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Bitshares is many things.

  1. It's a platform where you can develop your own blockchain. Same as ethereum, qtum and NEO.

  2. It's a currency and storage of value like Bitcoin. But unlike Bitcoin, Bitshares can be converted to smart assets like bitUSD that holds exactly the value of a dollar. It's not limited tobitUSD though, there's bitCNY currency of Chinese Yen, bitKRW currency of Korean Won and list goes on.

  3. It's a token for Bitshares Exchange. In order to use Bitshares DEX, we use Bitshares as fee to make order books.

  4. Soon Bitshares can be used as a payment for merchandises using bitAssets with the use of OCASH.

Great explanation here. Bitshares is mutifaceted and a very capable platform for helping connect people everywhere. Steem for social media and Bitshares for economies.

you borrow to yourself... you are the collateral provider...