Qtum

Qtum is a unique blockchain platform that combines the strengths of Bitcoin and Ethereum. It is a proof-of-stake (PoS) smart contract platform that aims to bring together the best features of these two leading cryptocurrencies. The Qtum blockchain is built on Bitcoin's UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) transaction model, which provides a robust and secure foundation. However, it adds the functionality of smart contract execution and decentralized applications (DApps), similar to Ethereum. This allows Qtum to offer a wide range of use cases, from simple value transfers to complex smart contract-based applications. Qtum's security is based on the MPoS (mutualized proof-of-stake) consensus mechanism, a modified version of Proof-of-Stake 3.0. This protocol incentivizes users to lock their coins to facilitate and secure the block validation process, known as staking. The block rewards are distributed proportionally to the amount of coins staked, encouraging more participation and decentralization. Since its launch in 2017, Qtum has seen steady growth and development. As of March 2021, there are over 20 tokens created on the Qtum blockchain, and the platform has added support for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, further expanding its capabilities.