In the first quarter of this year alone, at least 504 new decentralized apps (dapps) have been listed, and more than half of them are running on Ethereum.
Dapp explorer Dapom has issued its latest market report . It aims to present comprehensive data and insight into Ethereum, EOS, STEEM, and TRON, as it says they’ve have managed to attract the most active users in the market.
“It shows that Ethereum is still the [number one] choice for developers to build their dapp on,” reads the report. “[…] The Ethereum-based games have already created a stable community with a group of loyal audience.”
600 inactive Ethereum dapps over the past 3 months
While Ethereum‘s game-players indeed seem to be sticking around, the EOS network is supposedly the most active.
According to Dapom ‘s data, 95 percent of EOS dapps processed at least one transaction in the first quarter of this year; dapps running on Steem and TRON recorded slightly lower activity, with 80 percent of them processing at least one transaction in the same period.
Though really, gambling apps still make up the lion’s share of volume on the EOS network.
“On the other hand, although beating other chains in terms of dapp amount, nearly 600 Ethereum dapps were in “inactive” status without a single transaction record over the past three months,” declared Dapom
The report also found the EOS landscape was (finally) evolving. Dapom noted gambling dapps accounted for a striking 99 percent of its total volume last year, but new games and financial services had since joined the network.
Though really, gambling apps still make up the lion’s share of volume on the EOS network .
TRON supposedly the ‘fastest growing’ ecosystem in 2019
Overall, Dapom named TRON as the fastest growing dapp ecosystem in 2019, with both the number of TRON mainnet wallets and new users increasing the fastest of the four chains analyzed.
This has supposedly led its total transaction volume to surpass $91 million on March 15, which is meant to have broken the highest records set by Ethereum and EOS dapps so far.
“TRON dapps had more than 300,000 active users, followed by EOS dapps with around 260,000 active users,” reads the report. However, it appears these figures conflate “accounts” with “users,” which could be misleading. Indeed, a single user can have multiple accounts on these networks.
“By the end of Q1 2019, the number of the wallets created on TRON mainnet has exceeded $2.3 million, among them, 15.46 percent were dapp users, raised nearly 1.5 fold since the beginning of 2019.”
‘User’ growth is still mainly driven by cryptocurrency gambling
It should be said that many have speculated that statistics of this nature are easily faked. “Actions” on Delegated Proof-of-Stake blockchains like TRON and EOS are effectively free, which renders networks prone to spam.
It should also be noted there is no reason one person cannot create multiple accounts on these networks, so in that sense, the number of “accounts” should not be considered equal to the number of individual users.
Ultimately, the data confirmed blockchain’s uncomfortable truth – “user” growth is still mainly driven by gambling, with reports suggesting nearly 350,000 accounts engaged in gambling activities on these networks.
To compare, games and exchanges both were said to have attracted around 90,000 users over the same timeframe.
Still, until the industry enforces proper metrics for “transaction quality,” it’s necessary to view stats like these with healthy skepticism. At least for now, this is all we’ve got.
Did you know? Hard Fork has its own stage at TNW2019 , our tech conference in Amsterdam. Check it out .
Opera is expanding its suite of cryptocurrency tools with a built-in wallet
Opera is preparing to give Android users a built-in Crypto Wallet, the latest in its suite of tools for cryptocurrencies.
The next version will include a brand new storage solution for Ethereum, its tokens and various collectibles. Currently, those who hold more exotic digital assets often have to fumble through annoying extensions or use multiple wallets to conduct transactions.
The newest version of the Opera browser for Android also has built-in integration with Ethereum’s Web3 API. It marks the first time a major browser has taken Web 3.0 mainstream. What’s promised is an environment where Ethereum’s decentralized apps (dApps) will be fully accessible alongside the more standard, boring, and completely centralized Web 2.0.
It even uses Android’s secure system lock to sign cryptocurrency transactions directly from the browser, meaning users will have one less PIN or password to write down on paper, commit to memory far away from any potentially compromised electronics, and later destroy in an industrial shredder.
Although there has been widespread enthusiasm, Web 3.0 is still full of intimidating interfaces and endless security concerns with poor usability. What often results is at odds with the marketing hype spun by our supposedly next-generation decentralized platforms. Time will tell if Opera’s new Crypto Wallet can inspire more user-friendly and reliable dApps.
As of this morning, Opera has begun rolling out the Crypto Wallet-equipped version of its browser to select testers in a private beta test. Hopefully the new tool will be available to everyone in the near future. We’ve requested access to the private beta and will let you know what we think about it once we’ve had a chance to put it to the test.
Opera have been gearing up to help make the new internet mainstream for a while, too. Earlier this year, they beefed up their desktop browser to protect against over 50 cryptojackers and updated their in-built currency converter to support several major cryptocurrencies.
7 of the best, top, highest rated, essential books on Bitcoin and blockchain
We were all cryptocurrency and blockchain novices once. We tried to overcome our shortcomings by reading endless mind boggling Telegram chats. But there is a simpler way! Books!
Of course, there will always be things for us to learn, but here’s a list of Hard Fork’s favorite educational books about cryptocurrency and blockchain that you should read in the new year.
1. Bitcoin: The future of money? – by Dominic Frisby
With a title like this, you might think that Frisby spends 304 pages shilling how Bitcoin is going to change the world – he doesn’t. Rather he takes a step back in time and looks at where Bitcoin came from, how and why it was created, and even gives his own take on who the fabled Satoshi Nakamoto might be.
He manages to do all this in plain English too, it’s great if you’re not super technical. In other work Frisby has been a stand-up comedian, and uses his comedic charm to keep the book light and jovial while dealing with, what is, a complex – and probably boring for some – topic.
2. Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps – by Daniel Drescher
If you aren’t super technical, trying to understand cryptocurrency and blockchain might feel like an insurmountable challenge – fear not, because Drescher is here to help.
Drescher breaks it down to the basics without using complex ideas, formulas, or code; building up the reader’s knowledge from a foundation laid in the early chapters. After reading all 25 steps you should have a reasonably decent idea about the general principles that make a blockchain what it is.
3. The Dark Net – by Jamie Bartlett
Ok, so this one isn’t strictly about cryptocurrency or Bitcoin, but it’s well worth a read if you want to fill yourself in on the kind of things that Bitcoin helped enable – the dark net. There’s a lot more to the Bitcoin story than hodling, mooning, bears, and bulls.
Bartlett spends a portion of this book examining the Silk Road and how it used Bitcoin as a means for users to actually buy things. Users of the Silk Road were the first large group to adopt Bitcoin, they played a vital role in shaping what it would become. If you still think the Silk Road is an ancient trade route between east and west, you should read this book.
4. The Internet of Money – by Andreas M. Antonopoulus
You’ve might have already heard of Andreas Antonopoulos , he’s quite prolific in the cryptocurrency space. He’s bullish on Bitcoin so always be sure to take what he says with a pinch of salt.
That said, his book, The internet of money , is well worth a read. Antonopoulos looks back at how Bitcoin started, how it’s growing, and how it goes beyond being just a digital currency . He gets referenced a lot in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space so it might pay to have a first-hand understanding of what he’s talking about.
5. Digital Gold – by Nathaniel Popper
Like the title suggests, Popper compares Bitcoin to gold as a store of value. While the comparison might not be that relevant anymore – the book was written 2015 after all – given the volatility and speculation Bitcoin has seen over the last 18 month, it’s still worth a read.
Like Frisby, Popper takes a critical look at where Bitcoin came from, who created it, and who are now the rising powers in the space. The book was even nominated for the Financial Times book of the year in 2015.
6. The Book of Satoshi – by Phil Champagne
Much like the good folks over at the Nakamoto Institute , Champagne has immortalized the online utterances of pseudonymous Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Essentially, this book is a compendium of everything Nakamoto ever wrote online about Bitcoin and its creation.
Naturally, it might sound like a bit of profiteering, but Champagne has added his own commentary on the importance and value of Satoshi’s remarks. The book is also copyright free, so anything you read inside can be freely shared online.
If you’re big into Bitcoin, or know someone who is, this is almost certainly one to have on your bookshelf.
7. Blockchain for Babies (Baby University) – by Chris Ferrie and Marco Tomanichel
We all know how blockchain is going change the world , so make sure your child is prepared for the disruption that’s on its way. It’s never too soon to start teaching your child about decentralized technology, and with Blockchain for Babies you can do just that.
Blockchain for Babies was written by genuine experts too, so it might even be useful enough to teach fully grown adults about the technology. Although, it might be a bit patronizing if you give this to your non-blockchain friend. If you do, it’s all on you.
Obviously this isn’t an exhaustive list; there are probably as many Bitcoin books out there as there are altcoins. But these are some of our favorites and they provide great starting points for newbies, and refreshers for the seasoned hodler. They’re definitely books that should be on the shelf of anyone seriously into cryptocurrency and blockchain.
