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Meta Universe: Virtual Gaming, NFTs and the Currency Question
Blockchain technology is the gift that keeps on giving. The original goal was simple: a fast and censorless way to digitally transfer value from person to person.
Soon, it became clear that the blockchain is the window to a brave new world of decentralized innovations. Smart contracts followed, along with the ability to issue new tokens on an existing blockchain's protocol.
So far so good, but what really took things to a whole new level were NFTs, or non-fungible tokens. These tokens represent ownership of a physical, digital or virtual asset and each one is unique and cryptographically distinguishable. An NFT can stand for virtually anything—property, a meme, an activity, art, you name it.
NFTs became the anchors for virtual gaming on the blockchain. Blockchain-based games, in their various guises, use NFTs as in-game characters, land, loot, weapons, cards, and other game assets.
The latest games using Web 3.0 technology like Axie Infinity, CryoWar and Star Atlas, blend the current trends in blockchain—DeFi, DAOs, NFTs—with traditional gaming to create fully-developed play-to-earn experiences for digital natives.
This synthesis of gaming elements with core cryptocurrency mechanics defines what is now known as GameFi. GameFi are crypto games with some kind of token economics. Players earn in-game currency as they progress and can convert their winnings to other cryptocurrencies. They can also trade, rent or exchange their assets with other players, depending on the game.
The Metaverse
Just like online games are merely one aspect of the overall Internet experience, GameFi is just one segment of the new virtual world powered by blockchain. A crypto game like Mines of Dalarnia creates an action-adventure universe where players can fight enemies, mine new weapons and gear and farm collectibles. But what if you can do other things, besides gaming, in this virtual world?
Welcome to the metaverse.
The Next Big Thing in Crypto?
The metaverse is a catch-all term for the proposed next stage of the internet. It is, or will be, a fusion of web 3.0, distributed ledger technology, decentralized virtual ownership, and financialized virtual worlds. It is a space shared by all the newest virtual worlds, and accessible through VR headsets, AR glasses, smartphones, PCs, and game consoles.
The crypto metaverse is a persistent 3D environment that mirrors reality up to the limits of the specific platform. You can create an online identity unique to yourself alone. You can acquire the NFT metaverse platform's main asset and keep, share, loan or display it as you see fit. Different metaverse platforms have different mechanics but they all obey one central axiom: decentralized ownership of assets.
Metaverse is a hot cake in the industry right now. Many metaverse-affiliated crypto tokens have seen stupendous rises in the fourth quarter of 2021. AXS (Axie Infinity), SAND (The Sandbox), GALA (Gala Games), MANA (Decentraland), ETERNAL (CryptoMines), MBOX (Mobox) and PYR (Vulcan Forged) witnessed hefty increases in valuation as new platforms exit beta and fresh investors jumped on the virtual world bandwagon.
Even traditional tech giants don't want to miss out on the fun. Facebook recently changed its name to Meta, underlying its ambition to become a key player in, if not dominate, this emerging sector. Not to be left out, Microsoft is making plans to join the virtual world revolution.
Though GameFi is currently the most prominent iteration of the metaverse NFT experience, it's in fact a relatively recent development. A brief look at one of the earliest NFT metaverses will clarify the concept.
The Example of Decentraland
Decentraland is a virtual reality universe that pioneered the blockchain-based metaverse concept. It uses distributed ledger technology to operate a 3D virtual environment. As the name suggests, it's a decentralized platform that sells land. Users can buy plots of land and do whatever they want with it. They can treat it as investment, wait till the value of the land appreciates, and sell it off. They could also develop any kind of property on it and rent the property out while retaining ownership of the land.
Transactions on Decentraland utilize the native metaverse token, MANA, which is based on the Ethereum Network. As the metaverse hype reached its Zenith in 2020-21, the value of MANA has increased by more than 500%. The same goes for the valuation of real estate in Decentraland. Prices have skyrocketed by more than 5000% since parcels of land first went up for sale in 2017.
Metaverse Mechanics
Metaverse is a portmanteau of Meta and Universe. As currently understood in the crypto space, the metaverse democratizes the virtual experience and broadens access to gaming, social and other worlds for the ordinary user.
Even though the metaverse is still in its infancy, the broader concepts that all NFT metaverse platforms operate by have been fairly well established. Let's go over some of the features of the next generation of the blockchain revolution, especially compared to real-life practices.
Metaverse Currency
What is a metaverse currency, you might wonder. Simply put, it's the in-world currency for a virtual platform. In the blockchain space, this refers to utility tokens of virtual-world platforms.
In the real world, we spend legal tenders on goods and services. We pay value in return for products of equal value. What qualifies as acceptable currency in one country might not be accepted in another.
Things are a bit similar, but also different, in the metaverse. On any specific metaverse platform, there's one single "universe" which all virtual residents belong to. Everyone buys and sells using the utility token of the metaverse. In The Sandbox metaverse, users pay for trades in SAND tokens.
On the other hand, the metaverse shares similarities with the current political system of countries with their different economic models. Despite, or perhaps because of, the centerless nature of NFT-based worlds, each platform has its own rules and tools with little to no crossover.
A user in The Sandbox cannot move their LAND asset over to the Axie Infinity universe. Nor can they purchase assets on Axie with the SAND token. This is so even though both platforms are based on the Ethereum network.
The same restriction applies for cross-chain crossovers. Much like you need to convert your local currency to US dollars to buy stuff in the United States, you must hold the token that a virtual world supports to live, work, relax, perform or play games there.
According to DappRadar which tracks crypto data, there are currently over 1200 blockchain games. Most of them have their own utility tokens which users need to join the in-game world.
Metaverse Growth and Prospects
Data from crypto research firm Macro Hive shows that a basket of metaverse coins rallied 37,000% in 2021, an eye-popping increase whichever way you slice it.
Though the basket contained just 5 coins—Axie Infinity, Decentraland, Sandbox, Enjin Coin, and GALA, the findings apply broadly to most serious blockchain-based virtual world tokens.
This implies that the metaverse is only going to keep growing as new technology emerges that brings the world closer to the dream of a fully-realized VR experience. It also signifies investors' confidence in the long-term prospects of decentralized virtual reality innovations.
Everyday, new entrants arrive on the scene as people try to replicate the success of Decentraland and Axie. Though there will assuredly be more duds than success stories, the trajectory keeps moving inexorably in favor of middleman-less mixed-reality experiences.
Can There Be a Single Metaverse?
There is just one single internet but a multitude of websites and online experiences based on it. This seems to be the way the metaverse NFT experience is going. Initially, there was talk of creating a single super virtual universe, where everyone can work, live, and have fun.
The proliferation of different projects, all using the metaverse moniker for hype, makes this a tall order. It's more likely that the current status quo is maintained. Blockchain will remain the backbone for multiple metaworlds with unique selling points for users.
The Holy grail of new virtual worlds would be free movement across the crypto metaverse. This doesn't look feasible anytime soon, because of how the underlying blockchain networks operate. Currently, most distributed ledger networks are not cross-compatible. Transferring tokens across blockchains needs special platforms called bridges.
Perhaps in the future, bridges would be automatically integrated into every metaverse platform. Then users can freely move their avatars and assets across virtual worlds without even thinking about it.
What Will We Spend in the Metaverse?
This looks like a simple question. Of course, we will spend the utility token of each virtual ecosystem. Players in Alien Worlds, for instance, need to obtain the in-world currency, TLM, to acquire and upgrade their crafts.
But this question is worth asking again in a broader and more long-term perspective. The metaverse just isn't about creating virtual social systems, it's also a test case for the enduring utility of cryptocurrencies.
According to Haim Israel, a strategist for Bank of America, the metaverse is where people will really start using crypto as currency. Which begs the question: Which cryptocurrencies?
With most fiat currencies in the world, what you see is what you get. You know what to expect from them, the rough value you can obtain from a unit of the currency. You know that if the value of the money rises or falls, it will do so slowly.
This isn't the case with cryptocurrency tokens. The industry has moved so far away from its original goal as a decentralized payment system (although some coins are still that). Now, most major crypto coins serve another role as investment assets.
Digital currencies in general are just so volatile. They can fall rapidly and rise at unbelievable speeds, to absurd levels. Ideally, a currency is expected to be more or less stable. Hence, there are problems with the existing metaverse payment model.
Take a popular token like SAND. It's current value is in excess of 5 dollars. This is from less than 4 cents at the beginning of the year. As it keeps increasing, the cost for new users to join the Sandbox ecosystem by buying LANDS keeps rising. This can and will discourage many people from joining.
On the other hand, if a bear market strikes and the token takes a sharp fall, the rewards for performing activities on the ecosystem will also reduce in value. This will disincentivize many people from using the platform. Whether the token rises or falls, there's always a catch.
So, to reframe the question, what will we spend in the metaverse in the future? To keep everyone happy, what should we spend?
NFTs as the Metaverse Currency
Can NFTs act as the currency of the metaverse? This scenario is unlikely, for several reasons that should be fairly obvious.
First, NFTs aren't fungible; currency is. A fungible token is divisible, and all equal units are identical. An NFT has cryptographic properties that make it unique from every other NFT out there. Or so goes the theory.
NFTs are also digital representations of something. They're always (audio)visual. They kind of have to be. In contrast, you don't need to actually see money to spend it, whether in the real or virtual world.
We already noted that the lands, avatars, characters, weapons, buildings, and other assets in these virtual worlds are actually NFTs. Now imagine using your land or car as a currency. It would be an absolute nightmare.
Stablecoins to the Rescue
The aforementioned Haim, who is head of global thematic investment strategy at BofA, suggests that some type of stablecoin is needed.
This looks to be the most sensible solution for all. Stablecoins are a type of crypto that mirror the value of a (strong) fiat currency, such as the US dollar.
This type of coin will bring stability to the metaverse. People will know what their rewards for participating in virtual-world activities will be. New entrants will also know how much they need to pay for assets. The value-cost tradeoff will encourage persistent activity. The value of assets can still rise or fall, but more organically than the current system allows.
More importantly, it's easier to use a stablecoin across multiple blockchain networks because of their inherent stability. Hence, this type of crypto can help to unite the various NFT metaverses into one self-sustaining system.
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What are Crypto Gaming Coins?
Crypto in gaming remains one of the most innovative blockchain application use cases. Since its introduction, developers have come up with more creative ways to boost user appreciation of the crypto industry and improve the convenience of earning money. Game coins are among the most popular cryptos, going head-to-head with NFTs in terms of appeal.
To effectively utilize these gaming crypto coins, you should understand what they are, how they work, and the best ones available at the moment.
What is Crypto Gaming?
Crypto gaming is the fundamental application of cryptocurrencies in online gaming. It encompasses everything that connects gaming with cryptocurrencies, including the valuation of gaming assets and how these assets encourage a more profitable approach to gaming activities.
Crypto gaming involves the creation of digital assets that represent in-game items such as items, characters, and even user experiences. It allows users to exchange some of these assets for specific crypto coins created for each game.
Through crypto gaming, users can access a wider range of opportunities to utilize cryptocurrencies directly or indirectly. Direct crypto usage refers to immersive experiences for the user, such as engaging in virtual missions, competing with other users, and more. Indirect crypto usage involves purchasing in-game assets from active crypto gamers and selling these assets to other gamers.
Types of Crypto Gaming
Crypto gaming operates on game finance (GameFi), which is a subset of decentralized finance (DeFi) focused on virtual gaming. As the applications of crypto gaming continue to evolve with the introduction of various types of crypto gaming, understanding each type has become an asset in itself.
Among the most popular of the different types of crypto gaming are adventure gaming, social trading, and crypto gambling.
1. Adventure Crypto Gaming
Adventure gaming is the most common type of crypto gaming. As the name suggests, users create game avatars that become part of a virtual narrative and embark on missions, participate in tournaments, and engage in various activities found in traditional adventure games. The exciting aspect of this type of crypto gaming is the ability to compete with other users and even form teams with friends.
Adventure-type crypto gaming usually relies heavily on NFTs. By acquiring in-game items such as medals and role-playing game coins, users can accumulate enough game coins in the form of tokens. Each token can be sold on specified NFT marketplaces or exchanged via peer-to-peer (P2P) trading, depending on the sophistication of the gaming platform.
Examples of this type of crypto gaming include Fight Out, Axie Infinity, and Vireye. Users can earn cryptocurrencies through rewards.
2. Crypto Gambling
Crypto gambling operates similarly to traditional gambling, but the stakes are measured in cryptocurrencies. While the crypto projects in this market may not be as prominent as adventure gaming, they are equally appealing. The profits can be high and frequent, but so are the risks. However, crypto gambling is exciting and encompasses more than just the exchange of NFTs.
What sets crypto gambling apart is its low-entry barrier. Users can place bets on sports outcomes through P2P channels without having to go through centralized or decentralized platforms. Although platforms exist to ensure user convenience and the security of stakes, ethical considerations often limit their popularity.
Lucky Block, Wild.io, and Fairspin are some of the major players in the crypto gambling industry. They provide users with opportunities to ‘win’ cryptocurrencies by staking them instead of trading.
3. Social Trading
Social trading represents the inclusive aspect of crypto gaming. Instead of focusing on specific areas of gaming, such as virtual gambling or adventure-seeking, social trading brings everything together. Crypto gamers who are also social traders utilize innovative platforms to trade game tokens while benefiting from tournaments and platform liquidity.
Specialized gaming platforms serve as the core of social trading, acting as the main engines for integrating the user’s gaming interest with their interest in crypto trading.
LOTTRADE is an example of a social trading platform. It is designed as a universal NFT/DEX/CEX gaming tournament platform, providing users with access to a global community of enthusiastic gamers. Each user joins tournaments and receives prizes based on their ranking. Furthermore, the platform recognizes, rewards, and promotes trading skills.
Top Gaming Crypto Coins and Platforms
1# LOTTRADE
LOTTRADE is a top-ranking crypto gaming platform due to its extensive community, high-profit potential, and flexible architecture. The platform supports fair tournament smart contracts, attractive liquidity pools, and a transparent governance and staking protocol. Users appreciate the platform as it can be used for both crypto gaming and trading.
The LOTTRADE token, LOTT, serves multiple purposes. It can be used directly as tournament fees, as a commission for minting NFTs, for lending, or for governance and staking. Owning the token opens up a world of new crypto user communities, tournaments, and opportunities for lucrative gaming and trading.
2# Runiverse
Runiverse functions similarly to other crypto gaming platforms, but it challenges users to compete based on the performance of the crypto market. The platform’s selling point is its ability to enable cross-metaverse gaming, allowing users to compete with their rivals across virtual metaverses. Furthermore, users participate in an engaging racing narrative that is exciting, fun-filled, and immersive.
To participate in the platform, users need the Runiverse token (RUNY). With this token, they can take part in various racing tournaments and have a chance to win enticing prizes.
3# Vireye
Vireye is a well-designed crypto gaming platform focused on epic adventures and fantasy. It offers advanced and engaging world-building elements that allow users to fully immerse themselves in the narratives. With captivating adventures, character customization, and lifelike in-game dialogues, users have as much fun gaming as they do monetizing their experiences.
The Vireye Game Studio focuses on creating unforgettable experiences for the new generation. Once fully fledged, users will have their choice of blockchain games to play based on their unique predilections. Be it adventure, RPG, action, rogue or puzzle, everything can be found under the Vireye Games umbrella.
In time, the Vireye will implement a token which will serve as the entrance requirement for the platform and the primary exchange currency for in-game assets. With this token, users can enter the virtual magical world, featuring an engaging combat system and visually appealing graphics
Whether it is LOTT, RUNY, or the Vireye tokens, users can participate in captivating tournaments. These tournaments offer the best of crypto gaming, helping users maximize their gaming experience and profit-making potential.
5min reads
How to Identify Cryptocurrencies with High Growth Potential
Cryptocurrencies have taken the financial world by storm, with the market experiencing rapid growth and high volatility. With so many cryptocurrencies available, it can be challenging to identify those that have the best potential for high growth and profitability. However, with the right tools and knowledge, navigating the market and finding promising cryptocurrencies is possible.
This article will explore how to identify cryptocurrencies with high growth potential. We will discuss market trends, factors that affect cryptocurrency growth, how to analyze cryptocurrency performance, conducting due diligence, and identifying promising trading pairs.
Understanding Cryptocurrency Market Trends
To identify promising cryptocurrencies with high growth potential, it is crucial to understand market trends and cycles. Here are some key points to consider:
- The cryptocurrency market is a decentralized, global market for trading cryptocurrencies that is highly dynamic and volatile.
- Cryptocurrency market trends can be classified into four stages: accumulation, markup, distribution, and markdown. Market cycles can last from several months to several years and tend to follow similar patterns.
- Analyzing market trends involves examining historical data and identifying patterns and trends. It is important to consider both short-term and long-term trends when assessing the potential of a cryptocurrency.
- Factors influencing market trends include news and events, investor sentiment, regulation, and technological developments.
- Technical analysis tools, such as charts and indicators, can help identify market trends and potential entry and exit points for trades.
By understanding market trends and cycles, you can make more informed decisions when investing in cryptocurrencies. Conducting research and using caution is important, as the market can be highly volatile and unpredictable.
Identifying Factors that Affect Cryptocurrency Growth
When evaluating the potential growth of a cryptocurrency, it is essential to consider several factors that can influence its performance. One such factor is the level of adoption and usage. The more widely a cryptocurrency is used for real-world applications, the greater its growth potential.
Another factor to consider is the technology behind the cryptocurrency. Innovative technology and a strong development team can contribute to a cryptocurrency's performance and growth. Look for projects that offer unique and valuable features and are continually developing new technology.
For example, the KRRX token is a cryptocurrency that shows good growth potential thanks to the organic development of Kyrrex's regulated crypto platform. The platform has attracted a growing user base and the team is constantly developing new technology to improve the platform's features and performance. Despite a bearish market, the KRRX token has remained stable and liquid, demonstrating the importance of technology and adoption to a cryptocurrency's growth.
Analyzing Performance
To identify promising cryptocurrencies with high growth potential, it is crucial to analyze their performance. Here are some key points to consider:
- Price history: Look for cryptocurrencies that have shown consistent growth over time and have weathered market volatility.
- Market capitalization: Market capitalization can give an idea of the size and value of a cryptocurrency. Look for cryptocurrencies with a high market capitalization, which can indicate investor confidence and potential for growth.
- Trading volume: High trading volume can be an indication of liquidity and demand for a cryptocurrency. Look for cryptocurrencies with high trading volume, which can indicate a strong community of investors and traders.
- Fundamental analysis: Conducting fundamental analysis involves examining the underlying factors that can influence a cryptocurrency's performance, such as adoption, technology, and regulation. Look for cryptocurrencies that have a strong value proposition and a solid development team.
By analyzing a cryptocurrency's performance using these factors, you can make informed investment decisions and identify promising cryptocurrencies with high growth potential.
Conducting Due Diligence
When investing in cryptocurrencies, conducting due diligence is essential to minimize your risks and make informed decisions.
Firstly, it's crucial to research the cryptocurrency you're interested in investing in. Take the time to read whitepapers, browse community forums, and follow news and social media channels to gain a better understanding of the project's technology, development team, community, and roadmap. By doing so, you'll be able to make a more informed decision about whether the cryptocurrency has potential for growth and profitability.
Secondly, look for red flags that may indicate a cryptocurrency is not worth investing in. Be wary of promises of guaranteed returns, high-pressure sales tactics, and vague or unrealistic claims. Also, look out for cryptocurrencies with limited information, lack of transparency, or a history of controversy or scams. These can be warning signs that the cryptocurrency is not worth investing in.
Finally, assessing the risks associated with investing in crypto is important. Consider the volatility of the cryptocurrency market, regulatory risks, and technological risks. Evaluate the risks associated with investing in the specific cryptocurrency you're interested in and determine whether it aligns with your investment goals and risk tolerance level.
Conclusion
Identifying promising cryptocurrencies with high growth potential can be a daunting task, but with the right tools and knowledge, it is possible. By understanding market trends, analyzing cryptocurrency performance, conducting due diligence, and identifying promising trading pairs, you can make informed investment decisions that can lead to significant profits.
Remember to always do your research and use caution when investing in cryptocurrencies. The market can be volatile and unpredictable, but with patience and diligence, you can navigate it successfully.
6min reads
Kyrrex: Still Transparent, Still Trustworthy
We know that a global economy driven by better models of financial management is possible. We also know that harnessing the power of blockchain technology creates endless possibilities for individual investment, dynamic control of finances, and much more.
In light of recent events, trust in crypto and the limitless opportunities it offers might seem more distant than ever. As serious stakeholders, we want to use this opportunity to reach out to our loyal customers and the general public and assure them that Kyrrex remains unaffected while standing strong as ever.
The FTX Issue
To summarize the problem, FTX mishandled investor funds by using user deposits to make investments of their own. FTX did not inform users before proceeding on this course of action. The funds were used without client consent, meaning that FTX’s ‘side’ investments were unauthorized and therefore illegal.
Gaps and Leakages in the Crypto Industry
The recent spate of crypto setbacks reveal a number of gaps and leakages in decentralized finance. The biggest of these gaps is supervision: what guarantee can you, a crypto trader and investor, have that your preferred trading platform will not mishandle your funds?
In the decentralized market, you have a firmer grasp of your crypto assets and greater freedom to trade and invest without someone looking over your shoulder every time. But this comes with the risk of losing all your money if you entrust it to unsupervised third parties.
Solution with Kyrrex: Crypto-Fiat Banking
Crypto exchange platforms provide you a stage to trade and manage your crypto assets. But who/what keeps an eye on these platforms? Without strict oversight by a powerful body, you're essentially giving your money to an exchange do with as they wish.
Where there is no regulation, there is likely to be mismanagement and exploitation. Even if you can wager your life that an exchange platform is honest and will not mishandle your money, you have to admit that having the platform accountable to a higher authority increases your trust in it.
Turning to a centralized exchange like Kyrrex offers you the rewards of crypto without its major risk.
We believe that it is only when the crypto market is reasonably regulated that the crypto industry can flourish. Then, you will no longer have to deal with rugpull projects, fake developers selling you imaginary bridges in imaginary clouds, or situations like FTX that inevitably cause you to lose trust in every crypto exchange platform.
Kyrrex is Still Trustworthy
Kyrrex, as you know, is the first crypto-fiat bank. The same way we pride ourselves in being the first global bank, we pride ourselves in playing by the rules. There are several governmental and government-backed institutions that oversee our operations, and so we are licensed to operate in good faith. All of this is so that you can rest easy and continue to trust us.
We would like to place on record that Kyrrex Exchange has no dealing with FTX and its FTT token. Our exposure to FTX is zero. The exposure of our customers' funds to FTX is zero.
Here are a handful of reasons you should continue to trust Kyrrex as your crypto and fiat asset partner:
1- Kyrrex has the highest level of operational license in the crypto industry
Kyrrex operates under the Class 4 virtual Finance asset (VFA) License from the Malta Financial service authority (MFA). We obtained this license in November 2021, reinforcing our intentions to comply with every legal requirement and audit condition.
This class of license comes with implicit confidence by the regulatory authority in the licensee. It means that Kyrrex has been thoroughly scrutinized and found to comply with all regulatory rules regarding user deposits and operation models. It means that you can trust us to keep your money safe and secure because Big Brother is watching all our moves.
2- Kyrrex stores and backs your tokens with tangible assets like the dollar
As a crypto-fiat bank, Kyrrex allows you to use crypto tokens as easily as you use fiat currency. So, with Kyrrex you will be able exchange fiat currencies against digital assets and vice versa. This is because your tokens are safely stored and backed with valuable assets.
3- Kyrrex relies on its organic growth model for profitability rather than investors’ funds
At Kyrrex, we promote and use an organic growth model. This means that apart from the charges that our clients are aware of, we don’t touch their deposits or funds. This is another reason we have regulators overseeing our operations. They keep us on our toes and make sure our operations are always prudent and compliant with all legal provisions.
4- Kyrrex has a straightforward user withdrawal protocol
Kyrrex has always favored an uncomplicated and user-friendly operating protocol. Our withdrawal system is like this also. So, our clients do not need to read and sign thousands of pages of T&A before they can withdraw their funds from Kyrrex. Everything is clear and transparent. Your funds are your funds and you can withdraw them at anytime.
5- Kyrrex is not exposed to FTX, Alameda, or any institution implicated in the current FTX fiasco
Kyrrex is not exposed to FTX, Alameda Research, or any other crypto-related institution that has been implicated in the recent mess. So you can trust us unreservedly, we only build relationships with time-tested, reliable, and/or regulated exchanges.
So, Kyrrex remains worthy of your trust. However, we advise that when you use other exchange platforms, ensure that they are licensed and are committed to playing by the rules. Also, do not invest money that is not your own or spend more than you earn. If you can, avoid tokens that are not backed by tangible assets.
4min reads