Ethereum vs Bitcoin

Ethereum vs Bitcoin: Similarities and Differences

More than 13 years ago, Bitcoin emerged as the first blockchain-based cryptocurrency — and Ethereum wasn’t far behind. While Bitcoin (BTC) was created as a store of value, Ethereum (ETH) was established as a more innovative platform aimed at revolutionizing the finance world through the use of smart contracts and DeFi apps.

Although the crypto market has since exploded — with thousands of different cryptocurrencies to choose from — Bitcoin and Ethereum are still the two market leaders. So it can be valuable to understand how they started, and what these two crypto greats each bring to the table for investors.

What Are the Key Differences Between Bitcoin and Ethereum?

BTC and ETH have many similarities. Both blockchains offer anonymous transactions, and neither is controlled by a central authority like a bank or government. However, there are some key differences to note. The primary purpose of ETH is not to create an alternative monetary system but to facilitate and monetize the operation of Ethereum’s DeFi capabilities, including smart contracts, dApps, NFTs, and even the creation of new coins via ICOs.

Blockchain Design

The main difference between BTC and ETH is their underlying technology and utility. Block times (how long it takes to produce a new block on the blockchain) are different, as are the programming languages.

And although both BTC and ETH can be used for value transactions, the Ethereum blockchain is programmable and was designed to have additional DeFi uses, such as contracts and applications.

Transaction Times

Bitcoin is known for its slow and expensive transactions. It takes around 10 minutes to complete a Bitcoin transaction, while an Ethereum transaction only takes 12 seconds.

Block Limit

Another limitation is Bitcoin’s block size — the amount of transactions that can take place on a single block. It takes about 10 minutes to mine a new block on the Bitcoin blockchain, and each block can contain 1 MB of information.

As a result, the Bitcoin blockchain can handle three to four transactions per second. The Ethereum blockchain, however, does not have a block limit. The miners decide how many transactions are put into a block, and currently, it can handle about 15 transactions per second.

Bitcoin Fundamentals

Although Bitcoin (BTC) has now become a household name, many people have not purchased Bitcoins because they either don’t understand the technology, or they think it is too difficult to figure out.

At a very high level, Bitcoin (BTC) is a virtual or digital currency that is created and secured using advanced cryptography — essentially, in this case, the solving of complex mathematical problems. Bitcoin can be stored, sent, and spent just like any other form of currency (with limitations), and it can now be used to buy many things from a coffee at Starbucks® to a mansion.

Bitcoin is based on blockchain technology. A blockchain is a a transparent, digital ledger of transactions. In the case of Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies, this ledger is public, meaning anyone can look at it to see past transactions. It’s also considered a distributed ledger, because it’s maintained by a global network of nodes, or miners, who compete to verify Bitcoin transactions and earn rewards.

Bitcoin is created through the process of keeping this ledger running and secured. Individuals around the world, or miners, solve complex mathematical equations, to ensure that the Bitcoin blockchain is accurate and up to date. As a reward for doing this work, the miners receive newly minted Bitcoin as well as transaction fees. This is called a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism.

PoW has been widely criticized as being unsustainable because it requires vast amounts of energy to run computer networks — known as mining rigs — to validate transactions and mint new BTC.

Other types of cryptocurrencies use different methods to create coins and keep their blockchains running.

The total number of Bitcoin that can ever exist is 21 million, and as of March 2022, nearly 19 million have been mined. Approximately three to four million Bitcoin have been lost forever, due to people losing their private keys.

It is estimated that there are over one million unique individuals mining Bitcoin around the world. After all the Bitcoins have been mined, miners will continue to receive transaction fees to incentivize them to keep the network running.

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How Bitcoins Are Used

Each Bitcoin is made up of 100 million Satoshis (named for Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym that reflects the person or group of people who developed Bitcoin in 2009). To use Bitcoin for transactions, you’ll need to have a crypto wallet, which allows you to safely store your crypto.

A crypto wallet doesn’t actually contain your Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. These digital wallets are simply where you store and secure your proof of ownership using pairs of public and private keys that give you, and only you, access to your crypto.

The private key should never be shared with anyone and is only used when you are sending or selling your Bitcoin. Your wallet should also have a public key, which is where Bitcoins are sent when you buy or are gifted with them. If you tell someone your public key, they can go onto the Bitcoin blockchain ledger and view any past transactions you’ve made.

If you invest in Bitcoin through an exchange (a digital platform that puts buyers and sellers together to make a trade), you may not have access to your private key. This is why exchanges can be vulnerable to hacks. For this reason, it may not be a good idea to store large amounts of Bitcoin on exchanges, but you can decide based on which type of exchange or app you use to trade BTC. You can send and receive Bitcoins using your wallet, or your public and private addresses.

Who Controls the Bitcoin Blockchain?

In 2008, a person or group that went by the name Satoshi Nakamoto proposed the idea of blockchain technology, and in early 2009 he/they launched it. However, he/they doesn’t/don’t own Bitcoin. In fact, due to the way it’s designed, no individual or group entity owns or controls the Bitcoin blockchain because it’s decentralized.

Bitcoin isn’t controlled by a corporation, individual, or government. Instead, the blockchain continues to run through its network of miners. Changes and upgrades to the code can be proposed, and in order for them to be adopted, all of the miners need to implement them.

This is because the same software has to work consistently for all developers in order for Bitcoin to be maintained. The decentralized nature of Bitcoin is perhaps one of its most appealing features, and it helped set the stage for the emergence of decentralized finance or DeFi, which is disrupting the models and institutions of traditional finance as we speak.

Historical Highlights

When it first launched, Bitcoin didn’t have a price. It wasn’t until someone was willing to purchase (transact) it that it began to establish a dollar value. In 2009, the first Bitcoins were sold, giving each Bitcoin a price of $0.0009.

The first Bitcoin product transaction happened in May of 2010, when someone purchased two pizzas with 10,000 BTC. Those bitcoins would be worth millions of dollars today. Since then, the price of Bitcoin has risen and fallen dramatically due to supply and demand, but overall the trend has been towards greater adoption and (mostly) higher value.

There have been a few major Bitcoin crashes, mostly sparked by hacking and illegal activities. The highest price to date was over $68,000 in November 2021.

As of March 16, 2022, one BTC was worth about $39,615.

The Future of Bitcoin

Although Bitcoin has become more widely used over the past decade, it has a long way to go before it becomes a mainstream currency. In the long run, it may become more of a financial asset than a means of purchase.

Its limited supply and decentralized nature make it more similar to gold than to a government-issued fiat currency. Currently, some investors are wary of Bitcoin’s high transaction fees, volatility, and lack of regulation. While work is being done to improve these issues, what will ultimately become of Bitcoin is yet to be seen.

Ethereum Fundamentals

Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum (ETH) is also built using blockchain technology, but as an open-sourced computing platform. Ether (ETH) is the native token.

The platform enables the formation of decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts — a digitally facilitated agreement between two parties that’s written in code into the blockchain technology. The code automatically executes the terms of the contract when specific conditions are met by all parties. The chief innovation of smart contracts is that there is no third-party required to enforce the terms of the agreement.

Similar to the Bitcoin blockchain, the Ethereum blockchain can also be used for payments and monetary transactions. Ethereum tokens are the cryptocurrency used for transacting on the Ethereum blockchain.

How Ethereum Is Made

Similar to Bitcoin mining, Ethereum uses a proof-of-work (PoW) algorithm — coded transactions for each new block of data confirmed by miners — to keep its blockchain running and to create new tokens. However, Ethereum has announced a plan to migrate to a proof-of-stake (PoS) algorithm.

With PoS, users can validate blocks of transactions based on how many coins they hold. The more ETH you hold as a miner, the greater your mining control.

Unlike Bitcoin, the total number of ETH is not fixed. Instead, the amount mined grows and shrinks based on demand. Currently there is a limit of about 18 million ETH that can be mined each year, simply based on the amount of time it takes for miners to confirm transactions.

Buying and Using Ethereum

The process of using Ethereum is similar to Bitcoin. You hold an Ethereum wallet and transact using public and private keys.

One key difference between BTC vs. ETH is that you need to hold ETH in order to execute transactions on the Ethereum blockchain. Because every Ethereum transaction consumes computational resources, transactions come with a cost. Gas is the fee needed to conduct an Ethereum transaction.

Ethereum fees can only be paid in Ether (ETH), the native currency of Ethereum. ETH Gas prices are denominated in a unit known as gwei, which is a term used to refer to an amount of ETH equal to 0.000000001 ETH.

Ethereum’s Team

The founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, first started working in the industry in 2011 when he founded Bitcoin Magazine. He published a paper proposing Ethereum in 2013 and launched the blockchain in 2015.

As an open-source, programmable blockchain, Ethereum welcomes input from contributors around the world. However, they do maintain a small team of developers within the Ethereum Foundation, which supports the project through research and education.

Pricing

As of March 16, 2022, one BTC was worth $39,615 and one ETH was worth $2,679. Although BTC is worth more than ETH, the two cryptocurrencies follow a very similar price trajectory. As one of the largest cryptocurrencies and nearly as famous as Bitcoin, when Bitcoin goes up or down in value, Ethereum tends to follow.

Which to Buy? Bitcoin or Ethereum?

With first to market advantage, Bitcoin continues to hold the largest share of the cryptocurrency market. There is something to be said for brand recognition and reputation. However, that doesn’t mean that Bitcoin necessarily has the best technology, that it will prevail in the long run, or that it’s the only cryptocurrency you might purchase.

Most of the digital currency exchanges, wallets, and other products surrounding cryptocurrencies support both Bitcoin and Ethereum. Nobody knows which coin will grow more in value over time.

With its quicker transaction times and smart contract abilities, the Ethereum network may have some DeFi advantages over Bitcoin. However, debates about whether to cap the total amount of Ethereum, and the merits of moving Ethereum to a PoS protocol, may cause volatility in the coming years.

The bottom line is that investors may find BTC or ETH equally appealing (or not), depending on their own goals and views of the future of crypto.

The Takeaway

When comparing Ethereum vs. Bitcoin, the question is not which of these two leading cryptocurrencies is better, but rather what are the strengths and differences they each may offer investors? While ETH and BTC are both digital currencies, i.e. both are decentralized and operate using distributed ledger technology (a.k.a. blockchain), the underlying architecture and the goals of each project are completely different.

While Bitcoin (BTC) was created as a means of payment and a store of value, the main purpose of ETH was to support and monetize the operation of Ethereum’s DeFi capabilities, including smart contracts, dApps, NFTs, and more. Could the evolution of the Ethereum platform to a proof-of-stake system — sometimes called Ethereum 2.0 – shift its long-held position as the #2 crypto on the market? It’s hard to say, but something that investors and crypto analysts will be watching closely.

Photo credit: iStock/Ridofranz



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Crypto: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t endorsed or guaranteed by any government, are volatile, and involve a high degree of risk. Consumer protection and securities laws don’t regulate cryptocurrencies to the same degree as traditional brokerage and investment products. Research and knowledge are essential prerequisites before engaging with any cryptocurrency. US regulators, including FINRA , the SEC , and the CFPB , have issued public advisories concerning digital asset risk. Cryptocurrency purchases should not be made with funds drawn from financial products including student loans, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, savings, retirement funds or traditional investments. Limitations apply to trading certain crypto assets and may not be available to residents of all states.

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Estate Planning Checklist: 12 Things to Get in Order

Estate Planning Checklist: 12 Things to Get in Order

It may not be a fun thing to think about or talk about, but it’s important to get your estate planning organized. Unfortunately, death doesn’t just happen to other people. We should all get our affairs in order so that our loved ones can focus on grieving and moving on once we pass.

Of course, a “getting your affairs in order before death checklist” may not rank as the ultimate way to kick off a relaxing weekend, but you will rest easy once it’s all said and done. Luckily, it’s not nearly as painful as you might think. It can be less painful than doing your taxes every year. Here, we break it down for you into 12 steps.

12 Estate Planning Must-Haves

Estate planning isn’t just something for retirees or people with multiple homes. All of us need to take this step and determine how and by whom decisions will be made if we are incapacitated or near the end of our life. We also need to funnel our assets to the appropriate people when our time on earth is over.

It can sound grim, we grant you that, but it’s actually a gift to your loved ones to get all of this taken care of. So let us take you through the dozen items to wrangle so you know your affairs are in order.

1. Last Will and Testament

This is super-important because it outlines how your estate (your assets) will be divided. A will is a legal document that serves a couple of important functions. Wills are mainly used to specify how you want to distribute your assets. Assets can include things like personal property, real estate, cars, bank accounts, art, jewelry, or stocks. Despite what some people think, you can give your assets to anyone. You aren’t limited to immediate family. You can even donate your assets to charities or nonprofits if you wish.

A will also ensure that the people you care about are taken care of after you have passed away. If you have any children, a will can name whom you intend to become their guardians if you die. It can also do the same for pets.

You can create a will online using digital tools (you will need it signed and witnessed, though) or work with an attorney, often for under $1,000, to create one.

Recommended: What Happens If You Die Without A Will?

2. Proof of Identity

When the time comes for a will to be put into effect, an executor of the estate plays a crucial role. This individual, who you can name in your will, carries out your will’s instructions. To help this person do their job, make sure you have all of your IDs in one place. Documents you will want to have may include:

•   Birth certificate

•   Social security card

•   Armed forces discharge papers

•   Marriage certificate

•   Prenuptial agreement

•   Divorce certificate

This will make following your directives that much easier.

3. Digital Logins and Passwords

In recent years, our digital lives have become inextricably woven into our “real life.” It’s not uncommon for people to have dozens of digital accounts, containing vital information about our assets. Should you fall ill or suddenly die, your loved ones will likely need to access some of them. For example, you may have financial account information there, and email may be how you interact with some of your closest friends and colleagues. Fortunately, there are many ways to properly document and keep track of your online accounts. Whether you use a digital vault, an integrated password manager, or simply pen and paper, you should establish a system for your loved ones. You can pass this information along to your financial power of attorney to deal with, or you can name a digital executor to close your accounts and distribute your assets.

4. Property Deeds and Titles

Any titles you have for cars, homes, or real estate need to be gathered and put in a safe place. Details on that “safe place” need to be shared with one or two key people in your life, like your next of kin and/or your will’s executor. However, just gathering these items doesn’t mean you can necessarily spare your loved ones the process known as probate. Probate is a potentially complicated and expensive process in which a deceased person’s property is reviewed and allocated. Having a will is of course an important step, but with real estate, for example, things can get complicated even with that document in place. To skip the probate process, you can create a revocable living trust (which is discussed below), and then transfer ownership of your properties to it and list the trust as the current owner.

It’s important to remember that any names on titles or deeds will overrule anything you write in a will. For example, if you bought a car with your ex-wife a few years before you got a divorce and her name is still on the title, it won’t matter whose name you write in your will. She will inherit the car because it is her name that is on the title.

5. Revocable Living Trust

Above, we mentioned the potentially drawn-out and expensive process of probate and why you would want to take steps now to help your loved one’s avoid it later. Let’s drill down on one way to do just that. A revocable living trust is a type of legal instrument that allows you to use and control your property while you’re alive, but also change who inherits it at will. If you have one legally established, it allows all of the assets you entrust to it to skip probate, meaning your beneficiaries can receive your assets much more quickly.

After you’ve created a revocable living trust, you must also name a ‘successor trustee’ to manage your trust. This person will be responsible for distributing your assets to the proper beneficiaries.

Recommended: What Is A Trust Fund?

6. Debts

It would be nice if all debts vanished when our lives ended, but, sorry, that’s not how things work. Your beneficiaries are going to need to know about and potentially address your debts (these are often paid out from your estate before the remaining assets are distributed). To smooth the process, compile a list of all your debts. This may include things like:

•   Auto loans

•   Credit cards

•   Mortgages

•   Personal loans

•   Student loans

On your list include contact information for the lender, your account number, login information, and approximate debt amount. For credit cards, include a list of frequently used credit cards and ones you simply have but rarely use. If you have a lot of open cards in your name, and aren’t quite sure how many you have, you may want to get a free credit report from Annual Credit Report .

7. Non-probate Assets and Beneficiaries

If you have assets that are able to skip probate, meaning they can be transferred directly to the named beneficiaries after you die, then you should keep up to date on naming beneficiaries (say, if a death or divorce has occurred) and keep a list of these assets with account details. Which details exactly? Details like where any paperwork or policies are, account numbers, and contact information for the issuing entity are a good place to start.

Non-probate assets include such things as:

•   Insurance policies

•   401(k) accounts and IRAs

•   Pensions

Non-probate assets should not be listed in your will because any designations you make with each institution will override anything you write anyway.

8. Financials

While you are gathering all of your estate materials, make sure to keep a neat list of all your login and password information for the following:

•   Bank accounts

•   Car insurance

•   Credit cards

•   Health insurance

•   Home insurance

•   Life insurance

•   Loans

•   Pension plans

•   Retirement benefits

•   Tax returns

If everything is online, you may want to make sure every account is listed along with your other digital accounts in your password manager or digital vault.

9. Advance Healthcare Directive

An advance healthcare directive (also known as an AHCD) allows you to decide, in advance, how medical decisions should be made on your behalf if you are unable to communicate your wishes. AHCDs typically have two parts: designating a medical power of attorney (you may also hear this called a healthcare proxy; we share more on this below) and a living will.

A living will describes and outlines your medical care wishes just in case you are ever unable to communicate them to your healthcare providers or loved ones. It can describe any aspect of healthcare preferences, and can include things like:

•   End-of-life requests

•   Medications

•   Resuscitation requests

•   Surgeries and surgical procedures

10. Power of Attorney

This is an important part of putting together your estate-planning checklist. The goal here is typically to make sure that, if you were incapacitated (say, due to dementia or a medical emergency), someone could act on your behalf. When you give someone power of attorney, that person then has legal authority to manage all of your affairs. There are two types of power of attorney: financial and medical.

A financial power of attorney is responsible for:

•   Accessing your bank accounts to pay for healthcare, bills, groceries, and any other housing needs you have

•   Collecting upon any debts you have

•   Filing taxes on your behalf

•   Applying for benefits, such as Medicaid

•   Making investment decisions on your behalf

•   Managing any properties you own

A medical power of attorney (also sometimes referred to as a healthcare proxy) is responsible for:

•   Choosing which doctors or care providers you see

•   Deciding what type of medical care you receive

•   Will advocate if there are disagreements about your care

It’s not uncommon for one person to be designated as both a financial and medical power of attorney, but they don’t have to be the same person. It often provides tremendous peace of mind to know you have designated who will look after your best interests in the situations outlined above.

11. Funeral Wishes

Okay, take a deep breath for this one. It may sound morbid at first, but wouldn’t you want your earthly remains and any celebration of your life to reflect your wishes? So it can make sense to spell out what you want to happen to your body (say, burial, cremation, organ donation).

You can also detail funeral wishes. This typically includes things like what type of music you want to be played or passages to be read, and you can even specify that you want charitable donations instead of flowers.

Whatever you decide, just make sure you communicate your wishes. Unlike other things on this list, there isn’t a formal, legal document you need to sign, but you can usually include your wishes somewhere in your will.

12. Speak with an Estate Planner

Now that you’ve read almost all of this estate planning checklist, you should still consider getting some skilled guidance. Even if you’re completely comfortable writing up legal documents, it’s a good idea to visit an estate planner to make sure you’ve covered all of your bases. He or she may have recommendations for you that can save everyone money and better protect your beneficiaries.

Recommended: Estate Planning 101: The Basics of Estate Planning

The Takeaway

While it can be a difficult topic to think about, estate planning takes time and patience. If you have children, dependents, or a spouse, clear up a weekend and do it as soon as possible. Life happens fast even in the best of circumstances

Estate Planning Made Easier: SoFi and Trust & Will Partnership

Now that you know the steps involved, here’s a super-simple way to approach some of these to-do’s: with a digital estate planning partner. No in-person sales pitches or long phone calls required! SoFi has joined forces with Trust & Will*, a leading provider, and offers a 10% discount to help you purchase Guardian, Will, or Trust-based estate plans.

Interested in the easy and reliable route to estate planning? Check out what’s offered by SoFi in partnership with Trust & Will.

Photo credit: iStock/Kerkez


*Trust & Will, a leading digital estate planning platform, is offering a 10% discount specifically for SoFi members. No promo code required. The 10% discount is automatically applied at checkout to the initial purchase of any Guardian, Will, or Trust-based estate plan.
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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Do I Need a Will? Who Needs a Will (And When?)

Do I Need a Will? Who Needs a Will (and When?)

If you’re thinking, ‘Do I need a will?’ chances are, the answer is yes. Thinking about a will can feel morbid and unnecessary, especially when you’re young, healthy, and still growing your wealth. And it’s true that not everyone needs a will, especially if you’re single and growing your worth. What’s more, because the term “will” can be used to encompass end-of-life directives, it can confusing to know exactly what people mean if they say, “You should have a will.”

So, we’re here to clarify the topic. Read on to learn exactly which documents are needed if the worst were to happen and you were unable to make your end-of-life wishes known.

What Does a Will Really Do?

Simply speaking, a will dictates what will happen to your assets when you die. It can also be used to provide direction for who will care for any children and pets you have. Without a will, your property will be passed on according to state law, which means that your belongings may go to your spouse or nearest surviving relative, like a parent or sibling.

In some cases, this can be fine. But for people with children or people who own a home, this may not be ideal. Not only that, but dying without a will may put a burden on surviving relatives, leading to a costly and complex process.

In short, a will can communicate your wishes. For instance, it can:

•   Dictate who the executor (the person who administrates the will) is

•   Make a plan for how property will be distributed

•   Make a plan for how children or pets will be cared for

•   Make a plan for how debts and taxes will be paid

Creating a will does not need to be a long and complicated process. But it does need to be legal. While handwritten wills are acceptable in some states, they may be subject to additional scrutiny and may still need a signed witness to be valid.

Recommended: How To Make a Will: 7 Steps

What Does a Will Not Cover?

Let’s review some terms to see what different documents do:

•   A simple will determines what happens to your assets after you die.

•   A living will and other advance directives dictate what may happen if you were incapacitated and unable to make medical decisions. Both can be drawn up at the same time. These are legal documents that spell out medical treatments you would and would not want to be used to keep you alive. It typically communicates your preferences about other decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. In addition, if you have very specific wishes about whom you want to make financial and healthcare decisions if you were to be incapacitated, a living will can document those. This can be helpful if, for example, you’re not married but would want your partner (and not your parents) making these decisions if you were unable to make them yourself.

The guidelines and requirements for creating these documents can vary state by state. Attorneys, as well as online planning templates, can provide the documents to cover all potential end-of-life what-ifs, including creating a living will and advance directive, as well as a standard will to cover all bases.

Recommended: What Happens If You Die Without A Will?

When Do You Need a Will?

In a nutshell, you need a will if you have a spouse, children, or considerable assets. A will can take the guesswork out of matters if you were to die and can avoid legal complications.

Even if your life is relatively “simple” to unpack, a will can ensure there are no uncertainties and that your survivors are crystal clear about your wishes. Some times to consider a will:

•   When you want to leave things to family and friends. These may not be valuables but could be meaningful, sentimental items

•   When you own property

•   When you have a spouse and/or children

•   When you want to provide to a charity

•   When you have a positive net worth

•   When you have a complicated financial picture

In short, a will can help answer any questions your survivors may have, simplifying a process that may be emotion-filled. It can also help provide peace of mind that if you were to die, your loved ones will have a road map.

Are You Married? You Need a Will

You may think a will isn’t necessary if you’re married. After all, your assets will simply go to your spouse, right? It’s not that simple. State laws do differ. Typically, but not always, spouses, domestic partners and blood relatives are first in line when it comes to receiving inheritance. Having a will ensures that you direct where you want your estate to go, protecting the interests of those closest to you.

Another issue comes up when you pass away without a will, which is known as being intestate: the state gets involved in a potentially lengthy process called probate. A court-appointed administrator will identify legal heirs and determine how your estate is divided and bills are paid, according to the laws of your state. This can make for a complicated situation in which your spouse must wait for an inheritance, potentially causing financial hardship.

There’s another reason why a will is valuable if you’re married. It’s likely you and your spouse will create what’s known as a mutual will (these should be created with a lawyer’s help). After one partner dies, the remaining party is bound by the terms of the mutual will. This kind of document can, for example, be used to ensure that property gets passed to the deceased’s children rather than to a new spouse. In this way, a will can smoothe family dynamics in the future and ensure that your wishes are followed.

Recommended: Joint Will: What Is a Mutual Will?

Do You Have Kids? You Need a Will

One motivating factor for creating a will is when a couple has children. A will not only allows you to choose a guardian for your children, but it also allows you to name a guardian for your children’s finances — and they don’t necessarily need to be the same person.

It’s important to create a will even if the assumption is that the child’s other parent will look after the children. Not only can a will provide a template for a what-if situation if both parents were to pass away, but it can also ensure that your children will receive the share of your estate that you desire when they’re older.

Having a will can minimize disruption in case the worst were to happen and one or both parents were to pass away. If there is no will, the court will decide, and while the court will keep the best interests of the children in mind, the parents are the ones who know the kids best and may have the best solution.

In short, a will allows you to make sure:

•   Children are cared for by the people you wish

•   Children’s finances are cared for by the people you wish

•   Adult children will receive the inheritance you desire them to have

•   Any unique circumstances regarding child care is taken into account

Do You Have a Positive Net Worth? You Need a Will

Even if you’re single, a will may make sense if you have a positive net worth (aka, more assets than debt), which may include owning a house. Depending on your net worth, you may consider creating a trust. This can help your family avoid the probate process.

You can also be very specific about how you want your assets allocated in the future. For example, you may want to provide gifts to charity upon your death.

You also want to check your beneficiaries for any accounts, including retirement accounts and life insurance policies. The named beneficiary takes precedence over who’s named in a will, so it can be a good idea to double check that the named beneficiary is the person you want to receive those assets.

Are You Young, Single, Asset-free, or Without Kids? You Don’t Need a Will (Yet)

While you may not need a will if you don’t have any dependents, property, or assets, it’s still worth thinking through what you do own. For example, if you have a life insurance policy or retirement account, make sure the beneficiary you name matches who you would want to have those funds as time passes.

But a will can ensure there is no confusion over your wishes, especially if you have pets to be cared for or mementos you know would be meaningful to the people in your life.

How to Set Up a Will

A 2021 survey of over 2,500 people from Caring.com, a caregiver website, found that the past year made more people realize the importance of having estate planning documents. However, 2 out of 3 people don’t yet have a will. One big justification: Not enough time to create a will.

However, creating a will does not need to be complex. Online templates can walk you through the process. An online template may be free or may cost $100 and up, depending on the complexity. More expensive templates may be state-specific and detailed.

One critical aspect: Make sure the will is legal in your state. This may mean the will needs to be notarized and signed in front of witnesses. Once you have a will completed, it can be a good idea to make several copies and let the person you’ve named executor know where they can find the will in case you were to die.

If you have multiple, complex assets (such as several jointly-owned properties or properties jointly-owned with different people) you may need an attorney. This may cost $1,000 and up but can give you the peace of mind that everything is covered.

The Takeaway

While creating a will may not exactly be a fun activity, it doesn’t need to be very time-consuming or expensive. It’s an important process that can deliver some valuable peace of mind for the future. It lets you know your “house is in order,” and that your wishes are clearly captured. With a will in place, your worldly goods go where you want them to go, and you ensure that loved ones are taken care of in the way you see fit. When you get these documents done, you’ll also save those nearest and dearest to you from having to deal with legal red tape during an emotionally challenging time. Yes, death and wills are a topic many of us would like to avoid. But being pragmatic and taking care of this important legal concern is the right, responsible step to take.

The Simple Way to Protect Loved Ones: SoFi and Trust & Will

To help you with this important process and make sure it isn’t arduous, SoFi has partnered with Trust & Will*, the leading online estate planning platform in the U.S. — to give our members 10% off their trust, will, or guardianship estate plans.

Interested in the fast, easy, and reliable route to estate planning? Check out what’s offered by SoFi in partnership with Trust & Will.

Photo credit: iStock/evgenyatamanenko


SoFi member benefits are provided by third parties, not by SoFi or its affiliates. Providers pay royalty fees to SoFi for the user of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of SoFi. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the provider directly for details.
*Trust & Will, a leading digital estate planning platform, is offering a 10% discount specifically for SoFi members. No promo code required. The 10% discount is automatically applied at checkout to the initial purchase of any Guardian, Will, or Trust-based estate plan.
Trust & Will 961 West Laurel Street San Diego, CA 92101 United States

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

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What Is Historical Volatility & How Do You Use It?

A Guide to Historical Volatility

Historical volatility (HV) measures the range of returns on a market index or security over a given time period. When an asset’s historical volatility is going up, that means its price is moving further away from its average (in either direction) more quickly than usual.

A stock’s historical volatility is typically one standard deviation using daily returns, and it’s one factor that investors often look at to gauge the risk of a potential investment. An asset’s historical volatility is different from its implied volatility. Read on to learn what historical volatility is, how historical volatility works, and how to calculate historical volatility.

What Is Historical Volatility?

Historical volatility is a statistical measurement of the price dispersion of a financial security or index over a period. Investors calculate this by determining the average deviation from an average price. Historical volatility typically looks at daily returns, but some investors use it to look at intraday price changes.

Analysts can use any number of trading days when calculating historical volatility, but typically options traders focus on a time period between 10 and 180 days. Options traders use historical volatility and implied volatility when analyzing trading ideas.

Investors typically express historical volatility as a percentage reflecting the standard deviation from the average price, based on past price behavior, but there are also other methods they can use to determine an asset’s historical volatility. Unstable daily price changes often result in high historical volatility readings.

How Historical Volatility Works

Historical volatility takes past price data to calculate an annualized standard deviation value that measures how much past prices deviate from an average price over a given period. When a stock sees large daily price swings compared to its history, it will typically have a historical volatility reading. Historical volatility does not measure direction; it simply indicates the deviation from an average.

When a stock’s historical volatility is rising or above average, it means daily price changes are larger than normal. When it is lower than average, a stock or index has been relatively calm.

How Historical Volatility is Calculated

The historical volatility formula is typically a standard deviation measurement. It takes a stock’s daily price changes and averages them over a period. There are several steps to calculating historical volatility:

1.    Collect historical prices

2.    Calculate the average historical price over a period

3.    Find the difference between each day’s price change versus the average

4.    Square those differences

5.    Find the sum of those squared differences

6.    Divide those differences by the total number of prices (this finds the variance)

7.    Calculate the square root of the variance

The historical volatility formula is a tedious step-by-step process, but most brokerage platforms automatically calculate it. Many brokers even offer historical volatility charts. With a historical volatility chart, you can easily compare changes through time. For example, if a stock reacted sharply to an earnings release, the historical volatility charts will show a jump immediately after the earnings date while implied volatility might drop sharply after the earnings report.

How to Use Historical Volatility

Traders sometimes use historical volatility to help set stop-loss levels. For example, a day trader might take three times a stock’s daily average range – a measure of historical volatility – to set a stop price. This is known as volatility ratio trading.

Traders also use historical volatility when analyzing a stock, fund, or index to get a sense of its riskiness. High or low historical volatility stocks are not inherently bullish or bearish. Day traders might seek high historical volatility stocks as candidates for high-profit trading opportunities (but they also come with high loss potential).

You can also use historical volatility to help determine whether a stock’s options are expensive to help determine an options trading strategy. If implied volatility is extremely high when compared to a stock’s historical volatility, traders may decide that options are undervalued.

Historical vs Implied Volatility

Like historical volatility, it measures fluctuations in an underlying stock or index over a period, but there are key differences between the two indicators. Implied volatility is a forward-looking indicator of a stock’s future volatility.

The higher the historical volatility, the riskier the security has been. Implied volatility, on the other hand, uses option pricing to arrive at a calculation and estimate of future volatility. If implied volatility is significantly less than a stock’s historical volatility, traders expect a relatively calm period of trading, and vice versa.

Typically, when implied volatility is low, options pricing is low. Low options prices can benefit premium buyers. Sometimes investors will use a graph to determine how an option’s implied volatility changes relative to its strike price, using a volatility smile.

Historical Volatility

Implied Volatility

Measures past price data to gauge volatility on a security Uses forward-looking option-pricing data to gauge expected future volatility on a security
Higher historical volatility often leads to higher options pricing and higher implied volatility Imminent news, like a company earnings report or a key economic data point, can drive implied volatility higher on a stock or index
Traders can use historical volatility to help set exit prices Traders can use implied volatility to find stocks expected to exhibit the biggest price swings

The Takeaway

Historical volatility is a useful indicator for both institutional and retail investors looking to get a feel for the level of recent fluctuations in a stock or index has been in the recent past. It measures a security’s dispersion of returns over a defined period. Implied volatility is a similar tool, but it is forward-looking and uses option pricing to arrive at its output.

Options trading and the use of historical volatility is helpful for some advanced traders. If that sounds like you, an options trading platform like SoFi could be worth considering. Its intuitive and approachable design offers investors the ability to place traders from the mobile app or desktop platform. Plus, there are educational resources about options available in case you want to answer a question or learn more about a certain topic.

Trade options with low fees through SoFi.

FAQ

What is considered a good number for historical volatility?

It depends. While one stock might have a high historical volatility reading, perhaps above 100%, another steady stock might have a low figure around 20%. The key is to understand the securities you trade. Historical volatility can be an indicator of a stock’s volatility, but unforeseen risks can turn future volatility drastically different than the historical trend.

What is a historical volatility ratio?

The historical volatility ratio is the percentage of short-to-long average historical volatility on a financial asset. You can interpret the historical volatility ratio by looking at short versus long historical volatility. If short volatility on a stock drops below a threshold percentage of its long volatility, a trader might think there will be a jump in future volatility soon.

This is similar to analyzing volatility skew in options. It is important to remember that the interpretation and technical rules of historical volatility can be subjective by traders.

How is historical volatility calculated?

Historical volatility calculations require finding the average deviation from the average price of an asset over a particular time. An asset’s standard deviation is often used. Historical volatility is usually stated as one standard deviation of historical daily returns.

Many trading platforms automatically calculate historical volatility, so you don’t have to do the calculations manually.


Photo credit: iStock/Eva-Katalin

SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire amount invested in a short period of time. Before an investor begins trading options they should familiarize themselves with the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options . Tax considerations with options transactions are unique, investors should consult with their tax advisor to understand the impact to their taxes.
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Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) Explained

What Is Internet Computer (ICP) Crypto?

Bitcoin achieved decentralization of monetary value via a decentralized peer-to-peer cash system. The Internet Computer Protocol (ICP) hopes to accomplish something similar with the internet itself.

The goal of ICP crypto is to create a decentralized internet. Rather than having a handful of centralized servers host much of the crucial infrastructure — as is the case today — ICP envisions a new internet run by independent data centers the world over.

ICP crypto plans to run their protocol on millions of different computers. This new, decentralized internet could be an alternative to cloud services like Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services that currently power large swaths of the internet.

The developers behind ICP crypto claim that their network has several advantages over the centralized model.

How Does ICP Work?

The full details and answers to the question “what is ICP and how does it work” can get quite complicated. In order to understand how ICP works, it helps to have an elementary understanding of how blockchain works.

The Internet Computer runs on a blockchain protocol known as Internet Computer Protocol (ICP). Its network consists of a kind of tower made of building blocks. Independent data centers lie at the bottom, hosting specialized hardware nodes.

The nodes combine to create subnets, and the subnets host something called canister smart contracts. These are smart contracts that can be uploaded by users. The creators of the project hope that in eight years’ time, there will be billions of canisters running ICP.

A high-level overview of the protocol might look something like this:

Data centers (foundation) > Nodes > Subnets > Canisters (final end product)

Network Nervous System

A unique element of ICP is what’s known as the Network Nervous System (NNS). This is a system that controls, configures, and manages the network. Data centers that would like to join the network must apply to the NNS. The NNS has an open governance system, but it also oversees permissions for those wanting to participate in the network.

The NNS performs a variety of tasks necessary for managing the network. Chief among these is monitoring nodes for deviations from expected behavior, which could point to nodes performing poorly or malfunctioning in some way.

NNS and ICP Crypto

The NNS also has an important role to play in the token economy of the ICP. New ICP tokens are generated by the NNS to reward nodes and neurons that cast votes inside the NNS, which determines which proposals get submitted to the protocol. The issuance of these new ICP tokens is inflationary.

At some point, owners of data centers and owners of neurons can exchange their ICP crypto tokens with those who own canisters. Those who own and manage canisters can then convert their tokens into cycles, which can be used to charge canisters.

When canisters perform computational tasks or store information in their memory, they burn through cycles and at some point, must be recharged with additional cycles to continue with their tasks. This process is deflationary.

Subnets

One concept that deserves further explanation is subnets. Subnets are the building blocks of the ICP network. A subnet hosts a specific subset of software canisters hosted by the network. A subnet gets created as a result of several nodes coming together from different data centers.

This process is governed by the NNS. The nodes work together through the ICP to replicate the computations being carried out by the network canisters they host.

Who Created ICP?

ICP was created by a company called the DFINITY Foundation and a developer named Dominic Williams. The DFINITY Foundation is a nonprofit that was created to research and develop the Internet Computer, with the goal of creating a more open internet. Founded in 2016, it has 188 employees around the world and three research centers.

The ICP crypto project launched in May 2021 after several years of research. Researchers from around the globe contribute to the foundation’s work, including cryptographers who hold upwards of 200 patents and 100,000 academic citations.

ICP Coin Need-to-Knows

The Internet Computer Protocol has ambitions to create an entirely new, decentralized internet. ICP crypto is only one part of that burgeoning ecosystem.

The ICP token itself has a few use cases, including:

•   Governance

•   Rewards for participating data centers

•   Payment for transaction fees

In a sense, it can be said that the Internet Computer Protocol converts crypto to processing power. Its network calculates a fee based on how much computing power a developer’s project will require. The website will run on the protocol so long as the fee is paid.

It’s thought that developers can create and run any kind of application on the Internet Computer.

This could include things like social media networks like Facebook and Twitter, software like all the apps we know and use today, and even some new kinds of apps that have yet to be discovered.

As one example, developers working on ICP have published the code for a social media app called “CanCan,” which they say is like a decentralized version of TikTok.

The Takeaway

What is ICP crypto? In a nutshell, the protocol is an elaborate smart contract platform designed to outcompete platforms like Ethereum and take on the challenge of creating an entirely new internet infrastructure.

FAQ

Is Internet Computer decentralized?

The Internet Computer Protocol is thought to be more decentralized than the current internet, which many have criticized as being a monopoly run by a handful of large technology companies. At the same time, some also criticize projects like ICP as being centralized tech projects, given they are created and managed by a central team who could, in theory, make unilateral decisions affecting the protocol at any given time.

How does ICP coin work?

ICP crypto works primarily as a method of payment for running programs on the Internet Computer Protocol. There are also other uses, such as governance and rewarding data centers who participate in the protocol.

Is Ethereum a replacement for the internet?

Ethereum is a platform for programming and running smart contracts. It doesn’t currently serve as a replacement for the internet and would be unfit to do so at this time. Gas fees are only one of many significant hindrances to this, as users have to pay very high fees to perform simple tasks. ICP crypto is thought to be a competitor to Ethereum and has hopes of one day replacing the current internet.


Photo credit: iStock/Nattakorn Maneerat

SoFi Invest®
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Crypto: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies aren’t endorsed or guaranteed by any government, are volatile, and involve a high degree of risk. Consumer protection and securities laws don’t regulate cryptocurrencies to the same degree as traditional brokerage and investment products. Research and knowledge are essential prerequisites before engaging with any cryptocurrency. US regulators, including FINRA , the SEC , and the CFPB , have issued public advisories concerning digital asset risk. Cryptocurrency purchases should not be made with funds drawn from financial products including student loans, personal loans, mortgage refinancing, savings, retirement funds or traditional investments. Limitations apply to trading certain crypto assets and may not be available to residents of all states.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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