?>

Crypto Investment: Understanding Risk Your Tolerance

2.2 k views
Crypto Investment Understanding Risk Your Tolerance

There has been a surge in crypto investments in recent years, with over 19.2 million bitcoins currently circulating. The extraordinary shift from traditional investments to digital asset investment is primarily attributed to cryptos’ numerous advantages, including security, anonymity, more comfortable cross-border transfers, and adaptability.

Cryptocurrency investment is one of the non-conventional forms of assets that will see increased adoption in the coming years. However, the uniqueness associated with these non-traditional forms of investments has resorted to numerous risks. Maneuvering through treacherous waters requires a clear understanding of what may come your way. This article aims to shed more light on a few types of problems you might encounter during your crypto investment and how to deal with them.

Risks of Digital Investment

Investing in cryptocurrency is a relatively new phenomenon that is associated with different risks, including:

Market Volatility

Changes in the manner in which a market operates usually affect all sectors of the economy. Since the inception of bitcoin, the primary cryptocurrency, in 2009, the crypto market has been experiencing drastic changes in value daily.

The price per unit changes is simultaneous to the forces of demand and supply at play in the market. The non-existence of government control in the industry further catapults the differences in prices. These are the two primary factors that bring about drastic shifts in the value per unit of digital coins over a short period, hence, resulting in massive profits or losses for their holders.

The higher market volatility in cryptocurrency makes it a riskier venture than its counterparts in traditional investment forms.

Lack of Recognition as a Legal Tender

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency that cannot be held or owned wholly by a specific nation. Thus, no federal banks of a country in the world have put in place strategic policies governing its use, recognizing it as a legal tender, or protecting its users.

The lack of recognition of cryptocurrency as a legal tender increases the risk of holding it, as it can be rendered worthless at any moment. Thus, an investor cannot depend primarily on it as a secure investment source.

Theft

Even though most of the cryptos readily available are under encryption, there has been a significant increase in cryptocurrency thefts via hacking. 

Advancement in technology has resulted in the creation of superior computers and software that enable hackers to gain unauthorized entry to crypto platforms, including exchanges. As a result, over $ 1.7 billion worth of cryptocurrencies has been stolen from crypto exchanges in 2020 alone, confirming that crypto platforms are not entirely safe.  

An increase in the number of crypto-jackings will negatively affect the specific cryptocurrency value once the information is made public. Thus, the negative changes in the amount of cryptocurrency make the entire investment risky.

Lack of Mainstream Adoption

A limited number of units is usually in circulation to maintain or appreciate a particular type of cryptocurrency value. Imposing such a limitation means that only the value of the digital currency can either appreciate or depreciate.

The limitation creates a form of restriction which will prevent the digital currency from gaining global recognition as legal tender. Thus, investors can only hold a limited number of units of the cryptocurrencies.

Association with Illegal Activities

Digital currency is sometimes used as a form of payment to procure illegal substances or services. Services that may be procured include money laundering services or different account credentials. Most of these transactions usually take place on the dark web, thereby bringing disrepute to digital assets.

Such information may deter individuals with honest intent from purchasing digital currency, affecting the money’s overall value.

Techniques to Protect Cryptocurrency Investment

Before investing in cryptocurrency, one needs to adopt several precautions to protect themselves. Some of them include the following:

Conduct Extensive Research on Cryptocurrency

After successfully creating the bitcoin using the blockchain tech, many cryptos have developed up to date using the same method. However, different cryptocurrencies have different values that depend on numerous factors. Therefore, before deciding on the type of crypto to invest in, an investor should conduct extensive research to get an in-depth understanding.

The data collected during the research will provide guidelines on the most suitable coin to purchase. Some critical information that needs to be identified includes the following: The price per unit changes over a specified period, the number of traded volumes of each cryptocurrency, and the currency’s level of popularity, whitepapers, etc. 

Invest in a Cold Wallet

A cold wallet may be expensive, as most hot wallets are usually free. However, cold wallets provide more protection as they allow cryptocurrency holders an opportunity to access their wallets offline.

The cold wallet is more secure as it does not require one to use the internet to access their wallet. This protects a cryptocurrency holder from crypto hackers who rely on the internet to steal credentials.

Change Passwords Regularly

Changing your password regularly will improve the security levels of your wallet from unauthorized individuals. Furthermore, it will provide enhanced security as the encryption codes will vary with each new passcode.

Use a Secure Internet Connection

When accessing your hot wallet or trading using public WiFi, it exposes your device’s information to numerous individuals. In addition, using public WiFi or home WiFi without a VPN exposes your device’s IP address. The IP address will make it easier for hackers to obtain all your personal information.

Have Multiple Wallets

Procuring multiple wallets will help to spread the risk of holding your assets instead of using one wallet. This is because different wallets will require you to provide other login information, which will be encrypted using different codes. Thus, if one wallet has been hacked, you will only lose the funds held in it instead of the entire amount invested. 

Closing Words

Like any other financial investment, the crypto investment carries significant risks. However, the main risks involved in crypto investments include technology risk, price volatility, theft, and changing regulations—the risks involved in crypto investment call for investors to exercise caution while conducting crypto investments. 

Bitcoin coin symbol
Btc
Bitcoin
$62.547
price
red chart
decrease symbol0.84959%
price change
TRADE NOW

Besides, inexperienced crypto investors should only invest amounts they are willing to lose. Nonetheless, despite the risk involved in crypto investment, crypto investors can still reap the most benefit from the venture by incorporating the abovementioned techniques, plus exercising patience. 

Previous

Crypto On-ramps and Off-ramps; What You Need to Know

Next

Cross-chain Composability: Is it The Future Of Defi?

Written by

282 posts

Adam is an outgoing young lad who likes adventures and discovering new things.

VIEW AUTHOR

More author posts

Four Reasons Why National Governments Should Hold Bitcoin in their National Reserves

The dawn of cryptos ushered in what we can term as the next step in the evolution of money. Unlike the tradition of fiat currencies, they offer a financial world that lacks a central authority that controls the money-making process. In addition, transaction costs are comparatively cheaper thanks to its peer-to-peer network system. While the positives are in the open for all to see, cryptos' uptake by governments has been, at best, disheartening. This is because they prefer to stick…

Earliest Cryptocurrencies with DeFi-like Characteristics

Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is the center of these crypto transactions. However, DeFi is an innovative niche that many enthusiasts still need to explore fully. Nevertheless, numerous smaller crypto assets with similar characteristics to DeFi tokens already exist. Binance Chain, PancakeSwap, and Uniswap are examples of DeFi platforms that harbor such investments. However, the others operate on their blockchain networks. What are Some DeFi Characteristics DeFi represents an experimental form of finance that does not depend on central intermediaries like banks,…

Which Altcoins Made The News in H1 of 2021

Altcoins are constantly jostling to make a mark in the crypto world. After Bitcoin and Ethereum, the race to be the third cryptocurrency force keeps heating up yearly. Many strong contenders with different use cases promise more than the big two currently offer. As a result, many are making their mark in a big way, for good and not-so-good reasons, as long as they stand out from meme coins that ride the celebrity popularity wave and crash just as fast…

Has El Salvador’s Bitcoin Legal Tender Stance Impacted the Crypto Adoption?

El Salvador is a country in Central America that borders the Pacific Ocean to the north. It also borders Guatemala to the southeast and Honduras to the southwest. It has recently adopted Bitcoin as its legal tender. BTC is now a lawful means of payment in the country. For some time now, many countries have turned their attention to the "future of finance." This act has triggered numerous reactions worldwide. Also, many countries take sides between backing and condemning crypto adoption.  Why…

How Profitable is Crypto Yield Farming?

At its core, Yield farming, also known as liquidity harvesting, involves the art of lending cryptocurrency. It provides more lucrative returns than any other cryptocurrency or conventional investment. It's a chance for the bold and risk-averse digital holders to win big. The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering whether to regulate the process. In lending cryptocurrencies, the owner profits when the coin appreciates. Therefore, yield farming is an incentive that stimulates the adoption and growth of cryptocurrencies. Yield farming…

Which CBDC is Likely to Dominate the Global Financial Markets?

In a volatile crypto market, developers found a way to stabilize trade. The solution comes from the invention of stablecoins, which entered the market in 2014. Stablecoins are digital currencies linked to an asset or a currency. Some of the most popular assets include gold and fiat currencies. The promise of CBDC currencies can lead this evolution to the next step. The US Dollar backs the majority of stablecoins circulating the DeFi ecosystem. Therefore, the value fluctuations of digital currency remain at…

Publish your own article

Guest post article. Guaranteed publishing with just a few clicks

START PUBLISHING ADVERTISE WITH US

Browse categories

Explore trending topics in the crypto community right now.

Bitcoin

SEC Greenlights Multiple Bitcoin ETFs, Signaling Major Leap for Cryptocurrency Markets

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made a landmark decision by approving 11 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This move represents a significant moment in the cryptocurrency industry, marking a shift towards greater institutional adoption and accessibility for investors. The approved ETFs include products from major firms such as BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, Bitwise Bitcoin ETP Trust, WisdomTree Bitcoin Fund, Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust, VanEck Bitcoin Trust, Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin…

Bitcoin Should be Banned in the United States: Charlie Munger

Berkshire Hathaway’s vice chairman, Charlie Munger, called for a ban on cryptocurrency in the United States on Monday, similar to the one in China.  In an op-ed published with the Wall Street Journal, Munger argued that Bitcoin isn’t a currency, commodity, or security, but simply a form of gambling “ with a nearly 100% edge for the house. As such, the enactment of a federal law should ban such things from happening. Munger cited the Chinese communist party’s ban on…

Tesla’s BTC Positions Remained Unchanged in Q4 of 2022

According to a new earning report from automotive manufacturer Tesla, the company did not sell any of its BTC holdings in the fourth quarter of 2022. Amid speculations that the company had traded BTC during the testing bears, CEO Elon Musk revealed it was yet holding on to its BTC stash. Tesla Maintains Holdings After Initial Sell-Off In Q2 of 2022, Tesla opted to sell 75% of all its BTC. The car manufacturer received close to $950M in exchange. Notably,…

Here’s When Grayscale Debates the SEC in Court on its Bitcoin Spot ETF

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals has marked a date for when Grayscale and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may present oral arguments regarding the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF.  Each side will present its case at 9:30 am ET on March 7, with the SEC arguing against the product, and Grayscale arguing in favor.  Grayscale VS SEC The court date – revealed in a court order filed on Monday according to CNBC – is much earlier…

MORE ARTICLES

Ethereum

Ethereum’s Zhejiang Staking Withdrawal Testnet for Shanghai is Live

At 15:00 UTC on Wednesday, the much-anticipated Zhejiang testnet for staking withdrawal went live on Ethereum’s Beacon chain. Zhejiang will enable the testing of the Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4895 which allows for staking withdrawals. This is in preparation for the network’s next major update, the Shanghai hard fork slated to launch sometime in March. Users Can Make Simulated Withdrawals with Zhejiang In a tweet yesterday, DevOps engineer at Ethereum foundation Barnabas Busa gave details about the Zhejiang testnet slated…

Ethereum Devs Disagree Over Technical Tweak as Shanghai Upgrade Nears

Post-merge Ethereum users have been eagerly awaiting the commencement of the network’s next major upgrade, Shanghai. However, after over 3 months of prep time, it appears the Shanghai rollout isn’t going as smoothly as expected. What Exactly is the Shanghai Upgrade? In September last year, the much-publicized Ethereum Merge also known as the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade went live. Ethereum underwent some significant changes as its consensus mechanism transitioned from proof-of-work to a cost-efficient proof-of-stake system.  However, since the Beacon launch…

FTX Hacker Converts 50k Stolen ETH to BTC

Per a report from blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis, the attacker behind the Nov 11 FTX exploit, is converting the stolen ETH to Bitcoin. There were muted fears the seemingly inexperienced perpetrator could dump all its ETH holdings. On Sunday, the attacker dumped 50k ETH on-chain, with ETH's price dipping by almost 7%.  https://twitter.com/chainalysis/status/1594349583416840199?s=20&t=pgvQHeVytI20eKQ1ls9bxw Hacker Moves 50,000 ETH to New Address Over the past week, the perpetrator had been steadily swapping the cryptocurrencies they had carted off for Ether tokens. This…

Censorship Concerns: 51% of Ethereum Blocks Now OFAC Compliant

According to new data, over half of the blocks on the Ethereum network now reportedly comply with the US Treasury OFAC’s standards. This comes roughly a month after the platform’s monumental merge update. Phasing Out Tornado Cash The Office of Foreign Assets Control is the intelligence and enforcement agency of the US  Treasury Department. Indeed, the OFAC administers and enforces US  financial sanctions. A prime example of this is the recent, highly-publicized ban on crypto mixer Tornado Cash.  According to…

MORE ARTICLES

Trading

How to Leverage Arbitrage Opportunities in Crypto Markets

Cryptocurrency arbitrage has become an increasingly popular investment strategy as the crypto market grows and evolves. Arbitrage involves taking advantage of pricing discrepancies between markets or exchanges to profit.  Investors can leverage profit opportunities by understanding cryptocurrency arbitrage while managing associated risks. In this guide, we'll explore cryptocurrency arbitrage and how it works. A Bitcoin-related example will help us illustrate the concepts of this strategy. What is Arbitrage and How Does it Work in Crypto Markets Crypto arbitrage trading is…

The Different Types of Copy Trading in Crypto

Are you interested in trading cryptocurrencies but feel intimidated by the complexity of the process? Copy trading is a great way to get into crypto without needing to be an experienced trader. With copy trading, investors can benefit from the experience and knowledge of more experienced traders, allowing even beginners to succeed. How does copy trading work, and which tips do you need to know to succeed? In this article, we'll explore all aspects of copy trading in crypto. What…

How to Spot an Unsafe Crypto Exchange

Cryptocurrency exchanges have become increasingly popular as they provide a platform for people to buy and sell digital assets. Unfortunately, not all crypto exchanges are safe or reliable.  With the rise of cybercrime and fraud, you must learn to spot an unsafe crypto exchange before investing your money. This guide will help beginners identify and avoid potential risks when selecting a cryptocurrency exchange.  The Role of Crypto Exchanges on the Digital Assets Market Cryptocurrency exchanges play a crucial role in…

What Is Grid Trading in Crypto?

Crypto grid trading has become a popular strategy because of its ability to help traders capitalize on market volatility. Grid trading means you can produce consistent profits by taking advantage of price differences in different markets or time frames. By establishing buy and sell orders at predetermined intervals, you can take advantage of these fluctuations in an automated way. This guide will explore the different aspects of grid trading and provide an overview of its benefits, challenges, and more. Through…

MORE ARTICLES

Tech

Introducing una Messenger: A Paradigm Shift in Blockchain Connectivity

The digital landscape is set for an unprecedented transformation with the introduction of una Messenger, the latest innovation from web3 development powerhouse Wemade. This platform represents an evolution of the "PAPYRUS Messenger," serving as the cornerstone of the ambitious "unagi" initiative, aimed at catalyzing the mass adoption of blockchain technology. The "Unbound Networking & Accelerating Growth Initiative" seeks to bridge the divides between diverse blockchain services and networks, heralding a new era of interconnectedness. A New Frontier in Blockchain Communication…

Bit2Me Champions WEMIX Token in Pioneering European Listing

Bit2Me, Spain's premier virtual asset exchange, has recently broadened the horizons for cryptocurrency enthusiasts by listing WEMIX, the cornerstone token of the WEMIX3.0 blockchain ecosystem. This marks a notable achievement as WEMIX's inaugural venture into the European market, emphasizing the token's role in facilitating a range of blockchain-based activities, from gaming transactions to decentralized finance (DeFi) applications. Launched with the intention to democratize access to WEMIX for the 450 million Spanish speakers around the globe, this strategic move aligns with…

CryptoVirally Expands with Fresh Crypto Marketing Offers and Cointelegraph Upgrades

In an exciting update for the cryptocurrency marketing landscape, CryptoVirally has announced a series of new entries and enhancements to its already comprehensive range of services. These updates, aimed at providing tailored marketing solutions for crypto projects, include new limited-time offers and expanded options for Cointelegraph publications. Limited Offers: A Game-Changer in Crypto Marketing  CryptoVirally's limited offers section presents an enticing opportunity for crypto projects to leverage high-impact marketing services at discounted rates. These offers, available for a limited period,…

Breaking Boundaries in Blockchain: WEMIX’s ‘una Wallet’ Sets New Standard for Multi-Chain Asset Management

The WEMIX Foundation has unveiled 'una Wallet,' a revolutionary digital wallet designed to offer unparalleled convenience and security in managing digital assets across various blockchain networks. The announcement, made on January 17, 2024, signifies a new era in the seamless integration of multiple blockchain protocols, including Arbitrum, Avalanche, BNB Smart Chain, Ethereum, Kroma, Optimism, Polygon, and WEMIX3.0. 'una Wallet' is more than just a digital wallet; it represents the culmination of WEMIX's innovative efforts in the blockchain space. It serves…

MORE ARTICLES