While allocating capital across a wide range of financial markets such as bonds, stocks, commodities, and cryptocurrencies is a good starting point, this strategy becomes even more effective when each asset class is further diversified. For instance, an equity portfolio should encompass several segments of the stock market, including energy stocks, technology stocks, healthcare stocks, and so forth.
The same holds true for a crypto portfolio. However, many investors believe that simply adding Bitcoin to their portfolio is sufficient. They argue that Bitcoin embodies everything that cryptocurrency has to offer. Consequently, instead of embracing a diversification plan for their crypto portfolio, they direct all their funds toward a single digital asset out of the more than 5,000 coins that currently exist.
Although Bitcoin has registered impressive price surges over recent years, nothing compares to a well-balanced portfolio that capitalizes on the heterogeneous nature of the crypto market. Unlike most traditional assets, the digital asset market is quite volatile. Prices can suddenly fluctuate in different directions several times a day, either benefiting or harming investors. Thus, just as volatility tends to enhance profitability, it also increases the likelihood of incurring losses.
To mitigate such levels of risk exposure, it is advisable to spread funds across a variety of digital assets. This investment strategy reduces the magnitude of losses incurred during market downturns. For example, while Bitcoin may experience a 50% decline, Ethereum may drop only by 25%. Furthermore, adding another stablecoin like Binance to the portfolio further decreases risk. Fortunately, DeFi tokens can capture price growth. In the long run, the aggregated performance of digital assets within a well-diversified portfolio can offset losses incurred by individual investments.
Of course, one could argue: what happens when all assets in a diversified crypto portfolio plummet, as cryptocurrency prices tend to correlate? In such scenarios, investors should focus on the positives. One silver lining is that the probability of incurring catastrophic losses is significantly low. From the previous example, it is evident that both Bitcoin and Ethereum prices declined. However, the losses incurred by an investor holding both assets would not be as severe as those faced by an individual investing solely in Bitcoin.
Thus, diversification can be considered a risk management strategy for a crypto portfolio. Additionally, diversification acts as a profit-maximizing strategy under certain market conditions. This was evident during the DeFi boom of 2020. During that period, the DeFi sector outperformed other segments of the crypto market. In contrast, established coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum were unlikely to make significant waves. Consequently, investors who deemed it prudent to include DeFi tokens in their portfolio had greater opportunities for higher returns. When diversifying a crypto portfolio, the most crucial aspect to pay attention to is the ratio of prices. The goal is to ensure that all classes of cryptocurrencies are well-represented in your crypto portfolio so that you always have the opportunity to benefit from a sharp surge in demand for any of them.
