Learning the friendly way

We are delighted to announce the listing and support of Gnosis (GNO) on Tap!

GNO is now available for trading on the Tap mobile app. You can now Buy, Sell, Trade or hold GNO for any of the other asset supported on the platform without any pair boundaries. Tap is pair agnostic, meaning you can trade any asset for any other asset without having to worries if a "trading pair" is available.

We believe supporting GNO will provide value to our users. We are looking forward to continue supporting new crypto projects with the aim of providing access to financial power and freedom for all.

Gnosis is a prediction market platform built on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform allows users to trade crypto assets representing event outcomes from around the world, from sports matches to elections. As the results unfold, Gnosis tokens either increase or decrease in value depending on what was predicted by the user.

Gnosis' native cryptocurrency is GNO, an Ethereum-based token (ERC-20) was sold during the Gnosis ICO. GNO tokens have a maximum supply of 3 million tokens.  The main use case of GNO tokens is for creating OWL tokens via staking to earn rewards. Users can lock GNO tokens in the Gnosis chain to generate OWL tokens through staking, which is dependent on the length of the staking period. The max time is one year.

Get to know more about Gnosis (GNO) in our dedicated article here.

Bear markets are riddled with panic selling, the act of exiting the market at a low price based on fear. While FOMO tends to apply more to buying when the markets are on the incline, panic selling is more closely associated with bear markets. The Fear and Greed index differentiates between the two using a scale based on market sentiment, allowing anyone to observe the market sentiment before making a trade.

Panic selling is not exclusive to the crypto markets, in fact, it can be found across stock markets and financial markets too. People have an ingrained characteristic that allows fear to override logic, often resulting in poor choices, particularly in the investment sector. 

Fear is often instigated by the news, particularly in the U.S, China and UK, where FUD spreads like wildfire and share prices can drop in an instant. Take Elon Musk's tweets about Bitcoin and Dogecoin and the media hype surrounding this as a prime example.

To avoid this, traders should create an investment plan that they can adhere to and refer back to when emotions get the better of them. To avoid any pain when it comes to investing in crypto, we suggest you pay close attention to the following pointers.

How To Avoid Panic Selling

If you've found yourself tempted to take unprofitable action, consider the following tips on how to avoid panic selling entirely.

Always Come Back To The Basics

When it comes to making any decisions in the crypto trading space, always come back to the primary objective: cryptocurrency's value proposition. While there weren't too many early investors, many since then have entered the market to tap into the incredible gains that crypto has presented over the recent years. 

When in doubt, don't get sucked into price activity and instead return to crypto's value proposition. If you've invested in a cryptocurrency with impressive fundamentals that you believe in, there should be nothing to worry about in the long run. Similar to buying a property in a good area of a city, as long as the suburb remains that way your investment is a solid one. 

Consider reading a research paper or two on a cryptocurrency to become familiar with its use case, and use case potential, in order to weed out the more risky assets.

Start By Investing Capital That You Don't Need

You've heard the saying "never invest more than you're willing to lose" but consider this: if you invest $100 that you rely on each month if the market dips you'll want to pull the money out as soon as possible to cut your losses as you need that money to survive. 

On the other hand, if you invest money that you don't need that month or in the months to follow, small price changes will carry less emotional weight and have more chance of achieving long term benefits. 

Focus On Long Term Results

Anyone invested in the crypto market knows that in a matter of ten years the price of Bitcoin went from a couple of cents to $67,000. While these returns are almost unbelievable, bear in mind that they took a decade to achieve. 

Although the markets have since fallen, the long term returns are still impressive and certainly worth tapping into. Every savvy investor will always keep their eye on the long term perspective. As adoption increases with countries around the world incorporating Bitcoin into their financial systems (some even allow citizens to pay their tax in crypto), there is plenty more way to go.

There's no denying that we have all become accustomed to instant gratification, but take a look at the following average annual prices of Bitcoin and observe the value in focussing on the long term: 

2015: $500

2016: $900

2017: $15,000

2018: $8,000

2019: $10,000

2020: $9,000

2021: $40,000

Prepare For Pullbacks And Accept The Risks

The crypto market is notorious for being volatile, the best way to tackle this is to accept it. The markets have been known to lose thousands of dollars in a couple of hours. If you want to invest in the best performing asset in history, you need to be prepared for that. 

While the Bitcoin price has lost over 85% of its value several times in its existence, it has reclaimed that value every single time. Even the individuals that bought BTC at $20,000 in 2017 regained their value and then some in the bull run of December 2020. 

Be prepared to sit through some market dips, but know that it will recover. If you're focused on the long term perspective and have used capital that you don't rely on, pullbacks and market dips should not be damaging factors. 

Use A Dollar Cost Averaging Strategy

The DCA strategy involves buying Bitcoin at a certain time of the month as opposed to based on market activity. Buying Bitcoin, or any other cryptocurrency, on certain days of the month will mean that you pay varied prices for the coin. 

Say you decide to invest $100 a month in BTC. One month you might get 0.002 BTC while the next month you get 0.003 BTC. Dollar cost averaging levels out the entry price when accumulating the coin and allows you to become less emotionally attached to the market's movements and therefore less likely to panic sell. 

In Conclusion

The best crypto investors are able to commit to some degree of emotional detachment, have a strong investment strategy focused on long term gains, and only invest in highly vetted, functional coins. Building a portfolio of coins from strong projects will help to alleviate any market-related uncertainty and allow you to ride out the dips more confidently. If ever you feel tempted to panic sell, revisit this list of factors and resist the urge! 

You can also read our article on Emotion Management In Trading for extra insight on how to keep your emotions under control while trading.
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If you have stayed around the cryptocurrency market long enough, then you will be familiar with the term “crypto whale”. This term usually refers to big players in the crypto space that are known to hodl and move around large amounts of any given coin, often affecting the price while they’re at it. We’ll discuss how whales are affecting the cryptocurrency market by considering the following:

Who is a Whale

In the cryptocurrency market place, the term whale is used to describe any individual or group that controls a large amount of Bitcoin or cryptocurrencies. Just like the size of the whale distinguishes it in the ocean, portfolio size of these individuals or groups sets them apart in the crypto industry.

It is estimated that roughly 40% of all the Bitcoins in existence are held by only about 1,000 people. That is some huge volume to deal with, no matter the ratio among them. Some of these whales are well known individuals and groups. Roger Ver, the Winklevoss Twins and Charlie Shrem are some of the well known individuals that control large volumes of Bitcoin. While Fortress Investment Group and Pantera Bitcoin Fund are examples of group whales.

The majority of today's whales consist of early adopters who allocated substantial funds to acquire Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies during periods of lower prices. The Winklevoss twins, for instance, directed $11 million into this venture, a fraction of their payout from a Facebook intellectual theft lawsuit involving Mark Zuckerberg. This endeavor granted them ownership of 100,000 Bitcoins, which are now valued at over $1.1 billion.

Do Whales Manipulate the Market?

Most whales are hodlers, therefore are expected to retain their holdings over an extended period of time, especially as Bitcoin seems to retain so much upside potential. However, from time to time, since the blockchain network is open and everyone can view the transactions that go on, we see huge volumes being traded. Apart from that, whether in the buying or selling direction, the trades of these whales always have an impact on the market.

Smaller traders most often seek to ride the trend on which whales are trading. Therefore, when these trades happen, the market seems to follow the whales. This is one major way how whales are affecting the cryptocurrency market. They determine the direction.

This kind of behaviour has caused some suspicion within the industry with people accusing the whales of manipulating the market. Although this behaviour is frowned upon, it isn’t technically breaking any laws. A typical scenario illustrating this is when whales initiate a massive sell-off of Bitcoin or any other crypto. Smaller traders will follow suit after the price has dropped. Afterwards, the whales buy back their crypto at a much cheaper rate, making a lot of money in the process.

However, it is also fair to realise that most of these whales are long term investors who are astute hodlers of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. Therefore, we cannot always accuse them of manipulating the market, even though they have the capacity to do so.

How Can You Trade Like a Whale?

What we should be concerned about is if there will come a time that these whales will want to recover their capital. Would there be a massive sell-off of Bitcoin and cryptos, and how will it impact the market? Well, the Bitcoin and cryptocurrency market is still young, and we expect the system to last for a very long time before any such thing can be anticipated.

Whether there are whales in the market is not a question. Also, whether their actions have any impact on the market has also been established. What traders like to know is the heartbeat of these major stakeholders in the industry. This could serve as a fundamental factor in determining what to expect from the markets. Real time prices and market capitalization with respect to volume are areas where we can determine which way the whales are moving.
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Emulating the trading strategies of prominent crypto whales involves understanding some of their key practices. These influential traders often possess significant resources, enabling them to execute substantial trades. To gain insights from their approach, consider the following principles:

1. Informed Decision-making: Stay well-informed about the cryptocurrency ecosystem by keeping up with reputable news sources and reliable platforms. Understanding market trends, new projects, and potential events can contribute to better decision-making.
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2. Analytical Approach: Utilize a blend of technical and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis involves studying historical price data and chart patterns, while fundamental analysis focuses on evaluating the intrinsic value and growth potential of a cryptocurrency.
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3. Risk Management: Prioritize risk management to safeguard your capital. While crypto whales can tolerate losses, individual traders should be cautious. Implement risk management techniques like setting stop-loss orders and diversifying your portfolio.
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4. Adaptability: Remain adaptable to changing market conditions. What works in a bullish market might not be effective during a bearish phase. Being open to adjusting your strategies can be beneficial.
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5. Patience and Discipline: Practice patience and discipline in your trading approach. Crypto whales often wait for favorable opportunities, and exercising restraint can prevent impulsive decisions.
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6. Network and Insights: While crypto whales might have access to insider information, you can still benefit from networking within the crypto community. Engage with knowledgeable traders and participate in discussions to gain insights.
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7. Learning from Mistakes: Mistakes are inevitable, even for crypto whales. Use your experiences as learning opportunities, and continuously improve your trading strategies.

Remember, while understanding the strategies of crypto whales can offer valuable insights, individual trading outcomes vary. The crypto market carries inherent risks, and any trading decisions should be based on careful consideration and personal risk tolerance.

Shiba Inu (SHIB) and Dogecoin (DOGE) are both dog-themed meme tokens, and ironically both hold a place in the top 15 biggest cryptocurrencies by market cap. Typically meme tokens don't hold too much value when it comes to utility within the crypto space, however, financial experts have pointed out that as the investment thesis has changed surrounding meme tokens these two projects have experienced impressive growth and success. But who comes out on top in this crypto dogfight spurred by internet memes?

Exploring Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin calmly entered the crypto scene in 2013 as a joke, based on a Shiba Inu meme that was circulating at the time (a Japanese dog breed). Created by Billy Marcus and Jackson Palmer, the peer-to-peer cryptocurrency was allegedly created to poke fun at crypto investors who understood little about what they were investing in. The coin quickly grew a mass following but did little to prove its value in the space. 

However, in 2021 Dogecoin's popularity exploded thanks to social media and the support of Tesla CEO, Elon Musk. After claiming it to be his favourite coin on Twitter, even naming himself the Dogefather, Musk caused a wild increase in the DOGE price, hype, and far-spread interest (as well as speculation).

Dogecoin provides a fast medium of exchange and is used predominately as money for tipping content creators across various platforms and crowdfunding. Ultimately, Dogecoin has a reputation for being an accessible asset in the market.

Exploring Shiba Inu (SHIB)

Bursting on the scene in 2020, Shiba Inu positioned itself as an Ethereum-based rival to the original meme token. The project provides several use cases such as a decentralized exchange, an art incubator and hosts to other tokens (one of which was initially called Doge Killer). 

The platform was created by an anonymous entity, much like Bitcoin, that goes by the name of Ryoshi. After launching, Ryoshi donated 50% of the total SHIB supply to Vitalik Buterin, and whether this was meant to be a publicity stunt or not it certainly received a lot of attention. Buterin went on to donate 10% of his SHIB to a Covid relief fund in India and burned the remaining amount. 

In October 2021 following a possible Robinhood listing the SHIB price soared and for the first time overtook Dogecoin in value. Once the selling spree calmed down the price corrected.‍

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How is Shiba Inu connected to Dogecoin?

While we outline the specifics of their similarities in the article below, the answer to this question is that there is no link between the two. Each network is built on its own platform (Shiba Inu using Ethereum as a base) and are not intertwined nor compatible. They are essentially competitors in the crypto space, each providing a platform and use cases separate from one another.
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Dogecoin vs Shiba Inu Similarities

While the obvious similarity in this article is that these coins are both meme-based, there are two other core similarities that these coins share that is seen less frequently in the crypto space. 

Consensus Model

Both cryptocurrencies currently use a Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm, requiring miners to solve computational problems the fastest in order to validate transactions. Dogecoin is hard forked off the Litecoin network while Shiba Inu is built on top of Ethereum's blockchain. However, in the coming months, this will change as Ethereum moves toward a Proof-of-Stake consensus. 

Strong Social Media Presence And Followings

Both these coins have active and loyal followings and have done well to build such strong communities. Both provide easy entry points into the market, an excellent way of diversifying one's portfolio with their low costs. Both coins also played a role in bringing crypto to the mainstream in a "fun" light, with their active community members to thank. 

Elon Musk

As a bonus similarity, both these meme tokens have greatly benefited from the actions of Elon Musk. While he is a strong fan of Dogecoin, he recently sent the price of Shiba Inu soaring after posting a picture of his Shiba Inu puppy. In part, this contributed to the SHIB price reaching its all-time high.‍

Dogecoin vs Shiba Inu Differences

Of course, while they're both wildly popular and among the biggest cryptocurrencies based on market cap, they too have differences.

Token Type

While Dogecoin was built on its own blockchain, Shiba Inu was created on Ethereum as an ERC-20 token. This increases the tokens versability as it is compatible with all ERC-20 functions, such as wallets, smart contracts, decentralized exchanges, market places and more. 

Tokenomics

An important aspect to look at, these two differ substantially. Dogecoin was created to have an infinite supply with a total of 5 billion new DOGE entering the market each year. Due to its fixed reward rate, the coin's inflation rates are expected to decrease over time making it deflationary in the long term. 

Shiba Inu, however, has a fixed supply of 1 quadrillion SHIB with around 549 trillion SHIB currently in circulation. The project has also implemented a burning mechanism into its operations, burning small portions of SHIB each time the cryptocurrency is purchased (via the transaction fee). As more coins are purchased the burning mechanism will decrease the supply, making the coin scarcer and increasing value. 

Utility

Dogecoin is a peer to peer payment system providing a medium of exchange. Shiba Inu on the other hand can be used in smart contracts and DeFi products. The project also provides a decentralized exchange called Shibaswap, as well as two other tokens, LEASH and BONE. On top of that, the platform also offers users access to liquidity pools and staking services. 

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The Dog Fight Continues

As mentioned above both these coins have impressive communities behind them and have their own use cases. With many people asking where do experts predict Shiba Inu will go next and how high can Dogecoin go, the truth is that no one can say for certain. Each investor can decide for themselves which is better suited to their trading needs and enter the market accordingly. If you'd like to onboard Dogecoin or Shiba Inu you can do so securely and conveniently through the Tap app today. 

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We are delighted to announce the listing and support of Convex (CVX) on Tap!

CVX is now available for trading on the Tap mobile app. You can now Buy, Sell, Trade or hold CVX for any of the other asset supported on the platform without any pair boundaries. Tap is pair agnostic, meaning you can trade any asset for any other asset without having to worries if a "trading pair" is available.

We believe supporting CVX will provide value to our users. We are looking forward to continue supporting new crypto projects with the aim of providing access to financial power and freedom for all.

Convex Finance has been dubbed a "DeFi 2.0 protocol," and is part of the ever-growing subset of second-generation decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols that offer yield farming services to users. Deeply ingrained in the DeFi space, Convex empowers Curve Finance users to further benefit from earning and optimizing yields. 

The Convex Finance protocol provides users access to liquidity and earning trading fees through Curve's established stablecoin pools. In order to do so, users need to deposit Curve tokens into Curve's liquidity pools and then stake them on Convex. Acting as an intermediary, Convex then auto-harvests these tokens and reimburses liquidity providers with the gained rewards. 

Convex Finance CVX tokens are ERC-20-based tokens with both utility and governance functionality. The token is used to receive a share of Convex platform fees and reward CRV stakers.

Get to know more about Convex (CVX) in our dedicated article here.

You’ve likely heard that cryptocurrencies provide a faster, easier and cheaper way to send money overseas. While this is true, what many people don’t necessarily know is how this is true. In this article we’re going to be fleshing out exactly how Bitcoin and altcoin transactions work, and how you can easily tap into this modern day phenomenon. 

What is Bitcoin, and what are Altcoins?

If you’re new around here, let’s get you up to speed. Bitcoin was first introduced to the world through a whitepaper in 2008 by an anonymous entity by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto (to this day their identity remains a mystery). Following the global financial crisis, Nakamoto wanted to create a currency that was free from banks and governments, instead putting financial power back into the hands of the people.

Using blockchain technology, Bitcoin was able to facilitate the peer to peer transfer of value, allowing users to make global payments at a much faster and cheaper rate than ever before. While it took a few years for Bitcoin to enter the mainstream market, during this time a number of alternative cryptocurrencies were created. In the early days, any alternative cryptocurrency was referred to as an altcoin (alternative coin to Bitcoin), while this notion has stuck, the altcoin market has grown into a sizable 9,000+ strong industry.

While many altcoins, like Ethereum and Litecoin, were created using Bitcoin’s blockchain, not all offer the same exact functionality. Each cryptocurrency that comes into existence is designed to solve a “problem” in the market, whether that be linked to data storage, smart contract functionality, faster payments systems, etc. 

How do Bitcoin and Altcoin transactions work?

Now that we understand the just of what they are, let’s explore how they work. We’ll use Bitcoin as the prime example. So while bank accounts require lengthy paperwork and administrative tasks, creating a Bitcoin “account” simply requires one to open a wallet. These can be found in different formats, with several options available on the market catered to the user's unique needs. Once you’ve created a wallet, you’ll need to load it with Bitcoin which can be done through an exchange like Tap. 

Once you have funds in your account, you will be able to send them to another user on the network (note that Bitcoin can only be sent on the Bitcoin network and Ethereum can only be sent on the Ethereum network). To send funds you will indicate on the app (or through the wallet) how much you’d like to send, enter the recipient’s wallet address and then pay a small network fee for executing the trade. 

On the backend your transaction will enter what is known as a mempool, a pool of pending transactions, until it is picked up by a miner. Bitcoin miners are responsible for verifying all transactions on the network, and compete with each other to solve the complex cryptographic puzzle first. The first one to do so is responsible for confirming the next batch of transactions in the mempool and adding them to a block. This block is then added to the blockchain in chronological order to ensure the immutable, transparent qualities of blockchain technology are upheld. Once the block has been added to the blockchain, the miner will receive all the network fees of each transaction verified as well as the block reward to compensate for the time and electricity it took to mine. 

The funds will then leave your wallet and enter the recipient's wallet, and will usually be required to go through 3 confirmations before being able to access the funds. Confirmations are measured by new blocks being added to the blockchain following the block in which the transaction is stored. Three confirmations means that three new blocks need to be added to the blockchain before the funds can be used.

Most altcoins work in a similar fashion, however many use different methods of mining (also known as hashing algorithms) but the concept remains much the same. Miners verify the transactions, add them to a block, the block is added to the blockchain and the transaction is executed.

Ready to Tap into blockchain transactions?

Now that you have a better understanding of how Bitcoin and altcoin transactions work, it’s about time you tapped into the seamless world of cryptocurrency transactions provided by Tap. Through the app you can buy, sell, store and spend your cryptocurrency and fiat portfolios. The app has integrated technology which ensures that users get the best market prices in real time, whenever executing a buy or sell order. Users can also store their cryptocurrencies on the platform through the bespoke backend technology which ensures the utmost security at all times.