What is Dogecoin?

What Is Dogecoin?

What is Dogecoin?

Dogecoin (DOGE) is a an altcoin launched in December 2013, possibly as a joke. But cryptocurrency investors consider Dogecoin’s blockchain, derived from Litecoin, as reliable, which is one of the many reasons for the cryptocurrency’s rise to prominence.

The “Doge” in Dogecoin comes from the Flash cartoon “Homestar Runner,” in which Homestar calls another character his “D-O-G-E,” deliberately misspelling the word “dog.” In the early 2010s, a blogger posted a picture of her dog smiling excitedly, which struck a chord on Tumblr and Reddit. Then, a Redittor called the image “Doge, “creating a meme.

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How Does Dogecoin Work?

That code for Dogecoin is based on Litecoin, and early versions of the coin incentivized block miners through a randomized reward system. But the coin would soon change to a static-reward system for miners in March 2014. Being based on Litecoin, Dogecoin uses scrypt technology. It’s a proof-of-work coin, which is the reason for its low price and virtually unlimited supply.

That scrypt technology set it apart from other kinds of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, which uses a different proof-of-work algorithm called SHA-256. While the differences between the two are complicated, the upshot is that Dogecoin’s scrypt allows for an unlimited supply of coins. This makes Dogecoin a so-called “inflationary coin,” whereas Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrencies are considered deflationary, because there’s a fixed limit to the number of coins miners can create.

Recommended: What is Bitcoin Halving and Why Does it Matter?

Who Created Dogecoin?

Jackson Palmer, an Australian project manager, created Dogecoin, which he originally thought of as a way to make fun of the media frenzy around cryptocurrencies. But he did purchase the dogecoin.com domain. At the same time, Portland, Oregon-based software developer Billy Markus looked up from his desk at IBM, and noticed the social-media attention that Dogecoin was gathering. Together, Palmer and Markus began to write the code that would underlie the first actual Dogecoin.

Two weeks after Palmer and Markus launched Dogecoin in 2013, its value rose by a staggering 300%. In those days, Dogecoin marketed itself as a “fun” version of Bitcoin. Its smiling-dog logo fit the playful atmosphere mood of the crypto community at the time, while its underlying code kept it relatively cheap to buy.

That playfulness showed up in the Dogecoin community’s 2014 donation of 27 million Dogecoins (roughly $30,000 at the time) to bankroll the Jamaican bobsled team’s expenses at the Sochi Winter Olympic games.

What Can Dogecoin Be Used for?

Once you have some Dogecoin, you can put it in a BitPay wallet, and via their partnership with Mastercard, you could put it on a prepaid crypto card, which you can spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted. That means you can use your Dogecoin to buy just about anything.

BitPay has also added Dogecoin support for Apple Wallet, which allows you to store their BitPay Card – and the Dogecoins within it – in your iPhone to make Apple Pay purchases.

How Did Dogecoin Become So Popular?

Born from a Reddit meme, Dogecoin had a ready audience of supporters ready to buy into the cryptocurrency, especially on the WallStreetBets subreddit. But it reached a far wider audience through its celebrity endorsements.

How Many Dogecoins Are There?

There were more than 129 billion Dogecoins in circulation on May 21, 2021, according to CoinMetrics. That made it the highest-circulation cryptocurrency in existence. The closest contender is Stellar (XLM), with 105 billion coins in circulation. By comparison, Bitcoin has just over 18.5 million in circulation.

Dogecoin has no limit as to how many coins miners can create. This is a stark contrast to Bitcoin, which is designed to never exceed 21 million coins in circulation, a level it should reach in the year 2140.

Why Is Dogecoin So Cheap?

Dogecoin is so cheap because there are so many of them, and because so many more are coming into existence, without limit, for the foreseeable future. The founders have decided not to cap the amount of Dogecoins in existence. And the law of supply and demand means that, without scarcity, the coins will remain inexpensive.

But that same low price is also why Dogecoin is so liquid, and can trade so quickly. While the price remains low, it has gone up substantially, increasing 12,000% from January to July, 2021. That’s an incredible return for those who managed to HODL their cryptocurrency through the volatility.

Dogecoin Price Prediction: Will It Reach $1?

Of course, it’s impossible to predict the future, but at present, it is very easy and inexpensive to mint new Dogecoins. As a result, one could reason that it is unlikely to reach $1 per coin until it becomes harder and more expensive to mint new Dogecoins.

Is Dogecoin a Good Investment?

While Dogecoin has gone up in recent years, it’s very hard to predict the future of any form of crypto. But if crypto is a big part of your investment strategy, then Dogecoin could make sense as part of a diversified crypto portfolio. It is a popular currency, and has a unique set of investors behind it.

That said, Dogecoin comes with risks. Critics say that Dogecoin, as a cryptocurrency, doesn’t have many advantages built into its code or its applications. They also point out that beyond the popularity of Dogecoin, there’s not much that differentiates it from a new crypto competitor that could emerge tomorrow next year. But boosters point to Dogecoin’s popularity and growth as the kind of first-mover advantage that new competitors may have trouble matching.

How Can I Buy and Sell Dogecoin?

You can invest in Dogecoin through a crypto exchange, like Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, or another platform. After opening an account and funding it, you can use those funds to trade Dogecoin or other cryptocurrencies.

The Takeaway

Dogecoin is an altcoin that has gained a significant following, despite its origins as a joke currency. It is just one of many types of cryptocurrencies that crypto investors might consider adding to their portfolio.

If you want to invest in Dogecoin without opening an account on a crypto exchange, you can open an account on the SoFi Invest® brokerage platform. You can use the app to purchase stocks and exchange-traded funds as well as to build a crypto portfolio.

Photo credit: iStock/Irina Vaneeva


SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.

Crypto: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t endorsed or guaranteed by any government, are volatile, and involve a high degree of risk. Consumer protection and securities laws don’t regulate cryptocurrencies to the same degree as traditional brokerage and investment products. Research and knowledge are essential prerequisites before engaging with any cryptocurrency. US regulators, including FINRA , the SEC , and the CFPB , have issued public advisories concerning digital asset risk. Cryptocurrency purchases should not be made with funds drawn from financial products including student loans, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, savings, retirement funds or traditional investments. Limitations apply to trading certain crypto assets and may not be available to residents of all states.

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How to Start a Cryptocurrency: Can Anyone Create a New Coin?

How to Start a Cryptocurrency: Can Anyone Create a New Coin?

Despite ongoing crypto volatility, there’s nothing to stop people from launching new crypto projects. In fact, anyone could start a cryptocurrency, but not everyone has the knowledge or resources necessary to take on the task.

Even after someone manages to create a new type of crypto, one that offers new features or aims to solve existing problems, there is still work to do in terms of promotion, listing on exchanges, never mind ongoing maintenance and upgrades.

Understanding Coins vs Tokens

Before getting started, however, it’s important to know the difference between a token and a coin. Both fall under the blanket term of “cryptocurrency,” but while a coin like Bitcoin or Litecoin exists on its own blockchain, a token like Basic Attention Token, functions within an established blockchain technology infrastructure like Ethereum. Tokens also do not have uses or value outside of a specific community or organization.

Cryptocurrencies function like fiat currencies, without the centralized bank. Users typically hope to use their coins to store, build, or transfer wealth.

Meanwhile, tokens usually represent some kind of contract or have specific utility value for a blockchain application. Basic Attention Token for example, rewards content creators through the Brave browser. Tokens can also serve as a contract for or digital version of something, such as event tickets or loyalty points.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) represent a unique piece of digital property, like artwork. And DeFi tokens serve many different purposes in that space.

Recommended: What is Cryptocurrency? A Guide to Understanding Crypto

Ways to Create a Cryptocurrency

There are three primary ways to create a cryptocurrency, none of which is fast or easy. Here’s how each of them works:

Create a New Blockchain

Creating a new blockchain from scratch takes substantial coding skills and is, by far, the most difficult way to create a cryptocurrency. There are online courses that help walk you through the process, but they assume a certain level of knowledge. Even with the necessary skills, you might not walk away from these tutorials with everything you need to create a new blockchain.

Fork an Existing Blockchain

Forking an existing blockchain might be a lot quicker and less complicated than creating one from scratch. This would involve taking the open source code found on GitHub, altering it, then launching a new chain with a different name and a new type of crypto. The developers of Litecoin, for example, created it by forking from Bitcoin.

Developers have since forked several coins from Litecoin, including Garlicoin and Litecoin Cash. This process still requires the creator to understand how to modify the existing code.

Use an Existing Platform

The third and easiest option for those unfamiliar with coding is making a new cryptocurrency or token on an existing platform like Ethereum. Many new projects create tokens on the Ethereum network using the ERC-20 standard, for example.

If you’re not familiar with writing code, you might consider a creation service that does the technical work and then hands you a finished product.

Up to $100 in bitcoin2 – just for you.

With 30 coins available, our app offers a secure way to trade crypto 24/7.

 

 

How to Make a Cryptocurrency: 7 Steps

After considering everything above, you can start taking the steps to build the cryptocurrency. Some of these steps will be less relevant when paying a third-party to create the new coin. Even then, anyone undertaking the task should be familiar with these aspects of how to create a cryptocurrency.

1. Decide on a Consensus Mechanism

A consensus mechanism is the protocol that determines whether or not the network will consider a particular transaction. All the nodes have to confirm a transaction for it to go through. This is also known as “achieving consensus.” You will need a mechanism to determine how the nodes will go about doing this.

The first consensus mechanism was Bitcoin’s proof-of-work. Proof-of-Stake is another popular consensus mechanism.  There are many others as well.

2. Choose a Blockchain

This goes back to the three methods mentioned earlier. A coin or token needs a place to live, and deciding in which blockchain environment the coin will exist is a crucial step. The choice will depend on your level of technical skill, your comfort level, and your project goals.

3. Create the Nodes

Nodes are the backbone of any distributed ledger technology (DLT), including blockchains. As a cryptocurrency creator, you must determine how your nodes will function. Do they want the blockchain to be permissioned or permission less? What would the hardware details look like? How will hosting work?

4. Build the Blockchain Architecture

Before launching the coin, developers should be 100% certain about all the functionality of the blockchain and the design of its nodes. Once the mainnet has launched, there’s no going back, and many things cannot be changed. That’s why it’s common practice to test things out on a testnet beforehand. This could include simple things like the cryptocurrency’s address format as well as more complex things like integrating the inter-blockchain communication (IBC) protocol to allow the blockchain to communicate with other blockchains.

5. Integrate APIs

Not all platforms provide application programming interfaces (APIs). Making sure that a newly created cryptocurrency has APIs could help make it stand out and increase adoption. There are also some third-party blockchain API providers who can help with this step.

6. Design the Interface

There’s little point in creating a cryptocurrency if people find it too difficult to use. The web servers and file transfer protocol (FTP) servers should be up-to-date and the programming on both the front and backends should be done with future developer updates in mind.

7. Make the Cryptocurrency Legal

Failing to consider this last step led to trouble for many who initiated or promoted ICOs back in 2017 and 2018. At that time, cryptocurrency was in a kind of legal grey area, and they may not have realized that creating or promoting new coins could result in fines or criminal charges depending on the circumstances.

Before launching a new coin, it a good idea to research the laws and regulations surrounding securities offerings and related topics. Given the complexity of the issues and their regular updates, you might consider hiring a lawyer with expertise in the area to help guide you through this step.

The Takeaway

This is only the beginning of what someone needs to know about how to create a cryptocurrency. In addition to the technical aspects, creators of a new coin or token will have to figure out how their cryptocurrency can provide value to others, how to persuade them to buy in, and how the network will be maintained. Doing so often involves many costs like hiring a development team, a marketing team, and other people who will help keep things going and perform needed upgrades.

Creating a cryptocurrency can take a lot of time and money, and there’s a high risk that it will not succeed. There are more than 5,000 different types of cryptocurrencies listed on public exchanges according to data from Coinmarketcap, and thousands more that have failed over the years.

Simply participating in cryptocurrency trading might be a better route for those who don’t have the time, money, or interest in creating their own. A great way to do that is by opening an investment account on the SoFi Invest brokerage platform, which makes it easy to trade crypto, stocks, and exchange-traded funds.

Trade crypto and get up to $100 in bitcoin! (Offer is available through 12/31/23; terms apply.)

Photo credit: iStock/MF3d


SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.

Crypto: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t endorsed or guaranteed by any government, are volatile, and involve a high degree of risk. Consumer protection and securities laws don’t regulate cryptocurrencies to the same degree as traditional brokerage and investment products. Research and knowledge are essential prerequisites before engaging with any cryptocurrency. US regulators, including FINRA , the SEC , and the CFPB , have issued public advisories concerning digital asset risk. Cryptocurrency purchases should not be made with funds drawn from financial products including student loans, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, savings, retirement funds or traditional investments. Limitations apply to trading certain crypto assets and may not be available to residents of all states.

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2Terms and conditions apply. Earn a bonus (as described below) when you open a new SoFi Digital Assets LLC account and buy at least $50 worth of any cryptocurrency within 7 days. The offer only applies to new crypto accounts, is limited to one per person, and expires on December 31, 2023. Once conditions are met and the account is opened, you will receive your bonus within 7 days. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate the offer at any time without notice.
First Trade Amount Bonus Payout
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$100 $499.99 $15
$500 $4,999.99 $50
$5,000+ $100
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What is Binance (BNB) Crypto? BNB Price & How to Buy BNB

Binance (BNB) is a cryptocurrency token that was created to be used as a medium of exchange on Binance, one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges.

Traders who hold BNB tokens get discounts when using BNB to pay for trading fees on Binance. As of 2020, BNB users received a 6.25% rebate on trading fees. Binance Coin also serves as the native token for Binance’s decentralized exchange (DEX).

What Is Binance?

Binance is one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. Based in Malta, the exchange was founded in 2017 and follows all standard cryptocurrency regulations. Binance offers a variety of features, including:

•  Crypto-to-crypto trading of many different currency pairs (over 150)
•  Fiat-to-crypto trading
•  The ability to buy crypto with a credit card
•  Futures and leveraged trading for advanced traders
•  The option to choose between a basic interface for beginners or an advanced interface for experienced traders

Binance has one the highest liquidity of any crypto exchange in the world, according to data from CoinMarketCap. That means more crypto can trade hands on the exchange than anywhere else during a given period of time, making Binance a desirable place for day traders who thrive on liquid assets, which makes it easier and faster to execute trades. The exchange also has low fees, so users can make more trades for less cost.

Binance derives its name from a combination of the words “finance” and “binary.” The exchange claims to have high levels of security and is capable of processing about 1.4 million orders each second.

Eleven days before Binance went live, BNB was created through an initial coin offering. While the coin was first issued as an ERC-20 token running on the Ethereum network, these same coins were later swapped with BEP2 BNB coins in April 2019 when the Binance Chain mainnet launched (Binance’s own blockchain network). BNB can be used as “gas” payments–fees paid for computing power–to fuel transactions on the DEX.

Is Binance Coin Worth Buying?

This question might not have a single, objective answer. It depends on the individual. Someone who wants to use Binance’s decentralized exchange (DEX) might think BNB crypto is worth buying. The Binance DEX first went live in April 2019.

Traders who make a lot of trades on Binance on a regular basis might benefit from the discounts that BNB provides. They could wind up saving them a lot of money.

And finally, some cryptocurrency traders might speculate, as opposed to invest, that BNB has a promising future. These people might see BNB as a good coin to hold for some time, in hopes that the price will continue to rise. BNB crypto has risen over 34,000% since inception and over 41,000% since its all-time low.

What is Binance Coin Used For?

As far as different types of cryptocurrencies go, Binance Coin might be one of the most unique. As mentioned, BNB serves two main purposes:

•  To provide discounts to traders who use BNB on Binance, and
•  To function as “gas” for transactions on Binance’s decentralized exchange (DEX).

When someone places a trade on Binance, they are charged a 0.5% trading fee. This fee can either be paid in the form of the cryptocurrency being traded at the time or in the form of Binance Coin. When paid using BNB, a discount is applied.

Beyond that, altcoins like Binance Coin are also used for speculative purposes. Traders buy coins at a low price with the hopes of selling them later at a higher price to make a profit.

How to Buy BNB

Binance Coin can be purchased on the Binance crypto exchange. There are three primary trading pairs:

•  BNB/USDT (Binance-Tether stablecoin)
•  BNB/BTC (Binance-Bitcoin)
•  BNB/BUSD (Binance-U.S. dollar)

While BNB crypto was created by and for Binance, traders can buy BNB tokens on other exchanges as well. As of the time of writing, BNB can be traded on dozens of different exchanges.

Users who already hold some Bitcoin might find it easiest to deposit Bitcoin to an exchange that trades the BNB/BTC pair and then trade their bitcoin for BNB. Those who don’t hold Bitcoin could consider creating an account on Binance and funding it using either a stablecoin like Tether or U.S. dollars directly.

Binance Coin Price

At the time of writing, the BNB price was $40.39 or 0.001076 Bitcoin.

In July 2017, when the coin was first created, the price was closer to $0.10, with the all-time low being $0.096. The all-time high, as of January 2021, was $45.16, reached on Jan. 10, 2021.

BNB is currently ranked as the eleventh largest cryptocurrency, according to CoinMarketCap data, with a market cap of over $5.7 billion. The 24-hour trading volume on Jan. 14, 2021 was $548.3 million.

BNB crypto has a circulating supply of 142,406,561 BNB and a maximum supply of 174,152,673 coins.

Is Binance Better Than Coinbase?

Some users might compare Binance to other prominent exchanges, including Coinbase. The comparison is, however, largely subjective. For those new to crypto seeking ease-of-use and simplicity, Coinbase might be a good option. They allow for purchases and sales of many of the top cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase also has a cold storage, multi-signature feature called “vaults.” Vaults provide a more secure way to hold crypto for the long-term. To access funds held in a vault, a user must verify a withdrawal request from two different email addresses and wait through a 48-hour processing period.

On the other hand, for more active traders seeking a wider variety of tokens to choose from and higher liquidity, Binance could be preferable. At Binance, investors and traders also have the option to use a more advanced interface with detailed charts.

Is Crypto Safe On Binance?

The answer to this question depends on an individual’s definition of “safe” and how much money is in question.

Generally speaking, it might be safe to keep small amounts of crypto on a secure exchange like Binance for a short period of time. Binance boasts some of the strongest security in the industry. For larger balances to be held over longer time-frames, however, holding coins on any exchange is widely regarded as not being very secure.

Over the years, many exchanges have been hacked. This creates the most obvious security risk involved with “hot wallets,” or cryptocurrency wallets that are actively online at all times. Another risk that comes from exchanges is theft. Employees of the company could conspire to steal user funds and blame the event on outside malicious actors.

The Takeaway

Binance (BNB) coins were created to be used on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange. BNB users on BNB can get trading discounts. However, BNB has become more popular in recent years, experiencing a tremendous increase in price, and now, cryptocurrency traders and investors can find it on many other exchanges.

With SoFi Invest®, investors can buy cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin, while following the prices of others like XRP and BNB. They can also invest in stocks or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Get started today.



Crypto: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t endorsed or guaranteed by any government, are volatile, and involve a high degree of risk. Consumer protection and securities laws don’t regulate cryptocurrencies to the same degree as traditional brokerage and investment products. Research and knowledge are essential prerequisites before engaging with any cryptocurrency. US regulators, including FINRA , the SEC , and the CFPB , have issued public advisories concerning digital asset risk. Cryptocurrency purchases should not be made with funds drawn from financial products including student loans, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, savings, retirement funds or traditional investments. Limitations apply to trading certain crypto assets and may not be available to residents of all states.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.
For a full listing of the fees associated with Sofi Invest please view our fee schedule.


Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.


External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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