Cryptocurrency (Coins)
SteemIt (STEEM): Smart Blockchain Social Media Network Rewards Token?
About Steem
The Steem offering is a “blockchain-based rewards platform for publishers to monetize content and grow community,” according to the company website. In a nutshell, Steem is the popular forum Steemit’s native currency. Employed as a “native digital asset” to the Steem blockchain, STEEM coins can also be minted by anyone to monetize online content and provide an incentive in marketing or other legitimate network applications.
In ways similar to the ERC-20 token, Steem has inbuilt ‘Proof-of-Brain’ attributes with a “token distribution reward system designed specifically for digital content businesses.” Emulating an emerging phenomenon in the subscription media arena and others, the PoB algorithm generates token rewards that encourage users to both create and then curate content. Tokens are issued via “upvote” and like-based protocols and they can be integrated with sites to facilitate and boost aligned aims between community members and application owners.
Demonstrably faster than Bitcoin and even Ethereum, and with no fees, the Steem token is a logical upshot of the hugely popular social media company’s ambitions for the growing community.
Acknowledging that maintaining a decentralized rewards-based social network called for new advances in blockchain technology, the company claims Steem as a “next-generation blockchain, uniquely designed to run real-time applications with near instant, fee-free transactions.”
On the network, peer rating ranks contributors who are then rewarded alongside voters with Steem tokens that accrue a crypto value over time. The network is already processing more transactions per second than Bitcoin. As a result of its popularity and entrenchment as an online space, Steemit has released Steem to enable its becoming a social network that rewards its community.
Essentially a blogging platform, Steemit’s release of a native currency should further spur growth and also delineate valuable content from the myriad of casual snippets to be found there. Users can now enjoy a ranking system to find the most popular and ostensibly valuable posts.
The Steemit Ecosystem
From a popular social network platform, Steemit is now a popular social network platform that pays users. For everything that users do there – liking others’ contributions, commenting and posting content – they are rewarded with fractional percentages of Steem that accrue into account savings that can be cashed out in time if desired. Apart from being a next-level marketing overture towards growing the user base for the existing model, the release of Steem will also enable app and mostly blockchain project developers to not only fund a project but also release it to a massive potential subscriber base.
Aiming to demonstrate the “future of the web” with its release of the native currency, Steemit’s tokens are given to content creators and content curators of any description on a daily basis.
Rewards are determined by community voting, and the currency can be easily swapped out for Ethereum and Bitcoin. The consensus algorithm employed by Steem sees voting weighted in proportion to an individual's interest. The model also eliminates the need for content creators to seek monetization of their efforts through advertising, as they can now find a cash value with Steem, assuming users vote for their content.
The Steem network has three different asset classes within its currency structure: Steem (STEEM), Steem Power (SP), and Steem Dollars (SBD). All of the other tokens derivatives get their value from STEEM. Steem Power (SP) is a token geared for a long-term perspective.
Noting that start up companies require long-term capital commitment, the company issues the token to enable longer-term cash flow for startups who need time to scale and return profits. Steem users can commit their STEEM to a 13 week vesting cycle that generates SPs and grants them greater benefits within the platform. Unlike STEEM, SP is not easily traded on cryptocurrency exchanges, and both SP and SBD (below) are truly native currencies, operational behind STEEM itself.
Steem Dollars (SBD) are the final asset type on the Steem network, one that acknowledges the need for stability in an economy. Steem Dollars are an attempt to deliver stability to the cryptosphere as well as to users who operate on the Steem network.
Similar to convertible notes, Steem Dollars offer terms that allow the holder to convert to the backing token in short notice at the then-current market price of the token. Essentially a currency backed by Steemit and its user base, the token-convertible-dollars will enable blockchains to grow their network effect while increasing the gains for holders of the tokens.
Final Thoughts On STEEM
Launched in 2016, STEEM has been met with mostly appreciation by users, although some are asking where the money is coming from to fund such a rewards program. While as simple as paying cash to posters and voters – with very few twists – some users are concerned that honest, core value will be lost in a monetized attempt to earn through unethical behavior that carries no legitimate value for others. Voting or trawling for instances that optimize earnings is a spectre that looms for many and holds the promise of a deflation of core value.
That said, the prevailing ethos and current user base should be enough to maintain the broadly egalitarian behavior now encountered on the platform. Also due to the fact that payment is balanced insofar as it is neither opulent nor cumulatively negligible, no great surge in a new, unsavory direction has been noted since the currency’s introduction.
Although the digital token’s introduction into what was already a thriving social commentary has now made other pursuits possible, most users have not deviantly shifted from their original participation in pursuit of funds. Although the prospect of a mercenary bent emerging on the platform remains, behavior to date hasn’t substantiated that phenomenon and the planned incentive that Steem enabled has rather further optimized user experience and grown the company’s user base.
Price Analysis
Bitcoin Price Starting to Recover After Sharp Drop; Top Alts Ethereum and Litecoin Are Struggling
Bitcoin BTC/USD Forecasting
From yesterday's open at $12317 the price of Bitcoin increased to $12761 but then fell below its opening price as it came down to $12100 level. After this retracement, the start of another rise has been seen with the price reaching $13055 at its highest point today before falling nearly $800 in an hour.
The price momentum has been stopped out after an increase of 7.76% measured from yesterday's low at $12100 as the price started encountering resistance around the vicinity of the prior high on the ending point of the 5th wave of the upward impulse.
Looking at the 15 min chart, you can see that the price got close to the 0.618 Fib level but there hasn't been an interaction before the price found resistance and has started to flat out, forming a horizontal resistance point. As we are seeing the ending wave of the five-wave impulse its further development would be expected to end around the vicinity of the 0.618 Fib level and proper interaction with the price potentially exceeding it on the spike up.
This would be the completion of the five-wave impulse which started on the 7th of July and is the third wave out of the upward structure from the 2nd of July. Previous to the five-wave increase a corrective triangle has been seen forming which was according to my count the B wave out of the upward ABC three-wave move. This three-wave move would be the X wave of the higher degree count which is why after its completion which is set to develop very shortly I would be expecting a move to the downside as the third wave Y should develop.
Another possibility would be that the correction ended on the first three-wave move which are only the sub-waves of the W wave according to the current count. If that is true, then we could be seeing the development of another five-wave move instead of the three-wave ABC correction to the upside. In either way, from here I would be expecting a move to the downside and if the price falls below the lower interrupted blue horizontal level on the retracement I would indicate that the move to the upside has ended on the third wave and is corrective and not impulsive.
Ethereum ETH/USD Forecasting
From yesterday’s high at $317.62 the price of Ethereum has decreased by 4.61% measured to its lowest point today which is at $302.98. The price has recovered since and came up to around $314 after, but is currently being traded at $309.
Looking at the 15 min chart, you can see that the price is currently retesting the 0 Fib level for support as a minor breakout above occurred. The price is likely to find support at the present levels as a breakout occurred on the prior high as well and has shown the absence of strong seller’s pressure.
As we are seeing the development of a five-wave impulse to the upside from 5th of July its ending wave’s development would now likely mean further increase but only for a short while as the next significant horizontal level is getting close. This is the ending point of the prior high and the support point of the impulsive move’s ending point and now serves as significant resistance.
If we are seeing a three-wave ABC to the upside out of which the mentioned five-wave impulse from the 5th of July is the C wave, the price is set to start moving to the downside after its completion, below the ending point of the first ABC to the downside which is at $276.
Upward ABC would be the second wave out of the higher degree three-wave correction which is why the third one would be expected to end on a lower low compared to the first ABC correction which would be its first wave. The most optimal target point of the expected decrease would be around the intersection of the lower ascending level which represents an uptrend support level and the 0.236 Fib level which is at $260.5.
There is a possibility that instead of the price ending its increase from the 5th of July on the third wave, we see it developing in a five-wave manner which will indicate impulsiveness instead of the currently presumed corrective momentum.
In that case, the price of Ethereum cannot go below $296 which is the territory of the 2nd wave on which the price cannot enter on the 4th if we are seeing a five-wave increase which is why the level is serving as a significant pivot point.
Litecoin LTC/USD Forecasting
From yesterday's high at $124.6 the price of Litecoin decreased by 5.37% as it came down to $117.9 at its lowest point today. The price came down to the same low level after a recovery attempt has been stopped out at $119.95, but the price is currently being traded around $119.180.
On the 15 min chart, you can see that the price of Litecoin came down to the first significant horizontal support level which is the lower outline level off of the horizontal range in which the price action is bouncing from 5th of July. Including the price action from the day before we have seen the formation of a cup and handle pattern with the price continuing to form the handle structure from yesterday's spike abode the significant horizontal level at $122.32 which is considered as the median point of the higher degree resistance range.
As the price failed to keep up the upward momentum and instead left a spike to the upside falling down fast below the significant horizontal level indicating strong resistance is present above, we have seen a retest of the lowest support level from the mentioned pattern. The price has recovered slightly but again failed to exceed the median point of the horizontal range from 5th which got broken in the second half of yesterday's trading session.
The recovery has developed a retest of the median point and another retest of the support level from the horizontal range with the price currently holding above its half range line. I would be expecting another minor increase which could be another retest of the today's high after which another downfall below today's support level. Even though the handle still hasn't been broken we have seen the price retracing back to the cup's support level which could be viewed as a breakout.
In either way, I would be expecting a retest of the $114.31 horizontal level which was low from the 2nd of July and was the ending point of the five-wave impulse to the downside after which a corrective ABC to the upside has been seen. This is why I think that a breakout from the downside would lead to the formation of another impulsive move which would set to push the price of Litecoin back inside the lower range below the resistance zone at $109.
Conclusion
The price’s of the major cryptos are starting to reach their significant resistance point on the corrective increase whos continuation we’ve seen in the last 24 hours. As the prices are approaching their signifiant resistance levels, after an interaction I would be expecting another downturn in the market.
Price Analysis
Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC) Price Prediction for Today’s Top Cryptocurrencies
BTC/USD
From yesterday's high at $13212 the price of Bitcoin decreased by 21.23% as it came down to $10407 at its lowest point today. Yesterday's high was an interaction with the significant 0.618 Fibonacci level which ended as a rejection and caused the price to start moving to the downside in an impulsive manner.
Looking at the hourly chart you can see that the price came below the 0.5 Fibonacci level and stopped out at the minor ascending trendline from the from 10th of June from when the last five-wave impulse started developing. As the price found support there an immediate recovery has started which managed to pull the price back above the 0.5 Fib level and is currently being traded at $118816, slightly below today's high at $12012.
The price recovered by over 14% today measured to the lowest spike to the highest point today but it appears that strong resistance has been encountered as indicated by the last hourly candle. This recovery appears to be correctional and is most likely the 2nd wave out of the starting downtrend. I wouldn't expect it to go above $12451 which would be a 0.618 Fib from the impulsive decrease if the corrective movement is in play.
We've seen the completion of the five-wave impulse from 10th of June which could have been the 5th wave from the higher degree count which I believe that it was. If this is true, then we are going to see further downside for the price of Bitcoin in the upcoming period as a correction of the same degree should develop.
On the hourly chart, you can see that I've projected a target to around $6914 but the price of Bitcoin could go significantly lower as it would be only the first wave to the downside. The five-wave move might not develop and we could instead see a three-wave correction to $8500 before further upside continuation but considering the seller's momentum seen from yesterday, I don't believe that Bitcoin's price is going to continue increasing further.
ETH/USD
From yesterday’s high at $336.1 the price of Ethereum has decreased by over 18% measured to the lowest spike the price has been which is at $275.45, but the hourly candle closed above $290.7.
The price is currently being traded at around $304 and was in an upward trajectory until it reached the significant Fibonacci level at $308.59 where it found resistance on the interaction.
As a rejection occurred the price has started moving to the downside again and looking at the hourly chart you can see that its minor uptrend line still hasn’t been broken.
The increase still might continue to the significant ascending trendline which was broken but the price fell immediately inside the territory of the ascending channel, ending as a fakeout. This is why the level might get retested again on the current recovery but we are yet to see how strong is the momentum behind today’s increase.
For now, it looks weak as the Fibonacci level was able to stop it out, so now that the price started moving to the downside we could see the price starting to move below the minor ascending trendline from today’s low.
Prior to the impulsive decrease, we have seen the completion of the five-wave impulse to the upside which could have been the ending wave of the higher degree with now a downturn starting to develop as the bullish period ended.
If we are seeing the development of the higher degree correction we are likely to see a five-wave move to the downside in an impulsive manner which would only be the first wave out of the potential three-wave move of the higher degree.
In that case, the price of Ethereum would be expected to go for a retest of some major resistance point, broken on the way up, out of which the first significant one would be between $187 and $174.
LTC/USD
From yesterday's high at $130.322 the price of Litecoin has decreased by 13% coming to $113.36 at its lowest point and even spiked further to the downside coming to $110.69 but the hourly candle closed above $133 leaving a wick on the hourly chart. The price is currently being traded at $117.69 slightly below today's high at $119.7 as a minor recovery has been made. On the hourly chart, you can see that the price of Litecoin fell inside the territory of the lower horizontal range between the $122.32 level and the $109.356 horizontal pivot. This area is highly significant as it was considered to be the support area from the first half of the bear market and managed to hold the price of Litecoin but was eventually broken on the 10th of June 2018. Out of this support/resistance, the $137 horizontal level was its furthest level and considering that the interaction with it ended as rejection with an impulsive downside move seen after, we have likely seen a retest of the broken support for resistance before further downtrend continuation.
From 5th till 12th of June we have seen the development of the five-wave move to the upside which was most likely the ending wave of the higher degree as immediately after its completion we've seen a sideways range forming before a straight downfall. This impulsiveness to the downside indicates that the sellers are taking control. If we are seeing the development of the downtrend and from 26th its first wave in a five-wave manner the price is set to go below the last horizontal support level at $109 and would enter the lower range below the support zone.
If this occurs we could view it as a confirmation of the starting downtrend as the price of Litecoin was continuously increasing from 29th of April and made an increase of 112% without a major correctional movement. That this might not be a correction and instead of a starting downtrend we are yet to see from the development of the last move to the downside, but if it were to develop in a five-wave manner with the price going below the last horizontal level the possibility of the starting downtrend would increase significantly.
Conclusion
The cryptocurrency market has experienced a recovery today but the prices of the major cryptos have shown early signs of weakness around their first minor resistance points. We are yet to see if the recovery continues but as the impulsiveness was exhibited by the sellers in the last 24 hours I believe that the prices aren’t headed further up and that we are seeing the start of the downtrend.
Ripple (XRP)
Ripple Price Analysis: XRP/USD Primed For Further Gains
Ripple price surged higher recently above $0.4400 and $0.4600. XRP to USD is currently correcting lower, but the $0.4255 level is likely to act as a strong support and buy zone.
Key Takeaways: XRP/USD
- Ripple price traded to a new monthly high at $0.4625 and recently corrected lower against the US Dollar.
- XRP/USD is testing the $0.4320 support and a major bullish trend line on the 2-hours chart (data feed from Bitstamp).
- Bitcoin price is also correcting lower from well above $9,400 and Ethereum price is currently below $270.00.
Ripple Price Analysis
Earlier this week, bitcoin price extended gains above $9,300 and $9,400. It helped ripple and its price recently started a strong rise above the $0.4200, $0.4320 and $0.4400 resistance levels. XRP even broke the $0.4500 level and traded to a new monthly high.
Looking at the 2-hours chart, ripple price even traded above the $0.4600 level and settled well above the 50 simple moving average (2-hours, purple). A high was formed at $0.4625 and recently, the price started a sharp downside correction.
There was a break below the $0.4520 support and the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent wave from $0.4254 to $0.4625. Moreover, the price broke the $0.4400 support level.
It is currently testing the $0.4320 support and a major bullish trend line on the 2-hours chart. The 76.4% Fib retracement level of the recent wave from $0.4254 to $0.4625 is also acting as a support.
If there is a downside break, the price could test the main support near the $0.4255 level. As long as ripple price is above $0.4255, it is likely to bounce back in the near term.
An initial resistance is near the $0.4400 level, above which ripple is likely to continue higher towards the $0.4480 and $0.4500 levels. If the bulls regain strength, XRP price could even retest the $0.4625 swing high.
Overall, ripple price is trading with a strong bullish bias above $0.4255 and $0.4150. Therefore, there are high chances of a fresh increase above the $0.4400 and $0.4480 resistance levels in the coming sessions.