Have you had the itch to watch some movies about crypto? Maybe you like to learn a few things watching crypto documentaries, in either case this list has plenty of stuff to check out that should keep you entertained for quite some time.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4654844/
From the days of bartering in early societies to today's modern highly-digitized money, this documentary looks at what exactly money means and how Bitcoin could be an alternative to currencies backed by little more than debt. While only coming in at around an hour, this brief yet informative film provides an interesting overview of bitcoin and how it could affect the concept of money in the world today.

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2821314/
Growing obsessed with the cryptocurrency Bitcoin after discovering it in 2011, a 35-year-old computer programmer takes you on a journey to explore this incredible technology and its impact on the world. Investigate this new technology through various stories from startups, entrepreneurs, and other colorful characters who make up the Bitcoin community together.

Crypto (2014)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8563452/
If you’re looking for a little fictional crypto action, you may find it with the film Crypto from 2014. A banker becomes involved in an investigation of corruption and fraud after being demoted and transferred back to his hometown. You might enjoy this thriller with some action, drama, and cryptocurrency themes, including crypto mining.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, And the Future of The Internet (2020)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9203586/
Award-winning producer/director Torsten Hoffmann takes a closer look at Bitcoin and the evolving blockchain industry. He sets out to explore whether this technology, designed to operate without trust or centralization, can provide a viable alternative to the Internet as we know it. Through interviews with leading experts in the field, Hoffmann uncovers the potential of blockchain technology and its implications for the future.

Where Did Bitcoin Come From? – The True Story (2021)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=W15A7Lf0_fI
ColdFusion is a great source for science, technology, history, and business content. It's an independently run Australian media company that offers calm, relaxed coverage of any and all topics you're interested in. Where Did Bitcoin Come From explores Bitcoin, where it came from, and why it all matters.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7407496/
Trust Machine is a documentary exploring blockchain technology's potential to change the world for the better. Featuring insights from some of the leading minds in the field, the film covers a wide range of topics related to cryptocurrency, blockchain, and decentralization. Whether it's solving world hunger or income inequality, Trust Machine showcases how this cutting-edge technology can make a real difference in people's lives.

Bitcoin: Beyond the Bubble (2016)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8414186/
Explore the exciting world of Bitcoin! Here, people are in control of their own money for the first time ever – no banks or governments are required. But how did this digital form of currency come to be? How does it work? And is it here to stay, or just a passing fad?

Banking On Bitcoin (2009)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5033790/
Find out about the players who are bringing Bitcoin and blockchain technology into the mainstream. Furthermore, explore the clash between different factions who care about this new technology for their own reasons.

The Bitcoin Gospel (2009)

https://watchdocumentaries.com/the-bitcoin-gospel/
While early on, Bitcoin was dismissed by many as a novel concept that was unlikely to go anywhere, times have changed as people around the world started to pay attention to this growing enigma. This documentary is a great look into the earlier days of Bitcoin and many of the people that were involved early on and shared Bitcoin with the world.

Hodl - A Bitcoin Short Film (2020)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=dktBrlikweo
If you enjoy a comedic short, Hodl is a great little watch, and it’s concerningly relatable to some of us in the cryptocurrency space while also holding a useful lesson or two presented in a fun way. It’s a quick one, but it’s worth your time.

Magic Money: The Bitcoin Revolution (2017)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6467152/
Magic Money is another interesting documentary exploring the mysterious origins of Bitcoin and the questions still surrounding it alongside its potential roles in society. Will it shape the future in unforeseen ways? Is this the revolution for which we've all been waiting?

The Blockchain and Us (2017)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6835836/
Is the concept of blockchain the modern equivalent of the invention of the airplane? Listen to interviews with software developers, researchers, cryptologists, and many more from a range of places on their thoughts about this intriguing technology. Use this documentary to start a conversation of your own or at least provoke more than a few thoughts on the subject of blockchain.

Deep Web (2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3312868/
While not purely about cryptocurrency, Deep Web covers the story of the well-known Ross Ulbricht, and the Silk Road is one that catches the attention of many. Whatever your thoughts are on the topic, it's an interesting part of history that is worth understanding.

Banking on Africa: The Bitcoin Revolution (2020)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12363788/
The banking system is something many of us take for granted, but for many people in Africa, this isn't the case. However, many in the region are turning to cryptocurrency not only as a potential solution but to take back even more control than traditional banking could provide.

CryptoRush (2020)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7503072/
Have you ever felt confused when trying to understand the key principles involved in cryptocurrency, perhaps Crypto Rush could be the answer. This film attempts to explain crypto in an easy-to-understand way, making it approachable to just about anyone.

Bitcoin Heist (2016)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4911780/
A film from Vietnam, BItcoin Heist is a fast-paced action film with a comedic twist. If you’re looking for something fun, this one might just be your ticket. Follow special agents taking on a team of thieves and the chaos that ensues.

Dead Man's Switch: A Crypto Mystery (2021)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15387768/
A fantastic documentary film covering the disaster that was QuadrigaCX and its questionable founder Gerald Cotton. It’s got mystery, outrage, and even a few familiar faces you may have seen around the cryptocurrency scene. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a cryptocurrency-related documentary to check out!

Decrypted (2021)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11763296/
If you’re a fan of dark comedies, you may enjoy Decrypted. The story involves a mismatched NSA team that somehow manages to kidnap the creator of Bitcoin to attempt to gain information to put an end to the cryptocurrency revolution.

NFT (2022)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18375626/
Also known as CryptoHorrors in some regions, NFT is a movie about a group of friends buying into an NFT collection that just so happens to be cursed. If you’re feeling like some crypto-related horror, this might just be what you should watch.

Agent X the movie (2019)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11232496/
Agent X is a movie about a former military contractor who has become a secret agent and is sent on a mission. However, things are rarely that easy, and he ends up tangled in a mess involving cryptocurrency, bitcoin mining, and much more.

Virality (2017)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4554360/
In Virality, four stories intersect with a Bitcoin heist, each involving different characters dealing with their own struggles in a developing society.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4654844/
Looking for a crash course on Bitcoin, money, and cryptocurrency more broadly. Well, check out this one for some insights to help you get up to speed if you’re new to the cryptocurrency scene.

StartUp (2016-2018)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5028002/
While not a movie or a documentary, this TV show ran for several seasons and has moderately high production values, so if long-form productions are more the thing for you, check out StartUp, where cryptocurrency plays a significant role in the storyline. Better yet, you can likely find this crypto show on Netflix or other streaming platforms in your region.

The Great Reset and the Rise of Bitcoin (2022)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17999542/
Another interesting documentary exploring the economic impact Bitcoin can have on society, money, and how we exchange value with one another in the future. As the gold standard has begun to feel like stone-age technology, is Bitcoin the way forward?

Monero Means Money: Cryptocurrency 101, Live from Leipzig (2020)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12109930/
Are you a privacy advocate with an interest in cryptocurrency or someone already excited about the potential for Monero? In either case, this crypto documentary could be a great watch for you. Spend a little time with this one and find out why fungibility matters.

Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King (2022)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15479902/
Another deep dive into the chaos surrounding the QuadrigaCX collapse and its extremely questionable founder. Should you believe everything you hear? Or is there much more to the story than meets the eye?

The Second Target (2019)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10930912/
If you don’t mind delving into the odd low-budget movie, this cryptocurrency film could be worth your time. Coming with some mixed reactions, it’s likely you’ll either love or hate this one, but why not find out for yourself? In either case, it’s always great to support these sorts of lower-budget adventures in film.

Finding Satoshi Nakamoto (2015)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5322294/
An attempt to find the ever-mysterious creator of Bitcoin. Have they found the man himself, or is he still just as elusive as ever? While you likely know the answer, sometimes you can still enjoy the journey even if you already know the destination.

The Fakefluencer (2021)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14849234/
Follow a man looking for answers after a cryptocurrency investment goes wrong. In a mockumentary format, this one is sure to provoke a few laughs and may even feel a little relatable at times if you’ve ever been in the same situation.

Crypto Stew (2019)

https://vimeo.com/369661301
There are a few quirky short films where the subject and cryptocurrency, and this is one of them, it’s a pretty light-hearted affair that doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is good for a quick laugh and will only snag a few minutes of your time.

Thanks for Reading

We hope you enjoyed this list as much as we did putting it together. Did we miss any of your favorites? Let us know! If you’re considering diving into crypto after checking out some of these, be sure to check out LocalCoinSwap if you aren’t already part of our great community.

Are you looking to grab a VPN subscription but want to show your support for crypto simultaneously? As it turns out, many companies offering VPN services have jumped to support cryptocurrency payments, so you have an extensive range of options to choose from.

ExpressVPN

Official Site: https://www.expressvpn.com/
Accepts: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP

One of the most well-known VPN providers globally, ExpressVPN boasts high-speed servers in 94 countries, so you should be covered from just about anywhere. In addition, they have broad app support for everything from your iOS devices to your PC, enabling you easy access to ExpressVPN on any of your devices. While they don’t have a massive range of accepted cryptocurrencies, they support Bitcoin and Ethereum, which should keep most people happy. In addition, ExpressVPN tends to provide excellent support for those looking to bypass geoblocking for streaming services like Netflix or Hulu. ExpressVPN is known for having very decent speeds on most of their servers, so if you're looking for the fastest VPN on the market, depending on where you live ExpressVPN might fit the bill.

Surfshark

Official Site: https://surfshark.com/
Accepts: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), XRP, and Litecoin (LTC)

One of the comparatively newer players in the VPN game, Surfshark has grown to be quite a significant offering. They seemingly always have a deal going and like to stack on some bonus features to get a few extra eyes on their product. Unlike some other large providers, Surfshark doesn’t limit your device count and is quite competitively priced, making it one of the nicer VPNs to consider if you’re looking for a VPN company that accepts cryptocurrency payments. Speeds are typically very reasonable as well so you shouldn't run into issues there either. Surfshark is one to check out, especially with their recent launch of a full GUI Linux app which not many other providers offer.

ProtonVPN

Official Site: https://protonvpn.com/
Accepts: Bitcoin (BTC)

If you’re a fan of Prontonmail, one of the best email providers around for the privacy-conscious, you might just find your answer to the best VPN for you in ProtonVPN. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to minimize your subscriptions and keep as many things bundled together to avoid you forgetting precisely who is offering you what, so if you’re already using Protonmail, it’s a bit of a no-brainer. Proton is big on privacy and security, has an excellent interface for their VPN if you prefer that visual experience, and a speedy 10Gbps server network offering respectable speeds. There’s even a free version on offer that doesn’t sponsor itself with advertising or farm your data; instead, it’s subsidized by paid subscriptions which is a great to see and a fantastic way to support those that can benefit most from a VPN but may not be able to afford a paid plan.

NordVPN

Official Site: https://nordvpn.com/
Accepts: Multiple

Another heavy hitter in the VPN realm, NordVPN, is another to consider if you’re looking for one of the big plays with a high server count. With one subscription, you can use up to six devices at the same time connected to NordVPN, which should cover the needs of most people. However, it’s still a noteworthy limitation that not VPN providers place on you. A 30-day money-back guarantee is offered, so they seem confident about their services which is always nice to see. If you’re a traveler regularly signing in from different regions, you’ll find yourself at home with a VPN like NordVPN that provides comprehensive coverage and high-server counts.

Private Internet Access (PIA)

Official Site: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/
Accepts: Multiple

PIA claims 15 million customers and over ten years in the industry, making them a fairly well-established company. One of the downsides of opting for the latest and greatest offering by new entrants to the VPN market is that you never know how long they will stick around. One of the more interesting features offered by PIA is a desiccated IP, which, if you’ve ever experienced frequent captchas on commonly used websites while connected to a VPN, you are sure to appreciate. Other excellent features include WireGuard support, split-tunneling support for more advanced users, and even open-source software, which many crypto enthusiasts like to support.

Mullvad

Official Site: https://mullvad.net/
Accepts: Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH)

For those that value their privacy, often even signing up for accounts using personal information can be anywhere from a downer to a dealbreaker. However, if that’s something you hate, Mullvad could be a tempting VPN to consider. They openly encourage payments using cryptocurrencies or even cash, which is rare these days, especially for online companies to offer, let alone encourage. They claim to keep no activity logs or ask for any personal information, which is also encouraging. Support seems to be lacking if you’re looking for a VPN to stream via Netflix or other providers, so if that’s essential for you, consider other options that boast good support for bypassing geo-blocking. Mullvad also has an extensive range of repositories open-sourced over on GitHub, which is always great to see and not something many providers are confident or comfortable doing. If you’re big on privacy, Mullvad deserves a look.

VPN.ac

Official Site: https://vpn.ac/
Accepts: Multiple

While a lesser-known VPN provider, VPN.ac provides a noteworthy service and has some benefits that may make it more appealing than more popular VPN options. They sport Dedicated bare-metal servers, WireGuard support, and excellent speeds due to their strong network that has managed to avoid such heavy traffic due to it somewhat flying somewhat under the radar. With support for over 20 countries, most users should find servers near enough to them to be worthwhile. With support for up to 12 simultaneous connections, you can throw all your devices on a single subscription, or at least six if you’re opting to use WireGuard.

AtlasVPN

Official Site: https://atlasvpn.com/
Accepts: Multiple

For those a bit more budget-conscious, you may be wondering where the cheapest VPN can be found, and while some are priced better than others, going for bargain bin VPNs will often result in a bad experience. However, some VPN providers are making a name for themselves for both being well-priced and having some good features and service, and one of those is AtlasVPN. With AtlasVPN, you can expect affordable pricing (at least for now) and support for modern features like WireGuard alongside multihop servers. There are some missing features like Linux support in terms of their app and a smaller network, but that won't be a dealbreaker for everyone. Streaming is supported, which leads many people to look for the best VPN deal they can find, and if that’s you, maybe consider something with a lower price and a reasonable offering, and you may just find that in AtlasVPN.

Perfect Privacy VPN

Official Site: https://www.perfect-privacy.com/
Accepts: Bitcoin (BTC)

If you don’t mind paying a little extra, Perfect Privacy VPN may provoke interest. They offer some features that are a little harder to find and make a good choice for more advanced users that require a little extra. You can configure multi-hop VPN chains of up to 4 servers, enjoy unlimited connections, and rest a little easier with their no logs VPN policy, which they’ve been adamantly offering since back in 2008. However, one area that they reportedly don’t handle well is streaming, so this may put many potential customers off. However, while you don’t see this provider throwing money at excessive social media advertising or the never-ending on-sale cycle that many do, Perfect Privacy has established itself. It continues to be the VPN of choice for many, so if you don’t mind a few extra dollars a month on your VPN subscription and aren’t interested in streaming over your VPN connection, you may find a plan here to suit your needs.

Ovpn

Official Site: https://www.ovpn.com/
Accepts: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Monero

Like many Swedish VPN providers, this is another that is big on privacy. You may have guessed that already, though, given they accept Monero for payments allowing you to buy a VPN with Monero, which is pretty nice already. OVPN claims not to keep any logs, personal data, or monitor your online traffic. Interestingly they opt to use modern RAM storage, and this means that even if, for some reason, their servers were seized, they’d be unlikely to hold onto any information for very long as a simple reboot would clear any stored data. Another interesting thing about Ovpn is they don’t actually require an email address to sign up, and it’s optional when using Ovpn, which is not very common even among other VPNs that claim to be the best VPN for privacy. Four simultaneous connections are supported, multihop servers, WebRTC leak protection, and even a kill switch built into their desktop app, which they recommend over the browser extension they also provide. Overall a nice offering with OpenVPN UDP/TCP support and many features for those with a thirst for online privacy.

Should you use a VPN when Buying Crypto?

VPNs are a valuable part of your toolkit when trying to maintain as much privacy online as possible. While they are not a magic bandaid that ensures privacy, they can be beneficial as part of your online security, nor should you be careless in other ways thinking that a VPN will protect you. However, sometimes a VPN can be beneficial for crypto traders, especially if you live in areas that are not crypto-friendly or regions with unstable economies that may put you at risk of having your funds stolen or otherwise taken from you. So if you’re wondering which may be the best VPN for crypto trading, keep reading.

However, it’s important to note that when using a popular VPN, you may find that your IP address gets flagged when using some crypto trading platforms, which may result in issues or even your account being locked or otherwise restricted. At LocalCoinSwap, we respect your reasonable right to privacy and provided you are following the terms of service and trading fairly, you will not face any issues for simply using a VPN.

How to use VPN to Buy Crypto?

Once you have registered with your VPN provider and have everything set up, simply connect to a nearby server and log in to your account. If you’re going to trade crypto using a VPN, it’s crucial to spend the time to find a reliable and reputable VPN provider that ideally doesn’t keep logs and respects your privacy. After you’re connected to your VPN, you can simply continue browsing as you normally would, including trading on a P2P marketplace like LocalCoinSwap.

Can I Pay for a VPN with Bitcoin?

A growing number of VPN companies support payment via Bitcoin and other popular cryptocurrencies like Ethereum or even things like Monero, which many cryptocurrency enthusiasts will find a great option. As for actually performing the payment once you reach the checkout part of the sign-up process, once you’ve selected a provider and plan, it’s generally time to choose a payment method. So, if a company supports cryptocurrency payments, it will typically be offered to you at this stage.

What is the Best VPN for Crypto Trading?

For some people, their primary use case for a VPN may be streaming while avoiding geoblocking or for added privacy when trading crypto. For others, they may do everything online with a VPN and strongly value privacy. Budget can also be a significant factor, and a wide range of offerings fall somewhere between the biggest budget VPN through to the most premium VPN options. There’s a range of reasons to use a VPN, and not everyone will have the exact same needs, be in the same locations, or have the same budget. As such, the best VPN for crypto traders, or anyone else for that matter is simple, it's which ever one suits your needs while respecting your privacy the best.

In the early days of cryptocurrency, it was challenging to find many books to soothe your thirst for more information. However, as cryptocurrency has grown into such a vibrant and thriving ecosystem of ideas and exploration, so have the options for good books on the topic. So, whatever you’re looking to learn about Bitcoin, blockchain, or cryptocurrency in general, you’ll find something on this list to add to your shelf.

Mastering Bitcoin: Programming the Open Blockchain

One of the most well-known Bitcoin books is Mastering Bitcoin by Andreas Antonopoulos, and for a good reason. It is designed to help you navigate the world of Bitcoin and understand everything you need to dive in headfirst and start embracing Bitcoin. It starts off with a broad introduction that is suitable for almost anyone and later delves into the more technical aspects of Bitcoin. So if you’re looking to increase your foundational knowledge or get a friend or family member excited about Bitcoin, this book is for you.

Author: Andreas Antonopoulos

The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains: An Introduction to Cryptocurrencies and the Technology That Powers Them

Cryptocurrency and blockchains can be intimidating to those beginning to learn for themselves, but books like The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains are a great place to start. Start with the history and the basics of Bitcoin and other popular cryptocurrencies and move on to more advanced topics as you progress with what you’ve learned. Many topics are covered, including avoiding scams, risk mitigation, digital wallets, crypto regulations, and even the basics of using cryptocurrency exchanges.

Author: Antony Lewis

Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor's Guide to Bitcoin and Beyond

The book Cryptoassets gives you a range of insights into investigating and valuing digital assets, improving your portfolio management techniques, managing risk, and providing practical guides on various parts of the industry. While focused on the investment side of cryptocurrency, it may be a helpful way to see the cryptocurrency space from an investment perspective.

Author: Chris Burniske, Jack Tatar

Blockchain Revolution

Blockchain is an incredible technology shaping the world, and with Blockchain Revolution, you can see how this game-changing technology could affect the global economy. Blockchain has the potential to change how we deal with finances, health-care records, voting, insurance claims, and so much more. It’s a book that is approachable while still providing valuable insights. So if you’re worried about getting left behind by the revolution, jump into Blockchain Revolution yourself and learn more.

Authors: Alex Tapscott, Don Tapscott

The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and the Blockchain Are Challenging the Global Economic Order

Bitcoin has grown from a niche project to something that is affecting the global economy. Yet, while you can use it to purchase a range of goods and services and exchange value with others around the world, few understand what it is and why they should genuinely care about it. The Age of Cryptocurrency helps you navigate a cyber-economy and think about what the world will look like as further adoption of cryptocurrency continues.

Authors: Paul Vigna, Michael J. Casey

The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking

When Bitcoin first came onto the scene after an announcement on a small mailing list in 2008, no one had any idea of what it would go on to become. However, it has grown to be an economic and technological force that is shaking up the world in incredibly interesting ways over the years. Explore how humanity's most significant achievements have come to those with sound money and why Bitcoin helps to provide this security.

Author: Saifedean Ammous

The Book of Satoshi

The creator of Bitcoin is a mysterious figure, one that to this day has never been truly identified or proven to be any specific individual or group. The Book of Satoshi delves into the mystery surrounding this enigmatic character and helps piece together the available information about them. Satoshi Nakomoto launched the Bitcoin revolution and disappeared from the internet altogether. If you want to learn why this may have happened or just explore the mystery, this book may be an excellent fit for you.

Author: Phil Champagne

The Truth Machine: The Blockchain and the Future of Everything

The world has moved to a digital standard for just about everything. However, relying on these aging systems has put us in a position where we are less in control of our data than ever before. As a result, many are looking to move away from the legacy systems that control our data and regularly leak our valuable personal information. The Truth Machine explores how self-empowerment and much more is possible with the help of blockchain technology.

Authors: Paul Vigna, Michael J. Casey

Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money

The concept of a new currency that didn’t follow the rules of traditional systems that existed before it started out as a bit of an oddity, yet it has grown into a technology that spans a multi-billion dollar industry. People of all kinds from around the world are throwing their support behind Bitcoin as it has shown the potential to free its users from the restrictions and roadblocks that can result from relying on the legacy financial system. Digital gold starts by following the rise and early growth of Bitcoin through the eyes of many of the eccentric members of the community that took to this technology in its early days.

Author: Nathaniel Popper

Bitcoin Billionaires: A True Story of Genius, Betrayal, and Redemption

While many know of Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss from their involvement in Facebook in the early days, many in the cryptocurrency space know them for their participation and support of Bitcoin. However, after diving into the venture capital space and soon discovering that their past at Facebook was a roadblock, they found themselves faced with a new proposition of a technology that could be the biggest thing to come or nothing at all, and they bet big that there would be something to it, and were rewarded for their gamble. Learn more about how these brothers found themselves at the forefront of the early Bitcoin boom.

Author: Ben Mezrich

The Internet of Money

Many books on Bitcoin approach it from the angle of how, but not as many focus on the why, which is just as crucial to understanding the actual value of Bitcoin. Bitcoin affects more than the financial world, and Andreas explains why this new evolution is more than a digital currency. There are massive implications for Bitcoin, and perhaps it can grow to be just as powerful a technology as the internet has been for recent generations. If you’re open to exploring the more significant value propositions of Bitcoin, The Internet of Money is a book you should definitely pick up.

Author: Andreas M. Antonopoulos

Cloudmoney: Cash, Cards, Crypto and the War for our Wallets

Is cash being left behind due to the convenience of digital, or is there more to this push to remove cash from your wallet and have you filling your pockets with cards and phone with digital accounts that track every purchase? Cloudmoney tells the story of how cash has been under attack by big money lobbyists fed by tech and finance forces with an interest in moving the world to new forms of money. So what happens when we leave cash behind, is privacy doomed, and is the possible end goal of cloud money closer than we think?

Author: Brett Scott

Digital Cash: The Unknown History of the Anarchists, Utopians, and Technologists Who Created Cryptocurrency

While Bitcoin is often known as the first attempt at creating a digital currency, it’s actually only the first to catch on. However, behind this Bitcoin phenomenon, there is a range of exciting stories and even more interesting people who, through the years since the 1970s, have been exploring this concept in a range of curious ways. If you’re looking for something a little outside of the usual Bitcoin or blockchain books, this one might be worth a look.

Author: Finn Brunton

Blockchain Bubble Or Revolution: The Future of Bitcoin, Blockchains, and Cryptocurrencies

There are a lot of claims made when it comes to cryptocurrency, but the best way to discern for yourself where you stand is to look at both the strengths and weaknesses of this technology. By leveraging real-worth case studies, Blockchain Bubble or Revolution looks to cut through the hype and provide a more balanced and understandable analysis of what exactly is going on with cryptocurrency. Learn about everything from public to private blockchains and even what you should be prepared for as we move forward with blockchain into the future.

Authors: Parth Detroja, Neel Mehta, Aditya Agashe

The Cryptopians: Idealism, Greed, Lies, and the Making of the First Big Cryptocurrency Craze

In the early days of cryptocurrency, if you wanted to create your own, you usually had to create your own blockchain, and standing out when Bitcoin was a growing behemoth was challenging. However, with the launch of Ethereum, suddenly, things became a little more interesting. Tokens have become a standard part of the average crypto user’s vocabulary. This was made possible with Ethereum enabling developers to leverage an existing blockchain without having to bootstrap their own and attracting enough user base to sustain and secure itself. As a result, Ethereum pushed the cryptocurrency space into a new world where almost anyone could launch a token. This book attempts to show the struggles of the crypto market to adapt to the struggles for power, money, and culture.

Author: Laura Shin

The Crypto Book: How to Invest Safely in Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

If you’ve heard of cryptocurrency and want to learn more about the potential for investments in the crypto market, this book is for you. Find out what exactly all this crypto stuff is, why it exists, and where the industry might be moving in the near future. In addition, it covers many common mistakes made by new crypto investors and attempts to educate you on safely exploring investment opportunities in the crypto market.

Author: Siam Kidd

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction

Want an introduction to the often misunderstood world of crypto? This self-contained book might be a good starting point as it explores crypto and what some are calling the new global money for the internet age. As a newcomer to crypto, you’ll likely have many questions. This book covers a lot of areas that will hopefully help you better understand important aspects of crypto like decentralization, altcoins, Bitcoin, blockchain, and a lot more. It is supported by a website that enables you to take what you’ve learned to the next level by providing companion videos for each chapter and even problems for you to go off and solve as you learn.

Authors: Arvind Narayanan, Joseph Bonneau, Steven Goldfeder, Edward Felten, Andrew Miller

The Truth About Crypto: A Practical, Easy-to-Understand Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain, NFTs, and Other Digital Assets

If you’ve been looking for a fun and easy-to-follow introduction to digital assets across a broad spectrum of the blockchain ecosystem, you may find yourself being drawn to The Truth About Crypto. Explore the difference between cryptocurrency and other types of digital assets that provides a broader perspective on what precisely these assets can do and why they might be appealing to you as an investor in the space.

Authors: Ric Edelman

Layered Money: From Gold and Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies

We often take money for granted regarding how it actually works. What Layered Money attempts to investigate is how money has evolved over time to become layered. From gold to digital currencies, the lines begin to blur as to what exactly money can mean. If you want to investigate for yourself how Bitcoin has started a massive shake-up of our international monetary systems to the stage where central banks are exploring creating their own blockchain assets and digital currencies.

Author: Nik Bhatia

Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps

Depending on how you learn, you may find that breaking down a concept like a blockchain technology into a series of digestible and approachable steps is a fantastic way to increase your knowledge. You can skip the jargon and complex math; instead, just work your way through this book which makes an effort to bridge the gap between highly-technical explanations and the business side of blockchain. Start with the core knowledge needed to understand what a blockchain is all the way through to major application scenarios that can have you well on your way to being an informed and active member of the crypto community.

Author: Daniel Drescher

The Blocksize War

Between 2015 and late 2017, there was a lot of commotion in the Bitcoin community, something that is now often referred to as the Blocksize War. While it was easy to look at this from the outside and assume it was simply a passionate debate about the amount of data that should be allowed in each Bitcoin block, it raised a lot of questions. With some prominent players throwing their weight around and conflict spilling out beyond the Bitcoin codebase, there is a lot to explore when it comes to who was making noise, their motivations, and where all this went in the end.

Author: Jonathan Bier

Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies

While the “for Dummies” series of books has become somewhat of a meme, many of them provide easy-to-approach information that is easy to understand and digest. The book Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies allows you to go from a passing interest to have a grasp of some of the things you’ll need to navigate the cryptocurrency markets. Find out how to speculate on the top cryptocurrencies no matter the market conditions or sentiment and navigate the new thriving cryptocurrency markets that never sleep.

Author: Kiana Danial

The Book of Crypto: The Complete Guide to Understanding Bitcoin, Cryptocurrencies, and Digital Assets

If you want an introduction to crypto that takes you beyond the rudimentary and touches on interesting topics like DeFi, NFTs, and many other curious topics, The Book of Crypto could be your answer to scratching the surface. The crypto ecosystem is growing in complexity as new and experimental ideas are playing out on the center stage. It’s easy to feel like you’ve been left behind as the crypto space pushes forward, but you can get on top and start understanding the potential impact on the future of money and how cryptocurrency can take us there.

Author: Henri Arslanian

Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and Dapps

Again Andreas enters the list with another high-quality offering that you shouldn’t miss. Start with learning the basics of running an Ethereum client and progress all the way through to building your own decentralized applications that leverage multiple P2P aspects. Companies worldwide are exploring Ethereum and EVM compatible blockchains, and now you can use Mastering Ethereum as your gateway to becoming a part of that yourself.

Author: Andreas Antonopoulos

Understanding Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency: Beginners Guide to the Crypto Revolution

Suppose you’re interested in gaining the information to make informed decisions about Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general. In that case, Understanding Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency may help you achieve more awareness and understanding of this new phenomenon. Furthermore, the blockchain scene is constantly growing, and if you decide to start checking out books like this, perhaps you can start growing your knowledge of blockchain.

Author: Martin May-Clingo

The Blockchain Developer

Blockchain development is becoming increasingly in demand. Suppose you are one of the few that understand how to build with blockchain technology and build your own scalable blockchain projects. In that case, you’ll be well-positioned to become an integral part of the blockchain community. Find out how you could use Bitcoin, Ethereum, NEO, EOS, and Hyperledger to begin your own projects and immerse yourself in what it is to be a blockchain developer.

Authors: Elad Elrom

The Infinite Machine: How an Army of Crypto-hackers Is Building the Next Internet with Ethereum

While we’ve touched on many Bitcoin and blockchain books in this list, many intriguing books are jumping into Ethereum that are worth your time. One to consider is The Infinite Machine, as it starts with the creator Vitalik Buterin and follows the ideas as they unfold and the chaos that sometimes results. Step through the technology and innovation to see what was unleashed as Ethereum grew to the point where it now supports thousands of independent projects and is considered one of the biggest blockchain projects in the world.

Author: Camila Russo

The Business Blockchain

Many people become curious about the business potential of blockchain, and this book aims to quench that curiosity. Find out some of the new business models and possibilities that blockchain brings to the table, and perhaps inspire your own ideas for this innovative space. Then, progress through seven chapters to get a grasp on why blockchain matters for business and where it could take you.

Author: William Mougayar

Cryptocurrency Mining For Dummies

While this is the 2nd entry to this list from this range of books, it should be no surprise given how broad the topics this series strives to cover to see more than one about cryptocurrency. While many beginners to crypto are quick to jump in and start performing transactions, others find themselves enamored with this so-called “mining” used to generate new cryptocurrency on many blockchains. With this book, you can find out what this actually means, how you might be able to do it yourself, and whether or not you’ll need a pick and shovel to get started.

Authors: Peter Kent and Tyler Bain

Bitcoin Money: A Tale of Bitville Discovering Good Money

Have you wanted to broach the concept of Bitcoin with your children, or maybe you want a gift for a Bitcoin-crazy friend that has children? In either case, Bitcoin Money could fit the bill. Explore different kinds of money in a story suitable for all ages, and you never know, you might just learn something new yourself about this magical internet money.

Author: Michael Caras

If you’ve been looking at the NFT market for the first time and wondered how you could convert these digital assets into real cash, you may be confused, especially if you are new to the crypto markets. Thankfully, there is a very approachable pathway from having an NFT in your wallet to converting it to cash that you can physically spend in the real world.

Can you Get Cash for an NFT?

As the NFT market has grown significantly in recent years, many traders wonder if you can get cold hard cash for your NFTs. While you may find someone willing to buy your NFT for cash directly, that isn’t typically an easy thing to do. However, you still have options to get some money for your NFT with a small amount of additional effort and a little crypto knowledge.

How can you Sell an NFT for Cash?

The first step is to convert your NFT to a popular cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum. Doing this has varying degrees of difficulty depending on the network on which the NFT is based and how popular that specific NFT is, which can affect demand. Opensea is a popular NFT marketplace, and often a great way to complete this first step is to use this or another NFT marketplace to list and sell your NFT for crypto.

Once you have some popular cryptocurrency instead of the NFT, you now have reached the second stage of the process, where you can move on to convert it to cash. While many order book exchanges only offer limited payment options and typically never support cash trading, it’s not the only option. LocalCoinSwap is one of the most popular P2P marketplaces and is one of the only options available for trading cash-in-person or cash-by-mail. If you want other payment methods like PayPal, bank transfer, or just about anything else, P2P trading on LocalCoinSwap is perfect for you as well.

Simply head over to LocalCoinSwap and browse thousands of offers from vendors around the world. Once you find an offer that meets your needs, you can follow the prompt to cash out your NFT profits fast. It doesn’t have to be challenging to lock in profits, and just because you started with an NFT doesn’t mean you can't end up with cash either.

How Much does it Cost to Transfer an NFT?

While in the early stages of the NFT boom, you would only really see NFTs being minted on Ethereum, but that has long since changed, with a range of blockchains providing support for tokens and NFTs specifically. As a result, there isn’t a clear-cut answer to this, but it is easy enough to get a rough estimate. For example, if you want to transfer an NFT on Ethereum, you can use the Etherscan gas tracker to get an idea of how much to expect to pay when performing token transfers on the network. For other established blockchains, you’ll be able to find similar tools without looking very far either.

Where can I buy an NFT with Cash?

While you may, in a rare case, come across someone willing to sell you an NFT for cash directly, the better route to take is by first converting cash to a commonly accepted cryptocurrency. For example, you can start with cash and then use a P2P marketplace like LocalCoinSwap to convert it to crypto via several different payment methods.

If you can find local bitcoin traders operating in your region, this can be a great option, but if you do not or you’d prefer not to meet directly, there are plenty of other payment options available. For example, you could trade using a cash deposit or cash-by-mail, and there are plenty of different approaches as well. Getting funds into the NFT market is easy when you start with a P2P trade; you’ll have some crypto ready to go in no time.

How Much Does it Cost to Sell an NFT?

If you are trading with someone directly, you’ll only have to account for the network fees. However, this is never recommended as it’s highly likely the other trader will scam you as there’s no reason for them to hold up their end of the deal once they’ve received your NFT. Most NFT traders use an NFT marketplace to exchange their NFTs for fungible cryptocurrency to avoid this. How much specific marketplaces can vary, and it’s always best to check their website for the fees listed before selling your digital asset on that marketplace.

The Best Way to Cash out Your NFT Gains

Peer-to-peer marketplaces are the best way to cash out your fungible cryptocurrency and gains from your NFT trades. Additionally, suppose you are willing to accept less commonly found payment methods. In that case, you may even find yourself able to make an additional profit as you sell your NFT for cash, thanks to the natural supply and demand dynamics that occur in a P2P marketplace.

Start exploring P2P trading with free crypto guides or just jump right in over at LocalCoinSwap and find out why so many traders opt to trade P2P.

If you’ve been in crypto for a while, you’ve likely heard about these cryptocurrency debit cards doing the rounds but simply don’t know where to start looking. While there’s a range of options, crypto debit cards aren’t a one size fits all solution as most of them only support specific regions and cryptos. So it’s time to find out if adding a crypto card to your wallet is a plus or a bust to add to your trading toolkit.

While P2P trading is often a far better option as it provides you extremely high flexibility to get paid or send payment in whatever way suits you, it’s always good to know what options are out there for expanding your ability to trade your crypto in and out of the markets. None of the following should be considered endorsements and is based on publicly available information. Always do your own research before putting your cryptocurrency somewhere new or handing over personal information.

Wirex

One of the older players in the crypto debit card space, Wirex, has been around for some time now. So If you’re looking to spend money on one of these cards, having a company that has been around a little longer is a good way to ensure you aren’t likely to face a sudden shutdown or discontinuation of service in your region.

Wirex cards are supported in 130 countries, enable you to use over 150 cryptos and fiat currencies, and boast several million customers.

You can earn up to 2% cashback on in-store or online purchases via their Cryptoback rewards program that pays out in their token WXT, which is a great value add to users of the Wirex cards. Top-ups can be performed several ways using crypto but can also be performed via your other debit or credit card if that’s something you’re interested in doing.

With no monthly maintenance fees and even some free ATM withdrawals up to $400 a month, the Wirex card can be one of the best crypto debit cards to consider. Just be sure to investigate your specific spending habits to ensure that you won’t get caught out by any unexpected fees, as pricing lacks a little transparency. In addition, you’ll likely find that some additional costs are creeping into the spreads on conversions between crypto or traditional fiat currencies, so that’s something to consider.

Want a crypto debit card with broad support for a wide range of currencies and locations? Then, Wirex might tick your boxes.

Unbanked

A newer entry to the cryptocurrency debit card list is the Crypto Card from Unbanked. Unlike many others that rely on apps to support their card with few other options to fund the card. The Unbanked debit card enables you to fund your card using the Visa Readylink program via direct deposit or cryptocurrency transfer. So while you may be looking for a bitcoin debit card or something specific, the Unbanked card offers you more options.

One of the things to be aware of when looking into the debit cards offered by Unbanked is that funding your account results in the funds being converted to their token UNBNK. The main concern with this is that you’re exposed to the volatility of the cryptocurrency, which may be something that you consider outside your risk profile.

Unbanked offers support for several different cryptocurrencies when funding your account, including some less common options like Uniswap (UNI) and Basic Attention Token (BAT, alongside staples like Bitcoin (BTC), Tether (USDT), and USD Coin (USDC). Currently, it appears that cards are available to customers in the United States, Europe, and Latin America, which covers some notable areas but won't be suitable for everyone.

Like the flexibility of having multiple ways to fund your card and live in a supported region? It could be that the Unbanked debit card catches your attention.

Bitpay

If you’ve been checking out using bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies online, you’ve likely been face-to-face with Bitpay in the past. While better known for their payment processing solutions for merchants, they also offer a popular crypto debit card. Like Wirex, Bitpay has been around a long time and is very much well-established, so it is less likely to just fall off the map suddenly as can be the risk with some of the latest options.

Boasting fast reloads, flexibility, high security, broad access, and rewards, the Bitpay card can be an excellent option to investigate when searching for the top crypto conversion cards. Bitpay relies heavily on their app, which, to be fair, these days is not uncommon but is something that may irk the more hardline users looking for a more traditional experience.

On the other hand, with the app, you can get set up with a wallet quite fast, have it loaded, and be on to ordering your card in just a couple of minutes. So if you’re looking for a prepaid MasterCard that can enable you to spend your crypto backed by one of the older companies in the crypto space, Bitpay could be the answer.

Want a debit card to convert crypto from a reputable brand in the space? Then, the Bitpay crypto debit card could be the answer.

Crypto.com

If you’re looking for something a little flashy with all the bells and whistles, the crypto.com crypto debit card might be for you. While one of the newer entries to the market, this card is already one of the most popular and is also one of the most competitive options in terms of fees.

While cashback has been offered on spending there are report reports of rewards changing for the worse recently, so be sure to check for official announcements before looking further. No annual fees, and their card is actually made of metal, something you likely know if you’ve seen any of their abundant marketing since their card launched. Like some other cards, such as the card offered by Wirex, you can also top up your card with fiat, alongside a range of cryptocurrencies. There’s also a range of “tiers” of cards, so if you’re considering this one take a close look and be sure to check the fine print to understand exactly what you’re getting yourself into.

Again the app is very strongly connected to the card, with the card acting more as a secondary product, albeit a well-rounded one. The crypto.com app features a range of features, including paying interest on some cryptocurrencies stored in the wallet, though this appears to require you to stake some of their token Cronos (CRO).

If you’re looking for one of the newest entries to the market, check out the crypto debit card offered by Crypto.com

Nexo

For those of you that like to leverage the value held in your cryptocurrency without having to sell them, the Nexo card is an interesting offering. Using your Nexo card, you can spend the value of the crypto stored in your Nexo wallet; this offers a more unique alternative that feels more like a credit card than it does just another crypto debit card.

Rewards are also quite good with a Nexo crypto card. For example, you can receive an instant 2% cashback on purchases. In addition, using Nexo, you can earn quite good interest with claimed rates of up to 17% of annual interest. Unlike most other companies with similar offerings, Nexo offers a daily payout and enables you to withdraw your funds at any time. However, like all of these lending and rewards programs, it’s crucial you take the time to understand any downsides or potential risks associated with them. It's not something you should jump into without adequate understanding.

If you think Nexo might be a good choice for you, we have some great news! You can trade Nexo tokens P2P over on LocalCoinSwap, enabling you to experiment with all that Nexo offers while trading Nexo tokens on the most popular non-custodial marketplace.

If you find crypto lending an interesting idea and want to access the value in your assets without selling them, perhaps the crypto debit card available from Nexo may suit you.

Conclusion

While there's a range of cryptocurrency debit card options they all have their pros and cons, and many are only available in specific regions. The best thing to do when trying to decide on a crypto card you may be interested in is to first decide what's important to you, which cryptos you want to use, and continue on by investigating the many options available with these things in mind.

If you do decide to get yourself a debit card that supports crypto exchange, be sure to check back in now and then to ensure you're still getting a good deal, don't be afraid to mix things up if a better option comes along in the future!

While cash-in-person trading is still a popular choice for many, one less explored option is growing in popularity as traders realize they can gain many of the same benefits while avoiding the potential downsides that can sometimes come with other types of crypto for cash trading.

What is Cash by Mail?

Cash by mail simply describes sending payment in the form of cash by using the postal service, couriers, or other delivery agents. It’s an excellent payment method for trading P2P as it enables a straightforward way to convert crypto to cash or purchase crypto using cash.

Why Might you Consider Trading with Cash by Mail?

Cash trading is revered for its increased potential for privacy among P2P traders. Especially in regions where financial security and privacy as crucial to your well-being. While one of the oldest ways to trade bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, cash trades are still highly prevalent.

When trading in person with cash, you have to accept that you’ll likely be filmed during your meeting when trading in a public place. When dealing with money by mail instead, you can avoid this concern and reduce potential issues you can face when meeting with a person in a public place for any kind of exchange.

If you live in a region where the postal system is typically reliable or have access to suitable courier services, cash by mail can be an excellent option to consider when converting your cryptocurrency to cash or getting some money into the market quickly.

How to Trade with Cash by Mail Near You

1. Head over to LocalCoinSwap and use the search bar to filter for cash by mail trades and select a suitable location.
2. Sort through the available offers and see if any match your preferences; just be sure to read the offer terms of each trade you find interesting.
3. Once you find a suitable trade, press the buy or sell button, and you’ll be prompted to input the specific amount you would like to trade.
4. If the other trader accepts your trade request, simply follow the prompts to complete your first trade.

If you cannot find a suitable trade offer, you can create your own offer by selecting the create offer option from the menu. It takes just a few seconds to create an offer and have it live on the marketplace for other traders to find.

Tips for Receiving Cash in the Mail

• Record yourself opening the package in one complete take
• Consider using a post office box for increased privacy when possible
• Choose reputable vendors to minimize the potential for disputes
• Ensure someone is available to collect the package when its due to arrive
• Ask the vendor to include a custom note to avoid third party shipments
• Don’t finalize trades before receiving your package

Tips for Sending Cash in the Mail

• Film the packaging process in one complete take
• Don’t cut corners and package up cash at the post office
• Use insurance and licensed couriers where possible
• Mark the package in unique ways to make disputes easier
• Be discrete, and don’t make it obvious you are shipping cash
• Always send with tracking, so the package’s journey is transparent

Disputes when Trading with Cash by Mail

When buying bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies from an experienced and active P2P vendor that offers cash by mail trading, you are unlikely to run into disputes frequently. However, as with any form of exchange, it’s always good to plan ahead if it does happen one day.

The biggest thing to be aware of when performing these types of trades or sending cash in the mail for any reason is that being transparent and recording the critical parts of the process can help protect you later, which goes for both sides of the trade. Whether you’re the buyer or the seller in the transaction, recording your interactions with the package is crucial to protect yourself and show that you are playing your part honestly.

For example, before opening cash by mail packages, you can grab your phone and film yourself opening it, or if you have someone else around to assist you, have them hold the phone for you. It might feel excessive when you think about doing this, but you’ll undoubtedly feel differently about that if a trade goes to dispute. Also, showing the package is completely sealed and opening it in the same clip without any cuts can clearly show the state you received the package and what you received inside it.

If you’re considering becoming a cash-by-mail vendor, making an effort to record your packaging process is also vital for you. The only difference is you want to film yourself packaging the money and sealing it in the package before shipping. Recordings like this can make a huge difference in having a dispute resolved in your favor swiftly without excessive back and forth, especially if the other party hasn’t done the same and wasn’t as organized as you.

Is it Legal to Send Cash by Mail?

In many regions, it is legal to send cash by mail. However, many areas have restrictions on the amount of money you can send or how it should be handled when packaging or sending. So be sure to check your local rules and regulations before sending cash in the mail, whether that is for a crypto transaction or anything else for that matter.

Can you Trade Cash by Mail Internationally?

Cash by mail trades are best performed when you are situated reasonably close to the counter party to avoid excessive postal delays. Typically being in the same state or territory as the other trader will be enough for a smooth experience. As a result, it’s not typically recommended to trade using cash by mail when trying to trade internationally. It may even be against the laws of the countries involved. It’s always best to use payment methods suited to your circumstances or preferences, and in this case, many other payment methods are better suited to cross-border payments.

Should you use Tracking?

Tracking is essential for cash by mail trades. It helps keep track of where the package is and when it was initially shipped and delivered. Not only will you be able better to keep track of these critical parts of the trade, but your trading partner will also be happy they can follow along as well. Also, in a dispute, it will be easy to show the history of that package to get the trade resolved as fast as possible. Tracking is inexpensive and should never be disregarded, and it’s always important when sending anything valuable, especially money.

Is Cash by Mail Safe?

In many parts of the world, there are relatively reliable options for posting valuable items, be that through the traditional postal system in the region or via things like third-party courier services. Many traders opt to use package insurance to help protect against losses should the package get lost in the postal system. If you live somewhere where mail frequently goes missing or is otherwise interfered with, cash by mail may not be suitable for you. Still, it’s a reliable way to trade in many parts of the world that can sometimes even be faster than a bank transfer between different banks.

Conclusion

Cash by mail is an often overlooked way to trade crypto privately, especially when using a post office box. So if you’re someone who values the benefits of dealing in cash but doesn’t like the idea of trading in person or would just prefer the convenience of cash by mail, this payment method might be perfect for your next trade!

Many of us have had the opportunity to be exposed to such rapid growth in the crypto community; in some cases, it’s even been life-changing for many people. So if you feel like you should share some of what you’ve gained from crypto, or maybe you just have a little more than you need, donating to charity is an excellent way to help others.

Donating to a charity that accepts cryptocurrency can be a way to give while supporting something important to you already, cryptocurrency. Thankfully, a growing number of charities are now realizing that accepting crypto donations can really make a difference, and so can you.

Backpack Bed for Homeless

A charity that provides sleeping bags and backpack beds to those in need, Backpack Bed for Homeless offers practical help to those in need. Providing shelter enables those in need and sleeping rough to stay warm and receive at least a hint of comfort. In addition, you can donate multiple types of crypto and help make a difference to homeless people. If you are eligible, you may even be able to receive a tax deduction, which is always a welcome bonus that can be even better when you’re helping someone.

If you want to help someone struggling even to stay warm, Backpack Bed for Homeless is a way you can do just that and help people feel just a little bit safer.

Save the Children

Working to protect children in desperate situations from starvation, diseases, and other disasters, Save the Children helps kids in 116 countries worldwide. They also help produce resources to help spread essential information about health, education, child protection, and humanitarian issues. With a mission to prevent preventable causes of death in children while ensuring they also have the essentials like education covered, Save the Children is an easy cause to get behind.

Save the children has been accepting bitcoin donations since 2013, so if you want to support their efforts, check out Save the Children, you can donate with a range of cryptos.

Habitat for Humanity

Having a home of your own is an incredibly powerful thing, and this is something that Habitat for Humanity strives to provide. As a not-for-profit housing provider for low-income families and other vulnerable people, Habitat for Humanity helps access safe shelter, water, sanitation, and some of the essentials we need as humans to thrive. They’ve helped over 39 million people, and over a million people have volunteered for their projects.

For many of us, a home is something we take for granted; for many others, the idea of a home is a dream that seems too far away. So maybe it’s time to see if Habitat for Humanity can help you spread some kindness with a crypto donation.

The Water Project

Water is essential for all of us to survive. Yet, access to clean drinking water is still not available to everyone. Access to clean water sources can make or break a community, and the results can be devastating. It’s impossible to focus on education, work, and supporting your family when your most basic needs like water aren’t being met, which is a massive problem The Water Project is trying to solve. When donating to this charity, you can even choose directly to contribute to specific communities, which can help you feel better connected to where your donation is going.

The challenging work performed by The Water Project affected hundreds of thousands of people, and you can help them affect more people by donating some of your cryptocurrency.

Red Cross

If there’s a charity that almost everyone has heard of before, it’s definitely the Red Cross. The goal of the Red Cross is to relieve causes of suffering around the world. Whether through blood drives, responding to natural disasters, and so much more. Another area where the Red Cross places a lot of effort is training people with life-saving skills, be that CPR, swimming, or other potentially life-saving training. The charity relies heavily on donations and volunteers to perform the work they do, so your donations can help this charity reach more people and affect their lives in positive ways.

For those interested in putting their crypto to work, the Red Cross may be an excellent solution the next time you’re looking for a worthy cause to support after.

Watsi

Healthcare is important for all of us, yet many people don’t have access to public healthcare solutions or have the ability to afford medical insurance. Watsi allows you to directly affect the lives of others by funding life-changing surgeries for people around the world. It’s hard to argue that everyone should be able to get the medical help they need, and should you choose to donate, you can help make sure someone is getting the treatment they need.

If a direct cause and effect are important to you when donating to charities that accept bitcoin or crypto in general, Watsi might just tick some boxes for you.

Rainforest Foundation

Supporting indigenous and traditional communities that inhabit the world's rainforests helps protect the people who live there and enables them to better foster these beautiful parts of the world. Sustainability is the key to the future of rainforests, and with the changes happening to the world around us, sometimes it’s important to remember the massive value they provide.

If you’re interested in supporting important cultures and isolated communities while helping to protect the lands they inhabit, the Rainforest Foundation could be perfect for your next crypto donation.

Tunapanda

While this charity has an interesting name, it’s also a strong meaning. In Swahili, the word means ‘we are growing. Tunapanda runs technology and other educational courses in struggling parts of East Africa. With a goal to train lifelong learners, Tunapanda helps people empower themselves in ways that can change their lives.

Education, collaboration, and building stronger communities are possible through education, and your donation may just be able to help with that at Tunapanda.

Encourage Your Favourite Charity to Accept Crypto

If you have a charity that you love, consider suggesting they consider accepting crypto the next time you donate. It shows that demand is there and helps grow the options for the cryptocurrency community to donate directly in a way that feels right for them.

For all of us who have more than we need, there are always many more people who don’t even have enough help to get themselves the necessities or people trying to change the world in powerful ways that could use our support.

Recently, one of the driving forces in gaming is exploring new models of gaming that aren’t just filled with micropayments and instead leveraging the power of blockchain technology to create experiences that can be fun and give their players the potential to own digital assets or even earn some money.

It’s time to jump in and find out why play-to-earn games are booming and becoming one of the most entertaining parts of the cryptocurrency revolution. Just be sure to always do a little extra research, especially before investing in play-to-earn games.

Axie Infinity

Build and refine your team of Axies to go to battle with other players. One of the most well-known blockchain-based crypto games, Axie Infinity, is a fantastic option for those looking for a fun PVP experience. The only major con for Axie Infinity is that it can be a little expensive to get started. However, battle winners are rewarded with SLP (smooth love potion), which has a strong economy in the Axie Infinity marketplace and can easily be exchanged for fiat in third-party markets due to the demand by the community around this game. You can also use SLP to breed your Axies to grow your team further.

If you’re looking for a polished PVP experience with a thriving player base, don’t mind spending some money to get started, Axie Infinity is probably for you and can easily be considered one of the most popular NFT P2E games!

Spider Tanks

Collect in-game resources, upgrade your stats and weapons, and jump into the battle arena in this PVP battle brawler. Play a range of game modes and have fun demolishing the competition alone or as a team. You can even buy special edition tanks, weapons, maps, and or other accessories in the form of tradable NFTs. It’s even got great graphics to ensure you’re making the most of your gaming experience.

If you like games like Rocket League or World of Tanks, maybe this battle vehicle free-to-play with a play-to-earn model is an excellent fit for you. So why not give Spider Tanks a try.

Gods Unchained

As an Ethereum-based P2E trading card game on the blockchain where each game card is an NFT, Gods Unchained takes the cake. If you’re nostalgic about the old days of trading Pokemon cards with your friends, maybe it’s time to get back into trading cards with a modern twist. You can even get started for free, with all new players getting a pack of cards to start playing. It’s great to see this P2E game which is also a great free-to-play option.

Do you like Hearthstone and other collectable card games? Then, Gods Unchained might be what you’re looking for in a crypto card game.

The Sandbox

What originally started as a 2D pixel art game back in 2012 for mobile devices has transcended into the blockchain space to become one of the more prominent players in the growing metaverse ecosystem and one of the P2E games you’ll likely hear more about as development continues. The Sandbox throws players into a virtual world. You can own land, monetize your virtual assets, and explore novel gaming experiences. While still considered alpha software, this game has already had some extensive collaborations with popular artists and brands.

The Sandbox economy runs on a token called SAND which operates on the Ethereum network. Even at the early stages of this project, large amounts are being spent on in-game assets, so if you’re interested in making your mark in the metaverse, The Sandbox is worth a hard look.

For lovers of Minecraft and Roblox, The Sandbox might scratch that itch for more voxel gaming glory.

Splinterlands

If you’ve been looking for a trading card game that won’t need hours just to play through a game, you might want to check out Splinterlands. With the rapid pace of games, you can complete one in just a few minutes. With over 500 cards and growing, there’s plenty of variety to keep you entertained. Combine cards, convert cards to crypto and exchange your cards to build the perfect collection. You can even rent cards if you’re more of the yield farming type, a phrase you probably didn’t expect to hear associated with a collectible card game.

A hive cryptocurrency wallet is created for you after registration, and this allows you to jump right in and get started with this blockchain game. To avoid being too locked into one blockchain, it features cross-compatibility with additional blockchains like Ethereum, Tron, and WAX which is well known in the NFT scene.

Do you enjoy Magic the Gathering and other collectible card games? Maybe check out Splinterlands.

Alien Worlds

Alien Worlds has a lot to love as a play-to-earn game built on top of the WAX blockchain. Plots of land across several worlds are accessible to players in the form of an NFT. In addition, Trillium, the in-game currency, can be collected, staked, and even transferred using BNB Smart Chain.

Buy, sell, and rent virtual land and explore new forms of social governance; there's a lot to explore in Alien Worlds. You can also complete intergalactic missions, collect a range of tools, and explore the Alien Worlds universe in this NFT Metaverse game.

If EVE Online or No Man's Sky got you excited, Alien Worlds might be your new favorite space simulation game.

Plant vs. Undead

Set on Planet Plants, Plant vs. Undead is a blockchain game with a mobile-first approach that offers an excellent opportunity for the more casual gamer to explore the play-to-earn model. After a meteor crashed into the planet, many of the resident creatures became zombie-like creatures that spilled out into this cartoonish wonderland.

Unlike many of the games in this list, the primary way to play Plants vs. Undead is on your mobile device, whether Android or iOS. There's talk of other versions potentially launching in the future for PC and consoles, but this doesn't appear to be the case quite yet. While you are encouraged to expand your experience via trading PVU tokens (BEP20 tokens on BNB Smart Chain), you can start playing Plant vs. Undead for free as you will be provided a Mother Tree to protect alongside six plants used in defense.

If you find tower defense games a winner and like games such as Plants vs. Zombies (a clear inspiration for this one), perhaps it's worth checking out this PvE and PvP game, Plant vs. Undead.

Decentraland

One of the staples of the growing metaverse concept is absolutely Decentraland. If you like the idea of a virtual world where you can interact and make it your own, this is one to check out. With a range of carefully crafted environments to explore, there’s more than enough to lose yourself in for hours.

Players wanting to take things to the next level can leverage the Builder tool to create their own digital assets and even participate in some of the events held in the Decentraland community. For creators looking to make their mark (and some money in the Decentraland marketplace) or blockchain entrepreneurs looking to start a collection of land and other in-game digital goods, this ethereum backed play-to-earn game is a fascinating option.

Were you big on Second Life back in the day? See what the future holds for virtual worlds by jumping into Decentraland.

Pegaxy

Ever considered playing a play-to-earn horse racing game with Cyberpunk vibes? Maybe you’ll change after you get acquainted with Pegaxy (Pegasus Galaxy). In Pegaxy, you are pitting mythological creatures head-to-head, which results in some fast-paced action. You can even breed your Pega (the horses, if you can call them that).

With a PvP format, this game has some interesting style that throws together a high-tech vibe with a classic horse racing style of game that results in an interesting blend that shows how experimental P2E games can be. While this game is still in its early stages, it’s worth keeping an eye out for what this game has in store and seeing if these techno-horses catch on here as much as they do on the local track.

If horse racing games like Rival Stars or heading down for a day at the track gets you a bit loud, head over and see what’s going on with Pegaxy.

Thetan Arena

For those gamers who enjoy a multiplayer online battle arena game, commonly called a MOBA, Thetan Area might be your pick. Playable on Android, iOS, or PC, Thetan Arena offers a colorful experience that brings P2E gaming with a F2P model. Earn NFT items as you play the game that you can then sell on the marketplace to earn money, and you can also collect Thetan coin (the in-game currency used by Thetan Arena) by playing various game modes, which you can then exchange or trade for other items.

Furthermore, you can also acquire Thetan Gem, which takes things even further, enabling you to evolve your heroes in the game or stake them to earn some yield, something many DeFi enthusiasts will love. So whether you’re just interested in having a little fun or grinding for profit, the choice is yours.

Can’t get enough League of Legends or Dota 2? It’s probably time to see what the fuss is about when it comes to Thetan Arena.

Celo is one of the most inclusive cryptocurrency projects around, and more people are beginning to take notice due to its thriving community. So let’s explore this project bringing dApps to everyone and enabling anyone with as little as a smartphone to participate in the cryptocurrency space.

What is Celo?

Celo is an open-source blockchain project that supports a native cryptocurrency called CELO and other tokenized assets like the stablecoin cUSD. Celo aims to be accessible to anyone by leveraging technology that has become commonplace among most of the planet, smartphones.

Suppose you are looking to experiment with blockchain technology and learn more. In that case, Celo is an excellent choice given its inexpensive transactions and ecosystem containing many projects focused on ease of use.

Can you Use Tokens on Celo?

As Celo comes with its own blockchain and token support, tokens on Celo are absolutely something you should check out. One of the most interesting is cUSD, a stablecoin that aims to be tied to the value of the US Dollar (USD) that is transferable on the Celo blockchain. The value of cUSD is maintained by a mechanism that algorithmically adjusts the cUSD supply using crypto-only reserves to ensure transparency and a reliable level of price stability.

Thanks to very low transaction fees on the Celo network, it opens up many opportunities for engaging with dApps and various types of smart contracts using tokens on Celo. As a result, many projects are popping up on Celo that range widely from NFT collections to experimental economic protocols.

How Does Celo Work?

The Celo network supports itself by relying on several different types of contributors to the network. Firstly, light clients are a form of software that operates on a user’s device; one great example is the official Celo mobile wallet which enables a low barrier to entry for the use of Celo on mobile devices. Furthermore, light clients allow users to interact with the network efficiently without operating more demanding software or needing access to anything higher-end than a cheap android phone.

As an alternative to using a light client, you can also use the non-custodial wallets provided by LocalCoinSwap, where you remain in complete control of your funds and can access your wallet on just about any device with a modern web browser.

Full nodes are also are vital parts of the network and provide a valuable service. These nodes help support the network and enable the use of light clients. Full nodes on the Celo network act as bridges that pass transactions and other necessary data between different network participants and help keep everything running smoothly and in sync.

Unlike many blockchains that currently use proof of work consensus to secure them, Celo opts instead to use proof of stake with the help of validator nodes that require staking of CELO tokens to take part in the validation process while incentivizing positive and honest contributions to the network. Validator nodes are essential as they provide validation for transactions and produce new blocks.

Together, these different types of participants form an active and efficient network that supports a flourishing and growing ecosystem of users and use cases.

Why does CELO have Value?

CELO holders can stake their CELO tokens and gain the ability to drive the project. The more CELO tokens you hold, the more voting power you can muster. Staking is rewarded and encourages participation as a validator. If the total amount of tokens staked drops below a certain threshold, rewards increase to encourage more holders to begin staking and ensure the network is well supported.

Combining staking rewards with governance helps the CELO tokens form a valuable part of the project and help provide a strong foundation for a range of tokens and dApps to operate on top of the Celo blockchain. As the supply is also limited, this helps provide value as long as there is enough demand for the tokens.

Where is the Best Place to Trade CELO?

Thanks to the support of non-custodial CELO trading on LocalCoinSwap, traders around the world have access to this increasingly popular digital asset. You can trade CELO instantly with other buyers and sellers from around the world in your local currency while choosing from hundreds of popular payment methods.

The Benefits of Buying CELO P2P on LocalCoinSwap Include:

• Exchange Celo with traders internationally using 300+ payment methods
• Non-custodial exchange & wallets keep you in control of your crypto
• Trade CELO with cash and other less commonly accepted currencies
• Customize your trading terms to suit your needs and start trading your way

Earn free CELO by trading on LocalCoinSwap!

How to Buy CELO with Cash

Centralized exchanges tend to support minimal payment methods, resulting in a vast number of people simply not having access to trading on these platforms. However, a P2P marketplace like LocalCoinSwap enables you to trade with a massive range of payment methods, including cash.

Buying CELO with cash is easy, with just a few simple steps:

1. Head over to LocalCoinSwap and sign up if you haven't already (takes only seconds)
2. Use the search bar to sort for CELO offers matching your needs, and if you’re looking for cash trades, all you need to do is select the payment method “cash-in-person.”
3. Once you’ve found the perfect trade offer, you simply enter the amount you’d like to trade and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the trade.

If you can’t find a trade offer that matches your preferences, you can create your own trade offer or explore alternative payment methods that may be more commonly available. As you’re trading P2P, you can explore various payment options, including things like local bank transfer, gift cards, PayPal, Skrill, and Zelle, just to name a few.

Have you checked out all that Celo has to offer yet? Then, why not start by exploring P2P trading and see why so many people are interested in this cryptocurrency project that reduces barriers to using cryptocurrency and takes advantage of the modern technology in our pockets that we often take for granted.

Embracing cryptocurrencies that do things a little differently is something we find important to bring to our community at LocalCoinSwap. As such, we’re excited to announce the support for both CELO and cUSD for non-custodial trading with full wallet support.

What Does This Mean?

As of now, you can trade Celo worldwide with over 300 payment methods, the flexibility afforded by peer-to-peer (P2P) trading, and full non-custodial wallet support. So it doesn’t matter whether you want to trade CELO or cUSD with bank transfer, cash, or almost anything else you may be looking for; LocalCoinSwap has got you covered.

De-banking of cryptocurrency users is still a problem for many traders, and for many more, access to banking or the types of resources required to use a centralized exchange simply aren’t available. Where you live and what tools you have at your disposal shouldn’t influence your access to critical financial tools, and while cryptocurrency projects like Celo break down many of these barriers, combining the benefits of crypto with those of P2P trading ensures that everyone has the same standard of access and the freedom to trade their own way.

Your Non-Custodial Celo Wallet

When using the Celo wallet provided with your LocalCoinSwap account, you remain in complete control of your cryptocurrency and your private key. You can freely export your private key and even import it into another Celo wallet to provide you both peace of mind and the highest possible flexibility. Keep track of your portfolio.

Stop worrying about centralized platforms holding your funds and start retaining control over your digital assets.

CELO & cUSD are Excellent Additions to LocalCoinSwap

Cryptocurrency can be an extremely powerful tool, but for that to be the case, it has to suit the needs of those using it, and both of these digital assets have a growing community and ecosystem of projects that support them.

Furthermore, many in the LocalCoinSwap community have been requesting stablecoins with cheaper associated transaction fees. With cUSD on Celo, you can have all the benefits of a stablecoin without the often high cost to trade with it or even when just moving it between wallets or sending some to a friend. When trading cUSD, you can complete trades in seconds, with very minimal amounts required for transaction fees on the network.

Trading P2P helps traders across the globe access financial tools and technology that, in many cases, they’d otherwise be unable to access in a practical way. While, unfortunately, many of these same traders are excluded from traditional financial services, further adding barriers to their economic independence and financial freedom, cryptocurrency can offer the ability to become more financially independent.

With the increased use of stablecoins like cUSD, you no longer have to be exposed to extreme volatility to leverage many of the advantages of cryptocurrency. Now you can exchange value with anyone and remit payments to a friend in the same room or family internationally in seconds for fees that are often significantly better than legacy remittance services or, in some cases, even exchange rates between some currencies.

The Benefits of Trading CELO & cUSD on LocalCoinSwap

• Trade with over 300 payment methods and against essentially any fiat currency
• Sign-up is instant; you can be trading immediately
• No withdrawal or deposit limitations ensure you are free to trade your way
• Access to many other popular cryptocurrencies for trading
• Fully non-custodial CELO & cUSD wallets with private key access
• The ability to trade both locally and internationally with traders around the world

Start Trading Your Own Way

Trading cryptocurrency shouldn’t be complicated or limiting. With P2P trading, you have the freedom to trade using your preferred payment methods, against your local currency, and even using payment methods that are far less commonly accepted by other cryptocurrency marketplaces, including cash.

All you need is access to the internet, and at minimum, a smartphone; you can start trading on LocalCoinSwap with a few easy steps.

1. Sign-up with LocalCoinSwap if you haven’t already
2. Search for offers that suit your needs, or even create your own with just a few clicks
3. Once you find an offer, simply enter the amount you wish to trade and follow the prompts

Want to Earn Free CELO?

To celebrate the launch of CELO and cUSD on LocalCoinSwap we're giving away thousands of dollars worth of CELO. Complete your first trade and earn rewards! Want to find out more? Click here!

If you haven’t already, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or join our Telegram group to see why LocalCoinSwap is the most popular non-custodial P2P marketplace. It doesn’t matter if you want to trade a lot or a little; LocalCoinSwap is the best place to trade cUSD or CELO.

Have you ever wondered if your wallet address could be more readable? Perhaps a little like a website URL than a string of chaotic characters meshed together in a stream of incomprehensible madness, well this is where the Ethereum Name Services (commonly called ENS) can make things a lot more interesting.

What is Ethereum Name Service?

ENS is a naming standard that takes advantage of blockchain technology. Ethereum Name Service touts itself as being the most widely integrated blockchain naming standard, and given its proliferation among the cryptocurrency community, it's hard to argue with that likely being the case.

At its core, ENS is an extensible, open, and distributed naming system that leverages the popular Ethereum blockchain and enables the use of addresses that are actually human-readable. So when you're using an ENS address, there's no need to be awkwardly copying and pasting your address when a friend asks for it; instead, you can opt for an ENS domain that is not only far easier to read but also far easier to error check.

How Does ENS Work?

While you don't necessarily have to fully understand how Ethereum Name Service works merely to use it, it can still be an interesting thing to explore to help expand your understanding of how blockchains can be used.

If you're somewhat familiar with how the internet works, the concept of ENS domains is in a sense remotely similar to how DNS (domain name service) works. However, for those that aren't, in the simplest sense, when typing the name of a website into your browser DNS is used to help find the actual IP address that is serving the actual data for that domain. So instead of typing a series of numbers and dots that are even less intuitive than a phone number, you can instead type in an easy-to-remember, often very readable URL.

While on the internet, a top-level domain (like '.com') is managed by a registrar with domains available on request; in the case of ENS, the traditional registrar is replaced by smart contracts which control top-level domains like '.eth' and provide and manage the rules for registering one yourself. If you own a domain name, you can even create subdomains attached to it as you already control the higher-level ENS name.

For a far more in-depth explanation of how ENS works, as well as some further technical detail, the official ENS documentation is a fantastic place to learn more about this impressive service.

What is the ENS Token?

If you've been looking into ENS, you may have noticed a token by the same name, and this is associated with the project. The token is actually for us in the form of a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governance token to help push support of ENS forward while enabling it to remain an open, decentralized service.

A quarter of the entire ENS token supply was distributed in the form of an airdrop to those that had held NFTs representing ownership of ENS domain names. The amount of time someone held an ENS domain alongside other factors decided the actual amount received. A significant amount of Ethereum Name Service tokens were also held for their community treasury, for core contributors, and other parties in much smaller amounts.

Receiving tokens was also rather interesting in that claimants were required to vote on several ENS proposals using these governance tokens as well as choose an applicant to offer the voting power of your tokens to a chosen delegate that had applied to take part in the process.

How Do I Buy an ENS Domain?

ENS domains are purchased with a small subscription fee. While at first thought this may seem off-putting, it helps to ensure that only those using or having an active interest in a specific domain are likely to maintain holding it long term.

For those wanting to buy an Ethereum Name Service domain, you can head over to the ENS domain app and get started. The process will require you to have the relevant subscription fee and some extra funds to cover the gas cost of the transaction involved in the form of Ethereum.

The search function present as soon as you open the app enables you to find out which ENS names are available quickly. Then, using MetaMask or other supported wallets, you can quickly purchase a domain for yourself.

Using ENS Names on LocalCoinSwap

Alongside popular ethereum wallets like MetaMask and MyEtherWallet supporting ENS, LocalCoinSwap does as well! Using your non-custodial ethereum wallet that is generated when you create your account, you can easily withdraw ethereum or other ERC-20 tokens directly using an ENS domain name in place of other ethereum addresses.

So the next time you buy ethereum/sell ethereum with LocalCoinSwap, why not take advantage of the awesome human-readable names provided by ENS and experience how nice it can be to personalize your cryptocurrency wallet with an ENS domain of your own.

Join the #HolidayRoadshow with LocalCoinSwap for your chance to win:

• One of 5 bitcoin prizes
• Trezor hardware wallet
• Exclusive LocalCoinSwap T-Shirt

How to Participate:

Participating in the LocalCoinSwap holiday roadshow is easy. Will you be the best P2P trader this holiday season?

Stage 1: Referral Contest

Period: Dec 20th - 26th 2021

1. Grab your referral link from your LocalCoinSwap account
2. Share your referral link to friends, family, and even clients
3. Invite them to sign up for LocalCoinSwap

Win $50 USD in BTC - 5 winners!

Terms & Conditions:

• To be eligible for the contest, you must have a minimum of 10 new registrations coming from your referral link
• At least 50% of your total new registrations must have their phone number verified
• The top 5 users with the highest new registrations will win $50 USD in BTC each & eligible to join the next stage of the contest
• Announcement: 27 Dec 2021 – Follow our social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn for updates

Stage 2: Trading Contest

Period: Dec 27th, 2021 - Jan 2nd, 2022

Trade crypto at LocalCoinSwap (Buy or Sell)

Terms & Conditions:

1. The highest trading volume completed by you & your referrals will win the grand prize
2. Announcement: 3 Jan 2022 – Follow our social media: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn for updates

Win 1 Trezor Hardware Wallet & 1 Exclusive LocalCoinSwap Shirt!

The concept of the metaverse has been a colossal topic recently. With even Facebook suddenly jumping into the mix, there's a lot out there to explore and many projects working on their own visions for the future of the digital universe. So perhaps it's the perfect time to start exploring what exactly this idea is and look at some of the places we may go as we move into the future.

What is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is a conceptual or hypothesized view of how the internet and technology could evolve in the future. This idea encapsulated things like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and even 3D space and virtual environments where ownership, community, and building things beyond the physical world’s limits can be possible.

The actual phrase is said to have come from a well-known sci-fi novel from the year 1992 called Snow Crash. The book described a dystopian world where the main character can escape his difficult day-to-day existence into a virtual realm. This book is said to have even influenced The Matrix and some other films delving into more abstract concepts and alternative reality.

As with many new forms of technology and especially on the more experimental side of things, naturally, the metaverse is something that fits nicely alongside crypto, and a range of projects are popping up to explore and grow inside this new space. Through crypto and things like NFTs (non-fungible tokens), ownership of assets and virtual real estate becomes far more practical. While we're still adapting in many ways to using more niche forms of digital assets, when you look at the digital space, things suddenly can become not only more straightforward but practical.

Is the metaverse going to be the next big thing in crypto? Time will tell, and if the current growing hype is any indication, it may indeed start making some waves that ripple beyond the bounds of the typical cryptocurrency ecosystem.

What Can You do in the Metaverse?

With this being a concept that has only started to gain significant traction recently, there's already a lot of things that are either doable today or are already being actively developed.

• Attend a virtual conference or other events
• More immersive conference calls through VR
• Working in a VR space with a simulated desk
• Buy and sell digital property and items
• Combine the physical world with the digital world through AR
• Watch a movie in a virtual theatre or a mixed reality format
• Socialize in entirely virtual worlds using VR headsets
• Gaming and other forms of entertainment

Big Business is Getting Involved in the Metaverse

Some of the biggest companies in the world have not only explored virtual reality but are beginning to embrace a more embodied internet where the virtual world and real world can intertwine. For example, Facebook has recently taken to the idea of the Metaverse so strongly they have changed the name of their company with a recent announcement and complete branding overhaul. The company is now known as Meta as they are already beginning to promote the future of the virtual universe and how that could look.

Even Disney, one of the more conservative companies that almost everyone is familiar with, has stated they want to "connect the digital and physical worlds" with animation and storytelling. So perhaps in the not too distant future, some of the most well-known Disney characters will get a Metaverse rethink or even make their way into the blockchain space in an official capacity.

Nvidia is working on building what it is calling an "Omniverse" that they have stated is intended to connect 3D virtual worlds. In addition, they appear to be interested in digital assets and their ownership in persistent virtual worlds, which seems to bode well for Metaverse cryptos, projects working on an NFT marketplace, and other blockchain projects that complement the Metaverse theory.

Microsoft is another big name that isn't new to the Metaverse; after releasing their mixed reality headsets in recent years while exploring both VR and AR, you can expect to see more of this from them as demand for these technologies increases along with the development of software to interact with virtual spaces is further enhanced. Already Microsoft has announced they are creating a Metaverse product for their popular Microsoft Teams platform to increase collaboration and allow things like customizable digital avatars, novel forms of communication, expand collaborations into open virtual spaces, and develop more exciting video chat experiences.

Metaverse Gaming

While VR and even AR have been strongly connected to gaming in most people’s minds, this is starting to change. With a large part of the world exploring work-from-home options and how to embrace socializing and collaboration in the digital space, more people than ever are starting to understand the potential for the Metaverse to bring many types of interactions into a new world.

With products like the HTC Vive Pro 2 and Meta Quest 2 (formally Oculus Quest 2) making their way into homes worldwide, VR is becoming much more commonplace. With tech enthusiasts digging around for software and games to take their VR devices for a spin are finding their way into virtual worlds through VR Chat and VR Virtual Desktop, which touch on the potential for these technologies as the hardware to make them practical has started to reach the mass market with Google even releasing "Cardboard" a few years ago which when combined with your phone could provide a relatively immersive VR experience while primarily being made from, as you may have guessed, cardboard.

Even a growing landscape of blockchain and crypto Metaverse gaming-related projects is blooming with some of the best Metaverse projects for gamers, including The Sandbox (describing itself as the open Metaverse), Decentraland, Axie Infinity, and Star Atlas, just to name a few.

Conclusion

The increased interest in the Metaverse points to the future being launched into other realms of digital spaces where what things exist and what context they are owned in the future could look much different from their traditional counterparts today. Will your avatar in the future be far more than the profile pictures of today? Maybe you'll even find yourself offering or receiving services or digital goods in ways that today may seem like science fiction. With VR and other technologies associated with the Metaverse blending with the crypto space and even affecting how some people are playing games, there's a tremendous amount of potential, and things are only just now beginning to be touched on as so many bleeding-edge technologies are starting to mesh together.

It's hard to argue the way we see the web, data, or just the internet, in general, isn't evolving. So maybe the Metaverse will become a big part of how all of this is shaped in the future as the physical and digital collide and it reverberates through the network that underpins our life and world.

Bitcoin is a speculative asset. This means that the price of bitcoin can go up and down depending on what people are feeling about it. Many different factors contribute to this, including supply, demand, general sentiment, and more.

The finite supply cap for bitcoin makes it an interesting investment opportunity since there will only ever be 21 million bitcoins mined on the bitcoin blockchain before the supply is capped forever!

Bitcoin vs. Gold and Other Speculative Assets

Bitcoin is very similar to other speculative assets like gold, real estate, and collectibles. In fact, bitcoin is often considered a store of value and is one of the key reasons some people find it so interesting! Bitcoin is also becoming an increasingly popular means of exchange. In the simplest sense, bitcoin has value because people think it does and are willing to trade goods, services, or other currencies for bitcoin. It's different from a traditional fiat currency that is backed by a government. Still, something you may not realize is that standard currency is speculative as well in that it largely relies on what people are willing to exchange for it.

While you may not notice it, the value of the US Dollar, British Pound, and even the Euro are all fluctuating constantly, yet in most cases, you are unlikely to notice this in the short term. However, for some countries where hyperinflation and other economic phenomenon have kicked off, the day-to-day value of their local fiat currency has become an important topic.

When you look at other asset classes a little more closely, bitcoin being a speculative asset with no physical form doesn't feel so weird after all!

Bitcoin's Valuable Properties

• Decentralized
• Immutable
• Borderless
• Trustless
• Pseudonymous
• Store of value
• Easy to transport
• Cheap remittances

Intrinsic Value

Bitcoin has value because people think it does and is willing to trade goods, services, or other currencies for bitcoin. The fact that you can't physically hold bitcoin doesn't make it any less valuable than something like gold, another commodity with intrinsic value. While the price of cryptocurrencies will always depend on supply and demand to some degree, it's also worth looking at some of the other factors that come into play.

Bitcoin is not just another currency but has properties more closely represented by gold or silver than fiat money like USD. While these commodities are loosely limited in supply and can be used as an alternative store of value to paper cash, they're also mined, printed, or otherwise created at various rates that can change at any time, with even paper trading of assets like gold making things less transparent. In the case of bitcoin, things are a lot clearer given the supply cape and the fixed rate that coins can enter the market as they are mined.

Bitcoin as a Store of Value

Beyond being a speculative asset, bitcoin is also widely seen as a store of value. While this may seem ironic given the volatility that impacts price so heavily in the short term, it's actually very similar to other stores such as gold or collectibles.

As the value of bitcoin has continued to increase over the long term, many people are taking this as an opportunity to diversify their savings or retirement accounts by adding a small portion of cryptocurrency into the mix. In addition, the fact that it's not directly connected to many traditional assets results in many investors looking to bitcoin as a potential hedge against other traditional investments. How strongly bitcoin is correlated to more conventional assets is commonly argued and is likely to become more apparent as bitcoin continues to mature while other markets cycle around it.

In countries dealing with the extreme volatility of their traditional fiat currencies, bitcoin can provide a far more stable alternative, even when taking into account its own often high degree of volatility. In many regions, remittances are being performed using bitcoin at an increasing rate. No longer do you need to trust an expensive third-party remittance service, and you don't even need a verified bank account or other types of financial institutions at all. Bitcoin isn't only a great store of value. It’s also a fantastic way to transfer value without many of the issues faced when trying to move value long distances using traditional fiat currencies, precious metals and removes the risk of counterfeit money.

While many still call bitcoin "digital gold," its potential far exceeds this as the bitcoin network sprawls the world even though no single entity oversees bitcoin. While value is relative, it's hard to argue that digital currencies like bitcoin don't provide a strong value proposition and that bitcoin does indeed have value while exploring other novel concepts such as that bitcoin introduces digital scarcity. While there are no true global currencies, bitcoin is arguably the closest thing we have to a payment system or currency that is truly global.

Bitcoin Price Volatility

The price of bitcoin is still incredibly volatile, at least compared to some more stable assets and larger local currencies. However, it's also important to keep things in perspective. While headlines about bitcoin price movements can be enough to send people into a panic or frenzy of excitement, the rise, and fall of the market are something that can be expected with such a comparatively new asset that can be considered to stand in a class of its own in many ways.

While decentralized payment systems like bitcoin are often compared to credit cards, it's essential to acknowledge that bitcoin isn't just another digital payment solution like your online banking, PayPal, or Cash App.

While the future is still uncertain, bitcoin has intrinsic value through its ability to act as an alternative store of value with properties beyond cash for investors and bitcoin users. Ultimately, whether or not this will be enough in the long term is something we'll have to wait and see.

For over a decade now, bitcoin has continued to grow, show us new ways to consider value, and has helped provoke the growth of a massive cryptocurrency ecosystem and monetary systems that are expanding by the day.

Whether you're looking to start trading, mining, or simply want to try your hand at buying a few bitcoins in order to see how it all works, it's easy to get started and even easier to begin learning with this bitcoin cheatsheet.

What is Bitcoin?

Bitcoin allows transactions to take place peer-to-peer without a third party such as a bank or government. The "coins" themselves exist only in digital form - they have no physical form and are not printed or minted like traditional currency. In essence, they represent a unit of account for trading goods and services, much like conventional currencies. The coins are made - or mined - by solving complex mathematical problems.

Who Controls Bitcoin?

Bitcoin was created by a still-mysterious figure going by the name Satoshi Nakamoto back in 2009. Satoshi Nakamoto was a secretive person or a group whose true identity has never been confirmed. Because no one owns or controls bitcoin, it is considered a decentralized digital currency.

Bitcoin has been described as "cash for the Internet." What separates it from other currencies is that bitcoin isn't subject to any one country's rules, regulations or policies. As a result, it can be used by anyone who knows how to access the Bitcoin network - typically through a wallet application downloaded on a PC or mobile phone or online via a web wallet.

How Do I buy Bitcoin?

Because it's not centralized, bitcoin can't be bought from a central organization like a bank. Instead, you typically need to use an exchange to buy or sell bitcoin. Before you open an account and purchase your first coins, you need to think about what type of exchange you want to use; the most flexible option is a P2P marketplace like LocalCoinSwap.

What is a Bitcoin Wallet?

The wallet can be seen as your personal interface to the Bitcoin network. It allows you to receive bitcoins, store them and then send them to others. A wallet is like a bank account; however, it is more decentralized and under your control. Therefore, you are not required to submit any identification or other sensitive information when creating a bitcoin wallet.

On a fundamental level, Bitcoin wallets consist of two cryptographic keys (one public and one private key) - the public key being your wallet address, which people can use to send money to, and the private key is for signing transactions (moving your funds).

Keeping your bitcoins safe is of utmost importance, as this digital currency has a lot of value attached to it. There are three main types of wallets available for you to use: online wallets, offline wallets, and hardware wallets - each with their advantages and disadvantages.

What is the Bitcoin Blockchain?

The blockchain is the technology behind bitcoin. It's a data structure that stores blocks of items in a linear, chronological order. The 'chain' represents the entire history of all transactions made since the network began. Every transaction is stored in blocks and mathematically encrypted to create an irreversible record - hence the term blockchain.

What is Bitcoin Mining?

Miners keep the blockchain consistent, complete, and immutable by repeatedly verifying and collecting newly broadcast transactions by using large amounts of computer processing power (energy). Each block contains a cryptographic hash of the previous block (unique signature), using the SHA-256 hashing algorithm, which links it to the previous block, thus giving the blockchain its name.

How do I accept bitcoins as payment?

For companies wishing to accept bitcoin, many different types of software, services, and platforms can be used - or even none at all. For example, some smaller merchants may accept direct bitcoin payments to their wallets, while others may opt for third-party services designed specifically for businesses.

What is the Future of Bitcoin?

Since bitcoin's inception in 2009, it has witnessed rapid growth and appreciation in its value. In this relatively short period, people have come to see it as a haven for their wealth due to it being entirely digital, not influenced by any central bank or authority. However, many naysayers still stubbornly believe that bitcoin is built on unproven technology and isn't ready to be used in the real world just yet. Yet, over a decade later, the network is still producing blocks and processing transactions.

What Can I do with Bitcoin?

Even though it's not quite mainstream yet, you can still use your bitcoins to purchase products or services from vendors across the world. You could buy anything from web hosting, plane tickets, furniture, tech, or even book a hotel room thanks to the growing number of companies accepting bitcoin.

What is SegWit?

SegWit stands for segregated witness. If you've ever used (or at least heard of) a wallet that supports SegWit, then you've likely seen it in action already. However, not all wallets support SegWit just yet - but it's a step towards the future capacity upgrade for bitcoin as it enables blocks to contain more information without directly increasing the 1 Megabyte block size.

Who Controls Bitcoin?

The bitcoin network is completely decentralized, so there's no need for any central authority to oversee its operations. This means that anyone can participate in the network by simply downloading the software required.

What Are the Benefits of Bitcoin as an Investment?

Many people who have purchased bitcoins as an investment are seeing significant returns on their initial investments. In December 2017, a single bitcoin was valued at over $19,000 USD, and in 2021, Bitcoin has traded for over $50,000 USD. As bitcoin is speculative and at times highly volatile, whether it is a good investment is something you should research yourself and assess against your risk tolerance.

What is the Supply of Bitcoin?

Bitcoin's supply is capped at 21 million coins. That means that there can be no inflation in the network, which is one of the ways it differs from fiat currencies.

What if I Lose my Wallet?

If you somehow lose access to your wallet or it gets stolen, you should consider these funds irretrievably lost in most cases. That means it's important to secure any wallet you own, safely store your private key or seed phrase, and ideally use a quality hardware wallet.

What is the difference between Public and Private Keys?

Every single bitcoin transaction that ever takes place requires a public address and a private key - which work together to authorize the transaction. A public address is enough information for you to be able to send funds to another bitcoin user. The private key is what someone needs to have so they can spend money from their wallet. However, if they lose the key, they will never regain access to the bitcoin inside of it again.

What are Bitcoin Faucets?

Bitcoins faucets are websites that dispense a small amount of bitcoin for free of performing a task (often a captcha) that were quite common in the early days of bitcoin. While these have become far less popular in recent years and pay out a lot less, they still exist.

What is the Average Block Time?

The average block time refers to how long it takes for a block to be confirmed on the blockchain. It's usually around 10 minutes per block, but it can take more or less time. However, the bitcoin network is programmed to add a new block every 10 minutes, so each block is expected to take an average of 10 minutes.

What is the Lightning Network?

The lightning network is a second layer protocol built on top of bitcoin that allows for super-fast and inexpensive transactions. These are especially useful for smaller-scale payments where transaction fees would be larger than the cost of the product or service you're purchasing, but they can also make most bitcoin transactions instant. This technology is still in its early stages, but it's already supported in some wallet software and is growing more popular as adoption is starting to increase more rapidly.

What is the Price of Bitcoin?

The price of bitcoin constantly varies since it's traded on various exchanges all over the world. It can go up or down depending on what people are willing to pay for it, but that value has been trending upwards for years now when looked at on a longer time frame.

What is a Satoshi?

A satoshi is the smallest fraction of a bitcoin and represents 0.00000001 BTC (one hundred millionths of one bitcoin). Since bitcoin can be divided down to 8 decimal points, you could always buy a fraction of a bitcoin if you didn't want a complete one.

What are the Transaction Fees?

Bitcoin transaction fees vary based on several factors. When there is more competition to get a transaction into a block, you will pay a higher fee if you want your transaction to be processed quickly. Additionally, the size of any given transaction also determines how much it will cost to send or receive bitcoins. While you can send a fraction of a bitcoin or thousands of bitcoins for the same price, specific transaction types can cost more than others based on numerous factors (such as the type of wallet address used).

What is a Halving?

A halving is when the rate at which new bitcoins are created halves. This happens once every 210,000 blocks or roughly every four years. When that happens, the block reward per block is cut in half until it eventually reaches zero.

Bitcoin is seen as a deflationary currency because there's a finite amount of bitcoin that can be mined. In all, there will only ever be 21 million bitcoins produced which makes for an interesting economic experiment that all bitcoin users are participating in, and only time will tell where it goes.

There is so much to learn about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. If you want to learn more be sure to check out the LocalCoinSwap Academy where there is a large amount of free bitcoin guides and tutorials that is growing all the time.