Investors Archives - Foreign policy

4 Easiest Ways To Convert Bitcoin To Cash

Published on June 5, 2021June 6, 2021

Business

One of the major reasons which keeps people from investing in bitcoins is the fear that they won’t be able to cash them out. Say, you buy the coins, invest your money, wait for them to gain value, and in the end, are not able to convert them into real money when required. That is one of the biggest nightmares of investors. However, what if we told you that converting bitcoins to cash is super easy?

These digital coins have been around for over ten years now and their popularity has increased exponentially over the last few years. If you own bitcoins and are looking forward to converting these digital coins into traditional ones, you are at the right place. This article explains how you can convert your bitcoins into cash painlessly and quickly.

If you are also looking forward to investing in bitcoins and are searching for a website where you can cash out your earnings easily, check out this go URL.

Why Transfer These Digital Assets Into Your Account?

Experts believe that cryptocurrencies will soon replace the traditional currencies. As a result, they are readily investing in bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. According to this theory, you will soon be able to use cryptocurrencies to buy general things from the store. However, that time is yet to come.

Today, a majority of the people are unaware of the existence of these coins and the others are quite afraid to put them to use taking their high volatility into consideration. However, people will readily invest in bitcoins if they can convert their digital coins into traditional currencies.

Another reason can be the fact that the surges in bitcoin prices are highly unpredictable. Thus, to save yourself from incurring any losses you may want to cash out your assets when the market is experiencing an upsurge in the prices.

Taking the rise in popularity of bitcoins into consideration, several big-box retailers have tried accepting bitcoins and other available cryptocurrencies as tenders, but the process is not easy for them either. People are afraid to try their hands at cryptos and thus it will take quite some time for these digital coins to replace the fiat currencies. As a result, it makes sense to convert your digital assets into cash.

Now, let us know a few ways in which you can easily convert your digital coins into cash.

Convert Them With the Help of an Online Service:

You will find several famous online services that help people earn money through bitcoins. Such services not only allow consumers to buy cryptocurrencies, including bitcoins, from their website, but they also permit users to sell cryptos through their mobile app or website. There are numerous websites out there in the market that allow both buying and selling of bitcoins. On such platforms you can trade several cryptos, like Litecoin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.

The services are connected with the bank account of users to initiate and deduct payments when bitcoins are bought or sold. When you sell bitcoins, it usually takes a few business days for the website to process payments to your bank account.

Many people often buy bitcoins through such websites, and when the currency gains some value, they encash them for profits. On the contrary, some maintain their crypto account to receive payments in the form of digital coins from customers, friends, family, etc.

Convert Them into Traditional Currencies Through a Bitcoin ATM Machine:

Bitcoin ATMs have become quite popular nowadays, and are seen in several cities across the world. They provide a relatively easy and rapid way to convert cryptocurrencies, including bitcoins into cash, a government-issued currency.

However, you will find several different kinds of bitcoin ATM machines, and some of them allow you to buy bitcoins in the same way we deposit cash in a regular ATM. Many of them have also started supporting additional cryptos such as Ethereum and Litecoin. The fees of such transactions are usually higher than what people usually pay for the online services. In addition to it, the conversion rates are not as favorable as third-parties websites.

Conversion of Bitcoins through Cryptocurrency Exchange:

One of the best ways of cashing out bitcoins is through cryptocurrency exchange. The third party exchanges are all authorised and allow users to easily sell bitcoins and exchange them for their preferred currency that includes USD, GBP, MYR and EUR. These platforms support several other local fiat currencies and allow the users to carry out the process through their website of user-friendly mobile apps.

To get started with cashing out digital coins, you will need a platform that is supported in your country. The entire process is simple, easy and secure. However, the process is not rapid and it may take around 1-5 business days for it to process your fiat money based on the platform you use and your location.

Also, for the new users, who have newly registered their account with the crypto exchange, it may take weeks and even months. This is because it takes a considerable amount of time for users to get their account approved. These platforms may also charge a certain fee to carry out the transactions.

Cash Transfer

You can ask people who are interested in buying these coins to send the money directly to your account. However, make sure to ask for identity proof documents before you send your coins to the purchaser.

Conclusion

We caution you before you start rushing to encash your bitcoins and realize the profits from it. Ask yourself a crucial question: In what form should you cash your bitcoin in, in flat currency? Keep in mind that if you choose to cash out your bitcoins in fiat currency, you are required to pay tax on profits made.

The beauty of bitcoins is not only the blockchain technology that is present behind cryptocurrency but also the fact that it is a decentralized digital asset. Now that you know how to encash your digital coins you can convert them to traditional coins whenever required.

Signs of Bitcoin’s Global Adoption

Published on May 26, 2021

Business

Bitcoin is definitely one of the disruptive innovations that have made massive changes to the global financial markets. Even though it started off as an obscure virtual currency and a lot of investors felt it was a scam. But, needless to say, it proved not only that it is a viable option for making payments online, but it is equally a valuable hedge against inflation.

Today, Bitcoin is considered one of the most widely adopted cryptocurrencies that have also created space for other altcoins to exist. It is definitely the reason we have a crypto market. However, after a decade since Bitcoin was initially launched, can we expect Bitcoin to enter the mainstream market? And, what are the signs of the global adoption of Bitcoin? We answer these questions and more below.

The Safe-Haven Asset

It’s safe to say that a Bitcoin unique innovation, and no one could have predicted its trajectory. One of the signs that it has reached mainstream adoption is that it is considered a safe-haven asset in a highly restricted sense because its total number of BTC is limited to 21 million. This is one of the reasons why Bitcoin has become an asset class that is even compared to gold.

Another reason why Bitcoin reached a status of a safe-haven asset, and that’s attracted a lot of investors, is Bitcoin protocols that make this cryptocurrency unique to their crypto market. They are Bitcoin halving and another protocol that calculates the total computing power on the network, and afterwards, it adjusts the difficulty of BTC mining.

In other words, not only with BTC is has a restricted pool of tokens, but also the supply and flow of new BTC to the crypto market is regulated, and it is slowing down as the blockchain network becomes more saturated.

Another reason why Bitcoin has a supply that is increasing is Bitcoin halving which halves the number of new BTC by cutting in half the block reward of the miners, and also it simultaneously cuts in half the number of new Bitcoin tokens in the crypto market.

The Surge in Online Trading

All of this has stimulated the growth of online trading sites, so you can choose from loads of reputable exchanges. One example is BitcoinLifestyle which is an automated trading site that specializes in auto trading for users that are inexperienced in Bitcoin trading, but it is an equally great solution for experienced investors that have less time to spare on crypto trading. Thanks to the high-end technology on the platform, you can earn up to $800 on a daily basis.

Institutional Investors

As its supply is limited, and we have already mined about 80% of the total number of Bitcoin tokens, investors were paying more attention to the cryptocurrency, especially since it entered a bull market phase in 2020.

So, as Bitcoin reached a status of a safe-haven asset with the continuous growth of its price during 2020 in 2021, institutional investors started to add Bitcoin as part of their financial portfolios.

This was a great sign that Bitcoin was getting adopted by a reliable organization in the financial markets such as the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust fund or Osprey Funds and many other trust funds that were designed to make trading easier for accredited institutional investors. Also, because they are able to accumulate BTC on a larger scale, this was another factor that prompted the price growth.

Involvement of MNC’s

Adoption of a new currency in itself can be difficult. It is hard to manage and organize a change and new adoption pattern within an entire country but leading companies all around the world in technological hotspots are adopting and accepting bitcoin. This is mainly due to its recognition as being such a versatile currency that has been growing at a steady rate.

The best-known company to accept and adopt bitcoin payments is Tesla, the electric car manufacturing company founded by Elon Musk. Although he has voiced his opinion on his withdrawal of not accepting bitcoin due to its repercussions of use on nature, Tesla has been accepting bitcoin payments in the recent past, increasing the scope of this cryptocurrency.

Other tech giants that are known to have adopted bitcoin and accept payments as well are Microsoft and fast-food chain, Burger King. Although continuous adoption is a more viable sign of bitcoin being recognized, partial adoption and payment acceptance also is a sign that bitcoin’s scope of adoption is increasing all around the world.

Internet star and Youtube sensation KSI recently made news for buying a Tesla with bitcoin. This not only helps for better publicity of bitcoin, but it has the scope for other companies to start adopting it as well.

Exponential growth

Bitcoin has been growing exponentially for more than a decade and will continue to do so. One of the other signs that hint that bitcoin can become a global currency is the incompetence of current national currencies. Price manipulation and counterfeiting cause losses of millions of dollars all around the world. The physical currency can only achieve so much given its natural impediments.

The steps taken to ensure that counterfeiting and fraud are not caused are a lot higher than availing cryptocurrencies. Although this particular crypto seems to have heavy competition from up-and-coming cryptos like Ethereum, bitcoin is still going strong and will continue to do so. It is most likely that bitcoin will become a global currency very soon.

Given the incredible success of bitcoin, banking giants such as JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are very likely to adopt bitcoin shortly and the wheels are already in place. JPMorgan President in February of 2021, made a public statement of his openness to accept and adopt bitcoin as a currency for their banking services. Although unsure when he said it is most likely to happen soon.

Price Consolidation

Consolidating or lowering an asset’s price based on circumstance is the best time to invest. A common rule that investors follow while investing money into shares, is to begin to buy stocks when it drops. This is because, if the stock from an all-time high comes down, it has to be a small circumstantial dent in its progress which will most likely be corrected.

Bitcoin’s had a slightly rough patch as other competing cryptos are reducing its credibility by a bit but being that said bitcoin is still going strong and will continue to do so. This price consolidation in bitcoin will open up new prospects who will avail and adopt bitcoin all over the world.

Final Thoughts

The last sign that Bitcoin experienced a global adoption was the acceptance of BTC payments by a record-high number of organizations. It was officially a payment method not just for popular brands like Tesla, Shopify, PayPal, Home Depot, but for small businesses that operate offline. In conclusion, there is a high probability that it will enter the mainstream market, especially with the support of the business sector and institutional investors.

When you Should Take a Break from Trading

Published on January 23, 2021

Business

In the trading field, the dealers can’t work all the time. Sometimes, people need a break to take a rest and generate energy for successful trading. Without taking frequent breaks, the trader will surely experience tiredness. You will agree with us that a tired person will not have the best possible performance. When people are unable to take the stress, they should take a break. It will help investors to clean their minds and think a couple of steps ahead in their trading.

Clearing your mind from time to time will do you much good. For example, you will be able to think about some new ideas that can result in even more positive movements in the future. To increase their psychological and bodily energy, people should try to reduce the pressure. Thankfully, there are a lot of different things you can do to boost your physical and psychological energy levels. Now, let’s learn about when investors should take a break.

Having a feeling of exhaustion

If someone is comfortable with trading in the morning, he should not work at night. When the person will try to work more, it will create pressure. Every person has his boundaries, and almost no person in the world can go beyond his limitations. So, the Singaporean traders should not work when they are tired as it does not provide them with better outcomes. Sometimes, the investors feel that they will miss the opportunity, so they try to keep focusing on the market constantly, which is not good for being victorious.

Surely, this only adds to the overall stress levels. If you sleep properly, you will be able to work effectively. People should not think that they will miss the exciting trade session if they do not spend time in the market. There are lots of thrilling sessions, so investors should not be bothered about this. Not performing in the best possible way for one or two of them will not mean that you’ve experienced some significant loss.

Having tough time deal with the market

Without adapting to the situation, it is not possible to gain success in the Forex field. When the market is in a bullish trend, the investors can gain good returns by applying the trend trading strategy. On the other hand, in the range market, there is hardly any possibility of making profits. So, the person should not enter the market during this time. Naturally, before entering the market, you will need to think about a tool you should use.

In case you are interested in finding the best possible platform, you can use, be sure to take a look at home.saxo. If anyone observes that his plan is not working properly and he is failing to earn the money, he should stop at that time and take a leave for that day. When you trade fx options online, make sure you are comfortable with the market. If you find things hard, take a short break from trading. After you are well-rested, you will have a much easier time when you return to the market.

News Events

News has a great impact on the direction of the market. After releasing the important news, the investors should not take immediate action. Someone who cannot take the uncertainty should try to avoid trading on Thursdays. On the other hand, some people who deal with the news should take a break on Mondays. What all this means, you ask? It means that every trader needs to have some kind of calendar, which will mean that they have both the time for relaxation and the time for work.

If you keep an academic calendar, it will be easy for you to find the time when you should stop your work. Traders are also required to collect authentic, legitimate news to take the right action. Surely, having a proper schedule will make it easier for you to avoid things like time-wasting, and other elements you don’t really need. Thankfully, there are many different ways you can do that. You can write it on a piece of paper or you can install an app that can help you with organizing your time.

Physical Sickness

When people are physically sick, they should take proper rest and try to stop thinking about trading. As a result of sickness, a dealer is unable to keep his or her focus on their goal and fails to carry out the trading activities properly which leads to bad sequels. During this time, investors should try to eat properly and gain strength. Just think about that, when you have some kind of physical sickness, you will not be able to focus on anything other than your current state. Therefore, you will need to avoid it at all costs.

The best way for you to do that is to organize your time a little bit better and you will have enough time to have a proper rest from all the daily activities. People can also do exercise to become fit. If people try to continue the trading process, they will lose their hope and make the wrong decisions. Traders should not take physical sickness lightly as, without good health, he will not be able to deal with the big challenges. So, you should take care of your physical condition by having proper rest.

When You Have Faced Three Repeated Losing or Winning Streaks

After facing continuous losing or winning streaks, traders should not try to open any new positions. Just think about it, you will need to monitor many new things after you’ve had a bad streak. Instead of overwhelming yourself with a lot of new things, you should focus on what you already have and make the most of it. However, before you do this, taking a break is something you need to do, without a doubt.

If you try to do this, there is a higher possibility of facing more losses. In the Forex field, you should try to grow the account by making a practical decision. By taking a break, people will get the chance to find out the reasons behind failures and improve their strategy if needed. What’s more, you will be able to have more thorough thinking about what are the next moves you can do to improve your situation.

The Summary

Sometimes, if an investor goes to a tourist place with his family, it helps to bring them happiness, and reduce stress and anxiety. Then the investor is able to increase their confidence level in trading. Without a doubt, this translates to more positive results in the future. Therefore, you need to be realistic about what you can achieve.

So, instead of taking too much burden on yourself, you will need to relieve stress levels, which are surely one of the commonest reasons why people underachieve sometimes. So, having proper rest is a key to success, not just for trading, but for all kinds of work.

6 Main Differences Between Long-Term and Short-Term Equities

Published on December 19, 2020December 19, 2020

Business

Equity represents shared ownership of assets by any investors. There are different types of equities, such as Contributed Surplus, Stocks, retained earnings, additional paid-in capital. The simple explanation of this term is that it represents the amount of money that an investor can get in form of profit as a result of his investments in assets or liabilities. Also, there are two main methods of investing in the market, long and short term equities. If you are interested in some of the best long term options for 2020, click here.

These types of investments are a varied popular option for a long time, and there are many professional organizations and groups of experts who choose to combine their investments for improved chances to make a profit. Stock is the most common type of equity, especially large-cap, domestic, growth, and small-cap stocks. Also, you can choose between two methods of trading, long term, and short term. In this article, we are going to introduce you to the main differences between these two options.

1. Duration of Financial Asset

People who are interested in investing more money are often interested in investments for longer period that might bring them a high profit over time. Apart from that, you could earn quickly by selecting the right option for a shorter period. Moreover, there are a lot of day-traders as well who are active on the market, and they are earning by investing in shares with higher volatility. When it comes to the dissimilarity between shorter and longer investments, the minimum duration for long-term investment is one year. Each investment that you withdraw in a period shorter than one year is considered as short-term equity.

2. Market Aspect

Depending on which sort of investment you are interested in, you should research the market with your preferences. You should check the analyses and the potential of every asset to check which period is the best. Therefore, if you are interested in investing money in shares of some company that has the potential to become successful over time, you should choose a long-term investment and wait for the profit for at least a couple of years.

3. Risk

While there is a risk in both situations, it is much higher for long-term investments because there is a chance that the equities you have chosen could become less valuable or even worthless in case that a company went bankrupt, or stocks significantly lose their value. When it comes to short-term investments, there is still a risk present, but since the period is much shorter, you always have time to withdraw your investments.

4. Status of The Capital Assets

This term is related to the market of real estate, where the investment is considered to be short-termed when you won a property for less than three years. The advantage is that there are fewer chances that you won’t make a profit. On the other hand, properties owned for more than three years are long-term ownerships, and they bring both risks and potential when it comes to value. The best way to keep your investment is to pay attention to proper maintenance and check the situation on the market more often. If you notice that there is a great chance for prices of real estate in your area to go down, you should immediately try to sell the property.

5. Profit

As we already mentioned, the main reason why people invest in assets for a longer period is that they are hoping to earn much more than they invested. That method has great potential if you manage to find the right equity. On the other hand, if you are interested in making a profit much faster, you should invest in stocks, market shares, and other types of equities and sell them during the same year or after they reach a higher price. The benefit of short-term investments is that you can gather profit more often. That is why many people choose to invest in several stocks and actively trade on the market with them.

6. Taxes

Another big difference is related to taxes. In most cases, the index will be lower for longer investments since you will have to wait for the profit. On the other side, it might get much more efficient to combine trading with different cheaper assets since the tax rates will be lower as well. Nevertheless, you have to know that each country has its regulations related to the taxation system, and you should learn more about one in your state.

The Bottom Line

The most popular short-term options are gilt funds, debt funds, bank deposits, post office deposits, treasury bills, money market funds, recurring deposits, large-cap funds, and more. ON the other hand, investing in stocks of some big corporations or start-ups with great potential are the most common options for longer investments. One of the best examples is related to the price of Apple shares. The famous company from the United States is present in the stock market for over 30 years. If you invested around $1,000 during the late 80s, you would have over $200,000 only from that investment.

There are many other similar examples where you could earn a lot of money by investing in the right thing. The same situation is on the market of cryptocurrencies as well, where Bitcoin has reached another record and is currently valued at over $20,000. During the first quarter of 2020, the price of BTC was around $3,500. In that matter, you could earn over $16,000. That was an example of a short term investment with a high return rate.

You should select the right option by your preferences and the amount of money you are prepared to invest. As you can see, both methods can provide you with an excellent profit. However, you should never rush with your decision over which type of asset to choose. Moreover, a lot of people rather invest in both long and short-term equities to improve their chances to make a profit and prevent losses.

7 Big Problems With Cryptocurrencies Everyone Should Know

Published on August 27, 2020August 30, 2020

Business

Blockchain technology has been praised for creating open markets and fighting corporate policies. Cryptocurrencies challenged traditional financial institutions offering better and more transparent transactions for users. Still, there are some downsides to digital coins that became apparent for the past couple of years. Investors have been buzzing that cryptocurrencies need more regulations implemented, even though creators of digital coins are firmly denying the proposition. However, they admitted having some problems with blockchains and are claiming that further decentralization will solve it. Here are some major problems with cryptocurrencies that users are complaining about.

Security

As blockchain technology becomes more advanced and sophisticated, so do the hackers. Security has been the most worrisome aspect when it comes to trading and investing. More decentralization of the open markets has been offered as a solution to the problem, but many are not convinced. On the contrary. Investors are asking for a more regulated system that will ensure at least some degree of protection from the cyber-attacks. Creators and investors are at odds right now about how to protect currency exchanges, but they will need to find a common ground soon since cyber criminals are on the rise since 2018. As a matter of fact, exchange encountered 15 times more cybercriminal attacks in the past few years.

Credibility

There have been many fake digital coins floating on the market looking for naïve users to scam them. This damaged the credibility of every legitimate cryptocurrency and justified critics’ stands. The most famous fraud was OneCoin when scammers caused damage of over $3 billion to the investors. The trust between creators and investors was at the all-time low, and many gave up completely from trading with crypto coins. Some speculators claim that almost 80% of all coins available are a scam. This is very harmful to the overall reputation of the major digital coins.

Transparency

This became a major issue lately when it was revealed that 80% of all coins are in the wallets of 20 people and companies. Of course, just like in a traditional financial system, no one really knows exactly who they are beyond rumors. Transparency is urgent now more than ever with all frauds that plagued the crypto world in the past years. Still, creators and big investors are keeping such information under wraps leaving ordinary users to question and fueling gossips that it’s all a scam from the get-go. Small businesses are left with several coins here and there and the majority of coins are in the hands of a few powerful people, just like in a banking system that we all know. With the lack of transparency, accountability quickly vanishes. Trading and investing with blindfolded is not only a risk, it’s worse than gambling. So, not knowing who holds the coins, and if things go south there will be no institutions to file complaints, has put off many traders from investing.

Liquidity

Recently, the king of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, lost its liquidity for tens of millions of dollars, when its price took a dive on the market for more than $1,500 in minutes. This volatility is something that investors fear the most. Fluctuations of the prices are common for stock markets, but crypto exchanges have been notorious for major ups and downs. This environment leaves powerful investors with the doors wide open to manipulate the prices and availability of the coins. So, the whole decentralization talk becomes obsolete. Lack of liquidity and stability makes prices drop a lot and no one can predict it. To check out the latest movements on the market go to bitcointrend.app.

Delays

Anxiety over fraudulent coins caused creators and markets to delay transactions until the trader can confirm it. This is not something investors sighed up for originally. Speedy and much cheaper transfers were one of the reasons many companies, especially retailers, began accepting cryptocurrencies. These delays are beating the purpose of switching from regular bank transactions to crypto markets since in the end, it comes up with the same amount of time needed to complete the transfers.

Prices

Just last year Korean coins launched a bot that manipulated the supply and thus, prices of the coin once a week. The fraud was revealed quickly and stopped in time before any major damage occurred. This is just one of the examples of how investors lose trust in open markets, where there are no regulating bodies to protect them from scammers. Korean scam caused a ripple effect on every exchange market, not just the one in Asia. The seed of doubt was planted in every trader’s mind and the trend has been ongoing. Occurrences like this harm the whole idea behind free markets and currencies that are going to be available to everyone. Creators of the coins defend their stand by claiming that no market is bulletproof from cyber-attacks, which is true, but that goes against their original stance that cyber currencies are safe and secure.

Regulations

Open markets have been accused of being unprofessional and unstable due to the lack of regulations. Many countries took some actions to make cryptocurrencies part of their rules and laws, like SEC in the United States. Many investors and supporters of the digital coins have been calling for more legislation that will protect them from criminals and hackers. Creators are firmly against it saying that will beat the purpose of the whole idea of open markets. For now, they are on the opposite sides and the resolution is not even on sight. In the meantime, regular folks are left to fight the storm of cybercriminals and fake coins by themselves.

The idea about the currency that is free of any laws and regulations worked a decade ago when there were a few coins available and the market was pretty simple to follow. Today, many saw the opportunity to cash in by dealing with fake digital money and scamming people. On the other hand, users have to bear part of the responsibility also. Many thought that entering open market investing in crypto coins is the easy way to make millions overnight. The problem is, cybercriminals came up with the same idea.

The Unexpected Benefits of the Coronavirus Lockdown

Published on June 12, 2020

Coronavirus

‘2020’ had a very nice, symmetrical ring to it… until it actually arrived. Now, with almost half the year gone in virtual captivity for most of us, it will probably be remembered as the Year of the Virus or the Year of the Lockdown.

However, the worldwide shutdown has had some positive consequences, too. It seems that human beings manage to find a silver lining no matter how dark the cloud.

Air Quality

We could have predicted some of the benefits of the lockdown, for example, the fall in world pollution levels due to the massive decrease in daily commutes and international travel.

It is estimated that poor air quality costs the average person three years off their life expectancy. Marshall Burke, an environmental resource economist from Stanford University found that the improvement in air quality in China alone has saved the lives of 4,000 children under 5 and 73,000 adults over 70.

Chinese air quality has been markedly worse than the world average for decades due to the country’s over-industrialization. However, the improvement in air breathability is a worldwide phenomenon, and citizens the world over are already reaping its benefits.

The lockdown’s impact on emissions goes far beyond just workers traveling to and from work; it even includes moms driving to the store for groceries, running errands, and taking their children to sports practice. Covid-19 has put a stop to all of that.

As a result, online shopping which had already been on the uptick prior to the pandemic has boomed. The lockdown was just what the doctor ordered, so to speak, for online retailers. The surge in online apparel shopping has been a boon for reputable websites like Seven.Deals, which consistently offer huge savings.

Better Diets

Perhaps the most positive side-effect of the lockdown that we can personally see has been the forced departure from junk food and unhealthy precooked meals. A study by Reuters of 11,000 people across 11 countries found that the lockdown has inspired a significant shift in eating habits.

Previously, a quick and convenient lunch was the most unavoidable reason to eat out virtually every single day for most workers. A wide choice of midday meals was conveniently available at countless restaurants and cafes within walking distance of the workplace. Unfortunately, that convenience brought with it a wealth of unhealthy options soaked in saturated fats and excess calories.

With the daily commute to and from work gone, people are easily saving at least an hour of travel time to dedicate to their own wellbeing. It seems that this additional time is being put to good use in creating healthy meals at home.

There has actually been a twofold impetus behind the trend towards better eating. The second reason is the lack of temptation.

With trips to stores becoming few and far between, there is a decreased likelihood of being tempted to impulse-buy treats and comfort food off the shelves. Junk food ads are still running on TV but with the opportunity to shop so scarce itself, there has been an inevitable decline in the amount of salt, sugar, and artificial additives in our diets.

Self-Sufficiency

One of the most alarming things about the lockdown period was the sight of empty store shelves. For most of us, it was a scene that we had only seen in the news from other countries, but could never imagine experiencing here at home. The shock has inspired a shift towards self-sufficiency.

From making bread at home (which led to dry yeast flying off the shelves) to a surge in sales of gardening tools and seeds, Americans are taking matters into their own hands. Data shows that there has been a 36 percent increase in the number of us growing vegetables, herbs and tomatoes at home. A whopping 65 percent of those individuals said that they were inspired to do so because of the uncertainty brought about by the coronavirus.

This trend is partially related to the point about healthy eating which we touched on above. People have found that they can grow fresh produce at home, foregoing the pesticides and additives that are essential to mass-produced crops. With the pride and satisfaction of growing your own food comes the pleasure of creating meals that your own hard work has reaped.

The result is meals that taste better, cost less to make, and bring with them myriad health benefits for the entire family.

Boundless Creativity

If the lockdown has taught us one thing, it is that we can entertain ourselves at home. While most people inevitably fall into the trap of binge-watching TV shows and movies, some are taking the creative route out of boredom.

There has been an explosion in the number of DIY projects that people are attempting in their own homes. The projects range from simple forays into art and decoration to furniture builds and automobile restoration. For others, it manifests as a simple rearrangement of furniture in every room of the house.

Whatever form thee creativity takes, there is no doubt that the world is discovering an entirely new dimension to its creativity in isolation.

In fact, it seems that while late-night show hosts are struggling to produce content from the solitude of their palatial homes, the average YouTuber and Twitch streamer is finding no such challenge. There has been a substantial increase in the number of video channels creating and uploading original content on a regular basis this year.

On a more serious and practical note, inventors and researchers are turning their ingenuity to solving the unique problems that the coronavirus presents. With patents for devices from hands-free door openers to special ventilators to antiviral masks, they are proving that the saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ is absolutely true.

A Testament to Human Spirit

As we approach the middle of the year, there seems to be some respite from the relentless bad news. Data indicates that the number of new infections has begun to taper off and that many more people are recovering from the disease than before. Meanwhile, scientists have made significant progress towards the development of a vaccine.

For all the misery the coronavirus has inspired, the most important lesson we can take from it is that the indomitable human spirit always prevails.

How to Patent an Idea for Invention

Published on February 15, 2020April 2, 2020

Business

You’ve designed something exceptional, an idea that could change the world for the better (or at least part of it) and you’ve come to the most important part – you want to make it officially yours and patent it. You’re full of sketches and drawings. And sure that your product could be commercially exploited, you could successfully self-employ and soon develop the right production over time. However, you also don’t want it to come into someone else’s hands and for someone else to shamelessly get rich based on your anguish and hours of work.

So, whenever we have a great idea for innovation in any field, the same questions arise: How to do it? How to patent a product? How to know if it’s already registered? In this article, we will explain the basic notions you should know to protect your ideas and make that dream come true.

What should you know about this?

A patent is a title that recognizes the right to exclusively exploit an invention, preventing others from manufacturing, selling or using it without the owner’s consent. In return, what is legally protected is made available to the public for general knowledge?

In this sense, we need to understand that they’re the only valid means to prove ownership of an idea or concept of industrial application. These are property titles and as such allow the inventor to conduct negotiations based on the total or partial session of the exploitation rights of the idea. In order to achieve this, your innovation needs to meet three requirements:

To be totally new in the world.
To be inventive (not based on any obviousness).
Not to be abstract: to have an industrial application and be able to be carried out.

Legally protecting an idea entails undergoing a legal procedure regulated by strict and generally immovable deadlines, as they recall from the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). That’s why it’s more than advisable to hire a lawyer or an industrial property consultant with experience in these areas. From the PTO they also recommend studying the application procedure in detail and requesting it in a strategic way, at the time and for the reasons that best suit their exploitation plans.

Decide what and how we want to protect

The first thing we have to do is define well what we want to protect, with what image and under what brand or name. Also, to make sure that there’s really nothing like that in the world.

Then, we’ll present our application at the PTO, accompanied by other documents such as the applicant’s data, a description of the idea with their respective plans, novelty claims (according to the PTO, the most important aspect) and a summary of everything.

Clarify the ownership from the beginning

It’s our responsibility or the responsibility of the team we work with (as well as the institutions involved in the development), to define this. It needs to be known who is going to be the holders since it can be registered by several people.

When the person or institutions involved in a development don’t clarify this situation from the beginning, the confusion generated might legally complicate later, and even stop the protection process. So, always think about this.

Think about documentation

The documentation needed to apply for a patent may seem simple at first glance. A descriptive memory’s simply required where it’s all explained. Claims where the desired protection is specifically established, drawings, a request with the information of the owner and the inventors… The problem is that poor writing of the report or claims strongly affects the protection granted.

An example of bad writing: one that defines the invention too concretely so that a third party with a small modification no longer infringes it. The problem’s even greater when one reads the law and discovers that the initially submitted documentation can’t be easily corrected without losing the application date. Given the difficulty of the subject and the importance of good protection for the business, there are professionals in drafting and processing. These professionals are industrial property agents or patent agents. It’s also possible to hire a company like Invent Help whose representatives will be more than happy to shape your ideas with you and help you go through the process.

Presentation and pre-examination

When all the documentation is there, a presentation date or priority date is granted to the application. After that, a form examination will be carried out to verify that the papers are okay. From there we have a whole year to submit protection applications in other countries if we see that our idea can have commercial success outside of our state. At some point in it we’ll receive a search report of possible ideas similar to ours. The PTO, after reviewing the formal requirements required, will conduct an international search. Its aim is detecting the most similar examples of ideas that may affect the novelty, inventive activity and industrial application of the thing we want to patent. Made by an experienced examiner, this report usually includes a patentability opinion that will eventually be forwarded to the patent applicant.

Grant of the patent

In the end, the PTO issues an application receipt – the document that establishes the starting point of the rights. From the date of application, the invention can already be disclosed without risk to affect the process. In practice, once the patent is filed, the person or company that has developed the invention begins to present the invention to potential customers, suppliers or investors. If the examiners decide to grant it, upon payment of all fees, the decision is published in the Official Bulletin of Industrial Property, and the legal protection will be effective from the same day of the date of publication.

And about other countries…

These, like the other industrial property registers, are territorial in nature and therefore only offer protection in those countries where they’re registered. The law establishes a period of 12 months, expandable to 30 months, from the date of application of the first patent to apply for the same thing in other countries. If the applicant doesn’t take advantage of this period, he can no longer request protection for the same invention in other countries.

We hope that this guide and steps helped you become even more motivated to show your best to the world and make something that will change it. Don’t hesitate anymore – now you have all you need to do it – make it happen!

4 Cities Leading The Luxury Real Estate Market

Published on August 6, 2019July 25, 2020

Travel

If you’re interested in investing in luxury real estate, it’s important to take a global view of the market. In fact, some of the most exciting opportunities today may be slightly off the beaten path. Keep an eye on these 4 cities, particularly if you’re planning to purchase rental property – they’re primed for growth and have plenty of available properties for interested investors.

Desirable Dubai

In the last decade or so, Dubai has become the center of luxury development, home to such remarkable structures as the Burj Khalifa, Princess Tower, and the Dubai Frame. For those looking for residential properties for investment, however, it’s important to understand how individuals approach the apartment market.

First, Dubai is known for its high cost of living, and the added costs of purchasing a home in Dubai can be out of reach for many individuals. Second, many wealthy individuals seeking luxury accommodations travel back and forth to Dubai on business or leisure, which can make foreigner-owned apartments especially popular. Investing in apartments that appeal to part-time residents and travelers can be a very profitable approach.

New York’s Economic Edge

New York has always been associated with luxury accommodations, but because the city’s status is so long established, it can sometimes be hard for investors to break into the market. The city is home to a vibrant and vital economy, and according to the ManhattanMiami, New York is responsible for 10% of the United States entire GDP. Investors interested in purchasing property in prime areas, then, should work with a real estate agent experienced with the city’s market and who regularly works with high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. To put it simply, New York isn’t a city for new or casual investors.

Toronto’s Take Off

Toronto isn’t known for the sort of luxury market you’ll find in New York or Dubai, but it’s still home to a thriving real estate sector. In particular, Toronto has a strong luxury condo market, along with its neighboring cities like Mississauga (check condo options here), despite slowdowns in other parts of the market related to administrative changes. It’s also a tough market to break into for international investors, since most of the new regulations and taxes aim to limit non-resident investment, so be prepared to navigate significant bureaucracy if you want a shot at this market. It may be worth it when you consider lower prices and decreased competition.

Opportunities In Orlando

Orlando is a surprising player in the luxury real estate market, particularly because of its proximity to amusement parks and beaches – vacation destinations, as well as its large population of retirees. Despite those unusual traits, though, rents in Orlando keep rising, unemployment is low, and overall population and job growth are on an upward swing. For these reasons, Orlando can be a good starter market for investors who don’t have the type of money it takes to break into New York or other major markets.

Most major cities have at least a small luxury market, but it’s the bigger cities that really offer investors opportunities to grow and compete. Whether you’re interested in purchasing properties in a nearby city, then, or you’re willing to look far afield, the best thing you can do is keep an open mind. You want a market that plays to your skills and your budget, not just one where others have carved out a niche. Ultimately, charting your own path is a key part of investment success.