Risk Warnings

Cryptoassets are high risk, speculative investments. The purchase and sale of cryptoassets through Unlimit involves risk and can result in losses to your invested capital. When investing in cryptoassets, customers will not have the protection of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if something goes wrong. Customers who invest in cryptoassets should be aware and prepared to potentially lose some or all of the money invested.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high‑risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

The FCA has published some information for consumers regarding the regulation and risks of Digital Assets which You may find helpful. It can be viewed here http://www.fca.org.uk/consumers/cryptoassets.

Crypto Risk Summary

Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) considers cryptoassets to be high risk.

What are the key risks?

1. You could lose all the money you invest

  • The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
  • The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime, and firm failure.

2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong

  • The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn’t protect this type of investment because it’s not a ‘specified investment’ under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn’t recognized as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker here.
  • The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.

3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to

  • There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
  • Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks, and commingling of funds could cause unwanted delay, and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.

4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex

  • Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
  • You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

5. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

  • Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
  • A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments. Learn more here.

For further information about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here. For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA’s website here.