List of questions about [Cryptocurrency]

Cryptocurrency continues to be a hot topic in 2025, but not every coin is a winner. While Bitcoin ended 2024 strong, many altcoins faced steep declines, earning the title of the worst cryptocurrency of the year. If you’re wondering what is the worst cryptocurrency or want to know the worst performing cryptocurrency to avoid, this article breaks down the biggest crypto losers of 2024 and what you should watch out for.

The Worst Cryptocurrency Names and Performers of 2024

The crypto market hit a total cap of $3.5 trillion at the start of 2025, showing overall growth. However, many altcoins struggled to keep up, with some losing over 50% of their value. These worst cryptocurrency names often share common problems: weak technology, poor management, and fierce competition.

Here are some of the worst-performing cryptocurrencies in 2024:

Arbitrum (ARB)

Arbitrum, once a promising Layer 2 scaling solution, suffered a massive 57.7% drop in 2024. Increased competition and scalability issues left it struggling to maintain investor confidence. Its failure to innovate quickly made it one of the worst cryptocurrencies last year.

Polygon (MATIC)

Polygon, another Layer 2 solution, fell by nearly 40%. Despite past success, it faced stiff competition and ongoing scalability problems. These challenges pushed Polygon into the worst performing cryptocurrency category for 2024.

Lido DAO (LDO)

Lido DAO, a decentralized staking platform, dropped 37.9% amid rising regulatory uncertainty and fierce competition in the staking sector. These factors made it one of the worst cryptocurrency names to hold last year.

Avalanche (AVAX)

Avalanche’s 23.7% decline was driven by a slowdown in developer activity and difficulties attracting decentralized apps (dApps). Despite its reputation, Avalanche became one of the worst performing cryptocurrencies in 2024.

Why These Cryptos Became the Worst Cryptocurrency

Several factors contributed to these coins’ poor performance:

• Increased competition: Newer, more efficient solutions stole market share.
• Scalability issues: Many struggled to handle growing user demand.
• Regulatory pressure: Uncertainty scared off investors, especially in DeFi and staking.
• Lack of innovation: Failure to adapt quickly led to loss of confidence.

The Worst States for Cryptocurrency Trading

If you’re trading in the U.S., be aware that states like New York and Texas have stricter crypto regulations. These can limit your access to certain coins or exchanges, making it harder to trade safely. Always check your state’s crypto laws before investing.

How to Avoid Investing in the Worst Cryptocurrency

If you've started to research Holochain, you've likely run into a confusing and critical detail: the project seems to have two different currencies, Holochain Token (HOT) and HoloFuel. This immediately raises questions. Why are there two? Which one is the real investment? What's the difference?

This is one of the most common points of confusion for newcomers, but understanding it is essential to making an informed decision. Let's clear it all up. The difference is actually quite simple once you see the role that each one plays.

HOT: The Placeholder, Your Ticket to the Network

First, let's talk about the token you can actually buy on an exchange today: Holochain Token (HOT). It's important to know that HOT is an ERC-20 token, which means it currently lives on the Ethereum blockchain, not on Holochain itself.

Think of HOT as a promissory note, a voucher, or a ticket to a concert that hasn't happened yet. When the Holochain team held their initial fundraising event (ICO) in 2018, their own network wasn't fully built. So, they issued HOT on the secure and well-established Ethereum network as a way to represent a stake in the future Holo network. When you buy HOT today, you are buying this claim.

HoloFuel: The Native Currency, the Fuel for the Engine

Now, let's talk about the future currency: HoloFuel. This will be the native, internal currency of the Holo network. The Holo network is the flagship application built on Holochain, a peer-to-peer hosting platform where people can rent out their computers' spare processing power to run the decentralized apps (hApps) of the future.

Think of HoloFuel as the fuel that makes this entire engine run.

• Developers who want their hApps to be hosted on the network will pay for that service in HoloFuel.
• The hosts who are providing the computing power will earn that HoloFuel as a reward.

HoloFuel is designed to be a dynamic and stable currency for microtransactions, optimized for the billions of tiny payments needed to run a distributed internet. Its value is directly tied to the real-world utility of the hosting network.

The Swap: Connecting the Ticket to the Fuel

So, how do these two tokens connect? The answer is "The Swap."

Once the Holo network is fully operational and stable, a "swap" period will begin. During this time, every holder of the HOT token will be able to swap it for HoloFuel at a guaranteed one-to-one (1:1) ratio.

This is the key. Your HOT token is your reserved seat. It guarantees that you can claim an equal amount of the network's native fuel once it's ready for public use. After the swap period ends, the HOT token will have served its purpose and will be retired, with HoloFuel taking its place as the sole currency of the ecosystem.

You're Investing in the Future Fuel

So, to put it simply: you invest in HOT today with the understanding that it is a placeholder for HoloFuel tomorrow. The confusion disappears when you see it as a two-step process that was necessary to fund and build this ambitious project. You now understand the mechanics behind the token and can see the long-term vision more clearly.

So, you've learned how to supply assets to Compound, and you can see the potential for earning interest. But there's a voice in the back of your head, and it's asking a very important question: "Is this actually safe? Can I lose all my money?"

Let's not pretend this isn't a real concern. It is. The world of DeFi is full of innovation, but it also has its risks. You work hard for your assets, and the last thing you want is for them to vanish because of a hack or a bug. So, let's have a frank conversation about the risks and look at what Compound does to protect you.

What Are the Real Risks?

When you deposit funds into a DeFi protocol, you are primarily dealing with a few key risks:

1. Smart Contract Risk: This is the biggest one. A smart contract is just a program, and like any software, it can have bugs or vulnerabilities. A hacker could potentially find an exploit in the code to drain funds.
2. Oracle Risk: Protocols like Compound need to know the real-time price of assets to manage loans. They get this price data from "oracles." If an oracle is manipulated or provides bad data, it could cause unfair liquidations.
3. Systemic Risk: This involves the assets themselves. For example, if a major stablecoin were to lose its peg to the dollar, it could cause chaos within the lending markets.

How Compound Defends Against These Risks

Knowing the risks is the first step. Now, let's look at why Compound is considered a "blue-chip" protocol and what it does to mitigate these dangers.

1. Battle-Tested and Audited Code
Compound has been live on the Ethereum mainnet since 2018. In the crypto world, that's an eternity. Its smart contracts have successfully managed billions of dollars in assets through extreme market volatility. Furthermore, its code has been audited multiple times by world-class security firms. While no audit can guarantee 100% safety, it's a critical step in finding and fixing potential vulnerabilities.

2. The Power of Overcollateralization
This is the secret sauce that keeps the lending pools solvent. To borrow assets on Compound, a user must first supply assets of a greater value. This is called overcollateralization. For example, to borrow $70 worth of DAI, you might have to supply $100 worth of ETH as collateral. If the value of your ETH starts to drop close to the value of your loan, the protocol can automatically sell your collateral to pay back the loan, ensuring the lenders (you!) are always protected from bad debt.

3. Decentralized Governance
There is no single CEO at Compound who can change the rules or run away with the funds. All changes to the protocol must be proposed and voted on by the community of COMP token holders. This decentralized process is transparent and makes it much harder for malicious changes to be implemented.

"Safer" Does Not Mean "Risk-Free"

It's crucial to be honest here: no DeFi protocol is 100% risk-free. The space is still new, and unforeseen events can happen.

However, the risks are not all the same. There is a huge difference between a brand-new, unaudited protocol and a time-tested giant like Compound. By choosing protocols that are proven, audited, and have robust security models like overcollateralization, you are significantly reducing your risk.

The best approach for anyone starting out is to be smart and cautious. Start with a small amount that you are comfortable experimenting with. As you get more familiar with the process and the protocol's reliability, you can adjust your strategy.

You're Now Making an Informed Decision

The fear you might have felt before came from uncertainty. Now, you have a clear understanding of the real risks and the specific ways Compound works to protect you. You can see that while no investment is without risk, Compound has built one of the most resilient and trusted platforms in DeFi.

For e-commerce merchants, chargeback fraud is a silent killer of profits. A customer buys a product, receives it, and then disputes the charge with their credit card company, leading to forced refunds and penalty fees for you. This practice, often called "friendly fraud," costs businesses billions. But there is a technology that stops it completely: cryptocurrency.

What is Chargeback Fraud and Why Does it Happen?

The traditional payment system is built to favor the consumer. If a cardholder claims a transaction was unauthorized or the product wasn't delivered, the burden of proof falls on the merchant. This system is easily abused, leaving you with lost products, lost revenue, and penalty fees.

The Blockchain Solution: Irreversible Transactions

Cryptocurrency transactions, once confirmed on the blockchain, are final and irreversible. There is no central authority like a bank that can step in and reverse a payment. When a customer sends you Bitcoin or another crypto, the payment is yours permanently. The concept of a chargeback simply does not exist.

The Benefits for Your Business:

•100% Protection from Friendly Fraud: You will never lose a sale to a fraudulent dispute again.

•Reduced Administrative Burden: No more wasting hours gathering evidence and fighting with payment processors.

•Increased Security: You take control of your revenue without needing to rely on a third party to validate your sales.

How to Get Started

The first step to gaining this protection is to implement a crypto payment gateway on your website. This service will handle the customer checkout process securely. (You can learn more in our main guide to the best crypto payment gateways).

Securing Your Revenue for the Long Term

Eliminating chargebacks means your revenue is truly yours. The final step is to manage that revenue on a secure and professional platform. Whether you want to hold your crypto, trade it for other assets, or convert it to cash, using a trusted exchange is crucial for financial management.

For a long time, the primary strategy for cryptocurrency investors was simple: HODL (Hold On for Dear Life). The narrative was that Bitcoin is "digital gold," an asset to be saved, not spent.

But as global adoption accelerates, that narrative is changing. Bitcoin is designed to be a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, and today, it is closer to that vision than ever before. Whether you are looking to book a vacation, furnish your home, or just buy a cup of coffee, your digital wallet is now a powerful payment tool.

Here is a breakdown of what you can actually buy with Bitcoin in the current economy.

The "Gift Card" Hack: How to Buy Anything

Let's address the elephant in the room first: major retailers like Amazon and Walmart generally do not accept Bitcoin directly at checkout. However, there is a simple workaround that crypto natives use every day.

Services like Bitrefill, eGifter, and Gyft allow you to purchase digital gift cards using Bitcoin (often via the Lightning Network for instant, low-fee settlement).

• How it works: You send BTC to the platform, and they instantly email you a barcode for Amazon, Uber, Starbucks, or Nike.
• The Benefit: This effectively opens up 99% of the retail world to crypto holders without the merchant needing to upgrade their payment terminals.

Travel the World on the Blockchain

The travel industry has been one of the fastest adopters of cryptocurrency. If you are a digital nomad or just need a vacation, you can leave your credit card at home.

• Flights and Hotels: Platforms like Travala and CheapAir were pioneers in this space. Travala, for instance, allows you to book over 3 million travel products worldwide using Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets.
• Space Travel: If you are feeling particularly futuristic, Virgin Galactic has famously stated they accept Bitcoin for space tourism tickets.

Tech, Gaming, and Services

It comes as no surprise that the tech industry loves digital currency.

• Microsoft: You can top up your Microsoft account with Bitcoin to buy games, movies, and apps on the Xbox and Windows stores.
• VPNs and Privacy: Services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN accept crypto payments. This aligns perfectly with the ethos of privacy-conscious users who want to protect their data without leaving a paper trail on a bank statement.
• Twitch: The streaming giant allows users to pay for subscriptions and "bits" using crypto, supporting their favorite content creators directly.

The Rise of Crypto Debit Cards

If you want to spend Bitcoin at your local grocery store or gas station, the easiest method is a Crypto Debit Card.

Major exchanges and fintech companies now issue Visa or Mastercards linked to your crypto wallet.

• The Mechanism: When you swipe the card, the provider instantly sells the necessary amount of Bitcoin for fiat currency (USD, EUR, etc.) and pays the merchant.
• The User Experience: To the cashier, it looks like a standard credit card transaction. To you, it is a seamless way to spend your gains in the real world.

High-Value Assets: Real Estate and Cars

For the "Bitcoin Whales," direct purchases of high-value items are becoming common.

• Real Estate: In forward-thinking jurisdictions like Dubai, Portugal, and parts of the US, sellers are increasingly accepting Bitcoin directly for property deeds to avoid international wire fees and delays.
• Luxury Cars: While Tesla paused Bitcoin payments, many high-end dealerships allow you to buy Lamborghinis, Porsches, and Ferraris with crypto, using third-party processors to mitigate volatility risk.

Conclusion

The question is no longer "Who accepts Bitcoin?" but rather "How do you want to spend it?" Through direct merchants, gift card bridges, and crypto debit cards, Bitcoin has evolved from a speculative asset into a globally recognized currency.

Okay, so you get it. The public ledger is a shared, immutable database—a "digital notebook" that gives cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin their security and transparency. That's a great starting point, but for an investor or trader looking for an edge, it's just that: a start.

The real power comes from understanding the ledger not just as a database, but as a source of market intelligence.

If you're ready to go a level deeper, this guide is for you. We'll move past the basic definition and explore how the ledger actually works, its different forms, and most importantly, how you can use its data to inform your trading strategy.

From Notebook to Fortress: How the Ledger Really Works

Let's quickly upgrade the "notebook" analogy. The public ledger's integrity isn't based on magic; it's based on two core concepts:

1. Cryptographic Hashing (The "Wax Seal"): Every block of transactions is run through a mathematical function called a "hash," creating a unique, fixed-length code—like a digital fingerprint. Crucially, the hash of each new block also includes the hash of the block before it.
2. The Chain (The "Linked Chain"): This process of including the previous block's hash creates an unbreakable, interlocking chain. If a single detail in an old block is altered, its hash would change, breaking the entire chain from that point forward. This is what makes the ledger "immutable."

A consensus mechanism (like Proof-of-Work or Proof-of-Stake) is simply the set of rules the network uses to agree on which new, valid block gets added to the chain.

Not All Ledgers Are Created Equal: Public vs. Permissioned

Another key concept to grasp is that the "public" in public ledger is just one option. The underlying technology can be configured in different ways for different use cases.

Understanding this distinction is key. When you trade on BYDFi, you are primarily interacting with assets built on public ledgers, whose value is derived from their open and decentralized nature.

The Trader's Edge: Using the Public Ledger for On-Chain Analysis

This is where theory turns into a powerful trading tool. Since a public ledger is transparent, we can analyze its data in real-time. This is called On-Chain Analysis.

Instead of relying only on price charts, you can look directly at the economic activity happening on the blockchain. Here are a few things an intermediate trader should be watching:

• Exchange Inflows/Outflows: Are large amounts of Bitcoin moving to exchanges? This could signal that "whales" are preparing to sell (potential bearish signal). Are they moving off exchanges into private wallets? This could suggest accumulation for long-term holding (potential bullish signal).
• Transaction Volume & Size: Is the network settling a high volume of large transactions? This indicates significant institutional or "smart money" interest.
• Active Addresses: Is the number of unique addresses sending or receiving a specific crypto growing? A rising number of active addresses suggests growing network adoption and health.

You can use free on-chain data tools like Glassnode or IntoTheBlock to explore this data. It provides a layer of fundamental analysis that is impossible in traditional markets.

Putting Your Analysis into Action

The public ledger is far more than a simple record book; it's a living map of market activity. By learning to read this map, you can gain insights that aren't visible on a standard price chart.

When your on-chain analysis reveals a potential market shift, you need a platform with the speed and liquidity to act on it.

If you’ve ever asked yourself, how many bitcoins are there in the world? you’re in the right place. Whether you’re just starting out in cryptocurrency or looking to deepen your understanding, knowing Bitcoin’s total supply is key to grasping its value and future potential. Let’s break it down simply and clearly.

What’s the Total Supply of Bitcoin?

Bitcoin has a fixed total supply of 21 million coins. This means there will never be more than 21 million bitcoins in existence. As of today, about 19.5 million bitcoins have already been mined and are in circulation. The rest—around 1.5 million—are still waiting to be mined over the coming decades.

This cap is a core part of Bitcoin’s design, created by its founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, to mimic the scarcity of precious metals like gold. This scarcity helps Bitcoin maintain its value and protects it from inflation, unlike traditional fiat currencies such as the US dollar, which can be printed endlessly by central banks.

Why Does Bitcoin’s Supply Matter?

The limited supply makes Bitcoin a unique digital asset. Here’s why it’s important:

• Scarcity Creates Value: Just like gold, Bitcoin’s limited quantity means it can’t be devalued by creating more coins. This scarcity is a big reason many investors see Bitcoin as a store of value or “digital gold.”
• Inflation Hedge: Unlike fiat currencies that lose purchasing power over time due to inflation, Bitcoin’s fixed supply offers protection against this. It’s why people in countries with unstable currencies often turn to Bitcoin.

How Are New Bitcoins Created?

New bitcoins enter circulation through a process called mining. Miners use powerful computers to solve complex math problems that validate Bitcoin transactions. For their work, miners earn new bitcoins as a reward.

However, this reward gets cut in half approximately every four years in an event called “halving.” When Bitcoin launched in 2009, miners earned 50 bitcoins per block. After several halvings, today’s reward is just 6.25 bitcoins per block, and it will keep decreasing until all 21 million bitcoins are mined—expected around the year 2140.

What About Lost Bitcoins?

An important fact often overlooked is that millions of bitcoins are likely lost forever. Reasons include:

• Lost private keys or hardware wallets
• Forgotten wallets from early adopters
• Bitcoins sent to inaccessible addresses
• Owners passing away without sharing access

These lost coins reduce the effective circulating supply, increasing Bitcoin’s scarcity and potentially its value.

How to Keep Track of Bitcoin Supply?

If you want to check the current number of bitcoins in circulation, trusted platforms like CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko, or exchanges like Binance and BYDFi offer real-time data. These platforms also provide tools to help beginners learn and trade safely.

Final Thoughts: Why Knowing Bitcoin’s Supply Helps You?

Understanding how many bitcoins are there total helps you make smarter investment decisions, whether you’re trading on OKX, BitOasis, or just holding Bitcoin as a long-term asset. Scarcity drives value, and Bitcoin’s capped supply is what makes it special in the crypto world.

Forget 10,000% APY: Unmasking the Real Story Behind Crypto Staking’s Loftiest Promises in 2025

Those eye-popping, almost unbelievable advertisements plastered across crypto Twitter and flashing in the corners of DeFi dashboards:  Earn 10,000% APY Staking Here!  or  Turn $100 into a Million with This Secret Staking Gem!

It’s a siren song that’s hard to ignore, especially when your traditional savings account is offering a paltry half-percent if you’re lucky. The allure of turning your digital assets into a powerful, passive income stream is the modern-day gold rush. As someone who has guided countless investors from their first tentative Bitcoin purchase to building a sophisticated staking portfolio, I’m here to pull back the curtain.

The shocking truth isn't that these astronomical percentages exist; it's that they are almost never what they seem. That 10,000% APY is less an investment opportunity and more a financial mirage, often obscuring risks that can evaporate your capital in the blink of an eye. This guide is designed to be your realistic compass in the noisy world of crypto staking. We’ll move beyond the clickbait to explore what truly sustainable staking looks like in 2025, which assets are genuinely worth your time, and how you can participate safely, whether you're in the US, Europe, or anywhere else in the world.

The Unshakeable Allure of Staking: Why It’s More Than Just Hype

Let’s start with the fundamentals. Staking is the engine of the proof-of-stake (PoS) universe. Instead of relying on energy-intensive mining computers, these blockchains are secured by people like you and me who "stake" their own coins as a form of collateral. In doing so, you’re essentially raising your hand to help validate transactions and maintain the network's integrity. The reward for this service? A consistent yield paid out in the very cryptocurrency you’ve staked.

Think of it like earning interest on a certificate of deposit, but with returns that actively compete with—and often dramatically outpace—inflation. While banks offer fractions of a percent, the world of legitimate crypto staking routinely offers annual percentage yields (APY) between 5% and 20%. This isn't just theoretical; with Ethereum’s full transition to proof-of-stake and the maturation of chains like Solana and Cosmos, staking has become the cornerstone of decentralized finance (DeFi).

I often hear from beginners, "But I only have a few hundred dollars, is this for me?" or "The tax implications sound like a nightmare." These are valid concerns. The beauty of today's staking ecosystem is its accessibility. Major exchanges have streamlined the process into a few clicks, handling much of the technical complexity for you. As for taxes, a new

generation of crypto-tax software seamlessly integrates with these platforms, making reporting your staking income as straightforward as logging into your bank account. It’s this democratization of finance that makes staking such a powerful tool, not just for the crypto-elite, but for anyone looking to make their money work harder.

A Realistic Look at Today’s Top Staking Contenders

So, if we’re ignoring the fantasyland of 10,000% APY, what does the landscape of high-quality, sustainable staking actually look like? Let’s walk through the projects that are consistently delivering solid returns without the apocalyptic levels of risk.