How to buy CRED (LBA)
Everything you need to know to buy, sell and trade LBA tokens.
As the native currency of the CRED lending platform, LBA tokens offer a number of benefits to borrowers looking to access a crypto or fiat loan.
They can also be traded on a variety of exchanges, so keep reading for your step-by-step guide to where and how to buy LBA.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
Skip ahead: What do you want to know?
Quick guide to buying LBA
- Buy BTC.
- Register for an account with an exchange like Huobi.
- Enable 2-factor authentication.
- Select “Deposit & Withdraw” from the “Balances” menu.
- Click the “Deposit” link for BTC.
- Copy the wallet address or scan the QR code provided.
- Transfer BTC to your Huobi Global account.
- Click “Exchange”.
- Search for “LBA/BTC”.
- Choose a Limit or Market Order.
- Enter and review transaction details.
- Click “Buy LBA”.
This is our quick guide to just one way to buy LBA. Compare some other options in the table below.
Where to buy LBA
A step-by-step guide to buying LBA
It’s currently not possible to buy LBA tokens directly with Singapore dollars. Instead you’ll need to first acquire a digital currency listed in a trading pair alongside LBA, such as bitcoin (BTC) or Ether (ETH), and then exchange those coins or tokens for LBA.
In this example, we’ll look at how to buy LBA with BTC.
How to sell LBA
If you decide you want to sell your LBA tokens, the process you’ll need to follow is quite similar to the one outlined in step 4. However, this time around you’ll need to enter your transaction details in the “Sell LBA” rather than the “Buy LBA” section.
It’s also important to be aware that LBA is only listed in trading pairs with a limited range of cryptocurrencies, so you may not be able to immediately exchange your tokens for your desired currency.
Which wallets can I use to hold LBA?
While you can store your LBA tokens in your exchange wallet, it’s generally recommended that you move them into your own secure wallet that allows you to retain control of your private key. With exchanges regularly targeted by hackers, this is widely considered to be a much safer storage option.
The good news is that because LBA is an ERC20 token on the Ethereum network, there’s a wide range of wallets available. For example, you might want to manage your tokens in a hardware wallet like the TREZOR, a web wallet like MyEtherWallet, or using a browser extension like MetaMask.
Find out how to choose the best wallet in our cryptocurrency wallets guide.
How CRED works
CRED, formerly Libra Credit, was founded in 2017 by ex-PayPal executives Lu Hua and Dan Schatt. With an aim to offer open access to credit anywhere and anytime, CRED is a decentralised lending ecosystem based on the Ethereum blockchain.
How it works is simple: borrowers can provide their crypto assets as collateral, and CRED then matches them with a loan in either digital or fiat currency from its network of lending partners. The loan funds are sent straight to the borrower’s digital wallet or bank account and need to be repaid along with interest charges within an agreed term.
The system utilises CRED’s AI-based credit assessment framework, which assesses your credit score and the volatility of the crypto you offer as collateral to determine your loan eligibility and terms. CRED says its aim is to cater to borrowers who aren’t being properly serviced by traditional lenders, such as first-time borrowers and people in developing nations.
LBA tokens are needed to access CRED and can also be used as loan collateral. The LBA token sale was held in May 2018, raising in excess of US$26 million, and CRED’s desktop platform for crypto-to-crypto/fiat lending officially launched in Q3 2018.
Thinking about buying LBA? What to consider before you do
Cryptocurrencies are a lot more complicated than many people realise. They’re also volatile and highly risky assets, so it’s important that you do your own research to develop an understanding of the many factors that drive crypto price movements.
If you’re thinking of buying any LBA tokens, make sure you consider the following factors:
- Supply. According to CoinMarketCap, at time of writing (September 2018) the circulating supply of tokens was 313,547,163 LBA, out of a total supply of 1,000,000,000 LBA.
- Use. LBA tokens have several uses:
- Membership. LBA tokens are used to pay for access to CRED.
- Transactions. Tokens are the medium of exchange on CRED. For example, LBA can be used to pay transaction service fees.
- Incentives. Tokens can be offered as incentives to developers who contribute to the platform, and to those who introduce other lenders to CRED.
- Governance. LBA token holders govern the CRED network by participating in surveys to provide feedback on specific projects and proposals.
- Distribution. LBA tokens were distributed as follows:
- Private sale: 42%
- Team reserve: 20% (team reserve vests at 12.5% quarterly over a 24-month lock-up period)
- Token reserve 1: 15% (24-month lock-up)
- Token reserve 2: 15% (36-month lock-up)
- Public sale: 4%
- Bounty: 2%
- Advisors: 1%
- Backers: 1%
- LBA benefits for borrowers. Borrowers who offer LBA as collateral for a loan through CRED can take advantage of interest-free repayments. They can also enjoy greater borrowing power than users who offer another digital currency as security for their loan.
- Competitors. CRED isn’t the only project focused on crypto-backed loans, so check out our guide to cryptocurrency lending and borrowing to find out more about some of the platform’s key competitors.
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Image: Shutterstock
Disclosure: At the time of writing the author holds ADA, ICX, IOTA, POWR and XLM.
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