What is cryptocurrency
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A blockchain is a decentralized ledger that records transactions. A blockchain is shared and immutable, which means data stored is irreversible and cannot be altered without the agreement of the network. These transparency and security measures are why many traders and investors look to cryptocurrencies as an alternative asset to fiat currency, which is controlled by a governing body. Blockchains store data in linked blocks via cryptography, so transactions can be traced back to previous blocks which helps to avoid fraudulent transactions.
It’s hard to say exactly how many cryptocurrencies exist today. Many were created and failed to gain active users. With that said, there are certainly thousands of cryptocurrencies that are active and exist today. Some say there are over 9,000 active currencies as of 2024. As the space grows, more currencies will be created. It’s just a matter of whether they gain traction and maintain active users.
What is cryptocurrency
“The best-known crypto, Bitcoin, is a secure, decentralized currency that has become a store of value like gold,” says David Zeiler, a cryptocurrency expert at financial news site Money Morning. “Some people even refer to it as ‘digital gold.’”
“The best-known crypto, Bitcoin, is a secure, decentralized currency that has become a store of value like gold,” says David Zeiler, a cryptocurrency expert at financial news site Money Morning. “Some people even refer to it as ‘digital gold.’”
Despite these risks, cryptocurrencies have seen a significant price leap, with the total market capitalization rising to about $2.4 trillion. Despite the asset’s speculative nature, some have created substantial fortunes by taking on the risk of investing in early-stage cryptocurrencies.
One of Bitcoin’s most significant features is its limited supply. The total supply of Bitcoin is capped at 21 million coins, a limit hard-coded into the protocol by Nakamoto. This scarcity is intended to mimic precious metals like gold, giving Bitcoin its ‘digital gold’ moniker and contributing to its value proposition as a store of value.
In the longer term, of the 10 leading cryptocurrencies identified by the total value of coins in circulation in January 2018, only four (bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano and Ripple (XRP)) were still in that position in early 2022. The total value of all cryptocurrencies was $2 trillion at the end of 2021, but had halved nine months later. The Wall Street Journal has commented that the crypto sector has become “intertwined” with the rest of the capital markets and “sensitive to the same forces that drive tech stocks and other risk assets,” such as inflation forecasts.
Cryptocurrency prices are much more volatile than established financial assets such as stocks. For example, over one week in May 2022, bitcoin lost 20% of its value and Ethereum lost 26%, while Solana and Cardano lost 41% and 35% respectively. The falls were attributed to warnings about inflation. By comparison, in the same week, the Nasdaq tech stock index fell 7.6 per cent and the FTSE 100 was 3.6 per cent down.
All about cryptocurrency
This transparency provides great security. In most large blockchain networks, it is impossible to ‘cook the books’. If a bad actor were indeed to try, they would be stopped by a network’s ‘consensus mechanism’.
Similar criticism was echoed by Auckland University of Technology cryptocurrency specialist and senior lecturer Jeff Nijsse and University of Otago political scientist Professor Robert Patman, who described it as government overreach and described it as inconsistent with international law. Since the Cook Islands is an associated state that is part of the Realm of New Zealand, Patman said that the law would have “implications for New Zealand’s governance arrangements.” A spokesperson for New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters confirmed that New Zealand officials were discussing the legislation with their Cook Islands counterparts. Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown defended the legislation as part of the territory’s fight against international cybercrime.
With self-custody wallets, you are the sole party responsible for maintaining a record of your private keys, which are associated with a ‘seed phrase’. If you lose this seed phrase, there is no password recovery method to retrieve it.
The market capitalization of a cryptocurrency is calculated by multiplying the price by the number of coins in circulation. The total cryptocurrency market cap has historically been dominated by bitcoin accounting for at least 50% of the market cap value where altcoins have increased and decreased in market cap value in relation to bitcoin. Bitcoin’s value is largely determined by speculation among other technological limiting factors known as blockchain rewards coded into the architecture technology of bitcoin itself. The cryptocurrency market cap follows a trend known as the “halving”, which is when the block rewards received from bitcoin are halved due to technological mandated limited factors instilled into bitcoin which in turn limits the supply of bitcoin. As the date reaches near of a halving (twice thus far historically) the cryptocurrency market cap increases, followed by a downtrend.
All about cryptocurrency investing
Altcoins generally speaking are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. They share characteristics with Bitcoin but are also different in terms of how they are created and verified. According to CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin and Ether alone accounted for nearly two thirds of the total cryptocurrency market, with altcoins making up the rest.
As anticipated, the results from trading on margin are greatly amplified to either direction of the trading position. If you score a win, the reward is much larger, and the reverse is also true. If the trade goes sideways, you also lose a lot more.
Secure your private keys by storing them offline in a trusted cold wallet. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Avoid sharing keys or storing them digitally on easily hacked devices. Stay vigilant against phishing scams, and always back up your keys in a secure, offline location.
Trades set up through this strategy could take months and sometimes years. It is an ideal strategy for investors favoring a more hands-off approach. This strategy is sometimes called ‘HODL’ (or Hold On for Dear Fife) in cryptocurrency. The term is derived from a play on the word ‘hold’ – to buy and hold. A crypto trader would invest in a coin or token and hold it even when the prices are plummeting. Such a trader would thus be called a ‘Hodler.’
A crypto swing trader will aim to take advantage of an incoming or ongoing trend. In crypto, this strategy is sometimes referred to as BTFD (“buying the f’n dip”). It means buying when the price is low and selling when the price is high. Extensive application of both FA and TA techniques is necessary when using this strategy.