Want to launch your own branded card program? We break down the what and how—unlock new revenue, boost loyalty, and stay ahead in the digital payment game.
Keep reading%201.webp)
Ever wondered how companies launch those shiny credit cards with their logos on them? Let's dive into the world of card programs and break down everything you need to know to launch one successfully.
What's a card program, anyway?
Think of a card program as your business's very own payment ecosystem. It's like having your own mini-bank, but without the vault, technical infrastructure and security guards. Companies use card programs to offer payment solutions to their customers or employees, whether a store credit card, a corporate expense card, or even a digital wallet.
As you’ve probably figured, the financial world is quickly moving away from cash, and card payments are becoming the norm. In fact, they're now as essential to business as having a product, website or social media presence.
Why should your business launch a card program?
Launching a card program isn't just about joining the cool kids' club – it's about creating real business value and heightened exposure. Here's what you can achieve:
Keep your customers coming back
Remember those loyalty cards from your favourite coffee shop? Card programs take that concept to the next level. When customers have your card in their wallet, they're more likely to choose your business over competitors. Plus, every time they pull out that card, they (and everyone else around) see your brand.
Show me the money!
Card programs open up exciting new revenue streams. You can earn from:
- Interest charges (if applicable)
- Transaction fees from merchants
- Annual membership fees
- Premium features and services
- Insights and information on spending habits
Know your customers better
Want to know what your customers really want? Their spending patterns tell the story. Card programs give you valuable insights into customer behaviour, helping you make smarter business decisions.
Understanding the card program ecosystem
Let's break down the key players in this game:
The dream team
Picture a football team where everyone has a crucial role:
- Card networks (like Visa and Mastercard) are the referees, setting the rules
- Card issuers (like Tap) are the coaches, making sure everything runs smoothly
- Processors (overseen by Tap) are the players, handling all the transactions on the field
Open vs. closed loop: what's the difference?
Open-loop and closed-loop cards differ in where they can be used and who processes the transactions. Let’s break this down:
Open-loop cards:
These cards are branded with major payment networks like Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, and are accepted almost anywhere the network is supported, both domestically and internationally.
Examples: Traditional debit or credit cards, prepaid cards branded by major networks.
Pros: Wide acceptance and flexibility.
Cons: May come with fees for international use or transactions.
Closed-loop cards:
Cards issued by a specific retailer or service provider for exclusive use within their ecosystem. These cards are limited to the issuing brand or select partners.
Examples: Store gift cards (like Starbucks or Amazon), fuel cards for specific gas stations.
Pros: Often come with brand-specific rewards or discounts.
Cons: Limited to specific merchants; less flexibility.
Challenges that may arise
Let's be honest – launching a card program isn't all smooth sailing. Here are the hurdles you'll need to jump:
The regulatory maze
Remember trying to read those terms and conditions? Well, card program regulations are even more complex. You'll need to navigate through compliance requirements that would make your head spin.
Security
Fraud is like that uninvited guest at a party – it shows up when you least expect it. You'll need robust security measures to protect your program and your customers.
We’ve designed our card program to handle these niggles, so that you can bypass the challenges and reap the rewards. With a carefully curated experience, we take care of the setup, programming and hardware so that you can focus on the benefits and users.
Closing thoughts
Launching a card program is like building a house – it takes careful planning, the right tools, and expert help. But when done right, it can become a powerful engine for business growth.
Contact us to get started on building a card program tailored to your company. After all, the future of payments is digital, and there's never been a better time to get started.
NEWS AND UPDATES
LATEST ARTICLE
The age old question, when will all the Bitcoins be mined, has been on everyone's mind at least once and today we are going to go over exactly how long it will take to mine all Bitcoins.
There are a few chapters we need to cover first. For one we need to look at Bitcoin’s total supply, followed by the halving mechanism that Satoshi Nakamoto himself implemented, and then we can set about working out when the last Bitcoin will be mined. Sound good? Dive in and join us for the ride.
Bitcoin’s total supply
When Bitcoin was first announced to the world in a whitepaper in 2008, the public was introduced to a new kind of monetary system. Unlike the fiat system that all countries operate off, these cryptocurrencies presented a digital answer that could navigate value around the world in seconds and didn’t rely on any banks, financial institutions or governments to operate them.
Created as a response to the 2007 - 2009 global financial crisis, the mysterious entity known as Satoshi Nakamoto chose to also make the currency deflationary. Unlike its fiat counterpart, Bitcoin was created to increase in value over time, proving to be a viable store of value. Written into its code was the fact that only 21 million Bitcoin will ever exist, ensuring that the new age currency would have a deflationary nature to it.
Of the 21 million BTC that will ever enter circulation, as of May 2021 a total of 18.7 million have entered the market. This accounts for roughly 89% of the total supply of Bitcoin, which might lead one to believe that the end is nearer than we think. However, think again.
The halving mechanism
Another ingenious idea that the great Satoshi Nakamoto incorporated into the nuance payment system is the halving mechanism. Through the use of blockchain technology, every 210,000 blocks, or roughly four years, a halving mechanism is automatically implemented into the system which reduces the mining rewards (also known as block rewards). This part gets a little technical, so let’s recap.
All transactions on the blockchain are stored in blocks which are chronologically linked to one another through the process of mining. Miners on the network verify and execute all Bitcoin transactions, and in doing so receive a fee, known as the miners reward. When Bitcoin was launched in January 2009 the miners reward was 50 BTC, however through the halving mechanism, every 210,000 blocks this reward halves. Twelve years later the miners rewards for verifying the transactions and adding a new block to the blockchain is 6.25 BTC.
This thereby controls the amount of new Bitcoin entering circulation. As fiat currencies are printed and minted, cryptocurrencies are mined. The Covid-19 pandemic saw many countries print more money to distribute to its people and in turn boost the economy, however the long term effects of this can be devastating due to rising inflation and the decrease in value on a global scale. Bitcoin, however, due to the controlled nature of the deflationary currency is set to increase in value.
How long will it take to mine all the Bitcoins?
Now that we’ve covered the basics of Bitcoin’s total supply and the halving mechanism controlling the influx of coins entering into circulation, it’s time to establish how long it will take to mine all Bitcoins.
Based on the table below, we can see exactly when the next halving is due to take place (in 2024), when the miners reward will halve again to 3.125 BTC. While the amount of BTC received for mining a block decreases, bare in mind that the value undergoes significant increases. After that the next halving mechanism is due to go into effect in 2028, followed by another in 2032.
As you’ll notice, the halving in 2032 will be responsible for mining the last chunk of the 99.21872% of the total BTC ever to exist. This leaves 0.78128% remaining. Due to the nature of the halving mechanism, it is believed that the very last Bitcoin will only be mined in 2140.
In answering the question on how long it will take to mine the last Bitcoin, the answer is an estimated 119 years. Which, facing the cold hard truth, we are unlikely to witness in our lifetime.
Time to buy Bitcoin?
Considering that the cryptocurrency has witnessed gains taking it from $0.003 to roughly $55,000 in just over a decade, consider what the Bitcoin price might be in the next ten years, or twenty, or 100? Whether you’re buying to invest or buying to trade, Bitcoin has proved time and time again to be a worthy investment. Consider bagging yourself some BTC with the convenience of the Tap app. The app allows you to not only buy the original cryptocurrency, but to sell, store and spend it as you please too. If you’re wondering when the last Bitcoin will be mined, it’s probably time to tap into the future.
Download on Android.
Download on iOS.
Much like traditional stock portfolios, crypto portfolios can too be balanced to ensure a spread of returns and risks over the asset class. Building a diversified cryptocurrency portfolio can be done in many ways, however, in this article, we will be exploring a general approach that investors can use to build their own.
From thoughtful diversification to asset allocation to buying your cryptocurrencies, the road to building a balanced crypto portfolio is not a complicated one. It will require some upkeep though, so be sure to factor in that you will need to balance your portfolio regularly.
Starting with the basics, a cryptocurrency portfolio is a collection of varied crypto holdings held by an individual (these portfolios hold one asset class, while others can hold multiple asset classes and would require further asset allocation).
Some investors also choose to use a third party tracker which calculates the portfolio’s holdings and profits. A balanced portfolio will have a collection of coins, products and tokens, each with its own risks and rewards.
It should have a mixture of high and low market cap coins and might look something like this: 35% Bitcoin, 10% Ethereum, 25% stablecoins, 15% NFTs, and 15% altcoins (this is an example based on the current climate of the cryptocurrency market and not financial advice).
The 5 main types of cryptocurrencies on the crypto market
Before we start building our portfolios, let’s begin with understanding the 5 main categories that can be found on the cryptocurrency market today.
Most of the 20,000 cryptocurrencies on the market at the moment will fall into these options.
Payment Focused
Consider these the original first-generation cryptocurrencies, starting of course with Bitcoin. Many earlier projects were designed as systems of transferring value, take for example Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
These types of coins typically have a high market cap.
Stablecoins
This category refers to all coins that are pegged to a fiat currency and commodity. These coins naturally bypass any volatility, ensuring a stable anchor in your portfolio and a safe haven for when the markets experience a dip.
While they might seem to represent more traditional assets, stablecoins provide a valuable contribution to the crypto ecosystem.
Examples include PAX Gold (PAXG) which is pegged to the price of gold, while options like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) are pegged to the US dollar.
Utility Tokens
Utility tokens are unique to their ecosystems and generally offer a product or service. This could come in the form of a coin used to pay transaction fees on a network, or a coin created to launch a crowdfunding initiative.
Examples include coins found on dapp and smart contract development platforms, Ethereum (ETH) and Binance Coin (BNB).
Security Tokens
Much like the traditional securities in the stock market, security tokens can take on many forms.
These digital forms of traditional securities have been integrated with blockchain technology and span across three categories: equities, debt and a hybrid of debt and equity. This can range from representing a bond issued by a project, equity in a company, or even voting rights.
Governance Tokens
Governance tokens offer holders voting powers and a share of the project’s revenue. Similar to utility tokens, the value of a governance token directly relates to the success of the underlying project. Examples include Uniswap (UNI) and PancakeSwap (CAKE).
How to build a balanced crypto portfolio
When it comes to building a well balanced crypto portfolio there are plenty of different schools of thought.
These are our top recommendations, however, we encourage you to do your own research and ultimately go with what feels right.
- Diversify Risk
Ensure your crypto portfolio has an adequate amount of risk tolerance by incorporating high, medium and low-risk coin options, portioned appropriately.
It’s important to first establish what level of risk you are willing to take, and plan your portfolio accordingly.
- Include Stablecoins
While these aren’t associated with wild gains, stablecoins help to provide your portfolio with liquidity and are key to many DeFi dapps.
They also allow traders to quickly and easily exit a position or lock in gains whether in a bear market or a bull market.
- Monitor The Market
Ensure that you are checking in to see what is happening in the market regularly and adjusting your well balanced crypto portfolio to best manage this.
Crypto markets can still be very volatile, so ensure that your trading decisions reflect what is happening.
- Monitor Your Emotions
This might be one of the biggest overseen aspects of trading but ensure that you have a grip on your emotions as they can play an integral part in your decision making.
Fear and greed are strong contenders when it comes to making logical trading decisions, make sure that these are not influencing any of your trades.
Don't let greed interfere, changing potential big gains to huge losses. Things can go terribly wrong when emotions are behind the wheel of trading decisions.
- DYOR
We cannot stress it enough - always do your own research when exploring engaging with other cryptocurrencies. Never engage in a project that you cannot fully explain to another trader. Crypto involvement requires a substantial amount of due diligence.
While there is value in taking advice from a strong trader, ensure that you do your own vetting of the project before blindly trusting a stranger, this is your own money after all.
- Onlycommit what you’re willing to lose
As a golden rule of thumb when it comes to allocating funds, only allocate what you're willing to lose.
If you’ve made trading decisions that are causing you sleepless nights, consider a different approach, and ensure that should something go wrong that you have the financial means to stay standing. Your overall portfolio should be correctly balanced in order to ensure you can have rest-filled nights.
How to use a portfolio tracker
While typically used for short-term and day traders, trackers can also provide value to long term investors. Trackers provide a reliable way of monitoring the performance of your low, medium and high risk assets.
Crypto trackers also allow investors to measure their results across several blockchains and wallets in real-time, allowing one to directly measure the success or losses of their crypto holdings.
Portfolios typically involve holding multiple coins across various blockchains, so finding a compatible and suitable portfolio tracker makes sense.
First, you’ll need to select a good portfolio tracker that best suits your needs. Below we’ve outlined the top crypto portfolio trackers, although it's best to get a feel for the platform before diving in.
For instance, Pionex is better suited to high volume investors while Delta is better suited to beginners. See our selection below of top options on the market at the moment.
- CoinMarketCap
One of the most used sources of information in the crypto space, CoinMarketCap also provides tracking functionality. Users can enter their coins, what price they were bought at and monitor their progress. - Pionex
Favoured to high volume investors, Pionex provides a more advanced option when it comes to tracking your crypto portfolio. - CoinGecko
Most commonly known as being a data aggregator, CoinGecko also allows users to track over 1,000 coins across its mobile and desktop crypto trackers. - Delta
Delta not only provides a very user-friendly crypto tracker, it also allows users to track a wide range of assets including fiat currencies, stocks, bonds, futures, and ETFs.
Aside from the look and feel, other factors to consider are safety and security, and whether it supports the wallet and coins in which you've allocated resources.
Building your crypto portfolio manually
When you’re ready to start building your well-balanced crypto portfolio, you will need to find a reliable platform and wallet on which to do so.
Ensure you stick to a regulated exchange and that the security behind the wallet you choose is of high standards.
Tap mobile app offers a secure and convenient platform through which users can buy, sell, trade and store a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Learn more here on our website available on both desktop and mobile devices.
Next, you will need to decide on which coins you'd like to engage with, ensuring that you strategically distribute your capital with appropriate weightings.
Take cues from our Types of Cryptocurrencies above, deciding on how you wish to allocate the coins in order to build a balanced crypto portfolio.
We encourage you to conduct extensive research in this phase: A golden rule of engaging with cryptocurrency is to comprehend what crypto is before allocating any funds to it, as well as to understand each individual coin.
Used across both the crypto market and traditional stock markets, return on investment (ROI) is a financial measure used to calculate an asset's growth and efficiency over a period of time. This useful measure has been used for decades to determine the success of one's investment.
In this article, we'll help you learn how to calculate the ROI on your investment so that you can implement it across your portfolio to determine your successes. Understanding your assets' ROI might lead to improved sales and revenue and solve a problem that many traders face time and time again.
Many businesses offering trading services might include a project ROI in their monthly or annual report to a customer, illustrating the successes of the site in black and white figures. However, be cautious when a company uses a set amount of return on investment statistics in their advertising, not even the top trading experts are able to predict with exact certainty the events, analytics and metrics that will take place in the future.
How To Calculate ROI
Bear with us as this gets slightly technical, it will all make sense in no time. This formula essentially revolves around determining the overall profit or loss one has made from a particular investment.
The formula used to determine ROI is ROI = (FVI - IVI) / IVI * 100%. In this formula, the FVI stands for the final value of an investment while IVI stands for the initial value of an investment.
Looking at a practical example, say you bought $1,000 worth of Bitcoin in January 2020 when it was trading for $8,807. Two years later you sell your Bitcoin in January 2022 when it was trading at $43,704 for $3,960.
In this scenario, the IVI is $1,000 while the FVI is $3,960. ROI = (FVI - IVI) / IVI * 100% translates to:
ROI = (3,960 - 1000) / 1000 * 100%
ROI = 296%
This equation is considered a base formula as it does not include additional factors like fees and expenses incurred when storing the asset. In order to establish the true ROI on your investment, you would need to determine what additional costs were incurred (transaction fees for example) and use the following formula:
ROI = (FVI - expenses - IVI) / IVI * 100%
Additional Elements To Consider When Calculating ROI
One thing that ROI does not factor in is the risk associated with the asset. For example, higher ROIs typically come with higher risks while assets with lower ROIs typically hold a much lower risk in terms of gaining returns.
This holds true in the crypto market where new coins can suddenly soar in price creating a strong ROI for those that invested early. However, this ROI data will not be the same for an investor that enters the market at a later stage, and the risk will be much greater. Be wary of analysts using ROI statistics in digital marketing to make far-fetched conclusions about an asset's future success. Always use Google as a tool to verify the information, particularly for smaller coins.
Another limitation of this approach is that time is not taken into consideration. For instance, if your investment appreciates from $100 to $150, the ROI will always be 50% whether this happened over one year or ten years. This issue can be solved by using another formula, known as the annualized ROI.
What Is Annualized ROI?
This method illustrates the standardized annual rate of return on investment by considering the investment's tenure, providing insight into the money an investment product has yielded over a certain period of time. This formula will calculate the investment's average performance each year over the entire period.
The formula for annualized ROI is Annualized ROI = ((1 ROI) 1/n - 1) * 100%. Here, n represents the number of years of the investment.
Using the latter example above, your $100 growing to $150 will present an annualized ROI of 50% for one year while the ten year annualized ROI is 4.14%. A substantial difference, and one you wouldn't pick up on from using the standard ROI formula.
What Is Bitcoin's ROI?
As the world's first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin has seen some incredible increases in price. Analysts often use the formulas outlined above for tracking the digital asset's short-term, medium-term, and longer-term ROI.
As of January 2022, these ROIs are calculated using the trading price of $43,834.36 (at the time of writing).
Short-term - 1 year (January 2021)
BTC Price: $33,922.96
ROI = (43,834.36 - 33,922.96) / 33,922.96 * 100%
ROI = 29.29%
Medium-term - 2 years (January 2020)
BTC Price: $8,807
ROI = (43,834.36 - 8,807) / 8,807 * 100%
ROI = 3,977.21%
Longer-term - 5 years (January 2017)
BTC Price: $818.41
ROI = (43,834.36 - 818.41) / 818.41 * 100%
ROI = 5,256.03%
These are wildly impressive results, particularly when compared to the traditional stock markets. Excuse us while we go question our personal ROIs for our crypto investments.
Bitcoin, and many other cryptocurrency markets, have seen a phenomenal influx of funds recently, with the overall market cap reaching just shy of $3 trillion. This bullish market presents an advantageous set-up to make money. Trading, while profitable, introduces an array of issues that may be hard for newbies to overcome.
If you are looking to make profits without the added risks then investing may be your best bet. But before you get into investing, there are some basic concepts you will need to grasp in order to make an informed decision. In this article, we're covering how to invest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and what the difference is between investing and trading.
Investing vs Trading
To make a long story short, investing refers to long-term holdings while trading refers to short-term holdings, both are seeking profits within the market.
Generally speaking, investors are after greater returns over a longer period of time while traders seek to draw smaller, more frequent returns from rising and falling markets in a much shorter time frame. Trading thrives off of volatile markets, whereas investing seeks more stable options for longer-term rewards. Both provide the opportunity for profits, but each has benefits and flaws of its own.
For newbies and those who have a more busy lifestyle, investing is the best option as it does not depend on your understanding and monitoring of market movements. Trading on the other hand is more of a career path, it requires considerably more time dedication, while also holding greater risk. As the saying goes, all traders should be investing but not all investors should be trading.
It's important to note that both investing and trading have their own tax regulations and it is on the individual to find out and adhere to these laws. Bank on paying taxes on any returns made, as a general rule of thumb, but always research the guidance information relevant to your jurisdiction, i.e. tax paid on crypto returns will vary from the UK to Germany.
Bitcoin vs Altcoins
Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency to come into existence, boasts an impressive market cap and is the highest valued cryptocurrency to date. After it launched in 2009, many cryptocurrencies followed suit and were coined "alternative coins" which soon became shortened to altcoins. While these originally focused on payment-centred cryptocurrencies, today the term altcoin essentially refers to any cryptocurrency that isn't Bitcoin.
When it comes to investing and Bitcoin vs altcoins, Bitcoin has proven to be the most valuable coin however there are plenty of small to medium cap markets that experience incredible growth. Consider Bitcoin's large price point to be a hindrance to short term investments, but more powerful in the long run.
To put it into perspective, data shows that if you invested $50,000 into Bitcoin when it was trading around $60,000, you would have to wait for Bitcoin to hit $120,000 before you double your investment. However, if you invested that same $50,000 into an altcoin when it was worth $1, it would only have to reach $2 for you to double your money which is a lot more likely than Bitcoin doubling in the same period. However, this doesn't ring true to all altcoins and one must always do thorough research before investing.
Altcoins come in all different shapes and sizes, some tackling industries from medical to real estate, all backed by the financial aspect of blockchain technology. Investing is about more than just profits, it is also about the project. Is it something you are interested in and could benefit from in the future? Is it something that could change the world for the better? Does it have real-world use cases?
All of these are factors to consider when planning to invest. The potential behind the project is oftentimes what secures it as a viable investment option, promising great opportunity for adoption, stability, and growth. At the end of the day, investing in altcoins requires a considerable amount of research.
Where And How To Invest
The first thing you need to consider is which exchange and wallet you will be using. Long term investments mean you need to find a platform you can trust to store your funds in a longer-term time frame. This is the key to securing your investment, rather than coming back a year or two later to discover your funds are gone.
Some people recommend companies offering hardware wallets to reinforce that investment "do not touch" mindset while others prefer web wallets that are more accessible. It's really up to you which platform you decide you go with, considering all the features and factors, your needs, and confirming your decision with your own research. Make sure to stay up to date on the platform you are storing your funds on to be alerted of any software upgrades, if any hacks occur or if a platform closure notice goes up.
At Tap, we have integrated a hyper-secure wallet into our mobile app, allowing anyone, anywhere to securely store their funds. We are licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and hold insurance of up to $100 million, ensuring the protection of your digital assets at all times. The mobile app also grants users access to a number of cryptocurrency markets, where you can freely buy, sell and manage your portfolio.
Final Thoughts
Investment as a term isn't a difficult concept to catch onto, but finding the right investment is the important part. It is always recommended that you do your own research, and in-depth analysis at that, and don't be scared to diversify your assets. The investment world is yours for the taking, so get out there and start building a lucrative investment portfolio.
FAQ
What is Bitcoin and how does it work?
Bitcoin is arguably this century's greatest innovation: a decentralised digital currency built on blockchain technology that allows for the transfer of value across the internet. This peer-to-peer digital cash system facilitates international payments at a fraction of the cost and time that fiat transactions of that nature take and are as simple as sending an email. Instead of being controlled and managed by banks or government entities, new coins are regularly entered into circulation through the process of mining. You can learn more about Bitcoin, blockchain transparency, and its lack of intermediaries from our guides.
Should I invest in Bitcoin?
As mentioned above, Bitcoin holds great market potential for both investors and traders. Since 2009, Bitcoin has performed well in terms of displaying strong ROIs, something most investors see as a benefit for future gains. However, investing in Bitcoin comes with its own risks that each individual should consider before entering the market. As a rule, never invest more than you are willing to lose.
Which are the three biggest cryptocurrencies?
Currently, based on market cap the three biggest cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether.
What are the alternatives to Bitcoin?
Alternatives to Bitcoin are referred to as altcoins. While there are thousands of cryptocurrencies on the market, not all are worth investing in. It's best to research each coin individually and weigh up the project before investing in it. Consider a cryptocurrency as a company, and purchasing coins as buying shares in the business.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for communication purposes only, you should not consider any such information, opinions or other material as financial advice. The information herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation to purchase/invest in any crypto assets and is not to be taken as a recommendation that any particular investment or trading approach is appropriate for any specific person. There is a possibility of risk in investing in crypto assets and investors are exposed to fluctuations in the crypto asset market. This communication should be read in conjunction with Tap's Terms and Conditions.
When used to using the traditional banking system, learning how to pay and get paid in crypto might sound daunting. While there are a lot of factors to consider, it’s really a lot more simple than one might imagine.
Below we’re taking a look at the advantages of using digital currency to pay and get paid, and how to go about doing this safely and securely.
The first proper use case of blockchain as we know it today was money. Bitcoin was designed as a decentralized digital means of transacting value at a faster and cheaper rate than traditional fiat currencies. Over a decade later and this still remains the case for digital assets.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin allow individuals to be paid quickly and simply regardless of where they are in the world. However, crypto operates in a very different way to traditional banking systems, which means you'll need to understand your way around it first.
The Advantages of Using Crypto Payroll Services
The nature of cryptocurrencies allows crypto payroll services to offer several benefits for both employers and employees, particularly when the parties are located in different countries. The advantages are in part because there is no middleman concerned when using virtual currencies, which results in lower transaction fees, faster transaction speeds, and higher dependability.
The Advantages of Digital Currencies for Businesses
Small enterprises face intense rivalry from bigger businesses in a global economy. Small companies, particularly in the tech space, may lack local expertise making foreign job markets more attractive.
It’s often the case that those skills are available remotely, and often at a much better price, but accessing remote workers can be difficult, mostly due to the problems of sending money overseas. This can be a costly, time-consuming and unreliable process.
Some workers with the right skills simply won’t have access to the banking infrastructure or services that allow them to accept money from overseas employers.
This is where cryptocurrencies come in. You can use Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies to access the international gig economy of digital nomads and highly-trained specialists.
Because cryptocurrency allows you to transfer funds at a significantly lower cost than traditional services, you won't have to worry about one person having to pay the costs of remittance, which can be costly when using conventional money transmission platforms.
No matter how much money you’re sending, Bitcoin transaction fees are considerably lower than fiat currency, typically less than $1, allowing businesses to outsource small jobs or split a project into smaller parts. This can ensure that all parts of the project are given to a contractor who has the right skills and is a good fit for your firm.
The Advantages of Digital Currency for Individuals
There are several benefits to accepting crypto payments, which might even outweigh the advantages for businesses (which, of course, makes implementing Bitcoin payroll procedures a lucrative option for organizations that need to hire remotely).
- First and foremost, getting paid in crypto is faster and more efficient than international fiat payments. Cutting out days, foreign exchange charges and hefty fees, crypto transactions are settled in a matter of minutes for a fraction of the cost.
- Accepting crypto allows the individual to accept remote work, allowing for a greater scope of projects and companies. Working with companies with no geographical borders can present some incredible opportunities, more of which revolve around better income and more exciting projects.
- Working with cryptocurrency transactions allows for small amounts of money, whereas previously with fiat currency the charges would be too high to do so. This allows the individual to take on many small jobs across a range of businesses or interests.
- As some cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, provide a strong store of value, this allows users the chance to be more flexible with their funds, perhaps storing crypto assets away as savings (cryptocurrency holdings) which in time will ideally grow. Some crypto platforms, like Tap, even allow users to pay bills using their crypto balances.
The Legal Status Of Crypto Payments (and capital gains tax)
While Bitcoin transactions are completely secure, fast, and inexpensive, there is one element one will need to consider, and that is the legal status of cryptocurrencies in one’s jurisdiction.
Most nations have favorable regulations in place when it comes to receiving, sending and storing cryptocurrencies, however, it differs from country to country so it is important to check this prior to diving right in.
On top of that, one must check the tax obligations relevant to your jurisdiction. Some countries treat crypto salaries as taxable income, while other countries treat it as capital gains tax. Check with a professional in your area should you need to.
How To Pay With Bitcoin
If you’re looking to pay employees in Bitcoin you will first need to get Bitcoin. You can acquire the cryptocurrency in one of three ways: mining, buying or receiving it as part of your business’ income. Depending on the services your company provides, it is most likely that you will need to buy Bitcoin before paying workers, which you can do conveniently and securely through Tap.
When you pay your workers with cryptocurrency payments, you will send them a dollar-equivalent amount of Bitcoin, relevant to the price of Bitcoin at the time of transfer. For example, if the price of Bitcoin is $50,000 and you owe them $2,500, you will need to send them 0.05 BTC.
Most exchanges will calculate this for you, showing the current dollar/crypto exchange rates. Tap also ensures that users receive the best price on the market at any given time through smart trade technology.
How To Get Paid In Cryptocurrency
For contractors who want to get paid in Bitcoin or other digital currencies, the approach is much the same only in reverse. However, you’ll need to consider what you want to do with the cryptocurrency you receive, and how you will store it.
Tap provides the perfect solution to both options as you can securely store your Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in the wallet provided, while also being able to use your crypto or fiat balance to pay fiat bank accounts and municipal bills and make other payments.
Receiving and sending crypto is simple. All you need to do is open your Tap app, select the cryptocurrency you would like to receive and locate the relevant wallet address. Share this with your employer and the funds will be deposited directly into your account. Yes, it's really this easy.
In Conclusion
There are several advantages for businesses that pay their employees or freelancers in Bitcoin, as well as contractors who want to get paid in Bitcoin. These include fast, low-cost, and secure transactions regardless of where the parties are located, as well as access to a global market of employment and labor.
It's the perfect way to optimize operations, lower expenses, and find the best man for the job.
While cryptocurrencies have been around for over a decade we continue to learn and observe new things in the market to this day. Over the years many trading patterns have been repeated, regulation has changed the nature of the game and of course, volatile price movements have played out.
While this sounds unpredictable and scary, it has also allowed trading analysts to observe the cyclical nature of these activities. This information allowed investors and customers to better understand the crypto market cycles, and more importantly, use them to their advantage.
In this article, we'll show you how to not only understand the crypto market cycles but how to identify and use them to your advantage.
What are market cycles?
Reaching beyond the cryptocurrency market and across a wide range of assets, market cycles are no stranger to stocks, commodities, etc. They are regular occurrences and can be summarised as the stages in between the all-time high and the low of a market. Whether trading traditional stocks, money, or assets built on blockchain technology, market cycles are prevalent across the board.
The length of a market cycle can vary and will depend on what style of trading one is conducting (short term/long term) however they are always categorised by four main components. These phases in the cycle are categorized by the accumulation, markup, distribution, and markdown phases and will be outlined based on analysis and research below.
The four phases of a market cycle
1. Accumulation phase
This takes place when the market has reached a low and prices have flattened. While many view this as a negative stage in the market cycle, many others (particularly ones with experience in the crypto market) view it as a prime time to buy the asset. When traders accumulate the undervalued asset, this is referred to as "buying the dip" and is often a lucrative endeavour.
These low price swings are often paired with a lot of indecision in the market as weak hands exit the market and long term traders enter it, representing a period of consolidation. This typically happens before an uptrend. The accumulation phase is over when the market sentiment moves from a negative stance to a neutral one. During this phase, a lot of money is both entering and leaving the market at the same time.
2. The markup phase
As the sentiment shifts, the market begins to climb and more stability takes shape. Typically more experienced traders will continue buying, further igniting the bullish trend, and in turn saturating the crypto's buying power. This will eventually fuel FOMO, drawing many buyers into the market and in turn pushing up the price.
As the market greed increases and trading volumes spike, the markup phase will see high-profile investors begin to sell. This slows the price increases and causes a pullback in the market. As the accumulation phase saw a move from negative to neutral sentiments, the markup phase represents a shift from neutral to bullish to euphoria.
3. Distribution phase
With the price reaching its peak, the mixture of sellers and buyers send the market into sideways trading. The sentiment is a combination of greed, fear and hope as some believe the market could spontaneously surge again. Typically, the distribution phase is coloured with many bullish price indicators such as head and shoulder trading patterns and double or triple tops, however, the sentiment will eventually shift to a negative space, easily triggered by bad news.
The distribution phase can take place over a short period of time, or last months on end, depending on the number of consolidations, breakouts, and pullbacks and is known to be the phase with the highest levels of volatility. The distribution phase will witness the sentiment turning negative.
4. The markdown phase
The markdown phase is the fourth and final phase in the market cycle and can be the most upsetting for inexperienced traders caught off guard. While some traders might sell at a loss, others maintain their positions looking to leverage a later phase of the next cycle.
The markdown phase sees a decline in price and is a strong indicator that a bottom is approaching. When the price reaches half of its peak value there is generally another mass sell-off, driving the downtrend further into the red. The sentiment is unequivocally negative.
Example of a crypto market cycle
Looking at the Bitcoin network, many traders believe the cycles revolve around the halvings. Bitcoin halvings are when the miners' rewards for mining a new block are reduced by half, which takes place every 210,000 blocks (roughly every 4 years).
To date, three Bitcoin halvings have taken place, each one instigating a bull run in months to follow. The most recent halving took effect on 11 May 2020, when the BTC price was trading at $8,600. Just 7 months later the price reached $40,000 for the first time in history, setting off a string of all-time high records. To date, the highest Bitcoin price that has been reached is $68,789.63 in November 2021 but went on to lose 40% of its value over the next two months.
Market cycles are based on the cryptocurrency's overall trading patterns and not on any exchange activity. In a perfect world, the cryptocurrency's trading patterns will reflect the four phases mentioned above in this set order, allowing a set amount of time between transitions.
With time, crypto customers will be able to identify these phases, allowing any individual to build strategies around when to open or close a position, leading to the best trade result. While there is still risk involved, understanding the data surrounding the cyclical nature of trading patterns will assist in getting the best out of a digital asset project.
Crypto supercycles
Crypto supercycles are a unique phenomenon in the blockchain industry. They involve price fluctuations across the entire crypto market, influenced by the increasing adoption of blockchain technology. This concept is more speculative than concrete, lacking well-defined parameters. It revolves around factors like the rise of institutional investors and retail adoption. Opinions vary regarding the existence of the supercycle (notably, Bitcoin's value has surged more than fivefold in a year). This market cycle stands out for its series of all-time highs, with minimal significant or lasting declines. Irrespective of the presence of a crypto supercycle, individuals can consider capitalizing on the market cycle by purchasing Bitcoin during the accumulation phase as prices gain traction after hitting a low point.
For those keen on comprehending crypto trading cycles, it's prudent to formulate a personal strategy for navigating diverse market cycles, as mentioned earlier. Analyzing market trends and patterns has the potential to be rewarding. While some individuals pursue day trading and financial services as a full-time occupation, studying the markets and their behaviors can in some instance also be a profitable part-time pursuit.