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<center>![BASE HEADER stratis smart contracts.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmNwsx4SU8Aavci95LUdqC6z3FDJddoK6vejFexoG3k6sR/BASE%20HEADER%20stratis%20smart%20contracts.png)</center>

<h3> More news from Stratis! It seems they've been gearing up for the coming bull run and trying to release their news _just_ at the right time! Stratis is just about ready [to deploy their first version of Smart Contracts on their blockchain](https://twitter.com/stratisplatform/status/992420022256652288).</h3>

<center>![dividerline cartooney2.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVmKeFJZVR7A2hRwk6wYM5DiphcFJ8RmxvYpc8FWvhmNP/dividerline%20cartooney2.png)</center>

<h3>SMART CONTRACTS</h3> After the recent news of [the Stratis ICO platform](https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@pandorasbox/stratis-strat-ico-platform-will-launch-on-on-microsoft-azure-on-may-9th) and [Full Node PoS releases](https://steemit.com/cryptocurrency/@pandorasbox/stratis-strat-full-node-with-proof-of-stake-released-in-beta-on-mainnet), more news from Stratis and this time it's about the deployment of Smart Contracts on the Stratis blockchain. According to the dev team they are coming to Stratis on May 16th.

<center>![stratis smart contracts tweet.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZQNfuAe7yAnhBFc4mcUC2RgFeXa5nvGrq4dGaWLkKqkE/stratis%20smart%20contracts%20tweet.png)
([source](https://twitter.com/stratisplatform/status/992420022256652288))</center>

The initial deployment will be an Alpha version. What's interesting about Stratis Smart Contracts is that they will utilize the C# programming language which is currently one of the widest used programming languages in the world. Stratis also supports the popular .NET framework, but I did not find any news about when Smart Contracts will be possible through .NET yet. I assume it will follow shortly after releasing the C# version.

<center>![dividerline cartooney2.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVmKeFJZVR7A2hRwk6wYM5DiphcFJ8RmxvYpc8FWvhmNP/dividerline%20cartooney2.png)</center>

<h3>NEO OF THE WEST</h3><div class="pull-right"><img src="https://steemitimages.com/DQmSG9ZcBdCJwP6CBdEWXUUCVsKAgDw1tEcws2XNfTeiaFe/Stratis%20logo%20small.jpg" /></div>Stratis fans will hate me for saying this because last year Stratis took the spotlight before NEO did, but I feel like Stratis is setting itself up to compete directly with it. NEO is often touted as being an _Ethereum of China_  but there are major differences with Ethereum and a comparison is much easier to make with Stratis. 


Both blockchains offer a corporate focus and high tx throughput, as well as fitting in well with existing programming languages.  Both offer their platform as an ICO platform, as well as Smart contracts and both utilize a form of PoS. There are differences too though, in their consensus model for one, but also in their design philosophy. Stratis is specifically looking to be complementary to Bitcoin, offering privacy tumbling features for it, while on the other hand NEO does not seem to have much of an opinion, or even plan, when it comes to Bitcoin. 

Another differentiating factor is the fact that NEO is/was based out of China, and Stratis is a London-based company. For this reason I see NEO as having a stronger foothold in Asia but Stratis is positioned very well to take on the west in both Europe and the USA. 

<center>![dividerline cartooney2.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVmKeFJZVR7A2hRwk6wYM5DiphcFJ8RmxvYpc8FWvhmNP/dividerline%20cartooney2.png)</center>

With the addition of **Smart contracts, ICO's** and **Full nodes** and the release of **Masternodes** last year, Stratis is shaping up pretty well despite my frequent past criticisms against the team. With these new features I feel like the Stratis blockchain is actually stepping out of being in pre-alpha and starting to take form and become an actually _usable_ blockchain beyond simply Proof-of-Concepts.




It's going to be interesting time in the coming months as the blockchain matures because after the addition of these features Stratis will have to show that it's actually going to be adopted and used by developers. Up until this moment most of the Stratis enthusiasm has been based on promises and speculation but as new features are added the time nears when we will discover if their promises hold any merit and whether or not there is a demand for the Stratis blockchain.

I do feel like an altcoin spring is coming up and that potentially a _lot_ of businesses worldwide are going to announce blockchain projects. There is a chance that Stratis will be just in time to get part of the pie of this adoption wave. 

We'll see - I've been hodling STRAT for so long that I might as well continue and see it through.
<center><h2>[Click here to read the Smart Contracts announcement tweet](https://twitter.com/stratisplatform/status/992420022256652288)</h2></center>

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<center>[![footercartoon new5.png](https://steemitimages.com/DQmRMndUYFqxoxwcTkTR4JAADzH6o43QhSS1WM17wP8uD1C/footercartoon%20new5.png)](https://steemit.com/@pandorasbox)</center>_(Art by [Roy Lichtenstein](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein))_

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