What is 0x and Its ZRX Token?

UTC by Adedamola Bada · 6 min read
What is 0x and Its ZRX Token?
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Check everything you might need to know about 0x project – Ethereum-based decentralized finance (DeFi) solution, and its native ZRX token.

0x is an online service made to provide the ease of transaction in assets using mainly the blockchain built on Ethereum.

Using banks and other financial institutions to buy cryptocurrencies is employing a centralized exchange. They are quite easy to use as they provide trading at high and advanced levels. The process entailed in using them is also quite straightforward, but you, however, run the risk of closure of the financial institution, security breach from hackers, and even internal fraud, leading to loss of money and assets.

These uncertainties led to the development of several decentralized finance systems. Using a decentralized system allows for the running of several operations without the need for third-party verification, ensuring seamless transactions, and greatly reducing the risk of theft and fraud to the barest minimum.

This method ensures that users can keep their money on hand until they receive trading signals. Although the process is generally considered to be slower than using a regular financial establishment, it is the price to pay for safety and little or no commissions.

Who Created the 0x Project?

The online service was created by founders Will Warren, who serves as the chief executive officer, and Amir Bandeali, who is the current Chief Technical Officer of the 0x project. The rest of the team involved in the development of such a great online DeFi service include blockchain and software engineers, graphics designers, etc.. The financial advisors employed also work for other major Fintech Organizations that are in partnership with and looking to promote the 0x Project.

0x Goal

The service was started in Q4 of 2016 with the sole aim of creating a network for which current and future assets would be traded using Ethereum (ETH) tokens as its base currency. The items to be traded would traditionally consist of precious jewels, mineral resources, and major currencies like pounds and dollars. As a bonus, the team is working on ways to create several kinds of tokens available on the platform, allowing for the coalition between several decentralized exchanges.

Most altcoins are built on several of the working principles of the pioneer cryptocurrency Bitcoin and aimed at avoiding its known problems and superseding it as the leading cryptocurrency. ZRX also stands for this.

How it Works

Using the Ethereum blockchain, the service functions and serves as a decentralized exchange, meaning that all processes are executed via the use of smart contracts, while still ensuring that the users keep control of their finances.

The service, unlike many others in the same business, does not charge its customers any fees. While those fees might seem little or insignificant, small charges on every action accumulate eventually to high numbers, especially if the user is constantly making use of the service option.

To avoid unnecessary fees incurred on every activity – scheduling, canceling, re-ordering, etc., the 0x service has off-chain and on-chain ordering services. On the off-chain network, all activities are carried out aside from payment, with zero fees incurred along the way, ensuring that all mistakes are checked out before finally placing the trade order.

Once all the specifics have been sorted on the off-chain, the execution occurs. It makes use of relayers, which collate all orders – public or private, made on the network. These relayers, however, cannot carry out trades for users, it only acts as a support system providing fluidity, but requiring the customer to approve the trade once arraigned. The relayers charge a percentage in fees from the order, not in Ethereum tokens, but in ZRX, the service’s base currency.

Another great benefit of employing the use of relayers is that on a public medium others can see and emulate your order for their benefit. The service also encourages users to exchange service tokens via mail, Facebook, and other direct message platforms as long as they are directly linked. The exchange, known as 0x’s OTC is however heavily protected, so you do not run the risk of exposure to hackers.

What Are 0x (ZRX ) Tokens?

This is the service’s base currency, used in paying the users as well as charge them for making use of the order books. Aside from being the payment option on the service, owning ZRX tokens means that in the long run, each user has a say in how the protocols of the ZRX currency will be evolved and modified in the future. Bearing in mind that the say would be limited to how much of the tokens the user possesses.

The currency was not released until a year after the launch of the service, with approximately 1 billion tokens in circulation. Half of that number was made available to the general public for acquisition, 300 million was kept within the online service and the developer’s funds equally, and the remaining 200 million split in half, half of it going to the creators of the establishment, and the other half going to the original investors and the external financial experts.

The currency was only the 6th form of altcoin made available for purchase on popular crypto distributor Coinbase. It was initially released on the pro version but has since been obtainable on the regular app.

Some Special Features of 0x

Aside from the voting power afforded to the users on the platform by the ZRX tokens, the service operates an open business, such that smart contracts on the platforms can be easily accessed by anyone. Aside from this, the platform allows for the development of Decentralized applications – applications that run on blockchain or network of computer systems instead of one system, allowing others to develop different Ethereum based tokens on the platform.

There has also been mention of a register that will be used to keep several currencies, with each one stored based on name, the representing symbol, and significant figures to estimate market exchange prices. This register will be on-chain and will serve as a guide to other traders, to know exchange rates and market prices before carrying out trading activities. The management of the data in the register is the job of the several stakeholders of the establishment, to modify and update according to current trends.

Obtaining ZRX tokens is relatively easy, it can be found on several common exchanges and trading platforms like OKEx, Coinbase, etc. They can also be easily safeguarded in e-wallets like MetaMask, Exodus, and other Ethereum suitable wallets.

Conclusion

The future of the cryptocurrency world is pointed in the direction of Ethereum tokens which is why it is sensible to make sizable investments in them, and the complications faced in using traditional financial firms mean that employing decentralized finance is the way to go.

However, the 0x project has not developed as much as several other forms of service in the same business, especially with the value of the tokens. Growth takes time, so it is advisable for only those who have a high-risk tolerance to put money that they can afford to forgo immediately or over a period to invest.

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