In addition to being extremely volatile, Bitcoin (BTC) shows large price swings and unpredictable price movements. Over the course of a few months, Bitcoin’s value rose to over $19,000 (£14,000), but then fell to around $7,000 (£4,900). Bitcoin’s volatile nature allows traders to take advantage of it by short selling. There are, however, risks associated with short selling that are not suitable for novice traders. We’ll explain how to short bitcoin, where to do it, and what to watch out for.
It is the goal of shorting bitcoin to sell it at a high price and then buy it back at a lower price. As opposed to most traders who buy low and sell high, short sellers strive to sell high and buy low. They profit from the price difference between when they sell the asset and when they buy it back if they are correct and the price drops.
In the same way that you can short sell other financial instruments, you are able to sell bitcoins and go short on them. Using a cryptocurrency exchange or leveraged trading provider when short selling bitcoin, however, can be a complex process.
You should decide what your motives are before shorting bitcoin. It is common for traders to short-sell bitcoin for a variety of reasons, including:
Valuation. Those who believe bitcoin is overvalued may wait for a downward trend to happen before shorting it. Fundamental traders tend to analyze the perceived intrinsic value of an asset against its market price when trading bitcoin based on valuation metrics.
Hedging risk. A trader may short assets to reduce the risk of their larger portfolio. Those who own bitcoin and suspect it will fall in the short run may decide to short sell it. It’s possible for your short position to make you more money than your long position.
Skepticism. Cryptocurrencies are seen as a short-term trend by some traders who short bitcoin. Short sellers stay on top of bitcoin and blockchain advancements and don’t let opinions cloud their judgment.
Volatility. Bitcoin’s price can go up as fast as it can go down. High-risk traders like volatile assets because they can win big or lose big. Some traders rely on luck, but others use a structured approach based on experience.
How To Short Bitcoin
You’re going to learn how to short bitcoin using a leveraged trading account. It’s important to learn about short selling, leveraged trading, and bitcoin. Making mistakes in any of these areas would be risky. It’s a good idea to practice on a demo account before putting real money at risk. With a Bitcoin wallet, you can not only store your digital coins, but also protect them with a private key that can only be opened by you and anyone else you designate.
Take a look at the bitcoin market. It’s important to use various types of analysis to study the bitcoin market. Find out what’s the difference between technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Defining your market entry and exit points requires understanding the bitcoin market.
Reduce your risk. Risk management is key when shorting bitcoin. Take-profit and stop-loss orders can help you keep your trading process structured and consistent.
Sell bitcoin short. Go ahead and place your bitcoin trade once you’ve decided you want to short bitcoin and set up the right risk management conditions.