A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers.
A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, rendering them theoretically immune to government interference or manipulation.
Cryptocurrencies enable secure online payments without the use of third-party intermediaries. “Crypto” refers to the various encryption algorithms and cryptographic techniques that safeguard these entries, such as elliptical curve encryption, public-private key pairs, and hashing functions.
Cryptocurrencies can be mined, purchased from cryptocurrency exchanges, or rewarded for work done on a blockchain. Not all e-commerce sites allow purchases using cryptocurrencies. In fact, cryptocurrencies, even popular ones like Bitcoin, are hardly used for retail transactions. However, cryptocurrency values have made them popular as trading and investing instruments. To a limited extent, they are also used for cross-border transfers.
Blockchain
Central to the appeal and functionality of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is blockchain technology. As its name indicates, a blockchain is essentially a set of connected blocks of information on an online ledger. Each block contains a set of transactions that have been independently verified by each validator on a network.
Every new block generated must be verified by each node before being confirmed, making it almost impossible to forge transaction histories. The contents of the online ledger must be agreed upon by a network of individual nodes, or computers that maintain the ledger.
Experts say that blockchain technology can serve multiple industries, supply chains, and processes such as online voting and crowd funding. Financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) are testing the use of blockchain technology to lower transaction costs by streamlining payment processing.
Types of Cryptocurrency
Many cryptocurrencies were created to facilitate work done on the blockchain they are built on. For example, Ethereum’s ether was designed to be used as payment for validation work done on the blockchain. When the blockchain transitioned to proof-of-stake in September 2022, ether (ETH) inherited an additional duty as the blockchain’s staking mechanism. Ripple’s XRP is designed to be used by banks to facilitate transfers between different geographies.
Because there are so many cryptocurrencies on the market, it’s important to understand the types of cryptocurrencies. Understanding if the coin you’re looking at has a purpose can help you decide whether it is worth investing in—a cryptocurrency without a purpose is likely to be riskier than one with utility.
Most of the time, when you hear about cryptocurrency types, you hear the coin’s name. However, coin names differ from coin types. Here are some of the types you’ll find with some of the names of tokens in that category:
- Utility: XRP and ETH are two examples of utility tokens. They serve specific functions on their respective blockchains.
- Transactional: Tokens designed to be used as a payment method. Bitcoin is the most well-known of these.
- Governance: These tokens represent voting or other rights on a blockchain, such as Uniswap.
- Platform: These tokens support applications built to use a blockchain, such as Solana.
- Security tokens: Tokens representing ownership of an asset, such as a stock that has been tokenized (value transferred to the blockchain). MS Token is an example of a securitized token. If you can find one of these for sale, you can gain partial ownership of the Millenium Sapphire.
If you find a cryptocurrency that doesn’t fall into one of these categories, you’ve found a new category or something that needs to be investigated to be sure it’s legitimate.
Risks Associated With Cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies have attracted a reputation as unstable investments due to high investor losses as a result of scams, hacks, and bugs. Although the underlying cryptography is generally secure, the technical complexity of using and storing crypto assets can be a significant hazard to new users.
In addition to the market risks associated with speculative assets, cryptocurrency investors should be aware of the following risks:
- User risk: Unlike traditional finance, there is no way to reverse or cancel a cryptocurrency transaction after it has already been sent. By some estimates, about one-fifth of all bitcoins are now inaccessible due to lost passwords or incorrect sending addresses.
- Regulatory risks: The regulatory status of some cryptocurrencies is still unclear, with many governments seeking to regulate them as securities, currencies, or both. A sudden regulatory crackdown could make it difficult to sell cryptocurrencies or cause a market-wide price drop.
- Counterparty risks:Many investors and merchants rely on exchanges or other custodians to store their cryptocurrency. Theft or loss by one of these third parties could result in losing one’s entire investment.
- Management risks: Due to the lack of coherent regulations, there are few protections against deceptive or unethical management practices. Many investors have lost large sums to management teams that failed to deliver a product.
- Programming risks:Many investment and lending platforms use automated smart contracts to control the movement of user deposits. An investor using one of these platforms assumes the risk that a bug or exploit in these programs could cause them to lose their investment.
- Market Manipulation:Market manipulation remains a substantial problem in cryptocurrency, with influential people, organizations, and exchanges acting unethically.