Building Trust in Cryptocurrency Markets: Transparency, Accountability, and User Protection

Trust is a key aspect in any market, and the world of cryptocurrencies is no different. Despite the decline in their price over the past two years, they're expected to make a "comeback" in the world's major economic markets. This is why our focus is on making sure that you feel safe and secure when investing in them.

The resurgence is already evident in growth trends, with the crypto market projected to increase at a 56.4% yearly pace from 2019 to 2025.

If you’re a virtual currency investor or just interested in diving into this much talked about but really little known world, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll explain the 3 steps that can help users gain confidence in the cryptocurrency markets. We’ll focus on key aspects such as transparency, accountability and protection for those who decide to invest in them.

The need for cryptos to evolve

After the 2020 pandemic spread around the world, companies were forced to quickly adapt to new ways of profiting, such as crypto production and e-commerce. But just as businesses began to adapt, new challenges emerged.

By the end of 2022, the world faced a global inflationary crisis that left many entrepreneurs and investors breathless. Prices for goods and services were rising rapidly as the global economy began to falter.

As we move into 2023, this process is expected to reverse.

For this, cryptocurrency companies must be prepared to face new challenges and continue to adapt to changing market conditions. This means improving transparency and managing all risks. Market leaders are already showing the way forward, and others will need to follow suit if they want to survive. The digital asset ecosystem must take note of these changes. Trust is a critical factor for any type of investment, and trust in digital assets is especially important due to their decentralized and relatively new nature. To build trust in these assets, companies must improve transparency and risk management, as well as adopt sustainable and ethical business practices.

Fortunately, many companies are already doing just that. As companies grow stronger and survive necessary disruptions, trust in cryptocurrencies and other digital assets grows. This means that investments in bitcoin, NFT and other digital forms are beginning to revive. Now, let's see what the pillars are for creating this trust.

Cryptocurrency trust: the 3 pillars

1. Transparency through data subject access requests (DSARs)

The DSAR is an excellent legal tool which enables users to request, correct or delete their personal information from companies processing it.

When applied to virtual currency, it opens the door to use them with:

• Transparency: by enabling the request for access to personal information, cryptocurrency companies are compelled to be transparent about how they collect, process, and use it

This increases accountability and greatly minimizes the risk of fraud.

• Data protection: empowering users to request correction or deletion of personal data if it’s inaccurate or being used inappropriately

This is particularly important in the case of cryptocurrencies, as security and privacy are fundamental to their operation. By giving control over recollected personal data, companies operating in this space will become a lot more stable.

• Regulatory compliance: The European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other international regulations require companies to handle users' personal data in a responsible and transparent manner

Cryptocurrency companies can comply with these regulations and demonstrate their commitment to your privacy and security by allowing the request access to personal data.

• Improved user experience: by making such a volatile market satisfying for new investors

Users are more likely to use and trust cryptocurrencies if they know they can control their personal data and that the company handling it cares about demonstrating loyalty.

2. User education for accountability

Educating users about the virtual currency market is also important. Companies need to inform about the risks and benefits, as well as provide clear information about the costs and fees involved. This will enable everyone to:

• Understand the basics of cryptocurrencies: what they are, how they work, and why they are important

Understanding these basic concepts will help understand how to trade virtual currency, to make more profit as passive income through cryptos and avoid common mistakes that lead to losing money.

• Knowledge of storage options: another critical part is learning how to store them securely. Understanding storage options, such as hardware wallets and software wallets, is really valuable

You also need to learn how to maintain the security of your private key. This is the key to accessing your cryptocurrency.

• Learn how to identify scams: they are a new technology and as such can be subject to cyber-attacks, hackers and other forms of security breaches

They can also present themselves as scams through Ponzi schemes and false promises of guaranteed profits.

• Understand the risks: as with any investment, there are risks because these are not legal tender and are not backed by central banks. The inability to reverse digital money transactions once they have been executed is the most significant one

• See the opportunities: although the risks can be great, learning how to securely send and receive payments, verify transactions, and protect the privacy of personal information can make all the difference for investors

Trust goes hand-in-hand with informed knowledge, so understanding the nature, use and risks of cryptocurrencies allows you to make the most of them while avoiding potential harm.

3. Protect users with fraud risk management

This includes implementing robust security measures for digital wallets and virtual currency exchanges:

• Theft and tampering

• Conducting audits and reviews to identify potential fraud or illegal practices

• Implementing clear policies and procedures to ensure transparency and accountability

Along these lines, some fraud risk management principles that can help build trust in cryptos:

• Risk identification and assessment: this involves identifying potential fraud risks associated with virtual currency, such as digital wallet theft, price manipulation, and the use of it for illegal activities

These risks must then be assessed to determine their severity and likelihood of occurrence.

• Implement controls and security measures: once the risks have been identified and assessed, appropriate controls and security measures should be implemented to reduce the risk of fraud

These can involve using robust security practices like two-factor authentication, data encryption, and continuous suspicious transaction monitoring.

• Supervision and monitoring: to ensure that security controls and measures are effective, they must be continuously supervised and monitored

This may include conducting periodic audits and reviews to detect potential fraud and illegal practices. To manage fraud risk you must have constant and thorough monitoring, necessary for secure practices and exchanges.

Trust is built on safe and secure practices

With growth projections and a sure resurgence, virtual currencies are proving to be a great investment option for the years to come. Certainly the numbers and projections never lie. However, making safe investments with the assurance that personal information and trading practices are truly secure is critical to sustaining this growth. In this regard, it’s vital to:

• Use DSAR to ensure transparency, privacy, and regulatory compliance

By giving users control over their personal data, cryptocurrency companies can significantly improve the user experience and build trust in this ever-evolving industry. They also comply with international regulations and demonstrate their commitment to user privacy and security, which not only benefits individual users, but also contributes to the stability of the cryptocurrency market as a whole.

• Educating users about the cryptocurrency market to understand the basic concepts, storage options, potential scams and risks associated with this type of investment

By understanding all of these aspects, investors can avoid common mistakes that lead to losing money and make informed decisions that allow them to make the most of it. With informed knowledge, opportunities can be seized while potential risks are minimized.

• Implementation of robust security measures and fraud risk management are essential to building trust in cryptocurrency

Identify and assess potential fraud risk, implement appropriate security controls, and monitor and control these controls on an ongoing basis. Only through constant and thorough oversight can practices and exchanges be made safe and reliable.

Transparency, accountability and user protection, the only ways for cryptos to become assets that will survive well into the future and not merely a trending topic that comes and goes. Now that you understand the big picture, take the appropriate steps to ensure that all angles are covered, secure, and move forward.