Key highlights:

Kucoin have announced a new lock-up scheme for their KCS token

The Dash Explorer is about to receive its API Insight upgrade

PIVX is releasing Core Wallet 4.0

The best crypto projects to follow this week

As we begin the new the year, a number of projects are embarking on renewed roadmaps, and this week’s choices are set to benefit from significant developments and announcements that should strengthen their market positions and benefit their communities. The news should also result in increased amounts of attention to each respective currency over the coming weeks.

1. Kucoin Shares (KCS)

Kucoin is one of the sector’s most well known exchanges that has grown quickly in its short life. Based in Hong Kong, Kucoin gives its users access to a range of up and coming projects as well as more established coins. The exchange also hosts Initial Coin Offerings (IEOs) and operates its own currency known as Kucoin Shares (KCS) which operates as a standard ERC 20 token based on the Ethereum blockchain. Holding the KCS token allows platform users to experience a number of benefits including a discount on trading fees, and access to any Kucoin IEOs.

Why Kucoin Shares?

To kick off 2020, the team have announced a new lock-up scheme to enable anyone to participate in token offerings by projects launching on the exchange. The program will begin with the Alchemy (ACOIN) Lock Up campaign on January 6, 2020 (UTC+8), and all users are required to lock up USDT on KuCoin in order to receive a reserved share of ACOIN tokens. The full details of the lock-up can be found here, and while it currently involves USDT, the scheme may be extended to include KCS in the future.

Buy/Sell Kucoin Shares (KCS)

2. Dash (DASH)

Dash was created in January 2014, and was originally called Darkcoin, it uses a blockchain which is similar to Bitcoin’s and includes a number of advanced features. These include the ability to send instant and private transactions, and the project also uses a decentralized governance system which allows coin-holders, and master node operators to have a say in how funds are spent.

Why Dash?

The team have announced that the Dash Explorer will be updated to its Insight API version on January 7th at 2pm GMT. While the update will modernize the user experience, the changes will affect anyone using the API on explorer.dash.org, as the API change from Abe to Insight creates differences in the underlying software. The team recommend anyone to upgrade their application to use the Insight API although they will service API requests using the old Abe syntax for 3 months after upgrade has taken place, and the old ABE based block explorer API will be made available at abe.dash.org.

Buy/Sell Dash (DASH)

How to buy Dash on Binance?

3. PIVX (PIVX)

PIVX is short for Private Instant Verified Transaction, and is an anonymity-based coin. The underlying technology behind PIVX includes a mixing mechanism based on CoinJoin, administered via a method of masternodes. The coin was launched in February 2016, and remains a decentralized and open source project with a strong and enthusiastic community.

Why PIVX?

The team have announced the release of their new Core Wallet 4.0 with new UI/UX features including staking charts, one click receive QR addresses, a masternode creation wizard, a cold staking page, and a contacts page. As a result, the team will conduct a mandatory wallet update on January 5, 12AM GMT at Block 2,153,200. In order to remain in sync with the network, users are advised to download and run the new core wallet, and the team outline the full details here.

Buy/Sell PIVX (PIVX)

How to buy PIVX on Binance?

How did the coins to watch perform last week?

The seven-day period led to mixed results across the market, while last week's coins to watch showed modest gains. BTC grew by around 1% and in value and is currently trading at around $7,432. ETH performed well over the week, and made a gain of around 4%, and is currently trading at $135. STORJ gained around 3% in value and is currently trading at $0.10. Over the course of the week, the total cryptocurrency market cap moved from $195B to $199B.