Hey guys,
A few of my associates have been asking a bit about Ethereum(ETH) and the value that it might store as an investment. So, I wanted to share a few thoughts about it here, as well as the potential that it may hold. Luckily, I saw the value and could invest on 12MAR17 for $22.18, 13MAR17 for $30, and several more times around $38. Although it did hit $99 on 05MAY17, it is down to $93 at the time that I wrote this article.
So, what value did I see in the early days? Well, maybe it’s my back ground as an entrepreneur (hate that word btw) and value based investor, or maybe I’ve been reading too many Doug Casey books and have seen too many Jeff Berwick videos on YouTube. Either way, here are some points that made ETH stand out immediately:
- Early Adoption : Of the more than 820 cryptocurrencies on the market, ETH was almost immediately accepted by all commercial entities who accept Bitcoin – even ahead of Litecoin. This immediately positions Ether to be dealt with on a much high scale of commerce, which I’m sure we’ll soon see in transfer volumes and market cap. This is a great indication that mass acceptance will take place, which as we all know, is necessary to drive value.
- Murmurs of UN adoption : This is on the same lines of one of the problems that I am hoping to solves in retirement – holding non-profits and humanitarian missions to some level fiduciary duty, ensuring that fund were spent responsibly. We all seen the Red Cross build 6 small houses for $500 million in Hati, and apparently, the UN is exploring Ethereum as a means to stop this type of fraudulent activity. For those of you whom have served in the Peace Corps or even US DoD, you’ve probably witnessed much worse.
- Ethereum BD Team: These guys are hungry, and very good. Although I like to think that all investors are capable of some level of manipulation, these guys are running around and showing future adopters the value behind the contract based currency.
- Contract Based Currency - The currency was built to handle smart contracts, which are built directly into the blockchain meaning that contracts cannot be tampered with. Further, the sky is the limit when it comes to variables to program into the contract, including conditions under which funds are released (or if), making a wet dream to VC guys like myself. Just imagine the output generated by kick starter had Ether existed in the past.
- Programming Platform – As we push further into what I feel may rival automated technologies for the title of 4th industrial revolution (age of the blockchain), there will be plenty of computer programmers and start-ups trying to create blockchain projects. Not only is Ether designed as “the crypto-fuel for operating the distributed application network”, but the ethereum organization has built a sandbox test network for programmers to build proof of concepts. This will undoubtedly bring a lot of attention to this coin.
To address the last point – because it is very important - it is my understanding that Ethereum is consumed, like a fuel. So, rather than a currency, ETH could be treated as a commodity with intrinsic value as well as a store of wealth, like silver, which puts it in a completely different category from most of the other crypto’s out there. As of right now, they are capping the number of Ether mined to 25% of their initial supply (18 million ETH) each year, which they hope will account for the average amount of ether lost each year by misuse, key loss, and general ‘bit decay’. As stated on their FAQ page, they aim to create an equilibrium with this production rate. Now, as mentioned in point 5, I believe that this balance is coming to its end in the very near (or immediate) future.
The ETH ETF – Though I personally believe that the Bitcoin ETF was an attempt by the Winklevoss twins to drive up the value of their investment (which it did), I would be surprised if it is passed during its 2nd go around – but very happy if it was. Aside from fear that Bitcoin would hold more confidence than the dollar, the SEC claims that it lacks regulatory oversight. Ether, however, is regulated by the New York State Department of Financial services, and is already in use with JPMorgan Chase, Intel, Accenture, Microsoft, and more, which may grant the SEC a bit more comfort. Additionally, Ethereum does not aim to replace the dollar, but equate back to it after safely executing a contract. This solve the liquidity problem that many institution & retail investors with high balances face, in America at least.
Too late to invest? – Well, granted, it will take a slightly more time and acceptance to hit 400% returns, and most retail investors purchase power has decreased drastically in the past several weeks, but many probably asked this as Bitcoin hit all-time highs of $200 back in the day. Due to its acceptance beyond P2P & P&B, smart/secure/anti-fraud contract capability, use as a platform for programming on the blockchain and continuous mining capabilities, I would not be surprised to see ETH pass bitcoin on the race to the $10,000 USD mark.
Well, there is my 0.00057148 BTC (2 cents) on Ethereum. If I have missed something or am just flat out wrong, let me know. Also, I don’t have a Facebook, but you can find me talking about cryptos, segwit, metals, investments, wealth generation, and escaping ‘the USSA’ on twitter, via @LennartBedrage.
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Donations
100% of Steem generated by my account will be donated responsibly to a cause which is committed toward empowerment of impoverished areas, tangible improvements to Human Development and the betterment of all mankind. For each donation, I will generate a full write up of the reasons why I selected a particular organization, stated mission, and what our STEEM has purchased. These write ups will be complete with receipts and pictures when possible.
In my commitment to support the currencies and the blockchain space, all funds will be used to purchase material goods directly, or converted into other currencies (such as ETH) which ensure contract completion and mitigate exposure to fraud.