{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1.1","title":"Stephen Ajulu","home_page_url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/","feed_url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/tags/finance/feed.json","description":"Hello, I'm Stephen Ajulu, a seasoned multidisciplinary tech professional with over a decade of experience. I build impactful solutions using design, tech, and engineering in the pursuit of impact.","icon":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/me.jpg","authors":[{"name":"Stephen Ajulu","url":"https://stephenajulu.com","avatar":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/me.jpg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/the-future-of-daily-tech-how-nfts-will-impact-your-future/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/the-future-of-daily-tech-how-nfts-will-impact-your-future/","title":"The Future of Daily Tech: How NFTs will Impact Your Future","summary":"The world of tech is constantly evolving, and one of the most exciting developments in recent years is the rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).\nNFTs are a type of digital asset that use blockchain technology to verify ownership and uniqueness, and they are quickly becoming a hot topic in the tech world. In this article, we will explore the future of daily tech and how NFT technology will be a part of our daily lives.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe world of tech is constantly evolving, and one of the most exciting developments in recent years is the rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs are a type of digital asset that use blockchain technology to verify ownership and uniqueness, and they are quickly becoming a hot topic in the tech world. In this article, we will explore the future of daily tech and how NFT technology will be a part of our daily lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"introduction\"\u003eIntroduction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs we move further into the digital age, more and more of our daily lives are taking place online. From shopping to socializing to working, the internet has become an integral part of our daily routine. With the rise of NFTs, we are now seeing a new era of digital ownership and value, and this is set to have a profound impact on how we interact with technology in the future.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-are-nfts\"\u003eWhat are NFTs?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore we dive into how NFTs will be used in daily tech, let\u0026rsquo;s take a moment to define what they are. Non-Fungible Tokens are a type of digital asset that is unique and cannot be replicated. They are created using blockchain technology, which verifies ownership and ensures that they are one-of-a-kind. NFTs can take many forms, including artwork, music, videos, and more. They can be bought, sold, and traded just like physical assets, and their value is determined by supply and demand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-will-nfts-be-used-in-daily-life\"\u003eHow will NFTs be used in daily life?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe potential uses for NFTs in daily tech are vast and varied. Here are just a few examples of how NFT technology could be integrated into our daily lives:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDigital Ownership\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most significant ways that NFTs will be used in daily tech is through digital ownership. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of digital assets, such as artwork, music, and videos. This will enable creators to sell their work directly to consumers, cutting out middlemen like record labels and art dealers. Consumers will have the assurance that they are purchasing a one-of-a-kind item, and creators will have a new revenue stream.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"2\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGaming\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGaming is one area where NFTs are already being used extensively. NFTs can be used to represent in-game items, such as weapons, armor, and skins. This means that players can buy, sell, and trade items with each other, just like physical assets. In addition, NFTs can be used to represent unique in-game achievements, such as completing a difficult quest or reaching a high level. This will give players a new way to show off their accomplishments and could lead to a more competitive gaming landscape.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"3\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReal Estate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother area where NFTs could have a significant impact is real estate. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of digital assets, such as virtual real estate. This could lead to a new era of virtual property ownership, where individuals can buy and sell virtual real estate just like physical real estate. This could be especially appealing in the world of virtual reality, where individuals can create and own their own digital spaces.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"4\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIdentity Verification\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could also be used for identity verification. With NFTs, individuals can prove ownership of their digital identity, such as social media accounts, email addresses, and more. This could help prevent identity theft and give individuals more control over their online presence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"5\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eContent/File Verification\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVerification is becoming increasingly important in the digital age, especially as we face challenges such as deep fakes and AI-generated content. These technologies make it easier than ever to create content that is indistinguishable from the real thing, which poses a significant threat to our ability to trust the information we consume online. One potential solution to this problem is the use of NFTs. Because NFTs are created using blockchain technology, they are virtually impossible to counterfeit. This means that NFTs could be used to verify the authenticity of digital content, such as photos, videos, and audio recordings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"6\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntellectual Property Protection\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs can also be used to protect intellectual property, such as copyrighted works or patented inventions. By using NFTs to establish ownership and authenticity, creators can protect their intellectual property and prevent unauthorized use.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"7\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSupply Chain Management\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could also be used for supply chain management, which would help ensure the authenticity and traceability of goods. By using NFTs to track the movement of goods from production to consumption, companies could more easily prevent counterfeiting and ensure that goods are ethically sourced.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"8\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTicketing and Event Management\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could be used to create verifiable digital tickets for events, such as concerts or sports games. By using NFTs to represent tickets, event organizers could more easily prevent fraud and ensure that attendees have a seamless experience.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"9\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEducation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could also be used in education, by providing a way to track the authenticity and ownership of digital credentials, such as diplomas or certificates. This would help prevent fraud and make it easier for people to verify their educational achievements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"10\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePersonal Finance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could have applications in personal finance, by providing a way to track the ownership and authenticity of assets such as stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrencies. This would help prevent fraud and make it easier for individuals to manage their investments.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"11\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHealthcare\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs could also be used in healthcare, by providing a way to track the ownership and authenticity of medical records and prescriptions. This would help ensure that patients receive the correct treatments and prevent fraud.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"12\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSocial Media\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFinally, NFTs could have applications in social media, by providing a way to verify the authenticity and ownership of digital content shared on social platforms. This would help prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation, and make it easier for creators to monetize their content.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"conclusion\"\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rise of NFT technology is set to have a profound impact on daily tech. From digital ownership to gaming to real estate and identity verification, NFTs are poised to become a ubiquitous part of our digital lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2023-03-03T08:16:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/photo-1643101681441-0c38d714fa14.png","tags":["NFTs","NFT","non fungible token","non fungible tokens","blockchain","digital ownership","authenticity","gaming","real estate","healthcare","education","finance","social media","tech","technology","digitalcredentials","aiverification","technology","tokens","cryptography","crypto"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/best-cryptocurrency-wallets-2022/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/best-cryptocurrency-wallets-2022/","title":"Best Cryptocurrency Wallets 2022","summary":"According to this tweet:\nWe should all remove our coins, tokens, and crypto from exchanges and into secure wallets where only the user has the private key and can access the wallet.\nHere are some great wallets for holding your crypto:\nCoinbase Wallet Metamask Exodus Trust Wallet Ledger Nano X(Hardware/Cold) Trezor Model T(Hardware/Cold) Ledger Nano S(Hardware/Cold) Photo by olieman.eth on Unsplash\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eAccording to this tweet:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe should all remove our coins, tokens, and crypto from exchanges and into secure wallets where only the user has the private key and can access the wallet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are some great wallets for holding your crypto:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coinbase.com/wallet\"\u003eCoinbase Wallet\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://metamask.io/\"\u003eMetamask\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.exodus.com/\"\u003eExodus\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://trustwallet.com/\"\u003eTrust Wallet\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://shop.ledger.com/products/ledger-nano-x\"\u003eLedger Nano X\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e(Hardware/Cold)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://shop.trezor.io/product/trezor-model-t\"\u003eTrezor Model T\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e(Hardware/Cold)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://shop.ledger.com/products/ledger-nano-s\"\u003eLedger Nano S\u003c/a\u003e\u003cem\u003e(Hardware/Cold)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhoto by \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/@moneyphotos?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eolieman.eth\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/s/photos/cryptocurrency-wallet?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eUnsplash\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=d066811aa8ea4f2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/unstoppabledomainsad.webp\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2022-05-26T21:05:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/olieman-eth-evqnygt1pwg-unsplash.jpg","tags":["finance","technology","cryptocurrencies","wallets","tokens","cryptocurrency","token","wallet","bitcoin","ethereum"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/host-your-website-for-free-make-it-web3-compliant-and-earn-money-from-it/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/host-your-website-for-free-make-it-web3-compliant-and-earn-money-from-it/","title":"Host Your Website For Free, Make It Web3 Compliant and Earn Money From It","summary":"Host Your Website For Free Static Websites Assuming the source code is in a git repository online(GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket, etc)\nGo to netlify.com and create an account Click \u0026ldquo;Add new site\u0026rdquo; Select \u0026ldquo;Import an existing project\u0026rdquo; Select Git provider_(I\u0026rsquo;m on github)_ Authenticate and Authorize Select the repository Enter build command e.g this site\u0026rsquo;s build command is \u0026ldquo;hugo \u0026ndash;gc \u0026ndash;minify\u0026rdquo; Enter publish directory e.g this site\u0026rsquo;s publish directory is \u0026ldquo;public\u0026rdquo; Click \u0026ldquo;Deploy site\u0026rdquo; That\u0026rsquo;s it. Depending on the static version you used. It will take some time.\n","content_html":"\u003ch3 id=\"host-your-website-for-free\"\u003eHost Your Website For Free\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"static-websites\"\u003eStatic Websites\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAssuming the source code is in a git repository online(GitHub, GitLab, BitBucket, etc)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGo to \u003ca href=\"https://netlify.com\"\u003enetlify.com\u003c/a\u003e and create an account\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClick \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eAdd new site\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelect \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eImport an existing project\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelect Git provider_(\u003ca href=\"https://github.com/stephenajulu\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m on github\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e)_\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAuthenticate and Authorize\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelect the repository\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnter build command e.g this site\u0026rsquo;s build command is \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003ehugo \u0026ndash;gc \u0026ndash;minify\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnter publish directory e.g this site\u0026rsquo;s publish directory is \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003epublic\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClick \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eDeploy site\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s it. Depending on the static version you used. It will take some time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNB:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eJust plain HTML, CSS, and Javascript will take less than 3 seconds and does not need a specified build command or publish directory, Hugo takes anywhere from 10 seconds to 1 minute depending on how large your site is.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"dynamic-websites\"\u003eDynamic Websites\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, this depends on what tech stack you are using. I won\u0026rsquo;t lay down the details. Rather I\u0026rsquo;ll provide you with a few hosting solutions, both free and paid.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://heroku.com\"\u003eHeroku\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://digitalocean.com\"\u003eDigital Ocean\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://truehost.co.ke/cloud/aff.php?aff=1738\"\u003eTruehost(Affordable)\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://namecheap.com\"\u003eNamecheap\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"making-your-website-web3-compliant\"\u003eMaking Your Website Web3 Compliant\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs far as I know, the only possible way is by making a static site web3 compliant. I don\u0026rsquo;t know how to make a dynamic site web3 compliant hence will only cover static sites.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are four URL options:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. \u003cstrong\u003eConstant Hashes\u003c/strong\u003e =\u0026gt; serve as links within ipfs and have been discussed in my previous article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. \u003cstrong\u003eDNSLink\u003c/strong\u003e =\u0026gt; Simply put, a regular Web2.0 domain name from a DNS record.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. \u003cstrong\u003eENS\u003c/strong\u003e =\u0026gt; Dynamic Url with a \u0026rsquo; \u003cem\u003e.eth\u003c/em\u003e \u0026rsquo; ending and that is more readable than IPNs links. I would argue that this is the best domain choice for establishing a website, but the first option is free :)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.pxf.io/qnXOv5\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnstoppable Domains\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e =\u0026gt; Dynamic Url with multiple endings. My recommended choice.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"static-sites\"\u003eStatic Sites\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGo to \u003ca href=\"https://fleek.co\"\u003efleek.co\u003c/a\u003e and create an account\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFollow the same process as Netlify\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSelect either IPFS or Internet Computer. Your choice.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"earn-money-from-your-content-website\"\u003eEarn Money From Your Content Website\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere I won\u0026rsquo;t cover affiliate marketing and other popular ways to monetize your website as there are enough resources in the web.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-web-monetization\"\u003e1. Web Monetization\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo monetize your site, you must:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet up a web monetized receiver (wallet) for receiving payments. \u003ca href=\"https://webmonetization.org/docs/ilp-wallets\"\u003eSupported wallets.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGet your wallet\u0026rsquo;s payment pointer. E.g. $wallet.example.com/alice\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate a special \u003ccode\u003e\u0026lt;meta\u0026gt;\u003c/code\u003e tag that tells \u003ca href=\"https://webmonetization.org/#providers\"\u003eWeb Monetization providers\u003c/a\u003e how to pay you. e.g.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cpre\u003e\u003ccode\u003e\u0026lt;meta name=\u0026quot;monetization\u0026quot; content=\u0026quot;$wallet.example.com/alice\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u003c/code\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdd the \u003ccode\u003e\u0026lt;meta\u0026gt;\u003c/code\u003e tag to each page of your website that you want to monetize. E.g.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cpre\u003e\u003ccode\u003e\u0026lt;!doctype html\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;html\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;head\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;title\u0026gt;Web Monetized Site\u0026lt;/title\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;meta name=\u0026quot;monetization\u0026quot; content=\u0026quot;$wallet.example.com/alice\u0026quot;\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/head\u0026gt;\n\u0026lt;/html\u0026gt;\n\u003c/code\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a more detailed look at web monetizing your site, see the \u003ca href=\"https://webmonetization.org/docs/explainer#getting-started\"\u003eWeb Monetization explainer\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCongratulations! Your website is now web monetized.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-basic-attention-tokens\"\u003e2. Basic Attention Tokens\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFollow \u003ca href=\"https://basicattentiontoken.org/publisher-terms-of-service/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ethis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://creators.brave.com/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ethis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-digital-product\"\u003e3. Digital Product\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreate an account on Gumroad, and start creating digital products and selling. Then use their overlay widget on your website\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhoto by \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/@le_buzz?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eLe Buzz\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/s/photos/website?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eUnsplash\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.pxf.io/qnXOv5\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/unstoppabledomainsad.webp\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2022-05-26T20:30:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/le-buzz-kieii2b9gku-unsplash.jpg","tags":["technology","web3","finance","bat","basicattentiontoken","netlify","fleek","heroku"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/coins-likely-to-100x-in-the-next-2-years/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/coins-likely-to-100x-in-the-next-2-years/","title":"Coins Likely To 100x In The Next 2 Years","summary":"Do further research by yourself.\n1. Verasity 2. Green Life Energy 3. Veechain 4. Decentraland 5. Ethereum To buy any of these cryptocurrencies I suggest you use Binance.\nBinance is a cryptocurrency exchange that is currently the largest exchange in the world in terms of the daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies.\nRegister by visiting this link: Binance Photo by Ferhat Deniz Fors on Unsplash\nNFT Generator ","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDo further research by yourself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"1-verasity\"\u003e1. Verasity\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"2-green-life-energy\"\u003e2. Green Life Energy\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"3-veechain\"\u003e3. Veechain\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"4-decentraland\"\u003e4. Decentraland\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"5-ethereum\"\u003e5. Ethereum\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo buy any of these cryptocurrencies I suggest you use Binance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBinance is a cryptocurrency exchange that is currently the largest exchange in the world in terms of the daily trading volume of cryptocurrencies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"register-by-visiting-this-link-binance\"\u003eRegister by visiting this link: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhoto by \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/@ferhat?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eFerhat Deniz Fors\u003c/a\u003e on \u003ca href=\"https://unsplash.com/s/photos/tokens?utm_source=unsplash\u0026amp;utm_medium=referral\u0026amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\"\u003eUnsplash\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://nftgenerator.io/\"\u003eNFT Generator\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.pxf.io/qnXOv5\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/unstoppabledomainsad.webp\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2022-05-25T10:00:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/ferhat-deniz-fors-yocdd-d4oom-unsplash.jpg","tags":["finance","cryptocurrency","crypto","cryptocurrencies","100x","potentialtokens","tokens","coins","verasity","gmt","green metaverse token","green life energy","pac man frog"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/cryptocurrencies-i-m-buying-2022/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/cryptocurrencies-i-m-buying-2022/","title":"Cryptocurrencies I'm Buying in 2022","summary":"Here are the cryptocurrencies I\u0026rsquo;m investing in this 2022. I believe these have potential.\nBitcoin(BTC): As you know from a previous article, I hold some bitcoin. In 2022 I\u0026rsquo;ll be buying more with the goal of reaching 3 BTC in my portfolio. Ethereum(ETH): Same as Bitcoin. The goal is to reach 10 ETH Solana(SOL): Named the Ethereum killer. Lots of interesting projects are being developed using its blockchain. Ripple(XRP) Stellar Decentraland(MANA) Enjin Coin(ENJ) The Sandbox(SAND) Star Atlas(ATLAS) Metaverse Index Token(MVI): This is not really a cryptocurrency but definitely worth checking out. It contains all/most of the metaverse tokens. Polkadot(DOT): Has potential Chainlink Polygon(MATIC): A must-buy for me. Amazing projects built and more coming. Pancake Swap(CAKE) Uniswap Illuvium Moonriver Loopring Cardano(ADA): I have some and want more Veechain Shiba Inu(SHIB) Dogecoin(DOGE) ","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHere are the cryptocurrencies I\u0026rsquo;m investing in this 2022. I believe these have potential.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBitcoin(BTC): As you know from a previous article, I hold some bitcoin. In 2022 I\u0026rsquo;ll be buying more with the goal of reaching 3 BTC in my portfolio.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEthereum(ETH): Same as Bitcoin. The goal is to reach 10 ETH\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSolana(SOL): Named the Ethereum killer. Lots of interesting projects are being developed using its blockchain.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRipple(XRP)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStellar\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecentraland(MANA)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnjin Coin(ENJ)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Sandbox(SAND)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStar Atlas(ATLAS)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMetaverse Index Token(MVI): This is not really a cryptocurrency but definitely worth checking out. It contains all/most of the metaverse tokens.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolkadot(DOT): Has potential\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChainlink\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePolygon(MATIC): A must-buy for me. Amazing projects built and more coming.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePancake Swap(CAKE)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUniswap\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIlluvium\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoonriver\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoopring\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCardano(ADA): I have some and want more\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVeechain\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShiba Inu(SHIB)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDogecoin(DOGE)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-29T13:00:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/cryptoinvesting_gettyimages-1250405669-c29a42e2fe774133ad64e6f3cc17d74a.jpg","tags":["investments","investing","invest","finance","crypto","cryptocurrencies","cryptocurrency"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-stable-coins/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-stable-coins/","title":"What is a Stable Coin?","summary":"A “stablecoin” is a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to another asset class, such as a fiat currency or gold, to stabilize its price.\nCryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether offer a number of benefits, and one of the most fundamental is not requiring trust in an intermediary institution to send payments, which opens up their use to anyone around the globe. But one key drawback is that cryptocurrencies\u0026rsquo; prices are unpredictable and have a tendency to fluctuate, often wildly.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eA “stablecoin” is a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to another asset class, such as a fiat currency or gold, to stabilize its price.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ether offer a number of benefits, and one of the most fundamental is not requiring trust in an intermediary institution to send payments, which opens up their use to anyone around the globe. But one key drawback is that cryptocurrencies\u0026rsquo; prices are unpredictable and have a tendency to fluctuate, often wildly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis makes them hard for everyday people to use. Generally, people expect to be able to know how much their money will be worth a week from now, both for their security and their livelihood.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCryptocurrency\u0026rsquo;s unpredictability comes in contrast to the generally stable prices of fiat money, such as U.S. dollars, or other assets, such as gold. Values of currencies like the dollar do change gradually over time, but the day-to-day changes are often more drastic for cryptocurrencies, which rise and fall in value regularly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"stablecoins-in-a-nutshell\"\u003eStablecoins in a nutshell\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStablecoins try to tackle price fluctuations by tying the value of cryptocurrencies to other more stable assets – usually fiat currencies. Fiat is the government-issued currency we\u0026rsquo;re all used to using on a day-to-day basis, such as dollars or euros.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsually, the entity behind a stablecoin will set up a \u0026ldquo;reserve\u0026rdquo; where it securely stores the asset or basket of assets backing the stablecoin – for example, $1 million in an old-fashioned bank (the kind with branches and tellers and ATMs in the lobby) to back up one million units of a stablecoin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is one-way digital stablecoins are pegged to real-world assets. The money in the reserve serves as collateral for the stablecoin – meaning whenever a stablecoin holder wishes to cash out their tokens, an equal amount of whichever asset backs it is taken from the reserve.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a more complex type of stablecoin that is collateralized by other cryptocurrencies rather than fiat yet still is engineered to track a mainstream asset like the dollar.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"types-of-stablecoin-collateral\"\u003eTypes of stablecoin collateral\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing this framework, stablecoins come in a range of flavors, and the collateralized stablecoins use a variety of types of assets as backing:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFiat\u003c/strong\u003e: Fiat is the most common collateral for stablecoins. The U.S. dollar is the most popular among fiat currencies, but companies are exploring stablecoins pegged to other fiat currencies as well, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-a-stablecoin/\"\u003eBiLira\u003c/a\u003e, which is pegged to the Turkish lira.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrecious metals\u003c/strong\u003e: Some cryptocurrencies are tied to the value of precious metals such as gold or silver.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCryptocurrencies\u003c/strong\u003e: Some stablecoins even use other cryptocurrencies, such as\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-a-stablecoin/\"\u003e ether\u003c/a\u003e, the native token of the Ethereum network, as collateral.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOther investments:\u003c/strong\u003e Tether’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-a-stablecoin/\"\u003eUSDT\u003c/a\u003e was once supposed to be backed 1-for-1 with dollars but its collateral mix has shifted over time and in a breakdown provided in 2021 the company said nearly half its reserves are in \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-a-stablecoin/\"\u003ecommercial paper,\u003c/a\u003e a form of short-term corporate debt. It has not disclosed the issuers of this paper but \u003ca href=\"https://stuarthoegner.medium.com/tether-is-setting-a-new-standard-for-transparency-and-responding-to-criticism-that-is-fc130e08319b\"\u003eclaims\u003c/a\u003e it is all rated A-2 or higher (A-2 is the second-best grade available for a corporate borrower from credit rating agencies like Standard \u0026amp; Poor’s). Circle’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-a-stablecoin/\"\u003eUSDC\u003c/a\u003e, similarly, lists unspecified “approved investments” alongside accounts at federally insured banks (notably, it does not say whether the accounts themselves are insured) in its monthly \u003ca href=\"https://f.hubspotusercontent00.net/hubfs/6778953/USDCAttestationReports/2021-Circle-internet-financial-attestation-april-2021.pdf\"\u003edisclosures\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"popular-stablecoins\"\u003ePopular Stablecoins\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTether(USDT)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eUSD Coin(USDC)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBinance USD(BUSD)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTerra USD(UST)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDai(DAI)\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-10T14:20:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/597b2c80-707d-439c-a801-374b634c033e_what-is-a-stablecoin-article-main.jpg","tags":["technology","finance","cryptocurrency","cryptocurrencies","stablecoin","stablecoins"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/don-t-just-hodl-crypto-make-money-while-you-sleep-with-it/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/don-t-just-hodl-crypto-make-money-while-you-sleep-with-it/","title":"Don't Just HODL Crypto Make Money While You Sleep With It","summary":"Passive income is money generated from ventures in which an individual is not actively involved. For the most part, all you need to do is invest your money or digital assets in a particular crypto investment strategy or platform and watch it generate profit. In some cases, the earnings are fixed and predictable. In others, several factors beyond your control may come into play.\nA typical way many try to make a return in crypto with little to no involvement is through buying and holding crypto – also known in the industry as “HODLing.” This means an investor is prepared to purchase a digital asset with the mindset that its price will hopefully rise significantly sometime in the future. Such investors are ready to go the distance as this long-term strategy might require them to hold their positions anywhere between six months to five years. Through the duration of this investment, an investor does not have to be proactive in the crypto market. They only need to buy the digital asset and store it in a secure wallet – preferably a non-custodial wallet.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003ePassive income is money generated from ventures in which an individual is not actively involved. For the most part, all you need to do is invest your money or digital assets in a particular crypto investment strategy or platform and watch it generate profit. In some cases, the earnings are fixed and predictable. In others, several factors beyond your control may come into play.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA typical way many try to make a return in crypto with little to no involvement is through buying and holding crypto – also known in the industry as “HODLing.” This means an investor is prepared to purchase a digital asset with the mindset that its price will hopefully rise significantly sometime in the future. Such investors are ready to go the distance as this long-term strategy might require them to hold their positions anywhere between six months to five years. Through the duration of this investment, an investor does not have to be proactive in the crypto market. They only need to buy the digital asset and store it in a secure wallet – preferably a non-custodial wallet.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA wallet is a device or app where you can store a special key (private key) that gives access to your cryptocurrencies. The non-custodial variants let you store the private key in your personal devices, including a computer, mobile phone, or purpose-built wallet devices. With this, you have complete control over your private keys and, ultimately, your digital assets. By comparison, with a custodial wallet, a third party controls your private keys.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, simply buying and holding a crypto asset for any length of time does not guarantee you will make a profit. In fact, it’s very possible you could lose money. As such, exclusively HODLing crypto cannot be considered a truly passive income generator.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"proof-of-stake-pos-staking\"\u003eProof-of-stake (PoS) staking\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-proof-of-stake-proof-of-stake-explained/\"\u003eProof-of-stake\u003c/a\u003e is a type of blockchain consensus mechanism designed to allow distributed network participants to reach an agreement on new data entering the blockchain. Note that blockchains enable open and decentralized networks where participants contribute to governance and processes involved in validating transactions. This is critical because such a community-focused approach eliminates the need for central authorities like banks. In most cases, blockchains randomly pick participants, elevate them to the status of validators, and reward them for their efforts.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe systems used to pick validators vary from blockchain to blockchain. Some blockchain networks require users to deposit or commit their financial resources to the network. Here, the blockchain selects validators from a pool of users that have staked a specified sum of its native digital asset. In return, validators earn interest on the staked funds for contributing to the validity of the network. This validation mechanism is what is called proof-of-stake. It provides an opportunity for holders (those in it for the long haul) to generate passive income.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKnowing fully well that transaction validation might be technically tasking, you could opt for PoS blockchains that allow you to delegate your stakes to other participants who are ready to take up the technical requirements of staking. Understandably, the reward distributed to validators is slightly higher than that of a delegator. Some of the PoS blockchains you could consider are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/price/cardano/\"\u003eCardano\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/price/ethereum/\"\u003eEthereum 2.0\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/price/polkadot/\"\u003ePolkadot\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/solana/\"\u003eSolana\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor even more convenience, you could adopt one of the several \u003ca href=\"https://defiprime.com/staking\"\u003estaking services \u003c/a\u003eavailable today. With these platforms, you can deposit a fraction of the number of digital assets required by the blockchain. For example, you normally have to deposit a minimum of \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/how-does-ethereum-staking-work\"\u003e32 ETH\u003c/a\u003e on the \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2020/07/24/everything-you-need-to-know-about-ethereum-20/\"\u003eEthereum 2.0 \u003c/a\u003eblockchain to become a validator. With a third-party Ethereum staking service, however, you could deposit as little as 5 ETH to start accruing interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"interest-bearing-digital-asset-accounts\"\u003eInterest-bearing digital asset accounts\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHolders can take advantage of interest-bearing crypto accounts to earn fixed interest on their idle digital assets. Think of this as putting money in an interest-earning bank account. The only difference is that this service supports only crypto deposits. Instead of holding digital assets in your wallets, you can deposit them in these accounts and receive daily, weekly, monthly or yearly earnings, depending on the predefined interest rates. Crypto service providers that offer such products include:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://nexo.io/\"\u003eNexo\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://celsius.network/\"\u003eCelsius Network\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://swissborg.com/\"\u003eSwissBorg\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://blockfi.com/\"\u003eBlockFi\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"lending\"\u003eLending\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLending has become one of the most popular crypto services in both the centralized and decentralized segments of the crypto industry. As an investor, you can lend your digital assets to borrowers for a chance to earn interest. There are four main lending strategies you could opt for:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeer-to-peer lending:\u003c/strong\u003e Platforms that provide such services enable systems that allow users to set their terms, decide the amount they want to lend and the interest they intend to generate on loans. The platform matches lenders with borrowers, similar to how P2P (peer-to-peer) trading platforms match buyers and sellers. Such lending systems provide users with a certain degree of control when it comes to crypto lending. However, you have to deposit your digital asset on the lending platform’s custodial wallet beforehand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCentralized lending:\u003c/strong\u003e In this strategy, you rely solely on the lending infrastructure of third parties. Here, the interest rates are fixed, so are the lock-up periods. Like P2P lending, you have to transfer your crypto to the lending platform to start earning interest.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDecentralized or DeFi lending:\u003c/strong\u003e This strategy allows users to execute lending services directly on the blockchain. Unlike the P2P and centralized lending strategies, there are no intermediaries involved in \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/defi-lending-3-major-risks-to-know\"\u003eDeFi lending\u003c/a\u003e. Instead, lenders and borrowers interact with programmable and self-executing contracts (also known as smart contracts), which autonomously and periodically set interest rates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMargin lending:\u003c/strong\u003e Lastly, you could lend your crypto assets to traders interested in using borrowed funds to trade. These traders amplify their trading position with borrowed funds and repay the loans with interest. In this case, crypto exchanges do most of the work on your behalf. All you need to do is make your digital asset available.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"cloud-mining\"\u003eCloud mining\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnlike the proof-of-stake mechanism explained earlier, some blockchains, including \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-bitcoin/\"\u003eBitcoin\u003c/a\u003e, opt for a more \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2020/12/16/what-is-proof-of-work/\"\u003ecomputer-intensive approach\u003c/a\u003e where users need to prove the eligibility of their claim to become validators (more commonly called miners) by competing against each other to solve highly complex mathematical puzzles. This process is called \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/bitcoin-101/how-bitcoin-mining-works/\"\u003ecrypto mining\u003c/a\u003e. Due to the competitiveness of this consensus mechanism, miners have to invest in powerful computers and pay exorbitant electricity bills.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUndoubtedly, this venture is time-consuming and technical. And so, investors often opt for an alternate approach called cloud mining. With this, you can pay third parties to take up the technical aspect of crypto mining on your behalf. In essence, you pay a platform that offers such services a lump sum to rent or buy mining machines from their mining facilities. After this first payment, you might have to pay a daily maintenance fee so that the cloud mining service provider can help you manage your mining rigs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs exciting as this sounds, it comes with lots of risks. \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/tech/2021/05/07/amazon-offers-mining-in-the-cloud-for-new-chia-cryptocurrency/\"\u003eCloud mining\u003c/a\u003e has been a subject of controversy ever since it became widely adopted. There have been several cases of scams due to the remote nature of this mining venture. Therefore, you should carry out due diligence before opting for this option.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"dividend-earning-tokens\"\u003eDividend-earning tokens\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCertain tokens offer holders a fraction of the revenue of the company that issued them. All you need to do is hold the token, and you are automatically eligible to receive a certain percentage of the company’s revenue. The number of tokens you own determines the share of the revenue you would receive. An example of this is KuCoin Shares (KCS), where holders receive a daily share of transaction fees accrued by the KuCoin blockchain asset \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2021/08/25/kucoin-launches-proof-of-work-mining-pool/\"\u003eexchange\u003c/a\u003e. The amount received is proportional to the amount of KCS tokens each holder stakes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"yield-farming\"\u003eYield farming\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/defi-yield-farming-comp-token-explained\"\u003eYield farming\u003c/a\u003e is another decentralized, or \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/decentralized-finance-defined/\"\u003eDeFi, \u003c/a\u003emethod of earning passive crypto income. This is made possible by the dynamic operations of decentralized exchanges, which are basically trading platforms where users rely on the combination of smart contracts (programmable and self-executing computer contracts) and investors for the liquidity necessary to execute trades. Here, users do not trade against brokers or other traders. Instead, they trade against funds deposited by investors – known as liquidity providers – into special smart contracts known as liquidity pools. In turn, liquidity providers receive a proportional amount of trading fees from the pool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo start earning passive income via this system you first have to take up the role of a liquidity provider (LP) on a DeFi exchange such as Uniswap, Aave, or PancakeSwap.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo start earning these fees, you have to deposit a specified ratio of two or more digital assets into a liquidity pool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFor example, in order to provide liquidity to an ETH/USDT pool, you will need to deposit both ETH and USDT tokens into it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you deposit liquidity, the decentralized exchange will transfer LP tokens representing your share of the total funds locked in the liquidity pool. You can then stake these LP tokens using supported decentralized lending platforms and earn additional interest. This strategy allows you to earn two separate interest rates from a single deposit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe crypto passive income opportunities listed in this guide are just some of the many ways you can make extra profit with your idle digital assets. Note that none of these opportunities are risk-free. Hence, it is advisable to carry out your own research, seek professional guidance from a qualified financial advisor, and determine what best suits your investment goals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;d like to introduce to you: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003eBinance\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best crypto exchange. \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003eBinance\u003c/a\u003e has a specific feature known as the Binance Vault that enables you to earn passive income on the crypto you hold with relatively low risk. With Binance, you can just buy crypto, add it to your Earn Vault and sleep knowing your crypto is growing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo use this, kindly register with Binance using this link: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003eRegister With Binance and Get 20%\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/top-6-crypto-passive-income-generators-for-2021/\"\u003eCoinDesk\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-09T14:53:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/1_cc8xg5pc8lf5id8u_vu0fw.jpeg","tags":["finance","technology","staking","lending","lenders","cryptocurrencies","crypto","cryptocurrency","passive income","fire","financial freedom","assets","defi","decentralizedfinance","mining","yield farming"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/applications-and-use-cases-of-blockchain-technology/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/applications-and-use-cases-of-blockchain-technology/","title":"Applications and Use Cases of Blockchain Technology","summary":"1. Money transfers The original concept behind the invention of blockchain technology is still a great application. Money transfers using blockchain can be less expensive and faster than using existing money transfer services. This is especially true of cross-border transactions, which are often slow and expensive. Even in the modern U.S. financial system, money transfers between accounts can take days, while a blockchain transaction takes minutes.\n2. Financial exchanges Many companies have popped up over the past few years offering decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Using blockchain for exchanges allows for faster and less expensive transactions. Moreover, a decentralized exchange doesn\u0026rsquo;t require investors to deposit their assets with the centralized authority, which means they maintain greater control and security. While blockchain-based exchanges primarily deal in cryptocurrency, the concept could be applied to more traditional investments as well.\n","content_html":"\u003ch3 id=\"1-money-transfers\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Money transfers\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original concept behind the invention of \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain technology\u003c/a\u003e is still a great application. Money transfers using \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e can be less expensive and faster than using existing money transfer services. This is especially true of cross-border transactions, which are often slow and expensive. Even in the modern U.S. financial system, money transfers between accounts can take days, while a blockchain transaction takes minutes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-financial-exchanges\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Financial exchanges\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany companies have popped up over the past few years offering decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges. Using \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e for exchanges allows for faster and less expensive transactions. Moreover, a \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/decentralized-finance-defined/\"\u003edecentralized exchange\u003c/a\u003e doesn\u0026rsquo;t require investors to deposit their assets with the centralized authority, which means they maintain greater control and security. While \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e-based exchanges primarily deal in cryptocurrency, the concept could be applied to more traditional investments as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-lending\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. Lending\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLenders can use \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e to execute collateralized loans through \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-are-smart-contracts-smart-contracts-explained/\"\u003esmart contracts\u003c/a\u003e. Smart contracts built on the \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e allow certain events to automatically trigger things like a service payment, a margin call, full repayment of the loan, and release of collateral. As a result, loan processing is faster and less expensive, and lenders can offer better rates.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-insurance\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Insurance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing smart contracts on a \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-is-blockchain-how-does-it-work-blockchain-explained/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e can provide greater transparency for customers and insurance providers. Recording all claims on a blockchain would keep customers from making duplicate claims for the same event. Furthermore, using smart contracts can speed up the process for claimants to receive payments.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-real-estate\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Real estate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReal estate transactions require a ton of paperwork to verify financial information and ownership and then transfer deeds and titles to new owners. Using blockchain technology to record real estate transactions can provide a more secure and accessible means of verifying and transferring ownership. That can speed up transactions, reduce paperwork, and save money.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"6-secure-personal-information\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6. Secure personal information\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeeping data such as your Social Security number, date of birth, and other identifying information on a public ledger (e.g., a blockchain) may actually be more secure than current systems more susceptible to hacks. Blockchain technology can be used to secure access to identifying information while improving access for those who need it in industries such as travel, healthcare, finance, and education.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"7-voting\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e7. Voting\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf personally identifiable information is held on a blockchain, that puts us just one step away from also being able to vote using blockchain technology. Using blockchain technology can make sure that nobody votes twice, only eligible voters are able to vote, and votes cannot be tampered with. What\u0026rsquo;s more, it can increase access to voting by making it as simple as pressing a few buttons on your smartphone. At the same time, the cost of running an election would substantially decrease.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"8-government-benefits\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e8. Government benefits\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother way to use digital identities stored on a blockchain is for the administration of government benefits such as welfare programs, Social Security, and Medicare. Using blockchain technology could reduce fraud and the costs of operations. Meanwhile, beneficiaries can receive funds more quickly through digital disbursement on the blockchain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"9-securely-share-medical-information\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e9. Securely share medical information\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeeping medical records on a blockchain can allow doctors and medical professionals to obtain accurate and up-to-date information on their patients. That can ensure that patients seeing multiple doctors get the best care possible. It can also speed up the system for pulling medical records, allowing for more timely treatment in some cases. And, if insurance information is held in the database, doctors can easily verify whether a patient is insured and their treatment is covered.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"10-artist-royalties\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e10. Artist royalties\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing blockchain technology to track music and film files distributed over the internet can make sure that artists are paid for their work. Since blockchain technology was invented to ensure the same file doesn\u0026rsquo;t exist in more than one place, it can be used to help reduce piracy. What\u0026rsquo;s more, using a blockchain to track playbacks on streaming services and a smart contract to distribute payments can provide greater transparency and the assurance that artists receive the money they\u0026rsquo;re owed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"11-non-fungible-tokens\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e11. Non-fungible tokens\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/what-are-nfts-non-fungible-tokens-explained/\"\u003eNon-fungible tokens\u003c/a\u003e, or NFTs, are commonly thought of as ways to own the rights to digital art. Since the blockchain prevents data from existing in two places, putting an NFT on the blockchain guarantees that only a single copy of a piece of digital art exists. That can make it like \u003ca href=\"https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/communication/media-stocks/art-investment/\"\u003einvesting in physical art\u003c/a\u003e but without the drawbacks of storage and maintenance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs can have varied applications, and ultimately they\u0026rsquo;re a way to convey ownership of anything that can be represented by data. That could be the deed to a house, the broadcast rights to a video, or an event ticket. Anything remotely unique could be an NFT.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"12-logistics-and-supply-chain-tracking\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e12. Logistics and supply chain tracking\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing blockchain technology to track items as they move through a logistics or supply chain network can provide several advantages. First of all, it provides greater ease of communication between partners since data is available on a secure public ledger. Second, it provides greater security and data integrity since the data on the blockchain can\u0026rsquo;t be altered. That means logistics and supply chain partners can work together more easily with greater trust that the data they\u0026rsquo;ve provided is accurate and up to date.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"13-secure-internet-of-things-networks\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e13. Secure Internet of Things networks\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Internet of Things (IoT) is making our lives easier, but it\u0026rsquo;s also opening the door for nefarious actors to access our data or take control of important systems. Blockchain technology can provide greater security by storing passwords and other data on a decentralized network instead of a centralized server. Additionally, it offers protection against data tampering since a blockchain is practically immutable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"14-data-storage\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e14. Data storage\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdding blockchain technology to a data storage solution can provide greater security and integrity. Since data can be stored in a decentralized manner, it will be more difficult to hack into and wipe out all the data on the network, whereas a centralized data storage provider may only have a few points of redundancy. It also means greater access to data since access isn\u0026rsquo;t necessarily reliant on the operations of a single company. In some cases, using blockchain for data storage may also be less expensive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"15-gambling\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e15. Gambling\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe gambling industry can use blockchain to provide several benefits to players. One of the biggest benefits of operating a casino on the blockchain is the transparency it provides to potential gamblers. Since every transaction is recorded on the blockchain, bettors can see that the games are fair and the casino pays out. Furthermore, by using blockchain, there\u0026rsquo;s no need to provide personal information, including a bank account, which may be a hurdle for some would-be gamblers. It also provides a workaround for regulatory restrictions since players can gamble anonymously and the decentralized network isn\u0026rsquo;t susceptible to a government shutdown.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"blockchain-is-in-its-infancy\"\u003eBlockchain is in its infancy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlockchain technology has only been around for a dozen years, and businesses are still exploring new ways to apply the technology to support their operations. With the growing amount of digital data used in our lives, there\u0026rsquo;s a growing need for the data security, access, transparency, and integrity blockchain can provide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/financials/blockchain-stocks/blockchain-applications/\"\u003eThe Motley Fool\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-09T13:01:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/mit-algorand-01.jpg","tags":["technology","finance","blockchain","hyperledger","ledger","blockchains","blocks","decentralized","decentralized finance","cryptography","cryptocurrencies","cryptocurrency","crypto","gamefi","nft","non fungible tokens","blockchain technology","dao","defi","digitization","finance and economy","fintech","financial technology"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-cbdcs-why-countries-are-exploring-and-creating-their-own-central-bank-digital-currency/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-cbdcs-why-countries-are-exploring-and-creating-their-own-central-bank-digital-currency/","title":"What are CBDCs? Central Bank Digital Currency Defined","summary":"The future is digital and virtual.\nCBDC stands for “central bank digital currency,” a new type of currency that governments around the world are experimenting with. What sets a CBDC apart from established currencies is that proponents hope it can use new payment technology, typically a blockchain, to potentially increase payment efficiency and lower costs.\nThis new type of currency is still early in its development. Most countries are still only starting to explore the idea, such as the U.S. form of a digital dollar. A few ambitious countries, including China with its digital yuan, South Korea, and Nigeria with eNaira, have already finished a demo and are piloting the technology. But a CBDC has yet to be deployed on a large scale.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe future is digital and virtual.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCBDC stands for “central bank digital currency,” a new type of currency that governments around the world are experimenting with. What sets a CBDC apart from established currencies is that proponents hope it can use new payment technology, typically a blockchain, to potentially increase payment efficiency and lower costs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new type of currency is still early in its development. Most countries are still only starting to explore the idea, such as the U.S. form of a digital dollar. A few ambitious countries, including China with its \u003ca href=\"https://www.reuters.com/technology/95-billion-spent-using-chinese-central-banks-digital-currency-official-2021-11-03/\"\u003edigital yuan\u003c/a\u003e, South Korea, and Nigeria with \u003ca href=\"https://enaira.gov.ng/\"\u003eeNaira\u003c/a\u003e, have already finished a demo and are piloting the technology. But a CBDC has yet to be deployed on a large scale.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach country exploring a CBDC has its own approach. Several CBDCs are based on the same general principles and blockchain technology underlying Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlockchain technology allows many different entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions so that history is distributed and not controlled by a single entity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeveral countries are known to be experimenting with blockchain-inspired CBDCs. Venezuela was a pioneer in this respect, launching its own cryptocurrency, the petro, in 2018. However, the petro is plagued by problems and very few Venezuelans actually use it. Besides Venezuela, the Chinese government is probably the furthest along in creating a CBDC. It is already trialing a digital yuan across several cities. The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston is collaborating with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to experiment with a digital dollar as well. \u003ca href=\"https://kenyanwallstreet.com/kenya-explores-central-bank-digital-currency-for-cross-border-payments/\"\u003eKenya has expressed interest in creating its own.\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-09T12:31:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/cbdc.jpeg","tags":["technology","finance","cbdc","central bank","central banks","central bank digital currency","stablecoin","digital currency"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-does-decentralized-finance-work/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-does-decentralized-finance-work/","title":"How Does Decentralized Finance Work?","summary":"DeFi uses cryptocurrencies and smart contracts to provide services that don\u0026rsquo;t need intermediaries. In today\u0026rsquo;s financial world, financial institutions act as guarantors of transactions. This gives these institutions immense power because your money flows through them. Plus billions of people around the world can\u0026rsquo;t even access a bank account.\nIn DeFi, a smart contract replaces the financial institution in the transaction. A smart contract is a type of Ethereum account that can hold funds and can send/refund them based on certain conditions. No one can alter that smart contract when it\u0026rsquo;s live – it will always run as programmed.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDeFi uses cryptocurrencies and smart contracts to provide services that don\u0026rsquo;t need intermediaries. In today\u0026rsquo;s financial world, financial institutions act as guarantors of transactions. This gives these institutions immense power because your money flows through them. Plus billions of people around the world can\u0026rsquo;t even access a bank account.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn DeFi, a smart contract replaces the financial institution in the transaction. A smart contract is a type of Ethereum account that can hold funds and can send/refund them based on certain conditions. No one can alter that smart contract when it\u0026rsquo;s live – it will always run as programmed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA contract that\u0026rsquo;s designed to hand out an allowance or pocket money could be programmed to send money from Account A to Account B every Friday. And it will only ever do that as long as Account A has the required funds. No one can change the contract and add Account C as a recipient to steal funds.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContracts are also public for anyone to inspect and audit. This means bad contracts will often come under community scrutiny pretty quickly.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis does mean there\u0026rsquo;s currently a need to trust the more technical members of the Ethereum community who can read code. The open-source-based community helps keep developers in check, but this need will diminish over time as smart contracts become easier to read and other ways to prove the trustworthiness of code are developed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://ethereum.org/en/defi/\"\u003eEthereum Website\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-03T14:09:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/defi.png","tags":["finance","technology","decentralized","decentralizedfinance","defi"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/defi-vs-traditional-finance/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/defi-vs-traditional-finance/","title":"Decentralized(DeFi) vs Traditional Finance","summary":"One of the best ways to see the potential of DeFi is to understand the problems that exist today.\nSome people aren\u0026rsquo;t granted access to set up a bank account or use financial services. Lack of access to financial services can prevent people from being employable. Financial services can block you from getting paid. A hidden charge of financial services is your personal data. Governments and centralized institutions can close down markets at will. Trading hours often limited to business hours of specific time zone. Money transfers can take days due to internal human processes. There\u0026rsquo;s a premium to financial services because intermediary institutions need their cut. A comparison DeFi Traditional finance You hold your money. Your money is held by companies. You control where your money goes and how it\u0026rsquo;s spent. You have to trust companies not to mismanage your money, like lend to risky borrowers. Transfers of funds happen in minutes. Payments can take days due to manual processes. Transaction activity is pseudonymous. Financial activity is tightly coupled with your identity. DeFi is open to anyone. You must apply to use financial services. The markets are always open. Markets close because employees need breaks. It\u0026rsquo;s built on transparency – anyone can look at a product\u0026rsquo;s data and inspect how the system works. Financial institutions are closed books: you can\u0026rsquo;t ask to see their loan history, a record of their managed assets, and so on. ","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the best ways to see the potential of DeFi is to understand the problems that exist today.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSome people aren\u0026rsquo;t granted access to set up a bank account or use financial services.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLack of access to financial services can prevent people from being employable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinancial services can block you from getting paid.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA hidden charge of financial services is your personal data.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGovernments and centralized institutions can close down markets at will.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTrading hours often limited to business hours of specific time zone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMoney transfers can take days due to internal human processes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere\u0026rsquo;s a premium to financial services because intermediary institutions need their cut.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"a-comparison\"\u003eA comparison\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n  \u003cthead\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003cth\u003eDeFi\u003c/th\u003e\n          \u003cth\u003eTraditional finance\u003c/th\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/thead\u003e\n  \u003ctbody\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eYou hold your money.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eYour money is held by companies.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eYou control where your money goes and how it\u0026rsquo;s spent.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eYou have to trust companies not to mismanage your money, like lend to risky borrowers.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eTransfers of funds happen in minutes.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003ePayments can take days due to manual processes.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eTransaction activity is pseudonymous.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eFinancial activity is tightly coupled with your identity.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eDeFi is open to anyone.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eYou must apply to use financial services.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eThe markets are always open.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eMarkets close because employees need breaks.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n      \u003ctr\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s built on transparency – anyone can look at a product\u0026rsquo;s data and inspect how the system works.\u003c/td\u003e\n          \u003ctd\u003eFinancial institutions are closed books: you can\u0026rsquo;t ask to see their loan history, a record of their managed assets, and so on.\u003c/td\u003e\n      \u003c/tr\u003e\n  \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-03T11:17:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/defi.png","tags":["finance","technology","decentralized","decentralized finance","defi"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/top-6-cryptocurrency-gaming-tokens-coins-to-watch/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/top-6-cryptocurrency-gaming-tokens-coins-to-watch/","title":"Top 6 Cryptocurrency Gaming Tokens/Coins To Watch","summary":"Here are my top 6 gaming tokens listed with their price as seen during the writing of this article.\nAxie Infinity(AXS): $136 or Ksh 15,320.40 Decentraland(MANA): $4.5 or Ksh 496.79 Enjin Coin(ENJ): $3.40 or Ksh 383.10 Gala(GALA): $0.605 or Ksh 68.11 The Sandbox(SAND): $6.31 or Ksh 710.82 Illuvium(ILV): $1,699.31 or Ksh 191,342.31 To buy these, I recommend you use Binance: The best cryptocurrency exchange where you can make passive income just for holding your crypto in their savings vault: Register for Binance Today and Get 5%\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHere are my top 6 gaming tokens listed with their price as seen during the writing of this article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAxie Infinity(AXS): $136 or Ksh 15,320.40\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecentraland(MANA): $4.5 or Ksh 496.79\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEnjin Coin(ENJ): $3.40 or Ksh 383.10\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGala(GALA): $0.605 or Ksh 68.11\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Sandbox(SAND): $6.31 or Ksh 710.82\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIlluvium(ILV): $1,699.31 or Ksh 191,342.31\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo buy these, I recommend you use Binance: The best cryptocurrency exchange where you can make passive income just for holding your crypto in their savings vault: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegister for Binance Today and Get 5%\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo find more gaming tokens, check out: \u003ca href=\"https://coinmarketcap.com/view/gaming/\"\u003eCoinMarketCap\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-02T11:35:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/nft-crypto-gaming-developers.jpg","tags":["finance","technology","gaming","cryptocurrencies","cryptocurrency","tokens","gaming tokens","gaming coins","cryptocurrency gaming tokens","cryptocurrency gaming coins","cryptocurrency tokens","cryptocurrency coins","axie infinity","axs","enj","enjin","gala","sand","sandbox","ilv","illuvium"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/top-cryptocurrency-exchanges/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/top-cryptocurrency-exchanges/","title":"Top Cryptocurrency Exchanges","summary":" Binance: Register here Coinbase: Register here FTX Kraken Kucoin Crypto.com ","content_html":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBinance: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003eRegister here\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCoinbase: \u003ca href=\"https://www.coinbase.com/join/ajulu_v\"\u003eRegister here\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFTX\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKraken\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKucoin\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCrypto.com\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-01T14:35:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/top-5-crypto-exchanges-to-trade-cryptos-in-2021.jpg","tags":["finance","technology","cryptocurrency","cryptocurrencies","cryptocurrency exchange"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/tanzania-is-planning-to-launch-their-own-central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/tanzania-is-planning-to-launch-their-own-central-bank-digital-currency-cbdc/","title":"Tanzania is Planning To Launch Their Own Central Bank Digital Currency(CBDC)","summary":"The Bank of Tanzania is allegedly mulling over introducing a central bank digital currency for the African nation following the footsteps of neighboring nations declaring similar initiatives.\nAs per a recent Bloomberg report, Bank of Tanzania Governor Florens Luoga mentioned that Tanzania was contemplating following Nigeria’s precedent in rolling out its own central bank digital currency. Luoga allegedly mentioned that the central bank had “allegedly begun preparations” for a digital shilling, Tanzania’s currency since the year 1966.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eThe Bank of Tanzania is allegedly mulling over introducing a central bank digital currency for the African nation following the footsteps of neighboring nations declaring similar initiatives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs per a recent Bloomberg report, Bank of Tanzania Governor Florens Luoga mentioned that Tanzania was contemplating following Nigeria’s precedent in rolling out its own central bank digital currency. Luoga allegedly mentioned that the central bank had “allegedly begun preparations” for a digital shilling, Tanzania’s currency since the year 1966.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmidst the preparation to launch a central bank digital currency, the governor mentioned that Tanzania is also mulling over expanding research into digital currencies and reinforcing the capacity of central bank officials. If the plan comes out to be successful, the nation would be among a select group of jurisdictions presently exploring a rollout of a CBDC.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNumerous industry experts are looking at China guiding the way to the next CBDC launch from a major world economy. The nation’s central bank has carried out pilots in major cities since the month of April 2020 and is planning a substantial test at the Beijing Winter Olympics, next year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs per Luoga, the initiative from Tanzania’s central bank was impelled by Nigeria’s launch of its own central bank digital currency, the eNaira, last month. It is to be noted that the CBDC is only the 2nd to be fully available to the public subsequent to the Bahamas becoming the 1st country in the world to launch a CBDC in the month of October, last year.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://thefutureisnow.community/tanzania-purportedly-planning-to-launch-cbdc/\"\u003eTheFutureisNow\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-12-01T12:38:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/tanzania-purportedly-planning-to-launch-cbdc-1600x900.jpg","tags":["finance","cbdc","Central Bank Digital Currency","tanzania"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-nfts-non-fungible-tokens-explained/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/what-are-nfts-non-fungible-tokens-explained/","title":"What are NFTs? Non Fungible Tokens Explained","summary":"Hi there! Today i\u0026rsquo;d like to talk about NFTs and all the hype surrounding them right now. To begin, we must first know what they are. So,\nWhat is an NFT? An NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with cryptocurrency, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos.\nAlthough they’ve been around since 2014, NFTs are gaining notoriety now because they are becoming an increasingly popular way to buy and sell digital artwork. A staggering $174 million has been spent on NFTs since November 2017.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHi there! Today i\u0026rsquo;d like to talk about NFTs and all the hype surrounding them right now. To begin, we must first know what they are. So,\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-is-an-nft\"\u003eWhat is an NFT?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn NFT is a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, music, in-game items, and videos. They are bought and sold online, frequently with \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/what-is-cryptocurrency/\"\u003ecryptocurrency\u003c/a\u003e, and they are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough they’ve been around since 2014, NFTs are gaining notoriety now because they are becoming an increasingly popular way to buy and sell digital artwork. A staggering \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/what-are-nfts\"\u003e$174 million\u003c/a\u003e has been spent on NFTs since November 2017.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs are also generally one of a kind, or at least one of a very limited run, and have unique identifying codes. “Essentially, NFTs create digital scarcity,” says Arry Yu, chair of the Washington Technology Industry Association Cascadia Blockchain Council and managing director of Yellow Umbrella Ventures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis stands in stark contrast to most digital creations, which are almost always infinite in supply. Hypothetically, cutting off the supply should raise the value of a given asset, assuming it’s in demand.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut many NFTs, at least in these early days, have been digital creations that already exist in some form elsewhere, like iconic video clips from NBA games or securitized versions of digital art that’s already floating around on Instagram.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor instance, famous digital artist Mike Winklemann, better known as “Beeple” crafted a composite of 5,000 daily drawings to create perhaps the most famous NFT of the moment, “EVERYDAYS: The First 5000 Days,” which sold at Christie’s for a \u003ca href=\"https://decrypt.co/60971/beeples-nft-artwork-sells-for-60-3-million-in-christies-auction\"\u003erecord-breaking $69.3 million\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyone can view the individual images—or even the entire collage of images online for free. So why are people willing to spend millions on something they could easily screenshot or download?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause an NFT allows the buyer to own the original item. Not only that, it contains built-in authentication, which serves as proof of ownership. Collectors value those “digital bragging rights” almost more than the item itself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-is-an-nft-different-from-cryptocurrency\"\u003eHow Is an NFT Different from Cryptocurrency?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFT stands for non-fungible token. It’s generally built using the same kind of programming as cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin or Ethereum, but that’s where the similarity ends.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePhysical money and cryptocurrencies are “fungible,” meaning they can be traded or exchanged for one another. They’re also equal in value—one dollar is always worth another dollar; one Bitcoin is always equal to another Bitcoin. Crypto’s fungibility makes it a trusted means of conducting transactions on the blockchain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs are different. Each has a digital signature that makes it impossible for NFTs to be exchanged for or equal to one another (hence, non-fungible). One NBA Top Shot clip, for example, is not equal to EVERYDAYS simply because they’re both NFTs. (One NBA Top Shot clip isn’t even necessarily equal to another NBA Top Shot clip, for that matter.)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow Does an NFT Work?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNFTs exist on a blockchain, which is a distributed public ledger that records transactions. You’re probably most familiar with blockchain as the underlying process that makes cryptocurrencies possible.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecifically, NFTs are typically held on the Ethereum blockchain, although other blockchains support them as well.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn NFT is created, or “minted” from digital objects that represent both tangible and intangible items, including:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Art\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e GIFs\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Videos and sports highlights\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Collectibles\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Virtual avatars and video game skins\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Designer sneakers\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e Music\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven tweets count. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sold his first-ever tweet as an NFT for \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/22/jack-dorsey-sells-his-first-tweet-ever-as-an-nft-for-over-2point9-million.html\"\u003emore than $2.9 million\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEssentially, NFTs are like physical collector’s items, only digital. So instead of getting an actual oil painting to hang on the wall, the buyer gets a digital file instead.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey also get exclusive ownership rights. That’s right: NFTs can have only one owner at a time. NFTs’ unique data makes it easy to verify their ownership and transfer tokens between owners. The owner or creator can also store specific information inside them. For instance, artists can sign their artwork by including their signature in an NFT’s metadata.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"what-are-nfts-used-for\"\u003eWhat Are NFTs Used For?\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlockchain technology and NFTs afford artists and content creators a unique opportunity to monetize their wares. For example, artists no longer have to rely on galleries or auction houses to sell their art. Instead, the artist can sell it directly to the consumer as an NFT, which also lets them keep more of the profits. In addition, artists can program in royalties so they’ll receive a percentage of sales whenever their art is sold to a new owner. This is an attractive feature as artists generally do not receive future proceeds after their art is first sold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt isn’t the only way to make money with NFTs. Brands like Charmin and Taco Bell have auctioned off themed NFT art to raise funds for charity. Charmin dubbed its offering “NFTP” (non-fungible toilet paper), and Taco Bell’s NFT art sold out in minutes, with the highest bids coming in at 1.5 wrapped ether (WETH)—equal to $3,723.83 at time of writing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNyan Cat, a 2011-era GIF of a cat with a pop-tart body, sold for nearly \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/business/nft-nba-top-shot-crypto.html\"\u003e$600,000 in February\u003c/a\u003e. And NBA Top Shot generated more than \u003ca href=\"https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2021/03/30/nba-top-shot-dapper-labs-valuation-funding-round/7058307002/\"\u003e$500 million in sales\u003c/a\u003e as of late March. A single LeBron James highlight NFT fetched more than $200,000.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven celebrities like Snoop Dogg and Lindsay Lohan are jumping on the NFT bandwagon, releasing unique memories, artwork and moments as securitized NFTs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"how-to-buy-nfts\"\u003eHow to Buy NFTs\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re keen to start your own NFT collection, you’ll need to acquire some key items:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirst, you’ll need to get a digital wallet that allows you to store NFTs and cryptocurrencies. You’ll likely need to purchase some cryptocurrency, like Ether, depending on what currencies your NFT provider accepts. You can buy crypto using a credit card on platforms like Coinbase, Kraken, eToro and even PayPal and Robinhood now. You’ll then be able to move it from the exchange to your wallet of choice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou’ll want to keep fees in mind as you research options. Most exchanges charge at least a percentage of your transaction when you buy crypto.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePopular NFT Marketplaces\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you’ve got your wallet set up and funded, there’s no shortage of NFT sites to shop. Currently, the largest NFT marketplaces are:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://opensea.io/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOpenSea.io\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e: This peer-to-peer platform bills itself a purveyor of “rare digital items and collectibles.” To get started, all you need to do is create an account to browse NFT collections. You can also sort pieces by sales volume to discover new artists.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://rarible.com/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRarible\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e: Similar to OpenSea, Rarible is a democratic, open marketplace that allows artists and creators to issue and sell NFTs. RARI tokens issued on the platform enable holders to weigh in on features like fees and community rules.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e•\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://foundation.app/\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFoundation\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e: Here, artists must receive “upvotes” or an invitation from fellow creators to post their art. The community’s exclusivity and cost of entry—artists must also purchase “gas” to mint NFTs—means it may boast higher-caliber artwork. For instance, Nyan Cat creator Chris Torres sold the NFT on the Foundation platform. It may also mean higher prices — not necessarily a bad thing for artists and collectors seeking to capitalize, assuming the demand for NFTs remains at current levels, or even increases over time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough these platforms and others are host to thousands of NFT creators and collectors, be sure you do your research carefully before buying. Some artists have fallen victim to impersonators who have listed and sold their work without their permission.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition, the verification processes for creators and NFT listings aren’t consistent across platforms — some are more stringent than others. OpenSea and Rarible, for example, do not require owner verification for NFT listings. Buyer protections appear to be sparse at best, so when shopping for NFTs, it may be best to keep the old adage “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware) in mind.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/nft-non-fungible-token/\"\u003eForbes\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=d066811aa8ea4f2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/unstoppabledomainsad.webp\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-11-30T18:36:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/nft-art-what-is-it.jpg","tags":["art","nft","nfts","non fungible tokens","non fungible token","tokens","digital art","cryptocurrencies","crypto","cryptocurrency","tech","technology","finance","blockchain","opensea","mint","minting"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-buy-your-first-cryptocurrency/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-buy-your-first-cryptocurrency/","title":"How To Buy Your First Cryptocurrency","summary":"Do you want to invest in cryptocurrencies? Well here\u0026rsquo;s how you can buy your first cryptocurrency as a beginner.\nRegister in a Cryptocurrency Exchange. There\u0026rsquo;s Binance, Coinbase, and more. I suggest Binance. So if you\u0026rsquo;d like to register. here\u0026rsquo;s the link: Register on Binance Today!\nYou\u0026rsquo;ll be required to submit proof of identification.\nSet up how you will buy them e.g card, bank, or mpesa\nGo buy your first crypto. I suggest Ethereum or Bitcoin\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDo you want to invest in cryptocurrencies? Well here\u0026rsquo;s how you can buy your first cryptocurrency as a beginner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRegister in a Cryptocurrency Exchange. There\u0026rsquo;s Binance, Coinbase, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.google.com/url?sa=t\u0026amp;rct=j\u0026amp;q=\u0026amp;esrc=s\u0026amp;source=web\u0026amp;cd=\u0026amp;cad=rja\u0026amp;uact=8\u0026amp;ved=2ahUKEwjtuIzQ8r_0AhU8SfEDHZCwAo8QFnoECAQQAQ\u0026amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fcoinmarketcap.com%2Frankings%2Fexchanges%2F\u0026amp;usg=AOvVaw0XciKeBh46uGvvqu9SLfkT\"\u003emore\u003c/a\u003e. I suggest Binance. So if you\u0026rsquo;d like to register. here\u0026rsquo;s the link: \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003eRegister on Binance Today!\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;ll be required to submit proof of identification.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSet up how you will buy them e.g card, bank, or mpesa\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGo buy your first crypto. I suggest Ethereum or Bitcoin\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimple as that!\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-11-30T13:06:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/executium-em3btkstjia-unsplash.jpg","tags":["cryptocurrency","cryptocurrencies","finance"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/more-applications-of-decentralized-finance-defi/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/more-applications-of-decentralized-finance-defi/","title":"More Applications of Decentralized Finance(DeFi)","summary":"Refresher: DeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term for a variety of financial applications in cryptocurrency or blockchain geared toward disrupting financial intermediaries.\nDeFi draws inspiration from blockchain, the technology behind the digital currency bitcoin, which allows several entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions, meaning it isn’t controlled by a single, central source.\nAsset Management One of the biggest impacts of Defi is that users can now enjoy more control of their own assets. Many of the top DeFi projects are offering solutions that allow the users to manage their assets, including — buying, selling, and transferring digital assets. Thus, the users can even earn interest from their digital assets too.\n","content_html":"\u003ch3 id=\"refresher\"\u003eRefresher:\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term for a variety of financial applications in cryptocurrency or blockchain geared toward disrupting financial intermediaries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeFi draws inspiration from \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-blockchain-technology/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e, the technology behind the digital currency bitcoin, which allows several entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions, meaning it isn’t controlled by a single, central source.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"asset-management\"\u003eAsset Management\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the biggest impacts of Defi is that users can now enjoy more control of their own assets. Many of the top DeFi projects are offering solutions that allow the users to manage their assets, including — buying, selling, and transferring digital assets. Thus, the users can even earn interest from their digital assets too.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn contrary to the traditional financial system, DeFi allows users to maintain the privacy of their sensitive data. Think of the private keys or passwords for your financial accounts — you had to share that information with relevant organizations earlier.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, different DeFi projects, like Metamask, Argent, or Gnosis Safe are helping the users to encrypt and store those pieces of information on their personal devices. This ensures that only the users have the access to their accounts and can manage their assets. So, asset management is one of the most practical decentralized finance uses cases to the users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"complying-to-aml-and-cft-measurements-through-kyt-mechanism\"\u003eComplying to AML and CFT Measurements through KYT Mechanism\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraditional financial systems focus heavily on Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols. KYC guidelines are its biggest compliance tool for implementing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering-the-Financing-of-Terrorism (CFT) measurements.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, KYC guidelines often contradict the privacy efforts of DeFi. DeFi answers this issue with a newer concept called — Know-Your-Transaction (KYT) mechanism. This mechanism suggests that the decentralized infrastructure would focus on transaction behaviors digital addresses rather than the identity of the users.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo, KYT solves two issues at the same time — monitoring the real-time behavior of the transactions and ensuring the privacy of the users. This makes KYT one of the major scopes for decentralized finance use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRead More:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://stephenajulu.com/blog/decentralized-finance-defined/\"\u003eWhat is DeFi?\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"decentralized-autonomous-organizations-or-daos\"\u003eDecentralized Autonomous Organizations or DAOs\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe DAOs are the counterpart of centralized financial organizations in DeFi — making it one of the pillars of decentralized finance use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the traditional system, centralized financial organizations play a massive role. These organizations serve as administrative entities that manage the core financial operations, such as — fundraising, managing assets, implementing governance, etc.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Ethereum blockchain ecosystem introduced decentralized organizations to serve the same goals. However, DAOs are by nature decentralized and don’t adhere to the boundaries imposed by central governments or authorities.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"analytics-and-risk-management-tools\"\u003eAnalytics and Risk Management Tools\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTransparency and decentralization paved the way to discover and analyze an unprecedented amount of data for the users. With access to these data, users can make well-informed business decisions, discover new financial opportunities, and adopt better risk management tactics.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA new breed of data analytics with useful blockchain tools and dashboards has emerged from this industry trend. DeFi projects like DeFi Pulse or CoDeFi Data are bringing an impressive amount of value with analytics and risk management tool.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, businesses have become more agile as they are enjoying unforeseen competitive advantages. This is surely one of the more impacting decentralized finance use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"derivatives-and-synthetic-assets\"\u003eDerivatives and Synthetic Assets\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSmart contracts allow the creation of tokenized derivatives and it has become one of the most unique DeFi use cases. Tokenizing a derivative means setting the value of a contract based on an underlying financial asset or a set of assets. This underlying financial asset works like a traditional security, meaning it could include — bonds, fiat currencies, commodities, market indexes, interest rates, or stock prices.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNow, tokenization of derivatives is secondary securities, and their value changes with the value of the primary securities (bonds or fiat currencies). Thus, derivatives are essentially creating synthetic assets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSynthetix and dYdX are some of the leading DeFi projects focused on tokenized derivatives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"the-network-effect-of-infrastructure-tooling\"\u003eThe Network Effect of Infrastructure Tooling\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the DeFi ecosystem, the components within a system can connect and interoperate. This design feature is known as composability and acts as a core infrastructure development protocol. As a result, DeFi projects are continuously integrated through a network effect.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe infrastructure tools are notable DeFi use cases. Different DeFi projects, such as — TruffleSuite or InfuraAPI, are good examples in this case.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"improved-digital-identity\"\u003eImproved Digital Identity\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBlockchain-based digital identity systems are already getting much traction in recent times. Pairing DeFi protocols with these identity systems could help people access the global economic system.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe traditional approach prizes one’s income or accumulated asset as the nominators for creditworthiness. With DeFi-paired digital identity, it’s possible to consider the other practical attributes, such as — financial activities or professional prowess.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis new type of digital identity could help the underprivileged to access the DeFi applications from anywhere with an internet connection. It could surely be one of the potential use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"insurance\"\u003eInsurance\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInsurance is one of the major financial industries and has already proven to be one of the major DeFi use cases. The current insurance system is bottlenecked with an abundance of paperwork, age-old audit systems, and bureaucratic insurance claiming procedures.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the successful implementation of smart contracts, all of these issues with the current system could be solved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMany DeFi projects (Nexus Mutual, Opyn, and VouchForMe) are even offering blockchain for insurance coverage against DeFi or smart contract risks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"p2p-borrowing-and-lending\"\u003eP2P Borrowing and Lending\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs DeFi is saying goodbye to the traditional banking systems, a vacuum for the borrowing and lending market has emerged. So, borrowing and lending protocol is one of the vital DeFi use cases.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, the DeFi ecosystem is more suitable for peer-to-peer (P2P) borrowing and lending efforts. Multiple DeFi projects have already entered the market focusing on this particular use case. Among these projects, Compound and PoolTogether are two well-known names. These projects have autonomous interest-based protocols for borrowing and lending assets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"payment-solutions\"\u003ePayment Solutions\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the core drivers for DeFi was serving the unbanked or underbanked from the get-go. The inherent traits of DeFi make it well-suited for solving the issues of the current global payment systems. DeFi offers faster, safer, and more transparent solutions compared to legacy systems.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs DeFi drops down the need for middlemen, making payments simpler and more transparent, the DeFi-based blockchain in payment solutions could become appealing to the unbanked population.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"gaming-and-esports\"\u003eGaming and eSports\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLong gone are the days, when video games were nothing but a form of entertainment. Most of the new video games have in-app purchases and loot box features in them. These features enable users to use real-life currency to buy new skins for their characters and tools.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the use of DeFi, game developers can implement the newer incentive or reward models with DeFi coins. In fact, gaming and eSports will likely become one of the major markets as the users are more tech-savvy and open to newer technologies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"margin-trading\"\u003eMargin Trading\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMargin trading is a common feature of the traditional trading system. In simpler terms, it refers to the act of borrowing money from the brokers to invest and gain short-term gain.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the use of DeFi, traders don’t need to rely on brokers to borrow. Instead, they could smart contracts to enforce decentralized and non-custodial lending protocols. DeFi projects, such as Compound and dYdX have already implemented such lending blockchain protocols. Some are referring to this practice as — the autonomous money markets.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"prediction-platforms\"\u003ePrediction Platforms\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the stigma around the concept, prediction platforms and the market are very large and attract many users. The rise and use of DeFi, has created an opportunity to develop DeFi-based prediction platforms where users could trade value by forecasting or predicting the outcome of future events. These prediction platforms are peer-to-peer, decentralized, and offer global access.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAugur is one of the leaders in the DeFi ecosystem that specialize in the prediction market. This platform allows the users to place bets on events like — sports, world events, economics, election results, and more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 id=\"savings\"\u003eSavings\u003c/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to the high inflation rate of fiat currencies and the low-interest rates, saving money has become a challenge in the current economy. In fact, the risk-averse middle-class citizens around the world are desperately seeking alternate investment/savings solutions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDifferent decentralized finance (DeFi) projects have taken the opportunity to introduce new solutions. Projects like PoolTogether, Dharma, or Argent are showing promises with their no-loss savings ideology.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1\u003e\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"tokenization\"\u003eTokenization\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAsset tokenization is one of the core features of the DeFi ecosystem. Tokenization is the process of — creating, issuing, and managing digital assets on a blockchain network. As any kind of asset could be tokenized and stored on a blockchain, it is essentially creating a new form of economy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example, the NFTs are tokenizing unique digital assets that hold value based on the rarity and the demand for any particular digital asset. A plethora of decentralized finance projects are working on tokenizing digital assets for creating, storing, or trading value.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSource: \u003ca href=\"https://101blockchains.com/defi-use-cases/\"\u003e101Blockchains\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- raw html --\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://101blockchains.com/blockchain-infographics/\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https://101blockchains.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/top-defi-use-cases.png\" alt=\"top defi use cases\" border='0' width=\"600px\"/\u003e \u003c/a\u003e","date_published":"2021-11-29T10:48:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/10-defi-coins.jpg","tags":["defi","decentralized finance","finance","technology","tech","financial technology","fintech","blockchain"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/applications-and-use-cases-of-decentralized-finance-defi/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/applications-and-use-cases-of-decentralized-finance-defi/","title":"Applications and Use Cases of Decentralized Finance(DeFi)","summary":"Refresher:\nDeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term for a variety of financial applications in cryptocurrency or blockchain geared toward disrupting financial intermediaries.\nDeFi draws inspiration from blockchain, the technology behind the digital currency bitcoin, which allows several entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions, meaning it isn’t controlled by a single, central source.\nApplications and Use Cases of DeFi Decentralized exchanges (DEXs): Online exchanges help users exchange currencies for other currencies, whether U.S. dollars for bitcoin or ether for DAI. DEXs are a hot type of exchange, which connects users directly so they can trade cryptocurrencies with one another without trusting an intermediary with their money. Stablecoins: A cryptocurrency that\u0026rsquo;s tied to an asset outside of cryptocurrency (the dollar or euro, for example) to stabilize the price. Lending platforms: These platforms use smart contracts to replace intermediaries such as banks that manage lending in the middle. \u0026ldquo;Wrapped\u0026rdquo; bitcoins (WBTC): A way of sending bitcoin to the Ethereum network so the bitcoin can be used directly in Ethereum\u0026rsquo;s DeFi system. WBTCs allow users to earn interest on the bitcoin they lend out via the decentralized lending platforms described above. Prediction markets: Markets for betting on the outcome of future events, such as elections. The goal of DeFi versions of prediction markets is to offer the same functionality but without intermediaries. There are more applications that I\u0026rsquo;ll talk about in part 3 of DeFi.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eRefresher:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeFi is short for “decentralized finance,” an umbrella term for a variety of financial applications in cryptocurrency or blockchain geared toward disrupting financial intermediaries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDeFi draws inspiration from \u003ca href=\"https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-is-blockchain-technology/\"\u003eblockchain\u003c/a\u003e, the technology behind the digital currency bitcoin, which allows several entities to hold a copy of a history of transactions, meaning it isn’t controlled by a single, central source.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"applications-and-use-cases-of-defi\"\u003eApplications and Use Cases of DeFi\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDecentralized exchanges (DEXs)\u003c/strong\u003e: Online exchanges help users exchange currencies for other currencies, whether U.S. dollars for bitcoin or ether for DAI. DEXs are a hot type of exchange, which connects users directly so they can trade cryptocurrencies with one another without trusting an intermediary with their money.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStablecoins\u003c/strong\u003e: A cryptocurrency that\u0026rsquo;s tied to an asset outside of cryptocurrency (the dollar or euro, for example) to stabilize the price.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLending platforms\u003c/strong\u003e: These platforms use smart contracts to replace intermediaries such as banks that manage lending in the middle.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026ldquo;Wrapped\u0026rdquo; bitcoins (WBTC)\u003c/strong\u003e: A way of sending bitcoin to the Ethereum network so the bitcoin can be used directly in Ethereum\u0026rsquo;s DeFi system. WBTCs allow users to earn interest on the bitcoin they lend out via the decentralized lending platforms described above.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePrediction markets\u003c/strong\u003e: Markets for betting on the outcome of future events, such as elections. The goal of DeFi versions of prediction markets is to offer the same functionality but without intermediaries.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are more applications that I\u0026rsquo;ll talk about in part 3 of DeFi.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor now:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave a nice day!\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-11-28T18:53:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/n0hcw35at9m4acjgaqkw_what-is-defi-decentralized-finance-guide.jpe","tags":["defi","decentralized","decentralized finance","finance","financial technology","fintech","blockchain","technology","dexs"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/decentralized-finance-defined/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/decentralized-finance-defined/","title":"Decentralized Finance Defined","summary":"Decentralized Finance (DeFi) refers to the financial transactions that eradicate intermediaries between participants. It uses cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to eliminate central authorities and provide peer-to-peer facilities to carry out financial services such as banking, loans, mortgages, and more. The primary purpose here is to establish an open-source, transparent, and permissionless ecosystem without any central authority owning the power over financial transactions. It allows participants to control their assets, efficiently conduct peer-to-peer exchanges and build decentralized applications (dApps).\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eDecentralized Finance (DeFi) refers to the financial transactions that eradicate intermediaries between participants. It uses cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to eliminate central authorities and provide peer-to-peer facilities to carry out financial services such as banking, loans, mortgages, and more. The primary purpose here is to establish an open-source, transparent, and permissionless ecosystem without any central authority owning the power over financial transactions. It allows participants to control their assets, efficiently conduct peer-to-peer exchanges and build decentralized applications (dApps).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce a transaction is carried out in a traditional banking system, its details are recorded in a private ledger owned and monitored by a financial institution. However, in DeFi, the financial transactions are stored in a computer code on a decentralized public ledger. All participants using DeFi applications and platforms have an identical copy of the general ledger.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis ledger holds the information of every transaction in encryption code. Since decentralized blockchain platforms and applications are immutable, the records of ownership cannot be modified or deleted by a third party providing security in verifying transactions and storing their data.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDecentralized Finance works on the traditional financial system and replaces the intermediaries or central authorities with smart contracts. A smart contract is an automated merger, enforces agreements without intermediary involvement, and is easily accessible by anyone with an established internet connection. Most of the protocols work on the Ethereum blockchain, and the decentralized applications are often created using Ethereum.\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-11-27T15:48:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/defi-finance-decentralisee.jpg","tags":["decentralized finance","finance","blockchain","cryptocurrencies","crypto","cryptocurrency","dapps","ethereum"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-build-wealth-in-your-teens-and-20s/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-build-wealth-in-your-teens-and-20s/","title":"How To Build Wealth in Your Teens and 20s(Updated)","summary":"Here\u0026rsquo;s how you can build wealth in your teens and 20s.\n1. Live below your means Never before has there been such a rise in self-comparison especially with the invention of Instagram. But forget that for a second. Remember 50% of those people you see flaunting money and living in luxury are in debt and are using loans to keep the facade.\nEmbrace minimalism and essentialism. Live below your means. Don\u0026rsquo;t focus on how people view you, focus on yourself. I can assure you 70% out of the 50% are living miserably and in debt. They are depressed and sometimes desire to commit suicide.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHere\u0026rsquo;s how you can build wealth in your teens and 20s.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-live-below-your-means\"\u003e1. Live below your means\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNever before has there been such a rise in self-comparison especially with the invention of Instagram. But forget that for a second. Remember 50% of those people you see flaunting money and living in luxury are in debt and are using loans to keep the facade.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmbrace minimalism and essentialism. Live below your means. Don\u0026rsquo;t focus on how people view you, focus on yourself. I can assure you 70% out of the 50% are living miserably and in debt. They are depressed and sometimes desire to commit suicide.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLive below your means. Here\u0026rsquo;s how you know you are living below your means.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou retain close to 30% of your monthly income after all the deductions including water, rent, food, and other bills.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-create-an-emergency-fund\"\u003e2. Create an emergency fund\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn emergency fund usually entails saving up money capable of taking you 3 to 12 months with zero income.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou create an emergency fund by adding up all the bills you need to foot including rent, food, waste, and transport, then adding the occasional self-treatment/payment/enjoyment/leisure, then adding up medical costs/insurance, and finally adding up 20% of the aforementioned additions times 3 or 6 or 12.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasically, an emergency fund is a fund capable of keeping you alive and healthy for 3 to 12 months. This means food, rent, bills(internet, electricity, waste, water, health, car, among others) times 3 months or 6 months or 12 months. The further the better.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMine comes up to Ksh. 40,000 or 400 USD per month, now times 6 = Ksh. 240,000 or 2400 USD. Don\u0026rsquo;t get extravagant because you\u0026rsquo;ll need to save up the amount you end up with. Remember BASICS and 20% of the basics(for leisure).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-manage-debt\"\u003e3. Manage debt\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot all debt is created equal, there\u0026rsquo;s good debt and bad debt. Find the difference and manage it. If you can eliminate all debt. The top 10% know how to use debt to create income. Make sure the income is 3x higher than the debt to prevent issues.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-invest\"\u003e4. Invest\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInvest immediately you get your income. I\u0026rsquo;d suggest you invest in index funds if you live in the US and other first-world countries.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenerally, I suggest you invest in stocks, cryptocurrencies, mutual funds, unit trusts, ETFs, NFTs, and others. Rule of thumb: Invest 30%(50% is great) of your income, if you can invest more, do it. Working on an ebook that will teach you more ways to invest and even simplify investing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"additionalreading\"\u003eAlso Read: \u003ca href=\"\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-get-a-job-or-build-a-business\"\u003e5. Get a job or build a business\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a no-brainer. Apply to jobs or build a business, even better: do both. You need as much money as possible. Don\u0026rsquo;t be afraid to do \u0026ldquo;low caliber\u0026rdquo; jobs. If you can do multiple small jobs without burning out or experiencing degrading health, do it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"6-create-multiple-streams-of-income\"\u003e6. Create multiple streams of income\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is very important. Find ways you can build multiple streams of income e.g you can write articles even as you build your business or do your job. This will eventually grow into something that makes money for you while you sleep.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe creative economy is a great thing, research and create products then sell them on platforms like Gumroad or Podia. You can also productize your service and sell them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"7-stay-healthy\"\u003e7. Stay healthy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy staying healthy you keep yourself from getting sick and having to use the money to pay for bills. But that\u0026rsquo;s not the only thing that it will help with. You will also be in better shape to earn more money and build wealth. Also, consider investing in medical insurance. Find a good one, research the pros and cons before settling.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee a previous post on how you can become healthy.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRemember: Low/NO Sugar, No Soy, Moderate Sodium, High Fat, Low Carbs, More Veggies, More Meat, More Water, More Fiber, Fewer Fruits, More Eggs and Less Frequently(One Meal A Day, One And A Half Meals A Day, Intermittent Fasting, Autophagy\u003c/strong\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlso Remember More Sun, More Fermented Foods, More Movement/Exercise.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"additionalreading\"\u003eAlso Read: \u003ca href=\"\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003ch3 id=\"8-learn--build-your-skills\"\u003e8. Learn \u0026amp; build your skills\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBuilding skills makes you high value, which means you become twice as likely to be hired every time you learn a new skill or master an old one. The same is true for business, the more skills you learn the more likely you are to attract potential clients.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"additionalreading\"\u003eAlso Read: \u003ca href=\"\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/h5\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;d suggest signing up for Skillshare, use this link to get 1 free premium month worth of content: \u003ca href=\"https://skl.sh/3wxbE9O\" title=\"https://skl.sh/3wxbE9O\"\u003ehttps://skl.sh/3wxbE9O\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m currently learning\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFinancial Literacy\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeb Design with Figma and Webflow\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCopywriting\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFacebook ADS\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGraphic Design\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePython\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRuby on Rails\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGolang\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeb Development\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"9-start-a-retirement-fund\"\u003e9. Start a retirement fund\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know, I know, you are in your teens and twenties, you think you are still young. But trust me, if you want to build wealth, start a retirement fund. Try Roth IRA, 401k, you could also ask your bank if they offer retirement accounts or go with your country\u0026rsquo;s retirement fund. But make sure you get the most bang for your buck. Requirements for a good retirement fund: 1. The company is regulated and was founded 10 years ago or later 2. The rates are very good(you\u0026rsquo;ll need to research multiple funds to know if the rate of the one you choose is great) 3. Can be hooked up to your bank of choice, employer and supports manual payments(not primary) - Basically, you need to have an automatic payment system in place where money is automatically deposited into the funds but allows you to top up.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"10-stop-gambling\"\u003e10. Stop gambling\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGambling is a bad habit and could cost you everything.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"11-take-responsibility-for-your-life-and-finances\"\u003e11. Take responsibility for your life and finances\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s the end of this post.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo all who take the initiative to put the above into action, \u0026ldquo;\u003cstrong\u003eGreatness is coming!\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore ways will be explained in my ebook: \u0026ldquo;How to Invest and Build Wealth\u0026rdquo;. I still don\u0026rsquo;t have a date but my newsletter subscribers will be among the first to be notified together with a 50% coupon code.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSubscribe to my newsletter down below.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee you soon.\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-09-02T12:07:00+03:00","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/morgan-housel-pcdggex9-ja-unsplash.jpg","tags":["wealth","investment","finance"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/best-cryptocurrencies-to-invest-in-2021/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/best-cryptocurrencies-to-invest-in-2021/","title":"Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest in 2021","summary":"Hi everyone, so today, I\u0026rsquo;d like to talk about Crypto. In this post, I\u0026rsquo;ll cover 5 cryptocurrencies that I think you should invest in if you are starting out.\n1. Bitcoin(BTC) 2. Ethereum(ETH) 3. Dogecoin(DOGE) 4. TetherUS(USDT) 5. Ripple(XRP) Go check them out, especially with Dogecoin. Implement the HODL technique. This drop and rise so don\u0026rsquo;t be afraid and only invest money you don\u0026rsquo;t mind losing.\nTo buy these I suggest you try Binance using this link, you\u0026rsquo;ll get 5%: Binance\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHi everyone, so today, I\u0026rsquo;d like to talk about Crypto. In this post, I\u0026rsquo;ll cover 5 cryptocurrencies that I think you should invest in if you are starting out.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"1-bitcoinbtc\"\u003e1. Bitcoin(BTC)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"2-ethereumeth\"\u003e2. Ethereum(ETH)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"3-dogecoindoge\"\u003e3. Dogecoin(DOGE)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"4-tetherususdt\"\u003e4. TetherUS(USDT)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"5-ripplexrp\"\u003e5. Ripple(XRP)\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGo check them out, especially with Dogecoin. Implement the HODL technique. This drop and rise so don\u0026rsquo;t be afraid and only invest money you don\u0026rsquo;t mind losing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo buy these I suggest you try Binance using this link, you\u0026rsquo;ll get \u003cstrong\u003e5%:\u003c/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=CL2JFAB6\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBinance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSee you next time. Stay safe!\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://unstoppabledomains.com/?ref=d066811aa8ea4f2\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"/images/unstoppabledomainsad.webp\" style=\"width: 100%; height: auto;\"\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-04-20T06:45:00Z","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/cryptocurrencies.jpg","tags":["investment","investing","finance","investing kenya","getting stated","cryptocurrencies","crypto","cryptocurrency","dogecoin","dogecoin to the moon","dogecoin","bitcoin","ethereum","tetherus","dogecoin 420","doge","btc","xrp","ripple","eth"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-get-started-investing/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-to-get-started-investing/","title":"How To Invest","summary":"Hey there? Today I\u0026rsquo;ll show you how to get started investing.\nDisclaimer: I am not a financial expert, down below is purely my opinion.\n1. Money Market Funds Low Risk A money market fund mainly invests in short-term debt securities with high credit quality such as treasury bills and commercial paper. This fund is ideal for the conservative low-risk investor who leans towards stability and security for capital invested. Interest is calculated on a daily basis, and credited to the client\u0026rsquo;s account net of costs.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHey there? Today I\u0026rsquo;ll show you how to get started investing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDisclaimer: I am not a financial expert, down below is purely my opinion.\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"1-money-market-funds-low-risk\"\u003e1. Money Market Funds \u003csup\u003eLow Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA money market fund mainly invests in short-term debt securities with high credit quality such as treasury bills and commercial paper. This fund is ideal for the conservative low-risk investor who leans towards stability and security for capital invested. Interest is calculated on a daily basis, and credited to the client\u0026rsquo;s account net of costs.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor example Cytonn\u0026rsquo;s money market fund can go up to 11% depending with the market.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCurrently there are more than 8 Money Market Funds in Kenya.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere are the ones I know about.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://cytonn.com/asset-managers/money-market-fund\"\u003eCytonn Money Market Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://invest.icealion.com/learnMore\"\u003eIcea Lion DigiTrust\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ke.britam.com/invest/personal/grow-your-wealth/money-market-fund\"\u003eBritam Money Market Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://cic.co.ke/product/cic-money-market-fund/\"\u003eCIC Group Money Market Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.genghis-capital.com/services/unit-trust-funds/\"\u003eGenCapHela Imara Money Market Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.uapoldmutual.com/h/investment-solutions/solution/money-market-fund\"\u003eUAPOld Mutual Money Market Fund\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"2-real-estate--land-moderate-risk\"\u003e2. Real Estate \u0026amp; Land \u003csup\u003eModerate Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReal Estate \u0026amp; Land is mainly the buying, selling or renting of real estate or land. Land and Real Estate are assets known to appreciate in value and one of the contributing factors to this, is that the world is running out of land and land prices keep increasing because of it\u0026rsquo;s demand. Real Estate on the other hand is important as well. Investing in this usually means you are buying a piece of land or housing then wait for it to appreciate in value and then sell or rent it. Many have devised a ploy where they rent land then rent it to other people and they deduct their profits while paying the rest to the official landlord.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReal Estate is a moderate risk high return investment, which means before attempting to invest in this. Lay aside an emergency fund as prices depreciate too. Take a look at this season we are in, it\u0026rsquo;s prime season for those looking for housing or land but not so good to the sellers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI know of only 3 way of investing in land and that is through\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://sic.co.ke/\"\u003eSafaricom Investment Cooperative\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://www.cytonn.com/real-estate\"\u003eCytonn Real Estate\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStanlib Fahari - Stanlib Fahari I-REIT is Kenya’s first Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) providing investors with a steady income stream and capital growth. The fund invests at least 75% of its Total Asset Value (TAV) in real estate in strategic locations in Kenya. A maximum of 25% of its TAV is invested in cash investments and cash-like instruments.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c!--adsense--\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"3-shares-moderate-risk\"\u003e3. Shares \u003csup\u003eModerate Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI talk about this here: \u003ca href=\"https://ajulusthoughts.stephenajulu.com/post/how-to-buy-your-first-share/\"\u003eHow To Buy Your First Share\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"4-etfsexchange-traded-fund-moderate-risk\"\u003e4. ETFs(Exchange Traded Fund) \u003csup\u003eModerate Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn exchange traded fund (ETF) is a type of security that involves a collection of securities—such as stocks—that often tracks an underlying index, although they can invest in any number of industry sectors or use various strategies. ETFs are in many ways similar to mutual funds; however, they are listed on exchanges and ETF shares trade throughout the day just like ordinary stock.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe only ETF I know is\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAbsa NewGold ETF - The Barclays/Absa NewGold ETF is an instrument that tracks the price of gold in line with the international markets. It is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and trades under the symbol GLD. Any local investor can purchase it through placing an order through their stockbroker.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf an investor buys the security/share of the NewGold ETF he is effectively buying approximately 1/100th of an ounce of Gold which is held in a secure depository on behalf of investors and is backed by physical gold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"5-cryptocurrencies-high-risk\"\u003e5. Cryptocurrencies \u003csup\u003eHigh Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) is a digital currency that can be used to buy goods and services, but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography to secure online transactions. Much of the interest in these unregulated currencies is to trade for profit, with speculators at times driving prices skyward.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust recently they crypto market(all cryptocurrencies) surpassed 1.2 Trillion US Dollars, that\u0026rsquo;s 131,340,000,000,000.00 Kenyan Shillings. One Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency is at 5,103,850.51 Kenyan Shilling. So you can see the potential cryptocurrencies have. They are a great investment. But you have to be careful as this is a high risk investment, i mean very high risk. Bitcoin and the likes aren\u0026rsquo;t regulated, if for example hypothetically bitcoin was to disappear from the internet, so would you money. It\u0026rsquo;s a high risk high return investment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere is a list of some cryptocurrencies\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBitcoin at 5,103,850.51 Kenyan Shillings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEthereum at 196,334.71 Kenyan Shillings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLitecoin at 20,720.36 Kenyan Shillings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBitcoin Cash at 56,694.36 Kenyan Shillings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonero at 16,504.40 Kenyan Shillings\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"6-forex-high-risk\"\u003e6. Forex \u003csup\u003eHigh Risk\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBasically investing/trading in other currencies eg USD.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne way to do this is to register with \u003ca href=\"https://lp.fxpesa.com/landing-pages/refer-a-friend/?affid=C00958714\u0026amp;clickid=C00958714\"\u003eFXPesa\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat\u0026rsquo;s it for today I know I haven\u0026rsquo;t covered all of them so I\u0026rsquo;ll save the rest for another day.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://ajulusthoughts.stephenajulu.com/post/how-i-started-investing/\"\u003eGo check out my other post on how I started investing\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave a great day everyone.\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-02-10T09:00:00Z","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/feature-758x426.jpg","tags":["investment","investing","finance","investing kenya","getting stated","featured"]},{"id":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-i-started-investing/","url":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/posts/how-i-started-investing/","title":"How I Started Investing","summary":"Hi, how are you?\nMy name is Stephen and welcome to \u0026ldquo;How I Started Investing\u0026rdquo;.\nMy investment journey started with YouTube videos. Specifically Nabo Capital, Money Wise by Rina Hicks and Caroline Mutuko.\nI just stumbled upon Nabo Capital\u0026rsquo;s Money Market video, I researched Money Market Funds and found Cytonn.\nSo my first investment was 400 bob. It was all I had that day, I downloaded their app, registered and deposited that.\nAfter a few days I met a video by Rina Hicks which helped me further understand Investing.\n","content_html":"\u003cp\u003eHi, how are you?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy name is Stephen and welcome to \u0026ldquo;How I Started Investing\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy investment journey started with YouTube videos. Specifically \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/c/NaboCapital-Investments/videos\"\u003eNabo Capital\u003c/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCN6_Kze4Oan1grlfbH-faig\"\u003eMoney Wise by Rina Hicks\u003c/a\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/user/CarolineMutoko\"\u003eCaroline Mutuko\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI just stumbled upon Nabo Capital\u0026rsquo;s Money Market video, I researched Money Market Funds and found Cytonn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo my first investment was 400 bob. It was all I had that day, I downloaded their app, registered and deposited that.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter a few days I met a video by Rina Hicks which helped me further understand Investing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI immediately put 400 in Bitcoin later that day and within a weeks time got 500. Out of excitement i withdrew, took out the 200 and reinvested 300 in Cytonn\u0026rsquo;s Money Market Fund. After a while, I invested 450 in bitcoin, sadly I was impatient(thinking i was going to lose my money) and withdrew after 3 weeks at 440, a ksh.10 loss.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince then I have invested ksh. 2,000 in shares, 700 + on Cytonn Money Market Fund and 500 in Bitcoin.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy shares have a 9% profit but sometimes i get as low as -12% loss in a day, I am still holding on.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGot ksh. 4 + in my money market fund(after 3 weeks).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGot ksh. 79 + in Bitcoins.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy number 1 tip would be: Don\u0026rsquo;t rush, don\u0026rsquo;t be impatient, don\u0026rsquo;t fret when your investment goes into a loss, just hold on a little longer and I can assure you, you won\u0026rsquo;t regret it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo that\u0026rsquo;s it, I suggest you check out there channels.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI personally use Cytonn for Money Market Fund(You can start with as little as ksh. 100), Genghis for shares(same as above, there are share going for as low as 1.23 and the minimum share amount is 100, so that\u0026rsquo;s ksh. 123.) and Local Bitcoins(where you can also buy for as low as ksh. 100)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHave a great day!\u003c/p\u003e\n","date_published":"2021-02-08T15:00:00Z","image":"https://ajulu.netlify.app/images/investing-1.png","tags":["investment","investing","finance","investing kenya","getting stated"]}]}