How To Buy Astar (ASTR)?

A common question you often see on social media from crypto beginners is “Where can I buy Astar?” Well, you’ll be happy to hear it is actually quite a simple and straightforward process. 

Step 1: Create an account on an exchange that supports Astar (ASTR)

First, you will need to open an account on a cryptocurrency exchange that supports Astar (ASTR).
We recommend the following based on functionality, reputation, security, support and fees:

In order to sign up, you will need to enter some basic information, such as your email address, password, full name and, in some cases, you might also be asked for a phone number or address.

Note: On specific exchanges, you might need to complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) procedure in order to be able to purchase cryptocurrency. This is most commonly the case with licensed and regulated exchanges.

Step 2: Deposit funds into your account

Many cryptocurrency exchanges will allow you to purchase Astar (ASTR) with fiat currencies, such as EUR, USD, AUD and others. Furthermore, they will also provide you with multiple deposit methods through which you can fund your fiat account, such as credit and debit cards, ewallets or direct bank transfers.

Note: Some payment methods will have higher fees than others, such as credit card payments. Before funding your fiat account on your chosen exchange, make sure to do your due diligence to find out the fees involved with each payment method to avoid unnecessary costs.

Step 3: Buy Astar (ASTR)

This process is similar across almost every cryptocurrency exchange. All you have to do is find a navigation bar or a search bar, and search for Astar (ASTR) or Astar (ASTR) trading pairs. Look for the section that will allow you to buy Astar (ASTR), and enter the amount of the cryptocurrency that you want to spend for Astar (ASTR) or the amount of fiat currency that you want to spend towards buying Astar (ASTR). The exchange will then calculate the equivalent amount of Astar (ASTR) based on the current market rate.

Note: Make sure to always double-check your transaction details, such as the amount of Astar (ASTR) you will be buying as well as the total cost of the purchase before you end up confirming the transaction. Furthermore, many cryptocurrency exchanges will offer you their own proprietary software wallet where you will be storing your cryptocurrencies; however, you can create your own individual software wallet, or purchase a hardware wallet for the highest level of protection.

For more in-depth instructions, our ‘Absolute Beginner’s Guide To Cryptocurrency Investing‘ will take you through the process step-by step. In addition to providing instructions for sending and receiving your cryptocurrency.
And if you’re completely new to crypto our beginner, intermediate and advanced level articles will get you up to speed with everything you need to know about the cryptocurrency space starting out. 

Simplecryptoguide.com

What Is Astar (ASTR)?

Astar (previously Plasm) is a Substrate Runtime Module Library which allows developers to add Plasma functions to their Substrate chain. Astar Network‘s mission is to provide a scalable, interoperable, and decentralized application platform that defines and realizes the new form of the web: Web3.0.

The traditional social structure allows people with authority to monopolize information, and history has proven that these people will bend the rules to their benefit. Even if people claim that their system is fair, it still lacks transparency, proving that everything is still conceived upon pillars of sand called trust. In contrast to this, blockchain provides a decentralized system that does not require a single point of failure and makes a transparent and trustless system. This is possible because blockchain is a system that allows anyone to view, prove, and host with a highly fault-tolerant consensus mechanism. ‌

For end-users to fully utilize the blockchain protocol’s strengths, there must be an application that provides an interface to them. Applications that work on top of blockchains are referred to as Decentralized Application (dApps). There are countless dApps developed in the form of smart contracts and chain codes that are deployed on a blockchain, providing utility for various people. However, due to the decentralized nature of dApps, the processing speed is far from fast.

How does Astar work?

Astar Network is a scalable and interoperable infrastructure for Web3.0. Since Astar Network is built with Parity’s Substrate framework, it can be a future Polkadot parachain that also acts as a scalable smart contract platform. The Polkadot Relaychain, by design, does not support smart contracts. This allows Astar the opportunity to fill in this gap. Scalability is obviously one of the most crucial demands dApp developers have. Ideally, the developers can build whatever applications on Astar Network without having to consider its scalability.

What is the ASTR Token?

The tokenomics of the Astar Network project provides the following features:

• Payment of commissions for conducting transactions on the network.
• Project management. Holders of ASTR tokens will be able to take part in referendums and vote on various issues. As a result, Astar Network will be decentralized.
• Providing basic income for DApps developers. Those who deploy their applications on the Astar network will receive network tokens for their active contribution to its development.
• Staking. Network participants can provide their tokens for a time to support various processes in the network and the operation of decentralized applications.

What problem does Astar solve?

Since Astar is a smart-contract platform, we have to consider this issue from both users’ and developers’ side.

Users will receive solutions to scalability and interoperability problems.

Scalability – Users will be able to perform more TPS at noticeably lower fees. Faster finality of the transaction is also provided. That is the time after which the transaction is considered irreversible with a probability close to 100%. Together with a shorter time between blocks (10–12 seconds), this will allow for faster performance of various kinds of exchanges between network agents.

Most often, users face finality when making deposits to centralized exchanges. For example, most platforms require 12 confirmations (blocks) before crediting tokens to the account for ETH deposits. Therefore, the wait can last for minutes. In the case of BTC, that time is even longer.

Interoperability – Astar will allow moving value from one L1 blockchain to another using bridges, for example, to exchange ETH for BTC. Nowadays, this transfer requires centralized exchanges, which often creates many problems, such as the duration of the process and the need for trust in that exchange.

With the launch of a full-featured network, that problem will be solved.

The entire Polkadot ecosystem aims to solve problems such as scalability and interoperability; Polkadot itself is a solution to these problems. Therefore, it is somewhat more interesting to see what additional possibilities Astar provides for developers. That is where the protocol features truly shine.

dApp Staking – One of the challenges for developers of decentralized applications is looking for funding. In contrast to regular companies, these teams do not have a constant cash flow from services or goods sales, so the development financing problem is quite acute. dApp Staking is a sort of basic income for smart-contract developers. Any application on the platform can receive ASTR tokens depending on usage indices (number of users, etc.) and on-chain voting results.

This system allows you to focus solely on the quality of the final product and not think about funding sources (at least in the initial stages of application development).

Support of Several Virtual Machines – Polkadot (substrate) natively supports EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine). That makes it possible to transfer the smart contracts from Ethereum to one of the parachains painlessly, with minimal changes (or even no changes).

Unlike other parachains, Astar offers developers a choice of a handy virtual machine. Besides EVM, WASM (WebAssembly) is also available, which noticeably increases flexibility and development capabilities. At that, inside Astar, EVM-based smart-contracts can interact seamlessly with WASM-based ones and vice versa.

Astar developers called the technology to support multiple virtual machines X-VM (Cross Virtual Machine).

Layer-2 Solutions – Since Polkadot is already a solution to the scalability problem, L2 solutions will most likely not be in full demand at the initial stages of the ecosystem development. However, when the ecosystem has tens of thousands of dApps and millions of users, this question will inevitably arise.

Astar is ready for ecosystem growth and offers second-layer scalability solutions such as ZK Rollups and Optimistic Rollups.

Interaction With Other L1 Blockchains – Astar will connect the main L1 networks, such as Ethereum, Cosmos, Binance Smart Chain, Solana, Avalanche, and others, through bridges. That will permit developers to build cross-chain applications and interact with other blockchains almost seamlessly.

Astar development updates in 2023

In 2023 Astar Network unveiled an ambitious roadmap called the Starmap, divided into four phases: The Reborn Nebula, The Growth Nebula, The Expansion Nebula, and The Shine Nebula. Each phase represents significant developments in the network:

• The Reborn Nebula (Q1): Focused on the introduction of Cross-Virtual Machine (XVM), Astar UI Library & Astar.js, advancement of Mesh Networks, and the Zero to ink! Hero program.

• The Growth Nebula (Q2): Introduced the Swanky Suite for Wasm smart contract developers, including smart contract templates and an instant finality node. It also marked the advent of RMRK ink! NFT, enhancing Astar’s capabilities.

• The Expansion Nebula (Q3): Aimed to attract more developers with new tools and a comprehensive library of resources. Major updates to the staking program and tokenomics were also planned, along with the development of inter-blockchain operable smart contracts.

• The Shine Nebula (Q4): Dedicated to strategic and management decisions for positioning Astar for future growth.

The establishment of Astar Japan Lab in 2022 also significantly contributed to Astar Network’s growth, securing partnerships with prominent entities like NTT Docomo and municipal governments in Japan.

Official website: https://astar.network/

Best cryptocurrency wallet for Astar (ASTR)

There are plenty of different crypto wallets available. The best one for you depends on your general trading habits and which provides the most security in your situation. There are two main types of wallets: hot storage wallets (digital) and cold storage or hardware wallets (physical). Both have their pros and cons, and there is not necessarily a right or wrong answer when it comes to figuring out which crypto wallet is best for you.

HOW DO I DECIDE WHICH cryptocurrency WALLET TO USE for Astar (ASTR)?

Deciding which type of wallet to use depends on a variety of factors, including:

• How often you trade. In general, hot wallets are better for more active cryptocurrency traders. Quick login ability means you are only a few clicks and taps away from buying and selling crypto. Cold wallets are better suited for those looking to make less frequent trades. 
• What you want to trade. As mentioned earlier, not all wallets support all types of cryptocurrencies. However, some of the best crypto wallets have the power to trade hundreds of different currencies, providing more of a one-size-fits-all experience.
• Your peace of mind. For those worried about hacking, having a physical cold wallet stored in a safe deposit box at the bank or somewhere at home, provides the safest, most secure option. Others might be confident in their ability to keep their hot wallets secure.
• How much it costs. It is important to investigate the costs associated with each wallet. Many hot wallets will be free to set up. Meanwhile, cold wallets, like any piece of hardware, will cost money to purchase.
• What it can do. While the basics of each cryptocurrency wallet are the same, additional features can help set them apart. This is especially true of hot wallets, many of which come with advanced reporting features, insights into the crypto market, the ability to convert cryptocurrencies and more. Security features can also be a good differentiator.

For a more in-depth overview of cryptocurrency wallets visit our “Cryptocurrency Wallets Explained” guide.

If you’re going to be dealing in larger volumes of crypto, investing in cold storage might prove advantageous.
Most widespead examples of this being the Ledger Nano and the Trezor.

Ledger manufactures cold storage wallets designed for users who want increased security. Their wallets are a physical device that connects to your computer. Only when the device is connected can you send your cryptocurrency from it. Ledger offers a variety of products, such as the Ledger Nano S and the Ledger Nano X (a bluetooth connected hardware wallet).

Trezor is a pioneering hardware wallet company. The combination of world-class security with an intuitive interface and compatibility with other desktop wallets, makes it ideal for beginners and experts alike. The company has gained a lot of the Bitcoin community’s respect over the years. Trezor offers two main models – The Trezor One and Trezor Model T (which has a built in touch screen).