Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning they are not subject to government or financial institution control.
At first, maybe you're thinking, what is money if a government or financial institution does not regulate it? That's a valid question.
Governments and financial institutions hold fiat currency (traditional currency). The value of fiat currency is based on the faith and credit of the government that issued it.
In other words, what backs up the value of the traditional currency is the government that created it. The U.S. dollar is an example of a fiat currency.
With cryptocurrency, there is no central authority that creates or regulates the currency. That said, cryptocurrency has its own set of rules (or protocols), which give it its value.
In this article, we'll give you a basic understanding of what is cryptocurrency and how does it work. We will also include some information on how to start investing in cryptocurrency and what are the advantages/disadvantages of investing in digital currency.
What Is Cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrency is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange that uses cryptography to secure its transactions, control the creation of additional units, and verify the transfer of assets. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning they are not subject to government or financial institution control.
It's a type of alternative currency, or digital money, that can be used in peer-to-peer transactions without the need for a middleman like a bank or credit card company. Transactions are instead secured by cryptography or mathematical equations.
Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009. Since then, thousands of other cryptocurrencies have been created.
These are often called altcoins, as a contraction of "bitcoin alternative." Cryptocurrencies can be used to purchase goods and services or can be held as an investment in hopes of realizing capital gains in the future.
How Does Cryptocurrency Work?
Cryptocurrency works on a technology called a blockchain. A blockchain is a digital ledger that records all cryptocurrency transactions in a secure and tamper-proof way.
Each transaction is verified by nodes, or computers, in the network and is then added to the blockchain. This decentralization of data makes it nearly impossible to hack or cheat the system.
Cryptocurrencies are often traded on decentralized exchanges or exchanges that are not subject to government regulation. This allows for a more secure trading environment, as there is no central authority that can be hacked or manipulated.
All cryptocurrency transactions are also anonymous, meaning that the personal information of the parties involved is not revealed. This anonymity can be appealing to investors who value privacy.
The Technology Behind (Blockchain)
Cryptocurrencies are powered by what's called blockchain technology. A blockchain is a digital ledger of all cryptocurrency transactions.
It is constantly growing as "completed" blocks are added to it with a new set of recordings. Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block, a timestamp, and transaction data.
Bitcoin nodes use the blockchain to differentiate legitimate Bitcoin transactions from attempts to re-spend coins that have already been spent elsewhere.
Blockchain plays a crucial role in cryptocurrency because it is what allows transactions to be secure and anonymous. When a transaction is made, it is broadcasted to the network of computers running the cryptocurrency software.
These computers then race to confirm the transaction by solving a complex mathematical equation. The first computer to do this adds the transaction to the blockchain and receives a reward in the form of a new cryptocurrency.
This system of verification is what allows cryptocurrency to be decentralized and secure. Because there is no central authority verifying the transactions, it is up to the users to do so.
This also means that there is no single point of failure, which makes it nearly impossible to hack.
The innovation of blockchain technology is what has made cryptocurrency possible. It is what allows digital information to be distributed, but not copied.
This is what gives blockchain its security. Blockchain technology can be used for more than just cryptocurrency. It can be used for things like smart contracts, which are digital contracts that can be executed automatically.
Examples of Cryptocurrency
There are thousands of different cryptocurrencies available, and new ones are created every day. Some of the more popular ones include:
- Bitcoin (BTC) - Bitcoin is the first and most well-known cryptocurrency. It was created in 2009 by an anonymous person or group of people with the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoin is a decentralized currency, meaning it is not subject to government regulation. Transactions are verified by nodes in the Bitcoin network and then recorded on the blockchain. Bitcoin can be used to purchase goods and services, or it can be held as an investment.
- Ethereum (ETH) - Ethereum is a decentralized platform that runs smart contracts. These are applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of fraud or third-party interference.Ethereum was created in 2014 by Vitalik Buterin and has since become one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Ethereum is different from Bitcoin in that it is not just a digital currency. It is a decentralized platform that runs smart contracts. These are applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of fraud or third-party interference.
- Ripple (XRP) - Ripple is a digital payment network for financial institutions. It uses the cryptocurrency XRP to facilitate cross-border payments. Ripple was founded in 2012 by Jed McCaleb and Chris Larsen. It is one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. XRP can be used to make purchases, but it is mostly used by financial institutions to settle cross-border payments.
- Cardano (ADA) - Cardano is a decentralized public blockchain and cryptocurrency project. It is the first blockchain platform to be built in scientific philosophy. The Cardano project was founded in 2015 by Charles Hoskinson, who is also a co-founder of Ethereum. Cardano is one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. Some of the key features of Cardano include its scalability, security, and sustainability. Cardano is different from other cryptocurrencies in that it is built on scientific philosophy and has a highly experienced team of researchers and engineers.
- Dogecoin (DOGE) - Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency that was created as a joke in 2013. It features the Shiba Inu dog from the "Doge" meme as its logo. Dogecoin has a large and active community. It is often used to tip people for content that they create or share online. It is based on the Litecoin blockchain and has a similar mining process.
Why Should You Invest in or Buy Cryptocurrency?
Everybody comes to the investment game with different risk tolerances, goals, and experiences. You must understand what you're getting into and set realistic expectations for your investments.
With that being said, let's go over a few things why you might want to consider investing in cryptocurrency.
- Easy to Start - Investing in cryptocurrency is pretty simple. Unlike stocks and bonds, you don't need a broker or financial advisor to get started. All you need is an internet connection and a wallet to store your coins. You can start investing with as little as a few dollars worth of Bitcoin. That's pretty incredible when you compare it to the thousands of dollars you need to get started in the stock market.
- Transparency - Every transaction made with cryptocurrency is stored on a public ledger called a blockchain. This blockchain is decentralized, which means it isn't subject to regulation or control by any one entity. Because of this, cryptocurrency is incredibly transparent. You can see every transaction that's ever been made with Bitcoin, for example, by using a blockchain explorer like Block Explorer. This level of transparency is unheard of in traditional finance.
- Secure - Cryptocurrency is incredibly secure thanks to the blockchain technology it's built on. Blockchain is a decentralized database that stores information across a global network of computers. This means that there's no central point of failure and no single entity that can be hacked or corrupted. The Bitcoin network, for example, has never been hacked. That's pretty incredible when you compare it to the hundreds of billions of dollars worth of value that's been lost in hacks of traditional central points like exchanges, brokerages, and banks.
- Private - While cryptocurrency is transparent (you can see every transaction that's ever been made), it's also private. You don't need to provide any personal information to buy or sell cryptocurrency. This level of privacy is unheard of in traditional finance. When you go to buy stocks, for example, you need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. This information is used to verify your identity and prevent fraud. With cryptocurrency, you don't need to provide any personal information. All you need is a wallet to store your coins. This makes it incredibly difficult for anyone to track or spy on your financial activity.
- Return of Investment - Cryptocurrency has the potential to generate incredible returns. For example, Bitcoin (one of the most popular cryptocurrencies) was worth less than $1 in 2009. In 2020, it surged to $47,743 USD. A year later it reached an all-time high of $68,000 in November 2021. This means that if you had invested just $100 in Bitcoin in 2009, your investment would have been worth over $4.7 million today! Of course, cryptocurrency is a volatile market and prices can go up and down. However, the long-term trend for most cryptocurrencies is positive, as more and more people are adopting and using them.
How To Buy Cryptocurrency
Now that we've gone over some of the reasons why you might want to invest in cryptocurrency, let's go over how to buy it.
Buying cryptocurrency is pretty simple. All you need is an internet connection and a wallet to store your coins.
Step 1: Choose a Cryptocurrency Exchange
The first step is to choose a cryptocurrency exchange. A cryptocurrency exchange is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies.
There are a few different exchanges to choose from, but we recommend Coinbase or Gemini.
Both Coinbase and Gemini are regulated by the US government and offer a safe and easy way to buy cryptocurrency.
Step 2: Create an Account and Verify Your Identity
Once you've chosen an exchange, you'll need to create an account and verify your identity. This usually involves providing some personal information like your name, address, and date of birth. You may also need to upload a photo ID.
This process is necessary to comply with anti-money laundering laws. exchanges are required to verify the identities of their customers to prevent fraud and money laundering.
Step 3: Deposit Money into Your Account
Once you've verified your identity, you'll need to deposit money into your account. You can do this using a bank transfer or a credit/debit card.
The amount of time it takes for the money to deposit into your account will vary depending on the exchange and your bank. Once the money is in your account, you're ready to buy cryptocurrency.
Step 4: Buy Cryptocurrency
Now that you have money in your account, you're ready to buy cryptocurrency. On most exchanges, you can buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin.
To buy cryptocurrency, you'll need to go to the "Buy/Sell" page on the exchange and enter how much you want to buy. Then, simply click "Buy" and your coins will be delivered to your wallet.
And that's it! You've successfully purchased cryptocurrency.
Please note that prices can fluctuate up and down, so you may not always get the same price as what's quoted on the exchange.
Disadvantages of Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency isn't perfect and there are a few potential drawbacks that you should be aware of before investing.
- Volatility - One of the biggest disadvantages of cryptocurrency is its volatility. Cryptocurrency prices can fluctuate wildly, and this can make it difficult to use them as a regular currency. For example, if you were to buy a cup of coffee with Bitcoin, the price of Bitcoin could drop 10% by the time you receive your coffee. This makes it hard to use cryptocurrency as a day-to-day currency. However, this volatility can also be seen as an advantage. For example, if you were to invest in cryptocurrency and the prices went up, you would make a profit.
- Limited Use - Another disadvantage of cryptocurrency is that it's still not widely accepted as a form of payment. This means that you might not be able to use it to buy goods and services. However, this is slowly changing as more and more businesses are starting to accept cryptocurrency payments.
- Lack of Regulation - Cryptocurrency is not currently regulated by any government. This could change in the future, but for now, it means that there's no protection if you make a mistake or if an exchange is hacked.
Why Is It Important and What It Means for the Future?
We need to understand what cryptocurrency is because it has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with the digital world.
Cryptocurrency is a completely new way of handling transactions and could one day replace traditional currency altogether. Additionally, cryptocurrency is decentralized, which means that it's not subject to government regulation or control.
This could make cryptocurrency more stable and secure than traditional currency. However, it's important to remember that cryptocurrency is still a new and emerging technology. There are risks involved, and you should never invest more than you can afford to lose.
In the coming years, we will likely see more businesses start to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment. We may also see more governments start to regulate it.
Conclusion
We've covered in this article what cryptocurrency is and how it works. Cryptocurrency is a new way of handling transactions and could one day replace traditional currency altogether. Additionally, cryptocurrency is decentralized, which means that it's not subject to government regulation or control.
Cryptocurrency is a new and emerging technology with the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with the digital world. While there are some potential drawbacks, such as volatility and lack of regulation, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages for many people.
Cryptocurrency offers a unique and innovative way to transact, with the added benefit of anonymity and security. If you're thinking about investing in cryptocurrency, be sure to do your research and understand how it works before making any decisions.