Day Trading vs. Long-term Crypto Holding. One typical way to maximize the return on cryptocurrency assets is to engage in day trading. Another is to hold cryptocurrency. Crypto investors engage in day trading, a high-risk, short-term strategy wherein they purchase and sell cryptocurrencies within a single day to capitalize on sudden price fluctuations.
Cryptocurrency trading lingo refers to purchasing and retaining cryptocurrency to benefit from its potential for future value growth. Cryptocurrency fans have enthusiastically adopted the name “hold,” coined by a Bitcoin advocate in a 2013 Bitcointalk forum post. Another meaning is “cling on for dear life,” which means forever.
Day trading requires more skill, self-control, and logic while making decisions. Holding occurs when cryptocurrency investors hold onto their holdings for the long haul, hoping they will appreciate. Many crypto trading tactics are based on the same technical and fundamental research used to trade stocks and other assets. One key distinction is the potential for more significant and faster gains in Bitcoin, which is a result of the well-known volatility of the market.
Thanks to online trading, everyone now has more accessible access to trades than in the stock market. This enables investors to trade freely without requiring a broker or a financial institution to conduct the transactions. Additionally, the cryptocurrency market is open all year round, allowing successful traders to profit from greater volatility in shorter time frames.
What is Cryptocurrency Day Trading?
There are many different ways to trade, but one of the most common is day trading. This requires expert knowledge of the market and the ability to join and leave positions simultaneously. Depending on the investor’s trading style and financial objectives, day trading can be highly lucrative. However, it is also a high-stakes game that demands lightning-fast thinking and action, making it exhausting and stressful.
To capitalize on fluctuations in market volatility, day traders engage in more deals than other strategies while trading cryptocurrency. Due to the potential for daily price increases, day trading cryptocurrencies could be more attractive than stock or commodity markets. You must master risk management and technical indicators to succeed in day trading. Day traders need liquidity to make trades fast, especially when exiting the volatile bitcoin market. Use a liquid trade pair to increase execution probability.
Technical analysis is more significant than fundamental analysis for day trading cryptocurrencies. Watch news and other developments to measure the effect on asset prices, especially in the short term. Investors may use several-day trading strategies. Scalping exploits high trading volume to achieve small gains within minutes of establishing a position. Scalpers use margin or futures contracts to boost profits.
The crypto market also sees a lot of arbitrage. This strategy aims to profit from the rise and fall of cryptocurrency prices by purchasing digital assets on one exchange and then selling them on another. When a trader buys a lot of an item on one platform and sells it minutes later on another, the price difference—which can be as little as $500—can add up to a significant profit.
What is a Cryptocurrency Hodling Strategy?
Holding is a simple way to invest in cryptocurrencies in the long run. Cryptocurrency investors must purchase tokens or coins and keep them in a secure wallet for an extended period (sometimes years) before selling them for a profit. The “holder” usually sits on their hands and watches the market fluctuate aimlessly.
Holding can help investors avoid buying high and selling low in the Bitcoin market and hedge against short-term volatility. True holders may hang onto their coin or token even during market crashes. In the end, your principles and strategic approach will determine this. Some people want to keep Bitcoin BTC $67,010 forever, believing it would create a new monetary system.
Holders of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will no longer care about exchange rates if they replace government-issued fiat currency as the backbone of economies. Bitcoin holders like dollar-cost averaging (DCA), which involves taking small positions several times over a lengthy period, regardless of the asset’s price.
When used carefully, DCA is usually unaffected by volatility and may eliminate most emotional elements from investment decisions. The sole parameter should be the amount of cryptocurrency to be obtained and adherence to that plan without FOMO or FUD, which could affect the strategy and cause losses.
Picking the correct token or coin to hold is equally crucial. As a general rule, crypto investors prefer to hold currencies in the top 10 by market cap since these coins offer higher security and are associated with more dependable projects.
Many coins and tokens have entered the Bitcoin market, but most will be demonetized. After choosing the finest tool to protect their digital assets, the most crucial decision a holder can make is which cryptocurrency to invest in. Seeing the big picture and long-term chart trends will help you focus on your holding plan and avoid selling too soon, which is a mistake.
Is it better to trade cryptocurrency or hold it today?
Investors should consider their risk tolerance and personal style when deciding between holding and trading cryptocurrencies to determine the most appropriate. Investors’ abilities, time constraints, financial resources, risk tolerance, and stress tolerance decide whether they should day trade or hold.
Pros and Cons of Day Trading
Like every other business, learning to trade crypto requires time and effort; however, it can be gratifying for successful traders, especially those who want to be their boss.
Pros of day trading
-
Investors can set their own goals and work at their own pace;
-
There’s no overnight risk, which is accurate, especially in stock and commodity trading;
-
Potentially big profits and ideal conditions for leverage positions;
-
The possibility to get good returns even in bear markets;
-
Faster returns on investments;
-
Disciplined and experienced traders can allocate little daytime and be profitable with only a few trades, early in the morning, for instance, and have the rest of the day free and
-
The learning curve can be infinite since there’s much to learn in technical and fundamental analysis for the curious and inquiring mind.
Cons of day trading
-
Day trading asset allocation can be too high. Investment rule number one should apply to day trading, too: never risk money you can’t afford to lose;
-
Self-discipline can be challenging to implement;
-
Day trading can be advantageous but can also lead to significant losses;
-
Constant attention to the market. Facing a screen for long hours can be alienating and time-intensive. Stop-losses can be helpful but are not viable solutions in the long run;
-
Day trading can be stressful due to the high dangers of unpredictable crypto markets.
-
Tax compliance can be burdensome as day trading requires keeping an accurate record of all transactions. Investors must, therefore, also be their accountants, which can be very time-consuming.
Pros and Cons of Crypto Holding
For those without financial expertise, crypto holding is a long-term approach that may offer a more secure investment choice. A common adage in the financial markets is, “Sit back, relax, and return to your investment in five years.” The crypto sector follows suit, with holders likewise living by this philosophy.
Pros of hodling
-
Hodling removes the need to check price actions continuously;
-
By hodling, investors avoid the stress and risk of dealing with short-term cryptocurrency volatility and increase the chance of enjoying long-term value appreciation;
-
Emotions like FOMO and FUD are minimized;
-
Holding can result in massive profits, typically within the range of only a few years in crypto. For instance, if you bought Bitcoin in the spring of 2020 at ∼$5500 and sold it in the autumn of 2021 at ∼$65000, the return would have approached 1100%. It isn’t very sure to get such a high return on investment within only a few months with any other asset, and
-
Holding allows investors to defer their tax liability. At the same time, they can keep more money invested and increase the chance to grow their capital much faster if the value of the cryptocurrency keeps rising.
Cons of hodling
-
Holding through bear markets can be challenging, and investors should resist the temptation to sell, especially at a loss;
-
Investors must ensure they have sufficient capital at their disposal in case of forced sales or unexpected liquidity needs;
-
Holding can still be risky. Even though a few cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are established investment assets, their history is still too short to ensure investors of their long-term value. Cryptocurrency regulation and future mass adoption are still too uncertain to regard digital assets as sound and reliable investments;
-
Security might be a higher risk for long-term holding. Investors should learn to secure their assets with self-custody and privacy tools to avoid common cyber theft and hacks.
-
There is a higher risk of losing access to private keys essential to asset protection.
After reviewing the pros and cons of day trading and holding, investors may consider using both strategies. Indeed, many are day traders and holders wanting to grow their portfolios.
Crypto Winter: Hold or Day Trade?
Even while bear markets are scary, many people use them to grow their portfolios, prepare for future gains, and educate themselves on investing. Even though markets are likely more volatile during a crypto winter, holders may wish to maintain holding, and day traders may like to keep trading. As fear of missing out (FOMO) subsides, many investors increase their skill set and use more technical indicators during weak markets. Gaining financial independence, living life to the fullest, and making personal investments are all viable options.
Also Read: What Makes Crypto Day Trading a Good Option
