Saturday, 27 November 2021

Mexico’s Third Richest Person: Buy Bitcoin Right Now

Mexico’s Third Richest Person: Buy Bitcoin Right Now submitted by /u/whiteyfisk46
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Bitcoin is the safest investment

Even if it falls to 30, there’s no way in hell that it won’t go back to 65 again. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next month but it’s bound to happen according to the fluctuation trend of the most popular crypto on the planet. I invested $10,000 at 62 and not worried at all.

submitted by /u/Mynameisge
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Black Friday or not, do not forget to use your crypto to buy from crypto merchants like The Bitcoin Wardrobe. BCH Accepted.

Black Friday or not, do not forget to use your crypto to buy from crypto merchants like The Bitcoin Wardrobe. BCH Accepted. submitted by /u/Coinyspacecom
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2xqmq/black_friday_or_not_do_not_forget_to_use_your/

Explain this to me or shill this to me

I didn't come here to hate on your community but please explain this to me:

According to this website:

https://bitinfocharts.com/comparison/transactionfees-bch.html#3y

BCH

Average BCH tx fee in sats: 0.000015 BCH

Average BCH tx fee in USD at price of 560 USD per BCH: 0.000015 USD

Average BCH tx fee in USD at price of 60K USD per BCH : 0,9 USD

BTC

Average BTC tx fee in sats: 0.000055 BTC

Average BTC tx fee in USD at price of 60k USD per BTCH: 3,3 USD

If you would get significantly bigger, the tx cost would be also

If both of the coins had the same amount of value locked in them, the difference in transaction fee is not that significant, I would understand if it was 100x difference. Of course paying 3 times less for your transaction is good for the consumer, but spending 90 cents on your transaction is nothing to be celebrated. Neither is 3 dollars.

So why then bch?

So what exactly is the deal with BCH? At some point I went in the deep end of Roger Ver rants, I watched a lot of his videos where he is talking about merchants and I can relate to it but it really doesn't seem like there's any huge technological leap in making the transactions SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper. Why not use any other chain like monero, litecoin, heck even dogecoin?

What I'm really asking is why are you in this community?

submitted by /u/Litecoin-CEO
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2yxmj/explain_this_to_me_or_shill_this_to_me/

Need an Exchange that generates new bnb bep20 and matic addresses after every deposit...

I am a privacy conscious person. I'm afraid of Chainalysis. so i want to change my bep20 bnb deposit address and matic address after every deposit. Please help me. Doesn't make sense I use new addresses just to sent to a 'common' address.

submitted by /u/Jealous-Strain3720
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2xt4k/need_an_exchange_that_generates_new_bnb_bep20_and/

All of the goals for the CryptoWoo Flipstarter campaign have now been completed. Thank you for the support from the BCH community and everyone who donated to make this happen.

All of the goals for the CryptoWoo Flipstarter campaign have now been completed. Thank you for the support from the BCH community and everyone who donated to make this happen. submitted by /u/OlavOlsm
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2xctp/all_of_the_goals_for_the_cryptowoo_flipstarter/

Flowee Pay release, what did we add this time?

Flowee Pay release, what did we add this time? submitted by /u/ThomasZander
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2x2mc/flowee_pay_release_what_did_we_add_this_time/

2021 Crypto Literacy Report Suggests 96% of Americans Fail to Comprehend Basic Crypto Knowledge

2021 Crypto Literacy Report Suggests 96% of Americans Fail to Comprehend Basic Crypto Knowledge submitted by /u/jamieBitcoinDotCom
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2xipj/2021_crypto_literacy_report_suggests_96_of/

What are Deflationary Crypto Assets?

What are Deflationary Crypto Assets? submitted by /u/Minayafl
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2x6gk/what_are_deflationary_crypto_assets/

Hillary Clinton spreading FUD on crypto... can someone explain it to her how it works?

Hillary Clinton spreading FUD on crypto... can someone explain it to her how it works? submitted by /u/D_Center
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El Salvador just bought the dip

El Salvador just bought the dip submitted by /u/Miladran
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Readily tradable tokenized bitcoin bonds at retail price points available globally on the Liquid Network - welcome to the future!

Readily tradable tokenized bitcoin bonds at retail price points available globally on the Liquid Network - welcome to the future! submitted by /u/thefullmcnulty
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Lebanon and Turkey-seems like a signal?

We have two historically significant countries whose currency has been exposed as worthless. And there are certainly others. Tea leaves suggest the value of the euro and the US dollar could easily be subject to wider spread scrutiny soon. Should not this or could not this threat flood money into BTC? Seems like it should, no?

Catalyst?

Why aren’t these failing nations making an attempt to restore some integrity via BTC?

submitted by /u/CokeGMTMasterII
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Out of the stock market and into Bitcoin

Well I took advantage of the Black Friday sale and cashed all my underperforming stocks out and bought btc with it. Took a minimal hit but hoping the recovery erases that.

Having said that: I don’t like to use my main wallet for exchanges, anyone have a recommendation on a secondary wallet that I could use for doing exchange transfers only?

submitted by /u/Swimming_Excuse4655
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Just Buy $100

Just Buy $100 submitted by /u/CassandraReys
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2wfph/just_buy_100/

Should I set up a bitcoin trust fund for my kids?

Should I set up a bitcoin trust fund for my kids? submitted by /u/FridaTroup
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2uvvm/should_i_set_up_a_bitcoin_trust_fund_for_my_kids/

/r/btc hit 700k subscribers yesterday

/r/btc hit 700k subscribers yesterday submitted by /u/TrendingBot
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2tz2z/rbtc_hit_700k_subscribers_yesterday/

Zero-confirmation escrows, or ZCEs, are on-chain Bitcoin Cash smart contracts that enable secure, instant payments with zero double-spend risk.

Zero-confirmation escrows, or ZCEs, are on-chain Bitcoin Cash smart contracts that enable secure, instant payments with zero double-spend risk. submitted by /u/georgedonnelly
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2upya/zeroconfirmation_escrows_or_zces_are_onchain/

What's the position of your cryptocurrency in today's market?

submitted by /u/Arthur19940509
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2ugrj/whats_the_position_of_your_cryptocurrency_in/

No more FUD against Binance, please.

No more FUD against Binance, please. submitted by /u/Fine-Flatworm3089
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2u0zp/no_more_fud_against_binance_please/

When an asset drops 10% in a matter of minutes, here's what happened:

Step 1: Corporations with large amounts of money borrow thousands of BTC.

Step 2: They take the BTC and dump it on the market. This blows through buy walls and causes leverage traders to be liquidated.

Step 3: Fear and panic spread through the market. Shills and salty traders alike will flood social media with FUD. The price further dips.

Step 4: The hedge funds close the loop: they buy back the BTC they borrowed, pay back their lenders, and generate a profit.

They can do this because they have capital that you and I do not have. And they do it over and over.

Don't fall for their tricks. Just hodl. Or better, buy whenever you see a -10% price dip. You can be assured that this was NOT a bunch of ordinary individuals, who happen to take profits at the same time.

Bitcoin is truth.

submitted by /u/nonce--sense
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Why Bitcoin Has Value?

Question

submitted by /u/Jem_colley
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2tjjk/why_bitcoin_has_value/

BTC breaks previous low at $56,000, drops 10 percent for COINBASE:BTCUSD by BernardMikhail1

BTC breaks previous low at $56,000, drops 10 percent for COINBASE:BTCUSD by BernardMikhail1 submitted by /u/BernardMikhail
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r2sonn/btc_breaks_previous_low_at_56000_drops_10_percent/

Friday, 26 November 2021

Bitcoin Cash Merchant Adoption - Phill's Logistical Service

Bitcoin Cash Merchant Adoption - Phill's Logistical Service submitted by /u/BitcoinCashCity
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r29wsr/bitcoin_cash_merchant_adoption_phills_logistical/

What's the worst thing the US government can do against bitcoin?

Serious, theoretical discussion. I'm not claiming to be an expert on bitcoin, but just want to hear some thoughts. Let's say bitcoin is a big threat to the dollar's status as a reserve currency, what is the worst case realistic scenario? Let's not discuss "US government waltzes into your homes and takes your hardware wallet" because that's not a realistic scenario. If we reach that point, we have much bigger problems.

From what I can see, they've already done the worst and it's set capital gains against purchases by bitcoins. No one in the US wants to pay capital gains every time you buy something, most people don't want to fight the federal government believe it or not. This is fine with me, because it still allows bitcoin to be an asset class.

With how many billionaires, institutions, giant companies, jobs now revolve around bitcoin and crypto, could anything else harmful really be done? I doubt very much anyone in the US govt would want to rock the boat much at this point when their major donors and friends are becoming invested.

submitted by /u/butwhystherumgone
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ELI5: I've tried to research but why is BTC more popular than BCH?

I understand that there are several factors which favour BTC

  • Its the original

  • Branding/public perception

  • Social/Market buy-in (this is the biggest reason)

But when I look at BCH it is just so much cheaper per transaction. A $150 purchase of BTC had a total fee of $3, whereas the same $150 of BCH had a fee of less than a cent (not buying on exchange, I'm outside the USA)

So whats going on here? Is it faith in the system? The BCN and BCHSV thing would have shaken plenty of confidence. But when I look for IRL crypto spending, BCH is the one being adopted in South America

I've heard an argument that BCH has loo low fees, which means there are fewer miners, but surely the lower fees give more potential for transaction volume

Also, what is a lightening network?

So.... what's going on?

I'm an idiot btw, and purchased BCH at the peak this year thinking I was getting BTC. I'm now DCA into BTC and hodling the BCH

submitted by /u/ArtyDeckOh
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r29sk4/eli5_ive_tried_to_research_but_why_is_btc_more/

My first in person purchase with BTC! (Manchester, UK)

My first in person purchase with BTC! (Manchester, UK) submitted by /u/Captain_Isolation
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r28r74/my_first_in_person_purchase_with_btc_manchester_uk/

An awesome visualization - https://ift.tt/3HNsN57

An awesome visualization - http://bits.monospace.live submitted by /u/CoinCorner_Sam
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How to put bitcoin in your will, so your loved ones can inherit it?

I wonder if anybody has thought of this and come up with a safe, yet functionally guaranteed plan?

submitted by /u/behi66
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Bitcoin Processed 62% More Transactions Than PayPal in 2021

Bitcoin is showing more signs of adoption and growth as the cryptocurrency processed 62% more transactions in terms of dollar value than PayPal in 2021. The new information comes as critics continue to discuss the viability of bitcoin for a global level of payments.

The data was revealed by Blockdata, which published a report on Nov 23 comparing bitcoin with payment Mastercard and Visa. Blockdata primarily focused the report on whether bitcoin could compete with the two payment networks, to which it concluded in the affirmative, but with the caveat that it would take time. In 2021, the Bitcoin network processed about $489 billion per quarter. PayPal processed $302 billion per quarter, while Mastercard and Visa were significantly ahead at $1.8 trillion and $3.2 trillion per quarter.

submitted by /u/Nasty_slutX
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We will be promoting BCH, educating and sending BCH to all participants in a libertarian meeting

We will be promoting BCH, educating and sending BCH to all participants in a libertarian meeting submitted by /u/BitcoinCashArgentina
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r27ipp/we_will_be_promoting_bch_educating_and_sending/

BCH Experience IV - BCH Argentina Meetup

BCH Experience IV - BCH Argentina Meetup submitted by /u/BitcoinCashArgentina
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r27g6p/bch_experience_iv_bch_argentina_meetup/

Satoshi's Angels Flipstarter reaches 100% funding! Thank you for your continued support.

Satoshi's Angels Flipstarter reaches 100% funding! Thank you for your continued support. submitted by /u/satoshis_angels
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r28aqr/satoshis_angels_flipstarter_reaches_100_funding/

Will all banks eventually hold Bitcoin?

Veteran investor and billionaire Bill Miller is convinced that eventually all major banks, investment banks, and high net worth firms will have some exposure to Bitcoin.

Will they though?

https://www.cryptovantage.com/news/will-all-banks-eventually-hold-bitcoin/

submitted by /u/thecryptovantage
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r27c8s/will_all_banks_eventually_hold_bitcoin/

006 - Bitcoin (BTC) - Movement Prediction. Well, here goes. Really putting my neck on the line for this one. I'll go into more detail in the comments section below. Hard to pick but I'll have a crack. Good luck to all. My comments will form part of my original post in my Subreddit r/thecryptopump

006 - Bitcoin (BTC) - Movement Prediction. Well, here goes. Really putting my neck on the line for this one. I'll go into more detail in the comments section below. Hard to pick but I'll have a crack. Good luck to all. My comments will form part of my original post in my Subreddit r/thecryptopump submitted by /u/Substantial_Fly_1723
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r26au4/006_bitcoin_btc_movement_prediction_well_here/

How do large corporations protect their coins? What’s to stop an employee of Tesla say, transferring a billion to their own wallet?

submitted by /u/Bangkok-Boy
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El Salvador plans 'Bitcoin City'- video

El Salvador plans 'Bitcoin City'- video submitted by /u/Devils_doohickey
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Why Bitcoin's Lightning Network Is Perfect for Podcasters

Why Bitcoin's Lightning Network Is Perfect for Podcasters submitted by /u/undertheradar48
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BTC vs ETH lol - Happy Thanksgiving!

BTC vs ETH lol - Happy Thanksgiving! submitted by /u/thebeastofbitcoin
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r24mcd/btc_vs_eth_lol_happy_thanksgiving/

I did some research about MistSwap and it is the DEX with the highest APR level.

submitted by /u/AzizAnsari33
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r24hbn/i_did_some_research_about_mistswap_and_it_is_the/

Jury to Decide Fate of Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Lawsuit Involving Craig Wright

Jury to Decide Fate of Billion-Dollar Bitcoin Lawsuit Involving Craig Wright submitted by /u/jamieBitcoinDotCom
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r24h1u/jury_to_decide_fate_of_billiondollar_bitcoin/

Is Bitcoin the best financial asset in existence?

Personally, I believe that Bitcoin is (as of now) the best financial asset currently in existence. First, this is simply because it is a cryptocurrency and is therefore not controlled by a central authority, meaning that it is less susceptible to manipulation than traditional asset classes. Second, it is the best among cryptocurrencies because it has a high value per coin and generally tends to be less volatile than other cryptocurrencies, both of which make it a strong store of value. What do you think?

submitted by /u/Zeltarex3301
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Square: Bitcoin is Key to an Abundant, Clean Energy Future

submitted by /u/Bitcoin_is_plan_A
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BTC Bond Plan Sends El Salvador’s Dollar Debt Diving 📉

BTC Bond Plan Sends El Salvador’s Dollar Debt Diving 📉 submitted by /u/Egon_1
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r22u22/btc_bond_plan_sends_el_salvadors_dollar_debt/

Transaction Fees: Bitcoin Cash 0.0031 / BTC Project $1.48

Transaction Fees: Bitcoin Cash 0.0031 / BTC Project $1.48 submitted by /u/Egon_1
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r23f51/transaction_fees_bitcoin_cash_00031_btc_project/

Earn crypto by playing games!

I came across a Mining game which took my interest and i think it would be only fair to share it with you!

In short, you play Minigames & gain mining power which you can put on ETH, Doge and BTC. The gains you get, you can withdraw or also reinvest in virtual miners to earn passively.

You will not get rich overnight, it would take awhile to get good amount of crypto but the more you use the site the more you earn, there is a compounding affect. So overtime you could earn big.

You also get 1000 Satoshi if you use my link: https://rollercoin.com/?r=kl0p755v

Payment proof-

Ethereum- https://imgur.com/a/tw1vR4Z

Blockchain links-

https://etherscan.io/tx/0x8c1f5763cb7bfce251cc2b6430164a93ba5e8355025a410021a50698fdf7ef49

https://etherscan.io/tx/0x5b529167929971e08f08bb06de8cfd583340f699520d1334063992d7a54f8534

https://etherscan.io/tx/0x35ab5db34b6c33446a26416c97b1de4207ccc96e82e25268566ea18aea3f8c70

submitted by /u/neganthevegan0
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r22ydi/earn_crypto_by_playing_games/

Thursday, 25 November 2021

Bitcoin Technical Analysis for November 25, 2021 - BTC

Bitcoin Technical Analysis for November 25, 2021 - BTC submitted by /u/TRAcademy
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1i4ho/bitcoin_technical_analysis_for_november_25_2021/

BCH the only coin up today, what’s the reason?

BCH the only coin up today, what’s the reason? submitted by /u/Lux-JM
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1fa8p/bch_the_only_coin_up_today_whats_the_reason/

Sneak peak of the in-progress work for Flowee Pay, upgrades to the "Send Transaction" screen.

Sneak peak of the in-progress work for Flowee Pay, upgrades to the "Send Transaction" screen. submitted by /u/ThomasZander
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1g12y/sneak_peak_of_the_inprogress_work_for_flowee_pay/

Regarding the Tether's "audit"

Regarding the Tether's "audit" submitted by /u/mtrycz
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1gsfg/regarding_the_tethers_audit/

SmartBCH Spotlights: CheckBook

SmartBCH Spotlights: CheckBook submitted by /u/s618o
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1gxls/smartbch_spotlights_checkbook/

Here Is A Collection Of Best, Effective Ways To Earn Free BTC

Hey folks. As the title says, I have been using collective methods of earning free crypto for a while. Here is a list of the best ways ranked from best to worst IMO. Some of them directly pay-out in BTC while others pay in their coin of interest and you can exchange for $BTC.

*Disclaimer*: Please do your own research properly before jumping into these sites. I used my throwaway email and credentials just to be safe for testing. Although these are legit sites and businesses, there can still be loopholes like any other Crypto projects and scammers targeting. So do your own DD and stay safe.

- Shopping Rewards (TukTuk Crypto, Storm-X):

I found shopping rewards to be the fastest way of earning free BTC or Crypto in general. While it's not completely free as you'd have shopped online and activated one of these rewards platforms, it is faster to accumulate realizable Crypto than other resources.Its basic idea is instead of using cashback when you shop, this platform convert rewards amount and pay users in Crypto or BTC directly into their public wallet address. It is also one of the quickest ways to start earning as there are no pre-requisites or verification, unlike other platforms.

I found two platforms that are great. TukTuk Crypto & Storm-X. Both are good and does their job well but I found TukTuk Crypto to have more merchants and a higher rewards percentage. I am based in Australia, that might be the case as Storm-X is targeted towards the US and more US stores. Also, TukTuk has region-based stores. That means if you are living in India, you will see stores only available in India.

Results: Personally, I shop all my stuff online and mostly from Amazon. TukTuk offers 8% Crypto backs on Amazon which is a huge deal for me. My regular shopping schedule collects $30-$40 easily in a month. For anyone interested to check out, below are the links.

TukTuk: https://www.tuktuk.com/

Storm-X: https://stormx.io/

- BAT Tokens (Brave Browser):

The second most effective way is by BAT tokens earned by using Brave browsers. Brave is a free browser to download and use - essentially an alternative to Chrome or Firefox. And as an actual browser. In addition to blocking ads, Brave (if you allow it to) will send you ads of their own and give you the revenue in crypto. It is easy to set up - simpler if you have an uphold account - and I found the ads to be unobtrusive.

Results: I have been using Brave for almost a year now and accumulated 50 BAT. It converts to $53 USD at the current BAT price. That is really impressive considering the ads time it saved me and didn't have to use a shitty Chrome browser. Once you have 25 BAT tokens, it can be withdrawn to Uphold wallet or Coinbase wallet and convert into Crypto of your choice like $BTC.

Brave Browser: https://brave.com/brave-rewards/

- Play Nano (Different Games):

Play Nano is a gaming Crypto incentive created that earns you $NANO when you watch, play games that are on their website. They re

- Reddit [MOON, DOGE, NANO]:

Yup, you can earn free Crypto or BTC using Reddit too. Checkout

submitted by /u/Fast_Midnight381
[link] [comments]

source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1f69n/here_is_a_collection_of_best_effective_ways_to/

The Bitcoin Network Has Handled More Volume Than PayPal in 2021

The Bitcoin Network Has Handled More Volume Than PayPal in 2021 submitted by /u/wmredditor
[link] [comments]


Will Bitcoin replace the US Dollar in our lifetime? - A deep dive into the past, present, and future of Bitcoin - And why it matters

Will Bitcoin replace the US Dollar in our lifetime? - A deep dive into the past, present, and future of Bitcoin - And why it matters

The history and growth of Bitcoin in the last 13 years has been nothing short of phenomenal. Starting off as an idea that only enthusiasts on the fringe started adopting, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have grown to dominate the news, create fanatic followings in social media, and worry governments about where this is all headed.

While some think that Bitcoin is just a highly speculative asset, a group of strong believers termed “maximalists” project that Bitcoin will become a dominant global currency that overthrows the dollar one day. Though initially sceptical, researching this article took me down a rabbit-hole…

What is Bitcoin? Where does its value come from? Does it have the properties needed to make it a viable form of currency? Can it fuel a thriving economy? What are Bitcoin’s weak points? Which are its competitors? How will governments respond to its rise to power? Can Bitcoin become the new Gold Standard?

Strap in for a rollercoaster ride through the past, present and future of Bitcoin!

A brief history of money

Historians agree that humans invented money before they invented written language. Think about that. We were able to agree on how to exchange value before we were able to write down our thoughts. The origins of money are more fundamental to human nature than our desire to communicate, in a way.

Money served three purposes:

  • A store of wealth across time. People could store today's effort for using it tomorrow.
  • A medium of exchange, to procure things from others.
  • A unit of account, to record credit-debit relationships.

Starting with the barter system, humans moved on to using common goods with intrinsic value (such as cows and bags of wheat) and then to units like cowrie shells, glass beads which were more convenient for accounting because of their divisibility. There was a problem with this system, though. You guessed it.

https://preview.redd.it/7akckhof8j181.png?width=498&format=png&auto=webp&s=07d44f3848d3904a377476bbb822816264b4a38c

People who had access to the means of production of cowrie shells or glass beads could flood the market, and the more money there was in the market, the less value it had. This is what happened in Africa when glass beads merchants from Europe imported loads of glass beads and made them worthless as a form of money. (This could be one of the first recorded instances of inflation).

Gold was a solution to the cheap creation of money. Mining gold is a difficult task. Flooding the supply of money was difficult unless people took the effort to mine gold, for which they were compensated. But the quality of gold could always be debased and there was no way to check its authenticity.

Governments took on the responsibility of controlling the supply and guaranteeing the validity of money. This has always worked fine until it hasn't. As long as the government acts in a neutral capacity to do the best thing for the economy, there is no problem. But the people who are closest to the means of production of money - Kings, Central Bankers, Cabinet Members - also have the most incentive to confiscate a large share for themselves. Or they could follow a monetary policy that might make them look good in the short term while throwing the system into chaos in the long run. This can be seen in the case of the Fall of Rome and Constantinople, the hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, the shift of the US and other countries away from the Gold standard [1], and the inflation that is looming over the US right now.

Looking at history, what would the perfect currency look like?

  • Convenient to handle. It should be divisible, portable, safe to store, and easy to transact with. Units should be interchangeable (fungible).
  • Credible. The validity of the money should be guaranteed in some way, either by its intrinsic value or by some mechanism such as the backing of a counterparty (like the Government).
  • Liquid. It should be easy to find people who accept payment with it.
  • Secure. If the money can be compromised, it cannot store wealth.
  • Inflation resistant. It should be hard to create and resistant to control by small groups of people with vested interests.
  • Stable. The value should not have significant volatility.

The most important requirement though is that people adopt it en masse. Money is a collective story that people believe in, a story that lets them exchange value with each other. If an ecosystem is built around this story, it gives the money more value, further strengthening people's beliefs.

How does Bitcoin do on these grounds? Let us start by understanding what Bitcoin is and why it is so different from existing forms of money.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital cryptocurrency that can be used for peer-to-peer transactions through a distributed ledger. Let's unpack that.

  • Bitcoin is decentralized. There is no government, organization, or single authority that controls the policies of Bitcoin.
  • Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency - A form of digitized money whose units cannot be duplicated.
  • Bitcoin enables peer-to-peer transactions - There is no reliance on a central banking system.
  • Bitcoin operates through a distributed ledger - A copy of every transaction ever made on the Bitcoin network is stored in all the nodes of the network! But because each transaction is anonymized, you can effectively check only your own transactions.

Bitcoin was invented in 2008 (in the throes of the housing crisis market crash) by a figure named Satoshi Nakamoto whose real identity is unknown. Satoshi open-sourced the code to Bitcoin after publishing a white paper about it, and as more people started adopting it, Satoshi vanished mysteriously.

https://preview.redd.it/nnpbdr6h8j181.png?width=480&format=png&auto=webp&s=41f367db0a2fd213e829b8a37284fd75e8789fc0

To the layman, Bitcoin is currently just like any other stock or asset that you can exchange dollars for. To use Bitcoin, all that is needed is a wallet that gives the user a public address that others can transact with, and a private key that acts as a password. Bitcoin can be bought at cryptocurrency exchanges or mined (will be explained shortly). This is then stored in software or hardware wallets, and exchanged for products or services with other users. There is no central authority over Bitcoin.

Each Bitcoin is divisible into 100 million units called Satoshis for convenience.

Since 2008, Bitcoin has grown in leaps and bounds to become a dominant force in the market and people's imagination. But...

Where does Bitcoin get its value from?

We saw earlier that if it’s easy to make money, anybody can flood the market and destroy its value. This was also the reason for gold's adoption for minting coins because gold is very hard to produce (apart from being nice and shiny).

The government's ability to print massive amounts of money is the chief danger to modern forms of money. Imagine you have a million dollars and it’s worthless tomorrow because a bunch of people in the government thought it's alright to print another quadrillion dollars. That's the fear which drives people to invest in real estate, stocks, gold, and other commodities. There is no alternative government-backed currency in circulation today that qualifies as "hard money", whose supply is restricted.

That's one of Bitcoin's chief attractions. Bitcoin is extremely hard to produce and has a cap on its supply. Each block that needs to be added to the Bitcoin blockchain (distributed ledger) needs to be identified by a number that satisfies a mathematical property. [2] Bitcoins are produced by "miners" who try to find these numbers by running through millions of options in a brute-force manner. When miners hit upon a successful candidate, they are rewarded in Bitcoins. This is a highly energy-intensive process and the profit that the miners get is in the thin margin between electricity consumption and the value of the bitcoin.

https://preview.redd.it/1pced6gi8j181.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=9ed333c93c9aff06f29350bd7654fb053ac15d83

The physical exchange of energy for bitcoin is similar to expending effort in mining gold. The second feature is that there can be only 21 million Bitcoins in existence, ever. This is a hard feature of its code that cannot be changed. [3] 20 million Bitcoin would be mined by 2025 (by current estimates). By 2140, all of the Bitcoin would be mined, and the incentive for miners will be in the form of transaction fees. As the supply of Bitcoin is finite, it cannot be devalued by increasing the supply making it inflation resistant by design.

There is no central authority for Bitcoin. The code is open-sourced, and if anybody wants to change it, it has to be with the consensus of all the nodes in the network. For example, when some security vulnerabilities were identified in Bitcoin in 2018, a fork (change in the code) was done to patch it which was accepted by all users as it was for their benefit [4]. But when hard forks (major changes) were done to create new currencies like Bitcoin Cash, the bulk of users chose to stay on the existing network, causing Bitcoin Cash's value to drop sharply. Hence, Bitcoin's value is decided by the consensus of the network.

The above points show that Bitcoin is convenient, inflation resistant, secure, and credible (its validity is backed by a mathematical function that is impossible to break or fake).

This tells us about the perceived value of Bitcoin, but if the aim of Bitcoin is to capture the existing market, it also needs to be:

  1. Liquid and exchangeable with existing currencies
  2. Fuel for a thriving economy
  3. Stable

How does Bitcoin do on these fronts?

Liquidity

Let's be real here. Most people are interested in Bitcoin not because of its fascinating mathematical properties or promise of inflation resistance. It's because of the “Number go up” that every influencer is shouting about on Twitter as if it’s their personal achievement. That's the reason Bitcoin tends to get on the nerves of some people too: How is it that believers of an imaginary concept with no “value” or “business” behind it are rewarded time and again without any effort?

The misconception here is that Bitcoin is being compared with businesses on the stock market which grow with time because of their value proposition and execution. Bitcoin is better compared with gold whose value is dictated by scarcity. The problem is that, unlike gold which has intrinsic value, Bitcoin's value is entirely dependent on the faith that people have in the story around it.

The story around Bitcoin is this:

“Bitcoin is the hardest form of money and will eventually replace all currencies.”

People who adhere to this vision are called Bitcoin Maximalists. And in terms of the stories out there, Bitcoin is one of the fastest proliferating. It makes sense. When personal incentive is tied with a story, the FOMO kicks in of being penniless when Bitcoin takes over. The possibility of gain makes people buy into it in droves. And as people buy into it, demand rises, and its price goes up further.

Bitcoin's strongest point is also its weakest. Decentralization.

Though Bitcoin claims to be “decentralized”, that's only if Bitcoin becomes money in itself. To convert from dollar to Bitcoin, you still need the presence of exchanges. These exchanges are among the most loosely regulated financial entities in the world and the most vulnerable to government regulation. For example, Tether, which debuted as a Stablecoin (a cryptocurrency pegged to a commodity or government-backed currency) has repeatedly come under scrutiny for its shady accounting practices. [5] Tether also turned out to be owned by the same people who owned Bitfinex, a large cryptocurrency exchange. It is one of the biggest intermediaries for Bitcoin to Dollar liquidity out there, and a collapse on that front due to regulations might cause a mad rush to exit.

Of course, Bitcoin maximalists will argue that if one exchange goes down, another will come up, and we will learn from our mistakes. But is there enough incentive to learn from our mistakes? Shouldn't Bitcoin be actually useful for buying things?

The Bitcoin economy - and competitors

One of the biggest jokes in the history of Bitcoin was when Laszlo Hanyecz of Florida traded 10,000 bitcoins to buy two pizzas. That would be worth $574 million today, maybe the costliest meal ever. [6] But that was one of the first recorded instances of a physical good bought with Bitcoin.

https://preview.redd.it/zjyphu8l8j181.png?width=720&format=png&auto=webp&s=b518e681fb09313178c602ee0d06d9a363a803e2

Since then, there has been a rapid increase in the adoption of Bitcoin as a mode of payment. From retail needs to domain names, from cars to travel packages to restaurants to cellular service, the scope of Bitcoin has expanded tremendously.[7] There's even a house on sale that you can buy exclusively with Bitcoin. But there are things that you cannot buy with Bitcoin yet. There's no direct provision to buy stocks on the NASDAQ (or any other market) with cryptocurrencies, for example.

A big market for Bitcoin is their programmability - Smart Contracts will automate the market of trust. People don't need to believe that someone else will pay them back on time and spend time in legal battles. A clause like “If rains don't arrive, farmers get paid insurance” can be automated to simplify the market of crop insurance. But this is also a space where Bitcoin has tough competition.

Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, and a handful of other cryptocurrency blockchains (with tokens called AltCoins) sprouted to tackle problems that Bitcoin couldn’t. Bitcoin Maximalists argue that Bitcoin has the first-mover advantage and anything other currencies can do, Bitcoin can absorb into its code - But the facts speak otherwise. When Ether started out, its trading volume was only a fraction of Bitcoin’s, but after Ether started catering to the NFT and DAO space, it's now a serious threat to Bitcoin’s dominance. Other cryptos assert that they do different things in a better manner compared to Bitcoin. Dogecoin was a mere joke till someone catapulted it to prominence. I'm looking at you, Elon.

But one thing is for sure - It’s very difficult for a new entrant to the Altcoin space to gain traction and reach while standing for the same principles that Bitcoin does. There is so much awareness about cryptocurrencies now that the bulk of a new Altcoin offering will be bought out by a single entity. And that makes the cryptocurrency useless because its value is in its reach.

It's not money unless everyone believes it is.

A strong warning is in place here: When I say a new cryptocurrency is useless, I’m talking about the long term. Coin Offerings have a very strong possibility of being a Ponzi scheme, so be VERY VERY careful with where you put your money.

There's just one more reason that Bitcoin and other Altcoins are still not widespread in their use.

Volatility

Bitcoin is very volatile compared to the US Dollar. This is something that even maximalists don't argue with. It is not clear whether volatility is increasing or decreasing with time and trading volume, but you can't use something as money if you don't know what it will be worth days, hours, even minutes from now. This is the reason Bitcoin is the butt of so many jokes like this:

A 10 year old boy asks his father for a #BitCoin📷 for his birthday. Dad can I please have just one BitCoin for my birthday as a gift ? Father: What ? Why the hell you need $ 14,433 Do you know $ 15,367 is a lot of money. What would you do with $ 12,456 dollars ?

But the assertion is that on the technology adoption curve, Bitcoin is still in the early majority stage, and the amount of capital that has been injected into Bitcoin is minuscule compared to how much more can be injected (The figures are based on growth in Market Cap, number of users, and number of transactions - Unreliable, because one individual can have any number of Bitcoin Addresses and transactions could be just buying and selling of Bitcoin, not retail transactions).

https://preview.redd.it/mha3u2hm8j181.png?width=1456&format=png&auto=webp&s=cfc02d49dc659dd8ffe651f5945974fa046cbf7a

Here we enter the realm of speculation. We must understand that Bitcoin is the first of its kind - A resource that is absolutely scarce, meaning that it is the first deflationary money. Some assert that the inbuilt scarcity will make volatility an inevitable feature of Bitcoin, rather than a bug. [9] Supporters of Bitcoin assert that as we cross over from early majority to late majority in the adoption curve, Bitcoin will start seeing massive adoption and this will stabilize the price (How exactly? I’m not sure. I don't have enough know-how to assess this).

All this talk is fine, but everybody gangsta till the big daddy of money steps in.

Will the Government be sleeping?

Bitcoin started out in anonymity and it was then laughed off as a joke. Later, governments started referring to it as a highly speculative asset, and now there are murmurs that Bitcoin is going to overthrow the monopoly that the Government has over money. El Salvador has accepted Bitcoin as legal tender and announced that it would be starting the world's first "Bitcoin City". What on earth is going on?

In the standard narrative about Bitcoin, after Bitcoin starts gaining mass adoption there comes a phase where some Central Bank starts getting shifty about the hyperinflation that is rampant in the economy, and starts buying Bitcoin to hedge against the possibility of economic collapse. Other banks follow suit, doing the same, and when rumors break out, the citizens start buying up Bitcoin and rapid adoption of Bitcoin follows suit with Bitcoin replacing the dominant currency of the country. This phase is called hyperbitcoinization.

That sounds great, except that the government isn't going to take this lying down. Apart from the ominous angle that money is one of the chief ways that the government uses to control its citizens, there is one logical reason that the government will oppose Bitcoin: The government needs to pay its employees and it has no means of production to produce or purchase Bitcoin scalably. How will public institutions sustain themselves in the absence of cash flow? There seems to be a dreamlike scenario where the government voluntarily relinquishes power and takes a backseat as all institutions are privatized, but since Satoshi vanished without leaving a manifesto on how legal institutions and the military will be funded, there seems to be a gaping hole in this grand scheme.

There is no doubt that Bitcoin will play an important role in the world economy. Even now, Bitcoin's market cap ranks it as 14th in the list of world economies (with Ether at 25th). World countries switched to the gold standard when gold emerged as the hardest form of money and then switched to pegging themselves against the dollar. It is highly likely that Bitcoin (or other Altcoins) will be a standard/commodity in the future. But instead of Bitcoin overthrowing governments, or governments banning Bitcoin (which is very resource-intensive and difficult), it is more likely that governments will assimilate Bitcoin into their legal framework. Bitcoin might be taxed, its use cases monitored and transactions tracked. [10] Though the Indian and Chinese governments banned Bitcoin, India is now taking a softer stance by trying to tax cryptocurrency gains heavily. The lasting change might actually be in terms of the inability of governments to manipulate the price of Bitcoin.

And though hyperbitcoinization sounds cool (or ridiculous, depending on how you see it), it is not realistic or even desirable. The real meaning of this scenario sounds like a breakdown of world government (highly unlikely) [11]. Hopefully, it doesn't get that far.

A bitcoinized world: Good, bad or ugly?

The advantages of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency are touted as follows:

  1. Greater freedom of the individual
  2. Resistance to inflation
  3. Delegation of trust to a mathematical system
  4. Reduction in government interference

The notion of decentralization has created this idea that Bitcoin is going to create a symmetric world of equal opportunity. There are some counterpoints to that argument:

  1. The initial distribution of Bitcoin is hugely skewed. By some accounts, 85% of the entire Bitcoin supply is in the hands of "whales" who constitute just 2% of the user base (But this doesn't give them a higher edge unless the Bitcoin economy develops). [12]
  2. Though Bitcoin promises economic opportunities for the entire world in theory, only about 60% of the world has access to the Internet.
  3. Bitcoiners’ claim that Bitcoin is the only competitive cryptocurrency out there is unproven. There is no clear data on how many people believe in Bitcoin as an asset, as money, and as a novelty.
  4. It isn't that hard for governments to launch a coordinated attack on cryptocurrencies [13]. The hope is that the political neutrality of Bitcoin and the personal incentive it holds gives it the edge in the long run.
  5. Governments and corporations can give incentives by minting their own cryptocurrencies in certain geographical regions or internet spaces, an advantage that Bitcoin cannot outcompete without violating its neutrality.

So will we see Bitcoin rise to ascendance in this century?

Can Bitcoin replace the dollar?

If we consolidate all the points we have seen so far, we can see that Bitcoin is a convenient, portable form of money that gives a lot of freedom to the individual. It has gone from 0 to $56,000 (as of today), crossing a market cap of $1 Trillion in a mere 13 years (Apple Computers took 38 years to hit the same milestone - with a solid business and advertising team backing it). Since Bitcoin is a form of money that is native to the internet, the rate at which its story propagates is also phenomenal.

Bitcoin’s true decentralization and first-mover advantage also give it a great advantage over other cryptocurrencies. Though there is tough competition, some of Bitcoin’s core principles like the lack of a central authority give it a real edge (e.g Meta tried to start its own currency Libra/Diem, and it faced regulatory action instantly. Ethereum isn’t truly decentralized either).

The real challenges for Bitcoin are price stability, exclusive use cases, and government regulation. People will only consider Bitcoin money when they are willing to part with it for something they cannot get with conventional money. Till then, it’s an asset at most. Although smart contracts and a few niche use cases like NFTs seem to satisfy this, only time will tell if they have a lasting impact.

Price stability is also more likely when Bitcoin has a strong native economy. There are different assertions about its stability - That high-frequency trading is needed to stabilise it, that creation of value will stabilise price, that in spite of boom and bust the new low is always higher than before, that price will stabilise when the number of users keeps growing, and that its price cannot be stabilised as it is an asset. The truth is that nobody has been right at forecasting either its growth or stability reliably and it’s extremely difficult to do so because we haven’t seen anything like this before.

Government regulation is the biggest factor. Without all countries of the world having a uniform stance towards Bitcoin, it might just create arbitrage between different countries, not being the “global currency” that it claims to be. Some milestones to watch out for would be:

  • The first Central Bank to store Bitcoin as Reserve currency.
  • Clear legislation or regulatory action that is favorable to Bitcoin.
  • Stock Exchanges trading Bitcoin as a commodity on par with Gold and Oil.

If any of the above happens, it heralds wider acceptance and greater stability. But with government regulation, there is a greater probability that Bitcoin will coexist with world currencies rather than overthrow them.

Conclusion

Though the American dollar is ubiquitous today and the central pillar of the global economy, it wasn't always so. The first American dollars were minted in 1792. But it was only in the aftermath of World War 2 in 1944 that the dollar became the standard for other global currencies - 152 years after its inception!

On the contrary, Bitcoin has already become a force to reckon with in just 13 years. It's questionable whether the “market cap” of Bitcoin represents any “real” economic growth, but as more people believe in it, there is more incentive to build an economy around it.

Bitcoin is unlikely to replace the Dollar anytime soon, but the coexistence of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with world currencies is highly likely and something to watch out for. [14]

If you liked this article, you are sure to love my other posts:

Do let me know in the comments if you want me to do a deep-dive on anything in the above article. Until next week...

If you want to learn more about the fundamentals of Bitcoin, I urge you to check out Robert Breedlove’s Money, Bitcoin, and Time, a series of three essays. Though I don’t agree with everything he says, it gives a solid framework for beginners to think about Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and inspired many questions in this article.

Footnotes:

[1] The Gold standard is a controversial topic. Some have hailed it as utopian, others think it’s impractical for the global economy to revert to it. We’ll never know for sure as there’s no country that has hard money today.

[2] The problem is based on the SHA-256 cipher which relies on the fact that it’s very hard to factorize large numbers. Some suggest that quantum computers might be able to break this, but it’s highly unlikely and if it happens, Bitcoin is the least of our worries - Many security systems rely on SHA-256, including modern banks.

[3] More on why the cap on Bitcoin’s supply cannot be changed.

[4] In spite of this, security remains one of the key concerns of Bitcoin. Also, if you lose your private key, you lose your wealth. There's no central authority to appeal to.

[5] Check this video by Coffeezilla where he does a terrific job of investigating Tether, consulting some experts on the subject. Tether is not the first Stablecoin to come under scrutiny - Iron Finance did a bank run earlier this year, and it had Mark Cuban investing in it. No one is safe, it would seem.

[6] The story of the Bitcoin Pizza

[7] Here’s what you can buy with Bitcoin

[8] A house that can only be purchased with Bitcoin

[9] An analysis: Can Bitcoin be stabilized?

[10] Contrary to popular belief, there is a strong possibility that Bitcoin can be tracked. Even if the address is anonymous, the flow of goods can be monitored by anyone who wants to keep tabs on you.. cough cough… The government…

[11] Watch Andreas Antonopoulos’s take on Hyperbitcoinization.

[12] Is Bitcoin really decentralized? How whales move markets, Disproportionate distribution of Bitcoin

[13] A possible roadmap for Government interference (Speculative, not research)

[14] Disclaimer: I am not a Financial Advisor. This is not investment advice. Please do your own research before investing.

submitted by /u/nobjos
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Niantic and Fold made an AR game where you earn Bitcoin

Niantic and Fold made an AR game where you earn Bitcoin submitted by /u/A-Dog22
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Bitcoin Will Reach $500K In Five Years As A Result Of Institutional Purchases, Says Cathie Wood

submitted by /u/Tejas_LiMan
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Hilary Clinton Sees Bitcoin as a Threat to the US Dollar — That’s the Plan Hilary. Bitcoin is a fairer system that will end America’s endless wars to protect the dominance of its American dollar.

Hilary Clinton Sees Bitcoin as a Threat to the US Dollar — That’s the Plan Hilary. Bitcoin is a fairer system that will end America’s endless wars to protect the dominance of its American dollar. submitted by /u/sylsau
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For those of you who are going to HODL until you die, do you at least use your crypto assets for something useful, such as borrowing against it or lending some out with interest?

I've been buying since 2017 and have mostly HODL'ed, cashing out a couple tiny amounts, but putting most of it back. I've been offered the opportunity to borrow against it from my exchange but declined. I looked into lending but heard borrowers can and do default, and figured borrowers who borrow bitcoin likely do so because they get turned down from banks, and so I decided to not risk it. So I mostly just sit on it.

What do you do?

submitted by /u/deepspace8
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Do you know how Bitcoin is working internally?

Hello Bitcoiners! I made a video about how bitcoin is working on YouTube. It's a well-structured informational video about its core mechanisms. I think it's a plus for anyone who wants to invest in Bitcoin to know how this thing is working. If you like the video, show me some love. Thanks again. :)

https://youtu.be/FT5rFMftuvk

submitted by /u/vtatsis
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How to get started on SmartBCH. (and be protected against BCH going down in price)

How to get started on SmartBCH. (and be protected against BCH going down in price) submitted by /u/i_have_chosen_a_name
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1e50u/how_to_get_started_on_smartbch_and_be_protected/

Help! Cannot connect Metamask to SmartBCH..

Hi guys. I'm on benswap.finance trying to figure out how this work and wanting to farm some tokens.

When I press on 'Connect' on the website, it does not give any response. It's like clicking an empty button. However, on MetaMask, I can see that it's connected and the status dot is green. It also shows benswap.finance is connected to my MetaMask. Yet it does not connect my wallet. Any ideas on this?

I have tried this on Chrome and Brave. From both iPhone and MacBook.

Thanks in advance.

submitted by /u/blackpois0n1
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1dtx9/help_cannot_connect_metamask_to_smartbch/

El Salvador: Who Needs the IMF When You Have Bitcoin?

El Salvador: Who Needs the IMF When You Have Bitcoin? submitted by /u/ShotBot
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source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1cbtd/el_salvador_who_needs_the_imf_when_you_have/

This tweet really made me think, and then realize, Bitcoin is the first thing we can own.

This tweet really made me think, and then realize, Bitcoin is the first thing we can own. submitted by /u/PepsiPierpont
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Morgan Stanley Funds Adding to Bitcoin Exposure, SEC Filings Show

Morgan Stanley Funds Adding to Bitcoin Exposure, SEC Filings Show submitted by /u/Bitcoin_Magazine
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"Viegage: The bridge between old and new finance" has created it's VTO tokens on SLP and SEP20 (SmartBCH) We are now taking orders on selling them and hope to launch our website soon.

"Viegage: The bridge between old and new finance" has created it's VTO tokens on SLP and SEP20 (SmartBCH) We are now taking orders on selling them and hope to launch our website soon. submitted by /u/i_have_chosen_a_name
[link] [comments]


source https://www.reddit.com/r/btc/comments/r1bre3/viegage_the_bridge_between_old_and_new_finance/