Safemoon: what it is and how to buy it

Launched in the spring of 2021, safemoon promised a revolutionary idea. But a year later, its popularity has yet to take off.

Safemoon was designed to take some of the volatility out of the crypto market and reward long term token holders. Its price shot up in April 2021, but has since dropped back with investors are concerned about the fee structure and finding a real-world use for the digital currency.

This article will explain everything we know so far about safemoon, including:

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The rise of safemoon

Coming hot on the heels of digital currencies such as bitcoin, cardano and dogecoin, safemoon protocol launched in March 2021. The altcoin already has more than two million users investing in it.

On April 20, the crypto exchange Binance had to suspend withdrawals temporarily because it was inundated with investors in safemoon. Binance has now been blacklisted by the financial regulator.

In early May, the market information firm CoinMarketCap reported that safemoon was on more users’ watchlists than bitcoin – at just over 1.3m, compared to 1.2m.

There are lots of digital currencies. If you want to know more about Worldcoin and whether it is worth buying check out our article on worldcoin here.

What is safemoon?

Safemoon describes itself as a decentralised finance (DeFi) token. This means it is part of an alternative financial system, enabling trade on peer-to-peer chain networks without the intervention of centralised systems such as banks or governments.

Like bitcoin and other digital currencies, it operates on a blockchain network.

However, the key difference between a safemoon token and other cryptocurrencies is that investors are encouraged to hold, not sell their tokens.

Safemoon fees

Anyone who sells safemoon coins will be hit with a 10% fee, half of which will be paid by way of a dividend to current investors.

Safemoon’s founders say the idea behind this sale penalty is to discourage day trading and iron out the significant price volatility suffered by other cryptocurrencies.

They claim that investors are shooting safely to the moon with the currency but it will take time to get there.

The safemoon price at the time of writing, on March 4, was a fraction of a dollar:  $0.000001, according to CoinMarketCap. The price of a single token peaked on April 20, 2021 at $0.00008615.

So the price has dropped significantly in the past year, suggesting safemoon has yet to take off with crypto buyers,

Find out how one Times Money Mentor reader made £8,500 from bitcoin.

How to buy safemoon in the UK

Buying safemoon in the UK is not a straightforward process, but it is possible.

In order to do so, potential investors must first set up a crypto wallet on the Binance crypto exchange and then buy binance coins. These can subsequently be exchanged for safemoon coins.

Bear in mind that safemoon is on the Binance smart chain ecosystem and Binance is not allowed to carry out regulated activity in the UK. Also remember that your money isn’t protected if anything goes wrong.

Where to buy safemoon:

• Download the Trust Wallet App – available on App Store, Google Play or Android.
• Purchase one of two available established cryptocurrencies: binance or bowscoin.
• Click on the DApp tab on the Trust Wallet app, which enables you to find decentralised applications and look for PancakeSwap.
• PancakeSwap lets you exchange binance or bowscoin for safemoon tokens.
• Safemoon tokens are then held in Trust Wallet.

Should I invest in safemoon?

Despite the desire to achieve some stability through the fees levied on investors who sell their tokens, there has still been substantial price volatility.

This means that investors could have made both impressive gains and staggering losses, depending on your financial situation.

As with all digital currencies, investing in safemoon is HIGH-RISK and should only be considered by investors who:

• Understand cryptocurrencies
• Have conducted extensive research
• Can afford to lose their stake

It certainly isn’t mainstream investments in cryptocurrencies, to be relied upon for building a nest-egg or for funding retirement.

Investing in cryptocurrency is a bit like gambling so don’t invest your entire life savings in this asset class. If you are unsure, speak to a financial advisor.

Is safemoon safe?

As with an investment in stocks and shares, or other currencies, the value of a safemoon coin could fall. If investors were to sell on the back of a fall, they would not only incur capital losses but also a 10% penalty.

Critics also argue that this incentive to remain invested makes safemoon not so different to an old-fashioned pyramid or Ponzi scheme, with existing investors reliant on new entrants to boost their gains.

Added to this is that investments in cryptocurrencies are not regulated in the UK. Although the founders of safemoon have held “Ask Me Anything” sessions to answer potential investor questions, it is no substitute for proper consumer protection.

The Financial Conduct Authority has warned consumers about the risks of investing in crypto assets that advertise high returns.

The regulator’s concerns include:

• A lack of consumer protection beyond basic anti-money laundering measures. Investors are unlikely to be able to call upon the Financial Services Compensation Scheme – which protects up to £85,000 of an investor’s money if a provider goes out of business – or the Financial Ombudsman Service.
• Extreme price volatility. The regulator advised that this, in addition to difficulties in accurately valuing crypto assets, increases the risk of losses.
• The complexity of crypto assets makes it very hard for consumers to properly understand the risks of investing in them.

It is also important to note that it may be tricky for potential investors to convert holders of safemoon – or any other cryptocurrency – back into cash, with no guarantees that the market will offer the liquidity that investors want. Find out more about Crypto tips (and mistakes to avoid)

The future of safemoon

Digital currencies analysts appear to be cautiously optimistic about the safemoon price.

WalletInvestor predicts that the value of a safemoon coin will rise to $0.000051 in one year and up to $0.000237 in five years. Digital Coin, meanwhile, puts its safemoon prediction at $0.00000870 in one year and $0.00001690 over five.

However, these are of course just predictions. And if a glance at any crypto price chart can tell you one thing, it’s that it is likely to be a very bumpy ride. 

It is also arguably too early to tell what impact safemoon’s sale tax will have on potential investor appetite.

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