What is cryptocurrency Avalanche (AVAX) and how does it work?

What is Avalanche (AVAX)?

Avalanche is a blockchain platform that offers tools and features that allow users to launch DeFi decentralized applications. The platform also has a suite of tools for creating financial assets and enables trading and the building of enterprise-scale financial solutions.

Avalanche is an open-source decentralized system that is based on smart contract operations. At the same time, Avalanche is said to be the first smart contract platform that can finalize transactions in less than a second. The platform supports the entire toolkit used on the Ethereum network and also contains a record number of block-producing nodes on its testnet. The network has the potential to process over 4,500 transactions per second, making it one of the fastest blockchains on the market.

Avalanche allows users and enterprises to build their own financial assets and DeFi applications for different use cases, as well as public and private blockchain networks. Users can make customized blockchain networks and create their own set of rules to run the network. Avalanche creates an interoperable ecosystem where users can interact with different networks and applications built on the network.

AVAX is the native token of the Avalanche ecosystem and is the centerpiece of the governance system. AVAX can be staked for voting and is also used as the main payment method on the network. Users can additionally pay fees with AVAX.

How Does Avalanche Work?

Avalanche runs on smart contracts and supports the Ethereum Virtual Machine and Ethereum toolkit for developers, thus enabling Ethereum developers to launch their Dapps on Avalanche. Avalanche is based on a system of three blockchains that are connected via interoperability, Exchange Chain, Contract Chain, and Platform Chain.

Avalanche splits its architecture into three as it is supported by three different blockchain environments, which makes it easier for the network to scale and offer flexible solutions for public and enterprise-scale Dapps. This system also allows Ethereum developers to utilize a network with increased scalability and interoperability while still compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine. When it comes to the use case and support of each of the three networks that Avalanche is built on, all of them have special and unique utility.

X-Chain supports the creation of different financial assets, C-Chain allows the network to implement EVM into its smart contract operations, and P-Chain is employed for creating subnets and validator coordination. Subnets are a group of validators that have the task of achieving consensus on one or more blockchains in the Avalanche network. Avalanche is built on a type of Proof of Stake protocol, which allows the network to scale while enabling flexibility, speed, and interoperability.

Who Are the Founders of Avalanche (AVAX)? (History of Avalanche)

Avalanche was created by the Ava Labs company, which was co-founded by Emin Gün Sirer, Kevin Sekniqi, and Ted Yin. Sirer is a software engineer, and Yin created the HotStuff Protocol that is used in Facebook’s blockchain project, Libra. The team has a strong background in blockchain and aims to create a global trading market for different digital assets while facilitating a scalable environment for Ethereum developers.

Avalanche launched its testnet in May 2019, while the mainnet launch followed in September 2021. The dev team created the Avalanche consensus to reach a speed of transactions that could match Visa, all while addressing the problem of scaling found in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

What Makes Avalanche Unique?

Avalanche is a unique network thanks to the Avalanche consensus which is a variation of the Proof of Stake protocol. The protocol enables scaling, so the system allows the processing of over 4,500 transactions per second in comparison with Ethereum’s 14 TPS and Bitcoin’s 7 TPS. The protocol places Avalanche among the rare networks that can provide finalization for transactions in under a second.

Another thing that makes Avalanche unique is its approach to developers working with the EVM, offering scaling and flexibility for public and enterprise-grade apps and blockchains. Avalanche taps into the potential of digital assets, blockchain-based environments, and decentralized finance as a uniquely fast network with top security and a great potential to scale. 

What Gives Avalanche Value?

Avalanche draws its value from its technical capacity, technology, use cases, and relevancy in the sector of DeFi. The intrinsic value of Avalanche can be seen in its technical value and the potential of its technology to find financial use cases. The intrinsic value often doesn’t coincide with the market value of Avalanche, which is viewed through the price of AVAX.

The market value of AVAX is subject to frequent changes due to the volatility in the cryptocurrency market and a great number of elements influencing the price of Avalanche. The price may change rapidly within a rather short period, which makes AVAX volatile like the majority of crypto assets.

How Many Avalanche (AVAX) Coins Are There in Circulation?

There are currently AVAX in circulation out of a total of AVAX. Avalanche has a limited supply of AVAX coins, which acts as an anti-inflation mechanism. The Avalanche community has the power to decide on the rate at which the supply cap is reached through Avalanche consensus and the scarcity of tokens is further increased as transaction fees are burned.

The number of AVAX coins in circulation multiplied by the current market price of Avalanche is equal to the market cap of AVAX. The market cap ranks the crypto in comparison with other digital assets in the market and also defines its market share and dominance.

Other Technical Data

The Avalanche system is governed by AVAX holders and secured through validators and subnets. Many networks with similar use cases to Avalanche have a limited number of validators, while Avalanche doesn’t place a limit on how many validators can run the network. An AVAX holder can become a validator by staking at least 2,000 AVAX coins.

Avalanche uses this system to interconnect other blockchain networks that run on the platform and enable the fast processing of thousands of transactions with sub-second finality. Validators secure the network and are in charge of validating transactions on the ledger. AVAX plays an integral role in this system as it needs to be staked by holders and network users to become validators.

Avalanche AVAX

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Bitcoin BTC

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Ethereum ETH

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XRP XRP

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How is the Avalanche Network Secured?

The Avalanche network is secured via two different protocols – Avalanche consensus. which is a by-product of the Proof of Stake consensus mechanism, and Snowman protocol. Snowman protocol secures C-Chain and P-Chain to facilitate smart contract operations with fast responses. Snowman protocol is chain-optimized to secure smart contracts, while the entire network is secured by an architecture split across three different blockchains: X-Chain, C-Chain, and P-Chain.

X-Chain is secured through the DAG-optimized Avalanche consensus, which is how transactions are secured and achieve a finalization that takes less than a second. The network is secure from one of the most common attacks in the world of blockchain, the 51% attack, offering maximum security to users and developers.

How to Use Avalanche

Avalanche is used for creating and developing decentralized finance Dapps, financial assets, and blockchain networks. The network is optimized for enterprise-scale and public networks that can be built with a customized set of rules on the network. Avalanche supports the EVM and the Ethereum developer toolkit, while facilitating a highly flexible and scalable environment for developers. Users can also trade financial assets like cryptocurrencies on the platform.

The AVAX token is used in network governance, for voting and staking, for paying fees on the network, and as the main payment method on the platform.

How to Choose an Avalanche Wallet?

AVAX can be safely stored in the official Avalanche wallet. You can easily create this web-based wallet and store your AVAX coins and Avalanche assets with full custody over your funds. 

There are also plenty of other places you could store your AVAX and the type of wallet you choose will likely depend on what you want to use it for and how much you need to store.

Hardware wallets or cold wallets like Ledger or Trezor provide the most secure option for storing cryptocurrencies with offline storage and backup. However, they can require more technical knowledge and are a more expensive option. As such, they may be better suited to storing larger amounts of AVAX for more experienced users.

Software wallets provide another option and are free and easy to use. They are available to download as smartphone or desktop apps and can be custodial or non-custodial. With custodial wallets, the private keys are managed and backed up on your behalf by the service provider. Non-custodial wallets make use of secure elements on your device to store the private keys. While convenient, they are seen as less secure than hardware wallets and may be better suited to smaller amounts of AVAX or more novice users.

Online wallets or web wallets are also free and easy to use, and accessible from multiple devices using a web browser. They are, however, considered hot wallets and can be less secure than hardware or software alternatives. As you are likely trusting the platform to manage your AVAX, you should select a reputable service with a track record in security and custody. As such, they are most suited for holding smaller amounts of cryptocurrencies or for those making more frequent trades.

Kriptomat offers a secure storage solution, allowing you to both store and trade your AVAX tokens without hassle. Storing your AVAX with Kriptomat provides you with enterprise-grade security and user-friendly functionality.

Buying and selling AVAX, or trading it for any other cryptocurrency, is done in mere moments when you choose our secure platform as your storage solution.

Avalanche Mining or Proof of Stake?

Avalanche depends on validators and there is no limit to the number of validators the network can have as long as all validators stake at least 2,000 AVAX coins.

The Avalanche network runs on a variation of Proof of Stake, called Avalanche consensus. This protocol secures the X-Chain, which supports the creation of new financial assets on the blockchain.

Conclusion

Avalanche addresses the need for financial services, blockchain environments with custom rules, and applications, while solving the problem of scalability that Ethereum users face with Dapp development. Avalanche offers all the dev tools available on the Ethereum network, is compatible with the EVM, and provides scalability, flexibility, and decentralized governance for all users.

With the rising popularity of DeFi, Avalanche has the potential to become one of the most appreciated blockchain-based projects of its kind.

Join the crypto revolution and start your Avalanche journey today!

Avalanche FAQ

What are some of the industry use cases of Avalanche?

The Avalanche network has been used as the foundation for building many projects and applications. These include government projects; litigation financing platform Ryval; DeFi applications such as Pangolin, SushiSwap, and TrueUSD; and non-fungible token projects like Polyient Games, Crypto Seals, and Unifty.

What is the Avalanche Bridge?

After the Avalanche-Ethereum Bridge was launched in February 2021 to provide interoperability with Ethereum, it was superseded in July 2021 by the Avalanche Bridge. The AB is designed to be faster, cheaper, and more secure than the AEB, while providing a better user experience. ERC-20 tokens created on Ethereum can be transferred to Avalanche and back with the AB. There are also plans to enable the transfer of tokens created on Avalanche to Ethereum in the future.

How to buy Avalanche?

Buying AVAX is as easy as visiting Kriptomat’s how to buy Avalanche page and choosing your preferred method of payment.

How to sell Avalanche?

If you already own AVAX and hold it in a Kriptomat exchange wallet, you can easily sell it by navigating the interface and choosing your desired payment option.

Avalanche Price

Avalanche price is in constant flux and is susceptible to frequent changes that may alter the price of AVAX dramatically within a relatively short period. Avalanche price is affected by a great multitude of factors, while volatility is among the strongest factors influencing the price of AVAX.

As well as traditional factors such as market sentiment, the flow of assets on exchanges, and the economy in general, the price of AVAX is also influenced by demand for the token from validators and the number of apps and users on the Avalanche network.

The current Avalanche price is EUR.

The 24-hour trading volume of AVAX is EUR. AVAX is currently ranked of all cryptocurrencies by total market capitalization, with a market cap of EUR. It has a circulating supply of AVAX and a max supply of AVAX.

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