A stock market, equity market, or share market is the aggregation of buyers and sellers of stocks (also called shares), which represent ownership claims on businesses; these may include securities listed on a public stock exchange as well as stock that is only traded privately, such as shares of private companies that are sold to investors through equity crowdfunding platforms. Investments are usually made with an investment strategy in mind.
Crypto markets are characterized by high volatility, which presents both improved return opportunities and increased risks. The world's highest-capped cryptocurrency,Bitcoin (BTC), holds more than half (around 54%) of the entire crypto market capitalization as of Oct 22, 2024. It's also the second-most-traded crypto asset [behind the Tether (USDT) stablecoin] by daily trading volume. Other popular high-cap and actively traded cryptocurrencies include Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), BNB (BNB), XRP (XRP) and the USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin.
Crypto markets are characterized by high volatility, which presents both improved return opportunities and increased risks. The world's highest-capped cryptocurrency,Bitcoin (BTC), holds more than half (around 54%) of the entire crypto market capitalization as of Oct 22, 2024. It's also the second-most-traded crypto asset [behind the Tether (USDT) stablecoin] by daily trading volume. Other popular high-cap and actively traded cryptocurrencies include Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), BNB (BNB), XRP (XRP) and the USD Coin (USDC) stablecoin.
Some cryptocurrencies are limited in their supply, the most famous being Bitcoin. However, other cryptocurrencies do not have a ceiling on how much cryptocurrency can eventually be mined or minted. Stocks, on the other hand, tend to be less variable, as the amount of shares outstanding is controlled and ultimately backed by the operations of the issuing company.
Equities, or stocks, are generally scrutinized by securities and other regulators in their country of origin. Additionally, for stocks that trade in an organized exchange, the exchange also provides oversight of the company and may delist the company should anything go wrong. While by no means does this provide a guarantee, it is certainly more than any safeguards when investing in cryptocurrencies.
