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The Digital Rabbit Hole

The metaverse, a blend of virtual spaces where imagination and reality converge, has evolved from a futuristic concept into a tangible reality. It’s a realm populated by avatars, where digital transactions are prevalent and cryptocurrencies have become fundamental. This article explores the intricate economic web formed by the integration of cryptocurrency with the metaverse.

Bitcoins in Cyberspace: A Virtual Gold Rush

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are emerging as valuable commodities within the metaverse, reminiscent of gold in the physical world. Their mining involves complex algorithms, sparking a digital gold rush that appeals to a broad spectrum of individuals, from gamers to investors.

Economic NFT Galore: Your Avatar, Your Asset

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are redefining the concept of digital assets. In the metaverse, an avatar or an in-game item is not just a virtual representation, but it can hold significant value, similar to a collector’s item. The expanding NFT market offers a unique platform where these digital assets can be traded and appreciated.

Virtual Marketplaces: Where Bits Are the New Bucks

In the metaverse’s virtual marketplaces, digital currencies are the norm. These platforms go beyond traditional economic models, embracing blockchain technology for secure and decentralized transactions.

A Community-Led Revolution

The metaverse is notable for its decentralized governance. In DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations), community members collectively make decisions, reflecting a democratic approach in the digital economy. This structure promotes a sense of collective ownership and decision-making.

Challenges in the Code: Security Concerns and Virtual Heists

Despite its many advantages, the metaverse faces challenges such as security concerns and the risk of virtual heists. These issues necessitate continued vigilance and innovation to maintain the integrity of this burgeoning digital frontier.

Cryptocurrency Meets Quantum Computing

The emerging synergy between cryptocurrency and quantum computing is poised to revolutionize transaction speeds and security. This development represents a significant technological advancement, enhancing the efficiency and robustness of digital transactions.

Socializing the Digital Economy: Virtual Communities and Economic Bonds

The metaverse extends beyond mere transactions, fostering virtual communities that actively shape their economic environment. These digital gatherings, ranging from town halls to marketplaces, add a communal aspect to the digital economy, integrating social interactions with economic activities.

Nurturing a Sustainable Digital Future

The metaverse is increasingly focusing on sustainability, particularly in how digital currencies and blockchain technologies impact the environment. This shift towards eco-friendly practices represents a commitment to balancing economic innovation with ecological responsibility.

The Regulatory Jigsaw: Navigating Legal Realities in the Virtual World

As the metaverse economy expands, it encounters a complex regulatory landscape. Governments and organizations are exploring appropriate frameworks to oversee this new digital domain. Navigating these evolving regulations is crucial for harmonizing innovation with compliance.

The post Cryptocurrency in the Metaverse: Unraveling the Economic Realities first appeared on Economic Journal.

With its general accessibility and relative anonymity, crypto has become an increasingly popular source of income for many individuals. Naturally, the benefit of this exchange lies in the hands of said users, who must analyse various aspects carefully to have a basic know-how for navigating themselves in this new environment.

Informed decisions in such a dynamic and ever-changing era can prove to be a difficult task. In this article, we will go through what cryptocurrency exchanges are and the procedure for choosing the one right for you.

https://unsplash.com/photos/sM4r-swmcoY

What Are Cryptocurrency Exchanges?

Cryptocurrency operates similarly to a stock exchange, differentiating only in the medium it operates in. Like a stock exchange, a cryptocurrency exchange is a platform that allows an investor to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets, such as other cryptocurrencies or regular digital and fiat currencies.

Getting Started

Before investing in a cryptocurrency, you’ll have to choose a suitable exchange. Many platforms, such as Kraken, Binance, and Bitfinex, have unique features and a wide cryptocurrency catalogue to choose from. With such competition, you should consider several factors before deciding on one. Let us discuss a few of these:

1.    Security

Sadly, crypto has been involved in many high-profile hacking incidents because of the potential for significant financial gains. This has resulted in billions of dollars of losses. Your priority should be to find a reputable exchange with various security measures to protect your funds. This includes opting for platforms with two-factor authentication (2FA), cold storage of funds, and a good track record in safeguarding users’ assets.

Another way is to check for the physical address associated with the exchange. Without an address, the website’s untrustworthiness becomes evident and holds you back from using it. After all, choosing the wrong exchange could expose you to higher risks of hacking and loss of assets.

2.    Reputation

An establishment does not become well-known for no reason. How platforms build an image for themselves allows even the most disconnected individuals to be accustomed to it. A well-established, reputable exchange will provide a safe and reliable trading environment, evident in its popularity and reviews. You should check the reviews of other clients regarding the exchange and whether there have been any security threats in the past. If so, look for how the exchange addressed such issues.

3.    User Experience

The more user-friendly and accessible an exchange’s platform is, the better. This is especially true for beginners like yourself, delving into entirely new and unfamiliar territory. A forum with an intuitive interface that is easy to navigate and an efficient customer support service that’s quick to respond can make managing your crypto assets easier.

4.    Supported Currencies

Different exchanges offer varying selections of currencies. You must choose an exchange that provides multiple assets to buy or trade specific currencies so you can diversify your portfolio. Choosing the wrong platform limits investment choices and can drive you into financial struggles.

Before proceeding with finalising an exchange, shortlist a few cryptocurrencies you want to begin with and ensure your chosen platform offers them. For example, Bitcoin to dollar trading is ubiquitous, given the high popularity of BTC and the volatility of 1 BTC to USD rate.

5.    Fees

A cryptocurrency exchange charges various payments to the user, including trading, deposit, and withdrawal fees. Before you choose an exchange, make sure to compare and evaluate the transaction expenses of each platform. This is highly essential if you plan to make transactions regularly. High transaction costs can add up quickly.

Understanding Exchange Basics

After choosing a suitable cryptocurrency exchange, you must understand how to manage your funds. Let us discuss some terms you will likely encounter when trading.

Withdrawing and Depositing Funds

After choosing the right cryptocurrency exchange, knowing how to manage your funds is a must. You require a digital wallet to store and manage cryptocurrencies. They store public and private keys to buy cryptocurrencies and provide digital signatures to authorise each transaction.

After opening your exchange account, you may need to deposit or withdraw funds, and you can do so through bank transfers, debit/credit card payments, or even transfers from other cryptocurrencies. And the same options are available for withdrawals.

Price Charts

Price charts are graphical representations of historical prices and time intervals. You must understand these for fundamental technical analysis to make informed decisions and capitalise on price fluctuations. Technical analysis involves using historical price data to help forecast the likely future direction of prices. For this, you should know market trends in crypto charts.

Endnote

Booming and diverse, the cryptocurrency market is highly volatile and speculative. As easy as it is to be charmed by the relative security and low transaction costs, it’s similarly easy to fall prey to scams.

Choosing a suitable cryptocurrency exchange is essential when investing in digital currencies. Likewise, understanding the basics of navigating transactions and cryptocurrency’s digital landscape helps you make informed decisions and boosts confidence in your cryptocurrency journey.

While trading through such means may feel risky, continuously educating yourself and knowing the latest market developments can help you thrive in this landscape.

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Navigating Cryptocurrency Exchanges first appeared on Economic Journal.

What Is Crypto for e-Commerce?

Crypto is another term for digital currency like Bitcoin or Ethereum. The most significant difference is the federal government doesn’t back cryptocurrency to regulate its value or provide consumer protection. Because it functions independently, cryptocurrency can skyrocket in value.

The appeal draws global consumers into the crypto economy, so businesses can consider adapting to the currency to meet their consumers’ needs. They might also enjoy a few other financial advantages that a cash market can never replicate.

Business Benefits of e-Commerce

Consumers pay for goods in services in various high-tech ways. They may tap their credit card to a point-of-sale (POS) machine or swipe their phone to spend with their digital wallet. Now they also want to use their cryptocurrency to support their favorite brands.

There are numerous benefits for businesses that accept crypto for e-commerce payments. Learn how your company could benefit by adapting to this currency.

1. Lower Transaction Fees

When a customer inserts their credit card into a POS machine, the business pays transaction fees to the card’s bank and the payment processor. It takes money away from the company providing the goods or services, but modern consumers don’t enjoy working with businesses that only accept cash. The good news for business owners is that crypto doesn’t work the same way.

Virtual e-commerce payments have minimal processing fees and chargebacks because the blockchain validation is instant. No third parties require fee payments, so businesses keep more of the profit from each transaction. Crypto is a collection of computer code lines. Businesses benefit from lower transaction fees without a bank or credit card company monitoring each consumer’s purchase.

2. Global Consumer Reach

Due to transaction complications, small businesses may hold back from expanding to international markets. When someone buys something from another country, their payment goes through exchange rates and becomes subject to transaction and additional processing fees.

Cryptocurrencies are instant transactions. Business owners don’t have to wait for payments to clear or pay additional fees to clear international banks. They’re immediately open to global markets and new demographic groups by allowing crypto payments for e-commerce products.

3. Access to Liquidity Pools

Business owners could also open to liquidity pools to accept more than one form of crypto. Potential customers may only have Ethereum, so they would seek products or services elsewhere if they found a company that only accepted Bitcoin. However, business owners utilising liquidity pools can combine their crypto assets to swap currencies quickly.

This is a significant benefit of crypto for e-commerce payments. Businesses can appeal to global audiences and continue expanding to consumers with various cryptocurrencies. Liquidity pools remove barriers like conversion waiting periods and the inability to accept specific currency types.

4. Bigger Potential Clients

Crypto isn’t just empowering individual consumers — significant vendors also recognize the benefits of crypto for e-commerce. It’s why companies like Galaxy Digital Holdings and MicroStrategy maintain the largest crypto portfolios in the world. A business hoping to expand its consumer base with more affluent clients can offer crypto transaction capabilities so clients with significant portfolios can do business with them.

5. Additional Balancing Assets

Balance sheets are essential to any business owner. They’re how you keep track of your risk and return investments while sustaining daily operations that generate cash. Crypto could become an additional balancing asset that may retain better value.

Numerous factors can depreciate the dollar and cause a financial loss to business owners. When the federal government prints more money or struggles to control rising inflation rates, the cash value of a business’s assets sinks. Crypto doesn’t connect with those factors, so it could provide secondary stability to the asset portfolios of small and large companies.

Consider Crypto for e-Commerce

Business owners stand to benefit from learning about crypto for e-commerce transactions. There are numerous ways digital currency can increase profits while helping consumers. By avoiding transaction fees, separating from financial factors like inflation and connecting global markets using the same money, crypto can revolutionize how someone operates their business if they know what they stand to gain.

The post Crypto for e-Commerce: Do Businesses Benefit? first appeared on Economic Journal.

Many people get their news about cryptocurrency by searching for it and clicking the first site that pops up, assuming the news doesn’t find them first. While there are generally some good options available at the top of the search engine results, here are the 12 best cryptocurrency news websites in 2020 that you can seek out when you want to be sure you are reading a high-quality trusted cryptocurrency news site.

1. DailyCoin

DailyCoin covers crypto news, as well as opinions and educational articles about Fintech, digital assets, and blockchain technology. They have a multinational team that is dedicated to introducing newcomers to cryptocurrency and blockchain with high-quality and relevant content.

Visit the website.

2. CoinDesk

CoinDesk was founded in May 2013. CoinDesk provides news and articles, as well as videos, educational materials, newsletters, and events coverage. CoinDesk is recognised as a leader in blockchain and cryptocurrency news. This reputation is bolstered by the fact that it hosts the Annual Consensus Summit in May of each year.

Visit the website.

3. CoinTelegraph

CoinTelegraph is a highly regarded site that was founded in 2013. The site offers news on cryptocurrency, blockchain, business, technology, and regulatory issues. Market analysis and expert opinion are also provided. The site also offers a substantial section of educational articles. The authors and management team are globally distributed, providing opinion that is international in scope.

Visit the website.

4. NewsBTC

NewsBTC provides Bitcoin news, technical analysis, and market forecasts for Bitcoin and altcoins. The site has been in existence since October 2013. The site started out educating readers about Bitcoin and its possible effects on the traditional financial system but has grown to include a whole array of digital media coverage of altcoins, crowdfunding, regulatory news, and the convergence of technologies like the blockchain, IoT, AI and more.

Visit the website.

5. AMBCrypto

Founded in 2018, AMBCrypto is an independent news publishing platform that specialises in blockchain and cryptocurrency news. The AMBCrypto team takes pride in being independent and unbiased in its coverage. The site covers Bitcoin and altcoins with price analysis, forecasts, and outlooks. The site also has an events section that lists all the cryptocurrency events happening for the coming year.

Visit the website.

6. CryptoSlate

Begun in 2017, CryptoSlate provides data, news, and analysis to support the cryptocurrency community. The site delivers real-time price and data information for thousands of cryptocurrencies and delivers localised news and data to 26 different regions the site calls blockchain hubs. CryptoSlate also maintains a large directory of crypto-related companies, products, and people.

Visit the website.

7. Bitcoinist

Operating since 2013, Bitcoinist reaches 2 million readers each month and offers countless insights through its coverage of Bitcoin, digital currency, and blockchain technology. The site provides everything from business news, technical analysis, and coverage of community events.

Visit the website.

8. Bitcoin Magazine

Bitcoin Magazine is one of the oldest sources of Bitcoin news and information. Started in 2012, Bitcoin Magazine actually published a print edition until 2015. Founded by Mihai Alisie and future Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin, the site has long provided analysis, research, educational materials, and thought leadership that intersect the spheres of technology and finance.

Visit the website.

9. 99Bitcoins

99Bitcoins is one of the largest repositories of non-technical information about Bitcoin and altcoins. The site offers guides, tutorials, reviews, and videos about cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency-related topics. 99Bitcoins gives its readers reviews of wallets, exchanges, and various other cryptocurrency-related products. It also has guides on mining various cryptocurrencies.

Visit the website.

10. Inside Bitcoins

Started in 2015, Inside Bitcoins began with the goal of offering the most reliable and informative news about finance, along with the best how-to guides and reviews. Their site produces content that appeals to both cryptocurrency newbies and professional investors.

Visit the website.

11. CryptoBriefing

CryptoBriefing was founded in 2017. The original goal consisted of “highlighting the builders and calling out the scammers.” The site has now expanded to report on cryptocurrency trends and innovators. This growth has not dimmed the site’s passion for providing information to help distinguish legitimate products from scams. CryptoBriefing seeks to address “information asymmetry” where cryptocurrency insiders have more information than you do.

Visit the website.

12. CryptoDaily

Founded in 2017, CryptoDaily is a free-to-publish media network which states as its mission to “cover and inspire the crypto and blockchain economy across the world.” The site publishes coin updates, technical analysis, and guides to coins, exchanges, and wallets.

Visit the website.

What Makes These Sites Better?

These websites have a history of providing trustworthy information to its readers. Its articles and information are high-quality and exhibit high journalistic integrity. These sites are held in high regard by members of the cryptocurrency community. Many of them go back to the early 10s and some, like Bitcoin Magazine, were founded by cryptocurrency luminaries.

These websites provide not only news, but they also give us company directories, reviews, and event calendars that help you help support the Bitcoin community. In an industry where things change so rapidly, it’s important to rely on news sites that have been around and seen the ups and downs of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency. This is a list of the 12 most seasoned Bitcoin sites to give you the depth of coverage and insight that you need to make sense of Bitcoin, whether as an investment or a transactional currency.

The post 12 Best Cryptocurrency News Websites in 2020 first appeared on Economic Journal.

Do you want to invest in cryptocurrency? Well, if you do, you need to tap yourself on the back because you have made a wise decision.

Nonetheless, kicking your shoes and taking the initial steps along the path of cryptocurrency as a new investor is not a stroll in the park. Factually, taking the plunge and penetrating the vast cryptocurrency world in itself is a huge risk for everyone, including those who have massive experience in the trade.

As you try to get your head around cryptocurrency, you need to remember that it doesn’t have a centralised authority that guides investors. Also, there are hype stories that tell of people who have become overnight millionaires by trading in cryptocurrency, while there are horror stories of those who lost a fortune trying to make a quick buck.

With varying information in multiple sources of information, it is challenging to separate hearsay from facts. Therefore, before you get your feet wet, trying to make a kill out of the cryptocurrency market, below are some things you cannot afford to ignore;

Do Your Homework Well

The cryptocurrency world has been around for quite some time now. Unlike during the period of its advent, there is more information available about this industry in online and offline sources. Since you are exposed to all these information sources, don’t try to get into something that you know nothing about.

For a fact, cryptocurrencies provide people with unique investment opportunities. This does not, nonetheless, mean that they don’t come with their fair share of risks.

As you would also check for gold future predictions on such websites as Currency.com, ensure you also dive deeper into the cryptocurrency technology and try to understand the investment risks. Also, it will be helpful if you can find a mentor in the crypto industry who you can ask questions whose answers will give you peace of mind, knowing that you are trading in a safe environment.

In-depth research will help you find the truth and ignore the hype build around crypto investment. Ultimately, you will find yourself doing things right, and this will be a significant milestone towards a lucrative future.

Take Baby Steps

When investing in the crypto space, shun away from the thoughts that you will make millions on the first night. Remember, risk is inherent in any business investment, and cryptocurrency is not an exception.

Take one step at a time, with the knowledge that digital currency is still in its early stages of development. Therefore, there are lots of risks involved, which means you can make huge profits, or you can lose all the money you invest.

Don’t start by investing thousands of bucks. Put the money you can afford to lose. Also, keep in mind that timing is everything when it comes to cryptocurrency. Therefore, determine your entry point and pursue your dreams no matter what.

When the prices are right, don’t use all your money to purchase coins. Do so in small quantities, and you will make profits in the end. If you make one wrong move in the crypto world, rest assured you will lose everything you got!

Don’t Invest in One Cryptocurrency

The world of cryptocurrencies is broad and doesn’t revolve around Bitcoin. As a shrewd investor, avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Broaden your horizons and increase your chances of success.

Apart from Bitcoin, invest in other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Litecoin, and Ethereum. When you do this, you will be assured that a decline in one component will be offset by the gain in the other.

As you invest in various cryptocurrencies, don’t forget that they are all newbies in the digital currency sphere. For this reason, do so with caution, and ensure you do intensive research before you put your hard-earned money.

Keep All Your Coins in Wallets

When investing in cryptocurrencies, you should not forget that you are putting your money in a digital space, which is prone to attacks by a new breed of criminals – cybercriminals.

To protect yourself from these cunning hackers and snoopers, ensure you use exchanges to trade, and always move coins to wallets. When you hold your assets in exchanges, it’s just a matter of time before you lose all your investment to malevolent entities.

Tip: consider keeping your coins in cold wallets (offline wallets) since they are more secure and beneficial than hot wallets (online wallets).

Final Thoughts

The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile. As you get to it as a new investor, you need to fasten your seat belt because the ride will be rougher than you expect. But with research and the tips outlined above, there is no reason why you should not join the league of the most successful cryptocurrency investors of all time!

The post Tips Every New Cryptocurrency Investor Needs to Know first appeared on Economic Journal.

2020 is now here and that means all businesses within the UK will be eagerly looking ahead. While it is always hard to predict what may happen in the business sector over the next 12 months, it is certainly worth trying to hazard an educated guess.

Doing so will help you plan your business strategically for what may come and also see you get ahead of the curve in terms of any positive business trends. Of course, it can also help you spot any trends coming up that you need to plan for or guard against!

But what are the key business trends many are predicting will dominate 2020?

Crypto Investment Set to Grow Further

One trend within business for 2020 looks likely to be increased investment in digital currencies by many UK companies. Many businesses will invest in cryptocurrency to expand their revenue stream and protect their operations from any quiet periods. The crypto market also offers great opportunities to make profits, thereby helping provide extra funds for businesses to use for growth.

Next-gen programs including The Profit Revolution make it simple to invest successfully in crypto and these platforms are expected to be used more than ever before by businesses investing in digital currency during 2020.

Brexit

No-one in the UK business world will be surprised to see Brexit remain a major topic during 2020. Although things are moving forward after the Conservative’s general election win, the impact of Brexit and discussions around it within business will dominate in the next year.

The official deadline of January 31st 2020 for the UK to leave is fast approaching and many wonder what will happen after that to business between Europe and Britain. Even when that becomes clearer it seems likely that Brexit ramifications will affect some businesses adversely in 2020. As UK businesses begin to get to grips with exactly what Brexit brings, that is almost a definite possibility for some.

Climate Change

Although this is nothing new for businesses to consider, many think that climate change will be a major topic in company boardrooms in 2020. Recent years have seen more high-profile names bringing this issue to the fore and the public appetite for action is growing.

The net result of this for business in 2020 could be that extra pressure is put on companies to do more to tackle climate change on an individual level. This will require UK businesses to formulate plans to operate more sustainably or improve any plan they have in place already. The drive to recycle more and waste less is something that will form a large part of the overall business landscape in the coming 12 months.

Automation and AI

AI and automation are set to be a 2020 trend that most businesses will be affected by in some shape or form. The tech which underpins both is now affordable to most businesses in the UK and is also easier to use and implement.

AI chatbots are a classic example of this and many business insiders expect to see more products like them being used in 2020. It is widely thought that more companies will invest in this area in the next 12 months to help improve their efficiency and customer service.

Adoption of 5G Networks

Another trend likely in 2020 is the use of modern 5G networks within UK business. These are much faster than 4G ones and will allow staff to be more productive. 5G networks provide much faster internet speeds and that means it is ideal for business use, where factors like this are important.

2020 looks set to see 5G networks rolled out in many more locations around the country and to become less expensive – this in turn will see more businesses using it and it will gain a lot more attention as the year progresses.

2020 Looks Set to Be Another Busy Year

2019 was a big year in business and this will have been felt by anyone who runs a company of their own. The good news is that 2020 is shaping up nicely and looks set to include a number of fresh trends to keep an eye on.

While the impact of Brexit may leave many companies wary, other trends like more 5G networks and crypto investing paint a rosier picture, If you run your own business and want to know what may happen in the next 12 months, the above list will be useful.

The post Business Trends to Expect in 2020 first appeared on Economic Journal.

In a world where trading has become quite a common way of making money, social trading has also earned its spot in the equation. But what exactly is social trading? Where does it take place? How do you actually use it to start making a profit from it? Every important detail that you should know about social trading will be in this article – something that every beginner should read.

What Is Social Trading?

Social trading at this point is concerned with the automatic trade replication, as well as the ability of the trader to interact and share his opinions on the market. Initially, social trading began with newsletters and mailing lists – but later on, it changed into chat rooms and mailing rooms.

To put it simply, social trading is a trading strategy where you take another person’s trade and make a copy of it. It is a good option for those that do not have a lot of time to invest in their own trading strategies and opportunities. All of these activities generally occur on social trading platforms.

Components of Social Trading

Social trading features several components, which include:

• The Market: Mostly in the Forex market, but you may also find it in other financial and cryptocurrency markets.
• The Broker: Similar to a travel companion on the Forex market, they will support your financial trading.
• The Signal Provider: This is the professional whose trades you wish to copy. It is, in other words, the platform from which you collect your data.
• The Follower: In this regard, you are the follower of a successful trader. You should also make sure to check the objectives and the risk tolerance – and translate them into your specific choices.
• The Social Trading Company: This company provides the platform responsible for linking the signal provider and the account. It is pretty much the broker between your own broker and the broker of the signal provider.

Once you have learned these components, it should be easy to get started.

How Does Social Trading Work?

The manner in which social trading works is actually quite simple. On each platform for every broker, at some point, you will come across traders that want to share their ideas, strategies, and historical performance. All you have to do is click on their activity and replicate them. You just need to find the most suitable trader.

However, you need to be very careful who you choose when you get started. Check their historical performance, as well as the risk level that they are taking. Ideally, you might want to try reading the Trusted Broker Reviews to see exactly where you may find some good traders. You get started by picking a good one – and after that, your returns should be coming straight at you.

Concluding Remarks

Getting started with social trading should not be a difficult task. You just need to know where to look so that you can only copy the good data. Be a good follower and choose the right signal.

The post Social Trading – What It Is and How You Can Get Started first appeared on Economic Journal.

Distributed ledger systems, such as blockchain technology, are still in their infancy when it comes to their real-world applications. However, industry experts like Phillip Nunn have been advocates of their potential for transformation for years, especially in the business world.

But how exactly are distributed ledger system already being used to shape the future of business from payroll to sensitive data sharing? Read on to find out.

Proving Supply Chain Provenance

As anyone in the business world knows, whether you are the end consumer or buying from a supplier, products are rarely manufactured in their entirety in one location – sometimes even involving multiple suppliers and multiple locations.

From the simplest product like a regular ballpoint pen to complicated machines like aeroplanes, components often come from a variety of suppliers and sources. The issue with this? Should the end product fail, it is currently seen as the fault of the company who put the item on the market, rather than whichever supplier is responsible for the failed component.

The use of a distributed ledger system can easily address this by creating permanent, tamper-proof digital records of where each component came from, right down to the batch number. This offers a full-proof way of recording the provenance of each part that goes into making a product, streamlining the process of identifying it, should there be a malfunction.

Verifying Legal Documents

Distributed ledger technology (DLT) is already being used in the business world and the legal profession for creating and maintaining documents known as smart contracts. These self-executing contracts remove the need for third-party involvement.

The use of blockchain technology to create contracts can also be utilised for the creation of other important business documents such as legal papers, non-disclosure agreements and even the maintenance of leases – all without any of the parties involved being able to tamper with the data.

With the release of the Ethereum Project, an open-source blockchain-based platform, businesses can now easily create smart contracts. The benefits of these automated programmes which carry out the terms of the contract are that they do so without any downtime, possibility of fraud, or risk of interference or censorship.

Cloud Storage

There is no business around the world that wouldn’t benefit from the applications of distributed ledger systems to cloud storage. While cloud storage itself has been around for years now, blockchain technology has only recently been utilised to create decentralised cloud storage, offering a far more secure option for businesses that need to store large amounts of highly-sensitive data.

Sharing Sensitive Data

When it comes to the applications of distributed ledger systems in the business world, the majority of conversations have kept the focus firmly on financial uses.

While this is undoubtedly the most widely used application of the technology, we are only now starting to explore the role of blockchain technology in sharing sensitive data that could previously not easily be distributed to multiple users, across multiple locations.

Major industries like finance, healthcare, and engineering all handle vast quantities of data, much of which is often sensitive or could be classed as personally identifiable information. When companies in these sectors have to share that information either internally or externally, they are presented with the issue of how to best safeguard it.

Platforms that use a combination of graph databases and distributed ledger systems are the answer to this dilemma, allowing data owners to share it as and when they need to with the knowledge that the information cannot be deleted or tampered with.

Streamlining Payroll

Of course, we couldn’t talk about the real-world benefits of distributed ledger systems without touching on finance at some point. After all, cryptocurrency is what propelled this technology into the mainstream.

For large corporations that regularly have to pay international staff, doing so using cryptocurrency could help them streamline their payroll, and avoid the hassle and fees associated with making international payments. Using Bitcoin, or an altcoin, is also being floated as a time-saving and efficient option of paying contractors or remote employees, and could in time prove a revolutionary change in how companies pay their employees.

The post Distributed Ledger Systems: How They Are Being Used in the Business World first appeared on Economic Journal.

Besides connecting all of us, the internet has allowed us to make money from the comfort of our own home. The development and adoption of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin has sparked a revolution and altered our concept of money.

Unlike sanction currencies such as the Pound Sterling or U.S Dollar, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are not regulated by any one central authority. In the past, fiat currencies were accepted because they were backed by a government of some kind. However, cryptocurrencies have changed all of that.

Due to their deregulated nature, cryptocurrencies are able to facilitate the anonymous transfer of funds without any government oversight. As a result, this has sparked significant consternation from various authorities. What was once the domain of surfers on the deep web has now entered the consciousness of mainstream consumers.

While on paper it may seem to be overly complicated, investing in cryptocurrencies can be extremely lucrative. The crypto market is not without its fair share of risks however; the unregulated nature of the markets means that crypto prices can be quite volatile.

For the savvy investor however, this new relatively explored market is indeed worth exploring. Here, we take a look at some of the ways you can profit from the cryptocurrency boom.

Trading Cryptocurrencies

Last year, the Economic Journal team took a look at some of the factors that could spurn a second Bitcoin surge and predicted that the market would recover. Now a year later, it would appear that our predictions were on point.

Back in 2018, Bitcoin prices were at an all-time low at around $3,000 per BTC since the 2017 price boom and many were expecting the market to collapse. However, in the 2nd quarter of 2019 Bitcoin prices began to rally and as of the time of writing, Bitcoin has soared to more than $10,000 per BTC.

The above situation clearly highlights the extreme volatility of the Bitcoin market. Within a span of just a few months, prices are able to fluctuate by as much as 300%. Thus, one way of making money from cryptocurrencies is to buy into the market when prices have hit a low when sentiments are down.

From here, you’ll be able to reap the benefits of a recovering market when sentiment once again improves. Given the absence of government intervention, you’ll stand to earn a sizeable amount when cryptocurrency prices improve. However, when investing, you should be aware of the risks involved with such a strategy.

When buying Bitcoins, do take care to purchase them from a reputable trader. Given the unregulated nature of the market, it’s all too easy to get cheated. Some apps, like for example you can read in this eToro review, allow you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies easily without fear of being scammed. There are some eToro fees and commission charges, as there are with any other broker. Therefore, it’s important to do your research beforehand to compare the best online broker for you.

Speculating on Altcoins

The cryptocurrency market is a fluid one that is constantly changing. Each day, new cryptocurrencies are being introduced into the market. Even corporations such as Facebook and Telegram are trying their hand at the world of cryptocurrencies.

Thus, for the savvy investor, this represents an opportunity to capitalise on burgeoning cryptocurrencies. While Bitcoin may be the gold standard for crypto at the moment, there are dozens of alternative cryptocurrencies on the market.

Instead of ploughing most of your investment into Bitcoins, altcoins are a good alternative. They are typically cheaper than Bitcoins and also have much more room to grow. Binance Coin or BNB is an altcoin that has seen rapid price appreciation in recent times.

In fact, it is said that early investors of Binance Coin have seen returns of up to 550% in recent months. Thus, for those of you looking to invest outside of the box, altcoins can be a good choice.

Work for Cryptocurrencies

One of the more straight-forward methods of deriving an income from cryptocurrencies can be done by accepting payments in cryptocurrencies. For some, the prospect of trading fiat currencies into cryptocurrencies may be too risky.

Hence, instead of buying crypto, you can always choose to work for it. Thanks to the connectivity offered by the internet and increased adoption rates of cryptocurrencies, it’s relatively easy to find clients willing to pay you in crypto.

In order to do so, you’ll need to do is to sign up for an e-wallet to receive cryptocurrencies. From here, you’ll be able to trade or invest your cryptocurrencies on a variety of platforms and exchanges. When registering for an eWallet, always ensure that you work with a reputable e-wallet provider.

With technology advancing at such a rapid pace, entrepreneurs and investors need to diversify their portfolios and sources of income. Cryptocurrency is one such way to do so but care needs to be exercised in order to manage your risk exposure.

Author: Benjamin Lee

The post How to Make Money with Cryptocurrencies? first appeared on Economic Journal.

Well, we’ve all been there. Taking chances in uncharted territories and hoping for the best without enough information. The good news for you today is that we’ll be tackling those questions and getting to enlighten you on a crypto exchange. And you’d be right for asking these questions because it is beneficial to know the secret hacks of the crypto exchange investment industry.

The Essence of High-Frequency Trading (HFT) in Crypto Exchange

HFT for us is automated techniques of crypto exchange managed by computers that enable high-speed transactions and investment decisions. Most crypto exchangers usually debate about the definition, but that’s not our biggest challenge today. Let’s dive in.

High-frequency crypto exchange traders take advantage of advanced investment techniques to form algorithms that handle simple to risky trading orders as well as a crypto exchange. These algorithms labour overtime to reduce the offer spreads and the price inconsistencies over numerous trading cryptocurrency markets. Most importantly, they improve your chance of great price discoveries. The combination of these HFT arbitrage crypto exchange strategies is highly beneficial in controlling your profit margins.

At this point, you realise you are open to the crypto exchange of bitcoin using HFT. This is because it automatically works with the current bitcoin price US Dollar to give you an added advantage. It provides extreme liquidity and has no adverse interactions with the middlemen. With such advanced technology, the record held against this type of crypto exchange is very positive.

Cloud-Centre vs. Data Centre Platforms in Crypto Exchange

Surprisingly enough, there are two avenues by which HFT crypto exchange operators manage the cryptocurrency prices and access information. We will establish the more beneficial of the two for purposes of investment in the crypto exchange.

The first substructure is the data centre, which provides crypto exchangers with more exceptional advocacy to their information, server parameters, and connection firewalls. Its accuracy is consistent and offers great retrieval time where a level ground for each market investor is crucial. This ability is named the lowest absolute latency as it allows for information in real-time to all investors involved. Unlike the cloud-based matching engine as we’ll shortly see.

Cloud-based crypto exchange transactions, however, have little control over their substructure as they share a complex digital environment with other servers. Operators have found these platform to be unreliable and its performance quite unstable as compared to the data centres.

A great example of their differences is on their actual speed. A developed data centre transaction provides new information in under 100 microseconds with the predictability of up to the 99th percentile. More than that, it accurately adapts to millions of orders per second, a feature that’s irreplaceable in the crypto exchange.

On the other hand, cloud-based exchanges offer a retrieval time in the tens or hundreds of milliseconds, which is ultimately slower. All because the information has to be continuously rerouted and slows the reaction time of investors to changing crypto exchange market situations. This restricts their choices to markets that offer wider spreads and low-quality liquidity.

Conclusion

So what does this all mean? Strategies of arbitrage and the trading bitcoin automatically make the high-frequency crypto exchange a possibility. Thus, market investors can be guided through choices with higher liquidity and lower spreads. Hopefully, you’ll choose the data centre-hosted crypto exchange centres as they offer these options.

Author Bio

Thomas Glare is an author who puts his experience in writing popular articles that help people succeed. It provides you with crypto strategies with the possibility of significant investments and big wins.

The post Crypto Exchanges Are Benefiting from Algorithmic Trading first appeared on Economic Journal.