Decentraland is a virtual reality platform built on Ethereum where users can create, experience, and monetize a variety of content and application. Its native currency is MANA. 

By offering a vibrant and expanding community of developers, creators, and users keen to explore the possibilities of the digital universe, this virtual world provides the opportunity to carve out your own corner and participate in the digital economy. 

[Decentraland ](/news/article/decentraland-crypto)came into existence in 2017 after an initial coin offering raised $24 million. After a series of closed Beta tests, the official public launch occurred in February 2020. Today, the platform remains a popular place for creatives to build online worlds that offer games, 3D environments, and a variety of interactive experiences. 

## Founders 

Decentraland was co-founded by blockchain entrepreneurs Ari Meilich and Esteban Ordano. Although neither founder is currently on the board of directors, they both continue to work alongside the project in an advisory capacity with the Decentraland Foundation. 

Both founders have long and varied careers in cryptocurrency development and continue to work, with Ordano responsible for both Smart Contract Solutions and Zeppelin Solutions. 

In addition to creating and building anything in a virtual world, Decentraland users have unbridled access to interactive applications, in-world payments, and peer-to-peer communications. This means that Decentraland can support various users, from entertainment to gamers to professional businesses and investors. 

Indeed, in early 2022 famed investment bank J.P. Morgan announced it was to open [a 'virtual lounge'](https://hypebeast.com/2022/2/jp-morgan-virtual-lounge-decentraland-first-bank-enter-metaverse) to capitalise on the anticipated $1 trillion worth of investment expected to come to the Metaverse in the next few years. 

## Governance 

This Metaverse is powered by two core components, LAND and Decentraland MANA, the native currency. 

LAND represents each parcel of cyber real estate and exists as an individual NFT. Decentraland MANA is primarily used to buy and sell virtual goods and services, and to vote on community governance. 

Decentraland MANA is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 token, which must be burned to obtain LAND ERC-721 NFT tokens. 

This unique environment is completely owned by its users, and, true to the blockchain ethos, the digital platform is governed by the Decentraland DAO (Decentralised Autonomous Organisation). This means that each community member has a say and influences the growth curve of the project. 

Decentraland MANA must be wrapped and converted into wMANA before users can commit the cryptocurrency to a vote. One wMANA equals one vote. MANA is easily purchased on various leading cryptocurrency exchanges. It can also be obtained by selling digital items in this online universe. 

The LAND token is used to distinguish real estate ownership and exists as an NFT on the Ethereum network in its own right. As with MANA, LAND can be used to secure voting rights. However, LAND does not need to be submitted to the[ DAO](/news/article/daomaker-guide). As you might expect, LAND is a powerful token to hold, with each coin representing 2,000 voting rights. 

LAND and Decentraland MANA tokens play a big part in the use of the platform. As a virtual world, Decentraland users can spend their tokens in whichever way they like and use the in-game marketplace to transact and transfer items bought and sold. Every transaction is conducted, regulated, and recorded on the Ethereum blockchain. 

## Virtual worlds 

This project is creating a digital ecosystem featuring almost every aspect of our everyday lives. One of the platform's biggest attractions is the ability to get involved in daily commercial or governmental life without leaving the comfort of your own home. 

The early vision was to provide a virtual world to anyone interested. However, it is now generally accepted that due to the prices of Decentraland MANA and LAND, barriers to entry can appear high for the average user. 

Players have total control and are allowed to vote on all in-game and organisational policies. While the original aim of the platform was to develop a form of decentralised virtual reality, many players believe that in its current form, Decentraland has turned into one large NFT market. 

Decentraland has been built in a three-layer structure using Ethereum smart contracts. The base-level consensus layer determines, tracks, and manages LAND ownership. The second layer deals with the actual content of the virtual world. Finally, the third layer - the real-time layer - deals with user interaction. 

The total game world, or Metaverse, is divided into 90,601 individual parcels of LAND. Each parcel is represented by an ERC-721, Ethereum-hosted NFT. Each LAND represents a square of 16m x 16m and has a unique identifier that records its location in the Metaverse. 

Although LAND owners are free to develop their plot in any way they choose, most of the environment falls into one of 39 districts, each with a unique name, size, and theme. At the time of writing, the [Aetheria Cyber Punk district](https://nftplazas.com/decentraland-districts/) is the largest, closely followed by the gambling district of Vegas City. 

## Tokenomics 

At the time of writing, some 1.8 billion Decentraland MANA tokens are in current circulation, representing 82% of the total supply of 2.19 billion. With a current price of $0.679, this gives Decentraland a market capitalisation of $1.259 billion. 

At launch, there were 2.8 billion Decentraland MANA tokens minted. However, due to burning due to LAND auctions, that figure has reduced by 22% to the number we have today. The circulation of MANA is managed further by another 2.5% burn of all tokens involved in marketplace transactions. 

As far as we know, 40% of MANA's total supply was sold during the initial coin offering (ICO) in 2017. A further 20% has been reserved for community incentives, and another 20% was given to developers and early contributors. Decentraland itself holds the remaining 20%. 

## Conclusion 

Decentraland has been built specifically for content creators, businesses, and individuals looking for a new artistic medium, business opportunities, and sources of income. 

The platform provides a creative outlet and allows many users to monetise their LAND through leasing arrangements that enable users to generate income in the virtual economy. 

The project represents the intersection of real and virtual worlds and is the oldest and biggest platform to do so. Once considered niche, virtual worlds and the Metaverse are slowly becoming the place to conduct business, socialise and shop as work-from-home policies and sky-high rents force consumers to rethink their approach to everyday life. 

As we become more familiar with the idea of the Metaverse, we are beginning to see a flow of real-world artists who want to showcase their talent in the virtual world. In April, Decentraland hosted Nashville singer/songwriter Jhett Black, who performed his [first show in the Metaverse](https://decentraland.org/). 

Decentraland is poised to benefit from the expected growth of the Metaverse and virtual worlds. Figures differ, but it is generally agreed that there will be massive value in the Metaverse and related platforms by 2030. The [World Economic Forum](https://www.weforum.org/events/the-growth-summit-jobs-and-opportunity-for-all-2023) projects a market worth in the region of $3 trillion by the end of the decade. 

As long as the team behind the project can continue to scale and onboard customers at the same rate as the first five years, there is no reason why this innovative platform cannot secure a significant portion of the industry for itself. 

decentraland mana token on green background

Decentraland MANA: Can it Live Up to the Hype?

The crypto fear and greed index uses social signals and trends to score the overall sentiment of the cryptocurrency market. 

Like all indexes, the fear and greed index crypto style builds its rating from various data sources to provide a single figure between 1 and 100. This metric is a popular tool in the arsenal used by cryptocurrency traders and investors looking to determine whether it is a good time to make their moves in the market. 

The index provides four categories depending on the score. These are: 

- 0-24 Extreme Fear (orange) 

- 25-49 Fear (amber/yellow) 

- 50-74 Greed (light green) 

- 75-100 Extreme Greed (green) 

As anyone who has invested or attempted to trade crypto will know, cryptocurrency is often subject to high levels of volatility. Emotions can get the better of investors. People often rush in to trade for fear of missing out (FOMO), getting greedy when prices ascend or panic selling when prices drop. 

Managing emotions is key to becoming a successful trader. The fear and greed index crypto assessment can be a helpful tool to accomplish that. 

By analysing available information, traders can remove emotion and make smarter decisions. When conditions are categorised as 'Extreme Fear', it is often a good time to buy. Conversely, when the indicator shows 'Extreme Greed', it is often a good time to sell. The[ indicator ](https://alternative.me/crypto/fear-and-greed-index/)is easy to find through a simple Google search or by accessing its [Twitter feed.](https://twitter.com/BitcoinFear) 

## Final score 

The index is calculated and managed by [Alternative.me](https://alternative.me/) and uses a range of sources to determine its score. Volatility, market momentum/volume, social media sentiment, market dominance, and trends are all used to help determine the final score. 

- Volatility – the rate of change between buy and sell pressure. A rise in the volatility rate usually signals the start of fear in the market. 

- Market momentum/volume – market momentum is used in conjunction with the rate of current volume. If volume begins to outpace the current momentum, then the market is becoming too greedy. 

- Social media sentiment – by using a tool like the Twitter Sentiment Analysis Tool, high interaction rates can be identified, and greedy behaviour can be avoided. 

- Market dominance – when Bitcoin dominance starts to rise, it is generally accepted that this signals that wise money is moving to the safer haven of the number one cryptocurrency. Conversely, when Bitcoin dominance begins to fall, this is seen as a good time to move your capital into more risk-on altcoins. 

- Trends – the fear and greed index crypto assessment uses data from Google Trends to calculate how many people are searching for cryptocurrency information. Terms such as 'Is Bitcoin a scam?' are viewed as bearish indicators, whereas 'What will the price of Bitcoin be in 2030?' are considered bullish. 

## Effectiveness 

The chart below shows how accurate and effective the fear and greed index crypto assessment can be. 

![histogram of world news](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/Screenshot_2023_05_02_at_09_10_45_4c10bab5ce.png)

As you can see, the index lives most of its time in the greed area and rarely drops into fear for more than a month. It also demonstrates how crypto sentiment closely correlates with the macroeconomic situation. 

The lowest level sentiment fell to was immediately after the first Covid impact in March 2020 as worldwide financial markets sold off to protect their investments. Little more than a year later, we saw the index reach its highest point in February 2021 and the beginning of the DeFi summer. 

This chart shows that although situations can change overnight, when the indicator shows greed or extreme greed, it tends to stay in that area for extended periods. Overall, I believe this chart shows that the general sentiment for crypto has been pretty healthy for the past two years. 

However, many investors view the fear and greed index as only a short-term indicator rather than a long-term analysis forecast. This is mainly due to its reliance on news events and short-term fluctuations. This probably explains why the tool is more popular among traders than long-term investors. 

## Emotions 

As mentioned above, anyone involved with crypto trading or investing will understand how volatile the market can be. Unless we are careful, we may become exposed to the dreaded emotional roller-coaster. 

Not much imagination is required to understand that this is not the best place to be. So, one of the more common questions people ask me is, how do we control our emotions when trading? 

The advice I will share is to always consider and reconsider before making any market moves. When you think that [the average price prediction for Bitcoin by 2030 is $500,000](https://www.cnbc.com/cryptoworld/?&qsearchterm=cryptocurrency), it becomes clear that this market still has plenty of room for upward movement. 

Therefore, I think long and slow moves are best, if any at all. However, here are some of the best ways I find to remove the emotion from your financial decision-making: 

Diversify – a diversified portfolio is often the best way to deal with the peaks and troughs of long-term investing, and it is no different with cryptocurrency. 

Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) – dollar cost averaging will remove much of the strain associated with trying to time market tops and bottoms. This is one of the most powerful ways to remove emotion from the game. Just set up a recurring payment and focus on the long term. 

Be fearful when others are greedy – according to the 'Oracle of Omaha' Warren Buffet, it pays to be fearful when others are exhibiting greed and to be greedy when the market is full of fear. This is good advice, but in practice a lot harder to perfect than it might seem. 

As you can see, the fear and greed index is a handy tool that can greatly impact your trading and investing decisions. Used in conjunction with other technical analysis, it can radically change your investment decision-making. 

However, as with any form of investing, it is imperative that you conduct due diligence before making any financial decisions. 

fear and greed index on phone with blue background

Fear and Greed Crypto Index: Is It Effective?

Despite the creators deciding to remain anonymous, the Cool Cats NFT series is a blue-chip NFT brand with a global community in support.

Beginning life as a simple comic character, 'Blue Cat', the Cool Cats have become a globally recognised brand of digital collectables, animated content, comics, games, and merchandise.

The team behind the NFT collection strives to create a compelling and authentic spark that incorporates innovative products and experiences alongside storylines, immersing the fanatical community into the world of Cooltopia through the adventures of Blue Cat and his friends.

The Cool Cats NFT series aims to become a leading entertainment brand that promotes [inclusivity](https://coolcatsnft.com/) while celebrating 'cool through community-centered storytelling and innovation'.

## GameFi

Inspired by the creation of Blue Cat in 2013, Cool Cats is a collection of 9,999 NFTs hosted on the Ethereum blockchain. With each NFT assembled from a collection of over 300,000 outfits, facial expressions, and background colours, every randomly generated Cool Cat NFT has its own rarity score and tier.

With such a big emphasis on community, Cool Cats has a massive audience of adoring fans. Discord, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube provide the main community resources, but interested parties can also find more information at the official [Cooltopia Resource Hub](https://cooltopia.coolcatsnft.com/).

As well as Cool Cats, fans can purchase Cool Pets, a collection of an additional 19,999 NFTs that are 'procedurally generated' through item interaction. The idea is that pets begin as an egg and evolve into their final form – a little like the Tamagotchi toys of old. Users evolve their pets through [the Cool Cat GameFi platform](https://cooltopia.coolcatsnft.com/), meaning the final Pet is one of 17 million different outcomes.

Players also have the opportunity to purchase one of 11,575 'Fractures', allowing holders to participate in the journey of Blue Cat through Cooltopia, earning rewards as they go. Once the Fracture has achieved full strength (i.e., at the end of the journey), the item is burnt, and the NFT is revealed.

## Wallets

As with other NFT collections, it helps to understand crypto, specifically wallets, before you decide to purchase a Cool Cat. Supported wallets so far include MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet. Connection is relatively straightforward.

Cool Cats, Cool Pets, and Fractures are available on popular [NFT marketplace](/news/article/nft-art-marketplaces) [OpenSea](/news/article/guide-to-minting-nfts-opensea). For loyal fans eager to show their allegiance, a range of merchandise is available to purchase from the [online store](https://store.coolcatsnft.com/).


cool cats nft on pink background image of cooltopia

Cool Cats NFT: Welcome to Cooltopia

Where should you keep your cryptocurrency? In a custodial wallet or a non-custodial wallet? 

The last five years have witnessed a dramatic rise in the popularity of cryptocurrencies. For their continuing development, the average user must be comfortable managing and securing their digital assets. Therefore many industry experts believe the development of the crypto wallet is [crucial to market expansion](https://dailyfintech.com/2020/08/31/crypto-built-on-top-crypto-wallets/). 

The modern crypto wallet is essentially a piece of secure digital software allowing consumers to store their precious digital assets safely. 

Crypto wallets fall into two main categories: 

- Custodial wallet. 

- Non-custodial wallet. 

The difference is relatively straightforward. In the custodial example, a third party takes ownership of your private keys and provides management services for the user. Conversely, a non-custodial wallet is managed purely by the consumer, private keys and all. 

In the simplest terms, [private keys](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/private-key.asp) are those held by the user, whereas public keys are given to any third party wishing to send crypto to that wallet's address. Two keys for the same lock. 

Choosing between a custodial or non-custodial wallet is about personal preference. However, as we can see from the example above, a non-custodial wallet provides users with total control over their digital assets. Given the number of exploits and crypto hacks in recent years, non-custodial wallets have seen an explosion in growth concurrent with the rise in the popularity of crypto. For more information on some of the best UK wallets available, check out [our article](/news/article/best-crypto-wallet-uk-top-picks). 

## Differences 

So, other than private keys, what are the main differences between custodial and non-custodial wallets? 

Firstly, non-custodial options provide the consumer with much greater control over their private finances and effectively allow the user to become their own private bank. 

Secondly, with non-custodial wallets, all transactions are shown in real time, while custodial methods tend to back-log transactions to make use of more profitable times to transact. 

Thirdly, because custodial wallet providers need to store data on their customers, there is a much higher risk of data breach and hacking, leading to higher costs and slower transaction times due to increased security measures. 

One of the main drawbacks of the non-custodial wallet is the lack of backup and recovery possibilities should things go wrong. Of course, non-custodial providers often feature opportunities for backup, but if this is lost, you are really on your own. While this isn't the case across the board, third-party providers of custodial options often have a more robust recovery procedure if anything goes wrong. 

Finally, any custodial wallet is only accessible if connected to the internet, while non-custodial balances are available 24/7. This could prove problematic in more ways than one. 

Overall, the choice between a third-party custodial and a non-custodial provider is personal, but the non-custodial option provides the consumer with much greater flexibility, even if it requires more personal responsibility. 

As we all know, given the current economic climate, having control over your personal finances isn't such a bad thing. 

Man with wallet. Question mark overlayed with blue filter

Is a non-custodial wallet right for me?

Alongside Play-to-Earn gaming, the faucet concept, as found on the Solana network, has witnessed a record rise in interest over the last few months. In a similar vein to P2E, faucets reward users with micro amounts of crypto in exchange for completing tasks such as viewing ads, completing captchas, or taking surveys. To find out more about P2E, check out [our article](/news/article/play-to-earn).

Faucet sites are funded through advertisement and sponsorship. Many sites have number or time limits that help manage the amount of crypto users can claim. Solana faucets generally have fixed periods in which it is possible to claim, but it is important to check with [each site for its terms and conditions](https://101blockchains.com/top-crypto-faucets/).

Faucets fall into two main categories:

•	Instant output.

•	Recurring payments.

As the name suggests, platforms that offer instant output allow users to 'cash out' their balance at any time they like. Usually more popular with players, this method often comes with various tasks that originate from the same party.

By contrast, platforms that only allow users access to their funds at specific intervals usually offer a wider variety of tasks to complete. Payments, in this case, are usually managed by algorithmic bots, which make managing the platforms easy.

If using this kind of platform isn't for you, you can even build your own Solana faucet to earn passive income. The process is relatively straightforward and within the ability of anyone with basic internet and crypto knowledge.

## Conclusion

Solana faucets, like many other cryptocurrency faucets, are a good way to get people involved with crypto and earning their first tokens. Crypto can be pretty daunting for those new to the industry, so platforms like Solana faucet are a cheap and easy way to get involved for [minimal outlay and invested time](https://www.cryptonewsz.com/gambling/casino/faucet/solana/).


A quick look into the popularity of Solana faucets

It's one of the most widely known altcoins in the crypto market today, and, as many people know, it was one of the best price performers in the previous bull run. But just what is Chainlink, and is there potential for returns this time round?

The brainchild of Russian developer Sergey Nazarov, Chainlink describes itself as an 'industry standard Web3 services platform connecting the people, businesses, and data of today with the Web3 world of tomorrow'. In simple terms, this means Chainlink acts as a connector between real-world data, on-chain protocol, and other abstract blockchains.

The development of the Web3 space is a sight to behold. It is surely the infrastructure of the future. The technology, however, will be of no use if each blockchain exists in a walled garden. The technology underpinning Chainlink allows blockchains to talk to each other and manage data streams from the real world.

There's more about Chainlink and how it works in [our report](/news/article/chainlink-news).

## Real-world use

Chainlink's close association with DeFi is well documented. It has led many to speculate that this was the cause for the token's strong performance through the last bull run.

Core to protocol design is Chainlink's ability to allow users to become node operators and earn revenue by providing critical data infrastructure. These node operators help power a broad range of decentralised price feed oracles, which are critical in securing billions in value for the leading DeFi applications such as Aave, Compound, and Synthetix.

Facilitating DeFi data price feeds is just the beginning. The current Chainlink ecosystem has more than 1 billion data access points, securing in excess of $75 billion in value with over 1,000 integrations across 700 oracle networks. As you can see, Chainlink means serious crypto business.

Reaching far beyond the crypto world, the success of projects such as Chainlink is integral to the widespread adoption of blockchain-based solutions in the real world. Business relationships with mainstream brands such as AccuWeather, FedEx, and Associated Press show just how serious modern business is taking the advent of distributed technology networks.

Ex-Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has joined the project as a Technical Advisor and believes the project is perfectly poised to help speed worldwide crypto adoption stating, "Chainlink is a secret ingredient to unlocking the potential of smart contract platforms and revolutionizing business and society.”

## Chainlink price action

Managing the vast amount of data needed to populate blockchains and smart contracts are becoming an industry within itself. It is easy to see why Chainlink proved so popular through 2020 and 2021. With next to no competition, Chainlink price grew by 2,500% in little more than 18 months, from January 2020 to May 2021.

The native token of the Chainlink network is $LINK, which has a maximum supply of 1,000,000,000. However, the circulating supply is only 491,599,970, with a current price of $7.34, giving it a market cap of $3.7 billion.

Starting the year at $5.57, the Chainlink price grew steadily in the following weeks. This slow and steady increase has caught the eyes of many crypto investors looking for a predictable return on their investment.

Opinions vary, but it is commonly believed that the Chainlink price will be one of the strongest performers in the next bull run. Technical analyses are indicating bullish signs going forward, with predictions of $100 per coin by the end of the decade not uncommon.

It doesn't pay to get ahead of ourselves. So, let's look at some predictions for the rest of 2023. Popular crypto resource site [CryptonewsZ.com](https://www.cryptonewsz.com/forecast/chainlink-price-prediction/) suggests that the Chainlink price will hit $20 by the end of the year. Whatever happens, it is safe to say that $LINK is a good crypto buy if you want to position yourself for the next bull run.

Of course, there are other ways to profit from cryptocurrency besides trading and investing. One of these is staking. [Staking](https://blog.chain.link/how-to-stake-chainlink-link/) allows holders to participate in a Proof of Stake network by loaning their tokens to the network to run a validator node.

For this, stakers are rewarded with a share of the network fees. 

Staking is a low-risk way to earn passive income on your investment. With some networks offering rewards of more than 10%, it is easy to see why it is so popular.

For a deep dive into what staking is and how it works, [read our article](/news/article/what-is-staking-crypto).

## Conclusion

As you can see, $LINK is one of the more popular cryptocurrencies available on the market today, with high levels of anticipation about what Chainlink price can achieve in the next bull run. As can be imagined with any top 50 cryptocurrency, getting hold of the $LINK token is relatively easy. Binance and Coinbase prove to be the most popular source. While the long-term future may look bright for Chainlink, there is still some concern regarding the immediate outlook. Users of the popular crypto analytics website coinmarketcap.com see a price reduction by the end of April 2023.

What the future holds for Chainlink price, we just don't know. 

However, until comprehensive regulation and policy are implemented, the industry will continue to be victim to fraud and scams. So, the same advice must be heeded for this project as much as any other – always do your own research and conduct due diligence before investing in any form of cryptocurrency.


chainlink logo over image of chainlink fence

What does the future hold for the Chainlink price?

As the crypto market continues to develop, we are witnessing more and more ways to get involved in the cryptocurrency hype. An area gaining popularity is the Play to Earn (P2E) sector. One of the latest P2E games is Rollercoin, which describes itself as an 'online crypto mining simulation game'.

The idea is simple. Players are rewarded with a share of block rewards depending on their mining power – just as in real crypto mining. This may sound fraudulent, but by all accounts, the project is legitimate.

As with other P2E games, the idea is to build your character – the stronger the character, the more crypto it earns. Registration is free and straightforward, meaning you can be good to go in less than five minutes.

P2E has its critics, but no one can argue against its market penetration, especially in South East Asia, where games like Axie Infinity became the primary source of income for many through the pandemic.

## Block rewards

The Rollercoin gameplay is easy to understand, which is one of its biggest draws. As in the real world of Bitcoin mining, players are awarded block rewards based on their mining power. There are two main ways competitors can increase their mining power. These are:

•	Buying miners.

•	Playing games.

Games are an exciting and fun way to gain power, but any power extracted only lasts 24 hours. It is generally accepted that buying miners is a better strategy.

The Rollercoin game has been created to entice players and keep them entertained with cool graphics in a fun environment. The more power extracted, the more you can customise your character and in-game functions. The choice to [keep or reinvest your block rewards](https://www.esports.net/crypto/games/rollercoin) rests solely with you.

Although purely a Bitcoin mining simulator, Rollercoin is fun to play and introduces players to the often technical concept of Proof of Work mining, which is no bad thing. That said, we are currently witnessing a move towards more sustainable crypto blockchains and, therefore, interest in energy-intensive PoW projects may start to wane in the near future. At this point, it is difficult to say.

## Immersive experience

If you are new to the P2E concept, games like Rollercoin may sound too good to be true. Looking closely at the project, there is no reason to be pessimistic. Although minimal, players earn Satoshi's (SATs) while playing the game. Once earned, you can remove them to an external wallet or keep your earnings on the platform. For more information on the earning potential of P2E games, check out [our article](/news/article/play-to-earn).

For this Rollercoin review, I have kept things simple. However, anyone interested in how the game works only has to look at the [FAQ page](https://rollercoin.com/faq). As you will see, players also have the opportunity to mine Ethereum and Doge.

Rollercoin offers players a fun and immersive experience, one which mirrors the often quite stressful real world of crypto mining. Players must consider many issues, such as hash rates, predicted profit, and remembering to recharge their machines when needed. As I mentioned above, this is a great way to become familiar with the mining concept without getting your digital hands dirty.

Block rewards are processed every ten minutes, which gives a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Furthermore, Rollercoin players can invite their friends to join in the mining fun, creating a competitive edge to the platform. Players are also encouraged to participate in one of the many contests and promotions the platform supports to reward the most hard-working miners. This, of course, is a great way to keep players engaged and talking about the project.

Overall, despite its initial appearance, Rollercoin is a decent way to spend a couple of hours. The fact that you are rewarded for your endeavours is even better. Play to Earn is an interesting concept and one which may well take the world by storm in the next five to ten years. Rollercoin is a simple and hassle-free way to find out if this is something that works for you.


purple image of crypto mining server farm and hamster rollercoin logo in centre

Introducing Rollercoin: Crypto Mining Made Easy 

Formerly known as Loki, Oxen is the latest privacy focussed Proof of Stake crypto network facilitating instant transactions. 

Alongside payment infrastructure, Oxen provides users access to a secure messaging platform and an anonymous network layer for developers to work on. Such a versatile platform has great potential. For that reason, the project has caught the imagination of traders and investors worldwide. Here, we analyse the crypto price prediction for Oxen and determine whether it is worth our investment.

The native coin of the Oxen network is $OXEN token. $OXEN is primarily used for staking, purchasing name registrations for in-platform router and messenger, and, of course, for the transference of value through instant and private transactions.

Although data concerning the max supply of $OXEN is not available, there are currently 61,703,560 coins in circulation. With a current token price of $0.1781, this gives an overall market cap of $10,981,761. But can we make an Oxen crypto price prediction?

Access to $OXEN is improving as more and more top-tier exchanges continue to list the coin. You can find the token available to trade at KuCoin (USDT, BTC, and ETH pairs), Bittrex (BTC and USDT), and TradeOgre (BTC). It is also possible to swap wrapped OXEN, wOXEN, via popular DeFi platform SushiSwap. 

For a breakdown of the best places to trade and invest in cryptocurrencies, [check out our guide](/news/article/best-exchanges-for-crypto-uk).

## Technical analysis

Let's look at how $OXEN might perform in the near to medium term. By looking at recent technical analysis, it is possible to get a better idea of what $OXEN might do in the future. At the time of press, $OXEN is trading below the 200-day simple moving average (200SMA).

If the current trend doesn't change, the value of $OXEN is predicted to fall by -4.63% by the end of February 2023. That said, technical analysis shows that in the last month, $OXEN recorded 13 out of 30 green days with a volatility score of 1.90%, suggesting that now is a great time to buy the token. Trader sentiment remains neutral, with 17 out of 29 indicators recording bullish signals.

It is also apparent that $OXEN is trading below the 50SMA, with the indicator suggesting sell since 10 February, 2023. The price is predicted to fall to somewhere in the region of $0.177 in the near term. Meanwhile, the [Relative Strength Indicator](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rsi.asp) (RSI) remains neutral, scoring 54.64. The RSI score suggests whether an asset is overbought (above 70) or oversold (below 30).

Looking at historic moving averages, opinion is split over whether it is a good time to buy or sell the token. Because moving averages are lagging indicators, they don't take into account immediate or future events, so they should only be used as part of your trading or investing toolkit. As well as the simple moving average (SMA), traders like to use the exponential moving average (EMA). The only difference is that the EMA puts more weight on more recent prices rather than the balanced score the SMA gives. With this in mind, the following data suggests:

![oxen.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/oxen_a2f6082ada.png)
 
As you can see, trends calculated from weekly moving averages continue to suggest that selling is the best option right now. Whereas daily average prices over 10, 21, and 50 days all suggest now is a good time to buy $OXEN.

## Charts based on other tech growth

There are several other ways to determine whether it is a good time to buy. If we look at the trends for the historic growth of other famous equities, we get some interesting results.

![oxen2.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/oxen2_f15ecde2bb.png)
 
Obviously, no one can predict the future, but the table above shows just how much room for growth there is for anyone entering the sector at this stage of the asset lifecycle.

## Oscillators

We can use oscillators to determine a historic trend set between two parameters, often those of higher and lower values. The difference between these scores gives us our oscillating trend. There are variations on this theme, but some of the more popular and recognised trends are:

![oxen3.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/oxen3_65dcc7370c.png)
 
As you can see, the overwhelming majority of these indicators suggest a neutral course of action.

## Correlation

Correlation indicators help determine if an asset's price action is closely related to others in the same sector. As we can see from the table below, $OXEN is most closely correlated with $ASTAR, $FEI, and $OASIS networks. On the other hand, $OXEN is furthest away from $SINGULARITY, $NEXO, and $FETCH.ai.

![oxen4.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/oxen4_35efb8bbad.png)
 
## Oxen crypto price prediction conclusion

As you can see, there are myriad ways to use technical and historical data to make trading and investment decisions and an Oxen crypto price prediction. However, it is important to use this data as part of an overall trading or investment strategy and not exclusively. Looking at the [available data](https://coincodex.com/crypto/oxen/price-prediction/), it is possible to conclude that the current trading sentiment surrounding the $OXEN token is, for the time being, neutral.

As any investor will tell you, predicting market moves is practically impossible. Therefore, it is wise to adopt a broad approach to investing or trading.

 [1] Based on average year-on-year growth of the internet between 1995 and 2017

 [2] Based on average year-on-year growth of Google between 2000 and 2015

 [3] Based on average year-on-year growth of Facebook between 2004 and 2016

 [4] Based on average year-on-year growth of the mobile phone sector between 1993 and 2013


Oxen logo on green image of crypto price tracker

Oxen Crypto Price Prediction

One of the newest play-to-earn games is [Monkey Ball](https://www.monkeyleague.io/), which enables its players to create, play, compete and earn. It's native token is MonkeyBucks, but where can you buy the crypto?

[P2E gaming](/news/article/free-play-to-earn-games) was one of the success stories of 2023. As the crypto market experienced its biggest growth year ever, P2E gaming saw its value rise to some $178 billion at its peak. Clearly, this novel blockchain concept was asking to be noticed.

P2E gaming is essentially a video game that allows players to buy, sell, trade, or earn cryptocurrency through several in-game features. While this concept is still in its infancy, many AAA-rated publishing houses have expressed a keen interest in adopting P2E models into established titles, perhaps indicating the future of video gaming.

## ‘Next generation e-sports Metaverse’

Monkey Ball describes itself as a ‘next generation e-sports Metaverse’. Built upon the Solana blockchain, Monkey Ball is a turn-based play-to-earn soccer game designed to be easy to understand yet hard to master.

The native token of the Monkey Ball ecosystem is MonkeyBucks (MBS). As the in-game token, MBS is sure to have high demand as the game continues to grow in popularity. There are six ways players can earn MBS, meaning access to the token is straightforward. 

Once acquired, gamers can use MBS to purchase in-game items or breed new monkeys. Any fees earnt from trading MBS are funnelled back into the ecosystem and ensure that the platform has both longevity and sustainability. As you can see, MBS is certain to grow in value in the next couple of years.

## The P2E gaming concept

P2E gaming can take various forms, from simply trading skins for in-game items to earning through completing scheduled tasks. Rewards are often provided in the native cryptocurrency, or players may trade NFTs via an in-house marketplace.

Local laws drive P2E usage and subsequent adoption, with the Philippines being one of the most popular countries in the world to play. During the lockdown restrictions of 2021, players of P2E favourite Axie Infinity generated some $1.2 billion, leading some players in the Far East to declare it as their main source of income.

## Where to buy Monkey Ball crypto?

Obtaining the Monkey Ball token is a frequently asked question. Due to the project's novelty, there are only seven places where you can legally purchase MBS. Raydium, ByBit, and MexC are the most popular places to obtain the token; however, [a new listing from the Liquid exchange](https://app.liquid.com/exchange/MBSUSDT) is proving popular. This is likely due to the zero fees offered on the MBS/USDT pair.

## ‘Fun first’

As mentioned above, Monkey Ball has some of the largest backers in crypto, including Solana, NfX, and Griffin Ventures. The team behind the project is called Uncaged Studios, which is multi-disciplinary and expert in the field of P2E gaming. The team is [distributed globally](https://www.monkeyleague.io/#team), which helps bring an international feel to the game.

Players can design and create their own NFTs, either in the form of players or stadiums. The platform is an excellent example of high-production value gaming with an emphasis on 'fun first'. All rewards are based on nothing more than skill and achievements, meaning only the most adept of players will reach the top.

There are plenty of additional features slated for 2023, including breeding and stadium design which means the roadmap for the foreseeable future is very healthy indeed.


purple image of monkey ball crypto logo and characters playing football

Where to Buy Monkey Ball Crypto

Among the most popular Bitcoin mining pools available on the market today is MetaMining Club.

Based in Abuja, Nigeria, MetaMining Club is Africa's fastest growing blockchain mining operation and provides its clients with the opportunity to benefit from the mining of Bitcoin with minimal effort.

## Why mining?

The rise of Bitcoin has left many asking, "how do I get involved?". The recent volatility of crypto market trading means the search for Bitcoin passive income has never been greater.

For some time, one of the most popular methods for making money in crypto has been to get involved in mining. Crypto mining is the validation of transactions across a Proof of Work (PoW) network.

Computers battle to solve complex algorithmic math problems in a competition to process the next block of data on the chain – hence the term blockchain. For doing this, miners are [rewarded a portion of the fees](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocurrency#Mining) charged to those sending crypto.

Mining Bitcoin has proven to be a very lucrative business, with large mining 'farms' set up worldwide. Some of these operations consist of thousands of mining rigs processing many transactions a day.

As you are probably all aware, mining [Bitcoin uses a massive amount of electricity](/news/article/crypto-mining), so much so that many Bitcoin mining farms look to locate their rigs in cold climates (negating the need for expensive air conditioning) with low electricity rates.

## Pool mining

Mining crypto has become increasingly difficult with recent rises in the cost of electricity and the hardware needed to compute ever-complex calculations. There is, however, a cheaper alternative to setting up your own mining operation. This is what is known as Bitcoin pool mining. With pool mining, no technical knowledge is needed. As the name suggests, you simply contribute to a pooled mining operation that conducts [all the hard work for you](https://river.com/learn/how-bitcoin-mining-pools-work).

[MetaMining Club](https://metaminingclub.com/) can manage the entire process for you – all you have to do is invest your money with them.

MetaMining Club has 10 'packages' to choose from, costing from under £2,500 up to £39,000. Each option promises varied levels of returns. For example, if you opt for the CityBoy package costing 7 million Naira (£12,618), you can expect payouts of somewhere between 480,000 and 880,000 (£865 - £1586). Calculations are a little vague, but the website shows that the expected monthly mining output is somewhere between 0.0029 and 0.0043 BTC. All machines used are S91 Antminers, which can process up to 15.2 Terra hashes per second.

## Risks

MetaMining Club offers the customer the chance to get involved with Bitcoin mining without getting their hands dirty. MetaMining Club hosts machines on their own mining farms and, in turn, connects these machines to major mining pools. This way, MMC can ensure that its returns are among the best in the business.

The high hash rate output is also one of the main reasons MetaMining lub can provide above-average rates of return.

Obviously, investing in crypto comes with risks. However, as miners are not actively trading, the volatility associated with crypto does not have any bearing in this situation. Furthermore, because MetaMining Club connects to mining farms abroad, they do not have to comply with restricting legislation in your resident country.

With any investment, it is important to conduct your own research and due diligence before you decide to part with your hard-earned cash. I advise the same in this situation


Metamining: Earning Passive Income from Bitcoin

After a last-minute change of heart, it is a question challenging many in the last couple of months – just when is the Shibarium release date?

A series of delays towards the end of last year means that the release date for this eagerly awaited Ethereum scaling solution has remained a mystery. New evidence has shown that, finally, we may be moving closer toward the launch of this long-awaited 'layer 2 scaling solution'.

## ‘Layer 2 scaling solution'

Shibarium is a [layer 2 scaling solution](https://crypto.com/university/what-are-layer-2-scaling-solutions) built on top of the [Ethereum](/news/article/ethereum-merge) network. It is designed to facilitate the Shiba Inu ecosystem. In theory, this should provide thousands of users access to the myriad Ethereum-enabled applications.

Layer 2 solutions take advantage of the vast security and infrastructure benefits of layer 1 blockchains while ultimately providing cheaper and faster transactions. They achieve this by 'sitting on top' of layer 1s and using technical innovations like Roll-ups and Federated Side Chains to increase transaction times while reducing gas fees.

This helps to take pressure off a main chain while continuing to provide access to its benefits. Close association with Ethereum allows users of layer 2 scaling solutions like Shibarium access to the massive DeFi ecosystem on the world's second largest blockchain.

## Immediate benefit

What can we expect when the Shibarium release date is finally decided? It goes without question that Shibarium is one of the most highly anticipated projects to be launched in the Shiba Inu ecosystem. But just what will its launch mean in real terms?

Let's look at some of the immediate benefits.

Firstly, and most importantly, the successful launch of Shibarium will mean much lower transaction fees for those looking to develop applications on the platform. The high gas fees associated with the Ethereum blockchain are well documented. They are often a barrier to entry for those looking to get into crypto. Scaling solutions such as Shibarium promise to be much cheaper to use without losing the security benefits of the Ethereum blockchain. This is a massive draw for any developers looking to build.

Due to the [blockchain trilemma](https://academy.binance.com/en/articles/what-is-the-blockchain-trilemma), speed is often sacrificed at the expense of security. That means peak period transactions across Ethereum can slow to as little as 30 transactions per second. Because scaling solutions such as Shiberium do not access the main chain, transactions can reach into the thousands and provide much-needed scalability when it is needed the most.

This combination of cheaper and faster transactions is irresistible to developers looking to take advantage of Ethereum's stability and security. Indeed, the latest data shows that decentralised gaming application developers, such as those behind Shiba Eternity, are beginning to realise that this promising layer 2 solution provides everything they are looking for.

The successful rollout of Shibarium is sure to present more opportunities for the burning of the SHIB token, which will come as a great relief to holders of the coin. With 500 TRILLION tokens at its launch, many industry experts believe this high number is unfavourable to any future price gain. Consequently, Shibarium is expected to feature several burn mechanisms contributing to the drop in circulating supply.

With plans to launch a Metaverse project also in the pipeline, Shibarium is surely one of the projects to keep a close eye on in 2023.

The native token of the project, $BONE, has been democratically distributed by its anonymous creator Ryoshi. Like most other layer 2 solutions, node operators across the network will be rewarded in BONE for validating and processing transactions. With a circulating supply of 230 million tokens, BONE has every opportunity to be a highly tradable coin.

## Project release date - ‘close’

At the time of writing, the Shibarium release date is still unclear. However, as we are all aware, the world of crypto is unpredictable and anything can happen.

That said, the creators behind the project, Unification Foundation, are keen to get the ball rolling. An October 2022 [Twitter post](https://twitter.com/ShytoshiKusama/status/15869099) by Lead Developer Shytoshi Kusama highlighted the team's insistence on doing 'one thing at a time'.

As far as we can tell, the project has completed an internal alpha testnet phase before a public testnet phase which shows that the project release date is 'close'. It is thought that one of the key components of the project is the development of a secure and efficient wallet function. Getting this element correct is something that cannot be rushed.


blue image of shiba inu dogs smiling with shibarium shiba coin in centre

Shibarium Release Date Update

Founded in 2019, Acala is a self-contained decentralised finance (DeFi) network built on and designed to facilitate the Polkadot ecosystem. It's native token is the Acala coin, ACA.

The project has been specifically optimised for DeFi use and is both scalable and Ethereum (ERC-20) compatible.

The [project](https://acala.network/) provides a vast array of cross-chain financial applications, which make it highly flexible and help to maintain consistent levels of demand. Users can trade with Acala Swap, issue self-certified loans through the Acala dollar stable coin (aUSD), access liquidity farming opportunities, and earn staking rewards through Liquid DOT staking (LDOT).

In the future, Acala coin (ACA) will be bridged to Ethereum and Bitcoin, as well as Compound Gateway, which was synonymous with the project's development.

This project is leading the way in developing hybrid crypto and fintech products alongside US fintech company Current and helping to bring DeFi yield opportunities to its three million US customers.

## Tokenomics

ACA is the native token of the Acala network. There are currently some 613 million coins in circulation, which, at current prices, gives a market cap of just over $73 million. The max supply is set at 1,000,000,000 tokens, which are subject to a 0% rate of inflation with a fixed and deflationary profile.

ACA is available from a wide variety of cryptocurrency exchanges, but [Binance](/news/article/guide-to-binance-uk) proves to be the most popular, carrying 58% of ACA/USDT volume. KuCoin, Kraken, and Gate.io are other popular places [to purchase the token](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/acala/markets/).

The stand-out feature of Acala is the native stablecoin known as aUSD. As we mentioned above, the project is helping to drive the adoption of DeFi protocols through the use of the Polkadot ecosystem. aUSD can also be used on the Kusama network, ensuring even more stability in its mission to provide parity with the US dollar.

aUSD has been designed to be completely decentralised. It is multi-collateralised and backed by a series of cross-chain assets.

However, it is essential to differentiate between the Acala dollar (aUSD) and the Acala coin, which is the native token for the Acala platform.

At its genesis, the ACA token has been distributed democratically, with 49.6% of tokens allocated to community members. The remaining 50.24% has been split between Backers (11.66%), Early Backers (18.33%), and the Founding Team (20.25%).

## Benefits

The Acala coin (ACA) is the utility token that powers Acala, [the DeFi hub of Polkadot](https://acala.network/acala/token). The token is used for various features, which we will look at here.

•	ACA is used to pay transaction fees which form the lifeblood of validators on the network. Furthermore, the coin is used to incentivise nodes to monitor and relay messages across the Polkadot network.

•	Acala coin holders are entitled to vote on crucial network issues that help drive the project's development. Token holders can also elect future council members.

•	ACA is also used to auto-adjust risk parameters which drive interest rates and collateral ratio. Furthermore, any staked ACA can be used to deploy new Substrate pallets on the Acala blockchain.

## Parachain auction

ACA has been earmarked to support early participants in the Polkadot parachain auction through the issuance of DOT. Once received, a portion of the chosen ACA will be unlocked and become transferable, with the remaining amount vested and slowly released over the duration of the parachain slot.

80% of any ACA resulting from the parachain auction will have a linear vest over the course of the parachain slot release, while 17% of the supply will be issued as rewards to supporters of the first parachain auction.
 
In short, this means that supporters will receive 3 ACA for every DOT contributed, although this number is set to increase depending on your level of involvement. 20% of ACA received from the parachain auction will be unlocked, liquid and usable within Acala's DeFi ecosystem.

## Conclusion

As you can see, there are myriad ways in which holders of the ACA token can help contribute to and secure the network making Acala one of the most innovative and flexible DeFi ecosystems on the market today.

This project is a perfect example of a breed of new and exciting FinTech start-ups helping to create the bridge from the TradFi to the DeFi world.


Green image of tech pattern with acala coin logo in centre

Acala Coin Use and Value Explored

The need for alternative forms of payment has never been greater. The rise of Web3 payment solutions, like Kasta crypto, proves this need is more than just a passing trend.

The Web3 payment provider Kasta was developed to expedite the adoption of decentralisation while providing a viable medium of digital exchange.

Built on the Polygon network, Kasta crypto is an [ERC-20](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethereum#ERC20) token allowing holders to send and receive the same coins instantly and for free. This simplicity and ease of use will make the platform a hit in the digital revolution.

## Simple yet powerful

The project has been designed with simplicity in mind, making the transfer of digital assets safe and convenient. Holders can send tokens via mobile number or by simply scanning the QR code. Using crypto has never been easier.

At its core, the project is a basic wallet application with various features encouraging everyday use. This accessibility means anyone can quickly learn to use the platform for their own benefit.

The application is a powerful all-in-one wallet allowing even the most novice crypto users to enter the Web3 world. While the platform only supports eight coins so far, they include some of the most popular tokens on the market.

## Easy Swap

The platform's native token is the [$KASTA coin](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/kasta/markets/) which is currently available at a wide variety of exchanges, including Gate.io, UniSwap, and ByBit.
With a current circulating supply of 129 million priced at $0.0266 per coin, the total market cap is $3.4 million.

The 'Easy Swap Engine' allows holders to choose which token to receive, regardless of the coin sent. For example, should a friend send Bitcoin, you can simply change your settings to ensure that all crypto is received in Ethereum.

Kasta crypto token forms the backbone of the application, and, alongside P2P payments, it will soon be used for several other purposes.

## Future of Kasta

This project is a shining example of a P2P payment processor and is leading the way in blockchain adoption and Web3 development. The company has ambitious plans for the future, with many features currently in the pipeline. 

In the near term, users will be able to earn passive income by taking advantage of various yield-generating opportunities via the mobile app. Furthermore, platform users will also be able to apply for a debit card, allowing them to spend their crypto holdings in a wide variety of merchant stores. 

Lastly, all application users will be able to choose to stake their idle crypto and earn passive income.

With countries like Nigeria pushing their citizens to adopt [distributed solutions](/news/article/paybis-rewards-customers), the future of cross-border payments is about to change. Applications like Kasta crypto are at the cutting edge of the decentralised revolution and will form the backbone of the future society.


Kasta Crypto - Changing Thinking on Money

Koda Apex, aka KAPEX crypto, is a utility token designed to reward those who stake its sister token, $KODA. However, this coin can also be used for payments for both products and services. The main difference is the lower fees associated with [KAPEX crypto](https://koda.finance/kapex/).

Koda describes itself as 'a long-term deflationary store of value for SummitBC Ecosystem investors'. Due to its inflationary tokenomics, the project is an excellent choice for long-term investment, it claims.

Let's look at some of the main features and benefits of the project.

## Rewards

As mentioned above, KAPEX crypto is essentially the reward token for those staking on the parent network. In addition, every transaction across the ecosystem increases the token's liquidity.

So other than rewards for passive staking, what other benefits are there to holding the coin? The benefits are wide-ranging and include:

•	Paying of exchange fees.

•	Paying service and product fees.

•	Purchasing of NFTs.

•	Paying staff or contractors.

•	Motivating team members as a bonus.

•	All business-to-consumer transactions.

•	Peer-to-peer transactions.

In addition to the above, the project has very low network fees, resulting in ultra-low transaction costs. Its supply is controlled by algorithmic tokenomics and backed by its sister coin. Furthermore, anyone looking to unstake their KODA will need to pay for this with KAPEX.

It sounds like an excellent crypto to get involved in, and, with prices currently at historic lows, now is a good time to buy. But are there any drawbacks?

## Compromise

Sadly, the program was compromised via both PancakeSwap and SummitSwap on 17 October, 2022, with the loss of some 78 BNB coins equalling £21,561 of user funds. As a consequence, the management team has advised not to buy the coin going forward. The exact details are unclear, but it appears to be the result of a [vanity address exploit](https://koda.finance/kapex-exploit-on-17th-october-2022/).

This hack and the subsequent price drop are obviously alarming and not a great look for the team behind the project.

Both tokens are managed by 'Summit Better Crypto Limited', which describes itself as a "PR and marketing firm specialising in the promotions of projects within the Cryptocurrency world".

As the company was only set up in May 2021, no filings of accounts are available for analysis. Furthermore, the company website states, "SummitBC employs third-party developers to support the projects we are promoting". Make of this what you will.

Something we can take away from this project is the urgent need for comprehensive [regulation in the crypto space](/news/article/crypto-regulation-uk). While there is nothing to suggest that there has been any wrongdoing in this example, the collapse of KAPEX value shows that consumers desperately need better protection.

Furthermore, this example shows that it is important for consumers to carry out stringent due diligence to ensure any investments they make are based on realistic future projections rather than promotional shilling through social media or so-called 'crypto influencers'.


green image of  cryptocurrency with triangle kapex logo

Kapex Crypto: Signal for Tougher Regulation?

The rise in popularity of distributed networks and blockchain tech is taking the world by storm. Despite recent market events, the interest in cryptocurrencies continues to grow. None more so than in the credit and debit card sector. This report will look at the industry, tell you what you need to know, and examine recommendations for the future.

## How they work

When it comes to finding the best crypto rewards card UK, the idea behind cryptocurrency debit and credit cards is relatively simple. Users preload with their favourite cryptocurrency, enabling them to make purchases online, in-store, or simply to withdraw cash from the ATM. Regardless of whether the merchant accepts cryptocurrency or not, the card will automatically convert the purchase for you and debit the amount from your cryptocurrency balance. Most cards are issued through the Visa or Mastercard networks, so their reach and penetration is vast.

That said, it is important to understand the nature of the crypto wallet. Every crypto card issuer is a digital wallet at heart. The wallet is the power behind the card, providing the access to the merchant.

Many experts believe that in the next ten to 15 years, credit and debit cards will be consigned to history as the online wallet becomes ubiquitous and used for every online and real-world purchase. The intricacies of the digital wallet are vast and too long to go into detail here. Suffice it to say, security, versatility, and power are sure to lead to wide-scale adoption.

The main steps for applying for a crypto debit or credit card usually take the following pattern:

1.	Create a wallet.

2.	Buy your cryptocurrency from a reputable exchange like [Binance](https://www.binance.com/en-GB) or [Coinbase](https://www.coinbase.com/).

3.	Apply for your card.

4.     Connect to your wallet.

5.	Fund the card.

6.	Use the card to make purchases.

## Cashback

Almost all crypto debit and credit cards feature some kind of rewards system, which vary from issuer to issuer. However, the most popular reward systems are cashback on purchases, whether they occur online or in-store.

The range and scope of deals are vast and, as you might expect, very competitive. However, while most offer competitive cashback rewards, the general range lies between 1% and 5% cashback on purchases, online or in-store.

Take [BlockFi](https://blockfi.com/), for example. While BlockFi only offers 15 cryptocurrencies, they do not charge fees to move your crypto in and out of the wallet. When combined with a 1.5% cashback on all purchases made over the Visa network, this makes BlockFi one of the more attractive options available.

However, given [BlockFi’s recent problems](/news/article/is-blockfi-bankrupt), users should proceed with caution.

One of the largest names in the industry, Crypto.com, offers users a whopping 8% on purchases made on the Visa network. Furthermore, with no fees, users can preload their cards with more than 80 different cryptocurrencies.

In comparison, Coinbase has a 2.49% cryptocurrency liquidation fee, but users can earn $4 rewards on all purchases made on the Visa network. However, with only eight supported cryptocurrencies, users may find the Coinbase debit card rather limiting.

As you might expect, the deals on offer are very competitive. Your choice will depend on what you feel comfortable with and what you want to use the card for. However, one core theme throughout is the simplicity to set up and the user-friendliness, which, as we all know, is key in attracting and retaining customers.

## Other rewards

In your search for the best crypto rewards card UK, you'll find that there is a vast array of rewards designed to appeal to customers looking for ways to earn and spend their digital assets. While cashback on purchases may be the most popular, other rewards come in the form of earning APY on your crypto holdings, auto staking on eligible coins, or discount codes and vouchers. 

For example, popular investment platform eToro will automatically stake any coins you hold that are eligible for rewards. While eToro will take a cut of the rewards generated, this is an excellent and hassle-free way to earn passive income from your holdings.

Furthermore, popular wallet Nexo supports 32 coins while allowing users to earn APY on their holdings. While this is a unique idea in the crypto world, Nexo can only be used on the Mastercard network and, therefore, its reach is limited.

A handful of providers give the user a broader array of rewards. [Crypto.com](https://crypto.com/) is a well-known name in the industry, with large sporting sponsorship deals throughout most of 2022. Anyone signing up for Crypto.com’s mid-tier Visa debit card is eligible for a range of free perks, including Amazon Prime, Spotify, and Netflix monthly subscriptions, alongside airport lounge access and many more.

## Reach

When searching for the best crypto rewards card UK and choosing your crypto debit or credit card, there are several considerations you must make before making your decision. The following may help you find one which is best for you:

## Availability

Before looking at other benefits, it is important to find a provider compatible with purchases in your country. Due to crypto's worldwide appeal, this shouldn't be a problem. It is prudent to check the small print just in case they plan to charge you for using the card in your native country.

## Supported coins

With Bitcoin remaining the most popular cryptocurrency, it is easy to see why most cards offer Bitcoin functionality. However, if you decide that you would rather spend or earn other cryptocurrencies, you must choose a card supporting your choice.

## Rewards

As we have already discussed, cashback schemes are the most popular form of reward for using a crypto credit or debit card. Shopping around to find one which offers the best rate is important. Other rewards, such as discount codes and vouchers, are available, but are not as common.

## Fees

The majority of cards available today come with associated fees, whether for use abroad, pre-loading with your favourite cryptocurrency, transferring your crypto, or withdrawing cash from an ATM. Therefore, finding a card with low or zero fees can save you money.

## Five of the best

Let's look at some leading cards on the market today:

- Coinbase

- Crypto.com

- Binance

- eToro

- Nexus	
 
## Conclusion

As we can see, competition among crypto credit/debit card providers and their associated wallets is high. While this may at first appear confusing, it is important to remember that the companies want your business, so each offer should be as competitive as the last.

Applying for and setting up your debit/credit reward card is an excellent way to build your crypto portfolio by earning cashback on your purchases, receiving staking rewards, or generating APY just for holding. Like many other areas of crypto, debit/credit reward cards help to make your money work passively for you, and herein lies their appeal.

With the world becoming increasingly digital and places to use cash becoming scarce, the timing has probably never been better to apply for a crypto rewards card.


blue picture of cryptocurrency reward app mobile phone

Best Crypto Rewards Card UK

There is one cryptocurrency you may not have heard of but is sure to make a big splash in 2022 and beyond. 

Hedera Hashgraph describe themselves as a third generation cryptocurrency platform which uses Direct Acyclic Graph technology instead of the regular blockchain often associated with Bitcoin and Ethereum. What this means is that Hedera Hashgraph can process 1000’s more transactions at lightening speeds at little to no cost and with Smart Contracts about to be launched on the platform you can expect to hear much more about Hedera Hashgraph in the weeks to come.

## An enterprise grade network platform for Web 3.0 and beyond

The brainchild of Dr Leemon Baird, Hedera Hashgraph is currently the most used, sustainable enterprise led public network allowing businesses and individuals to create decentralised applications (dApps) on the market today. The platform has been designed to be fairer and more efficient therefore circumnavigating some of the issues faced by more traditional networks on offer today. The statistics speak for themselves - 

![Hedera.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/Hedera_4c863a7992.png)

Funded through an ICO in August debate and decide 2018 Hedera went live in September 2019 and to date almost 50% of its 50 billion native tokens (HBAR) are in circulation. HBAR is the fuel that powers the Hedera network allowing users to access a myriad of Web 3.0 applications such as smart contracts, file storage and more general transactional services. With rumours of HBAR staking becoming available to the public soon 2022 is shaping up to be quite a year for Hedera Hashgraph.

## Gossip about gossip

What sets Hedera apart from some of its competitors is its gossip protocol. In short, this unique network structure ensures that nodes only have to confirm the most minimum details passed to them from the previous nodes. This then of course ensures lightning-fast transaction times and much lower costs than competitors.

Like Ethereum the Hedera Hashgraph is responsible to a Governing Council of members which support the decentralised aims of the project via the management of network nodes as well as participating in governance rights. With companies as large as Boeing, Google, LG, Avery Denison and IBM already on the council it is easy to see why Hedera has such a promising future.

## Super-fast speeds and little to no cost

As I mentioned earlier, Hedera Hashgraph does not use a conventional blockchain model and instead relies on a Direct Acyclic Graph (DAG) framework which many cite as the third incarnation of the blockchain. Essentially a Proof of Stake network at heart the main difference between DAG network and traditional Proof of Stake models is the ability to scale and provide extremely fast transactions at little to no cost.

The average transaction fee on Hedera is $0.0001 and finality (completion) is reached in under 5 seconds. As the above table shows Hedera has the ability to process 10,000 transactions per second which when compared to a Proof of Work model shows there is just no comparison, that being said, is it any wonder some of the world’s biggest names have chosen to become Hedera Governing Council members?

## Crypto as software not an alternative to money

The main use cases for the Hedera network cover the all the major markets in crypto today. The Hedera platform is able to -

•	Provide a token service allowing users to mint NFTs with just a few lines of code.

•	Provide a consensus service which acts as a layer of trust for any application built upon it.

•	Allow developers to build DApps through the integration of smart contracts.

•	Provide users with a decentralised file service facility.

Just last Friday, Google Cloud announced their plans to provide cloud file storage solutions to the crypto industry in particular to Hedera, Theta and Dapper Labs. The fact that Google is a Hedera governing council member underlines how much interest both parties have invested in providing the network platforms of the future. 

Famed celebrity ‘Shark Tank’ investor Kevin O’Leary recently stated crypto has evolved into software rather than an alternative form of money although it has to be said many people understood this from day one. O’Leary said of Hedera “Great team, good engineers. What’s the economic premise that would keep that growing? Boeing want a quasi-centralised/decentralised platform, they want the best of both worlds. HBAR can deliver that, check the box 


Hedera Hashgraph: Best performer of 2022?

In the summer of 2021, Formula One announced a partnership with one of the fastest-growing crypto exchanges, with over 10 million users worldwide, as the inaugural global partner of the new Sprint series. This important partnership elevates crypto to mainstream multi-media and introduces crypto to a mass audience who may not have any previous knowledge or awareness on the subject.

Then in February 2022, Formula One world champions, [Red Bull Racing](https://www.redbullracing.com/int-en), announced details of a sponsorship deal with a Singapore-based crypto exchange worth a reported $150 million. Although details on the deal are scant, it is understood to be the largest cryptocurrency sponsorship deal in international sport, signalling continued adoption and legitimacy for crypto.

The three-year deal sees the crypto exchange become a Red]Bull Racing ‘principal team partner’, with the aim to grow fan engagement and manage the issuance of the forthcoming fan token. The deal comes after the company became the main sponsor of the Argentinian national football team in November.

Lewis Hamilton, who is arguably the most famous and successful F1 driver currently racing for Mercedes, is sponsored to wear the branding of another crypto exchange. Further expanding global awareness across the Formula 1 fanbase.

## Fan tokens

Fan tokens are digital assets that enable sports teams, leagues, clubs, associations, and players to strengthen engagement with fans around the world. The rise of this unique area of digital assets is expected to continue throughout the year and into the near-term future, as more and more household names look to get involved. 

Holders of fan tokens are permitted to access a variety of fan-related membership perks such as voting on club decisions, rewards, merchandise design, and unique fan experiences. Fan tokens have the ability to democratise and organise fan engagement while giving the fan the opportunity to feel more involved. Unlike [NFTs](/news/category/nft-news), fan tokens are interchangeable and just like fiat, can be exchanged for merchandise, VIP experiences, and much more.

The world-class football player, Lionel Messi, recently signed a new contract with the French team PSG in which a percentage of his payment is being paid in the PSG Fan token. How long will it be before F1 drivers start getting paid in fan tokens by their teams?

## “At the forefront of technological innovation”
 
In a statement, Red Bull Racing team principal, Christian Horner, stated  that “the team’s passion to exist at the forefront of technological innovation, to set the competitive pace and to disrupt the status quo.” Horner went on to say that the partnership with the crypto exchange would enliven “the fan experience in F1 through digital innovation……  and will help us build a deeper, more immersive, and unique connection with the team for fans around the world.”



Formula One Teams Make Moves in Crypto

The continued worldwide adoption of crypto and blockchain took another giant leap forward today with the announcement of tax implications and the issuance of CBDC’s from the Indian Ministry of Finance.

As part of the national budget for the forthcoming year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced any income from the transfer of ‘virtual digital assets’ is to be subject to a 30% tax. Sitharaman went on to declare that a digital Rupee would most likely be released sometime between 2022 and 2023 providing a clear sign that India is one step ahead in its proposed release of a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). 

## Largest crypto market in the world.

In a long and detailed speech lasting over two hours, Ms Sitharaman said “there has been a phenomenal increase in transaction in virtual digital assets. The magnitude and frequency of these transactions have made it imperative to provide for a specific tax regime.”  

India is believed to have one of the largest crypto markets in the world with as many as 15 million individual crypto investors. This figure has increased significantly in recent years despite the Royal Bank of India attempting to ban cryptocurrency trading in 2018 when it ordered banks not to facilitate crypto trade. More recently, in December 2021, the RBI was still pushing for a complete ban as it believed partial restrictions would not work. Therefore, although today’s announcement from the Ministry of Finance comes somewhat out of the blue it just goes to show the growth and strength of this nascent asset class is practically unstoppable.

## Indian CBDC less than a year away?

While many countries continue to explore the issuance of a CBDC few seem to have made as much progress as India. As you may imagine China lead the pack with South Korea, Canada, and the European Union all still deep in the developmental phase. 

In a press release from April 2021, The Bank of England announced plans of a ‘CBDC Taskforce’ to explore the possibility of creating its own CBDC, a statement in the following November however indicated that any plans to release ‘Britcoin’ to the general public may not come to fruition until 2025. India is well ahead in the development and release of its CBDC and while this may sound impressive it is worth remembering that every nation has a different economic framework with associated requirements. 

Speaking of CBDC’s specifically Sitharaman said that digital currencies would be “issued using blockchain and ‘other technologies’ by the RBI starting 2022-23. This will give a big boost to the economy." 

While there was no mention of crypto per se, the Minister preferred to use the term ‘Virtual Digital Asset.’ Additionally, many crypto proponents believe that ‘other technologies’ may be a nod towards third generation consensus protocols which technically don’t use a blockchain. With such a short timeline until launch India will be sure to experience a mass scramble for legitimate and up to date information, digital and hardware wallets and as can be expected the endless search for new opportunities for revenue. Watch this space.


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