Cryptocurrency vs Forex: Difference in Trade, Volatility & Profit

What’s the difference between cryptocurrency trading and Forex trading?

The basic trading concept between the two is similar but there are several differences worth pointing out.

Forex is, without a doubt, the largest currency market in the world. It has been around for longer and is therefore bigger than cryptocurrency trading.

Forex traders make profits by gauging the health of different pairs of fiat currencies and exploiting the difference in exchange rates. The more a currency’s value varies, the bigger the profit margin and the higher the risk too.

Crypto trading follows a similar concept. Traders basically exchange different types of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum in a bid to make profit.

Trade and Profit Differences Between Forex and Crypto Trading

The major difference between Forex and trading in cryptocurrencies is the fact that by their very nature, digital assets are more volatile and therefore more unpredictable than traditional fiat currencies. This is because the price-driving factors for cryptocurrencies are completely different from those of Forex currencies.

Another key difference between the two types of trading is that while Forex is regulated by each currency’s central bank, most cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are completely decentralized. They are not regulated by any central bank, government, or authority. The inflation of the coin is decreased by an algorithm when its stock in the market increases.

Bitcoin, for instance, is designed to eventually become immune to inflation. Bitcoin is presently capped at 21 million coins and when all coins will have been distributed and its mining stops, it will become immune to debasement or monetary inflation.

On the other hand, more government-regulated currencies can be produced at any time and cause a monetary inflation. Forex trading is also influenced by factors that don’t affect cryptocurrencies. For example, issues such as public debt, world events, news, interest rates, economic factors of a country, and social and political stability have a bigger impact on Forex than on cryptocurrency trading.

These factors, also known as steep derivatives, have a great impact on fiat currency inflation. Digital assets are in most cases immune to changes brought about by steep derivatives.

The Impact of Demand on Trade and Profit in Both Cases

Demand is another important factor to consider when comparing Forex and crypto trading. A centralized currency will always have a higher demand than a decentralized currency. After all, the government always controls the currency and will always create a demand for it in the society and its economy.

Demand for cryptocurrencies, on the other hand, is determined by factors such as public adoption and public confidence on the value of the coin. Fortunately, as the public adoption of major coins such as Bitcoin expands in marketplaces and among vendors, the prevalence and demand of cryptocurrencies will definitely increase.

Currency Volatility

Another key difference is the volatility of each type of currency. In Forex, volatility for two extreme couples of currency is around 1 percent and around 0.5 percent for lower couples. However, for Bitcoin, volatility is around 10% on average. This means that the potential to make big profits or loses is higher in Bitcoin than Forex trading. It’s therefore important to have a good understanding of cryptocurrency trading before you invest your hard-earned money.