TL;DR
A man’s $10,000 ETH “investment” grew to $13,500 in 7 years—barely beating inflation. This highlights the dangers of speculative crypto markets and the illusion of easy profits.
Story
John thought he’d made a smart move. He bought $10,000 worth of Ethereum (ETH) for his wife back in 2016. Seven years later, it’s worth $13,500. A win, right?
Not so fast. Let’s unpack why this isn’t the fairytale it seems. John’s “investment” barely beat inflation. Imagine if he’d put that money in an index fund* ‣ Index Fund: Like a buffet of different stocks, spreading your risk.. He’d likely have seen significantly higher returns.
This story highlights a dangerous misconception: crypto isn’t a magical money tree. It’s volatile** ‣ Volatile: Prone to wild price swings like a rollercoaster., speculative*** ‣ Speculative: A fancy word for gambling., and unregulated**** ‣ Unregulated: Like the Wild West—no sheriff in town.. Remember the 2008 crash? Or Enron? Blind faith leads to ruin.
John’s “profit” is an illusion. He’s just riding a wave, one that could crash any minute. Many others weren’t so lucky. They bought at the peak, saw their holdings plummet, and lost everything. Think of it like musical chairs—when the music stops, someone’s left standing.
Advice
Treat crypto like the casino, not your retirement fund. Diversify your investments, and remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.