Learning the friendly way

Stocks are essentially shares in a company that the company sells to shareholders in order to raise money. Shareholders are then entitled to dividends if the company succeeds, and might also receive voting rights when the company makes big decisions (depending on the company).

What are stocks?

Stocks play an important role in the global economy, assisting both companies (in raising capital) and individuals (in potentially earning returns). Traders can buy and sell stocks through stock trades facilitated by various stock exchanges. The stock price is determined by supply and demand, largely influenced by the company's success and media representation.

These "units of ownership" are sold through exchanges, like Nasdaq or the London Stock Exchange, under the guidance of regulatory bodies, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States. These regulatory bodies set specific regulations on how companies can distribute and manage their stocks.

What are the different types of stocks?

There are two types of stocks, common stocks and preferred stocks, as outlined below.

Common Stock

Shareholders of common stock typically have voting rights, where each shareholder has one vote per share. This might grant them access to attending annual general meetings and being able to vote on corporate issues like electing people to the board, stock splits, or general company strategy.

Preferred Stock

For investors more interested in stability and receiving regular payments rather than voting on corporate issues, preferred stocks are often the security of choice. Preferred stock are shares that provide dividends but without the voting rights. Like bonds, there are a number of features that make them attractive investments. For example, many companies include clauses allowing them to repurchase shares at an agreed-upon price.

Stocks vs bonds

Although both stocks and bonds signify an investment, they vary in how they operate. With bonds, you're essentially lending money to the government or a company and collecting interest as a return. While with stocks you're buying part-ownership of a company. Another key difference is that bondholders usually have more protection than stockholders do.

In contrast to stocks, bonds are not normally traded on an exchange, but rather over the counter (the investor has to deal straight with the issuing company, government, or other entity).

Stocks vs futures and options

Futures and Options contrast stocks in that they are derivatives; their value is reliant on other assets like commodities, shares, currencies, and so on. They are contracts established off the volatility of underlying assets instead of ownership of the asset itself.

Stocks vs cryptocurrencies

While stocks provide a unit of ownership in a company, cryptocurrencies are digital assets that operate on a network. Cryptocurrencies are decentralized, meaning that no one entity is in charge, while stocks are shares in companies that are heavily centralized and held accountable for their price movements. Both the stock price and the price of cryptocurrencies are determined through supply and demand.

Another key difference is that stocks are regulated while, at present, cryptocurrencies are not.

Where did stock trading originate?

The first recorded instance of stock-like instruments being used was by the Romans as a way to involve their citizens in public works. Businesses contracted by the state would sell an instrument similar to a share to raise money for different ventures. This method was called 'lease holding.'

The 1600s gave rise to the East India Company (EIC), which is considered by many the first joint-stock company in history. The EIC increased its notoriety by trading various commodities in the Indian Ocean region. Today, we see the limited liability company (LLC) as a watered-down version of the joint-stock company.

How does the stock market work?

The 'stock market’ is an umbrella term that refers to the various exchanges where stocks in public companies are bought, sold, and traded.

The stock market is composed of similar yet different investment opportunities that allow investors to buy and sell stocks, these are called "stock exchanges." The best-known exchanges in the United States are the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Nasdaq, Better Alternative Trading System (BATS), and the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE).

Together, these organizations form what we call the U.S. stock market. Other financial instruments like commodities, bonds, derivatives, and currencies are also traded on the stock market.

An example: the New York Stock Exchange

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest equity exchange in the world, and it has a long and rich history. Established in 1792, it was originally known as the "Buttonwood Agreement" between 24 stockbrokers who gathered at 68 Wall Street to sign an agreement that called for the trading of securities in an organized manner.

Since then, the NYSE has become a global leader in financial markets, with more than 2,400 companies listed and nearly $26.2 trillion in market capitalization. The exchange has an average daily trade volume of $123 billion.

Investing in common stock or preferred stock on the NYSE can be done through a broker or online stock trading platform. When trading on the NYSE, investors have access to a wide range of products and services, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds).

Investors can also take advantage of the numerous benefits that come with trading on the NYSE, such as access to real-time information and the ability to buy and sell quickly. The trading platform is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Terminology associated with the stock market

• Broker: A broker is someone who buys and sells assets on behalf of another person, charging a commission for their services.
• Stockholders equity: The value of a company's stock can be better understood by this metric, which is the company's assets remaining after all bills are covered (liabilities).
• Stock splits: Conducting a stock split is one way that companies make their stocks more accessible to investors. Although it won't change the market capitalization or value of shares, it will increase the number available.
• Short selling: If an investor wants to bet on a stock's price going down, they can take a "short" position. To do this, they must borrow the stock from either a broker or a financial institution.
• Blue-chip stocks: Companies that are large and have a lot of capital typically fall into the blue-chip category. They usually trade on famous stock exchanges, like the NYSE or Nasdaq.
• Pink sheet stocks: 'Penny' or 'pink-sheet' stocks are those that trade below the $5 threshold and are typically OTC (over the counter). These can be high risk.
• Buying on margin: Buying on margin is using borrowed money to buy stocks, bonds, or other investments in the hopes of making big returns and paying off the loan.
• Market order: When placing an order for a trade, the investor needs to pick from several types of orders. A market order is executed at whatever the next price is, which can be risky if there's a big gap between what buyers and sellers are offering.
• Limit order: A limit order is an order to buy or sell a security at a specified price, with a maximum amount decided on before executing the trade.
• Stop order: A stop order, also referred to as a stop-loss order, is an order placed with a broker to buy or sell once the stock reaches a predetermined price.

In conclusion: what is stock?

Shares, or stock, are units of fractional ownership in a company that investors buy to gain capital appreciation and tap into a company's earnings if the company's stock pay dividends. Companies, through listing their stock on an exchange, can raise capital to further develop the business.

Stock is traded on an exchange, and the stock prices are determined by supply and demand.

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This leading top 5 cryptocurrency has made waves throughout the crypto industry and remains the top favorite stablecoin on the market. With often times the biggest trading volume in a day, Tether has established itself as an integral part of the crypto industry. Let's unpack more about the digital currency, Tether.  

Since the advent of digital internet money, there has been a wide growth in usage as well as outcry over the dangers of using this form of currency. While more traditional investors scorn the volatility associated with cryptocurrency markets, many other communities around the world have for the first time been able to access financial services, only needing an internet connection instead of lengthy bank account applications.

When it comes to the underlying security and transparency that digital currencies can provide, it directly tackles an infringing problem that the traditional currency markets regularly deal with. While many claim Bitcoin, and digital currencies in general, to be "risky" and a bubble, the truth is that the new age payment services have brought a multitude of results to an outdated system.

What Is Tether (USDT)?

Tether (USDT) is a cryptocurrency pegged to the US dollar, otherwise known as a stablecoin. Stablecoins hold the value of the fiat currency or commodity they are pegged to on a one-to-one ratio. Tether is the world's first stablecoin, originally launched for trade in 2014 under the name Realcoin.

While Tether was initially launched on the Omni Layer on the Bitcoin blockchain, it has since become compatible with a number of other blockchains, including Ethereum, TRON, EOS, Algorand, Solana, and the OMG Network.

A stablecoin requires the circulatory supply to be matched by funds stored in a reserve account. Tether uses a combination of commercial paper, deposits, cash, reserve repo notes, and treasury bills to maintain the circulating value. In the past there has been some speculation regarding Tether's backing, however, this has not affected the stablecoin's increasing popularity and buying power.

The core concept of Tether is to provide a digital asset with a stable market price that can harness the power of blockchain technology and the benefits of cryptocurrencies without incurring any of the volatility associated. You can visit the Tether site to gain a more thorough understanding of the intricacies of the coin.

What's The Value Of Tether?

While most cryptocurrencies have a value attached to their specific supply and demand, stablecoins are pegged to a fiat currency or commodity. This means that the value will remain consistent with the value of the fiat currency or commodity it is pegged to, generally this is on a 1:1 ratio.

For the case of Tether, the value will always reflect that of 1 US dollar. While the value remains the same, it is necessary to report that the stablecoin has managed to become one of the most widely traded cryptocurrencies on the market.

Who Created Tether?

As mentioned above Tether was initially called Realcoin when it was launched in 2014 and was created by Bitcoin investor Brock Pierce, entrepreneur Reeve Collins and software developer, Craig Sellars. It later changed its name to USTether, eventually settling on USDT.  

All three co-founders have profound experience within the crypto industry, each co-founding and actively involved in several cryptocurrency and blockchain projects.

The business has also created a number of other stablecoins solving the volatility problem across numerous markets, notably a Euro-pegged Tether coin (EURT), a Chinese Yuan-pegged Tether coin (CNHT), and a gold-pegged Tether coin (XAUT).  

How Does Tether Work?

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Tether does not have a blockchain of its own on which it operates. Instead, it operates as a second-layer token on top of other already establish blockchains, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, EOS, Tron, Algorand, Bitcoin Cash and OMG.  

Tether still functions like any other cryptocurrency, being stored and maintained through wallets specific to the blockchain it is built on. Note that you cannot send USDT built on the Ethereum blockchain to a Tron-based wallet, it must remain on the relevant, same blockchains. The result of this would be lost coins.

The circulating supply of Tether is required to always be backed by the same amount of US dollars held in a reserve account. These reserves can also be made up of other real-world cash equivalents, assets, and receivables from loans.

Providing a stable digital currency in an otherwise relatively volatile market, Tether allows users to make USD trades, both internationally and locally, without any concerns over price movements. It also provides a valuable hedge against markets experiencing sudden or dramatic price dips.  

What Is USDT?

USDT is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar on a 1:1 ratio. Created under the Tether brand, USDT is the most widely used stablecoin on the market today. There is an infinite supply of USDT available, with roughly 72.5 billion in circulation at the time of writing.  

USDT provides a safe haven for investors when markets go through major downward price trends, offering a stable price to move the value to without having to liquidate the digital assets to cash.  

How Can I Buy USDT?

Easily add Tether (USDT) to your crypto portfolio using the Tap mobile trading app. Access various crypto markets and store your digital assets in our integrated wallets. Manage your portfolio on-the-go and seize the potential of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Join Tap today for a seamless crypto experience.

The Graph is making the process of interacting with blockchains much simpler by streamlining the building of new apps and the process of tracking valuable data, powering the growth of DeFi and Web3 platforms. The platform allows developers to provide improved user experience across the board, as opposed to having to create custom back-end infrastructure for each application.

The Graph indexes blockchain data in a unique and decentralized way which allows for the seamless querying and retrieving of data that is easily accessible and can be adopted by many. The platform's contribution to the global DeFi and Web3 infrastructure will be felt in years to come.

What is The Graph?

The Graph is a unique decentralized protocol that utilizes DLT (decentralized ledger technology) and the powerful GraphQL programming language to enable blockchain data collection without relying on third parties. The cutting-edge technology makes it simpler than ever before to index, organize, and query blockchain data information with remarkable accuracy and speed.

The Graph provides indexing and querying services that are compatible with networks like Ethereum, IPFS and PAO, with more to come in the future. The infrastructure can then organize data through the hosted service and implement automated workflow processes through open APIs, called subgraphs in The Graph ecosystem.

This indexing protocol resolves the issue of querying data security, chain reorganization, and other related matters with the subgraphs.

The launch of The Graph mainnet marked a milestone in creating entirely decentralized applications compatible with an expansive network of service providers. With these open, public subgraphs, developers can now build thousands of dapps on the network, with hundreds already hosted by The Graph mainnet. This allows for secure blockchain data access making the world far more connected than ever before.

The Graph (GRT) successfully raised $12 million from a public token sale and an additional $7.5 million from a private round funded by Coinbase Ventures, Digital Currency Group, and Framework Ventures including Multicoin Capital's investment of $2.5 million.

How is The Graph network secured?

The Graph mainnet is powered by nodes, while indexers, curators, delegators, and consumers use GRT tokens to ensure the integrity of the data secured within the network. GRT is The Graph network's native cryptocurrency which helps to assign resources within its ecosystem. All network participants are required to stake GRT in order to perform their roles, and in return can earn fees from the network.

The Graph Foundation offers the network participants coordination and support while steering and growing the ecosystem. The foundation is financially and legally accountable to The Graph Council, which oversees governance decisions.

Who created The Graph platform?

Driven by his firsthand experience of how hard it is to create new dapps on Ethereum, Yaniv Tal joined forces with Brandon Ramirez and Jannis Pohlmann in 2018 to form The Graph team. The Graph aims were to design the world's first decentralized indexing and querying application that could make Web3 and dapp creation accessible to anyone. This vision included the ability to build immutable APIs with the GraphQP query language. 

The three co-founders previously launched a developer tools startup together sharing a common interest in optimizing API stacks. All with engineering backgrounds, Yaniv Tal acts as project lead, Brandon Ramirez is the research lead and Jannis Pohlmann the tech lead.

The Graph launched on December 17, 2020.

How does The Graph protocol work?

By leveraging the Graph Protocol, developers and users can open APIs to build subgraphs for a variety of applications. In April 2021 alone, The Graph’s hosted service managed 20 billion queries - further demonstrating its power in data indexing, querying data, and its collection of data.

The Graph node sustains the whole system, scanning through the blockchain database to organize and index data. The platform's structure is centered around delegators, indexes, curators, and consumers, who use GRT tokens to participate in the network. 

Indexers - Graph node operators

With staked GRT, indexers can provide querying and indexing services to the network, earning query fees and rewards for their efforts. They are also responsible for running node software providing a vital part of The Graph ecosystem that grants access to data stored on Ethereum or other supported networks at lightning speed. Indexers are the most technical positions within the ecosystem.

Curators - identity blockchain data sources

Curators are responsible for developing subgraphs (open APIs are called subgraphs on the network) and signaling to indexers which ones should be indexed by the network. They also identify the most reliable data sources using their knowledge of the blockchain ecosystem, consumers and apps.

To incentivize the quality of their data sourcing, curators are required to deposit GRT into a bonding curve on specific existing subgraphs, earning a portion of the query fees for the subgraphs they signal on. The earlier a curator signals on a subgraph the higher the share of query fees they earn, dependent on the amount of GRT deposited. 

Curators are semi-technical positions within the ecosystem as they require an understanding of open data. As an example, say a new DeFi subgraph appears and a curator thinks it looks promising. They can signal on the subgraph so that indexers recognize its potential and make it discoverable for dapp developers. In return, curators receive a portion of query fees for being among the first to spot it.

Delegators - securing the network

Delegators are non-technical contributors to the network and are responsible for securing the network without running a node. They select indexers based on performance metrics and delegate GRT to indexers via the Graph Explorer dapp, earning a portion of the query fees and indexing rewards in return. 

Consumers - end-users

Consumers are the end-users of The Graph and are the ones who query subgraphs and pay fees to indexers, curators, and delegators for their services. These query fees are paid through gateways or wallets that are built on top of the open-source contracts on the network. 

What is GRT on The Graph network?

The Graph (GRT) is an ERC-20 token and the native token to The Graph network. The coin is integral to the reward system created to benefit indexers, curators, and delegators, which incentives them to improve the market and network operations. 

Delegators can delegate their GRT holdings to Indexers, who use locked GRT to power the nodes on The Graph network. Curators receive a reward in the form of GRT for providing curation services and consumers pay using GRT to access indexing services. Additionally, unlocking dapps available through The Graph network as well as interoperable networks is done by using GRT tokens. 

Participants of the network earn money by receiving The Graph GRT tokens, which have a market value when traded on the cryptocurrency market.

10 billion GRT were created when the project launched, with an annual issuance rate of 3% for indexing rewards. The platform then burns the withdrawal tax that curators are charged as well as 1% of the total query fees. All issuance formalities are subject to future technical governance. At the time of writing, the current circulating supply of GRT was 6,9 billion. 

How can I buy The Graph (GRT) tokens?

It's now easier than ever to add GRT to your crypto portfolios with the convenient Tap app. The mobile app has recently introduced The Graph among the list of its supported currencies, enabling anyone to effortlessly and safely access this crypto market anytime. Get ready for a whole new level of trading experience.

GRT can be bought, sold or stored thought the wallets integrated into the platform make it easy for users to organize and manage their GRT tokens safely.

While this is an outline of the project we encourage all users to conduct their own research before tapping into any cryptocurrencies or assets in the global economy.

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The world we are living in is constantly evolving, finding new ways to embrace technology and the impact it can have on our future. From struggling to get a man on the moon to billionaires casually flying up into space, we have come a long way from what was once only dreams.

One thing that has been on peoples' minds for a while is our integration into a more VR-compatible world. If you have seen the movie "Ready Player One" then you know what we are talking about. Although augmented reality and VR is not as inclusive as it could be yet, it offers an escape from our realities via the internet.

Buying a VR headset and visiting Japan would be much cheaper than plane tickets, accommodation, and money for food. This once-off price for VR has provided a new dream for many of us, and there are a few companies taking advantage of this demand in the market. 

The Metaverse explained 

Although Metaverse is closely tied to Facebook, now called Meta, the term was first coined in the 1992 novel Snow Crash by author Neal Stephenson. The novel followed a dystopic future where people spend most of their time in a virtual reality metaverse. Why Facebook would base their project on a dystopian novel is a question we can't answer. Facebook isn't even the first company to embrace a "VR universe", we have seen game providers such as Epic Games host VR concerts on their platforms, such as the Travis Scott performance.

We have also seen games like Second Life become increasingly popular as social contact has become limited in past years due to the pandemic, providing a relatively safe virtual world for people to interact. While these platforms have come close, nothing compares to what the Metaverse has in store. 

"Meta" relates to the Greek origin for the word beyond, while "Verse" is associated with the word universe, meaning beyond universe. The core concept of this idea is to create a virtual reality world, giving us access to everything in our world and beyond. From buying to selling to gaming, to human interactions, and more. There is no limit to how far the Metaverse can go.

The Metaverse could provide a way for humans to experience more at a reduced price and easier access, whether that be school education or leisure activities. In its basic form, the Metaverse is a way for people to integrate into a virtual world and perform complex interactions.

What to expect 

While Facebook, or Meta, has not definitively laid out their plans for the Metaverse and all the more intricate details, there are some things we can expect. So using some creative freedom, basic expectations, and what has been confirmed, these are 5 things you can expect from the Metaverse: 

Virtual reality: The most obvious feature we can expect from the Metaverse is that it will be based in a virtual reality world, or universe, accessible through VR-compatible devices. 

Workspaces: Another feature to expect is a workspace, whether it be to motivate people, or board rooms designed for teams to have talks, we are sure the Metaverse is making space for work. 

Events: We have already seen other platforms host virtual events, this is surely something we will see popping up in the Metaverse. Expect concerts, conferences, and more. 

Games: There has already been some confirmation of VR games entering the Metaverse, we may not be sure what games yet, but it would be a waste not to include a community already interested in VR gaming. 

Retail purchasing: The Metaverse is geared up and ready to take on retail, whether that be allowing people to buy things through the Metaverse for delivery, or to use on the Metaverse. We can expect VR clothing and merch to be a big feature. 

This is just the basics, we believe, with so much more to still be conceptualized and confirmed. The Metaverse, while exciting, holds more praise in its potential than its progress as of yet. Hopefully we will see more fun additions, maybe some VR Disney Worlds or skiing trips down Mount Everest, who knows? 

Things you might still be wondering about the Metaverse

Now that you know the basics of what a Metaverse is and what to expect from the Facebook Metaverse let delve into some other topics. These are the most frequently asked questions associated with the Metaverse:

Is Metaverse just VR?

Not necessarily, we have seen Metaverse-adjacent projects run their virtual worlds without the use of VR or VR headsets. In short, the Metaverse offered by Facebook is being launched as a Virtual Reality world, but that doesn't mean all will be. 

Do you need Occulas for Metaverse?

The device of choice, or choices, has not been announced as of yet. We expect the Facebook Metaverse to offer more than one option point for accessibility. 

Is Roblox a Metaverse?

At its core basics, yes, it is a virtual world with a variety of interaction options such as retail, socializing, and gaming. 

Who owns the Metaverse?

No one person owns the Metaverse, there are multiple companies working to launch their versions of a Metaverse. There is currently no patent on the term or concept yet, although we may see features patented in the future. 

Is Decentraland a Metaverse?

At its core basics, yes, it is a virtual world with a variety of interaction options such as retail, socializing, and gaming.  

Why is the Metaverse good?

We have highlighted some points, but let's break them down again. It is generally cheaper for some experiences, it is accessible to the world, it's another way for the world to connect, and it's an advancement of technology. There is more, but these are the main focal points. 

In Conclusion 

The Metaverse, whether that be Facebooks' version or another, is a very exciting thing. There are so many possibilities, and ways it can better the world. Virtual protests anyone can join, recovery programs or groups, being able to go to your favorite artist's concert without flying thousands of miles, and more.

The possibilities truly are endless, and we are privileged to be able to be a part of the building's progress. A virtual world, or universe, may have some risks associated with it, but we also see plenty of potential for good. The positives and negatives of the Metaverse are going to vary, from platform to platform, depending on what the company has in store.

While the Facebook Metaverse may be the most mainstream at the moment, there are and will be better Metaverses such as the Microsoft one rising soon enough. So stay tuned as the Metaverse is brought to reality.

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The stock market is a collective term for stock exchanges around the world. On these exchanges buyers and sellers can trade shares in publicly traded companies, known as stock. Similar to an auction, buyers can name the highest price they're willing to pay, known as the "bid", and sellers can name the lowest price they're willing to accept, known as the "ask". The trade will typically execute somewhere between these two figures.

The stock market exists across the world with stock exchanges situated in New York and Hong Kong, connecting traders through a mutual set of guidelines. Learn more about the role of stockbrokers, portfolio managers, and investors as we take a deep dive into the entire stock market.
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What is the stock market?

The stock market can also be referred to as the equities market or share market. As mentioned above, the stock market encompases buyers and sellers of stocks of publically traded companies. Similar to a farmer's market, the stock market forms a base where buyers and sellers can exchange things. Unlike farmer's markets, however, stock markets are heavily regulated and more complex, with prices known to change quickly.
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The primary functions that the stock market serves

• The buying of stocks: Both retail investors and institutional investors can purchase shares of companies.
• The selling of stocks: every trade needs a buyer and seller.
• The issuance of stocks: A company raising money may do so by selling a portion of ownership via an initial public offering (IPO). If the company is already public, it can raise money through a secondary public offering. After the individual stocks are issued in either case, it can be bought by or sold to members of the general public.
• Trades are typically placed by stockbrokers on behalf of individual investors or portfolio managers.

The primary market is when companies list their shares, while the secondary market is where investors trade these stocks. The secondary market is essentially the stock exchange where stock trading takes place.

It's not just stocks that can be bought and sold on the stock market. Other types of securities, such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or REITs, are also traded on the stock market (with some discrepancies in how they're priced and traded).

Around the world, there are 60 major stock exchanges, each varying in size and trading volume. In the United States, for instance, there are 13 different exchanges that make up the stock market, the most popular ones being the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.
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How does the stock market work?

The primary function of the stock market is to bring together buyers and sellers so they can trade stocks and other financial instruments. The price is set much like an auction would be.

Bid price

• Buyers determine the bid price. Stockbrokers can bid on the price they're willing to buy a stock for, and the highest price becomes known as the "Best Bid."

Ask price

• Sellers determine the ask price. When an owner of the stock or their stockbroker wants to sell, they place what's called an ask, which is the price that they would like to sell a stock for. The lowest prices become known as the "Best Ask."

The negotiation between the Best Bid and Best Ask is called the “Spread.” The two sides agree to meet somewhere in the middle, and the person who executes the trade gets paid by taking the difference.

As you follow a stock, you’ll notice the share price moves. The stock's price is always changing depending on how many people are buying or selling it and the number of trades that it goes through. As economic, political, and news stories specific to a company affect the movement of markets in general, that company's stock prices can change too as a result. This is known as stock market volatility.
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Is trading on stock exchanges risky?

As with any investment pursuit, trading the stock market for both short-term and long-term periods carries a level of risk. Being prepared by knowing that stocks can increase or decrease dramatically at a moment's notice will allow you to prepare for such events in your trading strategy.

In some cases, stock prices can decrease to zero, losing all their value and resulting in a total loss of capital for the investor. While this is an extreme case, making the necessary precautions in one's trading strategy will go a long way.
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Is the stock market and stock exchange regulated?

Yes, as the stock market handles trillions of dollars, government organizations around the world have been called in to regulate these markets. In the U.S. for example the SEC (US Securities and Exchange Commission) has been granted the authority by Congress to regulate the stock market because they handle such a large amount of money. Other countries have similar organizations that regulate and enforce different laws.

Regulators are responsible for:

• Safeguarding the investments of the general public
• Promoting a sense of equality and fairness
• Keeping markets running smoothly
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Who are the main players in the stock market?

Below are the main players contributing to how the stock market works:

• Retail investors
• Buy or sell individual stocks through a brokerage account. When you place an order, it’s sent to exchanges where the trades are executed.
• Stockbrokers
• “Registered representatives” who have completed professional training and passed a licensing exam and are allowed to buy and sell securities on behalf of investors. Stockbrokers work for brokerages, which can either make their money through markups/markdowns or commissions on trades (known as principals or agents respectively). Fees are often charged by the brokerage to customers that use them to place orders and execute stock trades.
• Portfolio managers
• Portfolio managers are stockbrokers on a grander scale as they buy and sell stocks through large orders as they manage larger stock portfolios. These might include mutual funds, retirement funds, and pension funds, which contain a bundle of securities (stocks, bonds, etc) that are handled by the portfolio manager.
• Investment bankers
• Help companies list their shares publicly on exchanges.
  

Who makes up the stock market ecosystem?

To better understand how the stock market works you will need to understand the varying components that make up the primary market. Investors buying and selling stock make up the biggest component of the stock market, however, there are plenty of middlemen acting between those buyers and sellers earning money by providing services to them. Below are some examples:

• The stock exchanges charge a small transaction fee and listing fee to the companies that offer their shares on the exchange.
• Agents are the middlemen connecting the buyers with sellers. For connecting each side of the transaction they take a commission.
• Principals are broker-dealer firms that manage a portfolio of shares they're willing to sell. Broker-dealers usually earn a profit by adding a markup to stocks they sell and charge investors less than the full value when buying stock. For example, have you ever noticed how much more car dealerships will sell cars for versus what they offered to pay you for your old one? Brokerages do something similar with stocks.
• Retail investors are people who invest for themselves, and not as part of their job, are retail investors. These individuals manage their own stocks (or other assets) through personal accounts with brokerages.
• Custodians. Brokerage firms use custodians to physically hold stocks, which is seen as less of a risk in terms of loss, theft, or damage. For doing so they charge a fee.
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What is the history of the stock market?

The original concept of the stock market is the opportunity for a company to divide its ownership, known as equity, and sell it to investors. This practice dates back hundreds of years to the 1600s where European explorers would raise money for their ventures by selling shares in the company.

Investors would then get a cut of the explorer's missions, whether it be bringing back foreign spices or animal hides. The Dutch East India Company was a pioneer in this movement, selling shares in exchange for future profits on Amsterdam's stock exchange.

A century later and the first modern stock exchange was launched in London. Due to a high amount of fraud and minimal information on the company available to the public, the London Stock Exchange was created in 1773 which provided a consistent and fair platform on which to trade stocks.

Across the pond in 1790 the first stock exchange was formed in Philidelphia, followed shortly after by the New York Stock Exchange. Fast forward to modern days and the NYSE now provides both digital trading and a physical trading floor on Wall Street, the latter of which is a National Historic Landmark.

Nasdaq (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations) launched in 1971 as the world's first electronic market. The electronic stock exchange is a popular option for tech companies looking to list their shares and a crosstown rival to the NYSE. From a trading perspective, where the shares are listed makes little to no difference to the investor.

In conclusion: what is the stock market?

The stock market is a collective term for stock exchanges around the world that facilitate the trade of stocks and other financial instruments.

The Sandbox is a pioneer in the movement to incorporate blockchain technology into the gaming sector. Created in 2011, The Sandbox is an play-to-earn game that allows users to be both creators and players, with the ability to monetize their in-game assets and earn SAND tokens.

Powered by the SAND token, the Sandbox’s native token serves as the foundation for all transactions and interactions. SAND tokens can be obtained by playing games, selling digital assets on the Sandbox Marketplace, participating in competitions, or buying it through a reliable exchange. 

What is the Sandbox platform?

The Sandbox is an Ethereum-based play-to-earn gaming ecosystem and metaverse that allows players to create, share, and monetize in-world assets and gaming experiences. The platform combines the powers of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAO), DeFi and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The Sandbox metaverse offers players a space to interact with one another and the games they have created.

The Sandbox is made up of three main components: 

1. VoxEdit, which allows users to create and animate 3D objects in the metaverse (i.e. animals, people, tools, etc). These are known as ASSETS and utilize the ERC-1155 token standard which allows both fungible and non-fungible (NFTs) to be minted at the same time. 
2. The Sandbox Game Maker, where users can create 3D games for free.
3. The Sandbox Marketplace, where users can sell their ASSETS for SAND tokens. 

Who created The Sandbox?

Initially developed as a mobile gaming platform by Pixowl in 2011, The Sandbox was intended to be a competitor to Minecraft. It quickly grew very popular and soon had more than 40 million downloads worldwide. However, in 2018, the co-founders Arthur Madrid and Sebastien Borget decided to explore the potential of creating a 3D metaverse on the blockchain.

The new and improved platform allows users to truly own their creations, in the form of NFTs, and earn rewards while participating in the ecosystem. The Sandbox team introduced the new Sandbox project in 2020 and it became one of the fastest-growing games in the cryptocurrency world, alongside Axie Infinity and Decentraland. 

The following year the platform raised $93 million and attracted over 50 reputable partnerships, including CryptoKitties, Snoop Dogg and The Walking Dead. 

How does The Sandbox work?

The Sandbox is a dynamic virtual world filled with user-generated content. Players can create and develop their own NFTs, including avatars, virtual goods, and even games, using the platform's VoxEdit and Game Maker. They can also interact with other players as well as monetize these NFTs by selling them on the Sandbox Marketplace, fueled by the SAND token.

The Sandbox's VoxEdit

VoxEdit offers artists and players user-friendly software to create, rig, and animate NFTs. The NFTs are in voxel format, square 3D pixels that look like lego blocks, which can quickly be edited to create different shapes. Users can design and create everything from animals and game tools to avatar-oriented weapons and clothing to any goods that you can use in The Sandbox. 

All these virtual goods can then be exported and traded as NFTs on the Sandbox Marketplace for SAND token.

The Sandbox's Game Maker

The Game Maker is designed to allow users to test their 3D game creations within the metaverse. With no prior coding experience needed, the program allows users to design and organize various objects and elements in a space called LAND (including the VoxEdit NFTs).

The Game Maker allows users to curate quests, place buildings, and characters, edit terrains, etc. Users can then share their designs with the greater community or sell them on the Sandbox Marketplace.

The Sandbox Marketplace

The Sandbox ecosystem has its very own NFT marketplace was launched in April 2021 and creates a space where users can trade ASSETS (in-game assets) with the native token, the SAND token.

The ASSETS (NFTs) can be anything from wearables to buildings to entities, and can then be used within the platform in the Sandbox game and incorporated into LAND to create unique games using the Game Maker. The Sandbox's marketplace is accessible to all users on the platform.

What are SAND tokens?

Sandbox, referred to as SAND, is an ERC-20 token with a supply of 3 billion. The token functions as a utility token, governance token, and can be used for staking.

SAND as a utility token facilitates all interactions and transactions within the Sandbox ecosystem. In order to take part in the activities available on the platform, from playing the games to buying LAND, trading ASSETS or customizing avatars, users will need to own SAND. The LAND tokens are ERC-721 tokens while ASSETS are user-generated NFTs.

The native token also functions as a governance token within the Sandbox ecosystem, allowing SAND token holders to vote on changes made on the platform through the Sandbox DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) structure. 

Lastly, the token can be staked on the platform, allowing holders to earn rewards and a share in the revenue from all SAND transactions. Staking offers the bonus advantage of allowing users to increase their chances of finding valuable game resources designed to boost ASSETS' rarity, known as GEMs and CATALYSTs. These are valuable when looking to create assets and play games.

There are two ways to acquire SAND: either through playing games and contests in The Sandbox, or by acquiring it on a cryptocurrency platform like Tap.

How can I buy the SAND token?

For those looking to incorporate The Sandbox into their crypto portfolios, or simply enter the metaverse gaming sector, we have great news. The Tap app has recently added SAND to the list of supported currencies, allowing anyone with a Tap account to easily and conveniently access The Sandbox market. 

The Tap wallet empowers users with the ability to effortlessly buy and sell SAND, opening up a world of possibilities. With its seamless integration of wallets, managing your SAND holdings becomes seamless. Experience the convenience and peace of mind that comes with having full control over your assets right at your fingertips.