Want to know how to buy Stacks? You can Buy STX on Coinbase!
Stacks has Bitcoin maximalists excited, and for good reason. Stacks promises to enable smart contract functionality to the Bitcoin blockchain without changing or clogging the Bitcoin mainnet. Smart contracts on Ethereum are built on the mainnet, causing network congestion and high fees. Building these smart contracts on a second layer like Stacks may be a solution to scalable DeFi.
DeFi on Bitcoin would be huge, and Stacks’ smart contracts might be the technology needed to make it happen. Learn more about stacks and how to buy STX below.
What is Stacks?
Stacks is a Layer 1 blockchain that leverages the security of the Bitcoin blockchain using a novel consensus mechanism called Proof of Transaction (PoX). Essentially, the Stacks blockchain acts as a computation layer while using Bitcoin’s blockchain as a settlement layer.
STX is the native asset of the Stacks blockchain. The Stacks blockchain is unique — it has both miners and stakers, or at least a version of both.
In the Stacks ecosystem, you have 2 options that let you earn interest on your digital assets:
Mining: Stacks’ miners incorporate BTC into the ecosystem for the purpose of leveraging Bitcoin’s proof of work (PoW) security. You can commit Bitcoin to the chain for the chance to earn the Stacks block reward, known as mining. This Bitcoin will be given to stackers as a reward for achieving consensus.
Stacking: You can stake STX and earn BTC provided by miners, known as “stacking.” Similar to most proof of stake (PoS) blockchains, stacking allows holders to provide security and earn interest. Unlike most PoS chains, STX stakers earn BTC as a reward.
Brief History of Stacks
Stacks was founded as “Blockstacks” at Princeton in 2013 by Muneeb Ali and Ryan Shea. Blockstacks received seed funding from Y Combinator in 2014, and completed a $4 million Series A capital raise in 2016. A year later in 2017, Blockstacks raised $50 million via a private token sale.
In 2018, Stacks launched its testnet and integrated with Gaia, the decentralized storage platform, for data management. Later that year, the Stacks blockchain went live.
How to Buy Stacks (STX)
Stacks‘s 2019 public token sale was the first ever ICO commissioned by the SEC. The token became officially recognized as a security and therefore unable to be traded on U.S. based cryptocurrency exchanges. However, Stacks (STX) is currently available to U.S. customers on Crypto.com and KuCoin.
- Open an online account.
Opening a crypto account is the first step to acquiring STX tokens. As a U.S. resident, you’ll have to comply with SEC know your customer (KYC) regulations. For tax purposes, you’ll need to supply the exchange with your Social Security number, address and a photo of your driver's license. Once you’ve compiled these resources, you’re ready to make your account.
- Buy a crypto wallet (optional).
Cryptocurrency is great because it allows people all across the world to take custody of their assets and protect their value from the whims of governments and central banks.
While most crypto exchanges are happy to take custody of your assets for you, best practice is purchasing your own cryptocurrency wallet. A cold storage wallet should be used for large amounts of money, while hot wallets work great for smaller amounts dedicated to trading or earning interest.
Stacks STX is the native asset to the Stacks blockchain and it’ll require a special wallet for the time being.
Until mainstream wallets like the Ledger Nano X and Coinbase Wallet add support for STX, your best bet is Stacks Wallet. The Stacks Wallet is made by Stacks and is quite intuitive. There’s a downloadable desktop application and a browser extension version. - Make your purchase.
Now that you have an exchange account and a safe place to store your assets, you’re ready to make your purchase. Connect a bank account to your exchange, transfer some USD and purchase STX!
Trade, Sell or Convert your Stacks
If you want to exit your STX position, you can follow the purchasing process in reverse order. First, transfer your STX from your wallet back to your exchange wallet, then place a sell order. Now that you’re back in USD, you can transfer your funds back to your bank account.
Current Crypto Prices
Most cryptocurrencies are still down from their all-time highs due to the depegging of Terra, presenting a buying opportunity for long-term oriented investors that want to accumulate more digital assets for a discount relative to past prices. This would be an investment model similar to the value investing that Warren Buffett uses. Unlike the stock market, the cryptocurrency market trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For this reason, it's best practice to use a cryptocurrency portfolio tracker to monitor your portfolio.
For a more in depth analysis of the current market cycle, see Will Bitcoin Go Back Up?
Is Stacks a Good Investment?
Stacks promises to enable decentralized finance (DeFi) on Bitcoin. If they’re at all successful in achieving their goal, the network could grow exponentially in the coming years. If Ethereum’s success is any indication of the potential of blockchain smart contracts, then Stacks could be the most lucrative investment of the next decade.
That being said, Ethereum’s comparatively mature DeFi ecosystem and loyal community will be hard to displace. Stacks is a high-risk investment, so only invest money you’re okay with losing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many STX coins are there?
Currently, there are 1.1 billion STX coins in circulation with a total supply of 1.3 billion
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