Today, cryptocurrencies have become a phenomenon known to most people. But the overwhelming majority of people have minimal knowledge about cryptocurrencies. They often fail even to understand the basic concepts. A cryptocurrency is a virtual currency. It is designed to function as a medium of exchange. It uses cryptography to secure transactions and the creation of new units. Cryptocurrencies are limited entries in a database. No one can modify it unless specific conditions are fulfilled. This guide to cryptocurrency will tell you all you need to know about cryptocurrencies and what they can bring into the global economic system.

A Guide to Cryptocurrency's History

There have been attempts at creating a digital currency earlier. Systems like Flooz, Beenz, and DigiCash emerged on the market but inevitably failed. There were several different reasons for their failures. This includes fraud, financial problems, and even friction between employees and bosses. Notably, all those systems utilized a Trusted Third-Party approach, meaning that the companies behind them verified and facilitated them. Due to these companies' failures, creating a digital cash system was a lost cause for a long while. In early 2009, an anonymous team of programmers introduced Bitcoin under an alias, Satoshi Nakamoto. It was called a 'peer-to-peer electronic cash system.' It is entirely decentralized, meaning there are no servers involved and no central controlling authority. The concept resembles peer-to-peer networks.

Every payment network has to solve the problem of double-spending. It is a fraudulent way of spending the same amount twice. The usual solution was a trusted third party. It would be a central server that kept records of the balances and transactions. However, this method entailed an authority controlling your funds and with all your details on hand.

A Guide to Cryptocurrency's Functions

Every single individual needs to do this job in a decentralized network such as Bitcoin. This is done via the Blockchain. It is a public ledger of all transactions that ever happened within the network, available to everyone. Therefore, everyone in the network can see everyone's account balance. Every transaction is a single file that consists of the recipient and sender's public keys and the number of coins transferred. This transaction also needs to be signed off by the sender with its private key. All of this is just basic cryptography. Eventually, the transaction is broadcast on the network. But it needs to be confirmed first. Miners can confirm transactions in a cryptocurrency network. This is done by solving one cryptographic puzzle. They take transactions and mark them as legitimate. Then they spread them across the network. Then, every node of the network adds it to its database.

Once the transaction is confirmed, it becomes irreversible and unforgeable. The miner receives the transaction fees and a reward. All cryptocurrency networks are based on the absolute consensus of all the participants. This is regarding the legitimacy of transactions and balances. If nodes of the network disagree on a single balance, the system will break. However, many rules pre-built and programmed into the network prevent this from happening. Cryptocurrencies are so-called because strong cryptography ensures consensus-keeping. This, along with the abovementioned factors, makes third parties and blind trust a concept completely redundant.

You Can Purchase Goods With Cryptocurrency

In the past, trying to seek a merchant that accepts cryptocurrency was tough, if not impossible. These days, however, the situation is entirely different. Many merchants - both online and offline - accept Bitcoin as the form of payment. They range from massive online retailers such as Overstock and Newegg to small local shops, bars, and restaurants. Bitcoins can pay for apps, computer parts, and even a college degree. Other virtual currencies like Litecoin, Ripple, Ethereum, and others are not widely accepted. However, things are now changing for the better. Apple has authorized at least ten different cryptocurrencies as a viable payment form on the App Store. Users of other cryptocurrencies can exchange their coins for Bitcoins. Moreover, Gift Card selling websites accept around 20 different cryptocurrencies. Through gift cards, you can necessarily buy anything with a cryptocurrency. Finally, there are marketplaces like OpenBazaar and Bitify. They only accept cryptocurrencies.

Invest With Cryptocurrency

Many people believe that digital currencies are the best investment opportunity currently available. Indeed, there are stories of people becoming millionaires through their Bitcoin investments. Bitcoin is still the most recognizable digital currency. Ethereum is perhaps the second most valued cryptocurrency. It has recorded the fastest rise a digital currency has ever demonstrated. Since May 2016, its value has increased by 2,700 percent. The market cap of all cryptocurrencies combined soared by more than 10,000 percent since mid-2013. If you want to invest in these currencies, Bitcoin is still dominant. There are many options currently available. Some coins are privacy-focused. Others are less open and decentralized than Bitcoin. Some are just outright copying it. While it is straightforward to buy Bitcoins - numerous exchanges trade in BTC - other cryptocurrencies are not easy to acquire.

This situation is improving with major exchanges such as Kraken, BitFinex, BitStamp, and many others starting to sell Litecoin, Ethereum, Monero, Ripple, etc. There are also a few other ways. You can trade face-to-face with a seller. You can even use a Bitcoin ATM. It would help if you had a way to store it once you buy cryptocurrency. All major exchanges offer wallet services. But, while it might seem convenient, it is best to store your assets in a wallet on your hard drive. You can even invest in a hardware wallet. This is one of the most secure ways of storing coins. It gives you complete control over your assets.

Mining With Cryptocurrency

Miners are the most critical part of any cryptocurrency network, and much like trading, mining is an investment. They are providing a bookkeeping service for their respective communities. They solve complicated cryptographic puzzles using their computing power. This is necessary to confirm a transaction and record it in a distributed public ledger called the Blockchain. One of the exciting things about mining is that the difficulty of the puzzles is continuously increasing, correlating with the number of individuals trying to solve them. So, the more popular a particular cryptocurrency becomes, the more people try to mine it, and the more difficult the process becomes. Many have made fortunes by mining Bitcoins. Earlier, you could make substantial profits from mining. But how do miners make profits? The more computing power they have, the higher their probability of solving the various cryptographic puzzles. 

Once a miner manages to solve any puzzle, they receive a reward and a transaction fee. As any cryptocurrency gets more interest, mining becomes tougher, and the number of coins received as a reward decreases. Initially, the reward for successful mining Bitcoins was 50 BTC. Now, the award stands at 12.5 Bitcoins. This typically happens because the Bitcoin network is designed only to be 21 million coins in circulation. However, as rewards become smaller and smaller, every Bitcoin mined will become exponentially more valuable. These factors make mining cryptocurrencies extremely competitive. It rewards early adopters.

Cryptocurrencies Can Be Accepted As Payment for Businesses

If you own a business and are seeking potential new users, accepting cryptocurrencies as a form of payment may be a good solution for you. The interest in cryptocurrencies has been quite high of late. Along with the increasing interest, the number of crypto-ATMs is also increasing worldwide. The payments can be accepted using hardware terminals or touch screen apps. Simple wallet addresses through QR codes can also be used. Many different services can be used to accept payments in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the US have been recognized as convertible virtual currency. Accepting them as a payment type is the same as taking cash, gold, or gift cards.

How to Store and Buy Cryptocurrencies

Unlike most traditional currencies, cryptocurrencies are virtual, which entails an entirely different approach, particularly when storing them. Technically, you do not store your units of cryptocurrency. Instead, the private key needs to be stored securely. It is used to sign for transactions. Several different types of cryptocurrency wallets cater to different needs. You can also opt for a paper or a hardware wallet to protect your privacy. Those are the most secure methods of storing crypto funds. There are also cold wallets stored on your hard drive and online wallets, which can be affiliated with exchanges or independent platforms.

There are various options when it comes to buying Bitcoins. There are nearly two thousand Bitcoin ATMs in sixty countries. Moreover, you can buy bitcoin using gift cards, cryptocurrency exchanges, investment trusts, and even trade face-to-face. The buying options are not as diverse for other cryptocurrencies presently. However, there are several exchanges where crypto coins can be obtained for flat currencies or Bitcoins. Coins are also acquired through face-to-face trading. 

Conclusion

Our guide to cryptocurrency shows that they are here to stay and change the world. Cryptocurrencies are slowly gaining in popularity. People worldwide buy Bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies to protect themselves against the devaluation of their national currency. More and more firms are finding out the power of Smart Contracts or tokens on Ethereum. Thus, the first real-world application of blockchain technologies is emerging. As more and more individuals realize the importance of digital currencies, cryptocurrencies will experience considerable gains in usage and value.