Mar 17, 2025: Our weekly Institutional Insights explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

 explores the latest market developments — market performance, industry news, exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, trending topics, upcoming events and token unlocks — to help you supercharge your crypto trading.

Weekly highlight — consumer sentiment falls

US consumer sentiment has fallen to its lowest level in over two years, reflecting growing concerns about the economic impact of tariffs. According to data from the University of Michigan, the preliminary sentiment index for March 2025 dropped to 57.9 from 64.7 in February, the lowest level since November 2022. This decline was worse than expected by a Bloomberg survey of economists.

Inflation expectations surged, with consumers anticipating a 3.9% annual price increase over the next five to ten years, the highest rate over three decades. Additionally, consumers expect prices to rise by 4.9% over the next year from 4.3%, marking the steepest rise since 2022.

As US president Donald Trump’s tariff policies expand, consumers across the political spectrum increasingly worry that these extra duties will lead to higher costs. Despite recent inflation cooling, ongoing price pressures could lead households to reduce discretionary spending.

The survey also indicated a record low in consumer expectations regarding personal finances, with respondents estimating only a 48.7% chance of stock market gains in the coming year. Joanne Hsu, 

 the University of Michigan, emphasized that uncertainty surrounding economic policies complicates financial planning.

Some analysts warned that declining consumer confidence poses a significant threat to spending, as fears of an economic downturn may deter purchases of major items. Overall, the current conditions gauge and the expectations index fell to their lowest levels in several months, showcasing widespread consumer apprehension.

Weekly crypto highlight — Bitcoin see slight life in the past weekend

Bitcoin rebounded from a four-month low earlier this week alongside other risky assets recovering from recent market turmoil. Economic uncertainties driven by a wave of tariffs from President Trump and the threat of a government shutdown have led to significant sell-offs across various asset classes, including cryptocurrencies.

“As we conclude a week of widespread selling, markets are experiencing a relief rally from oversold conditions,” stated Ravi Doshi, Co-Head of Markets at FalconX. The avoidance of a US government funding shutdown has eased market uncertainty.

On Friday, Bitcoin rose by as much as 6.2%, reaching $85,301, while smaller digital assets surged even more: Solana gained over 9%, Chainlink increased by 13% and XRP rose nearly 8%. Earlier in the week, Bitcoin had dropped to around $77,000, a significant decline from its all-time high of $109,000 in January 2025.

This slump triggered record outflows from Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, and large liquidations in crypto derivatives markets. Crypto markets are bouncing back as macro-driven liquidations seem to be pausing. Analysts suggest that ongoing macroeconomic stability may support crypto prices.

Advanced

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Weekly Institutional Insights: Consumer sentiment falls as crypto recovers from 4-month low

Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events, the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume, and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

The ongoing sell-off in risk-on assets has intensified bearish signals in derivatives markets for crypto assets. Funding rates indicate a demand for short exposure, futures prices are trading below spot prices and volatility smiles are showing a strong skew toward OTM puts as traders hedge against further declines. The at-the-money (ATM) volatility term structure has inverted again after a lack of clarity around Trump’s proposed strategic digital asset reserve caused short-dated volatility to fall briefly before last weekend.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Choppy spot price movements have had an impact on funding rates, with BTC and altcoin rates reacting primarily to spot fluctuations, rather than long-term market views. ETH has sold off more sharply during declines, and hasn’t participated as strongly in relief rallies, resulting in the worst YTD performance among the five tokens in Trump’s proposed digital asset stockpile. This is reflected in funding rates, with ETH perpetual swaps showing strong demand for leveraged short exposure to further downside risk.

Investors continue to protect against further decline

Despite higher realized volatility increasing both short- and long-tenor implied volatility, options trade volumes remain low. Last Friday’s expiration of significant open interest was mostly for downside protection against a deepening sell-off. However, the options market has reverted to an inverted term structure, which had dissipated during last Friday’s White House crypto summit, with strong relative demand for short-dated put contracts.

Open interest in Solana (SOL) options declined at the end of February, with over $5M in calls and more than $3M in puts expiring and most positions not rolled over. Despite SOL trading 44% below its January ATH, most new positions are in calls. However, this new positioning is disappointingly weak, given SOL's inclusion in Trump’s crypto reserve announcement alongside BTC, ETH, XRP and ADA.

Beginner

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Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (Mar 14, 2025): Investors hedge further declines

BinaryX has rebranded to Four, uniting GameFi, IGOs, and MemeFi under one ecosystem. With BNX now FORM, Four continues to innovate in blockchain gaming."

Having launched in May 2021, BinaryX, which started out as a 

 (DeFi) platform, has continued to evolve and adapt to the rapidly changing blockchain landscape. However, in the spirit of adaptability and innovation, the platform switched to 

, focusing its attention on play-to-earn (P2E) games.

As a GameFi platform, BinaryX has also created an 

 (IGO) launchpad from which developers can launch GameFi projects.

Now, BinaryX has rebranded to Four in order to align with the mission of its 

 product, a launch platform for the meme coin ecosystem.

Let's learn more about BinaryX and the way it continues to shape the crypto market with innovative products and adaptable business models.

 hub for the development of GameFi projects, includes an IGO launchpad to facilitate developers in launching games. 

BinaryX began in 2021 as a decentralized derivative trading system that featured the use of 

. But in 2022, the BinaryX team gradually evolved its project into a GameFi platform in order to adapt to the increased demand for P2E games. Its aim is to make web3 games more accessible and approachable to the vast community of gamers.

BinaryX also developed an IGO launchpad to serve as a comprehensive hub for gaming developers to launch their GameFi projects, and for investors to receive early access to promising new play-to-earn games. Furthermore, the BinaryX team announced the incorporation of a 

 (DAO) into its GameFi ecosystem so that its community of token holders could participate in voting on governance matters.

In February 2025, BinaryX rebranded to Four in order to align with its latest product, Four.meme, which was launched in July 2024. Following the rebrand, its native token, BNX, would now become FORM to reflect the project's commitment to innovation and adaptability.

As one of the top web3 platforms on BNB Chain, BinaryX has continued to innovate and experiment with different business models to adapt to the blockchain landscape's fast-paced nature. To this end, BinaryX has the following diverse products under its wing.

BinaryX launched its Initial Game Offering (IGO) launchpad in May 2022 as a dedicated platform to support blockchain gaming projects. The launchpad helps game developers secure funding for decentralized video games. They also get a platform on which to build communities and accelerate their web3 game development.

By leveraging BinaryX’s expertise in GameFi and its existing user base, projects gain exposure to a vast community of crypto gamers. The platform offers early access to promising blockchain games, allowing investors to participate in token sales and 

 presales. BNX holders can use their tokens to vote for games' listings on the BinaryX platform, and they also receive rewards, such as game tokens and NFT 

Some notable games launched on the BinaryX IGO launchpad include 

. These games showcase BinaryX’s commitment to innovation in GameFi, integrating play-to-earn mechanics, NFTs and decentralized governance to help create immersive gaming ecosystems.

BinaryX's GameFi trading platform is a marketplace designed for seamlessly trading blockchain gaming assets, including NFTs, in-game tokens and virtual items. Launched to support the growing GameFi ecosystem, the platform enables gamers and investors to buy, sell, trade and auction assets from BinaryX-powered games in a secure and efficient manner.

 and DeFi principles, BinaryX ensures transparent transactions with minimal fees, and enhances liquidity for in-game assets while empowering players to maximize their earnings.

The BinaryX GameFi trading platform supports transactions involving 

In January 2022, BinaryX launched the BinaryX DAO, a first for a GameFi project, through which BNX token holders can participate in the project's community governance, determine airdrop and dividend ratios, and submit proposals on how to improve the BinaryX ecosystem.

Case in point: BinaryX's community participated in voting for/against the platform's rebranding to Four during a community vote that was held from Sep 21–23, 2024.

The BinaryX Treasury serves as the financial backbone of the BinaryX ecosystem, supporting the development and sustainability of its GameFi projects. Some sources of assets used to fund the treasury include initial capital injection by the BNX team, income from gaming activities, income from the IGO launchpad and profit from external investment.

Profits in the BinaryX Treasury are used to reward BNX stakers, incentivize BinaryX sidechain node providers and finance strategic investments in third-party projects.

BNX is the native token for the BinaryX platform. Its original maximum supply of 2.1 billion tokens was adjusted to 580 million after a community vote in late July 2024.

Distribution of the 580 million BNX tokens is as follows:

Following BinaryX's rebranding to Four, BNX will change to FORM, and holders will be allowed to exchange to the new token at a ratio of 1:1 (details to follow at a later date).

BinaryX has integrated a multi-token model. Apart from BNX, the other two tokens associated with the platform are as follows:

BinaryX officially rebranded to Four on Feb 21, 2025, following an overwhelming vote via its DAO, marking a significant transformation in its vision for GameFi and DeFi innovation. This shift comes with a revamped website, which will serve as a hub for the GameFi platform, IGO launchpad and Four.meme, a new addition to Four’s expanding ecosystem.

Following the rebranding, a 1:1 token migration from BNX to FORM is necessary in order to enhance the token's identity and align with the project's new direction. FORM remains on the BNB Chain, ensuring smooth compatibility with existing infrastructure.

 (CEXs) won’t need to do anything — the token swap to FORM will take place automatically. BinaryX will liaise with these exchanges to switch from the BNX contract address to the one for FORM.

 (DEXs), cold wallets and self-custody wallets will need to carry out a manual token swap based on a converter provided by BinaryX. To carry out this token swap, you’ll need to do the following:

 landing page (link will be provided at a later date).

4. Sign to authenticate your transaction to receive the FORM tokens.

5. Add the new FORM contract address into your wallet to see the new tokens.

You can buy BNX as a USDT Perpetual contract (

) on the Bybit trading platform. However, the BNXUSDT contract will be delisted on Mar 17, 2025, 9AM UTC, so make sure to close your open positions and cancel your active orders for BNXUSDT as soon as possible.

Over the years, BinaryX has consistently demonstrated strong performance. The rebranding of BinaryX to Four marks a bold step forward in its mission to impact the web3 space. This transformation reflects the project’s commitment to expanding its ecosystem, enhancing token identity and integrating innovative elements, such as Four.meme, alongside its GameFi platform and IGO launchpad.

By adapting to the evolving crypto landscape, Four is positioning itself as a comprehensive hub for web3 and gaming enthusiasts so that it can offer a seamless experience for gamers, investors and meme culture participants. The introduction of the FORM token ensures a more cohesive and recognizable branding, reinforcing Four’s long-term vision. Thanks to the smooth migration process from BNX to FORM, users can continue participating in the ecosystem while benefiting from enhanced liquidity and utility.

Four remains dedicated to GameFi innovation, supporting successful blockchain games such as 

, all of which feature play-to-earn mechanics, NFTs and decentralized governance. The revamped platform is designed to foster a dynamic gaming economy, support new game launches and provide a secure environment for trading digital assets. With its rebranding and expanded offerings, Four is set to lead the next wave of blockchain gaming and DeFi innovation, uniting gamers, developers and investors in a vibrant web3 ecosystem.

Intermediate

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From BinaryX to Four: A unified hub for GameFi, IGOs and MemeFi

Learn about the benefits of using Bybit Pay and the step-by-step instructions to get started with Bybit Pay now.

Traditional financial systems and blockchain-based ecosystems have long operated in silos, creating friction for users and businesses alike. 

 is a new payment solution that’s been designed from the ground up to solve this issue to make cryptocurrency transactions seamless for any users.

With the aim of mainstreaming crypto payment options, Bybit Pay has already begun partnering with traditional payment solution providers, enabling users to transact with cryptocurrencies through existing infrastructure. For example, with its recent 

, Brazilian users can now shop by using cryptocurrencies in a quick and effortless manner. 

In this article, we’ll explain the benefits of using Bybit Pay and provide step-by-step instructions for new users who want to get started with the platform.

With more than 60 million users on the Bybit platform, Bybit Pay empowers merchants with access to the global network of its vast user base. Meanwhile, users benefit from a seamless integration with web3 wallets that makes paying with crypto as easy as paying with fiat currency. The platform also offers collateralized payment tools that allow users to borrow against their NFT and crypto holdings. 

Through these innovative features, Bybit Pay blends the ease of traditional finance with the flexibility of cryptocurrencies, creating an ecosystem that benefits both users and merchants.

Bybit Pay can be accessed using the Bybit App on mobile and desktop. 

While filling in the form, make sure that the information you enter matches the information you’ve already provided during 

: As of now, only verified users in Brazil can make transactions using a Pix QR code.

Since the Pix integration, Brazilian users can use Bybit Pay wherever Pix is accepted. This opens up a vast network of offline establishments in the country, since Pix is Brazil’s leading instant payment system provider. 

In addition to offline establishments, Bybit Pay can also be used with a number of e-commerce providers for online shopping using cryptocurrencies. Bybit Pay will be available to users from other regions soon.

With the launch of Bybit Pay, Bybit is integrating crypto payments with traditional payment services providers — and vastly expanding the number of places where cryptocurrencies can be used.

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How to use Bybit Pay for effortless payments

Bitcoin

Investing

Bitcoin has been a lucrative investment for many, but its volatility makes it prudent to delve into comprehensive research and employ risk management strategies when investing in it.

 launched in January 2009, it’s turned many people into millionaires and has even created a handful of billionaires through their well-timed buy and sell transactions. More than that, Bitcoin has gained prominence as the future of 

 (DeFi) and has been adopted by many as a functional currency. Based on its astounding 

, Bitcoin is by far the most prominent cryptocurrency today and is often the focus of investors' interests.

Nevertheless, as is true with all digital currencies, Bitcoin is highly volatile, presenting investors with the chance for extraordinary profits as well as the significant risk of substantial loss. Bitcoin's price dropped by over 10% in August 2023 to $26,000, making it the worst month for the year. Additionally, Bitcoin's price plummeted to $16,000 in 2022, 75% below its all-time high of over $69,000.

With these factors in mind, we’ll explore whether Bitcoin is a good investment in 2023.

Bitcoin is the world's first successful cryptocurrency, created by a pseudonymous individual(s), 

, in January 2009. Developed as an alternative to fiat money, its decentralized nature empowers users with control over their wealth without relying on centralized institutions such as banks.

Bitcoin achieves decentralized consensus through its use of the 

 (PoW) consensus mechanism, which involves competing miners using the power of computers to solve complex mathematical puzzles to validate and confirm transactions and add them to the blockchain. This PoW mechanism ensures the integrity and security of the network.

Bitcoin is distinct from traditional investment options that you may be more familiar with, such as stocks and commodities. Unlike corporate stocks, which represent ownership in a centralized business entity that generates revenue from its products or services, Bitcoin isn’t a tangible, raw material. Instead, its core function is as a decentralized digital currency.

From a utility perspective, Bitcoin presents a transformative potential in the financial world by leveraging decentralized 

 to validate and secure its transactions. For example, Bitcoin transactions occur directly between users, without needing a third-party intermediary such as banks, which helps facilitate smoother, faster cross-border transactions. In addition, transactions recorded on the blockchain are immutable, which means they cannot be altered or reversed. These characteristics offer a high level of payment security and help to prevent fraud.

Yet, while Bitcoin is increasingly employed as a medium for purchasing goods and services, its adoption for such real-world transactions remains in its early stages. Some individuals may use Bitcoin for real-world transactions or as a potentially lucrative investment, but those in the broader crypto community mainly invest in Bitcoin to support the evolution of the crypto industry and the wider adoption of digital currencies.

There’s a fixed supply of Bitcoin’s native token, BTC. Specifically, the maximum supply is locked at 

. Currently, 19.48 million BTC are in circulation. Because of the limited supply of BTC tokens, Bitcoin’s value is solidly rooted in the fundamental economic principle of supply and demand. As demand for BTC increases, upward pressure raises the price. However, when demand decreases, the price of BTC correspondingly decreases.

Fiat currencies, which are widely used around the world, are also subject to price fluctuations based on supply and demand. However, banking systems can create more money, such as by extending credit to borrowers. In addition, governments can print more money. Both of these activities play a role in the value of fiat currencies, but these factors aren’t at play in determining Bitcoin’s value.

As a digital currency, Bitcoin has a few key characteristics.

With a fixed supply of BTC and with most of those tokens already in circulation, the scarcity of BTC plays a direct role in the value of this digital asset. In addition, Bitcoin has a halving event approximately every four years, after which the reward received by the network's miners is halved. After the 

, the payout to miners will be cut from the current 6.25 BTC to 3.125 BTC.

Halving plays a key role in contracting supply, and has historically had a profound impact on Bitcoin’s price. For example, the 2012 event took BTC’s price from $12.53 to $126 just five months after the halving. In 2016, the price went from $650.87 to $763.91, and in 2020, Bitcoin's price rose from $8,852.62 to $11,286.54.

Some strategy advisors suggest purchasing BTC roughly six months before a halving event and holding it for at least six months afterward. However, while BTC’s price has historically increased after halving events, it’s crucial to understand that all crypto investments are risky. There is no guarantee that the next halving event will yield the same impact on price as the previous ones.

 that entails solving complex mathematical equations to verify transactions, thereby consuming a substantial amount of electricity. This results in high operating costs because electricity drives the equipment necessary to mine Bitcoin — and to mitigate the heat that the mining machines produce. The combination of immense energy consumption and resultant high costs of Bitcoin mining creates a steep entry barrier to newcomers, ultimately driving up the price of Bitcoin.

As of Sep 12, 2023, Bitcoin remains the largest cryptocurrency based on 

, the second largest cryptocurrency, boasts a market cap of $189.95 billion. While Ethereum hasn’t yet surpassed Bitcoin's market cap, some crypto enthusiasts believe that the so-called 

Ethereum's recent transition from PoW to 

 (PoS) network, known as The Merge, positions it as a front-runner in the realm of 

 platforms. Those monitoring the possibility of a Flippening note that Ethereum has already surpassed Bitcoin’s number of transactions and amount of transaction fees paid — significant indicators of its growing utility and adoption.

Nonetheless, Bitcoin’s market cap has continued to rise alongside Ethereum’s, and the upcoming halving event will likely reinforce Bitcoin’s dominance.

The value of Bitcoin is heavily influenced by public interest, and both word of mouth and media coverage drive public interest. Interest in Bitcoin investing tends to accelerate rapidly when the price is trending upward. As more people invest in Bitcoin, the price increases further. Eventually, such speculation and grand hopes of getting rich quickly lead to a 

Short-term investors looking for a quick profit complete Bitcoin transactions rapidly at the first sign of a mass selloff, hoping to lock in what profit their Bitcoin investment has produced. 

Historically, the media has picked up on rapid rises in the price of Bitcoin. This can create an even greater frenzy in Bitcoin investing, even among those with minimal interest in the cryptocurrency market. However, just as the media begins to cover stories about rapid price increases, it also reports price drops —which contribute to panic selling, resulting in tremendous price decreases. In this way, public interest and media coverage can both feed into Bitcoin price surges and declines. 

A Closer Look at Bitcoin's Historical Performance

For cryptocurrency investors wondering if Bitcoin is a good investment, a review of its historical performance can be helpful.

In recent years, inflation and the printing of more U.S. dollars have contributed to increased interest in investing in the cryptocurrency market, due to Bitcoin's reputation as 

Bitcoin's strong market cap, investor demand and scarcity drove it to reach its all-time high of $69,000 in 2021. However, the volatility of the cryptocurrency market has yielded sharp declines in BTC’s price as well. For example, in November 2022, BTC fell to a low of $16,000 after the 

 brought about by several crises, most notably the 

Throughout its history, Bitcoin's price has been substantially influenced by overbuying and overselling. Those who invest in Bitcoin often focus heavily on market sentiment and media influence. However, volatility represents opportunities for significant profits among short-term investors. Additionally, Bitcoin’s price grew by an astounding 37,000% between 2013 and 2023, making it a potentially lucrative long-term investment as well.

As with other digital currencies, Bitcoin’s price took a deep plunge in 2022. Specifically, its market value declined by 65% in 2022, falling to $16,000 in November. Numerous macroeconomic factors took their toll on the crypto market in 2022, particularly the FTX debacle and the Terra/Luna crash.

The very first catalyst was the Terra/Luna crash in May 2022, when the third largest stablecoin, 

 (UST), depegged from the U.S. Dollar, dropping to a price of $0.035 on May 9. A few days later, its sister token, 

, which was meant to help maintain the price of UST, fell in value from almost $80 to barely a few cents. When Terra/Luna collapsed, it produced a 

The crypto market faced another devastating crisis in November 2022 with the collapse of one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, FTX, which filed for bankruptcy due to a combination of liquidity crunch, large withdrawal volume and fund mismanagement. The FTX downfall resulted in an estimated 

The ripple effects of these two crises raised the overall 

 (fear, uncertainty and doubt) as investors began to view crypto as a highly volatile and speculative asset, contributing to lower risk tolerance.

On Aug 1, 2023, the price of BTC was $29,233. It then fell to $26,042 on Aug 19. Several factors 

For example, SpaceX had reportedly sold a substantial amount (or possibly all) of its Bitcoin holdings, amounting to $373 million, early in the month. Additionally, the expectation of another Fed interest rate hike in the near future and increasing government bond yields may have contributed to negative crypto sentiment. Outside of the U.S., the devaluation of the Chinese yuan and the property crisis brought about by the downfall of Chinese property giant Evergrande produced downward pressure on Bitcoin's price.

While BTC is currently priced lower than its high of $30,000 in early 2023, this may actually be positive news for those interested in investing in it. Bitcoin has had numerous price dips throughout its history that have always been followed by substantial price increases. Given that a halving event will occur in April 2024, the current price dip could represent a fantastic opportunity to buy Bitcoin for a future profit.

Before investing in BTC, however, it’s essential to conduct both 

 to make more informed investment decisions. Bitcoin’s historical performance doesn’t necessarily guarantee that its price will rise again in the future, and numerous factors may create upward or downward pressure on its price. In addition, given the volatility of the crypto market, investors must practice caution by investing only what they can afford to lose.

Given Bitcoin’s volatile nature, it’s wise to proceed prudently with your investment in order to mitigate the risk of financial loss.

One way to reduce your risk exposure is to allocate a small portion of your total portfolio to your Bitcoin investment. Generally, a 1% allocation is a relatively low-risk investment, while investing up to 30% of your portfolio exposes you to a much more sizable loss if you sell Bitcoin at an inopportune time. Also, consider extending your portfolio to include stocks, bonds, real estate and other types of assets.

Buying low and selling high is the key to profiting from any investment, but this tack is particularly challenging in a highly volatile market. A proven way to tackle this challenge is with 

. Rather than investing a large amount at one time and hoping you hit the dip at its lowest point, you can make smaller purchases at regular intervals. 

It’s also essential to choose the right 

 to store your Bitcoin (hot wallet vs. cold wallet). A hot wallet is accessible on your phone or computer via the internet, and is typically provided by crypto exchanges. In contrast, a cold wallet lets you store your crypto assets offline. The accessibility of a hot wallet appeals to many investors, but the enhanced security of a cold wallet has considerable benefits as well. When choosing a cryptocurrency exchange for your Bitcoin transactions, it’s important to research the type(s) of wallet it supports. 

 allow investors to profit from investing in Bitcoin without actually needing to own the volatile asset. A Bitcoin ETF is a pool of funds from numerous investors that tracks and mirrors Bitcoin pricing, and is traded on prominent stock exchanges. Nevertheless, because Bitcoin ETFs are traded freely on an exchange, similar to stocks, their pricing can sometimes diverge from Bitcoin's actual net asset value.

 facilitate the purchase of Bitcoin, exchange Bitcoin for fiat currencies and are commonly located in major population centers worldwide. These ATMs function in the same way that traditional ATMs do, so you can expect absolute convenience with their speed and ease of use. However, they charge steep transaction fees of up to 20%, and offer little to no customer support when problems or questions arise.

As the largest cryptocurrency by market cap, Bitcoin is available for purchase on numerous cryptocurrency exchanges. Each cryptocurrency exchange has unique features and benefits that can directly affect your investment experience. One leading exchange is Bybit, highly regarded for its security measures. For example, Bybit has enhanced security functions to ensure the 

. Bybit also offers over 100 different cryptocurrencies, and more than 300 

Bybit’s intuitive dashboard makes it easy to buy Bitcoin. After 

, you can complete secure, quick purchases and trades without hassle. In addition, you can hold your bitcoins in an attached wallet or 

Through the Bybit interface, you can invest in Bitcoin using your credit/debit card or any other preferred payment method, such as bank transfer. To do so, follow the easy steps to link your desired payment method to your Bybit account. Once connected, you can complete a short purchase order form. After verifying the payment, your Bitcoin purchase will be finalized. The coins are then stored in your wallet until you’re ready to sell, trade or stake them.

With Bybit, you can trade Bitcoin as a spot or 

, depending upon the type of trading pair. Bybit is a robust exchange that provides numerous BTC derivatives to trade. Some of these include perpetual contracts, inverse perpetual contracts, inverse futures and options. Additionally, Bybit offers 

 to aid beginner traders interested in spot trading. With a multitude of trading options available, Bybit supports the varied interests and needs of crypto traders. 

 trading platform on Bybit that allows users to transact directly with advertisers and third-party liquidity providers, allowing them to enjoy a more competitive conversion rate. The system's smart recommendation filters analyze buyers' and sellers' preferences to match buyers and sellers sharing the most similarities.

 enables crypto investors to generate interest on their cryptocurrency holdings. The invested principal is protected, and the platform provides options for both fixed and flexible terms, accompanied by guaranteed 

 feature, liquidity pools built on a revamped 

 (AMM) model so investors can create a passive income stream by acting as liquidity providers. To do so, simply deposit an asset pair like BTC/USDT into a liquidity pool and profit from the yield generated by swap fees in the pool. Note, however, that like typical AMMs in 

 (DEXs), liquidity providers on Bybit are susceptible to the risk of 

 allows investors to profit from short-term price movements in a volatile market with a short and flexible lockup period. While users can expect a yield, regardless of the price direction, it's crucial to note that if the asset price falls below the entry price during a downward trend, their returns on the settlement asset may be lower than their initial deposit.

Other Cryptocurrencies for Beginners to Consider Investing In

With more than 23,000 active cryptocurrencies available today, the investment opportunities are substantial. However, many crypto projects lack solid fundamentals and potential, and they ultimately fail. Beginning investors often benefit from 

 that don't require a strong understanding of market analysis, and eliminate the risk associated with frequent and speculative transactions. 

 could be well-suited for beginners interested in long-term holds. What other cryptocurrencies should you consider before you buy Bitcoin — or in conjunction with a Bitcoin investment? 

The second largest crypto by market cap, Ethereum has long been a leading crypto project, thanks to its extensive utility. While Bitcoin was created to function as a digital payment system, Ethereum leverages blockchain technology to build an entire digital economy with 

 (EVM), developers can directly execute smart contracts and build DApps without the need for an intermediary. 

Ethereum's appeal to investors has grown recently, thanks to 

, which occurred after long anticipation on Sep 15, 2022. The Merge transitioned Ethereum’s consensus mechanism from PoW to PoS and effected multiple advantages, such as reduced energy consumption, deflationary pressure on Ether’s price and the opportunity for investors to earn interest by staking their ETH tokens. Notably, between November 2022 and August 2023, the price of ETH increased by over 40%. 

 are recognized for their price stability. USDT, despite being a digital currency, maintains its value by being pegged to the U.S. dollar. Its design also aims for simplified adoption and integration as it’s built on several blockchains, including Ethereum, 

. Because of its price stability and functionality on numerous popular blockchains, USDT is often used for trading digital assets. 

While there may be many stablecoins in the market, Tether holds the distinction of being the largest one, with a market cap of $82.02 billion (Sep 12, 2023). This positions it as the third largest crypto, behind Bitcoin and Ethereum. Because it’s a stablecoin, USDT has experienced minimal price fluctuations over the years, a trend that’s projected to persist for the foreseeable future.

 is one of the most environmentally friendly digital assets today, thanks to its distinctive 

, whereby trusted validators collaborate to reach consensus over transactions. This unique protocol not only contributes to lower energy consumption but also facilitates swift transaction processing. In fact, Ripple has a transaction speed of 3–5 seconds — a stark contrast to Bitcoin or Ethereum, which can take minutes or even hours. Furthermore, its transaction fees are significantly lower, at only $0.0002 on average.

From August 2013 to September 2023, XRP's price rose by over 9,000%, with a surge of more than 55% over the past year. Ripple boasts a market cap of $25.12 billion, making it the fifth-largest digital currency.

 with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) since December 2020. While it's uncertain whether the outcome will be favorable, a positive verdict could lead to a sustainable price surge for XRP. Those interested in investing in Ripple should conduct thorough research on the ongoing SEC case before deciding to buy the XRP token. 

 blockchain technology is often compared to Ethereum’s. Both networks support smart contracts and DApps and are popular among developers in the blockchain space. However, Cardano's distinguishing feature lies in its layered architecture: the settlement layer handles the transactions, and the computation layer operates the smart contracts and DApps. This approach allows for increased flexibility in the use, design and privacy of smart contracts and DApps. Additionally, Cardano employs a unique PoS protocol called 

, an environmentally sustainable protocol that enhances the security and scalability of the network.

Cardano has a current market cap of $8.61 billion, making it the ninth-largest cryptocurrency. Between October 2017 and September 2023, Cardano's price rose by almost 900%. Cardano's dedicated efforts in developing its ecosystem, particularly through initiatives such as multi-chain solutions to improve its interoperability, make ADA a potentially attractive long-term investment.

 has a unique decentralized protocol that fosters full interoperability and scalability by connecting parallel blockchains to its main blockchain. This architecture ensures the seamless and secure flow of data and value between blockchains without relying on an intermediary. Thanks to the efficiency of the parallel blockchains in handling the majority of transactions, Polkadot possesses a high transaction speed of over 1,000 transactions per second (

). Furthermore, as any blockchain can join Polkadot's main chain, the range of use cases is extensive, providing the flexibility to develop a wide variety of blockchain projects. 

With a current market cap of $5.11 billion, Polkadot ranks as the 13th largest cryptocurrency. While its price appreciation has been relatively moderate, charting an increase of just over 40% from August 2020 to Sep 2023, it’s important to note that this open-source project is still in its early stages. Polkadot boasts a realistic road map, a strong community and considerable upside potential that could make it a wise investment. 

Investing in Bitcoin has been lucrative for many crypto investors over the years, but some people have lost a considerable amount of money through poor timing and various other factors. When investing in Bitcoin, consider using dollar-cost averaging, moderating your investment amount and diversifying your investments across other cryptocurrencies and non-crypto assets. These strategies can effectively mitigate risks and increase the likelihood of a net profit.

Is Bitcoin a Good Investment? [2024 Edition]

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