General

You could lose all the money you invest

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• ‍‍The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
• The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.

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You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong

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• ‍‍The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn’t protect this type of investment because it’s not a ‘specified investment’ under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn’t recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker here.

• Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it.
• Learn more about FOS protection here.
• Staking of cryptoassets is distinct from traditional savings or deposit accounts and is not regulated as a collective investment scheme in the UK under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Therefore, it does not provide the protections afforded by this Act.

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You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to

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• There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
• Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.

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Cryptoasset investments can be complex

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• Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment. You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

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• Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
• A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
• If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here.

For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA’s website here.

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What are they?

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A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to that of an underlying fiat currency, such as the Pound Sterling, US Dollar or Euro.

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What are the risks associated with Stablecoins?

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• Counterparty Risk: These assets are backed by collateral (e.g., fiat currency), and relying on a third party to maintain the collateral introduces risk. This risk emerges if the party faces insolvency or fails to maintain the required collateral.
• Redemption Risk: When an asset claims redeemability for underlying collateral, there is a risk that the redemption process won't unfold as expected. This risk is particularly evident during periods of market volatility or operational challenges.
• Collateral Risk: The stability of the asset is subject to the risk that the value of the collateral, which may be another type(s) of asset or crypto-asset(s), may decline or become volatile.
• FX Risk: Many stablecoins are denominated in US dollars, exposing you to fluctuations in the exchange rate between USD and other fiat currencies.
• Algorithm Risk: If the asset relies on an algorithm to maintain stability (e.g., by adjusting supply based on demand), there's a risk that the algorithm will fail or behave unexpectedly. This scenario could cause the asset to lose its stability and even its entire value.

Example of Stablecoins on Uphold¹: RAI, EURC, TUSD, GUSD, USDC, BUSD, DAI, PYUSD, USDT, LUSD, FRAX, MIM, USDP.

Meme coins, derive value from community interest and online trends, often without any intrinsic value or utility.

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What are the risks associated with Meme coins?

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• Volatility Risk: Meme coins are prone to substantial and unpredictable price changes, often experiencing rapid fluctuations. Social media trends and celebrity endorsements can significantly influence their value, diverging from traditional investment fundamentals.
• Lack of Utility: Meme coins can sometimes lack intrinsic value or utility, relying more on community interest, online trends, and speculative trading to determine their worth.
• Market Manipulation: Meme coins face an elevated risk of market manipulation, including 'pump-and-dump' schemes, where prices are artificially inflated before a sudden crash.
• Lack of Transparency: Information about meme coins, such as details about development teams, goals, and financials, is often limited. This lack of transparency poses challenges in evaluating the credibility and potential of a meme coin accurately.
• Emotional Investing: Meme coins often evoke intense emotional reactions from investors, leading to impulsive decisions. This emotional trading activity has the potential to magnify losses in the market.

Example of Memecoins on Uphold¹: BONE, DOGE, TURBO, LUNC, BONK, SHIB, PEPE

Decentralised Finance (DeFi) tokens, such as UNI and AAVE, are linked to financial applications and protocols on decentralised blockchains.

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What are the risks associated with Defi tokens?

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• Smart Contract Risk: DeFi's reliance on smart contracts exposes it to risks. Even a minor coding error or oversight could lead to the exploitation of a contract, potentially resulting in significant losses for DeFi tokens.
• Regulatory Risk: Operating in a decentralised manner, DeFi often lacks intermediaries or financial crime controls. Regulatory bodies across jurisdictions might introduce new regulations, affecting the use, value, or legality of certain DeFi protocols or assets.
• Rug-Pulls/Exit Scams: Some DeFi projects, initiated by anonymous or pseudonymous teams, heighten the risk of "rug pulls." In such cases, developers abandon the project, withdrawing funds and leaving investors with worthless tokens.
• Data/Oracle Risk: DeFi protocols often rely on external data sources or ‘oracles’. Manipulation or inaccuracies in these data sources can lead to unintended financial outcomes within the protocols.
• Protocol Complexity: The intricate nature of some DeFi protocols can pose challenges for average users to fully comprehend the mechanisms and associated risks.
• Lack of Liquidity: Certain coins within DeFi exhibit very low liquidity, meaning slight changes in supply and demand can result in sharp price movements.

Example of DeFi tokens on Uphold¹: YFI, MKR, GNO, TRB, AAVE, KP3R, COMP, ORDI, GMX, INV, RPL, INJ, ALCX, MLN, LINK, ENS, FXS, UNFI, MOVR, UNI, ORCA, SNX, BAL, GNS, BADGER, CVX, EUL, DYDX, JTO, CAKE, LDO, UMA, CTX, BAND, GFI, LQTY, SUSHI, STX, ORN, BNT, KNC, PERP, SD, RAY, CRV, JOE, WCFG, CELO, PICKLE, ZRX, 1INCH, RBN, FIS, GLMR, HFT, DIA, MAV, RDNT, LRC, FX, EVMOS, ALPHA, LTX, $ADS, ASTR, SRM, TRU, CLV, HOP, FOX, ANKR, T, AMP, RSR, XCN, UPT, SPELL.

Staked cryptassets², like staked ETH, play a crucial role in supporting transaction validation and consensus processes on a blockchain or distributed ledger technology system.

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What are the risks associated with Staked cryptoassets²?

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• Liquidity Risk: Certain protocols may require the locking of staked assets for a specified period, restricting your ability to swiftly access or sell your assets.
• Rewards Not Guaranteed: The reward rate derived from staking assets is contingent upon the relevant protocol and is neither guaranteed nor fixed and subject to variations over time.
• Protocol Risks: Staking protocols undergo frequent evolution. Modifications or updates to the consensus mechanism may bring forth new vulnerabilities or unforeseen outcomes.
• Slashing Risk: Engaging in asset staking involves the possibility of facing losses in the event of your validator being penalized by the network.

Examples of Staking cryptoassets at Uphold¹: ADA, ATOM, APT, AVAX, AXL, CSPR, DOT, ETH, FLR, HBAR, INJ, KSM, NEAR, POL, ROSE, SGB, SOL, XTZ, ZIL

Cryptoassets also referred to as cryptocurrency, are a digital representation of value that function as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a store of value. Cryptoassets are not legal tender, are not backed by the government or a central bank and generally have no underlying assets, revenue stream, or other sources of value tied to fiat currency or other assets.

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Their value is derived from market dynamics and has historically been more volatile relative to fiat currency and other assets. The unpredictability of the price of cryptocurrency relative to fiat currency may result in significant loss over a short period of time.

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The value of cryptoassets may be derived from the continued willingness of market participants to exchange fiat currency for cryptocurrency, which may result in the potential for permanent and total loss of value of a particular cryptocurrency should the market for that cryptocurrency disappear. In certain cases, it may be difficult or impossible to liquidate a position quickly at a reasonable price due to various market factors, including illiquidity or actions by trading facilities.

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Legislative and regulatory changes or actions at the national or international level may adversely affect the use, transfer, exchange, and value of cryptocurrencies. Several federal agencies have also published advisory documents surrounding the risks of virtual currency. For instance, see the Financial Conduct Authority’s Investor Alerts.

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Some cryptoassets transactions shall be deemed to be made when recorded on a public ledger, which is not necessarily the date or time that the customer initiates the transaction. Cryptoassets ownership is often determined by a decentralised public ledger that associates an amount of cryptocurrency with a unique address defined by a public cryptographic key.

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A private cryptographic key is required to transfer cryptocurrency from one address to another. Anyone with access to the private key associated with the address can transfer the associated cryptocurrency. Cryptoasset transfers generally cannot be cancelled or reversed and the identity of the holder of the private key associated with any address can be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain.

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The nature of cryptoassets may lead to an increased risk of fraud or cyber attack. If you are using cryptocurrency held on the Uphold platform to purchase goods or services, we have no visibility into the sellers and cannot control delivery, quality, safety, or legality.

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Losses due to fraudulent or accidental transactions may not be recoverable. If you have a dispute with sellers or buyers, you agree to deal directly with them and hold Uphold blameless in all disputes. The nature of cryptoassets means that any technological difficulties experienced by Uphold may prevent the access or use of a user’s cryptocurrency.

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¹ Some assets may not be available in all jurisdictions;

² Staking services are not available in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan or Singapore, or in other jurisdictions in which Uphold does not generally make its services available.