Top 3 Crypto Tokens for the Energy Sector Recently, the discussion around energy use and sustainability when it comes to Proof-of-Work in Bitcoin mining in particular has intensified. The likes of Elon Musk and Michael Saylor have gone as far as meeting with prominent bitcoin miners in North America and major blockchain ecosystem players including Galaxy Digital, HIVE Blockchain, Argo Blockchain, Blockcap, Core Scientific, Riot Blockchain, Marathon Digital Holdings, and Hut…
@Heath in June 2021
AltCoinTrader Crypto Trading Platform Review AltCoinTrader crypto exchange is based in South Africa, competing with exchanges such as Luno and Valr. The platform has a simple and intuitive interface. However, the platform's design is not mobile-friendly and the exchange does not offer a mobile app. The exchange platform is very basic and does not have a lot of advanced trading tools so most experienced traders still opt to trade on exchanges such as Binance and FTX. The…
Valr Crypto Trading Platform Review VALR is a cryptocurrency exchange that has been operating since 2019 and is based in South Africa. VALR platform offers a good mobile experience and the app is available for download in Google Play Store and Apple's App Store. VALR has a partnership with Bittrex exchange and that enables the VALR platform to offer its customers a wide range of crypto assets. VALR also reportedly raised funds from 100X Group which is associated with BitMEX.…
The Impact of Lightning Network on Bitcoin Transactions The Lightning Network is a second layer payment protocol built on the bitcoin network. In other words, lightning network operates on its own but interacts with the bitcoin network to enable the transfer of bitcoins from one person to another. It is a system of channels that allows people to transfer bitcoins to one another off-chain. During such payments, the bitcoin blockchain does not verify the transactions. The…
Bitcoin Perpetual Swaps Explained Simply Many people trade cryptocurrencies on various exchanges in attempts to generate profit. Without question, the trading volume for bitcoins is high since it is the most liquid digital asset in the world. However people can make profit, without owning bitcoins, by capitalizing on price fluctuations. They achieve this through bitcoin perpetual swaps. Basically, a bitcoin perpetual swap is a derivative that enables people to buy and sell…
Transforming society with 4IR innovations, blockchain & AI-powered digital solutions *Women in Tech Interview: Kate Krukiel, GM of the UN Digital Solutions Centre (operated by the UNICC)* Kate Krukiel is the former UN Global Technology Strategist and Director of Strategic Partnerships for Microsoft, now Managing Director of **Sera Afrika**, in Nairobi, Kenya and the General Manager of **UN Digital Solutions Centre** (UN DSC), operated by the **United Nations International…
Cloud, cyber security & leading in a threat environment without decelerating innovation In this Q&A, **Heath Muchena** talks to Ihor Feoktistov, the CTO & co-founder of **Relevant Software** which operates across Europe & USA offering services ranging from software developments, cyber security, artificial intelligence & machine learning to DevOps. Feoktistov shares his wealth of experience from his software engineering advisor background and explores issues around Cloud,…
Using cloud, data encryption technologies within media environments ***Craig Ruurds, CTIO of South Africa’s leading streaming service delivery company*** ***KwikTec******, explores innovation processes that ensure secure delivery of IT infrastructure and application solutions*** https://www.kwiktec.com/ As enterprise demand for product marketing and service delivery digital content continues to rise, IT execs in the media and entertainment sector are also raising the bar to…
Cryptocurrency Staking Explained **Introduction** Cryptocurrency staking is an investment strategy where you lock your funds in a wallet for a fixed period and earn interest. As you reap the rewards, you also support the blockchain network you are on. The staked cryptos are used to verify transactions on the network. https://decentralised.africa/top-20-cryptocurrency-wallets/ https://decentralised.africa/blockchain-technology-explained/ Your staking rewards depend on the…
Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange Review In the cryptocurrency game, Kraken is something of a stalwart, solidifying its place in the market since their 2013 launch. One of the key inspirations for founder Jesse Powell was his visit to the offices of Mt.Gox, an old exchange that was severely hacked and forced to shut down (Kraken was later chosen as the trustee partner for the victims of Mt.Gox). After spending around two years on testing and development and ensuring maximum…
What is Tether (USDT)? The introduction of stablecoins into the digital currency space brought a solution to the high volatility problems of digital tokens. While this solves many problems, certain disadvantages are associated with stablecoins, for instance, they are often controlled by centralised entities. This article is going to give you a brief overview of one of the most popular, widely used, and certainly controversial stablecoin – Tether (USDT). The volatility of…
Understanding the Concept of Polkadot and DOT Token The Polkadot protocol has ushered in a new dawn in the crypto & blockchain space, and now the world can look forward to the creation of new markets and decentralized economies. https://decentralised.africa/blockchain-technology-explained/ Polkadot is a next-generation blockchain protocol with the primary purpose of enabling several specialized blockchains to operate as a single entity. Another grand plan is for the Polkadot…
What Is A Stablecoin? Stablecoins provide their holders with special features, functions and protections that wouldn’t have been available to them if they would rather hold the underlying fiat currency or assets backing the stablecoins. Over the last few years, the world has witnessed a rise in the number of stablecoins. Now available are the likes of DAI, TUSD, and USDC, which are all worthy competitors to USDT. **Key Points** Stablecoins are not as volatile as…
BitMEX Cryptocurrency Exchange & Derivative Trading Platform Review BitMEX, which stands for Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange, is a popular crypto-only trading platform for experienced margin traders. It was registered in Seychelles in 2014 as the product of several finance and web experts, Arthur Hayes, Samuel Reed, and Ben Delo (Britain’s youngest self-made billionaire). Being a margin trading platform (leverage), users aren’t really trading cryptocurrencies, but rather they…
Top 5 Smart Contract Crypto Tokens Smart contracts refer to a business logic according to which all transactions on a blockchain take place. A smart contract aims to fulfil common contractual conditions. Smart contracts are deployed to the decentralized database for a fee proportional to the containing code’s storage size. Smart contracts are self-executing and don’t require the actions of an intermediary or third party. The smart contract code is typically stored on, and…
3 Keys to a Successful Innovation Strategy **Driving value through digital transformation** Digital transformation is central to the growth and survival of many businesses on the African continent, just as it is to businesses in other regions. African businesses can realise significant growth through innovative solutions that address market failures, according to Accenture’s **Reimagining Africa’s future** report.…
Overcoming business disruption with technology during the Coronavirus crisis The global spread of COVID-19 has prompted many businesses to instruct their employees to work from home. Employees are being encouraged to work remotely and many companies have taken steps to restrict business travel for employees. Several unicorn startups including Zoom and Slack and large corporations such as Microsoft and Google are even now offering their cloud-based tools for free to enable…
Insights on crisis response innovation and effective digital workplace strategy As more countries start to ease lockdown restrictions and gradually introduce phased return-to-work policies, CIOs are increasingly looking beyond the COVID-19 crisis with a view to implementing revamped business continuity plans. Whether it’s a move towards rapid expansion of VPN capacity to handle a surge in workers teleworking from home or undertaking significant transformation in procuring…
Bybit Crypto Exchange Review Bybit is a paid crypto-futures exchange based in Singapore that was co-founded by current CEO Ben Zhou in March 2018 and can now boast more than one million users. The business is registered in the British Virgin Islands and operates under the name Bybit Fintech Limited. https://www.bybit.com/app/register?ref=7kPPw In this article, we will be assessing the positives and negatives of Bybit, as well as providing some information on their featured…
Digital Asset Merchant Directory - South Africa Bitcoin is becoming more popular in Africa, and many people are wondering where they can spend it. Below is a list of South African merchants that accept bitcoin as well as other cryptos. The list includes those that are available both online and offline. Aphrodata – IT company headquartered in Stellenbosch. Baseline Skate Shop – leading skateboarding and streetwear store in S. Africa. It is based in Cape Town. Bidorbuy.co.za –…
Blockchain vs Distributed Ledger Technology Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) are two words that have become synonymous with cryptocurrencies or digital assets such as Bitcoin. https://decentralised.africa/distributed-ledger-technology-explained/ https://decentralised.africa/bitcoin-blockchain-cryptocurrency-explained/ Blockchain Defined The popularity of the blockchain has overshadowed DLT, following the advent and huge success of cryptocurrencies like…
Bitcoin Blockchain & Cryptocurrency Explained The first use case of blockchain technology *“Bitcoin is a remarkable cryptographic achievement, and the ability to create something that is not duplicable in the digital world has enormous value.” –****Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google*** A blockchain includes different digital assets, including digital tradable tokens and inventory tokens. The blockchain may implement a transaction type that includes tokens may be associated…
Making an Impact through Education, Technology and Business Leadership Rapelang Rabana is the founder and chair of Rekindle Learning, an edutech company that explores the role of learning pedagogies that improve learning efficiency and reduce time to competency, ensuring higher workforce productivity and enabling young people to be more employable. She is also a board member of Imagine Worldwide which seeks to demonstrate that children, with personalized technology in their…
Developing digital skills for future job market South African educator Debbie Schäfer, a former member of the National Assembly, provides insight on how governments and private enterprises can empower the workforce with critical skills for the era of digital transformation. Business leaders around the world face a shortage of IT talent and the problem is most acute in developing economies, where the gap between enterprise tech requirements and the digital skills of the…
Innovation, business leadership, diversity & inclusion in tech Elaine Wang is an all-round tech enthusiast with a passion for the transformative power of the cloud for SMEs. She is the Cloud and Software Solutions Director of Rectron. She inspires and embodies tech leadership and is constantly finding innovative ways to solve problems. **You have a passion for helping SMEs figure out how technology can help their businesses, what’s your approach to engaging local…
Women in Tech Interview: Trends in SaaS, AI & Analytics African enterprises are starting a migration to SaaS and cloud services. Julia Nill shares insights on how enterprises are taking advantage of the move and related applications like AI and analytics. As Enterprise Solutions director at **Meltwater** EMEA based in Cape Town, Julia Nill needs to stay on top of these trends. Meltwater is a SaaS company that develops media monitoring and business intelligence software, and…
Women in Tech: Interview With Tina Fisher, Co-founder & Growth CMO SnapnSave Economic empowerment, digital innovations, and business leadership Tina Fisher is the co-founder and growth chief marketing officer for SnapnSave. A seasoned business woman with extensive experience in pharmaceuticals & healthtech; financial services; marketing services, Fisher’s exceptional knowledge of strategic marketing including product positioning, brand plan development, growth hacking and…
Top 7 Artificial Intelligence & Big Data Tokens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyA2ie6IA5Y **iExec (RLC)** A decentralised protocol whose core function is to index and query data from blockchain networks such as Ethereum and IPFS, The Graph makes possible the querying of data that would otherwise be quite cumbersome to query directly. Essentially, how The Graph works is that it indexes Ethereum data for example, based on subgraph descriptions which define the smart…
Top 3 Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality Tokens **Spheroid Universe (SPH)** Spheroid Universe (SU) is a platform that is meant for developing and launching projects in Augmented Reality (AR). According to the SU, their platform utilises Spheroid AR Cloud OS and Spheroid Script programming language. The vision behind the project is to connect the AR world with the real world for different use cases including gaming, education, entertainment, and advertising. The Spheroid…
Top 3 Huobi ECO Chain (Heco) Tokens **What is Heco Chain?** Huobi Open Platform’s first product was launched in December 2020 and it was the Huobi ECO Chain (Heco). This apparently decentralised, energy-saving public chain is optimised for high-efficiency. It is said to be compatible with smart contracts and is designed to support high-performance transactions. The native token of Heco’s ecosystem is Huobi’s HT token which utilises the HPoS consensus mechanism. Heco is meant…
Top 5 Internet of Things (IoT) Cryptocurrencies **VeChain (VET)** VeChain (VET) launched in 2016 as a blockchain-powered supply chain platform. By using distributed governance and Internet of Things (IoT) technology, VeChain’s objective is to facilitate the creation of an ecosystem that provides solutions to problems in supply chain management. VeChan’s goal is to improve the efficiency, traceability and transparency of supply chains and at the same time help reduce costs…
Bitstamp Crypto Exchange Review 2021 Operational since 2011, Bitstamp is one of the longest serving digital currency exchange platforms in the cryptocurrency space. It was in fact, one of the very first exchanges that was originally established to facilitate Bitcoin trading as a competitor to the infamous Mt.Gox. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Gox Bitstamp was acquired by NXMH, a Belgium-based company in 2018. The company is registered in Luxembourg with its headquarters…
Bithumb Crypto Exchange Review 2021 Bithumb was founded in 2013 and it’s a South Korean digital currency exchange headquartered in Seoul and operated by an entity registered as BTC Korea.com Co. Ltd. South Korea is one of the crypto-friendly countries, having been receptive to the digital asset movement early on in its development. It is also home to other crypto exchanges such as Upbit, Coinone, Korbit, and Gopax. More recently, there’s been a slight shift in the country…
Top 3 Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) Tokens A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) can be described as a type of entity whose decisions are made through the vote of its members electronically using computer code. Essentially, the hard coded rules of the system define the actions that organization takes. DAOs are sometimes referred to as decentralized autonomous corporations (DACs). The rules governing how the DAO operates are encoded as a computer program…
Top 5 Decentralised Storage Network Tokens **Filecoin (FIL)** Filecoin is a peer-to-peer network, complementary protocol, cryptocurrency and open-source cloud storage marketplace. The blockchain is based on proof-of-replication and proof-of-spacetime. Filecoin makes it possible to store files on the internet and provide data storage through the introduction of a mechanism that incentivises users that are responsible for maintaining the network. Anyone can participate in the…
Bitzlato Peer-to-peer Crypto Exchange Review 2021 With the ongoing crackdown on regular cryptocurrency exchanges, peer-to-peer marketplaces like Bitzlato, Paxful, Remitano, LocalBitcoins, Vertex, CoinCola, and Local.Bitcoin.com are seeing an uptick in user base growth, particularly in regions with limited exchange platforms that offer a wide range of payment methods that are typically not available on conventional exchanges. https://bitzlato.bz/p2p?start=14pW4…