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Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Over the last decade, cryptocurrency trading evolved from a digital rebel’s hobby to a profitable venture. Today, what was once an obscure concept whispered in the corridors of the internet has gained mainstream acceptance, presenting a wealth of opportunities for savvy traders keen on portfolio diversification. As tech advancements continue transforming the world, this new asset class is disrupting the financial landscape, minting a new generation of crypto millionaires, and flipping the status quo. However, navigating this gold mine is not a straightforward endeavor.
For starters, the crypto world is a notoriously volatile space where fortunes can be made or lost in a blink. This has been especially true over the past two years as prominent people in the crypto world lost massive fortunes in days. For example, Changpeng Zhao, the founder, and CEO of the renowned Binance exchange, famously lost 87 billion US dollars in 130 days during the crypto crisis of 2022. Such losses are not unheard of in the crypto world, and while it might deter some, it is the lifeblood of most successful crypto investors who thrive on the fluctuations and the opportunities they present.
One significant development from the crypto winter of 2022 is the rise of algorithmic trading, which involves using computer code to automatically enter and exit trades once defined criteria are met at high speed. Since the crypto market operates 24/7, succeeding requires a trader to be ever-vigilant, which might not be possible. Algo trading does the heavy lifting and maintains a constant presence without the trader’s involvement. Its precision eliminates human error and emotions from trading decisions, increasing the trader’s chances of winning.
The rise of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) is another notable development in the crypto space. By design, the crypto world was meant to be a decentralized world without a central authority acting as a gatekeeper. With its open, transparent ecosystem, DeFi platforms provide innovative services and products that fulfill that promise. These include yield farming and liquidity mining, where traders can earn interest or tokens for providing liquidity to certain protocols, often yielding high returns.
For the savvy trader, staking is another opportunity to earn profits passively and maximize their return on investment. Crypto staking simply means locking up your crypto to participate in running a proof of stake (PoS) blockchain and maintaining its security. This process involves participating in the validation of a proof-of-stake network, and it presents several benefits. For example, it’s easier to earn rewards when you stake compared to something like mining. Better yet, almost anyone can stake a small amount of crypto on a crypto exchange and earn some kind of yield.
However, crypto trading doesn’t come without risks. Beyond the volatility we discussed earlier, we must also address potential market manipulation, regulatory uncertainty, and technological vulnerabilities. Over the past year, several high-profile cases prompted the DOJ, CFTC, and SEC to look more closely at the digital currency industry, resulting in tighter regulations. “The SEC remains committed to rooting out market manipulation, regardless of the type of security involved,” affirmed David Hirsch, SEC’s Chief of the Crypto Assets and Cyber Unit, in a case against the decentralized Mango Markets platform. With the right safeguards in place, the future seems bright for crypto traders and other stakeholders.
