Startups: Millions and Cryptocurrency

Important: This post should not be considered investment advice. The author focuses on the best coins from an actual usage and adoption perspective, not from a financial or investment perspective.

In 2017, the crypto markets set a new standard for simple profits. Almost every part or chip produced an incredible return. “A rising tide floats all boats” as they say, and the end of 2017 was a flood. The rise in prices has created a positive feedback loop that attracts more and more capital to Crypto. Unfortunately, but inevitably, this fast-moving market leads to huge investments. Money is thrown indiscriminately into all kinds of dubious projects, many of which do not bear fruit.

In the current bearish environment, hype and greed are being replaced by critical appraisal and prudence. Especially for those who have lost money, marketing promises, endless shillings and charismatic speeches are no longer enough. Well, the main reasons to buy or hold a coin are once again paramount.

Fundamental Factors of Cryptocurrency Valuation-

There are a few factors that tend to trump hype and price growth, at least in the long run:

Acceptance angle

Although cryptocurrency technology or an ICO business plan may seem amazing without users, they are just dead projects. It is often forgotten that widespread acceptance is an important feature of money. In fact, it is estimated that more than 90% of Bitcoin’s value depends on the number of users.

While the adoption of fiat is mandated by the state, the adoption of cryptography is purely voluntary. Many factors go into the decision to accept a coin, but perhaps the most important consideration is the likelihood that others will accept the coin.

Security

Decentralization is essential to the I push model for true cryptocurrency. Without decentralization, we are a bit closer to a Ponzi scheme than a true cryptocurrency. The problem that cryptocurrency tries to solve is trust in people or institutions.

If the dismantling of a coin or a central controller can change the transaction record, it calls into question its basic security. The same goes for parts with untested code that haven’t been thoroughly tested for years. The more you can count on the code to work as described, regardless of human influence, the more secure the coin.

Innovation

Real coins strive to improve their technology, but not at the expense of security. True technological progress is rare because it requires a lot of knowledge as well as wisdom. ​​​​​​While there are always fresh ideas to screw up, if it creates vulnerabilities or criticisms of the coin’s original purpose, it doesn’t make sense.

Innovation can be a difficult factor to assess, especially for non-technical users. However, if the currency code has stagnated or is not receiving updates related to important issues, it can be a sign that the developers are lacking ideas or motivation.

Incentives

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

5 cryptocurrencies to buy in 2018

There has never been a better time to reevaluate and rebalance your crypto portfolio. Based on their solid foundation, here are five pieces that I think are worth sticking with, or perhaps buying at their current depressed prices (which, just a warning, could go lower).

#1. Bitcoin (because of its decentralization)

Number one belongs to Bitcoin (BTC), which remains the market leader in all categories. Bitcoin has the highest price, the widest speculation, the most security (due to the phenomenal energy consumption of Bitcoin mining), the most recognizable brand identity (forks have tried to match) and the most development in an active and rational manner. It is also the only part to date that is represented in traditional markets in the form of Bitcoin futures traded on the US CME and CBOE.

Bitcoin remains the main engine; The performance of all other parts is highly correlated with the performance of Bitcoin. I personally expect the gap between Bitcoin and most if not all other parts to widen.

Bitcoin has several promising innovations in the pipeline that will soon be installed as additional layers or soft forks. Examples are the Flash (LN) system, wood, Schnorr Mimblewimbleund signatures, and more.

In particular, we plan to open up a new range of applications for Bitcoin as it enables large-scale microtransactions and instant and secure payouts. LN is becoming more stable as users try out its various features with real bitcoins. As it becomes easier to use, it can be assumed that the adoption of Bitcoin will bring great benefits.

#2. Litecoin (because of its persistence)

Litecoin (LTC) is a Bitcoin clone with a different hashing algorithm. Although Litecoin no longer has Bitcoin’s anonymity technology, surprising reports have revealed that Litecoin’s dark market adoption is now second only to Bitcoin. Although the currency I have is much more suited to the role of purchasing illegal goods and services, perhaps this is a result of Litecoin’s longevity: it was launched in late 2011.

Another factor in Litecoin’s favor is that it integrates Bitcoin’s SegWit technology, which means that Litecoin is ready for LN. Litecoin can benefit from the exchange of atomic chains. In other words, secure peer-to-peer trading of currencies without the involvement of third parties (such as exchanges). Because Litecoin keeps its code largely in sync with Bitcoin, it can benefit from Bitcoin’s technological progress.

#3. Ethereum (because of smart contracts)

Ethereum (ETH) is in serious trouble at the moment. First of all, governments crack down on ICOs, and rightly so: many have turned out to be either scams or bankrupt. Since most icos run on the Ethereum network as an ERC 20 token, the ICO mania has benefited Ethereum greatly in recent years. If proper regulations are put in place to protect investors, Ethereum project scams can claim some legitimacy as a fundraising platform.

The second major problem that Ethereum faces is the delay in the transition to the new hybrid work and battery detection system. GPU mining Ethereum is currently profitable, but Bitmain has just announced a mining ASIC for Ethereum that will likely affect the bottom lines of GPU miners. It remains to be seen whether this will change for POWs and how successful those changes will be.

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

#4. Monero (because of its anonymity)

While its adoption in the dark markets is not all that one might have hoped for, I (XMR) remain a private PM. Its reputation and market capitalization are still higher than those of its competitors – and for good reason.

Monero’s code requires less confidence that Zcash is a “loyal” keying ceremony and had a fair start, unlike Dash. The fact that Monero recently changed its Pow to defeat the development of a small ASIC for its algorithm proves its commitment to the decentralization part of mining. The significant drop in hashing speed is due to the new version being constantly reported against the ASIC. This could also be an opportunity for GPUs and even smaller processors to reach out to me. The new version of Monero, 0.12, also includes other improvements that show that Monero continues to develop along tangible lines.

#5. iPRONTO (decentralized incubation platform)

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

Innovators’ ideas are supported as the NES in Smart Contract format will be signed between the expert platform and the client when the client’s business idea is submitted to the Committee for examination and registration on the platform. The idea will not be published to all users on the network’s public platform, but only to selected members of the target community who are willing to sign a smart contract to keep the idea private.

Startups are the very foundation that supports the economy as a whole. The capital growth hedging process for new age ideas is the quintessential background for growth platforms. This, in turn, creates potential growth benefits for the companies and populations they serve.

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

Startups are basically innovation-driven companies that strive to break into the big leagues to survive and ideas to stay relevant throughout their tenure. That’s why they need to grow fast and stay big. For this, investors are key with the purchasing power to share the innovation to immerse themselves in it and believe in it. Angel investors or venture capitalists are the buzzwords for them who provide and push them towards equity or profitable returns with strict guidelines and policies that move companies forward.

Safe, investor-assisted funding alternatives and capital growth are an immeasurably complex combination that can be developed in tandem, with all geographic competitiveness within the law. Finding a way to approach is an important factor in the growth of a startup. With blockchain alternatives like Ethereum, they can earn and raise capital in the form of Initial Coin Offerings.

An unregulated method of fundraising with a cryptocurrency venture. In an ICO campaign, a percentage of the currency is sold to the bankers of the early projects in exchange for offline currencies such as Bitcoin. This method of trading digital tokens to increase funds is the basis of how the entire system works without any government regulation or shareholder pressure hinting at company control over major participants.

This process allows the founding members to have more control over the startup and not deviate from the thoughts and processes of the investor. This negates the prospect of not having to dissolve companies due to termoil and inappropriate purposes.

Regulatory evasion is the key to creating the technical foundation for organizational benefit and initial coin offerings that bring cryptocurrency by collecting arbitrary amounts of monetary benefits from anyone on the internet, so a cryptocurrency wallet is the hedge needed to move forward. Pseudo-anonymity with technologies such as Ethereum provides a decentralized blockchain, preventing inhibiting activities.

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

So startups no longer need to go to a tech hub to get funding. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have paved the way with clear positives and negatives, taking risks and exposing security breaches as well.

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The features of ICO crowdfunding, for example, allow investors in India to invest in revolutionary fishing methods and growth opportunities in Indonesia and Africa without restrictions or obligations from the relevant management.

By now you’ve probably heard of Bitcoin – there are stories of people who have made thousands of dollars overnight with this and other cryptocurrencies.

As with any new speculative investment, there is an element of risk. That’s why starting with $10 free bitcoins is a good way to try it out and see how it all works. I’m still new to all this and stumbled upon this process during my research. It helped me so I thought I’d share it with you.

The first thing to know about buying bitcoins is that there are a few basic ways to buy them, and it’s not that difficult to do.

The two main ways to purchase bitcoins are through a broker or through an exchange. Take a look at Coinbase Exchange is one of the largest exchanges, has a clean and clear interface, is available through apps on various mobile and desktop platforms, and offers you $10 USD of free bitcoins to get you started. There are other exchanges I’ve tried that work well – BTCMarkets and Coinspot to name a few good ones, but only Coinbase has a $10 starting bonus.

An added advantage of Coinbase is that it works locally in multiple currencies – for example, if you’re in Australia, all your data will be displayed in Australian dollars, so you don’t have to keep track of exchange rates and the like.

It’s also worth noting that Bitcoin isn’t the only cryptocurrency that Coinbase works with – you can also buy Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) or Litecoin (LTC) – whichever currency you choose to use, you can still get $10 Free Bitcoin.

Without further ado, here’s how you can get your free $10 Bitcoins:

1) Sign up for Coinbase (the link at the bottom of this article will get you a $10 bonus)

2) Complete the account setup process, including verifying your email address, phone number and uploading a document that proves your identity (driver’s license, passport or other photo ID – this can be done by taking a photo with your phone)

3) Enter your credit card details and verify your card by viewing the transactions that Coinbase will add to your online banking statement (it’s instant and you’re not charged)

4) Place an order worth $100 in Bitcoin, Ethereum – whatever – in your activated account. If your local currency is not USD, you need to make sure you order an amount equivalent to USD 100

*** IMPORTANT NOTE: All Bitcoin purchases incur a fee, and Coinbase is no different. U the majorityyour initial $100 purchase should be around $4 ***

5) That’s it! After a couple of days, $10 worth of Bitcoins will appear in your Coinbase account – even if you deduct the purchase fee, you’ll still be ahead.

So, if you’re interested in Bitcoin, want to dive into it risk-free, and want to get some free money (!) in the process, give it a try. The Bitcoin bonus will more than cover your fee for that first deposit and can help you learn what it’s all about.

Sound good?

Some final remarks:

• This process will only work if you are a new Coinbase customer. If you already have an account, you will not receive free credit

• You can get free $10 only if you sign up from the link below.

• The above offer is for a limited time – after creating an account, you will receive the link 180 days where you can buy $100 worth of Bitcoin, Litecoin, or Ethereum and get a $10 credit.

I hope you have a prosperous and happy future with Bitcoin and take advantage of the free $10. Free money doesn’t come around every day, and at the rate Bitcoin has been growing lately, $10 could add up pretty quickly! I plan to sit at $110 for a while, see what happens and experience the ups and downs of bitcoin. Let’s see how we go.

Nano and Nexty: are they real and practical alternatives to cash? Let’s find out!

Blockchain is no longer a trendy geek! Bitcoin revolutionized the way many of us saw currencies, ledgers, money transfers and transactions. The beauty of all virtual currencies is that almost every one of them tries to solve a problem. And this is where our interesting coin – Nexty – comes into play. During the recording, the similarities of the Nexty platform will be compared with the Nano – XRB to better understand this platform.

In very simple terms, the Nexty platform is presented as a transaction system that eliminates the concept of transaction fees while providing ultra-fast transfers for the convenience of users. In addition, transfers are very fast because transactions do not require miners to perform confirmations, as is the case with other virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, etc.

However, according to a document published by Nexty’s creators, Nexty’s primary use is for newly established e-commerce companies to help secure government funding. With no transactions, super-fast transfers (2 seconds! And it’s pretty much real-time), and no confirmation fees, fundraising will be less of a hassle. The coin is surgically targeting e-commerce stores because it will create an ecosystem where these stores will accept NTY coins from buyers.

The concept behind NTY is to make daily online trading seamless. The team behind NTY consists of Blockchain developers and well-known marketers. Some of the team members have ten to 12 years of experience in full stack development and marketing.

Some of you may argue that Nano – Formerly known as Railblocks, XRB – already performs the same functions as NTY. The XRB coin is a bit unique because it uses its own block-lattice data structures. Because of this, each Nano account has its own blockchain, reducing latency for fast transfers. In addition, XRB is energy and resource efficient and does not need a high-end graphics system to execute transactions. However, Nano does not come with smart contract capability. Smart contracts are designed to exchange triggers for any cryptocurrency. These contracts facilitate the exchange of funds, real estate, stocks, or any tangible or intangible object of financial value. Smart contracts also displace the need for brokers while moving our crypto into a flawless exchange asset. Apart from this one difference, NTV and XRB (Nano) are more or less identical. Another important feature of the Nexty platform is its integration with existing e-commerce applications such as Joomla. According to the developers of NTY, the integration takes 3-4 hours at most.

To achieve NTY’s supply and demand balance, the platform comes with a built-in smart bidding program. This program offers bonuses and credits for buying, selling and maintaining Nexty. The system is designed for investors and everyday users at the same time.

The capabilities of the Nexty and Nano platforms are enormous. Just imagine a world where crypto replaces regular wallets and transactions happen fast! For example, if a store owner accepts bitcoins, they may not transfer goods and services to you until the transaction is verified by a number of minors. Now reimagine paying for goods and services through a currency that transfers quickly with zero transaction fees, regardless of minor validations!

Cryptocurrencies have been in the news recently because tax authorities believe they can be used for money laundering and tax evasion. Even the Supreme Court has appointed a special investigation team on black money and has recommended that trade in such currency should not be encouraged. China has reportedly banned some of its biggest bitcoin trading operators, while countries such as the US and Canada have laws restricting exchange trading of the cryptocurrency.

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency, as the name suggests, uses encrypted codes to carry out a transaction. These codes are recognized by other computers in the user community. Instead of using paper money, the online ledger is updated with regular accounting entries. Such currency is debited from the buyer’s account and credited to the seller’s account.

How are cryptocurrency transactions made?

When a transaction is initiated by a single user, their computer sends a public cipher or public key that interacts with the private cipher of the person receiving the currency. When the recipient accepts the transaction, the originating computer appends the piece of code to a block of several such encrypted codes that is known to every user on the network. Special users called “Miners” can attach additional code to the public block, solving the cryptographic puzzle and earning more cryptocurrency in the process. Once a miner confirms a transaction, the entry in the block cannot be modified or deleted.

BitCoin, for example, can be used on mobile devices as well as for making purchases. All you have to do is allow the receiver to scan the QR code from an app on your smartphone or bring them face-to-face using Near Field Communication (NFC). Note that this is very similar to regular online wallets like PayTM or MobiQuick.

Die-hard users swear by Bitcoin for its decentralized nature, international recognition, anonymity, transaction maturity, and data security. Unlike paper currency, no central bank controls the inflationary pressure on cryptocurrency. Transaction logs are stored on a peer-to-peer network. This means that each computer has its own computing power, and copies of the databases are stored on each such network node. Banks, on the other hand, store transaction data in central repositories held by private individuals employed by the firm.

How can cryptocurrency be used for money laundering?

The very fact that there is no oversight of cryptocurrency transactions by central banks or tax authorities means that transactions cannot always be traced back to a specific person. This means that we don’t know if the transactor received the store of value legitimately or not. The merchant’s store is also suspicious, as no one can tell what reward was given for the currency received.

What does Indian law say about such virtual currencies?

Virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies are generally considered to be pieces of software and are therefore classified as goods under the Sale of Goods Act of 1930.

Being good, they will be subject to indirect taxes on their sale or purchase, as well as GST on the services provided by the Miner.

There is still a lot of confusion about whether cryptocurrencies are valid as currency in India and the RBI, which has authority over clearing and payment systems and prepaid negotiable instruments, has definitely not allowed buying and selling through this medium of exchange.

Therefore, any cryptocurrencies received by a resident of India will be governed by the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 as an import of goods into that country.

India has allowed bitcoin to be traded on dedicated exchanges with built-in safeguards against tax evasion or money laundering and enforcement of Know Your Customer regulations. These exchanges include Zebpay, Unocoin and Coinsecure.

For example, those who invest in bitcoins are liable to recover from the dividends received.

Capital gains from the sale of securities using virtual currencies are also subject to tax as income and online filing of IT returns accordingly.

If your investment in this currency is large, it is better to seek help from an individual tax office. Online platforms have made the process of tax compliance much easier.

Background

Initial coin offerings on blockchain platforms have painted the world red for tech startups around the world. A decentralized network that can distribute tokens to users who support an idea with money is both revolutionary and rewarding.

Profitable Bitcoin proved to be an “asset” for early stage investors that delivered multi-faceted returns in 2017. Cryptocurrency investors and exchanges around the world have taken advantage of this opportunity, leading to the rise of many online exchanges. Other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Ripple and other ICOs have promised even better results. (Ethereum grew more than 88 times in 2017!)

While ICOs brought startups millions of dollars in a matter of days, the governing governments initially decided to follow the fastest growing fintechs that could raise millions of dollars in a very short period of time.

Countries around the world are considering regulating cryptocurrencies

But regulators became wary as the technology and its underlying effects gained traction, as ICOs began mulling billions of dollars in funds — including proposed plans written in official documents.

In late 2017, governments around the world jumped at the chance to intervene. While China has completely banned cryptocurrencies, the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) in the US has highlighted the risks to vulnerable investors and suggested treating them as securities.

A recent warning issued by SEC Chairman Jay Clayton in December cautioned investors by mentioning,

“Please also consider that these markets span national borders and that significant trading may occur on systems and platforms outside of the United States. Your invested funds can quickly go abroad without your knowledge. As a result, risks may be heightened, including the risk that market regulators such as the SEC may not be able to effectively pursue wrongdoers or recover funds.”

This was followed by concerns from India, in which Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in February that India would not recognize cryptocurrencies.

On April 6, 2018, the Reserve Bank of India sent a circular to other banks asking them to cut ties with companies and exchanges that trade or deal with cryptocurrencies.

In the UK, the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) announced in March that it had formed a cryptocurrency task force and would receive help from the Bank of England to regulate the cryptocurrency sector.

Different laws, tax structures in different countries

Cryptocurrencies are basically coins or tokens launched on a cryptographic network and can be traded worldwide. While cryptocurrencies have more or less the same value around the world, countries with different laws and regulations can provide different returns to investors who may be nationals of different countries.

Different laws for investors from different countries would make calculating profits a tedious and cumbersome exercise.

This will entail investment of time, resources and strategies, causing unnecessary prolongation of processes.

The solution

Instead of many countries passing different laws for global cryptocurrencies, there needs to be a single global regulatory body with laws that apply across borders. Such a move would play an important role in expanding legal cryptocurrency trading around the world.

Organizations with a global purpose like the UN (United Nations), World Trade Organization (WTO), World Economic Forum (WEF), International Trade Organization (ITO) are already playing an important role in bringing the world together on various fronts.

Cryptocurrencies were created with the basic idea of ​​transferring funds around the world. They have more or less the same value on exchanges, except for a minor arbitrage.

A global regulatory body to regulate cryptocurrencies worldwide is the need of the hour and can set global rules to regulate the newest ways to finance ideas. Each country is now trying to regulate virtual currencies with legislation that is currently under development.

If the economic superpowers can reach a consensus with other countries to introduce a regulatory body with laws that do not know national borders, it will be one of the biggest breakthroughs in creating a crypto-friendly world and expanding the use of one of the most transparent financial technologies ever  - the blockchain.

A universal regulation consisting of subsections related to cryptocurrency trading, declarations, taxes, fines, KYC procedures, laws related to exchanges and penalties for illegal hacks can give us the following advantages.

1. This can make the calculation of profit extremely easy for investors worldwide as there will be no difference in net profit due to the uniform taxation structure

2. Countries around the world can agree to share a certain amount of profits as taxes. Thus, countries’ share of taxes collected would be the same worldwide.

3. The time required to set up multiple committees, draft bills, and then debate them in the legislative arena (such as the Parliament in India and the Senate in the US) can be saved.

4. It is not necessary to consider the strict taxation laws of each country. Especially those involved in multinational trade.

5. Even companies offering tokens or ICOs will comply with the mentioned “international law”. Therefore, calculating the after-tax income will be a simple matter for companies

6. A global framework will require more companies to offer better ideas, thereby increasing employment opportunities worldwide.

7. The law could be facilitated by an international watchdog or regulatory body for global currencies, which could have the power to blacklist non-compliant ICO offerings.

This is not all the benefits when it comes to the law that will regulate cryptocurrencies worldwide. There are certain disadvantages as well as

Getting the world’s financial leaders together to come together and draft legislation can take a long time. Discussions and bringing them to consensus can be difficult

1. Countries or economies that provide tax-free structures may not agree to enact a universal tax policy

2. The involvement of a global watchdog or regulatory body in monitoring regulatory changes related to ICOs may not be appropriate for some countries

3. A universal law can lead to the division of the world into factions. Countries that do not support cryptocurrency such as China may not be part of it.

4. The law may be the brainchild of economically strong states, who may design it to suit their interests.

5. This law would be centralized with a global regulatory body, unlike cryptocurrencies which are decentralized in nature.

Conclusion

The world was together for the better. Whether it’s creating a peaceful world after World War II or coming together to improve trade laws and agreements.

The International Trade Organization (ITO), the World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum have some of the best minds defining the global economy.

They can unite and become part of a body that will determine the economic prosperity of the world. They will help develop global cryptocurrency norms and can be part of a regulatory body that will act as a guide and beacon for thousands of ICOs around the world. This may take a lot of time initially, but it will make things easier in the future.

Well, like almost everything else in life – if not everything – you have to buy it before you invest in it. Investing in bitcoins can be very difficult, and that is if you don’t have the step you need to take.

First you need to know that Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, one of the very first digital currencies that was invented, designed and developed by Satoshi Nakamoto and was released to the public in 2009.

And since then, updates and improvements have been made by a network of highly experienced developers, and the platform has been partially funded by the Bitcoin Foundation.

Since Bitcoin has become a hot topic of interest and many people are investing in it, there is nothing wrong with acquiring digital wealth as well. It is interesting to note that back in 2012, Bitcoin firms were only able to raise $2.2 million.

Despite falling in price this year, the cryptocurrency continues to grow in both users and merchants accepting it as payment.

So how can you get in on the action? Investing in Bitcoins can be easy for the average Joe if he just buys them outright.

It has become easy to buy today, as many firms in the United States and around the world are involved in buying and selling.

For US investors, the easiest solution is Coin Base, which is a company that sells BTC to people at a markup that is usually around 1% of the current market price.

If you want a traditional exchange, Bit Stamp may be the best option because the users you will be trading with are not just the company, but the users.

The company acts only as an intermediary. Liquidity is higher and you can almost always find another person to take the other side of your trade.

Commissions start at 0.5% and go up to 0.2% if you have traded more than $150,000 in the last 30 days. All this is already an investment vehicle in its own way, because the more BTC you buy, the more profit you will make if you decide to keep it or resell it to other traditional buyers at a higher price than the one you purchased with the help of the real company .

You can also buy bitcoins in other ways besides exchange. One of the most popular offline routes is Local Bitcoins, a website that connects you with potential buyers and sellers. When buying coins, they are locked with the seller in escrow, from where they can be issued only to buyers.

But buying bitcoins offline should be done with some extra precautions which are always common like meeting a stranger. Meet during the day in a public place and if possible bring a friend.

Bitcoin is the most popular thing on the internet right now. Investors and venture capital firms are betting that it will stay. There are many ways for the average Joe to invest and buy Bitcoins.

In the US, the most popular ways are Coin Base, Bit Stamp, and Local Bitcoins. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so do your research to find the best fit for you.

Since you can literally do anything with your phone or tablet these days, it’s no surprise that you can also invest and trade stocks using apps. Why spend a fortune paying a broker to trade for you when you can do it yourself? Even if you are not very knowledgeable or experienced, the best online stock trading application platforms come with tips and resources to help you learn better.

You only need one or two good programs to make all your investments. It also depends on your experience level and trading style.

Here’s a quick overview of some of the more popular trading apps:

Robin Hood

This one was launched before the Robinhood website. It’s free to start, although you won’t get access to the full range of investments. Bitcoin support has recently been added. The program’s interface is intuitive, and the information you need to make decisions is easy to access and understand. Robinhood uses only the best security and privacy measures to protect investors’ personal data and assets.

Acorns

This is a great choice for beginners. College students can take advantage of the free drive feature, and some retailers can even get “cash back.” There are no unexpected free bonuses and you can make small trades for as little as $1 – $3.

Acorns is not for everyone, especially more active, versatile traders who want a larger portfolio.

Stockpile

The good thing about Stash is that it’s not just an online stock trading program, it’s also an educational program designed to help you learn as you go. It allows users to start investing from as little as $5 and provides advice on which stocks might be right for you. Investments are made in single shares / EFTs, which are used in different themes, such as “environment” or “innovation”.

Handy Trader

This tool is created by Interactive Brokers and is available to members of Zacks Trade. If you are not familiar with Zack’s Trade, it is a great platform for active traders and those interested in foreign stock exchanges. There are many investment options to choose from, including options, EFTs, bonds, mutual funds, etc. To help you make decisions, Handy Trader supports real-time charts and market data, and allows you to place orders either instantly or via an order ticket.

In addition to the best app for online stock trading, Zacks Trade and Interactive Brokers offer a web-based platform for those who prefer to trade on a PC.

Cryptocurrency is a digital alternative to using credit cards or cash for everyday payments in a variety of situations. It continues to grow as a viable alternative to traditional payment methods, but still needs to become more stable before ordinary people will fully welcome it. Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits of using cryptocurrency:

Fraud – Any issues with fraud are minimized because cryptocurrency is digital, which can prevent chargebacks or counterfeit payments. This type of operation can be a problem with other traditional payment methods such as credit card due to chargebacks.

Identity Theft – There is no need to provide personal information that could lead to identity theft when using cryptocurrency. When you use a credit card, the store receives a lot of information related to your credit line, even for very small transactions. In addition, credit card payment relies on a withdrawal transaction when a certain amount is requested from the account. When paying in cryptocurrency, the transaction is based on a push payment, which gives the account holder the option to send only the exact amount without additional information.

Versatile use – Payment in cryptocurrency can be easily made according to certain conditions. A digital contract can be created to make a payment to be made in the future, to refer to external facts, or to obtain the approval of third parties. Even with a special contract, this type of payment is still very fast and efficient.

Ease of Access – Cryptocurrency usage is widely available to anyone with access to the Internet. It is becoming very popular in some parts of the world, such as Kenya, where almost 1/3 of the population uses a digital wallet through a local microfinance service.

Low Fees – One can complete a cryptocurrency transaction without having to pay any additional fees or charges. However, if a digital wallet or third-party service is used to store cryptocurrency, a small fee will likely apply.

International Trade – This type of payment is not subject to country-specific fees, transaction fees, interest rates or exchange rates, making cross-border transfers possible with relative ease.

Adaptability – With nearly 1,200 unique types of cryptocurrencies on the global market, there are many opportunities to use a payment method that fits specific needs. ​​​​​​While there are many uses for coins for everyday use, there are also those that are designed for a specific use or in a specific industry.

One of the basic rules of blockchain technology is to provide users with unshakable privacy. As the first ever decentralized cryptocurrency, Bitcoin relied on this premise to market itself to a broad audience that then needed a virtual currency free from government interference.

Unfortunately, Bitcoin has proven to be fraught with several flaws along the way, including a lack of scalability and a volatile blockchain. All transactions and addresses are recorded on the blockchain, making it easy for anyone to connect the dots and reveal users’ private information based on their existing records. Some government and non-government agencies are already using blockchain analytics to read data on the Bitcoin platform.

Such shortcomings have led developers to seek alternative blockchain technologies with improved security and speed. One such project is Monero, which is commonly represented by the ticker XMR.

What is Monero?

Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency project whose main goal is to provide better privacy than other blockchain ecosystems. This technology protects users’ information using Ring’s hidden addresses and signatures.

A hidden address refers to creating a single address for a single transaction. No two addresses can be attached to the same transaction. The resulting coins go to a completely different address, making the whole process incomprehensible to an outside observer.

Ring signature, on the other hand, refers to mixing account keys with public keys, thus creating a “ring” of multiple signers. This means that the monitoring agent cannot associate the signature with a specific account. Unlike cryptography (a mathematical method of protecting crypto projects), the ring signature is not new to the world. Its principles were researched and documented in a 2001 paper by the Weizmann Institute and MIT.

Certainly, cryptography has won the hearts of many blockchain developers and fans, but the truth is that it is a nascent tool with little use. Since Monero uses the already tested Ring signature technology, it has distinguished itself as a legitimate project to adopt.

What you need to know before you start trading Monero

The Monero market

The Monero market is similar to that of other cryptocurrencies. If you want to buy it, Kraken, Poloniex, and Bitfinex are a few exchanges worth checking out. Poloniex was the first to adopt it, followed by Bitfinex and finally Kraken.

This virtual currency mostly appears to be pegged to the dollar or other cryptocurrencies. Some of the available combinations include XMR/USD, XMR/BTC, XMR/EUR, XMR/XBT and many more. The trading volume and liquidity of this currency have very good indicators.

One of the good things about XMR is that anyone can participate in its mining either as an individual or by joining a mining pool. Any computer with reasonably good processing power can mine Monero blocks with little glitches. Don’t worry about choosing ASICS (Specific Integrated Circuits) which are currently mandatory for Bitcoin mining.

Price volatility

Although the cryptocurrency network is powerful, it is not that special when it comes to volatility. Virtually all altcoins are extremely volatile. This shouldn’t worry any avid trader as this is what makes them profitable in the first place – you buy when prices fall and sell when they rise.

In January 2015, the price of XMR was $0.25, and in May 2017, it rose slightly to $60, and now it has crossed the $300 mark. Monero coin recorded its ATH (all-time high) at $475 on January 7 before starting to fall along with other cryptocurrencies to $300. As of this writing, virtually all decentralized currencies are in a price correction phase, with Bitcoin hovering between $10-11k from its magnificent ATH of $19,000.

Substitutability and acceptance

Due to its ability to provide strong privacy, XMR has been adopted by many people who make its coins easily replaceable with other currencies. Simply put, Monero can easily be exchanged for something else.

All bitcoins on the bitcoin blockchain are recorded and thus if an incident such as a theft occurs, all the coins involved will go out of business, making them non-fungible. With monero, you cannot tell one coin from another. Therefore, no seller can refuse any of them because it was due to a bad incident.

The Monero blockchain is currently one of the most popular cryptocurrencies with a significant number of subscribers. As with most other blockchain projects, its future looks bright despite looming government crackdowns. As an investor, you should do your due diligence and research before trading any cryptocurrency. If possible, seek help from financial experts to get you on the right track.