Mining

Understanding Cryptocurrency And Its Fundamental Concepts

Cryptocurrency has emerged as one of the most revolutionary concepts in the world of finance and technology. With its decentralized nature and secure transactions, it has captured the attention of investors, tech enthusiasts, and even governments. In order to fully comprehend this digital phenomenon, it is essential to understand its fundamental concepts and how they shape the future of our financial landscape.

Concepts in cryptocurrency

One key concept in cryptocurrency is blockchain technology. A blockchain is a distributed ledger that records all transactions made with a particular cryptocurrency. It ensures transparency and immutability by storing transaction data across multiple computers or nodes within the network.

Another crucial concept is mining. Mining involves verifying and adding new transactions to the blockchain through complex mathematical calculations performed by powerful computers. Miners are rewarded with newly minted coins as an incentive for their computational efforts.

Posted by Adelia Tyler in Crypto

What Is Cryptocurrency Mining And Its Benefits

Cryptocurrency mining is free money, but only if you are smart enough. You can earn by contributing to the software technology that runs the crypto blockchain.

Mining is the lifeline of the crypto world. It validates ongoing transactions and puts new coins into circulation. In simple terms, a miner solves some compound math problems to authenticate transactions.

It is the process by which a miner trades computing power and electricity for the block reward. The block reward is an incentive for miners to help support the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies.

The benefits of Crypto Mining

If you are a crypto-miner then it could be a good side gig. With a little examination, you can make passive income based on computing skill without doing anything about it.

Next, you can be a vital part of the crypto movement as miners. You can be one of the main contributors to making decentralized finance a reality.

Finally, you have the right to veto any changes to network protocols.

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Cryptocurrency mined vs. unmined cryptocurrency

A consensus mechanism is a process of approving transactions in a decentralized system such as a blockchain. It also helps keep the system safe from possible vulnerabilities such as a 51% attack.

A 51% attack is a condition where a bad performer controls more than 51% of the blockchain. This majority empowers the fraudster to shape the protocols according to the will. A consensus mechanism supports power decentralized. Such a degree of decentralization requires enormous computing capabilities and work to do a 51% attack. Eventually, a scammer is expected to lose more than he would win.

There are lots of consensus methods such as proof of work, proof of stake, proof of capacity, and proof of activity.

Depending on the type of consensus mechanism, cryptocurrencies may require mining or otherwise.

Mined cryptocurrency

Blockchains that utilize a proof-of-work consensus mechanism require mining. They make use of miners for approving inputs. Whenever transactions rise for verification, miners begin competing to solve a 64-digit hexadecimal number.

The first to find the solution broadcasts it across the network as proof of work. This victory rewards the winner while others wait for the next challenge.

Bitcoin and Ethereum use proof of work along with many others. Therefore, they need mining to check for double spending.

Posted by Lyndsey Annabel in Crypto

A Great Way To Diversify Cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies are a form of electronic money. It only exists in virtual form. So there are no coins or notes. You can pay with its cash, but digitally without the need for a bank or other third party. Bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies such as Ethereum, Dash, Ripple, Litecoin, and Monero do not have 1 owner but are owned by everyone who uses them. The underlying, secure technology that makes all of this possible is called Blockchain. If you are interested visit this site ()

Success Stories

So you can pay with cryptocurrency, but most stories in the media are about people who have invested in it. To illustrate: anyone who bought Bitcoins for $50 in 2009 – the year they were first offered – is now a multimillionaire. But even those who ‘only’ started at the beginning of 2017 will have a profit of almost 2000% (!) in the digital wallet a year later.

‘Anti-government, anti-regulation

Proponents of Bitcoin like to draw the comparison with gold. That too has no social benefit and no economic basis. It is only worth a lot because of its scarcity. Cryptocurrencies are hot. ‘Investors feel smart. They understand things that no one else understands,” said leading economist Robert Shiller. “The Bitcoin is anti-government, anti-regulation. It’s a beautiful story.’

Cryptocurrency Risks

It is therefore not surprising that more and more people are becoming nervous, especially now that it is no longer possible to earn dry bread with savings. Of course, investing always involves risks, but with cryptocurrency, this risk is quite large. For example, if you buy a share, you purchase a part of the underlying company. Cryptocurrency lacks such intrinsic value. The value is determined only by the demand of speculators. If you step out, it can be over in no time. In addition, your wallets can be hacked online or the digital key can be lost. Then you lose all Bitcoins, or you can’t get to them anymore. After all, no banks also mean no supervisor you can turn to.

AFM advises against investing

That is why in the past both the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) warned about the risks of ‘the umpteenth new Bitcoin’. According to financial regulators, these are vulnerable to deception, fraud, and manipulation. The AFM even advises consumers not to invest in new cryptocurrencies that are not under its supervision. Pieter Hasekamp, ​​director of the Central Planning Bureau, goes one step further. In an article in Het Financieele Dagblad (June 11, 2021), Hasekamp argued that the Netherlands should ban bitcoin as soon as possible.

Similarities with the stock market crash

Also, 2 former winners of the Nobel Prize in economics spoke out against Bitcoin. According to Joseph Stiglitz, the digital payment method is only popular because of the possibilities for money laundering and does not serve any social benefit. The aforementioned Robert Shiller sees similarities with the situation before the stock market crash of 1929. ‘The value is rising. Just like the stock markets in the 1920s. In the end, 1929 is reached. Then the coin comes down. Not to zero, but he will fall for sure,” Shiller predicts.

Politics tightens the reins

Cryptocurrencies are also not well on the Dutch political scene. This is evident from a bill from Minister Hoekstra (Finance) from 2019. It states, among other things: ‘The anonymity of virtual currencies also makes it possible to abuse them for criminal purposes, such as laundering criminally obtained income.’ Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have approved this bill. Companies that offer services for exchanging between virtual money (cryptos) and ‘ordinary’ money have therefore come under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft) since 21 May 2020. That also applies to companies that offer crypto custodial wallets. This means that:

Bad for the Environment

Another argument against Bitcoins is that ‘mining’ costs a lot of electricity. Worldwide at least 40 TWh. That is as much as Hungary uses in a year. To be profitable, the special mining computers have to run permanently, which is bad for the environment.

Advice Consumers’ Association

We are not necessarily anti-cryptocurrency. But only put in money that you can afford to lose. This is no different from other forms of investment. And make sure you spread your risks. So never invest more than 10% of the assets that you have available for investments.

Posted by Lyndsey Annabel in Block Chain Crypto, Crypto, Cryptocurrency Mining