Ethereum is arguably the most important cryptocurrency besides Bitcoin and recently saw its price skyrocket to new all-time highs. As the backbone for decentralized applications, smart contracts, and digital assets, Ethereum is poised to reshape many industries in the years to come. However, trading any cryptocurrency involves risk and learning new concepts. This guide is designed to help complete beginners understand the basics of how to trade Ethereum and get started on the right foot.
Signing Up for Allpips To Trade Ethereum
To get started, visit the official Allpips website and click “Register” in the top-right corner. Fill out the required fields on the new user registration form, including your email, password, name, and phone number. You’ll then need to verify your email address before login.
Deposit Funds & Understand Costs
After verifying your identity on the exchange, link a bank account or debit card to deposit money into your exchange wallet. Allpips makes funding your account easy, offering you many different ways to fund your account. Additionally, Ethereum trades incur transaction fees on the Ethereum network itself so budget extra for these. Overall, have a clear picture of all costs involved before putting real money at risk when trading.
Buy Your First Ether (ETH)
Now you’re ready to make your first purchase. On the trading platform, select ETH as the market and input how much of your deposited fiat currency you want to spend. Your ETH will appear in your exchange wallet instantly after purchase. Ether prices can fluctuate rapidly so DCA (dollar cost average) smaller amounts over time rather than risking large lump sums at once as a beginner.
Follow Price Charts & News
To prepare for trading, become familiar with different price chart patterns and how to trade Ethereum typically moves. Tracking price history on CoinMarketCap or similar sites reveals support/resistance levels and overall trends over time. Read industry news sources to understand catalysts affecting value like platform upgrades or emerging project partnerships. Knowledge is power when it comes to cryptocurrency investing.
Understand Technical Analysis
Technical analysis evaluates past price data to predict future market behavior and spot trading opportunities. Learn basic indicators like simple/exponential moving averages, Bollinger Bands, MACD, and RSI momentum. Identify common chart patterns as well like head and shoulders, triangles, flags, and channels. Practice analyzing charts with no real money on the line through paper trading or exchanges with demo accounts first.
Set Up Trading View & Strategies
Sign up for a free TradingView charting platform account to practice technical analysis right on the charts. Enter theoretical trades on the paper trading feature to test strategies without risk. Some popular approaches when trading ETH include swing trading bounces within channels or breakouts of established patterns. Day trading volatility around news events also works well for those with more time commitments. Start small with only 1-5% of your portfolio per trade.
How to Use Stop Losses and Take Profits
When it comes to actively trade Ethereum, there are several order types that you can use to help you achieve your trading goals.
One common order type is a stop loss. A stop loss is an order that automatically sells your position when the price falls to a certain level. This can help you limit your losses if the market moves against you. For example, if you buy 1 ETH at $100 and set a stop loss at $90, your position will be sold automatically if the price falls to $90.
Another order type is a take profit. A take profit is an order that automatically sells your position when the price reaches a certain level. This can help you lock in your profits if the market moves in your favor. For example, if you buy 1 ETH at $100 and set a take profit at $120, your position will be sold automatically if the price reaches $120.
It’s important to note that all of these order types have their pros and cons, and the best choice will depend on your trading strategy and risk tolerance. For example, stop losses can help you limit your losses, but they may also limit your potential gains if the market moves in your favor. Take profits can help you lock in your profits, but they may also limit your potential gains if the market continues to move in your favor.
Risk Management is Key
Always use strict risk controls like stop losses and position size limits when trading live. Stops automatically close positions if a threshold is breached to cut losses short. For example, set a 5-10% stop on each trade depending on volatility. Likewise, never risk more than 1-3% of your overall portfolio per position, diversifying holdings across several projects. Emotions often sabotage trading results – stick mechanically to a well-tested system.
Taxes & Withdrawals
Most jurisdictions classify cryptocurrency as property for tax purposes. Be sure to track all trades through accounting software, noting purchase dates, prices, and profits/losses for the reporting season. When finally choosing to withdraw gains from the exchange back to fiat currency, be mindful of any tax implications depending on your holding period. With practice, patience, and proper risk management, beginner traders can benefit from short to medium-term opportunities in the Ethereum market.
Analyze Your Performance
To become a more successful trader over time, constantly review your past trades through journal notes. What worked well and what didn’t? Have wins outweighed losses? Track key metrics like average profit factor, largest drawdowns, and overall risk-adjusted returns. Monitor emotions on winning/losing trades as well. Refining strategies based on performance reviews is how traders improve their edge in volatile crypto markets. Staying objective is half the battle.
More Learning Resources
As a new trader, never stop improving your skills and expanding your knowledge. While confirming their qualifications and experience, follow industry experts on social media. Many also provide trading services or paid video courses. In addition, peer conversation is abundant in online communities like Discord servers and subreddits. Keep testing out new tactics, optimizing risk profiles that fit your objectives, and improving your abilities at every turn. Both discipline and patience are needed.
Conclusion | Final Tips On How To Trade Ethereum
In summary, some final best practices for starting to trade Ethereum as a beginner include:
- Begin with smaller amounts and low leverage to avoid over-risking early on
- Keep a journal to reflect on lessons from both wins and losses over time
- Consider alternative projects besides just ETH to diversify your holdings
- Automate recurring buys through dollar-cost averaging for steadier exposure
- Trade patiently using only confirmed patterns and signals on charts
- Continually reassess and improve strategies as your knowledge grows
- Stay involved with online communities to maintain enthusiasm and perspective
- Manage emotions by sticking rigidly to your predefined trading rules
- Track key metrics like risk-adjusted returns to refine your overall approach
With persistence and focus on these fundamentals, new traders can participate in Ethereum’s exciting growth story while responsibly managing risk from the start. Staying disciplined and never stopping your education will lead to long-term success.
