Lisk is a blockchain application platform, founded by Max Kordek and Oliver Beddows in early 2016. Based on its own blockchain network and token LSK, Lisk will enable developers to build blockchain applications and deploy their own sidechain linked to the Lisk network, including a custom token. Thanks to the scalability and flexibility of sidechains, developers can implement and customize their blockchain applications entirely. Lisk aims to make blockchain technology more accessible with a SDK written in JavaScript, special focus on user experience, developer support, in-depth documentations and the Lisk Academy. The Lisk network is operated using a highly efficient Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) consensus model, which is secured by democratically elected delegates. Lisk, headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, raised over 14,000 Bitcoins in funding during its ICO (Initial Coin Offering), making it valued at over $4 billion at its peak. Lisk is an open source blockchain platform which is powered by Lisk (LSK) Tokens that allows developers code decentralized applications (dApps) in JavaScript programming language. With Lisk, developers can build applications on their sidechain linked to the Lisk Network, and also with their custom token. In that sense, Lisk is similar with the Ethereum blockchain. However, the Lisk platform hasn’t been built to create smart contracts, but to develop diverse apps and functionalities using the LISK AppSDK framework. It is a modular cryptocurrency as this coin involves ‘modules’ that serve as the basis of its design and construction. The overall design is its trump card - the Lisk system allows anyone to use its ‘designing blocks’ to construct their own decentralised apps. It utilises 'sidechains'. Besides, many former members of Ethereum core members joined Lisk. On June 8 2016, Lisk CEO Max Kordek announced the addition of Charles Hoskinson (ex-CEO of Ethereum) and Steven Nerayoff (ex-advisor for Ethereum) as Senior Advisors of Lisk, to facilitate Product Development.
Paxos Standard (PAX) was created by Paxos, a financial technology company on a mission to modernize finance by mobilizing assets at the speed of the internet. Paxos was the first virtual currency company to receive a charter from the New York State Department of Financial Services. As a chartered limited purpose trust company with fiduciary powers under the Banking Law, Paxos is able to offer regulated services in the crypto-asset and virtual commodities space. The Paxos team comes from a wide variety of backgrounds with a diverse array of experiences ranging from Wall Street to Silicon Valley. It’s led by CEO and co-founder Charles Cascarilla, who has spent his career as a customer, analyst, investor and now creator of financial technology. Paxos describes itself as “the first regulated Trust company with blockchain expertise”, and it is using that expertise to create a modern settlement solution that can eliminate risk and simplify settlements. What many people may not know about Paxos is that it was actually founded in 2012 as Paxos Trust Company, and that for most of its life it ran the cryptocurrency exchange itBit, which is still operates. The creation of Paxos was a pivot from an exchange platform to a company focused on creating a modern settlement platform using blockchain technology. Paxos has become the most widely adopted cryptocurrency in the fastest time frame, with support from over 20 exchanges and OTC desks in the first five weeks of its existence. It’s been picked up and listed by six of the top ten cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance, OKEx, Gate.io, ZB, KuCoin and DigiFinex. These exchanges are offering PAX as an alternative to the controversial Tether. Unlike the controversy surrounding the people who control Tether, there is no such obscurity when it comes to the people behind Paxos. The CEO and co-founder is Charles Cascarilla. He has over 15 years in financial services and has co-founded Cedar Hill asset management back in 2005. He has also worked and Bank of America and Goldman Sachs prior to that. The Paxos Standard (PAX) is the first digital asset to be issued by a financial institution and to be fully secured by the U.S. dollar. While other similar stablecoins have existed, there has been no proof of full U.S. dollar reserves, nor have these earlier assets been issued by a financial institution. The Paxos team has been fairly clear in declaring the different base that PAX is working from.