Top 5 Tips Prior to Engaging in OTC Bitcoin Trading

When it comes to dealing with Bitcoin trading, there are numerous options one can easily explore. Whether it is through regular exchanges, OTC trading, or peer-to-peer trading, any and everyone option can be worth exploring. However, those who want to experiment with OTC Bitcoin trading need to keep some very basic tips in mind at all times. No one wants to lose money in a way that could have easily been avoided.

Private OTC Chat Rooms are a No-no

On the surface, there won’t be too many people who bat an eye where private OTC Bitcoin trading groups are concerned. Similar to pump signal groups or altcoin discussion groups, OTC trading is not necessarily a business activity out in the open at all times. Over the past few years, there have been plenty of legitimate private OTC groups, albeit the number of potential scammers should never be overlooked either. Since these criminals know people simply want to buy BTC at a competitive price, they will try to obtain customer funds without handing over any BTC.

Whereas most people would automatically assume such businesses are shut down pretty quickly, the reality is often different. Since these trades involve private groups, the information is usually not shared with the rest of the world. This is primarily because users know all too well they opted for a less-than-legal option and must pay the price for trying to take a shortcut. That doesn’t mean fake private OTC Bitcoin trading groups aren’t shut down in the end, though, but it seems unlikely any stolen money will ever be recovered.

Never Deal With Just Individuals

Over the past few years, the number of people who own Bitcoin has seemingly increased. As such, one would expect the OTC market to grow by leaps and bounds. Anyone is free to buy and sell Bitcoin at their own pace, as long as they don’t try to make millions of dollars from doing so. When traders deal with very high volumes of Bitcoin and fiat, they will need to obtain a money transmitter license sooner rather than later.

This is why private individuals offering OTC Bitcoin trading services are best avoided. It is very uncommon for any of these individuals to be officially licensed. As such, these users often tend to scam others and run off with their hard-earned money. While it may seem convenient to deal with an individual rather than a proper company, the results will often be disappointing or even worse.

Proper OTC Desks are Easy to Find

As the popularity of Bitcoin continues to grow by leaps and bounds, there are more and more legitimate and registered companies who engage in OTC Bitcoin trading. Some of the well-known names include Japan’s Coincheck, Kraken, Huobi, and Itbit.  These are just three examples of how many companies users can go through for all of their Bitcoin needs. It might involve a bit more work to get everything set up accordingly, but it greatly reduces the risk of losing any money in the process.

Speaking of finding a legitimate Bitcoin OTC trading provider, there are more and more companies joining the fray. This further expands the number of options users have to legitimately obtain Bitcoin through methods which suit their needs the best. To properly engage in this type of business activity, users should always conduct their thorough research before making any decision. It takes effort to get in on the Bitcoin action, after all.

If it’s too Good to be True…

It is better to avoid such offers altogether. No one will openly reject an option to buy Bitcoin slightly below market prices, but any price difference that seems too good to be true is almost always a scam. Offers like these will become a lot more apparent when the next Bitcoin bull run commences and FOMO starts kicking in accordingly. It is very difficult to buy Bitcoin at the real market price, primarily because the value fluctuates quite a bit every single day.

Moreover, any relatively shady business which explains why a user or company is engaged in OTC Bitcoin trading will usually indicate a scam looms ahead. Similar to the point above, conducting thorough research can usually prevent users from losing their money. A somewhat dubious background story combined with a too cheap Bitcoin price is usually a major red flag. Even so, there will be people who fall for these kinds of schemes simply because greed gets the best of them.

Don’t Invest Money one Can’t Afford to Lose

The golden rule as far as overall investing is concerned is to never spend money on such markets if the funds can’t be written off when things go awry. The same principle applies to OTC Bitcoin trading, as Bitcoin’s price is very volatile. Given the current value per BTC, there is a lot of money involved when one tries to obtain a full Bitcoin. As such, do not try to chase potential profits if the money is not there to spend on extras like these in the first place.

Disclaimer: This is not trading or investment advice. The above article is for entertainment and education purposes only. Please do your own research before purchasing or investing into any cryptocurrency.

Image(s): Shutterstock.com