Category Investments

Mar 16 2024

14 DIGITAL ASSET RISKS TO REMEMBER

There is no such thing as a risk-free trade or investment. Generally, bigger expected returns come with a greater risk of loss. The more you understand the risks of your investment, the more effectively you can minimize their potential effects. Here are some common risks associated with digital assets:

1. Unsupervised trading. Over-the-counter cash-market trading platforms—where you can buy or sell digital assets for dollars—are not supervised by regulators like other exchanges, banks, or brokers.

 2. Inconsistent customer protections. Some virtual currency platforms may be missing critical system safeguards and customer protections, such as protection against hacks or segregating customer assets. Without adequate safeguards, you may lose some or all of your digital assets.

3. Commingled customer assets. Over-the-counter trading platforms are commonly custodians of your assets. When you trade, you trade against the platform and your funds are held and recorded by the platform on its centralized system—not the blockchain. In these situations, your assets may be mixed with other customers’ assets, or could be used by the platform for operational purposes. If the platform is hacked, goes bankrupt, or disappears, you may not be able to get your money back.

4. Most new projects fail. And, others could be frauds. Take time to research and understand the project, the technology, use-case, demand, competing projects, governance, who’s behind the effort, the developers’ track records, how your money will be used, and when or if you can get it back. Was the code audited by a reliable third party and security tested? Closely review white papers and other documents. If they don’t make sense, or don’t exist, walk away.

5. Hacker attacks. In a digital environment hacking is always a threat. Hackers generally seek out the greatest amount of money and the least resistance. Only keep funds you are ready to spend or trade in wallets connected to the internet. Keep the rest in a cold (offline) wallet.

6. Phishing attacks. If you receive an email or text about your trading account; a transaction; a new product, wallet, or service; or receive an urgent request to contact customer support, do not click any links, open attachments or use QR codes. Phishing attacks often pose as popular brands or companies and the links provided in the emails go to imposter sites that steal your account.

7. Lost or stolen private keys. Your private key is your digital signature. If it is lost or stolen you will no longer have access to your assets. You can recreate a private key, with your digital wallet’s seed phrase—a string of words that when encrypted create the private key. Never give your private key or seed phrase to anyone.

8. New and novel. Compared to other forms of investing, digital assets are relatively new. They don’t have long, historical track records, which makes it harder to predict how they will react in different market conditions.

9. High volatility. Many digital assets are difficult to value. Uncertainty, changes in sentiment, economic conditions, or even a social media comment, can send market values rising or falling sharply.

10. Liquidity risk. It may be hard to sell digital assets that aren’t commonly traded. Lightly traded assets are also easier to manipulate.

11. Run risk. Stablecoins are not insured, and may not actually be supported by all the stabilizing assets they claim. If stablecoin owners lose confidence and rush for the exits, the panic could lock out some customers and leave them with worthless coins. Runs on one stablecoin can also cause ripple effects in other coins or other parts of the digital economy.

12. Counterparty risk. Blockchain transactions were designed to be unchangeable. Once your digital asset is sent to another wallet you cannot get it back. This makes knowing exactly who is on the other side of a transaction critically important. There are no do-overs or charge-backs.

13. Watch out on social media. Most digital asset scams begin on social media or messaging apps. Never make digital asset payments to people you meet online. And don’t rely solely on tips or claims you see on social media platforms.

14. Data can be manipulated. Criminals can hack social media profiles or easily create new aliases. Fraudulent platforms can also control what you see on their websites or trading apps, and can manipulate you to trade or invest more.

For more information, click here.

Click to access DigitalAssetRisks.pdf

Teaching Suggestions:

  • Ask students if they or their families have invested in digital assets.  If so, what has been their experience?
  • Ask students to prepare a list of potential risks of investing in digital assets.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Why is important to work with trading platforms that are registered to do business in the United States and your individual state?
  2. What can digital assets investors do to mitigate hacker and phishing attacks?
Dec 9 2023

Avoid Cryptocurrency Scams

How much do you know about cryptocurrency? If your answer is “not much,” that’s exactly what crypto scammers want to hear. And that’s exactly who Celsius Network, LLC company targeted with its false and misleading claims, according to a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

According to the FTC, Celsius marketed and sold financial services using YouTube and Twitter, now X, to promote marketing videos that were full of false and misleading claims. For example, Celsius claimed its crypto platform was safer and more stable than a bank. (It wasn’t.) And it told people that depositing crypto onto its platform came with a “no risk” promise that they’d earn high interest on their deposits. (A lie.) Even worse, the FTC claims the company used people’s crypto deposits without permission to spend, trade, invest, or pay business expenses. When Celsius started running out of money, it blocked people’s account access, preventing them from withdrawing their crypto. Now, Celsius is in bankruptcy, and consumers are unlikely to get all their crypto back.

Here’s how to avoid a cryptocurrency-related scam:

  • Don’t trust people who make big promises or guarantees. Only scammers promise “no risk” and guarantee high returns.
  • Research the company or cryptocurrency platform. Search online for the company or crypto platform name, plus “review,” “scam,” or “complaint” to see what people say.
  • Know that cryptocurrency accounts are not backed by a government like traditional FDIC-backed bank accounts.If something happens to your crypto account or funds, the government may not have an obligation to step in and help get your money back.
  • Learn about cryptocurrency and scams. Scammers take advantage of people’s understanding (or not) of cryptocurrency and how it works. Visit ftc.gov/cryptocurrency to learn more.

Using a crypto platform that isn’t living up to its promises or guarantees? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions:

  • Ask students to create a list of factors to consider before investing in cryptocurrencies.
  • Have students prepare a short paper describing a portfolio of cryptocurrencies they might consider now or in the future.
  • Have students suggest exceptions to the disadvantages of investing in cryptocurrencies.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Are there any attractive aspects of investing in cryptocurrencies?
  2. What economic and other factors would be the main concerns when investing in cryptocurrencies?
  3. What actions can you take to avoid cryptocurrency scams?
Sep 30 2023

MUSEUM OF SAVING

With an increasing influence of finance, credit, and business on our lives, the Museum of Saving is an innovative, entertaining location. Families, adults, teens, and children are provided with a clear-and-simple approach to saving and investing for improved financial literacy. The museum’s mission is “to contribute to spreading financial education to help people make rational and informed decisions and act in ways to achieve the priorities of their lives.”

Through a combination of education and entertainment, the learning through play approach of the museum uses technology and interactivity to offer:

  • An introduction to economic history that includes the role of money, trade, loans, early banking activities, and major financial crises.
  • An overview of the most common financial instruments. 
  • Themed tours with audio-visual and interactive labs.
  • A multidisciplinary (economics, literature, cinema) view of famous people.
  • Gamification videos and apps to test and reward money management knowledge and skills.

While the Museum of Saving is based in Italy, you can access the exhibits online.

For additional information on the Museum of Saving, click here.

Virtual Tour:  

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk to others to obtain advice on how to best learn about saving and investing.
  • Have students take a virtual tour of the Museum of Saving. What features do students consider to be most interesting and informative?

Discussion Questions 

  1. What actions do you recommend for a person to learn more about successful saving and investing?
  2. Describe factors a person might consider when evaluating different savings and investing alternatives.
Mar 26 2022

THE 33-33-33 PORTFOLIO

For decades, a 60/40 (60 percent stock, 40 percent bond) investment portfolio has been encouraged by financial advisors. However, we live in a new world, so in recent years a 33/33/33 allocation has been suggested, with investments divided equally among stocks, bonds, and alternatives. This shift in portfolio strategy is the result of unsustainable stock prices, looming inflation, and expected higher interest rates.  

The alternative investments include assets such as venture capital, real estate, private equity, private debt, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. These asset categories offer investors enhanced diversification, and have a low correlation with stocks to provide an inflation hedge. 

Real estate offers an opportunity for an improved yield for investors with a lower risk tolerance. Venture capital and private equity are suggested for investors comfortable with more risk.

Recent J.P. Morgan research revealed that an allocation of 30 percent of these alternatives can substantially increase annual returns, while strengthening portfolio stability and decreasing risk. However, these illiquid assets can’t be quickly sold, or liquidated, so careful cash-flow planning is also necessary.

Remember, every portfolio must be personalized to the needs of the individual based on liquidity need, risk tolerance, and the time horizon of financial goals.

For additional information on the 33/33/33 portfolio, go to the following articles.

Article #1

Article #2

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students research alternative investments (venture capital, real estate, private equity, private debt, commodities, cryptocurrencies) to determine recent returns, risk, and suitability for their personal portfolio.
  • Have students create a visual proposal or video with a suggested investment portfolio for their current or future situation.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What factors should a person consider when planning an investment portfolio?
  2. Describe actions a person might take to determine if alternative investments are appropriate for their financial situation. 
Jan 15 2022

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Investing

An increasing number of investors are seeking a more ethical portfolio with an emphasis on socially responsible and sustainable investing. An emerging trend is environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing, with these factors used to evaluate the financial return and overall impact. 

The ESG score measures how investments and companies perform in these categories:

  • Environmental – carbon emissions, air and water pollution, deforestation, green energy initiatives, waste management, water usage
  • Social – employee gender and diversity, data security, customer satisfaction, company sexual harassment policies, human rights at home and around the world, fair labor practices
  • Governance – diversity of board members, political contributions, executive pay, large-scale lawsuits, internal corruption, lobbying

Many view “sustainable” investing as very vague. The ESG criteria hopes to provide a grading of investments that clarifies what sustainable involves. ESG scores are calculated using different methods. Some ratings are created by using data collected from company disclosures and government, academic and NGO databases. Other scores are developed with self-reported data from participating companies.

Recent benefits of ESG investing include higher returns and a lower downside risk than traditional funds and conventional investments.  To start investing, you can search on your own to identify an ESG fund or an individual stock with a high ESG score that fits your investment beliefs and goals.  Investors can also use a robo-advisor to guide their ESG investment choices.

For additional information on ESG investing, click on the following links:

Article #1

Article #2

Article #3

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students search online to identify ESG funds or companies they might consider for their investment portfolio.
  • Have students talk with others to obtain the level of interest for ESG investing among potential investors of various ages.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What aspects of ESG investing do you find attractive?  What are your concerns?
  2. What concerns might be associated with methods used to create ESG scores?
Oct 9 2021

Money Habits of Women and Men

Based on recent research, findings comparing the financial habits of women and men include:

  • Overall, single men outspend women, which may be due to higher average earnings. Men spend more on food and transportation, while women have higher spending for clothing. Both groups have similar spending for entertainment.
  • Women are wiser shoppers, buying items on sale and using coupons more often than men.
  • For debt, including credit cards, student loans, auto loans, personal loans, home equity lines of credit, and mortgages, men have more debt than women.
  • For both groups, the main financial goals were saving for a vacation, paying off credit card debt, and improving their credit score.
  • As they near retirement, men had higher amounts in their retirement funds. However, women are more likely to participate in an employer retirement plan than men, and save a greater percentage from their paychecks.

For additional information on the money habits of women and men, go to:

Source #1

Source #2

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students create a short survey to compare the spending, saving, and investing activities of women and men.
  • Have students create a visual proposal (poster or slide presentation) to suggest improved money management activities.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What factors might affect differences between the money management activities of women and men?
  2. Describe actions a person might take to improve money management activities. 
Jul 11 2020

20-Year-Old Robinhood Customer Dies by Suicide After Seeing a $730,000 Negative Balance

“On June 12, 2020, Alexander E. Kearns, a 20-year-old student at the University of Nebraska, took his own life after believing he had lost over $730,000 trading options.”

While home from college and living with his parents because of the Coronavirus, Kearns opened an account with Robinhood—an online brokerage firm that uses technology to encourage everyone to begin investing and participate in the U.S. financial system.  As stocks experienced huge price swings during spring 2020, Kearns began experimenting with trading options.

After using a speculative technique that involved put options, Kearns believed that he had lost over $730,000.  In reality, his negative balance may not have represented a negative balance at all, but rather a temporary balance until the stocks underlying his option investments were posted to his account.  And yet, because of a timing and reporting issue, he became despondent and took his own life.

Because of privacy issues, Robinhood won’t provide details of Kearns’ account, but the brokerage firm is making major changes to their trading platform—especially for option trades.

For more information, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

You may want to use the information in this blog post and the original article to

  • Stress the importance of learning all you can about any investment before you begin an investment program.
  • Review the risks involved in the more short-term speculative techniques of day trading, investments that use margin, selling short, and options.

Discussion Questions

  1. Robinhood, like many financial service firms including E-Trade, TD Ameritrade, Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and Merrill Lynch now allow investors to open an account with no initial investment and offer commission-free trading. Would you be tempted to open an account and begin investing given the current economic environment?
  2. In the note he left, Alexander Kearns asks a simple question, “How was a 20-year old with no income able to get assigned almost a million dollars worth of leverage?” He also admits in his note that he had “no clue” what he was doing.  What mistakes did he make when he began investing?  How could you avoid making the same mistakes?
Aug 31 2019

Investing Success for Young People

Young people should take advantage of time, and start investing now for the long-term.  When doing so, they should consider these actions:

  • Make use of low-cost mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and index funds to minimize administrative costs, transaction fees and commissions.
  • Take advantage of tax-deferred retirement programs, which will allow them to invest pre-tax dollars to lower their current tax bill. Employers may match retirement fund contributions.
  • Don’t avoid risk by emphasizing conservative investments. Taking on more aggressive investments creates greater potential for higher, long-term returns.
  • Effectively manage risk with fixed index annuities, fixed annuities, and market linked CDs. Dollar-cost averaging allows for obtaining more shares at a lower cost during market downturns.

For additional information on investing by young people, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students talk to others for suggested investment actions to take.
  • Have students conduct online research regarding the best investments for their life situation.

Discussion Questions 

  1. What factors might a person consider when selecting investments for their life situation?
  2. Describe actions people might take to increase the funds they have available for long-term savings goals.
Dec 16 2017

Personal Financial Satisfaction

The Personal Financial Satisfaction Index (PFSi), reported by the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) is at an all-time high.  This quarterly economic indicator measures the financial situation of average Americans.  PFSI is the difference between (1) the Personal Financial Pleasure Index, measuring the growth of assets and opportunities, and (2) the Personal Financial Pain Index, which is based on lost assets and opportunities. The most recent report had a Pleasure Index 68.1 in contrast to a Pain Index of 42.1, resulting in a positive reading of 25.9, the highest since 1994.

While the stock market is high, unemployment is declining, and inflation is low, remember the economy is cyclical.  Be sure to consider and plan for your long-term goals. Stay aware and position your financial plan appropriately to safeguard finances when the economy is in a downturn.  Also, analyze your cash flow to an attempt to increase savings, including an appropriate emergency fund.

For additional information on financial satisfaction, click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  • Have students create an action plan for situations that might be encountered in times of economic difficulty.
  • Have students create a team presentation with suggestions to take when faced with economic difficulties.

 Discussion Questions 

  1. What are examples of opportunities that create increased personal financial satisfaction?
  2. Describe actions a person might take when faced with economic difficulties.
Aug 19 2017

Investing in Collectible Coins

Collectible coins have some historic or aesthetic value to collectors.  The value of many collector coins exceeds their melt value because the precious metal content is so small.  Coin collectors refer to this collectible value as numismatic value, and it is determined by factors such as the type of coin, the year it was minted, the place it was minted, and its condition—or “grade.”

Dealers who sell collectible coins often have valuable coins graded by professional services.  A grader examines the coin’s condition based on a set of criteria.  Then the grader assigns it a numerical grade from one to 70, and places it in a plastic cover for protection.  But factors like “overall appearance” and “eye appeal” are subjective, and the grade assigned to a particular coin can vary among dealers.

Expect to hold your investment for at least 10 years before possibly realizing a profit.  That’s because dealers usually sell collectible coins at a markup.  In addition, the market for numismatic coins may not be the same as the market for precious metals or bullion coins.  It’s possible that the price of gold can increase while the value of a gold numismatic coin decreases.

For more information click here.

Teaching Suggestions

  1. Ask Students to make a list of the risks and rewards of investing in collectible coins.
  2. Ask students how they can protect themselves from fraudulent practices in the collectibles market.

Discussion Questions

  • What are some important questions to ask before you invest in collectible coins?
  • Is it possible to make a practical decision about buying a particular coin based on a photo or conversation with the seller?
  • Why is it important to get a second opinion about the grade and value of the coin you are considering to buy?