Learning the friendly way

Cryptography is the process of converting messages into unreadable text so that only the intended recipient will be able to read them. Cryptography is responsible for the security, anonymity, and trust less transactions of digital currency. – entirely without the services of a financial institution.

We'll define cryptography as the study of methods to exchange sensitive information over an insecure channel in such away that only authorized parties can access it. In our case, this will be exchanging ownership of cryptocurrencies (which is represented digitally), or transferring ownership by signing digital messages.

A bit of history:

Cryptography dates back to the time when people began exchanging messages in forms other than face-to-face conversations(e.g., via written letters). The first known use of cryptography can be traced to Egypt, about 2000 years ago, during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III. Other known historical uses of cryptography are in the works of Julius Caesar, who used a simple cipher for messages between him and his generals.

The purpose of cryptography in crypto

A blockchain-based cryptocurrency needs some form of encryption to secure its money supply from being stolen by hackers or malicious software. It also allows for the anonymous transfer of funds between individuals without requiring a trusted third party, such as a bank or government institution. Cryptocurrencies are entirely based on cryptographic ideas.

Compared to cash transfers, cryptocurrencies do have another layer of security built into the blockchain: cryptography. The purpose of which is to validate transactions and prevent unauthorized access to the ledger by keeping all information inside a digital file that only authorized people can see. It's kind of like a physical vault (or safe) where you can keep all your money. But, unlike a physical vault, there's also no way to access the safe without a private key or password.

Usage of cryptography in Cryptocurrency

Cryptography is used in several different components of Bitcoin's security model, as well as in other cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin addresses, which are used to receive and send funds between people on the blockchain, have both public keys and private keys. Only the owner of an address's private key can spend funds sent to the address, and only the owner of an address's public key will be able to receive them.

Every time you send or receive bitcoins, your transaction is signed with the appropriate digital signature using your private key. Since you can't share your private key with the person receiving your bitcoins, they verify that the signature is correct using your public key. The process of sending and receiving bitcoins between addresses is entirely anonymous and doesn't require any personal information (although there are ways to link transactions to identities).

Cryptocurrencies use public-key cryptography in order to prove ownership of addresses and transactions. This is done with a piece of data known as a digital signature, which is obtained using the sender's private key, and attached to the end of every transaction block along with other information about that block. Each new transaction has its own signature, verifying that the sender owns the address that is being used to send the funds. Since only the owner of a private key can create a digital signature for it, this provides a very strong guarantee that nobody else has sent their cryptocurrency to an address other than the one currently being spent from.

In a world where every crypto project claims to be 'revolutionary,' Ethereum actually walks the talk, successfully changing how we think about the internet, finance, and digital ownership.

Conceived by Vitalik Buterin in 2013 and launched in 2015, Ethereum expanded the possibilities of blockchain technology beyond simple currency transactions, introducing a world where apps can run exactly as programmed, without censorship or third-party interference.

While Bitcoin introduced us to digital money, Ethereum brought us programmable money (and much more, for the record). You may have heard it being referred to as the world's computer, this is because it allows developers to build and deploy decentralised applications (dapps) that can transform industries from finance to art, gaming to governance.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore what makes Ethereum special, how it works beneath the surface, and why it continues to be at the forefront of the blockchain revolution. Whether you're completely new to the concept or looking to deepen your understanding, we'll break down everything from smart contracts to NFTs, the shift to Ethereum 2.0, and what the future might hold for this groundbreaking technology.

What is Ethereum? Explained simply

Think of Ethereum as a global, open-source platform for decentralised applications. While Bitcoin is primarily designed to be digital money, Ethereum is built to be a development platform, a foundation upon which developers can create new applications that no single entity controls.

The easiest way to understand Ethereum is to compare it to your smartphone's operating system. Just as iOS or Android provides a platform for developers to build mobile apps, Ethereum provides a platform for developers to build decentralised apps. These apps run on a network of thousands of computers around the world rather than on centralised servers owned by Google or Amazon.

Ethereum is often described as a "world computer" because it's essentially a massive, distributed computing system that belongs to everyone and no one at the same time. Unlike traditional computers controlled by individuals or companies, this world computer runs programs (called smart contracts) that execute exactly as written, without the possibility of censorship, downtime, or third-party interference.

As a "second-generation blockchain," Ethereum took Bitcoin's innovation (a decentralised ledger) and added programmability to it. This advancement opened up a universe of possibilities beyond simple value transfer, allowing for complex financial instruments, digital ownership records, and even autonomous organisations to exist on the blockchain.

How Ethereum works

At its foundation, Ethereum builds on the same blockchain technology that powers Bitcoin. A blockchain is essentially a chain of blocks, where each block contains a record of transactions. What makes it special is that this record is maintained by thousands of computers (nodes) around the world rather than by a central authority like a bank.

What are smart contracts?

Where Ethereum truly shines is with smart contracts. Think of smart contracts as digital agreements that automatically execute when predefined conditions are met, like a vending machine that delivers your soda when you insert the right amount of money. These contracts are:

• Self-executing: They run automatically when conditions are met
• Immutable: Once deployed, they can't be changed
• Transparent: Anyone can verify the contract's code
• Trustless: You don't need to trust a third party; the code is the guarantee

What is Ether (ETH)?

Ether (ETH) is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network. It serves two important purposes:

1. As a digital currency that can be sent instantly to anyone, anywhere in the world
2. As "fuel" for running smart contracts and transactions on the network

What are gas fees?

This brings us to gas fees. Just as your car needs gas to run, Ethereum operations need "gas" to execute. Gas fees are small amounts of ETH (measured in “gwei,” a subunit of ETH) paid to network participants who contribute computing power to validate transactions. These fees help keep the network secure and prevent spam or infinitely running programs from clogging the system.

When the network gets busy, gas prices rise because there's limited space in each block, making Ethereum transactions sometimes expensive during peak times.

What are token standards?

Ethereum (truly) revolutionised the cryptocurrency ecosystem with its token standards. These are frameworks that define how digital assets behave on the network. 

Ethereum’s token standards are like architectural blueprints in the sense that they provide a consistent design that developers can follow to ensure every structure (token) integrates seamlessly into the broader city (Ethereum ecosystem).

The 3 main Ethereum token standards:

• ERC-20: Created the template for fungible (interchangeable) tokens, making it easy to create new tokens without building a new blockchain (although adoption still depends on design and demand). This standard powers thousands of tokens, including major stablecoins like USDC and most DeFi tokens.
• ERC-721: ERC-721 was the first standard to define non-fungible tokens on Ethereum,, however today there are additional NFT-related standards, such as ERC-2981 for royalties. This standard made possible the digital art revolution, powering collections like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club.
• ERC-1155: ERC-1155, introduced by Enjin, is ideal for games and metaverse applications where users need both fungible and non-fungible currencies and unique collectibles. 

These standards transformed crypto by creating massive interoperability, all of a sudden tokens built on Ethereum worked instantly with hundreds of wallets and exchanges. This "plug-and-play" functionality dramatically accelerated innovation and adoption.

Ethereum's token standards have become so influential that even competing blockchains implement compatibility with them, essentially making them the industry's universal language for digital assets.

The Ethereum ecosystem

Ethereum's true power lies in its vibrant ecosystem that continues to expand in exciting ways:

Decentralised applications (dapps) 

These are applications built on Ethereum that connect users and providers directly without any intermediary organisations controlling the service. Some popular examples include:

• Uniswap: A decentralised exchange for trading tokens
• Aave: A lending and borrowing platform
• OpenSea: A marketplace for digital assets

DeFi (decentralised finance) 

Perhaps Ethereum's most transformative impact has been in finance. DeFi applications recreate traditional financial services like lending, borrowing, and trading, but without banks or brokers. 

Instead, they use smart contracts to create protocols that operate exactly as programmed. By April 2025, the total value locked in DeFi protocols has grown to tens of billions of dollars, demonstrating significant adoption of these new financial tools.

NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) 

NFTs represent unique digital assets - from artwork to music to virtual real estate. Unlike cryptocurrencies, where each coin is identical, each NFT has distinct properties that make it one-of-a-kind. 

This technology has revolutionised digital art by enabling verifiable ownership and scarcity for digital creations, leading to an explosion in creative expression and new income opportunities for artists.

DAOs (Decentralised Autonomous Organisations) 

DAOs are internet-native organisations collectively owned and managed by their members. They operate based on rules encoded in smart contracts: members vote on decisions, and the outcomes are automatically executed by code. From investment clubs to charitable foundations, DAOs are reimagining how we organise and collaborate.

Ethereum 2.0 and The Merge

In 2022, Ethereum underwent its most significant upgrade since launch, transitioning from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus with an event known as "The Merge." This transformation addressed several key challenges:

• Environmental impact 

The original Ethereum (like Bitcoin) used Proof of Work, requiring massive computing power and electricity consumption. The switch to Proof of Stake reduced Ethereum's energy usage by approximately 99.95%, addressing one of the biggest criticisms of blockchain technology.

• Scalability 

Ethereum's popularity led to network congestion and high transaction fees. The move to PoS laid the groundwork for future scaling solutions, including sharding (a method of splitting the network into parallel segments to increase transaction throughput dramatically).

• Staking opportunities 

Under the new system, users can "stake" their ETH (lock it up as collateral) to help secure the network and earn rewards, typically 3-5% annually. This provides a way for ETH holders to earn passive income while contributing to network security.

Ethereum vs other blockchains

Ethereum vs Bitcoin 

While both use blockchain technology, they serve different purposes:

• Bitcoin: Primarily a store of value and medium of exchange
• Ethereum: A platform for building applications and executing smart contracts

Ethereum killers

Several competing platforms have emerged, each claiming to solve Ethereum's challenges:

• Solana: Offers higher transaction speeds and lower costs
• Cardano: Focuses on academic research and formal verification
• Polkadot: Created by an Ethereum co-founder to enable cross-chain interoperability
• Avalanche: Emphasises high throughput and fast finality

Of course, these benefits can come with trade-offs in scalability and ease of use.

Ethereum's advantages 

Despite strong competition, Ethereum maintains significant advantages:

• First-mover advantage and massive developer community
• Highest security due to its large, distributed network
• Most extensive ecosystem of applications and tools
• Strong network effects and brand recognition

Risks and considerations

While Ethereum offers exciting possibilities, as with anything, it's important to understand the risks:

Price volatility 

ETH, like most cryptocurrencies, experiences significant price swings. Since 2015, it has seen both 90% drawdowns and 1000%+ gains. 

Security concerns 

While the core Ethereum protocol has proven secure, smart contracts can contain bugs or vulnerabilities. High-profile hacks have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in losses over the years.

Regulatory uncertainty 

Governments worldwide are still determining how to regulate cryptocurrencies and decentralised finance. Regulatory changes could impact certain applications or use cases.

Technical challenges 

Despite improvements, Ethereum still faces challenges with scaling to meet global demand, maintaining decentralisation, and providing a seamless user experience.

The future of Ethereum

Ethereum's roadmap continues to evolve with several key developments anticipated:

Scaling solutions: "Sharding" is expected to significantly increase Ethereum's capacity by splitting the network into parallel segments, potentially enabling thousands of transactions per second.

Layer 2 growth: Solutions built on top of Ethereum like Optimism, Arbitrum, and Polygon continue to gain traction, offering lower fees and faster transactions while maintaining security by settling transactions on the main Ethereum chain.

Industry adoption: Major companies from finance to entertainment are exploring Ethereum for applications ranging from supply chain tracking to royalty distribution. Enterprise adoption is expected to accelerate as scalability improves.

Web3 integration: The vision of Web3 - a more decentralised internet where users control their own data and digital identities - is being built largely on Ethereum. This could fundamentally change how we interact with online services.

How to buy Ethereum (ETH)

If you'd like to become involved in the Ethereum platform and own the digital asset that fuels the network, you will need to purchase ETH through a trusted crypto exchange platform and set up an Ethereum wallet. 

Offering a secure and convenient solution, buying and selling ETH through your Tap app is easier than you might think. With several payment options and a quick verification check, you can start trading, using or hodling ETH from your unique wallet in a matter of minutes. 

Final thoughts: why Ethereum matters

Ethereum represents one of the most ambitious technological experiments of our time - an attempt to rebuild the very foundations of how we transact, collaborate, and create online. By removing intermediaries and enabling direct peer-to-peer interactions, Ethereum challenges traditional power structures and creates new possibilities for human coordination.

Whether Ethereum ultimately fulfils its vision of becoming the settlement layer for a new, decentralised internet depends on how it addresses its remaining challenges around scalability, usability, and regulation. But its impact is already undeniable, having spawned entire industries from DeFi to NFTs and inspired a generation of developers to rethink what's possible with blockchain technology.

The most fascinating aspect of Ethereum may be that we're still in the early chapters of its story. Like the early internet in the 1990s, we can see the potential but can't yet imagine all the ways this technology will transform our world in the decades to come.

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As all things “metaverse” continue to dominate headlines, the virtual world has established itself as front and centre of mainstream media. Decentraland provides a virtual world where users can buy, sell and trade unique assets and engage in interactive apps and peer-to-peer communication alongside in-world payments. The world of Decentraland has seen impressive growth, and it’s about time you learnt about it. 

At its core, Decentraland is a virtual reality platform that allows users to create, experience, and monetize in-house content and applications. Built on the Ethereum blockchain, Decentraland utilizes two main tokens on the platform, LAND and MANA. 

LAND arenon-fungible (NFT) tokens that provide ownership rights to the digital real estate (land parcels) while MANA is the in-house currency that facilitates the sale of LAND and other goods and services available on the platform, like customising one's avatar, for instance. MANA also allows holders to vote on policy updates, subsidies for new developments, and land auctions. 

Decentraland was designed to provide users access to ​​”new artistic medium, business opportunity, or source of entertainment.” The virtual space is made up of 90,601 individual land parcels, each measuring 16m x 16m (256 square meters), and assigned to particular co-ordinates in its “metaverse”.  Each space is assigned to a LAND NFT which records the ownership. 

LAND owners can then develop the land as they please, with several marked districts varying in size and theme. Holders can then lease out the land or provide paid experiences through the creation of animation and interactions experienced on their particular virtual real estate.

Who Created Decentraland?

Decentraland was created by the Decentraland Foundation, founded by ​​Esteban Ordano and Ariel Meilich in 2015, and holds the intellectual property rights as well as maintaining the platform. Before launching, the foundation, which still holds 20% of the total MANA supply, created a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) allowing the users to make governance decisions. 

In 2017 the project underwent a successful ICO, raising the equivalent of $26 million at the time. These funds were used to drive future operations. 

How Does Decentraland Work?

The core function of the Decentraland network is to track ownership of land parcels, while users engaging in the platform are required to hold MANA in order to participate. 

Through a system of smart contracts each land parcel is tracked on the consensus layer, with each parcel’s own coordinates, owner, and a reference to the content within the parcel. 

The content layer then holds the specifics for each parcel, including the all static audio and visuals, the placement and behavior of items, as well as P2P interactions such as gesturing, voice chat, and messaging. There is then a real-time layer that facilitates all the social interactions of the user avatars.

Decentraland also hosts a marketplace where users can create scenes and wearables and manage and exchange LAND tokens, priced in MANA. 

What Is MANA?

MANA is the governance and in-house currency for the Decentraland ecosystem. With a total supply of of 2.19 billion MANA, roughly 600 million MANA have been burned in LAND transactions bringing the previous total supply down substantially. 

MANA facilitates the platform’s aim of providing a customizable and shared virtual reality space that connects users around the world.

How Can I Buy MANA?

If you’d like to join the metaverse and become a part of the Decentraland virtual community, you can simply buy, sell or trade MANA directly from your Tap account. Whether you're a seasoned trader or new to the world of cryptocurrencies, our user-friendly interface and intuitive features make it seamless for anyone to navigate and engage with MANA.

What started off as a joke has become an international phenomenon with a market cap that ranks it among the top 10 cryptocurrencies (not to mention price gains). As we explore what Dogecoin is, let's take a look at where the digital cash network came from, why the cryptocurrency became such a sensation and how it compares to Bitcoin.

Leading the way in the meme-based movement, Dogecoin has become the most unlikely of leaders in its field as it trades at a very attractive price. Everyone from investors to run-of-the-mill Internet users has followed the hype and plunged in this meme-inspired altcoin.

Did you know that Dogecoin has more DOGE in circulation than Ethereum and Litecoin combined? Let's dive in to understand the true value behind this Internet meme-inspired cryptocurrency

Who created Dogecoin?

Dogecoin was created as a joke cryptocurrency in 2013 and is based on a Shiba Inu dog meme circulating at the time. Two developers, Billy Marcus and Jackson Palmer got together to create the cryptocurrency to poke fun at Bitcoin, which turned out to be a lot more than that almost a decade later.

What is Dogecoin?

Dogecoin is a peer to peer payment system with its native cryptocurrency, DOGE, acting as the medium of exchange. The cryptocurrency was created in December 2013 through a hard fork off of the Litecoin network. The cryptocurrency has no limit on the maximum amount of coins and currently has over 131 billion DOGE in circulation.

While a popular option as a digital cash payment method, the cryptocurrency is most commonly used as a tipping system to reward quality content on social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit. Working in a similar way as cash would in a financial transaction.

What's triggered Dogecoin's surge?

The self-proclaimed "Dogefather" and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has contributed to Dogecoin's recent success with his tweets about the cryptocurrency making news headlines around the planet. His tweets have had a significant effect on the cryptocurrency's price as published on the CoinMarketCap website.

With a similar mining style to Litecoin, Dogecoin is a popular option when it comes to trading cryptocurrencies.

How does Dogecoin work?

Using blockchain technology, Dogecoin facilitates digital transactions in a transparent and mutable way. Hard forked off of the Litecoin network, Dogecoin uses the same Scrypt technology in the Proof-of-Work protocol. Unlike Litecoin, however, the cryptocurrency can execute transactions in 1 minute.

Users simply need to create a wallet in order to store DOGE, from where they can either send and receive the cryptocurrency or simply store it. DOGE works similarly to other cryptocurrencies in this regard.

In the last year, investors have seen high gains as the celebrity-endorsed hype surrounding the cryptocurrency increased its value. As interest grew in the Shiba-meme token, so too did its market cap, pushing Litecoin out of the top 10 biggest cryptocurrencies and edging closer to Ethereum (currently in second place).

The Dogecoin foundation

In 2014 members of the Dogecoin team created a not-for-profit foundation to oversee project development and direction. This dissipated over the years and was recently relaunched in 2021 with several key new members and an inflated market capitalisation.

While co-founder Billy Markus and Dogecoin's core developer Max Keller remain on the board, two new additions have been made with the likes of Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin as well as Jared Birchall, the manager of Elon Musk's family office. 

The team meets on a monthly basis to discuss issues relating to the virtual currency, with each member taking responsibility for various aspects. Markus is responsible for overseeing the community and memes while Keller will function as the cryptocurrency technical advisor.

Buterin will serve as the blockchain and crypto advisor and Birchall as the financial and legal advisor (representing Elon Musk).

Dogecoin's following

From its initial launch, Dogecoin has had a spirited and loyal following. In its early days, the community raised funds for high profile events, like sponsoring a NASCAR driver and sending the Jamaican bobsleigh team to the 2014 Olympics.

To date, a number of high profile celebrities have put their name behind the coin, most notably Elon Musk and billionaire Mark Cuban. Musk was responsible for several waves in the crypto market in 2021, causing substantial boosts and dips in the capitalisation of the market. Most notably in May, after a tweet from Musk stating only "How much is that Doge in the window?" The DOGE price increased by 11% in mere hours. 

While Dogecoin was not created to be a store of value, the Dogecoin price increases certainly brought about tons of media attention and healthy returns for investors.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is also a huge fan, celebrating the cryptocurrency for being "the one" when it comes to a digital medium of exchange. In 2021, the NBA team started accepting Dogecoin as a payment option for merchandise and ticket sales, incorporating blockchain into the main league.

What is the difference between Dogecoin and Bitcoin?

While both cryptocurrencies are designed to provide a medium of exchange, they differ in a number of ways. For starters, they both use the same Proof-of-Work mining concept which is based on miners solving complex mathematical problems in order to mine new blocks and control the supply.

Different from each other, the Dogecoin network can process transactions 10x faster than Bitcoin (1 minute vs 10 minutes for BTC). They also have varying inflationary statuses, with Bitcoin being deflationary in nature due to its 21 million coin cap while Dogecoin is highly inflationary as it has an unlimited supply. 

While Bitcoin can be held as a store of value, Dogecoin is less supported in this area due to its lack of maximum supply and the fact that millions of DOGE are entering circulation each day. DOGE however, is better suited to being a medium of exchange.

While Bitcoin has a strong following around the world, there is a significant Twitter and Reddit community punting the coin and encouraging traders to buy the cryptocurrency. From internet meme to international top 10 traded cryptocurrency, Dogecoin has an impressive history when it comes to market value.

How can i get Dogecoin?

If you're considering including Dogecoin (DOGE) in your cryptocurrency portfolio, look no further than the Tap app. With the Tap app, you can conveniently buys, sell or manage and trade a diverse range of digital assets, including DOGE. Whether you're a seasoned investor or new to the world of cryptocurrencies, our user-friendly interface and intuitive features make it seamless for anyone to navigate and engage with DOGE.

Playing an important role in the adoption of Web3, Enjin provides a platform of software products designed to allow anyone to harness the power of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) through the development, trade, monetization, and marketing of blockchain assets. 

What is the Enjin platform?

The Enjin platform is an ecosystem of interconnected, blockchain-based gaming products designed for individuals, game developers and businesses to create, manage and trade virtual goods such as digital art, games, or virtual marketplaces using the Ethereum blockchain. Enjin aims to provide users with the tools to implement smart digital solutions for blockchain games within the gaming environment.

Through the platform's software development kits (SDKs) and APIs, users can build digital assets as well as seamlessly integrate them into their games and applications. 

Under the Enjin umbrella is the Enjin Network, a community gaming platform that allows users to create websites, chat, and host virtual stores. Over the course of a decade, the Enjin platform has accumulated over 20 million users.

Powering the ecosystem is the Enjin Coin (ENJ), a token used to back the value of NFTs and other assets minted on the platform. When an asset is minted it locks ENJ tokens into a smart contract and effectively removes the tokens from circulation.

It’s also worth noting that Witek Radomski, Enjin's co-founder and the brainchild behind the ERC-1155 Ethereum token standard, wrote the code for the first non-fungible token (NFT). By utilizing its cutting-edge technology, Enjin is revolutionizing the future of gaming and digital assets.

Who created Enjin?

Enjin was originally founded in 2009 as a gaming community platform by Maxim Blagov and Witek Radomski. Blagov took on the responsibility of being CEO and in charge of the platform's creative direction while Radomski took on the role of CTO, leading the technical development of the platform's products.

Following Radomski's interest in Bitcoin in 2012, the platform explored incorporating blockchain technology into its business model and embraced the world of tokenized digital assets.

Radomski went on to write the ERC-1155 token standard in June 2018, a token standard used for minting both fungible, semi-fungible and non-fungible tokens using the Ethereum network. This token standard is a critical building block in the platform’s design.

In 2017, the Enjin platform launched an initial coin offering (ICO), raising $18.9 million through ENJ token sales. A year later the project went live and in September 2019, the Enjin Marketplace was launched.

How does Enjin work?

The primary goal of the Enjin network is to facilitate the management and storage of virtual goods for games, anything from in-game currencies to unique in-game items. So, how does Enjin work? The process of creating and destroying these tokens involves five steps, as outlined below. 

• Purchase
  Developers purchase Enjin Coin. 
• Minting
  In-game items are designed and effectively minted with the appropriate amount of ENJ locked into a smart contract.
• Utilization
  Players use these tokens within the game.
• Trading
  Players trade the tokens between fellow players or on the internal or external marketplace.
• Melting
  Players sell the tokens for Enjin Coin, referred to as melting. The token is destroyed and Enjin Coin is released from the smart contract.

SDKs (software development kits) come into play here, with kits designed to fulfill certain functions, such as facilitating a payment platform or being wallet-focused. These kits are designed to minimize costs and simplify the process of creating these virtual goods. APIs (application programming interfaces) work alongside the SDKs to integrate these virtual goods (digital assets) into the game.

The Enjin platform utilizes JumpNet which is integrated with other products in the ecosystem, such as the Marketplace, Enjin Beam, and the Enjin Wallet to allow for gas-free transactions for ENJ and NFTs.

The Enjin ecosystem encompasses the Enjin smart wallet that allows players to store and trade their in-game items with ease. The Enjin wallet is designed to connect all the features, from managing inventory to conducting transactions and selling these tokenized digital assets for ENJ. 

What is the Enjin Coin (ENJ)?

Enjin Coin (ENJ) is the native token of the Enjin ecosystem. Built on the Ethereum blockchain and compatible with multiple gaming platforms, the Enjin Coin is an ERC-20 token that allows the in-game items created on the platform to be traded with real-world value. The ENJ token has a maximum supply of 1 billion coins.

The token also allows developers to mint these digital goods. The process requires the users to lock Enjin Coin (ENJ) into a smart contract that automatically assigns value to the in-game item. Players that later use these items can use them in the game, trade them or sell them for ENJ, equivalent to the original minting cost. Once sold, the item is destroyed (known as melting) and the ENJ that was locked in the smart contract is released to the seller.

How can I buy Enjin Coin?

Anyone can tap into the Enjin ecosystem by acquiring ENJ tokens through the Tap mobile app. Simply create an account and complete the verification process in order to gain access to your unique Enjin wallet, from where you can buy, trade and sell Enjin Coin. 

Tap provides a secure and convenient means of managing your funds, allowing users to manage and store cryptocurrencies.

Take advantage of the power of Enjin Coin on the Tap app - the ultimate platform to buy, sell or hold ENJ. With seamless integration and an intuitive interface, trading Enjin tokens becomes a breeze. Stay up-to-date with the latest market trends and keep your portfolio on track by monitoring the Enjin Coin price in real-time. 

Etherscan is a free and widely used blockchain explorer that allows anyone to see any transactions made on the Ethereum platform. Not just transactions, blocks, gas fees, wallet addresses, smart contracts, and other on-chain data can be found on the page. Learn more about what Etherscan is and how it works below.

What is Etherscan?

As mentioned above, Etherscan is an Ethereum-based blockchain explorer. Aside from offering a peek into the advantages of blockchain technologies, Etherscan also provides an insightful look at the status of transactions, gas fees, smart contracts and dapp content. Etherscan is the tool that leverages blockchain's transparent nature.

Acting as a search engine and source of blockchain information, one doesn't need an account to access anything. However, users can create an account in order to access extra functionalities associated with their Ethereum portfolio, such as developer tools, enabling notifications for incoming transactions, and creating data feeds. Whether you're investing in a dapp, monitoring a wallet, or depositing funds to a blockchain-based game, all activity can be tracked through this browser-based service.

Why is Etherscan popular?

Etherscan is the most widely used Ethereum blockchain explorer and is highly regarded in the industry due to its seamless experience. While it won't allow you to store or trade ETH, it offers a reliable look into the functioning of the network, blockchain analytics and all Ethereum and Ethereum-based token activity.

Using Etherscan also provides a better understanding of how the blockchain works, providing insights into its operations and potential ability to spot suspicious blockchain activity (like project leaders selling their tokens, or large whale movements that will affect the token's price). 

How to use Etherscan

Whether you're wanting to look up a transaction or verify the validity of a smart contract, you can use Etherscan. Below we will guide you through how to look up a transaction.

How To Find A Transaction On Etherscan

Understanding how to track your transactions can be a powerful tool in the world of cryptocurrency, from seeing how many confirmations it has gone through to the amount of gas fees paid. 

Each transaction on the blockchain is given a transaction ID (TXID) or transaction hash which identifies the specific transaction (similar to a person's identity number). It looks something like this: 

0x3349ea4144aed83291f87b3904b02f8f1e76c3b5bfed0d95a000fafddaed01bc

In order to get the real-time updates on a transaction, you will need to enter this TXID into the space provided on the Etherscan website. 

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It will then display all the information pertaining to this transaction, as below:

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See our breakdown of the terminology below.

Etherscan terminology

Transaction Hash: the TXID associated with your particular transaction.

Status: status of your transaction (in progress, failed, successful) 

Block: the number of the block that your transaction was included in (block confirmations indicate the number of blocks that have followed since then). 

Timestamp: the date and time that this transaction was executed.

From: the wallet address that the transaction was sent from

To: the wallet address or smart contract receiving the transaction.

Value: the value of the transaction.

Transaction Fee: the gas fees or transaction fees paid.

Gas Price: the cost per unit of gas at the time of the transaction execution (displayed in Ether and Gwei).

How to Find gas prices on Etherscan

When using the Ethereum network you will be required to pay gas fees in order to conduct any activity. Gas fees are assigned to blocks and fluctuate depending on how busy the network is at the time. 

Etherscan provides a Gas Tracker which observes the current gas prices and indicates how busy the network is at the time. 

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In conclusion

Etherscan is a great tool for anyone using Ethereum or any other cryptocurrencies relating to its ecosystem. From confirming transactions to checking gas prices, this tool provides a great oversight of the network, highlighting the transparent benefits of using digital assets.