There has been much talk in recent years about Cryptocurrencies. Most people would be familiar with the Bitcoin, which is just one of the many cryptocurrencies, but what is a cryptocurrency and how does it work?
A cryptocurrency is quite simply a digital currency used online to pay for items. It is secure and anonymous, meaning that people cannot trace the transaction to you. It uses cryptography which is a method of encrypting data to ensure its security.

Investing in cryptocurrencies is a practice which has become popular in recent years and is a topic which has involved much debate. As with any investment, the first thing to keep in mind is that your investment can go up or it can go down, investing in cryptocurrencies has the potential to provide a substantial return for the investor. There are a number of factors to consider however and it is important to do some investigation so that you can have the best possible chance of enjoying some of the gains.
Become Educated
Although most have heard of the Bitcoin, there are other cryptocurrencies out there – such as Litecoin, Ethereum and Bitcoin Revolution. Spend time finding out about the currencies, read and reread information, some of it is very complex and involved. Decide on the currency that best suits you. Any sensible investor will have done his / her homework and will be informed to a large degree. Try to keep to your own measured view, you will see opinion from ‘experts’, you have to decide what to believe. A great source is Dchained, which provides education, investing tools, and everything to learn crypto
Expect Significant Currency Movements
There is the potential of making large gains from investing in cryptocurrency but where large gains are possible, it does mean that there can be large fluctuations in the price, so one day, your currency could be worth a great deal and in the next few days, significantly less. This is to be expected when investing in cryptocurrencies and experienced investors know the swings that the market can take.
Transactions
You do not have to work through a bank to make transactions and this makes Cryptocurrencies very attractive for some. Instead, you have a public address and a private key. As the name suggests, your public address is the one that you give out, a bit like your email address and your private key, is like the password for your account, which is not given out.
Types of Trading
Know that there are different types of crypto trading, it is important to understand the difference and work out what is best for you. Most people will come up with a style of trading that suits them best, they will stick with it and try to become better at it rather than moving around between the different styles.
Try a Demo Account
There are sites which will allow you to try your hand at investing without using your own money. Demo accounts allow you to have a practice before experiencing the real process.
When investing in cryptocurrency, it is advisable to start small and go from there as your confidence and expertise builds.
[Written by External Partner]