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In the case of cryptocurrencies, academia has barely scratched the surface with respect to identifying the determinants of their prices. For example, studies by Cheah and Fry (2015) and Corbet et al. (2018) claim that Bitcoin has no intrinsic value and that its price has persistently exhibited ‘bubble-like’ behaviour. Makarov and Schoar (2018) find that the prices of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple differ across exchanges for weeks. Outside of academia, the President of the United States recently tweeted that cryptocurrencies are based on “thin air”.1

At Cointelegraph, we are chronicling the ongoing story of cryptocurrency and the rise of a borderless, permissionless financial system. How will industry stakeholders work to make crypto a mainstay in people’s lives? How will crypto investments change the paradigm of the current financial system? And will incumbent and legacy systems accept or fight this change?
Create your FREE Amazon Business account to save up to 10% with Business-only prices and free shipping. Six Questions with Kiana Danial What are cryptocurrencies? Cryptocurrencies are a form of digital asset that are secured by cryptography. The biggest name in cryptocurrency is Bitcoin. However, there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies that have their own unique characteristics and are spread across many different crypto categories. Why are cryptocurrencies so popular? Cryptocurrencies first became popular thanks to the original crypto asset, Bitcoin. A defining feature of Bitcoin is that it is not issued by a centralized authority and is fully decentralized. This means no government or centralized entity can interfere or manipulate it. Many other cryptocurrencies other also decentralized contributing to their popularity. Why invest in cryptocurrencies? There are different reasons to consider investing in cryptocurrency. First and foremost is diversification from traditional asset classes and exposing your portfolio to a new form of capital gains. What is a crypto wallet? A crypto wallet is a device or a service that stores your private cryptocurrency keys, keeping them safe. You can use your crypto wallet to store and retrieve your digital assets. There are different types of crypto wallets you can choose from depending on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment strategy. How do I protect myself? 1. Educate yourself and fully understand the fundamental value of the crypto assets you are planning to invest in 2. Know your risk tolerance and only invest in cryptocurrency if it matches your risk tolerance What are the current cryptocurrency prices? Cryptocurrency prices change on an hourly basis and investors often seek information from popular websites, media outlets and popular apps. About the author Kiana Danial Kiana Danial, author of Cryptocurrency Investing For Dummies is an award-winning, internationally recognized personal investing and wealth management expert. She is a highly sought-after professional speaker, author and executive coach who delivers inspirational workshops and seminars to corporations, universities, and entrepreneurial groups. She is a frequent expert on many TV and radio stations and has reported on the financial markets directly from the floor of NYSE and NASDAQ. She has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, TIME Magazine, CNN, Forbes, The Street, and numerous other publications. As the CEO of Invest Diva, Danial’s goal is to help you create an investment strategy that’s unique to you. Identify top-performing cryptocurrencies Understand reasons to invest in cryptocurrencies Create a crypto strategy that matches your goals