Benzinga Money is a reader-supported publication. We may earn a commission when you click on links in this article. Learn more.
Many people think of cryptocurrency as a simple store of value, but there is much more to the idea. Bitcoin is rooted in financial rebellion, not as another way to pay for a pizza. There are many benefits implied within a decentralized, trustless, immutable system of record-keeping and value transference. Political and financial leaders around the world are taking note, and you should as well.
Even if you dont plan to get involved in cryptocurrency as anything more than a portfolio hedge, youll definitely enjoy knowing just how crypto will change the financial and political world of the future.
If you have ever been annoyed waiting for a cash transfer from a bank account, you may want to consider using crypto. Transfers are instant with lower fees than platforms like Paypal. Using crypto also eliminates fraudulent chargebacks because payments on a blockchain cannot be reversed.
Using crypto also frees you to send money wherever you want with no middleman scrutinizing your transaction history. This includes international recipients who will also happily avoid Paypals expensive currency conversion fees.
The concept of the micropayment, or pay as you go, on-demand payment structure, is another advantage of using cryptocurrency. The built-in fees that you pay when using a credit card disappear with crypto, making per-second or per-minute micropayments a reality. Instead of paying a subscription fee for a streaming service, for example, crypto allows you to pay only when you watch a movie. As a matter of fact, Streamium is a video streaming service that does just that.
Even if youre not a huge crypto buff, you likely heard of the Bitcoin mania that took place around Christmas 2017. Bitcoin exploded in value, almost touching $20,000 USD per coin. At that time, it was literally the best financial investment of all time. Bitcoins value relative to the dollar has receded since then, but crypto bulls believe it can top its 2017 performance and bring the rest of the crypto market with it.
More investors than ever both individuals and institutions are holding some sort of crypto in a portfolio. This includes very public crypto skeptics like Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) offers options on Bitcoin futures, giving the market mainstream viability it didnt have before its breakout 2017 year. The crypto market has all of the markings of a solid potential growth investment: rising visibility and sentiment, a relatively low market cap compared to traditional asset classes and consistently increasing utility.
Many investors in the U.S. think of crypto as a volatile investment. This may be because the U.S. dollar is the worlds reserve currency and still one of the most stable currencies on the planet. To a country like Venezuela, crypto actually represents a more stable form of money. This notion is more than a pipe dream or an experiment Nigeria, Australia, Spain and Canada have all doubled their use of Bitcoin year over year.
In countries like Venezuela, the population is literally using Bitcoin to save its life. The government cannot exercise nearly as much control over cryptocurrency as it can a fiat currency. Russia is trying to create its own crypto and criminalize any other nonsanctioned competitor. The people of Zimbabwe prefer crypto to the gold-backed currency the government is pushing.
Imagine never having to pay a lawyer to do good business again. Imagine a real estate transaction with no escrow fees. This is a world that proponents of Ethereum say is quite possible. The smart contract, built on the Ethereum platform and quantified through the Ether cryptocurrency, brings the unchangeable, fraudless blockchain into the realm of law. Smart contracts create a 100% safe way to conduct an agreement sans the judicial system.
The idea of smart contracts is so well received that Ethereum has actually outpaced Bitcoin in terms of new users over the past year. Ethereum developers say that Ethereum will soon beat Bitcoin in the number of developers, daily value transfers and transactions per second.
Facebook and Twitter have recently created controversy because of their willingness to police its platform. Depending on who you ask, we lose. One of the inventive uses of cryptocurrency is to serve as the basis of a decentralized social network. In this structure, there is no central authority to blame for censoring or not censoring controversial content.
Decentralized social media also gets rid of the data privacy controversy because there is no central authority present to gather and sell private data. Cryptocurrency micropayments replace invasive ads as the platforms funding mechanism. Spam is still unwelcome, but it is moderated through a smart contract rather than a mod, who can be influenced to be subjective.
To get the most out of crypto, you need to be able to get your hands on more than 1 kind of coin. You can do this most efficiently through a trading platform. Take a look at the feature sets of the brokers below.
Although you may certainly use Bitcoin, Ether or altcoin as cash, the real benefits of crypto are much broader. Even if the current generation of cryptocurrencies phases out as money, the social and financial ideas they brought to the mainstream cannot quickly be forgotten. The ideas mentioned above represent only the tip of the digital iceberg in terms of potential social and financial utility.
Avail yourself of the more technical benefits of value stores, smart contracts and other crypto utilities. They will certainly play a major part in peoples lives in the very near future. The more you learn today about what crypto can really do, the more your life will benefit tomorrow. You may even be inspired to create a use of your own for cryptocurrency in this still quite new and wide-open space.
Finding the right financial advisor that fits your needs doesn't have to be hard. SmartAsset's free tool matches you with fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is legally bound to act in your best interests. If you're ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Go here to read the rest:
The Benefits of Cryptocurrency Trading Crypto Benzinga - Benzinga
- New Bitcoin-Esque Cryptocurrency Named After Kanye West Launching [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- Coinye West: A new cryptocurrency for the masses and an ode to Kanye [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency gets hip: 'Coinye West' [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- As Bitcoin Soars in Value, Alternative Cryptocurrencies, Such ... [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- AltCoins - Crypto()Currency - Cryptocurrency [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- CryptoCurrency.org [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- DimeCoin - The New Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 5th, 2014]
- Kanye West Sues Amazon, Others Over 'Coinye West' Cryptocurrency [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- $25,000 in Dogecoin raised to save the Jamaican bobsled team [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Gotangco: Is PH ready for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency? [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- As Bitcoin Soars in Value, Alternative Cryptocurrencies ... [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Cryptominer.de Avalon 200GH/S Bitcoin Miner Asic 55nm Mining Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency mining Rig build 1 - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Bitcoin Value and rise of the cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- LeadCoin - Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Mining [Part 2] - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Mining [Part 1] - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Know How 74: Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- Worlds First BITCOIN ATM Opens in Vancouver Canada - Is CryptoCurrency the Future Currency? - Video [Last Updated On: January 22nd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 22nd, 2014]
- 42 Coin cryptocurrency contest - Video [Last Updated On: January 23rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 23rd, 2014]
- What is Bitcoin anyway? [Last Updated On: January 24th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 24th, 2014]
- The rise and rise of dogecoin, the internet's hottest cryptocurrency [Last Updated On: January 24th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 24th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Mining Rigs by plugNmine - Video [Last Updated On: January 26th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 26th, 2014]
- How Cryptocurrency, Crowdfunding And A Little Internet Altruism Saved Jamaica’s Hopes For Bobsled Gold [Last Updated On: January 27th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 27th, 2014]
- Introducing Dogecoin the Greatest Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 27th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 27th, 2014]
- Dogecoin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: January 28th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 28th, 2014]
- Dummy plug for GPU for cryptocurrency mining - Video [Last Updated On: January 28th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 28th, 2014]
- My first CryptoCurrency Miner up and running yet partially completed - Video [Last Updated On: January 28th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 28th, 2014]
- Thought of the Day - 01 / 28 / 2014 - CryptoCurrency - Dogecoin - What is this? - Video [Last Updated On: January 30th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 30th, 2014]
- Wall Street's Cryptocurrency Headquarters: Inside Bitcoin Center NYC - Video [Last Updated On: January 30th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 30th, 2014]
- My Take on the Profitablity of Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: January 30th, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 30th, 2014]
- Bitcoin steps a little closer to acceptance [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2014]
- Bitcoin gets two hearings - and steps closer to acceptance [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2014]
- Dogecoin cryptocurrency donors help send Indian athletes to Sochi [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2014]
- How To Create Your Own Cryptocurrency [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency - Bitcoin Song (by 13inlet) - Video [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2014] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2014]
- Selling Dem Coins - How to convert your Cryptocurrency - Tutorial - Video [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2014]
- Dogecoin - From joke cryptocurrency to Bitcoin rival - Video [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2014]
- New York to Regulate Bitcoin: Is the Cryptocurrency Biz Like "the Wild West?" - Video [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2014]
- Dogecoin: A 2014 Cryptocurrency Revolution - Video [Last Updated On: February 1st, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 1st, 2014]
- U.S. Treasury Goes Easy on the Bitcoin [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2014]
- WoW - Dogecoin The #1 Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2014]
- The Dark Horse of Cryptocurrency - Franko - Video [Last Updated On: February 3rd, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 3rd, 2014]
- Think Bitcoin is Expensive? Try 42 Coin, The £100,000 Cryptocurrency [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2014]
- We Love DogeCoin The #1 Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 4th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 4th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Hackathon will talk Bitcoin, Dogecoin and more for coders and novices [Last Updated On: February 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 5th, 2014]
- Dogecoin Kiss: An original song about the world's friendliest Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 5th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 5th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Hackathon will talk Bitcoin, Dogecoin and ... [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2014]
- Dogecoin: cryptocurrency passes Bitcoin to reach the moon - Video [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2014]
- ZedCoin new CryptoCurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2014]
- LiteCoin Trading Robot LTC Robot Cryptocurrency Trading Robot - Video [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2014]
- Apple approves Dogecoin app after removing Bitcoin app [Last Updated On: February 8th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 8th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency, Permaculture, and 3D Printing - Video [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2014]
- Litecoin Robot | The World's First Litecoin Trading Bot Review | Scrypt Money | Cryptocurrency LTC - Video [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2014]
- Bitcoin Slump Shows the $8 Billion Cryptocurrency Lacks Mature Infrastructure [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2014]
- WE WIN COINS - EXCLUSIVE CRYPTOCURRENCY BETTING SOFTWARE TO INCREASE WINS - Video [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2014]
- Dogecoin Value Soars $40M in Value Following Chinese Exchange Opens [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency News Round-Up: Protests at Mt Gox as ... [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2014]
- Dogecoin Soars $40M in Value Following Chinese Exchange Opens [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- Is the new cryptocurrency PotCoin worth it? A Crypto-Market-News review of PotCoin - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Expert - Lorraine Murphy - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- CryptoCurrency Con 2013 - Cathy Reisenwitz - Why a Free Society Needs a Free Money - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- How to transfer Bitcoins from one cryptocurrency exchange to another cryptocurrency exchange - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrency Explained The Tech Guy 1046127 - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- CryptoCurrency Hacking Hard - Video [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2014]
- ** UPDATE ** Computer, Cryptocurrency, Games and More!! - Video [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2014]
- The glitch that will help kill Bitcoin [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2014]
- Skinny Puppy at GITMO, NSA Myths, Dogecoin and Cryptocurrency #TMS 2/15/2014 - Video [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2014]
- PotCoin, the cryptocurrency for the Cannabis Industrie - Video [Last Updated On: February 16th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 16th, 2014]
- cryptocurrency mining rig - Video [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2014]
- Quark - The Best Cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrencies: I Lived on Bitcoin for a Week - Video [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2014]
- Cryptocurrencies: The State of Play - Video [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2014]
- AMD graphics card pricing skyrockets due to cryptocurrency mining, could kill AMD’s gaming efforts [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]
- Could there be a $50,000 bitcoin? [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]
- CRYPTOCURRENCY - Bitcoin Overview... - Video [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]
- CRYPTOCURRENCY - Money Changer Den of Thieves, The Federal Reserve - Video [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]
- How to Buy PotCoins Part 2: Make a cryptocurrency trading account at swissex.com to buy PotCoin - Video [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]
- BitPagar cryptocurrency - Video [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2014] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2014]