Applying Business Sustainability to Crypto

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Last week, I approached the topic of sustainability in crypto, particularly at the base layer. As @forexbrokr remarked, this is a topic that doesn't get enough spotlight, and maybe it should.

What Is Business Sustainability?

In my previous post, I didn't define business sustainability. But maybe we should.

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If you look at some sources, they define business sustainability in relation to its impact on the environment, community, and society. I feel these days everything is redefined to include at least the first criterion.

Maybe I'm thinking too small, but I think these are some layers that come on top of what sustainability is, at the core: the capacity to keep a business running long-term, regardless of the business cycles, and not become bankrupt.

Note that's not the same as profitability. A sustainable business can operate sometimes at a loss, from the reserves of profit made during its business cycle.

At least that's how I see sustainability, without being an economist or a businessman (other than in crypto).

Impact on the environment, community, and society are important as well for the sustainability of a business. But more important for some type of businesses than for others.

Let's say the business is a nickel mine. Nickel is finite in the mine, so once it's over another deposit needs to be found and mined. And they are finite too. Plus they mean additional investments, permits needed and site to build. The mining operations also affect the local community (both positively - jobs, and negatively - pollution), and this business influences society, because nickel is a major component of car batteries.

How to Apply Business Sustainability in Crypto?

If we take what we said in the above section and apply it to crypto, what do we have?

Let's start from the end. Crypto operates mostly in the digital world, so some of the physical world limitations don't apply.

However, the issue of high electricity consumption of PoW blockchains will always be brought up. So blockchains like bitcoin better do more mining using energy that would otherwise be lost (like they started to do).

For non-PoW blockchains, the environmental impact is minimum, sometimes even zero.

The impact of crypto on communities is already fantastic in unbanked areas, and that will only grow. Eventually, it will be a societal changer.

But the biggest problem for crypto projects is at the core of sustainability, in my opinion: being around for the long term, regardless of crypto cycles.

No tokenomics is perfect. And if when problems are discovered, they aren't fixed, that usually leads to project failures.

Here's where the life duration of a crypto project validates it. One more reason why bitcoin is the top cryptocurrency. The question is: what will happen when the cost for producing a bitcoin block will consistently become higher than the reward received? I'm sure alternative incentives will flow toward miners then.

Hive is doing fairly well on its longevity if we count its legacy. Being in the market for 6 years, and tested hard, shows how resilient Hive is, with the community at its core.

In future posts, I'll dive deeper into this topic, with application to Hive and maybe some of the prominent projects on Hive, to see where we stand from this perspective.

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It seems like the 3 sustainability 'pillars' are so interconnected that working on one will have ripple effects on the other two (society is made up of communities). I think the infrastructure that crypto is built can radically improve the societal and community impact. We're already seeing it happen with Hive.

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I think the infrastructure that crypto is built can radically improve the societal and community impact. We're already seeing it happen with Hive.

They sure do. Look at the impact Hive has in Venezuela, Nigeria, and Ghana.

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Will be interesting to see how it all ends up this is really just the beginning.

I imagine for some countries crypto is an answer to prayers in the UK for example, unless you have a huge amounts staked it will not sustain you yet.

If you invest large amounts as a business into crypto and it drops harshly that business may not be able to sustain such losses if it takes a long time to recover.

Shareholders and loan companies will still want their cut.

But then i guess this all comes down to perspective at the end of the day.

I am positive about it though on Hive.

Thanks for sharing on Listnerds.
!ALIVE
!CTP
!BBH

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If you invest large amounts as a business into crypto and it drops harshly that business may not be able to sustain such losses if it takes a long time to recover.

That happens mainly because their expenses are in dollars or other fiat currency, not in crypto. As stablecoins become more widely accepted for businesses, they can become a hedge against the bear market.

But I was referring mainly to businesses built inside the crypto world, and their ability to remain sustainable, for example during the bear markets. Or if they have a bad tokenomics, which needs fixing.

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I am new to crypto so i need to learn a lot more i guess

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It's a continuous learning process. I keep learning new things almost every day.

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I think we will see many changes and innovations. I remember when I was a boy that just having cable TV available was a huge thing.

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Oh yeah, we only had cable TV after communism fell in our country.

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This is an interesting fact.

No tokenomics is perfect. And if when problems are discovered, they aren't fixed, that usually leads to project failures.

I agree with you.
This always happens.

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We may see a new type of job/expertise being created/demanded to design and tweak tokenomics in crypto. Demand will certainly be there.

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True.
Thank you for sharing these tips.

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I don't know if BTC will ever be sustainable but it depends on the need for BTC on the chains. At least I don't see Maxi's dream of having all transactions through BTC. So unless I see a use case come out, I don't see it as that realistic.

I think sustainability is a huge factor in any project for crypto. It's been tough but people have to think through their investments and see whether or not they can succeed after asking the fundamental questions.

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If Task predicts this well, there will be a time not too far in the future (still 2030+ probably) when energy will be really cheap, almost free. Kind of like the internet today, which is practically free considering where it started from.

Yes, sustainability will likely become a more prominent factor going forward as the wild west days of crypto start to fade away.

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It reminds me of the banks pushing micro-loans and financing on the unbanked as some sort of solution. As though being in debt is a solution to anything. Crypto seems to be spreading much faster and is a real solution. Lets goooo!

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(Edited)

I always hated personal debt in the real world, other than small loans between friends and family (I often provided them). Luckily I was in the position to not need loans from banks.

A mass phenomenon starts from where crypto is the most appreciated. Lots of unbanked people out there who will embrace crypto out of necessity, not because it's the thing that might change the future.

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That seems so! When it takes off everywhere it will be awesome!

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!BBH I prefer your definition of sustainability; it has a more long-term applicability.

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@gadrian! Your Content Is Awesome so I just sent 1 $BBH (Bitcoin Backed Hive) to your account on behalf of @fiberfrau. (2/5)

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Thanks! They are complementary, I think. But just mentioning the environmental, community, and societal impact without the capacity of the business to adapt to various conditions and keep going, it's missing the essence, I believe.

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