Examining How DeFi’s Open-Source Ecosystem Led to RING Financial’s Failure

The crypto space in general is an open-source ecosystem. This both drives the greatest advantages of this space and its biggest downside. A great example of this is the Binance platform. 

What Are Binance Smart Contracts?

Binance Smart Contracts are a new form of blockchain technology developed by the Binance exchange. They provide a platform for users to securely store and manage their crypto assets. Binance Smart Contracts allow users to create contracts on the blockchain that are automatically enforced and can even include other features such as escrow services. These contracts can be used to facilitate the exchange of crypto assets, safely and securely. With Binance Smart Contracts, users are able to take advantage of the power of blockchain technology to transact securely and ensure their digital assets are protected. As a result, Binance Smart Contracts are an ideal tool for users looking to securely manage their crypto assets.

Benefits of Binance Smart Contracts: Accessibility & Freedom

Binance Smart Contracts are designed to provide a secure and reliable platform for tokenizing blockchain-based assets. By utilizing smart contracts, users can quickly and easily tokenize their crypto assets, allowing them to be used in a variety of ways such as staking or trading. Smart contracts provide a layer of security and control that is not available with traditional methods of asset transfer, giving users more power over their crypto assets. Additionally, Binance’s smart contracts are designed to be interoperable with various blockchain networks, making it easier for users to transfer assets quickly and securely. They are also free of centralized financial institutions, giving them more freedom. Furthermore, the use of smart contracts on Binance allows users to access a variety of features, such as token burning and reward programs, to further increase security and in turn help promote the use of crypto. The crypto space is an open-source ecosystem which is the reason for much of its success. However, its greatest strength sometimes can be its greatest weakness. 

Downsides of Binance Smart Contracts: Crypto Scams & Hacks

The world of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is ever-evolving, with a number of platforms emerging to support the development of projects like Binance. However, the platform’s greatest strength – its open-source nature can also be its biggest vulnerability. It increases the platform’s susceptibility to scams and hacks. Scams are a major issue on the Binance platform,  as there have been a number of fraudulent activities conducted by malicious actors. These scams can come in the form of token manipulation, fake ICOs and trading, and other illicit activities. As Binance is a decentralized platform, users need to be careful when dealing with unknown parties in order to avoid any potential losses. 

Frauds are also a serious problem, as malicious actors have been known to use Binance’s platform for fraudulent activities such as money laundering and other illicit activities. As Binance is a decentralized platform, it is difficult for the platform to detect and stop these fraudulent activities, which puts users at risk. The most serious of these problems is the potential for hacking. Binance has been subject to numerous hacking attempts, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency. These attacks are often difficult to detect and prevent, as hackers have become increasingly sophisticated in their methods. 

The Cases of the GEMZ & The RING Financial Tokens

Crypto scams and hacks are increasingly more common. GEMZ and RING Financial are some examples that we’ll dissect to better grasp the potential extent of such risks. Both GEMZ and the RING Financial Token were accused of being scams. And while scams are a genuinely significant risk in crypto spaces, the reality seems to be more layered. We conducted a brief investigation and came to the conclusion that both of the projects failed for numerous different reasons and yet token holders still suffered losses. 

How did GEMZ fall? The team behind the project doesn’t seem to have put enough forethought into the planning stage. Without a carefully planned strategy in place, GEMZ fell victim to its own unpreparedness. The team also failed to deliver security to their users and their crypto assets which led to numerous accusations of fraud. This was not the case – GEMZ was not designed to scam users but simply failed to deliver what it hoped to bring about. RING Financial, on the other hand, seems to have put more consideration into its plans. The RING Financial Token was designed to increase accessibility for token holders and reduce costs. 

Initially, RING Financial seems to have done quite well – their numbers were looking good and the user base was growing. However, the RING Financial Token was soon hacked which took a toll on the project’s public trust. How was the RING Financial Token hacked? We came to the conclusion that the issue consisted of two layers – RING Financial’s own mistakes and the open-source nature of the ecosystem within which they operate. The team behind the project failed to consider the coding language used for Binance projects and all its intricacies. How? The ‘onlyOwner’ function wasn’t assigned to vital parts of RING Financial. This, combined with the platform’s inherent susceptibility to hacks and scams led to an attack from the outside. And while we summarized that RING Financial was not, in fact, an attempted scam, the hack still led to multiple asset losses for token holders. 

Avoiding Fraud & Other Cyber Risks

So, what can we learn from the GEMZ and RING Financial cases? Even though neither RING Financial nor GEMZ were attempts of fraud, the consequences for their users were just as bad as any scam could have. In fact, dire consequences may have been the reason that scam-related accusations were made. RING Financial and GEMZ did not intend to scam users, yet their actions caused losses. Ultimately, the dangers of falling victim to fraud or a hack are great for all noders and the open-source nature of the ecosystem contributes to this further. So, what can you do to not only avoid falling victim to scam, but also cut losses by avoiding projects that might collapse the way GEMZ or RING Financial did? Plan carefully and with great forethought. Research the projects, make sure they’re transparent, check the experience and track record of the creators, and take advice from experienced token holders. There is more that token holders can do to avoid scams and hacks, and we will discuss these tips in our next articles.