The cryptocurrency market has now become a global financial powerhouse with coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and newer tokens making headlines. Digital currency has now become an alternative for millions of people to traditional banking and investment. Now, ask yourself what the cryptocurrency market is and why it gains so much attention. Going further in this article, I will explore not just the cryptocurrency market but also things you should know and why the market is down today.
Keypoints
- The cryptocurrency market never sleeps; it’s open 24/7 and powered by blockchain technology.
- Jumping in blindly without understanding the basics will cost you. Trust me, I learned the hard way.
- To thrive, you’ll need to manage risk, not follow hype, and have a strategy.
- Keeping your crypto safe is just as important as buying it. Use reputable platforms and protect your wallet.
- Prices don’t come out of thin air; profit-taking and global news can shake the market.
Cryptocurrency Market
This is an online decentralized marketplace where you can buy, sell, or trade digital currency like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, including thousands of other coins. It is not like the stock market that runs in a fixed time or hours; the cryptocurrency market runs all the time, including weekends and holidays. It is a non-stop market that operates 24/7 and is powered by a technology called blockchain. A blockchain simply means a secure and transparent digital ledger that keeps a record of every transaction. Furthermore, each cryptocurrency runs on its own blockchain, and people around the globe use it for the following:
- Investment
- Peer-to-peer payments
- Earning passive income( through staking, lending, or mining)
- Building decentralised apps( known as DeFi or web3)
When I first ventured into cryptocurrency, I started, like most beginners, by following trends. I was quick to buy a few popular coins to get quick returns without realizing that the crypto market is highly volatile. I lost 49 per cent of my investment within a week because I didn’t study or understand what I was buying. After that experience, I had to slow down and study the basics. I learnt to track coins on platforms and read white papers. I also followed experts who took out time to tutor me on how the project actually works. After that, I invested wisely and made my profits without a sleepless night.
Read Also: Top 10 Crypto Trading Mistakes to Avoid for Beginners (2025 Guide)
Things you Should know about the Cryptocurrency Market
I explained below some vital things you should know about the crypto market.
#1. Understand the Basics of Cryptocurrency
You will need to pause and ask yourself these questions before putting your money into the cryptocurrency market. Do you understand what it is? This is what I recommend for anyone who is planning to go into cryptocurrency: don’t rush into it without understanding the basics.
I explained earlier that cryptocurrency is a digital money that runs on blockchain technology. These currencies use cryptography to keep the transactions safe, and this makes it hard to tamper with. Also, before going into the cryptocurrency market, you should know that they don’t rely on the central bank or government to operate. The points below will assist you in understanding the basics
- What is a blockchain?
- How do crypto transactions happen?
- What’s mining, and who does it?
- Most important: what makes coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum different from all the other altcoins out there?
After you understand all these things, it will boost your confidence to move into the crypto market without mistake. You need to see that crypto isn’t just a money-making trend, but part of a bigger technology shift. When I learnt all these, it changed the way I approached crypto completely.
#2. Research the Cryptocurrency Market
One thing I advise anyone who wants to venture into cryptocurrency is, don’t skip your homework. The cryptocurrency market is very massive and is not stable; it always changes. You may get misled by the pop-ups of a new coin every week or a new project that can get you easily overwhelmed. Before you put your money into such, ensure you research the market thoroughly. You can start by looking at the top cryptocurrencies by market capitalisation, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a few promising altcoins. When I go into such research, I don’t just know their names; I dig into their use cases, the problem they are trying to solve, who is behind the project, and whether there is real-world demand for it. I recommend you do this research to avoid loss. You can also find out about stuff like:
- The project’s white paper or roadmap
- The reputation of the founding team
- How supportive and active the community is on social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit, or Discord
When you do this research, you will see that crypto prices do not occur in a vacuum. Regulation, technological breakthroughs, social media crazes, and even global events
#3. Understand and Manage Crypto Risks
One thing I learnt and respect from my experience in the crypto market over the years is that it’s unpredictable. I have seen coins increase in value so many times, sometimes doubling in price overnight, and also crashing very fast. You can be a seasoned investor, but you are not immune to the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies this kind of volatility.
The risk is not only about price swings; I have watched solid-looking projects get crushed by regulatory clampdown, and promising tokens lose momentum after unexpected technical issues. So, you need to learn how to manage risk in a smart way. For me, I don’t chase trends blindly; I always make sure my portfolio is balanced across different coins and use cases. Another vital point to note is never put money you can’t walk away from in crypto. You must ensure that you are aware of the downside and protect it, just like you choose to update is important. This mindset has helped me many times from a huge loss.
#4. Choose the Right Trading Platform
My experience working with many exchanges made me realise how much the choice of platform can affect your entire crypto experience. I have used exchanges that are easy and reliable, and a few that left me regretting using them. I recall this particular experience of using one platform that was doing fine, but all of a sudden, when the traffic was much higher, it showed that they were not fully prepared for such traffic. I started noticing that withdrawals lowered, the customer support became non-existent next was restricting accounts without proper notice. Not just me, hundreds of other users were left in limbo. After that incident, I learnt to look for a solid track record in every trading platform I want to use. Moreover, I recommend you check for the following
- Use strong security, like two-step verification, and keep your crypto offline
- Clear fee structures
- A user-friendly dashboard that doesn’t feel like decoding a puzzle
- A responsive support in case things go wrong
I also advise you to always check whether the platform is regulated or has any licensing in your region.
#5. Secure your Investment
One thing you must know before putting your money into the crypto market is that profit means nothing if your assets are not safe. You will get to understand this better the longer you are involved in crypto. I know some traders who lost their entire portfolio, not because of bad investment choices, but because they didn’t take basic security practices seriously. From their experience, I learned to protect my investments by using multiple layers of security. My go-to method involves the hardware wallets, which these offline devices that keep your private keys away from internet threats and phishing scams. After I move my holdings to a hardware wallet, I don’t have to worry, especially during times of market panic when scam tends to spike. That said, security doesn’t end there. Here is another thing you can do
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all exchanges and wallets
- Create a strong, hard-to-guess password and keep it safe using a password manager.
- Update software regularly on both devices and apps
These are small actions you can take that can make a big impact. I have provided a Crypto Security Toolkit below that will show you how to lock down your investments.
Crypto Security Toolkit
#6. Be Aware of FOMO
In the crypto space. FOMO means “ fear of losing out” and it can affect even investors that are experienced investors. I have witnessed it happen many times. I recall the one that happened to my colleague, Timothy. He saw a headline of a coin shooting up on social media, before I could say anything, he threw all his money into that coin, even though he had no understanding of the project. I must confess it is very tempting to fall into such, especially when it seems everyone is cashing out. But I will not advise you to act on an impulse when it’s about the crypto market. I say this because when you just buy without doing your homework, most of the time it ends in regret.
So if you want to avoid this trap, the best way is to stick to your strategy by setting your goals, identifying your risk limit, and ensuring to research every investment before jumping into it. Remember, the top gainer in today’s crypto can be tomorrow’s biggest loser, so ensure to stay grounded because it separates the smart investors from the emotional ones. However, if you paused and realized you’re chasing hype, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here’s how to build a smarter crypto plan instead.

#7. Be Wary of Scams and Hype
Having experience in the cryptocurrency market, I know that not all new, shiny projects are valid. I have seen friends fall victim to pump-and-dump schemes and watched others lose thousands of dollars on fake investment websites. Always remember this: If a project promises guaranteed returns or sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
I advise you to take the time to do your own research. Learn how to spot phishing emails, fake Telegram groups, and slick websites masking poorly thought-out projects. Also, ensuring to stay sceptical and taking cautious approach has saved me more times than I can count.
#8. Invest Only What You Can Afford to Lose
Don’t joke with this rule, it’s not just theory, it’s survival advice. Some years ago, I got carried away during a market boom, and I put more money into altcoins than I should have. Honestly, when the market corrected, I panicked, and I had a huge loss.
After that incident, I learnt only to invest what I’m mentally and financially prepared to part with. That mindset has helped me, and it will help you to stay calm, make better decisions, and avoid sleepless nights.
#9. Consider the Impact of Taxes
Crypto taxes can sneak up on you if you’re not prepared. I learned the hard way when I found out that even switching one coin to another would trigger a taxable event. Thus, depending on where you live, staking, yield farming, or even simple transferring between wallets can trigger taxes.
Nowadays, I have a crypto-savvy tax accountant that I work with and keep very detailed records on all transactions. It saves time during filing season and keeps me out of trouble. Below is a short video that will help you understand tax impacts and implications in cryptocurrency.
Why the Cryptocurrency Market is Down Today
If you were keeping an eye on the markets on July 22nd, 2025, you would’ve witnessed a familiar trend being developed in the world of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin dropped to near $117,000, down about 1%, and Ethereum dropped to $3,700. The total market cap fell to roughly $3.9 trillion, and many of the traders I follow started asking the usual: “Why is the cryptocurrency market down today?”
From what I’ve seen and experienced before after strong rallies, the reason why cryptocurrency is down in the market is driven largely by profit-taking. Over the past week, several coins hit new highs, and now we’re seeing traders cash out while prices are still strong. I’ve done the same in the past during similar cycles; it’s a common strategy, especially when charts show resistance levels forming.
Bitcoin, for example, has been struggling to break past the $119,000 zone. It’s stuck consolidating between $116K and $120K, which adds to the sideways pressure. I also noticed a rise in liquidations of leveraged positions this morning, which often accelerates dips like this.
From both a technical and behavioural standpoint, this correction was expected and for those watching closely, it’s more of a reset than a red flag.
Geopolitical Tensions Rattle Crypto Markets – A Trader’s Perspective
Do you know that global tensions can send shockwaves through the crypto space. Last week, you can attest to that. The Middle East escalation, in turn, of Israel’s direct bombings across Iranian territorial waters, has created a ripple of uncertainty across markets. As one who tracks these geopolitical waves closely, it was no surprise to see risk-on assets like crypto drop.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the strikes were aimed at Iran’s nuclear facilities and suggested that further actions could be on the horizon. That kind of language spooks investors, especially in markets like crypto, where sentiment shifts fast. Traders I interact with have been pulling capital into stablecoins or even offloading positions completely, waiting for a clearer picture.
Bitcoin (BTC) briefly plunged by 5.6%, hitting $102,700 on Bitstamp before bouncing back above $104,000. Ether (ETH) saw a sharper drop, touching $2,400—a 9.4% decline within a day. Solana and XRP followed the same trend, with losses of 9.6% and 5.8%, respectively. It’s clear from my own watchlists that investors are de-risking quickly and aggressively.
These moves aren’t just about price; they reflect fear. And in the crypto world, fear moves markets faster than fundamentals
How to Start Crypto Trading?
- Select a reliable crypto exchange website.
- Create an account and complete any identity verification process.
- Fund your account with your local currency.
- Exchange through the purchase, sale, or exchange of cryptocurrencies.
- Keep track of your transactions and account.
- Transfer your crypto to a personal wallet for secure storage.
Who Owns the Most Bitcoin?
With about 1.1 million Bitcoins, the owner, Satoshi Nakamoto, has the largest number of Bitcoins worldwide. The biggest private shareholders of the business are Winklevoss twins, venture capital company’s Tim Draper, and the CEO of Strategy Inc., Michael Saylor.
How Do Beginners Buy Bitcoin?
- Open an account and deposit money into it. The second action after choosing an exchange or broker is opening an account.
- Buy cryptocurrency. Once your account has been created and verified, you can buy your first bitcoin.
- Choose a storage method.
What Is USDT?
Tether (USDT) is a type of stablecoin designed to maintain a 1:1 value with the US dollar. It attempts to merge the convenience of Bitcoin transactions with the stability of the dollar. Basically, each token of USDT is kept against reserves, possibly fiat currency and other collateral, and is designed to be worth around $1.00 USD
Who Controls Bitcoin?
No one is the owner of the Bitcoin network, just like no one is the owner of email technology. Everybody who uses Bitcoin on this planet is in control of Bitcoin. Although the software developers are creating the software, they cannot alter the Bitcoin protocol since users can select the version and software they want to utilize.
References
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