By now you’re well familiar with Bitcoin, perhaps the most popular
crypto-currency in existence. But a little less well known is Ether (the
second largest crypto-currency) and Ethereum, the blockchain upon which Ether
is based. A blockchain is a digital ledger and is the technology that
crypto-currencies are based on. Blockchain technology certifies a digital
asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable.
Well would you believe that a digital racehorse based on blockchain technology
sold for $125,000 recently? Yep, crypto-mania has swept the markets and
digital race horses are a real thing. Digital horses are becoming popular and
race horses are being raced, traded, and bred in an online game called “ZED
Run”. Horses have different breeds, bloodlines, and racing histories.
Players can buy and own the digital horses with all records being
stored/inscribed into the blockchain code the horses are based on- Ethereum.
Almost 11,000 horses have been sold since ZED Run started in 2019 and an
additional 8,000 have been bred within the game. Different stables mix
bloodlines and breeds with the aim of producing successful racers. In ZED Run,
players can enter their horses into races for a fee and win prizes of a few
hundred dollars. Before entering, players are unable to see what the odds of
winning are and therefore must take part in races based on the defining
features and race history of their horse. Are the races fair you ask? Here’s
the answer ZED Run gives on their FAQ website page:
Are races and race outcomes fair?
The core reason for building ZED on the blockchain is to ensure a provably fair
racing system for users within the community. All race outcomes are determined
by a dynamic algorithm to ensure races are exciting, fair and of course,
unpredictable.
Are races handicapped?
Yes. ZED’s dynamic algorithm will automatically be applied and weighted to all
races to balance the field and to ensure a level of unpredictability, fairness
and excitement to all racehorse owners.
When ZED Run first started, horses were selling for as little as $30 USD, but
now regularly exceed $15,000 USD! Chris Ebeling, co-founder of Virtually
Human, who launched ZED Run, envisions a future where people will eventually
be able to make a living off trading, breeding and racing digital horses.
Currently, ZED Run has teamed up with third-party companies to offer wagering.
And the kicker- races run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! But just like with
buying and owning a horse on ZED, you’ll have to load up your wallet with
crypto currency first.
Digital horses are one of the newest trends emerging from the crypto-mania that has sparked so much attention. They join the ranks of digital art, digital music and yes- digital baseball cards! There’s no telling how long this crypto mania will last, but for now, it’s a dream come true for some real horse racing fans. It’s a chance to own/run your own stable and perhaps make a few “coins” on the side!
For more information check out: ZED Run’s FAQ page
