Imagine you're going to invest in an asset you can't touch, smell, or put in the fridge.

Sounds weird, right?

But cryptocurrencies are already here, and it's good to know what the movie is about before you let go of your cash.

Let's get to the point:

What is 'market capitalization'?

Think of it as the 'size' of the cryptocurrency: price per number of coins in circulation.

  • Analogy: if a cryptocurrency were a pizzeria, the market cap would be the value of all the slices sold at their current price.

  • Why does it matter?: it tells you if it's a huge project (less risk of disappearing) or a little boat adrift (get the vest ready!).

'Circulating' vs. 'Total': the dilution trick

  • Circulating: the coins that are already 'on the street'.

  • Total: those that may come to exist.

  • Watch the data: if they sell many new coins soon, the price may sink (too much pie, few slices per person)

Emission: does it inflate or deflate your investment?

  • Inflation: new coins come out every day (mining, rewards).

  • Deflation: they burn coins or do 'buybacks'.

  • Outcome: more coins usually lower the price; fewer coins (due to burning) boost it.

Who has the pie? – Tokenomics and initial distribution


Imagine that the founding team and VIP investors keep half of the pie. What do you think they will do when they want to sell? Exactly: they will crush you.

  • Ideal: balanced distribution, good portion for the community and 'skin in the game' for the team

What is this coin for? (Utility)

  • If the cryptocurrency does not solve any real problem, it will be like a car without wheels: pretty, but useless.

  • Look for projects with clear use cases: finance, smart contracts, data storage… something beyond 'it's going to do a x100'.

Technology and consensus: the engine under the hood

  • Proof of Work (PoW): mining with a lot of hardware and electricity.

  • Proof of Stake (PoS): you lock ('stake') your money to validate transactions.

Each has advantages and disadvantages in speed, security, and energy cost

Security: nobody wants a big hole

  • Look at the history of attacks and the network power (hash rate or number of validators).

  • More eyes reviewing the code and strong validators mean less risk of 'failure' or 'scam'.

Liquidity: enter and exit without drama

  • Daily volume: how much is bought and sold in 24 hours.

  • Order book: how deep the market is.

Low liquidity = you will raise or sink the price with every transaction

Where do I buy it? Listings on exchanges

  • That it's only on a niche DEX sounds cool, but what if one day the founder's router dies and there's no backup?

  • More large exchanges = easy access and investor trust

Price history: the roller coaster

  • See if it has fallen 80% and risen again several times.

    If it doesn't survive its first 'crash', it might not be a good company for your money

Community: your safety net

  • A Telegram or Discord with a thousand deserters is not a good sign.

  • Constant activity and constructive debates indicate that the project is alive and breathing

Code in motion: active development

  • A GitHub repository without commits for months is like a ghost town

  • Fulfilled delivery dates and regular updates demonstrate commitment

Regulation: the sword of Damocles

  • If the SEC or your local government declares that your coin exists and has 'value', it could mean fines and express closures

    Know the legal framework before you dive in

Extra returns: staking and yield farming

  • If they offer a 50% annual return, run or at least understand the conditions: fund locks, penalties, 'impermanent loss'…

Sometimes they seem like paradise, but they can also be traps

Watch out for whales and on-chain data

  • You can spy on how many coins a giant wallet ('whale') accumulates.

Active addresses and real transaction volume give you the picture of the project's health


* Investing in cryptocurrencies is not playing roulette, but it is not a fixed-term deposit either.

Do your homework: check these points, compare several projects, and be brutally honest with yourself: would you understand this technology if it were a car you had to drive at 200 km/h?

Knowing this data will prevent unpleasant surprises and put you on the right track to surf the next wave… or at least try it with a well-fitted vest *