In the dynamic world of investments, one type of application has asked for passage among those who have the greatest appetite for risk: virtual currencies. Built on the Internet, without ballast and government regulation, such as Bitcoin, ZCash and Ether have skyrocketed in recent months. Bitcoin, which at the end of 2013 cost US $ 1,000 a unit and in 2015 fell to around US $ 200, has recovered - and with leftovers: in May this year it was traded for US $ 1,500 (surpassing The gold ounce, which is $ 1,257) and today it already reaches $ 3,391 (or $ 10,601).
The numbers fill the eyes, but analysts consider the risks equally high. Beginning with the lack of regulation and decentralization in the negotiations that take place in virtual "banks" and "scholarships", and bring the concern of who should be sought if money disappears: in 2014 the MT Gox , Headquartered in Tokyo, disappeared with the equivalent of $ 350 million bitcoins from investors, and the broker himself was named as a suspect.
"Anyone aiming to make money on speculation definitely does not need Bitcoin. There are other ways of speculating in Brazil in markets that are regulated. You can speculate by buying and selling foreign currencies and gold, "says financial educator Leandro Avila. "Everything that is done in the stock exchange, through brokers, is regulated. If any problem occurs, it can be traced, investigated and those responsible will be held liable and punished for damages. The same does not happen when it involves virtual currencies, "he adds.
Ávila points out as an additional risk the absence of information on trends or predictability of virtual currencies, which leave those who apply without having as a way to establish a strategy of buying and selling. "The investor is able to assess whether the price of coffee is more likely to increase than fall in the next few months, by statistical data and even weather information. But when we enter the world of currencies the situation becomes more complicated, "he says.
A distinct criticism of the economic but equally affecting the lives of all is that Bitcoin is not traceable, which makes it possible to use it for criminal purposes such as money laundering, drug trafficking and human trafficking. From a security point of view, despite the encryption tools available to protect users' assets, experts say there is a risk of hacking or data corruption by malware.
However, Vitor Nagata, an investment specialist and publisher of the Investor Blog, estimates that this risk does not exist. "Bitcoin is safe from the point of view of fraud and theft, thanks to a very interesting concept called Blockchain, which is the great innovation behind Bitcoin." Blockchain is an encrypted system of account protection for a virtual financial system. Despite this, Vitor does not see the virtual currency as a good application option. "I believe Bitcoin will be increasingly accepted, even as a viable and advantageous alternative to simple uses like travel and foreign purchases, for example. But that does not mean that its price will appreciate indefinitely and accelerate as it has in recent months: the future price of Bitcoin is a big unknown. "
Daily news and insights from the cryptocurrency world