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Explainers

<p>India's digital transformation, where the sweeping wave of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has redrawn the contours of sectors from finance to governance, a new feather is set to grace its cap — the APAAR ID. This isn't another verse in the Aadhaar symphony, but a distinctive melody resonating through the corridors of education.</p>

<p>With over 30 crore students navigating the intricate landscape of India's academic realm, the APAAR ID aims to illuminate the path toward an integrated and digitised educational experience. As the nation's DPI continues to script success stories, the APAAR ID emerges as a pivotal chapter, weaving a narrative that promises to revolutionise the way academic credentials are authenticated, stored, and accessed, introducing the nation to the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC).</p>

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<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

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	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/explainers/story/what-are-aeps-and-how-scammers-exploit-aadhaar-to-clone-fingerprints-715039-2023-11-22">Scammers can clone your fingerprint for fraud: What you need to know &amp; how to protect yourself</a></li>
</ul>

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<h3>Digital haven for academic credentials</h3>

<p>APAAR, a component of the Union government's 'One nation, One Student ID' initiative, is a key element derived from the 2020 National Education Policy. The ABC IDs, introduced by the Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR), mandate every student in India, from pre-primary to higher education, to register for a unique 12-digit code.</p>

<p>This code serves as a lifelong identification number, allowing students to digitally store, manage, and access all their academic credits, including degrees, diplomas, certificates, training and skilling details, and co-curricular accomplishments.</p>

<p>Similar to the revolutionary Aadhaar system that transformed the financial landscape of the country, the ABC IDs aim to create inclusiveness in the education sector. By providing a centralised digital repository, the government aims to make academic credits easily accessible, paving the way for a seamless education experience and efficient verification processes.</p>

<h3>Unboxing the ABC ID: A digilocker for authenticated academic credentials</h3>

<p>The ABC ID operates as a Digilocker for academic credentials, enabling students to store their achievements securely. Linked to the ABC is a digital repository developed in collaboration with the National Academic Depository (NAD).</p>

<p>This repository ensures that academic credits, generated and uploaded by educational institutions, are added to the ABC via the National Credit Framework (NCrF), responsible for the creditisation of all learning outcomes.</p>

<p>One of the key advantages of the ABC system is its authentication process. Unlike traditional methods that required photocopies signed by gazetted officers, the APAAR ID relies on digital records authenticated at the source. This eliminates the need for physical document submissions, minimises the risk of forged records, and expedites the verification process for institutions and employers.</p>

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</ul>

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<h3>Ensuring security and inclusiveness</h3>

<p>As the implementation of APAAR ID gains momentum, concerns about data security and large-scale inclusion have been raised. The success of the system hinges on addressing these concerns to ensure a smooth rollout.</p>

<p>To accelerate the procedure, the Union Ministry of Education (MoE) has instructed state governments and Union Territories to implement APAAR ID. Educational institutions are mandated to obtain parental consent and store students' degrees and awards in the digital locker for authenticity and safe storage.</p>

<p>The introduction of APAAR ID and the Academic Bank of Credits marks a significant leap toward a digitised and inclusive education system in India. As the government continues to digitise various sectors, the success of the ABC system could revolutionise the way academic credentials are managed, verified, and accessed, ultimately powering the nation's human resources and driving economic growth.</p>


As India strides boldly into the digital era, APAAR ID is the latest sensation, promising a hassle-free future for students. It eliminates the need for physical document submissions, relying on a digital repository linked to the ‘National Academic Depository’.

APAAR ID is a unique 12-digit code for students

The unique ID eliminates the need for physical document submissions

It aims to create an inclusive education ecosystem 

explainers

APAAR ID: India’s new Aadhaar-like student ID system aims to revolutionise education

Aadhaar to APAAR: India's next leap in education tech

Web3

Cybersecurity

<p class="text-align-justify">In the heartlands of rural India, where financial inclusion has found a light in the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), a sinister threat has emerged.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Scammers, preying on the unsuspecting, have devised a cunning method to clone fingerprints and exploit the very system designed to empower the underprivileged. This clandestine operation, targeting the economically vulnerable, has raised alarms among local authorities. Now let’s shed some light on what AePs are, how they work, and how scammers have exploited the rise of AePs.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">What is AePS?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">AePS, or Aadhaar Enabled Payment System, was introduced by the Indian government in 2014 to bring banking services to remote areas lacking traditional banks. It allows people, especially in villages, to perform banking transactions using Aadhaar-based authentication and biometric information like thumb impressions.</p>

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<h3 class="text-align-justify">How does AePS work?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">With AePS, individuals don't need to visit a bank or possess an ATM card for transactions. Instead, they can go to a Customer Service Point (CSP) or a business correspondent. The process involves providing the 12-digit Aadhaar number and bank account details to the CSP. Afterwards, the person's thumb impression is taken on a Point of Sale (PoS) machine for verification. Once verified, they can withdraw or deposit cash.</p>

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</ul>

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<h3 class="text-align-justify">How scammers are using your fingerprint?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">Unfortunately, scammers have found a way to exploit this system. They use deceitful tactics, like promising instant loans or government benefits, to obtain villagers' thumb impressions.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">These impressions are then cloned using materials like M-seal (a sealant) or paper. Scammers withdraw money from victims' accounts, leaving them unaware until they visit the bank.</p>

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<p class="text-align-justify">The scammers applied glue on the M-seal where the thumb imprint was placed. The impression then appears on it once the adhesive has dried. This would allow them to use the impression of the glue on the machine to take money out of peoples' bank accounts in this manner.</p>

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</ul>

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<p class="text-align-justify">The fraudsters are utilising fingerprints obtained from land registry documents too. They collaborate with lower-level employees of the Land Records Department to acquire papers associated with land registration, where individuals' thumb impressions and Aadhaar card details are obligatory.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">Scams unveiled: Victims speak out</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">Reports revealed instances like Urmila Kumari, a resident of Nawada district in Bihar, who lost 57,900 rupees to a fingerprint cloning scam.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Kumari successfully traced the recipient, who confessed to the wrongdoing, assuring her of a refund and urging her not to file an FIR. This is not an isolated case; the Bihar police, tired of scams via AePS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System), established a dedicated team in July 2023.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Despite identifying the receiver, many victims hesitate to file FIRs, complicating law enforcement efforts. The Bihar police formed a special team after recovering 512 cloned thumb impressions, highlighting the extent of this burgeoning scam.</p>

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</ul>

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<h3 class="text-align-justify">AePS: Enabling financial inclusion or facilitating fraud?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">AePS, intended for financial inclusion, has become a double-edged sword. With more than 200.6 million last-mile banking transactions recorded in April 2023, it has inadvertently facilitated a surge in financial fraud. A letter from Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas to Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscores the urgent need to address the growing exploitation of AePS.</p>

<blockquote class="at-quotes">
<p class="text-align-justify">"People easily fall victim to the fraud because it is unimaginable that one can be duped via just thumb impressions and Aadhaar details."</p>

<div class="author text-align-justify">SP Sushil Kumar of Bihar's cybercrime section</div>
</blockquote>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">How to stay informed &amp; safe?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>- Avoid unnecessary Aadhaar sharing:</strong> Be cautious about sharing Aadhaar details unnecessarily. Use alternative identity proofs where Aadhaar is not mandatory.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>- Scrutinise CSP operators:</strong> There is a need for proper scrutiny of Customer Service Point (CSP) operators and business correspondents as transactions often occur through them.</p>

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<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>- Multi-Factor authentication: </strong>Experts recommend implementing multi-factor authentication in AePS, similar to online banking transactions. This adds an extra layer of security.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">As the authorities grapple with this issue, individuals must stay vigilant and adopt these precautions to safeguard themselves from falling victim to fingerprint cloning scams through AePS.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">As investigations unfold, the police face challenges in identifying culprits due to a lack of supporting documents. Victims often remain unaware of the fraud until they visit banks, emphasising the need for improved awareness and security measures.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Experts suggest limiting Aadhaar sharing, scrutinising CSP operators, and implementing multi-factor authentication in AePS to curb this rising threat.</p>


With AePS, individuals don't need to visit a bank or possess an ATM card for transactions. Instead, they can go to a Customer Service Point (CSP) or a business correspondent.


AePS was introduced by the Indian government in 2014 to bring banking services to remote areas lacking traditional banks

Scammers have found a way to exploit AePS

They withdraw money from victims' accounts, leaving them unaware until they visit the bank

 Scammers can clone your fingerprint for fraud: What you need to know & how to protect yourself

Scammers using Aadhaar to clone fingerprints, here’s how

<p>On 12 November, tragedy struck northern Uttarakhand as an under-construction tunnel collapsed, ensnaring 40 workers in a perilous situation.</p>

<p>The catastrophe unfolded in the Brahmakhal-Yamunotri national highway tunnel section between Silkyara and Dandalgaon. Forty workers found themselves trapped, prompting immediate rescue operations. Essential supplies of food and medicine were dispatched to sustain the workers, and ongoing communication aimed to uplift their spirits amid the challenging circumstances.</p>

<p>Initial attempts focused on traditional debris removal, but by the morning of 14 November, the rescue teams shifted strategy. A horizontal drilling platform was established to introduce a more efficient approach. This decision set the stage for a groundbreaking turn in the rescue mission.</p>

<h3>The arrival of the 'American Auger' machine</h3>

<p>The game-changing moment arrived with the deployment of the 'American Auger' machine, airlifted from New Delhi. This specialised equipment, capable of drilling through debris at a remarkable rate of 4-5 meters per hour, marked a turning point in the rescue operation. Transported in parts by Air Force Hercules aircraft, it was swiftly assembled and transported to the tunnel site through a green corridor.</p>

<p>Let's delve into the significance of this specialised equipment and understand the role it plays in the ongoing rescue mission.</p>

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<h3>Understanding the Auger drill machine</h3>

<p>Simply put, an auger is a spiral-shaped tool designed for drilling holes into various surfaces or materials. The key component, known as "flighting," is a spiraling metal shaft with a blade at the end. The flighting rotates to scrape, cut, or siphon out drilled materials, allowing for efficient excavation. Augers come in various types, each tailored for specific materials or surfaces, and they can be powered electrically or manually.</p>

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<h3><iframe allow=";" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cg44DnN0-Pg" width="640"></iframe></h3>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3>Common uses of augers</h3>

<p>Augers are primarily utilised for drilling holes in a variety of industrial applications. Whether for solar posts, telephone poles, or deck posts, augers prove invaluable in saving time and labor, enhancing workflow efficiency. These tools are widely used in construction sites and industrial projects to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.</p>

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<h3>Augers vs. standard drills</h3>

<p>Compared to traditional drill bits, augers offer several advantages. They provide greater drilling depth, ensure smooth and uniform holes, require less downward pressure for boring, and prevent clogging of holes due to efficient material evacuation. These features make augers particularly effective in challenging drilling scenarios.</p>

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</ul>

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<h3>Augers: Versatility and industrial significance</h3>

<p>Augers come in various types, each tailored for specific drilling purposes. Whether powering through earth, grain, or ice, augers can be operated electrically, attached to a tractor, or manually by hand. Auger drill bit sizes range from 4 to 18 inches in diameter, with depths generally reaching 3 to 4 feet. However, an auger can drill as deep as 95 feet, with the option of adding an extension rod for greater depth.</p>

<p>This versatility makes augers a go-to tool for a wide range of drilling needs.</p>

<p>As the rescue operation hinges on the success of the 'American Auger' machine, the significance of this innovative approach cannot be overstated. Augers, once primarily associated with industrial efficiency, have now emerged as heroic tools capable of saving lives.</p>

<p>In the challenging terrain of Uttarakhand, this Auger machine serves as a beacon of hope for the trapped workers, emphasising the importance of technology and adaptability in overcoming crises.</p>


As the rescue operation hinges on the success of the 'American auger' machine, the significance of this innovative approach cannot be overstated. Augers, once primarily associated with industrial efficiency, have now emerged as heroic tools capable of saving lives. 

Initial attempts focused on traditional debris removal, but by the morning of 14 November, the rescue teams shifted strategy

The game-changing moment arrived with the deployment of the 'American Auger' machine, airlifted from New Delhi

 Uttarakhand tunnel collapse

Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Auger drill machine emerges as heroic lifeline in rescue mission

Uttarakhand tunnel collapse: Auger drill machine, the saviour in rescue mission

Crypto Shankar

<p>With PayPal's recent announcement of its foray into the stablecoin arena with PayPal USD (PYUSD), the spotlight has shifted to stablecoins and their crucial role in providing stability to the often volatile cryptocurrency market.</p>

<h3>What is a Stablecoin?</h3>

<p>Stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency that is pegged to other asset classes like fiat currency or precious metals, aiming to stabalise prices and counteract the price fluctuations that have made mainstream cryptocurrencies less suitable for everyday transactions.</p>

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</ul>

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<h3>Types of Stablecoins and renowned players</h3>

<p>Stablecoins come in three distinct types, each employing a specific mechanism to maintain their value stability.</p>

<ul>
	<li><strong>Fiat-collateralised stablecoins</strong>: First, there are fiat-collateralised stablecoins, such as Tether (USDT) and TrueUSD (TUSD), which hold reserves of fiat currencies like the US dollar.</li>
	<li><strong>Crypto-collateralised stablecoins</strong>: Second, crypto-collateralised stablecoins like MakerDAO's Dai (DAI) are backed by other cryptocurrencies, ensuring value stability through overcollateralisation.</li>
	<li><strong>Algorithmic stablecoins</strong>: Third, algorithmic stablecoins utilise programmed algorithms to control supply and maintain price stability.</li>
</ul>

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</ul>

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<h3>A glance at the popular stablecoins</h3>

<p>Several renowned stablecoins have gained popularity in the cryptocurrency space due to their reliability and utility. Tether (USDT), one of the pioneers in this domain, facilitates quick fund transfers between exchanges to exploit price disparities.</p>

<p>USD Coin (USDC), backed by Circle and Coinbase, offers an open-source protocol for innovative development. Binance USD (BUSD), created by the largest trading volume exchange Binance, has a continuous boost due to the exchange's rewards system.</p>

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</ul>

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<p>MakerDAO's Dai (DAI), pegged to the USD and secured by Ethereum, focuses on decentralisation through smart contracts.</p>

<p>Additionally, Magic Internet Money (MIM) stands out with its 1-to-1 soft peg to the US dollar, ensuring stability and ease of use.</p>

<h3>Government concerns mount over stablecoins' impact on financial stability</h3>

<p>Stablecoins, the digital cash alternatives pegged to various assets, have come under intense scrutiny from various government authorities and central banks, primarily due to the perceived risks they pose to the stability of the financial system. While offering potential benefits, stablecoins have triggered concerns that have prompted regulatory backlash.</p>

<p>Central institutions and regulators have raised alarm bells over stablecoins potentially undermining national currencies, thereby threatening the stability of fiat money. The fear lies in the possibility of stablecoins replacing traditional currencies, which could have far-reaching consequences for the established financial order. Another point of contention centers on the erosion of governments' exclusive authority to issue new currency, a monopoly that stablecoins could disrupt.</p>

<p>Gary Gensler, the chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, likened stablecoins to poker chips and even hinted at the possibility of categorising them as securities. Such pronouncements underscore the regulatory skepticism surrounding these alternative forms of digital currency.</p>

<p>Also, the People's Bank of China has expressed its reservations as well. Former deputy governor, Fan Yifei, emphasised that global stablecoins carry inherent risks that could destabilise international monetary mechanisms and clearing systems. This apprehension highlights the potential global ramifications of widespread stablecoin adoption.</p>


With their ability to mitigate the wild price swings of traditional cryptocurrencies, Stablecoins could bridge the gap between the crypto world and traditional financial systems, potentially revolutionising the way we transact and store value.

The value of stablecoins is pegged to other asset classes like fiat currency or precious metals, to stabalise prices 

USDT, USDC, BUSD, DAI, and MIM are some of the popular stablecoins

Understanding Stablecoins & a glance at 5 prominent players in the crypto landscape

Understanding Stablecoins & a glance at 5 prominent players 

<p class="text-align-justify">In the ever-evolving world of technology, groundbreaking innovations like AI and foldable smartphones, as well as revolutionary devices like <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/tools/story/alterego-ai-headset-a-gizmo-that-reads-your-mind-and-can-even-order-pizza-618637-2023-07-24">AlterEgo</a> (the mind reading gadget), are making a profound impact and reshaping the tech space. These disruptive technologies have transformed the way we interact with the digital world, pushing the boundaries of what was once thought possible.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Amidst these transformative innovations, the Smart Ring has emerged as a standout gadget with the potential to revolutionise our daily lives. With its advanced capabilities, the smart ring is grabbing attention and generating excitement among tech enthusiasts and experts alike.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">While Smart Rings like the Oura ring and the McClear ring are already available for fitness tracking and payments, it's captivating to witness an Indian company enter this technological market.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of this disruptive technology and its potential to reshape our daily lives in ways we never imagined.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">What is a Smart ring, and how does it work?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">Smart rings are wearable fitness trackers in the form of rings that users can wear on their fingers to monitor various health metrics and physical activities. They are designed to be lightweight, comfortable, and suitable for extended wear. The recently unveiled Boat Smart Ring in India aims to offer users a convenient and stylish way to track their biometrics and stay on top of their health goals.</p>

<div class="embedcode">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Your Wellness, in a Ring<br />
<br />
Coming Soon. <a href="https://t.co/ontNYHlNUr">pic.twitter.com/ontNYHlNUr</a></p>
— boAt (@RockWithboAt) <a href="https://twitter.com/RockWithboAt/status/1682027306242686978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>

<p class="text-align-justify">The device boasts 5 ATM water and sweat resistance, ensuring it can withstand various environments, while its lightweight design enhances comfort, making it suitable for extended wear. This feature combination is expected to make it effortless for users to wear the Smart Ring consistently throughout the day. The smart ring is furthermore said to be sweat-and water-resistant up to 5 ATM pressure, making it potentially appropriate for swimming or working out.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">Features of the Smart Ring</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">The Boat Smart Ring comes with a range of features to help users track and analyse their health data effectively. Some of the key functions include the following:</p>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Physical activity tracking:</strong> Like most fitness trackers, the Smart Ring monitors daily physical activities such as steps taken, distance walked, and calories burned. This allows users to gauge their activity levels throughout the day and make informed decisions about their fitness routine.</p>

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</div>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Heart rate monitoring:</strong> The Smart Ring tracks the user's heart rate, providing valuable insights into their cardiovascular health. It can detect fluctuations and abnormal patterns, which can help users identify potential health issues or adjust their workouts accordingly.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Body temperature monitoring:</strong> Monitoring body temperature is crucial for detecting changes that could indicate illness, body temperature measurement, or other health concerns. The Smart Ring's ability to track body temperature allows users to stay vigilant about their well-being and take prompt action if necessary.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Sleep monitoring:</strong> The Smart Ring's sleep monitoring feature tracks sleep patterns, including total sleep duration, time spent in different sleep stages, and any sleep disturbances. Additionally, if someone is experiencing any sleep disturbances, the system will alert them and provide advice on how to control the issue.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify"><strong>Menstruation cycle tracking:</strong> The Smart Ring includes a feature for menstruating females to track and predict their menstrual cycles. It can send notifications on which date or week menstruation can start and reminders to users' phones, helping them stay prepared and informed about their reproductive health.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">Get your health reports via Smart Ring</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">To access and analyse all the health data collected by the Smart Ring, users need to connect it to the Boat Ring app on their smartphones. The app serves as a central hub, providing data visualisations and insights into the user's health and progress. It allows users to view trends, set goals, and make informed decisions about their fitness and wellness routines.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">Comparison with existing Smart Rings</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">Several Smart Rings already exist on the market, catering to diverse consumer needs. One of the best-known Smart rings is the Oura Ring, which offers similar features such as sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and body temperature tracking. The Oura Ring is popular among fitness enthusiasts and athletes for its sleek design and accuracy.</p>

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<p class="text-align-justify">&nbsp;</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Another notable smart ring is the Motiv Ring, which focuses on activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, and sleep analysis. It also offers waterproof capabilities and a long-lasting battery, making it ideal for users who engage in water-based activities or prefer minimal charging requirements.</p>

<h3 class="text-align-justify">From where to buy&nbsp;Smart Rings?</h3>

<p class="text-align-justify">The global smart ring market is witnessing significant growth, with major countries like the US, Canada, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the UK leading the way. Among them, the United States holds the largest market share, driven by increasing demand for wearable devices and a growing awareness of health and fitness.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Smart Rings offer practical applications such as digital payments, internet security, and access control, and as the market evolves, new use cases are expected to emerge.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">Luxury brands are also stepping into the smart ring arena, as exemplified by the collaboration between <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/visualstories/metaverse/fashion-brands-that-have-joined-the-metaverse-45626-28-06-2023">Gucci,</a> a renowned fashion house, and Oura, a health electronics producer. Their premium smart ring, the Gucci X Oura offers a blend of health monitoring functions and a luxurious design.</p>

<div class="embedcode">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gucci x Oura is here. Your journey of self-discovery starts now… <a href="https://t.co/0Q2jg3Lurb">https://t.co/0Q2jg3Lurb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/guccixoura?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#guccixoura</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/gucci?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gucci</a> <a href="https://t.co/mwDehuLojZ">pic.twitter.com/mwDehuLojZ</a></p>
— ŌURA (@ouraring) <a href="https://twitter.com/ouraring/status/1529872315143442441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>

<p class="text-align-justify">Amidst this global trend, Indian brand Boat has also entered the smart ring market, aligning itself with the technology bandwagon. The company has stated that they will reveal the Smart Ring's price shortly, and it will be accessible for purchase through the official Boat website, as well as popular online platforms like Flipkart and Amazon.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">By connecting to the Boat Ring app, users can access their health data, gain valuable insights, and make informed decisions to achieve their fitness goals.</p>

<p class="text-align-justify">The Boat Smart Ring is the latest addition to the growing market of wearable fitness trackers in the form of rings. With the ability to track heart rate, body temperature, blood oxygen levels, and sleep patterns, the Smart Ring empowers users to take charge of their health and well-being. As the Smart Ring industry continues to evolve, it offers consumers more choices and opportunities to <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/emerging-tech/gadgets/story/second-gen-apple-watch-ultra-to-have-3d-printed-parts-as-per-reports-619877-2023-07-24">embrace technology </a>for better health outcomes.</p>


Boat has introduced its smart ring gadget, which provides heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and menstrual cycle tracking.


Boat has unveiled its smart ring gadget for various health metrics

It will be available on various e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart

Women who are menstruating can use the Smart Ring to monitor and predict their menstrual cycles

Smart Ring gadget

What is a Smart Ring & how does it work? Health-tracking,  the tech behind it & more

Predict your menstrual cycle & track sleep with Smart Ring

<p>Worldcoin is a groundbreaking initiative that was founded over three years ago with the ambitious goal of creating a new identity and financial network accessible to everyone.</p>

<p>The Worldcoin team envisions that the successful implementation of their platform could lead to significant improvements in economic opportunities, provide a reliable solution for distinguishing humans from AI online while safeguarding privacy and potentially cover the way for AI-funded Universal Basic Income (UBI).</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/cryptocurrency/story/sam-altman-launches-worldcoin-crypto-initiative-plans-to-tokenise-identity-of-real-people-619951-2023-07-24">OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman launches Worldcoin cryptocurrency initiative, plans to tokenise identity of real people</a></li>
</ul>

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</div>

<p>In this explainer, we will dive into the key components of Worldcoin, including what it is, <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/cryptocurrency/story/sam-altman-launches-worldcoin-crypto-initiative-plans-to-tokenise-identity-of-real-people-619951-2023-07-24">how to obtain a World ID,</a> and the potential benefits it aims to bring to the world.</p>

<h3>What is Worldcoin?</h3>

<p>Worldcoin (WLD) is a cryptocurrency project founded by Sam Altman, the CEO of<a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/chat-gpt/story/chatgpts-android-version-to-be-rolled-out-this-week-get-the-details-here-619767-2023-07-24"> OpenAI.</a> The project was officially launched on 24&nbsp;July 2023, with a revolutionary goal of redefining the digital identification process by introducing the World ID. This digital identity verification system aims to distinguish real humans from AI entities online, ensuring user privacy and security.</p>

<div class="embedcode">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="qme"><a href="https://t.co/qBU5BmIGVd">https://t.co/qBU5BmIGVd</a></p>
— Worldcoin (@worldcnoin) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldcnoin/status/1683492263152824325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p>
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<h3>World ID: A virtual passport for humans</h3>

<p>The foundation of Worldcoin is built upon two core features: the World ID and the digital currency, WLD. The centrepiece of Worldcoin's innovation is the World ID, which acts as a digital passport to verify that its owner is a real human.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a digital world where AI chatbots, like <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/story/what-are-stability-ais-new-llms-and-how-do-they-build-on-gpt-4-620332-2023-07-25">ChatGPT,</a> have gained immense popularity, it has become increasingly challenging to distinguish between humans and AI entities. As AI technology advances, the chances of fake virtual identities and bots pose a threat to user privacy and security.</p>

<p>Accompanying the World ID is the digital currency, WLD. Individuals who possess a World ID will have the opportunity to receive WLD simply for being human. This innovative approach to distributing digital currency seeks to foster widespread financial inclusion and empowerment.</p>

<h3>How does Worldcoin’s iris technology work?</h3>

<p>In 2019, Altman launched Worldcoin, and earlier this month, the company unveiled a digital wallet created for the Worldcoin ecosystem. The World App, a <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/story/openai-ceo-sam-altman-backed-crypto-project-worldcoin-launches-digital-wallet-555517-2023-05-09">digital wallet</a> that allows for World ID authentication, Worldcoin token purchase, and worldwide money transfer, aims to increase the accessibility of digital identification and global financial services.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Worldcoin uses iris-scanning technology, which is an innovative form of user identification, to confirm that each user is a human and not a bot. To do this, individuals look into a tiny orb-shaped device that records their iris pattern and transforms it into a biometric scanning code, which serves as their ‘proof of personhood.’</p>

<p>After three years of research and development, which involved one year of small-scale field testing followed by one year of transitioning to large-scale manufacturing, the <a href="https://whitepaper.worldcoin.org/technical-implementation">current version of the Orb</a> has been developed and is now being made open source.</p>

<div class="embedcode">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Learn about the specifics of the architectural design &amp; implementation of both the Orb &amp; World ID.<a href="https://t.co/7cPkhKLkz2">https://t.co/7cPkhKLkz2</a> <a href="https://t.co/deU2WViZUZ">pic.twitter.com/deU2WViZUZ</a></p>
— Worldcoin (@worldcoin) <a href="https://twitter.com/worldcoin/status/1683777159188344832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></p>
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<p>These tiny orb-shaped sphere devices, strategically positioned in various locations worldwide, conduct face and iris scans to ensure the person using the World ID is indeed a human. By maintaining real-world identity anonymity, the World ID provides a reliable solution to protect users from cyberattacks on their identities.</p>

<h3>How to obtain World ID?</h3>

<p>To obtain a World ID and WLD tokens, users need to download the World App. This application serves as the gateway to Worldcoin's ecosystem, allowing users to create their World ID after completing the in-person biometric screening at an Orb. After obtaining digital verification, the person can proceed to possess Worldcoin tokens and have ownership of them.</p>

<p>At present, Worldcoin is accessible on various international exchange platforms, such as Binance, Coinbase, and OKX.</p>

<h3>Where will the new orbs be available?</h3>

<p>Worldcoin's mission to provide digital identity through the World ID is taking a giant leap forward with the rollout of 1.5K Orbs in 35+ cities across 20+ countries on five continents.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>By the end of 2023, Orbs will be made available to the cities of Dubai, London, and Europe, including the prominent cities of India like Delhi and Bangalore. <a href="https://worldcoin.org/blog/announcements/worldcoin-begins-rollout-orbs-meet-global-demand-world-id">Here’s the list</a> of all the countries where the new orbs will be available.</p>

<p>The World App and this platform will provide location details and allow reservations where applicable. Additionally, updates will frequently be posted on the official Worldcoin Twitter account.</p>

<h3>Worldcoin expands access to World ID with 1.5 million Orbs</h3>

<p>Worldcoin is taking a significant step towards increasing global access to its digital identity protocol, the World ID. The project has begun the rollout of 1.5 million orbs in more than 35 cities worldwide.</p>

<p>During its beta phase over the last six months, the Worldcoin project has already verified the humanness of more than 40,000 individuals per week. Countries like Spain, where over 150K individuals have already verified their World ID. Additionally, in countries like France and Brazil, temporary pop-up locations will be established to allow people to easily locate a nearby Orb and sign up for their World ID.</p>

<p>On the other hand, the United States has 11 Orb locations, distributed across Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and San Francisco. As part of its global expansion plan, Worldcoin aims to scale up Orb sites to 35 cities in 20 countries. The founders of Worldcoin envision this initiative as a stepping stone towards economic equality and the ultimate goal of UBI.</p>

<p>By creating a reliable system to distinguish humans from <a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/story/nsa-ajit-doval-urges-collective-action-to-address-cyber-risks-amidst-disruptive-technologies-at-brics-meet-620336-2023-07-25">AI</a> and protecting user privacy, Worldcoin aims to increase economic opportunities and potentially show a path to AI-funded UBI.</p>

<h3>Conclusion</h3>

<p>Worldcoin represents a pioneering initiative that seeks to revolutionise the way we perceive digital identity and financial inclusion. Through the World ID and the distribution of the digital currency, WLD, Worldcoin aims to empower individuals while preserving their privacy and security.</p>


Worldcoin uses iris-scanning technology, which is an innovative form of user identification, to confirm that each user is a human and not a bot.


Worldcoin (WLD) is a cryptocurrency project founded by Sam Altman

To obtain a World ID and WLD tokens, users need to download the World App

WLD will be made available to Delhi and Bangalore by the end of 2023

What is Worldcoin? How to buy it?

What is Worldcoin? How can you buy it & when will it be available in India?

What is Worldcoin? Know how to obtain a World ID

<p>Imagine a world where investing in prime real estate is no longer limited to a select few high-net-worth individuals but becomes accessible to a broader range of investors, each owning fractional shares in prestigious properties.</p>

<p>Picture a thriving art market where ownership of a masterpiece is easily tradable and transparent, enabling art enthusiasts from around the globe to invest and participate. Tokenisation makes these scenarios a reality, empowering investors with increased liquidity and flexibility while fostering transparency and security through the use of blockchain's distributed ledger technology.</p>

<p>It is a process in which real-world assets, such as physical objects, securities, or other forms of value, are converted into digital tokens on a<a href="https://www.web3cafe.in/blockchain"> blockchain </a>network. These tokens represent ownership or rights to the underlying assets and can be traded or transferred just like cryptocurrencies.</p>

<p>The concept of tokenisation harnesses the capabilities of blockchain technology to enable secure and transparent ownership of assets while providing greater accessibility and liquidity to investors.</p>

<h3>Purpose and solutions offered by Tokenisation</h3>

<p>Tokenisation serves several key purposes and offers solutions to various challenges in the traditional financial and asset ownership systems:</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>1.</strong> <strong>Enhanced Liquidity</strong>: Tokenising assets unlocks previously illiquid markets, allowing fractional ownership. Investors can buy and sell smaller portions of high-value assets, increasing market participation and liquidity.</p>

<p><strong>2.</strong> <strong>Reduced Costs</strong>: Traditional asset ownership involves complex processes, paperwork, and intermediaries, leading to higher transaction costs. Tokenisation streamlines these processes, reducing operational expenses and making investments more accessible to a broader range of investors.</p>

<p><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Global Accessibility</strong>: Tokens can be traded globally, making assets accessible to a wider audience. This allows investors from different countries to participate in asset ownership without geographical limitations.</p>

<p><strong>4. Transparency and Security</strong>: Blockchain's immutable nature ensures transparency and security throughout the asset ownership process. Ownership records are securely stored on the blockchain, eliminating the risk of fraudulent transactions.</p>

<p><strong>5.Fractional Ownership</strong>: Tokenisation allows assets to be divided into smaller units, enabling fractional ownership. This benefits investors who may not afford to purchase entire assets but can invest in fractions of them.</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text"><strong>Also Read</strong></div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/explainers/story/what-is-an-ai-agent-its-features-and-why-silicon-valley-is-excited-about-it-616808-2023-07-18">Demystifying AI Agents: Your guide to understanding intelligent virtual assistants &amp; why Silicon Valley is excited about it</a></li>
</ul>

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<h3>Long-Term benefits of Tokenisation</h3>

<p>The long-term benefits of tokenisation are manifold and can revolutionise various industries and sectors:</p>

<p><strong>1. Real Estate</strong>: Tokenisation enables fractional ownership of real estate properties, making property investments accessible to a broader audience. This can lead to increased property market liquidity and more efficient real estate transactions.</p>

<p><strong>2.</strong> <strong>Financial Assets</strong>: Tokenising financial instruments like stocks and bonds can simplify trading processes, reduce settlement times, and attract a more diverse investor base.</p>

<p><strong>3. Art and Collectibles</strong>: Tokenising art and collectibles allows investors to own fractional shares of valuable artwork, improving market liquidity and democratising access to the art market.</p>

<p><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Supply Chain Management</strong>: Tokenisation can improve supply chain transparency, making it easier to track and verify the origin and authenticity of products.</p>

<p>Asian countries such as Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan have taken the lead in embracing tokenisation trends. They have been actively creating regulatory structures to support the growth and acceptance of tokenised assets.</p>

<p>In contrast, the United States and other nations are still struggling to navigate the legal aspects of tokenisation. This has made Asia a fertile ground for innovative developments in the field of tokenisation.</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text"><strong>Also Read</strong></div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/explainers/story/an-explainer-on-what-are-ai-voice-cloning-apps-scams-and-how-to-be-safe-from-them-617663-2023-07-20">What are AI voice cloning apps scams? How to be safe from them? Explained</a></li>
</ul>

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<h3>Requirements for Tokenisation in different sectors</h3>

<p>For successful tokenisation in different sectors, several key requirements need to be met:</p>

<p><strong>1. Regulatory Compliance</strong>: Adhering to legal and regulatory frameworks is crucial to ensure compliance and protect investors' interests. Clear guidelines for tokenised assets must be established to facilitate their adoption.</p>

<p><strong>2.Blockchain Infrastructure</strong>: A robust and scalable blockchain infrastructure is essential to support the tokenisation process and ensure the security and efficiency of asset transactions.</p>

<p><strong>3.</strong> <strong>Smart Contracts</strong>: Smart contracts play a vital role in tokenisation by automating asset transfer, ownership verification, and other transaction processes. Developing secure and audited smart contracts is essential.</p>

<p><strong>4.</strong> <strong>Interoperability</strong>: Different industries may use various blockchain networks. Ensuring interoperability between these networks enables seamless asset tokenisation and transfer across different platforms.</p>

<p><strong>5.</strong> <strong>Investor Education</strong>: Educating investors about the benefits and risks of tokenisation is crucial to fostering widespread adoption and building trust in the tokenised asset ecosystem.</p>

<p>In conclusion, tokenisation offers a transformative approach to asset ownership, providing enhanced liquidity, reduced costs, and global accessibility. Long-term benefits include increased market efficiency, fractional ownership opportunities, and improved transparency and security.</p>

<p>Successful tokenisation across various sectors requires regulatory compliance, robust blockchain infrastructure, smart contracts, interoperability, and investor education to ensure the seamless and secure tokenisation of real-world assets.</p>


Tokenisation unlocks the potential of blockchain technology, where tangible assets merge with digital tokens, empowering seamless ownership and trading,embracing a new era of accessibility and liquidity for investors.

Tokenisation offers a transformative approach to asset ownership, providing enhanced liquidity, reduced costs, and global accessibility

Improved transparency and security is one of the major highlights of tokenisation

The concept of tokenisation is to  harnesses the capabilities of blockchain technology

Tokenisation on blockchain can transform real-estate

Tokenisation of digital assets on the blockchain: What is it & how can it impact the real-estate market? 

Tokenisation on the blockchain can transform real-estate

Artificial Intelligence

<p>Ever since OpenAI’s ChatGPT made its debut, both the pros and cons pertaining to AI have been hogging the limelight. Artificial intelligence has the deadly potential to mitigate the boundaries between reality and fiction. Voice cloning, a by-product of AI technology, has nowadays become a tool for fraudsters to target and exploit innocent people.</p>

<p>In fact, generative AI has lowered the bar for cybercriminals looking to clone someone's voice and use it for their selfish motives.</p>

<h3>What is AI voice cloning?</h3>

<p>To understand AI Voice Cloning Apps Scams, let us first understand what exactly voice cloning is. As the name suggests, voice cloning technology allows one to create almost perfect replicas of any voice by making use of its unique characteristics from a piece of short audio sample.</p>

<p>Interestingly, a simple internet search yields a variety of apps, many of them freely available for creating AI voices with a small sample, at times lasting for a few seconds, of the victim’s real voice that can be easily stolen from content posted online. These days several AI software and applications are available in the market that can be used for cloning one's voice, for instance, Baidu Deep Voice, Lyrebird, VocaliD, iSpeech, and Modulate, among others.</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/story/mcafee-report-highlights-the-rise-in-ai-related-voice-scams-in-india-553062-2023-05-04">83% Indians lost money in AI voice scams: McAfee report</a></li>
</ul>

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<p>In the new breed of scams, scammers are using strikingly convincing AI voice cloning tools to impersonate somebody’s voice and extract information and funds from victims more effectively.</p>

<p>Moreover, scammers can make use of varied accents, and genders, or even mimic the speech patterns of known ones, thus, allowing the creation of convincing deepfakes. Researchers opine that cybercriminals now require as little as three seconds of someone's voice for cloning successfully and use it in a scam call.</p>

<p>These days, cunning scammers prey on potential victims' empathy by using urgent and distressing situations to manipulate them into sending money.</p>

<p>As per a recent survey conducted by the US-based McAfee Labs, 70 percent of the participants responded that they could not tell the difference between a real voice and a fake one.</p>

<h3>Red flags to watch out for these AI voice cloning scams</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Urgent demand for money</li>
	<li>Callers asking to wire money, buy gift cards, send cryptos, or demand to pay money using other untraceable methods</li>
	<li>Inconsistencies in the information given</li>
</ul>

<h3>How to protect yourself from AI voice cloning scams</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Being cautious when sharing content online</li>
	<li>Deleting personal data from various data broker sites, which can otherwise be a source of information for cybercriminals</li>
	<li>Be skeptical when receiving unexpected phone calls or messages</li>
	<li>Never click on links from unknown sources</li>
	<li>Block unwanted phone calls and annoying spam text messages</li>
	<li>If you suspect that you are being scammed, report it to the authorities immediately</li>
</ul>


Of late, voice cloning, a by-product of AI technology, has become a tool for fraudsters to target and exploit innocent people. Hence, let us understand what are AI voice cloning apps scams and how to prevent them.

Voice cloning technology allows one to create almost perfect replicas of any voice 

Scammers are using strikingly convincing AI voice cloning tools to impersonate somebody’s voice and extract information and funds from victims 

Explainer on AI voice cloning scams

What are AI voice cloning apps scams? How to be safe from them? Explained

What are AI voice cloning apps scams? 

<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) sounds are synthetic voices produced by neural networks and deep learning algorithms, In comparison to the conventional text-to-speech systems, which are known for their robotic-sounding speech. The modernised AI-generated voices have been increasingly good at mimicking human speech patterns and inflexions.</p>

<p>&nbsp;According to MarketsandMarkets.com, a revenue impact and advisory company, the global text-to-speech market is anticipated to reach $5.0 billion by 2026. This promising new technology has no end in sight, mentioned the research.</p>

<p>The AI voice-based software programmes offer a variety of effects, such as altering the voice's pitch or speed or making the user's voice seem like another person, maybe a celebrity or a cartoon character, a robot, or someone of a different gender or age.</p>

<h3>Where is it majorly used?&nbsp;</h3>

<p>These tools are widely used in a variety of fields and contexts, including voice manipulation in podcasts, multimedia production, telecommunication, video games (where players may want to conceal their identities or take on different personas), and many other contexts.</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/story/iit-grad-writes-cover-letter-with-the-help-of-an-ai-tool-and-sent-it-without-the-final-edit-616640-2023-07-18">IIT graduate gets caught using AI to write cover letter, here's what happened</a></li>
</ul>

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</div>

<p>Voice generators are being used more frequently in a range of fields, such as marketing, video production, and content generation overall. They are also becoming more common in conjunction with other AI tools for writing and SEO(search engine optimisation). One of the key advantages of AI voice generators is its capacity to swiftly and affordably produce high-quality audio content, such as voice overs.</p>

<p>The traditional ways of adding voice overs to videos take a lot of time and can be very expensive, given the requirement for voice actors, narrators, and translators, record their work, edit it, and maintain working on a single audio file until it is perfect. With the aid of text-to-speech AI voice generators, AI tools do all the major tasks of voiceover work, thus, freeing users to focus on jobs that are more creative and within their budget.</p>

<h3>&nbsp;AI voices will continue to exist. So it seems... But how exactly are AI voices created?</h3>

<p>The way &nbsp;AI voice functions, varies slightly. Deep learning is used in artificial intelligence voice to produce higher-quality synthetic speech that more closely resembles the pitch, tone, and speed of a real human voice.<br />
Deep learning-based neural networks are capable of synthesising sounds and capturing the fundamental linguistic patterns of human speech.</p>

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<p>To dissect the vocal features of how people speak, the AI sorts through enormous volumes of data, including countless hours of audio recordings of humans speaking. The neural network can recreate the tiny intonations of speech with stunning accuracy after receiving adequate training through analysis.</p>

<p>From this point, all a user needs to do is enter the text they wish to be spoken, and the AI will process it, match it against its database of speech behaviour and finally produce audio.The AI becomes better at accurately replicating speech as more data is fed into the system.</p>

<p>For instance, a voiceover API (Application programming interface) is used by the AI voice and synthetic speech startup company, Lovo.ai, to convert text-to-speech in real-time using 200+ human-like voices in 33 languages from their voice library. Moreover, by reading a script for 15 minutes, users can also copy their own voices to create custom skins.</p>

<h3>What are some of the best AI voice generators?&nbsp;</h3>

<p>Hitpaw Voice changer- This is one of the top apps for gamers, streamers, YouTubers, and meetings. The ability of this AI tool helps a user remove noise and echo while changing voices. Simply goes well with all popular games and programs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Murf- Murf, which enables anyone to convert text to speech, voice-overs, and dictation, is one of the most well-known AI voice changers on the market. Product developers, podcasters, educators, and anyone working in business can all benefit greatly from it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Synthesys- This AI tool allows users to create a polished AI voiceover or AI movie. This platform is at the forefront of creating algorithms for videos with text-to-voice over. Moreover, this app allows users to choose from a large library of 34 female and 35 male professionals for voice options.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speechify- Any text can be converted into speech with Speechify. This web-based platform can convert PDFs, emails, documents, and articles into audio files that may be listened to instead of being read. The user can choose from over 200 realistic-sounding voices and alter the reading speed with this application. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Altered- This cutting-edge audio editor called Altered Studio combines various voice AI algorithms into a single, user-friendly tool. This tool allows the users to modify their voice to a custom voice. Users can also transcribe, add voice-over with text-to-Speech and translate audio files.</p>

<p>Lovo.ai - By continuously improving its voice synthesis models, Lovo.ai has offered a wide variety of voices to several industries, including entertainment, banking, education, gaming, documentary, news, etc.<br />
FineShare: This free AI-powered online voice changer FineShare online voice changer goes beyond conventional pitch-based voice changers by giving users a rich and authentic voice modification experience.&nbsp;</p>


AI voice changing technology is witnessing a boom in its usage, so let’s understand  what it is and how exactly does this technology work.



The modernised AI voice-based software programs offer a variety of human like voice effects

 The global text-to-speech (TTS) market is anticipated to reach $5.0 billion by 2026

AI voice changer technology: What is it & how does it work?

What is AI voice changer technology and how does it work? 

<p>With the advent of technology, people nowadays, store their personal information on smartphones and laptops. Hence, the need to protect such data from unauthorised persons becomes all the more important. Shoulder Surfing, which is quite rampant these days, is a technique of looking over someone’s shoulder to get confidential information.</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/cryptocurrency/story/openais-top-official-twitter-account-hacked-lures-investors-for-a-crypto-scam-569685-2023-06-02">OpenAI’s top official Twitter account hacked, lures investors for a crypto scam</a></li>
</ul>

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<h3>Know the examples of Shoulder Surfing</h3>

<p>Shoulder Surfing is an effective way to collect information in crowded places as its quite easy to stand next to someone as they enter a PIN at an ATM, watch as they fill out a form, pay via a credit card or look when a person is entering the username and password to their social media account/Internet Banking, etc.</p>

<p>Another example of Shoulder Surfing is sitting next to a person and overhearing the conversation when a co-worker is talking about confidential business on the phone. Also, if a person is making use of a public Wi-Fi network, attackers/hackers might intercept private information shared over the network.</p>

<p>Generally, Shoulder Surfing occurs when one shares personal details in public places. The hackers, who are tech-savvy, are smart and unnoticeable and can be found at bars, restaurants, trains, subway, lounges in an airport, etc. Interestingly, they may use binoculars, miniature video secrete cameras, or other optical technology-based devices to spy on their victims, with the motive of getting info like IDs, usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, etc. so that one can profit from it.</p>

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<h3>Repercussions of shoulder surfing</h3>

<p>Shoulder Surfing attacks may empty a victim's account, and can even place one's personal details for criminal activities.</p>

<p>Many a time, fraudulent purchases are being made with credit card information. A victim's bank account and financial well-being as well as one’s credit score could also be harmed if a hacker collects more personal information about them.</p>

<h3>How to prevent Shoulder Surfing?</h3>

<p>Shoulder Surfing crimes can be prevented by following simple proactive steps. Some of them are enumerated as follows:</p>

<ul>
	<li>One should be aware of one’s surroundings while making important monetary transactions.</li>
	<li>While entering PINs in ATMs, one must use the body to shield one’s hand movements.</li>
	<li>Using biometric authentication, such as facial recognition, fingerprint scans, or patterns, which cannot be easily replicated. One must make use of these features instead of typing PINs or passwords.</li>
	<li>Use of public Wi-Fi or hotspots should be avoided while logging into sensitive accounts.</li>
	<li>Making use of a 2 or 3-step authentication process.</li>
	<li>Monitoring one's bank accounts and statements regularly and reporting if any suspicious activity is found.</li>
</ul>


In this tech-savvy world, shoulder surfing has become quite rampant these days, where victims are unaware about their passwords or PINs being stolen. 

Shoulder Surfing attack is a simple technique and not much effort is needed by the hacker

It generally happens at a crowded place 

Explainer on shoulder surfing 

Shoulder Surfing: What is it & how you can protect yourself from this scam

What is Shoulder Surfing & how to prevent it

<p>Has one ever imagined a camera without a lens? In the past, this seemed a far-fetched concept. But today, thanks to AI, the idea is now a reality with the debut of the Paragraphica AI camera. Owing to its unique and innovative features, this new camera is gaining the attention of users from all over the world.</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Introducing – Paragraphica! 📡📷<br />
A camera that takes photos using location data. It describes the place you are at and then converts it into an AI-generated "photo".<br />
<br />
See more here: <a href="https://t.co/Oh2BZuhRcf">https://t.co/Oh2BZuhRcf</a><br />
or try to take your own photo here: <a href="https://t.co/w9UFjckiF2">https://t.co/w9UFjckiF2</a> <a href="https://t.co/23kR2QGzpa">pic.twitter.com/23kR2QGzpa</a></p>
— Bjørn Karmann (@BjoernKarmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/BjoernKarmann/status/1663496103998750721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>What is Paragraphica AI Camera?</h3>

<p>Paragraphica is an AI-powered camera that doesn't have a lens. Instead, it uses AI to generate images, i.e., based on location data, time, weather, and nearby landmarks. Developed by Danish artist Bjørn Karmann, this completely lensless camera looks like a fancy prop lifted from a sci-fi movie set.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the words of its creator, “I was interested in the idea of using AI to create images that were not limited by our own perception.” He further added, “I wanted to create a camera that could see the world in a new way.”</p>

<p>Paragraphica’s official website says, “Paragraphica is a context-to-image camera that uses location data and artificial intelligence to visualize a "photo" of a specific place and moment. The camera exists both as a physical prototype and a virtual camera that you can try.”</p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Watch</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/artificial-intelligence/tools/video/photoshop-is-adding-ai-tools-the-results-shocking-566055-2023-06-08">Photoshop is Adding AI Tools &amp; the Results Shocking!</a></li>
</ul>

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<h3>How is the image created?</h3>

<p>The camera works by collecting data from its surroundings, including location, time of day, weather, and nearby places. By making use of the address, time, weather, and nearby places, Paragraphica composes a paragraph that gives a representation of the current place and moment.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/2qIHH2lukZ">pic.twitter.com/2qIHH2lukZ</a></p>
— Bjørn Karmann (@BjoernKarmann) <a href="https://twitter.com/BjoernKarmann/status/1663496108989980673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Thereafter, by making use of a text-to-image AI, this new-age camera converts the paragraph into a ‘photo’. The photo thus made is not merely a snapshot, but a display as to how the AI model "sees" that place, and, at the same time, is a complex and nuanced reflection of the location one is at.</p>

<h3>Know the camera’s design</h3>

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<p>This futuristic camera is equipped with a unique and interesting design bearing a strange crimson-hued TV-aerial-like attachment in a spider web shape. It must be noted that this design has been used metaphorically and has nothing to do with the AI-powered camera's functionality.</p>

<p>Paragraphica AI camera is similar to how a traditional camera is operated.</p>

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<p>It has three physical dials over its top, that lets the user control data as well as AI parameters, which impact&nbsp;the photo appearance. The first dial functions similarly to the focal length in an optical lens but controls the area the camera searches for data as well as places. The second dial is instrumental in creating a noise seed that is necessary for AI image diffusion, while the third dial manages the guidance scale.</p>

<p>Here, increasing the guidance makes the AI perform an in-depth assessment of the paragraph to produce the appropriate image. Similarly to a traditional camera, the higher the value, the "sharper," and the lower, the "blurrier" the photo, thus representing focus.</p>

<h3>Paragharphica unleashes user’s creativity</h3>

<p>It is pointed out that this AI camera is still in the works, and this version is a prototype. However, it possesses tremendous potential to change the way we take pictures. Karmann opines that his innovation has the potential to change the way we see the world. He says, “It could help us to see things that we would never be able to see with our own eyes.”</p>

<p>Among its many possible uses, Paragraphica AI camera can help us to see the world in a new way. By generating images from data, the camera can create images that are not limited by our own perception, thereby helping in the creation of new forms of art, etc.</p>

<p>Moreover, photographers can use Paragraphica to generate abstract images, as well as create realistic paintings. Also, being easy to use, this camera makes photography more accessible to people who do not have the requisite technical skills or resources to use traditional cameras.</p>

<p>In a world where standalone cameras are being replaced by smartphones, this AI-powered lens-less camera will soon transform the way we take pictures and will enhance the user experience by leaps and bounds. &nbsp;In fact, considering the recent developments in AI and related fields, the time is not far from when this new-age technology will transform every walk of life.</p>


Paragraphica is a futuristic camera that makes use of artificial intelligence to generate breathtaking images.

Paragraphica is a futuristic camera which uses AI to generate images

It has been developed by Danish artist Bjørn Karmann

Explainer on Paragraphica AI camera 

Meet Paragraphica: The AI-powered camera without a lens, creates images through textual prompts

Meet Paragraphica: The AI-powered camera without a lens

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Cryptocurrency investing seems to be a rage in recent times. In order to diversify their investment portfolios, several tech-savvy investors are eyeing digital coins which offer high value along with being affordable at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">This is where the penny cryptos come into the picture.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">As the name suggests, penny cryptos are the namesake of penny stocks. They are extremely low priced and typically trade for less than a dollar. These penny cryptos are a big hit among the new entrants to the crypto market as well as small-time crypto traders. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">However, it does not imply that penny cryptos do not witness appreciation in their value. In fact, a steep rally in a short time can bring windfall returns for backers. That said, these cryptos are relatively more volatile, with prices fluctuating in either direction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Due to their low-priced nature, these penny cryptos are hugely popular among crypto investors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Let us now take a closer watch at some of the popular penny cryptos which seem promising.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">XRP<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">XRP, also known as XRP Ledger is an open-source, permissionless, and decentralised technology, which was founded in 2021, its native coin being XRP. It is being majorly used by developers to create solutions that solve inefficiencies, including remittance and asset tokenisation.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Moreover, XRP is low-cost, settles transactions almost instantaneously, and is energy-efficient. The token is listed on several top crypto exchanges like Binance, Huobi, Bitstamp, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Cardano<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Launched in 2017, Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform, whose native token is ADA. The launch of the Alonzo hard fork brought smart contract functionality to the blockchain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">It uses the PoS consensus mechanism, which is less energy intensive than the proof-of-work (PoW) algorithm relied upon by Bitcoin.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Several renowned exchanges like Binance, Bittrex, eToro, and HitBTC offer trading in Cardano crypto.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Dogecoin<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Dogecoin is a popular meme coin, featuring a Shiba Inu on its logo. Though it was created as a lighthearted alternative to traditional cryptos, it has become seriously valuable and has the alleged backing of billionaire Elon Musk. Ever since the Tesla boss began tweeting about this crypto since last year, Dogecoin has witnessed s surge in its prices.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/cryptocurrency/memecoins/story/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-top-3-memecoins-dogecoin-shiba-inu-floki-538558-2023-04-06">Top memecoins by market cap- Dogecoin, Shiba Inu &amp; Floki</a></li>
</ul>

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</div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Owing to extremely low transaction fees and patronage of Musk, the crypto is increasingly being used by numerous companies as a payment option.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Stellar<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Created in 2015, Stellar is a peer-to-peer (P2P) decentralized network, with XLM or Lumens as its in-house token.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">This crypto is increasingly being used by firms in cross-border transactions, as its supports multi-currency transactions, and the platform is designed to move financial resources swiftly and reliably at a minimal cost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Fantom<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Fantom is an open-source decentralised smart contract platform for dApps and digital assets. Its native token is known as FTM.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Its key strengths are its performance and efficient transaction processing, for it can process thousands of transactions per second. Further, the crypto offers higher scalability but at a lower cost. Moreover, the crypto also features on-chain governance where users vote with FTM tokens.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">The crypto can be bought and sold on several renowned crypto exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, Upbit, and Huobi, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>


Penny cryptos cost less than $1 and are hugely popular among small investors.

Penny cryptos are garnering a lot of attention 

These cryptos trade for less than a dollar

XRP, Cardano, and Stellar are some of the popular penny cryptos

Explainer: What are penny cryptos? Check out some of the top penny cryptos-XRP, Cardano, etc.

Explainer: What are penny cryptos? 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">The term initial coin offering refers to the capital raising activity in the cryptocurrency industry, which can be viewed as an equivalent to an initial public offering (IPO) in the share market. A firm selling a new cryptocurrency, new app, or service can raise money by way of ICO. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">A major advantage of an Initial Coin Offering is that it removes middlemen and establishes a direct connection between the company and its investors. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Know the types of ICOs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Initial Coin Offerings can broadly be classified into two categories, which are enumerated below.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Private ICO</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Here in private ICOs, a limited number of investors can participate in the capital raising process and the firm can fix a minimum investment amount. Usually, only accredited investors, i.e., HNIs (high net-worth individuals) and financial institutions can participate in these private ICOs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Public ICO</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Public ICOs are a type of crowdfunding that invites funds from the general public. In this type of ICO, anyone can become an investor. However, these days private ICOs are becoming a more viable option in comparison to public offerings, owing to regulatory concerns.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>

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<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/cryptocurrency/story/global-crypto-policies-an-important-g20-priority-534851-2023-03-30">Coordination of global crypto regulations: A G20 goal for financial stability</a></li>
</ul>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">How ICOs work?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">When a company announces to come up with its ICO, it reveals the </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:white">date, rules, and buying process in advance.&nbsp;Apart from using fiat money, investors can also invest in ICOs by paying through other cryptos like Bitcoin, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Typically, the purchase process consists of sending money to a particular crypto wallet address, while investors can provide their own wallet addresses to receive the crypto they buy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Here, it must be noted that the number of tokens sold during an ICO and the token price can be variable as well as fixed. The same can be explained as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">When both the number of tokens as well as price are fixed: Here the firm fixes both tokens and prices, for instance, offering 2 million tokens at a price of $2 per token.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">When only the token number is fixed, while the prices are variable: Here the company sells a limited number of tokens and based on the amount received sets a price. Moreover, greater funding amount results in increased token amount. For instance, if a company sells one million tokens and is able to raise $ 5 million, then each token will be priced at $5. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">When the price is fixed and tokens are variable: Here, the company fixes the token price but does not put a limit on the number of tokens it intends to sell. For eg., a firm selling tokens at $1 per token till the ICO ends.</span><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify">Let us look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of ICOs.</p>

<drupal-entity data-caption="Advantages &amp;amp; Disadvantages of ICOs" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="5fbf9093-53a0-4909-bf15-315e4860002f"></drupal-entity>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Pros of offering ICOs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Anyone can purchase coins</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Anyone can buy coins through these ICOs, right from freelance workers to budding investors. Each of them has their own budget when it comes to finding the right investment in expanding their portfolio. This process particularly benefits startup companies, which do not have the requisite funds to kickstart their project but have the potential to raise their value over time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Reduced paperwork</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Traditional regulatory means of raising funds like IPOs, banks, stocks, etc. involve a lot of paperwork as well as take up time and energy. However, these ICOs are more attractive than IPOs as they rely on blockchain technology to keep a ledger of its various transactions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Increased liquidity</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Liquidity refers to an asset’s ability to be quickly bought and sold in the market without having any adverse effect on its prices. Since cryptos do not require any physical form to be exchanged, they’re relatively more liquid in comparison to other assets. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">High return on investment</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Some of the highly successful ICOs started from a relatively low value, whose market value gradually saw an increase rapidly. Further, some of the ICOs have the backing of big names like Microsoft, Alibaba, etc., thereby lending more reliability to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Disadvantages of ICOs:<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><strong>Risky and volatile</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Since crypto projects are volatile and often encounter extreme price speculation, there remains a risk that the token might lose its value entirely or the project may fail.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Absence of regulations</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">The crypto sector is not regulated or governed by central authorities. As a result, a lot of scams and mediocre projects hover in this space.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Lack of accountability</span></strong><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">As most of the ICOs are initiated by start-ups, who do not have sufficient amounts to commence their projects. While investors expect </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">high returns on investment</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-IN"> <span lang="EN-IN">in the future, there is no assurance that </span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:white">companies will be able to deliver what they promise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Examples of some famous ICOs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:360.5pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:white">Ethereum: Crypto lovers were thrilled about Ethereum and its </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">programmable blockchain when in 2014, its ICO occurred. The crypto project ended up raising $18.4 million and became the second-largest cryptocurrency across the globe.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:360.5pt"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Cardano: Cardano improvised on Ethereum and had an even more successful ICO. In its 2017 ICO, it raised $62.2 million and is one of the top cryptos in the world today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>


Simply speaking, Initial Coin Offering or ICO is a process by which funds are raised for a new cryptocurrency venture.

Initial Coin Offering is quite similar to Initial Public Offering

A company can raise money by way of ICO

This could be for selling a new crypto, new service or a new app

Initial Coin Offering 

Explainer: What is Initial Coin Offering (ICO)? Know its pros and cons

Explainer: What is Initial Coin Offering (ICO)? 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Digital art has taken the world by storm as tech-savvy digital art lovers are shelling out millions of dollars to own a unique digital artwork that proves your authority over the artwork bought. As a result, digital artists are seeing their lives changing thanks to the massive sales to a new crypto audience.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">So, has one ever wondered what actually NFTs are all about ..let’s dive in and see what all the fuss is about!<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Know the basics of NFT<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Non-fungible token, commonly known as NFT, is a cryptographic asset<span style="letter-spacing:
.05pt;background:white">&nbsp;that has been tokenised via a blockchain and can neither be replaced nor interchanged because it has unique properties. In other words, NFTs are assigned unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from other tokens. They are </span>‘one-of-a-kind’ assets in the digital world that can be bought and sold like any other piece of property, but which have no tangible form of their own.<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt;
background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">These NFTs are digital assets and could be photos, videos, audio files, etc. Some of the NFT examples include artwork, domain names, comic books, sports collectibles, trading cards, games, sneakers in fashion lines, and heaps more. Since each NFT is unique, it acts as a collector’s item,<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">How do NFTs work?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">The majority of NFTs reside on the Ethereum blockchain, though other blockchains have implemented their own version of NFTs. These are created through a process called minting, in which the information of the NFT is recorded on a blockchain, thereby keeping a track of who’s holding and trading NFTs. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">At a high level, the minting process not only involves a new block being created, but also the NFT information being validated by a validator, and the block being closed. This process also involves incorporating smart contracts that assign ownership and manage the transferability of the NFT.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">Know the top-selling NFTs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">The year 2022 witnessed exponential growth for the NFTs as </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:#FAFAFA">tens of thousands of investors flocked to collect digital art in various forms. </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:white">Collections like the Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks become some of the most expensive pieces of art one could buy, with artists like Beeple and Pak selling their pieces for tens of millions of dollars.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:#FAFAFA"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:#FAFAFA">Other expensive NFTs ever sold include The Merge, Clock, HUMAN ONE, and Everyday, which have sold for </span><span style="font-size:
12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:-.05pt;background:white">an eye-watering price tag of $91.8 million, $52.7 million, $28.9 million, and $69.3 million, respectively.</span></p>

<div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin">
<div class="heading-text">Also Read</div>

<ul class="tab-link">
	<li class="editor-readmore"><a class="editor-rel-content" href="https://www.web3cafe.in/blockchain/nft/story/interested-in-nfts-here-are-the-top-five-nft-marketplaces-by-market-share-565907-2023-05-26">Interested in NFTs? Know the top five NFT marketplaces by market share</a></li>
</ul>

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</div>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:#FAFAFA"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">How to buy NFTs?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">NFTs can be easily bought and sold in NFT marketplaces, which are digital platforms for buying and selling NFTs. In fact, these </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt">platforms allow people to store and display their NFTs as well as sell them to others for cryptocurrency or money. In exchange for a fee, the NFT marketplace will typically handle the transfer of an NFT from one party to the other. </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">Some of the renowned NFT marketplaces include OpenSea, Rarible, </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">SuperRare<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt;
background:white">, </span>Nifty Gateway<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt;
background:white">, </span>Axie Marketplace<span style="letter-spacing:.05pt;
background:white">, and </span>NBA Top Shot Marketplace, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Which Indian and global celebrities forayed into the NFT space?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Considering the hype behind NFTs, many Indian celebrities, too, have been allured by the NFT craze. The legendary actor, Amitabh Bachchan, was one of the first bollywood actors to hop on the NFT bandwagon. The megastar had auctioned some of his father’s iconic poem ‘Madhushala’, as part of his NFT collection, which included autographed Sholay posters and other memorabilia connected to the film.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<drupal-entity data-caption="Celebs such as Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan &amp;amp; Lionel Messi have joined the NFT bandwagon" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="05bb8a49-587b-4ee0-b936-aba1ce735bde"></drupal-entity>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Superstar, Salman Khan launched his NFT collection based on his movie Dabangg.&nbsp;As per reports, around 1 million Bolly tokens were sold in the first three hours of the launch.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"> Another cinema legend, <span style="background:white">Rajinikanth has also joined the hype behind NFT and launched his NFT collectibles based on his famous action film, Shivaji The Boss. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Even soccer legend, Lionel Messi, has joined the NFT space, introducing his NFT collection, ‘<span style="letter-spacing:-.05pt">Messiverse.’ The said NFT collection highlights his career-best performances. Further, popular artist, Snoop Dogg, has also launched </span>a new NFT series consisting of audio and video elements.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">With the introduction of digitisation, NFTs have had the opportunity to to flourish and find their niche among their admirers. Though 2022 has been brutal for cryptocurrencies, the same does not hold true for NFTs. In fact, the NFT fever and fervor aren’t yet subsiding, and we might see more celebs joining the NFT bandwagon.<o:p></o:p></span></p>


NFTs have exploded in popularity and its craze remains unfazed. Let us understand what these digital collectibles are and know its basics.

NFTs have taken the digital art world by storm

They are ‘one-of-a-kind’ assets in the digital world that can be bought and sold like any other piece of property, and have no tangible form 

Celebs like Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Lionel Messi, etc. have joined the NFT bandwagon

An explainer on NFTs (non-fungible tokens)

Explainer: What are NFTs? Get to know NFT basics, how to buy and sell them

Explainer: What are NFTs? 

<p>The world’s largest and most famous cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, is about a year away from its next milestone event. Next year, in April or May, the crypto is expected to have its next 'halving', although a specific date is unknown.</p>

<h3>Get to know ‘Bitcoin halving’</h3>

<p>As the name suggests, Bitcoin halving is the process where the reward for mining is cut in half. Currently, those who participate in Bitcoin halving are awarded 6.25 Bitcoins (BTC) for each block successfully mined. However, over time, the effect of each halving will come to an end as the block reward approaches zero.</p>

<p>Approximately, Bitcoin halvings occur every four years, when another 210,000 "blocks" are added to the blockchain. In this event, the rewards to Bitcoin miners, i.e., those who run specialised equipment to validate transactions on the network and mint new tokens, get reduced by 50 percent. The main aim of the process is to reduce the number of new Bitcoins in circulation.</p>

<p>This means when the next Bitcoin halving occurs, the reward will reduce from 6.25 Bitcoins to 3.125 Bitcoins.</p>

<drupal-entity data-caption="Explainer on Bitcoin halving" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="b283fb78-2464-4afa-89ad-a35908c8f236"></drupal-entity>

<p>Experts opine that this can help push up the price by enhancing Bitcoin scarcity. Here, it must be noted that as of today, Bitcoin has a circulating supply of 19.36 million, while its maximum supply is capped at 21 million.</p>

<p>Further, the maximum number of Bitcoins in circulation will never surpass 21 million coins and it is this mechanism through which the rewards for mining Bitcoin will eventually be diminished to $0.</p>

<h3>When Bitcoin halvings have taken place?</h3>

<p>Since the inception of Bitcoin, three halvings have taken place so far. The first halving took place on 28 Nov 2012, when the rewards were reduced to 25 Bitcoins. The second halving occurred on 9 July 2016 in which rewards were reduced to 12.5 Bitcoins. The third halving, wherein rewards were further diminished to 6.25 Bitcoins, took place on 11 May 2020.</p>

<h3>When is the next Bitcoin halving?</h3>

<p>The next Bitcoin halving is likely to take place in April 2024, when the number of blocks hit 740,000. At this time, the rewards would reduce from 6.25 to 3.125 Bitcoins. However, the exact date of the halving is not known. Further, the subsequent having, i.e., the fifth halving is expected to be around 2028.</p>

<p>However, the list does not end here. Bitcoin halvings occur every 210,000 blocks until&nbsp;around 2140 when all 21 million coins will have been mined.</p>

<h3>A little about Bitcoin mining</h3>

<p>Bitcoin mining is a process involving transactions being validated and added to the Bitcoin blockchain by generating a cryptographic solution that matches specific criteria. When a correct solution is reached, a reward for the work done in the form of Bitcoin and fees is given to the miner who reached the solution first.</p>

<p>Over time, the reward for mining Bitcoins gets reduced and the reward process will continue till 21 million Bitcoins are in circulation. Once the number is reached, rewards would come to an end. Then, Bitcoin miners will be rewarded through fees.</p>


The next Bitcoin halving is just a year away, wherein the rewards for mining is cut in half. 

Bitcoin halving is the process where the reward for mining is cut in half

Generally, Bitcoin halvings occur every four years

The next Bitcoin halving would occur next year

Explainer: What is Bitcoin halving? When is the next halving scheduled?

Explainer: What is Bitcoin halving? 

Metaverse

<p>In the modern tech era, the metaverse and virtual reality are two fascinating technologies that are quickly developing and changing the way people connect with one another. But the question arises: Are these technologies similar to one another or do they significantly differ from one another?</p>

<p>Virtual reality and the metaverse have significant differences, yet because both offer consumers a virtual experience, many people mistakenly believe that they are nearly identical.</p>

<p>Let's first understand the fundamental definitions of the metaverse and virtual reality before going into their distinctions.</p>

<h3>All about the metaverse</h3>

<p>The metaverse is a three-dimensional, open, shared online environment that enables connections between individuals from every aspect of life. Matthew Ball, a writer and investor, provides the following thorough definition of the metaverse in his book, The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionise Everything:</p>

<blockquote class="at-quotes">
<p>“A massively scaled and interoperable network of real-time rendered 3D virtual worlds that can be experienced synchronously and persistently by an effectively unlimited number of users with an individual sense of presence, and with continuity of data, such as identity, history, entitlements, objects, communications, and payments.”</p>

<div class="author">Matthew Ball, writer, and the CEO of Epyllion</div>
</blockquote>

<p>The idea was first presented in 1992, in a &nbsp;science fiction book, titled 'Snow Crash’ by author Neal Stephenson. At first, the idea was thought to be just science fiction, but it now seems like it may become a reality in the near future. Nearly every major tech company is working on its own metaverse, including Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Steam/Valve, and Meta, etc.</p>

<h3>Applications</h3>

<p>Users in the metaverse can play games, go to concerts, have 3D meetings, customise avatars, and have a variety of other experiences. In addition to gaming and social media, the metaverse also has other systems, including decentralised governments, digital identities, and economies.</p>

<h3>What exactly is virtual reality?</h3>

<p>The definitions of the words ‘virtual’ and ‘reality’ are used to develop the notion of virtual reality. ‘Virtual’ refers to something that is close, and ‘reality’ is what we as individuals experience every day. So, the term ‘virtual reality’ or VR strongly implies ‘close reality.’&nbsp;</p>

<h3>VR applications</h3>

<p>Virtual Reality is a limited form of technology where users can only participate in the virtual adventures provided by their VR service provider, where people own the shared virtual environment. The presence of VR is created by wearing a VR headset or goggles , and there are numerous models available for this purpose, including the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream View, and Google Cardboard. These headsets provide each eye with video while blocking out the outside environment to provide a deeper experience.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h3>Understanding the differences: Metaverse vs Virtual Reality</h3>

<p>The most significant differences between the metaverse and virtual reality are summarised below.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Technological differences between the two</li>
</ul>

<p>The metaverse and virtual reality are both fantastic technological advances. However, Virtual reality has limitations as compared to metaverse and can only go so far because it is all about taking virtual journeys.</p>

<p>Virtual reality appears to be about playing around in virtual environments and simulating things. The metaverse, on the other hand, is an expansive, &nbsp;unrestricted ecosystem of the internet that has been &nbsp;since it was created using a variety of technologies, including augmented and virtual reality. It is a fully functioning digital environment over which you have control and can make improvements.</p>

<ul>
	<li>The persistent capacity of the metaverse and VR</li>
</ul>

<p>Although virtual reality is great for experiences, it is useless if you turn it off. The metaverse, on the other hand, uses technologies like augmented reality and others to continuously move and merge real and virtual experiences, giving you a realistic, real-life sense in a virtual style that is constantly available and has real-life outcomes in a variety of formats.</p>

<ul>
	<li>Accessibility between the metaverse and VR</li>
</ul>

<p>The accessibility of the metaverse is still being worked on by numerous tech giants. Yet, there are several companies, including Facebook, Sony, HTC, Valve, and many others, that offer virtual reality experiences and a variety of VR equipment. Oculus Home, SteamVR, and Viveport are the &nbsp;platforms that have been developed to allow users to interact with the virtual world.</p>

<h3>Conclusion</h3>

<p>In the metaverse, there are numerous opportunities for further innovation. It's important to remember that the metaverse typically incorporates a much more extensive system than any conventional virtual world. While VR is one of the key technologies for the growth of the metaverse, it only has a few functionalities. In the metaverse, there are countless possibilities still to be discovered.&nbsp;</p>


Metaverse and VR offer virtual experiences, but are not identical.

Virtual reality and the metaverse differ, but both offer virtual experiences

Tech companies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, etc. are working on their own metaverses

 The metaverse offers many opportunities for innovation

Metaverse vs VR

metaverse

Metaverse vs Virtual Reality: Knowing the Differences

Metaverse vs Virtual Reality

Blockchain

Decentralised Finance

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Decentralised finance, popularly known as DeFi, is an emerging financial ecosystem based o based on secure distributed ledgers. Here, financial products are publicly available on a decentralised blockchain network. It lets users buy and sell assets as well as financial services as a form of investment or financing, thus avoiding the middlemen.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">It must be noted that DeFi makes use of blockchain technology, which connects users without a central server and can transfer data and assets securely.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp; </span>Here, transactions are regulated under smart contracts that also use blockchain and run automatically when the parameters the parties set in advance are met. In other words, DeFi uses cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to manage financial transactions. It aims to democratise finance by replacing legacy, centralised institutions with peer-to-peer relationships that can provide a full range of financial services, be it everyday banking, loans, and mortgages, to complicated contractual relationships and asset trading.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">In order to have in-depth knowledge of decentralised finance, let us in brief understand what is centralised finance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Here in centralised finance, banks and third parties hold money, thereby facilitating the movement of money between parties and levying fees for using their services. Here, each entity in the chain receives payment for its services, for instance, a credit card charge starts from the merchant and moves to an acquiring bank, and so on. Moreover, it must be mentioned that in the case of centralised finance, all financial transactions are overseen in centralised finance, right from loan applications to a local bank's services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Decentralised Finance, indeed, is being viewed both as a revolution and an opportunity, and has a profound influence on the way banks operate. Let us now look at some of the significant advantages and disadvantages of DeFi.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Pros of decentralised finance:</span></h3>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<drupal-entity data-caption="Decentralised finance offers numerous advantages" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="e958414d-2b8e-4897-9b2c-35d51f146a81"></drupal-entity>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">The DeFi movement aims at introducing various benefits for customers and investors. Some of the notable advantages of DeFi include:<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Permissionless</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">One of the most striking features of DeFi is its decentralised nature. In fact, decentralisation is one of the basic tenets of blockchain, which helps in reducing the need to depend on corporations. This enables simple and effective access to financial services for every individual.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Transparency</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Decentralisation offers better transparency, and the distributed ledger features information about all activities on the blockchain network, thus improving due diligence. In other words, DeFi provides transparency through the openness of blockchain data, which can be viewed by anyone at any time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Good-bye to human error</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Routine human errors have no place in DeFi, thanks to smart contracts. This greatly helps in minimising the financial crisis which occurs owing to the mismanagement of central banks and third-party intermediaries.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Instant lending access</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Prior to the existence of DeFi, for availing of any loan, one had to physically go to the bank and had to undergo a tedious loan sanction process.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp; </span>However, this is not the case anymore with decentralised finance. With DeFi, one can receive a loan with only a few clicks as the growth of peer-to-peer lending and borrowing solutions has been significantly aided by this new-age technology.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Security</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Financial data, which is one of the most sensitive information across the world, can now be safely stored with the help of DeFi. Here, data can be stored on hundreds or thousands of different nodes, thereby preventing hackers from attacking or breaking into the system to gain control. Its consensus protocols prevent any one participant in the system from harming the entire network.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">A majority of risks associated with the DeFi project are related to the technology (blockchain) they are built upon. </span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">A few of the cons related to DeFi include:<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Responsibility</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">DeFi, though free of risks and issues, can still not be held responsible for one’s mistakes. In fact, it transfers responsibility from intermediaries to users. In other words, even if one loses funds by mistake, no one will be held responsible. Hence, creating some tools to prevent human errors and mistakes is strongly needed in the DeFi space. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Smart contract problems</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Smart contract vulnerability also poses risks to several DeFi projects. If there is the slightest flaw in the code of a smart contract, it can lead to a loss of funds.&nbsp;</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;
font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:
Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">Though decentralised finance has its own share of pros and cons, however; undoubtedly, its advantages outweigh the disadvantages. In fact, the conventional benchmarks of financial services are poised to be transformed by decentralised finance, which has quickly emerged as a promising technology.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:
minor-latin;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span> <span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>


Decentralised finance is gaining a lot of traction as this is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the blockchain space. 

DeFi is based on secure distributed ledgers and avoids middlemen

It uses uses cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to manage financial transactions

It is permissionless, tranparent and offers instant lending access

An explainer on Decentralised finance (DeFi)

blockchain

defi

What is decentralised finance? Know its benefits

What is decentralised finance? 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">As the name suggests, crypto ATMs work just like any other ATM. However, these cryptocurrency ATMs function and operate more like a crypto exchange. Let us now study in detail about these.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">What&nbsp;are crypto ATMs?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Crypto ATMs are terminals allowing users to buy and sell cryptocurrency in exchange for cash or with a bank debit card. All crypto ATMs sell Bitcoin, while some also offer other cryptocurrencies. It must be noted that not all crypto ATMs offer crypto sale, some are limited to purchases only.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">These cryptocurrency ATMs are connected to a cryptocurrency network and are generally not controlled by financial institutions. They are linked to the user’s digital wallet to process the transaction and send crypto to the customer. While there are thousands of crypto ATMs worldwide, most of them are located in the US.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Know the working of crypto ATM<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.55pt;text-align:justify;line-height:
15.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt">A crypto ATM comprises of a QR scanner, monitor, debit card acceptor, bill dispenser, and in some cases, cash. On the back end is the software that makes buying and selling cryptocurrency possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.55pt;text-align:justify;line-height:
15.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt">When you approach the ATM, you must verify your identity. While the identification process may differ from one ATM to the next, most will require you to enter your phone number. Once you have done this, you will receive a verification code that you need to enter to proceed. Now your phone number is verified and registered with the ATM.</span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.55pt;text-align:justify;line-height:
15.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.55pt;text-align:justify;line-height:
15.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt">Next, input the wallet address by simply generating a </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;color:black;background:white">QR code from the mobile wallet's app</span>. Place the QR code in front of the ATM's code reader and it will verify the address in seconds. Then, enter the amount of coins one wants to buy and enter a cash or debit card for the same. Transactions may take a few minutes to complete after buying crypto. <span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:
Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:5.55pt;text-align:justify;line-height:
15.5pt;background:white;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:-.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 5.55pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 15.5pt; background: white; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Do crypto ATMs levy charges?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">A majority of cryptocurrency ATMs charge a certain percentage of the total transaction value. Generally, the fee could be as low as 4% and can also go to 20%, depending on the preferred choice of ATM.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">How do crypto ATMs operate?</span></h3>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<drupal-entity data-caption="many countries are installing crypto ATMs" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="cf36058b-f304-47c3-b432-76695cee93e9"></drupal-entity>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">A crypto ATM includes a monitor, QR scanner, debit card acceptor, and a bill dispenser. Using a crypto ATM requires a mobile phone, a phone number, a picture (optional), and access to a digital wallet.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">When one approaches the ATM, identity verification is mandatory. Most crypto ATMs require you to enter your phone number. Once done, a verification code will be received which needs to be entered so as to proceed ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Next, one needs to enter one’s wallet address. For this, simply <span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt;background:white">generate a QR code from your wallet's mobile app. This can be done by placing the QR before the code scanner in the ATM and the address is verified within seconds. Now, one just needs to enter the requisite number of coins to buy and input cash or a debit card to purchase your desired cryptocurrency. Transactions take place on the blockchain and can take a while to process.</span> <span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt;background:white">After purchasing the crypto, the transaction might just take a few seconds to complete.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Know how many crypto ATMs are across the world<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">As of March 2022, there are about 36,600 crypto ATMs installed across the world. While, the United States hosts the highest number of crypto ATMs worldwide, having 32, 598 devices, Canada comes next with 2,410 ATMs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Does India have crypto ATMs?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">India already has two crypto ATMs, which are working around Delhi/NCR. However, in 2018, a Bitcoin ATM was seized by the Karnataka police in Bengaluru as it was illegal and set up without any requisite approvals from the concerned authorities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Benefits of crypto ATMs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Fast speed</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">One of the most notable advantages of using a crypto ATM is that it is incredibly fast. The transaction will be made in less than a minute while using these crypto kiosks.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><strong>Security</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Crypto ATMs offer foolproof security. So, when you are using it, no one can tamper with your transaction. Therefore, it is safe for all investors, and anyone can easily trust it without worrying about anything.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Easy to use</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Crypto ATMs are quite similar to regular ATMs. They are most suited for people who are not tech-savvy and <span style="letter-spacing:-.2pt;background:white">prefer a streamlined way to buy cryptocurrency. Moreover, these ATMs serve as a great introductory tool for beginners who are new to this space.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">&nbsp; </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Disadvantages of crypto ATMs<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><strong>Availability</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Not all geographical regions boost of having crypto ATMs. Since the latter are limited in number, one needs to travel long distances to access them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><strong>Higher transaction costs</strong> <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Though crypto ATMs are quite comfortable to use, one has to incur a high transaction fee to operate them. Sometimes, the amount is much higher than the average amount. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Recurring technical issues</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Another con of using a crypto ATM is that most of the time, technical problems occur while making the transactions. Sometimes, technical glitches happen very often, thus making it very difficult to process the transaction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Transaction Limits</span></strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin">Usually, there are transaction limits set with most of the crypto exchanges <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">As with most crypto exchanges, there usually will be minimum and maximum transaction limits set by the ATM company. Transaction minimums and maximums are generally in the range of $10 to $10,000.</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:62.6pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>


Cryptocurrencies are garnering a lot of attention these days. Even the demand for crypto ATMs has increased.

Crypto ATMs are stalls connected to a cryptocurrency network 

Not all crypto ATMs offer crypto sale, some are limited to purchases only

They are linked to the user’s digital wallet to process the transaction and send cryptos

crypto ATM

Explainer: What is a crypto ATM?

What is a crypto ATM?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">In this tech-savvy world, everyone must have heard of cryptocurrencies but most people still don't really understand what exactly is it. Other than being a form of digital cash, these cryptos have the potential to transform the financial sector and related industries. Hence, it is worthwhile if we know the nuances of cryptocurrency.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">Cryptocurrency, also known as crypto, is a digital or virtual currency, unlike paper currency, and is secured by cryptography. Its unique feature is that it is not</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white"> issued by any government or central authority, instead, it uses a decentralised system to record transactions and issue new units.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.05pt;background:white">In other words, cryptocurrency is a digital currency, which does not rely on central banks or third parties to verify transactions or issue new units. Instead, these use new-age currencies are underpinned by cryptographic systems, i.e., they make use of </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;background:white">cryptography to confirm transactions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Cryptocurrencies are managed on a publicly distributed ledger called a blockchain. The latter is a decentralised technology spread across various computers responsible for recording and managing transactions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">How many cryptocurrencies are there?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">As of 3 April 2023, there are more than 23,000 cryptos available in the market, for a total market capitalisation of $1.18 trillion, reports CoinMarketCap. That’s quite a crowd considering that Bitcoin only launched in 2009. Bitcoin’s closest peer is Ethereum, which was introduced in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Since then, there has been no looking back for the cryptoverse. Apart from Bitcoin and Ethereum, some of the other popular cryptos include XRP, Cardano, Solana, Polygon, Polkadot, and heaps more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Know the types of cryptocurrencies<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Though most people use crypto coins and crypto tokens in the same sense, there is technically a difference between the two. Generally speaking, a crypto coin is a crypto asset that uses its own independent blockchain. For instance, Bitcoin runs on its own native blockchain. Similarly, Ether is operated via the Ethereum blockchain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">On the other hand, crypto tokens are also digital assets but use another blockchain's infrastructure. For example, countless tokens run on the Ethereum network, like, MATIC, LINK, USDT, etc. are built on top of Ethereum.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Crypto tokens can further be classified as:<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><strong>Utility tokens: </strong>These tokens help provide a service and offer the users the right to perform actions on a blockchain network or a decentralised application.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><strong>Governance tokens:</strong> These tokens allow the <span style="letter-spacing:.15pt">stakeholders to collaborate, debate, and vote on how to manage a system. These tokens drive blockchain-based voting systems, as they are often used to signal support for proposed changes and to vote on new proposals. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">How to store cryptocurrency?<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Once a cryptocurrency, has been purchased, one needs to store it safely so as to protect it from theft or hacks. Generally, cryptos are stored in crypto wallets, which are physical devices or online software that keep the private keys, the passwords that give access to your cryptocurrencies, safe and assessable. Some of the popular crypto wallets are Exodus, Ledger, MetaMusk, Trezor, and heaps more.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">Know the advantages of cryptocurrency<o:p></o:p></span></h3>

<drupal-entity data-caption="cryptos offer various advantages" data-embed-button="ckeditor_image" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:media.image" data-entity-type="media" data-entity-uuid="ef792c3e-9e8c-4d2c-99d0-51b3d9fb0944"></drupal-entity>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white">With the industrialisation and <span style="letter-spacing:
.1pt">involvement of technology, cryptocurrencies are gaining an upper hand over others. Some of the advantages of using cryptos can be enumerated as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.1pt;background:white"><strong>Swift transactions: </strong>One of the major advantages of using cryptocurrencies is that transactions can be completed instantaneously.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
letter-spacing:.1pt;background:white"><strong>Short settlement times and low transaction costs: </strong>With the absence of central banks or third parties, crypto payments are usually settled within seconds. Moreover, the cost of transacting in cryptocurrency is relatively very low in comparison to other financial services.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><strong>Accessibility: </strong>Anyone can use cryptocurrency. All one needs is an internet connection, and a computer or a smart device. Moreover, there is neither an ID verification nor a background or credit check.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><strong>Privacy:</strong> The blockchain ledger relies on different mathematical puzzles, which are difficult to decode, thus making cryptocurrency transactions safer than ordinary electronic transactions. Here, transactions are pseudonymous and do not include any specific information about you.<o:p></o:p></span></p>

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;
line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-family:Calibri;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-latin;
background:white"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></p>


Cryptocurrency is a buzzword these days, with national governments making efforts to regulate this space. This article will outline the basics of cryptocurrencies, its types, advantages as well as the risks involved.

Cryptocurrency, unlike paper currency, is not issued by any government or central authority

It is secured by cryptography & uses a decentralised system to record transactions 

Crypto transactions are instant, & have low transaction costs

What are cryptos? Know its basics

Explainer: What is cryptocurrency? Know the different types of cryptos & its advantages 

Explainer: What is cryptocurrency? Know the different types of cryptos 

<p>The Web3 world as fascinating as it might be can be a bit confusing at times. In this section, we get you some complicated Web3, blockchain, crypto and other emerging tech concepts explained in a simple and stackable manner.&nbsp;</p>
