By Shane Cummings, CFP®, AIF®, Wealth Advisor & Director of Technology/Cybersecurity as featured in Kiplinger
With prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies down, you may be tempted to give it a try. The best advice for those who are curious may be to tread lightly, and make sure you understand what you’re getting into.
Cryptocurrencies, or digital assets, have gone through a lot of turmoil so far in 2022. Since their high-water mark in late 2021, major assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum have seen dramatic pullbacks in prices. These pullbacks created a chain reaction in other areas of the digital asset market, which ultimately led to the bankruptcy of several crypto platforms – and a crash that wiped out the value of a few large cryptocurrencies.
Many coins have seen massive price drops since their all-time highs and have not recovered. As an investor, how should you approach crypto now?
Crypto basics & recent tumbles
First, a brief synopsis of crypto and recent major events:
The blockchain technology used to trade cryptocurrencies has been hailed as a game-changer for the future of currency. Users can “confirm transactions without a need for a central clearing authority,” which democratizes access to the economy, especially for those who have historically not had access to financial institutions. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum and other coins or tokens are simply an alternative form of payment known as digital currencies. While potential drives crypto’s allure, so does speculation. And even though crypto has been lauded as “inflation-proof,” its recent tumbles affect their market value rapidly.
