Cryptocurrencies are an emerging market which have become increasingly popular as major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have entered the mainstream. The majority of cryptocurrencies, also referred to as simply ‘cryptos,’ are powered by Blockchain technology. They differ from established fiat currencies in that they are decentralised assets currently unregulated or controlled by any one country, central bank or regulatory authority. Trading cryptocurrencies is quite different from more traditional markets like Forex or Indices as, because they are relatively new assets, they are not influenced by many of the same forces as other more established markets.

Cryptocurrency mining, or cryptomining, is a process in which transactions for various forms of cryptocurrency are verified and added to the blockchain digital ledger. Also known as cryptocoin mining, altcoin mining, or Bitcoin mining (for the most popular form of cryptocurrency, Bitcoin), cryptocurrency mining has increased both as a topic and activity as cryptocurrency usage itself has grown exponentially in the last few years. Bitcoin cloud mining or cloud hashing enables users to purchase mining capacity of hardware in data centres. It enables people to earn bitcoins without managing hardware, software, electricity, bandwidth or other offline issues

Forex, or foreign exchange, can be explained as a network of buyers and sellers, who transfer currency between each other at an agreed price. It is the means by which individuals, companies and central banks convert one currency into another – if you have ever travelled abroad, then it is likely you have made a forex transaction. While a lot of foreign exchange is done for practical purposes, the vast majority of currency conversion is undertaken with the aim of earning a profit. The amount of currency converted every day can make price movements of some currencies extremely volatile. It is this volatility that can make forex so attractive to traders: bringing about a greater chance of high profits, while also increasing the risk.

Stocks are an equity investment that represents part ownership in a corporation and entitles you to part of that corporation's earnings and assets. Common stock gives shareholders voting rights but no guarantee of dividend payments. Preferred stocks provides no voting rights but usually guarantees a dividend payment. In the past, shareholders received a paper stock certificate -- called a security -- verifying the number of shares they owned. Today, share ownership is usually recorded electronically, and the shares are held in street name by your brokerage firm. Investing in stocks can be tricky business. In fact, it's best to treat all of your investment pursuits as a business.

A bond, also known as a fixed-income security, is a debt instrument created for the purpose of raising capital. They are essentially loan agreements between the bond issuer and an investor, in which the bond issuer is obligated to pay a specified amount of money at specified future dates. There are four major bond types in the U.S. markets, which are represented by four major issuers: How do Bonds work? When an investor purchases a bond, they are "loaning" that money (called the principal) to the bond issuer, which is usually raising money for some project. When the bond matures, the issuer repays the principal to the investor. In most cases, the investor will receive regular interest payments from the issuer until the bond matures.

An individual retirement account (IRA) is a tax-advantaged investing tool that individuals use to earmark funds for retirement savings. There are several types of IRAs as of 2019: traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and SEP IRAs. Sometimes referred to as individual retirement arrangements, investments held in IRAs can encompass a range of financial products, including stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds. A self-directed IRA is a type of traditional or Roth IRA that allows investors to make all of the investment decisions for their account and affords access to a broader range of investments, such as real estate, private placements, and tax liens.