Get exclusive money-saving offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
By signing up, you agree to the Finder
Privacy & Cookies Policy
and
Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy.
Getting Started
Trading
Tools
A guide to Beam and where to buy it
Beam was the first Mimblewimble-based cryptocurrency to be publicly released.
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
Beam is an anonymous privacy-oriented cryptocurrency based on the Mimblewimble protocol. Its transactions are private and anonymous by default.
In this guide, we'll explain what sets Beam apart in the world of cryptocurrency as well as where you can currently buy, sell and trade it.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
Where to buy Beam
Learn more about Beam
Step-by-step guide to buying Beam
At the time of writing (February 2019), you can only buy BEAM with bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) or Tether (USDT). You cannot yet buy it directly with fiat currency such as AUD or USD.
How to sell BEAM
If you want to sell BEAM, the process for doing so is the same as buying, except you reverse the coins you're buying and selling.
To sell BEAM, you can either buy BTC, ETH or USDT with BEAM, or sell your BEAM in exchange for BTC, ETH or USDT.
Wallets for Beam
At the time of writing (February 2019), the only wallet that supports BEAM is the official one created by Beam.
You can download it from Beam's website.
What is Beam?
Beam was the first cryptocurrency to go live with the Mimblewimble protocol. It combines the ideals offered by the privacy protocol with the regulatory friendliness of opt-in auditability.
At a glance
| Ticker symbol | BEAM |
|---|---|
| Use | Private and anonymous cryptocurrency transactions |
| Year released | 2019 |
| Origin | Israel |
| Maximum supply | 262.8 million BEAM |
| Consensus algorithm | Equihash |
| Notable team members | Alexander Zaidelson |
| Mineable? | Yes |
Privacy cryptocurrency
Anonymous cryptocurrencies facilitate private transactions by allowing you to move money without revealing who's sending or receiving it.
There are several privacy cryptocurrencies that use different systems to achieve this.
For example, Monero hides the identities of its users by mixing decoys into a transaction. Zcash conceals addresses and allows for optional shielding of transaction values.
In Beam's case, it doesn't even show the transaction amounts or the addresses of the sender or receiver. But where needed, it allows users to attach data to a transaction in order to create an audit trail for regulatory and compliance purposes.
Beam achieves anonymity with something called the Mimblewimble protocol. It's one of the only cryptocurrencies in existence to use this protocol.
Mimblewimble
Mimblewimble is a framework people can use to build privacy cryptocurrencies. It consists of several key elements, each of which grants a certain type of privacy. For example, one element hides transaction amounts and coin histories while another conceals wallet addresses.
These individual elements were separately designed for bitcoin originally, but Mimblewimble was the first to put them all together in a way that they could work together.
The result wasn't compatible with bitcoin though, which is why Beam was created from scratch.
Learn more about how Mimblewimble works.
What makes Beam different?
Two cryptocurrencies quickly emerged and started building on top of Mimblewimble. One of them is Beam, and the other is Grin.
One of the main differences between them is that Beam is a corporate venture with organised development, venture capital backers and commercial branding. By contrast, Grin is the work of mostly anonymous volunteer developers.
The technical foundations of Beam have many people regarding it as a promising competitor in the privacy coin space.
As the thinking goes, privacy is a highly desirable feature for digital currency in a quickly changing world. But at the same time, a completely anonymous digital currency is unlikely to receive a warm welcome from regulators. Beam, with its opt-in disclosure modes, is an effort to solve this.
What to watch out for
- High volatility. Cryptocurrencies are volatile by nature, but Beam might be especially volatile due to its newness and low circulation to date.
- Questionable demand. Real-world demand for cryptocurrency is still limited, and when given the choice of optional privacy modes, the majority of people prefer not to use them. This suggests that Beam may struggle to gain traction.
- ASIC centralisation. Beam cannot be realistically mined with GPUs, so ASIC miners dominate its Equihash algorithm. The economics of Beam mining trend towards centralisation.
- Equihash vulnerabilities. Beam currently has a hashrate of about 5.1MH/s. It is currently highly vulnerable to a 51% attack. If it ever achieves sufficient liquidity without a commensurate increase in hashrate, it may become profitable enough for someone to attack it.
- Centralisation hazards. There is a single, identifiable company behind Beam development. This presents a potential vulnerability if anyone wants to shut it down.
Frequently asked questions
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Disclosure: At the time of writing the author holds ETH.
More guides on Finder
-
How to invest in the Charger Metals IPO
Everything we know about the Charger Metals IPO, plus information on how to buy in.
-
Editor’s Picks from the Nasty Gal x We The Wild Ones new edit
Ultimate cool gals Lucy and Nikki just dropped the rock n roll edit of our dreams and here's how you can get 60% off at the checkout.
-
Finder Daily Deals: The 5 best online deals in Australia today
Today's best Finder Daily deals include: Amazon Prime Day early-bird deals, 25% off Lenovo Chromebooks, Bose audio clearance.
-
How to invest in the PEXA Group IPO
Everything we know about the PEXA Group IPO, plus information on how to buy in.
-
How to pick a proven budgeting strategy that works for you
We've compared 3 popular approaches to help sort your finances.
-
Property prices: You need a $100K deposit in every capital city – except this one
Saving a 20% deposit for the median priced property in most Australian cities is a 6-figure task.
-
Amazon Prime Day 2021 Australia: Early deals on now
Amazon Prime Day 2021 officially starts on June 21 - or does it? Here's a stack of early-bird deals you can get right now.
-
Handypay Green Loan
A Green Loan from Handypay could help you make your home more energy-efficient. Handypay green loans are available up to $75,000 on terms of up to 10 years.
-
Victoria floods: How much food spoilage will your home insurance cover?
There’s been over 25,000 power outages across Victoria. Home insurance can reimburse you for the food that’s gone to waste. Find out who here.
-
TCL 20SE Review: Great display but otherwise unremarkable
If you're after a low-cost mobile with a quality display, the TCL 20SE is appealing, but you'll otherwise be left wanting for app performance, camera quality and battery life.
Latest crypto guides
Compare crypto exchanges
Where to buy, sell and exchange Bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
Best cryptocurrency wallets
Find out which digital wallet is best for you.
Where and how to buy Bitcoin
How to begin and what to do first.
Cryptocurrency adoption's secret weapon
SPONSORED: Why security and regulation will improve mass adoption.
Ask an Expert
