In a world where cryptocurrencies are gaining momentum, the mainstream adoption of digital currencies is no longer a distant dream.
Businesses across industries are starting to recognize the potential of cryptocurrencies and are embracing them as a viable payment option.
In this edition of Blockchain.com’s Crypto IRL series, we’re sharing an inspiring story of a Belgian burger chain that has taken a giant leap forward by accepting crypto payments.
The Rise of Crypto Adoption in Belgium
Belgium, a country known for its gastronomic delights, has witnessed a remarkable development in the cryptocurrency landscape.
As reported by Crypto News, a popular burger chain in Belgium, Black & White Burgers, has joined the ranks of forward-thinking businesses by enabling customers to pay for their meals with cryptocurrencies. This bold move exemplifies the growing acceptance of digital currencies and sets an exciting precedent for others to follow.
Enhancing Payment Options
Gone are the days when traditional payment methods like cash or credit cards were the only choices available. The burger chain’s decision to embrace crypto payments reflects an understanding of the evolving needs and preferences of its customers.
By expanding their payment options, the chain acknowledges the growing demand for cryptocurrencies and seeks to provide greater convenience and flexibility to its patrons.
Streamlining Transactions with Crypto
The adoption of cryptocurrencies brings numerous benefits to both businesses and customers alike. With crypto payments, transactions become faster, more secure, and less prone to fraudulent activities.
By leveraging the power of blockchain technology, the burger chain ensures transparent and immutable records of each transaction, enhancing trust and accountability.
Embracing Innovation
Black & White Burger’s decision to accept cryptocurrencies demonstrates their willingness to embrace innovation and adapt to changing times. It highlights their commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements and catering to the evolving demands of their customers. This forward-thinking approach positions the chain as a leader in the industry, attracting tech-savvy consumers who value the convenience and modernity that crypto payments offer.
Inspiring Others to Follow Suit
This trailblazing initiative by the Belgian burger chain is expected to inspire other businesses to explore crypto payment options. As the crypto ecosystem gains mainstream recognition, more companies will realize the advantages of accepting cryptocurrencies.
The positive feedback and increased patronage received by the burger chain are likely to motivate other establishments to follow in their footsteps, creating a domino effect that accelerates the adoption of cryptocurrencies in various sectors.
The Bitcoin network is currently experiencing significant congestion, leading to high transaction fees and delays in confirmation times.
Why is the Bitcoin Network Congested?
The growing popularity of Bitcoin has resulted in an increased number of transactions, straining the network’s capacity.
Additionally, the limited block size of 1MB means that only a fixed number of transactions can be processed per block, creating a bottleneck. Finally, the surge in DApps, and NFTs/Ordinals has contributed to the heightened network activity.
Higher Transactions Fees
The congestion has led to a surge in transaction fees, as users compete to have their transactions processed quickly.
When the network is congested, miners prioritize transactions with higher fees, leaving lower-fee transactions in a backlog. As a result, users who want their transactions to be confirmed promptly are forced to pay higher fees, and the cost of transacting on the network has increased significantly.
By using a custodial wallet, you can bypass the congestion on the Bitcoin network.
Since our custodial wallets operate off-chain, you can leverage Blockchain.com’s internal systems to facilitate instant buys and sells without relying on the congested blockchain.
Time your transactions during a low period of network activity.
Look into other Layer 1 blockchains, like Ethereum or Solana.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax or financial advice from a professional advisor.
If you’re involved in the crypto space, you’ve likely heard of Bitcoin Miami.
It’s one of the industry’s biggest crypto meetups that explores the latest developments and trends in the world of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies through panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
This year, we went behind the scenes at Bitcoin Miami 2023 and spoke to enthusiasts, developers, investors, and industry experts to find out what’s top of mind for 2023.
Overheard at Bitcoin Miami 2023 was originally published in @blockchain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Cryptocurrency has been a topic of discussion for a while now, and with good reason. It has already started to change the way we think about finance. But what does the future hold for cryptocurrency?
In this article, we will discuss where cryptocurrency is going in the next 10 years and how it will change the future of finance.
Decentralization
One of the main reasons cryptocurrency has the potential to change the future of finance is its decentralized nature. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are not controlled by any central authority, which means that they are not subject to government regulations or the whims of a small group of individuals. This makes them more resistant to manipulation and corruption.
In the next 10 years, we can expect to see more and more businesses and individuals use cryptocurrency as a way to conduct transactions without the need for intermediaries. This will not only make transactions faster and cheaper but also more secure.
Accessibility
Another way cryptocurrency is changing the future of finance is through accessibility.
Anyone with an internet connection can use cryptocurrency, regardless of where they are in the world. This is particularly important for people who do not have access to traditional banking services.
Innovation
Finally, cryptocurrency is driving innovation in the financial industry. The underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies, blockchain, has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about security and transparency in finance.
In the next 10 years, we can expect to see more and more companies harness the power of blockchain to develop new financial products and services.
This will not only lead to more innovation but also create more competition in the financial industry, which will ultimately benefit consumers.
Add funds to your account: Add funds to your account using a credit card, bank transfer, or other payment methods.
Navigate to the “Buy Crypto” tab and select the cryptocurrency you want to buy. Enter the amount you want to buy and confirm the transaction.
Once your purchase is complete, you can store your crypto in your Blockchain.com wallet.
It’s important to remember that the market is unpredictable, and individuals should always do their due diligence before making any investment decisions.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax or financial advice from a professional advisor.
Cryptocurrency can be a volatile investment. Prices can swing wildly in a matter of hours or days, making it difficult for individuals to know when to buy or sell.
However, downturns in the market can be the perfect time to buy crypto. Here’s why:
Lower Prices
During a downmarket, crypto prices are generally lower than during a bullish market. This presents an opportunity for individuals to buy the same amount of cryptocurrency for a lower price. When the market eventually recovers, the value of the cryptocurrency will rise, and the investor will have made a profit.
Long Term Potential
Cryptocurrency is still a relatively new technology. It has the potential to revolutionize the way we do business, store value, and transfer funds. Buying crypto during a downmarket means investing in this potential for the long term. While the market may be down now, the potential rewards could be significant in the future.
Diversification
Buying cryptocurrency can be a way to diversify your investment portfolio. It offers a different type of asset than traditional stocks and bonds. By buying crypto during a downmarket, individuals can spread their risk across different types of investments.
Opportunity for Learning
During a downmarket, you have the opportunity to learn more about cryptocurrency and the market — learn about the technology behind different cryptos, and develop a better understanding of how the market works.
This knowledge can be valuable for future purchases and can help individuals make informed decisions.
Add funds to your account: Add funds to your account using a credit card, bank transfer, or other payment methods.
Navigate to the “Buy Crypto” tab and select the cryptocurrency you want to buy. Enter the amount you want to buy and confirm the transaction.
Once your purchase is complete, you can store your crypto in your Blockchain.com wallet.
It’s important to remember that the market is unpredictable, and individuals should always do their due diligence before making any purchase decisions.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax or financial advice from a professional advisor.
We’ve all received strange emails, an unexpected message from an unknown sender requesting funds or an unsolicited password reset. These emails look genuine, but should we trust them?
Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is an online attack that attempts to steal your money or identity, by getting you to reveal personal information.
At Blockchain.com we’re committed to help keep you safe online, so in this article we dissect an actual phishing attempt email, highlighting the tactics used.
Tactic 1: “From” address impersonation
In this example, the scammer has sent this email from an email address which is similar to our official email address: notify@wallet-tx.blockchain.com
Be vigilant about possible omissions or incorrect characters in email addresses.
If you get an email or text message (SMS) asking for your Blockchain.com account email, phone, password, or Private Key it most likely is a scam.
We’ll never ask you for login information or recovery phrases in a text or email. This includes:
Credit or debit card numbers
Bank account details
Account passwords
Blockchain.com Private Keys
Blockchain.com Secret Recovery Phrase
Tactic 3: “Appearing” helpful
See here, the scammer is advising to use 2FA in order to increase security.
We often see scammers sprinkling through what appears to be “helpful” hints and tips as a decoy tactic.
Tactic 4: Using official logos and links
Many phishing emails will consist of standard company logos and official sounding language to make it appear to be real.
While there is no clear way to check if the logo is being used genuinely, it’s important to remain vigilant that scammers will try their best to make the email look as professional as possible.
Phishing attacks are getting more and more sophisticated, with new tactics emerging all the time. The most important thing to remember is that at Blockchain.com, we will never ask for your login information, through any form of communication.
If you have any doubt, open a Support Center Ticket here to confirm the validity of a request.
Today we’re introducing a new way to earn up to 8% annually on your Bitcoin (BTC): Active Rewards.
For those who have a market view on where the price of Bitcoin will go, Active Rewards can be used to maximize your potential rewards at up to 10x the rate of Passive Rewards (formerly “Rewards”).
What is Active Rewards?
Active Rewards provides a way for you to earn on your Bitcoin in an otherwise down or flat market. Specifically, it lets you subscribe to a strategy to earn rewards if you believe the price of Bitcoin won’t go up significantly in the next week.
It could offer a significantly higher rewards rate on Bitcoin than Passive Rewards (up to 8% annually vs up to 0.65% annually, at current rates as of April 2023. To view live rates visit our website).
How does it work?
Every week, a new Active Rewards strategy is made available to all Active Rewards customers that sets a trigger price for Bitcoin that is higher than the current market price. If you believe the price will be under the trigger price at the end of the week, subscribe to the strategy and earn an annual rewards rate on your Bitcoin, paid out weekly on Fridays at 8am UTC.
The trigger price and the rewards rate are set at the start of each weekly cycle and if you don’t withdraw your funds you’ll automatically be rolled into the strategy for the following week.
Since the specific trigger price changes each week, let’s take a look at some scenarios using the following values:
Currency: Bitcoin
Duration: 1 Week
Annual rate: 8%
Current price: $20,383
Trigger price: $22,000
Scenario 1 — Price of Bitcoin is at or lower than the trigger price at the end of the week
If the price of Bitcoin ends the week at or lower than the trigger price, you’ll receive your rewards for the week and your Bitcoin will be returned to you valued at the market price.
So in the scenario depicted below, if you start the week by depositing 1 Bitcoin in Active Rewards, you’d end the week with 1.00147705 which would then be re-subscribed to earn rewards for the following week.
Scenario 2 — Price of Bitcoin is higher than the trigger price at the end of the week
If the price of Bitcoin ends the week higher than the trigger price, you’ll still receive your rewards for the week but your Bitcoin will be returned to you valued at the trigger price, resulting in a reduction in your Bitcoin-denominated balance.
So in the scenario depicted below, you’d start the week with 1 Bitcoin, at the end of the week you’d receive your 0.00147705 Bitcoin reward, but because the price of Bitcoin went over the trigger price your Bitcoin balance would go down from 1 to 0.88147705 Bitcoin. Thus, you’d have a balance of 0.88147705 Bitcoin which would be re-subscribed to earn rewards for the following week.
What are the risks?
While Active Rewards offers compelling weekly rewards on your Bitcoin, weekly market movements above the listed trigger price can reduce your Bitcoin-denominated balance.
How to get started
You can get started by transferring as little as $1 in Bitcoin to an Active Rewards Account:
Log in to your Blockchain.com Wallet using a web browser or a mobile device.
Click Earn in the navigation bar.
Find Bitcoin (Bitcoin) Active Rewards in the table and click Get started.
Select your Bitcoin Trading Account or Bitcoin Private Key Wallet, enter the amount you’d like to transfer, agree to the terms, and add balance.
Your Bitcoin has now been transferred to your Active Rewards Account.
Note: Active Rewards is not available in all countries. You can check your eligibility here.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
The purchase of crypto entails a risk. The value of crypto can fluctuate and capital involved in a crypto transaction is subject to market volatility and loss.
Digital currencies are not bank deposits and are not legal tender. Blockchain.com’s products and services are not subject to any governmental or government-backed deposit protection schemes. Legislative and regulatory changes or actions in any jurisdiction in which Blockchain.com’s customers are located may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and value of digital currencies.
This month, Ethereum will undergo the “Shanghai-Capella” upgrade, the largest network upgrade since the “Ethereum Merge” in 2022.
“Shanghai-Capella” will enable the withdrawal of staked ETH from the Ethereum blockchain, completing its transition from a proof of work to a proof of stake network.
The upgrade promises to usher in a new era of scalability, sustainability and mainstream adoption for Ethereum, but what does it mean for everyday users of Ethereum? Find out below:
When did Ethereum start its transition from a proof of work to proof of stake blockchain?
In September 2022, the “Ethereum Merge” successfully upgraded the Ethereum network’s mainnet from an energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus mechanism to the more energy-efficient proof-of-stake. Proof-of-stake lets users stake cryptocurrency to validate transactions, and in turn these users are rewarded for that participation with cryptocurrency.
The merge, however, did not offer the ability to let individual stakers withdraw deposited Ethereum (ETH) or the rewards generated by those deposits.
This is where the “Shanghai-Capella” upgrade comes into play, as “Shanghai-Capella” will finally enable the withdrawal of staked ETH.
Are Shanghai and Capella two different upgrades?
Technically, yes.
The “Shanghai” upgrade is on the execution side of Ethereum, whereas Capella is the upgrade on the consensus side — taking place straight afterwards.
I haven’t staked Ethereum but I do trade Ethereum, does this mean for me?
Unless you have engaged with Ethereum staking, the upgrade will not change the way everyday users interact with Ethereum.
I have staked Ethereum, how will this impact my Staking account?
You can continue adding to your Blockchain.com Staking Earn Account, but for the first time you will be able to withdraw assets.
We expect withdrawals from your Blockchain.com Staking Earn Account to be available a few weeks after the Ethereum upgrades are complete as the time taken to process withdrawals is set by the Ethereum protocol (not Blockchain.com).
Remember, you remain liable for any taxes in relation to your Staking or other crypto products.
While the upgrade is a huge advance forward for those who stake and the Ethereum network at large, the upgrade will have little impact upon how everyday users interact with Ethereum or the economics of the network itself.
You can track the Ethereum #ShanghaiCapellaUpgrade on the Blockchain.com Explorer
Our Crypto IRL series showcases individuals who are leading the charge in the crypto revolution by using cryptocurrency in real life to drive financial inclusivity, enterprise, and innovation.
We’re excited to share a recent conversation we had with Bernardo Garcia, Co-Founder of Félix Pago, the world’s first chat-bot on WhatsApp that allows Latino immigrants in the US to send remittances abroad.
Félix Pago leverages blockchain and AI to make remittances as simple and fast as sending a message.
Hey Bernardo! Tell us a bit about Félix Pago
Félix Pago serves hard working foreign born Latino immigrants that live in the US and provide support to their family members that stayed in their home country. We leverage blockchain and AI to make remittances as simple and fast as sending a WhatsApp message.
Félix was built to meet Latino’s where they are, on WhatsApp, and to help them save time and money when they take care of their loved ones.
Awesome. And how does Félix Pago use crypto as part of their operations?
Félix leverages stable coins to get the customer’s funds from the US to Mexico.
First, the customer sees a guaranteed exchange rate of USD/MXN in the Félix chat. Once they pay, Félix takes the funds, converts them into stable coins, and then executes the necessary trades in crypto to get the Mexican pesos in the hands of the customer’s beneficiary in real time.
What have the benefits been to the business since introducing crypto?
The main benefits of using crypto are the speed of the transactions and the low costs.
Doing a cross-border transaction via traditional rails, like swift, takes days and is very expensive, which makes it inefficient.
Finally, what do you think the future of crypto holds — in 2023 and beyond!
We believe that the future of crypto is when it powers our day to day lives and we don’t even notice it! That’s what Félix is all about.
In the end, what matters to us and our customers is that the funds get from A to B in real time at the lowest possible cost.
Do you have an example to share of how cryptocurrency is being used IRL? Tweet us! @blockchain
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax or financial advice from a professional advisor. The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Crypto IRL series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of Blockchain.com and its employees.
Bitcoin has a frequently cited problem–scalability.
The Bitcoin network can only handle a certain number of transactions at once, making it take a long time for transactions to go through and impacting the price of fees.
One of the leading causes of the scalability problem is that each transaction must be verified by every node in the network, which requires a lot of computational power and bandwidth.
Hal Finney was an American software developer and early adopter of Bitcoin who received the first bitcoin transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto
The Bitcoin network, as it exists now, can’t function as a payments system at a large scale, and it was never meant to.
As a Layer 1 system, the core Bitcoin blockchain serves its purpose as intended: it’s a decentralized, immutable ledger system.
Part of Bitcoin’s store of value comes from the energy required from the Proof of Work consensus mechanism it uses, but this doesn’t translate well to being used as a globally adopted medium of exchange.
Enter, the Lightning Network.
What is the Lightning Network?
The Lightning Network was designed to improve the speed and efficiency of transactions on the Bitcoin network by allowing users to make transactions off-chain without the need for block confirmation on the blockchain.
This can help to reduce transaction fees and improve the overall scalability of the network.
The Lightning Network is a Layer 2 protocol that allows users to create payment channels on the Bitcoin network.
The Lightning Network white paper was written in 2016 by Joseph Poon and Thaddeus Dryja, and has been in active development ever since.
The Lightning Network runs on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, and it uses multi-signature wallets to enable the creation of off-chain payment channels.
This allows for faster, cheaper transactions and the ability to make transactions without waiting for block confirmation on the blockchain.
How does the Lightning Network work?
The Lightning Network allows for the creation of payment channels between users on the Bitcoin network.
These channels can be thought of as a way for two users to make an unlimited number of transactions with each other without having to wait for block confirmation on the blockchain.
You might wonder why this is even necessary, and the reason is simple–scalability. If you’ve ever tried to send a small transaction through the Bitcoin network, you know that it can be slow and expensive.
Here’s why:
Every transaction that occurs is broadcast to every node on the network
The Bitcoin network processes around seven transactions per second
Network congestion means that only those paying the highest fees are validated
Block validation takes ten minutes due to Bitcoins network protocol
As you can see, this limits the ability to use BTC for micro-transactions.
If you tried to use BTC to pay for your $30 dinner, you could potentially pay an equal amount in fees to process that transaction, plus it would take at least ten minutes for the restaurant to process the purchase.
Compare this with a payment processor like Visa, which can handle around 65,000 transactions per second with nominal fees, and it becomes clear that another solution is needed to make BTC a true medium of exchange.
The Lightning Network solves this using payment channels, a way for bitcoin to be exchanged between users off-chain, or outside of the core blockchain. Users can transact with each other as much as they want, and close a payment channel when they’re done transacting.
The only transactions that are added to the Layer 1 blockchain are the opening (funding) transaction and the closing (settlement) transaction.
Because of this, it’s possible that the Lightning Network could process up to 1 million transactions per second.
To create a payment channel, two users must deposit some bitcoin into a multi-signature wallet on the Lightning Network.
This creates a “channel” between the two users, which can be used for any number of transactions.
Once the channel is created, the users can make transactions with each other by updating the smart contract with the new balance. Both parties sign any updates, but they’re only broadcast to the network once the channel is closed.
When the channel closes, the final state of the smart contract is broadcast to the Bitcoin network, and the appropriate amounts of bitcoin are transferred to the users’ wallets. This allows for off-chain transactions to be made quickly and without the need for block confirmation, which can significantly improve the speed and efficiency of the network.
The Lightning Network also allows for the creation of multi-hop payment channels, where a user can make a payment to another user through a series of intermediate channels, which in this case is other users on the network. This can further increase the flexibility and scalability of the network.
Using intermediaries is where the Lightning Network really shines, since it further scales payment options.
Here’s how it works:
In this simplified example, there are three people who all use the Lightning Network.
User A and User B have an open payment channel, and User B also has an open payment channel with User C. Users A and C do not have a payment channel established, but they can transact with each other through User B.
No additional payment channel was needed, and the individual off-chain ledgers were all updated throughout the process.
Is the Lightning Network decentralized?
For the most part, the Lightning Network is a decentralized protocol. This means that the Lightning Network is not controlled by any single entity but relies on a distributed network of users.
The decentralized nature of the Lightning Network allows users to make transactions directly with each other without the need for custodians, like a bank or centralized payment processor. This can help to reduce transaction fees and improve the overall speed and efficiency of the network.
Benefits of the Lightning Network
There are several benefits to using the Lightning Network for transactions on the Bitcoin network, including:
Faster transactions.
Lower transaction fees.
Increased scalability.
Greater flexibility.
The Lightning Network has the potential to significantly improve the speed, efficiency, and scalability of the Bitcoin network.
While it’s still in the early stages of development, it has the potential to become an influential part of the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Drawbacks the Lightning Network
As a relatively new technology, the Lightning Network may face some challenges and potential problems. Some of the key challenges and potential issues with the Lightning Network include the following:
Limited adoption.
Complexity.
Security risks.
These challenges and risks should be considered before using the Lightning Network.
Is the Lightning Network the future of Bitcoin?
The Lightning Network has the potential to be an indispensable part of the Bitcoin ecosystem, but you don’t need to use the Lightning Network to start buying BTC.
This information is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax or financial advice from a professional advisor.
The purchase of crypto entails risk. The value of crypto can fluctuate and capital involved in a crypto transaction is subject to market volatility and loss.
Digital currencies are not bank deposits, are not legal tender, and are not backed by the government. Blockchain.com’s products and services are not subject to any governmental or government-backed deposit protection schemes.
Legislative and regulatory changes or actions in any jurisdiction in which Blockchain.com’s customers are located may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and value of digital currencies.
The Lightning Network, Explained was originally published in @blockchain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
