Investing In Kava (KAVA) – Everything You Need to Know

What is Kava?

Kava is a next-generation decentralized lending platform that seeks to bring new flexibility to the market. The network is known for its cross-chain capabilities and unique lending strategy. Today, the platform offers a range of products with its two main being collateralized loans and stablecoins. To date, Kava has paid out $1,129,883.32 in interest payments to its users.

What Problems Does Kava Attempt to Fix?

Kava developers seek to streamline the decentralized lending sector via the integration of a variety of proprietary technologies. Developers specifically developed the system to provide stablecoins and decentralized lending against all major crypto assets in a more transparent and simplistic manner. Consequently, Kava is a pioneer in the DeFi sector that continues to draw international media attention.

How Kava Works

Users of the network can collateralize their crypto assets in exchange for USDX. USDX functions as Kava's stablecoin in the network. To receive USDX loans, users just need to lock up their crypto in a smart contract on the platform. This locked up cryptocurrency serves as collateral against your loan.

Users may take out multiple collateralized loans to create synthetic leverage for any supported crypto asset in the system. For example, you could choose to lock up your Bitcoin or XRP using the protocol. You would receive an equivalent amount of newly minted USDX to purchase more Bitcoin with. In this way, you gain a leveraged position in the market.

Kava also encompasses a wide variety of community-built applications. Each of these Dapps adds to the overall UX of the platform. This interoperability allows you to store your assets using a variety of hardware wallets and institutional-grade custodians. This flexibility is one of the main draws to Kava versus the competition.

Decentralized Loans and Leverage

The main product of the Kava platform is decentralized loans. All Kava users gain open access to loans, leverage, and stablecoins for hedging. In this way, Kava acts as a powerful tool for investors in the market.

Stablecoin Hedging + Interest:

Another unique feature of Kava is its stablecoin’s capabilities. You can stake and bond USDX stablecoin to start yielding a healthy passive income.

Expansion

Kava features a unique open architecture that enables future growth. The platform will support a wide range of new crypto assets and offerings in the coming months. These new synthetics and derivative products will push Kava adoption to new heights.

Dual Tokens

Kava utilizes a dual token strategy to ensure that each user gains the maximum flexibility and usability possible. Dual token platforms are more common than ever in the market. This strategy allows developers and users to maximize their functionality without detracting from either sector. The two coins that are critical to Kava are USDX and KAVA.

KAVA Tokens

KAVA is the native token for this blockchain. This coin functions as the governance token within the ecosystem. Users need these tokens to vote on critical parameters. These votes are what guide the network's upgrades. They are also used for proposals and voting on specific parameters of the collateralized debt position (CDP) system.

Security

This crypto also plays an integral part in maintaining the network's security. Users stake KAVA to accomplish this task. Notably, only the top 100 nodes in the network validate blocks in this system. The top token holders are determined using an algorithm that examines each user’s weighted bonded stake in KAVA tokens. For their effort, stakers earn crypto as block rewards.

Staking Asset

Stakers in the network hold a couple of responsibilities as well. Aside from securing the blockchain, these users can further stake their holdings utilizing bonding curves of network validators.  Malicious nodes can lose their Kava. Actions such as failing to ensure high uptime and double signing transactions are sure to get you removed from this network. Kava is known for its zero-tolerance of malicious nodes.

Last Resort Lender

KAVA can also function as a reserve currency for the network. If USDX becomes over collateralized, the network will mint new KAVA to utilize in the purchase of USDX. This allows Kava to ensure its stablecoin retains its value.

USDX- Kava

USDX is the stablecoin for the Kava network. This financial instrument is what you receive and pay back your loans in. It also functions as a general payment system. USDX features fast transaction times making it an ideal stablecoin for payroll and other corporate-related payment processes.

Margin trading/leverage

Kava users will also utilize USDX to purchase additional crypto assets on the platform. This strategy permits skilled investors to effectively leveraging their exposure in new ways.

Hedging with Interest

You can also hold USDX as a stable asset. In this way, USDX functions as a safe haven during times of market volatility. Keenly, when USDX holders bond their tokens, they receive accumulate interest equal to the current USDX savings rate.

COSMOS Blockchain

Kava resides on the futuristic Cosmos blockchain. Cosmos is a fourth-generation blockchain that seeks to help categorize and leverage the growing number of blockchains in the market. Specifically, the platform was built using Cosmos-SDK. This protocol is an open-source framework for building public Proof-of-Stake blockchains. Cosmos has a native token called ATOM.

Consensus

Kava operates with a Tendermint-based Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism. This upgraded PoS consensus mechanism utilizes a Byzantine Fault Tolerant consensus engine. Impressively, this mechanism is far more energy-efficient than early blockchains such as Bitcoin or Ethereum. In many ways, the network is similar to MakerDAO with the integration of CDPs. However, Kava better leverages the zones from Cosmos to add access to cryptocurrencies running on independent networks

KAVA Statistics

Modularity

Cosmos is best known for its use of open-source modules. These protocols allow developers to quickly implement desirable functionalities into their Dapps. For example, Kava utilizes the Inter Blockchain Communication (IBC) module to provide the platform with the ability to communicate to all Cosmos-SDK blockchains.

Modules Used in Kava Ecosystem

There are four main modules in use within the Kava ecosystem. These modules help the network to function properly and provide users access to some unique financial tools.

Price-feed Module

The first module integrated into this network is a price feed mechanism. This module is a simple price oracle. Oracles are off-chain sensors that can provide data to blockchains. A group of white-listed oracles posts prices for various assets in the system. The protocol then determines the median price of all valid oracle prices. This data also determines the current price in the system.

Auction Module

The Auction Module allows users to utilize three types of auction protocols. The first option is the forward auction. This is a traditional auction where the buyer will solicit raising bids for an item. This strategy is employed whenever the platform sees a surplus in collected fees. This mechanism allows the system to convert the surplus into more stablecoins.

The next type of auction the network allows is reverse auctions. As the name implies, this auction consists of decreasing bids for a particular item or lot of items. Primarily, this protocol functions to sell governance tokens in order to mint new stable coins. This strategy is used to make up the difference between failed collateral auctions and debts.

CDP (Collateralized Debt Position) Module

The CDP module serves a critical function. It allows users to create, modify, and close CDPs for any collateral type. Additionally, this is the coding used to set the global parameters of the system. These settings cover items such as debt limits and the total circulation of stablecoins in the market.

Liquidator Module

The Liquidator Module is the repo man in the network. This is the protocol that is responsible for seizing collateral from CDPs whose collateralization ratio is below the threshold set for that collateral type. This module automatically tracks the status of CDPs to make determinations. The final decision of the module is based on prices received from the Price-feed module.

Seized Collateral

Any collateral that is seized by the liquidator module goes to the Auction module. Here, the collateral auctions for stablecoins using a forward-reverse auction. The goal of this process is to wipe out the debt held initially plus the addition of a small repo fee.

How to Buy Kava

Kava (KAVA) is currently available for purchase on the following exchanges:

Uphold – This is one of the top exchanges for United States & UK residents that offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies.  They also offer KAVA staking. Germany & Netherlands are prohibited.

Kraken – Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the most trusted names in the industry with over 9,000,000 users, and over $207 billion in quarterly trading volume.

The Kraken exchange offers trading access to over 190 countries including Australia, Canada, Europe, and is a top exchange for USA residents. (Excluding New York & Washington state).

WazirX – This exchange is part of the Binance Group, which ensures a high standard of quality.  It is the best exchange for residents of India.

How to Store Kava

You have three options to consider when storing Kava. The first is a PC-based network wallet. You can download the Kava application for free. It’s secure and easy-to-use. There is also a multitude of mobile wallet options available. Make sure your mobile wallet supports staking rewards such as the JAXX wallet available on iOS and Android.

If you seek to make a major investment in KAVA or if you are planning on HODLing this crypto for long periods of time, a hardware wallet is the best option. Hardware wallets keep your crypto stored offline in “cold storage.” This strategy makes it impossible for online threats to access your holdings. The Ledger Nano S or the more advanced Ledger Nano X both support KAVA.

Kava – More Opportunity for Rewards

The latest DeFi craze has made the crypto sector even more profitable than initially imagined. Regular users are earning hefty rewards via these platforms. Protocols such as Kava make it possible for anyone to enjoy a reliable passive income. For these reasons, Kava is sure to be a major contender in the DeFi sector moving forward.