If you have $10,000 to invest, three of the hottest investment opportunities now available are cryptocurrencies, equities, and real estate. While all three of these sectors have been on fire for the better part of the last year or more, they are incredibly distinct investment kinds. If you're seeking for the best spot to invest $10,000 right now, the best response will be highly dependent on your investment style. Here are the qualities and performance of each of these investments to assist you in determining which is the greatest fit for you.

Cryptocurrency

Over the last two years, cryptocurrency has been one of the hottest investments, and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Nonetheless, cryptocurrency is the quintessential "boom or bust" asset class. If the proponents of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are true, digital currency will become widespread around the world, propelling prices to new inconceivable heights. However, if wealthy investors such as Warren Buffett are to be believed, cryptocurrencies may very well trade to zero. Buffett famously stated that Bitcoin is "probably rat poison squared," that it "does not pass the test of a currency," and even that it is "disgusting and antithetical to civilisation's interests." Whichever side of the debate you choose, it's critical to keep in mind that bitcoin is a highly speculative asset, and that anyone investing $10,000 should be prepared to lose it.

Stocks

The stock market as a whole is a sound long-term investment opportunity. The emphasis, though, is on "long term." If you're simply investing $10,000 for a few years or less, the stock market may be a bad investment. Not only are short-term market moves unpredictable, but the S&P 500 was recently near its all-time high in August. Additionally, as of August, the S&P 500 has not had a 5% sell-off since October. In other words, if you're seeking for a quick profit in the stock market, you may want to abstain at the moment, as risk is elevated. However, if you are a true long-term investor, your $10,000 may grow to $50,000 or more after 20 years, assuming market returns are typical over that time period.

Real Estate

Real estate is another asset class that has exploded in value during the last year. According to the St. Louis Fed, the median house sale price in the United States reached $374,900 in the second quarter of 2021, the highest level on record. However, unlike the 2008 housing bubble, the fundamentals supporting increasing home values are sound. Americans are working from home more than ever before, millennials are becoming home purchasers, mortgage interest rates are at record lows, and available home inventory is at record lows. All of these variables could contribute to the continued rise in real estate prices. A $10,000 investment will not gain you much in terms of direct ownership of real estate, but it will get you indirect ownership through one of the innumerable real estate investment trusts.

Which Is the Best Fit for You?

Each of these investments has a number of advantages and disadvantages and a distinct risk profile. Before deciding on the ideal investment for you, speak with your financial advisor and have a clear understanding of your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon for investment. In summary, cryptocurrency is a high-risk, high-reward investment, stocks are a good long-term investment but can be dangerous in the short run, and real estate investment trusts generally give stable income with the potential for long-term capital gains.

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"Numerous organisations" are eyeing Latin America – particularly Argentina and Paraguay – as potential locations for Bitcoin (BTC) and altcoin mining operations.

According to Infobae and La Nacion, additional enterprises are emulating Chinese company Future Fintech, which last week "made formal plans to create a Bitcoin mining operation in Paraguay."

Earlier this year, a number of national media outlets stated that at least eight "Chinese groups" were "interested in" establishing a presence in Paraguay "with their teams." The media outlets said that interest has not waned and may perhaps have increased.

Due to the amount of hydroelectric power in the country, Paraguay has long been on the radar of crypto miners and some politicians. The nation's power facilities frequently generate excess energy, much of which is being wasted.

At the moment, Latin America accounts for only a small portion of the global bitcoin hashrate. According to University of Cambridge figures, Paraguay accounted for just 0.18 percent of the population in August this year, while Argentina accounted for just 0.05 percent. Other Latin American players made insignificant contributions as well, including Brazil, which contributed less than 0.5 percent.

According to Infobae's own statistics, Venezuela has 0.42 percent of worldwide crypto mining capacity, while Paraguay ranks second with 0.29 percent.

Regardless, all of this might change quickly now that Future Fintech has made its presence known. According to reports, the corporation has been "invited to Paraguay."

And, according to CEO Hunag Shanchun, the firm is currently "reviewing methods of mining equipment installation."

Huang is alleged to have stated:

"We intend to do a thorough analysis of this development opportunity in Paraguay. We will work with our local consultant to assess Paraguay's hydropower and renewable energy resources, potential places for the creation of a mining farm, and the potential for preferential policy treatment for our capital commitment."

The critical point here is that the Paraguayan government, according to the corporation, has been offering "help" to the crypto mining industry.

"Many more companies are considering relocating to Paraguay," the media outlets reported – a refrain that has become common in the country since July, when Cryptonews.com reported that the CEO of local bitcoin mining company Digital Assets, Juan José Bentez Rickmann, claimed that miners from both mainland China and Taiwan were considering relocating to the country.

According to estimates, over 5,500 megawatts of unneeded energy in Paraguay is now being wasted, and experts suggest that this energy may be utilised to "herald the dawn of a new era of bitcoin mining in the country."

However, media sites emphasised that Paraguay "is not the only country in the region with the potential for cryptocurrency mining."

Bitfarms, the Nasdaq-listed Bitcoin miner, has begun construction on a "mega" crypto farm in Argentina, with 55,000 mining machines already installed.

According to the media site, "most mining" corporations with an interest in the area are now focusing on Argentina's Tierra del Fuego region, owing to the region's low temperatures - a trait that might enable rigs keep cool without additional refrigeration and cooling equipment.

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CRO is presently trading at $0.37, up over 31% from its previous all-time high of $0.385. Why is the CRO price increasing and what is the hoopla all about? Let's investigate!

What is the Crypto COM cryptocurrency?

Crypto.com coin is an ERC-20 Proof-of-Stake token that is exclusively available on the Crypto.com exchange.

The majority of you are probably aware with native exchange tokens such as BNB and KuCoin Token, which are the native tokens of Binance and KuCoin, respectively. CRO is no exception; it incentivises trading on the platform and boosts the liquidity of the exchange.

Consider a native exchange token to be the exchange's equity. If the underlying exchange does well, you can anticipate an increase in the native token price. On the other hand, if the exchange encounters difficulties, the local token is almost certain to exhibit bearish momentum.

Why Is the Cost of CRO Increasing?

While there have been no substantial announcements from the Crypto.com team to coincide with the recent CRO price spike, there has been a noticeable surge in the app's user traffic.

When we look at Crypto.com's most current Alexa rankings, we observe a significant increase in traffic beginning at the beginning of this month. This suggests that more people are not only joining up for the exchange, but also learning about cryptocurrency in general.

If you've been using TikTok or YouTube recently, you may have seen Crypto.com's aggressive marketing effort. Indeed, the CryptoCom YouTube channel recently aired a commercial starring Matt Damon!

A well-executed marketing effort is critical to success in the cryptocurrency world, and it appears as though Crypto.com has done just that.

Is Crypto Currency Exchange a Good Investment?

Investing in an exchange's native token is a prudent move if the exchange is credible. Crypto.com is quite reputable in this instance.

Crypto.com was founded in 2016 as Monaco Technologies GmbH and rebranded to Crypto.com in 2018. It currently boasts millions of users and even offers a cryptocurrency credit card. It is a fully registered firm in Hong Kong, China, and has operated without incident for years.

Is Crypto Com a Safe Place to Store Coins?

Not only does Crypto.com have over $750 million in theft insurance, but it also uses Ledger Vault to safeguard its cash in cold storage. As stated on their website:

"Crypto.com has secured a US $100 million direct insurance policy at Lloyd's Syndicate 2012, led by Arch Underwriting." This is the most comprehensive coverage Crypto.com has ever obtained for its cold storage assets held with custodial partner Ledger Vault.

The addition of this policy raises Crypto.com's total cryptocurrency insurance coverage to $750 million, which includes both direct and indirect coverage through custodians."

CRO Price Forecasts

On CoinGecko's 90-day chart, we can observe that the CRO price is on a parabolic rise. Additionally, we find a significant increase in trade volume, indicating that this market still has capacity to grow.

However, given that CRO recently reached an all-time high, if the current support level of $0.35 does not hold, a rebound to as low as $0.3 is possible.

CRO is generally on a positive track, so these price changes are nothing but good news for long-term investors. While this is not financial advise, if you chose to invest in CRO at the moment, you should expect to wait a few weeks or months to see a significant return on your investment.

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Could a single ASX-listed bank offering cryptocurrency services become two?

As the majority of ASX investors are aware, cryptocurrencies like as Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are once again gaining popularity. This was undoubtedly aided by Bitcoin's recent rise to a new all-time high of US$66,000 per coin.

To be sure, one ASX-listed bank has already demonstrated an interest in capitalising on this fresh wave of positive sentiment towards Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. On Wednesday, Australia's powerful Commonwealth Bank (CBA) raised eyebrows by announcing it will be the first ASX bank to offer bitcoin services to its customers.

As my Fool colleague Bernd noted at the time, "CommBank's customers will be able to purchase, sell, and store cryptocurrencies via the bank's app, in an Australian first." This will encompass Bitcoin and Ethereum trading and holding."

Along with these prominent coins, CommBank will provide access to "up to ten selected cryptos." Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Litecoin (LTC) will be among them.

CBA will supply this new service in collaboration with Gemeni, a cryptocurrency exchange based in the United States, and Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis organisation.

To be sure, CBA may not be the only ASX bank offering crypto services in the near future.

ANZ to go on the CBA's Bitcoin bandwagon?

According to cointelegraph.com, Nigel Dobson, banking services portfolio lead at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ANZ), recently stated at a Blockchain Australia forum that the crypto field is now "too huge to ignore" for traditional financial institutions such as ANZ. Here are excerpts from what he allegedly said:

There is a certain weight to money that you simply cannot ignore at some point, correct?

It's simply the amount and quality of money coming into these locations that makes us wonder, what is going on here? When we go deeper into that, we've concluded that this is a significant protocol shift for financial market infrastructure.

He continued by comparing the blockchain technology that underpins cryptos such as Bitcoin to the early 2000s' growing internet technology:

I believe the CBA's move yesterday was courageous, and it remains to be seen if those customers would welcome it. However... The vessel has departed. Thus, what we must do is find our way towards utilising these networks.

Thus, it should come as no surprise if ANZ enters the cryptocurrency area in the near future. Or, indeed, any other ASX bank, such as Westpac Banking Corp (WBC), National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB), or any other ASX bank. After all, CBA has a reputation for leading the pace in the ASX banking sector.

As we reported on Wednesday, CBA will begin offering cryptocurrency services in a pilot programme "within weeks," with additional capabilities rolling out next year. Without a question, the other ASX banks will be looking closely to see how this one plays out.

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Ethereum (ETH) achieved a fresh record high for the second consecutive day on Thursday, riding at least two macroeconomic themes that have established a foothold in the cryptocurrency sector.

The second-largest cryptocurrency traded beyond $4600 before reversing course, but has set new highs over the last week, owing in part to the growing popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFT) and decentralised finance (DeFi) initiatives. Ether has surpassed bitcoin over the last year, increasing by more than 1025 percent.

These considerations have fueled short-term demand for using the digital token to pay transaction expenses, as well as increased speculation about its value in the so-called metaverse. The latter process is accelerating, as Facebook (FB) has relaunched itself in an ambitious bid to enter the next phase of digital development.

Solana (SOL), another cryptocurrency that is similar to ethereum, also soared to new all-time highs Wednesday, gaining about 31% in the last week. Both actions come on the heels of an investment craze for non-fungible tokens, or NFTs.

The blockchain of Ether is the engine that powers cryptocurrency transactions.

ETH is up 9 percent this week alone, and according to Fundstrat Global Investment Advisors, it may have farther to go in the near term.

"Ethereum should continue to move higher, maybe reaching $4,951 with little to no opposition,' Fundstrat Global Investment Advisors wrote on Wednesday. Ether's Relative Strength Index (RSI), a technical indicator of buying activity, indicates that the price has risen without being substantially overbought.

Because of NFT's, everyone is hearing about Ethereum in ways that have never occurred before. The public is enthused by NFTs." David Hoffman, host of the podcast 'Bankless'.

Ethereum, the blockchain upon which Ether is built, is the world's most established decentralised blockchain technology (or "Layer-1" in technical jargon) for smart contracts.

While ether does not enjoy the same level of investor demand as Bitcoin (BTC), it frequently acts as the "next stop on the trip down the digital asset rabbit hole," as Chris Matta, President of digital asset manager 3iQ Digital, puts it. For several years, his firm has marketed both a Canada-based spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) and the ether counterpart.

Unlike Bitcoin, which is primarily utilised as a store of wealth, the increase in the price of Ether is due to increased demand for individuals to transact on its network. As with gasoline in a car, ether serves as the propellant for transactions across its payment network.

The cost of transactions (or gas price) changes according to the transaction's size and the network's congestion level at any given time.

On top of the Ethereum blockchain, the bulk of DeFi protocols and NFTs are implemented. Together, these two emerging digital asset divisions have fuelled an explosion in demand for Ethereum transactions, or "blockspace space.".

As of November, decentralised finance, or DeFi, contained $219 billion in total value locked (TVL). According to DappRadar, trade from NFTs totalled $4.2 billion over the same time period.

"Demand for block space has continued to grow, but transaction throughput has been unable to keep up. You're noticing a significant surge in gas prices as individuals compete for block space. As a result, demand for Ether is really increasing," Matta told Leak Herald Finance.

While this increased demand for ether is beneficial in the short term, it poses a long-term risk for the asset.

"Ethereum is now suffering with the volume of network activity. Gas rates are highly variable, and there is now competition from other blockchains that provide reduced transaction costs," Matta explained.

The normal gas fee for various DeFi protocols varies considerably, but cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com presently charges between $111 and $170 each transaction on average.

Ethereum is a form of 'metaverse currency'

Ethereum's price is also influenced by the recent wave of investor interest in non-volatile memory (NFTs), which has begun to attract the attention of both large American consumer companies and pop-culture stars.

"Thanks to NFTs, everyone is hearing about Ethereum in ways that have never occurred before. NFTs thrill people," David Hoffman, an Ethereum bull and co-host of the cryptocurrency podcast Bankless, told Leak Herald Finance.

NFTs are one of the hottest frontiers in the crypto industry, acting as crypto-secured certificates of authenticity for a variety of digital commodities, ranging from ine art and music albums to collectibles and video game assets.

Recently, large brands entered the market. This week, McDonald's (MCD) launched a sweepstakes to give away NFTs of their McRib sandwich, while Nike (NKE) filed for a patent indicating plans to release digital replicas of their sneakers and clothing as NFTs.

NFTs operate as "digital merchandise" for these firms, Hoffman noted, with the majority of them still being created on top of Ethereum as the blockchain's ERC-721 token type.

And the fervour has only intensified this month as a result of Facebook's formal rebranding as Meta, which positions the firm to accelerate investment in the "metaverse," a more immersive version of the internet.

Hoffman and Matta both stated that NFTs will play a critical role in the metaverse. That is, ETH and other cryptocurrencies that fuel smart contract-based blockchains such as Solana serve as the basic foundation for investor speculation in the metaverse.

"Ethereum is the infrastructure of the metaverse, and ETH is the currency of the metaverse," Hoffman continued.

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Billy Markus, the developer of Doge, has noted that "hype fades," but that ventures must have "enduring value" in order to thrive.

He explained to his Twitter audience, in reference to the 'pump-and-dump' crypto sector,

"If gamestop continues down the same route that brought it to the verge of bankruptcy, what did all the hype accomplish?"

He was implying that a project's sustainability will require more than just excitement. Elon Musk responded quickly, as his tweets are frequently regarded as having an effect on cryptocurrency prices.

Recently, SHIB suffered a brief period of weakness following his admission that he held no Shiba Inu tokens.

Shannon Bray, a candidate for the United States Senate in 2022, responded by mocking Elon Musk's Saturday Night Live appearance (SNL). According to him,

"I noticed that my entire $doge coin collection had fallen to the floor. We appreciate the publicity..."

Earlier in May, the price of Dogecoin was increasing in anticipation of Musk's appearance on Saturday Night Live. Although his introduction resulted in a 30% drop in the meme coin's value shortly afterwards.

Markus pushed Bray to "account for his own acts" in this context. The inventor of Doge previously warned fellow cryptocurrency investors to tread carefully in the cryptocurrency sector. He advised consumers to accept responsibility for the dangers they choose to incur.

Second, "whatever everyone says about it should be taken with a grain of salt; nobody knows anything." Finally, if they are unable to adhere to the preceding guidelines, they should shun the market altogether.

It's worth noting here that Senate candidate Bray has already stated support for SHIB. He asserted that he "sold his doge assets in exchange for SHIB tokens."

Meanwhile, another Twitter user claimed Musk is using SHIB tweets to solicit "votes." Further equating Shiba Inu with Dogecoin, the Senate candidate launched another jab at Musk. In his words,

"There is no connection between the two tokens. One promotes inflation, whereas the other promotes deflation. One is based on smart contracts and utility, while the other is led by Elon."

Both Musk and Markus have since referred to Doge as "people's money," with Markus recently stating that "dogecoin is quite simple." He continued, in response to his "hype" remark:

"It is not a coin of extravagant overstatements and empty promises..."

However, some appear to be perplexed by the two meme coins, SHIB and DOGE. This is because "the dogecoin community has self-identified as'shibes' for YEARS," according to Markus. As a result, he went on to say,

"A Shiba Inu is a dog named Doge."

Nonetheless, both coins appear to have a sizeable investment base, particularly in India. According to a recent research, two Indian exchanges generated the lion's share of their trading volume through meme coins.

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Rainmaker teaches its customers how market volatility works in the cryptocurrency and stock markets, and how an investment in a highly controlled environment does not always result in an upside. 

Many people lose money in bitcoin trading as a result of their lack of expertise and comprehension of the trade's subtleties. That is why experts advise people to educate themselves about cryptocurrency trading before putting their money at danger. Now, an app is offering to assist new or aspiring cryptocurrency traders in learning the intricacies of cryptocurrency trading in a fun and gamified environment. 

Rainmaker is the world's first fantasy gaming app for cryptocurrencies, reimagining the real-world issue of new investment losses as a true learning curve within an entertaining, educational, and gamified ecosystem. Harsh Himmatsingka, Founder & CEO of Rainmaker, gave additional insights about the app and his thoughts on the future of crypto fans in India in an e-mail exchange with FE Online.

What is the Rainmaker mobile application? 

Rainmaker is a Fantasy Gaming application that specialises in Cryptocurrency and Stock market trading. Rainmaker is a fun, engaging, and gamified simulation of real-world trading situations. It provides India's crypto aficionados and curious about cryptocurrency with a completely new and distinctive trading experience. It is founded on the fundamental goal of educating anyone interested in learning the intricacies of this investing option in a fun and engaging manner. By gamifying trades and enabling participants to develop analytical skills in crypto portfolio management, it provides a near-real experience. 

Numerous individuals in India invest in cryptocurrencies despite their lack of information and comprehension of the Blockchain and Crypto ecosystem. How might the Rainmaker app assist these investors? 

Rainmaker teaches its customers how market volatility works in the cryptocurrency and stock markets, and how investing in a highly controlled environment with a minuscule risk may mirror real-world loss-making emotions, resulting in faster learning and the possibility of a very modest stake. Rainmaker also promotes the benefits of diversification in order to distribute risk, as opposed to binary trading or placing all your eggs in one basket. We usually emphasise the necessity of selecting a platform that assists in honing crypto trading abilities and provides hands-on experience with appropriate assistance and expertise. 

With so much volatility and uncertainty, do you believe crypto can be a sustainable source of revenue? 

Volatility is inherent in all tradable market instruments, and uncertainty pervades every business. It's only a matter of time before our respected regulators come up with a flexible and open-source approach that is more akin to a one-size-fits-all solution than restrictive. It is extremely sustainable if one recognises that there are no shortcuts to money creation. Discipline, perseverance, and knowledge are necessary components of successful money generation in every investment market. 

What, in your opinion, is the ideal method to enter the crypto realm in order to achieve financial independence? 

Rainmaker is the greatest place to begin learning about cryptocurrency markets, as it can provide you with the expertise necessary to begin with fundamental investment methods. To begin, only one cryptocurrency should be chosen at a time, as the market is quite volatile, and caution should be exercised before diversifying one's portfolio. Expert advise should always be heeded, and one should always begin with little expenditures and careful market study. Additionally, it assists in learning from others in the market, whether through their victories or losses. 

How many individuals are now utilising Rainmaker in India? 

Rainmaker reached 25,000 downloads in its first month in open beta, with approximately 2,000 DAU, and is consistently growing at a 5% week on week growth rate. 

What makes rainmaker's Go-to-Market approach unique? 

Rainmaker is unusual in that it takes a real-world problem of new investor losses and transforms it into a realistic learning curve within a fun, instructive, and gamified eco-system. Rainmaker's unique "Exit" USP is a first in any fantasy gaming software, as it allows players to experience the true excitement of having control over their fictitious investments by simulating real-world Stop Loss or Profit Booking actions. 

How to use the Rainmaker mobile application? 

Rainmaker is as simple as 1. Ready 2. Set 3. Go; select a contest you like from a list of available contests 24 hours a day, choose your desired Cryptos or stocks, and assign weightage to two of your best-expected performers at a 2x and 1.5x multiplier, wait for the results to be announced after the contest, or take control by using the Exit feature during an ongoing contest, which will award the user a rank and prizes based on the pre-defined rules. 

What precautions should one take when utilising this application? 

Rainmaker is not a market simulator and does not guarantee gains in live markets. Users must take caution when investing in real-world markets and should not rely solely on their Rainmaker decisions. 

In 2021, cryptocurrency has generated considerable interest and excitement. What can cryptocurrency aficionados look forwards to in 2022?

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Crypto leaders are divided over whether Mark Zuckerberg should lead Facebook into the Metaverse, with Jenny Ta of Hodl Asset arguing that he should step down if Meta is to succeed, while Yat Siu of Animoca maintains that Zuck is the only person capable of driving the company forwards.

Ta is the Chief Operating Officer of nonfungible token platform developer Hodl Assets. He believes Zuckerberg should resign as CEO to avoid lawsuits and protect the company's image.

However, Yat Su, co-founder and chairman of Animoca Brands, a blockchain game and virtual property developer, believes that Zuck is a "force of nature" capable of bringing Meta's vision to life — but he hopes he embraces a decentralised model.

The comments come in the wake of Facebook's recent rebranding as Meta, in which the company aims to provide a platform for creators to build virtual online businesses and to launch a virtual reality hardware company called "Reality Labs" on its way to creating the Metaverse.

Zuck's Alternate Universe

Ta told Cointelegraph that given the regulatory scrutiny Facebook's CEO is facing over its data mining, privacy, and content policies, it would be better if he stepped down to give Meta a clean slate. She then drew parallels between herself and Bill Gates and Microsoft in the early 2000s.

"Bill Gates was a monopolist when he was still the CEO of Microsoft. As a result, the government pursued him aggressively. Suits after lawsuits, until he finally said, 'Ignore this. I must resign in order to save the company.' Additionally, guess what? It was successful."

Ta suggested that executives such as Zuckerberg, Gates, and Jeff Bezos will never voluntarily relinquish the throne, but will do so in order to "protect their wealth" and repair their firm's image if necessary.

"Facebook, not the Metaverse, is the source of Mark Zuckerberg's wealth. He has yet to discover anything about the Metaverse. […] To have a clean slate for Meta, he must resign and appoint a new CEO."

While Siu is not a fan of Facebook's Metaverse experiment, he believes Zuckerberg should remain at the helm. Siu characterised the CEO as a "force of nature" who is more concerned with completing his projects than with monetary compensation at this stage.

"This, my friends, is the irony. Meta, I believe, requires Mark Zuckerberg to fulfil that vision, as it is a founder-led organisation. You know, you can say whatever you want about the things Mark may have done inadvertently. He is exceptionally bright. He is one of the world's most intelligent individuals. He is going to steer the organisation in a mission-driven direction."

The issue, Siu believes, is whether the organisation will be able to "keep up with him at the speed he desires while also sparring with him appropriately." Additionally, Siu believes Meta and Zuckerberg should reconsider their current centralised business model if they are to truly create a "open" and successful Metaverse:

"I believe Facebook is very much in the midst of an innovator's dilemma, which may work against what Mark wishes to accomplish."

Adoption by the general public

In a broader sense, Ta compared the current state of the Metaverse to the early adoption of text messaging during the era when phone calls were the norm. Ta cited her mother as an example, who initially saw no reason to use technology, but five to ten years later, it was one of her primary modes of communication:

"The five percent of the world that truly understands what the Metaverse is are or similar to the twenty-year-olds who first used text messages."

Siu believes that "mass adoption" is imminent, as conversations about the space have shifted from a niche to a mainstream audience.

"It's reached the point where every interaction takes on an exponential focus, because it's no longer one person speaking to another who introduces another. It's a thousand people conversing with another thousand people, which results in a few thousand people coming to the space," he explained.

"Now we're going to have to discuss how to transition from tens of millions to hundreds of millions."

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Solana (SOL) is making cautious gains once again after falling below the previous session's new all-time high (ATH), possibly due to profit taking by investors, but remaining above the $240 level. SOL/USD is currently trading at around $242.44.

Solana appears to be the most promising as a potential Ethereum killer, gaining popularity among dApp developers and users and providing investors with a return on investment of more than 17,000 percent over the last year. As a result, it has become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies on the market this year. This week's new ATH propelled it into fourth place in terms of market capitalisation, overtaking key rival Cardano in the process.

Solana Sees Increased Growth in the NFT and GameFi Sectors

The high-speed blockchain has established a foothold in the NFT space, generating nearly $500 million in second sales in the last three months. While the figure is significantly lower than Ethereum's leader, which generated over $2 billion in secondary NFT sales in September alone, crypto experts are impressed by Solana's rapid adoption and growth over the last few months.

Along with NFTs, the GameFi sector has contributed significantly to the exponential growth of on-chain activity on the Solana blockchain. However, the high-speed blockchain has a lot more to offer than DeFi, NFTs, and GameFi, enabling the development of novel use cases that give it an edge over several of its competitors, including Ethereum in some areas.

This is evident in a recent interview with Faraway's co-founder Alex Paley on Cointelegraph. According to him, his company chose Solana over Ethereum because of its ability to conduct fast and cheap transactions, as well as its ecosystem's ability to more effectively support the development of games with complex real-time economies and systems.

Should We Be Concerned With SOL Whales?

However, Solana's meteoric rise in recent weeks has alarmed the cryptocurrency community. A Twitter user going by the handle GooseOfCrypto pointed out a podcast in which Social Capital CEO Chamath Palihapitiya and venture capitalists Jason Calcanis and David Sacks admit to investing billions in Solana. While the whale activity is encouraging, the Twitter user cautions that they could be facilitating a 'pump and dump' scenario in SOL, causing its value to crash if they abruptly sell their holdings.

Technical Analysis of SOL/USD

Moving averages, as well as leading technical indicators MACD and momentum, all exhibit a strong bullish bias on the 4-hour chart of SOL/USD. However, the Stochastic indicator indicates that there is also some selling interest in the market.

Solana's price has risen significantly above the pivot point of $200.04 and has breached two resistance levels at $221.52 and $240.40. As a next step, monitor the price action near the ATH level, as a break above this level could propel SOL to newer highs until buyers run into resistance at $280.76.

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SCB invests $535 million as it ramps up its fintech push.

Siam Commercial Bank, Thailand's oldest lender, is expanding its fintech footprint with the acquisition of a 51 percent controlling stake in local cryptocurrency exchange Bitkub Online for 17.85 billion baht ($535 million).

Bitkub's total valuation is estimated to be 35 billion baht ($1.05 billion) in the deal, making it the country's latest unicorn in an era when startups were considered scarce. The term "unicorn" refers to a private company with a market capitalisation of at least $1 billion.

The investment comes as traditional banks in Southeast Asia seek to modernise in order to compete with tech giants offering digital services such as consumer loans and electronic payments.

"Digital asset exchanges have exploded in popularity over the last few years and will continue to do so in the long run," said Arthid Nanthawithaya, the bank's CEO and chairman. "The move is consistent with SCB Group's strategy to transform into a financial technology company, addressing new consumer needs and entering a new competitive arena that will emerge rapidly over the next three to five years."

Investors reacted positively to the move, with Siam Commercial Bank's shares rising nearly 3.5 percent to 134.5 baht following the announcement. Bitkub coin, the startup's cryptocurrency, increased 180 percent in value to $2.78 from $0.99, according to market tracker Coincost.

The bank anticipates completing the acquisition in the first quarter of 2022, pending approval from the Bank of Thailand and the country's Securities and Exchange Commission.

SCB is well-known for its novel ownership structure. It was established in 1904 by Thailand's royal family, and King Maha Vajiralongkorn now owns 793 million shares, or nearly a quarter of the bank.

Thailand's fourth-largest bank in terms of assets already has a fairly diverse clientele. Among the companies under its umbrella are SCB Abacus, an AI-driven fintech company, and Robinhood, a food delivery app.

And the bank is preparing for a significant reorganisation, which it anticipates will be discussed at the bank's Nov. 15 extraordinary general meeting of shareholders. It intends to convert to a holding company in order for the majority of its subsidiaries to operate largely free of banking regulations.

Bitkub, which was founded in 2018, will be acquired by SCB Securities, the bank's stock brokerage arm.

"Bitkub has achieved a significant milestone by becoming an integral part of Thailand's digital economy infrastructure," said Jirayut Srupsrisopa, founder and CEO of Bitkub Capital Group. "Bitkub is no longer a startup; it has evolved into a critical component of Thailand's financial infrastructure."

Bitkub was the 81st-largest digital asset exchange in the world as of Thursday, with a 24-hour turnover of $253 million, according to market tracker CoinMarketCap, which tracks over 300 exchanges.

Bitkub's rapid growth in trading volumes resulted in service outages in January, prompting Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission to order the exchange to upgrade its technical infrastructure.

Despite these setbacks, it reported to the SEC a trading volume of 1.03 trillion baht for the nine months ended September, representing a roughly 92 percent market share in Thailand.

"After bringing Bitkub to a critical turning point, we needed to take it global, and so we turned to a strong partner like SCB to help us achieve our goal faster and more sustainably," Jirayut explained, citing SCB's customer base as a major selling point.

The agreement comes amid a difficult business climate for Thai banks, with profits squeezed as the country's central bank maintains a record low policy interest rate of 0.5 percent through May 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SCB reported a consolidated nett profit of 27.7 billion baht for the first nine months of 2021. While that was a 25% increase over the same period last year due to a coronavirus-related dip, it may still be difficult to reach the 40 billion baht annual profit seen prior to the pandemic.

Along with digital diversification, some Thai banks have looked overseas for new opportunities. Bangkok Bank, Thailand's largest lender by assets, acquired a 33.6 trillion rupiah ($2.2 billion) stake in Indonesia's Bank Permata in May 2020 for 33.6 trillion rupiah ($2.2 billion). Indonesia's benchmark interest rate is currently 3.5 percent.

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