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A Coin for Your Thoughts is a blog dedicated to exploring the world of crypto currency. From Bitcoin to Ethereum, we’ll cover all the latest news and developments in the industry.
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What is Crypto Currency?
Cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, to control the creation of additional units, and to verify the transfer of assets. Cryptocurrencies are classified as a subset of digital assets and are also classified as a subset of alternative investments.
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is one type of crypto currency which is a decentralized digital currency, without a central bank or single administrator that can be sent from user to user on the peer-to-peer bitcoin network without the need for intermediaries. Transactions are verified by network nodes through cryptography and recorded in a public distributed ledger called a blockchain
Ethereum
Ethereum is a decentralized platform that runs smart contracts: applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of fraud or third party interference.
In Ethereum, all transactions are public and everyone can see them. This makes it very difficult for anyone to cheat or defraud the system.
Ethereum is also unique in that it allows developers to create their own decentralized apps (dapps). This means that anyone with an idea for a new kind of online service can create it without having to get permission from anyone or worry about being shut down by a central authority.
Litecoin
Litecoin is a cryptocurrency that was created in 2011 as a fork of the bitcoin protocol. It is similar to Bitcoin in many ways, but it has a faster block generation time and therefore a faster transaction confirmation time. Litecoin also uses a different proof-of-work algorithm, called Scrypt, which is designed to make it difficult for ASIC miners to mine litecoins.
How do I get Crypto Currency?
Cryptocurrencies, also known as “altcoins,” are digital or virtual tokens that use cryptography for security. A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, making them decentralized. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009. Since then, hundreds of other cryptocurrencies have been created. These are commonly referred to as “altcoins,” as a combination of “bitcoin” and “alternative coin.” Altcoins are typically created as improved or alternative versions of Bitcoin.
Mine it
The most common – and currently most profitable – way to get cryptocurrency is to mine it. Cryptocurrency mining is a process whereby new crypto coins are introduced into the market. Miners receive these new cryptocurrency as rewards for verifying and committing transactions to the blockchain public ledger. Essentially, miners are providing a service to the coin network by helping to keep the network secure and processing each transaction.
In return for this service, miners are rewarded with newly-created cryptocurrency as well as any fees associated with the transactions they process. They also receive rewards in the form of transaction fees from any users who send transactions while their computer is connected to the network, as these fees are collected by the miners in addition to their block reward.
Buy it
The easiest way to acquire cryptocurrency is to buy it on an exchange. Exchanges are websites where you can buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies for other digital currencies or traditional fiat money. Binance, Coinbase and Kraken are some of the most popular exchanges currently available.
What can I do with Crypto Currency?
You can use Crypto Currency to buy goods and services, or trade it for other currencies (both other crypto currencies or traditional currency like US dollars). You can also hold onto it in the hopes that it will increase in value.
Use it to buy goods and services
Cryptocurrency can be used to purchase goods and services, but it is not widely accepted as a form of payment. You may be able to find some businesses that accept cryptocurrency as payment, but it is still not very common. There are also a few online stores that accept cryptocurrency as payment, but they are few and far between.
Use it to trade
You can use cryptocurrency to buy goods and services, or trade it for other coins. Some people see cryptocurrency as an investment, and buy coins with the intention of selling them later for a profit. Cryptocurrency trading is different from traditional investments like stocks, where you buy shares of a company and hope the stock price goes up so you can sell your shares at a higher price and make a profit. With cryptocurrency trading, you’re buying the currency itself. For example, you might buy Bitcoin with the US dollar, then soon after set up a trade to sell your Bitcoin for Euros. Now that you have Euros, you might buy Ripple with them.
How do I store my Crypto Currency?
Before you start purchasing cryptocurrency, you need to set up a digital wallet to store it in. A digital or crypto currency wallet is a piece of software that allows you send, receive and store digital currency like Bitcoin. Some wallets also let you store other types of cryptocurrency like Ethereum.
In a digital wallet
A digital or software wallet is by far the most common way to store cryptocurrency. That’s because most cryptocurrencies exist only as digital tokens and aren’t physical coins like quarters or dollars. Popular digital wallets include Coinbase, Exodus, Mycelium, and Trezor. These wallets can live on your computer or mobile phone. Many digital wallets also offer a “web wallet” service that provides an online interface to access your tokens
To use a digital wallet, you will first need to set up an account with a cryptocurrency exchange — this is where you will buy and sell tokens. Once you have purchased some currency, you can then transfer it to your software wallet using the public and private keys.
What are the risks of Crypto Currency?
Crypto Currency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, to control the creation of additional units, and to verify the transfer of assets. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning they are not subject to government or financial institution control. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009.
Volatility
Cryptocurrencies are digital or virtual tokens that use cryptography for security and can be bought, sold, or exchanged like other fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.). Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning they are not subject to government or financial institution control. Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009.
While there are over 4,000 different types of crypto assets currently available on the market, they all come with their own set of risks. One of the biggest risks associated with cryptocurrencies is volatility. Due to their decentralized nature and lack of regulation, cryptocurrencies are incredibly volatile and prices can swing wildly in a relatively short period of time. For example, in early 2018, the price of Bitcoin fell by over 50% in just a few weeks.
While some investors view volatility as an opportunity to make quick profits by buying and selling at opportune times, it also means that there is a greater chance of losing money. For investors looking to take more than a passing interest in cryptocurrencies, it’s important to understand the underlying factors that can lead to volatility so that you can make more informed investment decisions.
Security
When it comes to digital currency, one of the first thing that come to mind is security. And for good reason, since digital currencies are often traded online and therefore can be subject to hacking and other cyber crimes. In addition, digital currencies are not backed by any government or financial institution, which means that they can be more volatile and subject to wild swings in value.
Investors in digital currency should be aware of these risks and take steps to protect their investment, such as keeping their currency in a secure wallet and only dealing with reputable exchanges.
