Stock-to-flow creator doesn’t think Bitcoin’s bull market is done

Is Bitcoin’s macro upward journey over? PlanB says no.

Bitcoin’s price seems to have stalled below $60,000 after attaining new all-time highs earlier in March. PlanB, a crypto analyst active on Twitter, thinks Bitcoin (BTC) may still have a lot of room to gallup however. 

“IMO we are only ~4 months into the bull market and nowhere near the end of it,” PlanB tweeted on Friday. “Bitcoin is just getting started,” he added, showing Bitcoin’s current path on one of his Stock-to-Flow charts. Multiple Stock-to-Flow models exist for Bitcoin which show Bitcoin’s price path in line with its halving events and supply over time.

YouTuber and derivatives trader Tone Vays also carries a bullish macro view, although he thinks a dip lower for Bitcoin is not out of the question.

“Bitcoin is consolidating but I remain bullish in this market,” Vays told Cointelegraph. “While it is still possible for bitcoin to make a lower low for the month in the $48k range, I believe we will go up to above $70k before June,” he added.

After trading past $61,000 this month, Bitcoin retraced down near $50,000. For the most part, the drop occurred over roughly two weeks, with some relief bounces mixed in, rather than in a straight, single-day $10,000 shot downward. Based on TradingView data, BTC holds a price of $54,550 at time of publication, looking back on a day of overall upward price action.

Meanwhile, other crypto assets continue to make headlines in the price category as well.

Go to Source

Bitcoin Betting and Crypto Taxation in the EU and Around the World

A Stake.com review shows that quite a number of Bitcoin betters are using their games and books to make a decent amount of winnings — but what about taxes on such things? If you’re a Bitcoin better, do you need to worry about taxes?

Like most things regarding taxes and financial transactions, it all depends on the country you live in. It may even come down to which city and local government you live in. 

This article will give a general overview of taxes on cryptocurrency gains in each country. It’ll give you a jumping board for further research.

The European Union

The EU is one of the more complicated places, so we’ll start there. 

The reason it’s complicated is that the EU has left Bitcoin taxation on winnings from gambling, trading, and transacting up to each individual country within the union. 

There are a few countries of note, however, that — if you’re an E.U. citizen — you could consider moving to if their BTC tax treatment will make a significant impact on your life. 

Three that sound out the most are:

Portugal

This small country on the westernmost coast of the EU has some of the most attractive Bitcoin tax policies in the EU

“In 2016, the Portuguese Tax Authority (PTA) ruled that all crypto transactions will be free from capital gains and income tax.”

It doesn’t get much clearer than that.

Switzerland

The country has become known for its blockchain-friendly stance. After all, it’s home to the crypto foundations of Ethereum, Tezos, and more. 

That’s because, “in Switzerland, the exchange of cryptocurrencies is considered the same as traditional payment transactions. According to the Swiss Federal Tax Administration, all profits and losses from crypto transactions made by individuals are exempt from tax reporting.”

Granted, profits made by businesses in the crypto sphere are taxed under Swiss regulations. However, that doesn’t apply to people making money from winnings from crypto gambling sites. 

Germany

Another country for simple regulations on your Bitcoin winnings is the home of the Oktoberfest (a good enough reason to live there all by itself). 

In Germany, “Bitcoin has been considered a type of private money since 2013. Although Bitcoin is subject to capital gains tax of 25% in Germany, such a tax is levied only if the profits on Bitcoin are acquired within one year after the receipt of Bitcoin.”

So if you won crypto, traded it, or another type of activity and then held it for more than a year afterward, you might not be subject to taxes. Though, perhaps the taxes on winnings from gambling might be a different subject — but it’s difficult to find specific information on gambling and cryptocurrency payouts. 

Other EU Countries

There are 28 countries in the EU, each with its own treatment. 

For example, in Poland, not only would you need to pay a 19% capital gains tax, but you would also need to pay an extra 4% “solidarity tax” if your crypto income is over one million PLN (Polish fiat). 

Clearly, there are certain countries to consider living in over others if you are an EU citizen or considering becoming one. 

Countries Around the World

If the EU is not a place you want to consider living in, then there are plenty of other beautiful Bitcoin tax havens in the world to consider. 

Japan

In Japan, “Bitcoin is officially recognized as a payment method. The sale of Bitcoin is exempted from consumption tax as of 1st of July 2017. Virtual currencies are treated as “asset-like values” that “can be used in making payments and can be transferred digitally”. Thus, in Japan, profits gained from Bitcoin trading are considered to be business income and treated accordingly for income and capital gains tax purposes.”

Australia

The land down under is a bit more complicated, but its sunshine and outdoor adventures are legendary. 

In Australia, the gain and sale of Bitcoin (probably through betting as well) is subject to laws surrounding barter arrangements. 

It’s a tough concept to wrap your head around because the Australian tax authorities don’t consider Bitcoin as either money or foreign currency. Instead, BTC is an asset for capital gains purposes, and businesses (like gambling establishments) must consider payments in and out of Bitcoin as needed to be declared with their value in AUD as ordinary income.

Thankfully, Bitcoin transactions for personal purposes are exempt. Then again, those transactions must meet two conditions, 

(1) The Bitcoin must have been used as payment for goods and services for personal use

(2) the value of the transaction is lower than AUD 10.000. 

The United States of America

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the central tax authority in the US. They have established rules and laws treating Bitcoin as property. So your Bitcoin betting winnings are not a currency, but property, and should be reported as such. 

If you win $10,000, for example, in the US and then the value of BTC rises so by the time you cash out, you take $20,000 out — then unfortunately your winnings will incur capital gains tax. 

So if you’re a big player in online bitcoin gambling sites, it’s worth considering how much winnings you cash out, when, and where — or else your winnings may be diminished quite a bit by the taxes of the country you live in. 

Go to Source

NFTs Are on the Rise Again: The Growing Appeal of Crypto Collectibles

With the recent sale of a .jpg by digital artist Beeple in a Christie’s auction for $69 million, NFTs have suddenly jumped into the mainstream in a big way. Here’s a history to better put Beeple’s jackpot in context and to help understand where it might go from here. 

Cryptocollectibles or non-fungible tokens (NFT) are a specific type of blockchain token. Unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum tokens, each NFT token is unique, making them comparable to rare items like trading cards and other limited-run collectible items.

Crypto Kitties Started the Trend

NFTs were first created in 2017 with the introduction of Crypto Kitties. This line of cryptocollectibles features virtual pets: each token contains a unique cartoon cat, randomly generated through a lottery. Owners are able to trade Crypto Kitties for profit.

In the years that followed, several other variations on NFTs were created. Now, in 2021, the first NFTs with mainstream appeal are arriving on the market.

Celebrities Create NFTs

Celebrities have created numerous NFTs. Actress Lindsay Lohan also created an NFT this February, shown above. The token sold for $59,000 and the proceeds were donated to charity. Lohan has also created other NFTs since then.

More recently, Twitter founder and CEO Jack Dorsey tokenized his first-ever tweet, originally published to Twitter in 2006. The auction for the token will end in March, and the highest bidder is currently offering $2.5 million for the tweet. The proceeds from the sale will go toward poverty relief via Give Directly.

Meanwhile, Paris Hilton is reportedly considering creating another NFT alongside entrepreneur Kim Dotcom and rap giant MC Hammer. Hilton previously tokenized a drawing of her cat in 2019, which sold for $17,000; the proceeds were donated to charity.

In January, “Rick and Morty” cartoonist Justin Roiland created an NFT based on art from the hit cartoon. That NFT was sold for over $1 million via Nifty Gateway.

NBA Top Shots and Sports Collectibles

Elsewhere, the NBA has launched a line of basketball-themed cryptocollectibles called NBA Top Shots. This line of NFTs was launched in October 2020.

The product line was produced in collaboration with Dapper Labs, creator of Crypto Kitties. The tokens are similar to player trading cards but with video clips of memorable basketball moments rather than still images.

NBA Top Shots have become a fast success, bringing in more than $300 million, according to some sources. Some packs have sold out, and a secondary market for the physical items associated with the digital token has appeared on eBay.

In 2018, the MLB created a similar line of baseball-themed collectibles in partnership with the crypto firm Lucid Sight. That NFT line is called MLB Champions, and it features digital “bobbleheads” based on famous baseball players.

Music Industry NFTs

Several music artists have created NFTs. In early March, the popular rock band Kings of Leon released a line of NFTs to tie into their latest album “When You See Yourself.”

Various editions of the token contain either art related to the album, digital tracks, or lifetime tickets to band concerts. These tokens were created with the blockchain firm YellowHeart and can be viewed on the OpenSea marketplace.

Other musicians have also created NFTs. Synth-pop musician Grimes tokenized a music video, “Death of the Old,” which sold for more than $388,000.

Fyooz has attracted musicians including Post Malone, Lil Yachty, and Lil Pump. The firm aims to produce “experience NFTs” that provide live digital music experiences. 

Where Can You Buy NFTs?

OpenSea is one of the largest marketplaces for cryptocollectibles. It lists NFTs for dozens of different cryptocollectible projects on the Ethereum blockchain. Other competing marketplaces, such as Sorare, Rarible, and Enjin also allow you to buy NFTs.

Generally, NFTs and cryptocurrency collectibles are designed to circulate freely, meaning that they can be bought and sold even if a single marketplace shuts down.

That said, some tokens are available on limited markets initially. NBA Top Shot items and Fyooz tokens, for example, are best purchased through their official sites.

Are NFTs a Worthwhile Investment?

Because each NFT project has a different business model, some may be better investments than others. As seen above, cryptocollectibles can have celebrity backing or corporate backing, or they may simply be tied to blockchain trading games.

Because cryptocollectibles are just a few years old, it is impossible to predict what their long-term value will be. On one hand, rare items can gain value over time; on the other hand, trends can fall out of fashion and become short-lived fads.

But regardless of the eventual state of the market, it seems certain that new lines of NFTs will be created and released. Some are sure to attract mainstream attention.

Go to Source

What are Bitcoin CFDs? A Guide to Crypto Contracts for Difference

As the cryptocurrency market matures, investors are seeking out new ways to invest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. Contracts for Difference (CFDs) provide one option.

What Is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency—a digital currency powered by a decentralized network of node operators. It was invented in 2008 by Satoshi Nakamoto, and over the past decade, countless other cryptocurrencies have been created.

Cryptocurrency is promising because it has no central point of control. Banks and governments cannot shut it down, and wallet holders have direct access to their Bitcoin balance. Though exchanges that buy and sell Bitcoin can control some cryptocurrency transactions, Bitcoin itself can be transacted freely across borders and can change hands without interference.

Bitcoin has attracted attention within mainstream circles thanks to several big events. Tesla purchased $1.5 billion worth of BTC earlier this year, while PayPal decided to introduce support for Bitcoin buying and selling in late 2020. Facebook’s decision to create a coalition-based Bitcoin competitor, Diem, is also generating attention.

Though Bitcoin is intended for use in real-world spending, it is also popular among speculative investors due to its rapidly changing price. In March 2020, the price of Bitcoin fell below $6,000, giving new investors a chance to purchase Bitcoin inexpensively. But this year, Bitcoin’s price reached an all-time high of $60,000 and achieved a market cap above $1.1 trillion.

Despite its widespread appeal, Bitcoin is not necessarily an appropriate investment for those who prefer more traditional means of investment. That’s where CFDs come in.

Why Should You Trade Bitcoin CFDs?

Crypto Contracts for Difference (CFDs) provide a way to invest in Bitcoin through contracts that are tied to the market value of the cryptocurrency.

Whereas traditional Bitcoin wallets leave you to manage your own security, CFDs do not require you to manage your own Bitcoin wallet or private keys. This difference means that CFDs are ideal for those who are familiar with banks and trading services, which employ more traditional security and custody measures.

Related to this, CFD trades are executed on a trading company’s own systems, meaning that trades are not limited by the speed of the Bitcoin blockchain. Though Bitcoin is designed to be efficient, it often sees congestion and high transaction fees, and derivatives help investors avoid that problem.

Finally, CFDs have stood the test of time. Bitcoin has only existed since 2008, and crypto exchanges did not begin to operate until a few years later. CFDs have been available for significantly longer: they originated in the early 1990s, meaning the investment vehicle has nearly three decades of history.

More Considerations for CFD Investors

CFDs are also notable because they take advantage of Bitcoin’s fluctuating value. If you buy Bitcoin itself, you can only profit if your investment gains value. But because CFDs track differences, you can profit even if Bitcoin’s value falls.

Additionally, CFDs introduce the possibility of leveraged trading and other advanced trading options. This means that you can borrow funds in order to earn higher profits. This investment technique is widely considered a high-risk strategy, but it is viable for knowledgeable traders.

It must also be noted that CFDS are only useful if you are investing in Bitcoin speculatively. They are not ideal if you want to spend your Bitcoin, send it to friends and family, or swap it for other cryptocurrencies. However, it is always possible to close your CFD and invest your money in Bitcoin directly.

Where Can I Invest In CFDs?

One platform where you can create a Bitcoin CFD is Axi, an Australia-based trading platform.

Axi is fully regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority and is involved in dispute resolution within the financial services industry and forex markets.

They also offer customer support around the clock (24 hours a day, 5 days a week) and provide insurance coverage (CMI) to protect your funds.

In addition to crypto CFD trading, they offer CFDs tied to forex, trading indices, commodities, and precious metals. Over 130 products are available for trading on their site.

Go to Source

Bitcoin Passes $60,000 for First Time, NFT Tokens Soar, BCH, MANA, WAX, Mar. 15

BTC

BTC Price Index

 

Bitcoin continued its rebound from the pullback into March as the coin traded above the $60,000 level for the first time. Bitcoin got a further boost last week after the US government finally approved the second stimulus package. The move will see $1,400 stimulus checks being sent out to the public and traders expect much of this to end up in stocks and cryptocurrencies.

The market has been waiting on this second stimulus bill since before the election in November. Last year’s stimulus bill was the start of the summer rally that took BTC from around $9,000 to its current levels.

Despite a two-day pullback in Bitcoin, the market cap still trades above the $1 trillion level. The next path for the market could be driven by the Federal Reserve this week. The Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference on Wednesday will likely see a commitment to stay patient on policy measures, despite the economy improving. Yields on 10-year Treasury bonds moved higher again on Friday, to the highest levels in about a year and a dovish Fed may rattle markets once more. 

There was some negative news on Monday with Reuters reporting that India may be about to introduce a ban on cryptocurrency. The rules, “would criminalize possession, issuance, mining, trading and transferring crypto-assets”, according to a government official.

The move comes after a January government plan that called for a ban on private virtual currencies, while they build a framework for an official digital currency. Investors had hoped that they would be more lenient, but if the bill passes the Narendra Modi government then investors could have six months to liquidate or face penalties. 

BTC could pull back this week on the news and it will likely do that if it can’t get back above $60k. 

BCH

Bitcoin Cash has drifted out of the top ten list of coins in recent weeks as newcomers see their valuations growing.  

BCH Price Index

The coin has been left behind in the recent rally with the coin’s market cap peaking at a record above $60 billion, but now trades around the $10 billion level. BCH never really recovered from the hard fork and acrimonious split with BSV and the recent news from India highlights what I said a long time ago- that governments won’t allow a private currency to disrupt their power structure.

The coin was also hit at the start of the month as OK Coin de-listed both coins over what the CEO Hong Fang called a “malicious misinformation war” which was being driven by high-profile heads of both projects. 

She was talking largely about Craig Wright who has long claimed to be the creator of Bitcoin. A recent attempt to copyright the Bitcoin white paper drove Fang to take action and “protect the open-source community.”

BCH did get some potential market cap-boosting news over the course of the BTC rally as it was added to PayPal’s recent dive into cryptocurrency, while Japanese retail giant Rakuten also added the coin. The Rakuten payments app is supported by over 50,000 retailers, including McDonald’s, and 7-Eleven.

The addition to the platforms failed to spur BCH and it now sits in a lonely space, with the door closing to large-scale payments and investment flows going to other areas of the ecosystem. The only thing that the creators will take heart from is that the coin is still 3x the size of BSV with a price of $530.

MANA

Decentraland’s MANA coin has seen a meteoric rise in the last few months as the NFT art craze took hold.  

MANA Price Index

The platform started life in 2017 as a virtual role-playing blockchain game where users could buy land with MANA tokens. The coin started the year at the $0.08c level and has since moved to $1 per coin for a return of 1150%.

Big money is being spent in the NFT art marketplace, while the Dallas Mavericks basketball team announced that they would be using Dogecoin for merchandise and ticket purchases. 

Recently the company saw games company Atari leasing a piece of land within the Decentraland world in order to build a cryptocurrency casino in “Vegas City,” which is one of the districts in the Ethereum-based world. 

The launch of the casino is set for April and will feature prizes in the form of NFTs, ATRI, and DG. Atari is partnering with Decentral Games for the casino, which will use their $DG currency. 

WAX

WAX Price Index

Wax is another token that has been rising on the back of the NFT art craze as the project releases digital collectibles from names such as Garbage Pail Kids and Streetfighter, alongside fan-created collections. 

Wax is short for The Worldwide Asset eXchange™ and is billed as, “the world’s leading decentralized video game and entertainment network.” The Wax network also houses Atari collectibles. 

The boom in digital Non-Fungible Token (NFT) art culminated recently with a private auction of a piece by digital creator Beeple selling for $69 million. Beeple is an American digital artist from South Carolina who has been creating digital artworks for 13 years.

As the popularity, and rewards, grew in NFTs, coins such as WAX and ENJ have risen from their platform solutions in the space. 

WAX now has a project valuation of $1 billion at number 117 in the list of coins with a coin price of $0.27. 

Go to Source

How to store bitcoins?

Before you start buying bitcoin, you will need a place in which to store them. In other words, you will need a bitcoin wallet. Generally speaking, there are three main types of wallets: electronic wallets (software-, online- or cloud-based), hardware wallets and paper wallets. Keep in mind that your bitcoin wallet only holds your private key (or more private keys) which allows access to your bitcoins, but it will not hold the coins themselves. This makes bitcoin storage more secure. When talking about blockchain technology and cryptocurrency storage, safety is one of the most important issues. Therefore, in this article, we’ll show you some of the best ways to store bitcoins.

So, are bitcoin wallets safe?

Blockchain technology provides data protection against hacking attacks and any other fraudulent activities. However, safety often depends on the version and format of the cryptocurrency wallet you have chosen and the way you use them.

The safest option to store bitcoins is to get yourself a hardware wallet. This type of wallet is always offline, meaning it’s not exposed in any way. That way, there is no risk of hacking or stealing private keys. Online wallets are the most insecure storage technique, as private keys are held by a third party.

Experienced bitcoin investors use combined storage techniques. They hold a part of the assets (long-term bitcoin assets) offline and a part of the assets (for liquidity purposes) online. Of course, you will choose your storage technique according to your needs. Whichever option you go for, be careful. Back up everything and only tell the persons of your greatest confidence where you stored your backups.

Bitcoin Wallets

Basic ways to store bitcoins

These will protect against the majority of hacking attacks (and they don’t require any special cryptography knowledge), so it’s worth to put a little effort into how you manage your cryptocurrency. The following tips are a great start when constructing your cryptocurrency security system.

The first and basic rule is not to give anyone access to your private key, obviously. Also, consider carefully where you store your private keys. This is something you absolutely cannot afford to lose because they are the key to your stash of bitcoins. Whoever has them can access them.

Store any asset of significant value in a hardware wallet such as physical device, like a USB drive, that isn’t public, i.e. there is no connection to the internet. Experts strongly recommend not to store bitcoins, especially if you have a lot of them, in any way that makes them connected to the internet. Internet, since it is public, can provide a skilled hacker with plenty of opportunities to attack your wallet, or to get access to them.

One of the secure transaction schemes you can use is the following:

Use a bootable USB flash drive (in our example we’ll use Tails). Make sure it has encrypted storage. The next step is to create passwords for login and for encryption. After this, you need to create a cold wallet and come up with the password to get access to the wallet from any computer in the future.

Tails Home Page

Select the checkbox next to “View Transaction Before Signing”. Next, make a type of wallet known as a “watch-only wallet”. This can be done by using your public address or public key.

To view the balance of your bitcoins and generate new addresses from public key copy your Bitcoin public address into a text document on a flash drive and shut down the Tails.

For spending your bitcoins run Tails again without using the Internet.

Execute the transfer – you will see a window pop up because of the checkbox next to “View Transaction Before Signing” you clicked earlier. Click “Sign”, type in your password and click “Save”.

Perform all the actions without using the network and Internet. Copy the transaction file to the flash drive.

For sending the signed transaction to the Blockchain follow next steps:

  1. Click Start in the main OS
  2. Open your wallet
  3. Choose e.g. “Load transaction from file” in the menu
  4. Load the signed transaction from a flash drive
  5. Press “Broadcast” button

Important note: As mistakes occurs, it is recommendable to check address after you have copied it in the field. Go back to the wallet, memorize the first 2 digits and last 2, and then go to back to the form and check are the copied numbers correct. Also, some computer viruses are able to replace the bitcoin address you copied to the clipboard, to another address.

Trezor Home Page

More ways to store bitcoins

It’s also important to remember all the small security measures you can take to protect your general digital life and help defend your cryptocurrency. You can use a password manager, two-factor authentication, enhanced security protocols for your email address, add protection various mechanisms to your phone number etc.

Another useful advice is to use the so-called cold storage method. In other words, you should keep at least some of your bitcoins offline. Methods of cold storage are e.g. USB drive or paper wallet.

Consider your transactions carefully, too. The best way to defend against an intrusion to your assets is simply to watch all transactions carefully and take measures to protect yourself.

And to conclude, to protect and store bitcoins in the best possible way you also need to increase your computer literacy and get all available information about safety measures. We also recommend avoiding any unnecessary actions and to hold strictly to instructions while performing Bitcoin transactions.

So, that’s about it. We haope our tips were helpful for you to find the best possible way to store bitcoins in a safe manner. We have more articles just like this one on this website, so browse around and learn everything about the exciting world of cryptocurrencies.

The post How to store bitcoins? appeared first on Crypto Trading Reviews.

Go to Source

Litecoin Mining

As all of you are probably aware by now, mining is one of the pillars of cryptocurrency trading. You’ve also probably already heard of Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that introduced blockchain technology and this kind of mining in 2009. It might be the most famous one, but it is certainly not the only cryptocurrency produced and reproduced by mining. Some of them, such as Litecoin, use more sophisticated mining hardware and software that could show more sustainable results. That’s why we decided to write this article, to show you what other coins have to offers. So, if you want to learn more, stay with us and see what the possibilities are.

Alternatives to Bitcoin

The term altcoin is used to signify all other cryptocurrencies (alternatives to Bitcoin) such as Litecoin, Ethereum, Monero, Dash, Siacoin etc. Terms such as altcoin mining calculator and altcoin mining pool signify the tools used by miners to support cryptocurrency exchange and trading within the blockchains. In this article, however, we will be primarily focusing on Litecoin mining.

For those of you who are interested in investing or just collecting information about profitability, we will explain the most important terms such as Litecoin mining pool, Litecoin mining calculator, Litecoin mining rig and cloud by focusing on the practical aspect of mining and by using examples from users’ experience and results of market research.

Transaction speed is the key difference between Bitcoin and Litecoin because the latter processes its transactions much faster. Another difference is the number of coins. While Bitcoin has a limit of 21 million coins, Litecoin’s limit is 84 million coins.
Similar to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Litecoin also doesn’t have any institutional central issuer and the exchange is controlled by the users in the network. In order to have some influence, users can join Litecoin mining pools. Securing the transfers is the most important role of the network of miners. They assemble transactions into blocks and those blocks build up the blockchain.

Similar to Bitcoin, Litecoin mining software uses proof-of-work exchange mechanism. Transactions are included in the blocks and verified after that. If there are no double payments, a transaction is added to one of the blockchains.

Litecoin Info

What do you need to do to mine Litecoin?

Litecoin blockchain is stronger than Bitcoin’s because it generates the blocks about four times faster than Bitcoin. The growth rate of the network is good, and the miners are rewarded by 25 new Litecoins per block. There will only ever be 84 million of Litecoins, so you don’t have to worry about decreasing the value based on inflation. This site also offers information about the global network of users, forums, and other social media.

After creating an account with your username and password and before you start mining, you will need to get your wallet. Litecoin mining software secures your wallet by encrypting it, and you will have to enter your user credentials every time you wish to use your coins for payments.

Litecoin mining pool is the name of the platform that gathers users within a certain network.  Technology is comparable to Ethereum smart contracts. The pool waits for the user to find a block. After the block is gathered, the pool distributes the reward within the network. The reward depends on the number of shares that each user submitted.  Share does not have any real value. It is only a trust-building mechanism among the miners. If you are mining on your own (without joining a pool), there is no need to track the number of shares. The hash that has a value is the one that solves the block. Litecoin’s hashing algorithms are different than Bitcoin’s. Bitcoin uses SHA-256 (Secure Hash Algorithm 2) and Litecoin uses memory algorithm called Scrypt.

Litecoin Mining Rig

Litecoin mining software and hardware

In order to start mining, you will have to install the software. CPU miners or GPU miners are your options, but we recommend going with a Litecoin mining GPU. After downloading the version that is designed for your operating system and setting up your Litecoin mining software, you will write a script and supervise your miner by scrolling through the command lines. This is the command line (at cmd.exe:) that will let you start mining:

c:ltcminerminerd -a scrypt -r 1 -t 4 -s 6 -o -O <login>:<password>

Litecoin mining is done by hardware which also plays an important role in securing the network of users and generates new coins to reward the miners. The proof of work function used by Litecoin’s miners is different than the one used for Bitcoin, which means that Bitcoin’s miners cannot mine Litecoins.

Most resources refer to Antminer L3+ as the best Litecoin mining hardware. It mines at 504 MH/s, consumes 1.6 Joules per Megahash (MH/s) and comes with a 180-day warranty. Those specifications make it the most powerful Litecoin miner at the moment.

Other tools

To build up your own Litecoin mining rig, you will need adequate Litecoin mining hardware and software for your operating system. You will also have to work on the mining script and join pools. Another option is to use services provided by a Litecoin cloud mining company. It is a framework that allows you to do the mining supported by the hosting platform after creating a contract.

Litecoin mining calculator is an important tool that lets you calculate the profitability of your transactions. It is updated instantly and follows the estimation based on the networks’ hash rate and exchange rate. If you are new to the cryptocurrency mining, you will find Litecoin mining calculator especially useful.

Litecoin Mining Profitability Calculator

In case that you have your own Litecoin mining rig, you will put in the hardware costs and electricity (power) costs in different fields in the Litecoin mining calculator. After that, you will click “calculate” and get the profitability rate for your area. If you use services available in Litecoin cloud mining, you will get your calculation after simply entering the cost of the contract.

Conclusion

Litecoin is a decentralized online currency created in 2011 by former Google engineer Charlie Lee. The aim was to create “silver” for Bitcoin’s “gold”, but also to provide improved alternative to Bitcoin by using more effective technology, faster rate of coin production with more sophisticated hashing algorithms. As any other application of the blockchain technology on the cryptocurrency market, Litecoin is open source, global payment network. It doesn’t have any central issuer and it supports multi-purpose global payments. Because of the peer to peer exchange, based on the blockchain verification, transaction fees are considerably less than those made by traditional bank transfers. The popularity of the Litecoin mining pools as platforms for different sorts of payments and investments is constantly rising. It is not difficult to conclude that this cryptocurrency will have important role in the future development of global commerce. If you want to participate, check out our other articles and see where to trade this interesting coin.

The post Litecoin Mining appeared first on Crypto Trading Reviews.

Go to Source

How do bitcoin transactions work

With thousands of bitcoin transactions per day, bitcoin can no longer be unjustly dismissed as a speculative fringe fad which only attracts geeks and gamblers. Considering all the attention this cryptocurrency has been getting from mainstream media and serious investors, it is disconcerting that the majority of these reports don’t contain even the most basic bitcoin transaction chart.  Due to the nature of cryptocurrencies, bitcoin transactions live a life of their own, safe from third party interferences. Still, in order to understand the differences in how bitcoin transactions work, we must first get familiar with the whole notion of transactions in general.

The road to bitcoin transactions

The most basic and oldest transactions are now known as a non-monetary exchange, a barter system and an exchange of goods or objects. The second step was the development of commodity money, i.e. commodities that have intrinsic value but are also used as money because their value is more or less constant and agreed upon. Coinage developed as one form of representative money. Coins made of precious metals also had intrinsic value beyond the assigned value. Banknotes or paper money first developed as receipts or confirmations that a money lender or a merchant (and later bankers) has received a deposit of a certain amount of coins.

Modern money is issued and controlled by national governments. The value of paper money or fiat currencies is based on our faith in the value of the currency and the government’s ability to guarantee for and enforce that value. In today’s world, however, the majority of the money is digital, existing only on electronic bank accounts and even more removed from any tangible value. Economists estimate that only 8 % of all the money in the world actually exists as hard, cold cash. The money is not actually there; it’s just a number confirming it on a screen. There are many inherent dangers of this system, as normalized as it has become. First of all, it places a lot of power in the hands of banks and other financial institutions. Even if we disregard that, what if the bank goes under, what if the data gets compromised?

Bitcoin transactions are the next step in this evolution, the newest development relying on cryptology to prevent any potential tampering, thus increasing both trust and fungibility. And while some may argue that the technology of cryptocurrencies makes bitcoin illegal transactions possible, the security and freedom it offers have not been achieved or rivaled by other currencies up to this moment.

Sending and receiving bitcoin transaction

The way how bitcoin transactions work is crucial in differentiating bitcoin from regular digital money. The most important difference when it comes to bitcoin transactions is that there is no middleman. The network itself oversees and confirms everything. The sender broadcasts signed data to the network. and if the data checks out, it is added to a block in the blockchain. Imagine it as confirmed transactions being collected, confirmed and placed inside a binder (block). The binder is then put on an organized shelf (blockchain) in a way that makes it impossible to change any one entry without changing all other entries. Cryptography ensures the integrity and the order of the entries. But with so many bitcoin transactions per second, who does the organizing? Well, it is a shared communal effort, with members of the community dedicating their time and hardware resources to solve complex equations to sort it all out. They are rewarded for their essentially administrative / cleanup work with small amounts of bitcoin. This process is called bitcoin mining: participants are compensated for their effort by releasing new bitcoins.

Want more details? If you think you can handle it, here’s the nitty-gritty:

  1. Both the sender and the receiver need a bitcoin wallet. Installing a bitcoin wallet client on your computer generates a bitcoin address.
  2. Bitcoin is sent to an address. A new address is needed for each transaction. An address is not the same as a wallet, but it is linked to a wallet.
  3. The bitcoin received always remains classified within the wallet as separate entries based on specific originating transactions. The received amounts of bitcoin, distinct as they are, are called outputs of their transactions.
  4. The outputs can be unlocked using a private key. This key is fixed, unlike the address. The key serves as a signature, providing mathematical proof that the transaction found its way to the owner of the wallet.
  5. When sending bitcoin, the sender chooses one of the outputs he has received to become an input. The entire amount is used in the process, with the part being sent becoming an output transferred to a new address, while the rest remains as “change”, becoming new output in the sender’s wallet.

Bitcoin Wallets

The limitations of bitcoin transactions

The biggest potential hurdle of bitcoin transactions is the problem of waiting for confirmation. It takes up to 10 minutes for a new block to be created, confirming the transaction as valid. However, something we can refer to as a bitcoin transaction accelerator actually does exist. It relies on the fact that merchants can allow zero-confirmation transactions, even though the security of such transactions can be brought into question. The most recent innovations make instantaneous transactions infinitely more secure. For example, the Inter-Channel Payments system by Bitpay is an actual bona-fide bitcoin transaction accelerator, with others in the works.

Another issue lies in the so-called bitcoin scalability problem, which limits the number of bitcoin transactions per second. The problem arises due to the fact that the size of blocks in the blockchain is limited to one megabyte. With a block confirmed approximately every 10 minutes, the number of bitcoin transactions per second is currently limited to 3,3 to 7 seconds. The good news is that this only appears to be a temporary bottleneck issue and efforts are underway to further increase the number of bitcoin transactions. For the time being, the bitcoin transactions per day are a much more significant statistic than the bitcoin transactions per second. Bitcoin is not yet as prevalent when it comes to small transactions and buying goods and services online to actually necessitate a higher volume of bitcoin transactions per second.

Bitcoin Unconfirmed Transactions

Legal considerations of bitcoin transactions

You may be wondering is bitcoin legal and can it be used without any fear of authorities. Just looking at a typical bitcoin transaction chart, it is obvious that the information exchanged between the sender and the receiver is very scarce: basically, just the bitcoin address and the amount exchanged. This issue of anonymity raises concerns about potential bitcoin illegal transactions, such as money laundering. When addressing these concerns, however, it is necessary to point out that the legality of a transaction is tied to the two parties participating, not the medium of the exchange. Today, there are third party programs and payment processors which make bitcoin much more user friendly, enabling features such as receipts and web confirmations which make the users much less likely to be accused of bitcoin illegal transactions. Moreover, the receipts should be enough to please even the IRS.

Therefore, you have nothing to worry about when engaging in bitcoin transactions. If you want to buy and sell this cryptocurrency, you are at the right place to get started. Check out our reviews of various exchanges, read our other articles detailing the world of cryptocurrencies, and you will be fully prepared to become a full-fledge trader. Good luck!

The post How do bitcoin transactions work appeared first on Crypto Trading Reviews.

Go to Source

Coinbase PayPal Withdrawal Available!

Big news from Coinbase! Although the exchange did not actually make a big deal out of it, the addition of this new feature is certainly something we absolutely need to write about. That’s just the way company behaves lately – they are quiet but very efficient. Surely, this will cement their place as the number one cryptocurrency exchange in the world. So, what happened? Well, Coinbase PayPal withdrawal is now a thing. Yes, you’ve read that right, you can now transfer the funds you have in your trading account to PayPal and use them as you wish. All completely free, mind you. Do we have your attention now? Good. Read on and learn all about this groundbreaking feature.

How to use Coinbase PayPal withdrawal?

How can you use Coinbase PayPal withdrawal? Well, there are two main conditions for it – you have to go through all identification steps and then receive an e-mail from the exchange. The service is only available to people from the UK, US, EU and Canada at the moment. If you have received the e-mail, head to your Coinbase account’s settings and link the two accounts with each other (on the mobile version you will simply be adding a new payment method). Apart from withdrawing, though, you will also be able to sell your virtual coins directly to your PayPal account. So, the whole thing is really not that difficult and offers a lot. But read on, we have more to say.

What else do you need to know?

All of this shouldn’t come as a big surprise given what we’ve said in our Coinbase Review and how diligently these people work on providing great service to their clients. However, it has to be said that the wallet services can be used only for USD, EUR and GBP, but there are some strong indications that Australian and Canadian dollars will soon get the same treatment because they have been added to the list of currencies to which you can sell your assets directly. Additionally, it doesn’t seem likely that you will be able to make a Coinbase PayPal deposit any time soon. As a matter of fact, this is never even mentioned on the exchange’s website, so it doesn’t seem like that’s in their plans for the immediate future. Still, what we got here is certainly a big step and it’d be a shame if you missed it.

Conclusion

To wrap things up, Coinbase PayPal withdrawal is a brilliant new option this cryptocurrency exchange provides from now on. Complete the identity verification process to the end and wait for an e-mail from the company confirming you’re eligible to make these transaction. After that, just link your trading and your PayPal accounts and you’ll be all set. Therefore, if you’re looking for an online cryptocurrency trading place that is reliable, trustworthy and keeps refreshing its offer with significant innovations, this is most certainly it. Open an account with Coinbase now and trade in the best exchange in the world!

The post Coinbase PayPal Withdrawal Available! appeared first on Crypto Trading Reviews.

Go to Source

Control-Finance Scam Mastermind Hit With $570M Fine By CFTC

Benjamin Reynolds stands as the mastermind behind one of the biggest Bitcoin Ponzi schemes out there. While the man hasn’t been located yet, the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has enacted a default judgment against him. He will be mandated to pay a fine of $572 million in restitution and penalty after a federal New York judge made the default judgment against him.

Around 22,800 Bitcoin Stolen

The CFTC had accused Reynolds of operating a pyramid scheme that went by the name of Control-Finance. The scheme itself had fraudulently promoted a cryptocurrency investment company based within the UK, and the complaint itself was filed all the way back in 2019.

The complaint itself saw the agency go into detail about how this fictional CEO had, through fraudulent means, obtained 22,800 Bitcoin, which is worth an excess of $1.24 billion. He stole this Bitcoin from more than 1,000 investors, and promptly misappropriated it.

Usual Tactics Involved

Control-Finance made use of the typical promises of daily returned in order to lure in their unsuspecting investors. Promises were made of a 45% monthly returns, 1.5% a day. As is the norm in these types of scams, Control-Finance fabricated weekly trade reports to feed the investors further false information.

New participants within the program were given the typical promises of annual returns, but the entire operation was, in fact, just a big Ponzi scheme.

The CFTC explained that the big promise made by Reynolds was that he would return all Bitcoin deposits to the various Control-Finance customers by October of 2017’s end. As we all know now, he didn’t do that, retaining the deposits for his own personal use instead. As a result of this scheme, almost all of the customers managed to lose their entire Bitcoin deposits, with only a few managing to get an inkling of their initial investment

Stealing The Money Of Others

As one would imagine, the watchdog claimed that Control-Finance did no trading for its customers’ behalf, and didn’t earn any profits, to begin with. Instead, the scheme managed to launder the stolen funds by way of thousands of circuitous blockchain transactions. Reynolds even managed to transfer segments of these stolen assets to various bank accounts spread across tax havens, the Seychelles islands being a prime example.

The court paper went as far as accusing Reynolds of forging documents from the UK Companies House in order to convince the victims of this scam that the entire operation was legitimate.

As it stands now, the CFTC has failed to locate Reynolds, but the agency has managed to make a ruling through the New York court to settle his accusations in his absence.

Go to Source

New Crypto Tax Guidance To Be Issued By UK Tax Authorities Next Week

HM Revenue & Customs stands as the tax authority for the UK, and is set to publish a new set of guidelines when it comes to taxation on cryptocurrencies. This is scheduled to take place, come next week. In particular, it’s due on the 30th of March, 2021.

Aiming For A Crypto Manual

This update will set out to consolidate the already existing guidances regarding crypto taxation into one singular “crypto manual” for UK citizens to follow.

This comes by way of individuals claiming to have knowledge of the situation at large, who explained that the move itself comes as a bid to “future proof” any further guidance issued. This is due to how these guidances can very easily be updated on multiple occasions within the next year or so.

These same sources, who of course remained anonymous, stated that fresh guidances should be expected from the taxman when it comes to yields earned through the lending out of cryptocurrencies.

These sorts of yields have been made popular thanks to startups like BlockFi becoming more popular as well. Another focus of this future guidance is when it comes to staking rewards, where crypto holders earn rewards through maintaining various proof-of-stake blockchains.

Keeping Up With The Crypto Space

A spokesperson from the MRC spoke to The Block, a crypto news outlet, and revealed that a new internal manual was set to be published, one containing guidance when it comes to crypto taxation.

According to the spokesperson, this guidance manual stands as a demonstration from the HMRC to show its commitment to provide its customers with increased levels of tax clarity. This, in turn, will allow both businesses and individuals to have a greater understanding of the various tax consequences associated with the various types of crypto asset transactions, said the spokesperson. They also highlighted that this guidance will build upon the policy papers already published, but will further provide an approach to updating customers that offers greater flexibility in a sector that’s innovating at such a breakneck speed.

A Year Old Already Too Old

HMRC had already published two separate documents regarding crypto taxation guidance within its website: One prioritizing business and the other individuals. These tax guidances were updated back in December of 2019, and the crypto space has vastly changed within that small time frame, already.

One of the key highlights of how it changed is the sheer volatility. Since December of 2019, the crypto space saw spectacular lows due to the COVID-19 outbreak, then new spectacular highs this year. The NFT space boomed while the DeFi space is still booming. The crypto space is a very volatile one to do business in for now.

Go to Source

Crypto Miner Tax Breaks Signed Into Law By Governor Of Kentucky

Governor Andy Beshear of the US state of Kentucky signed off on a new pair of laws. These laws will see the energy-rich commonwealth offer crypto miners tax breaks should they operate within the state, with the law itself being signed into effect on Thursday.

Tax Exemption For Crypto Miners

The new legislation, Senate Bill 255 to be exact, extends the incentives the commonwealth has focusing on clean energy to crypto miners that have invested a minimum of $1 million within their equipment. Alongside this, House Bill 230 allows these miners to gain an array of excise and sales tax breaks. It should be noted that both of these taxes stand at 6%

With these two bills working in tandem, the idea is to have crypto miners start to flock to the state with all of these incentives. The overarching plan for this, as well, is to have these crypto miners start creating jobs and business revenues, which will ultimately benefit the state. Kentucky, in particular, has suffered a mass exodus of manufacturers, but the state still has its abundant supply of cheap energy, and is planning to capitalize on it.

Making Kentucky A Crypto Mining Hub

In one of the bills, the state straight up said it, explaining that Kentucky is aiming to stand as a leader within the US when it comes to “emerging industries which use substantial amounts of energy”. One of the most prominent industries of that sort is none other than crypto mining, which is infamous for its sheer power usage and heat generation.

These bills managed to breeze past the legislature of Kentucky, with the bills themselves, a 13 page one in total, having been introduced in January of this year. The bill won by a vote of 19 to 2. The 13-page bill managed to go past all avenues before being signed off, showing that the state as a whole is eager to tap into the crypto space.

US Going For Crypto

Time will tell how successful this operation may be. It’s already clear that the US, particularly Wyoming, is trying its best to bring in crypto companies by offering bank charters. Now, it seems that Kentucky is eager to cater to a whole other facet of the space, offering up its cheap electricity to a space that depends on that very fundamental in order to turn a profit.

Wyoming, in particular, has given Kraken, one of the first crypto exchanges to come into existence, a charter bank status within the state. Wyoming is generally trying to make itself the hotspot for crypto-based fintech.

Go to Source

Valuation for Chainalysis Goes Up To $2B following $100M Cash Injection

Chainalysis, a New York based startup that investigates Blockchain transactions, stated that it had raised US$100 million from investors. The cash boost will boost the valuation of the startup to above US$2 billion.

Chainalysis is one of the most prominent agencies in the United States that investigates crimes related to cryptocurrencies. The startup helps government agencies and companies to evaluate different blockchain transactions. This company has recently received a $100 million cash injection from investors totaling its valuation to US$2 billion. The Series D Round of funding was spearheaded by Paradigm, which is an investment firm. Other contributors included Ribbit, TIME Ventures, etc.

How will the cash injection help?

This extra funding will be instrumental to providing business data solutions in Blockchain matters. The data that will be provided to these companies will be crucial to helping cryptocurrency agencies, financial institutions and government agencies to receive credible data that will help alleviate crimes that are related to cryptocurrencies.

The Chief Executive of the Company and the Co-founder of the firm, Michael Gronager, stated that with the new funding, the firm would invest more in their investigations and build better compliance software. This move will be beneficial to the existing customers and new customers. Michael also hinted that with the cash injection, the company will look more towards international expansion.

What this means for the Crypto market

The cryptocurrency market has undergone a great boom over the years. More startups are investing in the crypto market as they launch new products and services that will see the extra growth of this sector. The funding therefore comes at a critical time when Chainalysis will need to invest more to meet the needs of this growing market.

The expansion of the crypto market also calls for Chainalysis to upgrade their technology to meet the heightened demand for their services. Through better technology, Chainalysis can help private enterprises and government sectors to evaluate transactions and identify any fraudulent dealings such as fraud and money laundering.

Chainalysis growth in the crypto market is evident through the doubling of their client base in the past year. They have also expanded their workforce by hiring an additional 116 employees to meet the needs of their rapidly growing customer base. Currently, this company deals with 100 cryptocurrencies and this accounts for 90% of the total financial activity in the virtual crypto market.

Go to Source

Best Crypto Portfolio Trackers: Top 16 Coin Manager Apps

Cryptocurrency investors, traders and hodlers all want to know what are the best crypto portfolio trackers to use? Let’s review the top 16 crypto asset management apps of 2020 to try for keeping track of your coins.

The 16 Most Popular Cryptocurrency Portfolio Management Apps

The global crypto market has remained quite volatile over the past couple of years — with this burgeoning sector touching its all-time high in 2017 only to collapse a year later. And while seasoned traders know how to take advantage of bear markets in general, most individuals do not possess the required skills to facilitate profitable trades during such rough times. Also, it bears mentioning that over the last decade or so, the number of cryptocurrencies available for commercial purchase has grown to over the 2,300 mark. Not only that, the crypto sector currently witnesses a daily 24h trade volume of approximately $77 billion — which serves as a decent indicator of the growing investor interest flowing into this space.

With all of this information out there, it should be understood that most crypto enthusiasts these days possess more than just a few cryptocurrencies in their financial portfolios. This is because they now have the option of investing in a wide array of diverse, lucrative digital assets that are designed for a variety of different purposes. However, at the same time, all of these developments have resulted in investors finding it increasingly more difficult to track their holdings.

This is where crypto portfolio trackers come into the picture. They are apps or online service platforms that are designed to help users in monitoring the performance of their digital assets in a highly simplified, streamlined manner. Not only that, newer apps of this nature now even come replete with a whole host of sophisticated features such as:

  • Trade execution portals.
  • Automated strategy management modules.
  • Time-based portfolio assessment counters.

What is a Crypto Portfolio Tracker and What to Look for in It?

In its most basic sense, a cryptocurrency portfolio tracker can be thought of as an app, website or a service platform that allows users to keep a close watch on the value of their investments. In this regard, it bears mentioning that most trackers are designed to automatically link with their owner’s personal crypto wallet or exchange account. Not only that, but they are also extremely useful for large-scale investors who actively trade more than 3 coins regularly.

As mentioned earlier, some cryptocurrency portfolio trackers have been devised in such a way that they also function as trading platforms. For example, they assign a person with an individual wallet key that can be used to either import or hold on to one’s crypto assets in a simple, straightforward manner.

With that being said, different portfolio trackers come with their own, unique sets of features — which is to say that no one platform ever does everything perfectly. For example, some allow their users to trade only a certain subset of cryptocurrencies while others come laden with a massive catalog of altcoins but don’t offer many tracking features.

The essentials to look out for when choosing a tracker:

(i) Overall security and privacy: Owing to the decentralized, transparent nature of the blockchain, it can be extremely difficult for a person to track/trace the tx’s associated with different cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin). Not only that, but it is also extremely tough to determine who owns which wallet. Because of these factors, an individual must choose the right portfolio tracker for him/herself — since most of these portfolio management systems are directly linked to a person’s exchange or bank account.

A single lapse in one’s individual data security can leave the person’s wallet vulnerable to third party hacks, intrusion attempts. Therefore, it is of utmost importance the portfolio tracker being employed by an individual comes pre-built with several core security features such as 2-FA (two-factor authentication) and multi-layer encryption.

(ii) Ease of Use: The core purpose underlying the use of a portfolio tracker is to have all of an individuals’ crypto assets in a single place. In this regard, an efficient portfolio manager is one that displays the total value of an individual’s assets in one place (that too in the simplest manner possible). Thus, when choosing a tracker, it is of utmost importance the platform in question be simple to operate — so much so that it should not be a struggle for a person to keep a close watch on their coins and tokens.

Not only that, the tracker should come laden with a clean layout that does not contain too much technical jargon. This not only helps a person save a lot of time and effort but makes the process of managing one’s assets stress-free.

(iii) Compatibility + Availability of Coins: Another extremely important thing to consider when choosing a portfolio tracker is whether the platform in question is compatible with one’s desired cryptocurrency exchanges. In this regard, it is quite useful to select a management tool that allows users to trade all of the digital currencies that they may wish to exchange either now or shortly. This eliminates the need for users to make use of multiple trading platforms, as well as, memorizing countless passwords.

Crypto Trackers Worth Checking Out

1. Gem

Gem is one of the most widely used portfolio management systems in the market today. Not only does it offer users a smooth operational experience but it also has an aesthetically pleasing design that is pleasing to the eye. Some of the other core features of Gem that make it stand out include:

(i) Sync Compatibility: One of Gem’s core features is its ‘exchange sync option’ which allows the app to automatically input any trades that have been performed by the user in the past. This makes porting one’s portfolio extremely simple and hassle-free.

(ii) Free: The tracker is free to use and there are no terms and conditions associated with the app.

(iii) Easy Recovery: A whole host of crypto trackers do not possess the ability to import/retain one’s portfolio data in case the person loses their handheld device. However, Gem allows users to import their holdings with the touch of a button. This is because once a user creates his/her portfolio on Gem, their finance accounts automatically get linked to the interface — thereby making recovery extremely hassle-free.

(iv) Currency Support: At press time, Gem supports most crypto/fiat assets that are in circulation today. If that wasn’t enough, the application is also compatible with a total of 25 top crypto exchanges. To link Gem’s native interface with a supported trading platform, all one needs to do is simply connect their related API keys with the app. This allows for all of the user’s trading history (on the associated exchange) to automatically get synced.

(v) Discovery Portal: For investors who may want a broader overview of the market, they can make use of Gem’s ‘discovery option’ that allows users to track the prices of various lesser-known altcoins as well as provides them with a host of research information related to this burgeoning space. For example, the portal allows users to read whitepapers, check out the market’s top gainers and losers as well as other niche data with the click of a button.

(vi) Trustworthy: Gem has been around in the market for quite some time now, with the first iteration of the app going live sometime around November 2013. Additionally, the project has also been able to raise a total of USD 20M+ from investors all over the globe. Some big-name players who have invested in Gem include Fenbushi Capital and Blockchain Capital.

In closing out this segment, it bears mentioning that when compared to its contemporaries, Gem is not only the most visually attractive portfolio tracker but it also comes laden with several unique features that are not commonly found in such platforms.

2. Delta

Delta is one of the most popular crypto trackers available in the market today. While it is predominantly a mobile-based app, Delta also features desktop clients that are compatible with a variety of popular operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. However, it should be pointed out that the above-mentioned desktop clients are extensions of the Delta mobile app.

Some key features worth highlighting:

(i) Minimalistic + Elegant Design: Delta’s native interface is extremely posh looking. For example, the app makes use of a deep blue color scheme that is elegant and gives the platform an overall sophisticated appearance.

(ii) Watchlist: Delta comes pre-built with a ‘watchlist’ option that allows users to track all of the coins that they might be looking to purchase in the near future.

(iii) Sync Options: Using their API keys, users can connect Delta to a host of cryptocurrency exchanges. This makes it extremely easy for people to their trade data as well as consolidate their holdings in one place.

(iv) Seamless Recovery: Delta provides its users with an “Account Recovery” option that generates a dynamic recovery code that can be employed in the event of a person losing their handheld computer device or smartphone. The entire process is extremely simple and can be completed within a matter of minutes.

(v) Free + Paid Plans Available: Delta offers users with a large number of free and paid plans. For example, Delta PRO is currently priced at $7 for iOS users and $8.5 for android users. Additionally, there are many annual subscription packages available for purchase as well.

(vi) Delta Pro: This is a paid version of the standard Delta app that comes replete with several advanced portfolio analysis tools. Not only that, but it also allows users to connect as many exchange accounts/crypto wallets with the app (as they may like).

(v) Active Digital Community: Delta’s online community is quite active across many social media platforms such as Telegram and Slack.

(vi) Currency and Exchange Support: As things stand, Delta is compatibility with a whopping 3000+ cryptocurrencies. Not only that, but the app also supports more than 200 crypto trading platforms while providing users with the ability to add custom coins for ICOs that are yet to be listed.

Delta is an extremely comprehensive crypto tracking tool that is best suited for low to medium-level traders since it comes replete with several features that are automated and easy to use. Also, it is the only tracker that comes with its separate desktop client. The only downside to the app is that its charting capabilities are a bit limited and that its API sync support capabilities are limited to a relatively low number of cryptocurrency exchanges.

3. Blockfolio

Along with Delta, Blockfolio is probably one of the most popular crypto management portals in the market today. The app’s design is extremely intuitive but does not feature a web client that can be accessed using a desktop computer or laptop. Additionally, Blockfolio provides users with the ability to track multiple portfolios and is completely free to use. However, the one tangible downside to the app is that it does not feature an exchange sync option — which means that all individual trades have to be added manually to the app’s interface.

Key features worth highlighting:

(i) Investment Classification: One of Blockfolio’s key features is its ability to add multiple portfolios to its existing system. As a result of this, it becomes extremely easy for users to classify their investments into different categories.

(ii) Hassle-Free Recovery: Blockfolio allows users to seamlessly import their portfolio(s) in the event of their handheld devices being stolen or lost

(iii) Blockfolio Signal: This is one of the app’s most important features which enables third-party projects to relay notifications and alerts (related to new partnerships, news) directly to the system.

(iv) Peripheral Options: In addition to all of its core facets, Blockfolio also comes replete with several other options. For example, it features an ‘explore section’ that lists a wide array of latest crypto news that can help people stay up to date with all of the current happenings related to the world of digital currencies. Additionally, the app also has an in-built ‘Night Mode’ feature as well as a PIN entry protocol that can prevent people from gaining unauthorized access to one’s data.

(v) Good Compatibility: Blockfolio is compatible with more than 6,000 cryptocurrencies and can be used in conjunction with 250+ exchanges.

In closing out this section, it should be pointed out that to date, Blockfolio has been able to raise a total of USD 15 million from seasoned investors all over the world. Some big-name players who have invested in the project include Refactor Capital, Huobi and BitMEX.

4. CoinTracking

As the name suggests, CoinTracking is a portfolio management app that comes replete with a large number of advanced features. In this regard, it should be pointed out that that app is best suited for full-time traders who are looking to gain deeper insights into their investments (both in the short and long term). At the time of writing this article, CoinTracking is available on Android as well as iOS devices, however, to use the app a web registration needs to be completed first.

Key features:

(i) Straightforward Interface: While CoinTracking’s native UI may not be as elegant and good looking as some of its digital contemporaries, the app does its job well and comes laden with all of the features that a good portfolio tracker should possess.

(ii) Import Capabilities: CoinTracking allows users to import all of their trades — that have been processed across various trading platforms — with the touch of a button.

(iii) Exchange and Wallet Compatibility: CoinTracking allows users to interact with several established cryptocurrency exchanges using their API keys (which allows them to import their portfolio and trading data seamlessly.) Not only that, but the system is also compatible with a whole host of hard and soft wallets (such as Trezor and Exodus.)

(iv) Free and Paid Services: While CoinTracking’s basic interface can be downloaded for free, its more advanced features can only be used if people subscribe to the app’s paid services. For example, the free account allows users to enter a total of 200 trades and does not permit data integration from any third-party blockchain wallets.

The advanced versions of CoinTracking cost between $70 to $1000 — depending upon the plan that is selected.

(v) Historical Data: A key facet of CoinTracking is that it lets users keep a close tab on the historical price data associated with various cryptocurrencies. Additionally, the app also has a Bitcoin Analysis tool that makes use of various statistical modules that can be used to predict the price of BTC.

(vi) Tax Computation Tool: One of CoinTracking’s most standout features is its tax calculation tool that can be used for a number of different purposes such as:

  • Creating one’s crypto tax reports
  • Generating profit/loss sheets etc.
  • Determining which cryptocurrencies can be sold tax-free.

(vii) Free Tutorials: The app is complemented by a large number of comprehensive Youtube videos and guides that allow users to better grasp the system’s various basic/advanced features.

In closing out this section, it should be made clear that CoinTracking is best suited for those individuals who are heavily into crypto day trading. Also, the free version of the app limits users to a total of around 200 trades — which can be quite annoying to say the least.

5. Cryptocompare

Cryptocompare is another popular crypto tracking system that is suitable for casual as well as experienced traders. The app comes with a vast array of features and is available for use on desktops, smartphones as well as other smaller devices. Some of the key features of Cryptocompare include:

(i) Support for Multiple Portfolios and Cryptocurrencies: Cryptocompare allows users to create any number of portfolios about one’s specific needs and requirements. Not only that, the app is also designed to be fully compatible with a vast array of digital currencies that are available in the market today.

(ii) Visually Striking: The charts and graphs presented by Cryptocompare are quite visually appealing as well as easy to comprehend — since they don’t make use of any technical jargon.

(iii) Lots of Small Peripheral Features: Cryptocompare not only allows users to add small notes to their portfolios but also allows them to sort their cryptocurrencies in any way they may see fit.

(iv) Advanced Options: The app comes with a risk analysis tool that allows users to determine the future valuation of their holdings in a scientific manner. Not only that, but Cryptocompare also comes replete with a number of advanced chart analysis options that are ideal for comparative studies.

(v) Free to use: The portfolio tracker is completely free to use and can be employed in a highly straightforward and hassle-free manner.

(vi) Cloud Storage: Another core facet of the app is the ease with which it can be restored in case a user loses his/her smartphone device. This is because the portfolio data is stored on the cloud under a specific registered account which can be recovered pretty much at any given time (with the touch of a button)

(vii) Sharing Options: Using Cryptocompare, investors can choose to make the specifics of their portfolios either public or private — as well as share it with others if they may wish to do so.

In addition to all of the data that has been presented above, it should also be pointed out that Cryptocompare’s native interface is a little difficult to understand at first. Thus, it can be useful for readers to have a quick look at some of the associated guides and tutorial videos that are available online to better understand how the system works.

6. CoinStats

CoinStats is quite a basic cryptocurrency management system when compared to its digital counterparts. However, it does its job well and allows users to track the value of over 3,000 cryptocurrencies that too on some 300 odd crypto exchanges. In this regard, some of the other key features of CoinStats include:

(i) Ease of Use: The CoinStats app is available for use on desktop computers as well as on smartphone devices.

(ii) Connectivity: The app can establish a direct link with a user’s native wallet and exchange account. This allows for data importation-related activities to become highly straightforward and hassle-free.

(iii) Alerts and Notifications: Coinstats comes pre-built with a price alert counter that notifies users about any price changes that may be taking place about their assets in real-time. Not only that, but the app also notifies users of important updates and news stories that might be of interest to them.

In closing out this section, it should be highlighted that CoinStats does not offer users with any groundbreaking features nor is its interface up to par with some of its closest rivals. However, because the app allows users to connect to over 20 established crypto exchanges and wallets via their API keys, it more than fulfills its basic purpose.

7. AltPocket

While not as feature intensive as some of its contemporaries, AltPocket is arguably one of the best looking crypto trackers in the market today. Not only is the app free to use, but it also allows users to input their API keys into the system so that their trades can get updated in a automated manner. However, if users wish to do so, they can manually input their trade data.

(i) Integration Options: AltPocket allows users to input their pricing API to several different platforms such as CoinMarketCap, Poloniex or Bittrex.

(ii) Shareability: The app is extremely easy to operate and allows users to share their portfolio and performance data with other people with the touch of a button.

(iii) Attractive Data Presentation: As mentioned earlier, in terms of its data presentation and visual outlay, Altpocket is one of the best crypto tracking solutions in the market today.

In closing out this section, we need to make it abundantly clear that there are many other crypto management systems that are as good (if not better) than AltPocket in the market today. Thus, when making a choice, one should sieve through as many options as possible before settling on one particular app.

8. CoinFinance

CoinFinance is another app that has been gaining a lot of mainstream traction over the last couple of years — with many media outlets even referring to it as the Google Finance of the cryptocurrency world.

Key Features:

(i) Excellent Interface: CoinFinance’s native interface is extremely visually appealing and user-friendly. It does not feature any technical jargon and can be used by experienced as well as novice users alike.

(ii) Ease of Use: As mentioned earlier, CoinFinance is easy to use and makes use of various smaller apps that can be run on iOS as well as Android devices.

(iii) Advanced Features: The app comes pre-built with a fair few advanced analysis tools that are perfect for experienced traders.

9. Shrimpy

While the name Shrimpy may seem a little off-putting to some, it is an excellent portfolio management web app that comes replete with a large number of desirable features, For starters, the app’s UI is extremely straightforward and easy to use. Not only that, but it also allows users to link all of their exchange/wallet accounts with itself with the touch of a button.

(i) Attractive Design: Shrimpy’s interface is quite visually appealing and presents users with all of the information they might require in an extremely well-sorted, functional manner.

(ii) Advanced Tools: As with many of its other tracking counterparts, Shrimpy too offers users a highly elaborate set of advanced analysis and computational tools that can help investors maximize their returns.

(iii) Automated Trading Strategies: The app allows users to formulate their personalized trading and HODLing strategies which can be executed at a later time in a completely automated manner.

(iv) Web-Only Interface: It bears mentioning that Shrimpy is available as a web-only interface that does not have an associated mobile app to go along with it. The system can currently only be accessed through the company’s official website, so there is a chance that some people may fall prey to scammy projects that may be trying to impersonate the platform’s general look.

10. LiveCoinWatch

As the name suggests, LiveCoinWatch is a price tracking web app that can be used as an alternative to CMC (CoinMarketCap). In regards to the platform’s overall functionality, LiveCoinWatch allows users to keep a tab on a host of niche data such as:

The real-time price movements of various cryptocurrencies

The market position of different cryptocurrency pairs

The live-action associated with various cryptocurrency exchanges

Volume, liquidity, the market dominance of various coins

Key Features:

(i) Seamless Management: Using LiveCoinWatch, users can easily easily manage and track the performance of their various digital currency holdings.

(ii) Web-only Interface: LiveCoinWatch is available for use as a web-only app. This may be a bit of a turn-off for some users but overall this feature allows for increased security and privacy.

(iii) Minimalistic Design: Quite unlike many of its contemporaries that come loaded with a host of unnecessary features, LiveCoinWatch’s design is quite minimalistic and straightforward.

(iv) Manual Data Entry: To update one’s portfolio data, users need to manually enter the details of all the tokens/coins that they might have bought and sold in the past.

In closing out this section, it is important to remember that the app is quite basic in its overall functionality and does not come with any advanced features (such as statistical charts, analysts tools, alert options etc). However, it does do a decent job when it comes to pictorially showcasing the performance of one’s crypto portfolio.

11. Coinmanager

Coinmanager is another app that seems to be gaining a lot of traction in recent times. For starters, the app not only serves as an excellent portfolio tracker but it also comes with an arbitrage function that allows users to track the price difference between different trading platforms.

Key features include:

(i) Exchange Integration: CoinManager can be easily linked with a whole host of cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance, Bittrex, Bithumb, and Coinone using one’s API keys. This makes trading much more streamlined and hassle free for users.

(ii) Feature Loaded: The app, in its current iteration, is available on iOS as well as Android devices. In terms of its features, CoinManager comes pre-built with a highly useful charting module that is powered by TradingView. Not only that, as mentioned earlier, the app also comes with an arbitrage function that allows investors to profit from the price differences (in relation to various crypto assets) that exist between different crypto trading platforms at any given point in time.

(iii) In-app trading: CoinManager allows users to facilitate real-time trades within the app itself.

While the app in itself does not have any glaring flaws attached to it, its general interface can be a bit complicated to master.

12. Cryptonaut

Cryptonaut is an excellent portfolio management system that makes use of an attractive user interface that is extremely easy to navigate. Additionally, the app is perfect for people who possess a wide array of digital currencies — since Cryptonaut is compatible with a wide range of digital currencies.

Key Features:

(i) Alerts: The app allows users to receive instant push notifications/alerts in regards to the different cryptocurrencies that may be of interest to them.

(ii) Currency Compatibility: Users can view their portfolios in a number of different fiat assets (including Bitcoin, Dollars, Euros, and more.)

(iii) Ease of Use: Cryptonaut makes use of an extremely simple design that can be used by novice as well as advanced users alike.

Lastly, it bears mentioning that Cryptonaut comes replete with a number of operational tools that are quite useful for full-time traders as well as serious cryptocurrency investors. With that being said, there currently exist quite a few other crypto management systems today that are equal (if not better) than Cryptonaut.

13. Kryptographe

KryptoGraphe is a free portfolio manager that is available to both Android as well as iOS users. In terms of its overall functionality, the app is designed in such a way that it can automatically integrate itself with a wide range of cryptocurrency exchanges and wallets. Not only that, the platform is extremely secure, fast, efficient and makes use of an aesthetically pleasing design that is quite user-friendly.

The app provides users with a host of performance insights using indicators such as:

  • Growth Nos
  • Percentile Nos

Lastly, Kryptographe is available in 13 languages and provides its users with a wide range of rewards using its native referral system — wherein users can upgrade to premium features by simply referring their family and friends to come make use of the app.

14. BitSnapp

Bitsnapp is a relatively new app that is only available on the Android market at the moment. In regards to its features, the app allows users to sync their portfolios via multi-Exchange APIs and wallets in a completely automated fashion. Additionally, some of the other core features of BitSnapp include:

  • It provides users with elaborate charts that can help them track their assets.
  • The platform is currently compatible with a total of 1300+ crypto coins and tokens.
  • Automatic wallet addresses tracking.
  • Comes pre-built with a personalized news feed.

15. UnSpent

Unspent is a tracking system that has stayed under the radar for quite some time now. However, a quick look at the platform’s overall features shows us that it comes pre-built with every characteristic that one would expect from such a product.

Key Features:

UnSpent makes use of various advanced tracking features that are best suited for seasoned investors.

In addition to showcasing a user’s portfolio value, the app also clearly delineates all of the profits that have been realized by an individual (that too in real-time).

The app allows users to analyze the performance and volatility of their personal crypto assets as well as any correlations that may exist between their holdings.

16. Mintfort

Mintfort is a desktop-based portfolio management tool that is currently available for use only on Windows and Macbook based devices. It is an API-based platform which means that it can be used in conjunction with a number of popular trading platforms such as Binance, Bitfinex, Huobi, Kucoin, Bittrex, and Kraken.

The post Best Crypto Portfolio Trackers: Top 16 Coin Manager Apps appeared first on Master The Crypto.

Go to Source

Top 20 Best Cryptocurrencies to Buy in 2020

Let’s review the best cryptocurrency coins to invest in the year 2020 and see why these top cryptoassets are prime to run during the next crypto market bull run cycle.

Top 20 Cryptos to Buy for 2020: Best Coins to Invest in 2020

Over the past year, we’ve seen cryptocurrencies become increasingly mainstream. We saw positive market signs throughout 2019, and that could make 2020 a record year for cryptocurrencies.

What are the best cryptocurrencies to buy in 2020? Which coins offer the best investment opportunity today? Which digital tokens have their brightest days ahead of them?

Keep reading as we highlight the top 20 cryptocurrencies to buy for 2020.

Bitcoin (BTC)

Bitcoin (BTC) is the king of the crypto world. It’s the world’s most dominant cryptocurrency, accounting for 60% of the total cryptocurrency market share. When bitcoin rises or falls, the rest of the market tends to follow. Whether you’re getting into crypto for the first time or an advanced crypto user, there’s nothing wrong with investing in bitcoin. It’s a tried, true, and proven cryptocurrency with plenty of infrastructure to support it. Optimistic investors will point to price predictions calling for BTC to hit $100,000 by the end of 2020.

  • Bitcoin Price 2019 High: $13,793 BTC/USD exchange rate value
  • Bitcoin Price 2019 Low: $3,444 BTC/USD exchange rate value
  • Bitcoin Price All Time High: $19,892 BTC/USD

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum (ETH) is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. Launched in 2015, ETH has risen to become a viable competitor to bitcoin as king of the crypto world. One of the biggest reasons for optimism with ETH is that it works in a much different way than bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. ETH is used by the decentralized apps built on the Ethereum blockchain. Those decentralized apps make use of Ethereum’s killer features like decentralized governance, smart contracts, and more. Ethereum has one of the most active developer communities in the crypto space, and there’s no reason to believe Ethereum’s momentum will slow down anytime soon.

  • Ethereum Price 2019 High: $350 ETH/USD
  • Ethereum Price 2019 Low: $103.41 ETH/USD
  • Ethereum Price All Time High: $1,396 ETH/USD

Ripple (XRP)

XRP is a digital token that plays a crucial role in Ripple’s ecosystem. Ripple, a private Switzerland-based financial services company, has tried to distance itself from XRP to avoid having the token labeled as a security. However, XRP’s value is closely connected to Ripple’s products and services to this day. As Ripple expands its banking services to institutions worldwide, the value of XRP has continued to surge. Specifically, Ripple and XRP enable banks to settle cross-border payments in real-time with end-to-end transparency and lower costs. XRP is also unique in that it doesn’t have to be mined. XRP is currently ranked as the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, although it has occasionally surged past ETH to take the second position behind only bitcoin.

  • XRP Price 2019 High: $0.48 XRP/USD
  • XRP Price 2019 Low: $0.25 XRP/USD
  • XRP Price All Time High: $3.05 XRP/USD

DigiByte (DGB)

DigiByte (DGB) is a digital token founded in 2014 by lead developer Jared Tate. DigiByte’s goal is to increase transaction speed and security while operating in a decentralized environment. True to its goals, DigiByte’s technology performs better than most other cryptocurrencies. It’s 40 times faster than bitcoin, for example, because it has 15 second block times, making DGB the fastest token on the UTXO blockchain. DigiByte also made headlines for becoming the world’s first blockchain to implement Segregated Witness (SegWit), which means transaction confirmations are kept separated from information stored within the block, helping DigiByte achieve faster transactions without compromising security. The ultimate goal of DigiByte is to create a global payment system accessible to people around the world.

Litecoin (LTC)

Litecoin (LTC) was launched back in 2011 as a faster, more lightweight alternative to bitcoin. Litecoin took bitcoin’s core code and changed certain metrics to speed things up. Today, LTC continues to offer 4x faster block times than bitcoin (2.5 minutes instead of 10 minutes) and 4 times as many tokens (84 million total supply instead of 21 million). LTC creator Charlie Lee infamously sold all of his LTC holdings at the height of the market back in 2018, and some believed that would be the death of LTC. Litecoin, however, continues to go strong, and merchant adoption is growing for the popular cryptocurrency.

Maker (MKR)

Maker (MKR) is the proprietary token for the Maker digital ecosystem. One of the most unique things about MKR is its low total supply: there’s a total supply of just 1 million MKR tokens. Maker hit its highest ever price on January 20, 2018, at $1,687.86. Heading into 2020, MKR is priced at around $550. Many other tokens have lost 90% or more of their value from their all time highs back in 2018, which makes MKR look impressive by comparison. Moving forward, Maker will continue to be a smart contract platform on the Ethereum blockchain that backs and stabilizes the value of the stablecoin DAI through a system of collateralized debt positions (CDPs), autonomous feedback mechanisms, and incentivized external actors. MKR tokens are used to pay transaction fees in the Maker ecosystem, and MKR token holders have voting rights within that ecosystem. If you believe in the DAI stablecoin and its unique decentralized balancing mechanism, then MKR may be the right choice for you.

Binance Coin (BNB)

Binance Coin (BNB) is arguably the most successful crypto exchange coin in the world today. Heading into 2020, BNB is worth around $15, down from its all-time high of $38.82 in June 2019. As long as Binance remains a popular exchange, and as long as BNB tokens can be used to pay transaction fees on Binance, BNB will continue to have considerable value. Some people buy BNB because they regularly trade high volumes on Binance and want to save money. Others buy BNB as an investment, believing that the Binance exchange will continue to be popular moving forward.

Cardano (ADA)

Cardano (ADA) was created in September 2017 by Charles Hoskinson, one of the co-founders of Ethereum. At first glance, ADA seems like it offers many of the same benefits as Ethereum: Cardano lets developers build decentralized apps and smart contracts, for example. Moving forward, Cardano and the ADA token aim to solve some of the biggest issues facing cryptocurrencies around the world: interoperability and scalability. Cardano’s developers are specifically focused on tackling the international payments space, reducing the time and cost of international money transfers. Using ADA, banks can reduce international payment times from several days to just a few seconds.

Chainlink (LINK)

Chainlink (LINK) is an Ethereum token that powers the Chainlink decentralized oracle network. That network allows Ethereum smart contracts to securely connect to external data sources, APIs, and payment systems. A sports betting smart contract may use Chainlink to connect to third-party football scores, for example, and then use those scores to execute the contract. The unique selling feature of Chainlink is that the development team figured out how to get information in and out of a blockchain in a way that was still secure, trustworthy, and decentralized. LINK is also one of the few tokens that have gained significantly in recent months: as BTC, ETH, XRP, and LTC have fallen towards the end of 2019, LINK has more than doubled. Going into 2020, LINK is sitting at a price of around $2 a piece, down from its all-time high of $3.90 reached in July 2019.

Crypterium (CRPT)

Crypterium (CRPT) is priced at around $0.40 as we head into 2020, down significantly from its all-time high of $3. Today, CRPT has a market cap of around $37 million. CRPT isn’t the best-known name on this list. So why did we pick it as one of the top 20 cryptocurrencies for investors in 2020? Well, CRPT hodlers have reasons for optimism in the future. CRPT is an Ethereum-based token that works as the ‘fuel’ for all crypto-fiat transactions available within the Crypterium Wallet. Over the course of 2019, Crypterium’s developers added support for cashouts, Crypterium Card top ups, and cryptocurrency purchases. One of the most unique parts about Crypterium, however, is that the 0.5% transaction fee is used to burn CRPT tokens. Every time someone makes a transaction within Crypterium, the circulating supply of CRPT tokens drops. That could pay huge dividends for investors in the future.

0x (ZRX)

0x (ZRX) is a permissionless protocol that provides the infrastructure to facilitate the creation of decentralized exchanges on the Ethereum blockchain. 0x uses off-chain transaction relayers and Ethereum smart contracts to provide an open order book and decentralized exchange. The ZRX token, meanwhile, functions as payment to relayers by the users of the protocol. It’s also a governance token for protocol upgrades. Heading into 2020, ZRX is priced at around $0.25, down significantly from its all time high of $2.53 in January 2018. ZRX token holders may have reason for optimism moving forward, although critics will point to the fact that ZRX faces stiff competition from competitors like Binance DEX and other decentralized exchange platforms.

EOS (EOS)

EOS is one of the newest digital currencies on our list. Launched in June 2018 by cryptocurrency pioneer Dan Larimer, EOS first made headlines with its $4 billion ICO, which was one of the longest and most profitable ICOs in history. Unique selling features with EOS include its delegated proof of stake mechanism, which achieves consensus in a different way than most major cryptocurrencies. EOS also has no mining mechanism; instead, block producers generate blocks and are rewarded in EOS tokens based on their production rates. EOS’s governance system is built on a complex set of rules. Although EOS experienced growing pains with its governance structure at launch in 2018, it continues to gather momentum moving into 2020. EOS is currently priced at around $2.70, down from its all time high of $23 in August 2018.

Stellar (XLM)

Stellar (XLM) was launched in 2014 to provide ultra-fast digital currency payments. It also made a handful of early investors very wealthy: at launch in 2014, XLM was trading hands for less than a penny. In January 2018, XLM hit an all-time high of $0.94. Heading into 2020, XLM is priced at around $0.06. The fast payment system and rock-solid development team could continue to build momentum for XLM moving forward, although XLM continues to face competition from every other digital currency that emphasizes high-speed transactions.

Basic Attention Token (BAT)

Basic Attention Token (BAT) is one of the most unique cryptocurrencies on this list. It’s an Ethereum token that powers the Brave browser’s blockchain-based digital advertising platform. The Brave browser continues to grow for mobile and desktop users. It’s the only browser in the world that pays you to use the internet: Brave rewards internet users with a portion of the advertising revenue based on ads they have viewed. It’s all powered by blockchain technology and the Basic Attention Token. You’re not going to get rich with the Brave browser, although BAT could legitimately disrupt the entire digital ecosystem as we know it. Heading into 2020, BAT is priced at around $0.20, down from its all-time high of $0.98 reached in January 2018.

Kyber Network Crystal (KNC)

The Kyber Network Crystal (KNC) is a digital token that offers seamless token swaps anywhere. It’s a decentralized, peer-to-peer crypto-asset exchange built on Ethereum. With the Kyber Network, a dynamic reserve pool allows the network to maintain its liquidity while keeping swap exchanges as cheap and fast as possible. KNC hit its all time high of $5.32 in January 2018. As we head into 2020, KNC is priced at around $0.18. KNC is a deflationary ERC20 token used by Reserve Managers in the Kyber Network to pay exchange fees for on-chain exchanges. The ‘deflationary’ part of KNC is important: a portion of KNC gets burned in every transaction. The biggest reason for optimism with KNC is that it solves a crucial liquidity problem faced by many centralized exchanges.

Crypto.com (MCO)

MCO is a digital token used to access a range of products and services. Today, the key feature of the network include its MCO Visa cards, the MCO wallet, and portfolio building services. The ecosystem is operated by Crypto.com, which originally started the project under the Monaco brand name. Moving forward, Crypto.com plans to continue with its mission of fueling “the world’s transition to cryptocurrency”. At the most basic level, Crypto.com and its MCO token are making crypto more accessible and usable with tools like prepaid visa cards and mobile wallets. The Crypto.com/MCO Visa cards also come with unique benefits, including 10% cashback on Airbnb and Expedia and a 100% purchase rebate for standard Spotify and Netflix subscription plans. The prepaid card currently supports the Singapore Dollar (SGD), allowing you to spend your bitcoin balance anywhere SGD is accepted.

Ripio Credit Network (RCN)

Ripio Credit Network (RCN) tokens are way down the crypto market cap list. As we move into 2020, RCN tokens sit outside the top 120 cryptocurrencies by market cap. So why do some believe RCN tokens are one of the best investments for 2020? Well, the Ripio Credit Network is an open global credit network that connects lenders, borrowers, and loan originators on the blockchain to create frictionless, transparent, and borderless debt markets. That’s a fancy way of saying that Ripio Credit Network makes it easier for anyone, anywhere in the world, to get a loan or lend money to earn interest. If successful, the project could change the global banking sector – and it’s all powered by the RCN token.

Tierion (TNT)

Tierion (TNT) is an Ethereum-based token used as part of the Tierion platform for data verification. Tierion turns the blockchain into a global platform for verifying any data, file, or business. TNT allows blockchain users to store, share, and verify huge amounts of data in a single, fast transaction. Moving into 2020, Tierion works with over 500 apps to verify on-chain data. As the number of apps supporting Tierion continue to grow, we can reasonably expect the value of TNT to rise.

Decred (DCR)

Decred (DCR) is an open-source bitcoin fork that emphasizes development funding, on-chain governance, and consensus mechanisms. Founded in 2016, DCR wants to solve bitcoin’s inefficiencies while creating a truly autonomous digital currency. With DCR, stakeholders make the rules using an innovative consensus voting model. The end result is a digital currency controlled by the people who hold it, free from outside third parties and other influencers. Moving into 2020, the Decred development team aims to create an innovative hybrid proof of work (PoW) and proof of stake (PoS) consensus voting system, a censorship-resistant blockchain-anchored public proposal platform, and smart contracts, among other features.

Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) launched on August 1, 2017, after a rift within the bitcoin development team. BCH’s developers wanted to remove blocksize limits to improve the on-chain scalability of bitcoin. Today, BCH developers continue to emphasize bitcoin’s value as an everyday payments mechanism, while BTC developers tend to focus on bitcoin’s value as a long-term form of wealth storage. Despite seemingly endless controversies and attacks from bitcoin maximalists, BCH continues to be one of the world’s top cryptocurrencies by market cap. BCH also survived the November 2018 hard fork that created two versions of BCH, which today are known as Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin Satoshi’s Vision (BSV). If you believe in the value of bitcoin as a daily payment option, then BCH could be a smart investment.

Honorable Mentions and Sleeper Candidates

TRON (TRX): Tronix (TRX) is the digital currency for the TRON blockchain. The goal of TRON is to create a decentralized version of the internet. Today, TRON is already one of the largest blockchain-based operating systems in the world, offering high scalability, throughput, and availability. As TRON usage continues to grow moving into 2020, the value of TRX can be expected to rise.

Tezos (XTZ): Tezos is an open-source platform for assets and applications backed by a global community of validators, researchers, and builders. The platform offers secure, institutional-grade smart contracts, solving key blockchain technology barriers like smart contract safety, long-term upgradeability, and open participation. All Tezos token (XTZ) holders can participate in network upgrades by evaluating, proposing, or approving amendments. Token holders can also help secure the network by baking or delegating tokens.

DigixDAO (DGD): DGD is the native Ethereum-based token governing the Digix network. The decentralized autonomous organization supports tokens tied to physical assets. Digix Gold (DGX), for example, is tied to the price of gold. In the future, the platform plans to support other DG tokens that represent silver, platinum, and other precious metals. DGD reached its all-time high of $600 in February 2018. Moving into 2020, DGD sits at just $17.

Komodo (KMD): Komodo is an open, composable smart chain platform. The unique feature of Komodo is that it supports transparent, anonymous, private, and fungible transactions. Komodo is ending 2020 ranked in the top 60 cryptocurrencies by market cap with a current value of around $0.65, down from its all-time high of $10 reached in December 2017. Moving forward, Komodo plans to focus on business-friendly blockchain solutions that are secure, interoperable, scalable, and adaptable.

Monero (XMR): The ultra-secure, privacy-focused cryptocurrency is untraceable, and untraceable currency will always have value on the internet. Whether using XMR for black market activities or just wanting your money movements to stay private, Monero is an excellent option.

Zcash (ZEC): ZEC is a decentralized, open-source cryptocurrency launched in 2016. If you think of bitcoin as HTTP, then ZEC is HTTPS. It’s a more secure cryptocurrency that still publishes and records all transactions on a blockchain, but with details about the sender, recipient, and amount remain private. In a world where privacy is becoming increasingly rare, cryptocurrencies like XMR and ZEC will continue to have value.

Siacoin (SC): Siacoin (SC) uses blockchain technology and cryptocurrency to fuel a low-cost cloud storage solution. Although development progress has been slow, SC could legitimately disrupt the billion-dollar cloud storage industry at some point in the future. The core feature of SC is that it lets you use your underutilized hard drive space to earn money. Anyone who needs storage space, meanwhile, can spend SC to access that storage space. Files are encrypted and distributed across the Sia decentralized cloud.

Enjin Coin (ENJ): Enjin was first founded as a gaming community platform called the Enjin Network back in 2009. In 2017, Enjin decided to break into the crypto space with an ICO that reportedly raised $18.9 million. Today, the Enjin ecosystem includes the Enjin Platform, Explorer, Wallet, and Beam, all of which empower gamers with ownership of digital assets while also allowing game developers to earn revenue.

Enigma (ENG): Enigma aims to secure the decentralized web using its decentralized open-source protocol. The Enigma protocol lets anyone perform computations on encrypted data, bringing privacy to smart contracts and public blockchains.

Solve (SOLVE): Solve aims to use blockchain to disrupt the healthcare administration space. The Ethereum-based SOLVE token is required to participate in the platform and make transactions. As the usage of the Solve platform continues to grow among healthcare providers worldwide, the value of the SOLVE token can be expected to rise.

Best 2020 Cryptocurrencies List: Top Cryptoasset Investments to Buy Investor Disclaimer

Trading and investing in cryptocurrencies (also known as digital or virtual currencies, cryptoassets, altcoins, tokens, etc.) is risky. We are not a registered broker, analyst, investment advisor, or anything of that nature. The information above is provided purely for guidance, informational, and educational purposes. We recommend independently verifying and confirming all the information contained on this page. We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage whatsoever caused by our information. Cryptocurrencies are not suitable for all investors, and all cryptocurrency investments are made at your own risk and discretion.

The post Top 20 Best Cryptocurrencies to Buy in 2020 appeared first on Master The Crypto.

Go to Source

Please enter CoinGecko Free Api Key to get this plugin works.
Exit mobile version