January 2018 Cryptocurrencies to Explore – Part 1

2017 has been an amazing year for those involved in cryptocurrencies. There were thrills and some chills from markets throughout the year, and considering where we are now, 2018 is promising to be an even greater thrill. I know bitcoin has dumped a bit over the holidays, but it looks to be setting up support, and from that base it should be able to edge higher. In response I believe the altcoin markets will respond with their own strong upside move.

Below is part 1 of a short-list of coins that could potentially give large returns, and are certainly candidates for accumulation as we head into January 2018 in my opinion (which isn’t worth as much as I’d like to think).

NEO ($NEO)

NEO is based on the Ethereum algorithm, but with several key changes designed to improve on securing and efficiency in transactions. It’s goal is the support of the smart economy through the use of digital identity technology, as well as allowing for the digitization of assets and the creation of smart contracts to manage those assets. NEO is also interesting in that there is a partner coin called GAS which is used to create transactions on the NEO network. By holding NEO in your wallet you earn GAS (it’s a proof-of-stake coin). Currently GAS is worth just over $30.

Why I believe in it
NEO has seen increased attention from investors recently, with price beginning to move higher this past summer, and then more than doubling in December from $30 to $75 (roughly). The NEO team is expected to distribute the network further in January to secure it from the threat of a single group of node operators controlling the network. Like Ethereum, the NEO bockchain can be used to launch new coins, and there are a number of ICOs planned in the coming months.

0x ($ZRX)

0x is the coin backing the 0X project, which was begun to create a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange for ERC20 tokens established on top of the Ethereum blockchain. The goal of the project is to do away with the security issues that have become increasingly apparent at centralized exchanges such as Coinbase and Bitfinex.

Why I believe in it
Attacks on centralized cryptocurrency exchanges are nothing new, but with the space increasing its value so rapidly in the second half of 2017, these attacks are increasing. Investor security issues are increasing, and a decentralized exchange can help solve some of these issues. Investors seem to agree with me as the price of 0x has increased nearly 500% in December and is now trying to break above resistance at the $1 level. Even so, its market cap is just $460 million, so there’s plenty of room to grow.

Cardano ($ADA)

Cardano, is the foundation behind the creation of the ADA coin and blockchain. This proof-of-stake environment is meant to support financial transactions in a secure manner, allowing privacy for users while also considering the needs of regulators. Cardano could become an extremely important component of the financial world as ETFs and mutual funds around cryptocurrencies begin to spring up, not to mention its ecommerce uses which would allow providers the benefits of blockchain technology, while also complying with regulators.

Why I believe in it:
Cardano has vaulted into the top ten of cryptocurrencies in December as its value has increased by more than 500%. January will see an updated roadmap from the Cardano team, and this is certain to bring even more attention to the project. The entry of institutional traders and link between Cardano and traditional regulators should also serve to boost the popularity and value of the coin.

Substratum ($SUB)

Substratum is being created as a means to reward network users rather than miners for the work done on the blockchain. Businesses, groups and individuals can host websites or apps on its network. Then individuals allocate a portion of their CPU capacity to run Substratum nodes, getting paid in $SUB for their resource allocation. It will provide users with a private and safe way to access the internet, while also avoiding censorship.

Why I believe in it:
Substratum’s project may be the solution to the rollback in U.S. net neutrality laws, and could also do away with the need to use TOR or VPNs to maintain privacy on the internet. One strong aspect of the project is that they made the node operating application very easy to install and operate, meaning mainstream adoption will be far easier to accomplish as users learn of the financial rewards of running a Substratum node. The price of $SUB has already tripled in December, but the Substratum team is planning on launching the beta version of the platform early in January, which should give price a further boost.

Hopefully this has given you some food for thought, and a direction for research today. I’ll be highlighting another 4 coins to consider in January 2018 tomorrow, so please follow @moneyinfant and be on the lookout.

Disclaimer: I am stating my opinions, not giving you financial advice and if you invest in these projects it is your sole and full responsibility. You are investing at your own risk. Always invest only what you can afford to lose and try to diversify your investments. Finally, do your own homework and learn about the project use case, roadmap and team.

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