Jean Galea

Health, Wealth, Relationships, Wisdom

Bitpanda Review: One of the Best European Crypto Exchanges

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Bitpanda review

Bitpanda was created to offer a simple way to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. The Austria-based fintech platform has since garnered a notable reputation in this space, with the provider claiming to be behind more than 1 million active traders.

In this review, I dive into the many features of Bitpanda and how it measures up against the other cryptocurrency trading platforms in the market. In particular, I look at supported markets, fees and commissions, user-friendliness, and safety.

Buy cryptos at Bitpanda

What is Bitpanda?

Bitpanda began its journey under the name Coinimal in October 2014. The platform gained attention with its simplicity – making it easier for both experts and novice traders to step on to the cryptocurrency trading scene.

Today, the platform has evolved to provide an array of digital assets – including 46 cryptocurrencies, four metal tokens, and three different Bitpanda crypto indices.

what is Bitpanda?

In addition, the team at Btpand has also introduced several other financial management tools that aid in the process of online trading.

Here is an overview of the key features found at Bitpanda:

  • Buy and sell digital assets and tokens directly – 24 hours a day, seven days a week
  • More than ten options to pay for digital assets – with bank cards, e-wallets, and SEPA bank transfers
  • Fast and convenient transactions with fully-automated order systems
  • Create price alerts for supported digital assets
  • Set up a personal savings account to automatically buy digital assets
  • Unlock trading discounts with the Bitpanda Ecosystem Token
  • Gain access to competent and reliable support

Bitpanda was designed specifically for newbie traders who want an easy to use interface to access cryptocurrency. That said, the platform has also expanded to accommodate the needs of professional traders.

More specifically, Bitpanda Pro was created for seasoned traders and businesses that demand more advanced tools, as well as integrate the platform with trading bots.

All in all, Bitpanda strikes as a well-rounded platform for traders of all shapes and sizes. You can also access all its features through a native mobile application, which offers a smooth transition between different devices, and allows you to access your assets from anywhere, anytime.

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StockCrowd IN Review – A Good Spanish Real Estate Platform?

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StockCrowd IN is a Spanish real estate investing platform with properties available all across the country.

Regulation

StockCrowd IN is regulated by the CNMV in Spain. This is a good thing but doesn’t mean much more than the fact that the platform has been approved by the national authorities. In fact, Housers is also regulated by the same authority, which gives you an indication of the usefulness of this Spanish authority.

On the other hand, Privalore, one of my previous favorites, and a very good platform backed by honest people, was denied approval by the CNMV due to its inflexibility and archaic rules for such platforms. I won’t delve deeper into criticisms of the CNMV, but we are seeing newer platforms like Brickstarter not even bothering with basing themselves in Spain, instead moving to Estonia where regulations are more modern.

My Experience

After a horrible experience with Housers, I’ve decided to start slow with StockCrowd IN, making a €500 investment in an apartment in Diagonal Mar, Barcelona. I’m very familiar with the area and the properties for sale there. It’s a district that is highly popular with both local and foreign buyers, and the quality of the buildings is pretty good compared to the rest of Barcelona.

StockCrowdIN investor area

Have you tried StockCrowd IN? Let me know how things went for you in the comments section.

Flexibility Tests for General Fitness

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An important part of injury prevention and better performance in sports is the ability to be able to perform movements without being inhibited by flexibility issues.

Here are the top flexibility screening exercises you should be doing regularly and striving to achieve excellent scores on:

Sit-and-Reach Test

Hip Flexor Flexibility Test

Hamstring Flexibility Test

Prone Hip Rotation Test

Quadriceps Flexibility Test

The Best Bitcoin Wallets of 2024 – A Full Review

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crypto wallets bitcoin

Crypto storage is an extremely important topic. There are countless options out there to consider but not every Bitcoin wallet is the same. Every Bitcoin wallet app comes with its own set of features and today, we’re going to highlight a few of them you should consider. The following bitcoin wallets are not just great for safe storage, but they also feature unique tools that help you manage your crypto portfolio efficiently, effectively, and ideally, profitably.

  1. YouHodler – The best wallet for earning interest
  2. Ledger Nano X – The best hardware wallet
  3. Electrum – The best bitcoin wallet for Bitcoin maximalists
  4. Exodus – The easiest wallet to use

1. YouHodler

First up on your list is YouHodler. YouHodler has crypto wallets of varieties but as for the Bitcoin wallet, it is quite unique in that it lets you earn interest, in addition to taking advantage of Bitcoin multiplication features.

YouHodler

Earn Interest on Crypto

YouHodler is the only crypto wallet app that lets clients earn up to 12% APR + compounding interest on various stable coins and cryptocurrencies.

Users can earn interest in Bitcoin in addition to top cryptos like ETH, LINK, LTC, BCH, XRP, and more. Stablecoins featured on the platform are USDC, USDT, TUSD, PAXG, PAX, HUSD, BUSD, DAI, and EURS. Every Bitcoin wallet app needs to have good security and insurance and YouHodler has one of the best.

Insurance Via Ledger Vault

Clients of this wallet benefit from Ledger Vault’s pooled crime insurance program. Crypto assets on the platform are insured up to $150 million which is led by the highly regarded Arch UK Lloyds of London syndicate. This insurance plan covers a variety of risks like employee theft, collusion, third party theft of master keys/private keys, and the event of a physical breach of hardware security.

Crypto Conversion and Multiplication

While most Bitcoin wallets are just for storing Bitcoin, YouHodler includes a few additional features as well. Using the platform’s universal conversion tool, clients can buy Bitcoin and any other cryptocurrency in the app in addition to converting any other currency without limitations at competitive conversion rates. For the more advanced traders out there, YouHodler’s wallet also has two tools called Turbocharge and Multi HODL.

Simply put, Turbocharge and Multi HODL let clients take loans as leverage to either long or short the crypto market. It’s a great way to use small amounts of starting capital with the potential for larger profits.

As for withdrawal fees, YouHodler has no deposit or withdrawal fees for Bitcoin and other top cryptocurrencies. However, there are some small withdrawal fees for select stablecoins and cryptos. Regarding fiat deposit and withdrawal, that is an easy process with most Visa/Mastercard options and bank wire options available. Perhaps the best part is there is no minimum deposit amount for crypto on YouHodler, making this a great option for entry-level crypto enthusiasts and experts alike.

Open a YouHodler account

2. Ledger Nano X Bitcoin wallet and crypto wallet

There’s an old saying in the crypto world “not your keys, not your crypto”. The keys of course refer to private keys and the logic behind that is if you don’t know your private keys, then really, the wallet is at high risk. As a result, “cold storage wallets” have really taken off in recent years and the Ledger Nano X is one of the best out there.

Ledger Nano

Compatibility and Price

The Ledger Nano X is more than just a bitcoin wallet. This wallet is compatible with over 1,500 different cryptocurrencies and can even sync up with hot wallets via Bluetooth technology or via good old fashioned USB. Surely, something this advanced must be expensive right? At $150, the Ledger Nano X is actually one of the more affordable cold storage bitcoin wallets out there.

Manage Portfolio with Ledger Live Software

Another great addition to this device is the software that comes with it. Just like with other bitcoin wallet apps, the Ledger Live app allows you to see your transaction in a visual format, even though it’s a cold storage hardware device. You can buy Bitcoin and crypto with this software as well as manage your transactions, check portfolio growth, and send and receive crypto.

Typically, cold wallets are challenging to use but this one is great for all skill levels and above all, it’s extremely safe. That being said, not even hardware wallets are 100% safe from fraudulent activity. As always, be careful of fake emails or text messages from the scammers claiming to be from Ledger asking you for your private keys or pin code. There have been reports of people losing their crypto from such phishing scams so always be cautious of anyone asking for private information regarding your funds.

Buy Ledger Nano

3. Exodus

Moving on from hardware wallets and back to bitcoin wallet apps, we have Exodus. As mentioned earlier, there is a whole new wave of crypto users entering the market now and many are overwhelmed with the features of some bitcoin wallets out there. If this sounds like you or someone you know, then perhaps Exodus is the best bitcoin wallet for you. Exodus is well known as the easy to use wallet for beginners.

Exodus

Interface

You can see the interface is extremely intuitive and easy to use. With a built-in exchange feature, buying Bitcoin and trading crypto is extremely easy and also, quite safe. Even though it is a hot wallet storage device, meaning the wallet is fully “online” Exodus remains a safe option and has not been hit with any major attacks.

Customer Support

In addition to having a great tech team on board, it seems Exodus has outstanding customer support as well. Again, this goes back to a key feature for beginners who are just learning the ins and outs of cryptocurrency. It’s nice to have someone online to chat with about any questions (no matter how stupid they are) without judgment. Exodus has that and if you’re looking to get a crash course on all things crypto, their customer support chat is a good place to start.

The Downside for Advanced Crypto Traders

While being simple and user-friendly is certainly a big plus for beginners,  the more advanced crypto users out there may see this as a downside. When it comes to advanced features, Exodus is severely lacking and since it is a closed source wallet, the code is not available for anyone and everyone to see. This is a security concern for some who prefer a more “hands-on approach” to their crypto. Beginners may be completely fine trusting the Exodus team with their crypto but this could be a minor red flag for tech-savvy blockchain enthusiasts out there.

All that being said, Exodus is clean and simple. Perfect for those just learning how to navigate the market.

Download Exodus

4. Electrum

In many ways, Exodus was a perfect segue into our next bitcoin wallet (which also starts with an “E”). Electrum is a bitcoin wallet that is the opposite of user friendly but extremely loaded with great features. For those that are more advanced crypto traders or long-term holders, then Electrum is the one for you. Electrum is fully open source, meaning since its creation in 2011, Electrum has been modified by various developers/clients. Now, you don’t have to be a developer to use it. Anyone can, but it’s nice to have this open-source feature for the techies out there.

Electrum

Up until recently, Electrum was only computer-based but has since added applications for Android. While that may be a tad inconvenient for iOS users, it is actually very secure. On the computer, private keys are encrypted and never leave your computer. Your Bitcoin wallet is only accessible through a secret seed phrase. All private keys are yours and are stored entirely offline. Furthermore, your private key is never shared with the server that connects the Bitcoin network to Electrum. The server doesn’t store accounts and never asks for any personal information.

Lastly, remember Ledger, the hardware wallet we discussed earlier? Good news for Ledger fans here. Electrum was developed in such a way that supports hardware wallets like Ledger. Hence, your private keys can be stored safely offline on the hardware wallet while you can use Electrum’s software to send and receive crypto whenever you wish if you prefer Electrum over the Ledger Live software.

Another downside to Electrum is the supported coins. Electrum only supports Bitcoin, making this the Bitcoin wallet for the true Bitcoin maximalists. That aside, Electrum is a very safe Bitcoin wallet that’s fast and stable. The Bitcoin community has truly embraced this app as “their wallet” and as a result, they make sure to take great care of it.

Download Electrum

Bitcoin wallet roundup: Which one is the best?

We’ve covered five amazing Bitcoin wallets here today, each one bringing something unique to the table. As for which one is the best, that one is for you to decide. Just to review, YouHodler does seem like the most “complete” Bitcoin wallet as it allows users to get a crypto-backed loan, earn interest on crypto, convert crypto, securely store crypto and multiply crypto via innovative lending tools. However, it may be good to use that in tandem with a hardware wallet such as the Ledger Nano X as well. That way, you get the best of both worlds in terms of Bitcoin wallet functionality and security.

As for the other wallets on this list, they are certainly worth researching as well. Crypto is very much a self-service industry and the more you research on your own, the better your decisions will be. In the meantime, we hope this review was helpful to you, and stay tuned for many more like it!

LANDE Review 2024 – Solving the Problem of Agriculture Financing

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LendSecured review

LANDE (formerly LendSecured) is one of the top real estate-backed crowdlending platforms in Europe, and it’s worth noting that it’s an offshoot of an existing lending business that has been operating successfully for several years.

LANDE was started in 2017, when two experienced professionals from the secured lending sector Ņikita Gončars and Edgars Tālums became aware that there is a niche in the crowdlending market, as none of the existing market players offered low-LTV investment deals. At first, it was available exclusively for high-net-worth private investors and local banks. Since July 2020 it has been open for any European investor.

LANDE is a brand managed by Secured Finance MGMT Ltd, registered in the Latvian company register with No.50103266451, which forms a part of a group of companies providing mortgage lending and other services related to real estate and construction with 2 beneficial owners Nikita Goncars and Edgars Talums.

LANDE publishes investment projects with low LTV (Loan to Value ratio). The lower, the ratio, the lower the risk. As LANDE also invests in each project, there is an extra incentive to do proper due diligence.

Unfortunately, many platforms these days only act as promoters, indiscriminately publishing many projects and letting the lenders take all the risks, not giving a care in the world whether projects make sense or whether the repayments will ever be made. I’m looking at you, Housers. Other platforms ended up being outright scams, like Envestio, Fast Invest, Monethera, Grupeer. I don’t see any such risk at all with LANDE.

Some highlights about this platform:

  • Knowledge and experience in real estate market since 2008 when first mortgage brand was established and is still working successfully;
  • 5% co-funding for every project;
  • Avg. LTV 37%;
  • Partnership with Lemonway, all investments are held on a segregated account on the BNP Paribas;
  • Certificated real estate appraisal in English.
  • LANDE issues loans to SME’s, real estate developers and farmers. No consumer credits.

LANDE’s achievements so far:

  • 30 million sold real estate in collateral value;
  • Since 2013 mortgage brands have received consumer credit license (which now cost 250k eur);
  • Average LTV for all portfolio is 37%;
  • 16 million – total loans issued with collateral value of 21 million;
  • 8 million outstanding portfolio;
  • More than 800 real estate objects sold;
  • 10 million market value of renovated projects;
  • One of the brands (Loan MGMT) has a debt collection license since 2018

How does LANDE Work?

lendsecured projects

After careful evaluation procedures, projects are published on LANDE.finance where investors can find detailed information about the project, appraisal of the collateral and details on the loan terms.

No hidden details – LANDE has a strong belief that transparency is the key to build strong relationships with investors, therefore ensuring success in the future.

LANDE’s business model is to finance projects using a first-rank mortgage which is the most straightforward and secure type of funding real estate lending.

All mortgages can be monitored online on the Land Register of Republic of Latvia.

LANDE requires a minimum of 50 EUR to start investing in real estate projects operating in Latvia. LANDE reaches its clients with associated brand activity on social media and local mass media, by promoting agricultural lending on TV, radio and newspapers. All applications are carefully evaluated as their acceptance rate is 5.8-6.5% from all applications.

Investment process and cashflow

The Loan Contract is between the borrower and investor and is available online on LANDE for both parties. In the Loan Contract, it is clearly stated that the investor lends money directly to the borrower and that no third parties are involved.

Who can invest?

LANDE accepts investments from private individuals and registered legal entities. The registration process is similar for both, only different type of documentation is requested.

In order to register on LANDE, a person must be at least 18 years old and submit 2 types of identification documents. Once all KYC and AML procedures are done, the client can invest.

As for legal entities – upon registration, the representative must upload identification documents and certificate from local company/commercial register that proves the person’s ability to act in the interests of the company.

Registration process

First, choose “start to invest”

You will be asked to enter an email and password, afterwards, you will be asked to verify your email:

After that, you will be asked to choose if you are registering as an individual or legal person;

When choosing “Individual person”, personal data will be requested.

The last step in the registration process is identification upload. Registration requires 2 types of identification documents. After ID upload, the registration process is completed and the request is being processed by Lemonway.

After completing registration, you can start to invest!

Secondary Market

This feature allows investors to sell their claim rights arising from investments to other registered users of the platform and exit projects early, while giving other users an opportunity to join the project and earn passive income.

Also, the seller will receive interest while the investment is listed for sale until someone buys the claim rights and the deal is finalized. There are no extra fees for this feature.

Professional Team

The LANDE team has extensive experience in real estate, mortgage lending and construction.

LendSecured team

How stable is the platform?

The paid-up capital of LANDE (company name Secured Finance MGMT) has reached EUR 100K. Upon starting operation, in order to raise the financial stability of the company, Secured Finance MGMT increased its share capital and now has also paid it up and registered the changes in the Commercial register of Latvia.

LANDE has done a lot and continues to take steps towards making the platform as safe as possible. They are the first to receive the ECSP license in Latvia

It is also worth mentioning that investor funds are held separately, and LANDE has relationships with Lemon Way and BNP Paribas for handling investor payments.

All projects are first rank mortgage, which is the most secure type of mortgage you can get. Other platforms offer second-rank mortgages which are riskier, but can have higher interest rates.

The existing Latvia-only private secured lending business under the leadership of Ņikita and Edgars had bought its strategic investors a return of over 10%. They thus decided to launch the platform to expand publicly and internationally.

LANDE benefits from a debt collection license (Loan MGMT Ltd.). Besides that, LANDE is a member of the European Crowdfunding Network since 2020.

The team has considerable experience in Latvia and they want to expand to the rest of Europe, with Germany and Spain being one of the first big markets they are targeting.

LANDE is going after the agricultural loans niche. There is currently a big gap between the financing needs of farmers in Eastern Europe and what’s available to them from banks and other lending providers.

The new product – seasonal funding for farmers with grain as collateral – will offer a possibility for investors to diversify their portfolio and invest in loans with added value to the whole EU economy. The financial gap in the EU agricultural sector is between EUR 7.06 billion and 18.6 billion, thus LANDE goal is to narrow it down by offering farmers better access to funding.

Funds Safety

To ensure the safety of investor funds, LANDE have partnered with one of the most successful French banks and Payment Solution service providers – BNP Paribas and Lemon Way.

Lemon Way is regulated by the Banque de France and is currently providing its services to almost 200 platforms all around Europe. Since 2012, Lemon Way has been in possession of an APCR Payment Institution license from Banque de France.

Do they have good support?

Support is great, you can easily contact the team through their website. You can ask them about any of the projects they have available for funding and they’ll be happy to give any further information you need. Although I must say that every project comes with a section with all the relevant information nicely presented.

Regulation

LANDE is already a step ahead in putting into practice the obligations set out in the available crowdfunding regulation. As previously stated, LANDE already uses the services of the payment institution Lemon Way to perform investment operations within the LANDE platform.

This requirement is essential for investor’s safety.

Final Verdict

The website itself is professionally done, with good English being used throughout.

LANDE is already a step ahead in putting into practice the obligations set out in the crowdfunding regulation. As previously stated, LANDE already uses the services of the payment institution Lemon Way to perform investment operations within the LANDE platform. This requirement is essential for the investor’s safety.

I would recommend having a look at LANDE as it might be one of the most innovative players in the space going forward. It’s worth mentioning that LANDE also has skin-in-the-game for every project launched.

Invest with LANDE

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Jean Galea

Investor | Dad | Global Citizen | Athlete