Month: October 2019

Home / Month: October 2019

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finally came out with an official decision to dismiss proposals for creating a Bitcoin ETF market. The rejection though does not come as a surprise to Bitcoin ETF proponents, given the complexity of how cryptocurrency exchanges work via the blockchain technology.

According to legal experts, the SEC’s main worries include the bitcoin market’s high level of potential for fraud and manipulation; whilst regarded by U.S. regulators as an investment tool that is yet too small and still immature to support.

Although Bitwise officials contended in its proposal that the need for a Bitcoin ETF arises from their research findings that 95% of crypto currency tradings are not legitimate, this reasoning did not work to support its case.

What Makes a Bitcoin ETF Different from Bitcoin?

Bitcoin may be the largest digital currency in the crypto money market but is still unregulated, despite its popularity as a digital asset that can be exchanged and traded for profit.

If recognized by the SEC as legitimately traded investment tool, the price of Bitcoin ETF will be monitored and tracked. That way, interested bitcoin investors need only to determine the current price and market performance of bitcoins, without having to own and trade bitcoins just to do so.

An SEC approved Bitcoin ETF eliminates the need to be invested in bitcoin, which comes with worries on how to best deal with the complexities of its storage and security features. Bitcoin digital money is unlike the more common types of ETFs, such as shares of stocks and/or commodities bonds, which simply have investors looking closely at a related price when venturing into buying or selling an ETF commodity as an investment asset.

In becoming a Bitcoin ETF, the cryptocurrency becomes a type of marketable security that investors can buy and trade based on current index price and performance. As such, bitcoin companies will be under SEC’s system of surveillance-sharing agreement, to which they will allow tracking and close monitoring of how the bitcoin digital money is moving in terms of buying and selling activities.

The bitcoin though flows in a largely unregulated environment; making the SEC hesitant to allow a Bitcoin ETF participating as a type of publicly traded investment tool.

Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin in particular, has about 14 million in distribution despite its instability. Because of its volatility, free and paid crypto signals are available in the market for real time trade recommendations and ideas to ensure users and investors do trades that are favorable to them.

Investors who are surmising the future potentials of the blockchain and cryptocurrency have pushed most of the present market cap, and this is probably to continue until a particular measure of stability in value as well as acceptance in the market is realized. Aside from the specified value, those invested in crptocurrency seem to be depending on a distinguished “inherent value” of crypto.

The public ledger of the blockchain technology underlying cryptocurrency has the capacity to disturb an extensive multiplicity of transactions, including the usual systems of payments. These ropes in bonds, stocks, as well as other financial assets wherein records are digitally put in storage and where it presently necessitate a reliable intermediary to verify transactions.

https://youtu.be/Hams8790yqA

Key Market Players to Forward the Evolution of Cryptocurrency

For the cryptocurrency market to attain its subsequent stage in its progression en route for mainstream acceptance as well as steady expansion, key market players have an important role to play.

Consumers and Merchants

Cryptocurrencies offer consumers cheaper as well as quicker peer-to-peer alternatives for payment compared to those offered by the usual financial service providers, not having to supply any personal data. Although cryptos carry on to get some approval as an option for payment, volatility of price as well as the speculative investments urge consumers to not make use of crypto to buy products and services but to trade it instead.

Tech Developers

Numerous brilliant tech developers have dedicated their efforts to mining cryptocurrency, whereas others have concentrated on activities that are more entrepreneurial in nature like creating wallet services, exchanges, as well as alternative digital currencies. For the crypto market to get acceptance from the mainstream, consumers and businesses will have to see crypto as a solution that’s user-friendly as compared to the usual transactions. Moreover, the industry must develop teachnologies and protocos for cybersecurity.

Investors

Generally, investors seem to be certain of the opportunities linked with crypto as well as cryptography. The underlying technology’s “inherent value” provides investors with a reliable reason to be hopeful about it.

Regulators

The governments’ attitudes are erratic in terms of the classification, management as well as the legality of crypto. Furthermore, regulations in various regions are evolving at dissimilar paces.

Financial Institutions

For a long time, financial institutions like banks have linked individuals with money to those who require it. However, this intermediary status has been weakened, and disintermediation in the sector of banking has quickly evolved. The outcome is the emergence of Internet banking and the increased utilization of alternative methods of payments by consumers.

 

Many of the UK’s elderly population are looking for ways to beef up their retirement fund while still able. The most common financial tool they have resorted to is the equity release mortgage. It is a type of loan available to older adults who are at least 55 years old or older, which allows them to take out a loan using their real property as collateral.

Overview of an Equity Release Mortgage

A loan under an equity release arrangement offers older adults the chance to borrow money that does not have to be paid off periodically and immediately. Settlement of the debt will take place at a future time; either when the senior borrower passes away or has reached a point of needing long term care in a nursing home.

The equity release scheme operates on the principle that real property appreciates in value. Therefore, the proceeds of a future sale based on the appreciated value, will more than cover the total amount due on the outstanding loan including all interests compounded through the years. The only drawback is that the lump sum payment will greatly reduce the potential value of the senior borrower’s legacy for his or her heirs.

Nonetheless, equity release mortgages in the UK are backed with a No-Negative Equity Guarantee. This feature ensures that in case the total debt exceeds the proceeds from the sale of the property, the agreement does not include a transfer of debt to the borrower’s heirs. Once the property has been sold to satisfy the borrower’s equity mortgage debt, the loan will be deemed as fully paid.

Still, to avoid equity release deals that impose unreasonable demands and conditions, it would be best for seniors to enter into this kind of agreement with the help of a professional financial adviser. The first step to take when considering to borrow money under this scheme, is to determine how much can be availed — by using an equity release calculator uk lenders use in calculating how much they can offer.

Is it Wise for Seniors to Invest in Cryptocurrency?

Often times, scrupulous individuals consider senior citizens as easy pray for their scams or illegal activities. Knowing that most retirees have some money stashed away for their golden years, scammers or swindlers often target easy-to-convince seniors.

Although cryptocurrency is receiving much attention as a lucrative form of investment, this is one type of money-making tool that retirees should not at all consider. First and foremost is the fact that the UK government is not supportive of the blockchain technology. The lack of regulatory oversight, makes the platform highly susceptible to manipulations, cyber attacks, and illegal operations.

Last year, major banks in the UK have been weeding out deposit accounts that seemingly engage in cryptocurrency trading. Banks are wary that the frequency and the amounts involved in the exchange could be indicative of money laundering activities. As a result, the crackdown on bank deposits used by cryptocurrency dealers and miners for their exchanges, involved freezing of the accounts. This was regardless of the depositors’ clean and long-standing records with the bank, and their reputation as law abiding UK subjects.

That being the case, it would be best for senior citizens not to be entangled in such transactions, lest they find their retirement money frozen for an indefinite period of time.

“Be Inspired By Meaningful Experiences…”

Meaningful experiences are valuable, and they come in all shapes and surprises..

𐌢