Each blockchain DNS (domain name system) is decentralized; it runs on a peer-to-peer server system without the need for a middleman or central governing body. Blockchain domain registry sites are based on smart contracts.

When buying a domain from a blockchain DNS, the domain itself belongs to the domain owner, which means it can’t be censored or altered without their permission. Often, blockchain domains (also referred to as domain NFTs) form human-readable web addresses that also function as cryptocurrency wallets. Certain registry sites also allow their users to make crypto payments online, working as an additional wallet. 

Similar to crypto wallets, domain owners will receive private keys to their wallet holding the domain, once the domain is purchased. This will give them complete control of their domain and allow them to launch their website without needing permission from a third party, reducing the risks of censorship.

The blockchain domain industry is growing quickly, and the competition to become the leading blockchain domain registry site becomes increasingly heated. 

The following guide on the top blockchain domain registry sites takes into account: 

1. The popularity and community trust of the project.
2. Technical advantages and disadvantages.
3. The convenience of use.
4. Bang for your buck. 

Let’s explore the top blockchain domain registry sites on the market. 

Unstoppable Domains: Actually “Own” Your Domain

Unstoppable Domains allows users to create a non-censorable website that can be stored in a user’s wallet. Domains registered on the site work as much more than just a domain. Once a user owns a domain, they can use the domain to transfer cryptocurrency, generate a universal username, and create their login to the decentralized web. 

Unlike many other blockchain domain registry sites, you only have to pay for a domain once on Unstoppable Domains. After a single purchase, users will never have to pay renewal fees– they own the domain (or rather, NFT of their domain) until they wish to sell it. 

Each domain is built on the Ethereum or Zilliqa blockchains and comes in the form of .crypto and .zil extensions and several other options. 

An understated gem of Unstoppable Domains is that crypto can be sent directly to and from NFT domain addresses. 

Ethereum Name Service: .eth Made Popular

Ethereum Name Service is one of the most popular blockchain DNS systems. It integrates innovative blockchain-based DNS with a traditional system, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of both systems. 

One of its most unique features is its ability to let users transfer domains. For example, owners of traditional domains can transfer their domain to the blockchain DNS service if they can provide their DNSSEC registration, to transfer it to the blockchain DNS service.

The site has already reached over 300,000 registrations, with the top domain selling for $3.5 million. All domains use a .eth name and are available through an auction process. You can also check out more of the registry’s benefits here. 

Namecoin: From Bitcoin Fork to Domain Registry Project

Namecoin was originally a fork of Bitcoin and became the first blockchain domain registry site. The site uses a .bit domain name, and functions similarly to most traditional DNS systems. Users on the site can register, renew and transfer domains using fiat and cryptocurrency. 

Once purchased, users have to install separate software to manage their .bit domain in the form of a browser extension. This is relatively easy and can be completed in a few simple steps. 

Emercoin: Decentralized SDK 

Emercoin is an alternative to DNS; it supports the development of dSDKs (Decentralized Software Development Kits). These development tools allow users to create service and software solutions such as APIs, technical documentation, and domains, all without working with technical code. 

Emercoin uses a unique Proof of Stake system that combines proof of ownership and proof of work systems. Using this system, Emercoin can offer a distributed DNS known as EMCDNS EMCSSL. It actively promotes its decentralized features, reducing the risk of censorship and blocking. 

On the site, users can also choose from several different customization options. For example, they can choose the period they wish to own a domain. Should they no longer want their domain, they can also delete it from the blockchain and terminate it without waiting for the end of the lease period. 

PeerName: Low-cost Competitor for .bot, .coin, .lib, and .bazar

PeerName is an easy-to-use blockchain plugin designed for Chrome, Opera, and Firefox. The platform is based on XNR, Namecoin, and EmerCoin cryptocurrencies and allows users to register .bit, .emc, .coin, .lib, and .bazar domains. Domain names cost $7 per registration which is relatively average for the industry. 

To bring new users to the site PeerName transfers all domains for free and offers the next year of registration for free with each registration. Once transferred, owners can transfer their domain to their private wallets for greater control. When registering with PeerName, all data is stored in what is known as ‘cold’ storage. This means it’s stored ‘offline’ to reduce the risk of attacks and hackers, keeping domains safe. 

Signing up for a domain on PeerName is an easy process. The site is designed like a traditional domain registrar. All users need to do is enter their domain name and PeerName does the hard work for them. 

NEM Blockchain DNS: Introduction to the NEM Ecosystem

NEM Blockchain DNS is a Chrome extension that allows users to browse websites with the .nem extension. Although less comprehensive than many of the alternatives on this list, NEM offers several useful features that allow users to access domain names from the NEM blockchain name system.

NEM is extremely easy to install on browsers and doesn’t require users to download any additional software. Once installed, records can be updated with ease by the domain owner. Like other blockchain DNS extensions, sites cannot be censored or managed by a governing body, allowing domain owners to post content without needing it to be approved.

Final Thoughts: Which Blockchain Domain Registry Site Is Best for You?

With blockchain technology still being relatively new in the domain industry, we’ve yet to see a clear industry leader dominate the market. Each registry site offers its own unique advantages. 

Blockchain domains have a few limitations, such as the lack of browser integration. Each blockchain domain registry has plenty of problems to solve, allowing them to further differentiate themselves.

Unstoppable Domains is great for business owners who plan to own their domain for long periods. However, competitors such as Ethereum Name Service have become popular for blockchain domain rentals amongst more general blockchain users. 

As these businesses continue to innovate, users will have the opportunity to test out new features to see what domain registry works best for their requirements. 

The post The Best Blockchain Domain Registries: Top Crypto Domain Sites appeared first on CoinCentral.

The exchange lets you sell and buy BEP 20 tokens–a token developed from the Binance Smart Chain Blockchain (BNB chain) platform. PancakeSwap hosts a range of unique features, including a liquidity pool and staking rewards, a lottery system, and the ability to swap tokens without an intermediary. 

The majority of DEXs are built on the Ethereum network, which is known for slower transaction times and higher fees. This can make trading cryptocurrency a little more expensive and a lot more stressful. 

PancakeSwap is an alternative, offering users several lucrative opportunities to keep them on the platform.

In this PakecakeSwap guide, we’ll cover how PancakeSwap works, the founders of the exchange, how you can farm its native token, CAKE, its lottery perks, and how it compares to other decentralized exchanges. 

How Does PancakeSwap Work?

The PancakeSwap exchange is an automated market maker (AMM) that helps remove intermediaries from the trading process. Instead of relying on a counterparty to provide liquidity, its programming defines the price of crypto and provides liquidity in the form of a liquidity pool.

This pool consists of funds deposited by investors, which are then turned into smart contracts to offer liquidity. For buyers, this means they no longer need to wait to be matched with a seller but can instead deposit their current cryptocurrency into the pool and withdraw the crypto they want. 

For example, if an investor wants to trade their Binance USD (BUSD) with CAKE (PancakeSwaps native token), they can use a BUSD/CAKE pool to deposit BUSD and receive CAKE based on the exchange rate at the time of the transaction. 

Users can also earn rewards from PancakeSwap as a liquidity provider. Liquidity providers can deposit tokens into a liquidity pool to earn a share of the trading fees. Each trader pays a fee of 0.25%, of which 0.17% is added to the liquidity pool and shared amongst providers. The greater the liquidity you offer, the more rewards you can earn. 

PancakeSwap also lets users generate rewards through CAKE farming, in which a user deposits liquidity pool tokens to earn CAKE–we’ll go into greater detail on how you can do this later in this article. 

A unique feature of PancakeSwap is its daily lottery draw, which requires an entry fee of $5 worth of CAKE. The draw works much like a traditional lottery, in which players must match their numbers to win. 

The winning pools come from three sources: 

• Ticket costs
• Rollover prizes
• Cake treasury

The rewards start with general ticket costs combined with CAKE tokens from the treasury. An average of 35,000 CAKE is added from the treasury each week (10,000 CAKE every other round), and the funds are rolled over if nobody wins. 

This unique feature not available on any other decentralized exchange showcases PancakeSwap’s fun and friendly approach to trading. 

Who Are The Founders Of PancakeSwap? (History Of PancakeSwap)

PancakeSwap was created as a fork of SushiSwap in September 2020, using an almost identical code but instead being built on the BNB chain. 

The founding team is anonymous, however, it’s believed that the team consists of over a dozen members– referred to as chefs. Two of these members are known as Hops and Thumper, though their identities remain unknown. 

Despite being almost identical to SushiSwap, PancakeSwap has several advantages, including faster transactions and a lower swap fee of 0.2% (the industry average is 0.3%). It also offers several additional features, such as yield farming across other protocols, initial farm offerings (IFOs), and its daily lottery. 

Although founded by an anonymous team, PancakeSwap is governed by its community. CAKE holders can use PancakeSwap’s voting portal to discuss and vote on a range of governance decisions, as well as create their own proposals. 

This feature is available to all CAKE holders, with voting power being proportional to the number of tokens a user holds. The more you own, the more power you have. 

What Is the CAKE Token And How Can You Farm It?

If you’ve come here to learn how to grow chocolate pastries on a tree, we have bad news for you… You won’t find any chocolate cake here!

CAKE is a BEP20 token launched on the Binance Smart Chain. It incentivizes PancakeSwap users to provide liquidity on the DEX, earning rewards for locking up their tokens. 

As of June 2022, one CAKE token is worth $3.24 and has a trading volume of $144,809,842. It has a total supply of 750,000,000 CAKE with 148,603,636 tokens in supply and is ranked the 69th largest cryptocurrency on the planet with a market cap of $481,653,827. 

How to Farm the CAKE Token: A Quick and Easy Guide

First, you need to start by adding liquidity to PancakeSwap. 

1. Start by connecting your wallet to PancakeSwap using the Connect Wallet button in the top right corner. 

2. Once connected, go to the Trade tab and click Liquidity. 

3. You’ll be directed to the Liquidity page, where you can click Add Liquidity and choose the token pair you want to deposit. You’ll need to deposit both tokens based on the ratio provided on the site. 

4. After choosing the pair, you’ll need to sign the transaction from your wallet, and you’ll receive liquidity provider (LP) tokens based on your share of the liquidity pool. 

That’s the first step over with! Now you can actually start farming by depositing your LP tokens in a farm to receive CAKE tokens. 

Farms are similar to liquidity pools and let you earn interest in your holdings. Here’s how you can start farming on PancakeSwap. 

5. Head to the PancakeSwap homepage, click on the Earn tab and choose the Farms option. 

6. You’ll be transferred to a page where all available farms are listed. 

7. Choose a farm that’s compatible with your LP tokens. You’ll also be able to look at the annual percentage rate (APR) offered. 

8. After choosing a farm, click Enable. You’ll then need to confirm the transaction in your wallet. 

9. Upon confirming, the Enable button will switch to Stake LP. Click this and choose the number of tokens you want to stake

Almost there now, we promise!

10. Click Confirm and confirm the transaction in your wallet. 

11. Once completed, your staked LP balance will show how much you have on the farm. 

12. You’ll be able to withdraw your earnings at any point. Simply click Harvest, and PancakeSwap will return your tokens. 

And that’s it! Now you’re farming CAKE and will earn rewards based on the farm you’ve chosen. 

If you don’t want to farm CAKE, you can buy it on any of the following exchanges:

• Binance
• VCC Exchange
• BKEX
• KuCoin
• MXC.COM

Once purchased, you can store your cake with MetaMask, Binance Smart Wallet, or Trust Wallet. 

Is the PancakeSwap Lottery Feature Legit?

We briefly mentioned PancakeSwaps Lottery above, but let’s explore what it is and how it works.

The PancakeSwap lottery is a daily event. To win, players must hold a winning four-digit combination that’s made up of numbers between 1 to 14. For example, 4-8-9-12. 

A random combination is created for each lottery ticket purchased, and 50% of the lottery pool is awarded to players who have a winning combination. This combination must be in the same order as shown below. 

If a player hasn’t got a matching ticket, they can still earn rewards if two or more numbers match those in the winning ticket- though they must be in the same position as the winning combination. 

If nobody wins, the prize money is rolled over to the next day, increasing the overall pool for the next group of players. 

Syrup Pools, CAKE Farming And…. NFTs!

As well as the Pancake Swap Exchange, users can invest in non-fungible tokens (NFTs) using PancakeSwap’s new NFT store. The store is home to BNB Chain-based NFTs, including Pancake Squad, Gamester Apes, and BornBadBoys. Although not as popular as NFT stores such as OpenSea, these collections have a value of over $1 million, with many NFTs selling for over $1000 each. 

How Does PancakeSwap Compare To Other Decentralized Exchanges?

Despite being a relatively new addition to the market, PancakeSwap is already the third most popular DEX in the world. 

It hosts by far the largest number of markets with over 3798 options to choose from. The closest to this is Uniswap V3, with 613 markets. Other competitors such as Curve Finance and dYdX are significantly smaller with 59 and 10 markets. 

In terms of trading volume, PancakeSwap ranks third in the world with an average volume of $944,910,070. Although this is smaller than Uniswap ($2,852,303,427) and dYdX ($1,978,182,884), the overall volume traded on PancakeSwap is steadily growing, while Uniswap and dYdX are on the decline. 

Final Thoughts: Is PancakeSwap The DEX Of The Future?

PancakeSwap allows investors to enjoy trading with lower fees and faster transaction times while providing them with several innovative features not available elsewhere in the market. 

Investors can be liquidity providers, CAKE farmers, or NFT traders. Or, they can go full degen and play in the projects lottery feature.

With so many features, it’s no surprise that PancakeSwap has become one of the most popular DEXs in less than two years, currently ranking as the third most popular option. 

Although the team behind the project remains anonymous, their governance system allows the Pancake Swap Exchange users to determine the future of the platform. This allows them to adapt the platform based on what users say, instead of dictating what is best for the project.

The post How to Use PancakeSwap: Your Recipe to a Sweet Life of CAKE Farming  appeared first on CoinCentral.

Crypto credit cards are no different in this regard, but they tend to include some notable cryptocurrency perks.

The crypto rewards vary by card, including cash back paid in BTC,  welcome rewards, gift cards, and travel bonuses– just like your traditional run-of-the-mill credit card. 

But, crypto credit cards are built for and suited to the desires of crypto users, with perks attractive to both long-term enthusiasts and complete beginners.

The following guide will cover crypto credit cards, how they differ from crypto debit cards, the best crypto credit cards, and promotions available. 

What Exactly is a Crypto Reward Credit Card?

Crypto reward credit cards are similar to most traditional rewards credit cards; they can be used to transact through payment processing networks such as Visa and Mastercard, as long as the card you’ve chosen is recognized by that network. 

So, chances are your crypto credit card is accepted anywhere that accepts cards, but there may be some limitations.

Instead of traditional rewards such as airline miles, cash back, or points, owners earn rewards in the form of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. These include Bitcoin rewards for buying groceries, cash back for trading, and additional bonuses after meeting specific spending caps. 

Most companies will give users the option between a virtual crypto card or a physical swipeable card. 

It’s important you don’t confuse crypto reward credit cards with crypto rewards debit cards as they have very different functionalities and features.

What Are Crypto Rewards Debit Cards?

Crypto rewards debit cards let users spend crypto without having to directly withdraw it from a crypto wallet. 

Previously crypto owners could use their crypto holdings to either HODL or trade. To use the cryptocurrency for the vast majority of real-world purchases, holders would need to transfer their crypto into fiat. Not only was this slow and inefficient, but it also created a tax liability every time someone “exited” their crypto position.

All of this reduced cryptocurrency use as a real-time means of exchange.

Crypto reward debit cards overcome this problem by giving cardholders easy access to their crypto. Each card works like a traditional debit card, but instead of being backed by a bank, it’s supported by a user’s crypto wallet. 

It doesn’t really have the same functionality as a traditional debit card– think of it as more like a prepaid debit card that must be regularly reloaded.

To use the card, a user must first choose a fiat current to convert their crypto into through the card.  Once sent, purchases are made in that chosen fiat currency with rewards provided as a cryptocurrency that comes with the card. 

Most crypto debit cards earn crypto rewards on day-to-day spending on networks such as Visa and Mastercard and allow you to withdraw cash from ATMs worldwide, which makes them pretty useful for day-to-day purchases. 

In comparison, crypto credit cards allow the same user experience, but you essentially open a line of credit with the issuing company. So, you don’t need to have the actual cash or crypto in an account somewhere to use your crypto credit card, and as long as you pay your balance every month (or whatever the period), you won’t accrue any fees.

With these differences in mind, we’ll be looking at the top 7 crypto credit cards in circulation including their rewards, their different tiers, and the cryptocurrencies you can earn. 

The Best Crypto Reward Credit Cards

The Gemini Credit Card: Big Spending Bonus For Dining & Groceries

Easily one of the best crypto credit cards, the Gemini Credit Card lets cardholders earn rewards in the form of Bitcoin and 60 other cryptocurrencies. It emphasizes dining and grocery shopping, with 3% cashback on dining up to $6000, 2% cashback on groceries, and 1% on any other purchases, making it a great fit for people who have large shopping bills and want to earn crypto rewards. 

Unlike most cards that reward monthly, Gemini rewards are instant and can be sent directly to a cardholder’s cryptocurrency wallet without a fee, removing the hassle of having to transfer between wallets.

The card has a variable APR between 13.24% – 24.24%, and there’s no annual fee for card ownership. 

Another great feature is that Gemini charges no fees for foreign transactions, making it a great option for those who like to use their credit card on international travels and avoid those pesky exchange booths. 

If interested, you can complete your crypto credit card application for the Gemini Credit Card on its website. 

The Brex Card: For Corporates

As of May 2021,  Brex Cardholders can redeem Brex rewards points for cryptocurrency like Bitcoin and Ethereum. It’s one of the first, if not the first, crypto rewards programs specifically designed for businesses.  As of writing, 100 points earn about 70 cents worth of crypto. Coinbase facilitates the crypto rewards exchange. Cardholders can also redeem those points for statement credit, gift cards, or travel.

The card’s rewards points are as follows:

• 7 points per dollar, the highest category, on rideshares and taxis.
• 4 points per dollar on travel booked through Brex.
• 3 points per dollar at restaurants.
• 3 points per dollar on Apple products purchased through the Brex.
• 2 points per dollar on recurring software costs.
• and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. 

Our take: This is a neat way for a business to acquire crypto through its points.  At 1 point per $1 spent, you’d get about $0.70 of Bitcoin every $100.

Spend $10,000 on “other purchases” and get about $70 in BTC.

Spend $10,000 on rideshares, and get about $490 in BTC.

it’s not the biggest bang for your buck as other rewards, such as statement credit, but it’s a pathway for a business to acquire crypto just on its regular spend.

Crypto.com Visa Card – A Pix n Mix For Crypto 

The Crypto.com Visa Card is a prepaid crypto debit card with five options for cardholders, each with its own perks. Each tier is determined by how much a cardholder is willing to stake on Crypto.com and ranges from $0 to $360,000.

Rewards are paid out in CRO (Crypto.com Coin) and start at 1% for the second-tier Ruby card and go as high as 5% for Obsidian, Crypto.com’s highest-tier card. Tiers also offer lucrative rewards such as Amazon Prime, Spotify, Netflix, 10% off Airbnb, airport lounge access, and more. 

Each card is limited to ATM withdrawals of $10,000 a month and free currency exchanges up to $2000 at the bottom tier.

Despite being somewhat different from other crypto credit cards in this list, the Crypto.com Visa Card tiers are an excellent way for new crypto investors to dabble in crypto credit cards without having to go all in. 

If this sounds like it would suit you, you can complete your crypto credit card application for the Crypto.com Visa Card through their site. 

SoFi Credit Card – Best For SoFi Investors

If you already invest with SoFi, then the SoFi Credit Card is a great option. It lets investors earn 2 points on every US Dollar spent, with each point being worth 1 cent for personal accounts and 0.5 cents for SoFi Credit Card accounts.

You can apply for the card through the SoFi website. 

During the first year, cardholders earn 3% cashback when setting up a direct deposit and 2% on purchases if redeemed for investing, saving, or paying down a SoFi account. 

In total, 20 different types of cryptocurrency are available, and applications do not impact credit score until an offer has been accepted, after which a hard credit pull is conducted. 

Tomo Credit Card – A Light Introduction To Cryptocurrency

The Tomo Credit Card is a sound crypto credit card choice for new cryptocurrency users.

It gives cardholders three crypto options to choose from; Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, and can be applied for directly through the Tomo website. 

Interestingly the card has no fees and no interest rate (APR) but has instead been designed to help users build their credit score and save money. To further this, no credit history is required to apply. Instead, Tomo uses its proprietary algorithm to determine whether or not a user can be accepted for a card. 

Being a relatively new option, there isn’t much information available regarding the rewards available. As of June 2022, cardholders receive 1% cash back rewards on spending and can earn additional rewards with DoorDash, Lyft, and Hello Fresh. 

These rewards can be redeemed 28 days after the previous month’s statement has been paid. In an interview with Forbes Advisor, the CEO, and founder of TomoCredit, Kristy Kim, stated that more rewards will become available down the line. 

Venmo Credit Card – A Build On Classic Venmo Credit Cards

Venmo has been around since 2009 and now provides users with crypto rewards. These rewards come in the form of cashback in 3 different tiers: 

• 3% on a $250 spend
• 2% on a $150 spend 
• 1% on a $125 spend 

Although not officially branded as a crypto credit card, its “Cash Back to Crypto” feature allows cardholders to claim rewards in the form of cryptocurrency. Instead of earning fiat currency, cardholders can earn their rewards in the form of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Bitcoin Cash. 

The Venmo Credit Card is only available to US citizens (excluding Hawaii) and can be applied on its website through a standard credit card application instead of a crypto credit card application. A small fee is charged for withdrawals based on the spread between the US dollar and the crypto asset paid, on top of a transaction fee shown during the selling process. 

Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa – Best For Bitcoin Enthusiasts 

The Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa is for you if Bitcoin’s your thing. Cardholders earn 1.5% back in Bitcoin on all transactions held by the New York Digital Investment Group LLC (NYDIG), an investment group focused on Bitcoin. 

You can apply for the Upgrade Bitcoin Rewards Visa through its website, and once accepted, it can be used wherever Visa is accepted and charges no account or transaction fees. However, a fee is charged for selling Bitcoin, though the fee itself will depend on how much Bitcoin a cardholder chooses to sell. 

Final Thoughts: The Future of Crypto Credit Cards

With 70% of people already using traditional credit cards, do crypto credit cards have the potential to catch on?

Well, it depends. 

Although crypto credit cards provide users with lucrative crypto rewards, these rewards will usually need to be converted back into fiat currency to be used. Cryptocurrency is still not accepted by most everyday shops, which makes using rewards somewhat complicated compared to your traditional options. 

To further this, recent fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market have left people more hesitant to invest than ever. Consequently, they’d more likely choose a traditional credit card reward such as air miles and fiat cash back over a risky, crypto option.

However, we shouldn’t rule out crypto credit cards entirely. They’re an excellent option for current crypto enthusiasts, and the best crypto credit cards are an easy entry for those who want to get involved in crypto but don’t want to put their funds at risk. In addition, virtual crypto cards could also impact how they’re used in the future. 

Cryptocurrency adoption and people’s perception of the cryptocurrency market will determine the future of crypto credit cards. 

The post We Searched for the Best Crypto Credit Card So You Don’t Have To appeared first on CoinCentral.

Brave was founded in 2015 by Brendan Eich, who had the idea of creating a browser that protected user data rather than commercializing it. Brave makes user privacy protection the standard, while also providing users with the option and incentives to view ads. Brave Browser has its own cryptocurrency known as Basic Attention Token (BAT), which is given to users who opt-in to advertisements.

Once opted in, users can passively earn BAT whilst browsing. Alternatively, Brave users can opt out of ads altogether and still have their data protected. 

The BAT Token: The Foundation of Brave 

Brave has doubled its user base every year since launching in 2015. It currently has over 59.3 million users, 15.5 million daily active users, and over 1.3 million content creators on the platform.

The dev team believes that user data should be an asset, not something taken for free, and they made the BAT token to facilitate the exchange of attention. Once Brave has been installed, users can opt-in for BAT tokens. They will receive tokens for watching advertisements and paying with time, attention, and data. However, using Brave isn’t the only way to earn BAT tokens. By registering as a Brave Publisher on social media platforms, creators can accept BAT donations for their content. Users can also receive rewards for each user they refer to the browser. 

Brave Wallets

When signing up to Brave, users can create their own built-in wallet to store their BAT tokens without needing an external wallet. 

Unlike many browser-based wallets such as MetaMask, the Brave Wallet is already built into the browser itself. This means no extension is required, making the dynamic more user-friendly. Even if you have no DeFi experience, you can quickly understand how Brave Wallets work.

Brave Wallets also support hardware wallets such as Trezor and Ledger for more experienced cryptocurrency enthusiasts. These external wallets provide extra protection when compared to decentralized wallets as they’re not connected to the internet. The only downside to Brave Wallets is they only support Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatible cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum, Polygon, and Avalanche.

How to Sign Up to Earn BAT

Once you’ve installed the browser, you can begin earning BAT almost straight away. During the setup process, you can set up your own in-browser wallet, which will store all the tokens you earn. 

From here, head over to settings and choose how many advertisements you’d like to receive. The more you allow, the more BAT you’ll earn. Each month, your BAT will be paid to your wallet, which can then be withdrawn using an Uphold cryptocurrency exchange account. 

Brave requires all users to pass a basic KYC (know your customer) compliance test to make sure nobody is using it for any fraudulent payments. In order to do this, it needs your name, email, phone number, and a few other details. This is where Uphold comes into play. Uphold is a digital money platform that utilizes an Anything-to-Anything trading model. It enables customers to trade directly between asset classes and will help you pass your KYC compliance. Once passed you can withdraw BAT directly.

Brave’s AI Chatbot: LEO

In late 2023, Brave introduced Leo, a chatbot available on the desktop browser that can do things such as answering questions, summarizing web pages, and generating content.

Contrary to other popular AI chatbots such as those built with OpenAI’s API, Brave retains its privacy-focused initiative through unique features such as no recording of conversations and no log-ins needed for usage. 

Based on Meta’s Llama 2 AI model, LEO is free. A premium version of LEO using Anthropic’s Claude Instant model (faster responses) is available for about $15 per month. Additional premium perks include higher-quality conversations, higher rate limits, priority queuing, and early feature access.

How Does Brave Compare to Traditional Browsers? 

Despite being relatively new in the browser market, Brave has some distinct advantages that help it stand out in a highly competitive market. 

Brave is made for anyone concerned about privacy. With current browsers using data more than ever before, many consumers are worried about how much personal information they have and how it’s being used. Recent documentaries such as The Social Dilemma showed just how much data is collected by platforms to create an ideal customer profile. Brave allows users to protect themselves from such platforms, with users being compensated for any data they choose to share. But this isn’t the only advantage. 

As well as protecting users’ data, Brave is also pretty fast– Brave loads pages up to eight times faster than Chrome, which is known as the fastest browser for Windows devices.

BAT is a unique incentive not offered by any other browsers– it’s a great way to generate a small income whilst browsing and an easy way to enter the world of cryptocurrency.

The only downside to Brave is that it’s not as compatible as Google when it comes to websites and extensions. With a significantly smaller user base and superior ad-blocking technology, Brave has been known to crash on certain websites. This is slightly inconvenient for users, however, compatibility may improve as the browser grows. 

How to Become a Brave Publisher

For users who are already producing content with the intention of ranking on popular search engines, Brave Publisher offers a route to generate extra income. Users can sign up with an account on the Brave website, which will allow them to accept BAT tokens on a range of platforms. These include Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and of course, the publisher’s website. 

Brave provides publishers with most of the tools available on current platforms such as the number of views and what channels are performing the best. These can be integrated with the platforms mentioned above to help creators get the most out of their analytics.

Final Thoughts: Is Brave Browser Worth the Switch? 

With the amount of personal information collected by browsers not looking to change any time soon, Brave is a great alternative for those who want to use the internet with more privacy. Not only does Brave Browser provide users with greater protection, but it’s also faster than most alternatives and offers lucrative incentives for those who want to sell their data.

This makes it a great browser for crypto users to earn extra income and for those new to crypto to learn in a secure environment. 

The post Brave Browser Review: A Guide to the Crypto-Native Browser appeared first on CoinCentral.

• Binance Chain (BNB)
• Terra (LUNA)
• Crypto.com Coin (CRO) 
• Cosmos Hub (ATOM)

Designed with Cosmos’s IBC (Inter-Blockchain Communication protocol), Keplr lets users move digital assets across over 20 chains in a similar way to MetaMask, and hosts over 250 apps and services with a total worth of over $100 billion.

As well as transferring digital assets, users can stake on several platforms such as:

• Osmosis
• Akash Network
• Sifchain 

The goal of Keplr is to replicate the simplicity of MetaMask for the Cosmos ecosystem, with users able to access every Cosmos dApp through a single wallet. 

The following keplr wallet review explores how a Keplr wallet works, how to install the Keplr wallet extension, its safety, pros and cons, and the founding team. 

How Does Keplr Wallet Work?

Inspired by MetaMask, Keplr is designed around simplicity and ease of use. Once you’ve downloaded the Keplr wallet (see below), you no longer need different wallets for each Cosmos ecosystem. Instead, you can swap assets between chains making it extremely accessible for new crypto users. 

The Cosmos ecosystem is known for its cheap network fees (usually under $0.01) and speed. 

The wallet extension can be downloaded from Google Chrome and is also compatible with Brave browser. Once installed, users can stake Cosmos compatible cryptocurrencies from their wallets. 

As a non-custodial wallet, Keplr gives users complete control of their cryptocurrency compared to wallets on centralized exchanges such as Coinbase, which are owned by the exchange. Through the wallet, individuals can partake in airdrops and collect stake rewards from projects such as Cosmos, Kava, and Osmosis. 

The interface is designed to be as user-friendly as possible, with all platforms under the wallet using a similar design to avoid confusion. To add to this, all assets are displayed with their $USD value to keep investors updated. Should you live in a country with a different currency, you can change this in the settings option.

Keplr is also compatible with hardware wallets such as the Ledger Nano X or Nano S. These hardware wallets provide Keplr users with higher security levels by keeping all cryptocurrency offline. 

How To Install Keplr Wallet Extension 

You can install Keplr and connect to Cudos with seven easy steps. 

1. Search for Keplr on Google and click on the Chrome Web Store. Click install to start your Keplr Wallet download. 

2. Once installed, click on the Keplr wallet extension icon. A new page will open in your browser. 

3. Create a new account or import an existing account using the mnemonic phrase provided when you signed up. The wallet will not yet be connected to the Cudos network, so you won’t see your details.

Now it’s time to connect to the Cudos network.

4. Head over to the Cudos Explorer through the Keplr extension. 

5. Click on the “Key Icon” in the upper right corner. 

6. You’ll see a pop-out asking permission to add a network to Keplr. Approve this. 

7. Once approved, open your extension and clock on “Network Name” at the top. A menu will open showing CudosTestnetPublic. Click this, and your account will be connected. 

Is Keplr Safe?

Keplr is one of the most secure wallets available, however, it is your responsibility to keep it secure. For anyone to access your account, they require your full seed phrase. We always recommend storing your full seed phrase offline in a notepad to keep it secure. This way, you can access your account should you lose the details. If you lose the details and don’t have access to the phrase, you’ll lose access to your funds and won’t be able to recover them… a real-life nightmare. 

Remember, Keplr is non-custodial, meaning there is no central entity that holds your funds; you alone are responsible for keeping your seed phrase safe.

Although nobody has been directly hacked, some people have lost their funds due to scams involving their seed phrases. Keplr has stated they will never ask for your seed phrase, so you should never share it with anyone. 

For those who want an extra layer of security, funds can be sent from Keplr to Ledger hardware wallets. This lets you store your wallet offline, keeping your crypto as secure as possible. 

According to Keplr Wallet reviews on Google Play, the wallet is extremely secure, and no hacks have ever been reported. It’s been praised for its simplicity and has achieved a 4.1/5 overall score with over 800 reviews. 

Pros & Cons Of Keplr Wallet

Compatible With All IBC Assets

Instead of needing a different wallet for each asset, you can store all your IBC assets in one place. These include Cosmos, Terra USD, Sentinel, Osmosis, and Kava. 

Lucrative Staking Options

With Keplr, you can stake a range of blockchains in the Cosmos ecosystem, including Cosmos Hub, Osmosis (OSMO), Secret Network (SCRT), and Crypto.org (CRO). You can check your staked assets from the “Dashboard” menu, which can be found in the left drop-down menu on the web browser. You can claim your rewards using the “claim rewards” button in the same menu. 

Compatible With Ledger Hardware Wallets

If you’re big on security, you can add extra protection with Ledger hardware wallets. You can use this tutorial to connect your wallet. 

Cons

Limited To IBC Coins

Although Keplr allows users to store over 20 different digital assets, it’s limited to IBC coins. This means you can’t store popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

No NFT support

If NFTs are your thing, then the Keplr wallet may not be for you. As of July 2022, Keplr doesn’t let users store NFTs. 

Limited Search Engine Options

Keplr is only supported on Chrome and Brave Browser and is unavailable on alternatives such as Firefox and Safari. In addition, the app can only be accessed through the extension and has no desktop version. 

About Keplr Wallet (History of Keplr)

Keplr wallet is a new addition to the crypto space, released in October 2021 by Chainapsis, an interchain infrastructure developer based in South Korea. 

It was co-founded by Tony Yun, a two-time HackAtom winner and author of Interchain Standards 27, and Josh Lee, better known as Dogemos, who’s well known amongst the Cosmos community. Josh currently runs Chainapsis and works at Tendermint, open-source software designed to launch blockchains in various languages.  

What Cryptocurrencies Does Keplr Support?

The Keplr wallet extension doesn’t currently have its own native currency. Instead, it showcases a list of Cosmos tokens already available in the system. Keplr also supports cryptocurrencies that are not currently available in the Cosmos ecosystem. Known as non-native tokens, users can download them as extensions in the token wallet. The current list of all accepted tokens in June 2022 includes:

• Cosmos Hub
• Osmosis
• Juno
• Secret Network
• Akash Network
• Regen Network
• Persistent
• Kava
• Secret Network
• Sifchain
• CertiK
• IRISnet
• Terra Luna (beta)
• TerraUSD (beta)
• Cronos (CRO)
• Regen Network (beta)
• Cyber (beta)
• Straightedge (beta)
• Sentinel
• Sifchain
• IRISnet
• CertiK

This list is consistently being updated to include additional blockchains. You can find the latest updates at https://www.keplr.app/. 

Final Thoughts: Is Keplr The MetaMask of Cosmos? 

Keplr helps overcome the hurdle of needing several different crypto wallets for IBC assets, making it easier for new crypto investors to buy and store their assets. Instead of worrying about where their assets are stored, users can hold everything in a single location, making IBC crypto storage as easy as possible. 

Despite being a relatively new wallet, Keplr has already proven to be a popular option with over 100,000 global users, over 20 supported assets, and high levels of security for those looking for a safe way to store their crypto. 

Throughout 2022 the Keplr team has set the goal of expanding their reach to more ecosystems and posting regular updates on its Twitter account. As the popularity of Keplr continues to grow, the wallet could soon become the wallet equivalent of MetaMask for the Cosmos ecosystem. 

The post Keplr Wallet Review: Meeting the Leading IBC Wallet appeared first on CoinCentral.

Unstoppable domains work much like your traditional domain, hosting a website to sell a product, inform an audience, or anything else you want to use it for. However, they also let users generate a universal username, log in to the decentralized web, and work as a crypto wallet, storing cryptocurrency sent by visitors and buyers. 

Each domain is built on blockchains such as Ethereum, Polygon Zilliqa, and several others, with a range of domain extensions such as .crypto and .zil. 

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Unstoppable Domains, including, what Unstoppable Domains are, how they work, the pros and cons of Unstoppable Domains, and how you can buy and sell one in 2022, domain safety, and future of Unstoppable Domains.

About Unstoppable Domains

Unstoppable Domains is a domain registrar that sells decentralized domains (also known as crypto domains) that offer several advantages over traditional web 2.0 alternatives. 

Instead of using traditional domain technology (DNS), Unstoppable Domains uses blockchain technology and is known as a crypto name service (CNS). Here are a few of the benefits. 

Firstly, Unstoppable Domains lets users own the domains they purchase. Traditionally, domain registrars such as GoDaddy and Namecheap would rent domain names to users for a monthly or yearly fee; however, they would still have full ownership. With Unstoppable Domains, a single upfront payment is made, and full ownership is transferred to the buyer. 

This has several additional benefits. The buyer now has full ownership of the domain, and their content can’t be censored. Historically, domain providers and search engines such as Google would have the power to remove your site should you post anything not following their terms and conditions. 

As an Unstoppable Domains domain owner, you have complete independent control of the domain, meaning you can use it, however, you want instead of conforming to search engines. 

When registering, you’ll have a choice of various extensions, including .crypto, .zil, .wallet, and .nft, allowing you to choose the extension based on your project. For example, if you’ve set up a DAO (decentralized autonomous organization), you can select *Project name*.dao. Once registered, your data will be on a public blockchain instead of stored on a private database owned by a DNS provider.  

After registering, you can edit, transfer or link your domain to any crypto service you want, and Unstoppable Domains will never interfere. 

Using your domain, you can also access websites on Opera and Brave browsers with an automatic DNS change in Chrome or through the Unstoppable extension available on Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.

Who Are Unstoppable Domains For?

Now, you may be asking yourself, should I buy an Unstoppable Domain? And the answer is it depends (though we definitely will be!)

There are a few reasons an Unstoppable domain may be for you. 

Firstly, if you want to own your domain instead of renting it from a domain provider, not only does this work out cheaper (the average Unstoppable Domain sells for around $20), but it also gives you full peace of mind that the domain is yours and nobody can take that from you. 

Secondly, if you use crypto and want access to the decentralized web. Web 3.0 is becoming a popular option amongst internet users who want to trade cryptocurrency and keep their data away from large corporations. An Unstoppable Domain will double down as your crypto wallet and give you access to web 3.0 without needing extensions. 

Thirdly, if you just want to make a good investment. Since 2021 crypto domains have significantly grown in popularity, with over 1.4 million “.eth” domains registered. Although this is a significantly smaller number than the 359.8 million registered domain names, crypto domains are becoming more popular and selling for the highest prices since the crypto domain price peak in 2017.

If you’re a business owner on the fence about whether or not to buy, then taking action may not be a bad idea. As crypto domains continue to grow in popularity, their overall prices will increase too. Buying now could mean you bag a bargain and allow for easy crypto transactions in the future. 

Instead of needing to send a complex code, your Unstoppable domain can act as your wallet, accepting over 280 crypto-related assets with the sender only needing your domain name. Your domain can then route the payment to your crypto wallets. 

How Much Are Unstoppable Domains?

Your domain’s total cost depends on the estimated value of the domain and the gas fees at the time of your transaction. Once these have been paid, you’ll never have to pay a renewal fee. 

Domains themselves can range from $20 to over $1000.For example, choosing a popular word will likely increase the cost, and .crypto domains tend to cost more than .wallet or .dao options. The shorter the domain name, the more expensive it will be. 

Unstoppable Domains has also released premium domains that can cost upwards of $10,000. 

The second factor is the gas fees (transaction fee), as domains are stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Once purchased, you’ll need to claim your domain on the blockchain, which will vary in cost based on the Ether (ETH) price and the network congestion at the time. This typically costs around $50 though it will vary with market fluctuations. 

Should You Replace Your Domain With An Unstoppable Domain?

Although crypto domains are growing in popularity, it’s important not to get ahead of yourself. There’s being early to the party, and then there’s being a little too early. Instead, it may be a good time to keep your traditional domain running and buy an Unstoppable domain for future use. 

As each domain uses different technology, you won’t be able to update them simultaneously (though if there are any blockchain builders reading this, this could be a huge opportunity!) As a result, trying to manage both could be pretty time-consuming. 

Nonetheless, as Web 3.0 continues to grow, the importance of owning a crypto domain will also increase, especially if web 3.0 becomes the new norm. 

Who Founded Unstoppable Domains

Unstoppable Domains is a San Francisco-based company founded in 2018 by Matthew Gould and Bogdan Gusiev. Initially designed as a link between web 2.0 and Web 3.0, it shifted entirely into Web 3.0. 

Before starting Unstoppable Domains, Matthew (CEO) was a serial entrepreneur, building the first consumer rating system on Bitcoin, and Verified News, an Ethereum app that validates how truthful news stories are on the blockchain. Matthew formally worked at YC startup, Talkable and helped the company grow from just 5 to over 50 employees. Another one of his companies, Browseth, was recently awarded a grant from the Ethereum Foundation to build a front-end library for Ethereum development. Matthew is also a mentor with the ENS foundation, which helps to build the protocol layer for blockchain-based domains built on Ethereum. 

Bogdan (CTO) came from a software background and worked from a junior developer to CTO in only 11 years. He works as an open-source developer and Kiev Ruby community member.

Pros and Cons of Unstoppable Domains

The concept of a crypto domain may seem a little overwhelming initially, but it helps to understand the benefits and detractions of this novel technology. 

Pros

You Have Full Ownership

Unlike your .com alternatives, which are subject to legal jurisdiction and removal, your Unstoppable domain will be registered on a public blockchain, and you will have full ownership. This means you’re not at risk of being censored. 

Single Purchase

Tired of unexpected renewal fees? Unstoppable Domains claims to remove them entirely. With a single, one-time purchase, the domain will be yours forever without needing to pay renewal fees. This is because domains work like an NFT, which will be stored in your wallet as proof of ownership. 

Customization

Being the complete owner of the domain means you can do with it as you please. You can choose any design, theme, or content you want. Alternatively, you can choose to transfer it for a profit, which is significantly harder to do with a traditional domain. 

Works As A Crypto Wallet

If you run a business that accepts cryptocurrency (or plan to), then your Unstoppable Domain will also work as a crypto wallet for you to accept payments. As of July 2022, over 280 types of cryptocurrency are supported. 

Support for dApps

Unstoppable Domain websites natively support decentralized apps, which means they can be implemented and used without needing any extensions. 

High Security

Blockchain technology is well known for its high level of security. Due to the nature of your site, cyber-attacks on your domain are almost impossible, giving you peace of mind that your site is safe from hackers. 

Cons

Risk Of Not Becoming Mainstream

Crypto domains are still a relatively new concept, with the average internet user not knowing anything about them. As a result, there’s no way to know whether or not the mainstream market will adopt unstoppable Domains. 

Not Fully Supported On Browsers

As of July 2022, Unstoppable Domains is somewhat limited regarding browser support. Domains are accepted on web browsers such as Brave and Opera, however, browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge require DNS modifications to access them. Unstoppable Domains have designed a free browser extension to solve this, though this is still a minor inconvenience. 

Web Hosting Isn’t Practical 

The process is a little complex if you want to host your standard website on your Unstoppable domain. You’ll need a decentralized peer-to-peer infrastructure for hosting, such as IPFS. 

Public Perception

Although Unstoppable domains are more or less the same as traditional domains, many people still believe the site is only for crypto services. This goes back to our first con, as it delays the mainstream adoption rate. 

How To Buy An Unstoppable Domain

Buying an unstoppable domain is pretty simple and works the same way as minting an NFT. If this sounds complex, don’t worry. It’s much easier than it sounds. 

To get started, follow these steps or check out our guide on How To Buy A Crypto Domain for a more detailed overview. 

1. Head over to https://unstoppabledomains.com/.
2. Sign in or create your account.
3. Use the search bar at the top to search for the domain you want to buy. 
4. Add the domain to your cart and checkout. 
5. You can pay with a Credit Card, PayPal, and Crypto.
6. You’ll be sent an email to verify your identity. 
7. Once verified, you can claim your domain by choosing a wallet address. 
8. Claim this with your wallet, and you’ll now own your domain. 

After claiming your domain, you can link your cryptocurrency addresses. For example, if you link your Ethereum address, people can send ETH to your Unstoppable domain instead of the numeric Ethereum address. 

How To Sell Your Unstoppable Domain

So you’ve bought a crypto domain but decided you want to sell. There are two ways to do this; through the Unstoppable Domains website or through external markets such as OpenSea. 

On Unstoppable Domains, head over to Manage for your minted domain, select Contact, and add your email address. 

Then click on Sell Domain and save the changes.

This will display a “For sale by owner” tag next to your domain on the site, allowing users to email you to inquire. 

Another way to sell your domain is through a third-party market such as Opensea or Mintable. To do this, follow our guide on how to sell your crypto domain in 7 easy steps. 

Are Unstoppable Domains Safe?

Unstoppable domains are extremely safe and arguably safer than their traditional alternatives. Once you claim the domain, it’s registered under your address on the blockchain. This means nobody can hack your domain unless they hack the blockchain (which is virtually impossible). 

In addition, no third party has the power to remove or censor your domain, meaning it’s never at risk of being down due to censorship. 

To avoid scams, purchase your domain directly on the Unstoppable Domains website or through the official page for Unstoppable Domains on sites such as Opensea. 

Final Thoughts Unstoppable Domains and the Future Of Domain Registrars

Unstoppable Domains uses the blockchain to bring the full power of domain ownership to the people for the first time since the internet was created. 

Although still a relatively new concept, ownership and the value of crypto domains are on the rise. As more people look into crypto domains, crypto domain registrars such as Unstoppable Domains and ENS (Ethereum Name Service) remain at the forefront of Web 3.0 domain development, creating a friendlier way for people to own and trade crypto. 

However, the platform remains somewhat misunderstood by the public. With many people believing it’s solely for crypto-related projects, mainstream adoption has slowed. So should you buy an Unstoppable Domain? 

As cryptocurrency and crypto domains continue to influence society, the value of crypto domains will likely skyrocket as more domains are taken. Though it’s impossible to predict the future of cryptocurrency, it’s difficult to ignore the emergence of crypto domains and the ways blockchain technology can impact how we use the internet. 

The post Unstoppable Domains Review: How Does Unstoppable Domains Work? appeared first on CoinCentral.

The “gold vs. Bitcoin” debate is almost as old as Bitcoin– with Peter Schiff often taking the anti-BTC pro-gold stance.

Despite cryptocurrency’s growing popularity, many would-be cryptocurrency investors are swayed from buying or holding digital assets due to the industry’s volatile nature. 

However, what if cryptocurrency could mimic the price of gold while maintaining the advantages of its digital nature? What if people could leverage the benefits of holding gold without actually having to hold and protect heavy bricks of gold?

Gold-backed, also referred to as “gold-pegged”, cryptocurrencies are backed by the physical value of gold. Like stablecoins, most gold-backed cryptocurrencies represent a physical collection of gold custudied by the stablecoin issuer. 

The following gold-backed cryptocurrency guide explores the most popular gold-pegged tokens, who is behind the project, and other pertinent information.

Gold-Backed Tokens 101: How Does Gold Crypto Work?

Gold-pegged cryptocurrencies are designed in a similar way to stablecoins, but rather than being backed by fiat are backed by the value of physical gold. 

Gold-pegged tokens aim to prevent price fluctuations by tying the derivative asset to a tangible asset. Theoretically, the cumulative price of the tokens shouldn’t be less than the value of the physical assets

The amount of gold used to back a particular gold-pegged cryptocurrency must be held in gold reserves, which are commonly held at banks and other third-party institutions. 

Gold-pegged tokens vary in how they’re backed. For example, some tokens are backed at a ratio of 1:1, in which one token is equivalent in value to 1 gram of gold, whereas others will use different ratios. 

As the value of gold increases, so should the price of a token, making it a more stable investment than other cryptocurrencies. 

Most gold-backed tokens allow investors to redeem tokens for gold, similar to how dollar-pegged stablecoins generally can be traded for their $1.00 equivalent in fiat.

There are several advantages to gold-pegged tokens:

• You can own a token with the same value as gold, without needing to physically hold gold.
• Gold’s value is less prone to price fluctuations
• It’s a more straightforward route into the commodities market

However, there are also a few disadvantages:

• Although gold can protect from the downsides, it historically doesn’t carry similar returns to cryptocurrencies as BTC or ETH. 
• Market growth tends to be slower than other cryptocurrencies. 
• Digital assets pose new inherent risks that the physical asset doesn’t and are also without many of the same protections. 

Gold-pegged tokens are a steady asset for those seeking stability in their digital portfolio.

To compile our list of the most popular gold-pegged tokens, we evaluated the company that created the token, the current market cap, and the unique features of each project.

Perth Mint Gold Token (PMGT) 

Perth Mint Gold Token (PMGT)  is one of the few cryptocurrencies validated by the government. Instead of the gold stores being held by a private company, all gold purchased at PMGT is traded and stored at The Perth Mint.

Physical gold blocks support the currency at a 1:1 ratio and has a market cap of $2,212,088. Buyers are given digital gold certificates every time they buy the token. These certificates can be traded for gold bullion, which can be delivered directly to their address. 

During the transaction, investors are not required to pay any transaction fees. In addition to this, they don’t need to pay for storage or any ongoing management fees should they choose not to hold the gold themselves. 

The token can only be purchased at Independent Reserve, though talks are in place for PMGT to be listed on other exchanges. 

Gold Coin (GLC) 

Gold Coin (GLC) is an ERC-20 coin developed by Digital Gold LTD. The cryptocurrency was built and is maintained by a group of volunteers who believe in the promotion of economic freedom. 

It’s backed by a ratio of 1000 GLC per ounce of gold and has a market cap of $1,807,944. When holding GLC, investors have access to unique features such as two-minute confirmation speeds, making it the fastest transaction of all gold-pegged tokens. 

GLC also offers an exclusive Goldcoin Wallet for any gold purchased, and there are no transaction fees, making it extremely easy for investors to buy and hold their gold. 

Gold Coin is available on the following exchanges: CryptoExchange.com and Goldcoin.com; it can be bought with credit and debit cards.

DigixGlobal (DGX)

DigixGlobal is a Singapore-based company that provides gold-pegged DGX tokens. The DGX token is backed on a  1:1 ratio and has a market cap of ​​$1,183,867. Each token represents 1 ounce of gold.

The gold is stored in both Singapore and Canada, which is a unique value add compared to other gold-backed tokens on this list; by having storage locations in two parts of the world, the risks of just having a single location are mitigated.

DigixGlobal charges a 1% fee per exchange and assumes the demurrage (shipping) fee. The only exchange you can currently buy DGX is Coinsquare, which can be purchased with Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH). 

Meld Gold by Algorand (MCAU)

Meld Gold was created by Algorand as a stable alternative to altcoins; it makes gold investing accessible to investors in the form of Meld Digital Gold Certificates. Each gold certificate is equivalent to 1 gram of physical gold.

The tokens (certificates) are secured on the Algorand Wallet, making them easily accessible to investors who already own a wallet. Meld launched a partnership program to attract leaders in the gold, financial, and technology sectors to collaborate and brainstorm the token’s future. 

You can currently buy Meld at BTC Markets.

Tether Gold (Gold)

Tether built its reputation as one of the most popular stablecoins. Tether Gold was introduced in 2020, and it grew to one of the most popular gold-pegged tokens with a market capitalization of $469 million USD. 

One token represents one fine troy ounce of gold on a London Good Delivery bar. The Tether Gold reserves are held in Swiss vaults, and investors are required to pay a small 0.25% fee per transaction. 

Tether Gold can be purchased on Coinbase.

AABB Gold Token (AABBG)

AABBG is somewhat of an anomaly in the crypto space as the founding company has no prior experience in cryptocurrency or finance. Instead, AABBG was founded by Asia Broadband Inc. (AABB). AABB is a resource company focused on the production, supply, and sale of precious and base metals.

 Unlike other gold-pegged tokens in which the gold comes from various sources, 100% of the gold purchased using AABBG comes directly from the company’s mining project. This cuts out the middleman and ensures investors get their gold directly from the source. It then uses a unique mine-to-token gold-backing format that verifies gold assets displayed by each token. 

The token has a current market cap of $97,382,859.21. It can only be purchased using an official AABB Wallet, and requires Bitcoin or Ethereum to make the transaction.

AurusGOLD (AWG)

AurusGOLD, better known as AWG, is minted by gold traders who arbitrage between the AWG and bullion gold markets. It has a market cap of $1,880,988.  

Each token can be redeemed for 1 gram of gold supplied from London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certificate refineries. If investors aren’t interested in gold but have an interest in holding other precious metals, AWG has also diversified into the precious metals niche. Investors can purchase tokenized precious metals the same way they would gold and hold them in their crypto wallets. 

AWG can be purchased on several Aurus-partnered exchanges and precious metals dealers. The most popular exchange is CEX.IO, and precious metal dealers include Direct Bullion and Aurica Group.

PAX Gold (PAXG)

Pax Gold was founded by Paxos, a US-based trust company and custodian. Each token is equivalent to one troy ounce of a London Right Delivery bar of gold. 

The PAXG token was launched in 2019 and is backed by gold stores in Brink’s vaults, which the London Bullion Market Association approves. It has a market cap of $610,389,228 and is the only gold token that investors can redeem for LBMA-accredited Good Delivery gold bullion bars.

The easiest way to buy PAX Gold is through Coinbase, where it can be bought with Ethereum (ETH). 

Final Thoughts: The Future of Gold Pegged Tokens 

Despite having a reputation for being one of the safer investments, owning physical gold isn’t particularly easy. It can be held in the form of physical bullion and stored at home, or holders can pay a storage facility to hold them for a fee. 

Gold-pegged tokens make it significantly easier for individuals to own gold without ever needing to store it themselves. 

As a cheaper and more convenient alternative, we may one day see gold-pegged tokens become the new dominant form of gold ownership for a global, decentralized base of people. 

However, the future of gold-pegged tokens may look completely different. 

For one, various decentralized finance projects and decentralized exchanges allow people to earn interest on their gold deposits in a variety of mechanisms, such as lending or through liquidity pools.

Some highly experimental projects are even creating synthetic assets that derive their value algorithmically rather than basing it on a physical deposit of assets.

While this list is by no means exhaustive (nor is it prescriptive, none of our content is investment advice; it’s important to educate yourself about the intersection between traditional finance (gold) and decentralized finance (cryptocurrency). 

The post 8 Top Gold-Backed Crypto Tokens & Where to Buy (Updated 2023) appeared first on CoinCentral.

Over the last decade blockchain technology has impacted just about every industry on the planet. Starting with finance, it has since impacted industries such as digital art, gaming and even music and TV. Now, blockchain technology is changing the world of domains and bringing with it several new advantages in the form of domain NFTs. 

In short, a domain NFT is a new domain represented by a Non-Fungible Token (NFT). Also known as decentralized domains, crypto domains, or blockchain domains, domain NFTs provide users with unique advantages not available with Web 2.0 domains. 

Firstly, they’re often a one-time purchase. Instead of relying on a traditional payment plan, a user can buy a domain once and own it for life. As the domain is 100% owned by the user, it also means their domain can’t be censored or repurposed by companies that actually own the domain. 

Despite being a relatively new concept, the idea of NFT domains has already proven popular throughout the cryptocurrency industry.

The following Unstoppable Domains vs. ENS guide explores how each project differs, and which is best for potential users, investors, and the industry at large.

Unstoppable Domains

The marketing battle cry of Unstoppable Domains is to return the power of the internet to the people.

To achieve this goal, it created custom NFT domains that keep data private and provide several additional benefits.

Each domain functions as more than just a web address; an Unstoppable Domains domain can be used as a place to transfer cryptocurrency, a login to the decentralized web, and even provides a universal username, allowing domain holders to have a unitary identity across the internet.

For example, imagine a world where usernames on social media accounts are the same as cryptocurrency addresses and personal site domain name extensions, all stored in the blockchain.

Domains come in the form of .crypto for extensions built on the Ethereum blockchain and .zil for those on the Zilliqa blockchain.

Therefore instead of having a yourbusiness.com domain, the owner could have a yourbusiness.crypto or yourbusiness.zil. 

An advantage of Unstoppable Domains is that everything is completed in a single purchase. Once bought, an owner can keep their domain NFTs for as long as they want without having to pay renewal fees.

Instead of renting a domain, which is what the traditional domain purchasing process is, those buying through Unstoppable Domains will have full ownership in perpetuity.

The domain can also be linked to a user’s cryptocurrency address, which makes it easier to remember a human-friendly address rather than a string of randomized letters and numbers.

This also makes the peer-to-peer transaction process smoother: crypto can be sent directly to and from an NFT domain address, eliminating the need for entering credit card, ACH, or other personal transfer details. 

Ethereum Name Service

Ethereum Name Service (better known as ENS) is operated by a DAO (decentralized autonomous organization, meaning it has no centralized leadership. The DAO’s functionality is facilitated by an ENS token, in which holders can submit proposals and vote on any future developments. 

The ENS token itself is created on the Ethereum blockchain and can be traded on most markets. However, it’s mostly used by ENS community members to dictate how the organization should be changed in the future. For example, the ENS token holders can vote on the ENS Constitution,  vote on the ENS Constitution, a set of rules and guidelines on how the DAO should be governed. Each ENS token will count for one vote, with 67% needed for an article to pass. 

If a member wants to submit a proposal to the community, they will need 100,000 tokens for it to go to a vote. Due to anyone being able to make a submission, votes can be made on a wide range of factors. These include social proposals such as moving a particular director, member or supervisor, allocating portions of the liquid pool, and a range of constitutional amendments. 

ENS operates on the second domain zone, on the .ETH and .LUKE extensions. ENS operates similarly to Unstoppable Domains, but it doesn’t provide a top-level domain (TLD). ENS works like traditional DNS servers, translating website requests into IP addresses and controlling the server a user will reach when they search for a domain. However, instead of using a traditional registrar, ENS uses smart contracts. This helps to remove many of the traditional practices required to purchase a domain such as personal information and billing details. 

ENS domain purchases require users to use an external crypto wallet, such as MEW, MetaMask, and Torus. Users can then buy domains with ETH; Some domain prices start at around $5, however, gas fees (that can fluctuate considerably with ETH) must also be taken into consideration. 

ENS domains expire and must be renewed on a regular basis.

Final Thoughts: Unstoppable Domains vs Ethereum Name Service (ENS)

Both Unstoppable Domains and ENS provide users with innovative ways to purchase a domain without many of the issues related to buying through traditional methods. Each provides users with the option to buy from a decentralized network, whilst keeping their data private. 

One of the key advantages of ENS is its democratic approach to operating. As an ENS holder, users can vote on the future of policies on the DAO, allowing them to influence any future features. To further this, holders can also submit their own proposals once they have 100,000 votes. This allows the community to dictate how the DAO is run, which will allow them to fix any flaws that have been overlooked by the dev team. 

On the other hand, Unstoppable Domains provides users with an easier way to purchase their domain, whilst also working as a cryptocurrency wallet. This overcomes the initial hurdle of buying a domain with crypto, making it significantly more friendly to new users. In addition to this, all domains purchased on Unstoppable Domains are owned for life. This removes the recurring costs of renting a domain and gives the user full power over how they use it. 

Both projects bring with them a range of innovative new features not available in the traditional domain market. With the market itself innovating at a rate we haven’t seen since the .com boom, only time will tell which will become the better option for Web 3.0 users.

The post Unstoppable Domains vs ENS: What’s the Difference (Updated 2023) appeared first on CoinCentral.

If you’re new to the whole blockchain domain idea, here’s a quick refresher– as long as your crypto domain is an ERC-721 standard token, it can be traded and sold like any token.

For this particular guide, we’ll be using the popular NFT marketplace OpenSea to sell the domain. However, crypto domains can also be sold on marketplaces like Rarible. 

Most crypto domains are currently purchased on Unstoppable Domains or Ethereum Name Service (ENS). However, this process should be the same for any domain bought on an alternative crypto domain purchasing site once connected to Opensea. 

It’s time to sell your theoretical crypto domain, or at least learn how. We’ll cover every step needed to sell, and by the end of this guide, you’d have sold your crypto domain, and your payment will be on the way. 

How To Sell Your Crypto Domain On OpenSea

Let’s get started. 

1. Start by claiming your domain with MetaMask and connecting it to OpenSea. Head to OpenSea and click on the wallet symbol in the top right corner. 

2. Connect your wallet and sign in to your account. If you haven’t already made one, you can do so by entering your email and a password. 

3. Make sure your wallet is connected to your account. Click on “Profile” to view your collected NFTs. Your crypto domain will appear here. 

4. Click on the domain you want to sell and click the “Sell” icon. 

5. Choose the fixed price you want to sell your domain for, or sell to the highest bidder with a timed auction. For timed auctions, you need to choose how long the auction will go on. 

6. Click “Complete Listing” and your domain will now be available on OpenSea. 

7. Now you need to wait for your auction to time out or for an individual to pay the price you’re selling your domain for. 

If you’re selling for the first time on OpenSea, you’ll be required to pay two transaction gas fees to set up your account. For each sale, you’ll also have to pay a gas fee to accept offers. This fee will differ for each transaction. 

Alternatively, if you want to sell direct, you can “reserve” the domain to be purchased by a specific buyer directly, and OpenSea acts as a sort of private marketplace and escrow account. 

If you have any additional questions about selling your domain, we’ve covered the topic in greater detail below. 

Selling Crypto Domains: Frequently Asked Questions

What cryptocurrency can I sell my domain for?

You can sell your crypto domain for Ethereum (ETH). As of June 2022, OpenSea is currently selling SOL NFTs; however, they don’t sell SOL domains on the site. 

Can I sell a crypto domain from my hardware wallet?

Yes. Hardware wallets such as Ledger and Trezor can be used to manage crypto domains when connected with MetaMask. 

To sell your domain, connect your Trezor wallet with MetaMask. Once connected, you can use MetaMask to manage your crypto domains, including selling them on OpenSea. 

How can I avoid being scammed when selling my crypto domain? 

To avoid being scammed, always sell your domain through a trusted third party such as OpenSea. Make sure you’re visiting the correct site OpenSea.io– not OponSea, not OpenSee, not Openseea.com. 

You increase your risk of being scammed by selling directly to other individuals without a third party.

Can I get a refund for my crypto domain?

This will depend on the registrar you used to buy the domain. If you’ve purchased your domain on StoppableDomains and haven’t minted it, you can refund your domain within 14 days of purchase. This can be refunded as store credit or back to the original payment method. 

Are there any fees for selling my domain on OpenSea?

As a first-time seller on OpenSea, you’ll be required to pay two transaction gas fees to set up your account. The first is an account initialization fee account which will vary based on Ethereum network congestion.

The second fee is a one-time approval fee that authorizes transactions between a contract and your wallet.

You will also have to pay the gas fee when accepting offers which will range depending on the gas fees at the time of the transaction. 

How does a crypto domain differ from a normal one?

The main difference between a crypto domain from a traditional domain is that the user owns their domain. Traditionally, people would rent domains from registrars who would have the power to remove and control your domain. 

 Our guide on crypto domains is a great place to get you current on the basics.

What is the difference between a crypto domain and an NFT domain? 

Nothing! Despite crypto enthusiasts using slang to describe them, the two terms are interchangeable. 

Why should I sell my crypto domain?

There are many reasons why you may want to sell your crypto domain. These include wanting to make a profit or not actually using it. Ultimately, the decision is up to you. 

What are the benefits of a crypto domain?

There are several benefits to a crypto domain. The most popular benefits are that you get full control and ownership of your domain and can limit censorship and seizures from third parties such as domain registrars.

I didn’t buy my domain on Unstoppable Domains. Can I still sell on OpenSea?

As long as your domain is held in a MetaMask wallet, you can sell your crypto domain on OpenSea. OpenSea also accepts Coinbase Wallet, Ledger, InfinityWallet, and several other options. 

Can I buy a crypto domain on OpenSea?

Yes. If your domain has already been registered, there’s a chance it may be for sale on OpenSea. Search for Unstoppable Domains and then search for the name in the second search bar. You can then place a bid or buy it instantly. 

Final Thoughts: Congrats, You Sold Your Crypto Domain

You did it, you early-wave tech adopter, you! 

Remember that your transaction will always be embedded in the blockchain, so you will always be able to prove that you once upon a time owned said crypto domain. We’re not sure how many cool points this is worth in real life, but we’d say maybe ten? Twenty? Really depends on inflation these days. 

But what about all the other wonderful developments in the decentralized domain ownership world?

How about buying a new crypto domain? 

Or maybe you just want to learn about who owns crypto domains?  We’ve got you covered. 

The post The Ultimate Guide To Selling Your Crypto Domain: 7 Easy Steps appeared first on CoinCentral.

In the past, domain ownership worked on a rental basis– domain holders wouldn’t actually own the domain they “purchase.” Instead, they would rent the rights to a domain registry and pay a renewal fee. With crypto domains, holders simply make a one-time payment and own the domain until they choose to sell it.

Crypto domains also differ in the way they’re run. Unlike traditional domains which are housed on a server and managed by a central organization, crypto domains are decentralized and written onto a public blockchain. This gives the domain holder full ownership and rights to publish any information they want on their domain.

Although the concept of actually owning a domain is relatively new, it has already proven to be popular with over 500,000 crypto domains being registered as of early 2022.

Popular domain options include .crypto, .nft, .x and .eth.

We suspect there are two reasons fueling their popularity:

1. The advantages crypto domains have over traditional domains, listed below.
2. The speculative flood of investors seeking to purchase what could be lucrative domains in the future, such as the initial wave of domain purchases in the early 2000s.

Crypto domains are one time-purchases through providers like Unstoppable Domains. Instead of having to renew their domain each year, domain holders can make a single purchase and own the domain for life. 

Each domain is 100% user-owned. This means that a centralized entity such as Google Domains can’t censor the information on the domain, thus giving full rights to the owner.

Many crypto domains can also double as cryptocurrency public addresses. This means the domain can be used to send and receive cryptocurrencies and tokens. With cryptocurrency becoming an increasingly popular means of exchange, such domains would be extremely effective in speeding up the mass adoption of cryptocurrency.

Popular Crypto Domain Providers

Domain providers such as GoDaddy, Google Domains, and Hostgator are household names in the Internet world, but crypto domains stand to shake things up a bit.

Web-3 companies aim to give power back to the people in the form of domain ownership. As blockchain technology continues in innovative industries around the world, the opportunity to take power from the large multinational corporations and give it back to the people grows with it.

One such company is Ethereum Name Service–ENS helps give crypto domains a human face. Instead of an address being a random code, users will see a typical domain name such as yourbusiness.eth. Once the domain has been linked to a website address, it will display a fully functional website similar to most sites we see today. As of 2022, ENS has over 179.46K total users, making it one of the most popular crypto domains in the world. 

Another popular crypto domain provider is Unstoppable Domains. Much like ENS, Unstoppable Domains allows users to create a non-censorable website. This website can be stored in a holder’s wallet (much like any other NFT or cryptocurrencies). However, domains registered on the site work as more than just a domain. They can be used to generate universal usernames, transfer cryptocurrency and even create a login to the decentralized web. 

All Unstoppable Domains are built on either the Ethereum or Zilliqa blockchains, with several different domain options available. Once a user has bought a domain, they will have complete ownership, meaning they don’t pay renewal fees and can keep the domain until they wish to sell it. 

Popular Crypto Domain Extensions

Similar to traditional domains, there are many different options when it comes to crypto domain extensions. Each extension has its own unique benefits, with some extensions only being available with certain providers. Here are some of the most popular options and their associations.

.blockchain – This domain is associated with blockchain evangelists. It’s easy to remember and is designed to help move people from traditional .com domains to crypto-based alternatives. 

.bitcoin – Designed especially for Bitcoin fans, this domain is provided by Gemini. It’s perfect for users who already use Bitcoin for transactions. 

.coin – This domain was created as an easy-to-remember option for NFT domains. Its compatible with USDC for easy payments and can be purchased from Circle. 

.nft – Designed with NFT projects in mind, .nft is perfect for NFT fans, artists and collectors. 

.wallet – Associated with payment-related crypto projects, .wallet is the best option for payment pioneers. 

.888 – Often associated with gambling, this domain name is linked to sites that wish good fortune upon their users. 

.dao – .dao domains are associated with open governance and a focus on community. As the support for blockchain communities continues to grow, this particular domain is one we may see often in the future.

.x – Simple, short, and exclusive. This is what users believe .x domains stand for. 

Crypto Domains: How Popular Are They?

Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have become fairly mainstream, crypto domains are still a relatively new concept. The concept was critiqued by many current browser companies, many of which still refuse to provide browser access. Despite this setback, crypto domains have made significant ground over the past few years. 

Originally, crypto domains could only be accessed with certain browsers. The most popular options were Brave browser and Opera browser. In addition to this, a plug-in was often required to access the sites, making the process extremely inconvenient for users.

However, recent announcements by Unstoppable Domains have changed the game entirely.  Unstoppable Domains have uncovered a new service that would allow internet users to access decentralized websites without needing to download any additional software. This service works with Cloudflare’s Distributed Web Resolver to allow any .crypto web address to be viewed from any browser or location around the world.

Although it’s still relatively new, this technology would allow for the mass adoption of crypto domains, helping move the internet from a centralized platform to a decentralized one. 

Final Thoughts: Will Crypto Domains Be As Common as the .coms and .orgs?

According to a study by Dune Analytics, almost 90,000 crypto domains were minted in November 2021, the highest number of crypto domain registrations recorded in a single month. This significant growth in domain registrations suggests that crypto domains may one day become a norm on the internet.

The popularity of these domains will ultimately be determined by how easily they can be accessed by day-to-day users.

The post Crypto Domains Explained: Are .crypto and .bitcoin Domains the Future? appeared first on CoinCentral.