All the signs, however, were there. Like previous bubbles, people were basing their belief in the cryptocurrency on their emotions, not any intrinsic value. Then there was the FOMO element, which only compounded things. Essentially, bitcoin became an international fever. Random companies were “pivoting to blockchain” for no apparent reason other than that it seemed like a way to create buzz. But when the bubble bursts, FOMO turns into fear of losing, which makes for an especially rapid plunge.
However, investing in a crypto ETF, like BITO, still carries the same risk as any crypto investment. It’s still a speculative and volatile investment. If you’re not willing to lose the money you put into crypto by purchasing on an exchange, then you shouldn’t put it in a crypto fund either. Carefully consider if you’re willing to take on the risk of having cryptocurrency in your portfolio at all.

Additionally, crypto regulation outside the U.S. has changed over time, based on evolving regulatory guidelines. The fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive from the European Union, for example, entails that crypto buying, selling and other operations must comply with certain guidelines in certain regions.
Although exact active currency numbers fluctuate and individual currencies’ values are highly volatile, the overall market value of all active cryptocurrencies is generally trending upward. At any given time, hundreds of cryptocurrencies trade actively.