The Voice (Botswana)

HOW DO I BUY CRYPTOCURR­ENCIES?

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Hello, Mr Harriman. I need to buy a certain cryptocurr­ency.

By doing a bit of research, I have heard it’s going to go up. I have tried to buy it through some American crypto app but cannot download the apps because of our region. I have done my research, I just need the correct avenue to enable me to buy.

I know it’s a gamble but I don’t mind I just need an avenue to buy it because there are a lot of scammers. You probably don’t believe in crypto, I understand, but just like stocks, if done right, it can be lucrative. I just need help on how I can purchase the currency.

Can you recommend any crypto person or company to help me buy?

It’s not that I don’t “believe” in cryptocurr­encies, it’s just that they’re incredibly risky. Their value can rise extremely quickly but it can also fall just as quickly. That’s why they should never be seen as investment­s, just like any other currency. People don’t “invest” in the Pula, US dollar, Euro or Yen, they trade them. Some people, a very small percentage, make money by doing this but the overwhelmi­ng majority either make no money or lose it. That’s even more so with cryptocurr­encies. For example, if someone had bought Bitcoin this time last year, they would have lost 57% of the money they spent by now. With the smaller cryptocurr­encies like the one you told me about, the risks are even greater. Just remember that even though it’s quite easy to buy a cryptocurr­ency, it can be very difficult to sell it again if the value drops. You might not find anyone foolish enough to buy it from you and you’ll be stuck with an asset that’s disappeari­ng in front of you.

Then there’s the scammers. The currency you mentioned appears to be legitimate but the whole industry is dominated by crooks, scammers and liars, all trying desperatel­y to get your money.

My advice is simple. Investing your money in cryptocurr­encies, like any other currency, is little more than gambling and you should treat it that way. If you’ve done your research and have some spare money, you don’t need and can afford to lose, then have a go. Otherwise, play safe.

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