AndrewCioffi, Author at Tech Web Space Let’s Make Things Better Mon, 11 Mar 2019 03:15:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.5 https://www.techwebspace.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/unnamed-150x144.png AndrewCioffi, Author at Tech Web Space 32 32 Why Teaching English in Germany Is a Good Idea, and How to Prepare for It https://www.techwebspace.com/why-teaching-english-in-germany-is-a-good-idea-and-how-to-prepare-for-it/ Mon, 11 Mar 2019 03:15:11 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=20309 If you have plans to live and work in Europe, Germany is perhaps one of the most attractive destinations. Geographically, Germany is quite diverse and has a globally-focused population. Being a developed country, it offers work opportunities for all kinds of professionals....

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If you have plans to live and work in Europe, Germany is perhaps one of the most attractive destinations. Geographically, Germany is quite diverse and has a globally-focused population. Being a developed country, it offers work opportunities for all kinds of professionals.

Teaching English is one of the most sought after expat jobs there. In case this is your line of concentration and you are doing your research before making the final decision of becoming a teacher in Germany, this article will help you understand a few important aspects about the same.

Opportunities for Teaching English in Germany

Germany is known to have a very comprehensive school system. Learning is a respected way of the people of Germany, and as such, children are given extensive support to enable them develop specialized skills from a very early age. Learning continues into adulthood as evidenced by the many adult educational centers. Germany has a reputation of excellent education experiences. There are great opportunities for you if you believe you can do your English teaching well.

Most Teaching Jobs Require a Four-year Degree

If you have a BA or BS degree, and are from a native-English speaking country, you are likely to be considered by language schools in Germany. According to Allensbach Hochshule, it is almost mandatory to get TEFL, CELTA, or TESOL certification, especially if you don’t have a degree in teaching English. Any of these courses will help you to gather the skills you need to offer quality English learning experience to your students.

Openness and Flexibility is Crucial When Searching For the Job

Since you don’t know much about any particular region, keeping an open mind and being flexible will help you land your first job as an English teacher in Germany. Consider all teaching opportunities – from private tuition to training staff in Germany companies. Do you have friends or relatives already living in Germany? Reach out to them and ask whether they can help you contact local schools.

The idea is to get your foot in so that you can learn and grow using every opportunity available. Not being able to get employment in your first choice teaching destinations doesn’t mean that you cannot get rewarding and enriching experiences. Remain open to possibilities. You will probably be giving a captivating story of your experience after a few years.

Brace Yourself for German Bureaucracy

If there is a place you are going to have to get used to, it’s Ausländerbehörde, the “foreigner’s office”. German bureaucracy is complicated. As you spend your time in the waiting rooms, don’t get weary because you are focused on your goal of becoming a teacher and making a good living out of it. Search for Ausländerbehörde for your neighborhood or city for all information regarding work permits and visas.

Your friend’s or relative’s help will come in handy here as well. They can help you maneuver the offices to get the right papers for your stay and work in Germany.

Now that you have an idea of how teaching in Germany is like, where should you start?

Steps of becoming an English teacher in Germany

  1. Teaching certification and visa: After getting an English teaching certification in addition to your 4-year degree, contact your Ausländerbehörde for a work visa.
  2. Finding a language school: There are hundreds of different language schools across Germany. A simple internet search for List of language schools in Germany or the English Language Schools Directory should help you kickstart your search for an English language school in your desired location.
  3. Applying for an English teaching job: Resumes for non-EU citizens are written the German way. You can apply in English or using multiple language format depending on your potential employer’s preference.
  4. Taxes: Whether you are a freelancer, part-time, or a full-time teacher, you need to know how you will take care of your taxes. Tax is a critical issue for all, but more sensitive for foreigners in any country. It is advisable to contact a tax consultant who can speak your native language to ensure that you fully understand all tax responsibilities and related issues.

How Much Can I Make as an English Teacher in Germany?

There are no reliable statistics to help one accurately state the exact salary of an English teacher in Germany. The types of teaching jobs available vary and so do the working hours. What’s without a doubt is that you will get at least a livable wage. English teachers employed full time by private language schools take home a few thousand euros a month.

Becoming a teacher of English in Germany comes with many usual joys of living in this uniquely diverse country. Many foreigners love Germany’s host of distinct customs, abundance of holidays, and the coffee and cake that almost everyone is fond of at work. Teaching English in Germany is a potentially rewarding experience that you should consider if you intend to teach overseas.

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7 Tricks of the Successful Forex Trader https://www.techwebspace.com/7-tricks-of-the-successful-forex-trader/ Mon, 25 Jun 2018 06:09:55 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=10731 The successful trader is the one who has mastered all the deficiencies of the forex market and learned how to beat them. You cannot be a successful trader if you have no risk management skills, forex analysis skills and patience. In such...

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The successful trader is the one who has mastered all the deficiencies of the forex market and learned how to beat them. You cannot be a successful trader if you have no risk management skills, forex analysis skills and patience. In such an unpredictable market, it takes determination and knowledge to succeed. A couple of tricks could be useful if you have set your eyes on the forex market. Here are the best tricks that shrewd traders use and which you can borrow from them.

1. Always choose the right broker

This particular tip will get you started on a very solid ground if you are starting out in forex. A good broker is crucial if you want to have a smooth time in the forex market. You should take your time to understand how a particular broker operates. You need to know what they can do and what they cannot do as you do not want to have heartbreaks along the way. Different traders also use different platforms and approaches.

Compatibility might thus be an issue.

2. Have a constant trading approach

This is a trick that most expert traders use. The forex market is quite volatile but with enough experience, you can be able to withstand any turbulence that comes with the market. One of the best ways you can do this is to identify a trading approach that is both easy for you to master and which is also profitable. You should never use too many approaches as you will get confused. You should also aim to keep your approach simple enough.

3. Connect with other traders

Connecting with other traders not only gives you an instant access to experienced people in the market but it also helps you stay motivated. You can learn a lot from fellow traders experiences and thus achieve your goals quicker. Other than that, you will definitely need some inspiration in the slow days. There are many platforms where you can meet forex traders whether online or offline. The only thing you need to do is have the willingness to approach them.

4. Start from the scratch

This trick is specifically great for beginners in the trade. Many times, forex traders get into the market and immediately start making trades. This is not the right way to approach the market. You need to start from the basics. Having a demo account would particularly be useful if you are not acquainted with the trading platforms. The goal of any trader is to know as much as they can about the market.

Starting right from the beginning would thus be wise.

5. Keep records

There is nothing more important in forex trading than records. The market itself works based on recorded data from previous trading activities. Records are essential for forecasting and also for helping you refine your trading strategy. You should have both general market records as well as your personal records. The general market records that you should keep are those that particularly touch on the currencies that you trade. Your personal records, on the other hand, are the records of your own failures and successes in the market.

6. Calculate

Another important trick you should consider is doing calculations for everything that relates to trading. You should calculate your trading limits, your total expected earnings, your duration in the market and many other things. Calculations help traders have a rational and logical approach to the market. The forex market requires you to scheme and analyze things logically without any influence of emotions.

Calculations in the market are thus constant and perpetual.

7. A successful trader always knows when to leave

The trading market has two phases; entry and exit. At the beginning of the trade, you enter with a goal to make some profits. At the exit, you have already made what you wanted to make. Leaving the market, however, is not always about whether you have made profits or not. Sometimes, the market is simply infeasible and you are forced to leave in order to protect your investment. As a successful trader, the best trick you can have is knowing when to leave the market.

There are indeed many other tips and tricks that you can learn along the way as a trader. The above tricks are however the best for trade. They are used by some of the most experienced traders to navigate the unpredictable forex market.

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The Money Markets: Its Largest Players and Why They Participate https://www.techwebspace.com/the-money-markets-its-largest-players-and-why-they-participate/ Mon, 25 Jun 2018 06:07:28 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=10722 The Foreign Exchange (Forex) market ranks as the world’s largest and most active market, with a trading volume that eclipses the stock exchange itself. There are trillions of dollar’s worth of transactions being carried out every single day by millions of traders...

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The Foreign Exchange (Forex) market ranks as the world’s largest and most active market, with a trading volume that eclipses the stock exchange itself. There are trillions of dollar’s worth of transactions being carried out every single day by millions of traders all over the world, with some of the most poplar currencies in the market being U.S. Dollars, the Euro, the Japanese Yen, Swiss Francs, and a few others. What makes them so attractive to investors is the basic stability and economic strength of these countries, which makes them relatively dependable holders of value.

The U.S. Dollar in particular is a favored unit in currency trading due to its global relevance and utility – you can exchange it easily with basically any other currency in the world. The liquidity, ease of access, and globalized nature of the Forex market, aside from the massive potential profits that can be made by skilled traders, have made it a highly attractive investment avenue for many.

For those interested in the Forex markets as an investment channel, it may be of assistance to learn of the various types of this market’s participants and what makes them look at it as a viable method of wealth creation. Let’s get right into it.

Banks

The banking industry represents the largest segment of forex market participation if we go by sheer volume of transactions. The inter-bank market is a platform for banks to carry out forex trades among each other electronically. These institutions carry out two basic forms of trading; first is the trading activity they carry out on behalf of their clients.

Second is the speculative trading they do for their own profit from their trading desks. The banks are able to make substantial profits from their speculative trading as a result of the fluctuations which take place in the values of currencies every single day.

Central Banks

Central banks are the financial institutions that effectively ‘manage’ the currency ad fiscal policies of a particular country. In the U.S.A., the Federal Reserve Bank takes on this function, overseeing the issuance of currency, setting interest rates, and formulating fiscal policies. As the strength of a nation’s currency affects so many aspects of the nation’s affairs, central banks, as expected of them, play a large role on the world’s forex markets.

The actions of a central bank can greatly affect the value of its currency, and this is the chief goal behind most of a central bank’s actions here – to either stabilize or boost that nation’s currency and economy by extension. An example of central bank intervention would be the institution increasing the supply of the currency on the market, basically helping reduce its value on the forex markets.

The effect of this is to boost the competitive value of the nation’s exports on the global scene, which is a priority for most global economies. Central banks use such techniques to ensure the overall economic well-being of the country they operate in.

Investment Firms and Hedge Funds

After banks, pooled funds, investment firms, and hedge funds constitute the second largest category of forex market participants based on trading volumes. They form such a large part of the market as they have control over massive investment accounts such as those maintained by pension funds, endowments, various foundations, and assorted savings schemes and co-operatives.

The trading these organizations and firms carry out is mostly speculative, as they seek to make a profit for the stakeholders that trust them to invest wisely and profitably on their behalf. Even where the focus is not currency speculation, investment managers with a global outlook will still need to trade in foreign currency in order to purchase foreign securities such as stocks and bonds.

Multi-national Corporations

The global business environment makes it necessary for organizations to work closely with one another to deliver goods and services wherever there is a demand for them across the world. To make this possible, these entities require foreign currency.

A tech company that buys its components from China, assembles them in Brazil, then sells them in America will need to have working capital in all three currencies, and this is where forex trading is required. Smart forex trading can save a company substantial costs, while poor trading practices can wipe out any potential profit from an international transaction.

Individual Traders

When looked at in term of trading volume, individual traders make up a relatively small category of forex market participants, but they make up for the discrepancy by their sheer numbers. Forex trading by individuals is becoming more and more popular all over the world as technology and access to information make it a viable option for people who could not participate before.

The fact that it represents a way to create wealth with no barrier to entry is a strong attraction for many, and it has inspired thousands to learn more about the markets and try their own hand at it, regardless of how much money they have. As they say, the best time to invest is always yesterday, and this advice seems to be fueling the forex markets like never before.

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Benefits of a Weak Dollar to U.S. Firms https://www.techwebspace.com/benefits-of-a-weak-dollar-to-u-s-firms/ Sun, 24 Jun 2018 11:08:52 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=10726 While most people view a weak dollar as a bad thing, the reality on the ground is that there are benefits of a weak dollar to U.S. firms – and especially to multinationals. In fact, these benefits are so profound that they...

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While most people view a weak dollar as a bad thing, the reality on the ground is that there are benefits of a weak dollar to U.S. firms – and especially to multinationals. In fact, these benefits are so profound that they eventually trickle down to the shareholders, government, economy, and ordinary Americans. Of course, there are shortcomings to a weak dollar, but we will look at the subtle but powerful benefits of a weak dollar. Here they are.

Popularizing “Made in America”

American products are renowned for their good quality, but they are also expensive compared to foreign products. However, with a weak dollar, American products suddenly become cheaper and more attractive to both domestic and foreign customers. This has two effects:

  • New markets emerge 
  • Industries are revived

To start with, more people will be willing to buy American products, resulting in new markets. U.S. firms will hence make more profits by increasing production, and profits from overseas will become inflated as will be explained later in the article.

On industries, the reason why many firms outsource their production services overseas is that labor and resources are cheaper there. A weak dollar would reverse this. A weaker dollar will make imports expensive and domestic consumers will have to look inward to fulfill their needs. To cater to this demand, U.S. firms will increase their domestic production operations. They will sell more to local customers, hence increasing their profit margins.

In addition to revenue, this also comes with benefits for the U.S. citizens who will be employed in these new industries, and consequently to the overall national economy.

Profits and Competitiveness

U.S. multinationals have the most to gain from a weak dollar when it comes to profit-making and beating the competition. Consider a U.S. firm with operations in Europe. When the dollar falls, the Euro will become more valuable to U.S. investors as it is now stronger.

When the firm processes its returns back home in the form of Euros, it will get more dollars than it initially would, hence boosting its profits and giving it a competitive edge over foreign competitors.

A weak dollar is most beneficial for U.S. multinationals when they are competing with other companies at home. These firms adopt and learn some strategies that would mislead the competition and throw them off guard. Taking two multinational competitors, one from the U.S. and another from Europe, the U.S. firm will not only enjoy a boost in its overseas profits but also lower operating costs back at home. This is ultimately a big win if the company shifts its manufacturing and production operations back home. The competitors, on the other hand, will struggle with higher production costs while still dealing with more affordable American products and a picky customer base. Eventually, the U.S. firm will come out on top or, at the very least, increase its customer base at the expense of competitors. 

It Is More Than Just Corporate Benefits

A weak dollar benefits more than just American firms and multinationals. Looking at statistics, the dollar has fallen in value relative to other major currencies by as much as 40% since 2002. This has created the illusion that the dollar might be losing its prestige as a store of wealth. The strong economy and a stable political environment have however compensated for any losses in value the dollar might have had. Economically, the low interest rates that come with a decreasing value are beneficial for keeping the economy healthy.

Company shareholders and stock market dealers also stand to benefit from a weak dollar. The firms they have invested in accrue more profits, thereby boosting the company’s attractiveness to more investors and appreciating its value. The firms thus boost theire capital, and the increased gains eventually trickle down to shareholders in the form of dividends.

The government also benefits from a weak currency. Multinationals contribute to a big chunk of the taxes collected by IRS, and this lump increases in size when their sales and profits go up. When the currency is weak, the government gets the much-needed revenue and is thus able to provide services for its citizens while also getting enough to spend on economic capital.

Conclusion

A weak dollar has its benefits as well as shortcomings. While a total weakening of the currency would be disastrous, a little decrease in the dollar value would benefit U.S. firms. A weak dollar would result in an increased competitive edge, and the benefits of that would go far beyond the firms.

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How Global Events Affect the Forex Market https://www.techwebspace.com/how-global-events-affect-the-forex-market/ Sun, 24 Jun 2018 10:47:10 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=10718 The world markets are influenced by global events in many ways. The forex market is particularly susceptible to major world events since it is part of the international trade itself. Nowadays, the world is much more connected and information tends to spread...

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The world markets are influenced by global events in many ways. The forex market is particularly susceptible to major world events since it is part of the international trade itself. Nowadays, the world is much more connected and information tends to spread very fast. This is why traders in financial markets are always tuned into the general current affairs in the world.

Exchange rates can change dramatically in the span of a few hours especially when major political and economic events take place. There are many ways that the market is affected by global events. Let’s look at some of the common ways global affairs influence the forex market.

Natural Disasters and The Forex Market

Natural disasters are not very rare in the world. Looking at the last decade, several hundred natural calamities have happened. Some of them have had major effects on the market but some have only had some mild aftereffects. Natural disasters can affect the economies of countries and thus have ripple effects that reverberate to the forex market. Things like earthquakes are especially devastating on a nation’s currency since they derail the path of development and affect normal business.

Natural disasters are also bad for the economy because they destroy the infrastructure which is the backbone of an economy. In the efforts to rebuild and contain the effects of a strong hurricane or major earthquake, for instance, most other sectors of the economy are forced to stop so that the destruction can be fixed. This comes with a lot of costs in both currency and human resources.

Strong currencies are always supported by the strong economic activity in a particular country. The value of the currency thus goes down when a natural calamity strikes since it cannot compete effectively in the forex market. Admiral Markets has listed some of the major economies and how the economic activity in these economies correlates to their currency value.

In short, natural calamities can destroy the value of the currency since they:

  • Destroy infrastructure
  • Lead to the loss of human lives who are the backbone of the economy
  • Lead to the loss of morale thus resulting in reduced economic activity

The Impacts of War on the Forex Market

Just like when a natural calamity occurs, war also affects the forex market in profound ways. War leads to a change in priorities in the economy and there are costly effects of this. Any nation that partakes in a war must spend a lot of resources on the war even though the time will not be enough to generate more resources. War generally affects the economy because it forces a nation to:

  • Allocate a huge chunk of all resources to the war and thus deprives important sectors of the economy
  • Undergo destruction and loss of lives that comes as part of the war

War is so devastating to a nation’s economy such that even rumors of a war can have tangible effects on the currency. In few words, investment and the perception of a particular country changes in the face of war. There are no investors who will willingly put their money in a country that is about to go through war since they will lose their investment. The deprivation of foreign currency to an economy means that the local currency is not attractive and it will thus weaken in value.

The Effects of Politics on Currencies

Finally, political events are some of the more common causes of currency exchange rate changes in the forex market. Politics plays a central role in the direction of any country. When a new leader is elected, the markets can shift in relation to the perception the world has on such a leader. Other than that, the policy in any economy is based on the choices of people through their political leaders. It is common to see the markets shifting because some major political events have happened.

In 2018, for instance, the political decisions surrounding the meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jon Ung are expected to have ramifications on currencies.

Conclusion

The forex market is part of international trade. Global affairs thus play a central role in determining the direction the market takes. Since information flows seamlessly, the shareholders in the forex market are always watching what is happening around the world so that they can formulate strategies that work for them.

 

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A Quick Introduction: Technical Indicators and Oscillators https://www.techwebspace.com/a-quick-introduction-technical-indicators-and-oscillators/ Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:23:55 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=9911 Technical indicators are indispensable tools in every Forex trader’s arsenal. Markets can change and conditions can shift with at any moment when it comes to trading, so the ability to quickly spot developing trends and interpret their ramifications for you and your...

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Technical indicators are indispensable tools in every Forex trader’s arsenal. Markets can change and conditions can shift with at any moment when it comes to trading, so the ability to quickly spot developing trends and interpret their ramifications for you and your investments can be the difference between a healthy payday or a bad day on the market. Technical indicators allow you to see the market reality for what it is in good time and adjust accordingly.

Technical Indicators Defined

Basically put, technical indicators refer to series of data points that traders derive by applying certain formulas to the price data of a holding (stock, security, etc.). When we speak of price data here we mean any grouping of the high, low, opening, or closing price of a holding over a certain period of time. The way these data sets are used and which ones, in particular, are considered varies depending on what indicator you’re seeking.

The reason numerous data figures over time are used is due to the fact that values rise and fall over time, and picking one particular spot to base your analysis on might mislead you or fail to give you any actionable results at all. By taking the data spread out over time (the longer the more reliable), we smooth out our data line, giving us a truer representation of the general trend the data is taking.

Once suitable data points are identified over time, you can chart your indicators. This will usually be done in a graphical form either above or below the particular holding’s price chart, making a comparison between the indicator and the corresponding chart convenient. Some might even plot the indicator directly over the chart to make things even more easily discernible.

Technical indicators might vary in their complexity and ease of analysis, but they all can play an important role in helping a trader better understand the underlying strength and future direction of stock values and observable price actions.

You can group the usefulness of technical indicators into three main basic functions:

#1 To Alert. There are indicators that provide traders with effective ways to keep an eye on the movements of their holdings so as to quickly recognize occasions for concern or opportunities for a benefit. Should your stock’s momentum be on the decline, then it might be a good time to pull out of the holding in anticipation of a fall in value. On the other hand, should your indicators reveal a large positive divergence building up, it might signal a good opportunity to buy into the stock in anticipation of a value appreciation.

#2 To Confirm. Indicators are a branch of the larger discipline of technical analysis, but they can serve a useful function in helping verify and confirm the conclusions and predictions of other technical analysis methods employed by traders.

#3 To Predict. Indicators can be put to effective use by trader s in the prediction of a stock’s future behaviour. A moving average, for example, when looked at with the use of Bollinger bands can be an effective determiner of a stock’s future motion. Should a stock be below the bottom line of the Bollinger band, it might be safe to predict a future rise in the stock’s value and if it should be above the Band’s upper line, then a decrease might reasonably be expected.

Oscillators

There are numerously varied indicators traders use for various purposes, but a particularly useful class of indicators, especially for day traders who need to make rapid decisions and adjustments to their portfolios, are known as oscillators.

These are indicators that fluctuate above and below the centre line of a stock’s value (centred oscillators) or between predetermined levels (banded oscillators) as the value changes with time. In a broad sense, the reason these types of indicators are so important is the particular function they make possible. Using a centred oscillator, a trader can determine the direction of a stock’s value momentum while with a banded oscillator, it becomes possible to identify when a stock has been oversold or overbought. Both these functions are indispensable to a trader looking to make a good return on their investment.

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7 Biggest CryptoCurrency Hacks In History https://www.techwebspace.com/7-biggest-cryptocurrency-hacks-in-history/ Mon, 04 Jun 2018 05:37:15 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=9904 One of the things that make Bitcoin a secure blockchain-based trading system is its tight security features. Bitcoins are basically stored in wallets controlled by a ‘Private Key’, which should only be known by the currency owner. There are cryptocurrency holders that...

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One of the things that make Bitcoin a secure blockchain-based trading system is its tight security features. Bitcoins are basically stored in wallets controlled by a ‘Private Key’, which should only be known by the currency owner. There are cryptocurrency holders that opt to use the services of managed wallet solutions to simplify the Bitcoin holding process.

However, the problem with this solution is that all waller holders’ private keys are stored in a centralized system, something that creates loopholes for hacking. Even with the constant upgrades done to make Bitcoin trading platforms more secure, there are a bunch of people who have managed to outsmart the system and made away with thousands, if not millions of dollars. Here is a list of 5 most epic Bitcoin hacking incidents in the cryptocurrency history:

1. Mt. Gox

Termed as one of the first ever grand Bitcoin heists in crypto history, Mt. Gox was a Japanese-based Bitcoin exchange that was developed by programmer Jed McCaleb and later sold to Mark Karpeles, a crypto enthusiast. Mt. Gox was not hacked once but twice. Its first hacking occurred on 19th June 2011, where a hacker gained access to Mt. Gox author’s secret credentials and transferred a total of 2609 to Bitcoin address, not under the control of Mt. Gox. The platform switched to its servers for a few days before coming back.

The second hack happened in 2014 when Mt. Gox was handling a staggering 70% of the global Bitcoin exchange. 750,000 Bitcoins (an equivalent of $350 million at the time) were lost. This catastrophic incident caused Mt. Gox to go bankrupt and led to its subsequent collapse. No refunds were ever made after the loss.

2. Bitcoinica

Bitcoinica is yet another Bitcoin exchange platforms that fell into the ruthless hands of hackers. The hacker is said to have exploited the firm’s vulnerability of the shared online web host, Linode, and compromised the customer service network, to steal 46,700 BTC from 8 customers.

The second hack was executed barely two months after the first one, where the hacker managed to breach the production servers, making away with 18,547 BTC. This hack went through mainly because of the platform’s design flaw.

3. BitFloor

Though not highlighted strongly by the mainstream media, BitFloor is among the largest Bitcoin hacks in the cryptocurrency history. The crypto hack, which occurred in September 2012, resulted from human error and a mix of other technical issues.

The hacker reportedly compromised the servers and gained access to important information, making away with a cool 24,000 Bitcoins worth about $250,000 back then. If it were today, this hack could be worth $141 million. Looks like the clumsy error did punish the platform severely. Nevertheless, BitFloor refunded all its investors but its platform closed in 2013.

4. Poloniex

Poloniex is among the busiest and strongest cryptocurrency exchanges available in the market today despite the hack it suffered in March 2014. Though the company did not disclose the exact amount stolen, it is estimated that about 12.3% of the total Bitcoins were lost from the hack.

Poloniex survived the hack and proceeded to upgrade its security. The company also claimed it paid all its investors who go affected. There were unsubstantiated claims in 2017 that the Poloniex was hacked, which again puts the platform on the hackers’ radar.

5. Bitstamp

Bitstamp is Slovenian cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011 as an alternative to then-dominant MT. Gox Bitcoin exchange platform. Despite being strong and active today, it did face a hacking in 2015 that threatened to sink its longstanding trust in the market. On 4th January 2015, Bitstamp is reported to have lost a total of 19,000 BTC, equivalent to $5 million at that time, to an anonymous hacker.

After this incident, Bitstamp suspended its operations for a few days but later resumed and continues to operate till today. It did upgrade its security afterwards and has managed to regain some of its initial customers and even convinced new ones to join in.

6. Steemit Hack

Steemit is a social blockchain site that was designed to allow users (content curators) to post good content or comment on the site and get rewards in form of cryptocurrency. One of the biggest loopholes of Steem is the use of Steem wallets or rather hot wallets based on their centralized website.

As you might have known by now, centralized entities are highly vulnerable. And so hackers exploited this system weakness and stole more $85,000 worth of Steem dollars from a number of user wallets in July 2016. The funds went unrecovered and as such the users were never compensated.

7. Bitfinex

Bitfinex hack is by far the largest ever substantiated Bitcoin heist in the history of cryptocurrency. The hack, which occurred in August 2016, resulted in a loss of a whopping 120,000 BTC, worth about 5 million USD then. If the hack were to happen today, the value of Bitcoins lost would have been more than $711 million USD.

The hackers basically exploited the vulnerability of the multi-signature architecture that’s used by Bitfinex to secure user wallets and made away with the massive amount. Nonetheless, Bitfinex issued BTX tokens (redeemable for USD) to customers affected by the hack. Bitfinex still goes strong and is one of the most trusted Bitcoin exchange platforms today.

Final Thoughts

Cryptocurrency exchange platforms may put on advanced security but the systems might sometimes be outwitted by hackers. From the cases discussed above, it is clear that centralized exchange platforms are the most vulnerable. So the only safe way to go is storing your cryptocurrency in a hardware wallet or cold offline. You might only need to upload the Bitcoins to an online platform when trading.

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Tools of the Trade: Essential Technical Indicators for Day Trading https://www.techwebspace.com/tools-of-the-trade-essential-technical-indicators-for-day-trading/ Mon, 04 Jun 2018 05:21:54 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=9891 Whether you’re an absolute beginner trading in your pyjamas or the Wolf of Wall Street himself, there are basic intraday indicators that should be a part of your daily routine. Trading strategies change with time and evolve according to your targets, current...

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Whether you’re an absolute beginner trading in your pyjamas or the Wolf of Wall Street himself, there are basic intraday indicators that should be a part of your daily routine. Trading strategies change with time and evolve according to your targets, current events, or a multitude of other factors., so being able to identify and interpret useful trading indicators will allow you to maximize your profits, which is the whole point here, right?

Basically, trading indicators are tools that will allow you to:

  • Identify the general trend of the market and individual holdings
  • Recognize potential profits to be made as a result of market volatility
  • Assess the popularity of particular stocks by observing their trade volumes
  • Predict the future movements of individual holdings

Let’s get right into it.

1. Moving Averages

Day traders will be familiar with daily moving averages (DMAs), which are the lines on a stock chart that connect all through the daily closing prices of a holding over a specific time period. The longer this period is, the more reliable your moving average will be. The reason this is an effective indicator is the fact that stock prices move up and down from day to day. By getting this average, you smooth out the trend and get a better sense of the general, overall movement, which is essential for long-term planning.

Application

Say you’re a trader keeping an eye on your averages. Should you notice that short-term averages are outperforming long-term averages as reported by Admiral Markets or any other trading platform you’re using, then this will indicate that the market is on an upwards trend (bull market). You can make a decent profit on your investment here using such strategies as making a buy call with a stop loss order on the long-term moving average.

2. Bollinger Bands

This indicator builds on the moving average. It comprises three lines in total – the moving average itself, a lower limit, and an upper limit. What is represented by these lines is the standard deviation of the stock, or how much the stock moves in either direction away from its average.

Application

Should a stock currently stand below the lower band of the Bollinger band, it will likely rise in future, so a trader can make a profit by buying it. Should it be over the upper band it will likely fall in future, so selling might be the best way to avoid losing money on it.

3. Momentum Oscillators

We know that stock prices will move up and down from day to day. Even so, there are days when they will undergo short-period cycles entirely unrelated to whether the market trend is going up or down (bull or bear market). Such scenarios can easily be missed by a trader, and that’s where this indicator comes in handy. The indicator will depict the stock’s momentum in a range of 0 to 100, which enables traders to figure out whether the rise will continue or not. It’s particularly useful when a stock hits a new high or low, to understand whether the market has changed its opinion of the stock, perhaps due to some current developments or market shifts.

Application

If the stock in question has hit a historical high and the oscillator level isn’t the same, it means that demand is decreasing, which might eventually lead to a fall in the stocks’ price. The opposite scenario holds true for stock rises.

4. Relative Strength Index (RSI)

This stands as one of the most useful tools for understanding the significance of share price rises and drops. The information is presented in index form to derive a score ranging from 0 to 100. As the price rises, so will the index and the reverse will happen as the price falls. Once a trader sees the index rise or fall to a certain limit, it will signal time for the trader to re-evaluate that particular stock’s trading strategy.

Application

Many traders will take the route of selling their stocks when the RSI reaches 70 and buy more when it gets to 30, but you should be careful here. Stocks don’t always behave the way we expect them to, so a good look at the general stock volatility and history of the RSI is advisable before making any decisions.

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Trading On the Go: Killer Trading Apps for Android and iPhone https://www.techwebspace.com/trading-on-the-go-killer-trading-apps-for-android-and-iphone/ Sat, 02 Jun 2018 15:25:15 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=9861 With the ever-increasing capabilities of mobile technology. people are putting their devices to greater use than ever before. This goes for the trading industry as well, with online brokers spending a lot of money on mobile app development to ensure they have...

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With the ever-increasing capabilities of mobile technology. people are putting their devices to greater use than ever before. This goes for the trading industry as well, with online brokers spending a lot of money on mobile app development to ensure they have a reliable presence on the online market segment. These applications are just as powerful and functional as their desktop counterparts, and are designed to cater for all levels of trader – from the beginner to the old hand.

Whether you’re operating with an iOS or Android device, developers will have something for you. Online brokers realized there was nothing to gain by going with only one operating system or the other, so the apps listed will be available for both. We’ll be factoring in such considerations as ease of use, reliability, functionality, cost (where applicable), and security.

Let’s get right to it, and check out a short list of the best trading apps for Android and iPhones out there, in no particular order.

IQ Option

Level: Adept/Expert

This mobile app provides its users with a sleek user interface backed up by a intelligent underpinning. You will be able to trade all the major forex pairings as well as the top three cryptocurrencies right now, bitcoin, litecoin, and ethereum. What sets it apart from its competition, however, is its lightning fast transaction speeds. When it comes to day trading, this is an invaluable feature to have, as every second counts. Its customer support service is also top notch, running 24/7 and in 19 languages to ensure traders never miss out on a trade or incur avoidable losses due to technical difficulties.

Stash

Level: Beginner

If you’re just getting into the world of trading then first of all, congratulations; it’s great, as you’ll find out soon enough. Anyway, Stash is designed just for you. It leaves out all the jargon and intricate details in favor of a straightforward step-by-step portfolio building journey. Every step along the way will be explained, so you will be learning as you go along and get a feel for what it’s all about. Those with a bit of an idea of what’s going on can change the level of help being provided to match their skill level or dive right into the deep end – it’s all up to you.

FxPro

Level: Adept/Expert

For the traders who’ve been in the game for a while and understand the intricate nuts and bolts of trading, this is the app to have. It comes equipped with a range of in-depth, advanced tools and functions that belie its relatively reasonable pricing and ease of use.

One of its biggest draws is its ability to map out advanced charting functions and technical indicators. This might seem like a challenge due to the somewhat small screen sizes we’re dealing with here, but they get around this by providing a split-screen function in addition to the display customization settings available. To top everything off, it also possesses a single-tap trading function that makes rapid trading possible. A great app for forex trading if ever there was one.

Acorn

Level: Beginner/Adept

This is a pretty clever app that designed for those of us who wouldn’t want to spend the whole day constantly checking our phones and making adjustments. Aside from the basic trading features available with most of the apps on this list, it also has what it calls a ‘spare change’ option.

It works like this – after selecting a list of preferred stocks, it will make use of excess change from your transactions to invest in them without the need for you to do anything else. If you spend $8.50 on lunch, it will automatically place the 50 cents into your stocks. It might not seem like much, but it adds up over time.

Vault

Level: Beginner/Adept

This is a bit of a departure from the rest of the entries here, but it deserves a mention regardless. It’s a trading app with a double feature dedicated to helping self-employed or contract workers out there build up a retirement fund of their own, since they do not have access to employer retirement funds. Every time a user receives money, the app will ask for permission to invest a part of it with the app. Advice on suitable investment levels will be provided by the app according to the user’s average income and their targets for the future.

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5 Weirdest CryptoCurrencies Ever https://www.techwebspace.com/5-weirdest-cryptocurrencies-ever/ Fri, 01 Jun 2018 11:40:06 +0000 https://www.techwebspace.com/?p=9832 Cryptocurrency exchange has grown tremendously over the past few years. And despite the fact that Bitcoin remains the most popular cryptocurrency amid media hype, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other blockchain-based currencies that are doing rounds in the market. It’s...

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Cryptocurrency exchange has grown tremendously over the past few years. And despite the fact that Bitcoin remains the most popular cryptocurrency amid media hype, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other blockchain-based currencies that are doing rounds in the market. It’s even interesting that these alternatives use different technological capabilities and bear the strangest names ever!

Here are the weirdest cryptocurrencies you can find in the market today:

1. Dogecoin

Introduced into the market in 2013, Dogecoin is a seemingly strange cryptocurrency that was inspired by the famous Shiba Inu dog. The dog’s name had largely featured in many internet jokes and memes at a time preceding its development. And the developers were quick to turn the sensation into a cryptcurrency idea.

Dogecoin had scheduled to release 100 billion coins into the market, which it achieved in June, 2015. The coin (doge) is not widely used in commerce due to its huge amount of circulation.

But it is a popular method of tipping those who are willing to exchange or contribute interesting ideas in discussion forums like Reddit. Currently, Dogecoin has a market capitalization of more than $650 million, which is still very healthy.

2. TrumpCoin

This rather gimmicky cryptocurrency was created on February 20, 2016. The coin isn’t in any way affiliated with President Donald Trump but it has risen to be one of the most popular blockchain-based currency alternatives today. The creators of TrumpCoin say their aim was to ‘integrate itself into Donald Trump’s agenda and help him secure the presidency of the United States’.

Though the currency takes a strange political twist, it’s is still well functional and people are using it out there. TrumpCoin official website says their goal is to help fund projects- both domestic and global- that mainly cover infrastructure and issues that affect veterans. The coin currently has a market capitalization of $465,091.

3. Unobtainium (UNO)

Unobtainium (UNO) is a rather sophisticated crypto currency. Even pronouncing the very word is a bit challenging you know! One of the things that make Bitcoin a highly valuable digital currency is its scarcity. With only 21 million Bitcoins in circulation, you can only imagine the kind of demand it will attract from a billion or so people. And Unobtainium is built on the similar concept. It’s only that UNO takes the idea of scarcity to a whole new level.

According to the developers, there will only be 250,000 Uno coins in circulation over the next 300 years. Unobtainium has gained a significant amount of notoriety in the marketplace and its reputation is becoming more than solid.

The currency’s official website reads, ‘Unobtainium is Platinum to Bitcoin’s gold’ …digital rock built on unique cytographic material…’ Well, it looks like Bitcoin will really have to put up with the tough competition in the market right now, posed by none other than Unobtainium.

4. Monacoin

If you are not really a dog person, but fancy cats, then Monacoin might just be the cryptocurrency to check out for. Dubbed ‘the first Japanese Cryptocurrency’, Monacoin is inspired by a cat meme of Mona, which is literally a cat-like ASCII art character. The coin is very popular in Japan and is considered the national alternative to Bitcoin. Currently, Monacoin has a market capitalization of $266,179,540. Other cat-themed cryptocurrencies that you might need to check out for include Catcoin and Nyacoin.

 5. Dentacoin

Dentacoin, just as the name seems to suggest, is crypto that pays tribute to the global dental industry. It is basically a digital token that allows dentists and patients to share data, previous medical records and other dental related stuff over a blockchain network.

Users can also buy and sell products on the same platform and even pay for a range of dental procedures. The data shared within the network is highly protected, updatable and can only be shared to dentists and patients with permission to join in the platform.

Conclusion

If you’ve been wondering what other cryptocurrencies are in the market, now you know that there are a plethora of them out there. Most of them are weird, strange and straight-up silly. While a larger percentage of these blockchain-based currencies are not used for commerce, they still offer a great platform where people can share data and exchange info which is paid for in form of tips.

If cryptocurrencies can really be inspired by dogs, cats and prominent personalities among other crazy stuff, then we can conclusively say that alternative blockchain-based networks are fun to join in.

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