So, if I understand correctly, you think no altcoin is a valid long-term investment and you advocate for immediate profitability. As you stated, there isn't much research needed for that: multipools do it for you. And if the profit difference really is minimal, there is indeed no reason to spend tens of hours in research. I didn't read anything about what you think makes a [Suspicious link removed]d, though. Maybe you think none of them is?
Essentiallly what makes an altcoin, any crypto currency, good is acceptance and the ability to grow into a mainstream currency.
If the market can only support a small number of such coins the odds are stacked way against the hundreds of altcoins
that exist.
It reminds me in some ways of the highly speculative junior mining industry here in Canada. There is a stock exchange
that caters specifically to them with looser regulation and financial requirements. It's full of "corporations" that are
nothing more that a guy that owns some property that might have gold on it. They have no operations and often no
exploration of any kind, they are essentially dormant stake holders. They are also targets of pumpers but that's
beside the point.
Most of these junior mining properties' only hope is that gold will be found nearby and some operating gold mining
company will buy them out. They never have a hope of ever becoming an operating mine on their own.
A similar phenomenon occurred during the dot com bubble of the late 1990s. Tech startups with no revenue and just
a geek with an idea were going public just so they could get bought out by one of the big guys. It got so competitive
companies were buying out startups just to prevent their competition from getting them.
I don't see that kind of opportunity with altcoins. Is Bitcoin going to buyout DASH so they can implement anonymous
transactions? I don't think so. The only way the flooded market will thin out is for the weak to just fade away.
Now I'll actually try to answer your question. What makes a [Suspicious link removed]d, or have potential to grow and become
relevant. I won't pretend to have any insight on this but a few things come to mind. I assume legitimacy is
a given, no shit coins.
Essential features such as the previously mentioned anonymous transaction support, more robust blockchain
that is more resistant to forking, double spends, 51% attacks, etc, faster confirmations without sacrificing security, etc.
There are also convenience features like messaging support that could be appealing to some.
I don't know if it makes any difference but some backing or linkage to physical assets. URO amd Amber come to
mind as attempts to do that. I read that Amber actually paid out dividends recently.
Strong marketing to get the coin accepted by financial institutions, merchants and the public. This requires a
strong management team which seems counter to the concept of decentralization.
And last, but not least, competitive mining returns.
That last one is the only one that applies to mining. The others apply regardless of how the coins are acquired.
Acceptance by the establishment is a bit of a wedge issue with many preferring crypto remain underground.
It can only do that by remaining small and irrelevent. Darkcoin chose to "sell out to the man" so to speak
when they changed their name to DASH. Ultimately they had no choice if they wanted to grow beyond the
darkweb. Time will tell it it is successful.
These are essentially the things I would consider to mine and hold for the long term. I would also like to see
significant market cap and trading volume but that's not to be found in a new coin. And that's why I don't hold
new coins.