Bitcoin (BTC) and Decentraland (MANA) are digital assets that have been gaining popularity in recent years. BTC is a cryptocurrency known for its potential to revolutionize the global financial system, while MANA is used to develop a virtual world.
Investors might want to add BTC or MANA to their portfolios and, as with all investments, need to know all the details before committing. In this post, we will compare and contrast these two digital assets, discussing the key features of BTC and MANA and their similarities and differences.
History
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency without regulation from a central bank or single administrator that can be sent from trader to trader on the peer-to-peer bitcoin network without third-party involvement.
Transactions go through network nodes to be verified and recorded in a publicly distributed ledger called a blockchain. Bitcoin was invented by an unknown person or group of people under the name Satoshi Nakamoto and released as open-source software in 2009.
Decentraland
The Decentraland website is a virtual reality powered by the Ethereum blockchain. You can create and enjoy unique experiences and generate revenue from the content.
The Decentraland Software project was launched in 2015 by Argentine entrepreneurs Ariel Meilich and Esteban Ordano. The project raised $10 million in an initial coin offering (ICO) in August 2017.
The Decentraland Foundation is the organization behind the development of the software, and it holds intellectual property rights.
What Do They Do, And Why Were They Created?
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a digital currency created for people to send money without any banks or governments involved.
Decentraland
The Decentraland Foundation is a non-profit organization that was created to help manage and grow the Decentraland community. The Decentraland team and community members fund the Decentraland Foundation.
Decentraland is a virtual reality platform with many in-game items. MANA holders can buy and sell land, or digital real estate.
Decentraland’s land is permanent and immutable, meaning it cannot be destroyed or taken away by anyone. The consensus layer has a ledger that will track the ownership of all land parcels, and each parcel has its coordinate inside the virtual world.
Price History
Bitcoin
In September 2017, the price of one Bitcoin was around $4,000, but by December 2020, the price had jumped to approximately $28,949. Bitcoin’s price reached an all-time high in November 2021, with values exceeding $65,000. At the time of writing, the price of one Bitcoin is around $20,199.61.
Decentraland
MANA, one of Decentraland’s native tokens, has experienced rapid growth since it launched in early August, with the MANA price increasing by over 3,000% in just a few weeks. At the time of writing, the price of one MANA token is $0.6404. MANA might reach an average price of around $1.31 in 2024.
Market Cap
Bitcoin
Regarding market capitalization, Bitcoin is in a league of its own. At the time of writing, the cryptocurrency currently has a market cap of around $398.17 billion. That’s more than double the next largest cryptocurrency, Ethereum, which has a market cap of just over $72 billion.
Decentraland
At the time of writing, Decentraland has a market cap of around $1.155 billion, putting it at number 17 on the list of largest cryptocurrencies by market cap. So while Decentraland may have some advantages over Bitcoin in terms of speed and scalability, when it comes to market capitalization, Bitcoin is king.
Daily Transactions
Bitcoin
In order to buy or sell bitcoins, you need to have a bitcoin wallet. This is where your bitcoins are stored and where you will receive or send payments. To set up a bitcoin wallet, you can use a web-based wallet like Coinbase or download a desktop client like Bitcoin Core. Once you have a bitcoin wallet, you can use it to buy or sell bitcoins.
Decentraland
You can use Decentraland’s native currency, MANA, to buy land or goods and services worldwide. Alternatively, you can also use other major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Main Similarities
These two popular cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Decentraland, share several key similarities. Both are decentralized, meaning they are not subject to government or financial institution control. Both use blockchain technology to secure transactions and protect user privacy. And both have a high potential for investment growth.
- Both have limited supply. There will only ever be 21 million Bitcoins in circulation, and the total supply of Decentraland tokens is also capped at a fixed price of $2,194,916,827. This scarcity can drive up prices as demand increases.
- Both have divisibility. Each Bitcoin can be divided into 100 million smaller units called satoshis, and each Decentraland token can be divided into 1 billion smaller units called mana. This makes them easy to trade and use for smaller purchases.
- Both have fast transaction times. Bitcoin transactions are typically confirmed within 10 minutes, while Decentraland transactions are usually confirmed within seconds.
- Both have low transaction fees. You can send any amount of Bitcoin or Decentraland for just a few cents worth of fees.
Main Differences
- Decentraland is built on the Ethereum blockchain, whereas Bitcoin is its own blockchain. This means that Decentraland transactions are faster and cheaper than Bitcoin transactions.
- Decentraland is a virtual reality platform where users can buy, sell, or lease virtual land. Bitcoin, on the other hand, is primarily used as a digital currency.
- MANA offers more anonymity to its users than Bitcoin does.
- BTC can be used as a currency, while MANA is more like a digital asset.
- BTC has a finite supply of 21 million, while there is no limit to the amount of MANA that can be created.
- BTC is mined through Proof of Work (PoW), while MANA is minted through Proof of Stake (PoS).
Risks
Bitcoin
Forks: The possibility of forks in the Bitcoin network could lead to two separate currencies.
Theft: The risk of theft or loss of Bitcoins, either hacking your data or forgetting your private keys.
Volatility: The Bitcoin price volatility can swing dramatically up or down over short periods.
Decentraland
Lack Of Use Cases: At the moment, there are very few use cases for Decentraland. The primary use case right now is gaming, but it’s not clear if that will be enough to sustain interest in the long term.
Competition: Decentraland faces stiff competition from other projects in the virtual world space, such as Second Life and High Fidelity. These established platforms have a much more comprehensive range of uses and already have a large user base.
Scalability Issues: One of the biggest challenges facing Decentraland is scalability. Due to its decentralized nature, it isn’t easy to upgrade the infrastructure of Decentraland without disrupting the entire ecosystem. This could limit adoption in the long term as users may want to avoid dealing with potential issues arising from scaling problems.
Lack Of Regulation: Another risk associated with Decentraland is lack of regulation. Because it’s a decentralized virtual world, no central authority governs it. This could lead to problems if certain bad actors take advantage of this lack of regulation.
Where To Buy
Bitcoin and Decentraland are both available for purchase on a variety of exchanges. Here is a list of some of the most popular exchanges where you can buy each token:
Bitcoin tokens:
Decentraland tokens:
How To Exchange
If you’re looking to exchange one cryptocurrency token for another, there are a few things you’ll need to consider. Here’s a quick guide on how you can exchange BTC for MANA.
First, you’ll need to find a reputable exchange supporting BTC and MANA tokens. Once you’ve found an exchange, you’ll need to create an account and deposit BTC tokens into your account.
Once your BTC is deposited, you can place an order to exchange it for MANA. Depending on the exchange, the process may vary slightly, but typically all you’ll need to do is specify the amount of MANA you want to buy, and your order will be executed automatically. And that’s it! Once your order is filled, you’ll have successfully exchanged BTC for MANA.
Future Plans
Bitcoin
As the world’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is constantly evolving. While there are no concrete plans for Bitcoin’s future, a few possible scenarios could play out.
One is that Bitcoin could become a mainstream currency with more businesses and people accepting Bitcoin as payment. This would allow people to use it for everyday purchases like groceries or coffee.
Decentraland
Decentraland plans to continue growing the virtual world and expanding the features and applications available to users. The team is currently working on a significant update to the platform that will include a new land auction system, improved avatar customization, and more.
FAQs
What is the difference between Bitcoin and Decentraland?
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that can be used to purchase goods and services, while Decentraland is a virtual world where users can buy and sell land.
References:
https://www.delta.exchange/blog/what-is-decentraland-how-does-it-work
https://www.gemini.com/cryptopedia/decentraland-defi-ethereum-based
https://atomicwallet.io/academy/decentraland-mana-guide.
https://www.bankrate.com/investing/bitcoin-price-history/
https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/052014/why-bitcoins-value-so-volatile.asp
https://www.translationroyale.com/is-decentraland-a-loophole-for-igaming-rules-and-regulations/