Although cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are virtual currencies, they are treated as an asset for capital gains tax purposes, and “ordinary” investors who purchase Bitcoin as an investment will experience a capital gain or loss when they exchange it for traditional currency, products, or services.
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Ultimately, the future of cryptocurrencies — their value, security, and staying power — is still up in the air. But the experts we spoke to believe owning some crypto could create value over time. Whatever your interest or motivation, experts stress the importance of making sure you understand the unique volatility and risk factors of cryptocurrency before investing.
Other tokens, known as utility tokens, are only meant to be used within the context of a particular network, so they can’t even technically be classified as tradable assets in the same manner of security tokens.