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Unit 2 : BITCOINS AND CRYPTOCURRENCY

2.1 Basics Crypto currency :

What is cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrency is a digital payment system that doesn’t rely on banks to verify transactions. It’s a peer-

to-peer system that can enable anyone anywhere to send and receive payments. Instead of being physical money

carried around and exchanged in the real world, cryptocurrency payments exist purely as digital entries to an

online database describing specific transactions. When you transfer cryptocurrency funds, the transactions are

recorded in a public ledger. Cryptocurrency is stored in digital wallets.

Cryptocurrency received its name because it uses encryption to verify transactions. This means

advanced coding is involved in storing and transmitting cryptocurrency data between wallets and to public

ledgers. The aim of encryption is to provide security and safety.

The first cryptocurrency was Bitcoin, which was founded in 2009 and remains the best known today.

Much of the interest in cryptocurrencies is to trade for profit, with speculators at times driving prices skyward.

How does cryptocurrency work?

Cryptocurrencies run on a distributed public ledger called blockchain, a record of all transactions

updated and held by currency holders.Units of cryptocurrency are created through a process called mining,

which involves using computer power to solve complicated mathematical problems that generate coins. Users

can also buy the currencies from brokers, then store and spend them using cryptographic wallets.If you own

cryptocurrency, you don’t own anything tangible. What you own is a key that allows you to move a record or a

unit of measure from one person to another without a trusted third party.Although Bitcoin has been around since

2009, cryptocurrencies and applications of blockchain technology are still emerging in financial terms, and

more uses are expected in the future. Transactions including bonds, stocks, and other financial assets could

eventually be traded using the technology.

Cryptocurrency examples There are thousands of cryptocurrencies. Some of the best known include:

Bitcoin:
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Founded in 2009, Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency and is still the most commonly traded. The currency was

developed by Satoshi Nakamoto – widely believed to be a pseudonym for an individual or group of people

whose precise identity remains unknown.

Ethereum:

Developed in 2015, Ethereum is a blockchain platform with its own cryptocurrency, called Ether (ETH) or

Ethereum. It is the most popular cryptocurrency after Bitcoin.

Litecoin:

This currency is most similar to bitcoin but has moved more quickly to develop new innovations, including

faster payments and processes to allow more transactions.

Ripple:

Ripple is a distributed ledger system that was founded in 2012. Ripple can be used to track different kinds of

transactions, not just cryptocurrency. The company behind it has worked with various banks and financial

institutions.

Non-Bitcoin cryptocurrencies are collectively known as “altcoins” to distinguish them from the original.

2.2 CREATION OF COINS

How is Cryptocurrency Created?

The units of cryptocurrency are created through a process called mining. Mining is the process of

validating cryptocurrency transactions and creating new units of cryptocurrency. The mining process uses

powerful computer hardware and software to solve complex mathematical problems that generate

coins.Cryptocurrencies use blockchain technology. Therefore, whenever a cryptocurrency transaction occurs,

cryptocurrency miners (who also act as nodes on the blockchain network where these types of cryptocurrency

transactions take place) try to decrypt the block containing the transaction information. The block not only

verifies the transaction but also provides information about who sent how much cryptocurrency to whom, when

and on what date. Once a block is decrypted and accepted as authentic by the majority of nodes in the

blockchain network, the block is added to the blockchain. The verification process is very resource-intensive in
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terms of the required computing power. As a result, individual cryptocurrency miners often find the process too

expensive, So because of this miners join mining pools to share computing power.

Coins and Tokens

Cryptocurrencies are broadly divided into two groups – coins and tokens. A coin is a cryptocurrency

application that runs on its own blockchain, where all transactions take place. Tokens, on the other hand, work

on existing blockchain infrastructure and are typically used for physical objects like smart contracts. Digital

services, etc.

Create Coin and Token:

1. Creating a coin: The coin creation process is not that challenging. You can simply copy Bitcoin’s

code, add a new variable, or even change its value, and that’s it – you have your blockchain and your

coin. However, you must understand the code and know how to modify it, which requires extensive

programming knowledge.

2. Creating a Token: As mentioned above, the token works with the existing blockchain infrastructure.

Therefore, if you create a token on a high-performance blockchain such as Ethereum, your token
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should run on a highly secure network and also be secure from fraud attacks. Tokenization is less

expensive in terms of money and time when you leverage your existing decentralized architecture

and implement a consensus mechanism.

Popular solutions for making cryptocurrency

Ethereum: Ethereum is the first blockchain to offer a token creation service. It offers a superior level of

trust due to its maturity and strong position in the cryptocurrency market. All tokens built on Ethereum use the

ERC-20 standard. Tokens on Ethereum can only be written in Solidity (its own programming language).

EOS: EOS tokens use the EOSIO. Token standard and can be created with C++ or any other language

like python, java, etc. that compiles to WebAssembly. With no transaction fees, blockchains offer excellent

scalability, high transactions per second, and cost-effectiveness.

NEO: Neo is an open-source community-driven blockchain platform, Neo’s vision is to be an open

network for a smart economy. Neo uses the NEP-5 standard. Unlike Ethereum, you can create your own tokens

on it using almost any high-level programming language like Java, Python, etc. HTTP API can be used to

interact with the blockchain.

Steps to Create a Cryptocurrency

Below are the steps to create a cryptocurrency:

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1.Choose a Consensus Mechanism: Consensus mechanisms are the protocols that consider a

particular transaction legitimate and add to the block.

2 .Pick a Blockchain Platform: Choosing the right blockchain platform for your business depends on the

consensus mechanism you choose.

3.Design The Nodes: You need to determine how your blockchain will work and function, and design

your nodes accordingly.

4.Establish Blockchain’s Internal Architecture: Set up the internal architecture of the blockchain, Be

sure about all the aspects before the launch as you won’t be able to change several parameters of the blockchain

after it’s launched and running.

5. Integrate APIs: Some platforms don’t offer pre-built APIs.Don’t worry, there are several third-party

blockchain API providers like ChromaWay, Gem, Colu, BlockCypher, etc.

6. Designing the UI: Building a top-notch cryptocurrency is useless if your UI is bad. You need to

ensure that the web, FTP server, and external databases are up-to-date and that front-end and back-end

programming is done with future upgrades in mind.

7. Legalize your cryptocurrency: Make sure your cryptocurrency is ready and compliant with

upcoming international cryptocurrency regulations. That way, your work is preserved, and no sudden surprises

can sabotage your efforts to create a new cryptocurrency.