The price of Shiba Inu (SHIB) has been plummeting for the past five months, and crypto experts say it could fall even further.

It is currently in the same narrow range it experienced in late January and February this year.

At the moment, its biggest problems are a reduction in the number of transactions, a drop in the holder's account, and a pullback in the price of the token.

The cryptocurrency's plummeting performance so far this year has discouraged many investors. However, its vulnerable point is the lack of utility to grow the project

Although Shiba Inu joined Robinhood in April, that was only enough to raise its price nor its trading activity, as it had already been dragging a first quarter of the year with a 70% drop in its transactions recorded in the cryptocurrency.

In March alone, SHIB transactions fell from 329,893 to 216,260 and this had a negative impact on its trading value, which has lost nearly 75% since its all-time high last October.

A report released by Robinhood last month notes that the trading activity among millennials that helped fuel the cryptocurrency boom is drying up.

Moreover, the analysis also reflects that cryptocurrency revenues declined 39%.

Now, one of the main tactics used by cryptocurrency manufacturers to trigger their price is to cause inflation.

In this sense, Shiba Inu is also willing to create shortages and although currently, there are 589,736,561,989,744 SHIB tokens in circulation, various analysts point out that the company could resort to its circulation strategy in an attempt to strengthen its value.

Another point to take into account is that SHIB contemplates the possibility of memecoins entering the metaverse space, as this would also strengthen cryptocurrencies.

The key breakout range for those envisioning an increase in the price of Shiba Inu is a daily close at or above $0.000026.

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Shiba Inu: Why the cryptocurrencys price crashed and what to expect? - Marca English

This crucial move will enable authorities to have the power to proceeds made from ransomware. The Twitter account Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru), which has more than 865,000 followers, wrote: "The UK will introduce legislation this year to regulate the Bitcoin and crypto industry and ensure authorities can seize ransomware proceeds."

The Prime Minister will introduce a new Economic Crime Bill to crack down on illicit finance in the country.

It's aimed at strengthening laws that have empowered its Russian sanction packages and empower authorities to seize cryptocurrency assets.

The Government has said the bill would help force dirty money out of Britain.

This would ensure people such as associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin are not in any way able to benefit from the UK economy.

Prince Charles, standing in for the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament earlier today, set out the legislative agenda of Mr Johnson's Government.

He said: "A bill will be brought forward to further strengthen powers to tackle illicit finance, reduce economic crime and help businesses grow."

In March, the Government passed an Economic Crime Act, before then sanctioning hundreds of Russian individuals and entities.

The measures had already been imposed by the likes of the European Union and US.

READ MORE:Boris's energy masterplan scuppered by Brussels EU still meddling

In February, HMRC seized non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for the first time. These are a type of certificate of ownership for virtual assets.

David Postings, chief executive of UK Finance, praised the plans outlined in the Bill.

He said: "The Economic Crime Bill will be critical in helping to address money laundering and the growth in fraud and scams, which are now the most prevalent type of crime in the UK.

"This Bill should focus on measures that prevent fraud happening in the first place and provide greater enforcement powers to tackle those who commit economic crime."

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Boris targeting major crackdown on Bitcoin and cryptocurrency - UK unveils new legislation - Express

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen took heat from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers Tuesday as she told them that the inflation outlook still remains quite uncertain.

Yellen delivered a report to the Senate Banking Committee from the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), which was set up in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis to make sure market crashes and government bailouts on that scale would never be needed again.

She argued for greater financial regulation at one of the most precarious economic moments since 2008, pointing specifically to risks posed by over-leveraged investment funds and unregulated cryptocurrency. The hearing came as stocks hit 52-week lows and markets brace for the latest inflation numbers.

There is the potential for continued volatility and unevenness of global growth as countries continue to grapple with the pandemic, she testified, calling attention to the use of borrowed money by hedge funds and other sophisticated investors that can make them vulnerable to acute financial stresses.

These stresses can be transmitted and amplified to the broader financial system, Yellen said. The [FSOC] has taken steps to examine these risks, including reestablishing its Hedge Fund Working Group to develop an interagency risk-monitoring system and to propose options to mitigate identified risks.

While the FSOC report identified vulnerabilities stemming from several different kinds of investment funds, Yellen agreed with a recent assessment by the Federal Reserve that the banking system remains strong overall with robust capital and liquidity.

Some Democratic lawmakers, including regulatory firebrand Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), argued during the hearing for increased oversight they said would shore up the financial system.

Warren specifically went after 2019 rule changes enacted during the Trump administration that walked back designation requirements on firms that are too big to fail or, in the language of the Treasury Department, systemically important.

The requirements were part of the market-disciplining Dodd-Frank Act that followed the 2008 crisis, which saw the government bail out Wall Street firms like Wells Fargo and Goldman Sachs and take over mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Secretary Yellen, you, along with then-Fed Chair Ben Bernanke and former Treasury Secretaries Tim Geithner and Jack Lew, wrote a letter in 2019 opposing the revised guidance. You stated that the changes would neuter the designation authority and amount to substantial weakening of the post-crisis reforms, Warren said to Yellen.

You also say that the 2019 guidance would make it impossible to prevent the build-up of risk in financial institutions whose failure would threaten the stability of the system as a whole, she added.

Yellen responded that she agreed with what she wrote in 2019.

Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), the Banking Committees ranking member, endorsed the Trump administrations rule change, saying the previous policy needlessly imposed bank-like regulations on nonbank financial institutions, such as insurance companies and asset managers.

More fundamentally, the act of designating a firm as a non-bank SIFI [Systemically Important Financial Institution] signals to the market that the firm is too big to fail and would be bailed out if it became insolvent, thereby introducing moral hazard, he added.

But Republicans, for the most part, were more concerned with the macroeconomic picture than with changes to individual regulations.

People arent coming back to work, though we have millions of jobs that are open, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said, referring to the near 50-year low unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. The atrophying of the muscle for work seems to be endemic.

He also took issue with the Biden administrations stimulus packages designed to spark demand as the economy shut down in 2020 and 2021, saying theyre at least partly to blame for persistent inflation.

Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) wanted to know whether interest rate hikes by the Fed, which began this month at 50 basis points and are expected to continue throughout the year, would affect the ability of the U.S. to pay down its debt.

What level of interest rates would alarm you? he asked Yellen.

Regulatory consensus seemed to build for both Democrats and Republicans around stablecoins, a unit of cryptocurrency that is backed by a real-world asset, similarly to how the U.S. dollar used to be backed by gold.

We do need a regulatory framework for stablecoins, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said. Last week, Fabio Panetta, one of the European Central Banks six executive board members, noted that the cryptocurrency market is now larger than the subprime mortgage market, which triggered the global financial crisis.

Her sentiments echoed those of Toomey, who introduced legislation regulating cryptocurrency last month. Toomey was glad to see [the FSOC report] acknowledged that it is the responsibility of Congress to create new rules for stablecoins.

Yellen said she thinks there are many risks associated with cryptocurrencies, and the president has asked the Treasury and FSOC to look at those risks. We will issue a comprehensive report shortly.

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Yellen points to hedge funds, unregulated cryptocurrency as sources of instability - The Hill

Fort Lauderdale's iconic arts incubator, ArtServe, now accepts most types of cryptocurrency as payment for donations, art and some events and classes, becoming the first art-based nonprofit in Broward County to do so.

"Blockchain has become a major force in the art world," ArtServe Executive Director Jason Hughes said. "Given South Florida's status as both a hemispheric financial hub and annual home to Art Basel, ArtServe is right on-trend with offering cryptocurrency options."

The move was lauded by Broward County Mayor Mike Udine, who called it "smart" in light of ArtServe's bustling activity and year-around exhibit schedule.

Through a link on ArtServe's website via the Charity Navigator-endorsed Endaoment, donors and those opting to pay with cryptocurrency can use more than 900 types of ERC-20 Ethereum-based tokens. All others can contact Endaoment to make an "over-the-counter" gift or payment with any other type of digital asset.

Endaoment is the first non-profit organization built on the Ethereum blockchain. Ethereum is considered a superior form of blockchain because it not only allows for peer-to-peer payments, but it is also used to create smart contracts that enable a specific output when a specific set of predefined rules is satisfied.

"The art world has recognized the boundless potential behind blockchain in its embrace of NFTs," Broward Cultural Division Director Phil Dunlap said. "ArtServe now leveraging blockchain to support artists in our community is a natural fit."

To view the ArtServe page on Endaoment, click here.

"The great news is that, as property, cryptocurrency donations are now tax deductible in the United States, so cryptocurrency donations to 501(c)3 charities like ArtServe receive the same tax treatment as stock donations," Hughes explained.

To access the ArtServe crypto donor and payment link, click here.

ArtServe is located at 1350 E. Sunrise Boulevard, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304. Call (954) 462-8190 or email information@artserve.org.

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ArtServe Becomes First Broward Art Nonprofit To Accept Cryptocurrency - Broadway World

Authorities in Georgia are now holding discussions with industry representatives to finalize a bill designed to regulate coin trading, among other crypto-related activities. The legislation will be presented to the Georgian society this fall at the latest, a top central bank official announced.

The National Bank of Georgia (NBG) is fine-tuning a draft law tailored to establish a legal framework for certain operations with cryptocurrencies with the help of interested parties from the sector. Public and business officials are currently holding talks on the new legislation, the banks Vice Governor Papuna Lezhava revealed, quoted by Sputnik Georgia. He stated:

We are working on a bill regulating cryptocurrency, and now it is at the stage of consideration with market participants. The final document will be made public either in the summer or in the fall.

The law will regulate several crypto-related areas at once, the central bank official elaborated. These include consumer protection and cryptocurrency trade. Its provisions will introduce rules for trading platforms such as digital assets exchanges. However, they do not concern crypto miners and their activities, Lezhava noted.

Cryptocurrency mining became a popular business and an alternative income source for many Georgians a few years ago. A study by the Cambridge Center for Alternative Finance (CCAF), published in 2018, ranked Georgia second in the world in terms of amount of electricity used to extract digital coins.

In April, NBG Governor Koba Gvenetadze told the Georgian business news portal the Financial that the monetary authority was planning to regulate transactions in the crypto space of the Southern Caucasus country. He revealed that companies in the industry may expect a licensing regime.

At the same time, the regulator intends to ban traditional financial institutions from providing crypto-related services. Gvenetadze also pointed out that the amendments the central bank is working on are in compliance with the requirements of the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF).

Do you expect Georgia to adopt bitcoin-friendly regulations and become a crypto hotspot? Tell us in the comments section below.

Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Eastern Europe who likes Hitchenss quote: Being a writer is what I am, rather than what I do. Besides crypto, blockchain and fintech, international politics and economics are two other sources of inspiration.

Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.

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Georgia to Unveil New Cryptocurrency Law by This Fall Regulation Bitcoin News - Bitcoin News

In many ways, cryptocurrency is starting to replace the ways people increase their wealth, earn interest, and even earn a passive income! Even though interest payments on savings accounts can be relatively small when it comes to regular avenues, they can be pretty massive when it comes to cryptocurrencies.

In this article, I will be looking at a few ways you can earn interest or passive income through cryptocurrency.

One of the easiest ways you can earn interest on cryptocurrency is similar to how you would typically earn interest on fiat currencies. With DeFi, people now have access to financing in the world of cryptocurrencies as well. People can now borrow cryptocurrency from lenders and vice versa.

Its all done through complicated smart contracts, but I wont get too into that. The main point is that a lender can earn recurring interest payments by lending their cryptocurrency, and this gives many people an opportunity to earn interest without really doing anything.

Of course, there are certain risks to this. You cant just take out your crypto whenever you want, so if the price of the crypto crashes, so do your chances of earning a profit from this. However, if youve lent crypto that is stable in price or, more conveniently, increasing in price, you could potentially earn a lot of profit.

Interest payments on crypto are much higher than they are at banks. You could earn an APY between 10% to 20% on average, and some methods are even more lucrative. Just like any other investment, there are many risks to it, so make sure you do the right amount of research.

Another simple way to earn a passive income through cryptocurrency is by staking. Staking is something you can only do on cryptocurrencies that use the proof of stake system, namely Cardano, Solana, Ethereum, and other cryptos like these.

These cryptos allow you to delegate as many tokens as you want into a staking pool, which is then automatically used to validate transactions and govern the token. Every time your token is randomly chosen to be used in this process, you will earn back small rewards in the form of cryptocurrency.

Since the whole process is randomized, you can increase your chance of having your token chosen by simply delegating more tokens into the staking pool. The more tokens you have, the higher your rewards will be.

You can take out the tokens youve donated at any point you want. Theres minimal risk to staking aside from the volatility of the cryptos price itself. If youre holding on to crypto for an extended period of time, its generally a good idea to stake it so you can earn a passive income on the side while also benefiting from the increase in value.

Mining is very similar to staking, but its a lot older and a bit more complicated. You can mine tokens that use the proof of work system instead of the proof of stake system. Mining basically consists of you buying a mining set-up, consisting of a somewhat powerful computer that works towards creating new nodes in the blockchain.

Every time your setup is used to create a new node, you will earn a small reward in the form of cryptocurrency. To get the most out of mining, youd probably need to buy an expensive setup and pay expensive electricity bills, but it's worth it for a lot of people.

However, you dont necessarily need a huge setup to mine cryptocurrency. In fact, you could probably do it on your computer right now without even noticing it. You can download specific browser extensions and software that will use your computers processing power to mine cryptocurrency in the background.

This might slow your computer down a little, but the rewards might be worth it, and you wont even notice it. At the end of the month, you might be surprised by a lot of virtual cash!

Opening a savings account is one of the main ways people earn interest in general, but did you know there are also interest-bearing accounts in the crypto world? There are a lot of different exchanges, wallets, and crypto service providers that allow you to open an account there, buy specific tokens, and lock them into an account.

Its almost the same thing as a savings account. When you lock your tokens in, you can earn a yield from it, and generally, the yield is much higher than it would be on a traditional savings account. Once again, the same risks associated with investing in cryptocurrency persist here.

However, there are also a lot of stablecoins you can invest in that wont have the same level of volatility.

For example, the USDC token is pegged to the U.S dollar, which means its value wont go above or below the USD. If you lock USDC tokens into an interest-bearing account, you could potentially earn a lot of money in interest. At least a lot more than you would if you just opened a regular savings account with a bank.

If youre familiar with the stock market, you probably already know that stocks pay a dividend to their investors either monthly, quarterly, or yearly. For highly profitable stocks, the dividends can be quite high, and for those that arent profitable, there are no dividends.

Now, there are even ways for you to earn dividends in the form of cryptocurrency. This is possible with the help of tokenized stocks. These are essentially cryptocurrencies that are backed by assets in the stock market.

Whenever these stocks post a profit and pay out dividends, you will also earn that money in the form of cryptocurrency straight to your account.

This can help you get away with the regulation and monitoring thats usually present whenever you invest in actual stocks. On top of that, you can benefit from the volatility of the cryptocurrency.

You can do this on crypto exchanges that support tokenized stocks, such as FTX, Kucoin, and Bitmax.

Yield farming is a relatively recent concept in the world of cryptocurrency, but it has quickly become one of the top ways to earn interest in cryptocurrency. You can only yield farm on a decentralized exchange, so this wont work on a centralized exchange like Binance or Coinbase.

Yield farming consists of an investor depositing tokens into a liquidity pool with the help of smart contracts. Whenever a token is added to a liquidity pool, it gets locked in for a certain amount of time.

These liquidity pools are what actually run a decentralized exchange and where the exchanges users get their tokens from.

Now, whenever your token is accessed by traders, you will earn interest on that amount. These interest rates are generally quite high, making it a great way to earn a passive income. However, only certain tokens can be used in liquidity pools such as Ethereum, Uniswap, Tether, and Pancake Swap.

Its not very difficult or complicated to pull off, and although there are certain risks with locking your tokens, due to the volatility, if you stick to stablecoins, much of that risk is removed.

In most of the methods Ive mentioned in the list, you have to actually spend money to start earning a passive income. But theres also a way you can earn a passive income by spending no money at allairdrops.

Just like how certain bakeries will give you free cupcake samples to test them out, certain crypto firms will give you free cryptocurrencies for the same purpose. This process is called airdropping crypto, and its getting more and more popular with time.

Of course, most of the cryptos that actually do get airdropped are complete trash. In most cases, youll earn no money at all. But the important part is that youre not losing any money. If the crypto ends up being a successof which there are many casesyoull just be earning a profit.

If it fails, then its no big deal. You can be on guard for whatever the next big airdrop is by checking Google or any website that tracks upcoming airdrops. Sign up for as many airdrops as you possibly can, and eventually, the crypto will start absolutely pouring into your wallet.

Affiliate programs are present in a lot of online services, and crypto services are no different. Many of the worlds top crypto exchanges like Binance, Coinbase, or FTX have affiliate or referral programs.

Basically, these exchanges will give you a specialized link, and every time someone signs up for these services using your link, you will earn a rather lucrative reward for it. You can market your link online on your blog, social media accounts, or YouTube channel to get started.

If you already have a big following, this should be pretty easy, but if you dont, you can always promote your posts. On top of that, you can ask friends and family to sign up for these services as well using your code or link.

What are some of the ways you earn money with crypto? Let me know in the comments below! Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more information like this https://bit.ly/3720zFW

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How Can You Earn Interest with Cryptocurrency? - hackernoon.com

A popular Vancouver venue is using blockchain technology to change the nightlife game.

Ens, located near BC Place in the former Harbour Event Centre, announced that it would be the first venue in Canada to accept cryptocurrency for table services starting on the Victoria Day long weekend in May.

According to Ens CEO Stanley Ho, accepting cryptocurrency is a part of the venues mission of innovation.

Our team has been observing cryptocurrency for a while, and we will be one of the first innovators in the world. We dare to be different, Ho told Daily Hive. Bottle service is essentially a way for you to get your own private section at our venue, so you have a place to sit, drink and have a great time with your friends and others.

Enso will look into ticket payment and merchandise sales in the future when there is further mass adoption for cryptocurrency in the world.

Devax Media/Submitted

Ho reached out to local crypto influencer Mason Versluis for insight on crypto as Ens began planning this update to their payment options.

The Ens Event Centre being the first event space in Canada to accept crypto as a form of payment is very cool and also a very smart move, said Versluis. This shows that they are ahead of the curve and also proves cryptocurrencies can be used as a viable form of payment.

It is a big deal because other event centres may see this and also start accepting crypto, which in turn helps the overall adoption of cryptocurrencies in Canada.

Devax Media/Submitted

The venue has gone through major renovations and upgrades since Ho launched Ens in September 2021. The events centre has two unique spaces: the main room with a brand new arcade area and a trendy whiskey lounge built upstairs.

Ens also boasts state-of-the-art lights, and an LED visual sound system to take upcoming performances by Grammy Award Winner Imanbek or Swedish hardstyle duo Wasted Penguinz to the next level.

Ho, who has been an event producer since the 90s and was a partner of the Harbour Event Centre, is excited for guests to come and experience the space.

Devax Media/Submitted

Going into work every day knowing that I have the opportunity to work with the Neptune Group to produce events, grow artists and work with an amazing team has been a rewarding experience, added Ho.

Ens has also launched its brand new weekly Funktion Fridays hosted by KISS Radio and Daily Hive, with $5 highballs and the best hip hop, EDM and top 40 hits. The events centre will also be announcing its Summer Dreams outdoor series soon.

Ens/Submitted

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Vancouver nightlife destination the first in Canada to accept cryptocurrency | Curated - Daily Hive

Over the past 24 hours, FTX Token's FTT/USD price has risen 7.79% to $33.83. This is contrary to its negative trend over the past week where it has experienced a 13.0% loss, moving from $38.35 to its current price. As it stands right now, the coin's all-time high is $84.18.

The chart below compares the price movement and volatility for FTX Token over the past 24 hours (left) to its price movement over the past week (right). The gray bands are Bollinger Bands, measuring the volatility for both the daily and weekly price movements. The wider the bands are, or the larger the gray area is at any given moment, the larger the volatility.

The trading volume for the coin has risen 247.0% over the past week diverging from the circulating supply of the coin, which has decreased 0.28%. This brings the circulating supply to 136.77 million, which makes up an estimated 41.12% of its max supply of 332.64 million. According to our data, the current market cap ranking for FTT is #25 at $4.65 billion.

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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Cryptocurrency FTX Token's Price Increased More Than 7% Within 24 hours - Benzinga - Benzinga

Over the past 24 hours, TRON's TRX/USD price has risen 3.53% to $0.08. This continues its positive trend over the past week where it has experienced a 11.0% gain, moving from $0.07 to its current price. As it stands right now, the coin's all-time high is $0.23.

The chart below compares the price movement and volatility for TRON over the past 24 hours (left) to its price movement over the past week (right). The gray bands are Bollinger Bands, measuring the volatility for both the daily and weekly price movements. The wider the bands are, or the larger the gray area is at any given moment, the larger the volatility.

The trading volume for the coin has increased 82.0% over the past week, while the overall circulating supply of the coin has decreased 4.68%. The current market cap ranking for TRX is #18 at $8.05 billion.

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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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Cryptocurrency TRON Up More Than 3% In 24 hours - Benzinga - Benzinga

This story is part of Power Money Moves, CNET's coverage of smart money decisions for today's changing world.

There's a red-hot tool quickly gaining traction for those looking for a new way to make money. It's cryptocurrency, and players ready to invest in digital coinage should keep in mind its risky, wildly volatile and controversial nature. To some, bitcoin, stablecoin and NFTs represent a step forward for investors -- a kind of "Money 2.0" that'll democratize finance and power the metaverse. To others, cryptocurrency is simply a new, digital form of an old con primed to swindle and scam. Still others consider the whole endeavor an empty bubble, destined to burst.

In simple terms, cryptocurrency is a digital token whose ownership is recorded on a blockchain, a distributed software ledger that no one controls -- this is designed to make it more secure, in theory. Bitcoin and ethereum are the two most widely known flavors of crypto, but more than 18,000 tokens are traded under different names (dogecoin is one famous example).

Despite the seesawing prices and lack of regulation, cryptocurrency is moving mainstream as the next financial frontier. Developments like President Joe Biden's desire to explore a digital US dollar tomultimillion-dollar Super Bowl ads underscore a growing desire from powerful government and corporate institutions to quickly legitimize crypto in much the same way as stocks and bonds.

But does that make cryptocurrency a smart investment for you?

"Cryptocurrency is one of those categories of investing that doesn't have those traditional investor protections," said Gerri Walsh, senior vice president of Investor Education at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. "They're outside the realm of securities trading. It's an area that's in flux, as far as regulations go."

Professionals caution that investors shouldn't put more than they can lose into crypto, which offers few safeguards, plenty of pitfalls and a spotty track record. If you're thinking about adding crypto to your portfolio, here are five key considerations before you begin.

Read more:Best Bitcoin and Crypto Wallets for 2022

The simplest way to get your feet wet with crypto investments is to use US dollars to buy a cryptocurrency using a popular exchange like Coinbase, Binance or FTX. A handful of well-known payment apps -- including Venmo, PayPal and Cash App -- will let you buy and sell cryptocurrency, though they generally have limited functionality and higher fees.

Whether you're using Coinbase, Binance, Venmo or PayPal, you'll be required to provide some sensitive personal and financial information -- including an official form of identification. (So much for bitcoin's reputation for anonymous transactions.)

Once your account is set up, it's dead simple to transfer money into it from your bank. And the barrier to entry is quite low: The minimum trade amount is $2 on Coinbase and $15 on Binance.

Crypto is so new, there isn't enough data yet to decide how much of your portfolio "should" be in cryptocurrency, according to Cesare Fracassi, who runs the Blockchain Initiative at the University of Texas, Austin.

"We need decades of returns in order to understand whether a specific asset is good in a portfolio," Fracassi said. "We know that on average stocks return about 6% more than bonds. That's because we've had 60 to 100 years to see the average returns on stocks and bonds."

Like all investment decisions, how much you pour into crypto will depend on your risk tolerance. But investment professionals suggest that investors keep their exposure low -- even for those who are all-in on the technology. Anjali Jariwala, a certified financial planner and founder of Fit Advisors, recommends that clients allocate no more than 3% of their portfolio into crypto.

Before investing in crypto, you should know there's almost no protection for crypto investors. And since this virtual currency is extremely volatile and driven by hype, that's a problem. It's easy to get caught up in tweets, TikToks and YouTube videos touting the latest coin -- but the adrenaline rush of a market spike can easily be washed away with a dramatic crash.

You should be on the lookout for crypto scams. One often-used scheme is apump and dump, in which scammers encourage people to buy a certain token, causing its value to rise. When it does, the scammers sell out, often pushing the price down for everyone else. These scams are prominent, and they took in more than $2.8 billion worth of crypto in 2021.

From the US government's current policy perspective, you're on your own. At this time, the government provides no deposit protection for crypto as it does for bank accounts. This may change following Biden's Marchexecutive order, which directed government agencies to investigate the risks and potential benefits of digital assets.

Best we can tell, only one company offers crypto insurance: Breach Insurance, whose Crypto Shield promises to cover your accounts from hacks. Other companies, such as Coincover, provides theft protection, which alerts you if there's suspicious activity on your account. Coincover maintains an insurance-backed guarantee that if its technology fails, it will pay you back up to the amount you're eligible for, which depends on the level of protection the wallet you use offers. (Neither Coincover nor Breach Insurance insures you against scams.)

Despite all the hype, scams and risks inherent in this market, Fracassi still thinks crypto has a viable future ahead of it.

"I think crypto holds a possible solution to some of the problems of the traditional financial sector," Fracassi said. "The current, traditional financial system is non-inclusive, it's slow and expensive and incumbents, including large banks and financial institutions, basically have a lot of control. I think crypto is a venue through which you can actually break the system."

Yes. Whether you're buying, selling or exchanging crypto, the IRS wants to know about it. Your tax liability depends on your particular situation, but crypto investments are broadly treated like other investments, including stocks and bonds.

You don't need to report crypto on your tax return if you didn't sell or exchange it for another type of crypto. Buying and holding also doesn't need to be reported. If you did sell or exchange crypto, though, you'll need to report any gains or losses realized, just like you would for stocks and bonds.

Adding crypto trades won't make your tax return any easier. But popular tax software like TurboTax, CoinTracker and Koinly now connect with wallets and exchanges to automatically track your cryptocurrency holdings, sales and transfers.

Buying tokens is the most straightforward approach to crypto. But other opportunities exist for exploring the crypto world while potentially protecting your money from seesawing swings.

Here are a handful of alternatives:

Buy shares of crypto companies. Many companies in the crypto space are publicly traded. Buying shares of Coinbase Global or PayPal Holdings rather than of the coin itself allows you to benefit from the business proceeds of these companies, which are in part generated by crypto. You can also buy shares of companies that make crypto-related hardware, such as Nvidia and AMD.

Invest in crypto ETFs or derivatives. Specialized exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are available for crypto. ETFs are baskets of securities, such as stocks, commodities and bonds, that follow an index or sector, in this case, crypto. Futures and options are also available for some crypto products, though these advanced types of investment vehicles come with their risks.

Get a job in crypto. LinkedIn, Indeed and Monster list thousands of jobs in crypto. Whether you've got a traditional finance background or you're a software engineer, there's a boom in the blockchain labor market. There's also Cryptocurrency Jobs, a job board dedicated to blockchain careers.

Whether you'll plunge into crypto waters is ultimately up to you, but bear in mind it isn't the only place to start your investing journey. And beyond crypto, there are other digital assets to consider, too, including NFTs. But if you do take the plunge, be sure to invest in a good wallet to keep your digital currency safe.

Read more:Air Travel Is More Expensive in 2022: Here Are Smart Ways to Save Money When You Fly

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Investing in Crypto? 5 Things Everyone Should Know Today - CNET