So, all the buzz going on about crypto currency, Bitcoin, Etherum, and Smart Contracts is enough to excite and scare the most sound technical minds.
I first learned about Bitcoin back in 2009 when it was first starting. I was looking and pc hardware and found articles on this thing called Mining. I even did it for a bit. Being so ignorant to what I was doing though, I have no clue where that wallet is or how much is in there. I remember figuring out that it would be really really hard to get 1 Bitcoin, so I’m thinking it’s small.
Anyway, to reinforce the ignorance; I was on the edge of the largest technical advancement of my life and dismissed it like so many. Back then the articles were about hardware specs and “fake money” and the illusive Silk Road. No one was explaining the underlying technology of the blockchain and how that alone is what will change the shape of global economics as we know it.
Blockchain 101: The decentralization of everything
Having central control over any one thing just leads to corruption and poor intent. Distributing the control allows for a true free market as well as global one. I stole this graphic from The Burnie Group. That link will take you to their Blockchain services page.
Etherum and Smart Contracts
So if you have heard about crypto currency then you probably have heard of Bitcoin but in a stable and growing 2nd place is The Ethereum Project. Ethereum is being built as a platform for not just it’s own currency but for applications, smart contracts, and even other currencies! I found another guide over at BlockGeeks that is way more in-depth than mine, you should give it a read.
A Smart Contract is basically a program or code snippet that defines a set of parameters like who is paying, who gets paid, how much, and when do they get paid. Once the conditions are met, it’s Payday! Read more detail from BlockGeeks on Smart Contracts
Enter The Bad Crypto Podcast
I have been a fan of Joel Comm for for some time and as I began doing more research into Blockchain, I went searching for podcasts. I found “The Bad Crypto Podcast” and I have been learning a ton! Joel and Travis who co-host the show, do a wonderful job of simplifying Blockchain for the masses. They are very entertaining and lead me to making my first purchase!
My first real investment
Speaking of my first purchase. First, I need to make this super clear!! I am not a financial advisor please do not take any information from this site and use it as the basis for your own purchases. You alone are solely responsible for your own money and I cannot be held liable for what you do with.
So the first thing I did was sign up for a CoinBase account. Please please please setup 2 factor authentication (2FA) for any online purchases. It is a small pain in the ass but it is a million times better than having someone steal all your money!!
I took $100.00 USD and I bought bitcoin with it. Because I signed up using a link someone send me, I got an additional $10.00 USD and I used it for Ethereum. I plan on taking my next investment and going with $100 in Ethereum and possibly $100 in LightCoin.
At the time of this writing, Bitcoin is valued at $4,546 and Ethereum is at $311. So, I have already made some profit!
You should try it yourself and if you choose to do so use this link and you will get an additional $10 in bitcoins when you make your first $100 deposit!
Whats next for crypto and me?
I am just going to invest and learn more about the ecosystem. I fully intend on getting involved in application development and consulting around blockchain! Contact me if you would like to talk more about it!