Fungible after all? Duplicates may disrupt NFT industry after Ethereum Merge

Fungible after all? Duplicates may disrupt NFT industry after Ethereum Merge

The Merge is the most anticipated event in the crypto industry in years, but could the multibillion dollar non-fungible token industry become an unexpected casualty?

The expected “Merge” of the Ethereum blockchain this week could raise the risk of fraud and scams in the market for non-fungible tokens such as Bored Ape Yacht Club as analysts warn original and new versions of the tokens known as NFTs could confuse buyers.

The US$200 billion Ethereum network accounted for 70% of NFT trading activity in August, making it the world’s leading blockchain for such marketplaces run by companies like OpenSea.

However, the Merge of Ethereum to a proof-of-stake (PoS) network from a proof-of-work (PoW) will create duplicates of the NFTs from the original network, something the unscrupulous could take advantage of, Anndy Lian, author of the new book “NFT: From Zero to Hero,” told Forkast in an interview.

Scams are already prevalent in the NFT industry, which lacks oversight or regulatory protection, and any added confusion could generate more. Lian said some exchanges or marketplaces might temporarily stop transactions to address any complications or confusion that arise.

The Merge

The current Ethereum PoW network involves crypto mining companies using energy-gobbling computer farms to solve cryptographic equations that validate transactions on the blockchain, for which they are rewarded with Ether.

The shift to PoS – in which users validate transactions through “staked” ether – is expected to speed up and slash energy use on the network, which may mollify some critics who say the blockchain industry contributes to global warming.

However, Ethereum miners are less than happy as they see a business model evaporate that  leaves them with redundant and expensive computer farms that cannot be repurposed. Hence, some have pledged to fork the network and create a concurrent PoW Ethereum network.

This is where the potential NFT confusion comes in. All existing NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain will be duplicated on the new PoS system, but if a PoW fork exists, the original NFTs will continue to exist on that network as well.

And this is not just hypothetical, exchanges have had to explain to users what their policy will be regarding duplicates.

Real deal

Leading NFT marketplace OpenSea, which had about four times the sales volume over the last 30 days of its nearest competitor, Magic Eden, announced it was “solely supporting NFTs on the upgraded Ethereum PoS chain.”

Competing marketplace, Rarible, has taken a different approach, saying it recognizes the authenticity of any copies of NFTs created in the same wallet address when they were held on Ethereum.

Rarible noted another potential issue, saying the aggregate number of NFT collectibles may increase, which could depress the value of collections.

“It’s impossible to predict what the actual outcome will be, but it’s highly likely that duplicate NFTs will cause confusion,” said Rarible’s chief strategy officer and co-founder Alex Salnikov in an ­email to Forkast. “Especially for less experienced NFT collectors.”

Déjà vu

This scenario is not without precedent in the NFT market. One of the most popular NFT collections, CryptoPunks, is actually a re-issue of the original — now known as V1 CryptoPunks — to fix a bug in their programming.

However, as V2 CryptoPunks grew to be one of the largest NFT collections, a significant market in V1 versions grew among collectors who were looking to own a piece of NFT history.

CryptoPunks creators, Larva Labs, tried to squash this secondary market using legal means, but ultimately the V1 community won out and both versions can now be traded freely.

Ultimately, Lian believes the market will follow the PoS network as it is recognized as the “official version” of Ethereum.

The upside

The good news for would-be environmentally conscious NFT investors is that PoS is estimated to be roughly 99.95% more energy efficient than PoW, according to the Ethereum Foundation.

“This may cause a new, environmentally conscious user base to adopt the technology which would in turn help drive greater mass adoption of NFT and Web3 technology,” said Rarible’s Salnikov.

“Increasing activity on Ethereum may also bring about new innovative use cases for NFT technology and drive the development of new tools designed for the growing Web3 creator economy,” he added.

That could be good news for buyers whose NFTs denominated in Ether have dropped in value against the U.S. dollar since a peak in November.

But Lian said he is skeptical about the Merge turning the current NFT bear market around.

“I think that’s very wishful thinking.”

 

Source: https://forkast.news/fungible-duplicates-disrupt-nft-merge/

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Who owns the most voyager crypto? VGX tokens are also distributed among troubled platform’s customers

Who owns the most voyager crypto? VGX tokens are also distributed among troubled platform’s customers

Voyager Digital has been making headlines ever since the crypto platform filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2021. The company is engaged in ongoing court proceedings.

Here we take a look at the voyager (VGX) tokens circulating supply and analyse who owns the most VGX.

Voyager Digital: Origins & token history

Voyager Digital is a US-based cryptocurrency platform that was founded in 2017 by a team of finance and technology industry veterans, including the firm’s CEO Stephen Ehrlich, chairman Philip Eytan and Gaspard de Dreuzy, a serial entrepreneur.

In addition to being a crypto company, Voyager Digital is a publicly traded company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) since 2021 under the ticker VOYG.

As of September 2022, the company hosts over 100 different digital assets through its mobile application and allows clients to earn rewards of up to 12% annually on more than 40 cryptocurrencies.

The Voyager token (VGX) is the platform’s native cryptocurrency. It’s designed to reward customers for their loyalty. It was based on the Ethos Token. In 2019, Voyager acquired Ethos.io and incorporated the team, technology and native token into its ecosystem.

Until 2020, Voyager operated with a multi-token functionality. After 2020, the company integrated its native tokens into a new single token model known as VGX 2.0. Today, VGX maintains a presence on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC20 cryptocurrency.

According to the project’s whitepaper, Voyager utilises the VGX 2.0 token to boost the platform’s adoption and functionality. Holding VGX allowed users to earn 7% staking rewards and raise their earnings by joining the Voyager Loyalty Program.

The VGX token was met with enthusiasm. The price rose to an all-time high of $11.02 just six months after the token launched in 2017. The bullish run was short-lived, and the price fell by 96.7% to $0.3678 by August 2018.

Voyager token to USD, 2017 – 2022

The next big jump took place between January and February 2021, when VGX surged 3,267% to $6.9023, from levels as low as $0.2. Around this time, the Uniswap (UNI) token became available on the Voyager platform.

On 22 November 2021, VGX surged to $5 amid a positive general crypto market sentiment, however, this was the token’s last peak as it embarked on a bearish run. But since its November high, the VGX has lost more than 75% of its value, sliding down to $0.9188.

Latest voyager crypto news

In July 2021 Voyager filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, as it was heavily affected by the global crypto crash. Since then, the company has been in and out of court proceedings.

As Voyager moves through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, latest filings revealed on 8 September that the company will auction off the remainder of its assets on 13 September. The results of the auction will become final during a court hearing approving them on 29 September.

In the latest voyager token news, potential buyers remained unnamed. However, bids previously made by the crypto trading platform FTX were made public. FTX said in a press release on 22 July that it would buy Voyager’s assets and loans at cash value and open accounts for Voyager customers on FTX. This proposal, however, was branded a “low-ball” bid by Voyager’s lawyers.

In a second-day hearing presentation on 4 August, the company stated that it had received “higher and better” buyout offers. As of 12 September, Voyager said that it was contacted by 88 potentially interested buyers and was in “active discussions” with 20.

Who owns the most Voyager crypto?

So, who owns the most Voyager crypto and how is the token distributed?

When Voyager decided to integrate its tokens (VGX and LGO (the native token of a company Voyager acquired) into one, VGX was exchanged for VGX 2.0 (now known as VGX) at a 1:1 rate. LGO’s exchange rate to VGX 2.0 was 6.5356340619:1.

The circulating supply of VGX tokens stood at 222 million. The circulating supply of LGO was over 33 million. Following the token swap, Voyager chose to mint a growth pool of tones on an annual basis to power Voyager Loyalty Program rewards, as well as fund promotional campaigns for new and existing customers.

Hence, 40 million new tokens were minted in the first year since the integration, 20 million will be minted in the second year and 10 million between the third and eight years.

According to data provided by CoinMarketCap, the total and circulating supply of VGX, as of 12 September, surpassed 278 million tokens. The maximum supply stood at 297 million.

Voyager also introduced a new initiative called the Voyager Loyalty Program, which Voyager customers can qualify for by maintaining a number of VGX tokens in their accounts. The programme has three tiers:

  • Adventurer – customers holding over 500 VGX
  • Explorer – customers holding over 5,000 VGX
  • Navigator – customers holding over 20,000 VGX

The more VGX customers stake, the higher they move up these tier categories and the more rewards they earn with each tier.

So, who owns the most Voyager crypto?

Over the last few months, VGX whales have gradually reduced their holdings. However, data revealed by etherscan.io showed that the top 100 VGX token holders, as of 12 September, collectively owned 97.62% of the total supply in circulation.

The website noted that the top account holding the most voyager tokens owned 93.9% of the circulating supply, which amounted to 208 million VGX tokens worth $191m, as of 12 September. According to the website, the account’s address is 0x933bb73de8fcfb74415fbc99561623c593bf3b61.

The second biggest VGX whale owned 1.9% of the total circulating supply, amounting to four million VGX tokens.

The third biggest VGX holder was an account under the address ‘Binance 8’ that held around 0.18% of the total circulating supply, amounting to around 395,757 tokens.

The fourth and fifth biggest voyager coin whales owned around 0.14% of the total circulating supply.

Final thoughts

While knowing who owns voyager crypto may be useful for the coin’s enthusiasts, it shouldn’t be used as a sole reason to trade. Nearly all of the maximum VGX supply is in circulation, as of the time of writing (12 September), which could lead to the possibility of greater volatility. Investors are warned to exercise caution.

According to Invezz’s analyst Crisous Nyaga, “uncertainty about the Voyager collapse and low volume trading could lead to market manipulation.

“The coin’s future is uncertain and it will depend on the outcome of the bankruptcy proceedings. If the firm moves completely out of business, there is a possibility that the VGX token will not survive. On the other hand, if it is acquired, there is a possibility that the coin will continue doing well.”

Anndy Lian, chief digital advisor at the Mongolian Productivity Organisation and the author of NFT: From Zero to Hero, told Capital.com that retail investors are buying VGX based on rumours that the company will be acquired by either Binance or FTX.

“I noted that the current investors are still working very hard promoting in different channels with the hope of making the VGX a more viable choice for new investors and perhaps drawing more attention so that the buyout can complete faster. These are positive signs from the community members who want the token to do well and resume their staking and cashback rewards,” he stressed.

Note that analysts’ predictions and opinions can be wrong. Always conduct your own due diligence before trading. And never invest or trade money you cannot afford to lose.

 

Source: https://capital.com/voyager-who-owns-most-vgx-crypto-tokens

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What Are the Major September Events to Keep an Eye On? The CPI, the Merge, the FOMC, & Vasil

What Are the Major September Events to Keep an Eye On? The CPI, the Merge, the FOMC, & Vasil

September 2022 will be an eventful month. The stock market has had a terrible month in the past. However, this is may not the case for the cryptocurrency markets. In my humble view, there are a few of major events that investors should pay special attention to since they are all interconnected.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

We’ll begin on September 13th. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) data will be released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.

One of these data points is the August jobs report, which is already out. A careful examination of US labor market statistics revealed that nonfarm payrolls increased by 315,000 in August, above the projected 298,000 but falling short of the prior month’s 526,000. A healthy labor market means a more resilient economy, prompting the Fed to take on inflation more forcefully. Analysts are also looking for clues in the employment data about what is going on with wage growth.

The CPI numbers for the United States, together with the August jobs data released earlier this month, will eventually help the Fed decide whether to boost rates by 50 basis points or 75 basis points. In the United States, the inflation rate rose from 8.6% in May 2022 to 8.5% in July and 9.1% in June. The August inflation rate in the United States might serve as a guideline for future Fed rate rises.

Ethereum Merge

This is a highly anticipated event in the cryptocurrency world this year. This event has already started. They have released the Bellatrix upgrade, the final update before the Merge, which is set for September 13-15.

This upgrade shift the network’s consensus method from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS). This will lower Ethereum’s carbon footprint by removing crypto mining . This decision has also had an impact on Nvidia’s stock price, given they are a major provider of mining equipment. The miners are nevertheless optimistic, believing that the fork will keep them in business. On top of that, there was a lot of publicity and marketing hype around the new Eth PoW airdrop. Key thought leaders are reminding everyone that borrowing as much ETH as possible from AAVE or Compound before the snapshot is a good idea since they can expect maximum utilization.

The charts are exhibiting strong indicators, with the price of Ethereum increasing by 4.98% while Bitcoin remains unchanged.

Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)

Throughout the year, the FOMC has eight regularly scheduled meetings and extra talks as appropriate. The next meeting is scheduled on September 21.

The Fed Chairman Powell’s “powerful” speech at Jackson Hole on August 26 is primarily to blame for the recent sharp decline in market prices. Powell’s comments were substantially more hawkish than anticipated and alarmed the market.

The market anticipated the Fed to remain neutral after recent inflation statistics revealed that inflation had peaked and prices were dropping. They expected the Fed to keep to its plans to increase interest rates by another 100-120 basis points (1% -1.2%) by the end of 2022, bringing the Fed funds rate to 3.25%-3.5%. At the last FOMC meeting, Powell had also given the market the assurance that the economy would have a soft landing and that no recession was imminent.

Powell used words like “bring some pain to households and businesses” and “very likely be some softening of labor conditions”. Analysts who looked at the speech were reading that the Fed Chair was suggesting the recent fall in inflation was not good enough. To stop inflation once and for all, the Fed was prepared to increase the unemployment rate, reduce wage growth, and sacrifice short-term growth.

For many Americans, the critical question is whether they can continue to keep their jobs, not the increase in rates of September as the Fed bears down on inflation.

The FOMC has raised interest rates four times in 2022 so far. If you are wondering what has the rate got to do with cryptocurrencies. For your information, Bitcoin’s price dipped as low as $17,500 following the Fed’s two-day meeting on June 14 and 15. The Fed raised interest rates by 0.75%. Generally, traders leave the market when interest rates increase, or other markets are impacted, which leads to a sell-off in cryptocurrencies.

Cardano Vasil Hard Fork

The Cardano Vasil hard fork is the second most anticipated update in the cryptocurrency market, after only the Ethereum Merge.

Many of us may not know the term “Vasil”. Cardano, ranked 8th on CoinMarketcap is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform: the first to be founded on peer-reviewed research and developed through evidence-based methods.

Vasil is a significant improvement to Cardano, delivering enhanced network capacity and decreased transaction costs. Plutus, Cardano’s smart contract platform, will also be improved as part of the upgrade, allowing developers to design more efficient blockchain-based apps.

Cardano’s ADA token price rose 2.2% in the past 24 hours and 14% in the last week. This upgrade is confirmed to be on September 22.

Impact on the Financial Market

Because Bitcoin is viewed as an investment vehicle akin to stocks and bonds, the FOMC and macroeconomic pronouncements can have a significant influence on its price. Numerous studies suggest that these announcements have an influence on the whole financial market.

It remains to be seen whether history repeats itself and stocks end the month of September lower. As additional evidence comes in over the coming months, the idea of a Fed Pivot that was dismissed after Jackson Hole could start to materialize. Investors in the stock market anticipate that the Fed’s decision will provide them with guidance before the results of the upcoming quarter are released and when macroeconomic conditions change in 2023. Perhaps Ethereum and Cardano are the only shining knights in this financial uncertainty.

We will see.

I will end with a quote. “You will most likely come out on top in this bear market if you stick to your financial strategies and maintain your sense. Keep in mind that the people who sow their seeds today can become the millionaires who will profit from the upcoming bull market.”- Anndy Lian.

 

Source: https://www.securities.io/what-are-the-major-september-events-to-keep-an-eye-on-the-cpi-the-merge-the-fomc-vasil/

 

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