SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Crypto, or cryptocurrency, has captured the attention and imagination of investors all over the world, but it’s also putting a lot of people on edge.
It’s volatile, fast moving and not always easy to understand. However, one expert says there's still a place for crypto in your life.
“You hear the world crypto (and) it doesn’t necessarily conjure up positive imagery in someone’s mind,” said Towerpoint Wealth president Joseph Eschleman.
But it’s nothing to be afraid of. Crypto just means digital assets, so think of it like electronic money. You can buy it, you can sell it and you can buy things with it.
Crypto has been in the news a lot and not all the headlines have been good. Cryptocurrencies have been associated with bankruptcies, skirting laws and even Ponzi schemes.
With more than 10,000 different kinds of cryptocurrency, how do you know which ones to trust and invest in?
“It’s an excellent question. I think it gets back to the approach that we’re taking at Towerpoint. From an investor standpoint, let’s focus on the ones that are most well-known, that are most established,” said Eschleman.
That means major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. The price can swing wildly even for the established cryptos.
“We saw Bitcoin go as high as $60,000-65,000. About a year, year and a half ago, that dropped to $15,000-16,000… back up to $30K,” said Eschleman. “That is risky, (there is) certainly no doubt about it.”
If you’re skeptical of crypto, you’re not alone and that’s OK. Not investing in crypto won’t hurt your portfolio, but having investments in different areas could help.
Consider the recent banking crisis. As concerns grow over traditional government-issued currency like the dollar, digital assets have strengthened.
“What we’ve seen with Bitcoin and digital assets in general is that the price of crypto tends not to move in unison with what the general stock and bond market is doing. And so, because you get movements in the price that is different, it helps to smooth out some of the speed bumps of a portfolio over time,” said Eschleman.
Now, you’ll need a place to store your crypto. Since it’s all digital, you won’t need a traditional wallet to store bills. Instead, you’ll need a ‘hot wallet’ or ‘cold storage.’
A ‘hot wallet’ is a place to store your crypto online while ‘cold storage’ is a place to store it offline, like a USB drive.
The bottom line? Crypto is here to stay. If the short-term swings scare you, consider the benefits of a longer game.
“If you have the moxie to hold it for the longer term, we feel that there could be some opportunity there for the next 5-10-15+ years,” said Eschleman.
Eschleman says about 15% of his clients have investments in crypto and about the same percentage are ‘no-coiners.’ Most clients are in the middle. It’s about educating yourself and knowing what you feel comfortable with.
