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Risks · No hype

Cryptocurrency risk warning

This website and the channel talk about cryptocurrencies so you understand how they work, not to tell you what to buy. Before you put in a single euro, read all of it: these are the risks that Spain's securities regulator (CNMV) and the EU's ESMA keep repeating, told straight.

7 min read●

01 /

This is not financial advice

Everything here and in the videos is educational and opinion content. It is not financial, tax or legal advice, nor a personalized recommendation to buy, sell or hold any crypto-asset. Recommending something to you would require knowing your situation, your goals and your risk tolerance, and none of that is known here.

This is NOT financial advice. It's my personal opinion.

— Cripto Adicto, in the descriptions of his YouTube videos (translated from Spanish)

The opinions in the videos are personal and reflect what their author thought on the day they were recorded. The market changes, and an opinion from six months ago may not hold today. This website does not provide investment services or manage anyone's money.

02 /

You can lose everything you invest

Crypto-assets are highly volatile: their price can fall or rise sharply in a short time, even overnight, and there is no guaranteed minimum price. EU law itself requires white papers to warn that a crypto-asset may lose its value in part or in full, may not always be transferable and may not be liquid (Article 6(5) of the MiCA Regulation).

In plain terms: only invest money you could lose entirely without it changing your life. If a 50% drop would keep you up at night or force you to sell, the amount is too big.

03 /

MiCA: what protects you and what doesn't

Regulation (EU) 2023/1114, known as MiCA, has applied in full since December 30, 2024, and it is the framework that applies to you if you live in Spain or elsewhere in the EU. In Spain, the transitional period ended on July 1, 2026: since then, according to the CNMV, only crypto-asset service providers authorized by the CNMV or by another EU authority may operate.

What MiCA doesWhat MiCA doesn't do
Requires crypto-asset service providers to be authorizedIt doesn't stop prices from falling or guarantee any return
Requires a white paper with information and warnings to be publishedIt doesn't bring crypto-assets under deposit guarantee schemes or investor compensation schemes
Sets organizational, governance and custody requirements for those providersIt doesn't protect you if you deal with a firm that isn't authorized in the EU
Makes the CNMV the authority that supervises compliance in SpainIt doesn't require every provider to check whether you understand what you're buying

A nuance many people miss: MiCA's protections apply to the entity authorized in the EU, not to other companies in the same group. A platform can operate under the same brand through several companies and countries, so check your contract to see which entity is providing the service. There's more context in the guide on exchanges and MiCA.

04 /

Leverage and derivatives: where most people get burned

Futures, perpetual contracts and CFDs on cryptocurrencies multiply gains, but they also multiply losses. With 10x leverage, a move of around 10% against you is enough to wipe out your entire margin, and liquidation usually comes sooner because of fees and the maintenance margin.

The regulators' data is clear. When ESMA restricted CFDs for retail clients in 2018, national regulators' analyses showed that between 74% and 89% of retail accounts lost money on CFDs in general, with average losses per client of between €1,600 and €29,000. Among other measures, it capped leverage on cryptocurrency CFDs at 2:1 (ESMA press release).

What's more, MiCA does not regulate derivatives, which are financial instruments subject to MiFID II, as the CNMV points out. And ESMA warns that services from firms outside the EU come with even fewer safeguards, a higher risk of fraud and very little room for redress. If you're interested in trading, start with the guide on risk management.

05 /

Past returns, predictions and scenarios

Just because something has gone up doesn't mean it will keep going up. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns, and in crypto, previous cycles are a weak guide.

Some of the channel's videos, especially the technical analysis ones, set out scenarios or price targets. They are hypotheses based on a chart at a specific moment, not promises or recommendations, and they may not play out. If a video gets you excited, check its date and see what happened next.

06 /

Platforms mentioned and referral links

In some YouTube videos, Cripto Adicto mentions platforms, including an exchange he says he uses personally, and some of those video descriptions contain referral links to platforms, which may earn him a commission or another benefit if you sign up through them.

This website contains no affiliate or referral links and shows no advertising. A platform being mentioned does not mean it is right for you: always check that it is authorized and read its terms before opening an account.

07 /

How to check who you're trusting with your money

  1. 01

    Look up the authorization

    Check the CNMV register of crypto-asset service providers and ESMA's interim MiCA register, which lists authorized providers across the EU.

  2. 02

    Check the warnings

    Search for the name in the CNMV warnings about unauthorized firms, the so-called chiringuitos financieros (boiler rooms).

  3. 03

    See who signs your contract

    The brand isn't enough: check that the company providing the service is the one listed as authorized.

  4. 04

    Read the white paper

    It contains the mandatory information and warnings about the crypto-asset. Keep in mind that no authority approves it, and responsibility for its content lies with whoever publishes it.

  5. 05

    Protect your keys

    If you hold your crypto yourself, nobody can recover it for you if you lose your seed phrase. If you leave it on a platform, you depend on that platform. The guide on hot vs cold wallets helps you decide.

08 /

Scams: the warning signs that keep coming up

Wherever there are promises of quick money, there are scammers. The CNMV sums up the red flags in its ten tips to avoid financial boiler rooms:

  • Calls, emails or messages you didn't ask for.
  • Pressure to invest right now, psychological pressure included.
  • High returns with no risk.
  • Sign-up bonuses or schemes where you have to recruit other people.
  • Contacts who exploit personal trust or a community.
  • Use of the CNMV's name or logo: the CNMV will never invite you to invest.

Also be wary of any profile that uses Cripto Adicto's name or image to ask you for money, passwords or your seed phrase. The official channels are the ones linked from this website, and no legitimate person will ever ask for your seed phrase.

If it has already happened to you, don't keep paying to “recover” the money. Report it to the police (in Spain, the Policía Nacional or the Guardia Civil) and notify the CNMV. The guide on crypto scams walks you through the steps in more detail.

From the channel (in Spanish): mistakes and scams worth knowing about

7 errores que ARRUINAN a los principiantes en cripto (evítalos antes de perder dinero)

· 45 views

Estafas Cripto: ¡No seas la próxima víctima! #shorts

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Una app falsa de Ledger llegó a la App Store. Descubre cómo evitar esta estafa. #Shorts #cripto

· 317 views

09 /

Before you invest: the short checklist

  • Be clear about your goals and your financial situation.
  • Understand how what you're buying works. If you can't explain it, don't buy it.
  • Make sure you can bear the total loss of what you invest.
  • Check the provider's authorization and read the white paper.
  • Protect your private keys and your devices.
  • Factor in taxes: the guide to crypto taxes in Spain explains them.
  • If in doubt, contact the CNMV or an authorized adviser.

For the details of this website's owner, see the legal notice.

FAQ /

Frequently asked questions

Does Cripto Adicto tell you which cryptocurrencies to buy?

No. He explains how projects work and gives his opinion, but he doesn't know your situation or make personalized recommendations. If a video convinces you, check it against official sources and make your own decision, with money you can afford to lose.

Is my money protected if the exchange goes bust?

There is no public safety net: crypto-assets are not covered by deposit guarantee schemes or investor compensation schemes. MiCA requires authorized providers to safeguard their clients' crypto-assets, but that is not the same as a guarantee.

How do I know whether a platform is authorized in Spain?

Look it up in the CNMV register of crypto-asset service providers and in ESMA's interim MiCA register. Also check that it doesn't appear in the CNMV warnings and that the entity named in your contract is the authorized one.

Is trading with leverage a good idea?

For most people, no. Leverage multiplies losses and can liquidate your position on small moves. Data from European regulators shows that most retail accounts lose money on leveraged products such as CFDs.