Three things you need to know before buying Bitcoin

A spike in the price of Bitcoin is piquing the interest of mainstream investors again as memories of the cryptocurrency bubble fade. Each time Bitcoin rally’s, more people want to get involved and start making purchases.  It’s important to arm yourself with all the facts before parting with your hard-earned cash. Here’s what you need to know.

Bitcoin is extremely volatile

Why is Bitcoin so volatile compared with other investments? Part of the reason is that although Bitcoin’s market cap has been increasing, it is still smaller than more traditional asset markets such as the global stock market. Small markets are much more vulnerable to manipulation and external events than large markets are. If a few large traders suddenly sell their holdings at the same time, it can cause a huge drop in the asset’s price.

Bitcoin also has relatively low liquidity compared with other assets – this means it can’t be bought or sold as quickly as, say, FTSE 100 stocks. Low liquidity is thought to exacerbate price fluctuations.

Regulation, news events, and general investor sentiment are other reasons behind Bitcoin’s volatile price.

The high volatility of Bitcoin means it’s important not to invest more money than you can afford and are willing to lose. Buying Bitcoin is speculative and there’s a real chance you could lose more money than you put in.

Security is vital

When you’re buying Bitcoin, it’s extremely important to ensure your coins are secure. If you lose your Bitcoins, there is no way of recovering them – they are gone forever.

Many exchanges hold your crypto for you. This is a convenient option, but since exchanges are a major target for hackers, you are better off storing your Bitcoin in a digital wallet.

Wallets come in various different formats. Hardware wallets are a popular choice as they don’t require you to enter your private key on the computer itself. Instead, you input a pin code on the wallet.

Software wallets are based on computer software and come in three formats: desktop, mobile, and online. Desktop wallets are computer programmes that store your currency locally on your PC, mobile wallets operate through an app on your phone, and online wallets are web based. Online wallets aren’t considered as safe as other wallets because your private key is stored by the website owner rather than locally on your device. You need to be sure the wallet owner is trustworthy and operates high levels of security.

Not all exchanges are equal

In order to buy Bitcoin, you need to join a Bitcoin exchange. There are a wide range of exchanges out there, but they aren’t all created equally. Their service, reputation, reliability, security, and fees vary considerably.

It’s a good idea to do your research before buying Bitcoin through an exchange. If no one has ever heard of the exchange, or it’s based in a remote part of the world, you’re probably better off avoiding it since some exchanges are actually scam sites that are out to steal your money.

You can also buy Bitcoin via peer-to-peer marketplaces such as LocalBitcoins, where individual sellers and buyers agree on trade terms.

Conclusion

Buying Bitcoin could be an exciting and rewarding venture as long as you keep your wits about you. Make sure you use a trustworthy exchange, keep your coins secure, and never hand over money if you’re not comfortable with the fact you could lose it all.