How to Do Your Research (DYOR) in Crypto

Contents

Many people end up losing their cryptocurrency investments because they depend too much on advice from others or free trading signals they find online. While seeking guidance is important, it’s better not to be overly reliant on external financial advice.

Instead of putting all your trust in outside sources, it’s a good idea to take a more hands-on approach and learn how to do thorough research independently. This way, you’ll be able to make well-thought-out decisions and position yourself for exciting opportunities in the ever-evolving cryptoverse.

This article will walk you through conducting your own research in cryptocurrency and demonstrate how this knowledge can give you the confidence to make smart investment choices. So, let’s begin with the first step you need to take: understanding the basics.

1. Understand the Tech

Understanding the underlying technology of cryptocurrencies might sound complex, but it’s not as tough as you think. You don’t have to become a tech expert to succeed as a crypto trader or investor, just like you don’t need to know the nitty-gritty of how stocks are created to invest in them. However, having some knowledge in your back pocket can definitely help you make smarter investment choices.

So what exactly does understanding crypto tech entail?

Know what crypto is

If the whole concept of cryptocurrency is a bit fuzzy to you, it’s better to hold off on investing. Start your crypto journey by understanding why this technology was developed and the problems it aims to solve. This understanding will help you decide if it’s worth your time and money.

Know how to read and interpret whitepapers.

A whitepaper outlines the technical details, real-world uses, and how tokens are distributed for a crypto project. When you can read a whitepaper and grasp things like how a token works and who holds what portion of it, you’ll be better equipped to make solid investment choices.

For instance, if a project’s team controls a huge chunk, say 70%, of the tokens being offered, that could point to a lack of decentralization. In this scenario, investing might mean giving too much power to the development team, potentially leading to them manipulating the market by selling off their tokens.

It’s a good idea to study well-established examples like the Bitcoin and Ethereum whitepapers to get a hang of how to evaluate whitepapers effectively.

Once you’ve taken the time to understand the basics of crypto’s underlying technology and learnt how to read and understand whitepapers, you’ll have a strong foundation that lets you make well-informed investment decisions. With that, let’s move on to the next step.

2. Choosing the Right Crypto Project

When you’re looking to invest in cryptocurrencies, it’s a good idea to consider multiple projects rather than just focusing on one. If you’re drawn to a particular project that’s making headlines, definitely dig into it.

But if you’re exploring the crypto market as a whole, it’s smarter to research a range of projects. This way, you’ll get a solid understanding of different options and be better equipped to make informed investment decisions.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Crypto Project

When deciding which crypto project to invest in, it’s crucial to evaluate its viability based on the following factors:

Utility

A cryptocurrency token’s utility matters a lot to its success. Tokens with real-world applications tend to do better than those without clear use cases. Studying token utility helps you differentiate between regular altcoins and memecoins, allowing you to choose between higher-risk memecoins and slower but more dependable altcoins.

However, keep in mind that having a practical use case doesn’t automatically mean a project will succeed. It’s crucial to understand how and why people would adopt it.

For instance, while AI is transforming various industries, not all crypto projects advertising AI are valuable. Some just use AI as a buzzword. That’s why it’s essential to dig deeper and truly understand what a crypto project aims to achieve.

Take Ethereum’s native token, ETH, for example. Its success stems from the increasing usage and development of decentralized apps (dApps) on the Ethereum network. Using the network requires ETH for transaction fees. More users mean more demand for ETH, driving its price up. ETH’s usefulness within the Ethereum ecosystem makes it a valuable investment.

Project Tokenomics

You must pay attention to the tokenomics of any cryptocurrency you’re interested in investing in. It helps you understand a project’s overall economy.

Tokenomics covers how tokens are distributed and who gets what and how much. Think of a crypto project as a country and its tokenomics as the mechanism for resource allocation. Grasping tokenomics is crucial for making informed decisions.

Token distribution matters because if it’s not well thought out, it can lead to inflation and hurt the project’s growth. So, researching tokenomics is vital for making smart investment choices.

You should consider the following when researching a project’s tokenomics:

Understand the process and purpose behind the release of new tokens into circulation.

Take Bitcoin, for instance, which is mined through collaborative efforts by multiple nodes solving complex mathematical problems. This process verifies transactions and creates new Bitcoin (BTC).

Additionally, an event known as Bitcoin Halving regulates the amount of new Bitcoin that can be released over a four-year period. This structured approach maintains a limited supply and enhances BTC’s scarcity, positively influencing its value.

Conversely, the unregulated release of a cryptocurrency into circulation can trigger inflation, eroding its value and discouraging investment. This can undermine the project’s health and viability for investors.

Confirm whether or not there’s a cap for the supply of a token.

Different cryptocurrencies have distinct supply mechanisms that impact their value and potential as investments. For instance, Ethereum does not have a maximum supply limit, which means that new tokens will keep entering circulation over time. In contrast, Bitcoin has a capped supply of 21 million tokens, ensuring that the total number of Bitcoins will never exceed this predetermined amount.

This difference in supply mechanisms has important implications for crypto investors. Bitcoin’s limited supply creates scarcity, which could lead to increasing demand as more people seek to own this finite resource. Historical patterns suggest that such scarcity-driven demand has been linked to price appreciation, making Bitcoin an attractive store of value and investment opportunity.

On the other hand, Ethereum’s lack of a maximum supply limit allows for the continuous creation of new tokens, which might result in an inflation of the overall supply. This dynamic could affect Ethereum’s long-term value compared to Bitcoin. The potential for an increased supply could impact its scarcity and potential for price growth.

It’s crucial for investors to consider these supply dynamics. The presence or absence of a capped supply in a crypto project can significantly influence the project’s future prospects. A project that constantly introduces new tokens into circulation may become less valuable.

Identify whether a token’s supply model aligns with the project’s demand.

Despite appearing to have an unlimited supply, Ethereum effectively manages the expansion of its crypto supply by leveraging strong demand from developers and the crypto community. This approach helps maintain its price stability, making it an appealing investment choice. The alignment of demand with its supply contributes to its attractiveness as an investment option.

In contrast, smaller-cap projects that consistently release new tokens into the market without a proportional increase in demand may risk devaluing their circulating tokens. This situation can lead to lower token prices, reducing their appeal for investment and long-term holding.

Team Reputation

Even though crypto projects stress anonymity and decentralization, many development teams are now revealing their identities. Before investing, ensure you’re backing a team with a strong background in crypto, blockchain, or related fields.

While past experience doesn’t guarantee success, it’s important to investigate the team’s credibilty. This helps lower the risk of getting involved with fraudulent developers.

VCs/ Private Investors

Crypto projects often disclose information about their private investors to demonstrate transparency. This information can typically be found on the project’s website, social media pages, or whitepaper.

Venture capitalists (VCs) and private investors who invest substantial funds have professional teams that evaluate a project’s viability before investing. Projects supported by reputable VCs and well-known private investors tend to attract more investment. Gaining insight into the individuals and their reasons for investing in a project can assist in making more informed and prudent decisions.

Developer Activity

Most crypto projects are open-source and welcome contributions from developers. The project’s ability to attract developers interested in enhancing it indicates its innovation and potential.

If a crypto project lacks developer activity on its GitHub repository, it might not be worth pursuing or investing in. Checking the project’s GitHub code is a dependable method, even for non-developers, to evaluate developer activity and the project’s viability.

Trading Activity

You should avoid projects where trading activities appear manipulated or involve practices like wash trading. Investing in such markets is not advisable, as they can be influenced by a small group of wealthy traders who manipulate trends to their advantage. In contrast, established projects like Bitcoin and Ethereum are less susceptible to control by a few investors.

Social Media Activity

Social media engagement is crucial for the success of crypto projects, whether they are altcoins or memecoins. While excessive hype may not be necessary, a project must have active involvement from its development teams and supportive crypto investors to have a shot at success. Without a social media presence, even a high-quality project will struggle to gain significant attention and adoption.

3. Research Why The Crypto Project Might Fail

When crypto developers and project teams tout their creations as revolutionary innovations packed with impressive features, it’s crucial to also recognize the potential challenges and limitations they might encounter.

Take Ethereum as an example. Initially, the network relied on a consensus mechanism that consumed substantial energy, which attracted criticism. Although Ethereum has now shifted to a more energy-efficient Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, it still grapples with network congestion.

Despite efforts to explore alternative solutions for this issue, it’s a clear reminder that no project is without its flaws. When something seems too good to be true, it probably is. It’s essential to examine a project’s shortcomings and determine whether these are substantial enough reasons to consider it a poor investment.

4. Master Trade Management

To navigate crypto trading successfully, it’s important to grasp a few key concepts. These will help you make smarter decisions, protect your investments, and manage risks effectively.

Timing Your Entry: Before diving into a new project, it’s wise to wait for price retracements instead of buying during periods of rapid growth. This strategy can help you secure better deals and reduce the chances of buying at inflated prices.
Understanding Unrealized Profit: When you see profits in your investments, you must understand that these gains are not yet in your pocket. Unrealized profit refers to the increase in value that you haven’t converted into stablecoins. While switching to other cryptocurrencies doesn’t count as taking profits, it’s important to remember that the value can fluctuate.
Leveraging Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA): DCA is a valuable tool that allows you to buy assets at different price points over time. This approach helps minimize the impact of market volatility on your investments. By spreading your purchases across various price levels, you can reduce your overall risk exposure.
Knowing When to Take Profits: In crypto trading, volatility is the name of the game. It’s essential to seize opportunities when they arise. Consider taking some profits when your investment doubles (a 2X return). This doesn’t mean you have to exit the entire trade, but it’s a prudent move to secure a portion of your gains.
Balancing Profit-Taking and Risk: Taking profits at intervals is a smart strategy. The crypto market can change rapidly, and gains can evaporate just as quickly as they appeared. By regularly securing some profits, you can safeguard your investments and manage risk more effectively. Greed should be kept in check, as excessive greed can lead to poor decisions and increased vulnerability to market fluctuations.

5. Monitor Market Sentiment

Investing in crypto isn’t just about analyzing charts and whitepapers. You must strike a balance between understanding a project’s utility and considering the opinions of the crypto community.

Even if you have a positive outlook on a crypto project, negative news, such as an exchange going under or a DeFi hack, can trigger a market crash. This can cause you to lose money if you put your investment in during that time, essentially making all your research efforts pointless.

6. Gather Knowledge Outside Of Crypto

To succeed as a crypto investor, mastering charts and market sentiment isn’t enough. Expand your expertise beyond crypto to topics like investment strategies, psychology, and regulations. This broader knowledge enhances your trading skills.

For example, knowing about ChatGPT’s success and AI trends could help you anticipate profitable AI-based cryptocurrencies. Staying updated on regulations also helps identify potential problems within crypto projects.

In short, diversifying your knowledge sharpens your investing acumen.

In Conclusion,

You might find stories about regular people with modest incomes turning their finances around through crypto investments interesting. They could make you think that taking a chance for your success is a good idea, especially if others have done it.

However, remember that investing in cryptocurrency might not always lead to big gains. This is a valid concern to keep in mind.

To improve your chances of success, be careful and follow a smart plan. Start by researching well. Learn as much as possible so you can make good choices and avoid the mistakes others have made.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational purposes and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein should be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading or investing in cryptocurrencies carries a considerable risk of financial loss. Always conduct due diligence.

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