If you want to contribute to computerised cash, we'll look at the best 5 cryptocurrencies. This post will also look at recent developments and the benefits of digital currency purchases of the bot. 

Litecoin (LTC)

Created in October 2011 by Google programmer Charlie Lee as "the gold of the Silver to the Gold of Bitcoin," Litecoin was released. While Litecoin has also developed a peer payment currency, it has several key advantages over Bitcoin including lower transaction charges and a faster payment processing method. In reality, LiteCoin was one of the first bitcoin forks and was developed to be open to a broader spectrum of miners with the use of a different mining algorithm (Scrypt instead of SHA-256). 

The goal was to prevent Bitcoin from mining centralisation, but subsequent developments of advanced mining technology that is aimed at the Scrypt algorithm have now far outstripped the reach of everyday PC consumers of Litecoin.

This being said, the shorter processing times and lower fees of Litecoin are more useful than bitcoin for daily transactions. It can't however match Bitcoin as a value-store and possibly will never reach the same legendary status and widespread popularity the first digital currency in the world enjoys.

Ripple (XRP)

Ripple has built up a worldwide settlement network to turn cross-border transactions and deliver instant, secure, and inexpensive foreign payments. The existing global payment infrastructure is dated. Transactions not only take days to complete, but exchange rates and charges paid by banks and other intermediaries ensure that sending money abroad is a high cost.

XRP is a digital currency for facilitating RippleNet transactions. Unlike bitcoin, the consensus mechanism of Ripple doesn't help mining, but several other coins in this list. However, payments for minimum transaction costs of 0.00001 XRP may be resolved in less than five seconds. Whilst bitcoin's network is up to around 7 transactions per second, it can deal with 1,500 transactions per second for Ripple's network.

Cash Bitcoin (BCH)

Despite its place at the top, bitcoin does not perform well the more people use it, the more its network fails to maintain, resulting in sluggish and costly transactions. During 2017, the bitcoin community held heated debates about how to best solve this issue, with some people wanting to increase the block size and others keen to retain the current block size and restructuring how data is stored in blocks.

The minority who wanted to raise block sizes could not find consensus, forcing Bitcoin's Blockchain off the ground on August 1, 2017. In contrast to Bitcoin's one MB, this new currency has an 8MB block size with verified transactions in minutes at much lower costs than Bitcoin transfers.

While many in this and all other hard forks remain sceptical about this and other cryptocurrencies since then the company has cemented its place in the top five of its cryptocurrencies. Although it's nowhere as well-known or valued as its bigger sibling, for everyday transactions it's far more useful.

Monera (MXR)

When you use it online, Monero is built to protect your privacy. If you value your privacy. The peer-to-peer currency was launched in April 2014 and is designed to deliver anonymous and untraceable transactions. Monero empowers holders to send and get stores without the root, entirety, and goal of an exchange that's accessible to somebody else, through several privacy-oriented innovations. Although Bitcoin is widely seen as enabling anonymous transactions, it is possible to de-anonymise payments sent over the bitcoin network. This means each bitcoin is the same as the next, but it can be defaced by its connection to previous transactions such as if it were stolen from an exchange.

A further important distinction between bitcoin and Monero is that although Monero's CryptoNight algorithm battles against mining centralisation, it is designed to fit ordinary CPUs and GPUs to mining. Monero was forced in April 2018 to avoid the mining of the network by costly ASIC machines.

Zero cash (ZEC)

At first, discharged in October 2016, Zcash can follow its roots back to an extent called ZeroCoin, which was initially outlined to move forward namelessness for bitcoin users. In case you select the protected choice, the sender, sum, and beneficiary of the exchange are all hidden. Just like bitcoin, Zcash contains the greatest supply of 21 million coins. It’s moreover a proof-of-work cryptocurrency that can be mined, even though its Equihash calculation is outlined to supply resistance to ASIC mining technology.

Conclusion

If you need to contribute to cryptocurrencies, you've got to require some time to memorise approximately computerised monetary forms. Not as it were that, you just ought to moreover learn how to study market patterns. While contributing to cryptos can be exceptionally beneficial, it can too bring gigantic misfortunes. You've got to know when to purchase or offer. Cryptocurrencies are promising choices.

Fintech company Ripple said on Monday that it expects to be sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for allegedly violating laws against the sale of unlicensed securities when it sold XRP to investors.

The SEC is planning to name Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse and co-founder Chris Larsen as defendants in the lawsuit, Garlinghouse told Fortune. In his remarks, he described the suit as “fundamentally wrong as a matter of law and fact”.

“XRP is a currency, and does not have to be registered as an investment contract,” the CEO said. “In fact, the Justice Department and the Treasury’s FinCEN already determined that XRP is a virtual currency in 2015 and other G20 regulators have done the same. No other country has classified XRP as a security.”

The SEC has been plain in recent years that it considers Bitcoin and Ethereum to be cryptocurrencies and not securities due to their decentralised nature, though the more centralised XRP – the world’s third-largest cryptocurrency – has not received a clear designation.

If XRP is found to be a security it will be brought under new restrictions that would likely have a significant impact on Ripple, which owns 55 billion of the total 100 billion XRP tokens that exist. Part of the company’s quarterly revenue stems from the sale of its XRP holdings.

Ripple is backed by a range of financial services giants such as Japanese financial firm SBI Holdings, Spanish bank Santander and a range of venture capital firms including Lightspeed, Andressen Horowitz and Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund. The company was last privately valued at $10 billion, and XRP holds a market cap of over $20 billion.

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SBI Holdings CEO Yoshitaka Kitao said that the firm would continue its partnership with Ripple as it looks to expand further in Asia. “Japan’s FSA has already made it clear that XRP is not a security,” he said. “I’m optimistic that Ripple will prevail in the final ruling in the US.”

XRP responded negatively to news of the impending lawsuit, falling more than 17% to hover around $0.46 on Tuesday morning.

1. Technology innovation will transform international payments.

In today’s connected world, consumers are no longer willing to put up with delays and hefty fees for processing cross-border payments. As customer demand for frictionless on-demand payments grows, payment providers and banks will be competing to offer ever faster cross-border payment services to their customers. This will drive the wider adoption of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies, enabling financial institutions to transfer low-value payments in real-time at a fraction of the cost incumbent processes are taking. This technology can enable financial institutions to move money around the world in the same way that we exchange information over the internet, so 2020 will be a tipping point for driving efficiency and innovation in cross-border payments.

2. The rise of banking-as-a-service will drive stronger competition in the market.

With banks having to juggle the relentless pressure of faster innovation while keeping down technology costs, we’ll see more financial institutions turning to cloud providers to help radically reduce IT costs.

Cloud-based solutions are ideally placed to easily and cost-effectively plug into emerging blockchain networks, AI engines and other developing FinTech innovations. As such, using cloud-based technologies will create a strong competitive advantage for agile, forward-looking financial services providers that embrace digital innovation - intensifying market competition around the globe. Cloud-platform companies like 10X and Thought Machine are great examples of this new paradigm that is being adopted by banks, and we’re likely to see more similar players entering the market in 2020 and beyond. As a result, on-premise “museum” banking technology will be increasingly displaced by more agile, affordable cloud-based fintech solutions.

With banks having to juggle the relentless pressure of faster innovation while keeping down technology costs, we’ll see more financial institutions turning to cloud providers to help radically reduce IT costs.

3. This will be the year of new cross-currency consumer payment solutions:

In 2020, we’ll see a rise in new consumer purchase solutions for tourists and travellers that enable cross-currency payments, without requiring cards or card rails. For example, such solutions could enable a Japanese tourist visiting Thailand to make purchases using a mobile app or QR code, triggering an immediate cross-border payment from their Japanese yen account to a Thai baht merchant’s account. Blockchain technology, combined with digital assets, will be a key driver in this innovation. Such payment services could have a huge impact on the payments market, bringing untapped opportunities for payment providers in the new year

4. In-app micro and wallet payments will become mainstream.

As technological innovation helps bring down the cost for processing cross-border payments, the business case for micropayments is becoming more viable. Traditionally, micropayments have been confined to messaging apps like Telegram and Line, but with big tech companies introducing payment services of their own, the case for micropayments will soon expand far beyond that. In 2020 we can expect to see a surge of developers flocking to blockchain and digital assets do develop solutions to satisfy demand for in-app, real-time micropayments. For example, micropayments can be applied across multiple use cases and industries: from incentivising players in the gaming industry to creating new payment models for the streaming of online content or paying for energy/electricity bills.

5. The shift toward low-value, high-volume payments will help SMEs break into new markets much faster.

The cross-border payments market today is not set up for small businesses. In fact, international payments are often slow, prone to errors and accrue extremely high costs. Moreover, international payments are not even readily available in some emerging markets. This is a huge setback for small businesses looking to expand operations and scale internationally. The good news is that new blockchain technologies can address all these challenges and enable SMEs to invoice and receive international payments immediately, in small amounts, and with 100% certainty.

The adoption of blockchain technologies has the potential to be a game-changer for SMEs globally - enabling them to improve cash flow and reduce the cost of running a business while freeing up precious capital for reinvestment. As a result, 2020 will see a rise in international payment services for SMEs across emerging markets, helping them to expand and process immediate payments around the world and improve access to new markets.

Cryptocurrency is any currency which can be referred to as digital money and is taken online in the form of coins and/or tokens. However, just as so many cryptocurrencies have debuted in the physical world like credit cards, a large proportion of them continues to remain intangible. The term “crypto”, which is widely used in cryptocurrency, refers to the archaic procedure through which the tough cryptography allows for the token to be processed, stored and transacted online.

There are numerous cryptocurrencies being used globally. In this article we will guide you through top 5 cryptocurrencies you must know:

1. Litecoin 

This currency debuted after bitcoin and was launched in 2011. It is commonly referred to as silver to bitcoin’s gold. It was introduced by Charlie Lee, former Google engineer. It is not controlled by any central authority and only uses the script as a proof of work. It offers faster transaction generation and is very similar to bitcoin in its properties. An interesting point to note here is that the number of merchants who accept lite coin online is growing as compared to the makers of the currency.

2. Bitcoin

Also described as one of the most famous cryptocurrencies in the world, bitcoin has been able to carve a good reputation for itself ever since it was introduced. This type of money is completely virtual, and even small retailers accept payment in bitcoin on their websites. It’s an online version of cash and is used to buy products and services online. However, many companies observe a complete ban on bitcoin because there is no central authority which controls it. After bitcoin revolution, many people started to invest in this currency, but due to its fluctuating value, many people have stopped investing heavily.

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3. Ethereum

This cryptocurrency is a safer option when it comes to enabling smart contracts and distributed applications to be erected without any downtime. It was introduced in 2015 and is a decentralized platform. Ether, which is a cryptographic token is responsible for running applications. People who are willing to develop software on the Ethereum platform use it as a moving vehicle which allows all these things to happen. In 2014, Ethereum launched a pre-sale of ether which turned out to be great success.

4. Ripple

It offers low-cost international payments and is a global settlement network which is fast and very precise. Banks can make the best possible use of it for it allows transactions to be conducted at low cost. It was introduced in 2012, and the uniqueness of this currency is it doesn’t require mining. This is its only quality which differentiates it from other cryptocurrencies online. Since mining is not present here, ripple uses less computing power and saves a lot of time.

5. Dash

Originally known as dark coin, it is a more discreet version of the bitcoin itself. The intriguing point to note about dash is its ability to conduct transactions in a way that nothing can be traced back. Dash was launched in 2014 and has gathered a significant fan following since then. Evan Duffield was the responsible brain behind making this currency, and this digital money can be mined with GPU and CPU. It was only after 2014 that this currency was redefined from dark coin to dash.

These are just some of the digital currencies which are famous globally. The rest of them are also in use and continue to enjoy huge popularity worldwide.

By now, cryptocurrencies acquired an army of investors and true believers. It is worthy of note that regardless of the market conditions, the top 3 cryptocurrencies remain the unchangeable leaders. What makes Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP so valuable?

Bitcoin

Created in 2009, Bitcoin is the first peer-to-peer digital currency, which the world has ever seen. Being a father of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin has the first-mover advantage, it can’t lose. Regardless of 2,000 altcoins available on the market, investors do not stop to purchase Bitcoin, keeping it at the top of the list.

Why Bitcoin is so much-in-demand?

• Low supply. There are only 21 million bitcoins that will ever exist in total, and 17,8 million have already been mined. Due to the human factor, people lose access to the crypto wallets reducing the amount of bitcoin in circulation. About 4 million coins are more likely to be lost forever. Demand will increase to own at least a fraction of bitcoin pushing the value up and the maximum supply will more likely decrease.
• High usability and industry standard. Bitcoin is available and commercially adopted pretty much everywhere in the world. Bitcoin ATMs, retailers, and various businesses accepting bitcoin as a payment amount more than 15 thousand venues as of today that is 1,000% rise in comparison with 1,270 venues in December 2013. By industry standard, it is entailed the fact that any crypto-related project, app, or business will first start working with/accepting bitcoin and only then add other altcoins.
• Ability to profit on the hot investment. Let’s keep it real, cryptocurrencies are volatile and by buying/selling them at the right moment investors can capitalize greatly on it. Why bitcoin? With the dominance of 66.2%, Bitcoin is a settler of crypto market direction. So why bet on altcoins if Bitcoin is 100% win.

Ethereum

Ethereum’s road was rough throughout 2018 having lost 85% of its value. Despite this fact and despite the competition from other smart-contract based altcoins like NEO and EOS, Ethereum remains the second-largest cryptocurrency.

• Father of smart contracts. Ethereum is a major blockchain for smart contracts, DApps, and more than 80% of ICOs developed on its blockchain. Enterprise Ethereum Alliance has made partnerships with big-name companies like Microsoft, JP Morgan, Intel, and others, which are looking for Ethereum blockchain incorporation into their business structures. With such strong support, it’s unlikely for Ethereum to lose its leading position in a short-term horizon.
• Key updates of Ethereum technology. One of the most significant Ethereum hard forks called Constantinople has already happened in February 2019 though with a delay improved functionality, speed, transaction costs, miner issues of the network. According to its roadmap, instead of one large update, there will be a series of updates aiming to make Ethereum more scalable, efficient, and faster scheduled for 2019 and the years to come.

XRP

XRP rounds out the top 3 largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. XRP is one of the cheapest and fastest coins available today. Despite accusations from cryptocurrency enthusiast concerning its centralized character, XRP entrenches oneself in the top and has never claimed to be decentralized one.

Why is XRP at the forefront?

1,500 transactions per second is an impressive result, especially in comparison with the scalability of other cryptocurrencies or even with common money transfer systems, used by the banks. Upon that the cost of the instant transaction regardless of destination point is over 50% cut down. Initially, Ripple was focused on financial institutions and banks with prospects to become the major payment system. Therefore, not cryptocurrencies, but dominated transfer systems like SWIFT and VISA are its main rivals. Working on the improving transaction speed, the XRP development team reached the unparalleled scalability of 50,000 transactions per second outperforming VISA capacity twofold.

Multiple banks and credit card companies are already collaborating with Ripple, hundreds of other bank institutions are looking for a partnership with it. Backed by the financial sector and constant increase of the user number, XRP will strengthen the position in the crypto market.

finder.com has released its monthly Cryptocurrency Predictions Survey, on how the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market cap and two trending coins will perform in 2018.

Out of the 12 coins, finder.com’s nine panellists predict that Cardano (ADA) will experience the greatest percentage growth by 1 June, 2018, at 40%. ADA’s price was $0.272 (£0.20) per unit on 26 April 2018, and is forecast to reach $0.383 (£0.282) by June 1. It’s also expected to see the greatest percentage growth by the year’s end, of 597% to $1.90 (£1.39).

Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is the coin that’s expected to see the second-greatest increase in growth by 31 December 2018, at 174%, followed by Bitcoin (BTC) at 163%.

Ripple (XRP) is the only coin predicted to decrease in value by the end of the year, going down 15% to a price per unit of $0.688 (£0.506). By 1 June 2018, EOS (EOS) is the only coin forecast to decrease from its current price, dropping 11%, although is expected to bounce back up by 106% by end of year.

Comparing the forecast market capitalisations* for bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Ethereum (ETH) – the only three of the 12 coins with reported number of coins available –  Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is predicted to see the highest growth by the end of the year (181%). This is only slightly above bitcoin (BTC) with a 170% forecast increase.

Jon Ostler, UK CEO at finder.com said, “While billionaire Warren Buffett's comments may have temporarily caused a sharp drop in the value of Bitcoin, overall the cryptocurrency market continues to trend upwards following last months’ bear market. Bitcoin has already started to recover while Ripple (XRP) has secured numerous partnerships with financial institutions. However, our panellists make the distinction between the Ripple technology and the coin – they’re not as optimistic about the coin itself, with an average forecast of a 15% drop in price by end of year.

“The prediction for EOS (EOS) is also interesting, as it shows the panellists’ confidence that the expected main net launch in June will boost the coin by the end of the year, despite seeing an 11% decrease in price by 1 June 2018.

“Despite Buffett’s remarks, cryptocurrency is growing in popularity as its acceptance and investment by major global banks such as Goldman Sachs becomes more mainstream. Before investing in any new currency it’s important to remember that the market is still volatile and many of the laws surrounding cryptocurrency are still in flux. When looking to invest make sure you consult a professional advisor and have a cryptocurrency plan in place before starting to trade or exchange.”

(Source: finder)

Current market activity indicates that cryptocurrencies are set for “another considerable surge in prices gains” in the near future and Ethereum’s price could reach $2,500 by the end of the year - but investors should exercise caution.

This forecast from Nigel Green, the founder and CEO of deVere Group, comes after a strong few days ithe cryptocurrency markets.

Mr Green, whose firm launched the cryptocurrency exchange app, deVere Crypto, comments: “Most major cryptocurrencies Current market activity indicates that cryptocurrencies are set for “another considerable surge in prices gains” in the near future and Ethereum’s price could reach $2,500 by the ehave been posting big gains over the last few days.

“Current market activity indicates that the major cryptocurrencies just like the mcdvoice has done so far that are set for another considerable surge in prices gains in the near future.”

He continues: “What’s fuelling this current rally in crypto prices? There are several key motivators.

“These include the growing integration with and adoption by major banks and other financial institutions.

“Indeed, 20 per cent of all financial firms, ranging from hedge funds to banking giants, are now considering trading digital currencies in the 12 months, according to a new Thomson Reuters survey published this week.

“Another key reason for the rally is that there’s a growing awareness of the need and demand for digital, global currencies in a digitalised, globalised world.

“The upward trend is also being triggered by regulation, which most experts now believe is inevitable. This will give investors even more protection and long-term confidence in the market.”

The deVere CEO believes that despite Bitcoin taking the headlines, Ethereum could be the real story here.

He notes: “It’s interesting to note that even with an impressive one-week jump of 11.3 per cent, Bitcoin - the world’s largest by market capitalisation – is the worst performer amongst the biggest cryptocurrencies.

“The price of Ethereum is predicted to increase significantly this year, and could hit $2,500 by the end of 2018 with a further increase by 2019 and 2020.

“This general upswing will be fuelled by three mains drivers. First, more and more platforms are using Ethereum as a means of trading. Second, the increased use of smart contracts by Ethereum. And third, the decentralisation of cloud computing.”

Mr Green goes on to say: “Ethereum can be expected to solidify its position as the second most valuable and used cryptocurrency token in the world. This consistency of the Ethereum token will appreciate well into the future. As entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, bankers and financial houses are looking for stability and safer trading conditions, and Ethereum is offering that security.”

Mr Green concludes: “We’re certainly entering crypto bull territory, with many retail and institutional investors now finding that cryptocurrencies can no longer ignore the opportunities.

“However, cryptocurrency markets remain volatile. Caution should be exercised and professional advice sought.”

(Source: deVere Group)

With the growing expansion of cryptocurrencies and cryptomarkets, the prospects of regulation are on the horizon. But how will the economy of crypto change in turn? Finance Monthly gains top insight from expert David Sapper, COO at Blockbid.

In recent days, Ripple – one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrencies – has urged UK regulators to take control of the crypto market in the same way Japan have, to put an end to ‘wild west’ days of crypto regulation.

Ripple, amongst many others, are calling for more control in the space to ensure risks are minimized for consumers, whilst still allowing the asset class to innovate and grow.

There is little doubt that such calls will be answered – and that increased control will be introduced in the very near future. Just last month, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a new taskforce, whose specific role was to safeguard crypto consumers. Whilst even more recently, the FCA announced that they will publish a review in to cryptocurrencies later this year which will ‘outline policy thinking on cryptocurrencies.’

Japan has, as of yet, been at the forefront of crypto regulation – and so provides a good indication of how we can expect it to play out in the UK. There are 3.5M crypto traders active in the country, and $97BN of Bitcoin was traded in 2017 alone¹. Part of the reason regulation is so active and advanced in the country is a $500M crypto theft that took place early in 2018. This sparked a selection of sixteen cryptocurrency exchanges to form a self-regulatory organization to work towards developing standards for activities around ICOs.

The re-occurring issue with heightened regulation is the potential for suffocating innovation. ICOs and alt tokens have created a fresh and straight-forward means of raising capital for budding entrepreneurs to use when building their business ideas. Therefore, it is important that regulators practice walking the line between protecting consumers and potential investors, whilst not stifling innovative and creative prospects.

For example, a country that looks to be walking said line with good success is Australia. Already there have been very direct and positive moves with regards to crypto regulation in the country, some of which are already in place. All whilst managing not to stifle or suffocate the innovators at the centre. The biggest move so far is the introduction of the need to register with AUSTRAC before being allowed to function as a crypto exchange, something we at Blockbid successfully did earlier this month. Australia were also second only to Japan in accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as legal tender.?

ICOs specifically require their own set of rules and guidelines. They are heavily regulated in the US and banned completely in China. Australia have set guidelines that depend on whether tokens are utility or security based. These guidelines are fairly strong, but allow companies to decide for themselves on which to go down, depending on the type of tokens they have produced.

Such an array of regulatory introductions are likely to have a real impact on companies working within the crypto-space, particularly for those that have been in action from the start, who will have to contend with rules that weren’t in place when they were starting out. However, for the most part responses from companies have been positive as the one thing everyone agrees on, is the protection of consumers is essential.

Precise details of how everything will work out remain unclear and will be revealed in time. Whilst the affects of regulation may appear as hurdles for those working in the crypto space, improved regulation will increase trust and engagement in crypto as a result. Therefore improved regulation is a step in the right direction not only for investors – but the companies behind cryptos as well.

¹https://www.ccn.com/japan-leads-the-way-on-crypto-as-trading-soars/

Ripple can be expected to “convert the remaining crypto-cynics,” affirms the boss of one of the world’s largest independent financial services organisations.

The prediction from Nigel Green, the founder and CEO of deVere Group, comes as Ripple (XRP) experienced a spike last week, adding another $62bn to its market value.  The cryptocurrency also broke some key resistance, such as $0.6500 and $0.6600, nudging it towards the important $0.7000 level against the US dollar.

Mr Green, whose firm launched the pioneering crypto exchange app, deVere Crypto, says: “After the cryptocurrency market somewhat overheated at the end of 2017 – thanks largely to investors piling in, pushing Bitcoin to an all-time high of more than $19,000 – there was a major, natural price correction in the first quarter of this year of most of the major cryptocurrencies.

“But the cryptocurrency market is, once again, now looking already significantly more bullish than it did in Quarter 1.”

He continues: “This latest upward crypto market trajectory can be attributed to the fact that institutional and retail investors are increasingly appreciating the fundamentals, such as the need and demand for digital currencies in a digitalised, tech-driven age.

“Also there is now huge awareness that blockchain, the technology that underpins the likes of Bitcoin and Ripple, is likely to be the world’s next major disruptive technology.”

Mr Green goes on to assert: “Cryptocurrencies are now really coming into the mainstream. But there are still some critics of the crypto revolution.  However, I believe that Ripple (XRP) can be expected to convert the remaining crypto cynics.

“This is primarily due to Ripple’s apparent emphasis on integrating with banks and other financial institutions.

“For instance, banking giant Santander has recently launched a foreign exchange service that uses blockchain technology developed by Ripple to make same-day international money transfers.  It is also reported to be in talks with other major global banks and money transfer groups to develop similar products.”

He adds: “However, cryptocurrencies remain highly determined by market sentiment, and caution must be exercised, and professional advice should be sought.”

The deVere CEO concludes: “By focusing its development strategy in this way, Ripple is likely to help change the perception of crypto, expand its own value, and co-lead the ongoing shift in the way the world uses, manages, accesses, stores and exchanges money.”

(Source: Prior Consultancy)

Six out of 10 people with currently no exposure to cryptocurrencies would consider including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin into their investment portfolios, reveals a new global poll.

Meanwhile, seven out of 10 people who do hold cryptocurrencies are planning to increase their exposure in the next 12 months.

In the survey carried out by deVere Group, 62% of those who do not have any cryptocurrency said ‘yes’, 26% ‘no’, and 12% ‘do not know’ when asked: “Would you consider, or are you considering, including at least one cryptocurrency into your investment portfolio?”

71% of investors who do currently have cryptocurrencies as part of their portfolio said that they are looking to increase this exposure over the next year, 25% said that they would not, and 4% cited that they did not know.

The 800-plus respondents of this poll are deVere clients who currently reside in the US, the UK, Australia, the UAE, Qatar, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Spain, France, Germany and South Africa.

Of the survey, deVere Group’s founder and CEO, Nigel Green, comments: “The fact that more than 60% of people with currently no exposure to cryptocurrencies would consider including them into their investment portfolios is striking.

“It underscores how, despite what many financial traditionalists have opined, that a majority of investors are now open to consider the opportunities that the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple could present.

“An increasing general awareness of cryptocurrencies and how they work, plus a growing sense that cryptocurrency regulation is now inevitable, are perhaps the main reasons why such a high percentage of people are now open to looking at the possibilities of crypto for their portfolios.”

He continues: “The survey also highlights that the majority of those who do currently hold some cryptocurrency as part of their investment portfolio believe that despite ongoing volatility, the potential rewards will outweigh the potential risks.

“It suggests that these investors expect good returns in 2018 from cryptocurrencies, view them as a good longer-term investment, and that the market will eventually stabilise.”

The deVere CEO concludes: “Cryptocurrencies remain a gamble – they are very much ‘unchartered waters’ assets and caution must be exercised.  However, that said, I do believe that in today’s digital world, there is a need for digital currencies.  One or two of the existing ones will succeed, whether it’s Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Dash, or any of the others, or not, of course remains to be seen.”

(Source: deVere Group)

From the $20,000 mark back down to $7,000 Bitcoin is generally on the low, and with Google, Facebook and Twitter's decision to ban all ads related to ICOs, it's clear the world isn't on cryptoculture's side.

What are your thoughts on the future of crypto investment/bitcoin and the rise of other currencies? Are you confident the cryptowave will continue to reach the shores of new investors? Find out in this week’s Your Thoughts.

Andrew Pritchard, MD Blockchain, 10x Growth Account:

It’s been a tough time for Bitcoin and crypto investors as the markets continues to go backwards. The bears have continued to win the battle against the bulls pushing the price of BTC and most altcoins further downwards. But, what is causing the drop in the markets?

There are several influences that are helping the bears as the cryptomarket struggles to gain any forward momentum.

Firstly, increasing regulatory framework (this is a short term negative issue but will ultimately be a very positive outcome) as each time the SEC/FCA, or any regulatory body for that matter, announces new regulations, even if supporting crypto, the markets react negatively.

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney called for greater regulation of cryptocurrencies and in Japan, punishment notices were issued to several exchanges while forcing some to halt trading entirely.

Secondly, the Mt Gox Bitcoin dump has been affecting the market for a few weeks as thousands and thousands of Bitcoins have been put on the market to be sold. This increased supply and cooled demand has led to further downward pressure on the price of Bitcoin. Basic economics of supply and demand has reduced the price. I.E Supply increases and demand remains constant or reduces, then price will fall.

However, as a positive supporter of the Cryptomarket, it is only a matter of time before the bulls return. Yes, Bitcoin’s price has taken a beating the past ten days due to major events negatively impacting market sentiment. However, one thing remains exceptionally clear. Blockchain technology is here to stay.

The next 6 months for major cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, is likely to be very, very bullish, as the public start to enter market with easier routes such as Coinbase and Barclays collaboration on faster payment methods.

Savva Kerdemelidis, Legal Adviser, LegalEdge:

The technology and protocol behind cryptocurrencies brings an exciting method to transact in a new and more efficient way. So long as cryptocurrencies can achieve mainstream adoption beyond simply being a "store of value", then there remains a significant potential for growth. As with the dotcom era, we’ll see winners and many losers. In my view, the potential for cryptocurrencies is just beginning. I expect to see new applications and use cases, particularly around governance or decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs).

Although there’s been a lot of hype, cryptocurrency has not reached mainstream retail investors. Technological barriers have led to a lack of access and the risk of losing your investment, for example, by losing your password or transferring funds to an incompatible wallet. At the same time, regulatory risk has been a real factor in terms of curbing take-up. Both investment and adoption will increase once these barriers decrease and are better understood, with the availability of user-friendly applications.

If you look at investors, most of them have taken over 50% losses since the new year. Naturally this has impacted the appetite for ICOs and other investments. However, many will likely ride it out until June or July when the market is expected to recover.

Samuel Leach, FX Trader and Founder, Samuel & Co. Trading and Yield Coin:

With the recent news of Facebook and Twitter banning cryptocurrency adverts and Google potentially following suit in June 2018, it cannot be denied that there is a negative feeling around crypto.

Regulatory bodies such as the ICO, FCA, and GBX are also becoming more vocal; with new regulations being created and set to be enforced in the coming months. This is causing unease among potential investors as they are reluctant to invest in a market that currently doesn’t have widespread regulation, and which could risk them becoming uncompliant in the future. As such, crypto is in a limbo stage where current investors are cashing out and potential investors are hesitant to part with their money.

In reaction to the continuous stream of negative feeling surrounding the crypto market, cash outs are increasing at an unprecedented rate. This won’t recover until governments and regulatory bodies align and have a consistent strategy and overall view point on the crypto market. Therefore, it is possible we could see Bitcoin bottom out to $6,500. However, I believe we will see the markets hover around $9,000 in the short term, until there is more clarification around the wider view of the market.

Kevin Murcko, CEO, CoinMetro:

Prices between various cryptocurrencies are linked to an extent; when Bitcoin goes up, Ethereum or XRP, for example, will often follow suit. This is no different to how company stocks tend to follow the direction of the general market, their sector or industry rivals. For instance, a negative financial report for one retail stock often drags down other retail stocks as “guilt by association” turns things bearish for the whole sector. Cryptocurrencies are just as exposed to this effect if not more given the fact that the money flows currently are mainly from retail investors, who are much more susceptible to following the trend.

It is unlikely that 6-11k is the new range for BTC. The simple fact that it has existed far above these ranges for prolonged periods is an indicator that the floor and ceiling have not been set at all yet. Rather, BTC is still free-floating, and until the market as a whole becomes more regimented, a stable floor and ceiling won’t exist for any of the assets.

Increased stability is important for the future of crypto, as well as for overcoming the sector’s perceived reputation for being a poor store of value. In part, price stability will come from the introduction of more national and harmonised global regulatory oversight. This will allow for more institutional involvement and the creation of liquidity by way of synthetic instruments like futures, ETNs, ETFs, etc. It will also come from the realization amongst the general public that, like all investments, crypto does carry risk. As with other securities, prices are liable to go up or down.

Corrections have occurred, but it’s important not to think of crypto prices myopically: the price of bitcoin, for example, is today roughly 700 percent of what it was this time last year. Long-term, cryptocurrencies remain viable multitrillion-dollar assets.

Drew Bell, Chief Developer, Ethercoin:

The future is bright for crypto investment, as eventually the market will stabilise and become a more manageable platform. The market has a lot of potential for development and it’s about time businesses started accepting it, rather than ignoring it as sooner or later, their customers will catch on the trend and look for businesses that support the crypto industry.

There will always be an air of skepticism around digital currency, because it is not a tangible product, and people have a hard time understanding its true value.

I really believe that cryptocurrency will replace more traditional forms of currencies in the next 10 -15 years, especially with the growth and adoption that Bitcoin, Ethereum and Ripple has already seen. If that growth continues and we see more currencies reaching these heights, who knows just what the future holds for this new era of payment and investment.

The key to cryptocurrency breaking through to the mainstream and reaching new investors is all about trust. If you don’t build a relationship with your investors that is centered around trust and transparency, you can’t expect them to believe in your project. At a time when it seems the world is against a new form of payment, cryptos have to be on top of their game more so now than ever before.

Even though cryptocurrency is built on blockchain, the volatility of the market is clear and can therefore deter some investors. It can be extremely difficult for cryptos to instill trust in potential investors, especially as tech giants Google, Facebook and now Twitter have banned cryptocurrency ads, making it even harder for currencies to secure investment and appeal to potential customers.

It is clear there is a lack of understanding from key players in the financial industry about this new disruptive technology, therefore highlighting the need for more mainstream education so the market can continue to grow and develop for the future.

Kerim Derhalli, CEO, Invstr:

Cryptocurrencies are here to stay but, as with any emerging market, they must undergo a transition that will eventually attract the mainstream investor.

In my opinion, that transition will entail a few important steps, firstly, in regards to scalability, which will see blockchain evolve to handle more throughput. Currently, sharding techniques have increased transactions per second from seven in traditional blockchain to 3,000 in alternative blockchains. This still falls well short of the typical 20,000 or more credit card transactions per second.

Security is critical too. Digital exchanges and wallets are secure until they are not. Anonymity and the lack of a custodian make the operational risks far greater in cryptocurrencies that in traditional financial assets. Improvements in security will be needed before cryptocurrencies represent a serious challenge to other financial assets as a store of wealth. With a July deadline set by the G20 for unified regulation of cryptocurrency, coming alongside the launch of a dedicated UK task force, things are moving in the right direction.

Fundamentally, there is still also a lack of education around cryptocurrencies among investors. The number of currencies, tokens and assets is growing at a far faster pace than our collective comprehension and most people are still struggling with the basic concepts. Once the currency starts to achieve some real, commercial utility and we are more easily able to earn, spend, save and invest in cryptocurrencies, understanding and overall acceptance will increase.

Ivan Gowan, CEO, Capital.com:

The cryptowave is only going to build more momentum in the next 12 to 18 months. Just two weeks ago Barclays announced a partnership with a leading crypto company to facilitate payments to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, the most established crypto assets. This may reflect a trend of major financial institutions moving away from outright denunciation of cryptocurrencies to a cautious participation, marking a significant shift in their approach and making these assets much more accessible to new investors.

Cryptocurrencies are seeing a remarkable increase in transparency, further improving trust. There are now a number of companies specialising in interrogating the blockchain of Bitcoin, establishing whether the currency has been used in any potentially illegal transactions on the dark web. This could make a huge difference to the willingness of those new to the market to invest in the currency. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies still labour under a perception of being used for dodgy dealings in dark corners of the internet, but with the increase in transparency, investors will feel much more comfortable putting their money into this market.

Of course, there are many ICOs that do not go through the proper regulatory procedures before launching, and it is these less-than-scrupulous organisations that are prompting Facebook and Google banning ICO advertising. However, there are many players in the market, backed by some of the biggest venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, that are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on legal fees to ensure that they align completely with whichever regulatory environment that they operate in. We are increasingly seeing leading regulators, such as FINMA and the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, embracing this innovation, issuing guidance and frameworks to companies looking to issue an ICO to ensure they do so responsibly and effectively. Smaller investors, who could be priced out of investing in exciting tech stocks like Amazon and Facebook, can access fantastic opportunities with ICOs, either getting in on the ground floor in the initial offering, or when the coin is listed on an exchange.

The ICO industry is currently something of a Wild West scenario. However, we are also at the early stages of what will be a transformative asset class. There is no doubt that we will see a number of new investors in cryptocurrencies and assets increase as the market matures, as regulators get up to speed with the technology, as the big banks begin to adopt more open-minded positions and as the transparency of cryptocurrency transaction history continues to improve.

Zafar Kanani, Network Manager, Forbury Investment Network:

It is difficult to predict the future path of cryptocurrencies, though it would be safe to say that they will likely continue to proliferate, and that regulation will increasingly become a consistent feature of the landscape.

With an ever-increasing pool of choices – there are now over 1,000 cryptocurrencies – anyone considering an investment should take the time to conduct thorough diligence and invest only what they can afford to lose, especially given the growing evidence of fraudulent activity. The likes of Twitter, Google and Facebook have gone so far as to ban cryptocurrency and ICO related ads due to concerns of reputational damage resulting from users unwittingly investing in fraudulent cryptocurrencies advertised on their platforms.

Despite Bitcoin, the best-known cryptocurrency, now trading at less than half its peak in December, there is no shortage of demand from investors across all cryptocurrencies. Many cryptocurrencies have and continue to be endorsed by celebrities, further fuelling interest and growth.

Alongside these developments, the increasingly disparate range of cryptocurrency applications is engaging a broader set of stakeholders than ever. The emergence of a ‘civic’ cryptocurrency, for example, has gained momentum as a mechanism to crowdfund capital for local projects for the public good. The city of Berkeley, California, has plans for such a cryptocurrency to generate funding for affordable housing amongst other public needs.

Daniel Wolfe, CEO, Tradingene:

Personally, my confidence in crypto is undiminished, despite the recent losses. I am confident that investors will have ample opportunity to ride the cryptocurrency wave up. However, they shouldn’t expect to generate quick returns and they need to be prepared for potential extended periods of volatility before we see a consistent upward trajectory.

There is always hysteria surrounding cryptocurrencies, but many fail to grasp that it is the transformative and disruptive nature of Blockchain which will ultimately bring rewards to those who invest wisely. Investors who follow the settled rules of investment, especially diversification, will be the big winners.

However, liquidity may be hard to come by and severe losses are a possibility.

Cryptocurrencies currently consist around 0.3-0.4% of the global fiat money supply. Therefore, if you believe, as I and many other experts do, that crypto will rise over the next five years to at least five percent or so of M2, then that is a tremendous return for investors.

They will just need to be prepared to stomach the turbulence.

Adrian Daniels, Corporate Partner, Yigal Arnon:

The cryptowave will continue to reach the shores of new investors. This is not to say that there will not be changes in form, size and type of cryptocurrencies, but the wave is now a tide and it's only going in one direction. But let's go back to some basics. The "cryptowave" is based on what is known as blockchain protocols, which is a kind of software that allows data to be stored digitally on a record that is held on the computers of 1000’s of people (or nodes) across the world. This allows people who do not know each other to complete transactions without fear of being cheated. This is so, because those nodes will hold a record of each transaction in an encrypted manner on the blockchain which cannot then be undone. As a result those transactions cannot be falsified without hacking 1000's of computers simultaneously and altering their records. Consequently, there is no centralized authority and no simple way to fake transactions. Bitcoin introduced the blockchain technology almost a decade ago, since which time the technology has become vastly more versatile and sophisticated, with smart (or self-executing) contracts capable of allowing the transfer of data, goods and services in a secure and verifiable manner without any "middle-men" like banks, ad-agencies, internet traffic aggregators, and a whole bunch of other third parties which make online commerce far less efficient and much more expensive. What does all this mean, it means the technology has uses that we have only just started to imagine. Since the blockchain can store any data and each block cannot be changed, any activity can be recorded on the blockchain. This means that the blockchain can ensure that people can be incentivized for contributing to the chain, which will have enormous knock-on effects on commerce, politics, regulations and science, among others. The blockchain will also likely change how or even if we bank – we will be able to keep all of our banking records on the chain, to which each of us will be the only one with the encryption key. Our medical records will be held exclusively by us, and will be shared only with whom we wish.

ICO’s are all supposed to be based on blockchain technology. The problem has been that a lot of them were fraudulent from the get-go, and others were pipe dreams with nothing behind them. A smaller number have related to companies offering great blockchain and smart contract ideas. As the number of ICO's has grown, the regulators have become increasingly involved, to the point where the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has largely put the brakes on public ICOs (as opposed to sophisticated investors, who in theory have the wherewithal to look after themselves) in the US. As the regulators untangle the knot, public ICO's will slow down and private ICO’s to sophisticated investors will take their place. This somewhat undermines the whole “democratization” of the investment process that the ICO’s were supposed to have brought us, but it may only be a phase before clearer regulations are adopted to safeguard the public in general. Additionally, we will see larger numbers of companies offering cryptocurrencies that look much more like a token you can use for a purpose (utility token) than a share. However, as the result of increased oversight will be fewer chancers bottling air and making millions, I think we will see an increasing numbers of offerings by brilliant entrepreneurs with profoundly disruptive, highly innovative and world changing products. To hijack Winston Churchill’s famous phrase: “This isn’t the end, it isn’t even the beginning of the end, but it is perhaps the end of the beginning. But what the end will be, I think is hard for us to yet imagine.”

If you have thoughts on this, please feel free to comment below and let us know Your Thoughts.

With ICOs at the forefront of cryptoculture worldwide, blockchain technology is predominantly being driven by digital currencies and their markets, but why? Below Finance Monthly hears from Drew Bell, Chief Developer at Ethercoin, who explains why.

2018 is set to be an even bigger year for Initial Coin Offerings (ICO) than 2017, with more startup’s turning to the fundraising method to remain in control and transparent in the process. According to a report by CNBC^[1], around $100million a month is raised via ICO’s, showing the demand is increasingly prominent between investors and individuals.

However, as with many emerging trends, ICOs have been met with some scepticism and criticism. Before new businesses start jumping on this trend to become the next blockchain success, it is important to understand the challenges it might face and why trust should be built into the core of its offering.

Whilst there can be fraudulent ICOs, businesses and mainstream audiences need educating and to be made aware that ICOs are a viable fundraising mechanism.

The fastest growing form of investment

There’s no denying the fact that ICOs, “the fastest growing form of investment” carries numerous benefits for businesses looking to generate significant ROI without having to seek out venture capitalists. An Initial Coin Offering can be created by just about anyone, and offers businesses an efficient and streamlined fundraising opportunity.

Aside from the obvious benefits like being able to streamline a fundraising campaign for a startup business, by conducting a decentralised application, users will be offered a much better experience.

There is also the added benefits of online marketing, where an ICO can be marketed to a large, global targeted audience with little effort and cost. Potential investors can therefore research about a particular ICO via online ads, social media and websites no matter where in the world they might of originated from. The ICO investment model is open to everyone and free from the geographical restraints associated with IPOs.

An unpredictable market

It’s widely known that the blockchain and cryptocurrency market is an unpredictable place, where the majority of business see it as a sure fire way to attract investors who are looking for the next big blockchain score. Yes, an ICO looks to be an easier and more cost-effective way to raise funds for your business, but it can be just as challenging as as securing a venture capital; but you do have more control.

One of the biggest challenges a new business can face when journeying down the ICO route is the sheer amount of competition. In an interview with Business Insider, the founder of Evercoin announced there were around 30 new ICOs launching everyday, and raising as much as $200million per ICO^[2]. Businesses need to make sure they are distinguishing themselves from such a saturated market with a strong unique selling point that will not only put them ahead of the game, but generate interest and a buzz amongst investors. With so many ICO projects not having an effective marketing plan and channels to promote themselves, they can get lost in the sea of ICO scams that take centre stage.

Essential to make a difference

ICO’s are essential for businesses wanting to enter the market, and to be able to thrive, ICOs need regulatory safeguards to be implemented and investors need to be educated. Trust should be at the forefront of any businesses fundraising project, and one of the first steps to building trust is for businesses to create an extensive whitepaper and detailed roadmap.

Due to the volatile nature of the blockchain technology, it can be hard to understand the true nature of the transaction during an ICO sale. Businesses should ensure they offer a safe and secure platform to boast legitimacy can help to instill trust amongst investors.

Communication is the key to success with generating trust amongst the blockchain market. By using social media to engage and update its audiences, investors will start to feel empowered and as if they are a part of the process. This will promote a higher level of transparency and result in more investment.

In today’s unstable and saturated blockchain market, it is essential that businesses looking to start on their fundraising journey are putting security, transparency and trust at the forefront of raising capital to maintain solid investment and build credibility amongst investors.

^[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/09/initial-coin-offerings-surpass-early-stage-venture-capital-funding.html

^[2] http://uk.businessinsider.com/ico-initial-coin-offering-explained-bitcoin-ethereum-2017-11?r=US&IR=T