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  • E-money ($NGM): Rethinking stablecoins?

    E-money ($NGM): Rethinking stablecoins?

    e-Money is aiming to reimagine the stablecoin. Traditional stablecoins are cryptocurrencies designed to maintain a value that is pegged to a particular asset. But this has its drawbacks- for example, sudden market crashes of the underlying asset can result in the stablecoin being unable to keep up and maintain its peg.

    e-Money distinguishes itself with its novel token- an interest bearing stablecoin that can shift in value to accommodate economic pressures.

    Check out our interview with CTO Henrik Aasted Sørensen:

    Currency-backed Stablecoin: E-money (NGM) w. Henrik Aasted Sørensen

    Background

    The team behind e-Money is Block Finance A/S while their motive is to create a platform that can bridge blockchain with the traditional financial system. This way, stablecoins can find a stronger use case and attract greater adoption as it promises an alternative means of exchange, free from the interference of financial middlemen or large institutions.

    The platform is built on top of the Cosmos chain, which is also the same network where some of the biggest decentralized exchanges are developed. Furthermore, e-Money promises a faster, easier, and cheaper method of making peer-to-peer transactions worldwide.

    What is e-Money?

    e-Money is a blockchain-based payment platform that aims to make peer-to-peer payments and money transfers cheaper and more accessible digitally. With e-Money, Block Finance A/S intends to do away with the intermediaries present in most traditional financial services by introducing ‘currency-backed’ stablecoins.

    Later in this article, we will talk about the difference between this token class, as well as algorithmic and collateralized stablecoins. Basically, eMoney’s own currency-backed stablecoins serve as the backbone of e-Money’s frictionless digital asset for cross-border transactions.

    The team behind e-Money established the coin to usher in a new model for stablecoins that has the following characteristics:

    • Completely backed with actual bank deposits and government bonds;
    • Can support multiple currencies;
    • Lower transaction charges;
    • Quick transaction settlement times; and
    • Interest-bearing.

    How does the e-money stablecoin work:?

    e-Money is an innovation from the original concept modeled for collateralized stablecoins. One of its differences, however, is that it can hold interest. This is similar to how savings accounts in traditional banks work, making them a viable alternative store of value compared to other stablecoins that also fluctuate based on the movements of the whole crypto market.

    Bank reserve v Currency-backed tokens
    Bank reserve v Currency-backed tokens

    e-Money’s currency-backed token does not ensure a 1:1 peg with the fiat it represents. Instead, its price depends on the value held by the currency plus the interest accrued on the reserves of e-Money on the represented fiat.

    Annually, the supply of the e-Money token will be inflated by 1%. And unlike algorithmic stablecoins, the value of a currency-backed stablecoin does not depend on the need to manage its overall supply, monitor the performance of its underlying reserve, or collect transaction fees.

    Features of e-Money

    Cosmos and Tendermint Deployment

    e-Money is developed on top of the Cosmos chain, making it interoperable with other blockchain ecosystems. However, e-Money’s system maintains its independence from other chains through the implementation of a ‘sovereign zone.’

    Cosmos is used to enable inter-blockchain communication (IBC), a feature known to many as the ‘internet of blockchains.’ Through the Cosmos Hub, e-Money’s platform can frictionlessly interact with other blockchain networks should they need to be implemented on different platforms.

    Tendermint deployment is also another remarkable feature of the platform as it helps achieve faster transaction settlement times without compromising data integrity and security through a Proof of Stake consensus mechanism.

    Validator Network

    Since the platform secures blockchain consensus through stakers, validator networks are put in place to ensure the security of the network. Therefore, e-Money implements the validator service accessible in the Cosmos Hub and IRISnet’s IRIS Hub.

    The main task of validators is to confirm the authenticity of blockchain transactions involving e-Money, as well as to ensure the integrity and health of the whole network. Currently, there are already over 40 validators working to maintain the security of the platform.

    e-Money’s Decentralized Exchange

    Along with the currency-backed stablecoin, e-Money also has a decentralized exchange platform where users can access cryptocurrencies available in the Cosmos ecosystem.

    It bears some differences from a typical decentralised exchange (DEX). Here are some of them:

    • Payments needed for trades are only for transaction fees;
    • Transaction fees can be paid with your preferred token;
    • There are no listing requirements to use the DEX, any token is already tradeable once supported by the platform;
    • Higher liquidity since token balances can be sold on different orders; and
    • Faster transaction throughput through an on-demand block generation method.

    Risk Management

    To manage the risks that are likely to be experienced by stablecoin holders, e-Money implements an interest mechanism that helps its currency-backed stablecoin maintain its value despite economic fluctuations.

    To further mitigate the risks of partnering with single financial institutions to back their stablecoins, e-Money is collaborating with several banks. This spreads the risk that most collateralized stablecoins face when dealing with escrow accounts. e-Money is also putting a portion of their collateral into low-risk government bonds.

    Regulatory concerns are also dealt with. In fact, e-Money’s team has already begun working with regulatory agencies in the EU to determine their status and plan their road ahead. They have legal counsels and advisors who are directly working on EU financial regulations.

    Cosmos stacks, like e-Money, have already been audited and subjected to adversarial testnets. This ensures that the risk of users experiencing a problem with the platform is mitigated even before they are rolled out.

    2 e-Money Tokens

    There are two token classes supported on the e-Money platform. They are (1) Next Generation of Money (NGM); and (2) e-Money, a currency-backed stablecoin, which is a fiat currency represented onchain.

    Next Generation of Money (NGM) Tokens

    NGM token is primarily used for staking, as well as a reward incentive for users. Users can lock their NGM tokens on smart contracts for staking, or use them to nominate validators they trust to maintain the network. Annually, the NGM supply will be inflated by 10%, and then distributed proportionally to stakers.

    NGM tokens will also be the backbone of e-Money’s operations, with token rewards being the only source of funding for the platform.

    NGM token
    NGM token

    e-Money Tokens

    e-Money, its currency-backed stablecoin, can represent several cryptocurrencies. Its main function is to support the exchange of currencies between e-Money users. They can be used for payments, remittances, and transaction fees.

    Supported fiat currencies will have their own representation on the e-Money platform. These are currencies like EUR, CHF, SEK, NOK, JPY, USD, and GBP. Support for more tokens will be introduced soon.

    e-Money token class
    e-Money token class

    e-Money Token Metrics

    The NGM token has an initial total supply of 100,000,000 $NGM and a circulating supply of 6,364,516 $NGM.

    Funding Rounds

    Seed Round (concluded) :2,285,000 NGM sold at 0.10 USD per token. 12 months vesting period.*

    Private Sale (concluded): 6,700,000 NGM sold at 0.25 USD per token. 6 months vesting period.*

    Public Sale (on 19th January 2021): 300,000 NGM to be sold at 0.50 USD per token. No vesting period.*

    *The initial vesting date was 4th November 2020 at 1:00pm CET.

    Token allocation

    Marketing Costs: 280,000 NGM (0.28% of total supply)

    Market Making Fees: 33,333 NGM. (0.033% of total supply)

    Exchange Listing Fees: 600,000 NGM. (0.60% of total supply)

    Liquidity Provisioning (Float): 1,193,026 NGM. (11.9% of total supply)

    Customer Acquisition: 8,300,000 NGM. 8.3% of total supply)

    Ecosystem Fund (Grants): 10,000,000 NGM. (10% of total supply)

    Treasury: 60,000,000 NGM. (60% of total supply)

    e-Money Token Sale

    On 19th January 2021 at 12:00 CET, e-Money will launch the public sale of its NGM token on Polkastarter. This will be in the form of an Initial Decentralised exchange Offering (IDO). 300,000 NGM tokens will be available for sale at USD$0.50 each.

    Conclusion

    Stablecoins currently on the market have huge drawbacks. Problems with collateralization and the performance of their underlying assets can cause uncertainty on their value. For instance, MakerDAO’s DAI had encountered some problems when ETH crashed last March 2020, creating difficulties in maintaining its peg.

    e-Money is proposing a potentially promising alternative. By being collateralized in its issuing currency and interest-bearing, they are resilient against the at-times volatile economic climate. It is also simplified as its underlying fiat reserve is calculated automatically, and transparent with the help of quarterly audits by Ernst & Young to ensure Proof of Funds.

    Decentralised Finance (DeFi) series: tutorials, guides and more

    With content for both beginners and more advanced users, check out our YouTube DeFi series containing tutorials on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need for trading in the DeFi space e.g. MetaMask and Uniswap. As well as a deep dive into popular DeFi topics such as decentralized exchanges, borrowing-lending platforms and NFT marketplaces

    The DeFi series on this website also covers topics not explored on YouTube. For an introduction on what is DeFi, check out Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Overview: A guide to the HOTTEST trend in cryptocurrency

    Tutorials and guides for the ESSENTIAL DEFI TOOLS:

    More videos and articles are coming soon as part of our DeFi series, so be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube channel so you can be notified as soon as they come out!

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • Litentry ($LIT): Decentralized Cross-chain Identity Aggregator

    Litentry ($LIT): Decentralized Cross-chain Identity Aggregator

    Litentry ($LIT) is a decentralized cross-chain identity aggregator, built on Substrate, that features an identity matching and identity staking mechanism.

    In today’s world, personal data and identity are everything. Some companies in the conventional world make millions by selling user data. In the decentralized world, blockchain-based firms make losses.

    For example, one user can create multiple accounts to take advantage of free airdropped tokens. Also, platforms powering decentralized finance (DeFi) have no way of tracking users’ credit history, making them charge higher collateral when issuing loans.

    Fortunately, there’s a new way to keep track of identities in the distributed ecosystem securely. Powered by Litentry, we can see blockchain-focused platforms do more than just power token swaps. It’s now possible to scan through user’s deposit and withdrawal actions on Uniswap. Furthermore, a user’s activity can also be assessed on a community-governed blockchain.

    Since the platform is so diverse, below, we look at the major highlights.

    Background

    Litentry is developed by a team of blockchain professionals based in Germany. Its founder was among the early contributors of Parity, a decentralized network. Notably, the project engineering team’s background is rooted in Ethereum.

    The protocol is funded through a Web3 Foundation grant. On its Github page, the project lists eight team members with organization permission.

    What is Litentry?

    The project focuses on decentralized identity (DID), allowing user identities to be linked to multiple distributed protocols. Litentry acts as a DID aggregator where it collects, indexes, and distributes DIDs to blockchains.

    More importantly, it performs all these activities in a decentralized and verifiable way. Notably, built on the Substrate network, the platform works towards the greater goal of eradicating identity redundancy in the Web3-powered application ecosystem.

    The problem

    In the current internet world, third parties take control of storing user passwords and data pertaining to their online activity. Unfortunately, internet users are coerced into accepting unfavorable terms and conditions, consequently lessening the grip on their personal data.

    Litentry brings the change by returning the control of user data to the users by powering a user-focused internet using blockchain technology. As such, the revenue emanating from using users’ data gets the users to share in the profits. Before Litentry, these profits went to third parties managing the user data.

    Key Features of the Litentry platform

    Apart from using decentralized ledger technology (DLT), the platform has other critical features that help it bring the much-needed revolution to the blockchain sector. Key among them include:

    1. Identity management – The platform is all about identities, and their management sits at the protocol’s core. This feature powers anonymous and independent identities emanating from applications and or services used by the user.
    2. Distributed storage – After collecting the data, the protocol stores them in a decentralized manner to enhance access from all corners of the distributed world.
    3. Identity staking – This is a unique feature. Just like staking tokens and earning rewards, Litentry enables users to stake their identities and be rewarded.
    4. Decentralized contributors – Instead of creating multiple accounts to use different platforms or services, the project allows users to use one identity to interact with various services anonymously. Interestingly, the user doesn’t have to provide passwords or any other registration details.

    Litentry Architecture

    Litentry Architecture (Source: Litentry Doc)

    To bring all the above features to life, the protocol uses a layered architecture. On the top layer is the Litentry Runtime, which sits on Substrate. The Runtime layer is a Parachain of Polkadot and employs offline workers when generating identities.

    The second layer is the User Side. Here, users flex their muscles when it comes to data under their control. Note that user data that comes from applications are anonymous, stored in a decentralized way, and cryptographically-separated.

    On the Litentry Authenticator layer, we have the mobile data hub. The hub can be used to manage a user’s different identities. Additionally, the hub can be connected to various IoT devices that the user wants.

    Next is the Litentry SDK enabling developers to fire up their creative juices to create completely decentralized applications and/or services. In addition, the Litentry IPFS data center offers users a chance to check the data attached to their identities.

    The middleware layer comprises services such as off-chain catching and query servers. It is also made up of a client-side SDK library that helps connect front-end apps with decentralized networks.

    Litentry Tokenomics

    The incentive mechanism on the Litentry platform takes into account different participants such as an identity staker, validator, external storage, node, and data buyer.

    1. Identity staker — This is the person who has an identity record and has a stake in the identities pool.
    2. Identity validator — An identity staker becomes a validator of new blocks when their identity has been confirmed.
    3. Storage — Stores all data about an identity in a decentralized manner.
    4. Node — The node is a critical component of the Litentry platform. Its work is to perform functions such as invoking off-chain workers to validate identity correctness and connecting with external decentralized storages.
    5. Data buyer — This is any entity on the blockchain that requests identity validation.
    6. Data generator — These are entities generating data and can include applications, users, or services offering migration services.
    Litentry Tokenomic (Source: Litentry Lightpaper)

    Litentry Native Token (LIT)

    Litentry’s base asset is called LIT. The network uses the asset to reward identity stakers in the identities pool. Two types of rewards the stakers get are the block reward and the matching fee.

    Apart from stakers, validators are motivated to truthfully verify the correctness of data. On the other hand, data generators enjoy benefits from the Litentry Foundation in the form of grants.

    External storage operators earn a section of the fee paid by users interfacing with the service. Others who are incentivized using LIT tokens are nodes.

    Those who pay using LIT tokens include identity buyers. Observe that these entities only have access to the winning identity or identities during an identity matching process.

    Conclusion

    The identity problem is two-pronged; users can create multiple entities to defraud a company. On the other hand, malicious actors aggregate user data and sell it to the highest bidder without profiting the real data owners.

    Fortunately, Litentry uses a layered approach to comprehensively tackle the problem to the benefit of both identity owners and decentralized platforms. Here’s to another promising project with a unique approach to solving some of the most crucial problems that often go overlooked.

    Decentralised Finance (DeFi) series: tutorials, guides and more

    With content for both beginners and more advanced users, check out our YouTube DeFi series containing tutorials on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need for trading in the DeFi space e.g. MetaMask and Uniswap. As well as a deep dive into popular DeFi topics such as decentralized exchanges, borrowing-lending platforms and NFT marketplaces

    The DeFi series on this website also covers topics not explored on YouTube. For an introduction on what is DeFi, check out Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Overview: A guide to the HOTTEST trend in cryptocurrency

    Tutorials and guides for the ESSENTIAL DEFI TOOLS:

    More videos and articles are coming soon as part of our DeFi series, so be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube channel so you can be notified as soon as they come out!

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • InsurAce Protocol: Insuring decentralised finance?

    InsurAce Protocol: Insuring decentralised finance?

    The cryptocurrency industry has enjoyed rapid growth and adoption thanks to its accessibility and open-source nature. Different people from all over the world can participate freely in crypto projects, with the option of anonymity. And thanks to this ease of access, the total locked value (TVL) in DeFi grew to over $3 Billion in 2020 and $44 billion in 2021, according to DeFi Pulse.

    However, as an industry based majorly on the internet with trillions of liquid digital assets, it is no surprise that it makes the perfect attraction for hackers hoping to run off with a score.

    Luckily, in the decentralized finance (DeFi) corner, liquidity providers (LPs) can still protect their investment through insurance protocols, each of which is armed with their unique solutions – one of the more promising ones is InsurAce.

    Background

    InsurAce was created by Oliver Xie, a cryptocurrency enthusiast and computer programmer. The decentralized insurance protocol was developed during the peak of DeFi growth in the third quarter of 2020, launching officially in October of the same year.

    The protocol is headquartered in Singapore, led by Oliver’s vision and steadfastness. After just two months of existence, the protocol was able to raise $1 Million in seed funding, from renowned institutions such as DeFiance Capital, Signum Capital, and Parafi Capital. Later, in February 2021, and an additional $3 Million was raised during its strategic round.

    They currently run a tight team, with a few experts and professionals at the helm of affairs, most of which are based in Singapore.

    What is InsurAce?

    InsurAce is an insurance protocol that offers DeFi assets a reliable, decentralized, and flexible coverage. Users are also able to enjoy low premiums and a sustainable investment return.

    InsurAce’s flexibility is its major highlight as it gives users the ability to cover their assets with a portfolio-based product design that optimizes cover cost. Users would also benefit from their cross-chain coverage and wallet accessibility, along with the protection of their assets and investments.

    How Does InsurAce Protocol Work?

    As both a DeFi and Insurance protocol, InsurAce runs two different arms that work synergistically to benefit all parties involved. As a decentralized platform, each role is filled by its users, each of which are rewarded with the INSUR token.

    The protocol also offers a more streamlined experience with its permissionless feature, where users can enjoy full anonymity without the KYC process that complicates other DeFi Insurance platforms.

    The Two Arms of InsurAce Protocol

    The first part of the investment arm involves contribution by a first-party known as the investor. As the name suggests, investors finance portfolios, each portfolio with its own risk/reward ratio which investors can choose from.

    The next party is the insurer, and these are participants that stake assets in the mutual insurance pool created by investors. The more direct class of users are the “insured” – they are the insurance customers, and they get the benefit of buying insurance covers, either in single or multiple pools.

    2 Arms of InsurAce Protocol (Image credit: InsurAce whitepaper)

    Features

    The InsurAce protocol will be responsible for providing a supporting architecture for the smooth operation and integration of the arms. To start with, the protocol will function to ensure adequate evaluation of risk to manage losses.

    Two risk assessment procedures exist. One with experts analyzing potential assets and pools with thorough auditing and code analysis. After which, a community assessment is carried out by volunteer members for further analysis and to come up with a risk score.

    It will also be in charge of claim requests, for insurers to check out their buys.

    More important, however, is the availability of liquidity for all users. To ascertain this, InsurAce plans to develop an enriched product line that is capable of covering a diverse number of DeFi protocols. By providing insurance services to multiple DeFi projects the platform retains its flexibility, remains open to opportunities while keeping tokens moving.

    The insurers would enjoy access to a wide range of asset pools in addition to considerably reduced cover costs and zero premium protection.

    SCR Mining and Governance

    When users bring in capital to stake into different mutual pools, they are rewarded with INSUR tokens as incentives. This process is known as Mining, and it offers rewards based on the magnitude of user contribution to the platform.

    As with most other DeFi projects, a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) would be responsible for managing and regulating the activities of InsurAce protocol. To be eligible to become a member of the DAO, users must own INSUR Tokens.

    An advisory board made up of InsurAnce employees and independent experts will oversee the affairs of the DAO community, provide guidelines for its operation, and provide a contingency plan if the decentralized voting mechanism should fail.

    INSUR Token

    The INSUR token is the standard token on the InsurAce platform. It is based on Ethereum’s ERC20 standards and serves a variety of utility functions.

    As a governance token, it confers voting rights on its holders. Users who have the INSUR token can propose changes, vote on issues and proposals, and participate in claim assessments on the protocol. When a token holder participates actively in governance, he becomes entitled to a share of the fees generated on InsurAce.

    The token also incentivizes involvement in all the different roles available on the protocol. It serves as the reward for mining through capital provision, liquidity support, staking in investment pools and products.

    There will be a total of 100 million INSUR tokens in supply. And it is planned to be launched through a Liquidity Bootstrapping Pool (LBP) on Balancer from March 15th to March 17th, 2021. The proposal would see a total of 6,675,000 tokens vested after the LBP ends – with about 45% of the total token distribution kept in SCR mining reserves.

    Conclusion

    The sheer amount of fortune going into DeFi project and associated mining mechanisms is too much to leave to the whims of hackers and project developers. The impressive progress made by pioneer insurance projects like Nexus Mutual and Augur should not be taken for granted either.

    However, these insurance protocols are still scarce in numbers and hardly enough to cover the ever-growing need of the DeFi sector.  Which makes it difficult not to root for a platform like InsurAce that puts everything in place, taking the best out of existing protocols and adding a fresh detail.

    Decentralised Finance (DeFi) series: tutorials, guides and more

    With content for both beginners and more advanced users, check out our YouTube DeFi series containing tutorials on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need for trading in the DeFi space e.g. MetaMask and Uniswap. As well as a deep dive into popular DeFi topics such as decentralized exchanges, borrowing-lending platforms and NFT marketplaces

    The DeFi series on this website also covers topics not explored on YouTube. For an introduction on what is DeFi, check out Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Overview: A guide to the HOTTEST trend in cryptocurrency

    Tutorials and guides for the ESSENTIAL DEFI TOOLS:

    More videos and articles are coming soon as part of our DeFi series, so be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our Youtube channel so you can be notified as soon as they come out!

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • How to mine Dogecoin with these easy software

    How to mine Dogecoin with these easy software

    Introduction

    First started as an internet meme from 2 software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer to mock crazy fans of cryptocurrency, Dogecoin has now officially become a part of the big family. It’s actually one of the top crypto currencies at the moment – not bad for something that started out as a joke. 

    what is dogecoin

    Just like other cryptocurrencies, Dogecoin is powered by a decentralized finance system called blockchain technology. The attraction of cryptos is that it is not under  any private corporations, multinational enterprises or the government’s control. Crypto currencies are free from any regulations set by any government and bank institutions.

    Moreover, Dogecoin cannot be found in a single particular computer system. It is built on top of a huge network of computers or nodes that confirm the transactions. This system of peer-to-peer exchange and transfer of information makes the whole structure almost impossible to hack and bring down. 

    Cryptocurrency has limited supply, hence the hype. This limit of supply is meant to make sure that their prices will not get too low, which is what happens  for fiat currency like the USD if the government keeps on printing the money without proper control or monitoring. 

    There are market caps for each cryptocurrency. Dogecoin has no supply limit, of which  around 129 billion Dogecoins are currently circulating as of May 9, 2021.

    What is Dogecoin mining?

    Before we get to Dogecoin mining, you have to know that mining cryptocurrencies is not the same as  mining coal or petroleum underground like they do in the Middle East. The mining being discussed here is  digital mining through complex mathematical algorithms. In a simpler context, it is like the process of creating a new coin by solving a puzzle, but just in a more technical way involving very complex algorithms .

    Since the ledger — blockchain technology — of the transactions need to be maintained, not a lot of people will spend time mining. Instead, they will just buy the coins outright from the crypto markets. . 

    In the early days of crypto, it was possible to use your own laptop pc to solve any of the blocks in the chain and earn yourself a coin for your efforts.  Each confirmation of a transaction  will place a new block for the Doge network, for which there will be a reward for the miners in the form of more Dogecoins.

    Every cryptocurrency has different mining systems. Here is a comparison of Dogecoins and Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency in the world.

    DogecoinBitcoin
    AlgorithmScrypt coinSHA-256
    Block Time1 minute!10 minutes
    Difficulty2,798,2523,511,060,552,899
    Reward10,000 DOGE12.5 BTC

    Notes:

    1. Algorithm: Rules for mining new currency aka hashing algorithm
    2. Block time: Average time for a new block checked and added to the chain. It varies across time. 
    3. Difficulty: Difficulty level to mine a new block of currency. It varies across time. 
    4. Reward: Amount of new currency rewarded for each new block mined. It varies across time. 

    How to mine Dogecoin?

    how to mine dogecoin

    There are 3 ways to mine Dogecoin: solo mining, pool mining and cloud mining. We’ll explain one by one to see what the difference is between them. 

    1. Solo mining

    You are mining on your own. It means you need to spend more money on the most modern and updated equipment and pricey utility fees by yourself. However you get to keep all the rewards to yourself .

    In some cases, people have spent a whopping $500,000 for just building the mining gear alone. This is not including the electricity bills that are usually enormous for an operation of that size. If you’re not careful, the electricity bills could eat into your profits without you realizing.

    1. Pool mining

    It’s like a group project. You have less work to do but you need to share the pride and achievement. At Dogecoin mining, you will have an easier time earning coins, but the rewards have to be shared. 

    Before joining a pool, check out their calculation for the payouts of each member and consider the extra pool fees needed. There are few options online for pool mining. So do research about all of the options before you join the pool.

    1. Cloud mining

    Pay for a group to mine for you. This is for those that prefer not to invest too much effort and time for mining Dogecoin. You can rent machines from a data center and ask them to mine for your behalf. This way might be the most costliest among the 3 options, since it is time-locked and the price might drop during the agreement. Furthermore, electricity bills and other costs need to be covered too. 

    Things needed to mine Dogecoin

    Other than the electricity itself, there are 3 things needed to mine Dogecoin which are hardware, software and a crypto wallet. 

    1. Hardware

    Any Windows, Mac OS or Linux system is needed to start mining. Basic machines like CPU can be used but it will take a long time to succeed. Also, your computer will end up overheated or getting damaged.

    GPU mining is recommended, especially those with graphic cards. Alternatively, you also can use Scrypt ASIC miner which is dedicated mainly for crypto like Dogecoin. 

    1. Software

    The software will differ depending on the hardware you use. Here are the softwares recommended for different hardwares:

    • CPU: CPUminer
    • GPU: EasyMiner, CGminer, CudaMiner
    • Scrypt ASIC: MultiMiner

    Be careful to select the legit mining software, or else the fake ones will harm your PC and investment. So double check before downloading. 

    1. Crypto wallet

    Digital wallet is not enough to secure your Dogecoin if you are serious about mining it. Since you have invested so much in this process, why not secure it further by having a cold crypto wallet?

    dogecoin digital wallet

    You don’t have to worry about being hacked  and keep your profits safe. 

    Conclusion

    We don’t know whether Dogecoin will go up in price again or plummet to oblivion. Will Elon Musk put more trust in it or is it just for clout? That’s up to you to discover. 

    However when mining Dogecoin, one should always balance the costs to run the mine and the potential returns before deciding whether it is a good option.  

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • OKX Exchange Review (2023): Strong Security, Cheap, and Good Functionality

    OKX Exchange Review (2023): Strong Security, Cheap, and Good Functionality

    OKX is a leading cryptocurrency exchange offering a comprehensive one-stop marketplace for spot trading, derivatives, and other crypto-related services. Offering a wide range of services, from margin trading and mining pools to decentralized options and cloud services, making it an ideal platform for both novice and experienced traders.

    Sign up here to get started

    What is OKX?

    OKX is a popular crypto brokerage and trading platform that provides users with a secure and easy-to-use platform to acquire and trade cryptocurrencies. It supports multiple cryptocurrencies and provides low trading fees, making it a great choice for those looking to invest and make a profit. This OKX exchange review will answer all of your questions about the company and the platform itself, helping you to decide whether or not it’s suitable for you. It is important to pay attention to all the pros and cons to make the right choice, as the number of people investing and trading in cryptocurrencies has been significantly increasing over the last few years.

    Founded in 2017, the platform has grown to become a major player in the crypto space, offering a wide range of services. According to a recent report, OKX has over 20 million registered users and a daily trading volume of over $2 billion. The company has recently rebranded to OKX, but many people still refer to it as OKEx. If you’re looking for alternative exchanges, Binance and Coinbase are considered to be leaders in the space.

    Key Features of OKX

    Option for a decentralized exchange: In addition to standard DEX trading, OKX’s decentralized platform also provides swap trading, liquidity pools, farm pools, a decentralized wallet, and other features for individuals who like to exchange in a decentralized way.

    Enhanced security measures: Security is prioritized by OKX, as evidenced by the requirement for two-factor authentication, smartphone verification, Google Authenticator options, and anti-phishing code.

    Margin trading: There are many tools available for customers to use in order to trade, including margin trading with up to 125x leverage, perpetual trading, futures trading, and options trading.

    Finance options: There are several financial alternatives accessible, some of the broadest in the market, including Earn, which enables you to make passive income on your cryptocurrency holdings, Loan, Jumpstart token staking function, mining pool, OKX bridge feature, OKB utility token, OKX Cloud, and OKX Blockdream Ventures.

    Fiat-to-crypto on-ramp: You can change your fiat currency into cryptocurrency with OKX, which supports 400+ trading pairs and accepts Apple Pay, Visa, Mastercard, bank transfers, Alipay, WeChat Pay, etc. Also, they support more than 30 cryptocurrencies, including the Canadian dollar (CAD), the Chinese yuan (CNY), the euro (EUR), the Japanese yuan (JPY), the Hong Kong dollar (HKD), the Chilean peso (CLP), and many others.

    Key Advantages of OKX

    In order to understand why so many individuals selected OKX over other platforms, I’d like to start my evaluation with its advantages. Maybe OKX is just what you’re looking for, who knows?

    650+ Trading Pairs, 340+ Cryptocurrencies

    OKX is a popular cryptocurrency exchange platform that supports more than 340 cryptocurrencies and offers over 650 trading pairs. It supports multiple fiat currencies, including EUR, USD, GBP, CAD, JPY, and AUD. You can also choose from multiple payment options, including credit/debit card, bank transfer, PayPal, Payeer, Skrill, GooglePay, and ApplePay. With its wide range of options, OKEx is a great choice for those looking to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies.

    Good Functionality

    It has more than 650 pairs to choose from, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether. With up to 100x leverage, users can multiply their funds and get more profit. However, it is important to note that options trading and borrowing crypto can be risky and should only be done by experienced traders. OKX is a great platform for those looking for a comprehensive cryptocurrency trading experience.

    When it comes to buying, selling, and trading cryptocurrencies, OKX is not like other exchanges. It also enables:

    • Lending and borrowing crypto
    • Trading on margin
    • Spot trading
    • Options trading

    You probably already know that there aren’t many systems that can give you this capability if this isn’t your first time reading an OKX exchange review.

    Tight Security

    OKX is a secure crypto exchange that provides robust security features. When registering, OKX will recommend you to use multi-factor authentication – 2FA or MFA – for extra security. You can also set an anti-phishing code that will be sent together with all emails from OKX. Furthermore, OKX has its own cold wallet that will keep your private keys offline, providing an extra layer of security for your assets. With these features, OKX ensures that your cryptocurrencies are safe and secure.

    Comes with Mobile App

    The OKX mobile app is a great way to trade on the go. It is compatible with iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, and can be easily downloaded from Google Play and App Store. With over 264,000 reviews and an average score of 4.5, customers are highly satisfied with the app’s user-friendly design, clear layout, and glitch-free performance. Download the OKX app to manage your account from the palm of your hand and enjoy the ultimate trading experience.

    Friendly Customer Service

    OKX is a crypto exchange platform that provides 24/7 customer support. According to user reviews, OKX customer service is helpful and responds quickly. My personal experience was the same – OKX support provided the information that I was looking for. Therefore, it’s fair to state that OKX has really good customer support, which is not as common as you might think.

    Low Fees

    OKX is a popular cryptocurrency exchange that offers competitive trading fees for both regular and advanced users. For regular users, the maker fee is 0.08% and the taker fee is 0.1%. For advanced traders, the maker fee is 0.06% and the taker fee is 0.08%. VIP members get even lower trading fees. All of the relevant information can be found on the dedicated trading fee page on OKX. This makes OKX an attractive option for crypto-enthusiasts and day traders who are looking for competitive fees.

    Key Disadvantages of OKX

    Despite its attractive features, OKX also has some drawbacks that can affect your trading experience.

    Not Especially Beginner Friendly

    OKX is a great platform for experienced traders, offering a wide range of features such as margin trading, spot trading, options trading, and crypto lending and borrowing. However, these features can be too advanced and risky for newbie traders. To help new users get familiar with the platform, OKX Academy provides tutorials, trading ideas, industry analysis, and a blockchain glossary. With thorough research and practice, newbies can easily get the hang of OKX and start trading with confidence.

    How Can I Start Trading on OKX?

    OKX is a leading cryptocurrency exchange platform that offers a wide range of services and features. It has a user-friendly interface, low fees, and a wide selection of trading pairs. It also provides advanced trading tools and features such as margin trading, futures trading, and spot trading. The platform is highly secure and offers a variety of payment methods. It also has a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Overall, OKX is a great choice for those looking for a reliable and secure cryptocurrency exchange platform.

    How to Register on OKX?

    • Step 1: Go to the OKX website.
    • Step 2: Click the “Sign up” button, which you’ll find on the top-right of the page.
    • Step 3: Enter your email address and password. Instead of an email address, you can use your phone number.
    • Step 4: Click “Sign up”.

    After creating your account, you will need to fill in additional information to verify that it’s you. To do that, you will only need your ID or passport number.

    How to Make a Deposit on OKX?

    Make a deposit as soon as you register. You only need to buy cryptocurrency to do that. You won’t encounter any difficulties because OKX offers you a variety of payment methods.

    Choose from the payment methods below and deposit credit in your account:

    • Credit/debit card
    • Bank transfer
    • PayPal
    • Payeer
    • Skrill
    • GooglePay
    • ApplePay
    • etc.

    You have a virtually limitless number of alternatives when buying cryptocurrency on OKX.

    Conclusion

    OKX is a Malta-based cryptocurrency trading platform that was founded in 2017 and is now one of the most popular crypto exchange platforms. It offers low fees, supports more than 340 cryptocurrencies and over 650 trading pairs, and provides features such as margin trading, spot trading, options trading, lending, and borrowing crypto. While it is a great platform for experienced traders, newbies may find it difficult to use due to its extensive features. If you are looking for an alternative exchange, ByBit, Binance, KuCoin, and Kraken. are some of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges in the industry, each with its own set of benefits.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • bitFlyer Exchange Review (2023): A Trusted Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange with Reasonably Low Fees

    bitFlyer Exchange Review (2023): A Trusted Japanese Cryptocurrency Exchange with Reasonably Low Fees

    bitFlyer is an often overlooked cryptocurrency exchange, but don’t be fooled – it could be the perfect platform for you – just read some user reviews to find out! Many digital currency holders who are not Japanese still find a lot of value in this crypto exchange platform. Let us now go into the details.

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    What is bitFlyer?

    bitFlyer is a regulated Japanese cryptocurrency exchange that offers virtual currency exchange and trading services in Japan, the United States, and Europe. With bitFlyer, users can buy and sell Bitcoin, as well as other cryptocurrencies using their preferred fiat currency, such as USD, EUR, or JPY. Additionally, users can make quick crypto purchases using a bank card and other payment methods. bitFlyer is a secure and reliable platform that provides users with a safe and convenient way to trade cryptocurrencies.

    bitFlyer is a popular and secure cryptocurrency exchange that offers low fees, responsive customer support, and an easy-to-use platform. Despite differences in regulation, the exchange remains user-friendly and provides an excellent fiat gateway for all jurisdictions. With its excellent security, low fees, and responsive customer support, bitFlyer is the best-kept secret amongst European and US traders.

    Key Features of bitFlyer

    bitFlyer’s key features include:

    • Purchase and trade Bitcoin and major altcoins. Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and other prominent cryptocurrencies are supported via the bitFlyer exchange.
    • The fees are really modest. bitFlyer has some of the lowest costs among authorized exchanges, making it an excellent fiat gateway for both beginner and experienced crypto traders.
    • An exchange that is extremely secure. bitFlyer has never been hacked and is the best exchange in terms of regulatory compliance in the crypto-verse.
    • Simple to use. bitFlyer provides two trading options: a simple interface for basic trades and a complex Lightning exchange for experienced investors.
    • Futures trading and margin. Japanese consumers can trade on bitFlyer’s Lightning FX platform, which allows for up to 4x leverage.
    • Account for a corporation. Institutional investors can apply for a corporate account, which has additional benefits and services.

    Key Advantages of bitFlyer

    We’ll begin our bitFlyer review by talking about the best parts of the exchange in question.

    A Safe Cryptocurrency Exchange

    When it comes to finding the best exchange for yourself, security should be your top priority. Exchanges that are regulated and follow all of the necessary rules and laws of their location, as well as comply with KYC norms, are the most secure. While some may consider this an invasion of privacy, it is the norm and necessary to ensure the safety of your crypto assets. Make sure to do your research and find an exchange that is secure and meets all of your needs.

    BitFlyer is a secure and reliable cryptocurrency exchange that complies with all rules and regulations. It has never been hacked and keeps 80% of its users’ crypto assets in cold storage devices. Cold storage refers to hardware crypto wallets that are always offline, meaning no hacker can access them or the assets they contain. BitFlyer is a safe and secure exchange that provides users with peace of mind when trading cryptocurrencies.

    Generally Simple to Use

    Crypto exchanges have become increasingly popular, but many newcomers can be overwhelmed by difficult and confusing interfaces. bitFlyer reviews show that this is not an issue with the exchange, as its interface is not complex and even complete newcomers can use it without any issues. bitFlyer is a great choice for those who are new to crypto trading, as it is easy to use and understand. It also offers a variety of features, such as a secure wallet, low fees, and a wide range of trading options. With its user-friendly interface and features, bitFlyer is an ideal choice for those who are just starting out in the world of crypto trading.

    Supports The Majority of the Cryptocurrencies

    The bitFlyer exchange supports the majority of the “main” cryptocurrencies on the market, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monacoin, Lisk, Ripple, Basic Attention Token, Stellar Lumens, and NEM. However, the availability of these coins and tokens varies depending on the region. For example, if you reside in Japan, you’ll be able to trade all of the assets, while European traders won’t be able to trade Ripple and BAT, and US-based traders won’t be able to exchange and trade Monacoin, Lisk, Ripple, and BAT. Despite these restrictions, you can be sure that you’ll be able to trade and exchange Bitcoin, Ethereum, and some other more well-known crypto coins.

    Fees are Really Low

    This platform is one of the leading cryptocurrency exchanges on the market, offering some of the best fees that you can find. Depending on your region of residence, you can expect fees up to 0,15% for Japanese traders, 0,2% for European traders, and 0,12% for US clients. Futures trading is completely free of charge for Japanese traders. bitFlyer is one of the lowest fee-providing cryptocurrency exchanges, making it a great choice for anyone looking to trade crypto.

    Reasonable Account Verification Limit

    bitFlyer is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin without having to verify their identity. This is rare, as most exchanges require full verification before trading. Users can deposit and withdraw up to €249,99 per transaction and €2499,99 per cumulative year without having to provide ID and residential proof. bitFlyer also offers a range of other services, such as margin trading, futures trading, and more. The platform is secure and reliable and provides a great way to get started with cryptocurrency trading.

    Key Disadvantages of bitFlyer

    Let’s take a look at some of the less-than-positive bitFlyer customer evaluations.

    Cryptocurrencies Are Limited

    BitFlyer is a popular crypto exchange, but it has a major drawback – it only offers 11 coins for trading and exchange. This might be fine for beginners, but more experienced traders may find this too limiting. Other mainstream exchanges offer a much wider selection of coins, so if you’re looking for more variety, you may want to consider Binance or Coinbase.

    A Centralized Exchange

    bitFlyer is a regulated, centralized crypto exchange that follows all of the rules and regulations in place. This means that users must identify themselves in full before they can start trading and exchanging. While this is not an issue for most users, it does not suit crypto enthusiasts who believe strongly in the concept of decentralization. This is because bitFlyer, like many other crypto exchange sites, holds users’ private keys, meaning they do not have full control over their cryptocurrency. Despite this, bitFlyer has a professional nature and a spotless track record, so users should not have to worry about any issues.

    How to Register on bitFlyer?

    To begin, there is the registration process:

    • Step 1: Navigate to the bitFLyer website. The site may differ depending on your location; 
    • Step 2: Click the Sign Up for Free button! – Your email address will be requested.
    • Step 3: You must now confirm your email address, create a password, and enable two-factor authentication. Given that an SSL certificate is also involved, the platform’s security is quite solid!
    • Step 4: Once you have completed the 2FA and agreed to all of the documentation, your account has been activated! You can now opt to verify your identity right now or at a later time.

    The signup process is quite straightforward and quick!

    How to Add Funds to bitFlyer?

    After you’ve registered your account, you’ll most likely want to fund it and begin trading. The procedure is straightforward.
    You’ll want to go to the left side of your screen and select Account Funding. You will then be routed to a new page on the site.

    Now that you’ve validated your account, you’ll be able to contribute funds with ease. However, if you haven’t yet completed verification, you must do so by providing the site with your name, surname, and all other essential information.

    The funding process takes very little time and is quite simple – once you have your funds set up, you can start purchasing and trading the crypto-coins of your choice right away!

    Conclusion

    bitFlyer is a reliable and secure cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to purchase and trade a variety of main crypto assets. The exchange is praised for its simplicity and user-friendliness and is considered safe and secure. However, the available cryptocurrencies may vary depending on the region. If bitFlyer doesn’t meet your needs, there are other alternatives, such as Binance and Coinbase, that may be worth considering.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • ERC Tokens Explained: What are they?

    ERC Tokens Explained: What are they?

    ERC (Ethereum Request for Comment) token standards are built upon and utilise the Ethereum blockchain. Most of us have only heard about the vastly used ERC-20, while becoming more familiar with the ERC-721 and ERC-1155 token standards thanks to the growing adoption of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) by upcoming projects. This article gives an overview of what are ERC tokens, their various types, and functions.

    Summary

    • ERC tokens are special forms of smart contracts that utilise the Ethereum blockchain, rather than having their own blockchain like Bitcoin.
    • They can have different functions and even a combination of features.
    • ERC tokens can be Fungible, Non-fungible, and Semi-fungible.

    What is a token and how do we classify them?

    First of all, ‘tokens‘ are programmable digital units of value that are recorded on a distributed ledger protocol such as a blockchain. Basically, ERC20 tokens are special forms of smart contracts that utilize Ethereum’s blockchain. They can also be described as digital assets which are not the main currency of that blockchain. While $ETH and $BTC both have their blockchain and are thus far considered as coins, tokens don’t.

    There are different types of tokens. Utility tokens differ from the rest because they usually offer a wider functionality than, for example, a means of payment (coins, like $BTC) or voting power on a platform (such as governance tokens, like $UNI). They can combine multiple purposes, are integrated into an existing protocol and used to access its services. They also provide network activity, which ensures strength of the platform’s economy.

    To easily understand how they fit into the blockchain ecosystem, we need to understand how Ethereum works first: we can think of it as an operating system on top of which applications (smart contracts) can be built (written), just like developers build applications for Android and iOS. One difference being that applications on Ethereum can be decentralized (Dapps). Once we have these platforms, we can (if we want) create tokens, each time choosing the most appropriate standard for our purpose.

    Years ago, when there was no standard in use, it was far more complicated for developers to make smart contracts interact with each other; they had to create specific implementation standards to develop a token and launch it on Ethereum’s network. Then, the ERC-20 came out and that heavily simplified the process.

    Another distinction is between Fungible and Non Fungible tokens.

    Fungible Tokens

    In this case, each token is equivalent to all the others and they are interchangeable (1 $BTC will always be equal to any other 1 $BTC).

    ERC-20

    First proposed in 2015, it’s the industry standard and most accepted one. It makes the initial distribution of tokens extremely easy, so it became massively used in the 2017 ICOs craze. The ERC-20 contracts are composed of 6 mandatory functions and 3 optional ones.

    ERC-20 contracts
    ERC-20 contracts

    6 mandatory functions:

    • balanceOf(): keeps track of the balance in each user wallet
    • totalSupply(): shows the current total supply in circulation
    • transfer (): lets the owner send a specific amount to another address
    • transferFrom(): allows a smart contract to automate the transfer process and send a given amount of the token on behalf of the owner
    • approve(): approves the withdrawal of tokens from the owner’s address to the receiving address. It also guarantees that nobody could create more tokens out of nothing, keeping the supply under control
    • allowance(): makes sure that the owner has at least as many tokens as the amount set in the approve function; the transactions added to the blockchain have been proved valid

    3 optional functions:

    • name(): pretty self explanatory!
    • symbol(): 3-4 letter abbreviation
    • decimals(): it is impossible to write decimal places in Solidity- only whole numbers, so this function is needed. Most tokens use 18 decimals

    How to send ERC-20 tokens?

    There are two ways of sending ERC-20 tokens, depending on if you want to send them directly or delegate the function to a smart contract. You can either:

    • call the transfer() function to send tokens to another wallet address
    • call the approve() function and then transferfrom() from the receiver contract

    Besides the ease of use and the popularity that this standard immediately gained among the community, its main flaw soon became obvious, causing millions of dollars worth of tokens to be lost forever in smart contracts.

    Limitations of ERC-20 tokens and what are wrapped tokens?

    What happens if you simply use the transfer() function to send tokens to a smart contract which is not made to receive them?

    The transaction will succeed and these tokens will be credited to the receiver address, but they won’t be recognized by the recipient and they will remain there forever, unusable.

    Another limitation is that since $ETH itself was obviously created before the ERC-20 standard was even developed, it is not compliant with it (nor with other standards). That is why to interact with many contracts, we need to “wrap” $ETH into $WETH (wrapped ether, which IS an ERC-20 token, pegged to $ETH 1:1).

    To solve the various flaws, new standards were proposed. The most famous ones are the following.

    ERC-223

    Summary:

    • prevents funds to be lost
    • half as expensive
    • backwards compatible

    This standard was proposed by a Reddit user known as “Dexaran”; it focuses on security and tries to fix the main flaw of its predecessor, by using a unique, new transfer() function, which allows tokens to be sent to either a personal address or a smart contract. Moreover, it includes a tokenFallback() function that checks the receiving contract for the same function.

    Basically, if the receiver is a regular address (not a contract), the transfer will be similar to the ERC-20 one, while if the receiver is a contract, the tokenFallback() function will be triggered. If the receiving contract does not have this function, the transaction will fail but all the funds will be returned to the sender address.

    Simplifying the transfer and reducing it to just one single step, the process will also be cheaper (less gas fees!). The ERC-223 standard is backwards compatible with the ERC-20, as it keeps all of the original functionalities and solves the biggest issues. The ChainLink ($LINK) token has been described by its developers as “an ERC20 token, with the additional ERC223 ‘transfer and call’ functionality of transfer, allowing tokens to be received and processed by contracts within a single transaction”.

    The ERC-223 standard has never been finalized.

    ERC-777

    Summary:

    • makes transactions smoother
    • allows for approved operators
    • standard for minting/burning tokens
    • backwards compatible with ERC-20

    This standard was developed by Jacques Dafflon and Jordi Baylina, it is similar to ERC-20 and it relies upon the ERC-1820. Before that, developers couldn’t identify the functions which can be implemented by smart contracts. By creating a central registry of contracts on the network, the ERC-777 can use it to identify the interfaces a smart contract uses.

    Its uniqueness is the friction reduction in transactions. It also defines a new set of functions, for example it uses send() instead of transfer(), authoriseOperator() instead of approve(), tokenReceived() handler function instead of tokenFallback().

    It also allows for more customization, a list of approved operators so that people can approve smart contracts to move tokens on their behalf, and creates a standard for minting and burning tokens (very useful for particular projects).

    A pure ERC-777 is not compatible with ERC-20 but the standard described how to make it compatible.

    The ERC-777 standard became finalized on May 6th, 2019.

    Other fungible tokens

    There have been many other proposals combining some aspects of different standards into each other.

    • ERC-827 combines some of the advantages of ERC-223 and ERC-20 standards, it enables token transfer for a 3rd party to spend it
    • ERC-664 is mainly centered on modularity and makes it possible to update token contracts
    • ERC-677 provides a safe way for new contracts to transfer tokens to external contracts
    • ERC-621 can increase or decrease the token supply
    • ERC-884 allows companies to use blockchain to maintain share registries

    Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

    These tokens are unique: each one can have a different value ant they are not replaceable. NFTs enable the tokenization of individual assets. They can often be found in games or you can imagine them as digital pieces of art, real estate… basically anything you like. Unique tokens can be further modified adding new “tools”, hence increasing their value overtime (like new bodyparts on a racing car). Check out our video on NFTs:

    Non-fungible tokens explained

    ERC-721

    It became famous with CryptoKitties. The contract is composed by 8 functions plus 2 optional ones. Most of them are the same or similar to the Fungible counterparts, with few important differences.

    ERC-721 contracts
    ERC-721 contracts

    8 mandatory functions:

    • name()
    • symbol()
    • totalSupply()
    • balanceOf()
    • ownerOf(): retrieves the address that owns whichever NFT ID number is searched; ownership is defined by simply having the token
    • approve()
    • takeOwnership(): transfer the tokens from another address that currently holds them
    • transfer()

    2 optional functions:

    • tokenOfOwnerByIndex(): allows NFT IDs to be searched through a list of tokens owned by the user; it is necessary if we want more ntfs
    • tokenMetadata( ): retrieves the metadata, i.e. info for identification

    While when new ERC-20 tokens are created, the supply simply increases. In this case, things are more complicated. We have to monitor the metadata, and that is expensive in gas fees. ERC-721 defines a storing method.

    A problem with this standard is that if we want to send more NFTs to someone, we will need as many transactions as the number of tokens sent.

    Along with the ERC-721, a few other Non Fungible standards have been proposed, like the ERC-875 and the ERC-998.

    Semi Fungible Tokens (SFTs)

    In some cases, NFTs and FTs do not provide the required level of flexibility that is necessary to build new projects. As we have said, Fungible tokens are all “equals” while Non Fungible ones are unique.

    But what if we need something that is neither Fungible nor Non Fungible? Like seat tickets?

    Seat tickets (or supermarket vouchers, lottery tickets etc.) are 99% equal to on another with a very small difference, like a serial number that makes them unique, preventing double-spending/selling. When we buy a seat ticket, we don’t want someone else to have the same exact token and be able to use it if he arrives before us at the cinema.

    In these circumstances Semi Fungible Tokens come in help: they hold their value until they are sold, changing from Fungible to not Fungible anymore.

    The Multi Token Standard: ERC-1155

    This one was created by Enjin in 2018 for its Gaming Multiverse.

    In all the other standards we have considered, we need to deploy a different contract for each type of token (one contract for all the same ERC-20s, one contract for each unique NFT). It is like being at the supermarket and not being able to buy all of the groceries we want at the same time, having to proceed one item after the other, from shelf to register, continuously. If we want to be able to buy a bunch of stuff at the same time, we need a new standard, and that is the ERC-1155. It allows for different “items” to be stored and created in the same contract (FTs, SFTs and NFTs), with the least possible amount of data; it is cheaper and more convenient.

    For example, in a game we may exchange a currency (ERC-20) and/or NFTs (ERC-721) with other gamers; the ERC-1155 makes it possible. Moreover, it can execute a deterministic smart contract function by simply sending a token to an address (i.e. sending a token to an exchange address, the exchange could immediately return another token back to the sender’s address).

    Practically, a single smart contract can mint infinite tokens forever (and it allows to save fees!)

    Learn more about the ERC 1155 token

    Conclusion

    Overall, among the Fungible tokens, some people think that the ERC-777 should be the designated one to become widely adopted. It offers, for example, more ways to protect our funds. Nevertheless, none of the above standards is without flaws and inherent risks. As a matter of fact, there are multiple reasons why ERC-20 is still the most popular one, and we can’t forget to mention that a new standard would create a lot of issues and interoperability problems, at least at the beginning.

    If we consider the Non Fungible world, we are yet to see an explosion in adoption, but more and more platforms and games are coming out and it will probably be one of the trends of the next years. There are different platforms where you can go and buy collectibles directly with your Ethereum wallet (such as Metamask). One of the most famous and used is Rarible.

    Only time will tell us which will be the next standard in use; proposing a solution and having the community embrace it are two very different things.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • Diem ($DIEM) – Facebook’s Libra 2.0

    Diem ($DIEM) – Facebook’s Libra 2.0

    What is Diem?

    Diem is a decentralized stablecoin powered by the Libra blockchain. Facebook unveiled Libra in 2019 with a vision of being a stablecoin backed by multiple government-issued currencies. Due to its global usage and a hard stab on the traditional finance industry, it received international regulatory backlash.

    In April 2020, the Libra team changed its tune and indicated that it would launch an array of stablecoins, each backed by a single fiat currency. However, more had to be done. Part of it was to rename the project and to minimize connection with the social media giant. “Day,” or Diem in Latin, was born.

    Libra changed to Diem on December 2, 2020. Along with the change came a revised whitepaper with significant edits and omissions.

    Background

    The project is operated by the  Diem Association, which was earlier known as the Libra Association. Stuart Levey, Ian Jenkins, and Dahlia Malkhi are among the key members of the team. The three make up the CEO, CFO, and CTO, respectively.

    Notably, other team members have extensive experience in their respective areas. For example, its lead compliance officer, Sterling Daines, has immense hands-on financial crime compliance, while its general counsel, Saumya Bhavsar, is a former banking regulator.

    Note that the Diem Association is registered in Switzerland as an independent membership organization. Its board members are drawn from Xapo, Kiva Microfunds, PayU, Andreessen Horowitz, and Novi.

    Key Changes Made to The Libra Whitepaper

    The first significant change is the dominance of the word “Facebook” and its role in the organization. For instance, the original paper mentions the social media giant more than five times and gives it a “leadership role.” However, the revised edition states that Facebook and its team have “no special rights” beyond assisting in creating the Diem Association.

    Also, Diem is pegged to a single fiat currency (United States dollar) instead of a basket of currencies, as was the case with Libra. However, in the future, it may develop a multi-currency backed stablecoin.

    Diem will also comply with international regulations.

    Notably, the change of name never touched on the core use cases. Diem focuses primarily on instant payments and cross-border remittances. Furthermore, Novi, a virtual wallet meant to hold Libra tokens, will now hold Diem coins. Note that Novi is a rebrand of Calibra.

    Novi Wallet (source: Novi website)

    Conclusion

    Diem is definitely a new ‘day’ for Libra, and by extension, could pick up where Facebook left off in its vision to launch a stablecoin to power payments and remittances globally. Its significant distance from Facebook and change of contentious issues is a great way to bring regulators back to the discussion table.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • DAO Maker ($DAO): can retail investors become venture capitalists?

    DAO Maker ($DAO): can retail investors become venture capitalists?

    One notable challenge for every startup is finding the required capital to set up businesses. This is where concepts like venture capital help such businesses to meet the required level of capital to help them blossom. However, this has traditionally been a field accessible by funds and institutions with ample resources.

    DAO Maker is here to improve the process for both parties by respectively creating growth technologies and funding frameworks for startups, and reducing risks for investors.

    Background and Team

    The Founder of DAO Maker is Christoph Zaknun who entered the cryptocurrency space in 2017. The idea of private permissionless money and the gains associated with cryptocurrency lured him further into the creation of ICO DOG, a platform that allowed for investing in token presales.

    His Co-founder, Giorgio Marciano, also acts as DAO Maker’s CTO. Marciano has over 16 years of experience in developing software and products.

    Other notable team members include Hatu Sheikh, who has overseen over 35 crypto assets marketing campaigns, and Malte Christensen, who works as the COO and Head of Sales, Dima, who works as the Head of Visual Communication.

    What is DAO Maker?

    DAO Maker is a provider of a participation framework that allows retail investors (small-scale investors) to participate in global retail venture capital. Essentially, the primary goal of DAO Maker is to raise a fundraising platform that would allow for equal participation of crowd equity and tokens.

    The reality is that most of these small-time investors are likely unable to afford to invest large sums of money in venture capital. DAO fills the gap by enabling the average man on the street an opportunity to grow his own capital. This creates a win-win situation, the business is able to effectively provide a new source of funding while at the same time helping to improve the lives of many.

    Achievements of DAO Maker

    The platform has over time proven itself to retail investors. In the last 2 years, over 70,000 unique retail investors were signed up and allowed to participate in the funding of early-stage ventures. Apart from attracting investors, DAO Maker has also been able to attract startups with enormous potential to join the burgeoning ecosystem.

    Advantages of DAO Maker

    One major reason these startups join the DAO Maker ecosystem is simple: it provides them a safe, decentralized, and free environment that allows them to reach their potentials. In addition, the platform also has one of the leading solutions that would allow for the growth of these companies.

    As a result, the ecosystem has seen a marked increase in the demand for its services, which enabled them to begin working on a permission version.

    DAO Maker’s approach to fundraising stands out since not only does it connect startups with funding, it also assiduously works to assist them in facing challenges in the initial stages of their development.

    This is why the track record of the fundraising platform has defied many market cycles.

    DAO Maker’s Venture Bond

    DAO Maker’s new flagship product is Venture Bond. It allows startups to issue bonds that users can access, whilst users benefit from close to zero-risk venture investments.

    Venture Bonds work as follows:

    • startups issue Venture Bonds;
    • users purchase these bonds, giving the startups a principal sum of money;
    • startups then use the principal sum generated by bond purchases to generate interest through insured margin funding activities in decentralised finance (DeFi) or centralised finance (CeFi);
    • the generated interest serves as the funding for the startups;
    • the startup will then deposit tokens/equity to the Venture Bond holders; and
    • when the Venture Bond matures, the principal sum is returned to the buyer, so they are left with both their initial funding and also any newly acquired tokens or equity.
    DAO Maker's Venture Bonds
    DAO Maker’s Venture Bonds (Image credit: DAO Maker)

    Other DAO Maker Services

    Other notable services of DAO Maker are Refundable Strong Holder Offering and Dynamic Coin Offering.

    Strong Holder Offering

    Strong holder offerings are designed to build a community that would actively participate in providing an increased level of awareness for a company, and at the same time, induce confidence by imposing a strict refund policy.

    DAO Maker strong holder offerings
    DAO Maker strong holder offerings (Image credit: DAO Maker)

    Dynamic Coin Offering

    For dynamic coin offerings, 100% of the circulating supply is backed by a notable portion of the funds raised during the sale.

    DAO Maker then escrows this fund through a trusted and insured custodian, allowing the platform users the opportunity to claim a refund within a specified period.

    Social Mining

    One of the earliest offerings of DAO Maker is Social Mining, which has played a pivotal role in the successful launch of some tokens in the space. The software was conceptualized in 2018, and since then, it has seen various upgrades and usage, which made it an essential part of the DAO Maker community.

    What social mining does is simple; it enables any project to create token-based incentives that encourages community members to offer value. In other words, it helps energize a project’s community to participate in its growth and development.

    The first use of this software was with LTO Network, where it served as a core component in the community creation of the project, and subsequently enjoyed tremendous growth despite the bear market of 2018. Despite the notable success of this first project (LTO), there were still some notable lapses like the dependence of the software on centralized involvement, which negated the core idea of building a decentralized and self-organizing community in the first place.

    However, since then, the team of developers have developed the software to allow pluggable DAOs and also allowing for stake-based voting. The voting allowed the community to determine the value each token holder contributed to the project. This voting system became a quite effective distribution network that was decentralized as token holders were the ones in charge.

    As it stands, work has already begun on the two key pathways social mining is being geared to: granting permissionless support for tokenized startups and permissioned access for equity startups.

    DAO Maker Token ($DAO)

    DAO, the protocol’s native token currently allows its holders to stake in the platform and enjoy governance power in submitting proposals, as well as vote on them.

    By participating in governance, stakers would also receive a part of the fee generated from the source. And in order to promote long-term participation, the staked DAO tokens are locked for a period of time.

    As can be seen below, more utilities for the DAO token are in the works.

    DAO token utilities
    DAO token utilities (Image credit：DAO Maker)

    Conclusion

    The idea behind DAO Maker is to create a platform where startups can enjoy early stage exposure from retailers. Thus, DAO Maker could be a single platform that elevates the capabilities of ordinary retail investors. The platform would also enable them to be issued with equity, while others are issued with tokens. All in all, the platform will enable varying levels of downside protection as early-stage startups face inevitable risks in their early days.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • Public Mint ($MINT): can they bridge fiat and cryptocurrency?

    Public Mint ($MINT): can they bridge fiat and cryptocurrency?

    Public Mint seeks to solve transaction complexity by bridging the blockchain and the financial world of fiat. According to Public Mint adoption has always been the concern of the cryptocurrency community. And while tokens are becoming increasingly popular, the number of new entrants in the space today is still not enough to spur massive acceptance of crypto-assets in retail stores.

    Background

    Public Mint was launched in March 2020, following two years of research and development. It was created to make banks capable of holding funds that could later be tokenized on the blockchain. Today, it has been mainly implemented to ease the experience of using fiat currencies in performing blockchain-based transactions.

    Ever since the launch of the platform, it has already partnered with more than 200 banks that hold the fiat used to collateralize its tokens. Some of its prominent supporters are IBM Digital Asset Labs and Hyperledger.

    What is Public Mint?

    Public Mint is a decentralized, payment platform that aims to bridge the blockchain and fiat currencies. It offers tokenized fiat which is fully-collateralized and regulatory compliant. To secure the funds held in the platform’s accounts, they are also insured with the FDIC.

    Public Mint can be used to open blockchain-based fiat accounts to conduct money transfers worldwide without the need for any third-party facilitator. And because the platform was designed to be decentralized, it will not have control over the ownership and management of its user funds.

    The acceptance of payments via credit card, ACH, or wire transfer, are all made possible with the Public Mint platform as well. This makes it easier for anyone to perform transactions on the blockchain without having to exchange their fiat to crypto.

    Public Mint’s Open platform is designed to support these functions and make it easy for anyone to tokenize any fiat in the network. Tokenizing through the platform simply means that you will be able to make a token counterpart of your local currency on the blockchain.

    Features of Public Mint

    Fiat-Native Blockchain

    The platform supports the use of fiat in asset transfers and payments for network fees. Thanks to this feature, users do not need to purchase another digital asset just to be able to initiate transactions on the network.

    Simplified Key Storage

    It is easy for any user to store their private keys. The platform furnishes users with their own keys, which they can store in any cloud provider. Through this, the user has full control over his own funds without dealing with centralization problems like censorship.

    Direct Fiat Access

    Public Mint has a bank-to-chain feature that allows users to directly fund their wallets from various sources. At the same time, it also has a chain-to-bank feature that lets users directly withdraw their funds to their bank just using their wallet.

    The platform also supports USDC, making it easier for any crypto user to interact with other blockchain platforms.

    Public Mint wallet
    Pay others from your public mint wallet

    Multi-custodial

    There are multiple custodians on the platform. They are composed of banks and other regulated financial institutions. Their purpose is to hold funds while the multi-custodial structure of the network ensures that there will be no single point of failure in the system.

    Public Mint supported merchants
    Public Mint supports several major payment merchants

    Instant Transaction Settlement

    Transactions made on Public Mint can be settled in as fast as 3-5 seconds because the network offers finality with just one confirmation.

    Ethereum-Compatible

    The network is compatible with Ethereum, which means that any developer can build on the platform and improve it. It can also support decentralized applications that are established on the Ethereum network.

    What is the difference between Public Mint’s tokenized fiat and stablecoins?

    Stablecoins like Tether (USDT), USD Coin (USDC), TrueUSD (TUSD), were only designed to support one fiat: the US Dollar. And to purchase them, there are times that you have to first buy another cryptocurrency trading pair. According to the team behind Public Mint, this process can be too complex for a newcomer and it also exposes them to the volatility of other digital assets.

    Public Mint has its own fiat-dedicated network. The platform supports a comprehensive ecosystem that is designed to support the direct use of fiat currencies to make blockchain-based payments. And unlike the usual stablecoin, Public Mint is designed to support the use of multiple fiat currencies on the platform

    Conclusion

    Public Mint is a strong competitor among stablecoin platforms. However, its strength lies in its ability to facilitate easy and real-time transactions. If its partnerships with banks prosper, it can support a global payment ecosystem that will not fully rely on a blockchain. This addresses the problem most stablecoins users face in terms of transaction time and costs.

    Moreover, it can be a less volatile medium of exchange since it is collateralized by fiat and not by other digital assets. If ever the platform gets hacked and its funds are stolen, users are secured by its FDIC-insurance. Looking at where Public Mint is today, its potential to be the go-to alternative from stablecoins is high.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • Polkafoundry ($PKF): creating NFT and DeFi apps on Polkadot?

    Polkafoundry ($PKF): creating NFT and DeFi apps on Polkadot?

    Polkadot decentralised applications (DApps) have been amongst the most decent performing crypto assets in the last couple of months. Their popularity stems from the fact that they are cross-chain compatible and future-proof to a certain extent. However, there is a catch.

    Contrary to the popular belief, the Polkadot blockchain hasn’t yet launched fully. While it’s a great concept being skillfully deployed, much remains to be done. In the absence of a live product, the developers need extra tooling and support to design and test their products. Enter PolkaFoundry.

    This article takes a look at PolkaFoundry, its background, and history, as well as its main features and architecture.

    Background

    PolkaFoundry is a project founded in 2018 and led by an experienced crypto team, who has dealt in the blockchain industry for a long period of time. Its CEO and co-founder is Thi Truong, who served as a senior manager with famed AMM and liquidity aggregator Kyber Network before. Ron Nguyen is the head of partnerships, having extensive experience in marketing.

    Other important members are Trang Mai (Head of Research & Development), Huy Hoang (Head of Platform Services), and Luong Hoa (Lead Engineer). The project is backed by some of the most respected and well-known funds including Signum Capital, Master Ventures, and AU21 Capital.

    What is PolkaFoundry?

    PolkaFoundry is a DApp factory and sandbox type project, which enables developers to design and test their Polkadot inter-operable projects. It aims to connect DeFi and Web 3.0 with the Polkadot ecosystem, by offering tools and services for experiments and real-world solutions. This will enable in-depth exploration and new innovations in the field.

    It consists of a public blockchain (PolkaFoundry blockchain), identity service (PolkaID), document storage service (DocuGuard), and Oracle service (Decentralized Gate). All of these would enable developers to design and test powerful concepts/products with ease.

    What is PolkaFoundry?
    What is PolkaFoundry? (Image credit: PolkaFoundry)

    System Features

    The platform’s main features are utilizing extensive and powerful Polkadot ecosystem through interoperability and high scalability of Polkadot & Substrate. Since it’s compatible with Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), it’s possible for developers to migrate, without much changes to their existing code.

    PolkaFoundry has unique user experience enabling features, which allows it to deploy the built DApps to a large number of users. Plus, the built-in support for decentralized finance (DeFi) ensures that developers don’t have to design anything from the scratch for managing identities, store files, and process oracle data.

    PolkaFoundry Architecture

    The general architecture of the PolkaFoundry project is an account-based system, unlike Bitcoin’s unspent transaction outputs (UTXO) system. It functions mostly like the Ethereum blockchain, using the same logic and execution functions.

    The PolkaFoundry platform doesn’t have any distinction between a coin and a token. For all intents and purposes, they are essentially the same. It’s one of the main differences it has with the Ethereum blockchain.

    It uses the following components : a Tendermint Core for P2P consensus and transaction raw data management, a transaction analyzer and executor, contract execution engine, and a bunch of other blockchain features.

    Use Cases

    The platform introduces a variety of use cases including but not limited to open lending, decentralized insurance, cross-chain DEX, DeFi derivatives, prediction markets, and auction marketplaces.

    It’s essentially valid and useful for all applications requiring the intersection of Web 3.0 and the decentralized finance (DeFi) world. It is expected that interesting and unique projects would come out of this software factory.

    PKF Token

    PolkaFoundry’s native token is PKF, which is an Ethereum ERC-20 standard token. Later, once the PolkaFoundry blockchain launches, it will be swapped for the mainnet asset on a 1:1 basis.

    PKF is utilized for transaction fees payment, staking purposes, reward issuance, governance proposals, and payment for services on the PolkaFoundry blockchain.

    The total PKF supply is 200,000,000 (200M) tokens. Since the project has received major funding from different funds, it has a vesting schedule for the privately sold tokens.

    The team or founders’ tokens are released in the same manner, granting legitimacy and protecting investor rights. There are specific allocations made for the foundation, ecosystem, and para-chain rewards.

    PolkaFoundry Investment Funds

    The PolkaFoundy Investment Funds is where things get more interesting as the investment data shows that the project is highly sought after by funds and investment groups, which is exactly why it has received investments from Signum Capital, Spark Capital, Master Ventures, AU21 Capital, x21, Magnus Capital, Rarestone, DuckDAO, Block Dream Fund, DFG, Youbi Capital, PNYX Ventures, M6, Lotus Capital, Blocksync Ventures, Vendetta Capital, Crypto Dorm Fund, Black Edge and Gestalt Capital.

    PolkaFoundry Governance

    After the mainnet launch, the governance of the platform will be transferred to the PolkaFoundry foundation. According to the documentation, it will be designed so that the protocol can handle emergency situations and be carried on-chain through a proper voting procedure.

    It has been divided into the childhood phase and maturity phase. During the childhood phase, a proposal can be made by anyone, but only validators can vote on it. Once the blockchain enters the maturity phase, everyone can vote on proposals.

    A validator has the power of his own stake and other people’s delegated stake. The stake can be slashed, in case the validators don’t vote in time. These proposals can come from every one without any special requirements. The PolkaFoundry governance can vote on important parameter modifications, emergency state declarations, and advanced changes to the protocol.

    Conclusion

    The Polkadot project is slated to be a leading project and one of the most developed and ongoing crypto marvels of the coming times. In the absence of a working mainnet, it needs a sandboxed environment and a factory to churn out DApp products.

    And PolkaFoundry is stepping up to fill that role. The project offers robust tools, services, and design aids to help develop optimized concepts & final products for the Polkadot ecosystem.

    It’s a solid project with widespread name recognition and industry backing. However, it remains to be seen as to how the platform would execute and deliver upon its concept. PolkaFoundry deployment isn’t yet complete and the mainnet launch is expected soon. After the launch, the token migration will take place through a bridge.

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.

  • What is Privi Protocol and How Does It Benefit Content Creators?

    What is Privi Protocol and How Does It Benefit Content Creators?

    Privi Protocol is the new metaverse for content creators. It is a blockchain-based complete ecosystem that brings together decentralized social and finance to benefit the creator economy as a whole. A few features of the Privi metaverse are:

    What is Privi?

    In simple words, Privi is a crypto ecosystem built especially keeping in mind the creator community. 

    The creator community is the backbone of any social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube). However, while they slack, their creations help others to fill their pockets. 

    And, it’s not just filling their pockets, these hugely popular platforms take full control of the creations as well. For instance, YouTube recently updated its policy to place ads in between videos. This is done without the consent of the creators and 100% of the profit made from these ads goes to YouTube. 

    Privi, as a decentralized blockchain system doesn’t allow this. Your content will work for you and not some middlemen. You will have full rights and control over what you create. 

    Indeed, with Privi, creators will have more control over their creations and can also make money from all the hard work they put in to create content.

    Privi decentralizes social and finances by riding on blockchain technology. And, by pairing this decentralized social and finance together, Privi gives back control of content to its creators, while also benefitting them and their followers financially, which should be the case anyway. 

    Creators can create their own social communities where they will not only be able to directly connect with their fans and followers, without any middlemen milking them, they will also be able to mint their NFTs and social tokens. 

    How Does Privi Work?

    To understand how Privi works, take this example:

    Suppose you are a content creator and you build your own community of followers on Privi. Your followers would all hold a social token that is unique to you to get entry into your community. This way they have direct access to your creations and you can directly interact with them.

    Now, suppose you release new content. Only the followers who hold a certain number of your unique social tokens can access the video. If the video does well, it is not just you who gains but also the followers who have access to the video. 

    It directly benefits the creator community because they have full control over their creations and also benefit directly from them. The followers benefit as well because they too have direct access to the creations without any disruptions or interferences. 

    How can content creators benefit from Privi? You can build your own customizable DAO community networks on Privi, and you can monetize your content creation efforts with the help of tools like DeFi, social tokens, and NFTs. Apart from these financially profitable tools, Privi also offers a 3D immersive experience, DAOs, and more in its metaverse. 

    You already know what social tokens are and how they profit content creators as well as their followers in the blockchain universe. Now let us find out what the other tools are that can profit you as a content creator on Privi.

    How does Privi use NFTs? 

    Suppose you have an idea for a new content for which you need funding. You can create digital NFT pods on Privi and invite investors. All your work will be recorded on the NFT pod, which will increase in value. It benefits both the content creator and their community of followers.

    For example, suppose you are a singer song-writer. You need funding for your next venture. So, you go ahead and create a digital NFT pod for the same with the contract that the investors will have unique access to the songs you create. The followers who purchase the token for the NFT pod are the owners and they can hold the digital pod for returns or trade them. You get your funding and the owners of the NFT tokens get returns too. A win-win situation for both creators and their followers. 

    How can you utilize DeFi for monetizing your content?

    Suppose you are a new content creator on Privi who doesn’t have enough followers yet to fund your content with social tokens and NFT. What you can do is create a smart contract with the help of a DeFi tool to help fund your content initiatives. The investors who accept the contract will receive returns that are promised in the contract. This transparency and lack of middlemen interference are what makes DeFi such a lucrative way of financing content creation on Privi. 

    Privi – Safeguard Your Content

    There is more to Privi than what is given here. The above-mentioned points are just an overview of how Privi can revolutionize the content creator’s community and give back control of their creations to them.

    Privi supports cross-chain communication and the future plan is to integrate many more blockchains. 

    Privi is already integrated with ethereum blockchain, which allows instant exchange of internal and popular tokens through atomic swap. It also plans to be secured under the shared security model and become a para chain on the relay chain of Polkadot. The platform also aims to connect with bitcoin to allow easy BTC transactions in and out of the Privi network. 

    What are Privi Tokens?

    Privi tokens are your tickets for entering the Privi metaverse and start joining communities, creating content, and monetize your efforts. 

    The Privi token utilities are as follows:

    • Covers transaction fees of free to 4%
    • Are stakes for consuming content and also for earning interest 
    • Dictates priority for verifying profiles, pods, and communities
    • When staked, accompanies voting rights within the decentralized network

    However, this is not all, there is more on the way. Privi aims to launch the following soon:

    1. The Privi Data Coin (pDATA) – It is a data asset class that are exclusive to advertisers on the network. They can not only buy and sell these tokens but also transfer to other users for conversions and impressions. You can think of it as a ‘funnelling’ system that will help content creators on the platform to grab eyeballs, attract more conversions and clicks, and in turn they themselves will receive pDATA in their wallets. 
    2. Insurance – As a content creator you can choose to also insure your creations on the platform. There will be decentralized insurance pools with both anonymous and known underwriters. The insurance pool will come complete with a native Privi Insurance Coin (pINS) and a digital claims court. 

    The Privi tokens are up for presales too, if you are interested. The public launchpad according to the release and vesting plan from TGE is unlocked and the presale and public sale allocation is 32%, the valuation of which is $300,000. 

    Conclusion

    If you are a content creator tired of fighting the industry leading middlemen who ride on your hard-work to make millions, Privi is your best bet to take the control back. Blockchain is the future and Privi exclusively utilizes the technology to enhance the creator community. Now content creators can connect directly with followers and make money that profits them and their followers most. 

    Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks and may result in the loss of your capital. You should carefully consider whether trading cryptocurrencies is right for you in light of your financial condition and ability to bear financial risks. Cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and can fluctuate widely in a short period of time. As such, trading cryptocurrencies may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, storing cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange carries inherent risks, including the potential for loss due to hacking, exchange collapse, or other security breaches. We strongly advise that you seek independent professional advice before engaging in any cryptocurrency trading activities and carefully consider the security measures in place when choosing or storing your cryptocurrencies on a cryptocurrency exchange.