Last updated: 7 November 2026
Crypto assets are high risk. You could lose all the money you put in. Only invest what you can afford to lose.
Main risks
- Price swings. Crypto prices can rise or fall sharply in minutes. Past performance tells you nothing about the future.
- Stablecoin risk. Stablecoins like USDT and USDC aim to stay at 1 US dollar but can lose that link if the issuer or its reserves fail.
- No deposit insurance. Crypto balances are not bank deposits and are not protected by a deposit-insurance scheme.
- Liquidity. In busy or falling markets you may not be able to buy or sell at the price you want.
- Irreversible transfers. Crypto sent to the wrong address or network usually cannot be recovered.
- Technology and cyber risk. Networks can be congested, forked or attacked; accounts can be targeted by phishing.
- Legal and tax risk. Laws on crypto change. A change could affect whether you can use a service, and you may owe tax on gains.
- Currency risk. Converting between naira, shillings, cedis, rand or other currencies and crypto adds exchange-rate risk.
- Scams. Fraudsters pretend to be exchanges, staff or investment managers. We never ask for your password, 2FA code or recovery words.
Before you trade
Make sure you understand the asset, the fees and the risks. If you are unsure, get independent financial advice. Read our guides to start.