Quantum Resistant Ledger is a cryptocurrency based on the Python programming language, aimed at combating future attacks by quantum computers. This cryptocurrency is the brainchild of Peter Waterland who realised that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other such cryptocurrencies have no protection against future technology. It claims to be a “future-proof” cryptocurrency which enables transactions and decentralized communication while providing protection against classical as well as quantum computer attacks. The Quantum Resistant Ledger company was founded by Peter Waterland, who found that Bitcoin, as well as Ethereum signatures are susceptible to attacks by powerful quantum computers. His research on quantum computers and signature programs let to the development of this new cryptocurrency, designed to be resistant to the present classical attacks as well as any future quantum computer attacks. Their team is made up of a diverse range of members spread out across the world, including developers (core, blockchain, mobile developers, etc.), analysts, advisors, marketing managers, designers and more. Quantum Resistant Ledger is the first ever cryptocurrency and the only one in existence as of August 2018, to consider the threat that the future technology of quantum computing poses to cryptocurrencies and their working. It uses a technology specifically designed for post-quantum security, called XMSS, which makes it secure against powerful quantum computers even while using a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. Security against cyber-attacks is a very serious concern in this digital age, especially when you have digital assets whose loss is likely to lead you to bankruptcy. QRL is the first blockchain technology that provides durability and stability through resistance to quantum computer attacks. The encryption methods used by modern blockchains can become vulnerable to quantum computers over the next ten years. QRL tries to create a blockchain with long-term stability. By using blockchain technology, the QRL platform creates a “ledger” that generates hashes in such a way that it is virtually impenetrable to any type of computer attack.
Shift is cryptocurrency that was launched in August 2015 based on Ethereum by a group of cryptocurrency enthusiast. Shift Storage Cluster - The default state of the IPFS infrastructure is represented as a globally shared network. This can lead to problems when it comes to verifying data integrity, availability, and custom implementation details such as earning token rewards for running a storage node. For this reason, Shift runs a private swarm. The storage nodes use a custom swarm key to ensure that they can only talk to other nodes using the same key. This also prevents Shift nodes being used to host and deliver content that was added outside of the Shift network which should improve reliability and performance. In order to store data permanently, IPFS implements a concept called pinning. Pinning content means that the content will be available permanently (or until it is unpinned). By default the pinning only applies to a single peer that it is pinned to, but that means if that machine goes offline, the content can be lost. The way around this is by using an IPFS cluster: a subnet (or private net) running the IPFS daemon, containing only Shift peers. The Shift cluster runs as a wrapper around the IPFS daemon. It allows the end user to connect a group of IPFS nodes together so that content can be stored and replicated within the group. The cluster elects a leader to be in charge of keeping track of which content is available in which locations. Shift is meant to disrupt the web hosting industry. The company has created Phantom which is a decentralized app to host websites. It does so through the Shift IPFS rather than the normal way a website is hosted. By using this ‘killer dApp’, the company is of the opinion that a business gets a chance of succeeding in the current competitive world. Because Shift is an open-source platform, developers of dApps are free to use the company’s script. This is made even easier by the fact that Shift Company has used Javascript which is popular language among dApp developers. According to the company, every dApp created using the Shift script can access the IPFS cluster to store data. This will be made possible by the use of a P2P hypermedia distribution protocol, an interplanetary file system which the company created. Even though the Shift has been around since 2015, the team only released the whitepaper on March the 5th 2018. The whitepaper is a bit technical but well detailed. Remember that the crypto is built with dApps developers in mind. It might not be a very good investment opportunity for a person who doesn’t understand dApps and Javascript. But at the end of the day, it is a volatile crypto which is one of the most important features to look for as a trader.