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If you don’t know what is blockchain and don’t have crypto-actives in your investment portfolio yet, you are missing a great opportunity. The kind that doesn’t knock on your door twice. So, read this article to the end to understand how disruptive the technology behind this great innovation is.

What is Blockchain?

You may have already heard the term blockchain, but if you haven’t, you can be sure that in the next few years it will be present in our daily lives, especially in the area of technology.

Translated from English as “blockchain,” the concept of blockchain emerged in 2008 in the paper known as the bitcoin white paperwhich explains in detail the proposal for an electronic currency that is built on a reliable, decentralized network that does not allow duplication of spending and can be made peer-to-peer at any time and to any place in the world, requiring only internet access. Bitcoin is the pioneer and the best known, but there are several assets with similar characteristics. These digital assets are called cryptocurrencies.

The big revolution behind the whole bitcoin system is actually the blockchain, because it is this technology that makes the network reliable. But don’t worry! In this article you will understand how it works, and also the possibilities of using this technology that goes far beyond cryptocurrencies.

Think of a public ledger, where all transaction history is recorded and everyone can access it whenever they want. A big database. In this book, information such as the amount of coins transacted, who sent, who received, when this transaction was made, and where in the book it is located, are registered through cryptography, that is, anonymously.

These transactions are stored within a block, and each new block that is generated carries all the information from the previous block plus its own information, thus forming a chain of blocks.

As you can see in the image, each block generates a so-called “hash”. The hash is basically a code of letters and numbers that represents the information imputed in the block. As if it were a “fingerprint”, unique. Understanding that each hash contains all previous hashes, any changed information generates a new hash, and if it does not agree with the entire network, it is invalidated.

This is exactly how Kanna’s ballast works. Each token carries the date, time stamp, and coordinates of the impacted space. This process involves 4 actors: the buying stakeholder, the selling stakeholder, the miner/validator, and the local community that is responsible for verifying and guaranteeing the real impact of the land.

That is why this system provides transparency and immutability, after all, to make any change it is necessary that more than 50% of the network (of thousands of people spread around the world) validate the veracity of the information. This is called blockchain network consensus and is done by the computers belonging to this network.

The blockchain explanation above brought up aspects of currencies as an integral part of the information that will be generated in a block. But this system allows other types of information, not necessarily just financial transactions. In addition to cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology can also be used for document validation, intellectual property, public transparency, medical records, diplomas, real estate records, and so on. We can already see that the possibilities for using technology are promising, can’t we?

The Smart Contract Revolution

And from this universe of technology and blockchain, the so-called smart contracts have emerged. They are contracts capable of being executed by themselves, formalizing negotiations between two or more parties without depending on the intermediation of a third party. Then rules, conditions and consequences can be established and blockchain helps this kind of software to verify and record this information providing reliability for all involved.

In addition to transparency, another benefit provided by smart contracts is cost and time savings related to business transactions and process efficiency. Another factor that does not enter into the account would be possible human error.

Understanding how smart contracts work is of utmost importance to ensure Kanna’s reliability and operation.

Technology is a tool that has definitely been improving our lives. But, as with any other aspect, you have to be careful. Studying and understanding how it works is essential to have security and success in this type of transaction. For example, the code that makes up the contract must be perfect, without any openings or bugs. Otherwise, you will become vulnerable.

So always research the projects, companies and people involved. There are many people – like us – who value transparency and information, but unfortunately we can’t say that they are all.

How to invest in cryptocurrencies

Now that you have understood how all the revolutionary technology behind bitcoin, Kanna coin and other cryptocurrencies works, you must be wondering what the first steps would be to start investing.

The golden tip is: study before anything else. There are more than 11,000 assets in the crypto market, and obviously there are good and bad projects. There is no point in choosing where to invest your money because of a name, a promise, or a pretty website. It is necessary to understand the fundamentals of that project, and then make a speculation.

Look for ideas that you identify with, projects that you believe in the solution that the proposal brings. Don’t forget: well-founded projects have a lot of added value, and regardless of the price at the moment, their value tends to grow in the long term. Don’t leave fundamental analysis aside.

So be sure to check out our white paper before investing in the project.

There are a few ways to get exposure to the cryptocurrency market. You can trade them on an exchange, accept them as a form of payment, or do a P2P deal, i.e. directly with another person who wants to sell. The latter can also be done via a DEX (decentralized exchange).

In 2018 the CVM (Comissão de Valores Imobiliários) allowed Brazilian funds to make indirect investments in cryptocurrencies abroad by buying derivatives or shares of other funds. In 2021 the first fund was launched on the Brazilian stock exchange, allowing investors who are “not qualified” by the CVM – read lower purchasing power – to also have this opportunity. So it is possible to get exposure to these kinds of assets in a more traditional way as well.

Speaking of “traditional investments”…

It is already known that the banking system is responsible for most of the payments made in the global economy. This system is also responsible for issuing new currencies, technically, through the control exercised by its state economic organs.

The result of a lack of control and planning results in sky-high inflation and a gradual loss of purchasing power over the years. To give you an idea, the 2021 minimum wage has the lowest purchasing power since 2005. A survey done by mathematician José Dutra Vieira Sobrinho for Invest News points out that the real has lost 84% of its purchasing power in the last 26 years, since the beginning of the real plan.

It turns out that the effects of inflation are not the same for the entire population, and food expenses end up weighing much more heavily on the lower income classes, who need to use most – or all – of their earnings on food. And the effect that this causes everyone already knows: the top goes up and the bottom goes down.

According to an article published by El País, studies and specialists say that segregation increases in correlation to the growing inequalities caused by the current economic model.

And knowing that ̶e̶s̶t̶á̶ ̶t̶u̶d̶o̶ ̶e̶r̶r̶a̶d̶o̶ the current economic model is not efficient, much less the financial education of the population, the proposal of cryptocurrencies is precisely to subvert the currency issuer, without being controlled by an inefficient regulatory body. Thus creating a valuable monetary system, giving the power of value decision to people in the famous and simple supply and demand model.

Exchange is not a wallet

The motto of the crypto community is: if you don’t have custody of your assets, they are not yours. But how so? The most important thing to understand about this digital currency universe is that the idea around this whole financial system started by bitcoin, is primarily, the protection of your capital and it is only properly protected when it is in your custody. Technically we should not trust the big companies and brokerage houses as they are susceptible to problems, regulations, and a host of attacks. This is why enthusiasts of this market, for the most part, will not recommend the aforementioned traditional investment model in the form of funds and derivatives.

The recommendation would not be to leave it on an exchange either. Think about it: if there is a problem with your clients’ money, banks and funds can – or at least should – reimburse them for their monthly fees and charges. That’s the idea. The exchanges, on the other hand, do not charge any custody fees and their revenue comes exclusively from their trading fees. In other words, there is no guarantee or protection regardless of the size and reliability of the company. Exchange is not a wallet!

What to do then? Basically what the community advocates is that you can quietly use exchanges to trade your cryptocurrencies, but if your goal is to hold (term for holding an asset for the long term) the best thing to do is to have a cryptocurrency wallet.

Have custody of your assets

Known as wallets and of various types, digital wallets are responsible for storing security keys. There are two types of keys: the public ones, which are like a kind of address to send and receive, and the private ones, which resemble the password to a safe and should not be shown to anyone – even because the market is very digital, it is recommended that this password not be accessible online.

When you make transfers through the wallet, the transaction is registered in the blockchain and it is precisely through the blockchain that you can allow access, consult, and control your assets.

Now that you understand how the cryptocurrency universe and even the much talked about blockchain work, I bet you are surprised by the growth potential of this market because of its revolution and technology.

Exploring this potential, our project was born. Check out Kanna’s White Paper to understand how we will make a difference by generating social impact. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will explain. And the next step is to invest! 🙂

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Cannabis needs to be legalized soon, otherwise Brazil has nothing to lose and we will prove it to you. In this article we will explore the properties and benefits of hemp (a species of cannabis) in 3 aspects: Environmental, Economic and Medicinal.

Hemp Historical context

Cannabis can be called many different ways, including hemp and marijuana. But there is a big difference between these two: the amount of THC in their composition. THC is a compound present in the cannabis plant, responsible for its psychoactive properties.

Hemp is a variety of cannabis that has less than 0.3% THC in its composition. That is, this type of plant does not cause any type of psychoactive change, the famous “cheap” .

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Cannabis cultivation is becoming increasingly accepted and many countries have joined legalization for medicinal, economic, social and environmental reasons. Mainly its medicinal use, which has been gaining strength after many years of research and positive results in treatments. So much so that in December 2020 the UN recognized the medicinal properties of the plant and removed cannabis from the list of very dangerous narcotics, paving the way for more countries to approve its use for therapeutic purposes, also paving the way for more research related to its benefits.

But first, let’s understand why hemp was banned?

Most people might think it’s banned simply because it’s a drug and “bad for your health”. But the story goes much further than that, after all if that were the case, we would have many other banned substances and foods as well.

The cultivation of the plant was encouraged by the Portuguese Crown at the beginning of colonization. Long before it was banned around the world, cannabis was widely used to produce resin, fuel and paper. As a fast-growing plant, hemp was responsible for most of the paper produced in the world for over 2,000 years. With today’s technology, many other purposes are already explored from its cultivation, such as the production of plastic, dermatological creams and even foods with incredible health properties. The list of benefits and applications grows with each passing year.

But going back to history… its consumption as a psychoactive substance started to spread among slaves and Indians. At the end of the 19th century, its use came to be recommended by doctors in the treatment of insomnia, asthma and bronchitis. Today we also know the power it has to help the treatment of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, among others .

And knowing all the benefits of cultivation, several countries have already proved to us that legalization works in different aspects, as it means less violence, less government spending and the opening of a new source of taxation – super interesting for the economy. Now, if this is so explicit and so obvious, why doesn’t it happen? Why is it still criminalized and illegal by most countries? In fact, the reasons mix prejudice with minorities, racism , industry interests and religious moralisms.

Legislation in Brazil

In addition to these issues, which implicitly contribute to the ban on its cultivation, the legislation is also largely responsible for the ban in Brazil and ends up being supported by a large part of the population that believes it is harmful precisely because of prejudice and misinformation. In fact, Brazil was one of the countries that voted against the UN measure to remove marijuana from the list of most dangerous drugs, contrary to the WHO recommendation. The Brazilian government even said that the measure would be a “communist strategy of power”. But as the map below shows, the stance adopted by the country in the vote was the same as that of countries whose government is considered more authoritarian, such as Russia, Cuba and China.

Among the numerous benefits that legalization can provide to the country, some of them deserve great attention, they are the environmental, economic and medicinal.

Environmental impact

The vast potential of hemp in the pursuit of increasingly sustainable development. It is a source of raw material for many industries. Three main factors contribute to its popularity in this regard: ease and speed of growth, soil revitalization and conversion of CO2 into biomass.

In fertile lands, which is the case in Brazil , the hemp development period from sowing to harvesting is three to four months. With favorable land and climate, the Brazilian raw material would have the lowest international cost, competing with the Colombian one.

According to Dilsher Singh Dhaliwal, founder of India’s largest hemp growing company, the crop requires relatively few inputs: just organic fertilizers at sowing, no pesticides.

In addition to easy growth, it actively benefits the environment

Hemp plantations have the ability to help reclaim contaminated and degraded land through a process called phytoremediation. Research also points to a reduction in soil erosion and an increase in the yield of other plants when cultivated in rotation.

Soil revitalization is one of Kanna’s proposals . And the areas chosen to be impacted by it will not only benefit from revitalization, but a set of benefits that encourage sustainable economic and environmental development.

Fabrics made from hemp are also more durable and sustainable than fabrics made from cotton, which require a lot more water.

Paper made from hemp is of better quality and requires a quarter of land to produce the same amount of pulp. This means that it is possible to obtain more paper per hectare in less time, which can help fight deforestation, in addition to the fact that it can be recycled several times.

Hemp is also becoming a popular substitute for plastic and is currently used in Legos and car parts, for example. We already know that plastic is one of the most destructive sources of pollution worldwide, without exaggeration. Bioplastic , made from hemp, is a 100% biodegradable alternative and its manufacturing process does not harm the environment, unlike the fossil fuels used by most plastic products produced today.

Its use has been gaining ground even in civil construction as an alternative to traditional cement, which in turn has ecologically devastating sand mining. Known as “hempcrete” , the material made from hemp is light and at the same time resistant, offering excellent thermal regulation and humidity control.

For regular vehicles, it can become an efficient biofuel . Unlike gasoline, biofuel is obtained from living organisms and is normally mixed with regular fuel to create a product that is less harmful to the environment.

One hectare of industrial hemp can absorb 63 tonnes of CO2 , which makes it one of the best methods of converting CO2 into biomass.

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On top of that, as it grows rapidly, one hectare of industrial hemp can absorb 63 tons of CO2 , which makes it one of the best methods of converting CO2 into biomass. And it is excellent for containing erosion and cleaning the soil, removing polluting and even radioactive residues, without impacting its development in any way.

LATAM potential

According to a study carried out by the company Kaya Mind , based on the cultivated and cultivable territory of the country, a projection of the productive potential of hemp was made, according to a comparison made with nations where the regulation already exists.

In summary, hemp is considered by the industry to be a conscious material, which has anti-flammable, biodegradable and regenerative properties.

Tip Medicine

The use of medical cannabis as an alternative treatment has been studied for decades and is considered one of the most controversial topics in medicine. The fight for the release of its use faces great resistance from both doctors and society as a whole, even with scientific evidence that proves its benefits for the treatment of various diseases, in addition to the fact that it is a safe type of treatment.

THC AND CBD

Cannabis is a plant with over 500 chemical compounds and over 100 identified cannabinoids. Among them are the most common and studied: THC and CBD .

Like THC, CBD is a compound present in the plant. But unlike THC, CBD does not have psychoactive properties. On the contrary, it is a product widely used in medicines and even foods with several health benefits and few side effects. Although CBD is best known for medicinal use, THC also plays a role in health and can help treat diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, anxiety and depression. In addition, the side effects of THC’s typical psychotropics can be improved by combining it with a dose of CBD. Because of this, it has a wide therapeutic window, including chronic and neuropathic pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, chronic inflammation, among others.

There is no doubt that CBD can be a powerful ally in the health of many people. There are ongoing studies on how CBD can be used in cancer treatment and after-treatment effects.

CBD industry

In any case, the CBD industry is also gaining ground in the market, becoming a global business . Its potential anti-inflammatory and therapeutic effects help many people suffering from chronic diseases. According to preliminary evidence, cannabis can be a deciding factor in treating life-threatening illnesses and mitigating the side effects of medical treatments.

This increase in clinical evidence, positive patient reports and the (still very low) media coverage are contributing to the de-stigma of cannabis, but it is still a long way to go as Brazil’s laws remain retrograde even with the growing increase in cannabis. authorization and import of the product.

In addition to the psychoactive properties, another difference between CBD and THC is their legal status in Brazil. Only CBD is recognized as a medicine, although countries like Uruguay, Canada, the United States and Portugal already use full cannabis as a medical treatment. Remembering that even though it is legal, the use of cannabidiol can only be done by people who prove their need.

Regulation in Brazil

It is worth remembering that in Brazil, cultivation is not allowed and the use of the substance as a form of treatment requires the importation of both production inputs and medicines. Resulting in higher prices and monopoly of companies and industries, making access difficult for the population. But there is an alternative , which is why preventive habeas corpus for home cultivation has grown considerably over the years.

Despite the numerous proven benefits and ongoing studies and research, much remains to be discovered. We know that it is a promising compound and that countries that refuse research and testing are missing out on a huge opportunity. But the fight must go on , which is why there are several associations that defend patients’ access to treatment, mainly promoting information and research on the subject. Because in the end, those who pay the price are the patients who do not have access to the medicine .

The production of CBD to make the product accessible to patients who need it for their treatment is one of Kanna’s proposals , in addition to promoting the culture of a circular rather than linear economy.

Economic Potential of Hemp

The possibilities of using cannabis are huge. In addition to the development of a more sustainable economy and the use of CBD and even THC as allies in the treatment of diseases, hemp opens up a range of industrial uses. In total, there are more than 25 thousand application possibilities, which means a new market full of economic opportunities for the country. In construction, for example, its fibers can be used together with powdered limestone and water to create an alternative concrete.

Growing global hemp demand

Marijuana is the most consumed illicit drug in the world. In recent years, legalization experiments have been carried out with promising results in places like Uruguay and the US states of Colorado and Washington.

A study by New Frontier Data, in partnership with The Green Hub – a network specializing in innovation and technology entirely focused on the cannabis sector – points out that, in the United States alone, total hemp sales for the industry moved US$1.1 billion. in 2018 and is estimated to reach US$2.61 billion by 2022.

Due to the current global pandemic, the entire world is suffering economic consequences. Against this backdrop, many states, countries, and even municipalities are turning to legal and medical cannabis to offset some of these problems. The legalization of cannabis can help fuel this billion dollar market, reflecting on the economy around the world .

Latin America, for example, has suffered major consequences. Lawmakers in Colombia, Mexico and Paraguay urge their countries to bet on legalizing cannabis . This market can provide additional jobs and economic growth, as well as exports, and can improve the well-being and quality of life of its populations.

Impacts in Brazil

A study by the Chamber of Deputies in April 2016, made a document on the economic impact of the possible legalization of cannabis in Brazil, pointing out that the financial impact would be relevant. The tax collection could finance health and education, as in the state of Colorado (USA), benefit the advancement of studies in medicine and in the treatment of diseases that make use of the plant.

According to the study, it is possible to estimate the tax revenue obtained with the legalization of consumption. With a well-implemented tax policy, the Legislative Consultancy of the Chamber of Deputies points to a collection that varies between R$5 and R$6 billion per year. In addition to savings of up to R$1 billion in expenses related to the containment of drug trafficking.

On the national scene, cannabis revenue – only medicinal – has the potential to reach R$4.7 billion in the first three years of legal sale. Economists point out that the country could earn between R$10.7 to R$12.9 billion .

Unlike dozens of other industries, the cannabis sector experienced significant growth in 2020 , ignoring the global crisis and hitting record highs. After years of investor uncertainty, analysts are predicting a bullish market in 2021.

The thing is, the world is increasingly recognizing the possibilities of hemp . China, for example, as one of the biggest powers in the world has already become the biggest producer and exporter of hemp even with some products being illegal in its domestic market.

Hemp and Kanna

A proof of the potential appreciation of this market is the profitability of its investment sector. According to an article by BPMoney, investing in cannabis can be just as profitable as investing in bitcoin .

“Bitcoin has been considered one of the most profitable investments of the decade. The currency that is currently traded on B3 has already been criminalized and associated with various illegal activities, despite this, the cryptocurrency in the last 4 years has gone from the BRL 1,700 range to over BRL 330,000, up 19,411%.

Another investment that has also been heavily criminalized, and still is across much of the globe, is cannabis. It has raised its bar from an illicit drug to a serious and promising industry, which according to Cointelegraph, promises to be as profitable as Bitcoin.

With the sequence of changes in legislation, companies operating in the cannabis investment sector saw it rise in value by more than 161,900%. ”

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With the objective of bringing together two of the most profitable investments of recent times – cryptoassets and cannabis – backing their value directly in socio-environmental impact through blockchain, Kanna’s proposal is to unite profitability with sustainability.

Legalization’s popularity grows after implementation . According to YouGov, an international research data and analysis group based in London, the vast majority of the population of legal states consider the move a huge success. Interestingly, this perception is correlated with the passage of time and the efficiency of the system. Portugal, which decriminalized all drugs 15 years ago, is now the country with the lowest rates of consumption among young people in Europe.

However, it is important to point out that, despite having medicinal qualities, the recreational use of marijuana is not curative or risk-free. What we can see from these examples is that at first, it might not seem like a good idea to the vast majority of people who still haven’t seen the whole picture. But it’s all a matter of time, education and especially the dissemination of information to reap these benefits. Want to support the project?

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