Categories
Betting

Crypto Casinos And Regulation

The gambling industry has been through some radical changes over the last decade, especially with everything seeming to have shifted from desktop over to mobile and tablet. The online gambling market is predicted to be worth just under $60 billion USD by 2020, and with mobile gaming still booming, it has allowed other types of gaming to prosper too. One of those is crypto casinos, so what does the future hold for these?

There’s still unquestionably a lack of platforms that have been developed and licensed by reputable companies to enable cryptocurrency-based iGaming to take off and be truly recognised. Industry leaders such as mFortune Mobile Casino and Mr Green are still yet to accept crypto wagering across any of their services. This could be put down to the technological restraints applied due to their platforms being designed to deal exclusively with fiat currency, or a reluctance to spearhead the movement and undergo the necessary changes when it comes to incorporating blockchain-based requirements.

One of the stand out issues with crypto casinos is that they are unregulated as they have been since their earliest roots in the provably fair crypto dice gambling sites initially popular with players. Many of these operators will suggest that as they’re provably fair, there’s no requirement for regulation in the first place. Furthermore, many are also hinting at the fact that a need for regulation would see barriers in place if they wanted to break into the mainstream market. However, regulation is there to protect the players at these online and mobile casinos, especially those who may go on to develop a gambling problem. The consumer trusts regulated markets more, hence the lack of popularity where crypto-based iGaming is concerned.

It can be a win win situation for all involved if crypto casinos look to embrace a more transparent and ethical approach. By crypto-based casinos complying with regulations, players will immediately be protected from cyber crime such as fraud and identity theft, and in turn the operator would see more players using their service making them ultimately more profitable.

If a crypto casino operator was to work hand in hand with the authorities and regulators it would see them benefit in numerous ways. They’d have access to the full gambling market, they would no doubt be more credible, and this is vital within the industry. In addition, these crypto operators could secure partnerships with various exchanges, whilst having access to banking services and payment providers as well as partnerships with affiliate and media networks too.

Edgeless were the first blockchain based casino to receive a casino license after being approved by the relevant authorities and it’s been imperative for their growth. It was a big step for blockchain based operators and an indication that this is indeed the path to follow. It will be interesting to see if any of the industry’s more established names are willing to adopt cryptocurrency as a payment method, embracing blockchain technology in the process. It will certainly be a sign that things are set to change once again, in an industry which is constantly evolving.

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Betting News

Online Casino FortuneJack Introduces ‘Coin Primaries’ Voting System, Tron (TRX) Currently Leading Vote

In a drive to promote cryptocurrency adoption, the popular online casino FortuneJack has introduced a new campaign called Coin Primaries, which will see the addition of new cryptocurrencies to the platform on a regular basis.

The campaign will involve a polling system through which users can to vote to have their favorite cryptocurrency added to the casino’s platform. To facilitate the new system, FortuneJack will initiate discussions with various crypto spokespeople and related communities.

To launch of the new system, four new coins have been added for initial voting – Tron (TRX), Verge (XVG), Ethereum Classic (ETC) and EOS. The coin that receives the highest number of votes will be made available for use on the platform. You can vote for the coin you would like to see added by signing up to FortuneJack and placing your vote on the “Coin Primaries” page, you’ll also get 25 free spins at their casino of you choose to take them.

Currently, customers can place wagers on any of FortuneJack’s many services using eight different cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), DASH, Zcash (ZEC), Monero (XMR) and Dogecoin (DOGE).

Driving Adoption

With over 300 cryptocurrency bets made every second, online casinos and sportsbooks have become one of the biggest growth sectors for cryptocurrency adoption, accounting for more than half of all crypto transactions globally. FortuneJack foresees the new ‘Coin Primaries’ as having strong potential to further spread the use of cryptocurrencies amongst the general public.

Technological developments in security and scalability are also being driven by the needs of the online casino and gambling industry. Blockchain technology offers excellent benefits for the sector in the form of trustless and permissionless smart contracts to facilitate fair and transparent transactions.

FortuneJack aims to provide a ‘provably fair’ gambling experience for all its customers, regardless of their experience level or budgetary requirements. With one of the most diverse selections of games and currencies available, it succeeds in meeting the needs of both newcomers and veteran gamblers alike.

Categories
Betting

Playing Poker Using Cryptocurrencies is Easy

The benefits of using cryptocurrencies are self explanatory, not only do you have the ability to move funds around anonymously and in a highly secure way, but when it comes to playing games such as poker online, all digital currency using poker players do get paid out their winnings quickly and easily, too.

That is, of course, if you make the wise decision of playing at a poker site that offers rapid winning payouts, which is fortunately something that many of them do.

However, if you haven’t yet signed up to a cryptocurrency accepting poker site then allow me to give you an insight and overview of what they are going to be offering you.

All Poker Game Variants Available

The one question that any first time and inexperienced poker player who wishes to use cryptocurrencies as their preferred payment method is going to want to know the answer to, is just which variants are available online.

Well it is all down to just which poker site you decide to sign up to and play at, for some of them will offer the standard poker games such as Omaha Poker and Texas Hold’em Poker.

But by making the decision of signing up to a poker site such as those that use their own proprietary software, you are going to find a huge range of different poker games which include the standard variants but plenty of other such as H.O.R.S.E Poker and Razz Poker games too.

Better Paying Cryptocurrency Poker Tournaments

Whilst most players are happy to play cash ring poker games when depositing using cryptocurrencies, more and more players do enjoy setting down to take their chances in one of the never ending range of online poker tournaments.

When it comes to getting the best chances of winning a poker tournament, well your skill and abilities when playing do play an important part in your chances of winning one of the cash prizes on offer.

However, do also keep in mind that the much busier cryptocurrency poker sites will offer their players a huge daily schedule of poker tournaments, many of which will be offering you guaranteed prizes.

Therefore no matter how many entrants there are into a guaranteed poker tournament, the cash prizes will not be lowered in value if only a small number of entrants register and take part in them.

So look out for those that are in play at the quieter times of the day or night, as you may find they are not as busy as at other times of the day or night, therefore increasing your overall winning chances.

In fact, most cryptocurrency accepting poker sites will also offer a range of freeroll poker tournaments to their customers, and as such you will be able to register and play in such tournaments without having to pay an entry fee to take part in them.

Try Out Several Cryptocurrency Poker Sites

If you have set yourself up with a digital currency wallet and have purchased a supply of any of the major digital currencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, for example, and are itching to put them to use playing poker online, then I would advise you to initially take a step back.

By doing so you can then take a look around the web and compare just what each different poker site is going to be offering you by way of their poker game variants and their poker tournaments, too.

There is no harm in signing up to several different poker sites that accept Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrencies and logging into your account and sampling their free play poker tables.

In fact, by doing so you are then going to get a good feel for the way the poker platforms and software work and operate at those sites, and once you have done so at several different sites you are bound to find one that you prefer playing at.

Don’t Forget Your New Play Poker Bonuses

All online and mobile poker sites and apps are going to be offering you a range of incentives to sign up and give their respective sites a try.

Therefore to give the value of your bankroll a boost, and often a considerable boost in value too, consider making use of some of the high valued welcome bonus offers that new poker players have access to.

Just be aware though, that to ensure you get a fair chance of winning with any such bonuses you have claimed, you will need to read through and fully understand the terms and conditions that are always attached to such promotional offers, to ensure that they are giving you a fair chance of winning and now simply tying up your deposits in high play through requirements and the like.

Categories
Betting

Why is Bitcoin so Successful as a Casino Deposit Method?

Over the years there have been some market sectors that have proven to be perfect for using Bitcoin, and one that does instantly spring to mind is online and mobile gambling.

As it is possible to purchase Bitcoin so easily, and then transfer it to any of the many Bitcoin casinos, in most cases anonymously too, more and more gamblers have chosen to get a digital wallet and use it to store their gambling budgets on the blockchain in a safe and secure way.

Not only can gamblers as good as instantly transfer their Bitcoin into casino sites, but of course the operators and owners of those sites can also pay out their winning players rapidly too, and that is another reason many casino game players do now much prefer using Bitcoin as their preferred deposit and withdrawal option.

There are plenty of other reasons why Bitcoin casinos have been increasing in number and as to why they have proven to be hugely popular with casino game players, and below I will take a look at some additional reasons why you may be interested in using that digital currency as a gambling site payment option too.

Benefits of Playing at Bitcoin Casinos

If you do fancy giving an online casino site a try and you want to make deposits and get paid out your winnings in Bitcoin too then Thunderbolt Casino is an ideal one for you to check out.

That casino site offers a huge and impressive suite of casino games of every possible description and type, but what they do also offer, like all other Bitcoin accepting casino sites, are certified and provably fair games too.

So no matter which game or games that you enjoy playing the most you are always going to have the peace of mind in knowing that above all else the games you will be playing are completely random and fair.

Being able to play casino games for stake levels that players are comfortable with is something more people are eager to do, for there are a number of casino sites out there that will force you to have to set their casino games to play for a high stake level, rather than smaller stake amounts.

Bonuses are all part and parcel of an online casino players life these days, and at sites that do accept Bitcoin you are going to find new player sign up bonuses, reload and ongoing bonuses and a range of daily promotional offers too, so locking in playing value is something else players can always be assured of too.

Games Available at Bitcoin Casinos

If you haven’t yet played at any Bitcoin casinos and are wondering just what type of games are going to be on offer to you at such sites, be aware that every conceivable type of game are going to be one click of your mouse or one tap of your mobile devices screen away at such sites.

Games that offer players the chance of winning a huge progressive jackpot will be available at such sites, every type of slot machine and each established and also new variant of games such as blackjack and video poker will also be on offer at such sites.

There will also be a good mix of table games such as Craps and Roulette and Baccarat and casino poker card games are also some of the most played and most popular games at all Bitcoin casino sites too.

Withdraw Bitcoin Casino Winnings in Cash at an ATM

The standard way that Bitcoin users are going to be able to turn their Bitcoin holdings into cash is by making use of what is known as a digital currency exchange, however when using one of those exchanges there could be a day or two delay or in some cases even longer regarding getting your payment sent out to you.

There is another way that casino game players especially are going to find appealing as to getting paid out their Bitcoin casino winnings in cash, and that is by using one of the many Bitcoin ATM’s dotted around the globe.

By using one of those ATM’s you can instantly turn your Bitcoin and often any other cryptocurrencies into cold hard cash on the spot, so when you do win playing casino games online and have been paid out your Bitcoin you will never have very long to wait until you have those winnings in cash in your hand when using one of those ATM’s.

Categories
Betting

The Rise in Popularity of Bitcoin Gambling

Gamblers the world over have been embracing the digital currency that is Bitcoin over the last few years, and there are many reasons as to why that cryptocurrency has become the most utilized and most popular one with people wishing to gamble online.

The fact that it is possible to make deposits and also get paid out your winnings anonymously, with no limits and also as good as instantly are just three reasons what you may be tempted to use Bitcoin yourself.

If so then there are a few things you will initially need to be aware of regarding being able to use Bitcoin to gamble online with, and the first is that you will need to get a digital wallet, as that is the key to you accessing any Bitcoin you have stored on the blockchain.

Next, you will need to actually purchase some Bitcoin, and to do so quickly and efficiently you can make use of an online digital currency exchange, or you could actually purchase a supply instantly and in cash at one of the many Bitcoin ATM’s that are available around the world too.

Make sure that you keep your log in, access and digital wallet restore details safely stored offline, as that way should you ever lose, damage or misplace the device you have your digital wallet downloaded on, you are still going to have access to your Bitcoin.

Never be too daunted about trying to get your head around how the Bitcoin blockchain works and operates, for it is simply a ledger that ensures all transactions are safely executed and are fully traceable and verifiable, and therefore the blockchain guarantees you of the maximum protection of any Bitcoin you have stored upon it.

In fact, if you have ever used a web or e-wallet before, then you will soon get the hang of using a digital currency wallet such as the Nano Ledger S, a digital currency exchange and also making deposits into and out of any gambling sites you fancy playing or betting at.

Most Popular Bitcoin Casino Games

Make no mistake about it though, no matter what types of casino styled games you fancy playing online, you are going to find plenty of sites offering you the ability of depositing using Bitcoin.

Some of those sites will required you to convert your Bitcoin into the currency the casino or games site is using, however their respective banking interfaces will do that instantly, but some will allow you to deposit and then gamble using any fraction of Bitcoin as your preferred staking option.

One site that is famed for their dice game is cyberdice.net, and it offers you a fully verifiable random outcome, so you will above all else always know that you are playing a fair game, with a completely random and provable outcome too.

The game they offer is quite aptly called CyberDice, and it has been designed and developed to give players a basic set of gambling opportunities.

How to Play CyberDice

What you are going to enjoy about playing CyberDice is that the house edge of that game is tiny, in fact is has a house edge of just 1%, which is comparable to games such as Blackjack and Baccarat.

As mentioned above the way that the game has been developed is that once each roll of the dice has been played out your are going to be able to verify and prove that outcome was randomly arrived at, rather than just taking it for granted the random number generator in use at other casino sites for example on the games they offer are fair!

Once you have registered as a new player at the CyberDice site, which is going to take you less than a minute you are good to go, there are no Know Your Customer requirements, so you will never be forced to have to send in or reveal any of your own personal information when playing there.

You can then fund your account with free play credits if you so desire using the Faucet, and once you have done so you can then pick out any of the available betting opportunities, and then send the game into live play.

The range of betting opportunities have however been kept nice and simple, with there being just two of them, those being the Roll Over and Roll Under bets which will see you trying to predict whether the value of the next dice roll will be higher or lower than the chosen number presented to you on the screen.

Pick Roll Over and if the number rolled in is higher than that shown on the screen you win, and conversely when selecting Roll Under you will be hoping the number rolled in will be lower than the value of the number displayed on the CyberDice game screen.

Categories
News

Has Platio found a way to solve the issues holding back crypto adoption?

The benefits of cryptocurrencies are clear. They create a new kind of money which is free from government manipulation. They offer a way for people to store wealth in their heads by memorising their seed phrases. Perhaps most importantly, they let people transfer value across borders quickly and cheaply by enabling sender and receiver to interact with each other directly, without having to rely on middlemen.

However, many of the distinctive features of cryptocurrencies are actually holding back their use by the mainstream. Crypto markets are highly volatile, making all but the most risk-friendly reluctant to use them as a store of wealth.

Further risks are created by cryptocurrencies’ decentralized peer-to-peer nature. People are worried about losing private keys, as if they do, they lose all their assets. There is no way to prove your identity and restore your funds. 4 million Bitcoin, worth 26 billion dollars, have been lost this way, and they’ll never be recovered.

There are also problems with using cryptocurrency for commercial transactions. Transferring funds quickly and directly between buyer and seller means that there is less incentive for the seller to deliver on its promises. It can easily accept the payment and not provide the good or service.

Sellers may also be wary to accept cryptocurrency due to price volatility. Video game platform Steam stopped accepting Bitcoin in December as its value was moving so quickly that by the time transactions had settled, payments were no longer worth the same as the prices of the products sold.

Platio’s Smart Banking Ecosystem

Platio, a London headquartered fintech firm, is developing its Smart Banking Ecosystem to address these very issues and so solve the crypto world’s main challenges.

Platio CEO Dima Okhrimchuk says that his team believes that, “all financial assets will be tokenized and run on Blockchain” and that this will amount to “a revolution which will completely transform the international financial system.”

However, for that to happen, people need to be able to trust cryptocurrency. Platio sees “a great opportunity in this transition” and is building “application for personal users and businesses to make the move into crypto as smooth and legitimate as it can be.”

Platio allows users to manage their fiat, cryptocurrency and stock assets from within a single platform. Powered by EOS blockchain technology, it hopes to “increase confidence in crypto as an asset and drive its global adoption.”

Perhaps its most important innovations are its Smart Escrow and Asset Guard products.

Smart Escrow will allow buyers and sellers to confidently transact with each other in cryptocurrency, particularly on high value deals. This smart contract powered product will hold the buyer’s funds in escrow until both parties are satisfied that the deal has been completed. Should any dispute arise, Platio will step in to arbitrate.

Platio’s merchant services will also allow sellers to receive payment in fiat, even if the buyer has paid in cryptocurrency, thus freeing sellers from unwanted exposure to crypto market volatility.

Asset Guard also offers protection from volatility. Platio customers will be able to set up their accounts to make automatic transactions should fiat, stock or crypto markets behave in certain predefined ways. As Okhrimchuk says, “even in the notoriously unpredictable crypto markets, our customers can relax, knowing their funds are being looked after.”

The Asset Guard product will also provide an ingenious solution to the problem of lost private keys. If users do not interact with their accounts for a selected period of time, Platio will transfer their assets, whether stocks, crypto or fiat, to a previously nominated account in either cryptocurrency or fiat. In this way users can be certain that they will not lose access to their funds.

It certainly seems that Platio’s message is landing. This week it was named as a joint winner of the ICO pitch award at the World Blockchain Forum in London.

If Platio can achieve its goals then we may finally have the “revolution” in finance that we’ve been waiting for.  

Platio’s is currently conducting its private pre-sale. The public sale of its PGAS token will begin on the 22nd October.

Categories
News

Binance Lists Ardor (ARDR)

Binance has announced that trading will open for ARDR/BTC, ARDR/ETH and also its own native token ARDR/BNB starting from 11am UTC as of today the 18th July 2018. The announcement was made via their site and also tweeted out by their official channel as below.

The news has prompted a rise in the valuation of ARDR (AKA the Binance effect) and according to data from coinmarketcap.com it is up 44% to 23 cents in the last 24 hours, practically all of which can be seen as spiking in the minutes following the announcement. However, this is still someway off the heights reached back in January this year when it pushed just over the $2 mark. 

Ardor was launched on mainnet on New Years Day 2018 after a successful year on testnet.

Featured Image Above Taken From Shutterstock

Categories
Exchange Reviews

Coss.io Exchange Review

COSS.io is more than just an exchange.  Spelled out, it’s acronym stands for Crypto One Stop Solution, and that’s precisely the platform that COSS looks to provide to its users.

In the COSS whitepaper, the project’s team argues that the barrier of entry to cryptocurrency trading and services is too substantial.  Adoption, they claim, has been hindered by the space’s lack of user friendly resources.  Without ease of use platforms, the revolutionary potential of cryptocurrencies will be stymied by a daunting learning curve.

That’s why they built COSS, a platform “which encompasses all features of a digital economic system based on cryptocurrency,” according to the white paper.  As its name suggest, COSS is a one-stop-shop for all of your cryptocurrency-related needs.  It’s a wallet, an exchange, a payment gateway for consumers and merchants, a marketplace, and a market tracker all in one.  COSS is creating a single ecosystem inside of which all the integral pieces of the crypto economy can flourish as one.

With this review, we’ll be going over a truncated overview of the exchange.  Don’t worry–we’ll still cover all of the necessary bases.  But there’s more to unpack here than with your prototypical exchange, so we’ve got more to talk about than usual.

So let’s get cracking, shall we?

COSS: The Exchange

At this stage in its development, the bulk of COSS’s platform functions as an exchange, so we’ll be covering this first.

Verification

Signing up for COSS’s exchange was a breeze.  All I had to do was enter my email, password, and verify the email to gain access to the trading site.  Unlike other exchanges, there was no lengthy verification process to get my basic account up and running, no wait time for documents to be processed.

That said, I did only activate a basic account.  With this account, you’re still able to trade up to $100,000 worth of funds a day, but you’re only allowed to deposit/withdraw cryptocurrencies.  If you want to be able to deposit fiat currency into your account in the future, you’ll want to get Basic Plus.   This requires a know your customer verification that asks for a personal ID with a selfie, personal information (i.e., location/residency), and proof of residency.  There’s also a Basic Ultra verification level that requires a video conference with the COSS team.  This verification is meant for the whales of the trading bunch, as it permits unlimited trading volume per day.

coss document page screen shot

It should be noted that COSS is still working on implementing fiat to crypto trading pairs–this feature is not live yet, but it will be in the future.

Fees and Withdrawal Times

Coss’ exchange charges a base fee of 0.2% for all trades.  Withdrawal fees, like most exchanges, vary based on the currency in question.

coss withdrawal fees

As for withdrawal times, the project’s FAQs list that Bitcoin withdrawals can take anywhere from 1-3 hours, while Ethereum and ERC20 tokens take around 10-30 minutes to clear.  This is longer than most exchanges, but the team argues that they do this to ensure the safety of their platform as it “puts security above convenience and we hope our users appreciate that.”

Security

Speaking of security, COSS sports the usual industry-standards, including cold storage for the majority of customer funds, two factor authentication, and email confirmations.  Besides that, I didn’t find anything particularly novel about COSS’s security specifications, though its website claims that COSS “is designed as a state-of-the-art application with advanced security features.”.

Website Layout and User Interface

Overall, COSS’s layout aligns with its goal of keeping the platform user friendly.  There’s an easily navigable tool bar on the account page that allows you to switch from wallet to exchange and a number of other account features.

The exchange itself is pretty straight forward, as well.  It keeps your account balance, the trading pair’s order books, and the chart all neatly packed into one place.  The interface is simple, but its design leaves a bit to be desired.  Further, it has the usual trading tools/indicators that most exchange price charts offer, but the it is definitely geared towards your average user and not your pro trader.

coss markets

COSS coin

COSS’s platform includes its own native token, like KuCoin and Binance.  Unlike BNB coin for Binance, however, COSS coin doesn’t have multiple trading pairs (only trades with BTC and ETH), and it isn’t subject to lower trading fees.  But like its counterparts, it does give its stakeholders a cut of the exchange’s profits.  If you hold COSS in the platform’s wallet or even an external wallet, you’re entitled to 50% of the exchange’s trading fees.  The fact that you can still receive these coins in a non exchange wallet is a plus, as keeping coins on an exchange is never recommended.

Conclusion

COSS’s exchange is another breath of fresh air for users looking for a more accessible trading experience.  It’s trading fees are a bit high (as are some of the ERC20 token withdrawal fees), and withdrawal times can be a bit sluggish. 

Overall, though, COSS’s dividend coin is a big plus, and its smooth interface and variety of more obscure altcoins makes it an exchange worth trying out.

Rating: 4/5

COSS: The Wallet

COSS’s wallet supports a number of popular cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, DASH, NEM,  EOS, Lisk, ICS, OMG, VeChain, Waves, and ARK.  It can also hold a number of lesser known altcoins, including Substratum, Enjin Coin, Lampix, Po.et, ChainLink, and others.

coss wallet

Obviously, COSS’s wallet integrates with its exchange, and it also syncs up with the platform’s payment gateway for merchants and consumers.  Going forward, the team hopes to implement a remittances payment portal with the wallet and exchange, as well as a token swap feature.

COSS: The Merchant Service

Using COSS’s platform, merchants can integrate a cryptocurrency payment option into their online or storefront business model.  COSS supports multiple fiat currencies with its cryptocurrency exchange rates, including EUR, USD, Singapore Dollar, Malaysian Ringit, Korean Won, Romanian Leu, and a handful more.  Further, COSS’s exchange keeps these figures up-to-date right on the platform, and it allows merchants to offer competitive rates to their customers against a global market.

If you were looking to integrate COSS’s services into your online shop, it’s as easy as installing COSS’s payment gateway plug-in.  Storefront merchants, on the other hand, can download COSS’s Point of Sale application for Android or web based devices.

COSS’s payment gateway currently supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, DASH, ARK, Lisk, NEM, and COSS coin.  Merchants can learn more or sign up using the contact form here.

COSS: Everything Else

That’s right, there’s even more.  COSS has made some serious progress in 2017 delivering on its platform promises.  These features include:

ICO Platform: COSS started launching ICOs on its platform last year and it hopes to keep up this practice in 2018 and beyond.  Currently, it does not have any active ICOs listed, but it has supported four in the past (Aditus, Lala World, DropDeck, and GatCoin).

Market Cap Tracker: The platform allows its users to track the market cap of the top 100 coins in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.  Along with market trends, some coins include links to project websites and other resources.  While this informational feature is only available to a number of cryptocurrencies now, expansion to more coins will come in time.

In addition, the COSS team lists a number of future developments in the Phase 2 Planning section of their roadmap.  These milestones include:

Pre-paid Cards: The name says it all.  COSS will allow users to load up credit/debit cards with cryptocurrencies to streamline merchant payments even more.

Remittance Payments: Using COSS, individuals will be able to process overseas payments with ease.

Crowdfunding: It’s already accommodated ICOs.  Next, COSS will provide the means for fundraising across industries outside of the crypto sphere.

Smart Contracts: Businesses and associates will be able to sign legal contracts and other terms of agreement on COSS, securing legal proceedings using the blockchain’s public ledger.

coss find out more page screen shot

Categories
Exchange Reviews

Kucoin Exchange Review

It specializes in the more obscure altcoins on the market and it brands itself as “The People’s Exchange.” Meet KuCoin, a rising star on the cryptocurrency exchange field.

It’s one of the younger exchanges out there. Launched on September 15th, 2017, the Hong Kong based exchange has had a successful inauguration. Many in the crypto community have drawn comparisons to Binance, and at time of writing, the exchange is ranked #17 on CoinMarketCap in 24/hr volume at $303mln. 

Offering its own coin and shared trading profits among its users, KuCoin is unique in its own right amongst its peers, and it’s worth getting to know at the very least.

So let’s get acquainted, shall we?

Verification Process

KuCoin has one of the quickest, least painful account set up and verification processes out there.

All you need to do is head over to the exchange’s website, click “Sign up,” and enter an account email and password. From here, you’ll need to verify your account via email, and viola, you’re done!

Seriously, it’s actually that easy. Oh yeah, you also need to enable two factor authentication before you can start trading, either through Google (if you’re not from China) or through SMS (for Chinese residence).

kucoin verification screen shot

Unlike most exchanges, there are no tiers to verification status, so all accounts from their creation are treated equally.

Deposit/Withdrawal Times and Limits

Trading pairs on KuCoin are exclusive to cryptocurrencies, so deposits onto the platform depend entirely on the network speed of the currency in question.

For withdrawals, anything that is less than 100,000 times that coin’s withdrawal fee will be processed in seconds. If you’re withdrawing Ethereum, for example, your transaction would clear nearly instantly so long as it was less than 1,000 ETH (if you’ve got more than that on the exchange, for the love of Mary, man, get that into a wallet quick!).

Currently, KuCoin has no withdrawal limits, an unusual departure from the procedures most exchanges follow. Now, before you start throwing your hands in the air in celebration, the team is looking to adding a daily limit of 2 BTC sometime in the near future.

Fees

Perhaps one of the likeliest comparisons we can draw between Binance and KuCoin come from the low fees both exchanges offer.

Like Binance, it has a flat 0.1% fee for all trades.  This fee will be taken out of the asset that is purchased, not sold.

There are no fees for depositing onto KuCoin, but as with most exchanges, the withdrawal fees vary.  For example, Ethereum runs at 0.01 ETH, Litecoin at 0.001 LTC, and Bitcoin at 0.0005 BTC.

Security

In the KuCoin whitepaper, the exchange’s team goes to lengths to detail KuCoin’s security measures.  These standards meet modern financial and banking-level criteria.

Micro-wallets (those used by accounts for withdrawals), are stored in a private network built on Amazon Web’s Cloud Service, protected by a multi-layered firewall. Documentation of these wallets are encrypted and require two individuals to decipher the code simultaneously to unlock it. Further, macro-wallets (those used by the exchange for reserve funds) are held in cold wallets under the protection of banking storage.  Finally, encryption and multi-factor authentication protects all of the data stored on the platform.

Users have the choice of two factor authentication to keep individual accounts safe, as well.

Website Layout and User Interface

Going along with its easy-going registration, KuCoin serves up a truly ease-of use interface.  Anyone from longtime investors to newbies are likely to find its design straightforward and its functions easy to navigate.

In its market view, KuCoin offers tabs off all of its trading pairs. From here, investors can easily navigate markets for the trading pairs they’re looking for, either manually or with the exchange’s search bar in the top right of the market view.

kucoin screen shot 1

Once you’re in the trading window, the exchange function is about what you would expect. It includes an order book, depth chart, price chart, and a log for an individual’s active or past orders, along with the usual chart reading tools veteran traders use to go to work.

kucoin advanced trading screen shot

In KuCoin’s asset section, you can keep track of all of your funds, orders, and income (returns) all in one place.

kucoin assets section

Customer Support

If you’re having issues with your experience, you can contact KuCoin at support@kucoin.com or on the instant message help chat featured on the exchange’s website.

Alternatively, KuCoin has its own subreddit, and developers can be reached via the KuCoin Telegram, as well.

Additional Features

Adding to the comparisons to Binance, KuCoin sports its own native currency, KuCoin Shares. Like Binance coin, KuCoin Shares have their own trading pairs, but unlike its cousin currency, KuCoin Shares don’t offer trading discounts.

Instead, they offer holders a share of KuCoin’s trading fees. Yes, you read that right. If you own KuCoin, a portion of 40% of the exchange’s daily fees will go to you based on how many KuCoin Shares you own. If you refer a friend to KuCoin, you’ll get 50% of that friend’s trading fees. These fees are paid in the traded currency in question.

KuCoin also supports a highly scalable ordering system, capable of handling 2 million placed orders per second as well as 1 million processed orders per second.

It also has API plugins to allow for trading bots.

Conclusion

As I mentioned in the introduction, KuCoin is rising fast in the cryptocurrency community, becoming one of the hottest exchanges available. With its innovative fee sharing model with native KuCoin Shares currency, it’s also unique in that it offers the only profit sharing with its customers of any exchange available.

It also has an impressive team full of industry leaders, including CEO Michael Gan, former technical expert of the Alibaba Group’s Ant Financial. 

When we consider KuCoin’s team and their dedication to providing a superior exchange experience, the exchange’s low fees, and its innovative approach to profit sharing, we’re chalking up KuCoin as one of our honorable mentions going into 2018.

Pros:

-Great security

-Great team

-Profit Sharing

-Low Fees

-Growing market of altcoins

-Easy Registration

-User Friendly

Cons:

-API allows for trading bots

-No fiat trading

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Categories
Exchange Reviews

GDAX Review

The Global Digital Asset Exchange (or GDAX for short) is a fiat to crypto exchange that offers trading pairs for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash.  Users from the United Kingdom buy Bitcoin with the GBP, while United States and European residence have access to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin with the USD and EUR, respectively.  US investors can trade their USDs for Bitcoin Cash, as well, and the exchange also offers Bitcoin pairs with Ethereuma and Litecoin, as well.

The same company that runs Coinbase also runs GDAX, and Coinbase account holders can easily extend their account access to GDAX.  With GDAX, investors can deposit and trade in fiat at lower rates than Coinbase, making it an attractive alternative to what has arguably become the world’s largest cryptocurrency purchasing hub.

That should be enough expository information to tide you over until we get into the thick of it. 

Verification Process

For those of you opening a GDAX account with an existing Coinbase account, verification and set up is rather easy.  You need only click the “Sign in” button on GDAX’s homepage.  This will redirect you to a Coinbase login page, ask you to confirm your identity with whatever two factor authentication you have set up on Coinbase, and then you’re all set.  You can then link the same bank account you use with Coinbase to deposit fiat, or you can just deposit crypto in the form of Ethereum or Bitcoin–your choice.

If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll have to go to “Create an account” on GDAX’s homepage and go through the usual verification process that Coinbase uses.  This includes email verification and an identity verification that varies by region.  Wherever you’re signing up from, GDAX has a dual verification method.  For every region, this requires proof of a government issued ID for step one, while step two differs by region.  You can find more information here.

gdax sign up screen shot

Deposit and Withdrawal Times and Limits

As with all exchanges, cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals are entirely dependent on the respective currency’s network.

For fiat, United States customers have the option of either an ACH transfer or a bank wire transfer.  Deposits and withdrawals take 4-5 business days for ACH transfers, while bank wires are same day so long as they are processed before the bank’s wire transfer cut-off time (usualy 2pm).

In Europe, users can send or withdraw  money via SEPA transfers.  This process typically takes 1-3 business days.

There are no limits to cryptocurrency deposits and USD wire transfers, but SEPA and ACH transfer limits vary.  For withdrawals, individual users can take out $10,000 worth of funds daily, while Institutional accounts have a daily withdrawal limit equal to $50,000.

Apparently, United Kingdom customers have to use SEPA to deposit EUR into their accounts, as GBP does not have a wire transfer option.  Great Britain patrons can then trade their EUR into Bitcoin and trade this for GBP on the exchange if they see fit.

Trading and Deposit/Withdrawal Fees

GDAX does not charge for cryptocurrency deposits and withdrawals.  It does, however, charge a flat €0.15 for SEPA deposits and withdrawals.  USD bank wires are $10 for deposits and $25 for withdrawals, while ACH transfers are free of charge.

On the exchange, GDAX charges a 0.25% maker fee on all Bitcoin transactions and a 0.3% taker fee on all Litecoin and Ethereum transactions.  Luckily, any maker trade is feeless.

Security

Like its brother company Coinbase, GDAX features robust security and its team is dedicated to running an airtight operation.  98% of user funds are kept in cold storage.  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation also insures USD balances up to $250,000 in the case of an internal attack on GDAX’s hot wallet reserve.  It also conducts regular IT security checks and financial audits to make sure the exchange is running as intended.

On top of these features, the exchange also mandates two factor authentication for all its users, whether by email of phone.

Website Layout and User Interface

If you’re migrating to GDAX from Coinbase and you’ve never used an exchange before, you’ll likely find yourself overwhelmed at first glance.  Don’t worry–you’ll adjust quickly enough.  GDAX is pretty streamlined compared to most exchanges, and its UI is clean and simple.

gdax order book

GDAX doesn’t waste any space.  Your wallet, trading tools, and exchange functions all fit neatly on a single page.  For new users, all of this information is difficult to digest, so having it in a single space makes GDAX more easily navigable than most of its peers.

Customer Support

GDAS boasts a fabulous customer support resources on their website.  This includes general and frequently asked questions along with a search bar for users to submit their queries.

If you’ve got a question, it’s highly probable that GDAX has already answered it somewhere on the site.

gdax support screen shot

Additional Features

GDAX offers a number of trading tools that seasoned investors will likely appreciate.

For one, it includes an API function that allows for secure and smooth integration with trading bots.  It also allows traders to set stop loses and limit buys, meaning you can set automated exchange commands if a currency goes above or below a certain price.  In addition, GDAX comes with a margin trading option, allowing users to leverage a currency at 2x to 3x its value if they’re willing to take a risk.

Conclusion

GDAX is a great alternative to Coinbase if you’re looking for a more flexible exchange experience with significantly lower fees (region depending, Coinbase charges fees of 1.49% for bank account purchases, while debit/credit card purchases run around 3.99%).

Ultimately, GDAX has all of the security features and trading pairs of Coinbase without the excessive fees, but it doesn’t support as many fiat currencies.  Further, United Kingdom residence are limited to BTC/GBP pairs, and they have to go through the EUR before they can even get there.

Still, a user friendly interface makes GDAX a winner for newcomers looking to learn how to use exchanges for the first time.  Between this win for new traders and a win for everyone’s wallets, GDAX is a damn fine exchange in our book.

Pros:

-Easy verification, especially with pre-existing Coinbase account

-Lower fees compared to Coinbase

-Variety of trading pairs and fiat depositing/withdrawing methods

-Clean, easy to use interface

-Trading tools

-Great Security

Cons:

-Not so accessible to UK users

-API accommodates trading bots

-While lower than Coinbase, you can find lower fees elsewhere

Final rating: 4.5/5