a particular share if you had bought shares in that particular company.

To calculate the average price paid for a particular stock, you add up the total amount you paid for the stock and divide that by the number of shares you bought in that company.

The answer is the average amount you paid per share.

Try this math question:

There are five numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50

What is the average number?

Calculation:

Add the five numbers: 10 + 20 + 30 + 40 + 50 = 150

Divide the total of five numbers (150) by 5

150 divided by 5 = 30 (answer)

You can easily do this with a calculator.

Today, there are so many stock trading platforms that investing directly in the stock market has never been easier for the common man and woman.

So how does the average work?

If you buy stocks at regular intervals, you will pay different prices for each share as stock prices go up and down. Imagine you bought something at the supermarket last week at full price and then bought the same item this week on sale. The average price you paid for the item will be somewhere between the higher price and the lower price.

That’s how the stock market works. By buying a certain stock at regular intervals, you will be able to pick up some of the shares in it when the price is lower. This is the advantage of regular savings.

In fact, I think there is a reason to buy more stocks when the price is low. The average price paid per share is determined by calculations as explained earlier.

Averaging strategy can also be used in cryptocurrency investing.

Bitcoin is more volatile than the stock market, so a shrewd investor with an eye for a bargain can invest when the price drops.

There are so many stock trading platforms available that playing the markets is accessible to everyone. I joined two of them in New Zealand. Most countries have stock trading platforms available. Signing up for them is easy; you need some form of identification. Just follow the instructions and you’re all set.

TO SUM UP

Playing the market requires a positive mindset and a cool head. If you have them, you can profit from falling markets. Averaging is a method that takes advantage of falling markets.

Corda Review: The Solution to All and Any Frictions in Blockchain Business

Corda is the solution to all frictions in blockchain business by not only delivering on the great early promise of blockchain technology, but also addressing business needs for interoperability as well as privacy. For example, it enables businesses to transact directly by removing the costly friction involved in any business transaction. In addition, it guarantees all business parties that they are always aligned, which in turn enables dramatic business efficiency benefits in a complex business.

To understand what the Corda project is all about, let’s take a deeper look at what it entails, its benefits, and how it achieves the privacy it promises.

What is Corda?

In short, Corda is an open source blockchain business project designed by the R3 community. Being the result of a collaboration between technology partners and financial institutions, Corda was designed specifically for business from the ground up to serve a variety of purposes. These include:

  • Integrate directly into the organization’s systems.

  • Enable rapid implementation of the new process.

  • Enable a smooth transition to new processes.

As a platform, Corda does not have any cryptocurrency embedded in it, but rather one that controls existing and proven infrastructure and technology. As such, Corda does not require consensus on a mining style. Such results lead to the presence of large costs associated with small business benefits.

Advantages of Corda in the Blockchain world

Based on its aforementioned designed purpose, the blockchain world should celebrate Corda—because it has brought more positive impacts in the blockchain world. The main ones are:

  • Allowing parties to transact directly – With its modern cryptographic techniques, Corda has ensured that the direct transfer of value can occur efficiently and that systems are in agreement. This in turn helps to remove costs which consequently facilitates and drives the presence of direct transactions between the involved parties.

  • Securing and maintaining privacy over transaction history – Since preserving privacy and ensuring integrity and validity is a major challenge in the blockchain world, Corda has another reason to celebrate as it offers a solution to the challenge. Through its various techniques, Corda ensures both the validity and integrity of transactions – confirming competing and conflicting transactions in the transaction history. When doing the above, Corda also makes sure to maintain privacy.

Ways Corda achieves privacy

Securing and maintaining privacy as one of Corda’s main strengths in the blockchain world, it does so through:

  • Full encryption – For this it targets peer-to-peer network.

  • Randomization and key rotation – Will do this in combination with automatic identity management when the goal is to de/anonymize transactions.

  • Intel Software Guard Extensions – Through these, Corda will enclave the technology and consequently allow records to be verified at the same time and remain encrypted for all parties involved.

  • Transaction Structuring – Corda will structure transactions in a Merkle tree which in turn helps it to allow only selective information disclosure.

Parting Shot

With expensive frictions being a popular and common occurrence and challenge in business, there is a need for the blockchain world to embrace Corda as a solution only if they are to witness great performance. Corda will remove such frictions and in turn will have advantages aligned with the blockchain world, such as the presence of a direct transaction between parties and maintaining privacy over transaction history. As such, there is no doubt that Corda is the right solution in the blockchain world.

Surviving Beyond FOMO – How to Pick a Winning ICO Project for Long Term Value

In a world driven by hype and FOMO [Fear Of Missing Out]every day it becomes clearer that the hardworking crypto enthusiast must have a litmus test for choosing a token to support in a world where real sustainable projects are hard to find, and good projects with long-term prospects even harder to distinguish from money grabbing ‘shitcoins’.

With recent developments in which most new cryptocurrencies hit record lows and new ICO projects fail to live up to their post-Crowdsale aspirations, it is now common for disappointed ‘investors’ to blame the ICO promoters on social media rather than blaming themselves for they didn’t do proper analysis to pick the most likely winner after the crowdsale before buying the tokens during the ICO.

From my extensive observation, it seemed that most crypto buyers simply bought the coins during the ICO based on the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) created by the hype masters behind those coins. Many simply bought without understanding the purpose of the coin after the ICO or what the token was supposed to do after the Crowdsale. When nothing happened after the ICO, as is often the case now for many ICOs, then they would jump on social media to scream bloody murder.

Recently, me and my team just finished a tour of Africa and some parts of the US to promote the Nollycoin ICO. We have organized and sponsored various conferences, held live AMA (Ask Me Anything) press conferences, and held many one-on-one meetings with crypto whales, retail investors, and crypto millionaires of all stripes.

With all that, one thing that amazed me above all else was that MOST token holders had NO IDEA about the underlying business or project behind the token sale they were participating in.

Even stranger to my observation was the incredible fact that many couldn’t tell you the value of the project, its goals, or the company’s plan to disrupt the market and grab a share of the customers in its industry. They simply bought the ICO because several telegrams or Facebook pages they visited kept telling them to buy. Hodl and buy more’. Most simply operated on herd instinct rather than objective deliberation.

Now, if most of the people I met were just teenagers or people with no education, I wouldn’t be so surprised at the level of ignorance of many of the crypto ‘investors’ I met. On the contrary, many of those I met were university graduates and people of some means. However, less than 10% of them could easily articulate why they bought the coin in the expectation that its value would increase over time. Everywhere I went, very few people could tell me the name, experience, and ability of the corporate managers of the company selling the coins.

The only thing most of them could point out was that the coins were recommended by ‘respected’ influencers when the facts proved that most of them were paid to create FOMO and reputation for otherwise useless shitcoins.

Apart from the so-called fake influencers, all that many cryptocurrency buyers knew was that the names of the team leaders were Russian, Chinese or Korean, even though they knew absolutely nothing about them. As if all you needed for a successful ICO was to list the names of people from Korea, China or Russia that no one could verify with a simple Google search.

While I agree that there are certainly many things to consider when deciding whether a project’s tokens will grow over time, I think the acid test and most immediate evaluation criteria should be the utility of the coin itself beyond what would happen in crypto exchanges.

Although most crypto token holders I’ve met didn’t even know it, the reality is that if you bought a token from most ICOs, you weren’t actually ‘investing’ in that company. You would not buy shares in the company and you did not buy any securities from the company.

And at best, what you were doing when you bought tokens during most ICOs was ‘donating’ to a project in exchange for providing a utility token or coin that legally had no real value outside of the business ecosystem controlled by the issuing company.

In words, apart from your hope that the price of the token will ‘replace’ or rise to make you a millionaire, there is nothing else you can do with the token other than enjoy the utility attached to it by the ICO company, if anyone.

Since no one could predict with certainty how Crypto will behave on the crypto exchange when it finally arrives there, and recent experiences have shown that the prices of most tokens would most likely jump in the first weeks after the exchange opens (due to heavy selling by speculators), it would have it makes sense to look at what other value or utility you can get from your token, other than the expected ‘mooning’ of the stock market.

As the crypto revolution has continued to evolve, reshape, and adapt to different market developments, the only way to ensure that your money doesn’t go down the drain is to make sure you can still use those tokens to get great value and benefits even if you could immediately sell it for a profit on the exchange.

In making this decision, you must ask yourself this primary question: What is the value, product, or service generated by the token sale company that will give me enough value for my money to make this purchase worth my time?

In a world of falling token prices on various exchanges, the more opportunities you have to use tokens in real life outside of the expected listing on a crypto exchange, the better the chances are that you won’t end up frustrated or stranded with tokens that are useless to you.

So you have to ask again and again: IF this coin was never traded on an exchange, would I still be happy to support the vision? If this token has lost 70% of its value on an exchange, can I still use it and get value for my money elsewhere?

If you couldn’t answer these questions positively after reviewing the WHITEPAPER and investing the company’s claims, then you should think twice before buying that coin.

A recent case study

Take the current ICO like Nollycoin which is a token that powers a Blockchain powered film distribution ecosystem. Coin promoters have created various utility scenarios for coin buyers to ensure that no matter what happens to Nollycoin on the crypto exchange, their sponsors and token holders will continue to smile.

Some of the great utilities related to the Nollycoin token in the Nollytainment ecosystem include

• Ability to use Nollycoin tokens to watch exclusive movies in theaters and cinemas

• Ability to use Nollycoin tokens to access 1000 movies on their Netflix-on-steroids blockchain Movie distribution.

• Ability to use Nollycoin tokens to purchase products and services in NollyMall which is like Amazon platform for entertainment based products.

• The possibility of using Nollycoin tokens to pay school fees on the NOLLY Academy platform and partner companies

As you can see, beyond the usual expectations of tokens being listed on a cryptocurrency exchange, you have to look beyond the hype ico, the immediate and future utility of the token and the viability of the underlying project behind it.

Kaspersky Antivirus for PC Info – About this security solution and its flexible subscription plans

Kaspersky antivirus products are always worth using – especially for Windows users. Of course, it’s not just limited to Windows. There are subscription options that include usage on multiple devices, including Mac, Android, and iOS. Keep in mind that this company has won more awards than any other cyber security company, so if you want to get great protection for your computer, this product is the best choice. There are many positive reviews of Kaspersky Antivirus for PC from experts.

It offers protection against all types of viruses, dangerous apps, suspicious websites, phishing attempts, ransomware and more. Security is designed to protect your computer without distraction. It works seamlessly and quietly in the background and receives automatic updates so you’ll know your antivirus is always up to date.

You can choose between different levels of protection: Basic, Internet Security and Total Security. The free version of Kaspersky Antivirus for PC provides basic protection, but nothing else. Internet Security includes all the tools needed to prevent malicious attacks and detect malware behavior, as well as privacy tools to help keep all your online transactions and banking information safe.

There is also an option to upgrade your antivirus by paying a one-year, two-year or three-year fee to protect 3 – 5 computers. This is a good option if you have a home or small business network that you need to secure. It automatically scans your computer for threats, including new “crypto mining” infections that could seriously damage your computer’s performance if not handled properly. If your computer gets infected with this, Kaspersky technologies help to save and reset it.

Setting up and managing Kaspersky Antivirus for PC

Another great thing about these products is that they are very easy to set up and operate. There is technical support for every type of user, including home users, small businesses, medium-sized businesses, and enterprise-level businesses. You’ll be able to manage security from anywhere when you log in to your My Kaspersky account.

If you have an older computer, read the system requirements to make sure you can run the antivirus effectively. All versions of Windows from Vista onwards are supported. It is recommended that you have at least 2 GB of RAM and 1 GB of hard disk space. Kaspersky products are also available for Mac users.

Before choosing to subscribe and upgrade, you can always try a free trial of Kaspersky Antivirus for PC. Coupons are available when you want to upgrade, and they help bring the price down significantly.

New digital threats emerge every day, so don’t delay buying protection. You should be able to get it at an affordable price as long as you use Kaspersky Antivirus for PC promo codes. It’s time to start protecting your computer!

Should You Buy Bitcoin?

As the current world leader in the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin has been in serious headlines and serious fluctuations over the past 6 months. Almost everyone has heard of them, and almost everyone has an opinion. Some cannot fathom the idea that a currency of any value can be created out of thin air, while others like the idea that something without government control can be traded as a valuable entity in its own right.

Where do you sit on the “Should I Buy Bitcoin?” The fence probably comes down to one question in the end: Can I make money from Bitcoin?

Can you make money from Bitcoin?

In just the last 6 months we have seen the price go from $20 per coin in February, to $260 per coin in April, back to $60 in March and back to $130 in May. The price is now set at around $100 per Bitcoin, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen next.

Bitcoin’s future ultimately rests on two main variables: its adoption as a currency by a wide audience and the absence of prohibitive government intervention.

The Bitcoin community is growing rapidly, interest in the cryptocurrency has expanded dramatically on the Internet, and new services are increasingly accepting Bitcoin payments. Blogging giant WordPress accepts Bitcoin payments and African mobile app provider Kipochi has developed a Bitcoin wallet that will enable Bitcoin payments on mobile phones in developing countries.

We have already seen people make millions on the currency. We’re seeing an increasing number of people experimenting with living off Bitcoin for months at a time while filming the experience for documentary viewing.

You can buy takeout in Boston, coffee in London, and even a few cars on Craigslist using Bitcoin. Bitcoin searches increased in 2013, with a spike in April and a subsequent drop in the price of Bitcoin. Last week, the first major acquisition of a Bitcoin company was made for SatoshiDice, an online gambling site, for 126,315 BTC (about $11.47 million), from an unknown buyer.

This rapid growth in awareness and acceptance looks set to continue, if confidence in the currency remains strong. Which leads to another addiction. Government regulation.

Although specifically designed to operate independently of government control, Bitcoin will inevitably be influenced by governments in some way. This must be the case for two reasons.

First, to achieve a high level of adoption, Bitcoin will need to be accessible to a large number of people, and that means expanding beyond the realm of hidden transactions to normal everyday transactions for individuals and businesses. Second, these Bitcoin transactions could become a traceable part of people’s taxable wealth, to be declared and regulated along with any other type of wealth.

The European Union has already announced that Bitcoin is not classified as a fiat currency, nor as money, and that it will not be regulated as such. In the US, 50 state systems and the number of bureaucratic bodies involved have inevitably made decisions difficult, with no consensus yet achieved. Bitcoin is not considered money as such, but it is considered to act like money.

The successful US Bitcoin market has a more uncertain future for now, and any final US legislation could have a very positive or very negative effect on the future of Bitcoin.

So should you buy Bitcoin?

The answer largely depends on how risk-averse you are. Bitcoin will certainly not be an easy investment, but the potential of this currency is huge.

The Future of Bitcoin

The world has been changing rapidly lately, as has the currency system. With the use of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin in vogue, people are curious to assess the possible future of Bitcoin which needs to be established and supported by facts and shrewd rationality.

In 2009, a new concept of currency appeared and was introduced to the financial world. It was a little confusing for people, but within a year or two, it emerged as a trend. Today, more and more people and business ventures are using Bitcoins for various reasons. The digital currency is still going through regular updates to improve it in every possible way.

SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT BITCOIN

People around the world have become quite aware of cryptocurrency. Moreover, there are many more expert opinions about it. It is quite common to find that pro-bitcoin currency experts believe that the currency is expected to reach between $250,000 and $500,000 for each coin in the next few years.

On the other hand, you will find several recognized financial analysts and experts who do not hesitate to warn people about the problems they may face when investing in Bitcoin. Experts accept the fact that this currency called Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies may have a lot to give to the public, but the day is not far when people who invest will suffer and take a significant hit.

There are several advantages and disadvantages of Bitcoin. If the shortcomings are removed, there is a good chance that the entire international financial system will undergo a transformation. Let’s take a look at them:

SOME ADVANTAGES OF BITCOIN

• You really have full control over your money and can send and receive any amount 24×7. This is possible because transactions are not executed by central or commercial banks or any centralized organization.

• Transaction fee is minimal compared to any other money transaction online. The mining service that records transactions on the blockchain in question actually charges fees, and quite low fees at that.

• Since no personal information is traded, it is the safest way to transact money. Moreover, there are no problems.

• With minimal processing costs, everyone can rely on the most reliable and fastest way to transfer money.

• Bitcoin is not affected by price fluctuations in any of the global economies, unlike other currencies.

AGAINST BITCOIN

• Bitcoin needs to hold up better in global and local financial markets.

• Bitcoin price stability should be focused on more people and businesses using crypto currency.

• There is no guarantee yet on the purchasing power of Bitcoin, which could be provided to investors or users.

The future of Bitcoin is simply all about speculation

The downsides of Bitcoin cannot be easily ignored, but they can be somewhat easily deflected. With a stronger market presence and greater price stability, it may be the easiest type of online currency in the future. The future of Bitcoin is essentially nothing but speculation. There are positive responses from people all over the world, and it has the potential to become the next big thing.

Mom, where do bitcoins come from? Bitcoin Mining Explained

“Mom, where do Bitcoins come from?” So you see, when a bright young Bitcoin catches the eye of an aspiring miner, and because they love each other so much…

Wait, obviously that’s too hard to solve here. Besides, my whole goal is to keep things simple. Either way, bitcoins are made by solving complex mathematical problems. This is done by a powerful machine that is built to solve these math problems. This process is called mining. People who own these machines to earn money by mining Bitcoins are called miners. When a group of problems is solved, it becomes known as a block. Blocks are verified by other users and once verified, they are added to what is called a block chain. This chain continues to grow with a new block being added to it approximately every 10 minutes. This chain is really just a ledger that will continue to grow and never end.

Very powerful machines that miners consume a lot of energy and increase the monthly utility bill of the miner. The reason it takes so much power is the genius of the mathematics involved. This requires the mining machine to perform complex cryptographic algorithms. When a mathematical problem is solved by a machine, a block of coins is born. Every time 210,000 blocks are created, the miner’s reward is cut in half. It takes 4 years. So it’s like the Bitcoin Olympics. Currently, the block reward is 12 bitcoins (on June 23, 2020, the reward will be only 6 coins). Those coins go to the miner whose machine was the lucky lottery winner at the time. There is a winner every 10 minutes. There are also many miners competing there. Said miner now has something of value. Mine enough coins to pay the electric bill and then some.

There is another way to mine. This is called cloud mining. With this type of mining, you pay to use someone else’s network and this significantly reduces your profit. The positive sides of this method are that it does not require the use of electricity or even the purchase of a machine.

Sounds good to me. I want to start mining now. Is it a good idea and can I make regular passive income? Possibly. Hold on for now and you can make that call later.

Let’s try to break this down.

Going back to the original way of machine mining, you would have to start by purchasing a quality mining machine. That would cost you about $2,000. Here is a picture of a good machine (Antminer S9 from Bitmain) that is capable of creating a high hash rate of 14 TH/s. 1 TH/s is 1,000,000,000,000 hashes per second. This machine works 14 times harder. That’s a lot of hashing. A hash is just a really long number that the machine creates every time it tries to solve the algorithm. Again, to use my lottery analogy, all these machines are out there hoping to be the next winner.

Then, your chances of winning become more difficult with more competition. Further complicating this issue is that each time a math problem is solved, the next problem becomes more difficult to solve. The difficulty of the Bitcoin network changes approximately every two weeks or 2,016 blocks. The number of bitcoins that will ever be created is finite. That number is 21,000,000. Once we reach that number, there will never be any more Bitcoin mined. However, the blockchain itself will continue to expand as it is used to verify each transaction or purchase.

Remember that pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto I also wrote about? Did you know that today’s math problems are more than 70,000 times harder for machines to solve than they were when he mined the first Bitcoin in 2009?! It is estimated that the final coin will be mined in 2140, as the system is halved every four years (210,000 blocks). 16,400,000 coins (78%) have already been mined and every coin from now on will be mined much more slowly. Yes, you read that right. Basically, 80% was mined in the first 8 years and it will take more than 100 years to mine the last 20%. If any of my great grandchildren, great grandchildren are reading this, I hope you are sitting well with our family’s Bitcoins now valued at 220,000 per Bitcoin. We can all dream well!

Buying a mining machine or buying a cloud mining contract is risky. While there are some great success stories, be sure to research them thoroughly before deciding whether mining is right for you. For every person making money, there are many people losing money.

By the way, a great place to see all the cryptocurrencies out there and their total coins and market cap, Coin Market Cap is a great resource. There you can see all 700 plus altcoins that move overnight. Altcoin is just another way of saying any cryptocurrency coin that isn’t Bitcoin. By now you probably know that Bitcoin is like the Rose Bowl, the granddaddy of them all! I would really try to limit my focus and research to the top 10 for now. Not that there won’t be a success story of one of the almost worthless ones now. If only finding one was like picking the right penny stock. Sticking with established companies recognized by mainstream analysts is a much safer bet. The same goes for the exchange you use to buy, sell and trade. That’s why I use Coinbase to trade because they are the most reliable, secure and convenient exchange. They also have the most thorough vetting process when it comes to adding altcoins.

Here is a summary of the key points from this article:

-Bitcoins are created by mining

-Mining is performed by powerful machines that solve complex mathematical problems. You can also buy contracts called cloud mining if you don’t want to buy a machine.

-The problems become more difficult as the coins are mined and the production rate slows down

-As of May 2017, only 72 bitcoins are mined per hour (12 every 10 minutes)

– On June 23, 2020 this will be halved again to only 6 created every 10 minutes

– Almost 80% of Bitcoin’s final 21,000,000 coins have already been mined

-Competition among miners and increasingly complex mathematical problems make it difficult to achieve profitable mining

– It is estimated that the final coin will be mined in 2140

Acceptance and volatility – are they related?

Governments and institutions around the world are increasingly paying attention to cryptocurrencies (CC) and the technology that supports them all – Blockchain. Some of the attention is negative, but increasingly, it is clear that more and more attention is positive, supportive and exploitative. As the business and investment world becomes increasingly aware that it has a disruptive force in its midst, it becomes imperative to examine business processes in this new frontier and compare them to the relatively old, slow and expensive processes they have now. New technologies need new investment capital to grow, and with such growth come hiccups, false starts and controversies.

Developments in the CC and Blockchain world are coming fast and furious as governments and institutions make efforts to harness the technology, tax all profits, protect their investments and protect their constituents and customers – a complex balance that goes a long way to explaining why many seem to in different directions and often change directions. Here are some recent developments that serve to illustrate that CC and Blockchain are gradually being accepted into the mainstream, but still struggle with regulation, control and stability:

  • Uzbekistan will announce its plans to regulate Bitcoin in September 2018, and a Blockchain “skills center” is set to start operating in July.
  • Kazakhstan has signaled its desire to copy Singapore’s blockchain permissiveness.
  • Belarus has announced that it wants to create a welcoming environment for Blockchain, as an innovative financial transaction technology.
  • Venezuela created “PETRO”, a CC created to raise cash as Venezuela approaches economic collapse. The hope is that it will be a way to circumvent sanctions that prevent Venezuela from raising money on the global bond market. President Nicolas Maduro claims that PETRO raised $735 million on its first day, a claim that has not been substantiated. Maduro sees PETRO as “the perfect kryptonite to defeat SUPERMAN” – his analogy to US-imposed sanctions, thinking that this currency frees his country from the grip of banks and governments. Maybe he doesn’t see that PETRO was started by the government – his.
  • TD Canada Trust has become the first Canadian bank to join some UK and US banks in banning the use of credit cards for CC purchases.
  • South Korea is moving towards legalizing Bitcoin, indicating that it will consider Bitcoin as a liquid asset. Since South Korea is at the forefront of the CC market, the impact of their decisions will be significant and global. Japan has already taken those steps, making bitcoin trading more transparent, regulated and 100% legal.
  • BlackRock, the world’s largest investment firm, continues its bullish outlook for CC, saying it sees “broader use” in the future.
  • Romeo Lacher, chairman of the Swiss stock exchange, believes there are many advantages to releasing a crypto version of the Swiss franc, and his organization would be supportive, adding that he “doesn’t like cash”.
  • China’s largest online retailer and retailer JD.com has announced the first four startups for its Al Catapult Blockchain Incubation Program. The Beijing-based program, which has received applicants from as far away as Australia and the UK, aims to leverage the company’s vast Chinese infrastructure to develop new blockchain and artificial intelligence applications.

With all the global activity going back and forth, it’s clear that Blockchain is the disruptive technology of this era, and CCs are just one aspect of the possibilities enabled. Just like the Internet investment explosion of the 90s, Blockchain and CC investments will have winners and losers, however, we do not want this to turn into the huge bubble that destructively burst with many early DOT COM investments in the 90s. What we want to see is a well-reasoned approach to Blockchain development and investment.

Volatility will continue to be the norm in this market space for some time to come as we see increasing adoption, innovation and regulation. Failures will happen and successes will emerge, forcing governments, institutions, investors and innovators to constantly adapt their processes and their thinking. Volatility is normal and healthy at this stage.

Benefits of paying with Bitcoin

Because virtual currencies have a unique nature, they offer many advantages over traditional currencies. In the last few years, the world of digital currency has been going through many positive changes. There are many cryptocurrencies, but Bitcoin is one of the most popular. In this article, we will look at some of the most prominent advantages of paying with Bitcoin. Read on to find out more.

1. User autonomy

For many users, digital currencies allow much more freedom than conventional currency. People can have more control over how they spend their money. The good thing is that they don’t have to deal with middlemen like the government or the bank.

2. Discretion

Another advantage is that things purchased with Bitcoin are discreet. Only the user can publish their Bitcoin transactions. Additionally, transactions do not have their name next to them. In addition, these transactions are almost impossible to trace.

In fact, each transaction has a different Bitcoin address. But that doesn’t mean these transactions are impossible to trace. So if you don’t want to let others know where you spent your money, you can use cryptocurrencies to pay.

3. Peer-to-Peer Focus

Another great advantage of the Bitcoin payment system is that it is based on a peer-to-peer system. In other words, users can receive and send payments without getting approval from any authority. Payments can be made within seconds as long as the user is connected to the Internet.

4. No bank fees

Unlike traditional fiat currencies, Bitcoin does not include any deposit, overdraft, or minimum balance fees. So you don’t have to worry about account maintenance or account balance fees.

5. Low transaction fees

Overseas purchases and regular bank transfers usually come with costs and fees. Since cryptocurrencies do not require the involvement of the government or any intermediary institution, transaction costs are quite low. If you are a traveler, this can be a great advantage for you. In addition, bitcoin transfers are very fast, eliminating the need for authorization and long waiting periods.

6. Mobile payments

Like any online payment system, cryptocurrency users can pay through their mobile phones as long as they are connected to the internet. Therefore, they do not need to travel to their bank to make a purchase. Moreover, you do not need to show your personal identity to complete the transaction.

7. Accessibility

Genuine users can receive and send Bitcoin using their computer or smartphone, no need to involve a traditional bank or other authority. In addition, users do not need to use their credit cards to make payments. So Bitcoin provides more access than other options you can try.

In short, these are just some of the main advantages of paying with Bitcoin instead of using traditional means of payment. We hope this article will help you better understand cryptocurrencies.

Startups: Millions and Cryptocurrencies – Blockchainerz

Startups are the very foundations that keep economies afloat. Capital growth protection process for new age ideas are the essential background of growth platforms. This turnaround creates a potential growth benefit for the companies and populations it serves.

So why do we think cryptocurrency is a viable financing solution?

Startups are mostly innovation-driven companies that are driven to enter the big leagues in order to survive, and ideas to remain applicable are driven throughout tenure. That’s why they have to grow fast and stay big. To achieve this, investors with spending power who share the innovation to dive in and believe in it are key. Angel investors or venture capitalists are buzzwords for them who insure and guide them for the benefit of capital or profitable returns, with strict guidelines and policies that drive companies forward.

Secure financing alternatives with investors and capital growth are an extremely difficult combination to work out in tandem, with all geographic competitiveness while complying with the law. Finding an access path is an important factor for startup growth. With the presence of blockchain alternatives like Ethereum, they can earn and raise capital in the form of initial coin offerings.

An unregulated way to raise funds through cryptocurrencies. In an ICO campaign, a percentage of the currency is sold to early stage bankers in exchange for offline currencies like Bitcoin. This method of trading digital tokens for fund growth is the very basis of how the entire system works for the benefit without any government regulation or shareholder pressure hinting at company control for key members.

This process allows the founding members to have majority control over the startup and not deviate from the investor’s thinking and process. This negates the perspective that companies don’t have to be dissolved because of differences and misaligned goals.

Avoiding regulation is key to creating the technical background for organizational benefit and initial coin offerings that bring cryptocurrencies that collect arbitrary amounts of monetary benefits from anyone on the internet, a cryptocurrency wallet is therefore the protection they need to thrive. Pseudo-anonymity with technology such as Ethereum is provided by a decentralized blockchain that prevents activity from being inhibited.

Without having to meet aggressive expansion requirements, ICOs bring freedom to ordinary people with the ability to invest in private companies.

Therefore, startups no longer need to go to a technology hub to secure funding. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have paved the way forward with evident upsides and downsides along with risk taking and disclosure of security breaches.

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The ICO features of crowdfunding, for example, allow investors in India to invest in revolutionary fishing techniques and growth opportunities in Indonesia and Africa without the obligations and liabilities of the respective administration.