Experts Predictions for Crypto in 2022

Considering the big picture, Bitcoin has had a great year. The cryptocurrency went up by 70% since the beginning of 2021, bringing the crypto market to around $2 trillion in value. This year, the first crypto company that went public, Coinbase, debuted back in April. Also, during 2021 we’ve seen more active participation from Wall Street banks such as Goldman Sachs. Also, how can we forget the approval of the first exchange-traded fund in the US linked to Bitcoin? 

Although, the intense fluctuations of price and the strict regulatory scrutiny have slowed down BTC’s prospects lately. Regarding this, experts have been warning crypto users that the situation could be leading downhill. 

With the new year looking like another fluctuating period for crypto, a group of experts has already made predictions for crypto in 2022. Cryptodigest brings you a look at the most relevant predictions of analysts.

Experts Predictions for Crypto: The Crypto Crash

Some analysts assure that BTC is due for a steep decline in the months to come. Bitcoin rose to a record price of almost $69,000 back in November; currently, it’s sitting right below $50,000. That’s nearly 30% down from its highest point in just a matter of weeks. 

According to the wisdom that rules Wall Street, a decline of 20% or more is what defines bear markets. Although, it’s worth mentioning that this means nothing because of Bitcoin famous volatility.

Finance professor, Carol Alexander, said it’s expected for Bitcoin to go as low as $10,000 in the next year. If that happens, the profits earned in the last year and a half would be virtually whipped out. She strongly advises investors to consider coming out of Bitcoin soon because its price will probably plummet in 2022.

Alexander’s predictions for crypto are not based on mere speculation; we should keep in mind that if well it’s famous for its volatility, it also has specific patterns that we shouldn’t overlook. For example, after a significant price rise, Bitcoin tended to nosedive in the past. In 2018, the coin went down to $3,000 after getting close to $20,000 only a few months before.

On the other hand, cryptocurrency backers differ from Alexander’s opinion. As more institutional investors join the volatile market, crypto supporters insist that things are more stable now. A usual investment case for BTC, in particular, is that it serves as a hedge versus the inflation rising as a consequence of the government stimulus. Todd Lowenstein, a strategist from the Union Bank, says that the Federal Reserve has a big chance to pull the plug on Bitcoin.

The Exchange-Traded Fund

The most significant development that investors are eagerly anticipating in 2022 is the approval of the first ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund) in the US. Earlier this year, the SEC gave the green light to launch the Bitcoin Strategy ETF of ProShares. The product keeps track of futures contracts of Bitcoin instead of providing investors direct contact to the crypto.

In finance, futures are derivatives that require the investor to sell or buy certain assets for a price already agreed and at a later date. Experts agree that ProShares’ ETF might be risky for inexperienced traders that track futures and not Bitcoin. The futures of Bitcoin that launched has been categorized as not retail-friendly because of the high costs of rolling over contracts that end up being around 5-10%.

Grayscale Investments, which holds the most prominent Bitcoin fund, has requested to convert it into a spot ETF. Like Grayscale, there are many other Bitcoin ETF applications on the waiting list.

Hope in the Predictions for Crypto in 2022?

2021 was rough on crypto regulations, starting with China banning all crypto-related activities. Then, the authorities in the US cracked down on some aspects of the market. Experts suspect that new regulations will be one of the main issues in 2022 for the industry.

Vijay Ayyar, head of Luno exchange, stated that next year would influence the regulatory side of the crypto market. Since there’s a lot of interest from many governments (the US as one of the main), expectations have never been higher to bring regulation into the crypto industry. Ayyar also said he expects to clarify the legal gray zone for other cryptos besides Bitcoin.

Ripple is in a battle with the US authorities over XRP. The SEC says that it is a non-registered security and that the company sold the tokens illegally. On the other side, Ripple alleges that XRP is not a security.

Experts also mentioned stablecoins as one of the main focuses for regulation authorities next year. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that back up their price with assets like the USD. For example, Tether is the primary concern since there’s a lot of speculation about if it has enough assets backing it up or not.

Conclusion

Without a doubt, more scrutiny is to come around the crypto space. People still remember the housing and mortgage bubble too well, so it’s natural to be cautious about assets that people still don’t understand completely. 

While this is happening, regulations have also started scrutinizing the decentralized finance sector. It seems that the wheel has been set in motion, but the real question here is, whose interests are governments protecting? That’s a question worth asking. For sure, 2022 will bring more on crypto news and we at Cryptodigest are excited about keeping you informed about it.

A Quick Guide to Stellar Lumens (XLM)

Released in July 2015, Stellar Lumens (XLM), in simple terms, is an open network that enables money to be moved and stored. The protocol’s main goal was to boost financial inclusion. Although the priorities changed, the goal became to help financial institutions connect by utilizing blockchain tech.

The network has its token called Lumens, and it functions as a bridge to make trading assets less expensive across borders. The point of all this is to challenge the current payment providers, who usually charge high fees for a service alike. 

Does any of this ring a bell? If yes then it’s worth mentioning that the Ripple Labs protocol has initially been the base for Stellar Lumens (XLM). A hard fork is what created the blockchain. Eventually, the team in charge rewrote the core code to be compliant with the new target.

About the Founders 

In 2013 after leaving Ripple because of a disagreement about the company’s future direction, Jed McCaleb decided to found Stellar with Joyce Kim. In 2020 McCaleb explained the rationale behind Stellar. He stated that the complete original design has different forms of value where fiat currencies run parallel with each other and crypto-assets. That was the critical point to making this project mainstream.

McCaleb had made it clear that he wanted to ensure that Stellar Lumens (XLM) could provide people with a new way of moving their fiat into cryptocurrencies. The goal is to remove the friction users experience when they send money to other parts of the world. 

The current CTO of Stellar Lumens (XLM) is McCaleb. He also serves as co-founder of the Stellar Development Foundation. The foundation aims to improve the world’s economic potential by making markets more accessible, money more fluid, and empowering people.

What Is So Special About Stellar Lumens (XLM)?

First, fees are a sticking point for many users around the world. Although, a high cost while making a payment cross-border isn’t just a problem with fiat-based payment systems. Usually, Fees for transactions tend to go sky-high on blockchains such as Ethereum and Bitcoin because of congestion.

Stellar Lumens (XLM) has a unique transaction cost of only 0.00001 XLM. Considering that one unit of the token costs only a few cents, users can keep more money. Some projects have secured partnerships with fintech firms and big tech companies.

 A few days ago, IBM and Stellar partnered up and launched World Wire. The project enabled big financial institutions to request transactions to the Stellar network and utilize bridge goods like stablecoins. While other blockchains possess community funds, Stellar allows its users to vote on the support’s direction.

How Many Stellar Lumens (XLM) Are in Circulation?

In 2015, when the network launched, Stellar issued a total of 100 billion XLM, but things have changed since then. Currently, the total supply of XLM stands for over 50 billion, and 20.7 billion are in circulation. 

How Is the Network Secured?

The Stellar network uses the Stellar Consensus Protocol to secure the project. The protocol claims to have four main properties: low latency, decentralized control, flexible trust, and asymptotic security.

Through this protocol, everybody can join the process of achieving consensus, and more than one entity can end up with most of the deciding power. Transactions are confirmed cheap and fast; all it takes is just a few seconds. Also, safeguards are set in place if attackers try to join the network.

Plasma Finance: The Next Big Thing in DeFi

In the last couple of years, the DeFi sector has grown significantly, paving the way for innovative protocols such as Plasma Finance. With a worth that surpasses the $270 billion mark, the DeFi projects have consolidated their position in the crypto space. Now, with Plasma Finance in the game, the projections for the industry are skyrocketing rapidly.

In spite of the increased interest in DeFi, it’s still only a niche sector, but Plasma Finance is now addressing the issue. The platform’s goal is to offer a streamlined and simplified experience for the user. The network utilizes DeFi protocols while offering analytics tools and some added features. By combining all that, the network gets the best of both worlds, DeFi, and traditional finance.

What Is Plasma Finance?

There are many inconveniences people face with all the intermediate steps for getting into DeFi. This is where Plasma Finance saw an opportunity. As a result of these limitations, we can conclude that there’s only so much growth that DeFi can have. There are a lot of users wanting to experiment with lending and yield farming, for example, but currently, it’s too complicated for newcomers. 

Plasma Finance offers a solution that would lower the barriers to getting into DeFi. The protocol supplies an interface to store, invest and manage DeFi crypto. 

What Does Plasma Finance Do?

Its most significant feature is to support payment cards issued by Mastercard and Visa, as well as bank accounts. One of the goals for the network is to offer top rates from major exchanges, and at the moment, it supports multiple crypto assets. 

It is possible for Plasma Finance to support those payment methods because of its partnerships. The collaborations are what makes the global support possible. The protocol’s most important partners are PlasmaPay, Ramp, and Simplex.

New Users

Ilia Maksimenka, current CEO and founder, thinks that DeFi protocols should compete with traditional institutions. Maksimenka believes that exchanges, banks, and conventional financial institutions are the main competitors since people use them daily.

The key to their success is the ease of using, which DeFi doesn’t possess, and that’s the first issue they’re trying to solve. Research made by the team in charge demonstrates that users benefit from familiarity. They can find it among the established interface models, such as the ones used by traditional services. 

Most users expect to have an experience similar to using an iPhone, but instead, new users find it hard to understand DeFi. That unfamiliarity translates into uncertainty and fear of losing money for the user. 

Advantages of Plasma Finance

The project’s primary goal is to help new users with the onboarding process by simplifying it, making the transition easier. The team worked on a step-by-step approach that starts with the process of downloading a wallet and linking a source of funding to get further access. 

Once the user completes those two simple steps, they’re granted access to the entire experience in one platform. By simplifying the access process, Plasma Finance is helping users from around the world to save time. Instead of researching hundreds of protocols and platforms, users can have it all in one place.

As another crucial point, the protocol provides fiat on-ramps for purchasing crypto in most countries around the globe. It includes a portfolio management tool, swap platforms, and decentralized exchange, among other features. Coupled with this, the team constantly performs audits on projects and labels them accordingly.

Conclusion

It’s safe to say that it will be impossible to ignore the DeFi industry in the following years, specifically by the traditional finance system. Its more efficient and thoughtful processes will make it an outstanding sector, not to mention the difference in rates compared to conventional finance. 

One thing is for sure; if everything keeps going as it has, the most significant protocols might become more prominent. That is the goal for Plasma Finance, to be the “retailer” users go to look at the offers out there. Think about it as a Spotify for the DeFi space and use it accordingly.

A Quick Guide to TRON (TRX)

TRON (TRX) is an operating system based on blockchain technology and its primary goal is to ensure this tech is appropriate for daily use. The project claims to be able to handle 2,000 transactions per second, while with Ethereum it is only up to 25, and with Bitcoin only six. 

The best way to describe TRON (TRX) is as a decentralized platform with a goal to share content and provide entertainment. Its major acquisition in 2018 was by BitTorrent, the file-sharing service. 

In general, the project divided its main objectives into six different phases. The range goes from file sharing to the creation of content through rewards. At the same time, it enables creators of content to launch new tokens and encourages them to decentralize the gaming industry. Moreover, TRON is one of the most sought-after blockchain projects for DApps building.

About the Founders

Justin Sun is the founder of TRON, who is currently also the CEO. He finished his education at Peking University and the University of Pennsylvania. Forbes Asia recognized him as one of the main features in its 30 Under 30 series for entrepreneurs. 

Sun has been associated in the past with the Ripple project; he worked as a chief representative in the Greater China zone. 

What’s Special About TRON (TRX)?

It has positioned itself as a space for content creators to connect more instantly with their audience. By removing centralized platforms, creators expected to lose as much commission as they usually would to intermediaries. It won’t matter if they are app stores, streaming services, or music sites. 

This could also mean an improvement for consumers since the content would be less expensive than usual. Considering that the sector for entertainment keeps growing on digitized grounds, TRON could have a head start. TRON (TRX) is already ahead of its time while applying blockchain tech to the entertainment industry.

The project also claims to have an experienced and talented team in charge of new developments. TRON has members all over the globe, some coming from major firms such as Ripple Labs. 

The project offers a different point by providing a roadmap that shows its plans for the following years. In contrast, some other projects are pretty shady about their development intentions.

How Many TRX Tokens Are in Circulation?

The project has a supply of more than 100 billion coins, most of which are already in circulation since the beginning of December. In 2017, 15.75 billion TRX went to private investors at a token sale. Additionally, 34 billion went to the Tron Foundation, and ten more billion went to one of Justin Sun’s companies.

In the end, 45% of the supply allocated to the project itself and the founder, while 55% went to investors. Experts argue that this ratio is much higher than that seen before with other projects.

How is TRON (TRX) Secured?

TRON utilizes a mechanism of consensus called delegated proof-of-stake. The owners can freeze their crypto to get Tron Power. They can vote for “super representatives” who work as producers of blocks by doing so.

Those producers acquire TRX as rewards for verifying the transactions, which are distributed between the voters. As TRON sees it, blockchain can achieve better throughput levels. 

How to Create a Stable Income by Staking Crypto

Staking Explained

There are proof of stake networks such as Polkadot and Ethereum that are rewarding users for staking crypto. Unlike Bitcoin, secured by mining, more recent crypto utilizes a different mechanism of consensus. That other mechanism, known as PoS (proof of stake), uses crypto assets to validate transactions. It means that users commit their crypto to the network to aid the blockchain. In return, the users get rewards, usually in the form of the same crypto they have staked.

In simple terms, a blockchain is a database of transactions that don’t rely on a central authority for maintaining them. Some blockchains, such as Bitcoin, use mining for securely validating the transactions. The problem with mining is that it implies high electricity consumption and expensive hardware. Therefore, this option is not within reach of most people. 

Networks like Cardano, Polkadot, and Ethereum 2.0 changed all of that to avoid complications. Staking is the newly implemented mechanism based on committed funds. This new mechanism gets rid of the mining hustle. Proof of stake chooses validators based on the amount of crypto held in a node. Other users can delegate the assets, or the validator can stake them. 

About the Validators

Staking can be financially enticing; just like miners, validators also get rewards in cryptocurrency. The reward is earned when they stake the asset, and whoever delegates crypto to the validator also receives a portion. The portion of the reward is based on how much they’ve staked minus the validator’s share. This can be particularly attractive for investors who hold assets instead of day trading them, regardless of how small they may be. 

One of the main advantages of staking is that even though complex math supports it, it requires very little tech knowledge. All of the mentioned elements combined make it a more accessible option for most people. Therefore, it’s expected that its growth will be even faster as more people who try it spread the word.

Ways of Staking Crypto 

In general terms, there are two options for staking crypto. The first, as mentioned before, as a validator running a node on your own. If you decide to plunge into this option, you should know that it requires a bit of effort. A stable and secure infrastructure is a must, as well as having experience. Also, the minimum of coins needed to stake is usually too high. For example, to be an Ethereum 2.0 validator, it’s required to have at least 32 ETH.

Because of those reasons, among others, staking is more commonly done by delegation. You choose to delegate your crypto to a validator that already has the required setup. This way, the validator is the one doing the work of keeping the node running for you. In return, the validators will take commission from the staking rewards. 

It should be noted that by delegating your coins, you’re not handing over their guardianship to the validator. Your assets remain in your custody all the time, and usually, the rewards are reinvested automatically. 

The Exchanges

The majority of exchanges handling crypto run validators; this enables their users to stake with them. To do so, they have to use the user interface of the exchange. Among the major ones are Binance, Coinbase, Bitfinex, KuCoin, Kraken, OKEx, and Okcoin. Typically the staking process on exchanges is very similar. What differs one from the other is the available crypto for staking, the locking period, and their fees. 

Despite all of this, not all big exchanges enable users to do staking. Some like Gemini and Robinhood don’t have it as an option right now but have stated that they may offer it in the future. 

Other Things to Consider

Also, it would be best to consider that to comply with regulations, some exchanges might not allow you to stake. This option may not be available for you if you live in particular jurisdictions such as Hawaii or New York. As usual, we encourage you to read more about the subject, especially if you’re considering investing in it. 

Remember that even if it takes longer to take action, it’s always better to make a fully informed decision. A decision taken in the heat of the moment without enough information can potentially lead to considerable losses.

The Bright Future of Helium

Helium Explained

Helium is a network for IoT (Internet of Things) devices powered by decentralized blockchain technology. It was officially launched back in July 2019. The network enables devices with low-powered wireless to send and receive data across its nodes and network in general. The nodes, also known as hotspots, are a mix of a blockchain mining device and a wireless gateway. The network is also known for rewarding the users that operate the nodes with HNT, Helium’s token.

About the Founders

The three founders who started the company back in 2013 are Shawn Fanning, Amir Haleem, and Sean Carey. Haleem’s active background is in eSports as well as the development of games. On the other hand, Fanning, is famous for the story of Napster, a music sharing service Napster was one of the first peer-to-peer primary internet services at the end of the ’90s. Meanwhile, Sean Carey had a variety of roles before Helium. Carey worked in the firm “Where”, which specialized in advertising optimization, that Paypal later acquired.

Now, the team in charge of Helium, formed by what the company calls experienced members, is very optimistic. They have specialized people in hardware and radio, manufacturing, distribution systems, and blockchain tech.

What Is Special About Helium

The main goal of Helium is to increase the capabilities in the communication of wireless IoT devices exponentially. Back in 2013, the whole infrastructure related to the Internet of Things was still at a very early stage. Developers, determined to expand their offerings by adding decentralization. That is the main reason why official literature refers to it as “The People’s Network”. 

The target audience is the users interested in the IoT as well as owners of devices. Considering that there are financial incentives, the expected outcome of this expansion is on a big scale. 

What the users of the network are purchasing or building are Hotspots, a mix of a miner and a wireless gateway. Each of those hotspots supplies coverage within a specific range. At the same time, the same hotspot mines HNT, Helium’s token.

The whole network works on proof-of-coverage, which is a new algorithm of consensus. The algorithm is based on a protocol that enables nodes to reach consensus when the quality of the connection is highly variable. 

Circulation

When Helium launched the token, the supply was zero. Back in October 2020, there were 48,712,218 Helium tokens in circulation. Helium explained that the owners of the nodes would receive tokens for helping build the network. Later on, data transfer will be more advantageous, although the token distribution will last for about 20 years.

Helium’s Secure Network

Helium uses a mechanism of consensus called PoC (proof-of-coverage) for which users get rewards. Main goal of PoC is specifically node communication. 

From October 2020, Helium token is available in big exchanges.

Blockchain Gaming and NFTs – The Future of Crypto

The ever-expanding world of crypto never ceases to amaze us, and it seems as though everyone wants to be a part of this new realm. Subsequently, blockchain technology piqued the interest of many major sectors, gaming included. 

Yes, the gaming industry is one of the early birds that adopted this cutting-edge technology—an exciting clash of worlds, gaming, and blockchain. And believe it or not, people that have a genuine interest in blockchain are most likely game heads.

The rising demand for NFTs in the gaming industry only amplifies this riveting crossover. In this day and age, you can trade many rare and trending NFTs within games. So, we couldn’t help but wonder what this means for the crypto industry and what is the future of blockchain gaming? For more crypto news, read our Crypto Digest blog.

Blockchain is considered one of the key players of the financial technologies of the future, and it sees great potential as a trustworthy ledger concept.

What Is Blockchain Gaming?

Before we begin, we have to address the blockchain gaming concept. It is a system based on cryptography that links blocks of data together in sequential order. Because every change can set a “chain” reaction and affect the entire chain, the data units on the blockchain are immutable and unique. 

The main distinction between regular games and blockchain games is the fact that each digital asset inside the game is unique. This is where non-fungible tokens, or NFTs for short, come into play. They are unique data units kept on the blockchain for these digital assets. This industry is called blockchain gaming. 

Play to earn is one of the central aspects of these games because the gamer earns unique NFTs or any other kind of cryptocurrency by playing the game. Merit-based advancements give you digital tokens that the player can convert into actual money. Or you can keep playing. It’s up to you.

And now for the exciting part. Since every NFT is one-of-a-kind, blockchain has made the concept of digital asset ownership possible. If an asset is stored on the blockchain in the form of an NFT, the owner can claim his rights to sell or keep the asset. Let’s say artwork, even though this system works much better for the gaming industry.

Full Control

Blockchain gives its users full control over the digital asset they earn by playing these games. For example, if the players spend real money on digital assets in traditional games, they might lose access to them if the server crashes. The developer has the rights. 

In the case of blockchain games, both the assets and the money remain in your total ownership, whatever happens. These assets can be traded with other fellow players, sold for real money, and possibly used across different game universes. The possibilities are endless, really.

Terms in Blockchain Gaming

We’ve come to the part where we list the most important terms of these games. Each player needs to know this, so pay attention.

1. Play-to-Earn – this paradigm applies to most blockchain games. Players receive digital assets in turn for playing the game. Taking part in in-game economies also has its rewards, like skins, weaponry, and other gaming items. 
2. Pay-to-Earn – an up-front, in-game asset purchase must be made, which is often an NFT. Just like with the play-to-earn model, the item’s worth can increase in value over time.
3. In-Game Asset Ownership – most gamers are cautious when buying in-game assets that are non-transportable. The developer usually governs them, and if the site goes down, the players lose all investments. By tokenizing in-game assets, the developers can own these assets fully.
4. GameFi – the play-to-earn and pay-to-earn models are also-known-as GameFi. This term is made to emphasize the earning potential of the gaming industry.

NFTs

According to sources, the global market capitalization of NFTs revolves around $2.5 billion as of the beginning of 2021. This is quite a number when we compare it to the previous year and a market cap of $13.5 million. More and more gaming companies are taking part in the blockchain gaming trend now that NFTs are going strong. This only underlines future potential.

Conclusion

Finally, we can conclude that blockchain gaming might disrupt the traditional gaming industry after observing the ongoing trends. Generally, blockchain gaming sees a lot of future potential, as all numbers suggest. A current prediction states that there are around 1 billion online gamers out there, and still rising. This can only increase the significance of this trend if more new players opt for blockchain.

Suppose we know all of this information and that blockchain keeps track of in-game items like experience points, weapons, and skins, making them unhackable. In that case, we can deduct that the gaming industry, in collaboration with crypto, might be a fertile ground for future growth. Heck, it might even be the dynamic duo of the inevitable crypto future! 

What Happened to Facebook’s Crypto?

It’s been over two years since Facebook’s crypto was announced; this was made public back in 2019. Usually, the goal of new cryptocurrencies is to get into the stablecoin market, so why is Libra not here yet? 

The Plans for Facebook’s Crypto

Two years ago, Nassim Eddequiouaq and Riyaz Faizullabhoy left the company Anchorage to start working on Facebook’s crypto wallet. Facebook’s crypto, also known as Libra, was announced for the first time back in June 2019. In the crypto space, that counts as ages. First, it was pitched as a global currency without borders. The plan for the token was to be backed by the Libra Reserve, which is a compilation of assets with low volatility. Such assets were supposed to be Government securities and bank deposits, to name a couple.

What Happened?

Only in the first few months, the Libra Association lost many of its founding members. During that first wave, important companies such as MasterCard, Stripe, Paypal, and eBay were among the deserters. Then, in an attempt to get a new fresh start, Facebook’s crypto changed its name to Diem, and the wallet app created to hold it was renamed Novi. However, the name wasn’t the only thing that changed; its goals and ambitions were also downgraded. The new concept set the coin as a simple stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. That is far from being the borderless currency promised at the beginning. The market is full of stablecoins accessible at more serious companies such as Paxos, Binance, and Circle.

So, Where Did the Crypto End Up?

Now, two years after it was first announced, it’s worth asking: is there anyone who wants to acquire crypto from Facebook? Facebook’s principal founder, Mark Zuckerberg has been involved in legal issues regarding users’ privacy and data protection on his social network in the past couple of years. 

Zuckerberg has been called to court several times to lend testimony about the allegations against him and the platform for which he’s responsible. The irony here is that Facebook’s crypto is not only his thing; it’s a whole project backed up by a group of companies based in Switzerland. Part of the plan is to decentralize the coin progressively. The biggest problem they’re trying to solve right now is that the project was first made public by Facebook. Also, Zuckerberg, who is an executive of Facebook, has become the face of it. Therefore fortunately or unfortunately, if the project will succeed, it will be determined by Facebook’s future reputation status. . 

About the Future

Although it seems like Zuckerberg has already moved onto his next project, Metaverse, there’s hope for Facebook’s crypto. The most significant advantage that the project owns is the 2.9 billion users the network has. Whatever stablecoin the company decides to embrace, a substantial number of users will give it a try. There’s still hope for the cryptocurrency, but if it’ll be a long-term sustainable project, it remains to be seen.

USDC to Challenge Tether

The company Circle Internet Financial, Inc. has big plans to make USDC challenge Tether, so it earns the title of  the best stablecoin. Jeremy Allaire has stated that he wants USDC to challenge Tether and has big plans to make it happen. The CEO of Circle wrote in a blog post that the company’s mission is to become a federal bank. The projections expect  that USDC, the stablecoin that the site operates, will grow its circulation into potentially hundreds of billions of USD. Currently, stablecoins are having a significant moment because they are pegged to a fiat currency, which makes them more stable, therefore, more trustworthy. 

The Background

New investors all around the world, as well as experienced crypto traders, are embracing stablecoins. They have become a good option since they are considered a better-structured alternative for moving money from one place to another. 

The Plans for USDC to Challenge Tether

Currently, Tether is the one dominating the stablecoin markets. Besides Tether, there are several other options out there, but that only seems to be an opportunity for Allaire. When considering market capitalization, USDC is second to Tether. It’s expected that it will take the lead when the regulators in the United States start scrutinizing the uncommon accounting practices of Tether. So eventually, his plans for USDC to challenge Tether will come down to regulations set in place at the time.

How Stable is this Stablecoin?

The main advantage of stablecoins is that they’re not as volatile as other blockchain currencies. For many companies that mine them, stablecoins offer a fast and easy way of generating revenue. When users pay stablecoins in USD, corporations such as Circle and Tether use that money as a backup for them. For example, Circle stated that USDC operations are expected to generate $40 million this year.

The problem comes when companies decide to place the reserves in commercial paper or bonds. So stablecoins such as USDC end up not being backed up 1 to 1 as companies promise. Such was the case of Circle.

Circle’s Battle 

Circle is planning to go public soon, which means that convincing investors that USDC is safe to invest in is crucial  at this point. The company announced  its intentions to become a federally chartered bank, which could help with the regulation issues they face. However, they are confident that their future is bright.

Unraveling the Mystery behind Meme Coins and Tokens

In cryptocurrency culture, influencers have always been prominent, and they are more so these days. The first time Elon Musk mentioned the original meme cryptocurrency Dogecoin, it triggered a number of immediate reactions by influencers across all social media platforms. There is an opinion that investing in meme coins is imprudent, an alternative opinion is that it is a cheap bet with massive potential. Both opinions are valid, although interest in meme coins and tokens skyrocketed in recent months. 

What are meme coins and tokens?

As a rule, a meme coin doesn’t have inherent value and utility. It is obvious from the name that these cryptocurrencies revolve around Internet memes. The first meme coin, Dogecoin, is themed around a popular Doge meme, an image of a Shibu Inu dog. This coin runs on its own blockchain, which sets it apart from other meme tokens that run on an existing blockchain. The most widespread meme tokens are Shibu Inu that is built on Ethereum, and SafeMoon, built atop Binance Smart Chain. However, there are many more. 

How have meme tokens become so widespread?

It has been eight years since the launch of Dogecoin; it has become much more accessible to create a cryptocurrency. Meme coins and tokens can be launched easily and become popular due to their connection with influencers. For instance, in May this year, Mark Zuckerberg published an image of his pet goats with the comment “My goats: Max and Bitcoin.” After a short period of time, a meme token named Aqua Goat grew in value by 300%; it happened within a couple of hours since the post was published. 

What tokens are the most popular? 

Three of the most widely spread and used meme coins and tokes are Dogecoin, Shibu Inu, and Safemoon. Here is a quick overview of each of them. 

Dogecoin

The inventors of Dogecoin are Jackson Palmer and Billy Markus. It started as a joke, but it has become a weighty proposition since Elon Musk began promulgating it in 2019. The coin saw its peak in January 2021, with a market cap of $9 billion. At the moment, Musk is working with the coin’s developers to enhance the platform; he facilitates it as a means of paying for services and goods and works to decrease its carbon footprint. 

Shibu Inu Coin

This coin made its appearance in April 2021. It started off as an experiment but soon increased in value. The total supply of Shibu Inu Coin is one quadrillion, and it yields its investors a possibility to hold billions of tokens. However, it needs to climb around 12 million percent to hit the target of $1. 

SafeMoon

The creators of this token sook to enhance Dogecoin’s tokenomic model. Unlike Bitcoin, with a limited supply of coins, there is a limitless supply of Dogecoin, making it an inflationary tokenomic model. To improve this, SAfeMoon uses a deflationary tokenomic model. It implies that 5% is burned for every transaction, and another 5% is allocated to the existing token holders. From that follows that the total supply of coins is meant to decrease constantly, which ensures safe gains. Its market cap is currently $2 billion. 

The bottom line is that the final success of meme coins and tokens depends on the weight of their communities.