Cryptocurrency is an extremely high-risk and complex investment. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.

Forbes Advisor has provided this content for educational reasons only and not to help you decide whether or not to invest in cryptocurrency. Should you decide to invest in cryptocurrency or in any other investment, you should always obtain appropriate financial advice and only invest what you can afford to lose.

Chainlink, a household name for the crypto industry, serves as a vital bridge connecting off-chain data to on-chain smart contracts. Its innovative approach has reshaped how blockchain applications interact with the real world.

In 2021, Chainlink’s LINK token surged to an all-time high of $52.88. However, as of August 9, 2024, the token has fallen to $10.57. Considering the evolving dynamics of the crypto market and Chainlink’s strong product, many Indians are keen to understand LINK’s investment potential.

This guide offers insights and steps for those considering a venture into LINK.

What is Chainlink?

Imagine blockchains as digital ledgers that record online transactions securely. On the other hand, we have real-world information like weather updates, stock prices, and sports scores. But here’s a challenge: how do we let these two worlds communicate?

This is where Chainlink comes in.

Chainlink acts as a translator between blockchains and real-world data. This is especially important for “smart contracts.” Think of these as digital deals: if one thing happens, another automatically occurs.

For example, two friends might each bet INR 100 on whether or not it will rain in Mumbai tomorrow. They use a smart contract to make the bet so that it holds INR 200. To decide the winner, the contract needs accurate weather data. Chainlink ensures the contract gets this information from trustworthy sources. Once the data is received, the contract automatically pays the person who guessed right.

In short, Chainlink helps digital agreements make decisions using real-world data, making online deals smarter and more trustworthy for everyone.

Chainlink’s ability to connect real-world data to smart contracts has been particularly transformative in Decentralized Finance, commonly known as DeFi. DeFi platforms allow people to borrow, lend, and earn interest without traditional banks or financial middlemen. For these platforms to work effectively, they need accurate and current financial data like exchange rates, asset prices, and interest rates.

Chainlink ensures that the smart contracts that power these platforms receive reliable data, ensuring the contracts can execute transactions using a reliable data feed. This also provides a level of trust for users placing money in these contracts as they know that a rogue data feed could cause an incorrect execution of a contract.

As DeFi grows and redefines the financial landscape, Chainlink’s role as a dependable bridge between the digital and real-world becomes even more pivotal.

How To Buy Chainlink (LINK)

If you understand and accept cryptocurrency’s risks, here’s how to buy it.

1. Choose a Reputable Cryptocurrency Exchange:

Select a trusted cryptocurrency exchange in India that offers Chainlink (LINK). Options might include platforms such as CoinDCX, Mudrex, or CoinSwitch. Register on the platform using your email address and create a secure password. Choose a cryptocurrency exchange that is FIU-registered. 

2. Verify Your Identity:

Indian regulations mandate that individuals verify their identity before purchasing cryptocurrency. This typically involves uploading a photo ID like an Aadhar or PAN card. Some exchanges require additional verification, such as a recent utility bill, to confirm your address.

3. Set Up a Secure Crypto Wallet:

To ensure the safety of your investments, store your Chainlink tokens in a dedicated crypto wallet rather than keeping them on the exchange. There are various crypto wallet options available that support Chainlink. Research and choose one that aligns with your security preferences and usability needs.

4. Fund Your Exchange Account:

Log into your chosen exchange and navigate to the deposit section. Deposit Indian Rupees (INR) using bank transfers or other accepted payment methods. Many exchanges also accept UPI. If your chosen platform doesn’t directly support INR/LINK trading pairs, you may first need to purchase a primary cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH).

5. Purchase Chainlink (LINK):

Navigate to the trading area of the exchange. Locate the appropriate trading pair, such as LINK/BTC or LINK/ETH. If there’s an option for a direct INR/LINK trade, it simplifies the process. Specify the number of Chainlink tokens you’d like to buy, review the transaction details, and confirm the purchase.

6. Transfer Chainlink to Your Secure Wallet:

For an additional layer of security, it’s advisable to move your Chainlink tokens from the exchange to your private wallet. On the exchange, find the ‘withdraw’ or ‘transfer’ option, enter your wallet receiving address, confirm the details, and complete the transfer.

7. Monitor Your Investment:

After purchasing Chainlink, regularly check its value. Use apps or platforms that provide cryptocurrency prices and set up alerts for significant LINK price changes. Given crypto’s volatility, staying informed helps guide future decisions regarding your Chainlink holdings. Adjust your strategy based on both market trends and your financial goals.

Is Chainlink a Good Investment?

Investment decisions, especially in the dynamic world of cryptocurrency, require understanding both the specific project’s fundamentals and the broader economic environment. Chainlink stands out for its innovative approach to bridging off-chain data with on-chain intelligent contracts. However, some investors are concerned that the current token mechanics don’t seem to translate Chainlink’s product’s success into accurate value accrual for the LINK token.

Recognizing these concerns, the Chainlink team has unveiled plans for Chainlink 2.0. This anticipated update is set to improve the project across many areas, including refinement of the token mechanics, with the hope of more effectively capturing the project’s success in the token’s value. If executed correctly and the project continues to be the preferred oracle for connecting real-world data with blockchain contracts, LINK may perform better after the update.

Yet, it’s essential to view Chainlink’s potential within the context of the broader macroeconomic landscape. High interest rates are impacting the financial market, making traditional returns more attractive and causing a retreat from riskier assets, such as cryptocurrencies and stocks. This overarching trend can dampen the immediate growth prospects for tokens, including LINK. 

However, financial climates are dynamic, and a shift back to risk assets could usher in renewed interest in the crypto market and LINK.

Nevertheless, potential investors should remain aware of the interplay between a potential investment and external economic influences when assessing whether to invest.

This article does not endorse any particular cryptocurrency, broker or exchange nor does it constitute a recommendation of cryptocurrency as an investment class. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Cryptocurrency hackers claimed they broke into McDonald’s official Instagram account and used it to promote a fake digital currency — making off with $700,000 in stolen money.

A screenshot circulating online shows the McDonald’s Instagram page showing its caption changed to: “Sorry mah n–ga you have just been rug pulled by India_X_Kr3w thank you for the $700,000 in Solana.”

The caption, which was visible to the more than 5.1 million Instagram followers of McDonald’s account, included an emoji depicting the flag of India.

McDonald’s said in a statement it was “aware of an isolated incident that impacted our social media accounts earlier today.”

“We have resolved the issue on those accounts and apologize to our fans for any offensive language posted during that time,” McDonald’s said.

In the parlance of cryptocurrency, a “rug pull” is a type of scam in which creators of a cryptocurrency withdraw funds from a coin’s liquidity pool and disappear — leaving investors with tokens that are worthless.

A “rug pull” is normally executed by creating the fake token and then aggressively promoting it on social media and cryptocurrency forums online.

The creators build hype around the digital coin and encourage investors to get in on the ground floor before its value skyrockets.

When enough liquidity has been amassed by pairing the fake coin with more established cryptocurrencies such as ethereum, the creators withdraw the liquidity, causing the value to plummet to zero.

The scammers then delete the social media accounts and remove their online presence — making it difficult for investors to track them down so that they can recover their money.

The hackers claim they targeted McDonald’s social media account and used it to promote a fake meme coin known as “GRIMACE” on the Solana network — a high-performance blockchain platform designed for decentralized cryptocurrencies.

Within 30 minutes, the fake token went from zero to $25 million in value before crashing, according to the news site Cryptopolitan.

Guillaume Huin, a senior marketing director for McDonald’s, appeared to have his account hacked as well.

His social media pages on X and Instagram included posts promoting the fake coin — one of which referred to “a McDonald’s experiment on Solana.”

The posts promoting the fake cryptocurrency were later deleted.

Grimace is the large purple character created by McDonald’s as part of the fast food chain’s marketing and advertising campaign.

New York Mets baseball fans who are superstitious about their team note that ever since Grimace threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the June 12 game against the Miami Marlins, the club turned its season around — going from a losing record to playoff contention.

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