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Cryptocurrency
Cryptos: Nigerian financial experts talk risks associated with trading digital assets
It’s advisable for readers to understand such risks before venturing into the world’s arguably most interesting financial asset.
In today’s world, it’s no longer news to say cryptos are now the game changers in today’ss financial system.
There are now ATMs for transacting in cryptos globally, including one in Nigeria showing its importance in today’s society.
At the time of writing this, the crypto market is worth over $365 billion and has a trading volume of about $49 billion. These metrics reveal how much capital global investors are pumping into a market less than two decades old.
That said, it is important to note that crypto carries certain risks, like other financial assets. Hence, it’s advisable for readers to understand such risks before venturing into the world’s arguably most interesting financial asset.
What you should know
A good number of exchanges have been hacked and large amounts of money lost due to crypto-related hacking incidents. In 2020, over $1.4billion has been stolen so far. Recently, the Kucoin exchange was hacked and over $150m worth of tokens were taken.
Note that when exchanges are hacked, traders and investors’ assets are safe. Although, not a good remark for the new industry.
What they are saying
Elelu-Bashir Mohammed, Nigeria Community Manager at Crypto.com in a note to Nairametrics, spoke on key risks prevalent in the crypto market.
“Investing in the high volatile cryptocurrency market is a risky undertaking and one needs to learn about proper risk management before venturing in.
“New traders/investors who want to venture into cryptocurrency today need to understand what cryptocurrency and the technology behind it is all about.
“Some of the problems facing cryptocurrencies today are; cyber theft, high volatility, as well as a lack of clear regulation/government interference. New traders need to be less greedy and knowledgeable about the use of various technical analysis tools.
“Lastly, every new trader needs to invest only what they can afford to lose as there is no guarantee of minimum profitability or break-even on investments.
“Trading in cryptos has a high volatility rate and not perfect for traders because it generates high levels of uncertainty, coupled with the bias that it gives crypto traders less time to react.”
Ekene Ojieh, Head of Public Relations and Corporate Strategy at Buffalo Chase, a Crypto analytic firm, in a note to Nairametrics, spoke on some key dangers associated with trading crypto. She said, “Current market data are the most reliable sources of making smart trading decisions and identifying market trends.”
Tony Emeka, CEO, CryptoTvplus, in a phone chat interview with Nairametrics, spoke on a prevailing risk associated with trading cryptos,
“Another risk is market manipulation. With the small size of some cryptocurrencies, traders with large trading capital could influence the market to gain undue advantage, crypto exchanges are also suspected of market manipulations.
“The unregulated crypto market is also is a risk factor. Traders are not protected like traditional markets. I’ll add that despite the risks, crypto trading is highly rewarding, but traders should be careful.”
Bottomline
It’s important to understand that trading in crypto, in spite of its impressive returns over the years, comes with underlying risks. That said, it’s important for an inexperienced trader or investor to invest only the amounts he or she is willing to lose.
Cryptocurrency
94% of Bitcoin investors are making money
Microstrategy bought 314 more Bitcoin valued at $10 million, momentarily pushing prices above $32,000.
Bitcoin investors have reasons to be excited amid a significant amount of volatility prevailing at the flagship crypto market.
The number of Bitcoin holders in profit is about 94% as data retrieved from Glassnode, a crypto analytic firm, showed.
Bitcoin Percent Addresses in Profit (1w MA) just reached a 1-month low of 93.851%.
READ: Bitcoin posts biggest daily drop since market crash of March 2020
📉 #Bitcoin $BTC Percent Addresses in Profit (1w MA) just reached a 1-month low of 93.851%
View metric:https://t.co/ik5IkrurRk pic.twitter.com/jvhN6ur50r
— glassnode alerts (@glassnodealerts) January 22, 2021
READ: Ex-Real Madrid Striker, David Barral becomes first-ever footballer to be bought with Bitcoin
Metric description; The percentage of unique addresses whose funds have an average buy price that is lower than the current price. “Buy price” is here defined as the price at the time coins were transferred into an address.
At the time of drafting this report, Bitcoin traded at$32,640.90 with a daily trading volume of $63.8 billion. Bitcoin is up 5.03% for the day.
What this means: Sequel to such metric stated above, the turnaround for investors in profit occurred some hours ago when Bitcoin dropped to $28,950 — a key level when it comes to support from large pocket investors and only its second dip below $30,000 in 2021, as a leading bitcoin investor, Microstrategy bought 314 more Bitcoin valued at $10 million, momentarily pushing prices above $32,000.
READ: 4 cryptos gain over 400% in a month, far outperforming Bitcoin
Microstrategy just bought 314 more #Bitcoin for $10M.@michael_saylor bought the dip.
— Documenting Bitcoin 📄 (@DocumentBitcoin) January 22, 2021
READ: Computers might steal Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin fortune
Chainalysis researchers explained in detail that as the rush for BTCs keeps increasing, the price will most definitely be affected. The report said:
“With more people looking to trade BTCs, which is only becoming scarcer following the recent halving, bitcoin moving from the investment bucket into the trading bucket could become a crucial source of liquidity.”
Consequently, amid the impressive metric showing a lot of Bitcoin wallets in profits, Jesse Cohen, a senior crypto analyst, in a note to Nairametrics, spoke on the outlook for Bitcoin in 2021.
“I expect Bitcoin to remain highly volatile to the downside in the new year, given the potential for more scrutiny and tighter regulation. That should see prices fall back from their record highs, with the prospect of increased regulation being the most important factor affecting Bitcoin in 2021.”
Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin posts biggest daily drop since market crash of March 2020
Some crypto experts anticipate such losses are coming from widespread profit-taking by U.S. and European investors.
The flagship crypto, Bitcoin, suffered massive losses in the early hours of Friday, as almost all the gains recorded in 2021 vanished into thin air, thus posting its largest daily drop since the market crash of March 2020.
- Some crypto experts posit that such losses are coming from widespread profit-taking by U.S. and European investors, and that worries about extra regulation has driven the crypto asset toward a weekly loss of more than 25%.
- Top-rated crypto assets like Ethereum plunged by almost 16%, while Chainlink also recorded double-digit percentage losses.
READ: Finance leaders of G7 countries strongly support crypto regulation
Also weighing on prevailing market conditions seen across the crypto-verse, data retrieved from Glassnode, a crypto analytic firm, reveal bitcoin $BTC Supply in Profit (1d MA) just reached a 3-month low of 16,899,766.137 BTC.
The previous 3-month low of 16,903,691.779 BTC was observed on 11 December, 2020
📉 #Bitcoin $BTC Supply in Profit (1d MA) just reached a 3-month low of 16,899,766.137 BTC
Previous 3-month low of 16,903,691.779 BTC was observed on 11 December 2020
View metric:https://t.co/FzSS3snpDH pic.twitter.com/ODVjtiOvag
— glassnode alerts (@glassnodealerts) January 21, 2021
What this means: Consequently, Jesse Cohen, a senior crypto analyst, in a note to Nairametrics, spoke on the outlook for Bitcoin in 2021.
READ: Bitcoin’s market value now $468 billion, bigger than GDP of Africa’s largest economy
“I expect Bitcoin to remain highly volatile to the downside in the new year, given the potential for more scrutiny and tighter regulation. That should see prices fall back from their record highs, with the prospect of increased regulation being the most important factor affecting Bitcoin in 2021.”
However, as it gained more than 300% in 2020, many crypto experts wonder if BTC can continue such rally this year.
The prevailing market condition at the crypto market led to heavy losses of global investors’ funds, when roughly $1.6 billion worth of crypto positions evaporated into thin air within a day.
The mass liquidation of such crypto holdings, according to data retrieved from Bybt, showed that such occurred before the flagship crypto dipped from $34,300 to around $29,700 at press time.
READ: Everything you need to know about Crypto Trading
For the day, about 192,005 crypto traders got liquidated.
The global crypto market value at press time was around $842.75B, a 16.40% decrease over the previous day.
- Total crypto market volume for the day stood at $169 billion, which makes a 12.17% increase.
- Total volume in DeFi is currently $14.53 billion, 8.61% of the total crypto market 24-hour volume.
- The volume of all stable coins is now $140.71B, which is 83.36% of the total crypto market 24-hour volume.
- The flagship crypto traded at $29,196.15.
- Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 64.77%, an increase of 0.16% over the day
READ: Stellar defying gravity, gains 103%
What this means: Record sell-offs have pushed Bitcoin’s year-to-date gains below 1%. The record sell-off in the crypto market is likely due to widespread profit-taking by U.S. and European investors.
Some days ago, the leading United Kingdom financial regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, issued a piece of stern advice on crypto investments.
READ: Crypto traders suffer heavy losses of $639 million within a day
The statement highlighted the risks associated with investing in Bitcoin and other crypto assets, and warned the public that there were high chances that all their funds could be lost.
“The FCA is aware that some firms are offering investments in crypto assets or lending or investments linked to crypto assets, that promise high returns.
READ: Litecoin displaces XRP as 4th most valuable crypto
“Investing in crypto assets, or investments and lending linked to them generally involves taking very high risks with investors’ money. If consumers invest in these types of products, they should be prepared to lose all their money.”
