As the first topic in this category, I would like to share my thoughts on Dash. These are from the perspective of a relative newcomer to crypto (since May). I noticed that among the old guard, there is still a bias against Dash, which stems from things that happened in the Darkcoin days. I do believe Dash has adequately addressed issues like the supposed instamine since then, but in any case my advice would be: Stay objective. Don’t dwell too much on the past, or you will miss out on good things happening now, leading to great opportunities in the future.
Main reasons I like Dash:
Professionally managed core team. The team counts around 30 members, spread around the globe. All are focused on developing and growing Dash. Led by Ryan Taylor as CEO, it is very impressive to see how the team is managed (for a crypto team at least). Take a look at the roadmap, watch the quarterly Dash Core Team Summary Calls on Youtube or even attend the first Dash Conference in London coming Sunday. These people are not kidding around and will deliver.
Active & friendly community. This community is in it for the long haul, truly believing in Satoshi’s vision for a virtual currency and knowing that the goal can only be attained by fostering a healthy, welcoming Dash community that sticks to the principals and doesn’t get too distracted by the crazy markets. Join their Slack channel, ask questions, get help, tip and get tipped Dash, ‘mark their words’ & participate in discussions with some of the most knowledgeable, genuine people in the crypto sphere.
Governance & budget system (Treasury). Built into the Dash protocol is a system that allows the masternode owners to vote on proposals which then get budget allocated to be realized. This is a powerful system that assures funding of activities that build out and strengthen the Dash ecosystem, without being dependent on outside sponsorship or only goodwill. The budget, or Dash Treasury, amounts to 10% of the block reward. At current valuations this means that around 2 million USD is available per month for these activities. The funding of the Core Team is paid out from the Treasury as well, among many other proposals submitted and funded every month.
Evolution. At first glance, Dash doesn’t differ that much from Bitcoin, aside from features like PrivateSend, InstantSend and the Treasury system. This will change in 2018 with the first release of the Evolution project, a major development that aims to overhaul many of the workings of Dash, with a focus on usability to propel cryptocurrency into the mainstream.
Undervalued. From an investment perspective, it’s comforting to see the still relatively low market cap compared to other coins and knowing the roadmap & marketing exposure still ahead.
What I like less about Dash:
Masternode collateral requirement. By staking 1000 Dash, it is possible to become a masternode owner, which allows you to vote on proposals and it also gets you a return of almost 7 Dash per month. I think that being a masternode owner really drives community participation, which has probably helped Dash a lot with growing until where it is today. Unfortunately, at current prices, it has become almost impossible to become a masternode owner. The masternode system as a social incentive and a symbol of inclusivity has turned into one of exclusivity, as fresh blood is not able to come in, leading to a more stale network. A trustless share system is planned for Evolution v3, which is still ways off. Lowering the collateral could alleviate the pain in the meantime.
PrivateSend & InstantSend. Not to say I don’t like these features, but I don’t consider them as being part of the core value proposition of Dash myself. The mixing process sounds cumbersome and the InstantSend feels unproven. Of course, reason for this could be that, just like other cryptocurrencies, Dash is not yet commonly used as a daily means of transacting. By the time that use case becomes reality, these features may well prove to be indispensable and solid.
