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Cryptocurrency Scams Are Still a Threat: 3 Safe Ways to Invest in Cryptocurrencies
Some basic rules can help investors avoid cryptocurrency scams.
Bitcoin (Bitcoin 2.33%) may be on the verge of becoming truly mainstream, but the cryptocurrency market continues to see no shortage of new scams. And it doesn’t matter how big or sophisticated an investor you may be. Even billionaires and longtime savvy investors can be fooled by cryptocurrency scammers.
The good news is that you can take several key steps to safeguard your cryptocurrency investments and avoid most crypto scams. Let’s take a closer look.
Use ETFs whenever possible
Arguably, the safest way to invest in cryptocurrencies is to only invest in exchange-traded funds (ETF) for specific cryptocurrencies. You can buy and trade these ETFs the same way you would a tech stock, so there’s no learning curve involved. There is no need to open new accounts. Plus, you can rest easy knowing that every ETF has a seal of approval the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This helps explain why the new Spot Bitcoin ETF they were so popular.
As new ETFs launch for other cryptocurrencies besides Bitcoin, you will be able to slowly diversify your cryptocurrency holdings. For example, the SEC recently approved new ETFs for Ethereum (ET 1.00%), so they will arrive soon. And some have suggested it Solana (SOL 0.48%) could be the next cryptocurrency in line after Ethereum to get its own spot ETF.
Choose a reliable cryptocurrency trading platform
For many investors, however, an ETF-only strategy is likely too limiting. You will need to find a safe place to buy and sell your cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges like Global Coinbase (CURRENCY -3.77%) are a popular choice.
From Coinbase is regulated by the SEC, has some strong safeguards built in. For example, Coinbase will not list a cryptocurrency for trading unless it meets certain key criteria. And since Coinbase is a publicly traded company, it has to run a squeaky clean ship and provide audited financial statements. Coinbase also offers best-in-class security to protect its cryptocurrency deposits, so you don’t have to worry about a cyber heist.
But Coinbase is certainly not the only option when it comes to cryptocurrency trading platforms. There are literally dozens of possible options. The Motley Fool Ascent has analyzed many of them and determined what they are the best to buy Bitcoinas well as what they are best to buy altcoins (i.e., all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin).
It’s important to do your due diligence here. Remember: Everyone thought FTX was a reliable cryptocurrency exchange until it collapsed in November 2022. In hindsight, we now know that former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried was using customer funds for proprietary trading while at the same time lining up for celebrity endorsements.
Establish clear investment rules
Finally, it is important to establish some initial rules about which cryptocurrencies you will invest in and which cryptocurrencies you will not invest in. No surprise here, but the cryptocurrencies that are most likely to be the target of a scammer are those with small market capitalizations and limited trading liquidity.
As a general rule, you should avoid cryptocurrencies that are not offered for trading on major cryptocurrency exchanges. And you should avoid cryptocurrencies that are below a certain market capitalization threshold. Right now, a sensible target would be a market value of $1 billion. This would give you access to the top 100 cryptocurrencies ranked by market capitalization. But if you’re particularly risk-averse, you might consider increasing that figure to $5 billion, which will limit you to just the top 25 cryptocurrencies.
Perhaps the best advice here is to avoid any cryptocurrency that attracts get-rich-quick investors. Unfortunately, this means meme coins it should be off your investing radar. While popular meme coins may increase in value for a short period of time, their long-term appeal is very limited. The situation is even worse for meme coins with small market capitalizations, which are often subject to extreme market manipulation pumping and draining schemes.
Be a more educated investor
Ultimately, the more educated you are about cryptocurrencies, the better off you will be when it comes to avoiding classic crypto scams. For example, if you plan to hold crypto tokens in a blockchain walletyou need to familiarize yourself with the basics of blockchain wallets. This way, you won’t be tricked into giving yours away cryptographic keys to an unscrupulous scammer who will use this information to raid your account.
Fortunately, cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more mainstream, and with each passing year, the cryptocurrency market is starting to look less and less like the Wild West. As the regulatory environment tightens and large Wall Street investors get involved in the cryptocurrency world, the risk of scams will likely decrease over time. But until that happens, it’s definitely worth taking the time to explore the safest ways to invest in cryptocurrencies right now.
Domenico Basulto has positions in Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana. The Motley Fool has positions and recommends Bitcoin, Coinbase Global, Ethereum and Solana. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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How Ether Spot ETF Approval Could Impact Crypto Prices: CNBC Crypto World
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CNBC Crypto World features the latest news and daily trading updates from the digital currency markets and gives viewers a glimpse of what’s to come with high-profile interviews, explainers and unique stories from the ever-changing cryptocurrency industry. On today’s show, Ledn Chief Investment Officer John Glover weighs in on what’s driving cryptocurrency prices right now and how the potential approval of spot ether ETFs could impact markets.
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Miners’ ‘Capitulation’ Signals Bitcoin Price May Have Bottomed Out: CryptoQuant
According to CryptoQuant, blockchain data shows signs that the Bitcoin mining industry is “capitulating,” a likely precursor to Bitcoin hitting a local price bottom before reaching new highs.
CryptoQuant analyzed metrics for miners, who are responsible for securing the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted BTC. As outlined in the market intelligence platform’s Wednesday report, multiple signs of capitulation have emerged over the past month, during which Bitcoin’s price has fallen 13% from $68,791 to $59,603.
One such sign includes a significant drop in Bitcoin’s hash rate, the total computing power that backs Bitcoin. After hitting a record high of 623 exashashes per second (EH/s) on April 27, the hash rate has fallen 7.7% to 576 EH/s, its lowest level in four months.
“Historically, extreme hash rate drawdowns have been associated with price bottoms,” CryptoQuant wrote. In particular, the 7.7% drawdown is reminiscent of an equivalent hash rate drawdown in December 2022, when Bitcoin’s price bottomed at $16,000 before rallying over 300% over the next 15 months.
This latest hash rate drop follows Bitcoin’s fourth cyclical “halving” event in April, which cut the number of coins paid out to miners in half. According to CryptoQuant’s Miner Profit/Loss Sustainability Indicator, this has left miners “mostly extremely underpaid” since April 20, forcing many to shut down mining machines that have now become unprofitable.
CrypotoQuant said that miners faced a 63% drop in daily revenue after the halving, when both Bitcoin block rewards and transaction fee revenues were much higher.
During this time, Bitcoin miners were seen moving coins from their on-chain wallets at a faster rate than usual, indicating that they may be selling their BTC reserves“Daily miner outflows reached their highest volume since May 21,” the company wrote.
Among the sales of Bitcoin miners, whales and national governmentsBitcoin’s price drop in June also hurt Bitcoin’s “hash price,” a metric of Bitcoin Miner Profitability per unit of computing power.
“Average mining revenue per hash (hash price) continues to hover near all-time lows,” CryptoQuant wrote. “Hashprice stands at $0.049 per EH/s, just above the all-time low hashprice of $0.045 reached on May 1st.”
By Ryan-Ozawa.
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US Congressman French Hill Doubles Down on Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
US lawmaker French Hill has noted that Donald Trump will take a more pro-crypto approach than the current administration. The run-up to the presidential election has seen cryptocurrencies become an issue with lawmakers making huge statements ahead of the polls. Donald Trump has also been reaching out to the industry, making a pro-crypto case.
French Hill Backs Trump’s Pro-Crypto Stance
Republican Congressman French Hill has explained the type of cryptocurrency regulatory framework he believes Donald Trump could adopt in the country. In a recent interview with CNBC, French Hill said that the recently passed FIT21 bill is the type of regulatory framework the Trump administration will adopt in the sector.
#FIT21 passed the House with 71 Democratic votes, it’s exactly the kind of digital asset regulatory framework former President Trump would support if re-elected.
See more on @SquawkCNBC🔽 photo.twitter.com/ceTmU4LApU
— French Hill (@RepFrenchHill) July 3, 2024
THE FIT21 Bill It is intended to protect investors and consumers in the market by establishing clear rules and powers for the various regulators in the sector. According to Hill, Trump will adopt it because it directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on the specific regulatory framework needed in the market.
“… for people who are innovating and starting a crypto token, a related business, custody of those assets, how to ensure consumer protection, so I think that framework is the right approach and that’s what I’m going to recommend to the President to pass, which is that we have not passed it between now and the end of this Congress.”
He also called Trump an innovative and pro-growth president in financial matters.
Cryptocurrency is going mainstream
This election cycle saw the cryptocurrency industry taking a place in mainstream issues following broader adoption across demographics. From candidates moving toward enthusiasts to recent pro-Congress legislation, cryptocurrencies have become a rallying point for officials. The U.S. regulatory landscape has been criticized for stifling growth due to frequent SEC LawsuitsThis has led executives to push for pro-cryptocurrency laws and raise money for pro-industry candidates.
Read also: Federal Reserve Predicts “AI Will Be Deflationary” to Stimulate Economy
David is a financial news contributor with 4 years of experience in Blockchain and cryptocurrency. He is interested in learning about emerging technologies and has an eye for breaking news. Keeping up to date with trends, David has written in several niches including regulation, partnerships, cryptocurrency, stocks, NFTs, etc. Away from the financial markets, David enjoys cycling and horseback riding.
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US Court Orders Sam Ikkurty to Pay $84 Million for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
A federal court has ordered Jafia LLC and its owner, Sam Ikkurty, to pay nearly $84 million to cryptocurrency investors after ruling that the company was operating a Ponzi scheme.
The ruling, issued by Judge Mary Rowland in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, follows a lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in 2022 after the fund collapsed.
Judge Rowland found that Ikkurty, based in Portland, Oregon, did numerous false claims on his company’s hedge funds.
These included misleading statements about his trading experience and the promise of high and stable profits. Instead, Ikkurty used funds from new investors to pay off previous investors, a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.
The Ponzi Scheme
The court found that Ikkurty misappropriated investment funds for personal use without the knowledge of the investors. These funds were used for personal use and were reported as Fraudulent Investmentscausing significant financial losses to customers.
This non-transparent operation violated Transparency Commission regulations, which led to the imposition of a hefty fine to compensate defrauded investors and restore some public confidence in the financial system.
Judge Rowland emphasized that fraudulent activity such as this violates the law and undermines the integrity of modern financial markets. The $84 million award seeks to address the financial harm inflicted on investors and reinforce the importance of legal compliance in cryptocurrency trading.
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