Some potential investors find the process of acquiring cryptocurrencies rather complicated, according to a new survey conducted among US residents. Despite that finding, and other obstacles, another study confirms the recently reported increase in capital raised through coin offerings this year. Also in today’s Bitcoin in Brief, the Swiss city of Zug concludes successfully its experimental vote on blockchain.
Also read: Coinbase Custody Opens, Hitbtc Hits Back at McAfee, BTCC Relaunches
Purchasing Process Deemed a Hurdle for New Crypto Investors
The complicated process of purchasing cryptocurrencies is the biggest obstacle for new investors entering the crypto space, according to a recently released study. The authors polled 1,000 US residents to profile crypto holders and better understand how they are using their digital coins. The poll also attempted to gauge the cultural perceptions surrounding cryptocurrency ownership.
According to the compiled data, almost 40 percent of millennials have confirmed owning cryptocurrency, 48 percent of males and 26 percent among females. At the same time, 24 percent of polled Generation X Americans and 15 percent of Baby Boomers also admitted owning bitcoin or any of its alternatives.
The survey, conducted by Creditcoin, made other interesting findings regarding a possible connection between cryptocurrencies and personal relationships. Three-quarters of the questioned stated they would be more likely to date someone who is knowledgeable about cryptocurrency. Many of them, however, remain reserved about dating someone who is obsessed with cryptos. The majority said they would date a divorced person rather than someone who keeps all their savings in cryptocurrency.
Nevertheless, over half of the respondents believe they would have about 10 percent of their savings in cryptocurrency in the next decade. When asked what they would do if given $10,000, almost 40 percent said they would buy cryptocurrency than invest in a down payment on a house, 33 percent, or a car – 28 percent.
Investors Still Bullish on ICOs, Despite Issues
Despite regulatory pressures and other issues like bad publicity due to fraudulent or unsuccessful projects, Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) have raised $11.8 billion through May 2018, according to a new analysis released by The Wall Street Journal. The estimate covers nearly 900 token sales listed on ICObench.com. The authors point out that this year’s total is more than double the amount collected by coin offerings for the whole 2017, ~$5.5 billion.
The researchers claim that the problems around ICOs have not deterred big tech-oriented investors. Some of the notable token sales this year include the coin offering conducted by the company operating the popular messaging service Telegram, which raised $1.7 billion USD,
and that of Block.one, which attracted an estimated $4 billion for its EOS network in June.
The study found that the number of ICOs has increased as well, with around 490 token sales raising an average of $24 million in the first five months of 2018, compared to $14 million collected on average by 300 startups in the last five months of 2017.
According to another report, authored by the Swiss Crypto Valley Association (CVA) and PwC’s consulting division, Strategy&, the capital raised through ICOs has reached $13.7 billion USD in the first five months of this year. Both studies conclude that the US remains a major destination for initial coin offerings, while countries like Switzerland are catching up.
Zug Concludes ‘Successful’ Test Blockchain Vote
Authorities in the city of Zug, home of the Swiss Crypto Valley, announced that the country’s first experimental municipal blockchain-based vote has been conducted successfully. The trial started on June 25 and was completed on July 2. Voters were able to participate via an app they had to download and install on their mobile devices. The small scale consultative vote also utilized the city’s eID system introduced in November.
The residents of Zug were asked if they were in favor of setting alight fireworks during the annual Lakeside Festival, and whether they thought digital IDs should be used to borrow books, pay parking fees, and for identification on regular referendums. The city has been issuing its residents with digital identity documents since the winter, and is currently examining various possible applications for the blockchain technology.
What sets the Zug referendum apart is that the voting did not take place via a single central server, but was distributed using blockchain across many computers, Swissinfo reports. “The premiere was a success”, Dieter Müller, Head of Communications for the city, told the Swiss News Agency. He added that the technical details of the test will be evaluated over the coming months to estimate the level of protection of privacy and voting secrecy. Authorities will also focus on ensuring that voting results are verifiable and immutable.
Israeli Startup Launches Vegancoin
While establishing a chain of vegan restaurants in the US, American entrepreneur Isaac Thomas and his Israeli partners, Nati Giat, Shenor Shapira, and Yossi Raybi, realized that the millions of vegans and vegetarians around the world need more than that. Their Tel Aviv based company, Vegannation, is now building a global vegan-friendly decentralized community platform.
The idea behind the project is to create an ecosystem where vegans can find food products, other vegan commerce and share content like recipes, news and blogs in one place, The Jerusalem Post reports. The platform will have its own crypto, Vegancoin, and joining members will be provided with a Vegannation digital wallet. According to the entrepreneurs, all affiliated businesses are “vegan and cruelty-free.”
“We are moving toward a world where people can see everything and can be responsible for the way they consume. So bringing cryptocurrency to the vegan community brings it full circle,” said Vegannation CEO and co-founder Isaac Thomas. In his words, veganism, cryptocurrency and blockchain go hand in hand toward a world of transparency and awareness.
What are your thoughts on today’s news tidbits in Bitcoin in Brief? Let us know in the comments section below.
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