Trading
A cryptocurrency like bitcoin is a virtual currency traded
peer-to-peer on a blockchain, independent of centralized
authorities like banks and governments. Cryptocurrencies are
entirely virtual, so they are not backed by physical
commodities and have no intrinsic value.
Unlike traditional financial markets that often require large
sums of money to start trading, cryptocurrency markets are
generally more accessible. Many cryptocurrency exchanges allow
users to start trading with small amounts of capital.
Primarily, cryptocurrencies rely on blockchain technology to complete a transaction via an intricate P2P network. Once a transfer request is entered into the network, it is validated by the network and added to a pool of other transactions to create a block of data for the ledger, which is then entered into the existing blockchain. Once the block is successfully added to the chain, the transaction is approved and completed.
Absolutely. Cryptocurrencies have become established investment commodities among major financial institutions and have even been adopted by countries such as Australia and Japan. As with any investment though, there are risks linked to market movements, high volatility and economics.