Qtum is a decentralized, open-source, public, high-speed, green, scalable blockchain network that utilizes a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism to secure its infrastructure. It leverages UTXO security and supports Ethereum-based dApps through the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) compatibility feature.

The Qtum blockchain operates with a decentralized governance protocol (DGP) to enable complete democratizing decision-making, leveraging smart contracts power. This key feature allows users to change the networks block size without implementing a blockchain hard fork.

Qtum operates on censorship-resistance principles and offers a trustless and permissionless infrastructure for deploying dApps. Its use of PoS consensus makes the blockchain environment-friendly to work. It provides a low barrier of entry for validators to join and contribute towards securing the network and validating transactions.

QTUM is the native token of the Qtum blockchain and is used to pay gas fees when executing smart contracts, interacting with dApps, or performing transactions. It is also used for staking to contribute to the PoS consensus mechanism, validate transactions, and produce new blocks and is distributed as a reward to validator nodes.

Qtum takes forward the concept of the UTXO transaction model used by the Bitcoin network, adding programming capabilities and empowering the technology with support for smart contracts. The Qtum blockchain achieves this by using an account abstraction layer (AAL).

AAL integrates Bitcoins UTXO model with smart contract functionality while potentially solving the problem of incompatibility between multiple blockchain ecosystems. Qtum also achieves EVM compatibility by developing the Qtum x86 virtual machine, allowing developers to deploy Ethereum-based dApps on its ecosystem.

Qtum is also the first blockchain in the industry to leverage the Decentralised Governance Protocol (DGP) system for on-chain governance on top of its PoS consensus algorithm. These features allow Qtum to combine the best of Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains while solving inherent drawbacks plaguing this technology.

As of March 2023, the Qtum network has more than 420 global nodes and over 2.8 million unique addresses and offers a block reward of 0.5 QTUM to validators. It also provides an annual staking ROI of around 8%, and the QTUM token has an annual inflation rate of 0.47%.

Former Alibaba product manager Patrick Dai founded Qtum in 2016, along with Neil Mahi and Jordan Earls. The blockchain launched via an ICO (initial coin offering) in March 2017, which netted the developers $15.6 million in funding.

The mainnet launch of the Qtum network took place in September 2017. In 2018, the project launched the Qtum x86 Virtual Machine, letting developers build dApps using C++, Java, and Python programming languages.

In August 2020, the developers implemented a hard fork that started offline staking capabilities to the Qtum network. Other significant developments through 2020 include protocol privacy Phantom and virtual machine architecture Neutron.

Qtum underwent a hard fork called FastLane in April 2021, reducing its average block time from 128 seconds to 32 seconds. In November 2021, a soft fork implemented another significant network upgrade, bringing Bitcoins Taproot to the Qtum blockchain.

Qtum could be a good crypto asset in your portfolio, especially if you wish to invest in the Web3 sector. Qtum offers a highly capable and robust ecosystem to deploy Ethereum-compatible dApps with greater efficiency and could see considerable traction among developers as Web 3.0 goes mainstream. The upcoming Web3 revolution could drive the demand for more scalable and reliable blockchain ecosystems beyond Ethereum. Such demand could make the Qtum blockchain attractive, boosting QTUM price statistics. The Qtum token price could also increase as the market sentiment toward cryptocurrencies improves. A bullish or risk-on mood in global financial markets could increase buying activity, boost investor confidence, and increase the QTUM value.

While offering an accurate Qtum price prediction over any duration is impossible, you can monitor critical fundamentals that drive the most price action and volatility in the QTUM token. These include: Level of Adoption of Ecosystem As more developers build and deploy their apps on the Qtum network, bringing in more users to the blockchain, the on-chain activity could rise. This could increase the value of QTUM crypto in the market. Future Developments When Qtums developers roll out significant network upgrades that positively impact its efficiency, investor confidence in its native token picks up. In addition, announcements of new partnerships, integrations, and investments can also support the QTUM price. Market Outlook A favorable outlook towards cryptocurrencies in general and Web3 specifically also play an essential role in causing an uptrend in the value of QTUM. The QTUM price heads higher amid a positive market sentiment, while a bearish or risk-averse mood among investors could weaken the Qtum value.

QTUM is the native utility token of the Qtum blockchain and has the following applications: Pay Transaction Fees $QTUM is used to pay gas fees when using the Qtum blockchain to conduct transactions. You must also pay with QTUM when executing smart contracts or interacting with dApps in the ecosystem. Staking As a PoS network, you can stake QTUM to become a validator on the network to verify transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain. You can earn rewards in QTUM for your staking activities. Crypto Asset to Trade and HODL Trade Qtum against other digital assets to profit from changing market conditions or volatility. You can buy or sell QTUM against other cryptocurrencies or hold it long-term if you believe in the future potential of the Qtum network. Review the live price of Qtum crypto, QTUM current market cap, current circulating supply, and 24-hour trading volume, and perform technical, sentiment, and fundamental analysis on the QTUM price chart before trading Qtum in the market.

You can stake QTUM tokens on the PoS Qtum chain to participate as a validator node within the network, earning rewards. Heres how to stake $QTUM using Qtum Web Wallet: 1. Generate a new address on the Qtum Web Wallet. Fund your wallet with sufficient tokens by buying QTUM on BYDFi or other supported platforms and withdrawing your tokens to your wallet. 2. Head to the Qtum blockchain explorer and click the Staking option under the Resources tab. 3. View the Super Staker addresses to which you can delegate your tokens and review their block rewards before selecting an option. Copy the wallet address from here. 4. Head back to your Qtum Web Wallet and click on Offline Staking. 5. Click to Add Delegation, enter the Staker Address, enter the number of QTUM tokens you wish to delegate, and click Confirm. 6. Sit back, earn rewards, and grow your holdings by staking QTUM via delegation.

Out of a total supply of 107,822,406 QTUM, the circulating supply of QTUM stands at a little over 104,000,000 as of March 2023. The circulating supply varies based on the level of use and staking activity on the Qtum network.