Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
Although most crypto investors claim to be “in it for the tech”, the reality is that most new investors are attracted by the vast rallies in price. This guide explores what affects cryptos price, explaining everything from how price is determined, to what makes it go up or down.
How is the price of crypto determined?
Bitcoin didn’t have a set price back in 2008-2009. Instead, investors would estimate the going rate. However, following the launch of the first crypto exchange, investors could trade Bitcoin (and other cryptos) like a stock. Prices would be determined by supply and demand.
In its simplest terms, if there’s more supply than demand, the crypto’s price will go down. Whereas more demand than supply means the price will go up.
Things like the strength of the economy, the number of coins in circulation, the purpose of the coin or its perceived value all affect a crypto’s supply and demand.
What makes crypto go up in price?
When we talk about crypto going up in price, what we mean is when demand outpaces supply. Here’s some common causes of when that can occur.
Market cycles. Although crypto aims to outgrow traditional finance, it can’t help but follow its cycles. Generally, cryptocurrency follows the equities market, which is a product of global macroeconomics (inflation, interest rates, employment rates etc). Since inflation and interest are cyclical, this means crypto is too.
Bitcoin halving. Another cyclical factor that plays into pricing is Bitcoin halving. The event occurs every 4 years and cuts the amount of Bitcoin rewarded to miners in half. The halving event usually causes a Bitcoin supply shock and has historically led to a rise in prices.
Hype. From its decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) to the open-source nature of blockchains and apps, crypto is a community-driven industry. Hype and excitement around a coin can increase demand, causing the price to snowball.
Scarcity. In essence, scarcity means there is a fixed or low supply. Most cryptocurrencies have a fixed supply. Therefore, an increase in demand automatically creates a sense of scarcity, which can make them go up in price.
What makes crypto go down in price?
Similarly to how demand outweighing supply causes a crypto’s price to go up, supply outweighing demand will cause it to go down. We’ve listed some of the most common causes of this below.
Market cycles. In the same way, prices go up due to market cycles; they can also push prices down. The main reason for this is that there is less liquidity across the board. Poor macroeconomic conditions lead to high interest rates, this means banks and institutions scramble to repay loans rather than make investments in cryptocurrencies, stocks or any other assets.
Token emissions. Despite having a fixed supply, many cryptocurrencies still have new coins coming into circulation each year. For layer one coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, this happens through mining or staking rewards. But for decentralised applications, this occurs through an unlock schedule. As tokens are unlocked, the receiver may sell them, adding to the available supply. If too many tokens are released at once, or it coincides with a drop in demand, this could cause the price to drop.
Poor design. Another reason a cryptos price may go down is simply if it wasn’t any good. For example, the source code could be poorly written or there may be no market for the coin. This can cause a sell-off in the coin, and the decreasing price can make other investors lose confidence, resulting in an even lower price.
Rug pull. The project’s developers could abandon the project, either immediately after launch or months or years later. This is known as a rug pull and usually leads to the coin losing all value.
How does cryptocurrency supply affect its price?
A cryptocurrency with a fixed supply can result in more significant growth if demand spikes for the coin. On the other hand, an inflationary coin with an increasing supply could hold down the price, despite increasing demand.
Another important factor to consider is the coins unlock schedule. Many newer coins may have a 12-18 month unlock schedule. It’s crucial to know how many coins will be released in the short and long term, as this could significantly affect the price.
How is cryptocurrency valued?
The price of a crypto is an equilibrium or agreement between buyers and sellers at that moment. When a price remains relatively steady for some time, buyers and sellers agree that the zone is the fair price for the crypto.
However, periods where the price is rapidly rising or falling mean that the buyers and sellers agree that the price should be higher or lower.
These price changes have several causes, but they are all either fundamental or technical.
Fundamental causes. These concern news relating to the coin or economy, an increasing or decreasing supply, or a change in the coin’s utility.
Technical reasons. These relate to the coin’s price chart. The main factor affecting the coin’s value on a price chart is when the price approaches a key level of support or resistance from which it previously bounced. These levels often lead to volatility and can quickly cause the crypto’s value to change.
How does a cryptocurrency gain value?
For a crypto to gain value, its demand must outweigh supply, but what would this actually look like? Markets are dynamic, so many variables can determine if cryptocurrency’s price will go up.
Supply and demand. A cryptocurrency will gain value if there are more buyers than sellers in the market. This is the overarching theme of crypto price, and the other factors we mention below play into it.
Internal governance. Each cryptocurrency has its own internal governance structure; many use some kind of decentralised autonomous organisation (DAO). If the DAO makes responsible and positive decisions about the direction of the coin, it can lead to increased demand for it, thus boosting its price.
Competition. Coins like Ethereum and Bitcoin had a first-mover advantage. This means they were able to grow quickly without fear of competition. Other cryptos in low-competition fields may also be able to gain value quicker than those trying to become the next Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Increasing utility. Coins with built-in utilities like paying for gas fees or as a means of payment provide an organic stream of demand that can help its price to grow over time.
Emissions. Many cryptocurrencies have a circulating and max supply. The max supply combines coins currently on the market (circulating) with those to be released in the future. If most of the supply is already circulating, then the price is less likely to be held down by sell pressure and could increase more in the future.
Do crypto prices go up the more people buy?
More people buying a crypto means greater demand, and since most cryptos have a fixed supply, this often increases the price.
Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that somebody is on both sides of a trade. If the price increases, it could awaken more sellers who have already made a profit, increasing supply and pushing the price back down.
Bottom line
Overall, crypto prices are a product of supply and demand. There are countless factors affecting both, but one of the main reasons crypto prices have moved so quickly in the past is their limited supply and community-driven hype.
Frequently asked questions
Once a cryptocurrency reaches its max supply, there will be no more tokens released in the future. When you factor in people losing crypto through losing access to private keys or sending crypto to the wrong wallet address, the coin can actually become deflationary (this means the amount reduces over time).
The price of most cryptos (except stablecoins) is not pegged to anything in particular. However, unlike fiat currency, most cryptos have a max supply, which means they cannot be “printed” on demand.
Accurately predicting the price of crypto is nearly impossible, especially in the short term. That said, it’s easier to predict when the price of a coin may go up or down long-term by looking at previous market cycles and understanding the length of time a bull or bear market lasts.
Like Forex, crypto is a 24-hour market, so trading occurs day and night. However, in some time zones, nighttime means less trading takes place; this can make crypto more susceptible to price manipulation or high levels of volatility.
The easiest way to identify a reversal or uptrend in crypto is by looking at a higher-time frame price chart. A simple signal that the crypto is going up is if the price makes higher lows and higher highs.
*Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.
Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Elliott Lee is a freelance writer specialising in cryptocurrency and fintech. He's been involved in the crypto industry since early 2020, and his work has been published on a range of sites. His particular interests are DeFi and exploring how cryptocurrency can solve real-world issues. Elliott also loves to travel and learn about different cultures and languages, and he's always trying new sports and activities. See full bio
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