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Price analysis 4/9: BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, ADA, DOT, UNI, LTC, LINK, THETA

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Hong Kong tech company Meitu revealed on April 8 that it had added $10 million worth of Bitcoin (BTC) to its holdings which were purchased at an average rate of $57,000 per coin. After the latest purchase, Meitu’s total cryptocurrency portfolio consists of $49.5 million worth of Bitcoin and $50.5 million worth of Ether (ETH). This acquisition shows that institutional investors are confident that the rally in Bitcoin is still in its early stages.

Tom Jessop, Fidelity’s head of the crypto division, believes that Bitcoin has reached a tipping point and that traditional finance companies will continue to adopt cryptocurrency aggressively in the next few years. Jessop believes the massive monetary stimulus from governments and central banks has accelerated institutional adoption and this is a trend that could extend for at least another year.

Daily cryptocurrency market performance. Source: Coin360

It is not only institutional investors who are rushing into cryptocurrencies. Data shows that the number of retail investors trading cryptocurrency has also increased. Popular trading app Robinhood reported on April 8 that crypto trading on its platform surged to 9.5 million users in Q1 2021, a six-fold increase over Q4 2020.

While crypto adoption is on the rise, some legacy finance firms are still taking an anti-crypto approach. HSBC has reportedly blacklisted MicroStrategy stock and will not allow customers on its HSBC InvestDirect platform to buy shares from the company.

Will Bitcoin and major altcoins extend their uptrend and attract more buyers or will they enter a corrective phase? Let’s analyze the charts of the top-10 cryptocurrencies to find out.

BTC/USDT

The bears could not capitalize on Bitcoin’s break below the 20-day exponential moving average ($57,043) on April 7. Their failure to break the 50-day simple moving average ($54,572) support could have attracted buying from the aggressive bulls, resulting in the rebound on April 8.

BTC/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

However, today’s Doji candlestick suggests the bulls are struggling to sustain the momentum at higher levels.

The BTC/USDT pair has formed an inverse head and shoulders pattern that will complete on a breakout and close above $60,000. This bullish setup has a target objective at $69,540. If the bulls sustain the momentum and clear this hurdle, the uptrend may reach the next target at $79,566.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down from the current level, the bears will once again try to break the critical support at the 50-day SMA. If they succeed, the selling could intensify as short-term traders may rush to the exit. That could pull the pair down to $50,460.02 and then $43,006.77.

ETH/USDT

Ether’s (ETH) drop on April 7 was arrested at the 20-day EMA ($1,933), which shows the bulls are accumulating on dips. The price rebounded sharply on April 8 and rose above the resistance at $2,040.77.

ETH/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The bulls will now make one more attempt to climb above the all-time high at $2,150. If they manage to do that, the ETH/USDT pair could resume its uptrend and march toward the next target objective at $2,618.14.

However, the bears are likely to have other plans. They will try to pull the price below the 20-day EMA. If that happens, several aggressive bulls may get trapped. That could intensify the selling, resulting in a drop to the trendline. A break below this support will suggest a change in trend.

BNB/USDT

Binance Coin (BNB) continues to be in a strong uptrend. The bulls flipped the $348.69 level to support on April 7 and followed that up with a breakout to a new all-time high on April 8. This shows a strong appetite from the bulls.

BNB/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The upsloping moving averages and the relative strength index (RSI) above 75 indicate that the bulls are in command. The next target objective on the upside is the $500 to $530 zone where the bears may mount a stiff resistance.

On any correction, the first support to watch out for is the 20-day EMA ($334). A strong rebound off this support will suggest the sentiment remains bullish and traders are buying on dips.

However, if the BNB/USDT pair dips below the 20-day EMA, it will suggest that the bullish momentum is weakening.

XRP/USDT

XRP made successive inside day candlestick formations on April 7 and April 8. The current price action is pointing to another inside-day candlestick pattern today. The drop in daily volatility shows the altcoin is still digesting the recent gains.

XRP/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

This tightening of the intraday range usually ends with a strong breakout. If the uncertainty resolves to the upside and the bulls drive the price above $1.11, the XRP/USDT pair could start the next leg of the rally that could take it to $1.34 and then $1.66.

Alternatively, if the indecision resolves to the downside, it will suggest that supply exceeds demand and traders have dumped their positions. If that happens, the pair could drop to the 20-day EMA ($0.72). A break below this level could pull the price down to $0.65.

ADA/USDT

Cardano (ADA) dipped below the 20-day EMA ($1.18) on April 7 but the bulls did not allow the price to slip below the 50-day SMA ($1.16). This shows the bulls are defending the moving averages aggressively.

ADA/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The buyers will now try to push the price above $1.33. If they manage to do that, the ADA/USDT pair could rise to $1.48. This is an important level to watch out for because the pair has returned from it on two previous occasions.

If the price again reverses direction from $1.48, it will suggest that the range-bound action may continue for a few more days. On the other hand, if the bulls can drive the price above $1.48, the pair could resume the uptrend toward the next target objective at $2.

A break below the moving averages will be the first sign of weakness and that could result in a drop to the $1.02 support. If this level breaks down, the bears could start a deeper correction to $0.80.

DOT/USDT

Polkadot (DOT) bounced off the 20-day EMA ($38.68) on April 7, indicating buying on dips. The bulls will now try to push the price above the overhead resistance at $42.28.

DOT/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

If they succeed, the DOT/USDT pair will retest the all-time high at $46.80. A breakout and close above this level could start the next leg of the rally that has a target objective at $53.50 and then $57.

The gradually upsloping 20-day EMA and the RSI in the positive territory suggest the bulls have the upper hand.

However, if the price turns down from the current level and breaks below the moving averages, it will indicate that traders are closing their positions on rallies. That could result in a fall to $32.50 and then $26.50.

UNI/USDT

The bulls successfully held the $27.97 support on April 7, which is a positive sign as it shows accumulation on dips. Uniswap (UNI) bounced back above the 20-day EMA ($29.65) on April 8 and the buyers will now try to push the price above $32.50.

UNI/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

If they succeed, the UNI/USDT pair could rally to the $35.20 to $36.80 overhead resistance zone. The bears are likely to defend this zone aggressively. If the price turns down from this resistance, the pair may extend its stay inside the range for a few more days.

Contrary to this assumption, if the price turns down from the current level, the bears will make one more attempt to pull the price below the $27.97 to $25.50 support zone. If they manage to do that, the pair could start a deeper correction to $20.74.

LTC/USDT

Litecoin (LTC) successfully completed the retest of the breakout level from the symmetrical triangle on April 7. That was followed by a rebound on April 8, but the bulls are struggling to pick up momentum.

LTC/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

This shows hesitation to buy at higher levels. If the bulls do not overcome the hurdle at $246.96 within the next few days, the possibility of a break below the 20-day EMA ($207) increases. In such a case, the LTC/USDT pair could drop to the support line.

Contrary to this assumption, if the bulls sustain the momentum and propel the price above $246.96, the pair could start the next leg of the uptrend that may reach $307.42. The gradually rising 20-day EMA and the RSI above 59 suggest a minor advantage to the bulls.

LINK/USDT

Chainlink’s (LINK) sharp reversal on April 7 could not break below the 20-day EMA ($30.29). This shows the sentiment remains positive and the bulls are buying on dips. The rebound on April 8 rose above the $32 resistance but the bulls are struggling to build on this strength today.

LINK/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

If the price turns down and breaks below the moving averages, it will suggest that supply exceeds demand at higher levels. That could pull the price down to the critical support at $24.

On the other hand, if the bulls again defend the 20-day EMA, the LINK/USDT pair could rise to the all-time high at $36.93. A breakout and close above this resistance will suggest the bulls have absorbed the supply and that may indicate the start of the next leg of the uptrend.

However, if the price again turns down from $36.93, the pair could extend its stay inside the range for a few more days.

THETA/USDT

After the large range day on April 7, THETA made an inside day candlestick pattern on April 8 and has followed it up with another one today. This shows indecision among the bulls and the bears about the next directional move. While the bears are defending the overhead resistance, the bulls are buying on every minor dip.

THETA/USDT daily chart. Source: TradingView

The upsloping 20-day EMA ($11.33) and the RSI above 62 suggest a minor advantage to the bulls. The buyers will have to clear the hurdle at $14 to signal the start of the next leg of the uptrend. If they manage to do that, the THETA/USDT pair could rally to $17.65 and then $22.50.

On the contrary, if the bears sink the price below the 20-day EMA, it will be the first sign of a possible change in sentiment. It will suggest that the bulls are no longer buying the dips to the 20-day EMA. The next critical support to watch will be $10.35. If this level is taken out, a deeper correction to the 50-day SMA may start.

The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph. Every investment and trading move involves risk. You should conduct your own research when making a decision.

Market data is provided by HitBTC exchange.

Price analysis 4/9: BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, ADA, DOT, UNI, LTC, LINK, THETA

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3 Latest Blockchain and Crypto-Related Announcements That You Should Know

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3 Latest Blockchain and Crypto-Related Announcements That You Should Know

This article talks about the 3 latest announcements related to Blockchain and crypto space that every Blockchain enthusiast must know. 

Table of Contents 

  • Overview
  • Latest News and Announcements This Week
  • New Kind of Network(NKN) Price Rallied to a New All-Time High 
  • Indian Tech Giant’ Tech Mahindra’ to Launch Stablecoin Tool for Banks
  • India’s Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange, WazirX Launches NFT Marketplace
  • Concluding Lines 

Overview

The uncertainties in 2020 have resulted in a cryptocurrency boom. Blockchain technology has proven to be distributed, transparent, safe, and reliable. Right from its use-cases in finance to supply chain and healthcare, Blockchain has its use-cases in every domain. 

As this sector is booming and shows no sign of slowing down, Blockchain and crypto always remain in the limelight. Let’s talk about top announcements related to this domain.

Latest News and Announcements This Week

In this section, let’s talk about the latest news and accomplishments in the crypto and blockchain domain.

  • New Kind of Network(NKN) Price Rallied to a New All-Time High 

Backed by Blockchain Technology, a New Kind of Network, also known as NKN, is a new type of peer-to-peer(P2P) network connectivity protocol that uses economic incentives to promote users on the internet to share and distribute their network connections and employ unused bandwidth.   

This network has risen 1,400 percent from a low of $0.052 on March 8 to a new all-time peak of $0.779 within two days on April 6, making it one of the month’s unexpected risers.

According to its official website, since its launch in starting in 2018, the project has steadily expanded its active population to become the “world’s largest blockchain network in terms of full consensus nodes,” with 67,266 nodes already running on the network with the capacity to host millions of full consensus nodes. Following Binance’s announcement on March 11 that NKN holders could gain 20% APY on their assets if they deposited them into their Binance savings account, the NKN price began to rise.

  • Indian Tech Giant’ Tech Mahindra’ to Launch Stablecoin Tool for Banks

Indian tech firm Tech Mahindra is revealing and developing a new stablecoin service targeting financial institutions and banks. The tech giant has collaborated with Dutch blockchain application incubator Quantoz to launch a “stablecoin-as-a-service” tool to lessen transaction fees and processing rates.

As a part of the announcement, Rajesh Dhuddu, Blockchain and cybersecurity leader at Tech Mahindra, expressed his views and stated that the recent OCC statement promoting the use of stablecoins for the settlement of financial transactions by banks would drive demand and accelerate innovation in global payments.”

Tech Mahindra’s collaboration will help users integrate Quantoz’s Nexus transaction processing platform into their legacy infrastructure. 

  • India’s Largest Cryptocurrency Exchange, WazirX Launches NFT Marketplace

Another big announcement related to Blockchain and crypto space came from one of the leading largest crypto exchanges, WazirX. Recently, the Indian-based crypto exchange platform announced that it is launching the NFT marketplace for the exchange of digital art, assets, intellectual property, and more. This announcement comes after a strong month for the exchange’s in-house WRX token.

WazirX founder Nischal Shetty believes that it is the first of its kind in India. He further expressed his views regarding the launch and stated that his entire team is delighted to launch India’s first Non-Fungible Token marketplace. As a part of the launch, he explained that creating and listing NFTs will be free on the platform, and work is apparently underway to repeal the bedrock gas fees that increase when minting NFTs on multiple Blockchains. He further stated that, at present, his team is working around certain basics to make NFTs more profitable for their customers.

Concluding Lines 

Apart from these announcements, the XRP price surges 55%, as it has renewed its aim on the creation of a cross-border payment network. The number of crypto projects has also risen, according to Cointelegraph. It says that a new benchmark has been achieved, with the market capitalization of 100 cryptocurrencies reaching $1 billion.

If the domain of crypto and Blockchain interests you, you can get enrolled in Blockchain Council and become a Certified Blockchain Expert. 

To get instant updates about Blockchain Technology and to learn more about online Blockchain Certifications, check out Blockchain Council.  

3 Latest Blockchain and Crypto-Related Announcements That You Should Know

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DeFi’s money markets are finally luring in institutional investors

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Bitcoin’s bull run from last year has caused even some of its biggest skeptics to soften their stance. From economists to hedge fund managers, the world is opening itself up to technology, and at the center of this movement is decentralized finance, or DeFi. While the market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies has hit $2 trillion, worth as much as Apple, it’s the promise of DeFi — a small corner of the blockchain industry today — that’s grabbing the attention of institutional investors.

As Bitcoin’s (BTC) bullish trend persists, interest-bearing crypto products have become all the rage. Some services offer up to 8% returns on Bitcoin holdings. For investors who are already expecting a rise in value, this can be incredibly useful for maintaining cash flow without selling any assets.

The three main factors solidifying institutional interest in Bitcoin are the current historically low interest rates, the inflation rate and geopolitical instability. With near-zero interest rates expected for the foreseeable future, investors are gearing up to move their funds into alternative locations for securing wealth.

The United States Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation target has incited concern in investors fearing devaluation, and with tensions between the U.S. and China on a precarious edge, portfolios denominated in U.S. dollars are becoming riskier by the day.

A market for money

Buying, storing and using cryptocurrencies securely is still quite a complex ordeal — far more involved than setting up a bank account. However, according to Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock — a global investment management fund with nearly $9 trillion in assets under management — Bitcoin could evolve into a global market asset and achieve new highs in the upcoming years.

In the traditional financial system, money markets are parts of the economy that issue short-term funds. They usually deal with loans for periods of a year or less, and offer services like borrowing and lending, buying and selling, with wholesale trading taking place over the counter. Money markets are composed of short-term, highly liquid assets and are part of the broader financial markets system.

Money markets are traditionally very complicated, with expensive overheads and hidden fees pushing most investors to hire a fund manager. However, their existence is paramount to operating a modern financial economy. They incentivize people to lend money in the short term and allocate capital toward productive use. This improves the overall market’s efficiency while helping financial institutions meet their goals. Basically, anyone with extra cash on hand can earn interest on deposits.

Money markets are composed of different kinds of securities, such as short-term treasuries, certificates of deposits, repurchase agreements and mutual funds, among others. These funds generally consist of shares that cost $1.

On the other hand, capital markets are dedicated to the trade of long-term debt and equity instruments, and point to the entire stock and bond market. Using a computer, anyone can purchase or sell assets in mere seconds, but companies issuing the stock do so to raise funds for more long-term operations. These stocks fluctuate, and unlike money market products, they have no expiration date.

Since money market investments are virtually risk-free, they often come with meager interest rates as well. This means that they will not produce huge gains or display substantial growth, compared with riskier assets like stocks and bonds.

DeFi vs. the world?

To hedge against currency risk, institutions have started using Bitcoin, and retail investors are following their lead. More than 60% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply hasn’t moved since 2018, and BTC is predicted to push well above $100,000 in the next 24 months.

If the current trend carries forward, investors will continue to stockpile BTC. However, while much of the supply of the world’s first cryptocurrency remains in storage, the DeFi industry is constantly producing alternative platforms for interest-bearing payments through smart contracts, which increases transparency by allowing investors to view and track on-chain funds.

The average return for DeFi products is also much higher than in traditional money markets, with some platforms even offering double-digit annual percentage yields on deposits. From asset management to auditing smart contracts, the DeFi space is creating decentralized infrastructure for scalable money markets.

According to Stani Kulechov, co-founder of the Aave DeFi protocol, rates are high during bull markets because the funds are used to leverage more capital, with the cost of margin pushing up the yield. “New innovation in DeFi is consuming more stablecoins, which further increases the yield. Unless there is a new capital injection — these rates might stick for a while,” he said.

The Ethereum network currently hosts most of the DeFi applications, and this has barred tokens that aren’t available on the network from participating in decentralized finance. Bitcoin, for example, despite being the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has only recently found its way onto DeFi platforms.

Related: DeFi yield farming, explained

With Kava’s Hard Protocol, investors can yield farm using Bitcoin and other non-ERC-20 tokens like XRP and Binance Coin (BNB). Backed by some prominent names (Ripple, Arrington XRP Capital and Digital Asset Capital Management, among others), the platforms allow users to stake their cryptocurrencies into a pool of assets, which is lent out to borrowers to generate interest.

The team also plans to add support for Ethereum-based tokens in the near future. The network’s upgrade to Kava 5.1, which was postponed to April 8 after failing to reach the required quorum, will also introduce the Hard Protocol V2, bringing powerful incentivization schemes and enhancements to its governance model.

Most loans in DeFi are overcollateralized, meaning the pool always has more money than it lends out. In case the value of the issued token drops, funds in the pool are liquidated to compensate.

According to Anton Bukov, co-founder of decentralized exchange aggregator 1inch, blockchains are the first-ever unbiased executors in human history — very limited, but ultimately fair — and could deliver new services and new flows of interactions in future. “Developers are doing their best to solve potential dishonesty issues of existing flows and invent new flows by replacing intermediaries,” he said.

By creating an automated platform to borrow and lend assets, decentralized finance enables money markets without intermediaries, custodians or the high fees that stem from high infrastructural costs.

Honest work

Of the many trends DeFi has set into motion over the last few years, yield farming has attracted quite a lot of attention. Yield farming is when the network rewards liquidity providers with tokens that can be further invested into other platforms to generate more liquidity tokens.

Simple in concept, yield farmers are some of the most vigilant traders out there, constantly switching up their strategies to maximize their yield and tracking rates across all platforms to ensure they’re getting the sweetest deal. The potential rate of return can become obscenely high, but it’s still unclear whether yield farming is just a fad or a phenomenon in the making. Kulechov added:

“Yield farming is simply a way to distribute governance power to users and stakeholders. What actually matters is whether the product itself would find protocol market/fit. Most successful governance power distributions with yield farming have been with protocols that have found protocol market/fit before such programs.”

Yield farming has an incredibly positive feedback loop, with an increase in participation pushing the value of its governance token up, driving further growth. According to Kava CEO Brian Kerr, while this feedback loop can produce very positive results in bull markets, it can have entirely the opposite effects in falling markets:

“It will be up to the governance groups of the various projects to navigate bear markets effectively, by ratcheting back rewards before a full-on death spiral occurs. Regardless of bull or bear markets, yield farming will be a mainstay in blockchain projects for years to come.”

Money markets are the pillars of our global financial system, but most of its transactions occur between financial institutions like banks and other companies in time deposit markets. However, some of these transactions do find their way to consumers through money market mutual funds and other investment vehicles.

Decentralization is the next frontier for finance, and as prominent investors continue to engage with the DeFi space, a decentralized economy seems all but inevitable. Participating in the burgeoning environment may be a risky bet today, but what decentralized finance platforms learn now will be the foundation of the robust DeFi applications of the future. According to Bukov, the higher interest rates of DeFi platforms are “absolutely sustainable.” He added:

“Higher profits are usually involved with higher risks. So the risk-profit model of all these opportunities is always nearly balanced. Normalizing risks would decrease profits because more participants will join to share the rewards.”

From smart contract malfunctions to the unauthorized withdrawal of community funds, the DeFi space is a place of both miracles and nightmares. DeFi-based yield farming platforms are still in their very early stages, and while the numbers can be all too tempting at times, it’s crucial to do your own research before investing in any platform or asset.

DeFi’s money markets are finally luring in institutional investors

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A 3-Year in Ripple Price, Seeing a 55% Surge

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A 3-Year in Ripple Price, Seeing a 55% Surge

According to the latest announcement, the XRP price surges 55%, as the sixth-ranked cryptocurrency by market capitalization, has renewed its aim on the creation of a cross-border payment network. 

It was announced that in January 2021, XRP cryptocurrency hit a value of more than 0.40 US dollars per coin, more than double what it was in December 2020. Over the past year, Ripple’s value has been below a dollar, indicating little or even no signs of improvement.

The uptick in trading volume was seen when XRP renewed its center on the creation of a cross-border payment network that is inclusive and sustainable as well. 

XRP, which stands for ExpandThe Ripple coin, is a currency on the Ripple network. It is best known for its digital payment network and protocol, and it can be used by banks to source liquidity on-demand in real-time, as well as by payment providers to extend their scope into new markets. It facilitates faster payment settlements and lower foreign exchange costs.

Factors That Surged XRP Price

According to Data from Cointelegraph Markets and TradingView, XRP dropped to a low of $0.566 in the early hours on April 4. But after Ripple posted a blog titled “Creating a More Financially Inclusive and Sustainable Future,” it triggered a 55% rally in XRP price.

A blog titled “Creating a More Financially Inclusive and Sustainable Future” discussed how XRP has collaborated with “mission-driven financial technology corporations, reputed universities, NGOs, social entrepreneurs, and others in order to create higher economic fairness and opportunity for all, and this post has triggered XRP price to a great extent.

Another factor that triggered its price was when Ripple announced that it acquired a 40% stake in Asia’s leading cross-border payments specialist, Tranglo. 

The cumulative impact of these two recent announcements has resulted in a 257 percent surge in XRP trading activity over the last two days, from an average 24-hour volume of $5 billion on April 4, 2021, to $18.4 billion on April 5. 

To get instant updates about Blockchain Technology and to learn more about online Blockchain Certifications, check out Blockchain Council. 

A 3-Year in Ripple Price, Seeing a 55% Surge

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Growth hacker uses crypto to help the unhoused

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Before the 2017 bull run, growth hacker Giacomo Arcaro often slept in his car. Now an entrepreneur who speaks at crypto conferences and forums, he is looking for ways to promote adoption and help those financially struggling as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

Last weekend, Arcaro prepared to issue up to $50,000 in Ether (ETH) crypto loans to homeless and unhoused people in New York City. After speaking with some of the roughly 80,000 individuals in the city’s homeless population on a different occasion — and giving away some Bitcoin (BTC) in the process — he said many were, unsurprisingly, asking for money for necessities like blankets or food. However, some reportedly wanted funds to buy equipment to work remotely — e.g. microphones.

On Mar. 20, the growth hacker set up posters on Wall Street with crypto expert Eloisa Marchesoni and listened to business pitches from unhoused individuals, many of whom don’t have the ability to apply for a loan through traditional banks. Arcaro approved 12.5 ETH — roughly $22,000 at the time of publication — in loans, with an average of 0.5 ETH going to each person.

“Some interesting ideas that Eloisa and I vetted and funded were related to recycling, investing in the purchase of equipment to collect cans and bottles,” said Arcaro. “One woman was going to use the ETH to then buy a professional trash picker and stroller cart to carry the cans and bottles to the nearest store where she will drop them off each time to get some money in return.”

Photo courtesy of Giacomo Arcaro

In approving the crypto loans, the growth hacker sent the ETH directly to Coinbase wallets on the recipients’ smartphones with the stipulation that should they pay him back in the future, he would double the loan and continue the relationship. If they immediately cash out, he would not assist them again.

“They did not easily accept the idea of having to download Coinbase Wallet on their phones and having to handle intangible money. It was harder than I thought to speak to them about Ether.”

Though Arcaro acknowledged this is not the typical way many try to help the homeless in the United States — often by donating to non-profit organizations, giving cash directly to them on the street or through an online fundraiser — his approach is reportedly based on the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. The Bangladeshi social entrepreneur pioneered much of the work around microcredits in the 70s and 80s, giving small loans to many unbanked people in poor communities.

“If these guys are smart, they can do all sorts of microinvestments,” said Arcaro. “If they keep this money in their wallets and stake it, they may earn $2 or $3 per day — which is a lot for a homeless person.”

Though it is difficult to get a true count, some estimate that there are more than 150 million individuals without homes or proper shelter around the world. In early 2020, there were more than 580,000 people homeless in the United States, with many in New York City and Los Angeles. However, with the economic impact of the pandemic, that number has likely increased significantly.

“I can guess there’s a lot of really smart people that have some issues with COVID and they are in the streets,” said Arcaro. “They cannot access [credit], they cannot open any bank account, they cannot ask for mortgages.”

Arcaro’s methods require that any unhoused or homeless person requesting a crypto loan have a smartphone capable of supporting Coinbase Wallet. Though he said “all the homeless” he encountered had access to the internet, that may not always be the case outside of a major hub like New York City. A 2018 study showed that the majority of homeless people in the U.S. do have access to mobile phones, while a separate report from the City Bar Justice Center cited smartphones and internet access as a major factor in shortening periods of homelessness.

“If you’re not comfortable with crypto, it’s not for you, but [this is for] a ‘new kind’ of homeless. The ‘startup’ homeless, or the people who want to step out of poverty […] It’s for people who want to do something with their life but they have bad luck.”

Following the rollout on Wall Street, Arcaro said he would circle back in about a month to check in on the loan recipients to address any technical or logistical issues. He said he may eventually try the experiment in Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as internationally in Germany, Dubai, and Thailand.

Growth hacker uses crypto to help the unhoused

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Payment Network Visa Now Uses USDC as Settlement Currency

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US credit card-issuing company Visa announced on Monday its intention of facilitating crypto payments through its network.

Visa Completes First Crypto Pilot Test

Visa strategic partner Crypto.com did a pilot transaction with the crypto firm settling a portion of its debts in US Dollar Coin (USDC), a “stablecoin” pegged to the US Dollar 1 to 1. 

The transaction was completed over the Ethereum network- a decentralized blockchain offering that has nurtured decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). 

Visa is fast-tracking its plans to enable more of its strategic partners to enjoy this feature later on in the year.

The move, which is described as an industry-first merge of digital and fiat-focused institutions, is riding on the back of an upsurge in cryptocurrencies worldwide. 

Wider adoption has seen legacy banks like the Bank of New York (BNY) Mellon, investment company BlackRock Inc. and the fellow US credit card company MasterCard embracing digital currencies in the past month.

This rise in institutional demand for crypto-assets has been fostered mainly by the foremost cryptocurrency Bitcoin, which has made significant rallies in the past year. In a show of faith and growing acceptance, Tesla placed $1.5 billion worth of investments into Bitcoin in early February.

In a subsequent announcement, Tesla boss Elon Musk said BTC will now be accepted in exchange for Tesla’s all-electric autonomous sedans. This move has seen BTC make new ATHs climaxing at $61,000 last week.

Visa’s latest move sees it address a significant problem plaguing crypto’s adoption. Usually, if a crypto owner pays for purchases from his crypto wallet, the digital asset needs to be converted to fiat at the end of the day.

This would lead to additional costs at the point of conversion. With this latest offering, Visa would enable its partners to settle their financial obligations using USDC, making it far easier for funds to be moved between entities.

The US payments giant has been making digital headway into the crypto-economy for some months now. In a new partnership with the first federally chartered digital bank Anchorage, Visa received its USDC funds in the company’s Ethereum address with the crypto company serving as the custodian.

Visa Eyes CBDCs Use On Its Platform

This pilot test is significant for the US payments firm as it leads to the adoption of digital assets for daily transactions. The company is also looking to benefit from the frenzy surrounding central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The digital assets sanctioned by the host country’s apex bank draw much interest from financial bodies globally.

In a recently published report, the Bank of International Settlements noted that over 80% of global central banks actively explored a digital version of their national currency. With this growing interest, Visa published a whitepaper in which it proposed a CBDC facility where transactions can be executed without the need for an internet connection.

According to the San Francisco firm, the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies is forcing them to ask many questions, and CBDCs could be a way they can provide the needed answers.

Payment Network Visa Now Uses USDC as Settlement Currency

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