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Top 10 Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest In Right Now in 2023

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Experts are predicting 2023 to be the year that crypto market conditions finally begin to ease after the tumultuous experiences of 2022 as bear market conditions firmly took hold, wiping billions off the value of digital currencies across the board.

Although a return to a full bull market of 2021 is unlikely in 2023, the recovery of Bitcoin (BTC) above $20,000 has led to several other crypto assets seeing gains in the early part of 2023. Indeed, many cryptocurrency prices are still low enough for crypto asset enthusiasts to pick up significant gains over the coming months and before the next Bitcoin halving event next year.

Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest In Right Now in 2023

Here are the 10 best crypto tokens to buy now in 2023 for significant gains by the end of the year and beyond:

  1. Ethereum (ETH)
  2. Binance Coin (BNB)
  3. Cardano (ADA)
  4. Ripple (XRP)
  5. Solana (SOL)
  6. Shiba Inu (SHIB)
  7. Polygon (MATIC)
  8. Dogecoin (DOGE)
  9. Chainlink (LINK)
  10. Uniswap (UNI) 

>>>Invest in Cryptos Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

1. Ethereum (ETH)–Blockchain giant with exciting new updates

What is Ethereum?

Ethereum is the most popular coin by market capitalization and value outside Bitcoin and remains the world’s leading blockchain provider. It is a decentralized open-source chain with excellent smart contracts functionality, allowing users to build decentralized applications (dApps) easily.

Ethereum has found its position as the leading blockchain provider under threat from newer layer-1 blockchains, with its original layer-1 proof-of-work (PoW) consensus proving costly, inefficient, and slow compared to newer, more modern platforms. Ethereum developers improved many of these issues in 2022 with the Shanghai upgrade, which provided a transition to the much less unwieldy proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism.

Reasons why you should consider investing in ETH

ETH’s recent increase in value reflects an overall improvement in global cryptocurrency markets but can also be attributed to the successful roll-out of Ethereum 2.0. Ethereum claims that the transition to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism reduces energy use by around 99.95% compared to the previous PoW consensus, thus making ETH a much more attractive proposition compared to other cryptos. Gas fees have, however, remained on the high side.

Further developments are in line for release in 2023 and 2024, such as a new sharding mechanism that will expand the Ethereum network’s data storage capacity, increase scalability and cut transaction fees. These new features look set to cement the Ethereum ecosystem as one of the world’s leading crypto assets for years to come.

Risks of investing in ETH

The close pegging of Ethereum’s ecosystem to Bitcoin makes it one of the most resilient coins to general market fluctuation, meaning that the price of ETH is less significantly affected during current bear market conditions. Several global governments are considering introducing regulation of crypto markets. Any regulation that stifles the freedom enjoyed by the largest cryptocurrencies apart from Bitcoin, such as Ethereum, could adversely impact the price of ETH.

>>>Invest in Ethereum Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

2. Binance Coin (BNB) – Smart Chain backed by centralized exchange giant

What is Binance Coin?

Binance is best known in the crypto world as being the dominant centralized crypto exchange, hosting the highest trading volume of global transactions. However, alongside the exchange, Binance has spent significant sums on developing its ecosystem to produce its own blockchain, the Binance Smart Chain. The cryptocurrency created by Binance is called BNB, which is the native token of the blockchain.

With the backing of a crypto giant in Binance, the Binance Smart Chain has come a long way in a short time. The Binance Smart Chain is significantly more centralized than others, such as Ethereum, but offers transaction fees from as low as $0.02 and speedy block times. This has made Binance’s blockchain technology enormously popular with several new projects, from decentralized cryptocurrency exchanges to non-fungible tokens. And it  can be integrated to support payment systems designed with printable receipt invoice templates.

Why you should consider buying BNB

The Binance Smart Chain has excellent functionality to support smart contracts, which several existing projects have already used. However, with its meager gas fees, this looks set to make the chain an increasingly popular destination for more new projects in the coming years.

BNB token holders also have the opportunity to stake their BNB coins, offering the chance to earn rewards as their coins support transactions on the platform. This low-cost, efficient, and secure route to market for developers could provide excellent returns for investors in BNB. Although BNB already has a high market cap, there is significant potential for superior returns, particularly as the Binance Smart Chain stimulates growth in crypto industries.

Risks of Investing in BNB

Binance’s strong market cap and room for growth make it an attractive prospect for investors preferring an established coin to purchase. However, Binance’s multi-layered offering puts them at greater risk of devaluation not only when bearish conditions hit crypto markets, but if any part of their ecosystem fails, confidence in the whole Binance ecosystem will take a significant hit.

>>>Invest in BNB Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

3. Cardano (ADA)—Highly scalable blockchain network

What is Cardano?

Created by the former co-founder of Ethereum, Charles Hoskinson, Cardano is a blockchain built on resolving some of the limitations of Ethereum mentioned below. Hoskinson and the development team conducted in-depth research when designing Cardano, all of which have been peer-reviewed by academics to ensure the quality of the coding and platform functionality.

Two of the significant limitations of Ethereum that Cardano offered alternatives to are the speed and cost at which transactions are validated via its proof-of-stake consensus mechanism compared to ETH’s unwieldy proof-of-work consensus. In addition, Cardano’s layered architecture, which contains the Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL) and the Cardano Computation Layer (CCL), allows transaction processing and hosting of decentralized apps to be split onto different networks.

This multi-layered approach offers developers significantly greater scalability and flexibility while reducing the computing power required to mine blocks, leading to greater decentralized network control.

Why you should consider buying ADA

The revolutionary nature of Cardano’s blockchain technology quickly built up a loyal and dedicated following, making it one of the most active layer-1 blockchain platforms for dApp development. With cryptocurrency projects ranging from non-fungible tokens to decentralized finance solutions, developers trust Cardano’s platform as one of the most secure and flexible, despite Ethereum’s recent new releases.

This burgeoning reputation is attracting increasingly more developers to the platform to build new projects, leading to a potential step-change in the number of transactions being conducted on the platform and an increase in the price of ADA.

Risks of investing in ADA

A few visible threats are on the horizon for Cardano, despite its continuing high profile and high-quality offering. With the Ethereum network working at pace to develop new features, developers could turn away from Cardano in favor of the blockchain behemoth.

In addition, ADA’s high total market capitalization could limit the returns investors receive, mainly while many of the projects it hosts are in the earlier stages of their development.

>>>Invest in Cardano Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

4. Ripple (XRP) – Best banking coin on the crypto market

What is Ripple?

Ripple is a well-known decentralized finance solution established in 2012 that uses its own RippleNet platform to facilitate international cross-border payments. The native currency XRP token powers the system with liquidity and as the bridge currency to generate revenues as Ripple looks to take on the relatively expensive and time-consuming SWIFT system.

XRP is cementing itself in the top ten cryptocurrencies by market capitalization. With several big-name backers, such as major global banks, either taking advantage of Ripple to fuel international payments at significantly lower costs and with transaction times in the seconds rather than potentially days or trialing Ripple’s solutions,

Why you should consider buying XRP

Many investors have been put off by the ongoing lawsuit brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission against Ripple,which challenges XRP tokens validity as a decentralized cryptocurrency and whether it is a security. However, global financial giants continue to flock to Ripple, providing the platform that enables developers to make decentralized applications and unrivaled access to some of the most extensive banking behemoths worldwide.

This backing, along with Ripple’s existing loyal and dedicated community, has convinced many that the lawsuit will go in Ripple’s favor. If that is the case, analysts expect the price of XRP to skyrocket as more customers turn to Ripple as an alternative to the status quo.

Risks of investing in XRP

Ripple’s greatest potential strength is also its most significant risk. Although its high existing market cap may limit Ripple investors’ returns, the most significant threat is what the fallout of the lawsuit going against Ripple might provoke on the price of XRP.

With a decision expected later in 2023, this impact could be realized sooner rather than later.

>>>Invest in XRP Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

5. Solana (SOL) – Outstanding layer-1 protocol continuing to thrive

What is Solana?

Solana is a layer-1 proof-of-stake blockchain provider developed similarly to Cardano to challenge Ethereum’s monopoly as a decentralized protocols provider while offering solutions to some of the issues developers faced when using the Ethereum blockchain.

The significant difference between Solana and Cardano is its ground-breaking use of a proof-of-history consensus mechanism alongside proof-of-stake to offer excellent scalability and flexibility while proving itself cheaper, faster, and with a vastly greater transactional capacity than Ethereum in particular. Solana is one of the biggest challengers to Ethereum’s overwhelming hold on the blockchain space.

Why you should consider buying SOL

Solana’s network is powered by the native token (SOL) and has become the chain of choice for many cryptocurrency projects in recent years. One of the biggest utilizations of Solana has been in digital real estate, an area in which Ethereum still reigns supreme but where Solana’s extra scalability provides a compelling alternative for developers.

SOL is a coin that looks to have significant scope to grow its market capitalization over the coming years to challenge Cardano, particularly if it continues to attract an ever-growing number of new projects and developers to its platform. As these new projects reach maturity, the value of SOL will grow, making it an excellent long-term investment.

Risks of investing in SOL

Although Solana has disrupted the blockchain space, it has proven at times to be its own worst enemy. On several occasions, the network has been forced to halt to allow issues to be resolved entirely. A failure in the long-term to resolve these issues and provide developers with a stable network will eventually come home to roost, with projects turning elsewhere for their smart contracts consensus.

>>>Invest in Solana Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

6. Shiba Inu (SHIB) – Best currency for ETH-20 meme coins

What is Shiba Inu?

Shiba Inu is a meme coin blockchain project that took its inspiration from Dogecoin. It has developed a burgeoning and passionate supporter community of its own. As a result, the native SHIB coin has performed beyond expectations. It is now gaining traction as a governance token after developing a platform allowing users to stake in its decentralized finance3 solution.

Although meme coins often have a limited appeal to crypto fans and sometimes lack real-world utility, SHIB has stuck to its guns and performed stoically during the bear market of 2022. It has been riding the waves of extreme volatility to remain firmly in the top 20 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization throughout.

Why you should consider buying SHIB

While many crypto investors remain skeptical about the utility offered by SHIB’s native cryptocurrency, bracketing it alongside other low-value coins, fans maintain that SHIB is an excellent coin available at a considerable discount, particularly now that Shiba Inu has created a DeFi solution to fill the utility token void.

In addition, SHIB is reaping the benefits of its implementation on the Ethereum blockchain, which provides security, stability, and increased functionality thanks to Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake consensus.

Risks of investing in SHIB

In contrast to the buoyancy displayed by SHIB’s dedicated legion of followers, skeptics point to the highly volatile nature of meme coins in cryptocurrency markets, with significant peaks and troughs in price performance. Although Shiba Inu will look to stabilize this volatility with their DeFi solution, there is a risk that they’ve put all their eggs in one high-risk basket with no assurance of success.

>>>Invest in SHIB Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

7. Polygon (MATIC) – Transformative blockchain technology enables interoperability

What is Polygon?

Polygon, formerly Matic Network, is a layer-2 blockchain solution enjoying backing from the big crypto names Coinbase and Binance. Set up to stimulate crypto adoption by resolving the ongoing scalability issues on blockchains. Polygon achieves this by combining the Plasma Framework and proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.

As a result, Polygon claims that up to 65,000 transactions per second are achievable on one of its side chains and block confirmation times of less than two seconds. This sidechain capability allows interoperability and the potential to house unlimited decentralized apps on their networks without compromising network performance.

Why you should consider buying MATIC

Polygon’s native MATIC coin is firmly established in the top 10 list of currencies by market cap. It looks to remain there for the foreseeable future as Polygon has formed partnerships with influential names, including Disney.

In addition, the release of a powerful new solution designed to improve scalability for the Ethereum blockchain makes MATIC an even more tempting prospect for crypto investors seeking good returns in 2023 and beyond.

Risks of investing in MATIC

As with any blockchain scaling solution, investing in MATIC has some minor risks. Firstly,it already has a fairly high market cap although most analysts still see good growth potential. In addition, the marketplace for blockchain scaling solutions is increasingly competitive, so there’s intense pressure on Polygon to stay ahead of the pack with its scalability options. However the Polygon team have a first mover advantage in layer-2 solutions.

>>>Invest in Polygon Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

8. Dogecoin (DOGE) – Best meme coin investment

What is Dogecoin?

Dogecoin is a rarity in crypto circles, a project with a sense of humor. Initially developed as a fun alternative to Bitcoin’s gold standard, Dogecoin has developed a reputation as an accessible and enjoyable entry point for crypto newbies. Over recent years, DOGE has gained a vast and dedicated following, including Elon Musk.

Although there has been little development over this period on the project, many – including Musk – believe there are several compelling use cases for Dogecoin to investigate in the coming years. These options include the digital currency becoming an alternative to fiat currency and delivering smart contracts.

Why you should consider buying DOGE

If the backing of Elon Musk isn’t good enough for you to get your hands on DOGE, one of the cheapest coins by value but in the top 10 by market cap, the rumors that Dogecoin could switch to proof-of-stake in the future, which would help those that have environmental concerns and give the coin a boost.

In addition, Dogecoin continues to be an excellent entry point for new crypto fans while maintaining its status as a firmly established project, meaning it will be around for the long run.

Risks of investing in DOGE

Coins like DOGE are highly volatile and react to the whim and fancy of market forces more than other projects. In addition, the high market cap and vast allocation of coins help keep the DOGE price lower than a fixed supply would. This, and the low utility attached to Dogecoin, keeps a cap on the gains possible by those investing in DOGE.

>>>Invest in DOGE Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

9. Chainlink (LINK) – Securing on-chain data

What is Chainlink?

Chainlink is a project that uses its native token (LINK) to enable economic incentives that allow trustless data retrieval via its decentralized oracle network (DON) and provides a solution to what is known as the oracle problem. Although Chainlink is hosted on the Ethereum blockchain, it is chain-agnostic, allowing decentralized applications and smart contracts to access data outside the blockchain.

This solution to an enormous blockchain technology problem as Chainlink has formed numerous partnerships, particularly across DeFi lenders and decentralized finance exchanges, who have quickly spotted the opportunities provided by leveraging this technology.

Why you should consider buying LINK

The LINK crypto token plays an intrinsic part in Chainlink’s operability, meaning that it is a coin that provides owners with some of the most significant levels of utility of any cryptocurrency. Trials with the international payment giant SWIFT have garnered positive results, potentially opening Chainlink up to playing a massive role in global financial payments in years to come.

In addition, requests for blockchain data will only grow in the coming years. Chainlink’s early operation in this sector will likely have a seismic effect on the value of LINK as this need continues to grow. This makes LINK an excellent crypto to invest in this year.

Risks of investing in LINK

As a well-established project, the benefits of which are already well-known, Chainlink relies on an ever-increasing number of high-profile partnerships to continue its growth. While the SWIFT partnership is an excellent starting point, alternatives could threaten Chainlink as other global financial institutions enter the cryptocurrency market.

>>>Invest in Chainlink Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

10. Uniswap (UNI) – Leading decentralized cryptocurrency exchange

What is Uniswap?

Uniswap is an Ethereum blockchain-hosted decentralized exchange that allows users to buy, sell and trade other cryptocurrencies without the limitations of a centralized exchange. The platform enables transfers between major cryptocurrencies using the automated market maker (AMM) trading methodology.

Users provide liquidity to Uniswap by depositing one of two crypto tokens into liquidity pools in return for a portion of transaction fees generated by the exchange. This opens access to a source of passive income to users, allowing their investment to work for them without their intervention. In addition, other crypto users gain access to the liquidity on the exchange, which benefits their access to trade other coins.

Why you should consider buying UNI

The native token (UNI) has benefited significantly from the critical role played by Uniswap in listing new and emerging currencies that haven’t reached the bigger-name exchanges. Its Ethereum-based origins have given Uniswap a highly secure and stable platform, which, combined with Uniswap’s influence on emerging projects, could see a surge occur as more TradFi companies begin to get involved in the crypto space, making the UNI token an excellent crypto to invest in.

Risks of investing in UNI

Uniswap faces the same challenges that most other established projects face. Their services are well-established and at risk of increased competition within the layer-1 blockchain cryptocurrency space. In addition, it may need help to maintain its role as the leading decentralized exchange over the coming months and years.

>>>Invest in UNI Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

Conclusion: What is the best crypto to invest in right now in 2023?

Several crypto coins look set to create significant returns in 2023, particularly with the projected easing of bear market conditions as the year progresses. Ethereum is one of the new favorites among industry experts and analysts. Expected to provide tremendous opportunity for the wise investor that gets involved during the presale event.

An excellent utility coin with excellent tokenomics alongside an alluring array of features, Ethereum is the obvious choice for new and professional investors seeking the best crypto to invest  in 2023.

FAQs

What are cryptocurrencies?

Cryptocurrencies are digital assets that use encryption technology to verify transactions in secure conditions using cryptography. This technology is provided by blockchains, a distributed ledger system that enables transactions validated by a network of computers.

Some cryptocurrencies are decentralized and many more hold that aspiration, meaning a central bank, government, or other central authority does not control them.

Which crypto assets will explode in 2023?

It’s always tricky to predict the best cryptocurrency of the future. However, stable crypto assets with a tight project plan, high coin utility, and excellent potential to become a leader in their chosen sector are usually selected by investors looking for the subsequent exponential crypto assets growth. Ethereum is one such project that looks set to become a leading crypto project in the coming years.

Which is the best crypto to buy today for the short term?

Ethereum is one of the best crypto projects set to produce excellent short-term returns thanks to its low presale price and fixed supply of tokens. XRP also looks like a perfect short-term option, thanks to its finance technology and the backing of already-established institutional investors.

Which crypto has the most long-term investment potential?

The world of crypto is evolving at a rapid rate, and making predictions for the best cryptocurrency for the long term can be difficult. However, the blockchain sector is forecast to proliferate over the coming years. This provides stable blockchain platforms like Ethereum with excellent long-term investment prospects.

What is the best crypto to invest in now during 2023?

The key to finding the best cryptocurrencies to invest in this year is the same every year. Finding the highest potential projects at the lowest risk value is critical. Stable projects that enable developers to build and evolve the ecosystem will encourage continual growth over the coming years. Any cryptocurrency that incorporates steady growth plans into its roadmap will almost always be the best crypto to buy now.

 

>>>Invest in Cryptos Now<<<

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU  and UK investor protection. Your capital is at risk.

The Elements and Essence of Agile Methodologies in Project Management

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Young designer giving some new ideas about project to his partners in conference room. Business people discussing over new business project in office.

A fast-paced and highly dynamic approach to project management, the agile method is thought to be the best approach to responding and adapting to uncertainty or unpredictability; the method unfolds through incremental and iterative processes or workflow known as sprints. However, it is instructive to note that applying agile method is not just about quick decision and execution; it involves accelerating at a deliberate, stable pace. Essentially, the agile method was developed to deal with situations where there is a high level of uncertainty in terms of requirements and user quality expectations.

Unlike the spiral method whose iteration is fixed, since you have to plan for all the iterations in the beginning, agile methods allow you to kick-start the project with as little information you have and leave the rest of the planning for the next iteration. This gives room for flexibility and opportunity for incremental innovation in the building process of the product or service.

The six stages of agile methodologies include the following:

Conception. This involves properly defining user requirements.  At this first stage, the objective and the scope of the project are determined. The product owner prepares a document outlining the key requirement of the product which is then used to determine the timeframe of the project completion.

Identification. Clients are engaged and fed on high-level use cases and plans. The product owner also confirms the availability of co-developers and engages the best people for the project’s success.

Iteration. This is the crux of the agile life cycle. The development team starts working on a prototype, combining all the requirements of the product gathered in the first two phases. The prototype goes under several reviews and revisions for improvement until finalized. This often involves unit tests, system tests, and evaluation from a representative of the end users. Refinement is made to the product based on reviews generated from each of the testing stages.

Product release. The product is officially launched after a series of evaluations and refinement.

Maintenance. The team provides regular support to customers to ensure the product continues to serve its purpose and is hitch-free or meet customers’ expectation. Over time iterations can happen to make the existing product more convenient and useful for the customers.

Retirement. When a product becomes outdated or no longer serves its original purpose, the developing team can withdraw the old model and replace it with a new one.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Agile Methodology   

Agile development methodology provides the opportunity to assess the direction of a project throughout the development lifecycle. It also gives an early view to the user about how the final product might look and behave and this helps in finalizing the user requirements

Entire requirements do not have to be finalized to start the development work. It enables one to build and test start as soon as initial high-level requirements are available.

It saves costs for both suppliers and customers as it involves using resources for less time. More so, customer involvement in all the stages of development encourages quality and highly satisfied customer products.

However, the disadvantages include a high likelihood of a lack of proper design and documentation and a lack of customer clarity due to the ambiguity that may emanate from the process. Also, since there is limited time to plan, it may lead to a deficient strategy.

Resources:

https://www.decipherzone.com/blog-detail/agile-development-lifecycle

SEC Grants Relief to BLockFi on Settling Customers’ Claims before Fine

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In a surprising turn of events, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has agreed to waive a $30 million fine that was imposed on BlockFi, a bankrupt crypto lending platform, until it repays its investors. This decision is part of a settlement that BlockFi reached with the SEC in February 2022, after being charged with violating securities laws and making false statements about its crypto lending product.

BlockFi was one of the most popular platforms that offered high interest rates to crypto investors who lent out their digital assets. However, the company ran into trouble when FTX, a crypto exchange that BlockFi had exposure to, collapsed in November 2022. BlockFi filed for bankruptcy shortly after, leaving its customers unable to withdraw their funds.

The NJBS had issued a cease-and-desist order to BlockFi in July 2021, alleging that the BIA was an unregistered security offering that violated state securities laws. BlockFi had contested the order and maintained that the BIA was not a security, but a lawful and regulated product. BlockFi had contested the order and maintained that its product was lawful and compliant with all applicable regulations.

According to a press release from BlockFi, the settlement agreement involves BlockFi paying a one-time fine of $30 million to the NJBS and agreeing to stop offering the BIA product to new customers in New Jersey as of January 31, 2022. Existing customers in New Jersey will be able to continue using the BIA product until March 31, 2022, after which they will have to withdraw their funds or transfer them to other BlockFi products or services.

BlockFi also stated that it will work with the NJBS to provide additional disclosures and information to its customers regarding the BIA product and its risks. BlockFi CEO Zac Prince expressed his gratitude to the NJBS for reaching a resolution that allows BlockFi to continue serving its existing customers in New Jersey and providing them with access to innovative and secure crypto products.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently stepped up its efforts to regulate the crypto industry, launching lawsuits against two of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, Coinbase and Binance. The SEC claims that these exchanges have violated its rules by offering unregistered securities to U.S. investors without registering them with the agency. These lawsuits could have significant implications for the future of crypto regulation in the US and beyond.

In a landmark victory for the crypto industry, Coinbase has won a lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over its alleged violation of market rules. The SEC had accused Coinbase of operating as an unregistered broker and facilitating the trade of unregistered securities on its platform. Coinbase had denied the allegations and argued that it had received tacit approval from the SEC when it went public in 2021.

The lawsuit, which was filed by the SEC in June 2023, had cast a shadow over Coinbase’s business and reputation, as well as the wider crypto sector. The SEC had claimed that Coinbase had made billions of dollars by easing the sale of crypto assets but deprived investors of significant protections. The SEC had also sued Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, for similar reasons.

However, on Friday, a federal judge in New York ruled in favor of Coinbase and dismissed the SEC’s complaint. The judge found that the SEC had failed to prove that the tokens traded on Coinbase were securities under the federal law. The judge also noted that the SEC had not provided clear guidance to the crypto industry on how to comply with its regulations.

Lagos Gas Explosion: Four Hospitalized for Sustaining Varying Injuries

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Four persons have been reported to have sustained varying injuries after a gas explosion in Ijaiye, Agege area of Lagos State. The victims which include 3 women and a man have been reportedly taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital where they are currently receiving care.

The incident which occurred in the early hours of Monday was reportedly due to a gas leakage from one of the cylinders in a gas shop situated in the area.

According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), rescuers were able to contain the ensuing inferno from escalating to adjourning shops and nearby buildings.

LASEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who confirmed the incident, said the injured suffered second-degree burns and were taken to the hospital for treatment.

“No loss of life. However, four adults (three females) and an adult male sustained various degrees of injuries (second-degree burns) as a result of the incident and have been attended to by the agency’s pre-hospital care, alongside LASAMBUS.

“The victims have also been moved to Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.

“The inferno has been completely put out by the combined effort of LASEMA LRT, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service.

“A post-incident assessment was conducted by the agency’s LRT alongside LASG Fire. The shop has been cordoned to avert a secondary incident. The operation had been concluded,” he said.

Electricity Distribution Companies Issue Notices of Tariff Increment to Nigerian Customers

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A few days close to July 1, Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have begun to issue notices of tariff increment to consumers following the naira’s floatation that has resulted in the rise of exchange rates.

Notices sent out by some of the DisCos such as Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKDC), and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (Ikeja Electric), urged customers to make bulk purchases before July.

EKDC said that “We may be looking at a base tariff of N100 per kWh for Band C (12 – 16 supply hours per day). Bands A (20 hours and above) & B (16 – 20 hours) will be much higher,” while Ikeja Electric warned its customers that “Electricity units are set to jump by 30-40% in just over a week. You are best advised to buy as many units as you can before July 1”.

The AEDC said under the proposed hike, bands B and C, with supply hours ranging from 12 to 16 per day, will receive a new base tariff of N100 per kWh while customers under band A with longer hours of electricity supply will receive a higher tariff.

The DisCo explained that the increment was orchestrated by the government’s decision to float Nigeria’s forex market, which has seen the naira fall as low as N815 per dollar in the Investor & Exporter window.

“Dear Valued Customers, effective July 1st, 2023, please be informed that there will be an upward review of the electricity tariff influenced by the fluctuating exchange rate.

“Under the MYTO 2022 guidelines, the previously set exchange rate of N441/$1 may now be revised to approximately N750/$1 which will have an impact on the tariffs associated with your electricity consumption.

“For customers within bands B and C, with supply hours ranging from 12 to 16 per day, the new base tariff is expected to be N100 per kWh while Bands A with (20 hours and above) and B (16 to 20 hours) will experience comparatively higher tariffs.

“For customers with a prepaid meter, we encourage you to consider purchasing bulk energy units before the end of this month as this will allow you to take advantage of the current rates and potentially make savings before the new tariffs come into effect.

“For those on post-paid (estimated) billing, a significant increment is imminent in your monthly billing, starting from August”, the notice said.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) 2022 Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) has a fixed price based on exchange and inflation rates, which have been impacted by the floating of the naira. The 2022 MYTO exchange rate, which was pegged at N441/$1, has now been moved up to N750/$1.

This development is expected to cause a 40% spike in electricity tariffs. This comes along with the signing of the Electricity Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu. The Electricity Act is expected to liberalize the power sector by empowering states, companies, and individuals to generate and distribute electricity.

However, economists have expressed fear that Nigerian consumers cannot afford an increment in electricity tariff for now, given the nation’s harsh economic realities. There are also concerns that further spikes will cripple Nigeria’s manufacturing sector as well as the Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Read also: Naira Floatation, Fuel Subsidy Removal: Nigerians Face Hard Economic Realities As Electricity Tariffs Set to Spike by 40%

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said the move is “simply outrageous.”

“It is highly concerning for manufacturers to witness the electricity tariff skyrocketing beyond the present embattling high prices, starting July 1st. A 40 percent hike at this time is simply outrageous,” MAN said in a statement signed by its Director General Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir.

The association said the further hike in electricity tariff will compound inflation, which stood at 22.41% in May.

“In addition, the manufacturers would ultimately pass on the additional cost to the consumers of their products, which will increase the cost of locally made products in the market and complicate the rising inflation rate in the country.

“An increase in electricity tariff will reduce the purchasing capability. One of the resulting effects is the fall in demand and recession of manufacturing activities over time,” it said.