Since its launch in 2015, Ethereum, which is second only to Bitcoin in terms of global market capitalization, has seen its share of ups and downs. However, cryptocurrency has recently made headlines in the midst of growing interest in the crypto space in general. April 2021: new prices

So, what exactly is Ethereum, and why is it so popular? Is it the same as “ether”? What makes it valuable, and what are its potential investment opportunities? And how do you actually buy it?

Here are some things to think about when it comes to Ethereum, as well as some common ways to buy, hold, and trade cryptocurrency if you decide it’s for you. Ethereum investment potential

What gives Ethereum value?

When you buy Ethereum, you technically convert your U.S. dollars. become “ether,” or ETH, the Ethereum blockchain currency.

So, what are your options for dealing with the Ethereum blockchain? Dapps have identified a middle-class entrepreneur in the industry where the majority of people work, relying on Ethereum’s “smart contracts.” To use these apps, you’ll need ETH to cover “gas” costs, which are the costs of computing power required to run the system. The following are some examples of dapps:

• Direct peer lending that earns interest.
• Insurance without an insurance company.
• Payments outside the payment processing company.
• Streaming music where the money goes directly to the artist, not a live streaming platform or recording label.
• Art auctions without a seller.
• Markets for non-sworn tokens, or NFT.
• Online games.
• Code interaction without a central server.

All of this is very complicated, so if you are confused, don’t worry. That is normal. But to put it simply, when investing in Ethereum, bet that people will continue to use and use new Ethereum-based technologies such as those listed above, which may further ETH – and its market value – more.

Are you comfortable with Ethereum flexibility?

Cryptocurrencies dominate the news headlines, but the fact is that if you look at them as an investment, they are still a very flexible asset. It is usually wise to treat them that way in your portfolio.

In the case of ETH, we have seen significant price fluctuations: In 2016, it jumped between $ 5 and $ 15. In the early days of 2018, the price had risen to nearly $ 1,500, but after that, ETH started the offensive road, falling below $ 100 in December 2018.

And the kicker? The price of ETH did not rise above $500 until November 2020, resulting in a meltdown known as the “crypto winter.”

Consider this scenario: You purchased ETH during the January 2018 hype, only to see your value plummet for the entire year. 2019 is coming and going, and you have not yet returned your money. After two years, would you reduce your losses and take whatever money you could get? If so, Ethereum’s flexibility may mean less risk to you.

Are there any red flags?

Before investing in a company, you should thoroughly research it to look for any red flags. You can do the same with cryptocurrencies. And issues have arisen since the launch of Ethereum.

It is difficult, but for now, one pressing issue is that gas – that is the cost of the system that keeps the system running and operating – is more expensive than before. It’s too expensive.

Known as Ethereum 2.0, the changes are trying to deviate from the “proof of performance” approach to verifying transactions.

At the same time, the law is subject to some competition from new entrants including Solana and Cardano, who want to offer similar skills.

How Ethereum fits into your portfolio

Before you consider buying Ethereum, check your portfolio to find out if cryptocurrency has a place in it. In general, a combination of stock mutual funds (such as index and trading funds), bonds or bond funds and cash form the basis of a very different portfolio. Finding the right mix of these assets based on your risk tolerance, timeline and investment objectives is known as asset distribution. Before embarking on another asset-like asset, it may be a good idea to make sure that the foundations of a long-term portfolio exist.

But if you already have a very different, balanced portfolio, a cryptocurrency like ETH can give you more diversity. Because the performance of cryptocurrensets is generally not consistent with the performance of the stock market, adding crypto to the mix may serve as a cushion if the stock market collapses but the crypto market remains strong.

Despite the potential benefits, the volatility of cryptocurrencies is still a major factor to consider.. In addition, we have only a few years of data to find the correlation between crypto currencies and traditional markets; it is possible that the current trend may change.

How much ETH can you afford

Before investing in any investment (including stocks), it is wise to make sure that you have enough savings for emergencies. You should live comfortably without the money you plan to invest in the foreseeable future – say, in the next five years. Remember the “crypto winter” mentioned above? There is always a chance that there will be another, and you have to have a plan in place to deal with it.

One way to determine the right ETH value for your portfolio is to consider it as any other risky asset. From this lens, you may decide to allocate a small portion of your portfolio – some experts may refer to this as a “casino wallet” – in terms of crypto currencies.

And if you’re not sure how much to invest, or you’re worried about falling in price right after a purchase, you can always borrow a tried and true strategy from a standard investment: a dollar cost. As with any investment, it may be a good idea to start small to learn ETH purchasing equipment (which we will explain below).

Where can I get ETH and how do I store it?

After you’ve done your homework and determined that ETH has a place in your portfolio, you’ll need to decide how and where to buy and store the cryptocurrency. To buy and hold ETH, there are two requirements at the most basic level.

Trading: This is where you can buy crypto for U.S. dollars. or trade with one cryptocurrency to another.

ETH Fund: This is where the money is stored digitally. The wallet also has a public address that you use to send or receive ETH.

Here are a few options for buying ETH, and how wallet trading is involved in each way.