Whether it is being used to better the environment or to help you get those pants you’ve had your eye on, blockchain is becoming a technology where the possibilities are seemingly endless. And many processes that before took days can now be done in minutes. One example of this is the transfer of cryptocurrency. With blockchain technology and its intuitive ledger system, the banks are no longer the middle-man validating and approving which makes the process infinitely more efficient.

However, what are your favorite mobile apps currently using blockchain technology? What ideas do you believe are unique, serve a good purpose and bring blockchain into the spotlight?

Here is a list of our top five apps bringing crypto into the mainstream for all the right reasons.

For years, mankind has been using and burning fossil fuels for our benefit. Almost everything we do now requires electricity or fuel. Watching television, using our smartphones or traveling around the world has been a byproduct of using power and adding to global Co2 emissions. Electricity has of course been a huge step forward in terms of technology. The internet would be another huge step. And blockchain technology is set to revolutionize this. However, Gear has presented a big problem.

‘’Currently, Bitcoin’s network alone demands enough energy to power 34 US homes per single transaction.’’

This is a startling statistic, one that should not be taken lightly. Blockchain technology does not need to harm the environment. Gear to the rescue! Gear has created a profitable, greener and more sustainable solution using their own token and data mining. This project even has American icon Larry King on their advisory board.

Climate change has been a huge issue in the past decade and now, more than ever, we need to start working towards a more sustainable future. Gear has a great product behind them and one with an even better message, to help better our world.

Kinit is an app to put the power back into users hands, giving them control over how their data is used and distributed to advertising companies. The EU’s recent introduction of the GDPR rules and regulations came about due to the misuse of user data sharing between Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. In the same way that Facebook and other social platforms use and track your data and online behavior, you complete a number of different surveys or tasks for the Kinit profile. However, in return for this, you receive Kin that allow you to buy and use coupons off selected items. So, instead of companies using your data without you knowing and selling it onto companies you don’t know, you now have the power of knowing where it goes and actually earning crypto in return for it.

This clever spin has turned a big data protection scandal on its head. By allowing the user to know how their data is being shared and incentivizing them to do so with rewards, both sides of the fence win.

As the name suggests, this app is designed to make you sweat! Coins are given to the user whenever outdoor exercise has begun, incentivizing the user to get outside and get fit. And there are many services that can be exchanged. At the moment, it looks like many of the items available to purchase are coupons and discounts. However, the website states that soon items like iPhones, shoes and PayPal discounts can be purchased. You can even donate your Sweatcoins to their partnering charity organizations.

The app store reviews are mixed, but the concept is great for getting people outdoors. Health can be incentivized with rewards and who doesn’t need an occasional little ‘kick’ sometimes to get your fitness back on track!

Do you remember how huge Pokémon GO was? Well, now you can download the crypto version of this ‘gotta catch ’em all’ mania. Aircoin is the new way you can hunt down crypto whilst out and about. Described as ‘the modern day treasure hunt’, Aircoin combines the right mix of collecting money and video game fun simultaneously. And this is all done in augmented reality (AR). Using your phone’s camera, just point and see where your nearest coins are! You can find, collect, share and trade your Aircoins all from your smartphone.

And it’s not just Aircoins that are available to catch. There are coins from other crypto projects as well. Being the first AR crypto app, the possibilities to interact between user and crypto seem endless. This is certainly our pick of crypto combined with video game entertainment.

When it comes to fashion and crypto, YEAY is the space to share, inspire, recommend and purchase. YEAY has become the app for users to show what they love. Passion and creativity go hand in hand. And when a user feels passionate about their favorite item of clothing, they can come to the platform and upload a creative video.

But why would the user do this, you ask? Well, any great content that is noticed by the brands can be rewarded for their hard efforts with WOM (word-of-mouth) Tokens. And this crypto can then be exchanged for your favorite items of clothing on YEAY.

Word-of-mouth has and probably always will remain the most effective form of marketing for creating awareness and consideration. And the normal everyday users who make these recommendations for businesses are not gaining anything in return. By doing this, companies are able to monetize and track how word-of-mouth can better their earnings. And the individual users can gain something at the same time. It’s a win-win situation.

To conclude…

Cryptocurrency isn’t just the transfer of money online. It is allowing developers to really think ‘outside-the-box’ and come up with new ideas to help better society through a number of different avenues, creating solutions to problems we never even knew we had. Yet, the crypto industry has gotten a lot of air-time recently and investment from mainstream society. So it would be natural to think that the system is mature enough for worldwide usage. This is not the case. It still has a long way to develop. However, with these mobile apps, I am sure it won’t take long before society really jumps onboard.