Is it possible to make a Fantom crypto price prediction for 2025? This article takes a look.

The [Fantom project](/news/article/fantom-gbp) was launched as a scalable blockchain network capable of supporting various decentralized applications (DApps), enterprise blockchain applications, and decentralized finance (DeFi) projects. One of the issues that Bitcoin and some of the earlier tokens had was the inability of validators to process and confirm transactions speedily. Fantom solves this issue using the DAG-based consensus algorithm that allows lightning-fast transaction speeds even with the heaviest transaction volumes.

The Fantom token (FTM) quickly became one of the highly sought-after tokens when it was listed on significant exchanges in March 2021. By August 2021, it began a three-month meteoric rise to a high of $3.48.

Then came the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in November 2021. Fantom took a heavy tumble along with the rest of the crypto market, falling to as low as 19 cents in December 2022.

Since that near appointment with the July 2021 all-time low of 15 cents, Fantom's pairing with Tether has risen 160%. But even at that, the price remains below 50 cents, a mere 14% of its August 2021 all-time high.

For a project which has vastly expanded its ecosystem and has been snapping up partnerships with several companies operating in the DeFi space, its current price of 45 cents looks like a steal. While putting a price tag on the 2025 price of the FTM/USDT pair is not realistic, it is hard to see the FTM token remaining at 45 cents until that time.

## Fantom's product base

Fantom has an extensive product base that cuts across several blockchain ecosystems. With more than 300 DApps and more to come, Fantom has the fundamentals of a blockchain product with use cases already working in the marketplace.

Here are some of the applications in partnership with or integrated into Fantom:

1.	DEXs: Fantom provides the functional backbone of several decentralized exchanges. Curve Finance, 1inch, SpiritSwap, OpenOcean, Sushi, Solidly, and OrionTerminal are just a few decentralized exchanges currently running on the Fantom blockchain.

2.	NFT platforms: Fantom also powers NFT platforms such as PaintSwap, NFTKEY, Opera House, and Artion.

3.	Cross-chain bridges: REN, Multichain, SpiritSwap, and SpookySwap are cross-chain bridges where Fantom forms a powerful component.

4.	Lending and borrowing platforms: Fantom also features prominently on lending/borrowing platforms such as Geist, Alpaca Finance, Homora V2, and Qidao.

5.	GameFi: Several blockchain gaming networks, such as Metaland, Raiders, Fantom Survivor, and PocketPals, are built on the Fantom network.

## Fantom crypto price prediction 2025

One factor that will determine the Fantom crypto price prediction for 2025 is the ability of Bitcoin to make a move to recover its 2021 highs. 2025 is two years away. This provides for a long-term outlook for the FTM token.

Fantom has, over time, shown a high positive correlation to Bitcoin, and in the last two years, its price moves have followed that of Bitcoin. For instance, the uptick in Bitcoin prices in January 2023 was also seen in Fantom. February's slight pullback on Bitcoin was also reflected in Fantom's price.

When Mt.Gox collapsed in 2014, nearly everyone believed that the long-awaited demise of Bitcoin had finally arrived. But Bitcoin has not only survived, but it has thrived. Indeed, the crypto market has pulled through at least two severe market downturns.

Markets operate in cycles and tend to follow established chart patterns. To understand how markets work, we need to take a lesson from the Dow Theory of price action, which explains why the financial markets behave the way they do.

The Dow Theory describes three trends: primary, or major, secondary, and minor. Each trend type is formed by the one below it. In other words, the minor trends comprise the secondary trends, which combine to form the primary trend.

Each major trend has three phases:

•	accumulation.

•	public participation.

•	panic/distribution.

The accumulation stage is when the institutional players acquire the token in large numbers. This is usually a quiet event and not in the public glare. In the crypto market, some websites track the movement of cryptocurrencies from the institutional/high net-worth traders, the so-called whales.

One of these is WhaleAlert, which details the net inflows/outflows of cryptocurrencies between wallets and exchanges. Typically, accumulation is marked by a net inflow of stablecoins, such as
Tether, into exchanges, which are used to purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, Fantom, and other coins in large numbers. These are then sent to non-custodial secure wallets, manifesting as exchange outflows. Sadly, many people who will later jump into the market at the other two stages do not have this information.

After accumulation reaches a tipping point, the asset's price will rise, triggering the public participation phase. By this time, the public has become aware of the latest "hot" token and started to buy into the upside move. Most of the time, the purchases are done to go with the flow and do not come with any prior research to guide the purchase.

Some public participants will be lucky to profit from the move, but most will not because they keep carrying their assets to the next stage.

The stage of distribution is when the major players who accumulated earlier start offloading their holdings. The attendant price reversal usually catches out many who entered the move at the public participation stage. The steep drop in price generates panic among them, and they start to sell massively, usually at a loss.

As they sell, the assets' supply keeps rising, and prices keep falling on the back of dwindling demand. Usually, the accumulators would already have sold off and are waiting in the wings for prices to become cheap once more to resume their accumulation.

Every financial market showcases these phases. If you look at the price action of the crypto market from 2015 to date, you will see the three phases in the price action.

![ftm1.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/ftm1_1bdf9883f9.png)
 
BTC/USD chart: 2015 to date

Now, look at the chart of Fantom from its March 2021 launch to date. At what stage do you see the market now, considering that the last accumulation phase occurred just below the current market price? We leave that to you to decide.

![ftm2.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/ftm2_c1a9de2d27.png)
 
FTM/USDT chart: 2021 to date

Now here is a caveat: there is no single price level that is suitable for accumulation. Most institutional players do not buy all their tokens at once or at a single price point. Their portfolios are made up of purchases made at various times and also done using techniques such as [dollar-cost-averaging](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj3ssPA_bv9AhXBhP0HHdl9A1gQFnoECBkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.investopedia.com%2Fterms%2Fd%2Fdollarcostaveraging.asp&usg=AOvVaw2Yhbe1Jj-357NrAA5gByik) to reduce the unit cost of purchasing their tokens. So even though the price of Fantom is at 45 cents, some will buy at 50 cents and later buy at 21 cents. The most crucial point is that the accumulation occurs at a specific price range close to previous lows for the asset in question.

## Technical analysis of the FTM/USDT pair

The technical analysis of the Fantom token's pairing with the Tether stablecoin (which represents the US dollar) will look at the long-term picture of this pair. The time frame that reflects the long-term outlook is the monthly chart. However, we have shown the daily chart as it shows the key price levels better.

![ftm3.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/ftm3_7a753d65ef.png)
 
FTM/USDT (daily chart)

The price action formed a double top, indicating that the uptrend stalled in November 2021. Following this topping pattern, the price broke below the dip between the tops (neckline) and continued to drop until it formed a bottom at the $0.180452 price mark. In technical analysis, the distance between the neckline and the top is about the same as the neckline to the bottom. If you had followed this perspective and bought into the low of December 2022, you probably would have seen your capital grow by 160%.

Fantom's price hit a high of $0.658, the site of a previous high formed in May 2022. Having hit this level, the FTM/USDT pair could not continue the climb, as its correlated asset Bitcoin had hit a roadblock close to the $25,000 price mark.

It is not humanly possible, nor is it advisable, to start making specific price projections two years in advance. However, we can use previous highs and lows to derive potential support/resistance targets that lie ahead when the price starts to recover.

Here is a hint: the Omicron variant's emergence was behind the drop in crypto prices in November 2021. However, a new factor took over in mid-2022, and that was the start of the interest rate hiking cycle by the US Federal Reserve. The rise in interest rates made USD-denominated assets attractive, to the detriment of risky assets such as emerging market currencies, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. If the Fed stopped hiking interest rates, USD-denominated assets, such as the Tether stablecoin, would be unattractive and bring the appeal back to risky assets. You may use any signal by the Fed that it would slow down its rate hikes or stop them entirely as a fundamental, predictive signal that could spur the market's recovery.

There is a basis for this assessment. The Fed announced in December 2022 that it would reduce the size of its rate hikes from 75 basis points. It followed this hint by hiking interest rates by only 25 basis points. This triggered the recovery in the prices of Bitcoin and its correlated assets, such as Fantom, prompting bullish Fantom crypto price predictions for 2025. However, inflation has started to tick back upwards, which could delay a tapering of the rate hikes. The price action of cryptos in February mirrored this, which explains why we had a pullback in the price of FTM/USDT from the $0.658 price mark.

## Where does Fantom crypto price prediction 2025 point to?

Rather than focus too far ahead, traders should use what they see on the charts and in the news to decide when to enter. Fantom is one of those projects with outstanding potential for price appreciation in the long term due to its fundamentals. With a platform that keeps expanding its client base and sound fundamentals, demand for Fantom will only keep growing.

Further price appreciation will depend on the ability of the FTM/USDT pair to breach the resistance at $0.658. Upside targets in the near term would lie at $0.876 and $1.157. Any further advance would require a neckline break, with $1.646 being the next upside target. $1.978 lies ahead, as it was the site of a previous high on 1 March 2022.

You must understand that any upticks will not automatically shoot up like rockets. Instead, there will be the ebbs and falls in the wave motion of price action, as defined by the Dow Theory nearly a century ago.


green image of fantom logo overlaying image of trading screen

: Fantom Crypto Price Prediction 2025

No stranger to controversy, Madonna, who's been turning heads for more than 40 years on matters of entertainment, business, and sexuality, is at it again. In partnership with the artist Mike Winkelmann of the Beeple NFT fame, she's lately released a series of NFTs.

## Madonna embraces blockchain

Pop superstar Madonna's entry into the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) last March 2022 caught many fans by surprise. She forked out 180 ETH, worth a whopping $560,000 at that time, for a tattooed NFT ape from the Bored Ape Yacht Club ([BAYC](/news/article/bayc-derivatives-explored)) digital art collection. 

Later, in May 2022, the musician released the first Madonna NFT series titled the “[Mother of Creation](https://motherofcreation.xyz/)". The series comprises three digitally rendered videos showcasing a nude woman giving birth to fauna, flora, and technology.

The digital artwork resulted from a year-long partnership between her and Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple. Winkelmann made the headlines in 2021 with his Everydays: the First 5000 Days, which fetched $69.9 million at Christie's and set the NFT space on fire. 

## What is the Madonna NFT collection?

The "Mother of Creation" is an exclusive collection containing only three single-edition NFTs. The digital artist and pop/sex symbol is using the videos, showcasing three different motherhood-inspired aspects of life to celebrate motherhood. The Madonna NFT videos give audiences a full-frontal view of the pop star's avatar lying in a hospital bed, forest floor, and rusted vehicle, giving birth. Each of the NFTs is paired with her poetry or that by Rumi, a mystic poet. 

The NFTs are named:

1.	Mother of Nature: The first Madonna NFT, depicting her lying on a laboratory bed delivering a tree that blooms as soon as it comes out of her body, focuses on plant life.  

2.	Mother of Evolution: The second NFT depicts her naked in a run-down city while sitting in some modified vehicle. In the video, her legs are open, and butterflies emerge from her body – the NFT focuses on animal life.

3.	Mother of Technology: The third NFT showing Madonna stark naked and lying in the middle of a forest shows a series of bionic centipedes moving up and down after protruding from her vagina, focusing on technological advancement.

## A provocative NFT collection with a cause
 
To the casual observer, the Madonna [NFT collection](/news/article/are-nfts-dead-investigation) is peculiar but mostly seen as provocative. However, for those in the know, both the theme and execution of the videos are consistent with the character and style of Madonna and Beeple. The amorousness depicted has characterized Madonna’s decades-long musical and artistic career, while the weird renderings speak loudly of Beeple’s typical artwork.

Asked about the provoking nature of her NFT project, Madonna told [New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/09/arts/design/madonna-beeple-nft-videos.html) that the theme was deliberate and wasn't simply "provocative just for the sake of provocation". According to the pop diva, the centipedes and butterflies she gives birth to in the videos symbolize hope and technology.    
  
## Conclusion 

Despite the backlash and initial criticism from the community following the launch of the Madonna NFT collection, the Mother of Creation NFT series fetched more than $600,000. While it may be a far cry from Beeple's $69.9 million, Madonna intimated that proceeds from her NFTs would benefit three non-profit organizations working for women and children. They are the Ukraine-based Voices of Children Foundation, the Congo-based City of Joy Foundation, and Black Mama's Bail Out.

Beyond being a source of entertainment, Madonna’s NFTs indicate that celebrities and charities can, through the [sale and auctioning of NFTs](/news/article/are-nfts-dead-investigation), secure funds for organizations and movements supporting significant causes.


madonna nft created by beeple with image of madonna singing in foreground

Madonna NFT Collection Courts Controversy 

Traditional financial service companies and startups have noticed that cryptocurrency is becoming a valuable investment asset and getting bigger. To attract new users with crypto, they've introduced a new type of cryptocard with great flexibility and security features. Here's what you need to know.

## What is a prepaid cryptocard?

Also known as a crypto debit card, a [prepaid cryptocard](https://www.mastercard.com/global/en/business/issuers/crypto/card-program.html) is a card that takes funds from a user’s crypto account. The card is topped up using crypto from an individual’s or cryptocurrency exchange accounts. Crypto debit cards allow users to spend their crypto funds instantly without moving money around. 

Before their introduction, crypto holders intending to spend their assets had first to convert them from crypto exchanges and have them wired to their accounts, a process that would take hours or several days.

A prepaid cryptocard can be used for in-person and online purchases and cash withdrawals from ATMs, including from ATMs and vendors that don't traditionally accept cryptocurrencies. Cardholders no longer need to exchange their digital assets for any local currency. Once preload their crypto debit card with a given amount of cryptocurrency, it automatically and instantly converts during a transaction. 

## Crypto credit vs. debit cards

Unlike a crypto debit card tied to your account and drawing directly from your crypto holdings, a crypto credit card functions like a short-term loan. [The card](/news/article/nexo-card-or-binance-card) provider allows you to use their funds, to a specific limit, based on your credit history. Typically, the card provider is responsible for servicing your account, accepting your payments, billing you for purchases, and all other administrative tasks. Your responsibility is to make timely payments to continue enjoying the service.

## Should you acquire a prepaid cryptocard?

As knowledge about cryptocurrencies and digital assets rises remarkably, more financial service providers are hitting the market with [cryptocurrency cards](/news/article/best-crypto-card-uk), most of which incorporate rewards they pay out in crypto. The best thing about crypto rewards is that, unlike other reward points programs such as those offered by airlines and some stores, the value of crypto rewards can appreciate. If you believe in cryptocurrencies, a crypto debit card from a trusted provider is generally a good idea.


blue image of person paying at till with cryptocard

Cryptocard Choices: Which One for You?

The development of blockchain technology over the last couple of years has brought many new and exciting concepts to this nascent asset class. There are none more exciting than the crossover between blockchain, crypto, and gaming, such as UFO Gaming.

Popularly known as Play to Earn (P2E), this novel concept allows gaming fans worldwide to earn rewards while competing in competitions and tournaments. Most [games are free to play](/news/article/free-play-to-earn-games), but players can purchase NFTs from rewards earnt during the game.

One of the [latest P2E games](https://ufogaming.io/about) on the market is UFO Gaming, designed by a team of crypto and gaming enthusiasts to 'bridge the gap' between blockchain and gaming.

The team has managed to create an elaborately exquisite environment they have called the Dark Metaverse, where all the action takes place. Here players can build profiles and earn rewards, which can then be used to buy in-game items that players can own.

UFO Gaming has had a strong start and developed partnerships with some of the biggest names in crypto and gaming making. This a project which has caught my eye.

## Staking

For players to play the game, they must first generate Plasma Points and/or UFO Rewards, which can then be used to purchase in-game items and NFTs. This is achieved by staking your precious UFO Gaming crypto tokens, $UFO, on the in-house smart contract. Once tokens have been acquired, players can purchase Genesis NFT Soldiers, which are required to play the debut game Super Galactic. All staking rewards enter a 12-month vesting period after claiming.

There has already been a fair amount of interest in staking, with some $2.7 million already staked. With an average APR of 40.9%, it is easy to see why. Players can choose between Locked or Flexible staking, which, as the terms suggest, depends on whether they want to claim their rewards straight away. However, Locked Staking generates 2x more rewards than Flexi Staking.

Players only need one NFT to begin playing the game. However, with a maximum number of 10,000 available, it is easy to see why demand has been so high. Once the NFT creation phase completes, interested parties will be able to trade NFTs on the NFT marketplace.

## $UFO token

This all sounds great. Where do I get my UFO Gaming crypto tokens?

In a sign of the size of the project and overall confidence, the native coin is available from several primary sources. Both centralised and decentralised exchanges are listing $UFO. 

However, the main places you can purchase the token are KuCoin, UniSwap, Gate.io, and ShibaSwap. It is also available from BitMart and MEXC. Current statistics show there are 66,636 holders of $UFO, which, according to the latest market data, has a price per coin of $0.00000197.

## Values

The UFO Gaming crypto project has been developed around 4 core values which underline its commitment to the twin realms of blockchain and gaming. These are:

### Community – the project is 100% community-owned and strives to keep decentralisation at the heart of every decision.
Gaming – being gamers at heart, the project has been designed to challenge and empower gamers in all aspects of gameplay.

### Accessibility – The game has been designed to break down any hurdles surrounding blockchain technical jargon making the game accessible to players of all levels.

### Ambition – Not satisfied with maintaining a status quo, the team behind the platform has big plans for the future.

## UFO Gaming crypto partners

Apart from impressive statistics on the amount already invested, the project stood out due to the number of industry partners to have already signed deals. Some of the biggest names in crypto are associated with the project, which points to the project's legitimacy. KuCoin, Chainlink, Polygon, and ShibaSwap are all listed on the website, which gives me confidence in the team and project.

## Conclusion

As you can see, UFO Gaming is in a perfect position to take the P2E world by storm.

The product it has created is slick and fun to play and has so far generated more than $2.7 million in value staked. The recent hosting of a $10,000 gaming tournament and the [acquisition of a first-class e-sports team](https://ufogaming.io/eSports) shows how ambitious the team behind the project really is. This is a project to watch out for in 2023.


UFO Gaming Crypto Staking Explored 

Blockchain is the technology making the headlines, but what are the alternatives to blockchain tech? 

The rise of crypto, blockchain, and decentralised ledger technology is one of the biggest stories of the last five years. From illicit dark web purchases to a viable store of value, the success of Bitcoin is well known. However, it hasn't always been plain sailing. The road forward has been dogged with issues of scalability, security, and speed. This is what is known as the blockchain trilemma. It assumes that to have strength in one, the other two must be compromised. 

As we know, iterations of some of the original chains can be slow and expensive. The expensive cost of [Ethereum gas fees](https://news.bitcoin.com/ethereum-gas-fees-spike-as-eth-value-rises-average-onchain-fees-jump-by-more-than-50/) is well documented. 

This then begs the question – are there any alternatives to blockchain? 

## Centralised databases 

Blockchain fans have long argued that 'decentralisation is better'. However, with significant scalability issues, this is often not the case. Centralised databases can combat this problem due to their ability to focus all of their resources at once. Take VISA, for example. The world's largest payment network can process up to 24,000 transactions per second which, compared to Bitcoin's seven and Ethereum's 20, is still light years ahead. 

## Centralised ledger 

A centralised ledger is a system that tracks and records every transaction controlled or handled by a single authority. This could include assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. Like a centralised database, a centralised ledger is used to record anything which holds financial value and acts as a central hub for all financial management. While centralised ledgers are good for efficiency and ready access, they are vulnerable to user mismanagement and hacks. 

## Distributed databases 

As the name implies, a distributed database is a database spread across multiple computers and networks. The primary advantage of a distributed database is the ability to provide efficient, low-cost, and secure data access due to the network's design. However, when network traffic is high, distributed databases can also be notoriously slow and expensive to run. 

## Cloud storage 

The volume of data stored in backup files continues to grow as our reliance on digital networks expands. The demand for data storage has seen an exponential rise in cloud solutions from tech giants such as Amazon Web Services and Google Drive. A combination of distributed and encrypted segmentation and the use of blockchain basics such as hashing and public/private keys ensures that cloud storage continues to maintain its reputation for robust security against motivated hackers. 

## Decentralised storage 

In a similar vein to the DLT concept and based on the principle of peer-to-peer technology, decentralised storage solutions provide users with a highly secure and scalable option. As in a nodal network, each user is responsible for managing their portion of the storage system, which provides a resilient and robust filing system. 

## Other DLT 

With Bitcoin recently celebrating its 14th birthday, it is safe to say we are still in the early days of blockchain technology. However, the demand for open-source code and sharing of ideas has meant the industry has developed rapidly since the days of Satoshi Nakamoto's white paper. 

Thousands of blockchains are available on the market, resulting in some fascinating iterations of the original concept of a distributed ledger. One of the major developments is that of the [Directed Acyclic Graph](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed_acyclic_graph) (DAG), often referred to as 3rd generation blockchain technology (Proof of Work being 1st generation and Proof of Stake being 2nd). 

Generally speaking, DAGs rely on a 'conceptual representation' of a series of activities instead of blockchain's linear data structure. With each project developing its own interpretation, DAG-based blockchains are proving infinitely faster than their traditional counterparts. 

For example, IOTA uses a DAG protocol known as The Tangle. It allows transactions to be added in parallel rather than in a linear fashion. Meanwhile, DAG blockchain giant Hedera uses a 'gossip' network design that ensures nodes only transmit the minimum of information at random, leading to lightning-fast speeds of 10,000 transactions per second. 

## Conclusion 

As we can see, the expansion of peer-to-peer technology has led to the growth of a broad range of commercial solutions leaving 1st generation protocols such as Bitcoin exposed and seemingly underdeveloped. It is, therefore, easy to see why upgrades like[ Lightning Network ](https://lightning.network/)are eagerly anticipated. 

Meanwhile, the team behind Ethereum proved the necessity of upgrading dated technology last year when it transitioned from a Proof of Work to a Proof of Stake protocol in an event known as The Merge. The popularity and success of this upgrade, alongside the numerous options, some of which I described above, show that there are [many alternative avenues for blockchain technology](/news/article/the-future-of-crypto-in-the-next-5-years). This shows that it is imperative that blockchain technology adapts to changing demands. 

Alternatives to Blockchain Technology?

After the euphoria of 2021, last year proved to be a massive disappointment, with many new to crypto losing large amounts of money. One sector that felt the chill of the crypto winter was NFTs - from the highs of 2021, the NFT market cap currently stands at $10.5 billion, leaving many to ask – are NFTs dead?

As a quick recap, an NFT is a digital certificate of authenticity that can represent ownership. However, for now, most NFTs are created to represent digital media, be it artwork, music, or 3D images. In the future, NFT use can extend to contracts, ticketing  - in fact, any real-world product or event where digital ownership is needed.

## Reasons to be optimistic

As I mentioned above, the value of the NFT market today is some $10.5 billion and [counts for 1.03% of the total cryptocurrency market cap](https://coinmarketcap.com/view/collectibles-nfts/). A large sum by anyone's reckoning.

Some people see the picture rather differently. They believe that the end is near due to the massive decrease in NFT trades from the highs of January 2022.

So other than market value, what are the reasons for us to feel optimistic about the future of the NFT? There are many, but let's take a look at five of the strongest reasons to be cheerful ~
Inflation caused worldwide markets to dump, not just NFT
The fallout from two years of the COVID-19 pandemic was almost inevitable. The response to unlimited currency printing resulted in a real-time fall in the value of goods and services, aka inflation. 

This insidious metric has risen in every corner of society, from stocks to commodities to everyday goods, resulting in higher prices across the board. However, all is not lost. The US and the UK have recently recorded drops in the inflation rate, with further falls expected as we progress through the year. This is encouraging for anyone looking to invest a little spare cash into crypto and NFTs.

## Many major brands looking to launch NFT

Many mainstream brands such as Budweiser, Gucci, and Nike have launched or are planning to launch NFT collections soon. NFTs and the Metaverse go hand in hand - Nike fans will be able to purchase a pair of digital sneakers for $50. Nike's platform is built on Polygon. To interact, users simply have to set up a digital wallet and load it with either ETH or MATIC crypto.

## Bored Apes still trending – partnership

Despite the massive drop off from the highs of 2021, one of the most talked about NFT collections – the Bored Ape Yacht Club – is still proving popular with its legions of fans. At its height, one BAYC digital artwork sold for $3.6 million, with another going for $1.7 million. Recent data from Google has shown that searches for BAYC are increasing. In what is certainly a nod to the future of the NFT, [a self-described BAYC whale just parted with $900k to buy 69 DeGods NFTs](/news/article/bored-ape-whale-buys-69-degods-nft).

## Elon Musk and Twitter

Unless you live under a rock, you will be aware that famed entrepreneur Elon Musk finally put pen to paper and purchased the social media platform Twitter. Musk makes no secret of his love of all things crypto, especially given his close association with DOGE coin. If, as many suspect, he makes DOGE the native currency of Twitter, this is expected to provide a huge boost for the legitimacy and, indeed, use of crypto. In perhaps a sign of things to come, NFT Twitter fans can now display their digital art as part of their profile picture.

## Continued evolution

As mentioned above, NFTs are closely related to the Metaverse in the form of digital items users can create, trade, and use on their whim. The future of gaming is virtual, as what we know of as video games changes at a rapid pace. The rise of the mobile Play to Earn gaming concept has seen significant growth in the Far East, allowing players to create and trade their precious digital items. While this has not entirely caught on in the West, many industry experts believe an integrated commercial environment that allows players to trade and earn via NFTs is not from being a common reality.

## The future

There are many reasons to be upbeat about the future of the NFT.

However, as I mentioned above, apart from digital artwork, there is a real need for NFT use cases in wider society. This is mainly due to their ability to determine a unique and non-transferable (non-fungible) good or service. It must be remembered that no NFT can be traded on a like-for-like basis (unlike traditional crypto). This ability to uniquely identify without being copied, substituted, or sub-divided brings value to an NFT.

The concept behind the NFT is relatively simple. This digital certificate then exists on a blockchain which can be accessed and viewed by anyone, thus proving ownership, digital or otherwise. 

NFTs have the ability to revolutionise a wide variety of traditional industries radically, [none more so than real estate](https://butterflymx.com/blog/nft-real-estate/). As we are all probably aware, the house purchase process in the UK is far from ideal, with endless documentation and last-minute gazumping a common reality.

Now imagine a future where buyers and sellers agree a price and use a third-party escrow account to manage the purchase. Once complete, the deeds to the property are transferred in the form of an NFT, which exists on an immutable blockchain. This is a great example of how distributed ledger technology will directly impact the fabric of our future lives. With estimates of a $230 billion market valuation by 2030, there has never been a better time to consider investing in NFTs.


Are NFTs dead? An Investigation

It is one of the most familiar names in the NFT space, but what is the real story behind the Pudgy Penguins brand, and what does the future look like?

Pudgy Penguins are a collection of 8,888 NFT pieces of digital artwork revolving around, you guessed it, penguins. Released by eponymous developer ColeThereum in July 2021, the collection gained notoriety with its rapid price rise through the bull market of that year.

Within weeks the original mint had quickly sold out, with those clamouring to get involved resorting to the secondary NFT market on OpenSea. With an outstanding level of community support, the highest price paid for a Pudgy Penguin occurred in September 2021, reaching 225 ETH, or close to $1 million at the time.
So that leaves the question, where are we now? Is there still demand for the collection given the recent downturn in the crypto market? If so, what does the future hold?

## Brand potential

After a tumultuous 2022, it looks as if PP fortunes may be about to revive. The hype surrounding NFT started to die off once the crypto market took a trip to the downside - none more so than Pudgy Penguins. In this increasingly hostile and fraught environment, suspicions began to rise regarding the morality of creator ColeThereum. With whispers of his involvement in previous rug pulls and scams, fears were finally confirmed in late 2021 when it was [revealed that the founding team had emptied the project of funds](https://nftevening.com/pudgy-penguins-founders-cancelled).

The resulting fallout saw ardent community member 9x9x9 publish a blizzard of tweets accusing the founder and his support team of underhand activity and scamming the community. As the debate wore on, 9x9x9 revealed that the team had turned down his offer to buy the IP to the collection for 888 ETH. However, despite this knockback, another community member stepped forward and declared his interest with a deal completed in April 2022, which saw complete titular leadership of the brand [handed over for the princely sum of 750 Ethereum](https://dappradar.com/blog/pudgy-penguins-thrives-with-new-owner-luca-netz).

The new owner, Luca Schnetzler, declared his admiration for the brand and revealed he was a long-term fan of the project and the community. Schnetzler went on to say, “Pudgy Penguins was my first PFP NFT, and I knew when I first bought it that Pudgy Penguins had the highest upside when it came to brand potential. When I saw other people bidding on Pudgy Penguins, I knew I had to step in. I’ve built multiple brands to nine figures in revenue over the last five years, and I felt like my skill set was the best to succeed at the job.”

## Meme potential

With many holders using their coveted Penguin as an online flex, there has been much speculation over the appeal of this artwork. Their simple and unique features have created a legion of followers seduced by the plain yet serene nature of the NFTs. Although the original design team of four sought to remain anonymous, the New York Times did what they do best and revealed their identities at the peak of the NFT hype.

The four Computer Science undergraduates behind the brand were led by a head honcho MrTubby, also known as Clayton Patterson. In an interview with the newspaper Patterson revealed the reason for the project's creation, saying, "There was a huge meme potential in fat-looking penguins, so we decided to roll with that". 

While other NFT projects opted for a more serious approach, the Pudgy Penguin collection decided to lean heavily into memeology. Based on the Claymation adventures of popular children's cartoon Pengu, the Pudgy Penguins are helping to develop much-needed innovation within the Web3 ecosystem.

## ‘Feel-good factor'

And so, from being on the brink of capitulation, it seems the well-loved NFT brand is finally back in a happy and confident place. In the weeks following the deal, the newly installed team at Pudgy Penguins has been hard at work rebuilding the brand image and increasing the levels of community engagement. Schnetzler believes this is partly due to the project's 'feel-good factor', which helps "uplift people and make their day a little easier".

Whatever the reason, the process appears to be working as interest in the brand continues to evolve. From a floor price of 1.7 ETH in August 2022, the new team at the helm has managed to drive an increase of some 400% to a peak of 6.9 ETH in early January this year. This price surge has made many people sit up and take notice. 

Many believe the Penguins are leading the charge in a resurgent interest in NFTs.

Whatever the future, due to their versatility and wide-ranging use cases, NFTs look like they are here to stay. The ability for anyone to design, create and publish an NFT on platforms like [OpenSea](/news/article/guide-to-minting-nfts-opensea) means the appeal is assured and sustainable. And with values rising by the day, now could be the time to invest.


pink image of pudgy pengiun nft on pink background

Pudgy Penguins - Is the Hype Worth the Price?

Anyone invested in or trading Bitcoin will understand the [power of technical analysis and accurate data](/news/article/how-does-crypto-trading-work), including the Fear and Greed Index.

Suffice it to say, there are a variety of sources, all of which profess to provide the most up-to-date information.

Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index is one such leading indicator popular with the online community.

The index appears as a Twitter account that claims to amalgamate data from various sources and provide a score based on trader and investor emotion and sentiment. The score ranges from 0 (extreme fear) to 100 (extreme greed), with a score of 50 representing neutral bias.

## ChatGPT

According to ChatGPT, the index considers factors such as volatility, market trends, social media sentiment, and trading volume in determining its score.

It must be remembered that this is only ever intended as an indicator and should never solely be used to base your investment decisions. That said, many successful investors use the index as part of their decision-making strategy. Technical analysis alone doesn't often paint an accurate picture, making the index a potentially handy tool to have at your disposal.

As you might imagine, higher scores suggest the market is overbought, whereas lower scores indicate a good time to buy.

The tool is free to access. Although it doesn't have a website, it uses Twitter to publish regular updates. I must admit that this does set off some alarm bells. Without concrete evidence, such as an API or data oracle, that demonstrates how these variables influence the indicator, the accuracy of the index must be called into question.

Although there is nothing to support the Twitter account 'Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index', [Alternative.Me](https://alternative.me/crypto/fear-and-greed-index/) produces a similar 'Crypto Fear and Greed Index', which gives ratings for the whole market.

## Sources

According to the analytics site [Look into Bitcoin](https://www.lookintobitcoin.com/charts/bitcoin-fear-and-greed-index/), the index is derived from six variables on a daily basis. These are:

•	Volatility (25%) – The current rate of volatility over the previous 30 and 90 days. It is widely accepted that higher volatility rates generally indicate an anxious market.

•	Volume (25%) – Again, relative to the previous 30 and 90 days, exceptionally high levels of trading volume can indicate high levels of greed in the market.

•	Sentiment (15%) – The index looks at general social media sentiment towards crypto with relevance to historical norms.

•	Surveys (15%) - Public polling platform StrawPoll was conducting weekly opinion surveys to garner the sentiment of a series of investors. However, this has been paused for the foreseeable future.

•	Dominance (10%) – BTC's overall market dominance is recorded and taken into account.

•	Trends (10%) – Google trends are viewed and analysed to identify strong periods of growth and decline in the market.

## Investment advice

When you overlay the index across the BTC price history chart, the usefulness of the indicator becomes apparent. While this tool may not be laser accurate, it becomes clear that when the indicator enters the lowest 10%, historically, this is the best time to buy BTC. Likewise, when scores reach the upper bands, this is a great time to consolidate profits and sell.

Users of the Crypto Fear and Greed version by Alternative.Me can install and embed the indicator widget to their website with minimal coding skills. However, Alternative.Me claims that despite listing the sources of its information, it is not 'investment advice, financial advice, trading advice, or any other sort of advice'.

## Other options

There are a wide variety of indicators available to the conscientious crypto investor. Models such as Stock to Flow, Pi Cycle Top Indicator, and the Rainbow Price Chart Indicator are all helpful in improving overall decision making.

It is important to view the Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index as a part of your crypto toolbox. It is a tool that, together with others, helps to form a picture of the current state of market conditions.


scared man and greedy man on blue background

Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index Explained 

Revolut is an example of the 'neobank' which have flooded the market in the last few years, as this review will explain. 

Offering more than traditional banking services, neobanks such as [Revolut](https://www.revolut.com/) allow users access to a wide range of other financial services, including several foreign currencies, trading facilities, cryptocurrencies, and debit cards.

Due to Revolut's inability to secure a UK banking licence, it offers 'interest-bearing vaults' rather than traditional deposit accounts.

## Revolut review introduction

Technology is the constant which drives human development across the planet. None more so than in the realm of personal finance. The last five years have seen an entirely new approach to banking with the introduction of mobile financial applications, which offer more than pure banking services. One of the biggest success stories in the past five years is the banking app Revolut.

Revolut is a British-based digital banking and financial technology company that provides various services, including debit cards, foreign exchange, and peer-to-peer payments. 

As well as a desktop-based website, the company's services are accessed through a mobile app and are available in various countries worldwide. The core goal of [Revolut](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolut) is to make banking more accessible, more affordable, and convenient for its customers.

## Revolut review background

With headquarters in London, the company was founded in 2015 by Russian native Nikola Storonksy and Ukrainian Vladimir Yatsenko and originates from Level39, a financial technology incubator based in the City.

In a little under three years, the company had raised $250 million from a series C funding round which gave the company a subsequent $1.7 billion post-funding valuation.

As of 2021, due to a successful $800 million funding round, the company is valued at $33 billion, has 15 million users worldwide, and generates a revenue of $261 million. These impressive statistics make Revolut one of the most valuable tech start-ups today. However, despite this valuation and record turnover, the company recorded a $167 million loss in 2021.

According to the company website, some 1.1 million customers use Revolut daily, generating some £65 billion in transactions since 2020. According to recent statistics on the company website, Revolut is available in 37 countries worldwide.

The team behind Revolut features some heavy hitters from the world of international finance. In August 2019, the company announced a series of hires, including former Goldman Sachs executive director Wolfgang Bardorf, ex-Visa fraud prevention manager Philip Doyle, and former corporate finance manager Stefan Wille. Shortly afterward, the company announced a deal with Visa that expanded the operation into 24 new territories resulting in the hiring of 3,500 extra staff.

Despite some impressive statistics Revolut does not actually hold a UK banking licence despite applying in January 2021. Regardless, the company continues to expand and has recently begun operations in Japan and the US, increasing its staff from 1,500 to 5,000.

As mentioned above, despite holding a challenger banking licence from the European Union, Revolut does not hold UK banking status. This limits the scope and security of its operations. In particular, this means that any deposits made with the app are not covered by the Deposit Protection Scheme. Therefore, Revolut uses third-party banking services such as Barclays and Lloyds to store customer deposits to their platform. This also means that Revolut cannot reimburse any customers who fall victim to authorized push payment fraud.

## Revolut review: Services

As of January 2023, services listed on the Revolut website include debit cards, virtual cards, Apple Pay interest-bearing vaults, foreign exchange, commission-free stock, and crypto and commodity trading.

The popular mobile application supports spending and ATM withdrawals in 120 currencies, with direct transfers available in 29 currencies directly from the app. Any payments made at the weekend incur extra fees of between 0.5% and 2% to protect customers from exchange rate fluctuations.

In 2022, Revolut launched its stock trading app modelled on popular competitor Robinhood, which allows users to trade various stocks, commodities, currencies, and crypto.

Due to the rise in [popularity of crypto](/news/article/bitcoin-surge-hits-new-heights), Revolut allows its users to trade some of the largest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and XRP. However, unlike professional trading platforms such as Binance, cryptocurrency cannot be deposited or spent from Revolut, but only converted back to fiat inside the mobile application.

This is because Revolut uses the Metropolitan Bank of New York, which has a zero crypto policy.

Alongside access to crypto and commodities, Revolut provides an equities trading facility that gives access to a wide range of US stocks and fractional share purchases/sales. However, like crypto, any stocks purchased on the platform cannot be transferred to another broker but must instead be sold or converted back to cash which can then be withdrawn.

Revolut offers two premium tiers on top of the free-to-use basic service. These are Premium and Metal.

•	Premium offers users unlimited foreign exchange, 'double free' ATM withdrawals abroad, and free travel insurance.

•	Metal provides all Premium features plus 1% on any currency (including crypto), 'quadruple free' ATM withdrawals abroad, cashback opportunities, and various discounts.

The company also recently launched its 'Junior Account', aimed at 7 to 17-year-olds, to teach younger people how to budget and take responsibility for their finances.

According to company statistics, the average user monthly deposit to the platform is £305, below nearest competitors Monzo and Starling. Monzo remains the UK's largest neobank with 4.7 million users; however, with 4.2 million, Revolut is head and shoulders clear of its nearest rival, Starling, which has 2.7m UK customers. 60% of Revolut's customers are male with an average age of 34 years, two years older than Monzo yet one year younger than Starling Bank.

## Revolut review: Fees

As with any banking application, consideration of the fee structure is very important. Revolut has made sure their fees are competitive.

Opening an account with Revolut is free. There is no monthly cost to use and maintain your account, albeit on a basic level. The application makes its profit from what are relatively high fees in a variety of other ways.

Users who wish to apply for a Revolut debit card must pay £4.99. Premium plan users can get their hands on a card without charge.

Customers who wish to withdraw money via an ATM do not have to pay any charges up to £200 per month. After this amount, there is a charge of 2%.

When transferring cash between bank accounts, customers can do this via traditional banking wire methods. The company does not charge for this service. However, those users who wish to transfer money via the SWIFT network will incur a charge.

Additionally, Revolut does not charge a fee for customers looking to top up their accounts using a different bank card.
Revolut users who wish to trade or exchange currencies do not incur charges for amounts up to £1,000 on weekdays, but will be charged 0.5% above this amount. Currency prices are based on competitive exchange rates sourced from third-party providers. At weekends, exchange rates are fixed and prices include a mark-up for both users of the free as well as the paid-for plans.

As with close competitors Monzo and Starling, Revolut earns most of its revenue from a process known as interchange, where it takes an additional 0.2% of every transaction fee.

## Controversy

Despite the perceived success of Revolut, a handful of controversies have dogged the brand in recent years.

Any account suspected of suspicious activity is automatically frozen by algorithmically driven trading bots. While any account suspension is designed to be temporary until human review, there have been a number of cases where customer accounts have been frozen for a considerable amount of time, leading to inaccessible balances.

The company said this was due to a lack of compliance agents. The scandal deepened further when affected parties understood that despite no longer having access to their accounts, Revolut did and, therefore, could continue to expose any balances to wholesale money markets, earning interest. Furthermore, any customers with suspended accounts were blocked from accessing customer support channels, instead receiving an automated response from pre-programmed chatbots. To date, some 500 customers have been locked out of their accounts with little or no response from the Revolut customer support team.

A March 2019 investigation by the journalistic platform Wired expressed concern over Revolut's employment practices and workplace culture. The report found that along with high staff turnover, employees were often expected to work for free and ordered to work weekends to meet company targets. The following year, Wired conducted another investigation that uncovered further underhand practices concerning redundancies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees who were not immediately terminated were expected to accept a 'salary sacrifice scheme' to keep their jobs.

Due in part to Revolut’s inability to obtain a UK banking licence, the company is not aligned to the Contingency Reimbursement Model Scheme and, so, has refused to reimburse any victims of Authorised Push Payment Fraud in the UK.

## Pros and cons

There are several benefits to opening an account with Revolut. However, these are balanced with a series of drawbacks.

### Pros ~

•	A modern and diverse range of banking features, including cryptocurrency options.

•	Flexibility in regards to account top up.

•	Worthwhile perks for Premium and Metal account holders.

### Cons ~

•	No UK banking licence means no current accounts and no deposit guarantees or standing orders.

•	Very poor customer support.

•	Accounts can be frozen without any warning.

## Revolut review conclusion

Compared to other UK challenger or neobanks, Revolut can be considered to have a more European-centric focus. 

Operating in every EU jurisdiction, Revolut is also present in other countries which have established trade relations with the European block, including Australia, Canada, Japan, and the US.

Due to the controversy surrounding Revolut's decision to disable sanctioned transactions, Revolut still does not hold a UK banking licence despite applying twice, the latest time in 2021. It circumnavigates this problem by running its banking operation via Lithuania, which approved its European banking licence in 2018.

Founder Nikolay Storonksy has grand ambitions for Revolut, aiming to become a financial 'super app' modelling itself along the lines of China's WeChat and Alipay, which have revolutionised banking in mainland China. Whether he gets to realise this ambition is yet to be seen.

Despite some bad press and stalling of business operations, Revolut remains the [second most popular neo-banking app](https://www.businessofapps.com/data/revolut-statistics/) in the UK market today. [4] The leadership team of both Nikolay Storonksy and Vladimir Yatsenko are strong supporters of the movement opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with the company donating £1.5 million to the Red Cross Ukraine appeal. This may go some way to improving a somewhat tarnished reputation.


Revolut Review - Everything You Need to Know 

[FinTech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fintech) companies are making waves in the UK, especially with the growing popularity of blockchain tech, such as NFTs and cryptocurrency.

FinTech has entered popular parlance in recent years. An amalgamation of financial and technology, it refers to companies using technology to compete with traditional financial (TradFi) methods in delivering financial services.

Four main components make up the FinTech world:

•	Artificial intelligence.

•	Blockchain.

•	Cloud computing.

•	Big data

These components, often referred to as the ABCD, form the backbone of the industry.

Technological developments are constantly pushing the boundaries of FinTech in a never-ending move toward more financial inclusion. 

The evolution of smartphones and their applications has seen a surge in the popularity and use of mobile banking, investing, lending, and various cryptocurrency services as the general population take more control over their financial future.

The industry consists of start-ups, traditional financial institutions, and technology companies, often all working together to enhance the customer experience and encourage financial intelligence.

## FinTech companies UK

Investment in global FinTech has risen by more than 12,000% from $930 million in 2008 to over $121.6 billion today. Forecasters predict that by 2030 the global FinTech market is expected to reach $949 billion at an average growth rate of 17.2% per year.

FinTech companies UK represent the country's strongest start-up sector, consisting of more than 1,400 'high growth companies' and 20 unicorns (firms worth more than $1 billion). The industry attracts more venture capital than any other business raising some £21.9 billion so far, of which £7.4 billion came in the bumper year of 2021. 

With a total market valuation of just over £11 billion, FinTech in the UK is big business.

As you might expect, 96% of all UK FinTech firms are based in London. Around 9% of companies were founded by a female boss.
As of July 2022, the [three top FinTech companies in the UK](https://www.beauhurst.com/blog/fintech-startup-companies/) were:

•	Checkout.com.

•	Revolut.

•	Monzo

Checkout.com was founded in 2012 and raised £1.36 billion through four equity rounds. Its core business is payment processing software development allowing businesses to pay in more than 150 currencies. Its innovative platform combines several separate payment technologies and covers every stage of the process. With on ramps including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, it is easy to see why it is the UK's largest FinTech company.

Following closely behind is the well-known brand Revolut, which services more than 18 million customers worldwide with financial services and digital banking through its popular mobile application. 

Since launching in 2013, Revolut has raised some £1.27 billion in equity. In December 2021, the company was awarded a full banking licence from the European Central Bank, making Revolut one of the best well-known FinTech brands on the market today.

In third place is challenger bank Monzo, which is fully regulated by the FCA and PRA in the UK. Founded in 2015 and based in the City of London, Monzo help more than 6 million customers manage their financial well-being through its digital banking platform. Monzo is free to use, but with the Premium option (£15 per month), customers are eligible for free phone and travel insurance.

## FinTech companies UK conclusion

Despite a global market slowdown in 2022, UK FinTech investment reached some $12.5 billion last year. It is easy to see why FinTech is held in such high regard in the UK.

Indeed, with over 2500 FinTech companies based in the country, the UK ranks as the [third largest FinTech hub in the world](https://www.londonstockexchange.com/uk-fintech-ecosystem).

Furthermore, around £3.6 trillion of foreign exchange trades are processed in London daily. This is more than the next four largest markets combined. When you add the fact that some 90,000 finance and insurance firms are based in the UK, it is obvious why the country remains top of the international finance industry.

According to a recent report by Deloitte, the UK FinTech industry is dominated by WealthTech and Payments. However, there are considered to be some 23 subsegments of the national ecosystem, making for an extremely varied and versatile industry.

As we can see from the examples above, growth in the space continues to be driven by high levels of investment, reaching some $11.6 billion in 2021, second only to the USA and counting for half of all European FinTech investments. As more and more people embrace the move away from traditional banking, the FinTech industry is predicted to double in value by 2030. If, as many expect, this forecast continues to materialise for FinTech companies UK, there has never been a more opportune time to be involved in this exciting industry.


blue image of two women working on computers in tech company

FinTech Companies in the UK 2023

[ParaSwap](https://www.paraswap.io/) is a DeFi aggregation site combining all the liquidity of decentralised exchanges and lending protocols into one easy-to-digest source.

The site ensures that all data is accessible through a secure interface and comprehensive APIs. It offers some of the best prices in the decentralised finance ecosystem for traders and developers looking to connect their decentralised applications.

The information is laid out in a clear and digestible format and covers everything users need.

The drive behind the project's development is the belief in the future adoption of DeFi participation through the offering of 'secure, intelligent and optimised trading tools' for individuals and corporations. The provision of these tools will allow access to vast pools of liquidity as well as volumes of crucial [market data](/news/article/what-is-a-defi-token).

## The core features of the platform are as follows:

API – Public libraries enable smooth interaction with Dapps and wallets.

Charts – More than 100 protocols across multiple L1 & L2 chains provide up-to-date market information.
Multichain – ParaSwap is available across some of the largest blockchains, including Ethereum, Binance, Avalanche, and Polygon.

Onchain RFQ – On chain 'request for quotes' enable real-time prices from KYC-verified partners.
Yield optimisation – Lending rates across multiple protocols have been optimised to provide the best prices.
Security and audits – The project has been verified via external and independent smart contract auditors.

The ecosystem currently supports seven active blockchains processing 37 billion in total volume. This is achieved through 10 million+ trades across 65+ integrations. Clearly, this platform is on track to realising its grand ambition of providing everyone with access to powerful and open financial tools.

A broad selection of some of the most popular applications, protocols and tools available on the market today are readily accessible, including -

•	MetaMask.

•	Ledger.

•	Aave.

•	Enzyme.

•	Zerion.

•	Argent.

Alongside price data and API feeds, ParaSwap has a mobile application that offers users a full suite of crypto management tools. Interested parties can buy, sell or store their favourite tokens and trade NFTs across multiple networks.

This versatile application features some of the highest security on the market while giving the user total control over their activity by providing them access to their private keys, thus allowing them complete self-custody of their assets.

The project has been developed with institutions and developers in mind. Flexibility over data and price feeds sets ParaSwap apart from its closest competitors. ParaSwap can provide competitive services in the following areas -

Custodians – Token swapping is easy and integrated.

Brokers/Bots – Both slippage and execution costs are minimised with powerful and versatile coded programs.
Lenders – Users have more chances for engagement through the versatile exchange functions.
Market Makers – Liquidity pools allow users to bid for order flow.

Banks – The product is customisable for retail banking needs.

Asset Managers – Exchange services can be added to increase customers' wealth offerings.
The ParaSwap platform has been audited by the likes of Certik, Solidified, and PeckShield. It has the backing of some big names from the worlds of crypto and DeFi, including -

•	CoinGecko.

•	Blockchain Capital.

•	Arrington Capital.

•	Coin Fund.

•	DeFinance Capital.

•	Alliance.

•	Lemniscap.

•	CMS.

•	Cumberland.

The native token of ParaSWap is $PSP which has a circulating supply of 72.8 million and a hard cap of 2 billion coins. With a current price of $0.03, this brings a market cap of $2.3 million, ranking the token number 1100 on the price comparison site [Coinmarketcap.com](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/paraswap/).

The token is available from various brokers, but some of the most popular include MEXC, ByBit, Gate.io, and WOO.

## Conclusion

Overall, ParaSwap offers a comprehensive suite of products and features for the modern DeFi investor. The platform is well managed and professional in its user interface and levels of data and analytics on offer.

The project prides itself on its 'best prices in DeFi', its ability to refund high gas fees, as well as its innovative P2P NFT trading feature.

This project is an excellent example of a modern DeFi aggregator uniting the liquidity of a wide variety of decentralised exchanges and lending protocols into one easy-to-use, comprehensive, and secure interface and corresponding APIs.


blue image of crypto altcoins with  paraswap triangle logos

ParaSwap - NFT and DEX Middleware for Traders

The Rarity Tool platform is rapidly gaining popularity for helping to rank the scarcity of NFT collections.
Non-fungible tokens, especially digital art, have become one of the hottest topics in the last few years. Stories of art exchanging for thousands, if not millions, of pounds [are not uncommon](/news/article/most-expensive-nft).

But how do you know how rare your recent purchase really is? Were you ripped off? Did you get a fair deal? One of the most common questions asked is, 'how rare is my NFT?'.

## Total score

Scarcity is the most important factor when determining the value of any digital art. Therefore, it is easy to understand the popularity of a website dedicated to determining how each purchase ranks against others.

The [Rarity Tool](https://raritytools.medium.com/introducing-rarity-tools-9b0138e992b3) site is designed to provide an easy-to-understand and practical ranking of individual pieces and collections of digital art based on their rarity.

So how does it work? Each design is assessed on various measures that are customisable for each project. All scores are then added together to give the total scarcity score.

As each designer will value their creations differently, each trait differs from collection to collection. This makes it hard to compare NFTs against each other. However, it does give designers control over the relevance of each piece in their batch, allowing the creators to rank and price items accordingly.

## ’Drill down'

Because each community scores its designs differently, the website customises the ranking for the item by adding 'derived traits' which are deemed unique. For example, a character with matching clothes acquires more points and is therefore ranked above another character wearing random items.

Of course, all pieces created are unique in design, but a great feature of Rarity Tools is that each piece is ranked on a combination of specific factors which provide the scarcity score.

This is a powerful platform that allows the user to filter and 'drill down' into specific characteristics which your NFT or the one you are searching for may have. The site lets you compare against other pieces with the same traits so you can better understand the worth of your purchase.

However, who actually scores each trait isn't exactly clear. The website doesn't explicitly express whether the ranking is individual, centralised, or community-driven, which makes you question the legitimacy of the site.

That said, the Rarity Tool platform is a fun and useful site dedicated to supporting the NFT community and providing the information needed to rate digital purchases.


Pink and purple abstract image with "RT" Rarity tool logo in centre

Rarity Tool - How Rare is My NFT?

Play to earn is a corner of crypto with a huge following in the Far East. The rise of the [Carbon platform](https://crbn.io/), and the Carbon token, could help P2E make its mark in the West.

Play to earn is the concept of earning crypto for playing games on your mobile or computer. Rewards usually come in the form of NFTs or cryptocurrencies, earnt by players for completing tasks or winning battles against opponents. P2E games are built with blockchain technology, allowing users to buy, sell, and trade any in-game items, tokens, or NFTs with other players and on the open market.

[Click here for a detailed breakdown of the roots of P2E, or GameFi](/news/article/what-is-gamefi).

## Next level gaming

The latest P2E platform to hit the market is Carbon gaming. With three titles already slated for release, Carbon allows users to accrue passive income while indulging in their favourite hobby.

Each game is crafted to give players unique gaming experiences. From Snakes to Battle Tanks to Isles of Carbonia, this diversified platform is helping to usher in the next level of online gaming.

Every game allows users to accumulate either Carbon token (CRBN) or NFTs. These can then be held or traded via popular platforms such as UniSwap, PancakeSwap, Gate.io, or HotBit.

## Mobile app

However, Carbon is not just about gaming. This powerful platform provides users with various extra features, such as social media, encrypted messaging, a crypto portfolio tracker, and micropayments for tipping.

Carbon is yet to be developed for the Apple iPhone, but an Android mobile app can be found on the [Google Play store](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.carbon.social). The desktop version can be found at [Carbon.social](https://play.crbn.io/). Whatever platform you choose to access, the experience is flawless throughout.

## Tokenomics

The Carbon token, CRBN, has a max supply of 50 million and a circulating supply just short of 33 million. With a current token price of $0.0157, the project has a total market cap of $518,000.

Given the popularity of P2E gaming in South East Asia, there is every chance Carbon will prove as popular as other play-to-earn giants like [Axie Infinity](https://axieinfinity.com/), which boasts more than 700,000 online players.

Carbon has a strong following on social media, with more than 15,500 followers on Twitter, where followers are supplied with product updates and giveaways. Interested parties can also find more information via [Telegram](https://t.me/carbonsocial) and [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/YFEZ47aYpK).

Each game boasts a vast range of ways players can gather Carbon token, which leads to a satisfying and rewarding experience. Users can even earn rewards for creating social media posts and encouraging engagement which adds a whole other angle to the user experience.

Furthermore, you don't have to be a crypto expert to enjoy the Carbon platform. Setup is easy and instructions are helpful and clear, meaning players can create a profile and start gaming, and earning, within minutes.


carbon token logo on a blue and black backgorund. 

Carbon Token: New Ways to Play and Earn

So, Elon Musk finally put pen to paper and bought Twitter. This is probably the highest-profile business deal of 2022.

Long regarded as 'broken', Twitter had fallen into a bad place under previous CEO and founder Jack Dorsey. Users regularly complained of too much spam, counterfeit accounts, and automated reply bots making the platform impossible to use, especially in a business context.

And so, Elon Musk decided to step into the fray with an audacious $44 billion bid. Although initially rejected, it was finally inked on 27 October. 

Let's look at what motivated the Twitter Elon Musk purchase, and what the future may hold for the much-maligned platform.

## Twitter Elon Musk deal

Twitter currently has around 450 million monthly users, with some 237.8 million 'monetizable' daily users. The USA is its most prolific market. Around 24% of all US adults (79m) have accounts, with 40% of all Twitter users aged between 18 and 29, [according to research](https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/twitter-vs-facebook).

Facebook remains the world's largest social networking site, based on user engagement. Twitter languishes at the bottom of a long list, below even the freeware instant messaging app Kik.

This massive user base with declining engagement goes some way to explain Musk's motivation and desire to transform Twitter into the '[de facto public town square](https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1507777261654605828)'.

## Rock solid

Elon Musk is a prolific Tweeter. His average of 16.8 tweets a week compares to the 11.55 from 'similar accounts' (presumably CEOs with large social media presence). Frequent use of the platform may explain the desire behind the Twitter Elon Musk deal, alongside wanting to, in his words, 'help humanity'.

In the three weeks after the deal completed, as promised, a lot happened. First, Musk has committed to firing much of the workforce, with the remaining employees encouraged to quickly 'build and launch new products'.
Secondly, Musk removed the requirement that users validate their accounts in return for the blue check mark. 

Instead, users can purchase this authentication for a monthly fee of $7.99. This encountered myriad problems and, consequently, Musk postponed the rollout until 29 November to 'make sure it is rock solid'.

## Monetization

This may give us an indication of where Twitter could head in the not-too-distant future. The monetization of social media platforms is a hot topic, with many viewing it as an [inevitable step in developing the medium](https://www.disciplemedia.com/community-monetizations/social-media-monetization/).

It is well known that Elon Musk has a strong association with the popular cryptocurrency Dogecoin. Indeed, other than buying a brand-new Tesla, [Dogecoin](/news/article/should-i-buy-dogecoin) is now accepted by a growing number of online and in-store merchants, including GameStop, AMC Theatres, and Twitch. With this information in mind, many believe it has become only a matter of time before Twitter becomes monetized.

Social media monetization has been widely discussed in recent years. It is a concept that spans a wide variety of formats depending on the platform, use case, and audience. Monetization is a huge area and would signify a step change for the industry.

## Micropayments

The potential for users to generate income from their content or producers and suppliers of goods and services to utilise an inbuilt platform payment system has [fascinated the crypto world](https://futuristspeaker.com/business-trends/the-emerging-crypto-micropayments-industry/) for many years.

However, for this to become a reality, platforms like Twitter and Facebook need the right micropayment processor for their needs. When you are processing thousands of transactions per minute, it is essential that you not only have the network capability to handle that amount of traffic, but it is also imperative that transaction fees are kept to a minimum.

With this in mind, the close relationship between Twitter, Elon Musk, and [Dogecoin](/news/article/dogecoin-to-gbp) becomes a little clearer. It points a clear path toward the future for both social media and distributed ledger technology.



blue image of the twitter homepage with elon musk standing, arms folded in the foreground. The image represents his acquisition of Twitter

Twitter Elon Musk Acquisition: What Now?

Chiliz, the network behind Chiliz coin, markets itself as the world's leading blockchain fintech provider for sports and entertainment. That's a big claim – can it live up to it?

Chiliz is a layer 1 blockchain solution developed using a Proof of Authority consensus algorithm. Built on top of this is Socios.com, a sports engagement platform that uses the Chiliz coin (CHZ) as its [on-platform currency](https://www.chiliz.com/en/).

The network is partnered with some of the biggest brands in the sports and entertainment world today, including UFC, Barcelona, AC Milan, and Manchester City.

## Collective ownership

The core aim of the organisation is to provide distributed blockchain infrastructure to help leading sports and entertainment brands 'engage and monetize their audience.' This is achieved via the Chiliz coin, the CHZ token. It acts as the exclusive on-platform currency as well as an alternative payment solution.

The Socios engagement platform, in turn, allows fans of mainstream brands to purchase branded 'Fan Tokens' from their favourite club or organisation.

Fan Tokens provide brands with a way to connect with their audience and unlock undiscovered revenue streams. Holders of Fan Tokens are eligible for exclusive rewards and recognition. They can also 'have their say' and vote on permitted club matters. This concept of 'collective ownership' will become a key element of blockchain adoption in the near future as we move toward a more decentralised society.

Fan Tokens are minted through the Socios platform and voting is executed via a series of smart contracts on the main blockchain. Chiliz uses a Proof of Authority consensus mechanism, similar to Proof of Stake and based on the Ethereum ERC20 standard.

##   CHZ Max supply

The organisation is headquartered in Malta and raised some $65 million in private investment in 2018. Industry luminaries such as Binance, FBG Capital, and Ceyuan Ventures have all invested alongside [private individuals from Asia and Europe](https://medium.com/chiliz/chiliz-reaches-65-million-goal-through-private-placement-84805af230af).

The max supply of Chiliz coin is capped at 8.8 billion, with a current circulating supply of 6.09 billion. With the current price of CHZ at $0.2472 (18 November, 2022), this gives Chiliz coin a market cap of just over $1.5 billion. [CHZ](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/chiliz/) can be bought at most leading exchanges, including Binance, OKX, and Bitrue.

Since its October 2018 launch, Chiliz has gone from strength to strength. Some of the largest names in sports and entertainment are now signed up to the platform. Indeed, despite recent market events, the Chiliz coin has held up well and is one of the strongest performers today.

Chiliz is looking to break into the up-and-coming eSports market, where [blockchain firm VRA](/news/article/vra-crypto-esports) is already making massive strides.

With an established presence in the crypto top 50 and some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment on board, Chiliz is an exciting project working to change the relationship between fans and clubs.


Chiliz Coin Plays for Keeps

What do you know about Casper Coin and the Casper network?

Launched in March 2021, Casper is a Proof of Stake, layer 1 blockchain designed exclusively to boost the adoption of smart contracts, decentralised applications (Dapps), and blockchain technology on a global scale.

Built from the Casper CBC (Correct by Construction) specification, the project has grown steadily since its launch and currently has a market cap of just under $300 billion (December 2022).

The Casper chain has been designed with future-proof architecture to ensure its continual development and flexibility to evolve around the needs of its users. With user-friendliness high on the list of priorities, the chain has been specifically designed to accelerate the adoption of Web3 by encouraging the growth of intuitive and interoperable services across its ecosystem.

## Casper Coin

The Casper network native token is Casper Coin, or CSPR. It has a circulating supply of 10.5 billion, just 700 million short of its total supply of 11.2 billion. The total [market cap](/news/article/what-is-market-cap-in-crypto) of CSPR is currently $283 billion.

In an effort to clear up some confusion regarding circulating supply, the project was quick to respond to concerns from its community. The team reported that some 80% of CSPR in circulation is staked and bonded to the network. That means any volatility in trading is certain to impact token price, good or bad.

At current prices ($0.028), the Casper Coin price is some 97.9% off its all-time high of $1.36, which presents an ideal time to buy. Getting hold of CSPR tokens is relatively straightforward, with a growing number of exchanges, including [KuCoin](https://www.kucoin.com/trade/CSPR-USDT), [Gate.io](https://www.gate.io/trade/CSPR_USDT), and [Huobi](https://www.huobi.com/en-us/exchange/cspr_usdt), all offering USDT trading pairs.

## Enterprise solution

The steady growth of the blockchain and predictable tokenomics make Casper Coin a popular investment choice. Furthermore, Casper's versatility, predictable gas fees, and future-proof design make the project an attractive option for developers.

As a Proof of Stake-based consensus protocol, Casper is some 1,360 times more carbon efficient than the Bitcoin network. The innovation behind the CBC protocol ensures that the scalability and database management solutions are ever present, making the network a popular place to build Web3 Dapps.

The project is the result of years of research and development from the teams at CasperLabs, who have vast experience gained at enterprise-level software giants such as Adobe, Alvara, and Google.

CasperLabs has positioned itself as the 'de facto' blockchain enterprise solution for teams looking to build decentralised projects in the Web3 environment. The dedicated level of developer support is what makes the team at Casper stand apart from other competing projects.

## Security audit

As a Proof of Stake consensus network, Casper relies on token staking by validator nodes to secure its network. Proof of Stake is not only much greener than its rival Proof of Work, but it also offers much greater opportunities for scalability and developer versatility.

The CBC protocol has been designed to use an upgraded version of Byzantium Fault Tolerance applications and is, therefore, resilient to hacks and bad actors. This enterprise-level security design means that Casper has completed several security audits, including a [Trail of Bits audit](https://blog.casperlabs.io/trail-of-bits-security-audit-casper-highway-protocol/) in January 2021 which concluded that the Casper network “showed proper use of security hygiene”.

## Transparent road map

When you consider the security audits, enterprise-level infrastructure, flexibility, and solid team behind the project, it is easy to see why Casper and its native token, CSPR, is an attractive buy for crypto traders and investors alike.

Apart from some recent confusion regarding what actually constitutes circulating supply, the team at Casper presents an attractive ecosystem with a transparent road map for the future.

If the project can maintain its so far impressive momentum and deliver on its promise of enterprise-level, scalable and flexible Web3 solutions, the Casper Coin price has every chance of gaining significant upside in the near to medium term future.
 
 
 



green image of casper coin in pile of altcoins

Casper Coin – What is it?

If you have ever wondered, 'what is PancakeSwap?', this article is here to help.

PancakeSwap is an Automated Market Maker (AMM) decentralised exchange protocol (DEX) built specifically for BEP20 tokens and the Binance Smart Chain. The protocol allows users to swap tokens, provide liquidity, farm and stake native tokens, plus many other cool features.

Created by anonymous developers and launched in September 2020, PancakeSwap has some 2.8 million customers generating total value locked of more than $4 billion (September 2022). The native token of the PancakeSwap platform is CAKE (with a circulating supply of 125 million coins).

## Smart contracts/Low fees

To answer the question, 'what is PancakeSwap?', we need to understand it's structure and purpose. At its core, PancakeSwap is an automated and decentralised exchange (DEX) that relies on smart contracts to swap and execute trades rather than a traditional two-party order book system.

PancakeSwap follows the same model as other DEXs, such as UniSwap and SushiSwap. However, because PancakeSwap is built on the Binance Smart Chain, the fees associated with using the protocol are much lower by comparison.

PancakeSwap has a number of interesting features which allow users to gain rewards in a variety of ways. From earning fees for providing liquidity to generating rewards through staking, PancakeSwap is an example of how a modern decentralised cryptocurrency trading exchange should look and operate.

## BEP20 protocol

What is PancakeSwap? It is a DEX operating as an AMM, and that means there is no central server and no central point of authority. Instead of order books and corresponding buyers or sellers, users contribute to pools of liquidity that enable other users to trade or swap tokens out of that pool.

Although the PancakeSwap platform has been designed to facilitate BEP20 tokens, users of other tokens, such as Ethereum's ERC20 standard, can use the platform provided they wrap their tokens first.

To start using PancakeSwap, users must first connect their online wallet to the exchange. Any wallet compatible with the Binance Smart Chain BEP20 protocol is allowed, although popular wallets such as [Metamask](/news/article/what-is-metamask) and Binance Smart Wallet seem to work best.

Users must have some Binance coin (BNB) in their wallet to begin with, which will then be used for transaction fees. Once connected, users will be able to start swapping and trading tokens through the application. Check out this [Connection guide](https://docs.pancakeswap.finance/get-started/connection-guide) for further help.

## FLIP the CAKE

What is PancakeSwap offering users? It has a number of innovative features which make it very attractive to the modern cryptocurrency trader.

At its core, PancakeSwap is a decentralised exchange and swap platform where users can trade and swap a wide variety of BEP20 tokens. However, users can also help provide liquidity to these markets by adding a token pair to the relevant pool.

By adding liquidity to a pool of their choice (e.g., BNB:CAKE), users are rewarded with LP (liquidity provision) tokens called FLIP and earn 0.17% on all future transactions from traders using this pool. Fees are added to the pool and accrued in real time. They can be reclaimed when the user decides to remove their liquidity from the pool.

Once a user has secured their FLIP tokens, they can access some of PancakeSwap's more advanced features.

By providing further liquidity to any listed pairs and staking their tokens, FLIP holders can earn PancakeSwap's native cryptocurrency CAKE via a process called 'Yield Farming'.

The rewards are calculated from a combination of FARM base APR and LP rewards APR. The total rewards allocated depend on the amount of liquidity in the chosen FARM.

Furthermore, CAKE holders can simply stake their tokens to generate more CAKE via a feature known as Syrup Pools. Choosing between flexible staking or fixed term staking, the user receives auto compounded staking rewards with no deposit-associated fees and can be unstaked at any time.

## More CAKE, NFTs and lotteries

As PancakeSwap’s core utility token, CAKE has a variety of uses on the platform. Furthermore, as CAKE can also be bought and sold on the open market, it ensures that interest in PancakeSwap and its native token remain high.

One other use of the CAKE token is Lottery v2.0. Here CAKE holders can win more CAKE prizes by purchasing tickets at a cost of 10 CAKE tokens per ticket. To be a winner, entrants must match four numbers between one and 14 in the same order in which they are drawn to be in with a chance of winning 50% of the entire lottery pool.
 
PancakeSwap Prediction is a simple prediction market where contestants can win prizes based on their predictions regarding the future price of BNB coin. Each correct guess is rewarded with a proportional share of the payout pool, meaning the more you stake, the bigger your potential win. Transaction fees are set at 3%, while rounds last five minutes.

Anyone looking to generate and trade NFTs can also do this via PancakeSwap's NFT Profile System and NFT Marketplace. For the price of 1.5 CAKE, users can create a personalised NFT which can then be shared with family and friends or traded for other cryptocurrencies or other Binance Chain collectibles.

For those investors looking for the next world-beating application PancakeSwap's IFO (Initial Farm Offering) allows users to purchase project tokens with CAKE. In much the same way as traditional ICOs, some of the hottest Dapps of 2002 were born via PancakeSwap's IFO. With the backing of Binance Smart Chain, it is easy to see why blockchain-based projects like Mines of Dalarnia have achieved massive success.

And finally, no modern decentralised exchange can afford not to offer perpetual futures trading. Partnering with Apollo X, PancakeSwap offers various crypto derivatives without expiration, including perpetual swaps and trades to appeal to the crypto trader looking to use leverage.

## Security audits

As you can see, PancakeSwap is a versatile yet comprehensive decentralised exchange platform showcasing the best of Web3 applications on the market today. As you might expect of one of the world's largest DEX, PancakeSwap has undergone vigorous testing from leading security auditors Certik who have provided [a satisfactory report](https://www.certik.com/projects/pancakeswap).

This, of course, is cause for comfort for the 400,000 DAO community members, of whom every single one has the right to vote on any proposals put forward by the platform.

If you have ever asked, 'what is PancakeSwap?', then hopefully this has helped. With a reputation stemming from its association with Binance Smart Chain feeding an appetite for innovative products and services, it is easy to see why PancakeSwap continues to go from strength to strength, overtaking more established DeFi offerings such as SushiSwap and UniSwap.


What is PancakeSwap?

Greetings, Whovians, and welcome to Dr Who Worlds Apart.

Have you ever thought of jumping in the TARDIS and travelling across the universe? Well, now you can.
A collaboration between [Reality Gaming Group](https://realityplus.com/) and the [BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/) has brought the longest-running and most successful science-fiction television show in the universe to your digital decks.

[Dr Who Worlds Apart](https://doctorwho-worldsapart.com/) is a digital card trading game where players can collect, battle, and trade in real time:

•	Assemble your decks with your favorite characters, objects, and moments from the adventures of the Timelord.

•	Trade - buy and sell cards on the Worlds Apart native marketplace with users from around the globe. Buy card packs and tokens on the online store.

•	Battle it out with friends in the online game to conquer all of time and space!

## How Dr Who Worlds Apart works

By harnessing the power of blockchain technology, Reality Gaming Groups (RGG) has transformed digital collectible cards into secure, protected, and scarce [Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)](/wiki#character-n). NFTs give the cards unique identities, which ensures that every gameplay detail is recorded and publicly stored. This allows you and your teammates to see a track record of wins, losses, and all other accomplishments.

## How to enter the Whoniverse 

Users can register their accounts and start collecting cards as well as adding cosmetic Alien frames straight away. These can be purchased in-store or on the secondhand marketplace using Pandaks (named after the original Lord President). $1 is worth 100 Pandaks. What's more, you earn ten free Pandaks every time you log in! The earlier you assemble your deck, the lower the price will be.

## Bringing Dr Who to younger generations

Co-founder of RGG Tony Pearce said: "In the beginning, getting Doctor Who fans to understand what an NFT is had proved difficult. Together with the BBC, we hope to educate the younger Doctor Who fans of why there is value and utility with these cards."

## Paper or digital deck - what’s more sustainable?

There has been much media coverage concerning Bitcoin's intensive energy use. It is estimated that the world's largest cryptocurrency consumes more electricity per year than the entire country of Argentina which, with a population of 45 million people, is a lot of energy!

Context is key when interpreting statistics, and carbon emissions can be difficult to measure across different industries. However, the transparent nature of blockchain's distributed ledgers makes it much easier to perform audits and approximate current and future energy use.

In industries with physical supply chains, it is a complex and often inaccessible process to calculate [scope 3 emissions](https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/briefing-what-are-scope-3-emissions). This is especially so in sectors like [metals mining](https://www.gold.org/news-and-events/press-releases/gold-and-climate-change-the-energy-transition-press-release) which create a much larger carbon footprint than crypto.

All online activity has an associated energy cost. For example, [YouTube uses 250% more energy](https://thefactsource.com/how-much-electricity-does-youtube-use/) per day than the entire Bitcoin network. The [traditional banking system](https://cointelegraph.com/news/banking-system-consumes-two-times-more-energy-than-bitcoin-research) uses twice as much energy as the Bitcoin network daily. [Research by Cambridge University](https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/2019-09-ccaf-2nd-global-cryptoasset-benchmarking.pdf) suggests that the energy that powers crypto mining is already as much as 78% renewable.

There is often a misconception that the energy cost of Bitcoin is the same for all blockchain networks. Ethereum uses about half of the energy of Bitcoin, and the network's overhaul from the Proof of Work consensus model to Proof of Stake has reduced Ethereum's energy usage by 90%.

## RGG’s approach to the climate reality

Using and developing NFTs and blockchain applications require energy, just like any game developer or other industry in the world. [Reality Gaming Group](https://realityplus.com/) understands that blockchain technology has a significant [environmental impact](https://doctorwho-worldsapart.com/sustainability/) and is committed to keeping this to a minimum. To this end, all of the Group's data servers and websites are certified as carbon-neutral.

Dr Who Worlds Apart runs on a fork of Ethereum known as a ‘sidechain’ which uses less energy than the Ethereum mainnet and is more versatile for bespoke development. RGG plans to integrate Polygon and other layer 2 companies to improve energy efficiency and speed further while retaining the security and authentication benefits of the Ethereum network.

It can be argued that the emissions involved in manufacturing and transporting physical cards may have more impact on the environment than collectible digital cards using NFT technology.

Built using blockchain for integrity and utility, Dr Who Worlds apart is the perfect platform to inspire existing and future fans. So, don’t waste any more time. Go forth, assemble your deck, and get collecting to master the universe.


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