Thanks to technology advances in fields such as cryptography and the internet, we have witnessed the birth of so-called cryptocurrencies which are bringing about a radical change in the global economy in terms of how goods, services and other financial activities are exchanged.
The term is composed of two words: crypto and currency. It is therefore a 'hidden' currency, in the sense that it is only visible by knowing a certain access key. They do not exist in physical form, but they are generated and exchanged exclusively by electronic means.
In the most basic form, a cryptocurrency can be exchanged directly between two devices to purchase goods and services with a simple agreement between transaction participants.
Therefore it is important to understand that virtual currencies are not legally regulated in almost any corner of the world and therefore agreement as a payment method is totally private and voluntary. Each currency is controlled by a certain company according to custom rules.
Only some countries are trying out the use of a digital currency. There are initiatives from Uruguay, Venezuela, Estonia and Sweden but there aren’t many details available.
What are cryptocurrency behaviours?
Prices of major cryptocurrencies are subject to very large fluctuations, even within the same day. This high volatility makes them certainly inefficient to be used as recognisable “account units”.
How do cryptocurrencies technically work?
The main cryptocurrencies elements are a protocol containing information about how transactions are processed, a distributed ledger or “blockchain” that stores all transactions history, and a decentralised participant network used by users to interact with the blockchain. Each participant has complete access to the whole blockchain.
What makes cryptocurrencies attractive and best 2021 options
As cryptocurrencies walk a different path than incentives traditionally linked to banks and sovereign governments, they would offer many potential benefits, including faster and more efficient payments; similar to best payment methods used as well in spikeslot.com suggested online casinos. They would also promote financial inclusion.
But as a downside they can also foster criminal activity since the relatively anonymous nature of transactions, posing considerable risks in terms of fraud and illegal traffics.
For anyone who is interested in cryptocurrency investments, there’s certainly a large option selection. Being aware that it’s always one of market less stable sectors, one may think about buying the most famous Bitcoin or Ethereum assets.
But there also “outcomers” featuring interesting parameters, like simpler and more transparent blockchains, less expensive physical servers and super-fast payments.
As an example, we can take in consideration the following.
Binance Coin (BNB)
Binance is both a virtual currency, but now also the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, ranking among the top 30 cryptocurrencies in the world by market capitalisation.
Thanks to this, Binance has an high liquidity which makes it stand out in the trading market, offering a more conservative trend in the long run. BNB offers great long-term prospects as it rises steadily even in times of turbulence.
Zcash (ZEC)
Zcash is a new currency appeared on the market by issuing 21 million coins. It offers a good anonymity level and a very detailed transaction report.
Steem (STEEM)
Steem coins are born from the Steemit project which is a blog and social media platform. It is interesting how coins are assigned by completing activities such as writing blog articles or commenting them. The coins can be used to get other services on the same platform.
Neo (NEO)
It’s a currency very close to Ethereum, but it claims an enhanced method to proof transactions which makes it a really attractive alternative for those wanting to invest in.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article should not be construed as investment advice, advice concerning particular investments or investment decisions, or tax or legal advice.