If you’re interested in trading cryptocurrencies, you’ve come to the right place! This guide will show you everything you need to know in order to begin trading cryptocurrencies and build your own personal portfolio. I’ll start with defining what cryptocurrency trading is and some basic terminology, then move on to discussing market analysis and technical analysis, which are the two most important aspects of trading cryptocurrencies. Finally, I’ll finish up with some helpful tips on creating your own cryptocurrency portfolio and strategies for maintaining it over time.
Step 1 – Decide If You Should Be Investing In Crypto
Before diving into the world of cryptocurrency trading, you need to ask yourself a few questions. Are you comfortable with risk? Do you have a solid understanding of the market? And most importantly, do you have enough money to cover your losses if things go south? If you answered yes to all three questions then by all means proceed.
And while we’re on the subject, please don’t invest more than what you can afford to lose. I cannot stress this enough! You should only invest what you can afford to lose and still live comfortably. For example, if you make $30k per year but want to put in $1 million in crypto, that would be a huge risk. On the other hand, if you make $200k per year and want to put in $10k in crypto it would be much less risky.
You should also know how much time you are willing to spend managing your investments as well as how much money you are willing to lose before stopping investing altogether. For example, let’s say an investor invests 50% of their assets in stocks for 5 years before switching back over 25% each year so they limit their risks without sacrificing returns. That is typically called dollar cost averaging (DCA). Let’s say the stock market has given them a 5% return on average during those five years. Their portfolio would now look like this:
Stocks – 75%
Bonds – 20%
Cash – 3% That’s pretty good considering they had less risk because they invested 50%. But what if the stock market gave them an 8% return instead? Then their portfolio would look like this:
Stocks – 62.5%
Bonds – 12.5%
Cash – 6.25% Wow, not only did they keep the same risk level but now they’re actually getting higher returns on average from the same amount of capital! All because they managed their risk correctly by DCAing or dollar cost averaging.
Step 2 – Set Up Your Wallet and Buy Your First Coins
In order to start trading cryptocurrencies, you first need to set up a digital wallet. A digital wallet is like a bank account for your coins and is where you store your cryptocurrency. Once you have a digital wallet, you can then buy your first coins. There are many different exchanges that sell cryptocurrencies, so make sure to do your research before buying. Coinbase is one of the most popular, reliable and easy-to-use sites. It also has an app which makes it very convenient to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on the go. Other exchanges include Binance, Kraken, Bitfinex, Poloniex etc., all with their own pros and cons. Make sure to find out what exchange will work best for you! You may not want to use Coinbase if you don’t have any other accounts there or if they charge higher fees. Once you decide on an exchange, make sure to verify your identity in order to trade. Verification processes vary from site to site but usually involve uploading some form of identification such as a passport or driver’s license (make sure the information matches!). You may also be required to provide other personal information like your address and phone number. Your verification level depends on how much money you want to deposit and how often you plan on trading – this process takes time so get started early!
Step 3 – Trade, Trade, Trade!
Now that you have your Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Litecoin wallet set up and funded, it’s time to start trading! Depending on which exchange you’re using, the process will vary slightly. However, the general idea is the same: find a currency you want to trade (we’ll use Bitcoin as an example), find someone selling that currency for the price you want, and make the trade! It’s really that simple. When you first open an account with a cryptocurrency exchange, they’ll ask you to create two passwords: one that gives you access to your account (called login) and one that restricts access to your account (called passcode). These two passwords should be different so if one gets stolen or compromised, the thief won’t be able to access both of them. Login is best kept in your head and changed every few months, while Passcode can be written down on paper or saved somewhere else outside of the computer. To log into an account, type in Login followed by Passcode. Once you’re logged in, click on Buy/Sell at the top of the screen to buy some Bitcoins at a specific price from somebody who has Bitcoins for sale at that price.
Step 4 – Some Tips Before you Start Buying in Masses
Before you start buying cryptocurrencies in large quantities, there are a few things you should take into account. Firstly, do your research and make sure you understand what you’re investing in. Secondly, don’t invest more than you can afford to lose. Thirdly, be prepared to weather the ups and downs of the market – cryptocurrency prices are notoriously volatile. Fourthly, remember that cryptocurrencies are a long-term investment; don’t expect to see immediate returns. Fifthly, diversify your portfolio by investing in a variety of different coins. Sixthly, be patient – it takes time for the market to correct itself after big price swings. Seventhly, never panic sell when prices fall! It’s best to wait for the market correction rather than taking a huge loss on your investments. Eighthly, be wary of scam ICOs – they’re out there! Lastly, never use trading bots without understanding how they work and how much risk they carry. Bots are only as good as the trader who created them, so make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before trading with them.