This is a guest post submitted on CryptoTapas.

As our industry evolves and changes the job market changes along with it. While consistent technological advancements usually come with a ton of good, it has also brought as to a point of living in the age of increased uncertainty. Entire professions are dying out and certain technical skills are becoming obsolete.

As the years go by, the concept of job security is fading away slowly which has led to some drastic changes in the way we think about our careers. Modern professionals have more freedom but that freedom comes with a side of fresh responsibilities and difficult choices to make.

In a world of changes and uncertainty, developing a sense of financial security has become an increasingly difficult task. So if we’re losing all of these assurances about our work life, what does that mean for the ways we save for a time after our careers have ended?

How to Retire In This Day and Age?

The increase in average life expectancy has made the task of setting aside sufficient income for retirement more challenging and people are not getting ready. A recent survey has shown that only 10% of the people in the US have a formal retirement plan set up and the idea of working after your statutory retirement age is becoming a real strategy for many.



Those seeking security have shifted the discussion from retirement to financial independence which is changing the focus from age to finances. Even though it’s not easily obtained, the key benefit is that with it comes a belief that you are the one who is in charge of your finances throughout your whole life. Thinking about financial independence is an inherently active approach.

Those who are trying to achieve financial independence usually have a better understanding of their finances. They are probably more likely to stay up with the current trends in the business world and one of the biggest current trends is, of course, cryptocurrency.

In recent years, cryptocurrency has become a dominant topic all over the world, consistently raising more and more attention from potential investors. No one knows what the future will bring for sure yet many believe that we’re still in the early stages of the cryptocurrency era. But could it be a strong asset to your retirement plan?

3 Ways of Developing a Retirement Plan That Includes Cryptocurrency

There are several ways to incorporate cryptocurrencies into your overall retirement plan and strategy. One of the easiest and most common ways is to create a self-directed IRA.

An SDIRA is a specific type of individual retirement account provided by trustees or custodians. It allows you to hold various investments within your account. Things like stocks, gold, real estate and more importantly, digital currency.

Self-directed IRAs that can hold cryptocurrency are also known as Cryptocurrency or Digital IRAs. A key distinction between a self-directed and a traditional IRA is that an SDIRA is managed by the account holder. This will help you gain greater control over your finances and future, but it does come with some extra responsibilities.

If all of this sounds like a whole lot of work to you, there are simpler ways of approaching the matter. There is an increasing number of companies that specialize in combining cryptocurrencies with your individual retirement accounts. Even though this would make the process a lot easier, it does come with additional fees.

Lastly, there’s always an option of investing in crypto as a way of saving money but without merging it with your official retirement plan. It might be less of a hassle but you will miss out on the tax benefits. Even though we consider it digital currency, the IRS still treats crypto as property which is why you should learn about crypto taxes if you plan on taking this route.

The Upsides

• It’s a Way of Diversifying Your Portfolio

Diversifying your investments is one of the key principles of low-risk financial management and the same goes for your retirement plans. Along with things such as real estate investment and creating multiple streams of passive income, investing in cryptocurrency can be a great angle for your diversification strategy.

There have been some success stories in recent history where people went with the cryptocurrency retirement plan and came up on top. In 2017, a physicist who educated himself on the topic of virtual currencies via YouTube invested 15% of his retirement fund and ended up increasing his value nine times. Success stories like this one can make people get very excited but financial advisors still recommend that you should be careful with your investments and make sure to keep them between 5 and 20%.

• It Allows Tax-Free Growth of Your Cryptocurrency Investments

If you’ve decided to take the route of opening up a Digital IRA then your investments in Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency will grow completely tax-free. As long as you keep these funds within your account, you are not required to pay any tax fees on them. The only way these funds will become a subject of taxation is when you decide to make a distribution.

• It Operates Under a Decentralized Infrastructure

One of the main advantages of cryptocurrency retirement savings is that you’re investing in a decentralized infrastructure. Being a part of a system that is independent of centralized institutions comes with the advantages of being unaffected by the actions of central banks and governments.

This is a great benefit because it keeps your investment safe in cases such as bank failures. One of the main reasons for creating a blockchain-based, decentralized cryptocurrency is so that people could avoid being impacted by events similar to the 2008 financial crisis.

Another thing cryptocurrency can save you from is the effects of inflation, in case you’re investing in those that have a hard cap. Bitcoin’s is set at 21 million dollars, meaning no entity will be able to simply invent or print out more and decrease its value.

• It Has Great Long-Term Growth Potential

Putting aside the significant growth in value Bitcoin has experienced this year, there are still other valid indicators that suggest crypto is here to stay. The rise in crypto-specific patent applications along with the rising interest coming from tech giants are just some of the signals that very big players believe in the future of cryptocurrency.

Discussing the potential of a relatively new system is a controversial topic but there are certainly reasons why many experts and big company executives believe cryptocurrency has huge long-term potential for growth. A recent comment made by Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey has stirred this discussion even further.

The Downsides

• It Carries a Lot of Uncertainties

The fact of the matter is that with both crypto and blockchain we’re all very deep in uncharted territory. Economic experts are divided in their opinions at best and their predictions range broadly from incredibly optimistic to disappointingly pessimistic.

One of the reasons for these discrepancies lies in the fact that certain characteristics of the system are open to interpretation. For example, the volatility of cryptocurrency can be considered to be both a strength and a weakness of the system.

Bitcoin is only just about a decade in existence which is too short of a time-frame to really understand and predict how a financial system will look like in the future.

• It Has Significant Added Fees

Trading in cryptocurrency through your IRA comes with different types of fees which vary depending on the custodians or trustees providing you with the account. These trading fees usually vary depending on the type of crypto so if you’re considering making an investment, make sure to take these variations into consideration.

• It Comes with Additional SDIRA-Related Risks

Every self-direct IRA carries specific risks which is something you won’t be able to avoid if you’re looking to maximize the benefits of tax-free growth. The risks come from the fact that SDIRAs have a set of strict rules you must adhere to in order to avoid paying penalties or getting charged with fraud. SDIRAs also come with a set of fees like a one-time establishment fee, a first-year annual fee, annual renewal fee, and fees for investment bill paying.

All of this burden is that much heavier because you have to carry it all by yourself since custodians can’t legally offer financial advice. Finding a good financial advisor is an option but it’s also not very cheap.

Should You Do It?

With everything considered and taken into account, we can certainly say that it’s not the simplest, easiest way nor is it the safest way of setting up a retirement plan. If you’re not even the least bit familiar with cryptocurrency you should probably either figure out another way or look to educate yourself on the subject.

Another thing we can conclude with confidence is that cryptocurrency shouldn’t be considered an all-in strategy, at least for the foreseeable future. The huge potential gains are very exciting but you need to remember what’s on the line.

Those who are uncomfortable with sizable fluctuations in their finances should look to other places to invest their money. Or if you’re close to retirement and don’t have a lot of funds to spare, it’s probably best to sit this one out. Losing your health over the stress of rapid changes in the crypto market is just not worth it.

On the other hand, if you’re still a fairly long way away from getting out of the game and have a few bucks to set aside, cryptocurrency just might be a great thing to try. If you’re smart about it and approach it gradually you can surely set up a scenario where the potential gains drastically outway the potential losses.

Thank you for reading the article.

AuthorBio: Mark is a biz-dev hero at Invoicebus - a simple invoicing service that gets your invoices paid faster. He passionately blogs on topics that help small biz owners succeed in their business. He is also a lifelong learner who practices mindfulness and enjoys long walks in nature more than anything else.

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

Everything in this article is an opinion, not an advice of any kind. This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and it is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, investment, legal or other professional advice. Please consult with a professional for specific advice.

This is a guest post. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information and claims made.

This is a guest post submitted on CryptoTapas.

Majority of investors are worried about bitcoins growth due to its current market value. Actually, the sluggish performance opposes the good news about its huge growth in the near future. Experts say that the current price appears to be the inaccurate indicator of its expected market potential. However, there is no need to worry about your long-term investments. Yeah! There are few potential reasons that show bitcoin will keep on growing in the competitive market. Go through the article below to know more in this regard.

Top 10 reasons why Bitcoin will outperform the competition:

Here we have listed the top 10 reasons that prove Bitcoin as one of the most profitable investments in the cryptocurrency world:

1. Increasing traffic on bitcoin sites

Most of the bitcoin-related websites these days are showing massive growth in terms of visitors count; this fact is true for many big giants such as coinbase.com, Blockchain.info, Coindesk.com, Bitcointalk.org, and Cointelegraph.com, etc. The high rise in traffic reveals increasing popularity of this currency among investments. We can expect more growth among investors count in coming future.

2. Rise in bitcoin transactions

A few years ago, people were often seen complaining about bitcoin hoarders, but the trend has revolutionized these days. Many big brands in the business industry started accepting bitcoins for regular transactions. Some of the best examples are Dish and Dell that brought bitcoin transactions into the spotlight.

3. Mainstream coverage in the market

This digital currency was not accepted by mainstream sites for the long run; either they didn’t share any news about Bitcoin, or they created a negative environment in the market. But the coverage started following Bitcoin these days and most of the popular websites like Forbes, Entrepreneur, USA Today and Business, etc. started talking about this cryptocurrency. It has now created positive influence in the market that will definitely increase the overall value of the currency for coming future.

4. Social media hotspot

It is well proven that in today’s competitive world, social media drives the business industry. The same is true for the popularity of cryptocurrencies as well. Social media helps to set positive vibes about investing in Bitcoin, and it has now started becoming a hotspot on most such platforms. Stats reveal that Twitter had more than 550,000 tweets about Bitcoin in the past 30 days. The graph is increasing with each passing day, and investors consider it a positive sign for bitcoin to outperform competition.

5. Bitcoin activity on Exchanges

How can we forget to talk about exchanges? In every country, exchanges work like the foundation of bitcoin activity. A few years ago, lesser number of exchanges were focused around Bitcoin, but the adoption rate has increased with time. The health of Bitcoin in almost every country is improving now, and it is attracting more investors to focus on Bitcoin. The scenario is positive in most countries including US, China, Belgium, and Russia as well.

6. Venture capital funding

Stats reveal the impressive performance of Bitcoin in the business industry for the current year. The rising number of bitcoin businesses and increasing venture capital may lead to a valuable impact on the Bitcoin market. Venture capital brings new connections and advises with it, and such updates are more useful for the future growth of this cryptocurrency. Businesses are going to help in growth of Bitcoin infrastructure, and with time, this currency will become easier to sell and buy. Venture capital funding will ensure positive returns with easy investment opportunities in near future.

7. Clarity on regulations

Although we always hear that bitcoin can work independent of government regulations as it is a decentralized network, there is something important to know about clarity on regulations. As most governments around the world are talking more about bitcoin adoption, it has created a buzz in the market. People have now become more familiar with Cryptocurrency, and they are finding wider stage for its adoption. Studies reveal that clarity on bitcoin regulations is an important concern for venture capitalists and other businesses. It is always good to know whether government is in favor of your business or not. Few countries such as Japan have given negative response for regulation of bitcoin; others are making efforts for fast approval to regulation. The latest updates for the same have been received from US Federal regulator and NY State.

8. Introduction to new financial tools

Well, the great news for investors is that Exchanges have now taken a step ahead to add new products and services so that people can find easy options for trading. Although this addition may create controversies for some time, these new tools and products are expected to enhance the flow of Bitcoin in the market. It will naturally improve the trading opportunities for the currency and ensure huge growth in the future.

9. Rise of new bitcoin communities

It is good to know that Bitcoin is now expanding over the world. The grassroot communities these days are working hard to build Bitcoin infrastructure in the market. With the changing scenario, it has now introduced new people to the Bitcoin industry. It seems like the seeds have been planted now and it will show dramatic growth in the near future. The cryptocurrency driven network will sustain in the market for long run.

10. Companies are in search of new talent

The bitcoin companies around the world these days are looking for new talent to ensure growth in the competitive market. Experts believe that new talent is expected to bring connections, knowledge, experience, and legitimacy to the bitcoin market. Many big business tycoons are showing their interest in bitcoin industry; the Silicon Valley veterans and jumping into crypto world. All these aspects show how influential the bitcoin market can be in near future. The Bitcoin movement is expected to change the world by providing new investment and growth opportunities.

With all such positive factors, we can say that bitcoin will definitely outperform in the competitive market, and it will ensure great returns to the investors in the coming years.

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All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

Everything in this article is an opinion, not an advice of any kind. This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and it is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, investment, legal or other professional advice. Please consult with a professional for specific advice.

This is a guest post. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information and claims made.

This is a guest post submitted on CryptoTapas.

With the advancements in blockchain technology, most of the investors these days are planning to make profits via cryptocurrency. Although the market is loaded with numbers of digital currencies, no one can beat the influence of Bitcoin. It is one of the most powerful cryptocurrencies out there to make profitable investments. There are so many benefits of investing in Bitcoin; the list includes freedom, low fee, and security. Furthermore, bitcoin can be used for multiple applications. Many big brands are also accepting bitcoins for general sales purchase online. In short, the increasing popularity of this digital currency is bringing new opportunities to the investors.

Those who are new to this world of digital investments might be eager to know the best ways to get more profitable deals for bitcoin. The great news is that many sources are also offering bitcoin for free. Yeah! You can earn more bitcoins by making a few simple efforts online.

Below we have highlighted a few simple methods to get bitcoins for free:

1. Earn Bitcoins through payments

The easiest way to earn bitcoins is by accepting them in the form of payments. No matter whether you are running a small business or own a large brand in the market, it is easier to use bitcoin as a secure payment method. It works for both online businesses as well as to the brick and mortar shops. No matter what kind of products or services you are selling; get a bitcoin wallet and let your customers make payments through this superior cryptocurrency.

You can avail a free bitcoin wallet online from Coinbase. However, there are few other bitcoin wallet providers as well; you can check the offers with LocalBitcoins as well. They offer free wallets with a wide range of functions. You can make use of QR codes to accept payments in the form of Bitcoins. In order to complete transactions, your customers simply need to install a Bitcoin app on their handsets, and they can make an instant purchase by entering values in the form of EUR or USD. The app can calculate respective bitcoin value automatically to accept payments.

2. Earn Bitcoins by performing tasks online

If you are not satisfied with the first method, here comes the most interesting and valuable trick to earn bitcoins online. There are so many websites online that can help you get free Bitcoins. The idea is quite simple, users simply need to visit some websites online, and by spending some time over there, they can get some Bitcoins for free. It is something like watching free TV and also getting paid for that. It is not always just about ads; sometimes you will also find something interesting to watch such as movies or film clips.

Well, this is a very legitimate concept, and it can help you earn huge amounts of Bitcoins even without spending much of your time. In actual, you get bitcoins for the time you spend on these clips online. There is a long list of websites that you can use for this purpose. Few of them are listed below:

• ADS4BTC:
  You can earn numbers of Bitcoins by simply watching videos and websites at ads4btc. Simply click on every advert in a day and watch it for 5 to 60 seconds. The service provides offer 1000 Satoshi/click. The reward may seem smaller, but when you follow this practice on a regular basis, it can easily improve balance in your bitcoin wallet.

• CoinAdder:
  Another website with a very similar concept is named as CoinAdder. Here also users need to watch few videos and websites; as a return they will get few Satoshi. Although the rewards offered per click by this website are also smaller; but you should count on the duration you spend watching these ads.

• VidyBit:
  It is also possible to earn bitcoins by watching videos on Vidybit. Spare as much time to earn more coins into your wallet. This website offers a huge collection of advertisement; the more you watch them, the more you earn. Prefer to watch most of them while you are traveling; you will be able to make the best of your time.

• freedigitalmoney.com:
  One can also earn Bitcoins from freedigitalmoney.com for making some purchases in the form of Bitcoins. There is no need to create an account on this platform. You can use your bitcoin address to get more bitcoins online.

• CoinWorker:
  If you are more engaged with the technical field; it is also possible to earn bitcoins on CoinWorker for completing some analytical tasks. You will be happy to hear that this website offers higher payouts for every small task performed online.

• BitFortip:
  Here is something more interesting; you can also earn bitcoins by simply answering a few questions on the forums online. This platform has gained more popularity online because it brings people with a similar mindset in the same place. Here you will find people that are interesting to know more about Bitcoins. For answering questions online, you will get bitcoin as reward. The instant transfers make this platform more reliable choice for investors.

3. Earn bitcoins through mining

If you are deeply connected to the Bitcoin industry, you might be aware of the concept of mining. The moment you start mining, your computer is likely to add new blockchain transactions to the public ledger that is better named as Blockchain. Note that, a block in the ledger is a file that contains details about the latest transactions on Bitcoin. The moment your computer discovers a new block, you will be awarded certain number of Bitcoins online.

There are numbers of bitcoin mining pools that you can use to generate more numbers of bitcoins online. The process basically involves generating some prize in the form of Bitcoins for the minors who are able to solve some critical mathematical problem. Some of the most popular bitcoin mining pools are listed below:

SlushPool:
This mining pool was established in 2010, and it is still one of the most popular platforms online. It offers score-based mining facility so that chances of cheating can be avoided. Moreover, the user-friendly and interactive dashboard make it more suitable to the beginners around. SlushPool is basically a medium-large sized pool that claims 2% fee as a reward for solving a block. This platform keeps on gaining new features with each update and seems more interesting choice for beginners and experienced investors as well.

AntPool:
Here is a medium size bitcoin mining pool that is operated by Bitmain Technologies. It allows easy options for profitable mining such as PPLNS that works with 0% fee and PPS that offers 2% from mining fee and 4% out of block reward. Bitcoin miners that are looking for a clean and handy interface can enjoy greater earnings on this platform. You will be happy to hear that there are plenty of security options such as wallet locks, email alerts, and two-factor authentication to make all your transactions safe and secure.

BTC.com:
BTC.com is famous for their wallet and blockchain explorer platform. These experts are serving bitcoin investors since 2016, and the platform is owned by Bitmain Tech. BTC.com follows unique payment method though FPPS; it is almost same as that of PPS+ but includes the essential TX fee along with the payments. The payment threshold, in this case, is 0.001 BTC, and it charges 1.5% for every transaction.

F2Pool:
F2Pool is a famous medium-large pool that was introduced earlier in the year 2013. It works with PPS+ reward system and takes 2.5% fee for transactions. The great news is that F2Pool also supports mining of Zcash, Ethereum, and Litecoin as well. This interface works in the English language, and the layout is quite simple to assist beginners in the industry.

Kano CKPool:
Kano CKPool is also named as Kano Pool, and it is serving minors all over the world from 2014. The payment model followed by this pool is PPLNS, and it charges a 0.9% fee for each transaction. Also, in order to receive payouts, you need to wait for confirmation of +101 blocks online. This pool is recommended more for it’s extra later of security in the form of two-factor authentication, but beginners may not find it that easier to understand.

ViaBTC:
This mining pool was launched recently in the year 2016, and the company headquarters are in China. The mining facility is not just limited to Bitcoin only; they also provide services for Dash, ZEC, ETH, BCH and LTC mining. ViaBTC offers both PPLNS and PPS payment methods with 2% and 4% fee range respectively. They are known for high uptime that is rated to be somewhere around 99.99%.

BTC.top:
Here is the newest pool in the market that is also owned by a China-based company. It was introduced in 2017 and worked as a medium-sized pool. At present, it is working like a private pool so other people cannot join the platform. Moreover, the website is available only in the Chinese language.

4. Earn Bitcoins through Gambling

You can also earn bitcoins for playing some games online. Yeah! There are many big brands that allow players to play their recently launched games online, and the prizes are offered in the form of bitcoins. The more you play, more prizes you can win, and it will naturally boost your earnings.

Many dice websites allow users to get a free balance to enjoy games online. Although you start with very small amount; but your gaming skills can soon take you to the next level. There are many such websites online such as 999Dice and PrimeDice. Whether players can gain access to actual games or not, it is completely dependent on their jurisdiction, but one can withdraw the earned amount anytime from anywhere. In order to earn more, you can even learn some new dice strategies online by following some exert tutorials and enjoy heavy payments.

There are many incredible options for free Bitcoin generation in the gambling world. CloudBet offers the estimated deposit bonus of 1:1. You can enjoy sports betting along with regular casino games on this platform. It also includes video chat feature for additional entertainment. Stake is another famous crypto gambling space that works on Roulette or Blackjack concept. It offers faucet for five different currencies to get started.

5. Affiliate programs to earn bitcoins

How can we forget to talk about this amazing option to earn Bitcoins for free? You will be happy to hear that affiliate programs are an integral part of the business industry and the concept is equally beneficial for cryptocurrency world as well. In this case, you can earn considerable amounts of bitcoins for referring services or products to a friend.

247 Exchange:

There are plenty of options online to earn more through affiliate programs. You can get started with 247 Exchange that allows users to exchange Bitcoins for numbers of digital and physical currencies. The minimum payment threshold on this platform is $1, and it offers up to 30% commissions from people that an affiliate recruit ahead.

CEX.IO:

Many people also like CEX.IO platform for enjoying cloud mining. It provides best facilities for buying and selling bitcoins while offering services to trade them as well. You can enjoy 30% commissions for all the transactions that are executed after your referral.

Plus500:

Plus500 is another famous trading platform that allows easy trading options for cryptocurrencies. At the same time, you can also deal with indices, shares, and Forex as well. Users reveal that it is possible to earn almost $100 to $700 for every referred trader. Other than this, affiliates can also avail 10% monthly commission on this platform.

VirWoX:

Here is another platform that provides online trading services in multiple currencies. The affiliate program, in this case, offers direct as well as indirect referral fee. You can earn up to 20% commissions for referrals on VirWoX. Experts reveal that it offers the most convenient way to earn Bitcoins through PayPal based transactions.

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All product and company names are trademarks™ or registered® trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

Everything in this article is an opinion, not an advice of any kind. This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and it is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, investment, legal or other professional advice. Please consult with a professional for specific advice.

This is a guest post. We do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information and claims made.