BBC Radio 4 Sunil Patel: An Idiot’s Guide To Five Things You Should Know About Cryptocurrency, by Sunil Patel

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I started my crypto journey by converting all my stupid, normal pounds into Bitcoin. Multi-signature to protect against theft – Bitcoin offers a multi-signature capability, requiring several independent approvals for a transaction to be executed. It’s valuable for organisations, granting access to treasury funds only when, for example, 3 out of 5 members authorise the withdrawal. Keep your software up to date – Ensuring your Bitcoin softeware is up to date is pivotal. The latest version provides critical stability and security enhancements, preventing a range of issues and introducing valuable features, all while bolstering your wallets security.

Ethereum’s unparalleled network effect, technological evolution, and broad ecosystem adoption underscore its persistent relevance. Its ongoing upgrades and environmental advancements reinforce confidence in ETH as a core holding for diversified crypto exposure. With the transition to Ethereum 2.0 advancing, the shift to proof-of-stake consensus reduces energy consumption significantly, aligning with global sustainability goals. Ethereum’s robust developer ecosystem and ongoing layer-2 scaling solutions further contribute to its long-term viability. Ethereum continues to dominate as the foundational blockchain powering a majority of decentralized applications (dApps), decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The recent Shanghai upgrade has improved network scalability and gas efficiency, enhancing user experience and developer engagement.

One reason could well be that investors are looking for listed exposure to crypto without having to sort out wallets themselves. Many investors had exposure to crypto through the balance sheets of popular holdings like Tesla but the ecosystem of crypto-adjacent listed firms is growing. The fact that there was as much enthusiasm as outright derision from the investment establishment pointed to a world that didn’t really understand cryptocurrencies and got too excited or too sceptical.

Q: Can I deposit GBP directly into these platforms?

Tracking taxes is a complex process, especially if you trade often since you are required to track every transaction. Therefore, using a dedicated service can save time and remove the challenging parts of doing your taxes. The options mentioned above make crypto taxes effortless, placing them over other brands. Uphold is perfect for anyone looking for a simple, hands-off way to earn crypto. The staking service is excellent, and I appreciate the transparency and FCA regulation. While the fees aren’t the lowest, the app is easy to use, and I love earning free XRP with the Uphold card.

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These features enable you to make the most of market volatility and optimize your trading strategies. Always check if the exchange provides these options before committing. The primary options for UK investors are eToro, Coinbase, and Crypto.com. These cryptocurrency apps support GBP and are regulated within the region. When you first visit a crypto app, you’ll often see a statistic stating that most investors lose money. Many investors make crucial mistakes while trading, leading to losses.

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Our best-value 1oz silver bullion coins offer you the chance to buy a 1oz silver bullion coin at the lowest price from The Royal Mint – the UK’s home of precious metals. Our best-value quarter Sovereign bullion coins feature portraits and designs ranging from Queen Elizabeth II to King Charles III. Analysis tools are another aspect of exchanges that some customers want, and others happily do without.

Investing and cryptocurrency have been hot topics over the last few years. But here’s what we think potential investors should consider before starting any investment. Steven Hatzakis is the Global Director of Online Broker Research for UK.StockBrokers.com and ForexBrokers.com. Steven previously served as an Editor for Finance Magnates, where he authored over 1,000 published articles about the online finance industry. Steven is an active fintech and crypto industry researcher and advises blockchain companies at the board level.

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Profits from trading or investing in Bitcoin can be taxed as capital gains, while crypto received from mining or salary payments may be taxed as income. Revix is an intelligent investment management platform which allows anyone, anywhere to create a diversified portfolio or “Bundle” of the world’s top cryptocurrencies. With Revix’s Crypto Bundles, owning more than 80% of the market is possible in just a few clicks – investing in cryptocurrencies has never been so easy! The Top 10 Bundle spreads your investment equally over 10 largest cryptocurrencies – which covers about 85% of the crypto market when measured by market capitalisation – with each having a 10% weighting. By default, you are buying the 10 biggest success stories in the crypto space.

• That’s down to the number of investors now trading digital tokens and coins and the sheer number of digital assets continually established or created.
• In this way, looking at exchanges for their asset range is much like looking at foreign currency exchanges.
• Discover our carefully selected list of reputable exchanges for 2025, each thoroughly tested with real funds.
• By following these tips, you can invest in cryptocurrencies wisely and reduce your risks.
• Choosing a reputable, FCA-registered platform like eToro or Revolut is one of the safest ways to buy cryptocurrency in the U.K.
• Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and incorporating your portfolio doesn’t eliminate market risk.

Top tips to keep your money safe when it comes to crypto

It is a strong competitor to Ethereum in the world of decentralised applications. XRP is designed to make cross-border payments faster and cheaper, catering to the needs of financial institutions. Backed by Ripple Labs, XRP remains a top choice for efficient payment solutions. He has bylines for top-tier investment publications like Investopedia and Investing.com. Coins with high daily volume and frequent announcements, such as Jupiter (JUP), are well-suited for short-term trades.

Criteria 3: Ethereum vs bitcoin in the current market environment

In addition, our wallet insurance protects your crypto, so you can feel confident that your funds are secure. And if you ever need access to your funds, you can easily withdraw them as either fiat or crypto – anytime, anywhere. With AQRU, you can easily invest in the cryptocurrency of your choice and earn a competitive return. Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced investor, we make it simple for you to benefit from investing in crypto. AQRU offers a quick and easy way to start earning interest on your crypto investments. Our fast funding process allows us to complete most transfers in as little as an hour so that you can benefit from https://immediate-one.biz returns right away.

Comparative Analysis: Property Investment vs. Cryptocurrency

AQRU makes it straightforward to get started in crypto investing with competitive interest rates and a user-friendly platform. Significant losses can also arise for investors resulting from issues with online trading platforms typically relating to website stability, speed, and product description. Fast forward to Bitcoin’s all-time high of around $69,000 in 2021, that same 0.01 BTC would have been worth approximately $690—a 690x return on your initial investment. Even at current prices, which fluctuate around $40,000–$50,000, your $1 would have turned into $400–$500. Security is paramount in the crypto world, and most exchanges offer robust measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA), encryption, and cold storage. However, Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini stand out for their additional insurance policies that protect users in the event of a breach.

The Future of Crypto as a Long-Term Alternative Investment

Qubetics offers an unprecedented solution for real-world asset tokenization, especially impactful in Central Asia’s emerging markets. Established players like Ethereum, VeChain, and AAVE continue to evolve with significant upgrades and partnerships, solidifying their positions. If you don’t want to invest in cryptocurrencies directly, you can still gain exposure to the market by investing in companies involved in the crypto space. If you want to invest in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to use specialist trading platforms like Coin Bureau or PlanB. Once the fee is paid the scammers either cease communication or provide fake updates and reports.

• While they can seem appealing to potential investors, they have complexities that are crucial to navigate, and seeking financial advice is worth considering.
• Cryptocurrency is a relatively new digital asset, and coins’ performance this year is proof of the high risk of loss involved in these investments, let alone the firms behind them.
• Whether you’re a seasoned trader or just dipping your toes into digital assets, our 2025 guide breaks down what you need to know to trade smart — and stay secure.
• Many investors make crucial mistakes while trading, leading to losses.
• Specifically, the Underlying Index will include securities issues by ‘Blockchain Companies’ as defined by Solactive AG, the provider of the Underlying Index (the ‘Index Provider’).
• It’s always fully reserved, publishes its balances in real time, and is regulated by the FCA.

Roundhill Bitcoin Covered Call Strategy ETF

Traditional fund managers at investment houses – such as Ruffer, Schroders and Jupiter – have bought it in the past though never more than a small fraction of portfolios. General Information OnlyThe content provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and should not be regarded as professional advice from The Investors Centre. You should seek independent legal, financial, or tax advice to ensure the information is appropriate for your individual circumstances.

The dangers of investing in crypto

Kraken and Coinbase are both among the crypto exchanges with the lowest fees. Kraken charges fees of 0.40% when buying crypto and this fee drops to as low as 0.10% depending on how much you trade over a 30-day period (amounts of over $10 million attract the lowest 0.10% fee). Note that there may be additional spread fees and costs depending on the payment method you use.

The lure of Bitcoin derivatives is that investors do not hold the underlying assets and can sometimes even use leverage or borrow money from the exchange to increase their profit potential. There is no denying that Bitcoin has the potential to make people wealthy in the long term. Historically, even the worst bitcoin investment strategies that have led people into buying at high prices often see them turn a profit after a few years.

Cryptocurrency robots will trade on your behalf based on your chosen parameters. However, creating a profitable bot yourself can be difficult, so using an app that provides access to existing bots is ideal. Binance, Gate.io, and KuCoin offer bots with pre-installed parameters, which state their ROI.

Advantages of investing in crypto stocks

These are the best cryptocurrency apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users based on reviews from customers as well as ease of use and variety of features. Although you won’t find advanced trading features on Uphold, the app is designed to be intuitive for beginners, with a simple buying and selling process and helpful guides. You can also spend your crypto while earning free XRP with the Uphold card. To help you find the one that’s right for you, this article reviews the best crypto apps available and compares them on the most important aspects, from fees to features. Keep reading to find out why and how you can make the most out of them. Cryptocurrencies are an increasingly popular investment for both retail and institutional investors, but with an ever-growing number of apps offering crypto, the choice can feel overwhelming.

Britons go mad for bitcoin: Here’s who is most likely to buy it and how much they hold

Understanding those factors will help you make the best decision on which exchange is right for you. As ever, with any form of investment and the practice of investing, everyone’s situation is different. As a result, the perfect exchange for one investor could be wholly inappropriate for another. If you’re new to cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is a payment method that is digital and requires no physical exchange. While many people buy bitcoins as a decentralised payment method, many other people buy and sell bitcoin as a way of making money. Formerly known as Square, Block is a financial services and digital payments company.

• Start with one of our top-rated crypto platforms — carefully reviewed for their fees, features, user experience, and mobile compatibility.
• Historically, even the worst bitcoin investment strategies that have led people into buying at high prices often see them turn a profit after a few years.
• Observers believe that as adoption of its blockchain platform grows so could the value of its cryptocurrency.

Personally, I find Ethereum better value right now given its slower performance this year. I own both of them in my portfolio for different reasons, and I intend to keep it that way for some time. Until the wedge actually breaks, ETHBTC is still in a sideways trading range. But if we zoom in closer to the daily time, we can see that ETHBTC is currently bouncing off the lower bound of the wedge – which is also the bottom of the horizontal trading range. I’ve drawn a short-term trendline in yellow as well, which might be something to watch going into the end of this year.

Key risks

Its low fees and developer-friendly ecosystem have made it a preferred network for DeFi, NFTs, and gaming applications. Solana (SOL) has solidified its status as one of the fastest and most scalable Layer 1 blockchains, processing up to 65,000 transactions per second. Dogecoin (DOGE), the original meme coin, continues to defy expectations with its strong community support and increasing institutional interest.

The Bank of England has recently reduced its base rate to 4.25%, prompting many investors to wonder whether interest rates are falling too quickly. While some experts suggest inflation is under control and further rate cuts are needed, others—including myself—are more… For many, these standard considerations will lead them to err on the side of caution until more is known about the market, and there is more regulation in the UK.

Examples of Cryptocurrency Frauds

• The options mentioned above make crypto taxes effortless, placing them over other brands.
• It’s true that crypto businesses operating in the UK do have to register with us and abide by our anti-money laundering rules, as well as our new marketing rules.
• Comparably, at the very least, gold has significant commercial and industrial uses which give it a purpose even if it loses its commodity shine.
• Bitcoin sacrifices speed and scale to prioritise security by ensuring the system remains decentralised.
• Ethereum continues to dominate as the foundational blockchain powering a majority of decentralized applications (dApps), decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

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Start by thoroughly researching the cryptocurrency you’re interested in. Be prepared for high volatility, as prices can swing dramatically in short periods. It is also wise to evaluate a coin’s long-term potential by having a look at it’s roadmap, real-world utility, and adoption prospects. Whether you’re a seasoned trader or just dipping your toes into digital assets, our 2025 guide breaks down what you need to know to trade smart — and stay secure. We’ve sorted through over a dozen UK-accessible crypto platforms to help you compare, understand, and make an informed decision.