The football club, in a recent blog post, confirmed this report, adding that the strategic partnership with Socios.com is aimed at launching the ACM Fan Token. The token is expected to go live in a few weeks’ time.

This is another huge milestone for the cryptocurrency space as well as a pointer to AC Milan’s devotion to creativity and innovation. The partnership with Socios.com will provide the Italian football club with better recognition in the digital asset space. The partnership also provides the team with a means to stay connected with its large fan base and also induce better fan engagement despite lockdown restrictions brought on by COVID-19.

The fan token will make it possible for fans to exercise their voting rights in several club decisions during the season. Apart from providing them with voting rights, owning the ACM fan token comes with a myriad of other benefits. Some of the benefits include “super-fan” recognition, exclusive club rights, VIP rewards and experiences, competition participation, promotions, and more.

Notably, Milan Devils’ Tokens purchased during the Socios.com pre-sale feature will be changed into the proposed ACM Fan Tokens.

Speaking on the announcement, AC Milan Chief Revenue Officer Casper Stylsvig disclosed that the football club was elated by the partnership with Socios.com. He added that they were pleased to “welcome them to our family as a global partner.”

According to Casper Stylsvig, the partnership will provide the football club with a more sustainable way of communicating with fans. The current onslaught of the coronavirus makes this feature a very important one today. He further added that the partnership shows AC Milan’s huge interest in modernization and innovation.

The founder of Socios.com, Alexandre Dreyfus, also spoke highly of the partnership. He said that he is “delighted to welcome AC Milan and their 450 million fans from across the world to Socios.com.” In his own words, this is a great way to start the year.

Blockchain platform Socios.com is well known for bringing blockchain technology to the sporting sphere. The blockchain platform is well known for its strategic partnerships with other sporting platforms across the globe.

At the time of publication, Chiliz price was up 8.4% and was trading at $0.02175109. The token also had a market cap of $116,498,922 and a 24-hour trading volume of $76,873,662.

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Featured image courtesy of AC Milan.

A blockchain expert should be well versed in technology, know how Google Cloud products such as Blockchain Wallet and Blockchain Explorer work.

Blockchain got into Google's sphere of interest back in 2018. The company signed a partnership agreement with Digital Asset and began to implement blockchain technologies in its Google Cloud products.

Recall that this platform operates on the basis of the same infrastructure as YouTube, Google Search, Gmail.

The art of predicting the price of Bitcoin is practiced far and wide. While some prefer to live on the pessimistic side, looking to a future when Bitcoin is at zero, the crypto sphere is a wasteland, and big banks rule all.

Others see the future of this "magical internet money" as limitless, predicting numbers that would make almost anyone with any Bitcoin rich enough to buy one (or more) Lambos.

CoinMarketCap has made a list of the most recent Bitcoin price predictions to see if anyone (anyone at all) is getting it right.

Recall that bitcoin began to fall in price on Sunday, but the bulls managed to hold their positions. The situation worsened on Monday. Bitcoin fell below the 36,000 support line. Following it, the entire crypto market entered the red zone. Single altcoins are in the green zone.

Correction of the cryptocurrency has been expected since December. However, the bullish sentiment in the market did not allow Bitcoin to fluctuate down by more than 1-2 thousand dollars. But now it seems that analysts' predictions have finally materialized - bitcoin has begun testing lower support levels.

The fall began on January 10 at $42,000. On Bitstamp, the cryptocurrency fell to $35,000. On Monday, Bitcoin's low was $32,400, which means a drop of nearly $9,000. As of this writing, the asset is trading at $33 759.

One of the reasons that led to this development of events can probably be called the refusal to support cryptocurrencies by the British banking giant HSBC. We already wrote about this today.

The cryptocurrency sphere is very dependent on the information background. And such news will inevitably have a negative impact on bitcoin and altcoins. We will monitor how the situation will develop further.

Her Majesty’s Treasury in the U.K. issued a document that details a series of proposals addressing the crypto community. With the consultation, the Treasury is initiating a “regulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins” for 2021 following the Brexit turmoil.

According to the official announcement, the consultation mainly targets stablecoins to gather investments and wholesale uses. The HM Treasury expects to collect insights from the “industry and stakeholders” in the crypto sphere until March 21, 2021.

In 2018, the British government launched a cross-authority taskforce to assess the impact of a “rapidly developing cryptoasset market” in the economy.

With such motivation, the HM Treasury wants to “ensure its regulatory framework is equipped to harness the benefits of new technologies, supporting innovation and competition, while mitigating risks to consumers and stability.”

The Treasury explains in the document why they put a special focus on stablecoins after the taskforce’s launching:

Two years on, the landscape is changing rapidly. So-called stablecoins could pave the way for faster, cheaper payments, making it easier for people to pay for things or store their money. There is also increasing evidence that DLT could have significant benefits for capital markets, potentially fundamentally changing the way they operate.

Per the document, signed by John Glen, Economic Secretary to the U.K. Treasury, this approach marks the “first stage in our consultative process” with the crypto industry. They also want to spot “where the most serious risk lie,” stressing the importance of a risk-led approach to regulation.

Secretary Glen commented in the document:

The government will continue to actively monitor new and emerging risks as this market continues to mature. We will stand ready to take further regulatory action to ensure the market is working for the people and businesses who operate in it.

On January 11, 2021, the U.K.’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned investors about high-risk crypto investments and the surge of related scams in the industry.

What do you think about the U.K. government’s document addressing the crypto industry? Let us know in the comments section below.

A survey reveals that the number of U.S. financial advisors allocating to crypto in their clients’ portfolios surged significantly from 2019. The figures show that it rose 49% in 2020, from 6.3% to 9.4%.

According to the San Francisco-based asset management firm Bitwise, 58% of advisors allocating to crypto are independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs).

The report says that the finding is not a surprising one. In fact, RIAs do not have restrictions on which type of investments they can include in portfolios.

The study also reveals that the vast majority of advisors with clients investing in crypto had personal investments in the sphere. According to the report:

82% of advisors reporting client allocations to crypto also reported a personal investment in the space.

The report further notes that 78% of the surveyed advisors are thinking about increasing their clients’ crypto allocation in the next 12 months. However, 12% of them will keep “steady,” said the study.

Moreover, no advisors reported plans to decrease or remove their current crypto positions. The survey also adds:

The percentage of advisors planning to increase their clients’ allocation to crypto rose substantially this year; last year, just 42% of advisors with client allocations reported plans to increase that allocation.

Regarding the reasons for adding crypto-asset exposure to clients’ portfolios, the survey found a “sharp uptick” in advisors praising crypto’s “high potential returns.” Also, they pointed out crypto’s role in “inflation hedging” as an attractive feature for the asset class. Bitwise noted:

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of advisors highlighted ‘high potential returns’ as an attractive feature of crypto, up from 30% in last year’s survey … The biggest increase by far, however, was for ‘inflation hedging,’ which 25% of advisors highlighted as an attractive feature, up from just 9% in last year’s results. There has been a significant rise in interest in inflation-hedging tools over the past year, and a number of well-known institutional investors publicly highlighted bitcoin as a potential hedge against inflation risks in the past year.

What are your thoughts on the survey? Let us know in the comments section below.

Use Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash to play online casino games here.

Stacks, an open-source network for building smart-contract and DeFi bridges to Bitcoin (BTC), has secured several major partnerships in the wake of its mainnet launch — sending a strong signal that industry players are keen to back new use cases for BTC.

The Stacks 2.0 mainnet officially launched on Thursday, bringing the promise of new use cases for Bitcoin based on the Clarity smart contract language. As Cointelegraph reported, Stacks 2.0 is attempting to broaden Bitcoin’s utility beyond the digital-gold narrative to include decentralized finance and smart-contracts. That including putting to work the roughly $700 billion in Bitcoin capital currently on the sidelines.

Foundry Digital, a Digital Currency Group company, has since announced that it will provide mining services for STX, the native cryptocurrency of the Stacks ecosystem. Foundry says the move sends a “clear signal to miners about the opportunity to mine STX.”

Foundry was one of several independent miners to launch the Stacks 2.0 network on Thursday.

Blockdaemon, a blockchain infrastructure platform, has also announced integration with Stacks 2.0, which will allow institutions and investors to become node operators.

“We are currently witnessing unprecedented institutional investment into the crypto sphere, demonstrating the need for enterprise-grade infrastructure to connect and scale blockchain networks,” said Blockdaemon CEO Konstantin Richter.

Regarding Stacks 2.0, he added:

“We’re aligned in our vision of building Web 3.0, and look forward to seeing the network deliver a truly decentralized and user-owned internet.”

Meanwhile, the Korea-based Upbit exchange has stated that it will list STX on its platform, making the token available to up to 3 million investors.

“Upbit is uniquely positioned to expand the Stacks ecosystem for Korean users,” the exchange said.

Stacks 2.0 is based on the proof-of-transfer, or PoX, consensus mechanism. The novel mining system utilizes proof-of-work to create new blockchains that are rooted in Bitcoin’s security. Stacks co-founder Muneeb Ali says PoX can incentivize network participation by offering Bitcoin rewards, something that wasn’t possible before the protocol was conceived.

Welcome to 2021 says BTC bullish trend, and all the influential personalities asking the general public to invest in the latest technology at the same time brought a huge amount of money into the crypto-space. But, the sudden fall in the price of BTC in mid-January eventually imposed the big question of “WHAT’S NEXT!” in front of investors. 

Undoubtedly, the coin has shown a massive surge of 197% in just three months. Considered as the safest asset of the crypto-sphere, Bitcoin, has always been the first preference of investors. Also, the adoption of digital assets and using peer-to-peer technology for transactions, i.e., without involving any financial institution in between, is what makes a serenade in the minds of investors. 

“Bitcoin’s parabolic rise is unsustainable in the near term, vulnerable to a setback. The target technical upsides of $35,000 have been exceeded, time to take some money off the table.”

In his tweet, he clearly pointed out that it would not be wise to invest “more” in BTC.

But from the eye of analysts, BTC whales kept on buying them as the price drops. Yes, both statements are supporting each other in a certain way! And it won’t be wrong to say that why he wanted us to take the money out? Because these bitcoin whales can scoop more BTCs?

In December , Minerd himself stated that Guggenhe im  is into investing more funds into BTC once the SEC approves his funds. So what’s the reason behind asking for taking our money out?

Clearly, the signs show that crypto-whales first manipulate the market by stating that decentralized ways of investing should be adopted, and investing in digital assets, especially Bitcoin, can gross larger profits. Basically, these influential people generate cash flow in the market, which eventually gets reflected in the price of BTC. 

Now, again a tweet by Scott Minerd comes and the newbies of the market get into the dilemma to either HOLD or sell at the surge! This creates a situation of selling in a panic, which brings the price of BTC low. This is the time these millionaire whales scoop more numbers of BTCs to their accounts as per the Twitteratis.  

The investors have to understand that even if you have invested at a time when the market is going high, it won’t be wise to simply withdraw when the situations are not favorable enough! Thinking on your terms and then acting accordingly has always been the best strategy to adopt for.  

RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) will join the multitude of cryptocurrencies already supported by the cryptocurrency exchange. Binance made this announcement in an official blog post published on its website.

According to the post, trading RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) commenced on January 7, 2021. Trading pairs supported include RIF/BTC and RIF/USDT. The deposit feature for the trading pairs was first activated, so that interested persons could deposit RIF before trading commenced proper.

The listing of RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) by Binance is a great feat as RIF will have access to Binance’s vast multitude of customers. This is definitely a step in the right direction to achieving global mainstream adoption for RIF. Since the listing is quite still early, there are a few important points users should take note of before investing.

For one, deposits will require at least 500 block confirmations before funds are transferred. This is estimated to take about four and a half hours (4.5 hours). The time required to complete and verify transactions, although long, was recommended by the RIF team.

Built on the Bitcoin network, RIF is an array of decentralized infrastructure protocols. RIF is designed to facilitate seamless, scalable, and fast development of distributed applications, popularly known as dApps. These dApps are also usually developed within a unified environment. RIF, simply put, is a single, easy-to-use decentralized technology infrastructure providing dApp developers with access to a myriad of services. Its protocols facilitate faster deployment of dApps and also hope to provide decentralized technologies with much-need awareness and subsequent mass adoption.

The listing of RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) on Binance is a huge feat for the infrastructure platform. In a note to users, Binance urges them to tread with caution when trading the newly listed RIF token. This is majorly due to the risk of high volatility known to plague newly listed tokens.

At the time of publication, RIF token was trading at $0.171341, with a market cap of $116,724,272 and a 24-hour trading volume of $12,584,920.

Interestingly, Altcoin Buzz recently published a step-by-step series on how to trade on the Binance exchange. The platform also recently commenced shipping of its Visa card to the EEA region.

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Find out more about current trends in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sphere on the Altcoin Buzz YouTube channel.

A survey reveals that the number of U.S. financial advisors allocating to crypto in their clients’ portfolios surged significantly from 2019. The figures show that it rose 49% in 2020, from 6.3% to 9.4%.

According to the San Francisco-based asset management firm Bitwise, 58% of advisors allocating to crypto are independent Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs).

The report says that the finding is not a surprising one. In fact, RIAs do not have restrictions on which type of investments they can include in portfolios.

The study also reveals that the vast majority of advisors with clients investing in crypto had personal investments in the sphere. According to the report:

82% of advisors reporting client allocations to crypto also reported a personal investment in the space.

The report further notes that 78% of the surveyed advisors are thinking about increasing their clients’ crypto allocation in the next 12 months. However, 12% of them will keep “steady,” said the study.

Moreover, no advisors reported plans to decrease or remove their current crypto positions. The survey also adds:

The percentage of advisors planning to increase their clients’ allocation to crypto rose substantially this year; last year, just 42% of advisors with client allocations reported plans to increase that allocation.

Regarding the reasons for adding crypto-asset exposure to clients’ portfolios, the survey found a “sharp uptick” in advisors praising crypto’s “high potential returns.” Also, they pointed out crypto’s role in “inflation hedging” as an attractive feature for the asset class. Bitwise noted:

Thirty-eight percent (38%) of advisors highlighted ‘high potential returns’ as an attractive feature of crypto, up from 30% in last year’s survey … The biggest increase by far, however, was for ‘inflation hedging,’ which 25% of advisors highlighted as an attractive feature, up from just 9% in last year’s results. There has been a significant rise in interest in inflation-hedging tools over the past year, and a number of well-known institutional investors publicly highlighted bitcoin as a potential hedge against inflation risks in the past year.

What are your thoughts on the survey? Let us know in the comments section below.

Source

According to reports, CoinGecko will provide crypto data support for Band Protocol’s recently launched Band Standard Dataset. Currently, over 20 DeFi protocols have integrated Band Protocol’s Band Standard Dataset. Some of these DeFi protocols can be found on blockchain platforms like Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Elrond, ICON, Nervos, etc.

According to an official blog post, CoinGecko will provide the oracle platform with top-notch, accurate, and reliable price feeds. The data aggregator platform is a well-known name in the crypto space. The recent exponential growth being recorded by the cryptocurrency space further shows the need for CoinGecko’s analytical evaluation. These evaluations are centered around market capitalization, price, trading volume, on-chain metrics, and others. Its service is also currently employed by top crypto players like MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Trezor, etc.

Speaking on the partnership, CoinGecko COO Bobby Ong disclosed that the data aggregator firm was elated by the partnership with Band Protocol. He further added, “CoinGecko has been a proud supporter of Band Protocol since its very first iteration in 2019.”

Apart from providing data support for the Band Standard Dataset, CoinGecko will also serve as a crucial partner in Band Protocol’s proposed BandChain Phase 2 launch. Subsequently, providing data providers with more profit-generating options.

In line with its proposed BandChain Phase 2 launch, Band Protocol has garnered support from several top players in the crypto space like Brave New Coin (BNC). CoinGecko joins this fast-growing list of institutional-grade data providers supporting the proposed BandChain Phase 2 launch.

Co-founder of Band Protocol, Soravis Srinawakoon, also confirmed the strategic partnership announcement. According to him, Band Protocol is excited about enlisting support from CoinGecko. He stressed that the oracle platform looks forward to working with CoinGecko to build its BandChain Phase 2 as well as “seamlessly commercialize their solutions for blockchain developers.”

According to the blog post, the partnership will also provide Band Protocol with better security, ensuring values locked on its mainnet are secure at all times.

Standing as one of the world’s oldest data aggregator platforms, CoinGecko has created a name synonymous with trust itself. Since its launch, the platform has been known to provide a robust and accurate comprehensive view of the market. It currently boasts of tracking over 6,000 cryptos from about 400 exchanges.

Band Protocol, on the other hand, is a well-known cross-chain data oracle platform. It has garnered a great reputation for its top-notch strategic partnerships and its aim to connect off-chain data with smart contracts.

At the time of publication, BAND was trading at $7.95, with a market cap of $179,466,861 and a 24-hour trading volume of $185,917,023.

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Most deep tech startups are the result of countless research by Ph.D. students and scientists. Most of this research occurs in university research centers like the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Graduate Research Innovation Programme (GRIP) in Singapore. These programs create an enabling environment for innovation to take place because they provide Ph.D. researchers and research scientists with the resources they need while still being able to complete their studies.

Notably, the term deep tech was formed by Swati Chaturvedi, CEO of investment firm Propel(x). A major example of one of Singapore’s deep tech startups is Zilliqa.

Popularly known as a public, permissionless blockchain, Zilliqa boasts of being able to offer high throughput and better scalability as compared to other blockchains available today. The platform also claims to be able to securely carry out thousands of transactions in just one second. Zilliqa is a deep tech platform because its technology was built from scratch. It is the first blockchain platform to incorporate sharding technology.

The platform, according to a recent tweet, was “born out of lecture halls and laboratories,” hence confirming its deep tech status.

Our Co-CEO & Chief Commercial Officer @ColinMiles discussed this with @e27co: https://t.co/LvX8ldSTP8 – AN

— Zilliqa (@zilliqa) December 30, 2020

Speaking on this in an interview with e27, Colin Miles, CCO of Zilliqa, pointed out that a lot of time and resources have gone into the academic aspect of many deep tech startups, Zilliqa inclusive. Another major deep tech startup birthed from the NUS incubation program is Breathonix. It was founded in 2019 and recently designed a breath test that could help detect the presence of COVID-19 in about 60 seconds.

There are a lot of important reasons why the Singapore government is looking to grow its deep tech space.

Another major innovation brought to life by SGInnovate is PowerX. SGInnovate is a Singapore government initiative focused on growing the deep tech ecosystem.

Seeing that a major issue in the Singaporean deep tech space is funds, the government put forward a special budget. In 2020, the government set aside S$300 million (US$224 million) to help fund deep tech startups.

Just last month, Seeds Capital made a call for about 10 to 15 private investors to help invest S$150 million (US$112 million) in deep tech startups.

Interestingly, popular crypto-friendly travel booking platform Travala.com recently added support for ZIL tokens. Now ZIL can be used in booking the platform’s over 2.2 million hotels globally.

At the time of publication, ZIL was trading at $0.077923 with a market cap of $862,392,240 and a 24-hour trading volume of $306,791,093.

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The world's most popular cryptocurrency is up about 29 percent since the start of 2021. And in the past 12 months has surged more than 380 percent. In a further sign of cryptocurrency's growing interest the value of the entire market, which is made up of bitcoin and other digital coins like ethereum, surpassed $1 trillion for the first time.

Simons Chen, executive director of investment and trading at cryptocurrency financial services firm Babel Finance, claimed the rally would attract the attention of asset managers and encourage them to diversify their investment portfolios. 

The finance expert also indicated crypto offered a unique alternative to traditional investments to mitigate against an uncertain geopolitical climate and inflation. 

He told CNBC: “This latest bull run in January is sure to attract the asset managers’ attention to diversify even more of their assets to crypto as they are keen on finding alternative investments, such as cryptocurrency or gold, to hedge inflation and geopolitical risks.

Mr Chen went on to say the bull run was also attracting retail investors as they looked to seize on the opportunity to make "quick, easy gains". 

READ MORE: Bitcoin price smashes $35,000 barrier for first time

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He said: “A large number of retail investors have also joined the race recently as they fear to miss out on opportunities to make easy, quick gain from the latest bull run.”

But other sceptics have labelled the bitcoin price boom a bubble. 

David Rosenberg, economist and strategist at Rosenberg Research, said the "highly abnormal" rally would be short-lived.

He said: “The parabolic move in bitcoin in such a short time period, I would say for any security, is highly abnormal.”

But Craig Russo, director of innovation at blockchain firm Polyient, was more optimistic, claiming the cryptocurrency has now entered a "new phase of price discovery". 

The expert claimed the markets had not yet witnessed peak retail participation, which he predicted would continue to drive the bullish market into 2021. 

He told The Independent. “Bitcoin has entered a new phase of price discovery, largely driven by amplified institutional interest in the digital asset. 

“We have not yet seen peak retail participation, as highlighted by the low search and social activity relative to 2017.

“Retail participation, coupled with accelerated institutional participation will likely continue to drive the bull market in Q1.

“Bitcoin successfully cemented itself as a legitimate asset in 2020 and will continue to be adopted across the financial industry, regardless of any positive shift in the traditional global economy.”

Rachid Ajaja, CEO of decentralised platform AllianceBlock, added: “In Q1, bitcoin could peak between $50,000 and $60,000. Bull runs usually last for around three years, so we can probably expect it to be 2023 before we see massive corrections.

“Any kind of crash is likely to be outside the sphere of macroeconomics, or potentially as a result of an issue with miners or dramatic overpricing that needs over correcting. Any crash we do see will not be as drastic as those that we have seen before, thanks to increased network effects and institutional involvement."

Compound is an Ethereum-based project that attempts to provide peer-to-peer lending solutions through decentralized finance applications. An emerging project in the decentralized finance sphere, investing in Compound’s token, COMP, can grant investors early access to governance rights on the network. Learn more about Compound and how it’s used with our guide for beginners. 

When most people think of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, their minds immediately go to anonymous payment methods. For example, you can send Bitcoin to your friend using the Bitcoin network instead of a centralized payment system. However, financial institutions do much more than only facilitate payments between 2 parties — they also provide checking and savings account services, loans and more.

The decentralized finance (DiFi) sphere intends to use blockchain technology and the Ethereum network to provide a full range of decentralized services that would typically be provided by a bank or other central service. Compound is a lending platform built on the Ethereum network that provides peer-to-peer cryptocurrency loan services. Compound users can lock in collateral and provide loans to other users in exchange for a predetermined interest rate based on market demand. The Compound token (COMP) acts as a governance token that provides owners with voting rights. COMP is an ERC-20 token, and is currently the 42nd largest cryptocurrency project when measured by total market capitalization. 

Before you can invest in Compound, you’ll typically want to open an account with a cryptocurrency broker. A cryptocurrency broker is a financial service provider that allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies using a convenient online trading platform.

The broker that you choose to open an account with will determine the types of cryptocurrencies you can invest in, the order types available to you, any fees you’ll pay for your account maintenance or per trade and more. This makes it important to take some time and compare brokers before you open your account. Browse a few of our top-rated cryptocurrency brokers for beginners below. 

eToro, headquartered in Cyprus, England and Israel, has provided forex products and other CFD derivatives to retail clients since 2007. A major eToro plus is its social trading operations, including OpenBook, which allows new clients to copy trade the platform’s best performers. Its social trading features are top notch, but eToro loses points for its lack of tradable currency pairs and underwhelming research and customer service features

Gemini is a cryptocurrency exchange and custodian that offers investors access to 26 coins and tokens. Founded in the US, Gemini is expanding globally, in particular into Europe and Asia. Offerings include both major cryptocurrency projects like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and smaller altcoins like Orchid and 0x.

Gemini is 1 of the only brokers with multiple platform options based on skill level. New investors will love the streamlined interface of Gemini’s mobile and web apps, while advanced investors might appreciate all the tools that come with ActiveTrader. 

In addition to a host of platform choices, Gemini users also have access to insured hot wallets to store tokens without worrying about digital asset theft. Learn more about what Gemini can do for you in our review.

Coinbase is one of the Internet’s largest cryptocurrency trading platforms. From Bitcoin to Litecoin or Basic Attention Token to Chainlink, Coinbase makes it exceptionally simple to buy and sell major cryptocurrency pairs. 

You can even earn cryptocurrency rewards through Coinbase’s unique Coinbase Earn feature. More advanced traders will love the Coinbase Pro platform, which offers more order types and enhanced functionality.

Though Coinbase doesn’t offer the most affordable pricing or the lowest fees, its simple platform is easy enough for complete beginners to master in as little as a single trade.

Altrady is a comprehensive trading terminal that allows cryptocurrency investors to buy and sell on multiple exchanges from a single platform. This can be a major benefit for investors who want to diversify their portfolios quickly and easily. Altrady also provides investors with a large range of customization tools and features that can be used to create a personalized trading platform. Altrady’s system can be a bit overwhelming for investors who are complete beginners, but the platform offers a wealth of educational resources and instruction videos to help ease the learning curve.

Maybe you think cryptocurrency is the future, or perhaps you were swept up in the initial waves of Bitcoin. BlockFi may be your next step if you’re ready to evolve as a crypto investor.

Whether you’re a native crypto user or curious enough to start investing, BlockFi seeks to bring institutional-grade financial products to crypto markets that often face restricted access. It strives to bring clients low-cost, simple applications designed to maximize the potential of crypto assets. Learn more in our BlockFi review.

Voyager is a leading name in the sphere of cryptocurrency investing, giving you access to over 50 tokens and coins. Buy, sell and swap assets using Voyager Crypto’s simple mobile platform available as a free download for iOS and Android users. 

When you invest through Voyager, you’ll pay nothing in commissions, which is a major benefit when compared to other cryptocurrency brokers. Voyager is also one of the only brokers we’ve seen that allows users to earn interest on their crypto investments. 

Though the broker could do more to improve its customer service, it’s an excellent option for beginner investors and seasoned professionals alike.

After you complete your first cryptocurrency purchase, it’s a good idea to transfer your coins or tokens to a wallet. A crypto wallet is a device or program that provides you with a private address that you can use to store your investments off-exchange. This helps limit your liability in the event of a hack or security breach.

There are 2 types of cryptocurrency wallets that you can choose from: hardware wallets and software wallets. Let’s take a look at some of the advantages and disadvantages that come with both options.

A hardware wallet is a device that connects directly to your phone or desktop computer and allows you to transfer your investments to offline storage. If you’ve ever used a USB drive to transfer files from your computer or an online file storage system to a portable device, you’re likely already familiar with how hardware wallets operate. Hardware wallets are sometimes referred to as “cold storage” options.

Some of the advantages that come with choosing a hardware wallet for your cryptocurrency include:

Some of the downsides of hardware wallets include:

Software wallets are desktop or mobile platforms that provide you with a private set of online keys that you can use to store your crypto investments. Unlike hardware wallets, software wallets must always be connected to the internet to access your investments and they are unable to store your cryptocurrency offline. They do, however, provide a flexible and accommodating option for almost every project currently on the market. Some investors refer to software wallets as “hot storage” or “hot wallets.”

Some of the advantages that come with choosing a software wallet include:

One of the drawbacks that come with choosing a software wallet includes:

Still hunting for the perfect wallet? Consider our top choices below.  

The SecuX W20 hardware wallet is an all-inclusive, secure option that you can use to store a wide range of cryptocurrencies. From Bitcoin to Litecoin and from Ethereum to any ERC-20 token, the wallet supports all major investments with military grade security elements. The W20’s full touch screen allows you to view your cryptocurrency investments anywhere without connecting to an unsecure internet connection, and a beginner-friendly setup means that it’s ideal for those investing in their first wallet. 

The original wallet created for Ethereum, MyEtherWallet has expanded to support all ERC-20 tokens. MyEtherWallet is a desktop and mobile application that’s compatible with almost any device. To connect to the desktop version, use its app to scan a custom QR code. This creates a local connection that allows you to access your tokens securely. If you move too far away from the desktop, MyEtherWallet will automatically disconnect from your wallet to ensure that no one else can access or view your tokens when you aren’t nearby. With a quick setup and a wealth of unique tech features, MyEtherWallet is the ideal software wallet for new investors and professionals alike. 

After your account has been set up and you know how you want to store your tokens, open your brokerage platform and place a buy order for Compound. Depending on your broker, you may be able to purchase cryptocurrency using a bank transfer, credit card or through a payment service like PayPal. After placing your order, you can sit back and relax — your broker will finish filling your order according to your specification as soon as possible.

Buying and selling Compound isn’t the only way to use the Compound network to earn a return on your investment. The protocol currently offers lending and interest services across 9 cryptocurrency projects. There are currently more than $14 billion worth of crypto assets on the Compound network earning interest, with development plans in place to roll out additional options. These developments could cause the value of the Compound token to increase in the coming years.

If you do decide to hold onto your Compound governance tokens in the long-term, you’ll want to transfer your investment to your wallet as soon as possible to prevent the possibility of a hack. Both software and hardware options will allow you to track the value of your Compound investment over time, and you can transfer your tokens back to your exchange wallet when you decide to take profits.

You can also earn a return on your investment by capitalizing on short-term price movements within the crypto market. Cryptocurrencies like Compound show a higher level of volatility when compared to assets like blue cap stocks and bonds, which means that you can buy and sell your investment when it’s advantageous to you. If you decide to actively trade your Compound tokens, consider creating a brokerage account with a few of our favorite low-cost selections below. 

The cryptocurrency market is fast-paced, and the value of your Compound tokens can change on a minute-to-minute basis. Understanding how the cryptocurrency market is changing today can help you plan your trading strategy. Browse a few of the market’s biggest movers today using the chart below.  

Compound can make an excellent addition to any cryptocurrency portfolio, especially if you intend to hold the governance token for a long period and use your voting rights. Before you invest in Compound, you might want to stake another cryptocurrency using the application to get a feel for current interest rates and compatible tokens. This will allow you to learn more about Compound while also earning interest on your cryptocurrency investment. 

The world of decentralized finance is an exciting sector of the cryptocurrency sphere. Aave (AAVE) is a decentralized finance protocol aimed at using the power of blockchain technology to help users borrow and lend cryptocurrency using the framework set in place by Ethereum.

If you’re thinking about expanding your investment in the cryptocurrency sphere, Aave can be an excellent token to begin with. Our guide will help you learn how to buy Aave, how the token functions where you can store your tokens for the highest level of protection and more.

Aave is a decentralized finance protocol that allows users to borrow and lend cryptocurrency using a largely anonymous platform. Previously known as ETHLend, Aave was launched in November 2017. 

Using the Aave network and the token as governance, lenders can earn interest on the amount of cryptocurrency available to borrowers by depositing tokens into a liquidity pool. Borrowers ensure that they pay back what is lended to them by depositing cryptocurrency down as collateral. 

In addition to ensuring the system, Aave tokens also provide owners with a vote on future company matters in the same manner that stockholders can vote on company matters based on how many shares of stock they own. 

The 1st step to buying Aave begins with opening an account with a broker that supports Aave. A crypto broker will provide you with a trading platform that you can use to buy and sell cryptocurrencies in exchange for a commission or fee that goes to the broker. 

There are a wide range of cryptocurrency brokers that support Aave, and the best broker for you will vary depending on where you live and the types of cryptocurrencies you want to invest in.

Not sure where you’d like to open an account? Consider a few of our favorite options below. 

eToro, headquartered in Cyprus, England and Israel, has provided forex products and other CFD derivatives to retail clients since 2007. A major eToro plus is its social trading operations, including OpenBook, which allows new clients to copy trade the platform’s best performers. Its social trading features are top notch, but eToro loses points for its lack of tradable currency pairs and underwhelming research and customer service features

Coinbase is one of the Internet’s largest cryptocurrency trading platforms. From Bitcoin to Litecoin or Basic Attention Token to Chainlink, Coinbase makes it exceptionally simple to buy and sell major cryptocurrency pairs. 

You can even earn cryptocurrency rewards through Coinbase’s unique Coinbase Earn feature. More advanced traders will love the Coinbase Pro platform, which offers more order types and enhanced functionality.

Though Coinbase doesn’t offer the most affordable pricing or the lowest fees, its simple platform is easy enough for complete beginners to master in as little as a single trade.

Gemini is a cryptocurrency broker that offers U.S.-based investors access to 26 coins and tokens. Offerings include both major cryptocurrency projects like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and smaller altcoins like Orchid and 0x. 

Gemini is 1 of the only brokers with multiple platform options based on skill level. New investors will love the streamlined interface of Gemini’s mobile and web apps, while advanced investors might appreciate all the tools that come with ActiveTrader. 

In addition to a host of platform choices, Gemini users also have access to insured hot wallets to store tokens without worrying about digital asset theft. Learn more about what Gemini can do for you in our review.

Maybe you think cryptocurrency is the future, or perhaps you were swept up in the initial waves of Bitcoin. BlockFi may be your next step if you’re ready to evolve as a crypto investor.

Whether you’re a native crypto user or curious enough to start investing, BlockFi seeks to bring institutional-grade financial products to crypto markets that often face restricted access. It strives to bring clients low-cost, simple applications designed to maximize the potential of crypto assets. Learn more in our BlockFi review.

After you decide where you want to purchase Aave and you open your account, you can open a wallet to safely store your tokens. A cryptocurrency wallet provides you with a private set of keys that you can use to store your tokens off your exchange, which limits your liability if your account is hacked. There are 2 types of cryptocurrency wallets (hardware and software) and each comes with its own unique benefits and drawbacks.

As an ERC-20 token, you’ll have a number of options when it comes to storing your Aave. Consider our favorite hardware and software wallets below.  

If you’re searching for the perfect blend of security and portability, the SecX V20 might be the right cryptocurrency wallet for you. The SecuX V20’s durability begins with its tamper-proof case, which provides you with peace of mind when you take your device with you on your travels. 

The wallet features Bluetooth connectivity and a full-color touchscreen to view and manage your tokens without connecting to local, unsecured Wi-Fi. Best of all, the device supports over 1,000 individual cryptocurrencies — providing you with a single place to store all of your blockchain investments. 

MyEtherWallet is the original cryptocurrency wallet used to store Ethereum — but the software has expanded to include all types of ERC-20 tokens as well. MyEtherWallet features a simple setup and mobile app, allowing most users to create their account and get started transferring their tokens in as little as a few minutes. 

You can connect your mobile app to your desktop using a QR code. If your phone moves too far away from your computer, the wallet will automatically disconnect — meaning that you won’t need to worry about leaving your wallet connected if you’re on a public internet connection or device. 

When your wallet is set up and you’ve fully opened and funded your brokerage account, you can place an order to buy AAVE. Placing an order to buy crypto involves a few steps.

Aave is an ERC-20 token, which means that it runs using the network laid in place by Ethereum. If you’re looking for a way to diversify your investment while also buying into emerging decentralized finance technology, an investment in Ethereum might be right for you.

If your broker is able to fill your order, you’ll need to decide if you want to hold your Aave long-term or if you want to take advantage of short-term price movements. If you think that the price of Aave will rise in the future, you may want to store your tokens in your private wallet. 

And if you believe that the price of Aave will fluctuate in the upcoming days or weeks, you might want to short or scalp your tokens to accumulate more Aave. 

When you decide to take profits, you can convert your excess Aave to a stablecoin like Tether or USD Coin. Select brokers may also allow you to convert Aave directly back to fiat currency.

If you plan on executing multiple trades throughout the day, you’ll want to choose a crypto broker with lower fees and a responsive platform. Consider a few of our favorite choices below. 

The cryptocurrency market is notoriously volatile. You might notice the price of Aave changing drastically on a day-to-day basis. Some of the factors that can influence how the cryptocurrency market is moving include:

Laws and regulations. The cryptocurrency market is still largely unregulated. However, individual states and countries have instituted their own rules regarding the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies. The introduction of tighter regulations or bans can cause the price of coins to plummet.

Keeping your eyes on how the market is moving can help you decide when the best time to buy and sell your coins is. View a summary of today’s market movements using the table below. 

Aave is among many exciting projects running using the Ethereum network’s decentralized application functionality. Decentralized application projects are currently being developed in a wide range of industries, including banking, gaming and file storage. 

Learning more about the Ethereum network and diversifying your investments can help increase your success on the cryptocurrency market. Get started today with 1 of Benzinga’s recommended brokers.