With the recent explosion of the cryptocurrency market, it’s not surprising that many people have become enamored with this new asset class.
However, like any investment class, cryptocurrencies have significant differences between them, and some will likely perform better than others over time. Does the key question become which cryptocurrency has the brightest future and is the most differentiated?
To answer this question, we need to examine each cryptocurrency on three different criteria that are critical in determining a currency’s success long-term. These criteria are purpose, adoption, and growth potential.
Digital currencies: a complete market overview
This overview of digital currencies is not intended to be financial advice or investment advice. Rather, it’s meant to give you a sense of which coins may be worth paying attention to.
It was last updated on March 26, 2018. As with any other type of investing, nothing is guaranteed, but many experts think blockchain technology will disrupt industries and economies in significant ways.
If that’s true, many of these currencies could end up being worth significantly more than they are today—and there might even be one or two new ones worth your time and money.
The following list is a sample of some of those options: Bitcoin (BTC): The first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin was created by an anonymous programmer who goes by Satoshi Nakamoto. Since its launch in 2009, it has grown into a billion-dollar market cap coin with an impressive number of adopters.
Ethereum (ETH): One of Bitcoin’s biggest competitors, Ethereum also allows for smart contracts and distributed applications to run on its platform. Litecoin (LTC): A fork from Bitcoin that has faster transaction times and cheaper fees, Litecoin was created by former Google employee Charlie Lee.
Are there any regulations yet?
It’s common for a new cryptocurrency to suddenly spring up, with little to no warning or guidance from regulatory bodies.
Remember, you’re investing in these cryptocurrencies because they have a brighter future; if governments all of a sudden decide that they should be regulated, you could lose out big time.
If your new coin is vulnerable to regulations in any way, it might not be such a good investment. So check with regulatory bodies before you buy in! What’s their plan?: Even if a currency seems like it has a bright future, there needs to be an actual plan as to how its creators intend on making that happen.
Is there an active development team? Are they working on partnerships with other companies? Are they focused on marketing their product or service at all? What exactly do they hope to accomplish by bringing their currency into existence?
These questions need answers so you can make sure you’re putting your money into something worthwhile. If there isn't a clear goal, then what's the point of getting involved at all?!
Advantages of working with cryptocurrency in your business
There is a lot of money being poured into cryptocurrencies by venture capitalists, hedge funds, banks, and governments. Cryptocurrencies are not far away from everyday commerce.
They can be used in several areas: to replace traditional payments systems; as an asset class; as a global store of value; to make voting easy; to provide privacy to Internet users; etc. This makes them unique – there’s nothing else like them at scale.
Many people see them as competition for gold or silver – but with much more utility than either (eg, you can use cryptocurrency to send/receive money instantly around the world).
The key question for any business considering getting involved in cryptocurrency is whether they will gain a competitive advantage from doing so.
Disadvantages of working with cryptocurrency in your business
Every form of payment has a weakness, and cryptocurrency is no different. It’s important to understand its disadvantages before you start accepting it in your business. One of those weaknesses is that while bitcoin allows you to accept payments internationally, it doesn’t allow you to do so easily.
Since it doesn’t use a third party, there isn’t anyone to facilitate transactions in countries where banking services are needed for merchants who accept international credit cards.
In addition, with credit cards, international purchases can be traced back to their source if fraud occurs. With cryptocurrency, however, these transactions are anonymous and much harder to trace.
Finally, since all information about a transaction is public on a blockchain ledger, some people may feel uncomfortable sending personal information or identifying details about themselves over an unsecured network like the one used by bitcoin.
While many experts believe that blockchain technology will change how we make financial transactions in ways we can’t even imagine today—and many companies continue to work on finding new ways to apply it—it’s important not to get caught up in all of its hype without understanding what it means for your business right now.
Existing problems facing the industry
The cryptocurrency market has exploded in size recently with investors looking to profit from their speculative activities.
As more and more investments enter the marketplace, investors are becoming increasingly concerned about what's to come once the market reaches its peak. Current problems facing cryptocurrency industries include scalability issues, privacy concerns, and sustainability concerns, among others.
The industry must address these problems to reach mainstream adoption by end-users and not just speculators who do not contribute meaningfully or positively to society or industry. If left unaddressed, they will continue to be a barrier to the mass adoption of blockchain technology.
Investors need to understand which coins are solving real-world problems and how it is making a difference for people across all socioeconomic groups. This can help differentiate between coins that may seem similar on paper but fundamentally solve different issues.
We're here to help: We believe in cryptocurrency being used as an alternative way of transferring value between people around the world while at the same time helping provide economic growth opportunities around emerging markets, thus giving back to societies where it is needed most.
To find out which projects we think you should invest your money into, check out our new Cryptocurrency Investment Research Center!
Is blockchain all it’s cracked up to be?
Blockchain is perhaps one of the biggest buzzwords of today. It is often associated with high-profile cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, and Litecoin.
However, not many people know what it means or what it does. Many people don’t realize that blockchain isn’t a single product – rather it is a type of database system (similar to Oracle or MySQL) which allows for decentralized operations between parties without any third party being involved in such transactions.
This makes the blockchain technology ideal for peer-to-peer operations and as an alternative to traditional methods of electronic payments – hence why so many investors are now looking into allocating their resources to creating new ICOs focused on blockchain development projects.
Conclusion
As we have learned, there is no single cryptocurrency that is best for all situations. Some may be better than others based on your situation, needs, or goals. In general, if you want to store value for a long period, Bitcoin or Ether is your best bet.
If you want to transfer value quickly and over a great distance, Ethereum or Litecoin may be better suited. Do not forget about other crypto-assets; they might also be useful in certain situations.
It is always good to do your research before making an investment decision as they can lose significant value at any time due to hacking attacks, government regulation, or market sentiment changes such as fear or greed.
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