Protecting yourself from digital currency scams requires skepticism and security, as these assets are often irreversible. Never pay via cryptocurrency for services, fines, or investments promised to guarantee high returns. Use secure, reputable exchanges, enable two-factor authentication, and keep private keys secure.
Don't put all of your funds in one crypto wallet. Spread the risk, and consider putting at least most of your funds in cold (hardware) wallets that aren't connected to the internet, and are therefore better insulated from digital threats.
Top 5 Coins To Secure Your Crypto Investment
The FBI and other agencies have become increasingly effective at tracing Bitcoin. The federal government works with contractors like Chainalysis to link anonymous wallets with known individuals. In 2021, the FBI recovered over $2 million in Bitcoin paid as ransom in the Colonial Pipeline attack.
Ricardo Benjamín Salinas Pliego, a billionaire from Mexico and one of the three richest people in the country, has put 70% of his wealth in bitcoin.
According to IRS Notice 2014–21, the IRS considers cryptocurrency to be property, and capital gains and losses need to be reported on Schedule D and Form 8949 if necessary.
Centralized exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, and Kraken are the easiest way to cash out cryptocurrency. These exchanges allow you to sell your crypto for fiat — then transfer the funds to your bank account!
$Trump (stylized in all caps) is a meme coin associated with United States president Donald Trump, hosted on the Solana blockchain platform.
At $13 million per coin, the cryptocurrency will post a 151-fold return. That works out to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.5%. And your $100 investment from 2025 would be worth $15,115 in this scenario. To be fair, those dollars won't be what they are today.
Cold wallets store your crypto keys offline to keep them safe from online threats, but can still be lost or stolen and take a little longer to access than a hot wallet.
Yes, in the USA, you must report all crypto income, gains, or losses on your federal tax return, even if the amount is under $600 and you don't receive a Form 1099 (like 1099-NEC or 1099-B), because the $600 threshold applies to when exchanges must issue forms, not your personal obligation to report income. The IRS requires you to report all taxable digital asset activity, regardless of the amount, as it's considered income or a capital gain/loss.
The IRS generally can't seize assets essential for basic living, like necessary clothing, schoolbooks, furniture, and tools of your trade (up to certain limits), plus items like unemployment, workers' comp, child support, and public assistance payments, along with a portion of your wages. However, major assets like your home, vehicles, bank accounts, and retirement funds can be seized, though the IRS must follow procedures and often seeks the quickest collection method, usually targeting liquid assets first.
Donating crypto to a qualified charity may be tax deductible. Using crypto as collateral for a loan is generally tax-free since no sale occurs. Some states and countries offer reduced or zero taxes on crypto income and capital gains. Accurate records help you avoid penalties and ensure correct tax reporting.
Laszlo Hanyecz, a programmer and early Bitcoin miner, famously traded 10,000 Bitcoin for two Papa John's pizzas on May 22, 2010, marking the first documented commercial transaction for physical goods with cryptocurrency, a day now celebrated as "Bitcoin Pizza Day". At the time, the Bitcoins were worth only about $41, but the value of those coins would later grow to be worth hundreds of millions, even over a billion dollars, making it one of history's most expensive pizzas.
James Howells, the man who accidentally threw away a hard drive with thousands of Bitcoin (originally around 7,500 to 8,000 BTC) in 2013, has spent over a decade trying to get it back from a landfill in Wales, but has largely given up after numerous failed attempts and rejections from local authorities, with a judge ruling his quest unlikely to succeed, though he's explored tokenizing the assets and even buying the landfill site.
The richest Bitcoin owner is the anonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, estimated to hold around 1.1 million BTC from early mining, though these coins remain dormant; among living individuals, figures like Changpeng Zhao (CZ) and companies like MicroStrategy (led by Michael Saylor) rank among the largest holders, alongside institutional products like BlackRock's ETF.