Digital assets
Crypto
Crypto-assets are digital assets that use cryptography and distributed ledgers to record ownership and transfers. This page explains what they are and how the market behaves — and what makes them risky.
Investment in crypto-assets is not regulated in the same way as other financial products, may not be suitable for retail investors, and the entire amount invested may be lost. This content is educational and is not an offer or recommendation.
Live prices
Current market prices
| Asset | Price (USD) | 24h change |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | $61,250.30 | +1.85% |
| Ethereum | $3,120.45 | -0.42% |
| Tether | $1.00 | +0.01% |
Prices as of 16:26 UTC
Indicative prices, delayed and refreshed periodically. Not real-time data and not a basis for trading decisions.
What is cryptocurrency?
A cryptocurrency is a digital asset issued and transferred on a blockchain — a shared ledger maintained by a network of computers rather than a central authority.
Ownership is controlled by private keys. Losing the keys means losing the asset; there is usually no institution to reverse a transaction.
Market overview
The crypto market trades 24/7 across exchanges worldwide. Prices are driven by adoption, regulation, liquidity, technology developments and sentiment, and can move sharply in either direction within hours.
Bitcoin and Ether account for a large share of total market value; thousands of smaller assets carry substantially higher risk.
Asset types
The main categories
Different assets serve different purposes and carry different risks.
Bitcoin
The first and largest crypto-asset, often described as digital scarcity with a fixed supply.
Ether
The native asset of the Ethereum network, used to run smart contracts and decentralised applications.
Stablecoins
Tokens designed to track a currency such as the US dollar; their stability depends on the issuer's reserves and governance.
Altcoins
Everything else — from established networks to speculative tokens with little liquidity and high failure rates.
Education
Understand crypto before you act
Our crypto basics track covers wallets, keys, exchanges, and how to evaluate a project critically.
Go to educationRisk management
Risks specific to crypto
- Extreme volatility: large moves can happen within hours, in either direction.
- Custody: lost keys or compromised exchanges can mean permanent loss.
- Regulation is evolving; access, taxation and legal status can change.
- Scams and low-liquidity tokens are common; verify everything independently.
Market updates
Crypto market updates
Bitcoin holds above key support
BTC found buyers near its 50-day average, extending the sideways range seen since last month.
Trading foreign exchange and crypto-assets carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Content on this site is educational and does not constitute investment advice.