Learning the friendly way

Bitcoin wallets are responsible for not only storing the digital asset but also providing access to the funds and allowing traders to conduct transactions. Whether you're buying Bitcoin for the first time or have been investing in the blockchain-based currency for years, understanding how a Bitcoin wallet works will assist you in developing and improving your trading experience. 

In this guide, we're going to assist you in understanding what a Bitcoin wallet is, how they work, and where you can find the best one in the United Kingdom. Because where you store your money has become part of the Tap services that we offer.

What is a Bitcoin Wallet?

A Bitcoin wallet not only stores your digital asset but also facilitates the sending and receiving of BTC. While traditional wallets simply provide a means to store your money, crypto wallets are a more complex product providing more functionality to the user. The digital wallet connects to the blockchain and enables you to conduct transactions, keeps track of your balance, and acts as a "decentralized bank account". 

There are different types of Bitcoin wallets with some being referred to as hot wallets while others are cold wallets. Hot wallets are simply cryptocurrency wallets that are connected to the internet, while cold wallets are only connected briefly when conducting trades. Wallets connected to the internet are more vulnerable to hacking, hence cold wallets being a more viable option when storing cryptocurrencies long term. 

Cold wallets can come in the form of physical hardware, like a USB device, or merely a piece of paper (known as a paper wallet). Most wallets come free however hardware wallets you will need to purchase. 

How does a Bitcoin wallet work?

As we mentioned earlier, Bitcoin wallets connect to the blockchain of the network. Each wallet is represented by a 26 character alpha-numeric code, known as your public key, which acts as your wallet address allowing anyone to send you Bitcoin and identify you on the blockchain. 

Each wallet also comes with a private key, which is essentially the "pin code" to your wallet. This code gives you access to your wallet, allowing you to access and send crypto, and should not be shared with anyone. If someone were to gain access to your private keys, they would have control over your funds. 

The Bitcoin blockchain uses the public keys to track Bitcoin transactions, with each wallet representing a BTC balance, and the network receiving updated copies of this. So while Bitcoin wallets don't actually "store" the digital currency, they hold a record of the current balance and previous transactions. As BTC is sent and received, the blockchain records and updates the ownership of each cryptocurrency as well as the wallets' balances.

What types of Bitcoin wallets UK are available?

There are several options available for Bitcoin wallets in the UK which we'll take a look at below. Crypto wallets fall into two categories - hot wallets and cold wallets - and will differ for each cryptocurrency. I.e. you cannot store Bitcoin in an Ethereum wallet, as each connects to a different blockchain. Bitcoin must be stored in a Bitcoin wallet and Ethereum in an Ethereum wallet. 

Hot Wallets

Hot wallets are constantly connected to the internet and provide fast access to your Bitcoin portfolio. There are three main types of hot wallets:

• - Desktop wallet, applications on a desktop
• - Mobile wallet, applications on a mobile device
• - Web wallet, applications accessed through a web browser

While these wallets are known to be more vulnerable to hacking, they are the best options for someone looking to day trade. 

Cold Wallets

These types of wallets are considered to be more secure as they are not constantly connected to the internet. There are two main types:

• - Hardware wallet, an external device that uses USB or Bluetooth
• - Paper wallet, where public and private keys are printed onto a piece of paper

When looking to make transactions, you will need to connect the cold wallet to a hot wallet. For instance, hardware wallets will come with hot wallet applications for desktop or mobile that, once connected, can facilitate transactions. Paper wallets also require a hot wallet to conduct the transactions. 

An example of a hardware wallet is a Ledger Nano S, which allows you to open an account and provides both app and device to assist you in securely storing your crypto. Cold wallets are best suited for long term hodling. 

Finding the best Bitcoin wallet UK

Finding the best Bitcoin wallet in the UK needn't be a tiresome task as we have you covered with the Tap app. While the app is conveniently downloaded to mobile devices, traders can carry their cryptocurrency anywhere, with much greater security than other cryptocurrency apps on phones. 

While we've redesigned the tech behind traditional mobile wallets, we've also made things easier by allowing you to use a password of your choice. With an easy to navigate interface, and all your balances stored on one page, the Tap app is every trader's dream.

Our Tap wallet allows you to store both crypto and fiat currencies and uses a hybrid of both hot and cold wallet technology to ensure that they are always highly secure, and always available. 

Security and convenience are key

If you're searching for a reliable Bitcoin wallet option in the UK, you'll discover it conveniently with the Tap app. Simply download the Tap app, set up an account, complete the KYC verification, and you'll have the opportunity to securely manage your cryptocurrencies with top-notch security features that are available on the market.

Tap is a regulated DLT company in Gibraltar, we are also agents of Transact Payments Limited who and as a regulated Electronic Money Institution (EMI) Transact Payments are required by law to “safeguard” customer monies received under its E-Money or Payment Services permissions.
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What is safeguarding?

Under the requirements of the Gibraltar E-Money Regulations 2020 and Payment Services Regulations 2020 Transact Payments must;

·        Segregate all client monies from our own funds.

·        Deposit customer funds with a Credit Institution (Bank) with permission to hold client funds.

That Credit Institution must designate (name) the account to show that it is an account which is held for the purpose of segregating and safeguarding the funds or assets in accordance with regulations.

No person other than the payment institution may have any interest in or right over any funds or assets placed in safeguarding accounts.
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What does this mean?

All Customer funds are entirely separate from operational funds and held within an authorised credit institution separate from Tap and Transact Payments.

During the course of normal business, Tap and or Transact Payments have rights to use those funds to settle transactions as authorised / instructed by the customer, including redemption to the customer.

Should Tap or Transact Payments experience an insolvency event those segregated safeguarded funds cannot be used for any other purposes.
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Is safeguarding limited?

No. 100% of customer balances are safeguarded. There is no limit to the amount that you would receive should an event occur that required the return of your funds.
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Reporting.

Transact Payments regulatory reporting requires regular reporting on Transact Payments regulatory capital, own funds calculations and outstanding e-money balances.

Both Tap and Transact Team are committed to open and transparent engagement with our customers. If you have any further question or queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Since Bitcoin entered the financial landscape in 2009 it has made immense leaps and bounds in becoming the internationally recognised digital currency it is today. Despite the giant progress, crypto still has the potential to further infiltrate many aspects of society, particularly how we travel. 

This unprecedented technology can ultimately revolutionise the way we live our lives. Let’s take a look at how crypto is easing international travel, and how you can use it to your advantage.

Blockchain in travel

Many are familiar with cryptocurrencies, but few are aware that blockchain is the technology behind them. Blockchain technology, in simple terms, is a giant public ledger that stores data in a chronological, immutable manner. Particularly flourishing in supply chain management and the broader tech space, blockchain is also proving to be a useful asset to companies operating in the travel sector. 

With a wide range of options within the sector, from flights to car rental to hotels, blockchain is slowly starting to prove to be a powerful force in each case. Already several companies have adopted the technology and used it to add more streamlined and efficient services to the travel industry. 

For example, a French company, Sandblock is harnessing the technology and allowing travel companies to create their own loyalty tokens to attract and retain customers. These tokens can then be traded for a variety of services (beyond the company that issued them) or exchanged for alternative coins or fiat currencies. 

Another example is a Swiss-based, blockchain based company called Winding Tree which was designed to minimize fees for travelers while reducing costs for service providers. The non-profit company aims to cut out the middleman adding high fees to travelers' bookings and connect travelers directly to the service providers using smart contracts. 

These are just two in a wide range of companies already implementing blockchain technology into their businesses, illustrating the unlimited potential the nascent technology holds. 

Crypto bridges the gap

Like blockchain, cryptocurrencies are too playing an impressive role in easing cross-border travel, with plenty more room for development and better adoption. 

Cryptocurrencies facilitate seamless transactions without having to exchange one currency for another when going abroad. Say you lived in America and were visiting Australia, you wouldn’t need to exchange your US dollars for Australian dollars incurring high exchange fees and company-chosen exchange rates if you could just scan a QR code that automatically accesses funds in your universal crypto wallet.

Top tourist destinations around the world have started embracing cryptocurrencies, with a large amount likely to follow. For example, several destinations in Queensland, Australia, that provide access to the Great Barrier Reef have started implementing crypto payments into their tourist-focused businesses, and the reception has been impressive (see more below). 

El Salvador on the other hand approved Bitcoin as a legal tender in 2021, effectively making it very simple for any crypto-savvy tourist to travel around. One doesn’t even need to take a fiat card with them as all transactions can be completed using their mobile device. If that’s not the future of travel, what is?

Advantages of using crypto to travel

For the sceptics out there we’ve outlined several advantages of using cryptocurrencies when traveling, below. 

• It reduces the chance of theft or money loss
• It eases the booking process
• It allows users to avoid excessive exchange rates and ATM fees
• It minimizes the risk of credit card fraud
• Your smartphone functions as a wallet
• No left-over currency when you leave the country
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Globalisation meets blockchain

With increased awareness around countries and societies around the world, thanks to both mainstream and social media, companies expanding on a global level are becoming more and more common. 

However, this level of globalisation is often plagued with inconsistent means of distributing funds, causing delays, disruptions and unnecessary expenses. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology provide the infrastructure to change these difficulties, stablecoins even more so. 

The mobile revolution

According to a recent study, there are 6.37 billion smartphone users around the world, with 80% of the population in possession of one device. This is a significant rise from 2016’s statistics where only 49% of the world owned a smartphone.

Ownership levels are unsurprisingly highest in developed countries like the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, where on average 80% of the population own a smartphone. Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are among the lowest percentages, with an average of 27% of the country owning one. 

Despite this, 80% of the developing world are still crypto-capable. All that is required is a smartphone and an internet connection. In the future, more local businesses, hotels, and shops in these countries will set up crypto wallets, enabling them to accept global payments in a matter of seconds (depending on the coin of choice).

This is likely to happen faster in the developing world than elsewhere, as demand for convenient and reliable payment solutions is on the rise. Less developed countries like the Bahamas are already catching on. 

An industry on the up

Crypto is easing international travel and contributing to a growing industry. Since the pandemic emerged, travel was put on a back foot but has since experienced a surge as people seek an alternative change of scenery. Now, cryptocurrency is making travel to remote areas, a growing demand, all the more possible.

Of course, government collaboration is paramount. Brisbane Airport in Australia is the first in the world to accept cryptocurrency at 30 merchants. As mentioned above, Queensland itself is a trailblazer in the crypto world. Agnes Water, a town located at the south of the Great Barrier Reef, has more than 40 businesses that accept Bitcoin. This kind of initiative is precisely what is required from governments and businesses for crypto to help grow the travel industry.

Ironing out foreign currency wrinkles

It is clear that crypto has the potential to revolutionise the way we operate around the world. Cryptocurrencies can make travelling easier and more accessible, and bolster tourism industries in developing countries. Solutions offered by several payment-focused cryptocurrencies could very well take over, as more and more tourists demand easier payment options.

Tap a streamlined cryptocurrency platform, is also contributing to the movement by providing a mobile app that facilitates rapid purchasing, trading, and secure storage of cryptocurrencies. For travellers faced with less tech-savvy merchants, Tap provides a Mastercard enabling users to spend supported fiat and cryptocurrencies at 40+  million merchants around the world. 

Since the advent of cryptocurrencies in 2009, the world has seen a substantial shift in the way that people transact and manage their money online. The first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, sparked a wave that has impacted almost every corner of the globe, significantly shifting the financial landscape as we know it. Let’s explore how crypto is expanding economic freedom on a global scale.

What is economic freedom?

Before we evaluate how this $2 trillion industry is contributing to financial liberation, let’s first establish what economic freedom is. Explained simply, the term refers to measures that grant users the freedom to manage their money, property, and labour in each country, which is then compared globally.

More accurately, the measure of economic freedom is determined by using the Index of Economic Freedom, which weighs up 12 factors contributing to a country’s overall measure. This is broken down into 4 categories, each carrying varying subcategories, such as market openness measuring a country’s trade, financial and investment freedom. The others are regulatory efficiency, rules of law, and government size, each with its own subcategories.

This index was first published in 1995 by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal and is used around the world today. This year, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, and Ireland have ranked as the most financially free countries in the world.

Crypto and economic freedom

Cryptocurrencies were first established to provide an alternative monetary solution to the global financial crisis that sent the world into disarray in 2007. Satoshi Nakamoto created the new age payment system to empower individuals to hold control over their own finances, allowing them to manage and transact their money without the control of an authoritarian entity. For the first time in history, people were able to send money overseas without incurring the usual costly and time-consuming setbacks incurred with regular, global fiat transactions.

Due to the decentralized nature in which they are run, people are responsible for managing their own crypto wallets and specialised users on the network positioned across the globe are responsible for verifying and executing transactions. After Bitcoin entered the scene a significant number of new cryptocurrencies have been launched, over 12,000 at the time of writing. While some maintain the same “medium of exchange” model, many new cryptocurrencies have emerged providing alternative solutions to the industry.

Ethereum, the world’s second-biggest cryptocurrency, for example, provides a platform on which developers can create their own decentralized apps and cryptocurrencies, while other cryptocurrencies revolve around faster transaction times, cloud storage and private transactions. Each of these projects utilizes a blockchain network that was designed to improve and innovate the crypto and blockchain space.

Spanning beyond government control and lengthy paperwork, cryptocurrencies are able to provide a global currency that operates entirely online and is not confirmed to the borders of a country. Cryptocurrencies are global, accessible 24/7 and cannot be frozen in accounts.

How crypto is driving economic freedom

Requiring only an internet connection and start-up funds, Bitcoin (and cryptocurrencies in general) allows anyone around the world to create a wallet and start trading. One doesn’t need access to a large bank branch or lengthy paperwork, one simply needs an internet connection and a smartphone.

Curling back to the factors that contribute to economic freedom, cryptocurrencies are able to seamlessly check six of twelve of the categories of the Index of Economic Freedom through their innate properties. 

• Trade Freedom [Market Openness]
• Financial Freedom  [Market Openness]
• Business Freedom  [Regulatory Efficiency]
• Labour Freedom  [Regulatory Efficiency]
• Monetary Freedom  [Regulatory Efficiency]
• Property Rights  [Rule Of Law] 

The remaining categories however revolve around the governments running the nations in question, particularly the rule of law and government size categories. Nevertheless, cryptocurrencies can still assist in creating better-functioning economies and provide the technology that allows for a more open and free financial system.

A free and open financial system

As cryptocurrencies remove the barriers of borders, they allow people to transact their money in the same way that they communicate with each other (through the internet). As the digital age continues to evolve, we are likely to continue seeing a significant increase in the level of economic freedom that crypto provides to users around the world, empowering both the individual and the nation.

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Much like traditional stock portfolios, crypto portfolios can too be balanced to ensure a spread of returns and risks over the asset class. Building a diversified cryptocurrency portfolio can be done in many ways, however, in this article, we will be exploring a general approach that investors can use to build their own. 

From thoughtful diversification to asset allocation to buying your cryptocurrencies, the road to building a balanced crypto portfolio is not a complicated one. It will require some upkeep though, so be sure to factor in that you will need to balance your portfolio regularly. 

Starting with the basics, a cryptocurrency portfolio is a collection of varied crypto holdings held by an individual (these portfolios hold one asset class, while others can hold multiple asset classes and would require further asset allocation).

Some investors also choose to use a third party tracker which calculates the portfolio’s holdings and profits. A balanced portfolio will have a collection of coins, products and tokens, each with its own risks and rewards.

It should have a mixture of high and low market cap coins and might look something like this: 35% Bitcoin, 10% Ethereum, 25% stablecoins, 15% NFTs, and 15% altcoins (this is an example based on the current climate of the cryptocurrency market and not financial advice).

The 5 main types of cryptocurrencies on the crypto market

Before we start building our portfolios, let’s begin with understanding the 5 main categories that can be found on the cryptocurrency market today.

Most of the 20,000 cryptocurrencies on the market at the moment will fall into these options.

Payment Focused

Consider these the original first-generation cryptocurrencies, starting of course with Bitcoin. Many earlier projects were designed as systems of transferring value, take for example Ripple (XRP), Litecoin (LTC) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). 

These types of coins typically have a high market cap.

Stablecoins

This category refers to all coins that are pegged to a fiat currency and commodity. These coins naturally bypass any volatility, ensuring a stable anchor in your portfolio and a safe haven for when the markets experience a dip.

While they might seem to represent more traditional assets, stablecoins provide a valuable contribution to the crypto ecosystem.

Examples include PAX Gold (PAXG) which is pegged to the price of gold, while options like Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) are pegged to the US dollar. 

Utility Tokens

Utility tokens are unique to their ecosystems and generally offer a product or service. This could come in the form of a coin used to pay transaction fees on a network, or a coin created to launch a crowdfunding initiative.

Examples include coins found on dapp and smart contract development platforms, Ethereum (ETH) and Binance Coin (BNB). 

Security Tokens 

Much like the traditional securities in the stock market, security tokens can take on many forms.

These digital forms of traditional securities have been integrated with blockchain technology and span across three categories: equities, debt and a hybrid of debt and equity. This can range from representing a bond issued by a project, equity in a company, or even voting rights. 

Governance Tokens

Governance tokens offer holders voting powers and a share of the project’s revenue. Similar to utility tokens, the value of a governance token directly relates to the success of the underlying project. Examples include Uniswap (UNI) and PancakeSwap (CAKE).

How to build a balanced crypto portfolio

When it comes to building a well balanced crypto portfolio there are plenty of different schools of thought.

These are our top recommendations, however, we encourage you to do your own research and ultimately go with what feels right. 

1. Diversify Risk

Ensure your crypto portfolio has an adequate amount of risk tolerance by incorporating high, medium and low-risk coin options, portioned appropriately.

It’s important to first establish what level of risk you are willing to take, and plan your portfolio accordingly. 

2. Include Stablecoins

While these aren’t associated with wild gains, stablecoins help to provide your portfolio with liquidity and are key to many DeFi dapps.

They also allow traders to quickly and easily exit a position or lock in gains whether in a bear market or a bull market.

3. Monitor The Market

Ensure that you are checking in to see what is happening in the market regularly and adjusting your well balanced crypto portfolio to best manage this.

Crypto markets can still be very volatile, so ensure that your trading decisions reflect what is happening. 

4. Monitor Your Emotions

This might be one of the biggest overseen aspects of trading but ensure that you have a grip on your emotions as they can play an integral part in your decision making.

Fear and greed are strong contenders when it comes to making logical trading decisions, make sure that these are not influencing any of your trades.

Don't let greed interfere, changing potential big gains to huge losses. Things can go terribly wrong when emotions are behind the wheel of trading decisions.

5. DYOR

We cannot stress it enough - always do your own research when exploring engaging with other cryptocurrencies. Never engage in a project that you cannot fully explain to another trader. Crypto involvement requires a substantial amount of due diligence.

While there is value in taking advice from a strong trader, ensure that you do your own vetting of the project before blindly trusting a stranger, this is your own money after all. 

6. Onlycommit what you’re willing to lose

As a golden rule of thumb when it comes to allocating funds, only allocate what you're willing to lose.

If you’ve made trading decisions that are causing you sleepless nights, consider a different approach, and ensure that should something go wrong that you have the financial means to stay standing. Your overall portfolio should be correctly balanced in order to ensure you can have rest-filled nights.

How to use a portfolio tracker

While typically used for short-term and day traders, trackers can also provide value to long term investors. Trackers provide a reliable way of monitoring the performance of your low, medium and high risk assets.

Crypto trackers also allow investors to measure their results across several blockchains and wallets in real-time, allowing one to directly measure the success or losses of their crypto holdings.

Portfolios typically involve holding multiple coins across various blockchains, so finding a compatible and suitable portfolio tracker makes sense.

First, you’ll need to select a good portfolio tracker that best suits your needs. Below we’ve outlined the top crypto portfolio trackers, although it's best to get a feel for the platform before diving in.

For instance, Pionex is better suited to high volume investors while Delta is better suited to beginners. See our selection below of top options on the market at the moment.

• CoinMarketCap
  One of the most used sources of information in the crypto space, CoinMarketCap also provides tracking functionality. Users can enter their coins, what price they were bought at and monitor their progress.
• Pionex
  Favoured to high volume investors, Pionex provides a more advanced option when it comes to tracking your crypto portfolio.
• CoinGecko
  Most commonly known as being a data aggregator, CoinGecko also allows users to track over 1,000 coins across its mobile and desktop crypto trackers.
• Delta
  Delta not only provides a very user-friendly crypto tracker, it also allows users to track a wide range of assets including fiat currencies, stocks, bonds, futures, and ETFs.

Aside from the look and feel, other factors to consider are safety and security, and whether it supports the wallet and coins in which you've allocated resources.

Building your crypto portfolio manually

When you’re ready to start building your well-balanced crypto portfolio, you will need to find a reliable platform and wallet on which to do so.

Ensure you stick to a regulated exchange and that the security behind the wallet you choose is of high standards. 

Tap mobile app offers a secure and convenient platform through which users can buy, sell, trade and store a wide range of cryptocurrencies. Learn more here on our website available on both desktop and mobile devices.

Next, you will need to decide on which coins you'd like to engage with, ensuring that you strategically distribute your capital with appropriate weightings.

Take cues from our Types of Cryptocurrencies above, deciding on how you wish to allocate the coins in order to build a balanced crypto portfolio.

We encourage you to conduct extensive research in this phase: A golden rule of engaging with cryptocurrency is to comprehend what crypto is before allocating any funds to it, as well as to understand each individual coin.

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Bitcoin, and many other cryptocurrency markets, have seen a phenomenal influx of funds recently, with the overall market cap reaching just shy of $3 trillion. This bullish market presents an advantageous set-up to make money. Trading, while profitable, introduces an array of issues that may be hard for newbies to overcome. 

If you are looking to make profits without the added risks then investing may be your best bet. But before you get into investing, there are some basic concepts you will need to grasp in order to make an informed decision. In this article, we're covering how to invest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies and what the difference is between investing and trading.  

Investing vs Trading 

To make a long story short, investing refers to long-term holdings while trading refers to short-term holdings, both are seeking profits within the market.

Generally speaking, investors are after greater returns over a longer period of time while traders seek to draw smaller, more frequent returns from rising and falling markets in a much shorter time frame. Trading thrives off of volatile markets, whereas investing seeks more stable options for longer-term rewards. Both provide the opportunity for profits, but each has benefits and flaws of its own. 

For newbies and those who have a more busy lifestyle, investing is the best option as it does not depend on your understanding and monitoring of market movements. Trading on the other hand is more of a career path, it requires considerably more time dedication, while also holding greater risk. As the saying goes, all traders should be investing but not all investors should be trading. 

It's important to note that both investing and trading have their own tax regulations and it is on the individual to find out and adhere to these laws. Bank on paying taxes on any returns made, as a general rule of thumb, but always research the guidance information relevant to your jurisdiction, i.e. tax paid on crypto returns will vary from the UK to Germany.

Bitcoin vs Altcoins 

Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency to come into existence, boasts an impressive market cap and is the highest valued cryptocurrency to date. After it launched in 2009, many cryptocurrencies followed suit and were coined "alternative coins" which soon became shortened to altcoins. While these originally focused on payment-centred cryptocurrencies, today the term altcoin essentially refers to any cryptocurrency that isn't Bitcoin. 

When it comes to investing and Bitcoin vs altcoins, Bitcoin has proven to be the most valuable coin however there are plenty of small to medium cap markets that experience incredible growth. Consider Bitcoin's large price point to be a hindrance to short term investments, but more powerful in the long run. 

To put it into perspective, data shows that if you invested $50,000 into Bitcoin when it was trading around $60,000, you would have to wait for Bitcoin to hit $120,000 before you double your investment. However, if you invested that same $50,000 into an altcoin when it was worth $1, it would only have to reach $2 for you to double your money which is a lot more likely than Bitcoin doubling in the same period. However, this doesn't ring true to all altcoins and one must always do thorough research before investing. 

Altcoins come in all different shapes and sizes, some tackling industries from medical to real estate, all backed by the financial aspect of blockchain technology. Investing is about more than just profits, it is also about the project. Is it something you are interested in and could benefit from in the future? Is it something that could change the world for the better? Does it have real-world use cases? 

All of these are factors to consider when planning to invest. The potential behind the project is oftentimes what secures it as a viable investment option, promising great opportunity for adoption, stability, and growth. At the end of the day, investing in altcoins requires a considerable amount of research.

Where And How To Invest

The first thing you need to consider is which exchange and wallet you will be using. Long term investments mean you need to find a platform you can trust to store your funds in a longer-term time frame. This is the key to securing your investment, rather than coming back a year or two later to discover your funds are gone. 

Some people recommend companies offering hardware wallets to reinforce that investment "do not touch" mindset while others prefer web wallets that are more accessible. It's really up to you which platform you decide you go with, considering all the features and factors, your needs, and confirming your decision with your own research. Make sure to stay up to date on the platform you are storing your funds on to be alerted of any software upgrades, if any hacks occur or if a platform closure notice goes up. 

At Tap, we have integrated a hyper-secure wallet into our mobile app, allowing anyone, anywhere to securely store their funds. We are licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and hold insurance of up to $100 million, ensuring the protection of your digital assets at all times. The mobile app also grants users access to a number of cryptocurrency markets, where you can freely buy, sell and manage your portfolio.

Final Thoughts 

Investment as a term isn't a difficult concept to catch onto, but finding the right investment is the important part. It is always recommended that you do your own research, and in-depth analysis at that, and don't be scared to diversify your assets. The investment world is yours for the taking, so get out there and start building a lucrative investment portfolio.

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FAQ

What is Bitcoin and how does it work?

Bitcoin is arguably this century's greatest innovation: a decentralised digital currency built on blockchain technology that allows for the transfer of value across the internet. This peer-to-peer digital cash system facilitates international payments at a fraction of the cost and time that fiat transactions of that nature take and are as simple as sending an email. Instead of being controlled and managed by banks or government entities, new coins are regularly entered into circulation through the process of mining. You can learn more about Bitcoin, blockchain transparency, and its lack of intermediaries from our guides.

Should I invest in Bitcoin?

As mentioned above, Bitcoin holds great market potential for both investors and traders. Since 2009, Bitcoin has performed well in terms of displaying strong ROIs, something most investors see as a benefit for future gains. However, investing in Bitcoin comes with its own risks that each individual should consider before entering the market. As a rule, never invest more than you are willing to lose.

Which are the three biggest cryptocurrencies?

Currently, based on market cap the three biggest cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether.

What are the alternatives to Bitcoin?

Alternatives to Bitcoin are referred to as altcoins. While there are thousands of cryptocurrencies on the market, not all are worth investing in. It's best to research each coin individually and weigh up the project before investing in it. Consider a cryptocurrency as a company, and purchasing coins as buying shares in the business.
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Disclaimer: This article is intended for communication purposes only, you should not consider any such information, opinions or other material as financial advice. The information herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation to purchase/invest in any crypto assets and is not to be taken as a recommendation that any particular investment or trading approach is appropriate for any specific person. There is a possibility of risk in investing in crypto assets and investors are exposed to fluctuations in the crypto asset market. This communication should be read in conjunction with Tap's Terms and Conditions.