
<p><em><strong>We look at how to achieve your retirement income goals using staking as part of your savings plan</strong></em></p>



<p>The ideal retirement for most of us is living off passive income from our investments. But interest rates on savings in the traditional economy are so low that it means our nest eggs must be larger every year to hit our income goals.</p>



<p>Or does it?</p>



<p>Bank savings rates are abysmal. Interest rates at banks like Bank of America or Barclays are 1% or less, as we discussed in our <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/how-staking-defi-is-disrupting-traditional-interest-rates" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staking is Disrupting Interest Rates article</a>. For this article, we are going to use a goal of <strong>$2500 per month income or $30,000 per year</strong>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At 1% interest, to earn $30,000 every year we need a nest egg of <strong>$3 million</strong>. To see just how powerful interest rates are and affect the size of our nest egg, at 6%, to earn $30,000 a year you would only need $500,000 in total savings.</p>



<h2>Traditional Finance Option: Stock Dividends</h2>



<p>Dividends do better but they require market knowledge because you have to be selective or risk your principal declining in value. Dividend yields can be deceiving since they are calculated by the Dividend payout/Price of the stock. So the yield can increase not because the company paid out more, but because the stock price declined. Larger companies are typically safer both:</p>



<ul><li>for your principal and&nbsp;</li><li>They are more likely to continue dividend payments to investors. Dividends are a choice, not a requirement.</li></ul>



<p>Of very large companies in the US, the 3 highest dividend yields are AT&amp;T, Exxon, and Verizon.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/oeOZQUhi3FInEsBEUcQxHfILAHwOMjkaM4mlF_UL8I0Iwf5eRCbO7p1TuTwSjbXLxgBp1HQoI-ZGvs8S6uGJfythPvwjIzXdOftaJo6Q0Z1cVVaR9borfhWI_oA5wOvd9w=s0" alt="High Dividend Yields vs. Staking"/></figure>



<p>You can see the yields from 4.55% to 7.44% but the ratings on these companies are all HOLD, which is a neutral rating meaning their stock price could decline, affecting your principal for now or later. For Americans, dividend yields are not great.</p>



<p>In the UK, the <a href="https://www.ig.com/uk/trading-strategies/highest-yielding-dividend-stocks-to-watch-in-the-uk-190812" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest yielding dividend stocks</a> in the FTSE 100 are in asset management, oil, or tobacco with yields from 6.2% to 10.7%. But you have to be a British resident or citizen to open an account with exceptions for some EU residents.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left"><strong>S</strong><em><strong>tock</strong></em></td><td><strong><em>Country</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Div. Yield</em></strong></td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left"><strong><em>AMT to Yield 30,000 USD</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Rating of Stock</em></strong></td><td><strong><em>Industry</em></strong></td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">AT&amp;T</td><td>US</td><td>7.44%</td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$403,225</td><td>HOLD</td><td>Telecom</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Exxon</td><td>US</td><td>6.01%</td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$499,168</td><td>HOLD</td><td>Oil</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Imperial Brands</td><td>UK</td><td>8.8%</td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$340,909</td><td>BUY</td><td>Tobacco</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">M&amp;G</td><td>UK</td><td>7.4%</td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$405,405</td><td>HOLD</td><td>Investments</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left"><a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/tot/stock-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Total SA</a></td><td>FR</td><td>7.07%</td><td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$424,328</td><td>Neutral/Buy</td><td>Oil</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>One thing is for certain, dividends are better than savings accounts IF you pick the right dividend stocks. Dividends are an option, <strong>NOT</strong> a requirement and if a company gets in trouble they will reduce their dividend so they can keep operating.</p>



<h2>Cryptocurrency Savings Option: Staking</h2>



<p>The cryptoeconomy needs investment and they are willing to pay you well based on:</p>



<ul><li>Staking for a POS blockchain like <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/ethereum-2-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ETH 2.0</a> will be</li><li>Lending on a CeFi platform like <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/blockfi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BlockFi</a> or a DeFi platform like <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/uniswap" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uniswap</a></li><li>Providing liquidity and getting paid interest like a bank savings account</li></ul>



<p>For this article, we will focus on staking as that is the lowest risk of these 3 options.</p>



<h2>Staking a POS Blockchain</h2>



<p>Staking a blockchain to help that network run gives you a chance to earn money from fees people pay to use the network. As the blockchain and its network grows and build network effects, your investment becomes safer over time.</p>



<p>You can isolate only large-cap blockchains for added safety and still earn a good income. Here are a couple of examples from <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our site</a>: (Rates are at the time of this writing and can change)</p>



<ul><li><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/solana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solana</a> is the 8th highest value cryptocurrency. You can earn 6.12% with low risk to your principal if you stake SOL.</li><li><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/polkadot" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polkadot</a> is the 9th highest value cryptocurrency. You can earn 13.43% with low risk if you stake DOT.</li><li><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/binance-smart-chain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binance Smart Chain</a>, the blockchain Binance runs separate from its exchange business, pays you 15.49% to stake the 3rd highest cryptocurrency (BNB) with backing from the world’s largest Bitcoin exchange.</li></ul>



<p>Network effects are the reason why Google, Facebook, and Amazon are so large and valuable. As blockchains gain network effects, they get larger and more valuable too. This makes your investment more secure both in the cryptocurrency’s value and in the fees you earn from that chain. To earn $30,000 per year at these interest rates, for SOL you will need a nest egg of <strong>$490,196</strong>. For DOT, you need <strong>$223,380</strong> and for BNB you need only <strong>$193,673</strong>.</p>



<p>This is a BIG difference from the $3 million you need for the bank or the $400,000-500,000 needed for these top dividend options.</p>



<h3>Risks</h3>



<p>Your risk with staking is twofold. Either:</p>



<ol><li>your coin drops severely in value that the fees generated can’t get you the income they earned before <strong>OR&nbsp;</strong></li><li>the blockchain gets less popular (loses its network effects or never gets them) and earns fewer fees meaning it has to pay you less.&nbsp;</li></ol>



<p>That’s why our 3 examples above are well-established blockchains (all in the top 11 in market value) where the risks of these 2 things happening are lower.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong><em><span class="has-inline-color has-black-color">Investment</span></em></strong></td><td><strong><em><span class="has-inline-color has-black-color">Yield</span></em></strong></td><td><strong><em><span class="has-inline-color has-black-color">AMT Needed to Yield $30,000 Interest</span></em></strong></td><td><strong><em><span class="has-inline-color has-black-color">Type of Investment</span></em></strong></td><td><strong><em><span class="has-inline-color has-black-color">Risk</span></em></strong></td></tr><tr><td>AT&amp;T</td><td>7.44%</td><td>$403,225</td><td>Stock Dividend</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td>Exxon</td><td>6.01%</td><td>$499,168</td><td>Stock Dividend</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td>Imperial Brands    </td><td>8.8%</td><td>$340,909</td><td>Stock Dividend</td><td>Low</td></tr><tr><td>M&amp;G</td><td>7.4%</td><td>$405,405</td><td>Stock Dividend</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td><a href="https://www.tipranks.com/stocks/tot/stock-analysis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Total SA</a></td><td>7.07%</td><td>$424,328</td><td>Stock Dividend</td><td>Medium</td></tr><tr><td>Solana</td><td>6.12%</td><td>$490,196</td><td>Staking</td><td>Low</td></tr><tr><td>Polkadot</td><td>13.43%</td><td>$223,380</td><td>Staking</td><td>Low</td></tr><tr><td>Binance Coin</td><td>15.49%</td><td>$193,673</td><td>Staking</td><td>Low</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>Once you learn about the lower risks of staking, putting a piece of your portfolio into the cryptoeconomy this way makes sense. Staking will help you reach your savings goal and make that savings goal smaller and more achievable for the average investor.</p>


Staking – How Much Money Do I Need to Retire on Passive Income?


<h2>Introduction</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/algorand" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algorand</a>, founded by the 2012 Turing Award recipient Silvio Micali, is a Boston-based open-source software company that created a fully decentralized, secure, and scalable pure Proof-of-Stake (PPoS) blockchain that provides a common platform for building products and services for a borderless economy. Algo is Algorand’s native cryptocurrency powering its blockchain.</p>



<h2>Technology</h2>



<p>Algorand’s pure Proof-of-Stake consensus protocol was the first to solve the trilemma of having decentralization, security, and scalability. Because Algorand’s blockchain doesn’t fork, transaction finality is immediate and the approved block will forever be on the chain. Utilizing cryptographic sortition, blocks are created where users are selected randomly and approved blocks reveal a new unpredictable selection seed that indicates who will participate next. Blocks are only certified when a supermajority of the selected committee of voters acts honestly.</p>



<p>Algorand’s Byzantine agreement protocol accounts for its scalability and security. Because it reaches consensus on a new block as fast as the block can be propagated throughout the network, if a malicious actor were to find which users to corrupt (which is already difficult because they are selected secretly and individually), it would already be too late because the users will have already fulfilled their responsibility and new ones would have been selected, again, secretly and individually.</p>



<p>To optimize for transaction throughput and decentralization, Algorand has two types of nodes: relay and participation nodes. Relay nodes make communication pathways highly efficient and participation nodes propose and vote on blocks. Any user can host either node; however, the requirements are much less for participation. Node operators (validators) are neither rewarded nor at risk of slashing — although governance participants will be rewarded in the future. The most up-to-date information regarding Algorand’s technology is maintained by the <a href="https://algorand.foundation/algorand-protocol/core-blockchain-innovation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algorand Foundation</a> and <a href="https://www.algorand.com/technology/algorand-protocol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algorand</a>.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KvTuQ9BKD0uTV07XpyYMzfku85KmidQAd-rgikIuAguoHHQmU8L0TN1ND7d42m8NaXDa0HNu2dub7QZA-1W1YsMpIZMUQcm6jotdaVe00oOrsFI21e1yMWVXNH11UPccnw=s0" alt="Algorand Executive Team"/></figure></div>



<h2>Leadership</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.algorand.com/about/our-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Silvio Micali, Founder</a> – On MIT faculty since 1983 researching cryptography, zero-knowledge, pseudorandom generation, secure protocols, and mechanism design and blockchain. Co-inventor of probabilistic encryption, Zero-Knowledge Proofs, Verifiable Random Functions, and many of the protocols foundational to modern cryptography. Recipient of the Turing Award (in computer science), the Gödel Prize (in computer science), and the RSA prize (in cryptography). Oversees all research at Algorand.</p>



<p>Steve Kokinos, CEO – Co-founder of Fuze (700 employees), BladeLogic (tech company acquired for $800 million), and Web Yes (tech company that served NetScape and Sun Microsystems). Kokinos is comfortable in the tech space and dealing with billion-dollar projects. Responsible for overall business vision and strategy at Algorand.</p>



<p>W. Sean Ford, COO – Held several executive leadership roles including CMO at LogMeIn, CMO and COO of Zmags, CMO of Syncsort, and as vice-president of Global Business Unit (GBU) marketing at Oracle. Responsible for go-to-market execution and operations including product management, engineering, marketing, and global community development.</p>



<h2>Market</h2>



<p>As stated in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFhjbM62keQ&amp;ab_channel=BloombergTechnology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interview</a> on Bloomberg Technology with Donald Tapscott, Blockchain Research Institute Executive Chair, “The 50 trillion dollar supply chain industry is moving to blockchain.” Smart contracts and the digitization of real-world assets are driving the market growth for blockchains that safely allow quick transaction settlement at a low cost. For this reason, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/ethereum" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethereum</a>, the biggest smart contract platform and second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, is migrating from the original Proof-of-Work protocol to a more efficient Proof-of-Stake protocol. </p>



<p>Algorand has already partnered with <a href="https://www.algorand.com/ecosystem/use-cases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dozens</a> of organizations that leverage its technology. Algorand is currently supporting the first CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency) with the <a href="https://www.algorand.com/ecosystem/use-cases/marshall-islands-sov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marshall Islands</a>, powering Morgan Stanley-backed <a href="https://www.algorand.com/ecosystem/use-cases/securitize" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Securitize’s</a> digital security platform, and working on many other projects. As more industries look to blockchains to digitize their supply chain operations, Algorand will be a top choice for a safe, scalable, and low-cost blockchain with a proven track record.</p>



<h2>Strategy</h2>



<p>Algorand’s PPoS protocol powers complex applications providing smart contracts, Algorand Standard Assets (stablecoins, NFTs), and Atomic transfers. Its platform will facilitate the blockchain migration of the $50 trillion supply chain market and the emergence of DeFi. Its blockchain is forkless, settles transactions instantly, and governance is decentralized; Algorand’s blockchain appeals to governing bodies and individuals alike. Algorand is focused on developing the best product as it actively recruits PhD-level computer scientists and structures everything from its reward mechanisms to blockchain protocol with long-term adoption and incentives in mind.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/F3M4OTwc-FKh9ZLflI-zIOhUlhnQQpL6o7KRcUguKIF95V3Znzn6zE74FI28eSNJE5xEbsWlA3INc4Vg_Sr0BJu3y7SaS4Pzzx8zPg4mFD9b22RpVfZEGMkVRVorB71x3Q=s0" alt="Algorand Ecosystem"/><figcaption>Algorand’s Ecosystem of Applications. Source: graphic from Algorand Inc.</figcaption></figure></div>



<h2>Community</h2>



<p>Algorand has a strong community full of users and developers. The websites Algo Optimizer and Algo Explorer were developed from community efforts. In addition, many users and those looking to learn more about Algorand are present in communities on Discord, Telegram, Reddit, and other social media. According to Algo Explorer, over 2.8 billion Algos are actively participating in the consensus protocol. There are over 12.8 million accounts on Algorand’s mainnet, and over 306 million transactions confirmed.</p>



<p>Due to Algorand’s consensus-based approach to protocol updates, community members can propose code changes on the network and stakeholders can use the PPoS consensus protocol to vote on whether to accept or reject the proposed changes. All users are allowed to participate in Algorand’s governance. Although the Algorand team is currently responsible for releasing protocol upgrades, the consensus-based approach gives node operators the power to determine whether to accept or reject the code changes. </p>



<p>At least 90% of network nodes must approve the upgrade change (by upgrading their node) before the status of the code changes is considered active — or accessible to developers and users. Upon approval, the network nodes not yet upgraded have a grace period of 140,000 blocks (nearly seven days) to implement the upgrade before being “booted” from (unable to sync with) the network. Algorand democratizes governance for all Algo holders making community participation accessible to everyone, not just technically inclined validators.</p>



<h2>Staking in Algorand</h2>



<p>Staking in Algorand is currently very easy. It’s so easy, it’s technically not really staking, just &#8220;hodling&#8221;. Every address holding 1 Algo or more in a non-custodial wallet can earn rewards proportional to their Algo holdings. For addresses managed by custodians or centralized wallets/exchanges like Coinbase, it depends on the terms and/or policies of the custodian or wallet/exchange. For example, the current reward determined by the <a href="https://algorand.foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algorand Foundation</a> is a <a href="https://algoexplorer.io/rewards-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">5.64% annual yield</a> (18 August 2021). On Coinbase, Algo holders are rewarded only 4% (while Coinbase pockets the difference for itself). The best way to achieve the full rewards is to <a href="https://www.algorandwallet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">download the Algorand Wallet</a> and hold Algos there.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Staking” on the Algorand Wallet is almost too simple. As an Algo holder you simply &#8220;hodl&#8221;, rewards will be shown on your wallet display, and to apply rewards, just send yourself a zero Algo transaction — that will cost .001 Algo — and the rewards will be applied to your total balance and will start compounding. When is the best time to apply your rewards, though? Is it every second? Every day? Every week? The answer changes depending on the size of your Algo balance and the annual yield rate. </p>



<p>Thanks to the community, you don’t need to do the math yourself; if you want to optimize for how often your rewards are applied, you can use the community-created <a href="https://algooptimizer.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algo Optimizer</a> tool. Based on your balance and the current annual yield rate from <a href="https://algoexplorer.io/rewards-calculator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Algo Explorer</a>, the Algo Optimizer tool will send you a zero Algo transaction to facilitate the reward mechanism, adding the rewards to your balance to start compounding. If you want to calculate your estimated earnings, Staking Rewards provides a great <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/algorand" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">earnings calculator</a> that will save you time and headache with all the financial math.</p>



<h3><strong>Long Term Algo Distribution Schedule</strong></h3>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p8ZLnNoi45ZYsx8JAfZP7yXsM_Il3pzp3nQ44uBzJJcFQCjBEVUdfYHedduqhHhCOuB9NHXRC9fV_NdejPB6jsDCSRWhaLQv_REUbdykKGavrgWluJA-bOy6568lYehzAg=s0" alt="Algorand Distribution Schedule"/><figcaption>Source: graph from the Algorand Foundation</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>In the future, earning Algo rewards will not be as simple and will resemble more traditional forms of staking. It will move from its current reward system, designed to benefit all Algo holders, to a new system that benefits holders who participate in the ecosystem’s governance and prove their commitment by locking in Algos for a potentially long term. The rewards for governance participation are expected to exceed the current rewards rate. The Algorand Foundation provides a thorough explanation of Algorand’s <a href="https://algorand.foundation/the-algo/algo-dynamics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Term Algo Dynamics</a> for more detailed information.</p>



<h2>Competition</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/ethereum-2-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethereum 2.0</a>, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/cardano" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cardano</a>, and <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/solana" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solana</a> are Algorand’s biggest competition from a blockchain business and cryptocurrency perspective. They all offer competitive staking rewards near Algo’s 6%, quick settlement, and developer resources. All have community-driven projects on their respective blockchains, and all but Solana can point to successful projects and established partners at the level of Morgan Stanley. The competition largely falls short in transaction finalization and security. Algorand is the only blockchain of the four mentioned that will never fork. Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana can all fork and potentially put past transaction history at risk. Forking is a confusing process to navigate for blockchains that support NFTs and other applications that are supposed to be non-fungible. The market size that these projects will be serving will be at least tens of trillions of dollars, allowing space for each to exist, similar to how competing streaming platforms operate in parallel today.</p>



<h2>Investment Positives</h2>



<ul><li>Governance of a blockchain that could power trillions of dollars worth of applications.</li><li>Proven track record with diverse government and business clients.</li><li>Similar projects with comparable technology and management are valued 2X to 20X higher than Algo. This shows potential for Algo as retail investors learn about the project.</li><li>Added voter weight for time lock-up of tokens → long time horizon for project adoption.</li></ul>



<h2>Investment Concerns</h2>



<ul><li>Like a stock, Algo doesn’t have to reflect the company’s performance.</li><li>Medium awareness as Algo market cap is over $3 billion (no BTC-Esque growth).</li><li>Not the first-to-market blockchain, beat by Ethereum and Cardano.</li></ul>



<h2>Summary</h2>



<p>Investing in Algos is investing in the widespread adoption of the Algorand ecosystem and holding a stake in its governance. It is a value investment that pays dividends for merely &#8220;hodling&#8221; and will soon pay dividends for governance participation. The market for blockchains like Algorand is huge, it has traction with institutional clients, and is a proven innovator led by a team that combines technology business expertise with a Turing award-winning computer scientist’s creation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Its market cap size (~$3 billion) is both concerning and comforting. A multi-billion dollar market cap is nothing to balk at, but why is it not ~$25 billion like Solana or ~$85 billion like Cardano? Is Algorand’s potential unrealized or is its market dominance already solidified? The answer will reveal itself as blockchain adoption grows; regardless, Algorand isn’t positioned as a pump-and-dump coin. It’s a tangible company that has made blockchain innovations, led by leaders in tech and cryptography, and continues to make decisions focused on its long-term adoption. Algorand is for the long-term investor, not the short-term speculator.</p>


Algorand: A Blockchain Powering the Borderless Economy


<p>Do you know where a growing challenge to decentralised exchanges (DEX) is coming from? Hint: It&#8217;s not from centralized exchanges (CEX). In fact, it&#8217;s something from within the space &#8211; DEX aggregators. DEX aggregators typically source liquidity from different DEXs, thus offering users better token swap rates than they could get on any single DEX. One such DEX aggregator is the 1inch Network.<br><br>1inch Network is a decentralised exchange (DEX) aggregator that helps users discover the best trade prices for tokens. It draws liquidity from its own liquidity pools as well as from Uniswap, Kyber Network, Balancer, Bancor, 0x protocol, and curve.fi to name a few. Officially launched in August 2020, <a href="https://blog.1inch.io/1inch-successfully-closes-12-mln-funding-round-led-by-pantera-capital-4c8a5a421ea8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1inch has raised a total of $14.8M in funding since</a>. The release of the 1INCH token in December 2020 marked the onset of the governance of the 1inch Network by a decentralised autonomous organization (DAO). Besides the 1inch DAO, the 1inch Network ecosystem consists of four other interoperable components &#8211; 1inch Aggregation Protocol, 1inch Liquidity Protocol, 1inch Labs and the 1inch Foundation.<br><br>A market leader in the DEX aggregators space, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/1inch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1inch Network</a> has grown to occupy a place in the top 10 decentralised exchanges measured by trading volumes. The 1INCH token is currently valued at $3.5, valuing the project at a $629 million market capitalization.<br><br>Read on to know more about 1inch Network, the technology behind the platform, the team and what you can expect by staking tokens on the 1inch platform.</p>



<h2>Background</h2>



<p>1inch Network was conceived by Russian developers Sergej Kunz and Anton Bukov in 2019. Both, skilled in smart contract security, partnered together to create the 1inch Aggregation Protocol, the network&#8217;s blueprint, at ETHNewYork&#8217;s Hackathon while experimenting with arbitrage bots and strategy.<br><br>Sergej and Anton had previously collaborated and participated in a number of hackathons globally, many winning them accolades and laurels. What&#8217;s ironic though is that the 1inch Aggregation Protocol, in the words of the founders, turned out to be one of their least successful hackathons.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The two, though, kept improving the solution developed in New York, eventually leading to the launch of the decentralised exchange (DEX) aggregator 1inch Network, as we know it today, in August 2020.&nbsp;</p>



<p><em>About Sergej Kunz</em>:<br>Sergej started to study programming while he was teen. He has a professional experience of around 15 years within software engineering, architecture and security. Prior to 1inch, he worked for Porsche in both DevOps and cybersecurity.</p>



<p><em>About Anton Bukov</em>:<br>Anton Bukov has been involved in software development since 2002, having learned to program at the age of 12. He got involved with blockchain in 2017, working on products including gDAI.io, Synthetix and NEAR Protocol. </p>



<p><em>We spoke to Sergej Kunz earlier this year, in a wide-ranging discussion around the 1inch Network platform, roadmap, and staking. </em><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/interview-with-the-1inch-co-founder-sergej-kunz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Click here to listen to the chat</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2>Launch &amp; development of the 1inch Network</h2>



<p>In August 2020, 1inch officially launched their automated market maker (AMM) Mooniswap, also known as the <a href="https://1inch.io/liquidity-protocol/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>1inch Liquidity Protocol</strong></a>. Mooniswap was pegged as the next generation of automated market makers enabling liquidity providers (users) to capture profits otherwise captured by arbitrageurs. Coinciding with the release of Mooniswap, in the same month 1inch announced a $2.8 million funding round from investors, including Binance Labs, Galaxy Digital, Greenfield One, Libertus Capital, Dragonfly Capital, FTX, IOSG, LAUNCHub Ventures, Divergence Ventures, Loi Luu, the Founder of Kyber Network, and Illia Polosukhin, the Co-Founder of NEAR Protocol.<br><br>It wasn&#8217;t too much later that the 1inch Network launched 1inch V2. Released in November 2020, the main component of the 1inch V2 release was Pathfinder, comprising of a new discovery and routing algorithm. The version promised users &#8220;the best rates&#8221;, also accounting for improved gas consumption. As per the team, thanks to improved quotes, the upgrade offered a rate for 1 sBTC-sUSD that bettered Uniswap’s comparative offering by almost 98%.</p>



<p>In March 2021, the team unveiled V3 of the <a href="https://1inch.io/aggregation-protocol/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>1inch Aggregation Protocol</strong></a>, which aimed to facilitate lower gas fees. V3 claimed to upgrade 1inch to be the fastest and most advanced DEX aggregation protocol in the market, allowing the swap of ETH for DAI at nearly 10.3% less gas than that required on Uniswap.</p>



<p>In the following month, the network’s governance tool <strong>1inch DAO</strong> was set into implementation. Envisaged as a two-step process, the first phase, currently in place, allows 1INCH token stakers to vote for various protocol settings. The second phase, scheduled to start in early 2022, aims to introduce a full-fledged DAO functionality with the intent to completely decentralize the 1inch network, thus being owned by the community.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1544" height="870" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4787" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2.jpg 1544w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2-360x203.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2-80x45.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2-768x433.jpg 768w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-2-1536x865.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1544px) 100vw, 1544px" /></figure>



<h2>Security</h2>



<p>To ensure all users’ funds and transactions are safe, 1inch smart contracts have been audited by platforms including OpenZeppelin, Consensys diligence, SlowMist, Haechi Labs, Coinfabrik, Certik, Hacken, Scott Bigelow, Mix Bytes and Chainsulting. The most recent, 1inch V3 audit, <a href="https://github.com/1inch/1inch-audits" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">is available here</a>.</p>



<h2>Understanding the 1INCH token</h2>



<p>The 1INCH token was launched in December 2020 by the 1inch Foundation, primarily aimed to govern all 1inch Network protocols. Pipped as “instant governance”, the token has since been used for all protocols within the 1inch Network, starting with the 1inch governance Aggregation Protocol and the 1inch Liquidity Protocol governance modules.</p>



<p>Of the total supply of 1.5 billion, the 1INCH token launched with an initial circulating supply of 90 million, 6% of the total supply. The rest of the supply is set to unlock over a four-year period until December 2024. Currently, 180.5 million tokens are in circulation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The initial token distribution happened to wallets that had interacted with 1inch Network until December 24, having completed a defined set of trades. Besides, tokens were also distributed to liquidity providers.</p>



<p><br>The allocation of the token distribution (Source: <a href="https://1inch.io/token/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://1inch.io/token/</a>) over the period is as shown in the chart below.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1542" height="866" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4785" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image.jpg 1542w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-360x202.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-80x45.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-768x431.jpg 768w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1536x863.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1542px) 100vw, 1542px" /></figure>



<h2>Staking 1INCH</h2>



<p>As a 1INCH token holder, one can stake tokens on the 1inch protocol and collect governance rewards. Staking 1INCH can yield around 21.71%, and has no lockup times mandated. To know more about the 1INCH staking program, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/1inch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">check out our easy-to-use guide here</a>. Don&#8217;t forget to try out the handy calculator within to estimate your potential gains. What&#8217;s more, you can even estimate gains in a bearish or bullish scenario.</p>



<p>Currently 48.4 million tokens, or nearly 27% of the circulating supply is staked. As seen from the chart below, the number of 1INCH holders who opted for staking has grown 35.04% over the past 90 days.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/c1UPR68E7Iz0k2xPGsHc4wVQf_RQhTxnZSFvt1jhqsNjb-RZwPidmvexAiV6YTCOY_DDgm5HCeZR5m-5mplr4sFfH1Bq6yF7H6bjhRWZGLHTIfn5bjre0d8BUP5l1q4TtA=s0" alt=""/></figure>



<p>As for the process of staking, we tried staking 1INCH tokens on 1inch.exchange and found the process extremely easy. The APY compared favorably to similar projects in the market. Providing liquidity was easy as well. For a detailed guide on the staking process, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/how-to-stake-1inch-and-provide-liquidity-on-1inch-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here</a>.</p>



<p>As noted earlier, the 1inch smart contracts, including the staking contract, has been audited by a handful of well respected auditing firms and is considered to be safe. There is no lockup time required when staking 1INCH. Accordingly, we do not consider there to be any risk for staking 1INCH at this time.</p>



<h2>Community</h2>



<p>1inch Network has a strong following across its social platforms. Prominent among its social channels are Twitter with a following in excess of 250K, and Telegram with 16,294 members. One thing worth highlighting here is how active the team is in keeping the community informed. Blog posts are nearly weekly, while social media posts and discussions are daily.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Competitors and valuation</h2>



<p>Being a decentralised exchanges aggregator, some of the closest competitors to 1inch Network are 0x API, Matcha, Paraswap, and Tokenlon. However, as seen from the chart below (Data sourced from <a href="https://dune.xyz/hagaetc/dex-metrics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dune Analytics</a>), the gap between 1inch Network and its closest competitor, 0x API, is significant.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="1542" height="864" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4786" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1.jpg 1542w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1-360x202.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1-80x45.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1-768x430.jpg 768w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/image-1-1536x861.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 1542px) 100vw, 1542px" /></figure>



<p>One measure of valuation for DEX&#8217;s is the ratio of Mcap (market capitalization) to TVL (Total Value Locked). At the current price of $3.51, 1inch enjoys a market cap of $636.9 million. The current TVL is $48.5, resulting in a Mcap / TVL ratio for 1inch of 13.24. This is high as compared to regular DEX&#8217;s. For example, Uniswap has a Mcap to TVL ratio of 3.08. However, looking at other DEX aggregators, the Mcap / TVL ratio does provide a perspective: 0x has a Mcap / TVL ratio of 15.8 (Source: <a href="https://defillama.com/protocols/dexes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Defi Llama</a>).&nbsp;</p>



<p>Besides the TVL, another measure worth highlighting is the average volume traded. 1inch enjoys approximately 7.5% of the market share by volume, occupying a space in the Top 5 DEX / aggregators by trading volume. However, based on market capitalization, 1inch, with a current Mcap of $636.9 million, ranks 12th among DEX coins.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Summary</h2>



<p>Something that&#8217;s encouraging for the prospects of 1inch Network is the fact that DEX aggregators have been growing their share of the overall DEX trade volumes, currently at 21.8% (Source: <a href="https://dune.xyz/hagaetc/dex-metrics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dune Analytics</a>). Given the leadership 1inch Network enjoys in this space of DEX aggregators, it seems well positioned to capitalize on this trend, were it to continue.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For a project to be successful within crypto, there are a few essential elements that matters &#8211; team, utility, developments and roadmap. With an experienced team at the helm, led by the co-founders Sergej Kunz and Anton Bukov, and backed by a strong set of investors, 1inch network has put together a working product that has so far been well received by users. The team has consistently delivered milestones along its roadmap, establishing essential partnerships along the way. 1inch, as per co-founder Sergej Kunz, aims to &#8220;open the floodgates of liquidity in the decentralised finance ecosystem&#8221;. While the platform has done well so far, the path ahead remains challenging, given competition within the DeFi space remains high across segments. This is no different for decentralised exchanges. DEX&#8217;s are competing for a share of the users wallet, by constantly upgrading the offering to ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience.&nbsp;</p>



<p>To set out on your journey to stake 1INCH, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/1inch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here</a>.&nbsp;</p>


1inch Network Review: More than just inching along


<p>SwissBorg is a place to buy, sell, hold, or stake your crypto to grow your investment portfolio over time.</p>



<p>Whether you are a trader, looking for a place to stake your cryptocurrency for income, or just looking to get some good yields on your money, SwissBorg has tools to help you. And you get a great mobile app for Apple or Android systems. Those looking to stake or those looking to trade cryptocurrencies will both find tools to help them achieve those goals.</p>



<p>We are going to take a look at who they are, what they offer and why we work with them here at Staking Rewards.</p>



<h2>Background</h2>



<p>SwissBorg was founded in 2017 and <a href="https://swissborg.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ran a successful ICO</a> during that time that raised $53 million USD. Their goal is simple: to get as many people to adopt cryptocurrency as possible and give them tools to manage their crypto investments easily.</p>



<p>According to their <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/swissborg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LinkedIn profile</a>, they have 116 employees and are based in Lausanne, Switzerland with part of the team in Tallinn, Estonia, and London. The company co-founders are Cyrus Fazel and Anthony Lesoismier-Geniaux.</p>



<p>With an office in Estonia and it being one of the most tech-savvy countries to do business, SwissBorg has a <a href="https://help.swissborg.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360016245254-What-kind-of-Licenses-does-SwissBorg-have-" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virtual Currency License</a> from Estonia and answers to regulators there.</p>



<h2>Services SwissBorg Offers</h2>



<p>SwissBorg offers three things. Cryptocurrency exchange services, the opportunity to earn a yield on your crypto, and their CHSB token. We will get into their token a little later.</p>



<h3>SwissBorg’s Smart Engine Crypto Exchange</h3>



<p>First, SwissBorg offers an easy way to buy crypto if you have one of the 16 fiats they support. Most of the fiat currencies SwissBorg supports are European although they support the Canadian Dollar and the South African Rand. One currency supported for exchange trades but <a href="https://help.swissborg.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360015876718-Important-Notice-Updating-Our-Fiat-Gateway-System" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOT for deposits and withdrawals is the USD</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What makes SwissBorg’s offering different from an exchange like Bitstamp or Binance is their Smart Engine. The Smart Engine is a link from the SwissBorg app to 4 different exchanges (Binance, HitBTC, LMax Digital, and Kraken). The Smart Engine looks at the order books on all the exchanges to get you the best price for the crypto you want to buy. They offer 408 different trading pairs. </p>



<p>If the pair you want is not available, SwissBorg will convert it for you into a pair that you can trade at a good price. Execution is a key component and complete transparency is the goal for the Smart Engine. SwissBorg charges a fee to process the trade but that’s the only income they make from the trade. They do not charge a spread on the execution price. Their Smart Exchange Report is a reporting feature to keep all your crypto information in one place and let you track transactions for tax or other purposes.</p>



<p>This is a great service for traders and long-term hodlers alike as the trades are fast and filled at great prices.</p>



<h3>SwissBorg’s Smart Yield Wallets</h3>



<p>SwissBorg offers passive income opportunities on your crypto holdings through their <a href="https://swissborg.com/smart-yield-account" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smart Yield wallets</a>. Like with aggregating data from 4 exchanges in the Smart Engine, SwissBorg aggregates data here too. They make access to DeFi yield opportunities easy by having them available through the app.</p>



<p>They offer a yield on in 7 cryptocurrencies. The 7 cryptos include 2 stablecoins (USDC and USDT), their CHSB token, BNB, XRP, BTC, and ETH. The current yield rates account holders earn (at the time of this writing) start at 3.98% p.a. for XRP up to 9.16% p.a. for the CHSB token. The stablecoins pay a competitive 8% p.a. Premium membership allows you to earn more interest than these stated rates, which we show you in a table below when we get into member benefits in more detail. These rates are fixed like bank savings accounts.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/NKUwbUJbrEhQgKsQkHrjDMX6xs5az6kn2iNOJjdicIHuGKn_oJZrIzquKjssUmX2EM6KEnnX3AJmMiJOeC2gfpWygikNauKF8fF9gpS15bk2g9Alej1PhvK9Eig4kS50EI7THCxx" alt=""/></figure>



<p>A list of some of the yield rates SwissBorg offers</p>



<p>And these accounts are popular. There are more than $720 million dollars in yield wallets at SwissBorg and the highest historical yield to have been offered is currently 37.55% p.a.</p>



<p>You can invest using the SwissBorg app by either depositing one of the approved fiats to open your account by wire, SWIFT, SEPA, or other approved method OR you can deposit crypto too.</p>



<h2>SwissBorg Premium Member Benefits</h2>



<p><a href="https://swissborg.com/premium-account" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Membership</a> has 3 levels. Those levels are Standard, Community Premium, and Genesis Premium.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lGapqlFrD7hhzZaT_wrpLgTA5OE2mjWQ5M7stKTfX0zhgXo1yNVHHlGGYHCUiWNHj2WkpzL6xMs2B4qcL4nAbpsuqCOUQjGNIi8eC_a320Paou_2V_ByspyJcBpcozXyheFNszIb" alt=""/></figure>



<p>As you can see from this comparison, a couple of major differences are you can earn more by boosting your yield to 1.5x or 2x with a Premium membership and pay reduced exchange fees, which help both traders and yield seekers. To get to those levels, you must stake CHSB for a year.</p>



<h2>Who Benefits Most Using SwissBorg?</h2>



<p>SwissBorg targets 2 groups: Traders and Yield Seekers. Although they have different needs and tools they use to make money, SwissBorg helps both groups to grow their crypto holdings.</p>



<h3>Tools for Traders</h3>



<p>Traders, as a group, are looking to trade in and out of various cryptos based on fundamental or technical analysis. Fundamental analysis is underlying information about the cryptocurrency. For example, are they growing their base of developers who work on the crypto? Or has user adoption increased? These are questions about the fundamentals of a cryptocurrency. Technical analysis believes that everything there is to know about how a cryptocurrency (or other assets) is doing in the marketplace is reflected in the price charts. </p>



<p>Technical traders look at chart patterns and price information since many patterns tend to repeat themselves over time. One technical indicator that has made its way into conversations in the conventional financial world is moving averages. This is a trendline of the average price over X number of periods. Many look at 50-day moving averages for intermediate trends and the 200-day moving average for long-term trends. Short-term traders will look at smaller period averages than 50 days. But they are not the only averages or technical indicators used.</p>



<h3>SwissBorg Tools</h3>



<p>SwissBorg has some great tools for traders that are unique. Here are some of the tools they offer:</p>



<ul><li>Cyborg Predictor</li><li>SwissBorg Indicator</li><li>Community Sentiment</li><li>Support and Resistance</li></ul>



<p>The Cyborg Predictor is a machine learning algorithm that helps predict where a crypto might go in the next 24 hours for short-term traders.</p>



<p>The SwissBorg Indicator is a proprietary tool that incorporates many popular technical analysis tools like moving averages, accumulation/distribution, RSI, and Bollinger Bands to give you a view of current trends of the crypto of your choice.</p>



<p>The Community Sentiment indicators look at the SwissBorg community to see how many are buying vs how many are selling to give you an idea about how the community feels about that particular cryptocurrency.</p>



<p>Support and Resistance points are vital for traders to understand where breakouts for profitable trades could occur versus when an asset is trading within a range that is non-trending. SwissBorg provides this tool to all members.</p>



<h3>Tools for Yield Seekers</h3>



<p>When we talk about yield seekers that SwissBorg targets, there are two types. SwissBorg is going after the passive investor who just wants to put their money to work but also help the DeFi yield farmer. Yield farmers are those who search many DeFi apps to find the best rates or best risk/return ratios for their money and constantly (actively) move their money around from app to app and crypto to crypto.</p>



<p>Passive investors will like that they can easily pick a crypto and a yield rate without having to go to AAVE, Compound, Sushiswap, PancakeSwap or centralized platforms like BlockFi or Nexo and compare and contrast yield rates paid on various cryptocurrencies.</p>



<p>Yield farmers will like that SwissBorg scans many apps looking for yield for you so you don’t have to. They make it easy and all from the same place in the Smart Yield wallet. One last benefit they offer that you can’t get if you go to the DeFi app directly is their <a href="https://help.swissborg.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360020716857-Safety-Net-for-Smart-Yield-Accounts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Safety Net Program</a>. The Safety Net Program was launched with $1 million in CHSB tokens, and is designed to be used to offset against smart contract risk. Then the insurance pool pays out if one of these events takes place. If you are managing your own risk, then you can account for this yourself. But if you want it simple and easy, SwissBorg helps make that happen.</p>



<h2>SwissBorg’s Competition</h2>



<p>SwissBorg has different competitors for different services they offer.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For their Smart Engine, both exchanges like Coinbase and Bitstamp, and CeFi lending platforms like BlockFi and Nexo that enable crypto purchases are competition for this service. The exchanges tend to have better pricing than someone like BlockFi does. The Smart Engine negates most of a single exchange’s advantage by being linked to 4 exchanges at once.</p>



<p>For the Smart Yield program, the primary competition is:</p>



<ol><li>CeFi apps</li><li>DeFi apps</li><li>Other Staking services</li></ol>



<p>SwissBorg offers less centralization than most of the CeFi apps, better convenience and choices than a DeFi, and a better overall set of options on how to invest your money than other staking services. It’s the combination of these service offerings that makes SwissBorg unique.</p>



<h2>Security</h2>



<p>One important aspect of crypto platforms is security. How do they keep your funds secure?</p>



<p>Crypto wallets have private keys that have to be managed, which is like knowing your login and password to access your bank account. SwissBorg uses <a href="https://www.curv.co/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curv</a> for its wallet management and security. Curv is the leader in <a href="https://swissborg.com/blog/mpc-keyless-technology-keeping-your-crypto-secure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MPC (multi-party computation) keyless technology</a>. MPC is like a multi-signature wallet, but safer as the multiple parties each own a portion of the key and only the parts together can open up the wallet for transactions. Curv also helps SwissBorg as custodians of your digital assets.</p>



<h2>The CHSB Token (the SwissBorg Token)</h2>



<p>Some DeFi and CeFi apps have their own token and some don’t. SwissBorg does with a successful ICO they did in 2017 to raise funds for development. You can deposit your fiat and buy CHSB directly from SwissBorg. CHSB is an ERC-20 token. You can also stake it, which is a requirement if you want to move up to one of the Premium programs and earn more on your money. <a href="https://swissborg.com/blog/what-is-the-swissborg-token" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CHSB</a> currently does 5 things that help your portfolio grow:</p>



<ol><li>Protect and Burn: 20% of SwissBorg’s revenue is used to buy and burn existing CHSB tokens decreasing the supply and making the CHSB you hold more valuable</li><li>Membership: To move up the member tiers to earn a higher yield OR pay lower exchange fees or both, you must hold the CHSB token</li><li>Exclusive Access: there will be some new tools or new features you will be able to access if you hold the CHSB token</li><li>Voting Rights: as with staking other tokens, when you own some you have voting rights so you can help encourage smart growth of the ecosystem</li><li>Governance: Aside from voting rights, with the CHSB you can participate in the DAO. The DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) goals are to get the founding team out of the decision making and governance process for what’s good for the SwissBorg ecosystem and have the community decide. Within the DAO, anyone can submit a proposal and the community decides if it’s worthy of a full vote or not. And the currency of the DAO is CHSB.</li></ol>



<h3>CHSB Tokenomics</h3>



<p>Here are some of the metrics on the CHSB token. The <a href="https://swissborg.com/chsb-overview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">total circulating supply</a> is ~704 million at a price of 73c each for a total market value of $513,920,000. Of these 704 million, we have:</p>



<ul><li>6.8 million have already been burned (Protect and burn feature)</li><li>170 million staked (24% of circulating supply)</li><li>332 million currently in the Smart Yield program (47% of circulating supply)</li><li>194 million in circulating supply</li></ul>



<p>So what you can see from these metrics are that the protect and burn policy is active and going well. Many have chosen to stake CHSB to earn interest on it and many others (almost half) are in the same Smart Yield program that you could use with USDC or BTC too.</p>



<h2>Summary</h2>



<p>SwissBorg is a quality platform for investment, trading, staking, or a crypto savings account. The Smart Engine makes trading or just buying and selling easy and inexpensive. The Smart Yield wallet lets you earn actively in the DeFi market or passively with a fixed interest rate. Their own CHSB token and staking options give you the chance to earn more and pay lower fees. SwissBorg is decentralizing with their own DAO and building community there and within the wealth app too. What SwissBorg does is offer a few different services, and does them very well.</p>


SwissBorg Review


<p>A Talk between Staking Rewards and Juntao Zhu (Co-Founder &amp; CEO)</p>



<p>Hodlnaut is a custodial crypto interest provider that allows you to earn up to 10.5% APY on Stablecoins, BTC, and ETH.</p>



<p>Juntao Zhu worked in the derivatives and fixed income industry at Credit Suisse. This gave him an overview of the products and services that exist within the traditional finance industry. With Hodlnaut he mirrors those best practices and brings them to the realm of crypto-assets.</p>



<h2><strong>About Hodlnaut</strong></h2>



<h3>Q: Why did you start Hodlnaut? And how has Hodlnaut evolved over the last 2 years?</h3>



<p>A: Many are convinced that digital currency such as Bitcoin is the future and I believe that premise. The currency facilitates a payment system where financial transactions have lower fees, faster processing rate, and are transparent to all through a decentralized public ledger in the blockchain.&nbsp;I am incredibly excited to be able to build my company using Bitcoin and to help increase its adoption. On the other hand, as a fellow crypto investor, I’d like to help others to get the most out of their crypto holdings. Thus doing my part in sustaining the crypto ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: What is the mission &amp; vision of Hodlnaut? And what drives you personally and professionally?</h3>



<p>A: To help crypto users and enthusiasts to grow their digital assets. The mission is to provide financial services to individual investors where we utilize the power of cryptocurrency to help users manage their crypto assets. The vision is to see cryptocurrency assets being adopted in the everyday world in a seamless and effective way. I get excited when I see laymen started to learn more about crypto and do their part in enriching the ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: How do you attract customers? What has been the most effective way for you to grow the business?</h3>



<p>A: By listening to our customers’ needs and providing them with top-notch services. We’re constantly engaging with our users to understand their pain points and solve their problems through our platform. As we focus on creating great products, communicating to our users in regard to our features and how their problems can be solved is a priority for us. Educating our users and the general public about what crypto is and especially what we can do to help them in growing their crypto assets has been an effective way to grow our business and at the same time, the crypto ecosystem.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: What is unique about Hodlnaut? Why should users go with your service instead of others?</h3>



<p>A: We are a small startup that’s relatively new. Because of that, users can expect a more personal and direct customer experience. Besides, we provide some of the highest interest rates out there for Bitcoin and Ethereum. We’re also incorporated in Singapore, a country which is globally known for its AAA ratings.&nbsp;AAA ratings are issued to investment-grade debt that has a high level of creditworthiness with the strongest capacity to repay investors.</p>



<h3>Q: How do you make sure that the user funds at Hodlnaut remain safe and secure?</h3>



<p>A: We use Fireblocks&#8217; multi-party computation wallet infrastructure to secure funds. When users sign up for an account with Hodlnaut, they will be assigned a unique address generated by Fireblocks. When the deposit funds into Hodlnaut, funds are secured with Fireblocks&#8217; wallet infrastructure until it is lent out to one of our partners.</p>



<p>Furthermore, the platform runs on a secure cloud infrastructure on AWS, and all traffic is encrypted with SSL encryption.</p>



<h3>Q: How do you ensure up to 10.5% APY, where does the return come from?</h3>



<p>A: Interest rates are evaluated based on market demand and our earnings from the previous month. While Hodlnaut aims to keep interest rates stable, it is subject to change. Our interest rates will be updated monthly based on the prevailing market conditions. How do we manage to pay the interest rates? We lend out the assets we receive to established and vetted financial institutions that pay an interest rate. As for the attractive interest rates, we analyze supply and demand on our available crypto assets to set a fluctuating interest rate that adjusts as market conditions change. Also, we take earnings from our previous months into consideration.</p>



<h3>Q: What role does the mobile app play for you?</h3>



<p>A: It plays an important role where it’ll help our users to have a better experience when using our product. A mobile app will allow our users to deposit, withdraw and swap tokens seamlessly.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: What is your main target customer group? Retail or Institutional? Jurisdiction? Age?</h3>



<p>A: Retail, US, UK, Singapore, and European markets. Average age is 30-39.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: Which product line of Hodlnaut are you most proud of?</h3>



<p>A: Hodlnaut Interest Account and Token Swap&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: The crypto market is moving extremely fast. Can you make any projection where you would like to see Hodlnaut in the next 5 years?</h3>



<p>A: Although we can’t make any definite projection in the crypto world due to its uncertainty and volatility, we’d love to overtake Blockfi in terms of AUM and users! 😉</p>



<h2><strong>Hodlnaut Portfolio</strong></h2>



<h3>Q: Are you planning to add any stablecoins or other assets to your portfolio of crypto interest accounts soon?</h3>



<p>A: We currently have 3 stablecoins already: USDC, USDT, and DAI. And we recently just added Wraped Bitcoin (WBTC) to our portfolio. We’re constantly evaluating the needs of our users in term of supported coins and will plan to launch more coins in the future.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: How do you decide which asset to add and which one not? What are the main criteria for your decision?</h3>



<p>A: Users’ demand and market capitalization.</p>



<h3>Q: Are you planning to support any staking tokens in the future?</h3>



<p>A: Nothing in the pipeline at the moment, if anything changes we’ll announce it to our users and to the public.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>General Market</strong></h2>



<h3>Q: In your opinion, how do we get a billion people to use crypto every day? What do you think is the main driver for adoption? Abstraction of Technology, UX, Mobile Access?</h3>



<p>A: It’s a combination of multiple factors; willingness to try new things from the users, cooperation and support from the governments, and proven convenience of the digital assets’ use cases. People need to give crypto a chance to “prove” itself to be innovative and efficient while jurisdictions around the world need to embrace the adoption instead of blocking. The tech needs to be working as well so that the overall process is seamless and affordable as intended.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Q: What are you most excited about in the world of DeFi?</h3>



<p>A: DeFi is the continuity of the Bitcoin revolution that started over 11 years ago. It promises convenience and decentralization without the archaic regulations that traditional finance has. It has transparency that the banks can’t provide and the value will be explosive in the coming years. I’m excited to see its real-life applications disrupting the financial services industry in a good way.&nbsp;</p>



<p></p>



<p><strong>Learn more about Hodlnaut and Juntao Zhu:</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/juntaozhu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.linkedin.com/in/juntaozhu/</a></p>



<p><a href="https://www.hodlnaut.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hodlnaut.com/</a></p>



<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hodlnautdotcom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://twitter.com/hodlnautdotcom</a></p>


The story of Hodlnaut and Juntao Zhu


<h2>BlockFi Lending</h2>



<p>Centralized lending, aka: CeFi lending, is taking off alongside the DeFi craze as an amazing way to earn passive income in the crypto market. Blockfi is a CeFi lending company in the crypto space that has solidified itself in allowing crypto hodlers to earn stable passive income on their crypto assets. The stable interest rates on centralized lending platforms are what make them appealing to park crypto assets or stable coins to accrue interest monthly and even weekly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Use our partner referral link to gain up to <a href="http://blockfi.mxuy67.net/7m55qQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$250 Bitcoin Bonus</a> for your first deposit.</p>



<h2><strong>BlockFi Mission</strong></h2>



<p>BlockFi was founded in 2017 by Zac Prince and Flori Marquez and their mission: “To bridge the worlds of traditional finance and blockchain technology to bring financial empowerment to clients on a global scale.” In layman&#8217;s terms, Zac and Flori created the company with the vision of bringing simple products and credit services to markets where people don’t currently have these opportunities. It goes beyond traditional banking and their mission is to reach out and offer services to everyone using cryptocurrency. BlockFi does this and more by offering market-leading rates with the added bonus of institutional-quality benefits to their clients. Its values consist of pragmatic pioneering in changing the status quo and integrating new technology and high standards, treating their clients with tailored products for support, and the foundational building block that transparency builds trust.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>BlockFi has its pros and cons. The BlockFi platform is for all users beginner to advanced but should be used for medium to long-term hodlers!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" width="850" height="172" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4595" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-1.jpg 850w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-1-360x73.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-1-80x16.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-1-768x155.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px" /></figure>



<h2><strong>Safe with BlockFi</strong></h2>



<h3><strong>Compliance</strong></h3>



<p>As mentioned in the pros and cons list, BlockFi is one of the few US based, regulated, interest-earning platforms for cryptocurrencies. This is important for platform users to understand because BlockFi is regulated under US law and institutionally backed but not by the FDIC or SPIC. BlockFi is backed by some big names such as Morgan Creek Capital, Valar Ventures, CMT Digital, Castle Island Ventures, SCB 10x, Avon Ventures, Purple Arch Ventures, Kenetic Capital, and HashKey to name a few. BlockFi has a rock solid foundation with more than $2 billion in assets under management by companies like Gemini, BitGo, and Coinbase. It also uses preventative measures to not only ensure the protection of your assets but also that funds are available by:&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li>Carefully lending with loans backed by up to 50% collateral to reduce risk.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Keeping reserve assets with third party companies mentioned above.</li></ul>



<ul><li>BlockFi keeps a sizable amount of collateral aside, which allows clients to withdraw with ease.</li></ul>



<h3><strong>Security</strong></h3>



<p>Security is a serious concern for users and also a top priority for BlockFi. BlockFi has expanded security to multiple layers focusing on risk management, and transparency for users. Some features BlockFi has incorporated onto their platform are identity verification, email address authentication and two-factor authentication. The best way for users to ensure the highest security is to use a passphrase for a password, and enable 2FA. To enable 2FA on your BlockFi account, log into the client dashboard and click on the Settings tab at the bottom -&gt;Security and then enable two-factor authentication. Step-by-step instructions will assist you to complete the process. Here is a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LRPCVIsM9E&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a> to learn more about the process.</p>



<p>Once your deposit at Blockfi is made, the funds are being managed through one of BlockFi’s custodians. BlockFi relies on three custodian services, considered the best available on the market. They include, Gemini, Fidelity, and BitGo.</p>



<h2><strong>How does BlockFi work?</strong></h2>



<p>BlockFi is a simplistic lending platform that allows users to deposit crypto assets and start earning interest immediately. BlockFi works by providing its users services in: interest earning crypto savings accounts, and USD loans collateralized by crypto. We will briefly cover USD loans collateralized by crypto later on in the article.&nbsp;</p>



<ul><li><strong><em>Interest earning savings account AKA: BlockFi Interest Account (BIA):</em></strong> This works by having a user deposit any specified amount of cryptocurrency onto the platform which in turn, BlockFi lends it to other users who borrow and pay interest. In simpler terms, you deposit your money, they lend your money out, people who borrow pay interest, you earn part of the interest for lending and BlockFi takes part of the interest for providing the service.</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong><em>Crypto backed USD loans</em></strong>:&nbsp; The best analogy to describe how this works is to use a pawn shop reference. You need a loan for XXX so you go to a pawn shop for some cash. You need to bring the pawn shop something of value and they loan you money for half the value of the item. The item loaned is called “collateral”. On top of keeping your crypto as insurance for themselves, they also charge you interest on the total amount of money you borrowed over however long it takes you to pay the loan back.&nbsp;If you pay it off, you get your cryptocurrency back.&nbsp;If you don’t pay the loan back they keep your collateral.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h3><strong>Interest Rates for a BlockFi Interest Account</strong></h3>



<p>Interest rates for both services are different. So depending on which service users take advantage of, it’s important for users to understand the potential interest they can earn.</p>



<p>Interest Earning Savings Account or (BIA):&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The interest rate a user will <strong>earn</strong> for this service is broken into a three tiered system in BlockFi.&nbsp;The tiers are dependent on the total amount of each crypto held in the wallet. Each token will be in it’s own tier based on the amount a user holds. For example, here is how it would work for a user in multiple scenarios:</p>



<ul><li>A user deposits 1 BTC:&nbsp;This user would be a tier 2 hodler earning 2% APY according to the chart.&nbsp;WRONG.&nbsp;A user with 1 BTC would actually earn 5% APY on the first 0.5 BTC and 2% on the other 0.5 BTC.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>A user deposits 25 BTC: Again, the user would earn 5% APY on the first 0.5 BTC, then 2% APY on the next 19.5 BTC and 0.5% APY on the other 5 BTC.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>Here is the most recent interest rate chart according to <a href="https://blockfi.com/rates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blockfi.com/rates</a>:</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/l8rRM1TV3KP7SLQuixdsQYLD3Qw3wasSpH2Oiq4rvG_0Qt3nrUNrIPepnviHH6gpIm9VbN6sJupwm77j_FUq9AB3rlfhgwTAo2kVyfYmz2xgCzUMcg1KT8O5uyaKSiRg0oI6Zv56" alt="BlockFi Rates"/></figure></div>



<h2><strong>See how much you can Earn over time!</strong></h2>



<p>Users can use the calculator to see interest earnings over time. The calculator is indicative and for informational purposes only.&nbsp;Any actual earned interest will be payable in cryptocurrency and rates can vary as explained above. On the left side of the calculator users select the crypto you hold, enter the amount, and then enter the number of years users would earn interest for. The right side of the calculator displays the output of USD interest per year, total amount of crypto earned (converted from USD to whichever crypto chosen) and the last line displays the total USD interest a user would earn over x amount of years selected.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-65XmkLunQPV20TMbx7hbKx45QoYMRw_DJgo1WoOj67V86FVqpO_62rMatH35VBwQepeE9bzbyrP5jdvwVcpRLgixiaMv-H29cfAl5xvQ8bQkrHuTnR_xPkWI-cvb8MbTnldDKmM" alt="BlockFi Interest Calculator"/></figure></div>



<h2><strong>How often will BlockFi pay out Interest?</strong></h2>



<p>Interest that a user accrues is paid out at the end of EACH month.&nbsp;On the BlockFi app, a user can see two types of interest: Total Interest Paid and Accrued Interest.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Total interest paid:</strong></p>



<p>Represents the current approximate USD value of ALL interest payments that were made to the account from inception. The balance is denominated in the cryptocurrency deposited (more on this in a bit).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>Accrued interest:&nbsp;</strong></p>



<p>Accrued interest shown on the BlockFi app is an estimate based on the month to date interest accrual. This is basically what a user is earning in interest for the current month which by the month end will be added to your crypto and the accrued interest will restart for the new month.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/3p51ZwAicusJQqBMuPqJ9rLak2QxPf6F9XrtRLSetBMhCiicbs7xfVIBkEDeoxr9_ZClJedOfu8iDQ04KB06_Q_iJX2hS6Xf4LcrAAQge4SyCZChxZWwg_LbhOyR57osroKkelQG" alt="BlockFi Interest Account"/></figure></div>



<h3><strong>Transactions</strong></h3>



<p>Once users have staked for their first payment, they can use the transaction tab to view all incoming and outgoing deposits, withdrawals, and interest payments. This is a great log to keep track of any and all trades, and interest payments with a timestamp!&nbsp;Remember each and every interest paying for lending coins on BlockFi is paid out at the first of each month.&nbsp;If you happen to deposit and stake in the middle of a cycle, users will be paid out at the month prorated.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QoeCridLwQzlZlzuQ9nOF2nqeDqzJ37nAQesMlDeVm3RcDjmbz2_u2A2LaRMIauhmpLO-Kjaq_PDHEy3Fqodkm-6e-zVRQ3TPyCFdHK6_qICjjyzUG6tkdSsGk4bWm85DNZ-GJMo" alt="BlockFi Transactions"/></figure></div>



<h3><strong>Flex Payment Option</strong></h3>



<p>The flex payment option aspect of BlockFi is pretty neat. Let’s say a user is already earning interest on their 1 BTC and is about to get paid at the beginning of the new month.&nbsp;Then they can choose to be paid back in the same currency deposited or the user can elect to choose to be paid back in a different currency. This allows for diversification without having to ever deposit more crypto. You can find this option in Settings -&gt;Interest Preferences.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/a_ODYr0bDKTn5tQj1qKpa9PWzLYkh6dvziyd2pOBGaNXL8rEcPAXjX7c53hvvSLAc5glYhJpYi8FQYGeh8nm76NL_aD1zEA3yOi_puKjWQb16FffEKs5Zqr8IqsKddOI630zdfhy" alt="BlockFi Interest Preferences"/></figure></div>



<h3><strong>Deposit Currency</strong></h3>



<p>Once you have deposited your choice of currency into BlockFi, you can choose the currency you’d like to hold and earn interest on in the main screen interface. This page is helpful because it shows you APY percentages of the cryptocurrencies.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/uDiibo5Bj73nn9KFcGtS0XxaNV7D__ic-yBNJdGNiiHeZ2Fv3Jg4175a__CvNwZSnGAP2XCkMwFv48KxfdNRY55YSrgPbJSL2M_AbnicTR92SJ1gCgrKQ08zp5AclMB4-Cq6nMo7" width="285" height="440"></p>



<h3><strong>Trade</strong></h3>



<p>BlockFi also supports the functionality of buying and selling cryptocurrencies or stablecoins. On the main screen once logged in there is a trade button next to the deposit that brings users to trading.&nbsp;The trade interface allows users to do exactly what it says, buy and sell. This makes it quick and easy for users to access their assets instantly and start lending new crypto assets or diversify holdings if needed.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/3LuQtLE1MEujka4kbysQwX2G3vrEQCx4dOOSCw0egLFCZ6FNtEgtAtntxAxtLNp8zV-ctvOchKHzNSxeV-8bVEtz5tacf4MFowu4BEJtdrmc_MPSoS212UNlgaj_yeEnw8utAnil" width="302" height="653.6736076445839"></p>



<h2><strong>Signing Up for a BlockFi Account</strong></h2>



<p><em>Signing up for BlockFi is simple and seamless and easily explained:&nbsp;</em></p>



<ul><li><strong>Step 1:</strong> Visit the <a href="http://blockfi.mxuy67.net/7m55qQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BlockFi Website</a>. This link is a partner referral link from Staking Rewards, which allows you to gain up to $250 Bitcoin Bonus on your first deposit.</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong>Step 2: </strong>Users can create an account by giving their credentials such as: first name, last name, and email address. BlockFi will prompt you to use a very secure password/phrase, so please do so for security purposes.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong>Step 3: </strong>Users need to verify their information through the KYC/AML process by providing proof of identity and if a US resident, users must provide their SSN.&nbsp;This step can be approved in mere minutes.&nbsp;If the process takes more than 48 hours be sure to reach out to <strong>onboarding@blockfi.com</strong>.</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong>Step 4: </strong>Users can add funds using the Deposit tab. Users can deposit into their account from their crypto wallet or bank account. Deposit $100 or more to claim a referral bonus.</li></ul>



<ul><li><strong>Step 5: </strong>Start earning interest!&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul>



<h2><strong>BlockFi Exclusive Partner Offer</strong></h2>



<p>At Staking Rewards we are glad to offer anyone an exclusive partner offer when signing up for BlockFi. Sign up using our referral link, and get up to <a href="http://blockfi.mxuy67.net/7m55qQ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$250 in Bitcoin Bonus</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2A04VsCFwdqw6PxyD8Avjgtaepb5MS7wMRBRTMnORDvh7SoABqMcp4i2u5DjTiSSM89afQBhC1igYli7kql823cop959xqr0wKi07WuoMCkLKNborT9rZHJytyrSCfXFbD7KsRrD" alt="BlockFi Partner Offer"/></figure></div>



<ol><li>Click &#8216;Create your account&#8217;.</li><li>Complete registration and the identity verification process.</li><li>Transfer crypto into your account by either connecting a bank account, or sending it via a wallet-to-wallet transaction.</li><li>Ensure you retain the required amount to earn your free BTC! Refer to chart.</li><li>You will receive your free BTC on the 15th of the eligible month which is 2.5 months from the month of your eligibility. More info in our terms below.</li></ol>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-4593" width="840" height="272" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image.jpg 862w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-360x117.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-80x26.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/image-768x249.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px" /></figure>



<h2><strong>Top Perks</strong></h2>



<h3><strong>Borrow Against Your Portfolio</strong></h3>



<p>Outside of earning interest on holdings, BlockFi offers you the ability to borrow against your portfolio.&nbsp;You can avoid selling your crypto when you need cash by borrowing funds in USD against your crypto assets. Interest rates for borrowing USD are as low as 4.5%.&nbsp;Borrowing does come with risk.&nbsp;You do have the potential to lose your collateral, crypto assets, if the price of the crypto collateral drops significantly. This means that the value of your interest account can no longer support the loan balance.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h3><strong>Rewards Credit Card</strong></h3>



<p>BlockFi is launching its own Bitcoin rewards credit card that lets users earn 1.5% back on every purchase.&nbsp;The BlockFi card has no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, users just earn bitcoin back on every purchase.&nbsp;Your Bitcoin rewards will be added to your BlA which starts earning interest right away!&nbsp;The card started shipping in Q2 of 2021 to US residents in qualified states and will soon be available to folks outside the US.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Overall Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>BlockFi is a great way for amateur and even veteran crypto enthusiasts to hold and reap rewards over the long haul. Their webapp is seamless and rewards are processed on a monthly basis for users to see, along with their assets and USD value. BlockFi does give users peace of mind with their security and financial compliance with regulatory systems.&nbsp; The user-friendly app and sign-up procedure is a huge plus for BlockFi, along with the security features such as 2FA, allowlisting, ID verification, and biometric scanning to add additional layers of security to their assets.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>BlockFi also has a great backing, with big names investing such as Winklevoss Capital, Avon Ventures, Morgan Creek Capital and more. A few drawbacks to BlockFi are time delays with deposits and withdrawals.&nbsp;This doesn’t happen for everyone but has been part of my experience in the past.&nbsp;Another negative drawback with BlockFi is their rates seem to change fairly often, so be vigilant when calculating interest rates and be sure to study the guide above in the <em>Interest Rates for a BlockFi Interest Account </em>section.&nbsp;In closing, BlockFi gives users an opportunity to utilize many great services such as crypto backed loans, trading, interest accounts, and more that far outweigh the cons.&nbsp;Remember to DYOR and make sure if BlockFi is the right path for you and your crypto assets!</p>



<p>If you are a customer of Blockfi, please make sure to leave a review at <a href="http://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/blockfi">http://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/blockfi</a>. So you can help others to make the right choice for their Crypto Interest Account.</p>


BlockFi &#8211; The Better Savings Account


<h2>The cryptoeconomy is changing how you can earn on your savings</h2>



<p>Staking cryptocurrencies is an emerging savings option for those looking to invest safely. The cryptoeconomy is growing fast. It needs money and liquidity for the many blockchain projects it supports. <a href="https://messari.io/screener/all-assets-D86E0735" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Messari</a> currently lists over 1600 cryptocurrency tokens. Since many are not as well known or as popular as Bitcoin or Ethereum, these projects need money to help them grow.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There are two major parts of the cryptoeconomy that need staking: Proof of Stake blockchains and DeFi (decentralized finance apps).</p>



<p>Mainstream finance is starting to notice too. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilymason/2021/07/01/jpmorgan-says-ethereum-upgrades-could-jumpstart-40-billion-staking-industry/?sh=3ec2f1c21512&amp;utm_source=TWITTER&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_content=5089110535&amp;utm_campaign=sprinklrForbesCrypto" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Forbes</a> reports that JP Morgan issued a paper on staking saying this could become a $40 billion per year industry and it’s already $9 billion now.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Interest Rates Declining in Europe and the US</h2>



<p>Staking pays much better rates than banks do. According to <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/banking/savings/rates/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bankrate</a>, here are some leading bank interest rates. These interest rates don’t even keep up with inflation.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<div class="wp-block-group"><div class="wp-block-group__inner-container">
<div class="wp-block-columns table, th, td {  border: 1px solid black; }">
<div class="wp-block-column" style="flex-basis:100%">
<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><thead><tr><th>Bank</th><th><strong>Country</strong></th><th><strong>Interest Rate</strong></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Goldman Sachs</td><td>US</td><td>0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Citibank</td><td>US</td><td>0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Barclays</td><td>UK</td><td>0.40%</td></tr><tr><td>BBVA</td><td>Spain</td><td>0.65%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>
</div>
</div>
</div></div>
</div></div>



<p>And why are these rates so low? Because central bank interest rates from the US, EU and the UK are incredibly low. Here are some leading central bank rates.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Benchmark Rate</strong></td><td><strong>Country</strong></td><td><strong>Interest Rate</strong></td></tr><tr><td>Fed Funds Rate</td><td>US</td><td>0.25%</td></tr><tr><td>ECB Rate</td><td>EU</td><td>0.25%</td></tr><tr><td>3 month LIBOR</td><td>UK</td><td>0.14%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<p>Right now, the <a href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/key_ecb_interest_rates/html/index.en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Central Bank (ECB)</a> deposit rate is <strong>negative</strong> while its lending rate is its lowest ever.</p>



<p>If lending rates are this low, then deposit and savings rates have to be even lower for a bank to profit by lending out your deposits. Lending out your deposits is one of the ways banks make money.</p>



<p>But if you are wanting a better savings option for your capital, staking might be the answer.</p>



<h2>Staking: The Cryptoeconomy Savings Account and More</h2>



<p>When you stake a cryptocurrency that runs a Proof of Stake (POS) blockchain, you are depositing that cryptocurrency to earn interest on your coins. Let’s use Solana as an example as it’s one of the top staking options listed on our <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staking Rewards site</a>.</p>



<h3>Benefits for Solana When You Stake</h3>



<p>When you stake, you are doing the following that helps support that network:</p>



<ol><li>You are buying the token, in this case, Solana (SOL)</li><li>You are holding and not trading the SOL. This is good for maintaining a stable price for the token</li><li>You are providing security for the network. The more people that stake, the harder the network is to attack</li><li>You are verifying transactions. Your SOL is an active part of the network</li></ol>



<h3>Benefits for You When You Stake SOL or Other Tokens</h3>



<p>When you stake, you earn the following:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/e26-fnjXzulHvFT-PJSr1YksmNAG63EWhpobOBDiKD6SpCXYjwYGZEJNfHMPWYa_O-m1hHOQ-Y3F-FAbhV6briIrPBsiaQUJzrHnGQvAZ2CWdpZxA9O-Ay4EA0_5CxdZLA" alt=""/></figure>



<ol type="1"><li>Interest on your SOL as part of the fees generated for verifying transactions and helping keep the network secure. At the time of writing SOL is paying 6.69% if you delegate your coins and 7.42% if you run a validator (please check our <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/solana" rel="noreferrer noopener">site</a> for the latest SOL rates). These rates are more than <strong>12x</strong> the bank interest rates above.</li><li>You get to vote on proposals to change or improve the project. Only stakers and token holders get a vote in POS blockchains. If you have confidence in the project, then the idea of voting on proposals is a good active way to protect your investment.</li><li>If the token increases in value, then you are earning both growth and income from your stake</li></ol>



<h2>Liquidity Pool Investing: Staking for DeFi</h2>



<p>DeFi is the fastest-growing sector of the cryptoeconomy. And DeFi needs coin investments too.</p>



<p>Why?</p>



<p>Thanks to the decentralized part of DeFi. Algorithms and computer programs do the tasks of market-making and exchange firms in legacy finance. In DeFi, these businesses don’t exist.</p>



<p>A DEX (decentralized exchange) is an exchange with no middleman or centralized business behind it. A DEX needs a supply of coins so buyers and sellers can trade.&nbsp;</p>



<p>With DeFi, you invest in a liquidity pool that exists on the app in one of many combinations of cryptocurrencies. In DeFi, liquidity pools supply the coins that a market maker would in legacy finance. And now those fees that market makers and trading firms used to earn are what you can earn by liquidity pool investing on an app like PancakeSwap. You are also helping DeFi perform its two primary functions: Trading and Lending/Borrowing.</p>



<h2>Why DeFi Yields Are Higher</h2>



<p>On <a href="https://pancakeswap.finance/farms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pancake Swap</a>, staking the CAKE token and stablecoin USDT pays much more (9x) than staking SOL above</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/m5KfgFaVSfZWcu3csz9xYUBkS_NNOajk1GhTJWndn0zB-SFAKdrhalWgVquxbha-mbNERrIybDDLvmq2iaiaMgcNX3MXj-EGFwwMAaC2PoZsXyV5DNDzE9o8PuHtC3zsVQ" alt="Staking CAKE Token"/></figure>



<p>The reason you are getting paid more to stake your cryptocurrency with a DeFi app is due to a combination of factors:</p>



<ul><li>Supply and demand issues, calculated by an algorithm since there is no centralized business doing it</li><li>Traders who use leverage to trade in smaller coins pay high-interest rates to borrow</li><li>The coin that you receive your payments can and will fluctuate affecting your returns so higher interest rates are offered to reflect this</li></ul>



<p>Note that rates for POS staking are low because the risk is low. Rates for liquidity pool investing in DeFi are higher because there are more risks like token fluctuations or liquidity.&nbsp;</p>


How Staking &#038; DeFi Is Disrupting Traditional Interest Rates


<p><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/what-is-staking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staking </a>is one of the hottest trends in the crypto world today. In Staking, a user locks or holds his funds in a crypto wallet to participate in maintaining the operations of a <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/proof-of-work-vs-proof-of-stake-research-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PoS-based blockchain system</a>. Both Proof-of-Stake and Proof-of-Work have the same objective and that is to achieve consensus while rewarding participation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Are you participating in Staking? Then, you must know about multi-currency Staking wallets and their benefits. In this article, we are listing the benefits of this kind of Staking wallets along with the top seven multi-currency Staking wallets currently.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Benefits of Multi-Currency Staking Wallets</strong></h2>



<ul><li>A multi-currency Staking wallet helps to bring more flexibility and ease of use into your Staking portfolio of multiple assets. You can stake, transact, and store multiple tokens within one unified interface.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Multi-currency Staking wallets free a user from the hassle of maintaining and keeping track of Staking rewards and passive income streams from multiple wallets. It helps significantly for your internal accounting and keeping track of rewards being received.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<ul><li>When one of the cryptocurrencies makes more sense to use, it is easier with a multi-currency wallet to avail the advantage and being flexible in day-to-day operations. It helps leverage the benefits of holding a diversified portfolio of crypto assets.&nbsp;</li></ul>



<p>Apart from these generic advantages, the benefits of multi-currency Staking wallets also vary from one product to another. To understand the spectrum of these benefits that a user can leverage, we will look into the features of the seven top multi-currency Staking wallets.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Keplr Wallet</strong></h2>



<p>The <a href="https://keplr.xyz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Keplr interchain wallet</a> helps users explore the domain of interoperable blockchains and their applications within and beyond the Cosmos ecosystem. The blockchains that Keplr supports include Cosmos, Kava, Secret Network, Akash, Starname, SifChain, CertiK, IRISnet, Regen, Sentinel, Cyber (beta), and Straightedge (beta).</p>



<p>The advantages of the Keplr multi-currency Staking wallet are diverse. You can add any Cosmos-SDK-based blockchain from the web app and instantly add wallet support for your Cosmos zone. Keplr is also the only Cosmos wallet supporting smart contract interactions with CosmWasm and Secret Contracts. The key management features of Keplr are not only limited to mnemonic seeds. It also supports Google logins, private-key imports, and Ledger hardware wallets. Keplr is also highly customizable. Keplr is open-source and any developer who needs a wallet for their custom blockchain can easily fork and customize it. Thus Keplr is a great contribution to the Ecosystem of Cosmos-SDK blockchains. Additionally, Keplr supports non-standard cosmos transactions.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/0SmxEnEiZZF4IByXqkgfqKYNVTfqu77xvaRi2wO1ioiy7hYxzEu0QgObm9siYUxnATJPYJdwSP7z7YmLXLCmXegl79wnIF5Qn41BqB4vDM_CKBdlTlmjEZGDejhQT-a0_tffKzN5" alt="Keplr Staking Wallet" width="600" height="315"/></figure></div>



<p>Keplr is the go-to wallet for any Cosmos-SDK blockchain. Staking, Reward Claiming, Reinvesting can be done from within the same interface. However, Keplr does not offer any overview from all assets at the same time.</p>



<p>With the Chrome Extension, Kelpr features an easy-to-use interface within the browser similar to Metamask for Ethereum.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Citadel.one</strong></h2>



<p><a href="https://citadel.one/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Citadel.one</a> supports multi-asset non-custodial Staking with their all-in-one Staking interface. The One-seed from Citadel can be used within Ledger, Trezor, Metamask, and Keplr wallet as well.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Besides the wallet interface, <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/citadel" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Citadel</a> offers its own Staking and validator services. To date, more than <a href="https://citadel.one/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$75 million</a> worth of assets have been staked with Citadel. The networks that are integrated into the Citadel Wallet include Band, Bitcoin, Cosmos, Ethereum, ICON, IOST, Secret, and Tezos. However, you can still stake on any validator of your choice.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="286" height="81" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Capture-1.jpg" alt="Citadel.one Staking Wallet" class="wp-image-4080" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Capture-1.jpg 286w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Capture-1-80x23.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 286px) 100vw, 286px" /></figure></div>



<p>Citadel also runs Staking services for the following networks: Akash, Graph, IRISnet, Kava, Ki Foundation, Oasis, ORBS, Polkadot, Sentinel, Stafi, and Wanchain. So we can expect Citadel to sooner or later include them into their wallet interface as well.</p>



<p>Citadel offers a unified experience with multiple networks with an instant cryptocurrency exchange, fiat gateway, and bi-weekly report on Staking rewards. Citadel’s portfolio management features include a visualized balance structure, notifications about claimable rewards, non-delegated assets, and unstaking periods. The Citadel.one mobile application is available on both the iOS app store and Google play store.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Atomic Wallet</strong></h2>



<p>In <a href="https://atomicwallet.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atomic Wallet</a>, you can stake your assets without incurring any additional fees. You receive rewards directly from the validators. Assets available for Staking include Zilliqa, Cardano, Atomic Wallet Coins, ICON, Cosmos, Tezos, Tron, Band Protocol Neo, Komodo, Algorand, and VeChain.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_fevc4AJFL1Mx9Xy6ClEYO7z8YJsQdJzSgio0-MiZn2XdlZyAEHrphx21VtKIrHiEelHmarc_kMyPMA-XbWdlAxtpL638EPlmoYvbMu_23GUNtMfC-NeaxpPFBuvd5fX_lDWX25U" alt="Atomic Staking Wallet" width="400" height="250"/></figure></div>



<p><a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/atomic-wallet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Atomic Wallet</a> comes with several user-friendly features. You can delegate your funds directly to verified validators paying only the fee charged by validators directly. There is no limit on the amount you can stake. You also do not require any KYC compliance. You can unstake your coins anytime you want. The Atomic Wallet support team is available 24/7 through live chats and email.</p>



<p>The Atomic Wallet empowers you with a single secure interface that you can leverage to manage, exchange, stake, and buy your crypto assets. It is compatible with all the leading operating systems including Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, Debian, and Fedora. Users who participate in Atomic Wallet Staking receive rewards directly from the validators.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The wallet supports both mobile and desktop platforms. Since it is anonymous, it does not need you to go through any KYC and AML verification checks. For enhanced security, the wallet has adopted AES symmetric encryption technology.</p>



<h2><strong>Guarda Wallet</strong></h2>



<p>With <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/guarda-wallet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guarda wallet</a>, you can easily leverage several staking opportunities and tokens. The wallet keeps on expanding the list of its supported assets. As of now, the supported assets include Ethereum, CPU &amp; NET EOS.IO, Harmony ONE, Cosmos, Tezos, Cardano, and many more. Most of the assets can be staked from the web, desktop, and mobile.&nbsp;</p>



<p>You can download the <a href="https://guarda.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Guarda</a> wallet from the Google play store, iOS app store, or Huawei app gallery. You can also download the .apk file. The wallet provides support for more than 45 blockchains. Users get full control over their private keys. Additionally, Guarda maintains encrypted backup for extra safety. You do not need to go through any registration for any use, neither does the wallet store any of the user’s personal information. </p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/huxhbhfmsGcHMql7XRJzht5QMdZEt62pbKqgxZcwkY9mXj3d4yMLCLkymna0pFI-TYoJ29Vgh2gJQkNg21rqToOy4HU_Xz8CJGR7-i9gOLE-dSMJDQDvuGsRAfAwPNLxRcpQ7WQW" alt="Guarda Staking Wallet" width="468" height="236"/></figure></div>



<p>The Wallet Connect open protocol of Guarda allows connecting the wallet to DApps. All you need to do is scan a QR code to connect. No matter which device you are using to run the wallet, the transaction history is available on any device. Guarda also synchronizes the transaction history on any device continuously to safeguard the user from the vulnerabilities of hacks and cyber attacks.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Trust Wallet</strong></h2>



<p>The assets <a href="https://trustwallet.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trust wallet</a> supports includes Binance Coin, Tron, Tezos, Cosmos, VeChain, Callisto, Kava, TomoChain, IoTex, and Algorand. The wallet will add more assets shortly to its list. The Trust wallet app is available on the iOS app store and Google Play Store. You can also download the .apk file.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/2t2KKnKRRUXMUwGDtMThHSGGmWj0v-JbVoIHhkK2OFWISEBvvu_Gx-ainXwem8gQ9VMYPmYzBFcJ0uccF1StICKy5dmyAtuoChRUNpqHiwMFfxZgwq9wZpFVFGyEh9BTwTZKRSoA" alt="Trust Staking Wallet" width="384" height="213"/></figure></div>



<p>Using the Trust wallet, you can buy cryptocurrencies with a credit card. You do not need to fill up any forms or upload selfies before you start trading crypto. The wallet does not collect any of your personal data, and only the user is free to access the wallet. Trust has the provision of a browser for DApps so that you can keep using your favorite DApps or explore new ones without having to leave your wallet.&nbsp; Trust Wallet also has tracking features for you to track charts and prices within the wallet. With its portfolio management services, you can see your collectibles, art, and NFTs all in one place.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Sprout Wallet</strong></h2>



<p>The <a href="https://sprout.sesameseed.org/">Sprout multi-chain </a><a href="https://sprout.sesameseed.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Staking </a><a href="https://sprout.sesameseed.org/">wallet</a> by <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/sesameseed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sesameseed</a> offers both Ledger and browser wallet options. It comes with both a private key and mnemonic seed. Sprout supports Harmony ONE, ICON, TRON, Ontology, among others. Sprout has also integrated SEED rewards to create the most dynamic Staking experience and maximize Staking rewards. However, holding SEED is not a primary requirement to run Sprout. Yet, with SEED, users can access features such as auto-Staking rewards that instantly enable higher earning potential, compounding rewards that multiply earned rewards over time, redeemable 100% backed tokens and more.</p>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1-Q4kRrUVuY3DEEa5crTQoqw.jpg" alt="Sprout wallet" class="wp-image-4032" width="512" height="256" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1-Q4kRrUVuY3DEEa5crTQoqw.jpg 1024w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1-Q4kRrUVuY3DEEa5crTQoqw-360x180.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1-Q4kRrUVuY3DEEa5crTQoqw-80x40.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/1-Q4kRrUVuY3DEEa5crTQoqw-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px" /></figure></div>



<p>Sprout is built to be accessible and secure. It reduces the barrier to entry and empowers users with intuitive Staking. The wallet is non-custodial and fully decentralized.&nbsp;</p>



<h2><strong>Ledger Live</strong></h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/savings/ledger-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ledger Live</a> is the flagship wallet of the infamous <a href="https://www.ledger.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ledger Hardware Wallet</a>. The wallet features 5 assets for staking with support for Tezos, Tron, Cosmos, Algorand, and Polkadot. The benefit of the wallet include its security features. You can securely hold your coins on the linked Ledger hardware wallet while receiving rewards. You can securely stake up to five coins and earn rewards directly from Ledger Live. If you prefer you can also use an external wallet. Users can delegate or nominate inside the wallet to a selected set of validators in order to generate rewards directly paid to their wallet.&nbsp;</p>



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter is-resized"><img loading="lazy" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/EnnuuqBw0aQXxZ9Ruf0l00sIBg-AulF8wroad5HlpRR7oGJBf3yF0Gp1WbfGVVR1rHYRFiqtgcFsUs7kTgo-owJm0GfLUw6PWtJutRg_9ooiYxoB9ALbRhb2c7ZaxSSN0Inb7kj6" alt="Ledger Live Staking" width="490" height="275"/></figure></div>



<p>You can send and receive 27 coins and more than <a href="https://www.ledger.com/ledger-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1,500 tokens</a> directly with your smartphone using ledger Live. The swap features enable you to diversify your portfolio by swapping crypto assets directly in Ledger Live. You can securely swap more than 50 diverse assets. In terms of security, Ledger Live has the backing of the most trusted hardware wallets in the market that provide the best security &amp; full ownership of your crypto assets.</p>



<p>You can download it for both your desktop and smartphone. The app is available on the iOS app store, as well as the Google Play store. The compatible operating systems for desktop include Windows 8+, macOS 10.10+, and Linux.&nbsp; However you require the Ledger Hardware Wallet in order to have the best possible security and experience.</p>



<h2>Conclusion</h2>



<p>Now, the question is, which multi-currency Staking wallet should you opt for? It would depend on the type of currency you want to stake. As we have already seen, different multi-currency wallets are compatible with different sets of assets. Especially the staking interfaces and supported validators differ strongly between different wallets. If you have multiple stakeable tokens, then it fully makes sense to choose a reliable wallet from the above list in order to make your life easier and always keep a great overview of your received rewards. Security features, recovery, and retrieval functionalities are also crucial for many. Compare the features that these wallets offer and pick the one that best suits your needs.</p>


Top 7 Multi-Currency Staking Wallets


<p><em>In our <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/journal/what-is-staking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previous article</a>, we saw how <strong>staked Crypto Assets</strong> in Layer 1 are a new type of digital bonds. These digital bonds entitle the holder the right to produce work to the network and receive as compensation some periodic payments, usually through new issuance. In this article, we are going to see what this means for <a href="https://www.stakingrewards.com/earn/ethereum-2-0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ether</a>, the native asset of the Ethereum blockchain, as the network makes the transition this year to Proof-of-Stake.</em></p>



<h2>Categorization of Asset Classes</h2>



<p>Let us start with a categorization of asset classes provided by Robert Greer in 1997, which is widely used in traditional finance. In this model, all assets can be classified in one of three &#8220;super asset classes&#8221;: <strong>Capital assets</strong>, <strong>Consumable / Transformable assets</strong> or <strong>Store of Value assets.</strong></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="789" height="503" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3993" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image.jpg 789w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-360x230.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-80x51.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-768x490.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 789px) 100vw, 789px" /></figure>



<p><strong>Capital assets</strong>, such as bonds and stocks, generate revenue to their owners and are typically valued as the net present value of future cash flows. <strong>Transformable / consumable assets</strong> are typically commodities or energy products that are destroyed or transformed when consumed. <strong>Store of Value assets</strong> such as gold can&#8217;t be consumed nor generate cash flows, but have an economic value usually through a social consensus.</p>



<p>Crypto assets that are staked are a new form of a <strong>digital capital asset.</strong> The transition to Proof-of-Stake will convert Ether, the asset, into a capital asset. The current yield for this capital asset is 7.4 % per year, although some models project <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FslqTnECKvi7_l4x6lbyRhNtzW9f6CVEzwDf04zprfA/edit#gid=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">much higher returns</a>, such as the one of Justin Drake, Ethereum core developer.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1210" height="402" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3994" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-1.jpg 1210w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-1-360x120.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-1-80x27.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-1-768x255.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1210px) 100vw, 1210px" /><figcaption><em><a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FslqTnECKvi7_l4x6lbyRhNtzW9f6CVEzwDf04zprfA/edit#gid=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Source</a></em></figcaption></figure>



<p>But this is only one aspect. Ether could be the first asset in history to have the <strong>qualities of all three asset classes, simultaneously</strong>. A capital asset, a Store of Value, and a commodity. This model, known as the “triple point asset” was coined by <a href="https://newsletter.thedefiant.io/p/ether-is-the-best-model-for-money" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">D. Hoffmann of the Bankless Community</a> and describes one of the most interesting emerging properties of Ether.</p>



<h2>Ether as a Triple Point Asset</h2>



<p>Let’s examine its “triple point” qualities in more detail:</p>



<h3>1. In its capital asset form, Ether is</h3>



<ul><li><strong>a</strong>&nbsp;<strong>share</strong>&nbsp;in Ethereum. In this respect, it behaves similarly to stocks. Staked Ether has a perpetual nature, such as equities. It also provides a claim on Ethereum’s future transaction fees. Although staked Ether does not provide voting rights, many other Staking assets in DeFi provide governance (political rights) just as traditional equities do.</li><li><strong>a claim</strong>&nbsp;on Ethereum fees. In this respect, it behaves similarly to&nbsp;<strong>bonds</strong>. Ethereum is a bond issuer and Stakers are bondholders. The difference with traditional bonds is that Stakers can redeem Ether back “on command” (no maturity), similar to an embedded option to a bond. In particular, Ether acquires&nbsp;<strong>sovereign bond qualities</strong>, as the platform is solvent by design and has no default risk.</li><li><strong>the right to produce work</strong>. In this respect, it behaves like a contractor license bond. In exchange for Staking, Stakers receive a license for providing consensus and security. The rewards are being paid in the platform&#8217;s native token.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2912/0*Z8T1G2gTkUWjOash.png" alt="https://miro.medium.com/max/2912/0*Z8T1G2gTkUWjOash.png"/><figcaption><em>Ether as a capital asset. <a href="https://thedefiant.substack.com/p/ether-is-the-best-model-for-money" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Source</a>. Staked Ether is an <strong>equity-like instrument</strong> that <strong>pays out dividends into perpetuity.</strong></em></figcaption></figure>



<h3>2. In its commodity form, Ether is</h3>



<ul><li><strong>a</strong>&nbsp;<strong>commodity</strong>&nbsp;used to pay transaction fees to the Ethereum network. In the Ethereum network, transaction fees are priced in a unit called&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gas-ethereum.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas</a>.</strong>&nbsp;The metaphor with traditional gas is evident.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/5072/1*1ssfsVDrSxb5ZcSJMWDDKA.png" alt="https://miro.medium.com/max/5072/1*1ssfsVDrSxb5ZcSJMWDDKA.png"/><figcaption><em>Dashboard of Ether gas prices, Source: <a href="https://www.gasnow.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.gasnow.org/</a></em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Gas prices are measured in&nbsp;<strong>Gwei</strong>, a sub unit of Ether. Gwei is short for gigawei, or 1,000,000,000 wei. Wei, as the smallest (base) unit of ether, is like what cents are to the dollar and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/satoshi.asp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satoshi</a>&nbsp;are to bitcoin.&nbsp;<em>1 gwei = 0.000000001 ether.</em></p>



<p>Every transaction with the Ethereum network (v.gr. send a token or interact with a smart contract) costs gas and is priced in Gwei. After the introduction of <a href="https://notes.ethereum.org/@vbuterin/BkSQmQTS8?)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EIP-1559</a> (scheduled for July of 2021), these fees will be “burned” just as it happens with traditional gas or oil. As the asset used to pay for transaction fees and blockspace in the Ethereum blockchain, Ether has characteristics of a <strong>consumable / transformable asset,</strong> sort of a digital commodity.</p>



<h3>3. In its Store of Value form, Ether is</h3>



<ul><li><strong>an alternative store of value </strong>to traditional financial assets or commodities like gold or silver. Moreover, Ether, is the&nbsp;<a href="https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/p/eth-the-reserve-asset" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reserve asset of the Ethereum economy</a>&nbsp;and especially of DeFi. At times of writing, 10.1M ETH, worth USD 88b, is backing the DeFi economy. This is staked Ether in&nbsp;<strong>Store of Value</strong>&nbsp;form.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" width="1196" height="587" src="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-3995" srcset="https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-2.jpg 1196w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-2-360x177.jpg 360w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-2-80x39.jpg 80w, https://cms.stakingrewards.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/image-2-768x377.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1196px) 100vw, 1196px" /><figcaption><em>Ether as a Store of Value asset in DeFi, source:</em> DeFi Pulse</figcaption></figure>



<p>The &#8220;triple point asset&#8221; theory is a fundamental model to understand the emerging properties of Ether, the asset. More generally, it helps us understand the implications of Staking as one of the fundamental blocks in the new digital economy arising before our eyes.</p>


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