Nigeria is no doubt the current leader of global Cryptocurrency trade – Bitcoin to be precise. According to Statista 2020 report, 32% of Nigerians are involved in Cryptocurrency trade, which makes it the highest number from any country. But when it comes to volume of transaction, Nigeria comes behind United States.
Moreover, the Cryptocurrency market is exploding in prices. The demand and relevance of digital currencies are gaining momentum even from irrelevant quarters. It’s no longer news that Tesla CEO, Elon Musk even added $1.5 billion in Bitcoin to its balance sheet.
And there are even speculations that Bitcoin might hit the $100,000 in value soon. Whether that would happen soon or not it’s not even the reason for this post. There’s huge potential with cryptocurrencies that should get everyone’s attention now.
If you haven’t gotten yourself a Crypto wallet, now is the time to do so fast. Those who bought into this currency when it was still unknown have become millionaires, if not billionaires, without much effort. And there’s still more room for new millionaires from Crypto world.
What’s Blockchain?
The first thing to understand about Cryptocurrency is the technology in which it’s built – called Blockchain. This technology works as an open distributed ledger that records the transactions between two parties. It’s done efficiently, in a verifiable way that makes it permanent, and is resistant to any modification of the data.
That means it doesn’t require a middle person, doesn’t need the banks to verify transactions as well.
It’s not like the current monetary system that’s reserved in the banks, backed by governments. Which requires you to have an ATM, or a connection to the bank to transfer money to other people. That monetary system involves middle person – which is the bank. But Blockchain does require any intermediary.
What’s Cryptocurrency?
What properly defines Cryptocurrency is that it’s MONEY. But digital money. It’s one currency that’s not managed or controlled by any governments or world power.
Even the identity of the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, which happens to be the first Crypto, is still a mystery. That has not changed the fact that cryptocurrencies have taken their rightful place in the market of currencies.
So, Cryptocurrency is a form of currency available only in digital or electronic form, not in any physical form. It’s also referred as the following:
- Digital money
- Electronic money
- Electronic currency
- Cyber cash
Cryptocurrencies are only transacted on Blockchain technology. Normally payments in this way are instantaneous.
How Cryptocurrency Work
It’s a way to store and exchange value. And about exchanging values, it doesn’t follow traditional and bank payment methods, which often aligns it with the term ‘dark web’. A term used to describe internet activities that’s not within the purview of government scrutiny and judicial control.
However, Cryptocurrency relies on a technology called “Blockchain” – its function is to share transactional database, with its entries which must be confirmed and encrypted.
Now cryptos are used in paying for goods and services. But much of its relevance is in the speculative trade transaction, which is currently driving the prices off the roof.
Benefits of Digital Currency
There are lots of benefits of Cryptocurrency. Here are just the few important ones:
- Reduces corruption – as one entity do not have control
- Eliminates extreme government money printing
- You control your money instead of giving away your control
- It cuts out the middle person who always takes a cut
- And serves the people who don’t have access to the banks
Different Types Of Cryptocurrencies
There are 3 types of cryptos. Here is the list below:
- Bitcoin
- Altcoins
- Tokens
What’s Bitcoin?
Let me summarize the whole concept of Bitcoin for you. Bitcoin is a digital currency that was invented without links to government or any country’s central bank. That means, it’s neither regulated by the government nor the banks.
According to reports, it was invented in 2008 by an unknown person, who goes by an imaginary name ‘Satoshi Nakamoto’. However, the currency came into use in 2009 through a digital app.
How Bitcoin Works
The way to understand Bitcoin better is to related it to a computer file that’s stored in a digital wallet app. Anyone can send Bitcoin to your digital wallet, and you too can send to other people.
Furthermore, bitcoins are generated by competitive and decentralized process called “mining”. Bitcoin mining is done by the individuals, who in return are rewarded by the network for their services. These Bitcoin miners receives bitcoins as a reward for completing ‘blocks’ of verified transactions , which are then added to the Blockchain.
In recent times, the prices of Bitcoin are going so high. Some speculate that since there are only 21 million bitcoins in total, there will be less circulation of the currency. And as more people become aware of the scarcity, demand rises, it’s resulting in a higher price.
Also, as many companies and some government agencies buy Bitcoin that shows a high level of confidence, which pushes the appreciation up and it makes Bitcoin more desirable. Bitcoin popularity is making investors believe there’s further upside.
What’s Altcoin?
If you have been involved in cryptos you may have heard about altcoin – alternative cryptocurrencies that got launched after Bitcoin achieved success. The number of altcoins are growing everyday.
Even within Bitcoin Blockchain, altcoins have emerged. The likes of Bitcoin cash, Bitcoin classic, etcetera. Here are some list of altcoins currently in use.
- Ethereum
- Ripples
- Dash
- Dogecoin
- Litecoin
- Polkadot
- Tether
- Cardano
- Filecoin
- POSI
And many others still coming out till date. While there will only be one Bitcoin, there’s going to be endless versions of altcoins.
What’s Token?
Tokens are a type of cryptocurrency. They represent asset or used for specific needs.
Crypto tokens are created, distributed or sold, and circulated through the standard initial coin offering (ICO) process that involves a crowdfunding exercise usually meant to fund project development.
Crypto tokens or crypto assets, are special kinds of virtual currency tokens that are built on their own blockchains and represent an asset or utility. They are mostly used as fundraise for crowd sales. They can also be used as a substitute for other things.
In an example, one can have a crypto token that represents a particular number of customer loyalty points on a blockchain. And that is used to manage such details for a retail chain.
What’s Cryptocurrency Used For?
One of the challenges some have with Cryptocurrency is they can’t understand what it’s used for. They have argued that, it cannot be used primarily as a means of exchange in a real world, considering the price.
Gold is not even a currency but it’s a medium of exchange. Cryptocurrency is serving its purpose as a medium of exchange, in a much better way – making many rich.
Moreover, Crypto trading is a trending business, growing to equal or surpass Forex trading. If that’s the only use for cryptocurrencies that would have been awesome.
Top Cryptocurrencies In Nigeria
If you are new in Crypto business, you would like to know what other Nigerian Crypto investors are buying and why. It’s not like their choice is the best. But if those who got into the bushes before you are buying certain cryptos it’s a sign that they could be good for you as well.
However, you need to know the motivation behind these choice. Most Nigerian got into crypto simply for profit. So, their first motivation is how much they can make from any Cryptocurrency. If you have the same motivation, then you have consider what they are buying.
In the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ban on cryptocurrencies, three of the cryptos that were continuously referenced are Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin. But that’s not the only cryptos Nigerians buy. See a few list below:
- Bitcoin
- Ethereum
- Dogecoin
- Bitcoin cash
- Ripples
- Litecoin
- Dash
- POSI
- Zugacoin
These list represents the most traded cryptos in Nigeria. Bitcoin and Ethereum are top cryptos globally. Anyone would understand the reason they are top buy for Nigerians. But the love for Dogecoin is still a speculative investment. However, this coin is fighting to gain relevance.
You may be reading about Zugacoin for the first time here. Yes, zugacoin is a Nigerian Coin. I believe in visions and I know that if this coin didn’t become popular elsewhere it will be in Nigeria and Africa. Already there are insinuations that the biggest African car manufacturing company Innosson Motors has partnered to accept Zugacoin for payment for its cars.
What’s Ethereum?
Ethereum was built to help developers build apps for Ethereum Blockchain. The transaction time on Ethereum is also faster, within seconds. It also has more coins than Bitcoin – with a current number of 100 million ether coins. And more can be created.
What’s Bitcoin Cash?
Bitcoin Cash is a spin-off or altcoin that was created in 2017. In November 2018, Bitcoin Cash split into two cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV. Bitcoin Cash is a cryptocurrency that is a fork of Bitcoin, designed to be transactional Cryptocurrency that functions as a peer to peer electronic cash payment system.
What’s Ripple?
Ripples is the bankers coin. It’s centralized, unlike other Blockchain coins that are decentralized. With global banks involved, it’s also under government control. It’s also an alternative to fiat currency. It has the potential to become acceptable to most countries government and even widespread.
What’s Litecoin?
Litecoin came from the same Blockchain as Bitcoin. They are both similar but with different features – an improvement on Bitcoin, for speed and cheaper transaction. It takes just seconds to process, and much cheaper for micro transactions.
What’s Dogecoin?
Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency invented by software engineers Billy Markus and Jackson Palmer, who decided to create a payment system that is instant, fun, and free from traditional banking fees. Dogecoin features the face of the Shiba Inu dog from the “Doge” meme as its logo and namesake.
What’s Crypto Wallet?
A cryptocurrency wallet is a device, some are physical medium, program or an app service which stores the public and/or private keys for cryptocurrency transactions. Apart from it’s basic function of storing the keys, a cryptocurrency wallet also offers the functionality of encrypting and signing information.
So, with cryptocurrency wallet, users can store and retrieve their digital assets. In an example, a user who acquires Crypto such as Bitcoin can store it in a wallet, and can from the wallet use it to make transactions.
Best Bitcoin Wallets for Nigerians
- Exodus is good Best for Beginners.
- Electrum is good for more advanced user interested in only Bitcoin
- Mycelium is best for mobile users.
- Ledger Nano X is a hardware wallet
- Trezor Model T is best for storing large number of Cryptocurrencies
- Ledger Nano S hardware wallet is a cheaper option
Crypto Exchanges for Nigerians
Crypto Exchanges are not the same as crypto wallets. You have to know the difference. In Nigeria, not all crypto exchanges accept transactions from Nigerians. For example, Coinbase don’t accept users from Nigeria. It’s not just Voinbase, some other exchanges don’t accept users from Nigeria. Below are some tested exchanges where you can register to buy and sell cryptocurrencies from Nigeria.
Binance Crypto Exchange & App
Binance is number Crypto exchange in the world. One it’s major users are Nigerians. The beauty of Binance is that you can buy crypto in naira and pay directly from your bank account. And you can also withdraw your Crypto sales into your naira bank account.
My Assessment Of Binance
- Binance is a good crypto Wallet for Nigerians
- You can easily buy Crypto directly from your bank account
- It’s also easy to withdraw your Crypto in naira equivalent into bank account
- You can also buy or sell Crypto with their peer to peer transaction feature
- However,its withdrawal charge is around 0.005 or $27 per Bitcoin transaction.
Signup for Binance account here.
Remitano Crypto Exchange & App
Reminato is also a popular Crypto platform among Nigerians. Although the company is based in South Africa, but its main African market is Nigeria.
My Assessment Of Remitano
- Remitano is a good crypto Wallet for Nigerians
- You can easily buy Crypto directly from your bank account
- It’s also easy to withdraw your Crypto in naira equivalent into bank account
- You can also buy or sell Crypto with their peer to peer transaction feature
Signup for Remitano account here.
Roqqu Crypto Exchange & App
Roqqu is made for Nigerians. It’s target market is Nigeria. Although, it’s not the only Wallet that serves Nigerians, but I have so many reasons to endorse this particular Wallet above the others. Here are my key reasons, and if you feel they are good you can also sign up with Roqqu using the link below.
My Assessment Of Roqqu
- Roqqu is a good crypto Wallet for Nigerians
- You can easily buy Crypto directly from your bank account
- It’s also easy to withdraw your Crypto in naira equivalent into bank account
- You can also buy or sell Crypto with their peer to peer transaction feature
- It charges one of the lowest transaction fee, as low as 2%
Signup for Roqqu account here.
How to Buy Cryptocurrency
Once you have created a Crypto Wallet, you can start buying Cryptocurrency immediately. Although, you may need to verify your account. Some wallets would request for your government ID, bank verification number, and may even take your selfie.
And with your bank account you can buy your first Cryptocurrency from any of these crypto exchanges like Binance, Remitano or Roqqu in Nigeria.
How to Sell Cryptocurrency
Also, when you want to sell your cryptos, it’s also that simple. Most exchange use peer to peer for Nigerians. The beauty of using P2P is that everything is simplified and paid into your bank account. It’s as easy as clicking on withdraw, enter the amount you want to withdraw, and it’s quickly deposited into your local bank account in naira.
What is Cryptocurrency Trading?
Crypto trading is the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies or exchanging of one crypto for another crypto assets or coins. The idea is to buy at a low price and sell at a high margin.
There are different types of crypto trading strategy you can explore:
- Day trading
- Swing trading
- Scalping
- Position trading
Day Trading:
This is the most popular trading style. Day trading, as its name implies, is the method of buying and selling crypto with in the same day.
Position Trading:
This is to buy and hold strategy. This strategy is suitable for beginners. However, when it’s done by an advanced trader, it can be a form of active trading.
Position trading uses longer term charts, anywhere from daily to weekly to monthly in combination with other methods to determine the trend of the current market direction.
This type of trading may last for several days to several weeks and sometimes longer, depending on the trend.
Swing Trading
Swing traders get in the game when a trend breaks. At the end of the trend, there is usually some price volatility as the new trend tries to establish itself. Swing trades are usually held for more than a day but for a short time than position traders.
Scalping
Scalping is one of the quickest strategies employed by active traders. It includes exploiting various price gaps caused by bid-ask spread order flows.
The strategy generally works by making the spread or buying at the bid price and selling at the ask price to receive the difference between the two price points. Scalpers attempts to hold their positions for a short period.
Crypto Trading Technique
If you want to start trading cryptos, then you need to figure out what type of trader you want to be. You should know the technique you will be using. It’s important for every trader to have their own trading technique that works for them.
Here are two main trading techniques:
- Fundamental analysis
- Technical analysis
You can use any of the techniques or both.
Crypto Trading Strategies
A trading strategy is a trading fixed plan designed to achieve a profitable return, either going long or short in Crypto market. There are four different types of trading strategy. You will need to decide the method you want to use.
However, for every trading strategy you need to define the crypto to trade, your entry and exit points, and apply your money management rules. A bad money management can make a potentially profitable strategy unprofitable.
Here’s how to formulate a trading game plan? You do it on paper before going into the market. This is where a lot of traders fail.
Types of Crypto Trading Analysis
After figuring out the kind of trade that you want to be the next thing you need to put in mind is type of analysis you’ll be using for your trade. We have to type of analysis and they are
Fundamental Analysis
This is a method of measuring a coins intrinsic value by examining related economic and financial factor. The end goal is to arrive at a number that an investor can compare with the coins current price in order to see if the coin is undervalue or overvalued.
Technical Analysis
Technical analysis is just the discipline that is used to evaluate crypto investment, and to identify trading opportunities by analyzing statistical trends gathered from trading activities. Here are the activities that are analyzed, price movements, trade volume, moving average, time frame and etcetera.
Analyzing Coins
You must also know how to be able to analyze a coin, to know the ones that have great potentials for trade; by checking their market capital value, the volume of the coin, the most use of the coin, the team behind the coin, the technology behind the coin and how the coin is currently in demand.
Risk Management
You need to know how to minimize your risk. Crypto trading is risky and the market is volatile. But by setting stop loss, having a plan and sticking to the plan, without allowing greed to control your trading, you will bulletproof your investment from unnecessary losses.
Diversify Your Portfolio
Have a diversified portfolio. Don’t put all your money in one coin. Spread your money in different coins. Even if you have love in one coin, you can also gain in other coins to help cover the loss from one coin.
How to Earn Free Bitcoins
Okay, bitcoin prices are high, I get that. But how about getting some Bitcoin pennies on a daily basis. The small amount of crypto you get daily may not be really much, but over time it can accumulate to something.
There are several ways one can earn bitcoins for free. Here are some possible options:
- How To Get Free Bitcoins With These 5 Methods
- Join affiliate programs and earn free bitcoins
- Download CryptoTab and earn free bitcoins from browsing
- You can start mining Crypto to earn Bitcoin
- Earn free Bitcoin from taking surveys
- Earn free Bitcoin with a Crypto interest account
- Get free POSI altcoins from POSI farm and pool and convert to Bitcoin
Conclusion
In Nigeria, cryptocurrencies are the focus of most startup investors. With as little as N1,000 you can start trading cryptocurrencies. There’s no limitation to what you can achieve with cryptos.
The nature of crypto coins makes it easier to acquire and multiply. Sometimes you could find free coins online. Some other time it could be available to purchase at a very ridiculous rate.
Start your plan to acquire Crypto coins now, even if their current value is anything much. That was how Bitcoin started in 2009, and today its the most valuable currency in the world.
The whole idea here is to help you get started with cryptocurrencies. That’s why I added several links to different sites and applications involved in crypt business. Take your time to click on the links to review the sites behind them. Some of them might be very helpful to you.