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Unstoppable Domains Review (2020): The Censorship-Resistant Future Of The Internet
Unstoppable Domains: Get ready for a censorship immune future! Unstoppable domains makes the internet censorship resistant and censorship immune. Instead of relying on centralized services to buy and sell domain names (eg, Namecheap or GoDaddy), Unstoppable domains uses decentralized platforms Ethereum and Zilliqa Blockchain as a neutral 3rd party. This gives registered domains censorship immunity as no government or entity can restrict or remove access to that domain.
To further improve on censorship resistance, it’s possible to host the content on the Inter Planetary File System (IPFS) a decentralized hosting service where content can not be removed. One of the first uses of Unstoppable Domains is the creation of easy to remember cryptocurrency addresses.
One thing that scares people away from cryptocurrency is the address. A long mixture of letters and numbers almost freezes crypto users whenever they want to send or receive their digital wealth. However this can be simplified with Unstoppable Domains into a “. zil” or “. crypto” domain, such as “bitcoinlockup.crypto” domain for all crypto addresses? How to use Unstoppable domains with IPFS Claim protected brand names on Unstoppable Domains. One name for all your cryptocurrency wallets?
Will Unstoppable Domains be Unstoppable?
Connecting with the Zilliqa Blockchain, Unstoppable or Censorship-resistant Domains.
Although the system worked, memorizing numbers and periods “.” was just too much.To overcome the challenge, the IP address was placed behind the scenes and brought in the Domain Name Service (DNS). The DNS system made it simpler since a human-readable address was provided, and in the background, it was tied to the complicated IP address.
Therefore, an internet user just typed the name, eg, Facebook.com, and the DNS system, having connected Facebook.com with its IP address, eased the way users saw and interacted with the internet. Using the same technique, Unstoppable Domains seeks to put the complex cryptocurrency addresses behind a human-readable name. As such, instead of directly sending cryptos to an address, you use the human-readable name. T
he concept behind Unstoppable Domains is succinctly explained by its CEO, Mather Gould, “We’ve been crypto enthusiasts since 2012 and have believed that crypto payments were too complex to go mainstream. Just like IP addresses were replaced with DNS system, we believe cryptocurrency addresses will be replaced with human-readable names. “. crypto” domain for all crypto addresses? Recently Unstoppable Domains announced the “. crypto” blockchain agnostic domain.
What Is The Cost For Using Unstoppable Domains And How Do I Register My Domain?
The idea behind this domain is to unify cryptocurrency addresses for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ziliqa and more.How to use Unstoppable domains with IPFSUnstoppable domains added the a new feature to work with uncensorable decentralized file hosting service IPFS. This will allow content to be permanently hosted on the internet with full immunity to government or political interference. IPFS hosts files spread across multiple locations in a decentralized fashion, so even if one server is taken down the content will still be accessible.
Claim protected brand names on Unstoppable DomainsTo prevent phishing and domain name stealing, Unstoppable Domains automatically protects brand names like apple.crypto and chrisdunn.crypto. Only verified identities can claim such domain names via the free claim tool: One name for all your cryptocurrency wallets? Unstoppable Domain Management PanelThat’s not all; you will only require one name for all of your wallets.
Yes, just one. And for only $40.
Why Do I Need A .crypto Domain?
You see, Unstoppable Domains is looking for ways of driving crypto adoption. One of those ways is to make sending crypto as simple as sending mail. Therefore, friends can send you Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, etc., using a single name.
Then, in the background, the technology from Unstoppable Domains routes the different cryptocurrencies to their respective wallets. This even eliminates the need for scanning QR codes since reading them is not 100 percent accurate.Connecting with the Zilliqa Blockchain, Unstoppable Domain’s version of DNS is built on the Zilliqa blockchain. Zilliqa is a scalable smart contract blockchain ecosystem that facilitates the creation of scalable decentralized applications. However, Zilliqa is only providing a platform for Unstoppable Domains to build their blockchain-focused DNS.
This means that the blockchain name service, although built on the Zilliqa platform, supports external cryptos like Ethereum, Bitcoin, Stellar Lumens, etc. It also supports the use of credit cards.As it is built on the Zilliqa blockchain, the domains will have a “.zil” extension. Unstoppable or Censorship-resistant DomainsApart from helping in the general public easily interact with cryptocurrencies, Unstoppable Domains is keen on providing censorship-resistant domains.With these domains, the owner of the domain name has complete control of the domain and its contents.
Traditional domain assets are stored on your behalf by custodians, for example Google. However a blockchain domain is stored in your cryptocurrency wallet which only you control. Therefore, no company, law enforcement or even Unstoppable Domains themselves can take it from you.It does not end there. The information used to register your domain remains private; you can choose not to give any personal information.
This means that it is hard to track an individual using the data provided. Also, the content provided on the website can not be censored by a third party; you are in full control.Will Unstoppable Domains be Unstoppable? Unstoppable Domains are setting up for a challenging journey which will see cryptocurrency being adopted by more people. Additionally, with censorship-resistant websites, the control is finally given back to the people.Unstoppable Domains certainly has the firepower to become unstoppable.
They have recently announced that it secured US$ 4 million in funding in Series A led by Draper Associates and Boost VC. They have also received grants from the Ethereum Foundation and Zilliqa Foundation.
Unstoppable Domains Final Verdict:
Unstoppable Domains has been working on its technology since 2017. They are software development company utilizing blockchain technology to give power back to the people and to ease the way people and cryptocurrencies interact. To enhance the interaction, Unstoppable Domains has borrowed some ideas from the internet both at current age and during its early days. For example, during the early days of the internet, users had to cram IP addresses, which were the only way to send messages from one person to the other.
I just registered my domain (bitcoinlockup.crypto) and I plan on getting more. It doesn’t have any annual fee, and you can simplify your wallet address so people can easily send it to you (when you have a software wallet). Overall, this concept of the decentralized web is not an “if”, but “when”. I look forward to the day when ever part of our lives can be decentralized and all of our freedom is restored. Most importantly, our money. This is what bitcoin aims to solve.
I recommend you grab your .crypto domain sooner rather than later, as there will be an obvious land rush when people realize how important this is and as more and more of our freedom of speech is being stripped away. Make sure to register using the link below for the best possible price!
What do you think? Are you going to grab your .crypto domain? Let us know down below in the comments!
Cheers,
The Crypto Renegade
NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.
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Bitpay Card Review: My Experience Living Off The Debit Card (2020)
In this review, I am going to cover my experience living off of the Bitpay Card. In 2017, I was hired to build a cryptococurrency hardware wallet for a prominent crypto company and I was paid directly in bitcoin and bitcoin cash. I needed to find a way to pay my bills with crypto in this legacy financial system that would not allow me to pay directly for my rent, groceries, gasoline, etc… This is when I did thorough research and discovered there were several crypto debit cards that existed.
Which one should I use? Which one works best and has the lowest fees? How much does it cost to get one? How easy is it to use? These were all questions I had when I first started researching these options and after doing a few weeks of research, it was clear that the best solution was to use the BitPay card.
I was already using BitPay to accept payment through this website when it was used for ecommerce, but I was unaware at the time that they had a crypto to Visa cash option that works for personal use. I was already happy with the experience I had using them as a payment processor, so I figured I would try their debit card for every day use. My experience and FAQ’s are detailed below!
HOW DOES THE BITPAY CARD WORK?
So here are the basic process of using the card from start to finish:
- Go to Bitpay.com/card and request a card. It will cost $9.95 as a one-time fee after you’ve filled out the application, which requires your personal details to send the card to.
- Wait 5-7 business days for the card to arrive (if you’re in the U.S.) It can take up to 21 business days for other countries.
- Once the card is received, call the 1-800 number on the front sticker to activate and set a PIN. Then go to your account to enter in the secret code sent in the letter to activate.
- Once activated, you are able to see your card available for crypto loads from the Bitpay mobile app and start using.
- Choose the wallet (either bitcoin or bitcoin cash) that you want to load onto the card, the choose the USD amount you want to add, then authenticate with your password and Face ID (if one is setup for extra security on the Bitpay wallet app)
- You’re done, money is loaded instantly and you will receive a confirmation email once you have completed the “Slide to Pay” function on the final screen.
- You are free to use this Bitpay card online, in person at any merchant that accepts Visa, or at the ATM.
My experience has been one that has shown this to be not only a very simple process, but also one that you can load money on in a pinch if you need to top off or load up your card because you don’t have enough funds. I have also experienced an issue where the card was declined once, but it was the merchant who I was using who said his bank was declining it. Once I called Bitpay’s card services, I was able to have them unblock it on their end and it went through perfectly.
WHAT CRYPTOCURRENCIES CAN I USE WITH THIS BITPAY DEBIT CARD?
Currently, the only two cryptocurrencies that can be used to load up the card on the prepaid Visa is Bitcoin (BTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). There have been plans to add more in the future, but for the time being, these are the only coins that are supported on Bitpay’s platform for debit card usage. There have been rumors that Ethereum (ETH) may be the next coin added for further altcoin support, but that has not been confirmed by the company.
HOW DO I PUT MONEY ON MY BITPAY CARD?
Once you have the card activated and you have linked your card account online, you will see the card option to “Add Funds” on the Bitpay Wallet App. Once you click on this, you can select the USD amount or toggle to the BTC or BCH side to calculate the exact amount you want to load. This will have you select the wallet you want to fund with in the drop down menu. Once you select the wallet, you will confirm the total and continue with “Slide To Pay” at the bottom, and will load instantly!
(PRO-TIP: If you are concerned about price fluctuation, you can keep your funds on your wallets and only top off the card at the exact moment before you purchase. This gives you flexibility in trying to monitor and maximize the price volatility in your favor!)
CAN I USE THE BITPAY CARD TO WITHDRAW CASH FROM AN ATM?
Yes. I have used this in a pinch where a card is not accepted when I went to a concert venue, however, keep in mind you will incur a $5 fee for ATM withdrawals and that does not include any ATM fee’s the machine you are using will incur. In some cases, it is not worth it to use this feature, but it is nice to know you have the option if it’s required.
It is also nice to know that when using a debit option at a merchant, you can easily choose the “cash back” option as a free way to get cash back, but that is usually limited to $100 dollars. This is a work around I would frequently use if I knew I needed to have some cash on hand for certain occasions and is nice to avoid those fees.
CONCLUSION
I was able to successfully use this to make most purchases I needed to make for the past 2 years. There are some bills that people pay that required ACH and will not take a debit or credit card. IN these instances, I was able to use Coinbase to as a crypto to fiat off-ramp, but I avoided using this as much as possible as the fees were not helpful, and I liked the idea that I could use crypto top make payments in the real world, without a hitch.
I also negotiated a way to start paying rent and other bills via Venmo, which was a nice workaround top using ACH. I was so hell-bent on using crypto as a viable payment source to pay my living expenses, that I went out of my way to make this happen. Any funds that I did not load onto my card, I only kept a little of it on the Bitpay wallet app and then kept the savings (as everyone should) onto my KeepKey hardware wallet.
If you are unfamiliar of the best practices for securing your cryptocurrency the right way, I will leave my link here for my FREE E-BOOK that details the top 5 ways to secure your cryptocurrency, and I recommend giving it a look, as it’s free.
All in all, this was a viable solution to live on, but I understand that some people are unable to use this in their particular country or their particular circumstance. If you live in any European or Asian countries and would like the option to use a crypto debit card, you can also try Wirex.
The Bitpay card is an option that does have a monthly fee, but it primarily used on that side of the world and has a similar user experience. I would recommend using this card for ANYONE that wants an option to “cash out their crypto” in a moments notice that would prefer not paying any exchange fees and needs it to happen within seconds.
What do you think? Are there any better crypto debit card options that you have used? If so, let me know in the comments below!
Cheers,
The Crypto Renegade
NOTE: This post may contain affiliate links. This adds no cost to you but it helps me focus on giving as much value as possible in every single post by being compensated for recommending products that help people succeed.
