Learning the friendly way

You may have heard of bear and bull markets; both referring to economic conditions within a market. Think about how a bull attacks, lifting you up with its horns. 

A bull  market or bullish market describes a condition within a financial market where the prices are rising or are expected to rise. The term "bull market" is most often used to refer to a financial market but refers as well to any asset that is tradable such as bonds, real estate, commodities, and currencies. Bull markets indicate investor confidence, optimism, and expectations that strong results will continue for an extended period of time.

There are two ways to What is a Bull Market?

A bull market refers to a financial market condition in which the prices of securities or assets are rising or expected to rise over an extended period. In a bull market, investors are optimistic about the future prospects of the market and are willing to buy securities, pushing prices higher.
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Bull markets are often associated with economic growth, strong corporate earnings, and low unemployment rates. In these conditions, investors are confident that businesses will continue to perform well and that the overall economy will continue to expand, leading to higher stock prices.
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Recognizing a Bull Market

To recognize a bull market, investors need to look for a sustained period of rising prices across the market or a specific asset class. This period can last anywhere from a few months to several years.
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Another way to recognize a bull market is through technical analysis. Technical analysts look at charts and other market indicators to identify patterns that signal a market trend. In a bull market, technical analysts may look for higher highs and higher lows in price movements over time.
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Impact of a Bull Market

A bull market can have a significant impact on the economy, businesses, and investors. When the stock market is performing well, businesses may have easier access to capital and credit, which can lead to increased investment and growth.
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A bull market can also lead to increased consumer confidence, as investors feel more optimistic about the economy and their financial futures. This can lead to higher consumer spending, which can, in turn, fuel economic growth.
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On the other hand, a prolonged bull market can lead to a market bubble, where prices become overinflated and unsustainable. This can lead to a market correction, where prices drop significantly, and investors may suffer losses.
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In conclusion

Bull markets can have a significant impact on the economy, businesses, and investors. Recognizing a bull market and understanding its impact can help investors make more informed investment decisions. However, it's essential to remain vigilant and avoid investing solely based on market trends, as market bubbles can lead to significant losses.

approach a bull market: selling stock for high profits or holding in hopes of rising prices in the future. Alternatively, you can also buy more assets, but most would not recommend buying on a high.

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In market terminology, a bull market is a period of generally rising prices and investor optimism. The term "bull market" comes from the market that rises steadily and consistently like a healthy bull. A bear market is the opposite: It refers to a condition when prices are falling and investors are pessimistic about future market value. Historical market cycles are well defined and provide a good understanding of market trends.

It's all about cycles

The market cycle helps investors to know whether they should invest or hold back their crypto coins. To avoid making wrong market choices, investors should know market cycles so they can decide whether the crypto market is on the rise or not.

The market cycle helps people to know when the market is already booming and ready to take a plunge. This helps traders to decide which crypto coin to buy at its lowest value, hold it until market bull cycle and then sell it to make a very good profit.

The Bull Market:

A Bull market is a long run of increasing prices and investor optimism where buyers outnumber sellers. As the market bull cycle goes on, more investors will see the market as their opportunity to buy low and sell high. The result is a market cycle that is not as steep as it had previously been.

The Bear Market:

A Bear market is the opposite of a Bull market where prices are falling and investors have low expectations for future market values. The market cycles are frequently broken up into bull markets and bear markets. This market cycle happens when market prices fall and investors sell their coins, this causes market prices to drop even more until the trend reverses.

The case of the Dead/flat market

A Dead market is a term used to describe a period of time where there is not much movement in either direction but it is not a market downturn by any means. This market cycle can occur after prolonged market cycles such as bull (rising trend market) and bear (falling trend market).

The market is not a straight line, it goes up and down so even though the market has gone on for a considerable time without any market fluctuation, market volatility will eventually return.

The market can be dead for a long time but it could cause worry within investors so they should know where market cycles stand.

Since market cycles are consistent it is better to be ready for market volatility, this will help you make informed market decisions when market cycles return.

In conclusion: the market cycle is a repeating market trend that describes market fluctuations over time. When market prices increase, it is called a bull market; when prices fall, it's called a bear market. Knowledge of market cycles is an important asset for investors in the crypto market as the knowledge of swings, downturns and upturns can help make better-informed decisions with investing in cryptocurrencies.

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Polkastarter represents one of the leading decentralised launchpad platforms in the blockchain ecosystem, focused on empowering early-stage crypto projects to raise funds and launch tokens. First launched in December 2020, it has established itself as a prominent player in the Initial DEX Offering (IDO) space, providing a secure and efficient environment for project launches.

The platform has facilitated the launch of over 100 projects, demonstrating its significant impact on the crypto funding landscape. Polkastarter also features a dedicated marketing team, including video production and design, providing support beyond just the technical infrastructure.

TLDR

Multi-chain launchpad: Polkastarter is a decentralised platform that enables crypto projects to conduct token sales and fundraising campaigns across multiple blockchain networks.

Fixed-price swaps: The platform's main offering is its fixed-swap smart contract, which allows projects to easily launch liquidity pools that execute orders at a fixed price, rather than using traditional AMM models.

Cross-chain support: Polkastarter currently supports Ethereum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Celo, and Avalanche, providing flexibility for projects across different ecosystems.

Native token (POLS): POLS serves as the platform's utility token, providing access to IDO participation, governance rights, and various platform benefits.

What is Polkastarter (POLS)?

Polkastarter is a decentralised launchpad platform designed to democratise access to early-stage crypto investments through Initial DEX Offerings (IDOs). The platform serves as a bridge between innovative blockchain projects seeking funding and investors looking for early access to promising tokens.

The platform's core innovation lies in its fixed-swap mechanism, which provides predictable pricing for token sales rather than the variable pricing models used by automated market makers. This approach offers greater transparency and certainty for both projects and investors during token launch events.

Beyond the launchpad functionality, Polkastarter runs an internal incubation and advisory program, bringing together experience and lessons learned from 100+ project launches to nurture and grow Web3 projects, helping to ensure that projects launched on the platform receive proper guidance and support.

The platform takes security seriously by carefully reviewing each project before allowing it to launch. This screening process helps ensure that only legitimate, high-quality projects reach investors, protecting users from scams and poorly developed tokens.

Who created Polkastarter?

Polkastarter was founded in 2020 by Daniel Stockhaus, Tiago Martins, and Miguel Leite. The founding team brought together diverse expertise in business development, technology, and product management to address the growing need for reliable fundraising infrastructure in the decentralised finance space.

Daniel Stockhaus serves as CEO and Co-founder, leading the platform's strategic direction and business development efforts. Under his leadership, the platform has grown from a startup concept to one of the most recognised launchpad platforms in the crypto industry.

The founding team recognised the challenges faced by early-stage crypto projects in accessing capital and the difficulties investors encountered in finding legitimate investment opportunities. Their solution was to create a platform that could serve both sides of this equation while maintaining high standards for security and project quality.

How does Polkastarter work?

Launchpad mechanism

To participate in token launches, users need to hold POLS tokens, with different amounts unlocking various access levels. The more POLS you hold, the better your chances of getting into popular launches and the more you can invest.

Projects set fixed prices for their tokens rather than using changing market prices. This means investors know exactly what they're paying and how many tokens they'll get before they invest.

Multi-chain infrastructure

Polkastarter works across several different blockchains, so projects can pick the one that best fits their needs. Some chains have lower fees, others are faster, and some have different user communities.

Project curation and support

As mentioned above, before any project can launch on Polkastarter, it goes through a thorough review process. The team checks the technology, verifies who's behind the project, and evaluates whether the business makes sense.

Projects also get help with marketing, strategy advice, and technical support to give them the best chance of success both during their launch and afterwards.

What Is POLS?

POLS is the native utility token of the Polkastarter ecosystem, serving a range of functions within the ecosystem:

• Tier access: Users must hold and stake POLS tokens to access different participation tiers in IDO launches, with higher holdings providing better benefits and guaranteed allocations.
• Governance rights: POLS holders can participate in platform governance decisions, voting on proposals that affect the platform's future development and policies.
• Staking rewards: Token holders can stake their POLS to earn rewards while maintaining their tier status for IDO participation.
• Platform fees: POLS can be used to pay for various platform services and may provide discounts on transaction fees.

How can I buy and sell POLS?

POLS tokens are available on Tap, allowing verified users to easily buy, sell, and trade the token. Before investing in POLS, we encourage you to consider how useful the token is on the Polkastarter platform and how much the launchpad space is growing. The token’s value depends largely on the platform’s success and how widely IDO fundraising is adopted.

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Harvest Finance is a decentralised yield farming protocol that automates the process of earning maximum returns on crypto investments. Launched in 2020 on the Ethereum blockchain, it functions as a yield aggregator that automatically moves users' funds between different DeFi protocols to capture the highest available yields. It now operates on additional blockchains such as Binance Smart Chain and Polygon.

The platform was designed to solve one of the biggest challenges in DeFi yield farming: the time and expertise needed to constantly monitor and switch between different protocols to maximise returns. Instead of users having to do this manually, Harvest Finance does it automatically, making yield farming accessible to everyone.

TLDR

Automated yield farming: Harvest Finance is a DeFi protocol that automatically farms the highest yields available from various DeFi protocols and pools, optimising returns using advanced farming techniques.

Yield aggregator: Harvest Finance serves as a yield aggregator where assets are deposited into strategic vaults to maximise their yield.

Vault system: Users deposit their crypto assets into specialised vaults, receiving fTokens in return that represent their share of the vault and accumulated rewards.

Native token (FARM): FARM is the governance token that allows holders to vote on protocol parameters and share in farming revenue. FARM token holders can vote on proposals for the operational treasury and may receive a fee from Harvest operations

What is Harvest Finance (FARM)?

Harvest Finance simplifies the complex world of yield farming by creating an automated system that does the hard work for users. When you deposit your crypto into a Harvest vault, the protocol automatically deploys your funds to various DeFi platforms that offer the best returns at any given time.

Think of it like having a professional fund manager for your crypto, but instead of a human making decisions, smart contracts automatically move your money to wherever it can earn the most. The protocol automatically farms the highest yield by moving funds between farming pools on your behalf, eliminating the need for users to constantly research and switch between different platforms.

The platform supports various types of assets including stablecoins, popular cryptocurrencies, and liquidity pool tokens. When you deposit assets, you receive fTokens (like fUSDC for USDC deposits) that represent your share of the vault and track your earnings over time.

Harvest Finance's goal is to make yield farming more accessible by automating the process and optimising the potential returns using the latest farming techniques, bringing sophisticated DeFi strategies to everyday users.

Who created Harvest Finance?

The founders of Harvest Finance remain anonymous, which was common for many DeFi projects launched in 2020. The team is completely anonymous, though the project succeeded in attracting a relatively sizable community and has been involved in the community by doling out grants.

Despite the anonymous nature of the founding team, Harvest Finance has built a strong reputation in the DeFi community through its transparent operations and community involvement. The token was distributed via fair launch with no token sales to investors, demonstrating the team's commitment to decentralised principles.

The project launched during the height of the 2020 DeFi summer when yield farming became extremely popular, and the anonymous team capitalised on the growing demand for automated yield optimisation tools.

How does Harvest Finance work?

Vault Strategy System

The platform operates through a system of specialised vaults, each designed for different types of assets and risk profiles. When you deposit crypto into a vault, you receive fTokens that represent your share of that vault's total holdings.

The magic happens behind the scenes, where the protocol's strategies automatically deploy your funds to various DeFi protocols like Compound, Curve, Uniswap, and others based on where they can earn the highest yields. The system constantly monitors yield opportunities and automatically rebalances to maximise returns.

Automated Yield Optimisation

Harvest Finance's protocol design automatically farms the highest available yields and distributes the profits to users in the pool. This means users don't need to understand the complexities of different DeFi protocols or spend time managing their positions.

The protocol uses sophisticated algorithms to determine the best allocation of funds across different yield farming opportunities, taking into account factors like APY rates, smart contract risks, and gas costs for rebalancing.

Profit Sharing Model

When the automated strategies generate profits, these are shared among all users in the vault proportional to their deposits. A portion of the profits is also distributed to FARM token holders who stake their tokens in profit-sharing pools, creating an additional incentive layer for the community.

What is FARM?

FARM serves as the governance and profit-sharing token of the Harvest Finance ecosystem:

• Governance Rights: Holders can vote on protocol parameters and propose or veto the introduction of new Vaults, giving the community control over the platform's direction.
• Profit Sharing: FARM, when deposited in Profit Sharing pools, becomes a means of participating in farming revenue, allowing token holders to earn a share of the protocol's success.
• Protocol Incentives: Harvest at launch required a native crypto so as to be able to incentivise yield farmers, and allow Harvest to stake other platforms and collect rewards in return.
• Community Participation: The token creates alignment between users and the protocol's long-term success, as both benefit from higher yields and more efficient farming strategies.

FARM operates as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum, making it compatible with the broader DeFi ecosystem and easily tradeable on decentralised exchanges. While FARM is originally an ERC-20 token, it also exists on other blockchain platforms such as Polygon and Binance Smart Chain, expanding to multiple blockchains to offer yield farming opportunities across different ecosystems

How can I buy and sell FARM?

For those looking to participate in automated yield farming, FARM tokens are readily available through the Tap app. You can purchase, sell, and store FARM tokens securely while managing them alongside your broader crypto portfolio.

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It's 2025 and you've decided to get involved in the crypto industry and find out what the fuss is all about. You've made a smart choice, and we're pleased to welcome you. In this step-by-step guide, we'll be showing you a simple overview of how to complete the following:

• Create an account
• Deposit funds
• Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum or any other cryptocurrency
• Sell a cryptocurrency
• Withdrawal funds

Investing in digital currencies can feel daunting at first, but once you've made your first purchase, transaction, or sale, you'll see that using cryptocurrencies is simpler than expected. Be sure to keep an eye on market prices, as volatility in the crypto industry can go through waves, and educate yourself on the coins that you wish to purchase. Whether you're a trader/investor in the UK, EU, EEA, or USA, everyone can gain access to the crypto markets through the Tap mobile app.

In this article, we're going to show you the ropes, guide you through the process and explain step-by-step how to gain the skills to successfully operate in the crypto space and increase your investment portfolio. No previous trading experience is necessary (stocks or crypto).

Step 1: create an account

The first and most important decision to make before buying cryptocurrencies is determining where to buy them from. With plenty of options available on the market and plenty more news stories about them, it's imperative that you select a trustworthy and reliable source.

The Tap mobile app ticks these boxes and proves so by being licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission. The platform has over 300,000 registered users, at the time of writing, operates in 28 countries across the globe, and has been nominated multiple times for PAY360 Awards (previously the Emerging Payments Awards). 

To create an account on Tap, simply follow these steps:

• Download the Tap mobile app from either the Apple or Google Play store.
• Create an account by filling in the relevant information. If you make a mistake, simply go back and alter it before moving to the next step.
• Once the account is set up you will be asked to complete the KYC / identity verification process. Simply follow the onscreen prompts and submit the required information. 
• You will receive an email confirmation once your account is all set up. 

Step 2: deposit funds

In order to buy cryptocurrency through the Tap app, you will need to deposit funds. This can be done in both crypto and fiat currencies, however, we will focus on the fiat deposits today. 

• Select the Cash option in the top horizontal menu.
• Select the fiat currency you would like to deposit, your options are US dollars, Pound Sterling, or Euros. 
• We're selecting GBP, then select one of the options: deposit or debit card top-up. 
• Fill in the relevant information and perform the transaction. 
• Once the funds have cleared they will appear in the relevant Cash wallet. 

Step 3: Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other cryptocurrency

Now for the exciting part! It's time to buy digital currency. For the sake of this tutorial, we're going to show you how to buy Bitcoin, however, the process is consistent across all cryptocurrencies. 

• In the top horizontal menu, select Cryptocurrencies.
• Choose the cryptocurrency you would like to purchase. 
• Once in the crypto wallet, select the blue Buy button. 
• You'll be given the option to decide how to pay, simply scroll to the bottom and select Pound Sterling (or the crypto or fiat currency that you deposited).
• Enter the amount that you would like to purchase.
• Select the Execute Trade button.
• Once the transaction is completed, the funds will appear in your Bitcoin wallet. 

Step 4: Sell A Cryptocurrency

Now that you're familiar with how to buy crypto, it's high time you learned how to sell. 

• To sell Bitcoin (or any other cryptocurrency), go to the relevant wallet in the Crypto section.
• Select the blue Sell button. 
• From here you can decide whether you'd like to sell the cryptocurrency for another cryptocurrency or for a fiat currency. In this example, we'll sell BTC for GBP. 
• Select the Pound Sterling option and enter the amount of BTC you'd like to sell.
• Proceed with the Execute Trade button.
• The funds will then be available in your Cash GBP wallet.

Step 5: Withdrawal Funds

Completing the final process in this step-by-step guide, we're going to explain how to withdraw funds. You have several options here as the Tap app allows users to withdraw funds directly into their bank account, instantly send funds to other Tap users, or withdraw cryptocurrencies.

• In the top horizontal menu, select Cash.
• Choose the Withdraw button, located underneath your balance. 
• Select the option most preferable to you: Instant, to a Tap user; bank transfer; Crypto withdrawal. 
• Follow the relevant instructions and select Execute Trade once complete. 

Tap into a brighter future with crypto

On top of the simple and easy-to-use app, Tap also offers highly secure wallet solutions that are integrated into your account from the get-go. With Tap, you can securely store and manage a wide range of cryptocurrencies from one convenient location, and even more easily spend them using the Tap card.

Bitcoin 101

Here are several frequently asked questions regarding Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency to come into existence.

Badger DAO (BADGER) is a decentralised autonomous organisation focused on building products and infrastructure to bring Bitcoin to decentralised finance (DeFi) ecosystems. In a crypto landscape where Bitcoin and DeFi often exist as separate domains, Badger distinguishes itself by creating bridges that allow Bitcoin holders to participate in Ethereum's DeFi ecosystem without sacrificing their BTC holdings.

Let's explore how this platform is addressing the challenges of Bitcoin integration in DeFi, yield generation, and cross-chain interoperability.

TLDR

• Bitcoin in DeFi: Badger creates infrastructure that allows Bitcoin holders to utilise their BTC within Ethereum's DeFi ecosystem through tokenised Bitcoin assets like WBTC, renBTC, and more.
• Community governance: As a DAO, Badger operates through decentralised governance where BADGER token holders vote on protocol decisions, development, and treasury allocations.
• Multi-product ecosystem: Utilises BadgerDAO (governance), Sett Vaults (yield strategies), and DIGG (elastic supply BTC-pegged token).

What is Badger DAO all about?

Founded in 2020 by Chris Spadafora and a team of DeFi enthusiasts, Badger DAO launched in December 2020 with a fair distribution model that included no pre-sale or venture capital funding. The platform enables Bitcoin holders to use their BTC in DeFi applications while maintaining exposure to Bitcoin's price movements.

It aims to overcome traditional Bitcoin limitations in the DeFi space, such as limited yield opportunities, siloed ecosystems, and technical barriers, and it uses DAO governance to achieve this. The platform's infrastructure allows for yield optimisation on tokenised Bitcoin assets, minimising the complexity for users wanting to earn returns on their BTC holdings within Ethereum's DeFi ecosystem.

In December 2020, Badger conducted its fair launch, distributing BADGER tokens to users who had previously participated in various DeFi protocols. Since then, the platform has continued to evolve, introducing new vaults, strategies, and partnering with other DeFi protocols to maximise Bitcoin holders' opportunities. In 2021, Badger launched DIGG, an elastic supply cryptocurrency that targets a price pegged to Bitcoin.

At the time of writing, it remains one of the notable Bitcoin-focused DeFi platforms in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, bridging the gap between Bitcoin's store of value proposition and Ethereum's DeFi functionality.

How does the Badger platform work?

Badger's core architecture revolves around three main components that work together to provide comprehensive Bitcoin DeFi services:

• BadgerDAO - the governance layer where BADGER token holders vote on protocol decisions and treasury allocations.
• Sett Vaults - yield-generating vaults that automate complex DeFi strategies for tokenised Bitcoin assets.
• DIGG - an elastic supply BTC-pegged token that expands and contracts its supply to maintain a BTC price peg.

The BadgerDAO governance system operates on the Ethereum blockchain, creating a democratic ecosystem where token holders can propose and vote on changes to the protocol. When users deposit their tokenised Bitcoin (like WBTC or renBTC) into Sett Vaults, the assets are deployed across various DeFi protocols to generate yield according to carefully designed strategies.

By distributing the governance process across the community and putting users in control of their yield strategies, Badger promises to deliver security, yield optimisation, and convenience without compromises. Because users can access DeFi opportunities without having to convert their Bitcoin to Ethereum, this makes it an efficient solution for both Bitcoin maximalists and DeFi enthusiasts looking to maximise their returns.

Badger created the BADGER token to be the governance token across its ecosystem, used for voting on protocol changes, directing treasury funds, and incentivising ecosystem participation.

How does Badger DAO protect users’ funds?

Badger employs a robust security architecture where smart contracts undergo thorough audits from multiple security firms. The protocol utilises a timelock for governance changes, allowing users to exit if they disagree with approved changes. 

While BadgerDAO has implemented security features like the Badger Audited Vault Evaluator (BAVE) and timelocks for governance changes, it’s important to note the platform experienced a major security incident in December 2021, resulting in the loss of $120 million. Since then, Badger has focused on rebuilding trust through enhanced audits, community governance processes, and security improvements.

The protocol's treasury also maintains a strategic insurance fund to help mitigate potential losses from unforeseen events.

The advantages of the Badger platform

According to the Badger team, the platform significantly reduces the complexity of participating in DeFi with Bitcoin compared to traditional methods. It's also capable of optimising yields across multiple protocols rather than requiring users to manually switch between strategies. This makes it a top solution for Bitcoin holders looking to earn yield while maintaining their Bitcoin exposure.

Beyond that, Badger is designed to address major issues facing Bitcoin in DeFi today: fragmentation and technical barriers. This is done by creating a unified platform where users can interact with various tokenised Bitcoin assets and DeFi protocols through a single interface.

It's also highly inclusive. While many DeFi platforms require extensive technical knowledge, Badger works to provide simple solutions for Bitcoin holders who might otherwise be excluded from DeFi opportunities, potentially bringing yield-generating opportunities to millions of Bitcoin holders.

Following a security exploit in 2021, Badger expanded its offerings with enhanced security features and multi-chain development plans, ensuring that its Bitcoin DeFi solutions remain relevant in the evolving blockchain ecosystem. The platform continues to develop new strategies and partnerships, particularly in bringing Bitcoin liquidity to emerging DeFi protocols and Layer 2 solutions.

BADGER use cases

The Badger network allows individuals and institutions to utilise their Bitcoin holdings within DeFi applications securely and efficiently, whether for yield farming, liquidity provision, or borrowing against BTC without selling it.

It is one of the first platforms to combine Bitcoin's store of value properties with DeFi yield opportunities to create a user-centric system that puts Bitcoin holders in control of their assets while still accessing the benefits of DeFi innovation.

Due to the platform's focus on security and cross-chain functionality, businesses can implement Bitcoin treasury strategies that generate yield without creating unnecessary risk exposure. This provides them with Bitcoin optimisation solutions that protect both the business and its Bitcoin holdings.

How to buy BADGER

If you're looking to incorporate BADGER into your crypto portfolio, users can easily buy and sell the token on the Tap app (after completing the account registration process). Download the app to get started.

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