Cryptocurrency has become a powerful global asset class that’s worth nearly $4 trillion. And bitcoin is now worth over $100,000 per coin.
But cryptocurrency is still a highly volatile investment. And if you don’t want to invest in crypto but still want to use it to earn money, there are a few ways to make it happen.
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Here are three ways to earn money from cryptocurrency.
Staking
Staking is when you lock up your crypto for the security and operation of a proof-of-stake blockchain (like ethereum). Stakers are then rewarded for locking up their crypto.
“In return for helping the network run smoothly and securely, you receive more of the cryptocurrency you’re staking,” per Coinbase. This is similar to a certificate of deposit (CD), funds are locked away for a set period of time and the holder earns interest.
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Cloud Mining
Cloud mining involves renting cloud-hosted crypto mining equipment and earning rewards for mining certain cryptocurrencies. Instead of purchasing the necessary hardware to mine crypto, you rent the equipment and software needed from a cloud mining provider online.
Cloud mining can be risky, though, as many cloud mining companies can end up costing you more money than you earn in fees and poor rewards systems. It’s important to work only with established and trusted cloud mining companies and understand how the fee structures work.
In general, cloud mining can be profitable when the cryptocurrency you mine goes up in value.
Liquidity Pools
Joining a liquidity pool is similar to the process of staking, as you’ll lock up your crypto to be used for trading liquidity on decentralized exchanges. According to Kraken, liquidity providers (LPs) receive LP tokens, which represent their assets in the pool, and they earn a “proportional share of all transaction fees charged to traders that use the pool.”
A key to earning more from liquidity pools is choosing tokens that have high trading volumes, resulting in more fees collected. And tokens that go up in value are (obviously) worth more as you earn them. Just be sure to watch out for platform fees that can reduce your earnings.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 3 Ways To Earn Money With Crypto — Aside From Actually Investing In It
