Cryptocurrency trading involves speculating on the price movements of cryptocurrency via a CFD trading account or by buying and selling the underlying coins via exchanges.
CFD trading with cryptocurrencies
CFDs trading is a derivative that allows you to speculate on the price movements of cryptocurrency without actually owning the underlying coins. If you believe a cryptocurrency will increase in value, you can either go long (‘buy) or short (‘sell) to speculate on its future.

These are leveraged products. This means that you only need to make a small deposit (known as a margin) to have full access to the underlying markets. The full value of your position will determine whether you make a profit or a loss. Therefore, leverage can increase both your profits and losses.
An exchange allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
You do not purchase cryptocurrencies through an exchange. To open an exchange account, you will need to deposit the entire value of the asset, then store the tokens in your wallet until you are ready to sell them.
Exchanges have their own steep learning curve. You’ll need help to understand the technology and make sense of the data. You may also be limited in the amount you can deposit on many exchanges. Accounts can also be expensive to maintain.

What is the working of cryptocurrency markets?
Decentralized cryptocurrency markets do not have central backing or issuing them. They are distributed across a network. However, cryptocurrencies can be purchased and sold through exchanges. They can also be stored in «wallets.»
Contrary to traditional currencies, cryptocurrency is a digital record of ownership that can be shared on a blockchain. A user can send cryptocurrency units to another person by sending them to their digital wallet. Once the transaction has been verified through mining, it isn’t considered complete. This is how new cryptocurrency tokens are created.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a digital shared register of recorded data. This is the transaction history of every cryptocurrency unit. It shows ownership changes over time. Blockchain records transactions in blocks, and new blocks are added to the front of each chain.
Blockchain technology offers security features that are unique to it.

Network Consensus
Blockchain files are stored on multiple computers in a network rather than in one location. They can be accessed by all members of the network. It is transparent and difficult to alter. There are no weak points that could be hacked or made by humans or software errors.
Cryptography
Cryptography, complex mathematics, and computer science are used to link blocks together. Computers in the network can quickly identify any attempt to alter data as fraud by identifying it as fraudulent.
What is cryptocurrency mining?
Cryptocurrency mining refers to the process of verifying and adding new blocks to the blockchain.
Checking transactions
Mining computers choose pending transactions from a pool to verify that sender has enough funds to complete the transaction. This involves comparing the transaction history and transaction details stored in the blockchain. The sender must confirm that they have authorized the transfer using their private key.

Creating new blocks
Mining computers combine valid transactions into a block and then attempt to generate the cryptographic connection to the previous block using a complex algorithm. Once a computer has successfully generated the link, it adds that block to its blockchain file and broadcasts the update to the rest of the network.
Blockchain technology offers security features that are unique to it.

Network Consensus
Blockchain files are stored on multiple computers in a network rather than in one location. They can be accessed by all members of the network. It is transparent and difficult to alter. There are no weak points that could be hacked or made by humans or software errors.
Cryptography
Cryptography, complex mathematics, and computer science are used to link blocks together. Computers in the network can quickly identify any attempt to alter data as fraud by identifying it as fraudulent.
What is cryptocurrency mining?
Cryptocurrency mining refers to the process of verifying and adding new blocks to the blockchain.
Checking transactions
Mining computers choose pending transactions from a pool to verify that sender has enough funds to complete the transaction. This involves comparing the transaction details with the transaction history stored on the blockchain. The sender must confirm that they have authorized the transfer using their private key.

Creating new blocks
Mining computers combine valid transactions into a block and then attempt to generate the cryptographic connection to the previous block using a complex algorithm. Once a computer has successfully generated the link, it adds that block to its blockchain file and broadcasts the update to the rest of the network.
What drives cryptocurrency markets?
The supply and demand of cryptocurrency markets are governed by each other. They are also decentralized, so they don’t have to deal with many of the same economic and political issues as traditional currencies. Although there are still many uncertainties surrounding cryptocurrency, these factors can have a major impact on their price:
- Supply: The total amount of coins and their rate of release, destruction, or loss
- Market capitalization is the sum of all coins and the perceptions of its users.
- Press: How cryptocurrency is presented in the media, and how much coverage it gets
- Integration refers to the ease with which cryptocurrency integrates into existing infrastructure, such as e-commerce payment systems.
- Events of importance: Major events like regulatory updates, security breaches, and economic setbacks

What is the process of trading cryptocurrency?
You can trade cryptocurrencies with IG via a CFD account – derivatives that allow you to speculate on the value of your chosen cryptocurrency. You do not own the cryptocurrency, and prices are quoted in US dollars.
CFDs can be leveraged products which means that you can open positions for only a fraction of the total value of the trade. Leveraged products can increase your profits, but they can also magnify your losses if you lose the market.
What is the spread of cryptocurrency trading?
Spread is the difference in the prices of a cryptocurrency’s buy and sell. You will be presented with two prices when you open a position in the cryptocurrency market. You trade at the buy price if you wish to open a long-term position. This price is slightly higher than the market price. You trade at the selling price, which is slightly lower than the market price if you wish to open a short account.
What is the difference between a lot and cryptocurrency trading?
Many cryptocurrencies can be traded in large quantities – lots of tokens are used to standardize trade sizes. Because cryptocurrencies can be volatile, lots are often very small. Most are only one unit of the base cryptocurrency. Some cryptocurrencies can be traded in larger lots.

What is leverage in cryptocurrency trading
Leverage allows you to gain exposure to large amounts of cryptocurrency without needing to pay upfront. Instead, you deposit a small amount, called a margin. Your profit or loss when you close a leveraged trade is determined by the total size of the trade.