Traders seem to expect BTC’s momentum could slow down a bit after the price hit over $97,000.

Positive sentiment has continued to fuel the cryptocurrency market as the expectation of further institutional adoption of 

 keeps growing. Options trading of BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF IBIT 

 with a bang, attracting almost $2 billion on the first day of trading. The hope of more spot ETF derivatives to change the market structure with additional institutional money onboarding crypto is high.

, we explored the possibility of the market being overleveraged, which could be painful if the current leverage unwinds. Data from CryptoQuant shows that the estimated leverage of the current BTC markets has reached another YTD high.

Derivatives data on Bybit shows that traders seem to expect that BTC’s momentum could slow down a bit after the price hit over $97,000, and are focusing more on downside protection.

Figure 1: Bitcoin estimated leverage ratio at 0.23. Source: CryptoQuant

BTC Options Open Interest Returns to Previous High While Perps Are Catching Up

Derivatives traders have been actively participating in BTC markets as 

 on Bybit has surged to over $3 billion, on par with the previous high on Nov 14, 2024. Although the options OI has increased, it still hasn’t surged above the previous high. At the time, BTC’s price had already jumped to over $97,000. If the OI doesn’t follow suit and break above the previous high in the coming days, this could be a sign that the market could become a bit exhausted — something for all market participants to be aware of.

Figure 2: Daily open interest for BTC options on Bybit. Source: Bybit

 have also seen increased open interest in recent days. Perpetuals have been among the most favorable products for day traders and short-term speculators. Rising open interest could indicate that more traders are looking for short-term profit, which could bring additional volatility to the market. 

Figure 3: Daily open interest for BTCUSDT Perpetuals on Bybit. Source: Bybit

Dec 27, 2024 remains the most popular expiration date for BTC Options on Bybit, with most of the open interest there. Within that expiration, $120,000 calls had the most OI, and $100,000 calls accumulated the second-largest OI. 

Figure 4: Open interest by strike for BTC Options with a Dec 27, 2024 expiration. Source: Bybit

Meanwhile, the market’s optimism that BTC will hit $100,000 by the end of the year seems to support the current price momentum. Shorter-dated options could show that traders are also looking for downside protection. The Bybit 

 page shows that BTC Options with a Nov 29, 2024 expiration have a strong 24-hour inflow to $90,000 puts. This could indicate that some traders are also anticipating some degree of price correction by the end of the month. 

Figure 5: 24-hour volume by strike for BTC Options with a Nov 29, 2024 expiration on Bybit. Source: Bybit

 for BTC Options on Bybit also indicates a possible downside protection in play among options traders. A smirk skew, or left skew, is a skew curve that’s steeper on one side (the left side) than the other. Traditionally, a smirk skew curve could mean that traders have been protecting their portfolios against a possible declining market. At the time of this writing (Nov 21, 2024), BTC Options contracts on Bybit with Nov 29, 2024 and Dec 27, 2024 expirations have both shown a smirk skew. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean traders are bearish on the price, and could just be part of the trading strategy. For example, traders could set up collars by buying out-of-the-money (OTM) puts and selling OTM calls simultaneously, so that they can profit in case BTC’s price drops, gain upside exposure and potentially offset the cost of buying the puts. 

Figure 6: Implied volatility of BTC Options with Nov 29, 2024 and Dec 27, 2024 expirations. Source: Bybit

The current BTC leverage trading may be complex, but tells a revealing narrative about market sentiment. The divergence between high leverage and increased hedging activities also reminds us that market dynamics are rarely straightforward, and adopting a 

 seems increasingly important in this diverse market.

: Investing in cryptocurrencies and their derivatives involves substantial risk of loss, and isn’t suitable for every investor. This article provides facts for educational purposes only, and does not represent any financial advice. Prior to making any investment decisions, please ensure you fully understand the risks involved and seek independent advice if necessary. Our customer support team is available to assist you with any inquiries.

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Learn From Smart Money: BTC’s Leverage Remains High as Traders Hedge Against Downside Risks

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report dives into macro events, the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume, and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

Spot prices have jumped significantly in the two weeks following the November 5, 2024 U.S. elections, propelling Bitcoin to new all-time highs, while Ethereum hasn’t kept pace. The implied volatility term structure has inverted again in tandem with these spot price movements, although longer-dated tenors remain relatively stable. Derivatives market indicators reflect strong positive sentiment: perpetual funding rates are consistently positive, open interest in futures contracts is rapidly increasing and options skew remains firmly positive.

Open interest in futures has surged, indicating heightened market participation and a growing interest in leveraged exposure due to recent price movements. Similarly, open interest in perpetual contracts has sharply increased, fueled by rising trader confidence and a growing demand for leveraged positions in light of recent market rallies. Meanwhile, the implied volatility term structure continues to invert in alignment with spot price increases, demonstrating a sustained correlation between spot prices and volatility.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Futures Open Interest Reaches ATH Along With Price

Perpetual swap open interest has been increasing alongside futures, with a consistent rise in open positions over the past week reaching all-time high activity levels. This trend suggests that traders are actively pursuing leveraged exposure in response to the ongoing spot rallies, aiming to capitalize on the rising spot prices. Notably, there’s been renewed interest in Ethereum (ETH), reflected in rising trading volumes. 

Perpetual swap funding rates have reached exceptionally positive levels, indicating that long positions are confident enough to pay these rates to sustain their leveraged exposure. This trend has consistently been observed across all tokens, with a noticeable rise in funding rates since Nov 10, 2024. The persistently high funding rates highlight the strength of the bullish sentiment, which is also evident in the increasing open interest in futures contracts. This aligns with the recent spot price action, demonstrating significant upward momentum.

Option Volatility Term Structure Inverts 

The implied volatility term structure for Bitcoin has inverted amid the recent spot rallies over the past few weeks, indicating heightened market uncertainty and expectations of imminent price movements. However, levels haven’t exceeded the highs seen before the elections, and longer-dated tenors remain firmly range-bound. Concurrently, open interest in Bitcoin options has risen significantly, with a notable increase in put trading volumes. Open interest in puts has slightly surpassed calls, despite the persistently bullish market outlook indicated by the volatility smile skew.

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Bybit X Block Scholes Crypto Derivatives Analytics Report (Nov 20, 2024): Market Becomes Extremely Positive About Bitcoin as Volatility Curve Turns Invert

Learn how to join Bybit's VIP Program, where you can realize exclusive benefits — from up to 50% off trading fees and tailored interest rates to instant OTC trades up to $10M.

With the Bybit VIP Program, you can realize exclusive benefits — from up to 50% off trading fees and tailored interest rates to instant OTC trades, Bybit Card cashback and more. Joining the ranks of the very best traders on the platform will boost your profitability, raise your limits and offer access to VIP-only perks.

 and guides you through the steps to become a VIP trader and unlock exclusive benefits. Let's get started!

 is an exclusive club for the most esteemed traders in the crypto market. It’s designed to provide members an enhanced Bybit experience with numerous VIP-only benefits and perks. The program aims to reward avid traders who have high volumes, account equity levels and borrowing activities.

The Bybit VIP Program offers a multitude of benefits for members. These range from discounted trading fees and high limits for withdrawals and application programming interface (API) trades to priority Bybit customer support access, relationship managers and exclusive VIP events and meetups. You can find the full list of VIP exclusive benefits 

Requirements to Become a Bybit VIP Trader

You’ll need to fulfill a specific level for one of the criteria below to become a VIP trader on Bybit:

Bybit's VIP Program features six distinct tiers: 

. Each successively higher tier offers greater rewards, and also comes with more stringent qualification requirements. For instance, as a 

 trader, you’ll enjoy reduced trading fees, such as 0.03% for makers and 0.045% for takers in the spot market. To qualify for this exclusive tier, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

Once you become a VIP trader, you must continuously meet the above criteria to maintain your Bybit VIP status and keep enjoying the benefits. 

However, this doesn't mean your account will immediately lose its VIP status and revert to standard after a single day in which you don’t meet the requirements. Bybit offers a 14-day grace during which you can continue enjoying VIP perks and benefits, even if you no longer meet the program's conditions. If the criteria are not met by the end of this period, your VIP status will automatically be revoked. However, if that occurs, you can regain your status by fulfilling the requirements for any VIP tier either during or after the grace period. When this happens, Bybit will grant you a new 14-day grace period.

How to Sign up to Become a Bybit VIP Trader

In the following section, you'll find a step-by-step guide that shows you how to join the Bybit VIP Program.

The first step to becoming a VIP trader is to open a Bybit account (if you haven't already done so). Simply 

 and fill out the form with your details. After registering, you’ll need to verify your account to enjoy the platform's full functionality.

Next, fund your Bybit account with crypto or fiat currency.

You can deposit cryptocurrencies by using the 

 menu. On the page, choose your desired coin and the blockchain where you'll be depositing the assets. To avoid any loss of funds, please always ensure that you're transferring crypto from the correct chain.

Next, copy-and-paste the wallet address displayed on the page, or scan the QR code with your smartphone's camera, and initiate the deposit from your wallet. After a few confirmations, your cryptocurrencies will be credited to your Bybit account.

To fund your Bybit account with fiat currency, click on the 

 button and select one of the available services (e.g., 

 service, choose a fiat currency, the deposit amount and one of the available payment methods. After clicking on 

, follow the instructions displayed on the next pages to initiate the transaction. Your funds will be credited to your Bybit account, with processing times varying according to your chosen service and payment method.

After you have a verified Bybit account funded with either crypto or fiat, perform eligible activity on the platform until you qualify for VIP status (see table below).

You can achieve VIP status by fulfilling a minimum level of VIP 1 in either of the following categories (

After becoming a VIP trader on Bybit, don't forget to maintain your VIP status to continue enjoying the exclusive perks and benefits.

If you have active VIP status at another crypto exchange, or your total MT5 trading volume meets Bybit's VIP criteria, you can apply for a VIP+2 upgrade. This upgrade will grant you VIP status on the platform — and instantly elevate it by two levels. (Please 

 that Bybit only considers 10% of any MT5 forex trading volume.)

 and submit your 30-day trading volume on your current exchange. Bybit’s VIP team will review your application, and a Relationship Manager will contact you if you're eligible for the VIP upgrade.

How to Get Started With a 20-Day Bybit VIP Trial

Another way to qualify for VIP status on Bybit is through a 20-day trial. Instead of fulfilling the requirements of the VIP 1 level, simply fund your account with $50,000 to enjoy the exclusive benefits of the program for 20 days with a VIP Trial Card (issued one day after your deposit). The VIP trial offer is available to users who haven't used a trial within the past two months.

To unlock the 20-day VIP trial, head to the 

 menu on Bybit and use one of the available payment methods to fund your account with $50,000 in assets.

With VIP Level-Up Tasks, you can earn generous bonuses as high as 6,000 USDT. You can claim rewards for Level-Up Tasks for five VIP levels (VIP 1, VIP 2, VIP 3, VIP 4 and VIP 5), with higher tiers offering greater bonuses upon completion.

If you're eligible, you’ll see a pop-up window with VIP Level-Up Tasks after you log into your account. To claim your rewards, complete the specified trading volume requirement within 14 days of receiving the task, and click on the 

 page. You can learn more about Bybit VIP Level-Up Tasks

Exclusive Trading Benefits Offered to Bybit VIPs

As a member of the Bybit VIP Program, you can unlock exclusive benefits to supercharge your trading experience. Among these are discounted trading fees (which can significantly boost your trading revenue), profitability and chances of winning trades.

In addition to discounted trading fees, you’ll also enjoy substantially higher API trading and withdrawal limits. While the former is restricted to 10 trades per second for non-VIP users, you can take advantage of up to 120 API trades per second as a VIP trader. Simultaneously, your daily withdrawal limit is increased from the basic 1 million USDT to as high as 12 million USDT.

 is an exclusive club that provides an enhanced service experience for the most esteemed traders. As a member, you can access a multitude of exclusive benefits and perks, such as the following:

Are you ready to supercharge your trading experience? 

Intermediate

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How to Become a Bybit VIP: Your Guide to Exclusive Benefits

LETSTOP is a drive-to-earn mobile app that monitors phone distractions while driving. Learn more about how it works in this article.

Smartphone distractions have created an unprecedented road safety crisis worldwide. 

: texting behind the wheel makes drivers six times more likely to crash than drunk driving does — yet millions of drivers still use their phones while operating vehicles.

This article explores how LETSTOP is transforming safe driving into rewarding experiences through blockchain technology. We'll examine its drive-to-earn model, reward system, tokenomics and potential as both a road safety solution and an investment opportunity.

 is a drive-to-earn mobile app that monitors phone distractions while driving. Users earn STOP tokens for phone-free driving through a gamified system that transforms daily drives into rewarding experiences.

A life-changing car accident caused by a distracted driver running a red light inspired LETSTOP co-founder Almog Nissan to reimagine road safety. Together with co-founder and CEO Dor Levy, they envisioned rewarding safe driving, rather than just punishing dangerous behavior.

The founders built a platform that combines automotive technology, cryptocurrency and AI to revolutionize road safety through rewards. This innovative approach has quickly gained traction, with over 50,000 users logging over 3 million kilometers of safe driving since the app’s launch.

Distracted driving claims thousands of lives annually, with 

, of which 9% are directly linked to phone use. LETSTOP aims to tackle this crisis as follows:

Each of these objectives works harmoniously to support LETSTOP's ultimate mission of transforming road safety into a rewarding experience that benefits both individual drivers and society.

The LETSTOP app operates through a sophisticated system that monitors and rewards safe driving through the following apps and features:

The result is a dynamic system in which better driving habits unlock greater earning potential.

The following five core features power LETSTOP's drive-to-earn ecosystem.

LETSTOP uses a dynamic 40-level system to make safe driving rewarding. As drivers earn XP through distraction-free journeys, they advance from Level 1's 2% bonus toward Level 40's 70% boost. Through this gamified approach, daily commutes become opportunities to climb the ranks while building safer driving habits.

LETSTOP Credits are the core currency of the platform, earned directly through safe driving achievements. Earning rates directly scale with user level, vehicle type and subscription tier as follows: PRO subscribers enjoy unlimited earning potential, while PLUS and LITE tiers are capped at 300 and 150 monthly credits, respectively.

In the STOP Store, users invest their earned credits into virtual cars with unique earning multipliers. From the basic model's 2% bonus to the Jazzster GN's 150% boost, each vehicle offers different strategic advantages for maximizing rewards.

Beyond vehicles, the store features mystery boxes containing rewards from 10 to 450 credits, as well as car upgrades and subscription boosts. Users can also access a voucher marketplace to redeem credits for real-world rewards through LETSTOP's partnership network.

LETSTOP's triple-boost system combines vehicle multipliers for immediate earnings acceleration, a level-progression system for sustained growth and a 5% referral program for community expansion. Premium membership unlocks enhanced benefits across three tiers, while special events create time-limited opportunities for increased rewards.

The platform's comprehensive rewards system operates across three membership tiers, each one tailored to different user needs. LETSTOP PRO (at $9.90 monthly) offers unlimited credit earning potential and exclusive benefits. The PLUS tier provides a balanced option at $4.90 monthly with a 300-credit earning cap, while the free LITE tier allows users to earn up to 150 monthly credits.

Beyond direct earnings, the rewards system incorporates partner vouchers, cryptocurrency conversion options and community features, such as leaderboards. Achievement rewards recognize milestones in users' safe driving journeys, while the upcoming cryptocurrency integration will allow users to convert their efforts into tradeable STOP tokens.

LETSTOP has shown consistent progress, with the following key milestones already achieved:

Looking ahead to 2025, LETSTOP plans to implement the following key developments:

These developments aim to strengthen LETSTOP's position as a leader in drive-to-earn while furthering its mission to enable safer roads worldwide.

STOP is an SPL token built on the Solana network. It’s designed to bridge safe driving behavior with cryptocurrency rewards. The STOP token implements an annual halving mechanism to ensure long-term value preservation, similar to Bitcoin's model, but accelerated to align with the project's growth trajectory.

STOP has a max supply of 100 million tokens, to be distributed in the following manner:

The growing adoption of LETSTOP's drive-to-earn app and its impact on road safety directly influence STOP's price trajectory. While cryptocurrency forecasts remain speculative by nature, multiple price analysis platforms project the following for STOP:

These forecasts suggest a positive long-term outlook for STOP, driven by the growing drive-to-earn sector and LETSTOP's innovative approach to road safety. However, STOP's future value will ultimately depend upon user adoption, platform development and broader market conditions.

Looking to trade LETSTOP tokens? Bybit now offers the STOP/USDT Spot trading pair. To get started, you’ll first need to create a Bybit account, then fund it with cryptocurrency and navigate to the 

STOP shows promising potential in the drive-to-earn sector, though investors should carefully weigh both its strengths and potential risks before making investment decisions.

While STOP's innovative approach to road safety and its strong initial traction distinguish it in the market, potential investors should 

 and invest no more than they can afford to lose.

As smartphone distractions continue to endanger lives on roads worldwide, LETSTOP offers an innovative path forward. Through its innovative drive-to-earn model and STOP token ecosystem, the platform transforms daily commutes into safer roads and user earnings opportunities, showing how digital innovation can effectively “drive” positive behavioral change.

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LETSTOP (STOP): Turning Daily Rides Into Profitable Journeys

Altcoins

Concerned about the energy cryptocurrencies are consuming? Why not help save the planet with these environmentally friendly cryptocurrencies.

While cryptocurrencies depend on the use of energy to generate their value, environmentally friendly cryptocurrencies do exist. These green crypto options offer a low carbon footprint — and can even provide real benefits for the environment. Finding the most energy-efficient cryptocurrency can help you to make environmentally responsible decisions about your investment strategies. This, in turn, can promote a greener future for the entire planet. Here’s an introduction to the basics of sustainable cryptocurrency for investors.

Some cryptocurrencies use a lot of energy because they require substantial computing power on the part of 

 to solve extremely complex mathematical problems. This is how the nodes provide 

 to support the value of the cryptocurrency. For example, Forbes

can be attributed to its adoption of a PoW verification system. 

PoW systems award cryptocurrency only to the computing system that offers the final piece of a computation puzzle, which means that a large portion of the work and energy expended by numerous nodes will be wasted. By contrast, 

 systems require a small investment on the part of miners, who are then allowed to enter a lottery to verify transactions. 

Transitioning from PoW to PoS systems will significantly reduce the energy needed to generate cryptocurrency. For green-conscious investors, finding low-energy cryptocurrency options can provide additional ways to save energy and protect the planet.

Which Is the Most Environmentally Friendly Cryptocurrency?

When determining the environmental impact of various cryptocurrencies, it’s important to note that energy consumption is not necessarily equivalent to carbon emissions. The Harvard Business Review indicates that

, which is roughly equivalent to one-half of one percent of annual worldwide energy production. For investors seeking sustainable cryptocurrency, there are some much better choices available in the green crypto marketplace. The following includes 19 of the best options for environmentally friendly cryptocurrencies in the financial marketplace.

Rather than generating value by performing computations or solving puzzles, 

 cuts directly to the heart of green crypto by creating one SolarCoin for every megawatt of electricity generated by solar power through its network. This incentivizes the use of solar power while ensuring a low carbon footprint for miners, investors and solar power proponents.

SolarCoin can potentially be a solid source of income for those who create significant amounts of electricity through the use of solar panels. The relatively low return on this cryptocurrency, however, makes it somewhat less attractive for investors looking to make money in the sustainable cryptocurrency field. SLR is essentially a specialty low-energy cryptocurrency designed for those in the solar power industry.

BitGreen offers an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency, with incentives for green-friendly behaviors like carpooling, biking, and consuming sustainable products. BitGreen can be spent at vendor sites which partner with this eco-friendly crypto. Additionally, BITG is traded on exchanges and operates on a PoS system.

BitGreen is a direct alternative to Bitcoin. While it hasn’t yet achieved the same legendary status, BitGreen does show promise for profitability and sustainability into the future, both financially and environmentally.

Designed specifically to reduce the energy costs of generating crypto, 

 (XCH) is an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency which utilizes farming, rather than mining, to create value. This significantly reduces the cost in energy per transaction, bringing it down to 0.023 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and securing a spot for Chia as a low-energy cryptocurrency option.

Chia coins are farmable on hard drives and use a concept called proof of space (also abbreviated PoS), rather than proof of stake or proof of work. This allows home users to implement a Chia farming project that can earn them coins without using a great deal of energy. The one environmental drawback of Chia is its ever-expanding need for hard drive space and storage, which can create artificial demand for hardware and increase the amount of electronic waste that’s generated in the consumer marketplace.

The ability of individuals with minimal computing resources but plenty of hard drive space to farm Chia has made it a popular cryptocurrency. Chia features a decentralized network, and allows farming through the cloud platform of Amazon Web Services. This is a much more efficient method for generating profits and earning cryptocurrency than that of most PoW platform models.

With a low carbon footprint of just 0.00011 kWh per transaction, 

 is a truly environmentally friendly cryptocurrency. The system used to generate IOTA operates using the 

, a system of nodes that confirms transactions within the low-energy cryptocurrency. Consequently, IOTA works more quickly and with lower energy consumption than many other blockchain producers. As a distributed ledger, IOTA also benefits from partnerships with major retailers like Volkswagen and Bosch to create value in the sustainable cryptocurrency marketplace.

IOTA has had its ups and downs. It is, however, currently on the upswing, thanks to its robust relationships and its unique and innovative approach to generating value. This makes IOTA a solid buy for investors looking for environmentally friendly cryptocurrency options. It’s also a popular answer to the question of which crypto uses the least energy per transaction in the financial marketplace.

 is an eco-friendly crypto option that expends only 0.5479 kWh per transaction. This makes it one of the most environmentally friendly cryptocurrency options currently available. Cardano relies on PoS rather than PoW, significantly reducing its use of energy and ensuring a low carbon footprint for this green crypto. Some estimates put Cardano’s energy use at just 0.01 percent of that used by Bitcoin for the same type of transaction.

Cardano’s carbon-neutral stance has made it a popular sustainable cryptocurrency, significantly improving its overall outlook. For those seeking environmentally friendly cryptocurrency, Cardano offers a great compromise between sustainability and profitability in the current green crypto environment. As one of the largest crypto platforms, this low-energy cryptocurrency is an outstanding investment option for both risk-averse and green-conscious crypto traders.

When it comes to which crypto network uses the least energy, Nano has a good claim. With an expenditure of just 0.000112 kWh, it’s a significant step down from the energy used by giants like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Nano uses 

 to make its PoW system less costly in terms of energy use. Accordingly, Nano is regarded as one of the top contenders, if not 

 most energy-efficient cryptocurrency, due primarily to its decentralized network and its low energy expenditures per transaction.

Many industry experts and financial analysts are predicting an increase in value for Nano over the next few years. While the current price point is above $5, this is expected to quadruple (or more) by 2025. If you’re looking for an energy-sustainable crypto option, Nano is an outstanding choice that makes sense now and going forward.

Ripple has become an eco-friendly alternative to many of the larger cryptocurrencies. Because Ripple doesn’t use PoW, it can achieve much greater efficiency in terms of the energy used and the production of crypto. Ripple has pledged to go carbon-neutral by 2030, a lofty goal — and one that sets it apart from many of the other environmentally friendly cryptocurrency options currently available. Ripple’s consensus model requires that each transaction be approved by a group of trusted validators, which reduces the amount of work and energy needed for verification.

Ripple began with 100 billion coins and has been releasing them over time, which makes it a stable addition to any sustainable cryptocurrency portfolio. Additionally, with an energy expenditure of just 0.0079 kWh per transaction, Ripple has earned its place as one of the most energy-efficient cryptocurrency products in the competitive financial marketplace.

 was initially created as a joke, it’s been cited by Tesla CEO Elon Musk as one of the top cryptocurrencies considered as a green crypto alternative to Bitcoin. Its use of PoW consensus reduces its efficiency compared with some other options in the green crypto environment. In May 2021, Elon Musk stopped accepting Bitcoin in payment for Tesla products. The very next day, however, he announced that he would be collaborating with the creators of Dogecoin to improve its energy efficiency and to make it a more sustainable cryptocurrency for use in investments and transactions.

Dogecoin’s energy use is estimated at 0.12 kWh per transaction, which is far from the most energy-efficient cryptocurrency rating currently. However, Dogecoin is looking to improve its environmental status, and is one of the top seeds in the low-energy cryptocurrency sector. With the help of Elon Musk and other fans of this eco-friendly crypto, Dogecoin may have the staying power necessary to cement its place as an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency.

 (XLM) has circumvented the need for proofs altogether by establishing trustworthy nodes through which it authenticates its transactions. The Stellar network was founded in 2014 as an offshoot of Ripple. This environmentally friendly cryptocurrency platform is rapidly taking its place as a viable alternative to PayPal for financial transactions. Additionally, since the 

 is a nonprofit funded by public donations, Stellar Lumens eliminates many of the fees associated with network maintenance and cross-border payments.

Stellar is a distributed technology ledger. This means that other currencies can be exchanged on its platform, with XLM being used to facilitate these trades. An open-source consensus protocol speeds the processing of trades and eliminates the need for verification of trades and transactions. Banking institutions in France, India, Ukraine and the Philippines have already engaged with Stellar Lumens, which should help make it a solid choice for investors.

The efficiency of the Stellar network makes it a popular choice for investors seeking a carbon-neutral cryptocurrency. It also makes it possible to create tokens, which allows for the establishment of sustainability initiatives and incentives. In this way, Stellar Lumens can positively impact the environment far beyond its use of energy to create value.

EOSIO takes a community approach to environmentally friendly cryptocurrency. Using pre-mining to save energy, this public blockchain is based on 

 and uses delegated proof of stake (DPoS) and consensus algorithms to verify transactions. It promotes the fastest and most efficient use of electricity in creating low-energy cryptocurrency for end users and investors. EOSIO is more than 66,000 times as efficient in energy use as Bitcoin, which puts it in the top rank of eco-friendly crypto investments.

 the launch of Bullish Global, a subsidiary that’s dedicated to creating a new exchange for blockchain-based cryptocurrency. EOSIO already offers more than 400 applications, and is responsible for about 85 percent of public blockchain activity across 15 public networks. This alone would seem to suggest that EOSIO is likely to be around for some time as an active and valuable cryptocurrency.

With headquarters in both Singapore and San Francisco, 

 states that its goal is to build infrastructure to decentralize the Internet. Founded in September 2017, the TRON Foundation is a nonprofit organization that manages TRON’s platform and network. Under the leadership of Justin Sun, TRON uses pre-mining to produce eco-friendly crypto, and to allow application creators to share directly through the TRON platform. TRON also uses PoS methodologies to further reduce energy consumption.

TRON has seen some highs and lows since its initial launch. Currently, however, the company’s star appears to be ascending, thanks to its acquisition of BitTorrent in February 2019 — and to its ability to perform 2,000 

 (TPS) with relative ease. Investors could do worse than to keep an eye on this environmentally friendly cryptocurrency over the next few years.

Weighing in at 18.52 kWh per transaction, 

 is definitely not the most energy-efficient cryptocurrency. Created in October 2011, Litecoin was based on Bitcoin’s open-source code. It’s somewhat more efficient than Bitcoin, thanks to its faster block generation rate and its scrypt-based PoW system, which operates much more securely and provides greater privacy for investors and users.

As one of the major players in the cryptocurrency marketplace, Litecoin is worth mentioning as an alternative to Bitcoin since it offers improved energy efficiency. Its established reputation in the financial field makes it a fairly safe bet for investors who are looking for significant returns on their initial investments. For those seeking an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency, however, it’s possible to do better than Litecoin.

On April 22, 2021, Algorand announced that its blockchain had become carbon neutral. Algorand operates based on pure proof of stake (PPoS) combined with smart contracts, which is one of the fastest and most energy-efficient methods for verifying and generating value in the cryptocurrency marketplace. Algorand is currently partnering with a Spanish financial technology firm, ClimateTrade, to create a CO2 marketplace for industries.

With a current target of sustainability and a carbon-negative network in the near future, Algorand looks like a real contender in the low-energy cryptocurrency market. Founded in 2019, the platform had achieved nearly a million transactions each day by the end of 2020. Algorand’s newcomer status, however, may be a deterrent to some investors who may be looking for a safer bet when planning where to put their money. Overall, the green-friendly credentials offered by Algorand are a primary selling point. Profit-minded investors, however, may find other low-energy cryptocurrency options more appealing in the short term.

Another entry in the PPoS sector of the cryptocurrency field, MetaHash is just one component of a four-part project that also includes MetaGate, MetaApps and TraceChain. These platforms work together to create value and to generate MetaHash Coin (MHC), which can be traded or used to pay for transactions. Miners can use relatively low-powered computing systems to participate in the MetaHash network, which ensures a steady supply of support for this low-energy cryptocurrency.

While the speed of the MetaHash network is its primary claim to fame, MetaHash also boasts one of the most secure platforms. With multiple PoS mechanisms, the network integrates multi-layered validation to verify transactions.

 is the second most popular cryptocurrency platform in the world. Launched in 2015, the Ethereum network currently operates on a PoW model, similar to Bitcoin. Over time, the network’s growth has led to both inefficient energy use and slower processing times for transactions, creating higher transaction fees for users and increased use of limited energy resources. It’s estimated that Ethereum mining is responsible for the expenditure of 372 TWh of electricity each year. This amounts to 62.56 kWh per transaction, making the initial version of Ethereum one of the least energy-efficient options in the cryptocurrency marketplace.

This excessive energy consumption, however, is set to end with the rollout of 

, which is already underway. This upgrade will incorporate sharding, a process that decentralizes and splits up the chains currently on the Ethereum network to reduce congestion on this platform. Ethereum 2.0 (also known as Eth2) will also feature the switch to PoS verification and validation, which is a significant shift from its previous unwieldy PoW methodology. Once this part of the rollout is complete, Ethereum 2.0 will implement smart contracts to streamline its processing systems to an even greater degree.

While Eth2 is unlikely to become a top contender in the green cryptocurrency market, its dominant position and the major changes the platform has planned make it worthy of inclusion on this list. It’s not known how efficient these changes will make Ethereum 2.0 after the transition. However, internal sources are estimating that these alterations to the platform will achieve an increase in efficiency of about 100 percent, which is a significant improvement over the current Ethereum paradigm.

Previously known as Burstcoin (BURST), Signum inherited a legacy of innovation with the Turing-complete smart contracts integral to the platform. Signum uses proof of capacity (PoC), rather than PoW or PoS, and has done so since 2014. This allows Signum to save a considerable amount of active energy, which in turn reduces the use of electricity to generate SIGNA for trading. As Burstcoin, the company reported a low energy expenditure of 0.2 kWh per transaction.

Because Signum allows developers to create and deploy smart contracts using JavaScript, this environmentally friendly cryptocurrency has attracted a loyal following. Signum is now working toward a methodology known as 

, which allows mining through committing SIGNA and disk space to promote a more stable, reliable environment. This makes it a standout for investors who are in the market for a low-energy cryptocurrency with high aspirations in the area of environmental responsibility.

Originally designed to handle in-application payments and micropayment transactions, Hedera Hashgraph has evolved to become one of the most sustainable cryptocurrency options. Hedera Hashgraph is powered by a PoS public network that consumes very little bandwidth. This eco-friendly crypto is rated at 0.001 kWh per transaction, which compares very favorably with many other environmentally friendly cryptocurrency options currently available to investors. Hedera Hashgraph is overseen by the Hedera Governing Council, which includes representatives from up to 39 organizations and companies that have included Google, Deutsche Telekom, LG and Boeing.

Hedera Hashgraph has entered into a partnership with 

, producing and developing sustainability projects. These include the delivery of much more efficient energy options to homes in the United Kingdom and the reduction of charging costs at electric vehicle charging stations through the use of the Hedera Token Service, which can make ownership and operation of electric vehicles much more affordable.

Based in Australia and founded in May 2016, 

 raised about $26 million in 2017 during its initial coin offering. This renewable energy blockchain platform advertises itself as a modernized and market-driven grid. Powerledger offers consumers a viable choice in the environmental responsibility of the power they use and the distribution of excess energy through sales and trades on the Powerledger platform. Traders can purchase or sell units of electricity known as Sparkz, which allows a more equitable distribution of renewable energy among those participating on the platform.

Powerledger recently announced a partnership with Tata Power-DDL, the largest integrated electricity company in India. This move has spurred added interest in Powerledger and has boosted its sale price to a significant degree.

 allows stakeholders to vote on changes and upgrades based on the number of tokens they hold. Tezos uses a modified PoS system which rewards innovation, compensating those who submit successful proposals for improvements to the platform. With about 400 block-validating nodes, referred to as bakers, the Tezos platform has been chosen by several brands and artists as a market for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Both Red Bull Racing and 

 with the support of Quincy Jones, have elected to distribute their NFTs through Tezos.

Based on open-source blockchain protocols, Tezos is constantly evolving and updating based on input from its users. Tezos estimates its annual energy consumption at 0.00006 TWh, which brings it in well below the figures announced by Bitcoin and Ethereum for the same basic period of time. For investors seeking a greater degree of influence over the way in which their low-energy cryptocurrency is managed, Tezos is a solid choice that looks to have the staying power necessary to produce profits now and into the future.

For investors, finding the most energy-efficient cryptocurrency can minimize the environmental impact of these financial outlays. New cryptocurrencies are being developed and released on a continuing basis. By performing the necessary due diligence and investigating the available options, investors can enjoy the benefits of cryptocurrency trading while taking steps to protect the environment at the same time.

19 Environmentally Friendly Cryptocurrencies That Will Save the Planet

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