As cryptocurrency becomes more mainstream, more people are wondering what all the hype is about. It is an alternate form of payment, investment, and a way to raise money for businesses. Cryptocurrency has the potential to change the way that transactions take place, both large and small. Anyone interested in learning more about the world of cryptocurrency can start with the basics. And then build up your expertise about this transformative technology.
What Exactly is Cryptocurrency?
A cryptocurrency (crypto) is a digital currency that relies on cryptographic keys (keys) to keep it secure and incorruptible. With this digital currency, the buyer and seller deal directly with each other, leaving out third-party organizations like banks. The unique technology associated with crypto, called blockchain, creates a public ledger of all transactions ever that anyone can view.
Today, there are thousands of digital currencies in existence with new ones being created every day. The appeal of them partially comes from its decentralized nature. In other words, it exists on several computer systems around the world instead of one location. This makes it more secure against hacking, as well as more transparent to users.
Cryptocurrency is highly desirable and promises to transform the way people and companies do business. This has a lot to do with the secure, speedy, and borderless nature of it.
How Does It Work?
From the beginning of a cryptocurrency’s creation, all transactions are stored in a public ledger. As participants, called miners, confirm these transactions, they solve complex computer puzzles. Solving these puzzles adds transactions to the ledger, generating “blocks”. For their efforts, they are rewarded with a transaction fee and/or block rewards. Coins are added to the miner’s wallet and the hard work that goes into getting these coins gives them value.
When two people want to exchange funds, they use electronic wallets that manage the keys for the owner’s coins. These wallets are encrypted with unique complex codes that verify transactions and record the exchange on the public ledger. The permanent and transparent record on the digital ledger creates the blockchain.
Because there is no third party, there are no regulations about who or where you can send transactions. In many cases, there are lower fees and shorter delays than you’d see with traditional banking or payment processing. In addition, participants can buy or sell coins on established exchanges. They can use fiat currency or another coin to acquire more or different digital coins to store in their crypto wallet for future use.
Pros and Cons
Worldwide interest in crypto is certainly growing for a reason. Industries across the globe are looking at ways they can incorporate the technology to their advantage. As with any technology, there are pros and cons to the technology in its present form, many of which overlap!
Pros
- Anonymous
- Instant Accessibility 24/7
- Transparent and accountable
- Can’t be counterfeited
- Eliminates identity theft common in credit card use
- Fast processing
- Fraud-proof
- No need for banks, governments, or other third parties
- Innovative and adaptive to changing needs
Cons
- Challenging to comprehend for those who are not tech-savvy
- Wild market fluctuations
- Few securities in the event of loss, scams, or theft
- Currently limited real-world applications
- Detrimental to the environment due to high-energy consumption of mining
- Attractive to criminals worldwide
- Lack of formal regulations or consumer protections
- Uncertain future
Cryptocurrency is a revolutionary concept that can be very intimidating for beginners to understand. However, as you learn the essentials of the concept and gain expertise, you will soon grasp the mechanics behind it. You will then be in a better position to invest, trade, and incorporate it into your personal and professional lives. Despite its ups and downs, crypto is forcing people across the globe to take note.
