As the world’s oldest form of crypto, Bitcoin is considered a store of value and a form of payment. Waves, a newer crypto, is more of a groundbreaker in the DeFi space.
Bitcoin was developed as an alternative to traditional currencies and financial channels. Waves, on the other hand, was created to allow users to launch their own applications and digital tokens. If you’re weighing whether to invest in Bitcoin vs. Waves, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each.
What Is Waves (WAVES)?
Waves is an open-source blockchain network that allows users to create and launch custom decentralized applications (dApps) and cryptocurrency tokens.
Blockchain technology processes information using “nodes”: decentralized networks of computers that can drive faster, more secure transactions. Decentralization is a key feature of the crypto realm, which is sometimes referred to as decentralized finance, or DeFi.
Waves works in a similar way to Ethereum, in that the Waves network is typically used to create products that require a high level of security — often relating to finance, personal identification, proprietary data, etc.
Waves has its own decentralized exchange, called DEX, and a native token, WAVES. The token works as a medium of exchange for network users, much like ETH on the Ethereum network.
How Does Waves Work?
Practically speaking, the Waves network is designed so that users with little or no crypto expertise can create digital tokens. All you have to do is fire up the Waves app or web platform and use the network’s token-creation system.
Waves offers users a different approach than similar blockchain networks in that tokens created on the network do not use advanced smart contracts, but rather scripts in user accounts. If you want to get technical, Waves uses a variation of the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism (called “leased” proof of stake) to verify data on the blockchain.
What Is Bitcoin and How Does It Work?
Bitcoin is a virtual currency. Launched in 2009 using blockchain technology, it’s the oldest and largest crypto asset on the market. Bitcoin balances and transaction records are maintained on a public blockchain ledger.
All Bitcoin records, transactions, and ownership data are maintained and verified by a large network of computers around the world through a proof-of-work consensus mechanism. (This is different from the proof-of-stake mechanism that Waves uses.) Through that mechanism, “miners” upkeep the network and are rewarded with Bitcoin.
Bitcoin holders can send each other Bitcoins, assuming they each have a special digital wallet or crypto wallet designed for that purpose, and a private key, which is an address where digital assets are stored.
Because Bitcoin is so popular, some businesses accept Bitcoin in exchange for goods and services — which is not the case for many other cryptocurrencies. In that sense, Bitcoin can be used as a literal currency in some situations.
💡 Recommended: Bitcoin Price History: 2009-2022
Comparing Bitcoin vs Waves
By now you may realize that Bitcoin and Waves are intrinsically different. Here are some ways in which the two are similar, and how they differ:
Similarities
The biggest commonality between Bitcoin and Waves is that both have been integral to the growth of the crypto market. Bitcoin was the trailblazer, and its immense growth in value over the past few years attracted attention from all over the investment sphere. But Waves’ ability to give folks with little know-how the tools to launch their own tokens is also generating buzz.
Differences
Bitcoin and Waves differ in key ways. Foremost, Bitcoin is a digital currency, while Waves is a platform for launching tokens. They’re two completely different things.
The two have different goals and aims, too. As noted above, Bitcoin was developed as an alternative to traditional currencies and financial channels. Waves was created to allow users to launch their own applications and digital tokens — even if they don’t know much about crypto.
On a technical level, the two exist on different blockchain networks and use smart contracts in different ways. Because it was designed as a currency, Bitcoin didn’t originally have smart contract functionality. Now, a separate blockchain network called Stacks enables smart contracts for Bitcoin. The Stacks blockchain uses the STX token as a “gas” asset to pay for executing smart contracts.
Smart contracts on the Waves blockchain feature scripts written in Ride, a domain-specific language for developing dApps focusing on security and ease of development. Due to built-in limitations, running Ride scripts doesn’t require any “gas” fees.
Finally, it’s worth pointing out that there is a huge disparity in value between Bitcoin and Waves’ token, WAVES. While Bitcoin has traded at prices exceeding $65,000 in the past, WAVES can be purchased for much less — typically between $4 and $30.
| Bitcoin vs. Waves | Bitcoin | Waves |
|---|---|---|
| Built on blockchain technology and smart contracts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integral to the growth of crypto | ✓ | ✓ |
| Functions as a platform | ✓ | |
| Functions as a virtual currency | ✓ | |
| Proof-of-stake mechanism | ✓ | |
| Proof-of-work mechanism | ✓ |
The Takeaway
Bitcoin and Waves couldn’t be more different in functionality, underlying technology, and business goals. As the world’s oldest form of crypto, Bitcoin is considered a store of value and a form of payment. It was developed as an alternative to traditional currencies and financial channels.
Waves, on the other hand, was created to allow users to launch their own applications and digital tokens. Waves is more of a groundbreaker in the DeFi space, allowing entrepreneurs with minimal tech knowledge to create crypto products.
FAQ
Is Waves crypto legitimate and trustworthy?
Waves has been around since 2016, and its relative longevity in the crypto space is a good indicator of its legitimacy.
How safe is Waves crypto staking?
You can stake digital assets on Waves, which is one reason it attracts many users.
Who created and who owns Waves crypto?
Waves was founded by Sasha Ivanov in 2016, and the company is headquartered in Moscow. Since then, a parent company, Wave Labs, has been established in Miami, FL.
Photo credit: iStock/DjelicS
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