Tuesday, August 25, 2020

Avoiding Cryptocurrency Fraud

Risk and compliance consultant Adam Tracy provides compliance, legal, operations, and risk management services to companies, such as cryptocurrency firms. In addition to leading his Chicago-based consulting firm, Adam Tracy possesses over two decades of experience as a consultant, dealmaker, and attorney.


The cryptocurrency market has grown ever since Bitcoin was launched in 2009, with over 5,000 cryptocurrencies worldwide. However, the market's lack of regulations has led to several scams. One way to avoid scams is by tempering greed. Scammers are mostly successful with greedy people who want to get rich quickly. It's safer to invest money for trading cryptocurrencies through regulated and recognized exchanges and platforms.

If you want to invest in any new cryptocurrency or crypto mining, research the promoters and their history in other ventures. Avoid those who promise unsubstantiated or guaranteed returns, as it is a sure sign of scammers looking for prey. Never invest in a cryptocurrency just because it is rising fast as it may be a pump and dump scam. Conduct research on it and its uses as well as its promoters.

Check the spelling of your service providers' website and app as misspelled ones can be clones. Never use any contact medium for your service provider apart from the official channels. Never give out your password, private key, or seed phrase as your service provider will never ask for it since it is on their records.

Friday, July 31, 2020

The Risks Involved in an Initial Coin Offering



Adam Tracy is a Chicago-based attorney who specializes in risk management and compliance regulation consulting. Well-versed in cryptocurrency, Adam Tracy helps clients understand and navigate the increasingly complex playing field of blockchain technology.


The Initial Coin Offering (ICO) is one of the most popular ways to fund the development of cryptocurrencies by selling cryptocurrency to investors in the form of tokens. However, they also pose significant risks for investors. Several examples exist of fraudulent ICOs in which investors are given false or misleading information and promise high returns. This kind of fraud is facilitated by the international nature of blockchain technology allowing investors from all over the world to participate.

ICOs also present a significant risk due to their openness to inexperienced parties. Many people underestimate the knowledge and experience required to safely invest in an ICO which leads to them making poor decisions based on incomplete information. Without an advisor to guide these investments, it is easy to become trapped in projects of very little value.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Common Risks of Investing in Cryptocurrency

Experienced as an attorney and Chief Financial Officer, Adam Tracy is now a risk consultant who advises clients on investing in high-risk industries. Adam Tracy’s areas of focus include cryptocurrency.

An asset class that allows users to transfer coins through a blockchain system, cryptocurrencies have been described as digital disruptors to standard financial institutions. Cryptocurrency differs from traditional banking in that no one entity is in charge of the currency, and it operates through a system of trust among members.

Cryptocurrency is also an investment with many risks. One risk is that it has only recently been regulated, and much of this regulation is unclear. For example, the currency can be defined as both a commodity and a stock.

Another major risk is that cryptocurrency is not tangible, and therefore, it is difficult to find insurance coverage. Since the currency is digital and is not actually property, it cannot be liquidated. While some companies will insure cryptocurrencies, it is difficult to do so.

Moreover, cryptocurrencies are both volatile and hard to convert to cash. Cryptocurrency transactions take place between users with no traditional financial institution acting as an intermediary. Without the backing of a central bank, cryptocurrencies have to pay customers out of their own funds, which is risky. Moreover, the volatility of certain cryptocurrencies contributes to this illiquidity and risk.

Finally, as with all technological advances, security standards ensure that these investments are safe online. However, no standard exists in the cryptocurrency industry. Wealthy cryptocurrencies can afford to protect their customers with top-of-the-line measures, but consumers may not receive the same quality of security with other cryptocurrencies.