Cryptocurrency is a kind of digital currency that is intended to act as a medium of exchange. Cryptocurrency has become popular in the last decade, in particular, with Bitcoin becoming the most widely tracked alternative currency. Typically, cryptocurrency is electronic-only and does not have a physical form – that graphic at the top of the … Read more
DeFi — short for decentralized finance — is a new vision of banking and financial services that is based on peer-to-peer payments through blockchain technology. Via blockchain, DeFi allows “trust-less” banking, sidestepping traditional financial middlemen such as banks or brokers. What’s in it for investors? DeFi promises to allow investors to “become the bank” by … Read more
A margin call occurs when the value of securities in a brokerage account falls below a certain level, known as the maintenance margin, requiring the account holder to deposit additional cash or securities to meet the margin requirements. Margin calls only happen in accounts that have borrowed money to purchase securities, and they usually occur in … Read more
Options trading can be one of the most lucrative ways to trade in the financial markets. Traders only have to put up a relatively small amount of money to take advantage of the power of options to magnify their gains, allowing them to multiply their money many times, often in weeks or months. Here’s how … Read more
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Shiba Inu is one type of cryptocurrency, or digital currency, that is available only online. Its price soared in 2021, multiplying many times over, but still trades for tiny fractions of a cent. The year 2022 has been rough for Shiba Inu, with its price plummeting, but it still remains one of the world’s most … Read more
Ricardo Ceppi/Contributor/Getty Images Bitcoin gets all the headlines when people talk about cryptocurrencies, but there are literally thousands of other options when it comes to these digital currencies. In fact, cryptos that aren’t Bitcoin are usually considered an “also ran” – what are called “altcoins,” or alternatives to Bitcoin. While Bitcoin may have been the … Read more
Xinhua News Agency/Contributor/Getty Images Stocks are volatile. That much is understood by most investors, but what exactly is volatility and how is it measured for the overall stock market? You may have seen references to something called the VIX, an index that measures volatility, during times of extreme financial stress. Understanding it all can be … Read more
When economic times get tough or international conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine War throw the markets for a loop, investors often turn to gold as a safe haven. With inflation spiking and the stock market trading well below its highs, some investors are looking for a safe asset that has a proven track record of … Read more
Dividend Aristocrats are a special category of dividend-paying stocks with a long track record of making – and increasing – their payouts. Because of their stable and rising payouts, a collection of these dividend dynamos can form the basis of a lucrative income-paying portfolio. Here’s what Dividend Aristocrats are and why they may be just … Read more