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The Henry Raines Show, Token

Brave Browser Revisited

July 17, 2018 • By

Last week I stepped away from my daily routine, environment, and work. Of course, even a slow week in crypto generates plenty of news and often on Friday afternoons. Missing the crew, I stopped at the studio on my way back into town.

Coinbase managed to drop a short-list of potential cryptocurrency candidates that it may entertain making available on its platform. Basic Attention Token happened to be one of these tokens, which I have a general familiarity from earlier reads and uses.

What is so lovely about the Basic Attention Token (BAT) is that there is actual product that is useful to even those not interested or involved in cryptocurrency. BAT is to be used with the Brave Web Browser. I briefly used Brave earlier in the year but had a few cumbersome moments that I returned to Chrome.

In an effort to clean up and follow up my limited remarks on the show, I decided to revisit Brave. There have been significant improvements since I last used it and additional functionality worth highlighting. Brave is free to use. It is a web browser. Download it here or directly visit brave.com.

The Brave FAQs do a terrific job of explaining Brave Payments. The following is an overview geared toward noncrypto enthusiasts who may be interested in participating in the ecosystem and supporting the concept that makes this browser beautiful.

I understand the concept behind Brave and BAT to be more of a user driven advertising platform. Ideally eliminating the data mining method of inundating users with ads related to their recent searches. From their whitepaper, I recall an interesting piece was that it would be able to measure user attention based on active windows and reward publishers based on engagement.

The Brave web browser is designed to block third party tracking and advertisements. For example, if “golf” is included in my search in other browsers or on social media platforms; immediately ads begin to appear from golf suppliers or based on the websites that I visit, related advertisements appear. A secure and anonymous algorithm power the platform, so contributions truly are anonymous to Brave and all other entities.

One can elect the search engine of choice. I have been a DuckDuckGo fan since their inception.

Advertisers, publishers, and content creators can use BAT to pay for user attention.

Individuals are able to support favorite sites using BAT with the use of a Brave wallet found in the browser settings. Currently, Brave will provide 15 BAT to new users. The team has made it incredibly easy, literally a toggle switch and an exercise to prove humanity.

For those interested in continuing to reward sites, there are instructions on obtaining additional funds. This is a one-way ticket. Once BAT is in a Brave wallet, it can only be used as intended; to reward website publishers at the holder’s discretion. BAT cannot be earned, purchased, and transferred out of the Brave Wallet to be traded on an exchange. Use it or lose it. Tokens have an expiration (at least those rewarded by Brave here).

To reward content creators, navigate to preferences and payments. Browsing history appears in the payments section of Brave Preferences with the option to include the provider in the allocation reward.

Now that I have had an opportunity to revisit Brave, I am looking forward to employing it as my default browser. For content creators interested in exploring Brave, I suggest starting with the FAQs. Cryptocurrency enthusiasts can find additional trading and investing information at Seeking Cryptos.

This post is provided for informational purposes, nothing herein shall be taken as legal or financial advice.


ICOs, Token

What is Trans-Fee Mining?

June 27, 2018 • By

The “Trans-Fee Mining” model seems to be growing in the smaller, exchanges as evidenced by a couple of recent news stories on FCoin and Bit-Z, CoinBene, and BigOne. Liquidity challenged, smaller, cryptocurrency exchanges compete for users and funds. Exchanges adopting this model seem to be enjoying record volume.

FCoin, based out of China, led by former Huobi CTO, Zhang Jian, (according to this paid press release) is perhaps considered the pioneer of this model with Bit-Z and CoinBene implementing similar models.

Using the FCoin whitepaper, here’s a brief look at how this proposed model will work. It is important to add forward looking emphasis, as the project is only a little over a month old with most of the concepts still waiting to be tested in the months ahead.

FCoin (FT) is an issued token, it is not mined.

FT provides transaction free mining. The platform charges fees, payable in BTC or ETH and then issues FT to reimburse 100% of the fees. It functions similar to a reward token, giving the trader FT as a reward for utilizing the platform.

Total Supply = 10 billion

Token Distribution

Private Sale = 5%
Strategic Partners = 9%
Founding Team = 12%
FCoin Fund = 23%
Community Rewards = 51%

The FT tokens in the Community Rewards serve as the reimbursements.

What may be some of the potential benefits and uses of this model? For the exchange, this certainly would increase the supply of BTC and ETH. Additionally, with ICO fatigue, and projects looking for innovative methods to increase user adoption, this will serve to distribute the token and increase network effects. Finally, the exchange will see increased volume.

For the FT token holder, the rights and interests are:

  • Revenue distribution – 80% of the revenue will be distributed to token holders and the remaining 20% will be used for operations and future growth
  • Voting – FT holders will be able to vote using smart contracts on operational decisions and governance

So far, transaction free trading and participation in an autonomous organization sounds ideal. What could possibly go wrong? Let’s have a look at some of the criticisms raised to date, mainly by Binance Co-founders:

  • Is it an ICO? The user is paying BTC or ETH for the token. Albeit, there is the utility of a trade in the mix, substantively it resembles an ICO.
  • With “no fee” trading, it is possible to “create” fictitious volume. Traders may trade with themselves or a bot. Coinmarketcap.com, an exchange aggregator, will not include trades from “no fee” exchanges in the price and total trading volume because it is not possible to verify the true volume.
  • Token price manipulation. Even if the platform is transparent, the team and project control a significant amount of the circulating supply. It does not seem difficult to imagine a bot or a small number of individuals could quickly earn a majority of the community.
  • Is it sustainable? After distribution of the tokens, how will the tokens re-enter the ecosystem?

The screen shot below of CoinBene on CoinMarketCap demonstrates some of these potential concerns. You will see the significant volume and “**” indicate that it cannot be counted toward total volume for the trading pair. To give reference, I’ve included Poloniex volume also. If you are following “Tethers,” you know that a recent study found limited “Tethers” returning or burning. Perhaps they’re all stuck on CoinBene?


Airdrops, ICOs, The Henry Raines Show, Token

Start Here

June 11, 2018 • By

Interested in learning about cryptocurrencies and blockchain? Having trouble consuming the literature and filtering the noise?

FRESCO co-founder, Roy Huang, joined us on the Henry Raines Show and shared a way that you experience the process without risking or surrendering any fiat currency.

After learning about FRESCO, reviewing their whitepaper, and engaging with several members of the community on twitter; I was delighted that Henry coordinated a guest appearance with Roy. His warmth, enthusiasm, and sincerity naturally create an engaging environment. Reminding us that it is possible to leverage our existing strengths, talent, and social platforms to contribute.

What is FRESCO?

A blockchain application (DApp) that serves to create an awareness about art, reduce the opaqueness of the industry, verify authenticity, and create a navigable path for newcomers. Do you consider art a store of value? If your answer is no or you are uncertain, now is the time to explore and expand. By leveraging blockchain technology, FRESCO seeks to increase the number of participants in the world of art. You can learn more by listening to the show, reading my review of their whitepaper, checking out the artist amongst us on the show, Augi, or have a look at the FRESCO site and whitepaper.

I’ll highlight one of my favorite parts of this token: the incentive to learn. Not only about art, and blockchain, but about the economics surrounding both. The FRESCO community gives a detailed walk through in this post. Briefly, when an artist creates a work, for example, a print, s/he has the opportunity to create multiple editions. What is the right number of “editions” to create? Through FRES Edition, owners will be able to experiment with the appropriate number to offer. If an owner believes that s/he can generate interest by creating 25 multiples, s/he can allocate the token FRES Cash to reproduce and issue 25 FRES Editions. These must be ‘transferred’ to investors within 24 hours to be deemed a successful issuance. If not, the owner has the opportunity to revise the number of multiples. Once issued, collectors, dealers, institutions, and users have the opportunity to contribute additional FRES Cash toward the artwork, increasing the value of all editions. The FRESCO team is attracting experts in all areas of the art world, providing a transparent platform where one can learn by watching, engaging, experimenting, and doing.

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

Confidence in their product, a passion for giving emerging artists a voice, and expanding the art investing market; FRESCO secured funding (most recently from Elastos co-founder, Dr. Feng Han) and abandoned an effort to raise capital through an ICO. Rather than put retail investors at risk during this time of uncertainty or delay participation, FRESCO is conducting an Initial Coin Distribution (ICD). Through the ICD, you have an opportunity to earn 2,000 FRES tokens, experience some basic elements of utilizing blockchain technology, and gain an understanding of the art market.

There are several ways to participate:

  • Register for the ICD. It is in the final stages, and requirements vary depending on whether you are or are not actively involved in the art world. The theme of this version is “The Art Expansion”
    If you are not in the art world, you’ll need to upload a video of you conversing about art to YouTube, twitter and Instagram with #FRESCOArtExpansionv5.
    Next you need to take a 100-question test about art.
  • FRESCO Awards. Use your talent to share with the world what Art and Blockchain mean to you. There are weekly awards for writers, designers, and videographers. Additionally, there is a special Art Award running through August 22, 2018.

Before you start:

Learn how to set up an Ethereum Wallet. If you do not have experience is setting up a wallet, now is the time. This is a perfect way for you to understand the difference between public and private keys in cryptography.

Recommended wallets include, My Crypto Wallet or My Ether Wallet. Both have tutorials that are exactly where you should start in understanding some basics. Learn about browsers and extensions that are compatible with the blockchain through MetaMask.

Even if you know the basics of phishing attempts and scams, I see these happening regularly throughout the cryptocurrency world and on social media. Reminders of insuring that you are on the correct, secure (https://), website and best practices are helpful even for seasoned experts.  Once you get a comfort level, it is easy to be tempted by scams. Many have learned this lesson by experience and losing a transaction. In an effort to curb that I’ll repeat my regular PSA … legitimate airdrops, distributions, circulation of tokens DO NOT ask you to send BTC, ETH or any other cryptocurrency, or fiat currency. Do not fall prey to false social media handles (often with a slight transposition of characters or addition of numbers) encouraging you to send .03 BTC for the token.

Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash

This blog is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing herein shall constitute legal or financial advice.