The Vatican's Crypto? It's Not So Far-Fetched
Contributed Opinion

1. Chris Reilly: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own securities of: Bitcoin and Ethereum. My company has a financial relationship with: None. My company has purchased stocks mentioned in this article for my management clients: None. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector.
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Within the near future, creating a cryptocurrency will become as routine as setting up a website. That’s according to RiskHedge chief analyst Stephen McBride.

Your neighborhood café will offer one. Your fitness center. Your preferred audio show. Perhaps even your religious institution. Currently, most individuals view cryptocurrencies as investment opportunities. A method for rapid wealth accumulation.

In actuality, cryptocurrencies represent incredibly functional and adaptable instruments. They can be utilized for fundraising, cultivating customer dedication, and providing stakeholders with partial ownership in an enterprise.

Today, I will demonstrate several practical cryptocurrency applications and explain how to benefit from these developments.

Have you heard of a cryptocurrency named StepN (GMT)?

It compensates you for walking or jogging, utilizing your smartphone's location services or wearable technology to monitor movement.

The more active you become, the greater your earnings. Workout challenges, quarterly promotions, and community elements keep participants engaged.

This straightforward cryptocurrency motivation — exercise for rewards — attracted approximately 6 million users. Collectively, they've recorded an impressive 400 billion miles. During StepN's height, a good friend of mine generated $700 simply by completing a two-hour stroll.

Incredible!

Then consider Helium (HNT) — an initiative that transformed the conventional telecommunications framework. By motivating everyday individuals to establish connection points at their residences, Helium constructed a countrywide 5G infrastructure without erecting any transmission towers.

When someone links to a Helium access point, operators receive HNT tokens.

This demonstrates how cryptocurrency can collectively develop billion-dollar infrastructure . . . without the billion-dollar expense.

Or examine Hivemapper (HONEY). It's developing a community-driven global map challenging Google Maps. Google or Alphabet Inc. Class A (GOOGL:NASDAQ) controls 85% of the mapping industry.

Yet its Street View vehicles are costly and inefficient. Hivemapper markets dashboard cameras that motorists can install on their vehicles to submit street-level imagery. In exchange, they acquire HONEY tokens.

This provides users with an investment in the map's prosperity. Rather than a single corporation owning and monetizing all information, contributors receive compensation for aiding in its creation. This category of incentive arrangement wasn't possible before cryptocurrency. It's groundbreaking and profitable, and will enable new billion-dollar enterprises to thrive.

Even the Pope might introduce a cryptocurrency.

Appears absurd, but why not?

Tokens allow organizations to secure funding globally. And they acknowledge participation while strengthening community bonds. Consider the Vatican wanting to finance renovations. Instead of accessing its treasury, it could launch a token.

$HOLY possessors could determine the subsequent restoration endeavor. The token could streamline charitable contributions or reward premium holders with invitations to exclusive papal ceremonies.

Unrealistic?

Novel applications for revolutionary technologies often appear peculiar upon initial consideration. And versions of this concept are already materializing. Nike's (NKE:NYSE) SWOOSH platform currently enables users to jointly design footwear, secure royalties, and access limited product releases.

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (NSANY:OTCMKTS) introduced "Nissan Passport," a cryptocurrency loyalty program rewarding customers for test drives and brand interaction.

adidas AG's (ADDYY:OTCMKTS) ALTS grants token holders entry to exclusive merchandise, members-only experiences, and even voting privileges regarding future product introductions.

These aren't merely loyalty points. They're programmable assets representing a modern form of community equity.

Imagine Mr. Beast — a YouTuber with 200 million followers — seeks to fund a new venture. But rather than seeking capital from venture capitalists and financial institutions, he releases a token. Holders might receive priority access to material, profit distribution, and even influence regarding their next project selection. The identical principle applies to your preferred food brand, athletic team, or social movement.

This prompts the question. . . 

Will IPOs become outdated?

IPO expenses can reach millions and require months to complete. Comparatively, tokens can be launched instantly and for under $2 through platforms like Pump.fun.

Pump.fun represents a trending token-launching system allowing anyone to issue a new cryptocurrency with minimal effort. It's accumulated an impressive $700 million in fees since debuting in January 2024. Like numerous emerging cryptocurrency projects, it maintains a very modest unit price, trading at approximately $0.003, below a penny.

For clarity, Stephen's not suggesting investment in Pump.fun. Its ethics remain questionable. But it illustrates the immense demand for token-based fundraising.

Eventually, a legitimate version of Pump.fun will emerge serving as an authentic IPO platform for tokens. This type of project, given sound token economics, could represent a hundred-billion-dollar enterprise. I monitor new token introductions carefully and plan to assist RiskHedge Venture subscribers in securing early positions when appropriate.

So, how can you generate returns from this trend?

We remain in the developmental phase. Currently, the most strategic approach involves owning the infrastructure — the companies establishing the blockchain foundation.

Most of these new tokens are developed on Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL). These aren't merely coins — they're ecosystems. Consider them comparable to Apple Inc.'s (AAPL:NASDAQ) App Store. Whenever someone launches a new project or conducts a transaction on their networks, Ethereum and Solana collect nominal fees.

And these accumulate rapidly. Together, they've generated $90 million in fees during just the previous month. SOL and ETH represent core holdings in our RiskHedge Venture portfolio.

Beyond these established cryptocurrencies, new smaller digital assets with innovative business frameworks continue to emerge regularly. 

If you’re looking to learn more about the opportunity in crypto and other big disruptions in the market today, consider joining The Jolt. It’s Stephen’s twice-weekly investing letter, where he shares his unfiltered insights so you can take advantage of the trends shaping our world. Go here for details.