A liquidity pool is an address or set of addresses holding coins for conversion on the fly. The coins in those addresses are locked and cannot be spent until they come back from being converted, so it’s basically like holding cash in a bank account with the only difference being that you don’t earn any interest over the cash you keep there. However, you are protected and you get to enjoy and experience safe and secure methods for future savings. Keep on reading to understand more about them!
What is a purpose of a liquidity pool?
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The liquidity pool that is built into every wallet is different in that you do earn interest over the funds kept there, but it still allows for effortlessly converting one coin into another without having to use any special services. If you wish to, you can even set up your own liquidity pool and configure it with a certain percentage of the funds you hold.
Liquidity pools serve several purposes:
- First of all, it allows users who don’t want to go through trading screens or market orders but still want their purchased coins instantly after depositing them into the wallet itself.
- Secondly, it allows users to quickly convert coins when the market is volatile when the price is changing rapidly in either direction, allowing them to take advantage of arbitrage opportunities that may arise in this scenario.
- Thirdly, liquidity pools allow for converting different coins into one common coin or token which can then be used within the community where the token is being used, which is the case with the Universal Currency Tether USDT.
Use of liquidity pools for exchange
Also, did you know that liquidity pools are also beneficial for exchanges like BitcoinUp because the amounts of individual coins held within them can be transferred to an exchange’s hot wallet if they need to make a withdrawal?
This reduces transfer times between the wallet and the exchange drastically. Also, it prevents hacker attacks because the exchange’s wallet is not directly connected to the internet and as such, cannot be hacked as easily as hot wallets.
How Liquidity Pools Relate to Cryptocurrencies
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Liquidity pools should be thought of as a way to “park” your coins, so to speak. You can then use those funds whenever you need them without having to sell them on the market first. This allows users to take advantage of all the benefits that come with having a whole lot of different altcoins without actually having to deal with all of them.
Liquidity pools also allow for using different currencies on certain platforms without actually having to carry out conversions between all the coins themselves, which is extremely time-consuming and expensive. Also, some exchanges require traders to have at least one currency worth over $50 so they can trade there because of the increased number of money laundering checks that are required.
Liquidity pools also allow for keeping your funds in one place while allowing you to invest them in other coins at the same time, meaning that you can essentially have an investment portfolio of different coins without having to leave your wallet open all the time or even being awake 24/7. This allows users to make money with their funds no matter what the market is doing.
How can you join a liquidity pool?
The process for accessing liquidity pools only varies slightly from platform to platform, but the concept stays pretty much the same. All you have to do is create an account with the platform of your choice and connect with a smart contract-enabled crypto wallet. You should have enough of the two assets you want to deposit. Finally, you deposit the two assets to receive your LP tokens.
What are the pros and benefits of liquidity pools?
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If you are a newbie when it comes to this field and niche just know that it will take some time for you to get used to the process, and to the liquidity pool itself. Most people enjoy them, and the reasons why you might like them is because:
- Due to DeFi protocols, your liquidity pools will ensure that there are enough decentralized exchanges and lending platforms.
- It doesn’t matter where you work or what your role is, anyone can provide liquidity in a pool.
- Any liquidity provider can participate in the decision making of a protocol they provide liquidity for by earning governance tokens and using them to vote. Learn more about liquidity providers here.
- The transactions run a lot smoother. A Liquidity Pool is a collection of funds locked in a smart contract whose values are updated automatically depending on the exchange rates.
What are the disadvantages and cons of liquidity pools?
Every aspect and field has to have some cons next to it as well. In this case, those are:
- An automated market can keep DeFi ecosystem liquid through a liquid post. This can result in purchasing power of an asset that is too big, meaning that you may be at a loss if you don’t pay close attention to market changes. This is also known as an impermanent loss.
- Watch out for any type of bugs, just because there are no third parties in Decentralized Finance. Do not go for fiat cryptos at all times, but do know when it’s okay to make a sudden move and make it a bit riskier.
Summary
Liquidity pools are very easy to set up, so if you have an interest in setting one up yourself or even just using them at all, it shouldn’t be too hard or too complicated for you to do it. All that’s needed are a few clicks which can either be done through your wallet or through an exchange that offers the option. Liquidity pools are beneficial for both users and exchanges alike because they allow people to park their funds in one place without having to worry about them getting hacked, lost, or stolen.
