Quality verses Adoption: What makes for a better Blockchain?
I am not the savviest in the computer geek arena, yet, I know ‘something about something.’ I was wanting to strike up a debate, or exchange of ideas, on the various blockchains already existing.
From what I gather, BitCoin’s blockchain is the largest in the area of usage. The financial volume on it is, yet, unmatched. It has the greatest adoption, as it is extensive on the international scene.
Yet, Bitcoin “Inc” is just one of the current blockchains. It is “decentralized,” but to a degree, as it becomes engulfed with external financial giants and innumerable crypto-projects, which use the BitCoin as its universal center. Being first to ‘go public’ it has the longest history, therefore the most familiar brand for new users.
The sheer large number of users makes it more decentralized. The financial giant whales, larger holders, present on the BitCoin blockchain keep it constantly being pulled into pockets of centralization.
I am not attempting a product-comparison to promote swapping crypto-loyalties, by saying, “Pepsi is better than BitCoin.” I am actually curious, about the qualities of different blockchains since there are more than one.
[I am trying to desperately filter out corporate inventions born into the crypto space. After all a centralized corporate entity developing a decentralized crypto currency is more than counter-intuitive.]
BitCoin’s transaction rate is slow; yet, the advent of Ethereum addresses that with faster transaction rates. Now, more users, more projects and digital applications [DAPPs] arrive on the back of Ethereum. Pieces of the anticipated “Internet 3.0” begin to fall into place. BitCoin starts to look like the investment trading bank, and Ethereum looks like the place where everyone hangs out with project, apps, and coins.
Now, there are huge lists of blockchains, day-exchanges and 2,900+ cryptocurrencies, which starts to looks like an encyclopedia upside down and backwards.
I’ve seen the value trends of BitCoin [of which there is not end of analyzers and predictors] move, after the fact that it did, according to some predictions of “crypto winter,” “trading sideways,” and anticipated “bull runs,” especially after “halving.” That’s good for BitCoin HODLers.
The fun part is watching Alt-Coins [any crypto coin not BitCoin?] move in value on different exchanges. BitCoin increases in value; Alt-coins increase in value. Then there is a basic swap between Alt and Bit.
Isn’t it that most of the Alt coins are based on Ethereum?
The basic BitCoin blockchain, the original crypto currency, becomes so valuable, that it is used more to ‘store value’ like gold bullion than it is used to make ‘purchases,’ especially due to slower speed.
Faster transactions for digital money are done on the newer Ethereum platform. Therefore, many crypto currencies on Ethereum become greater in number.
Even though, the crypto-space is filled with many blockchains and exchanges and almost 3,000 crypto coins; are not there only a few basic ones?
As BitCoin waits for halving in May 2020, and Alt coins are said to be in a “Altcoin winter,” is this were we see many Ethereum-based coins going away? The Ethereum platform will not, neither will the large utilizers, but are those multitude of alt-coins facing that crypto extinction [of those smaller coins]?
Then there is the question: what about Crypto currencies building their own native blockchain, their own exchanges and have an international market?