The Good Tech Companies - How to Prepare for the Next Crypto Catastrophe (Because It’s Probably Coming)
Episode Date: April 14, 2025This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/how-to-prepare-for-the-next-crypto-catastrophe-because-its-probably-coming. A Black Swan Eve...nt in crypto is an unexpected event that has a huge impact on the market, often causing extreme price crashes. Is it possible to predict one? Check more stories related to web3 at: https://hackernoon.com/c/web3. You can also check exclusive content about #cryptocurrency-investment, #black-swan-events, #black-swan, #crypto-hacks, #crypto-scams, #crypto-price-volatility, #obyte, #good-company, and more. This story was written by: @obyte. Learn more about this writer by checking @obyte's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Nassim Nicholas Taleb has used the term to describe outlier events. These events are often negative, very impactful, and almost impossible to predict. Examples include major exchange collapses, sudden regulatory crackdowns, or a global pandemic.
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How to prepare for the next crypto catastrophe, because it's probably coming, by Obite.
Have you ever seen a black swan? Probably not, they're not common, unless you're in Australia,
and we're more accustomed to white swans worldwide. That's why, since 2001, the writer and
mathematician Nassim Nicholas Taleb has used this rare animal
to describe outlier events, often negative, very impactful, and almost impossible to predict.
That's the Black Swan Theory.
The term doesn't differ that much in the cryptocurrency realm.
A black swan event in crypto is an unexpected and rare event that has a huge impact on the
market, often causing extreme price crashes or major disruptions.
As we've said before, these events are usually unpredictable, but they may seem obvious only in hindsight. Examples include major exchange collapses, sudden regulatory crackdowns, or yes,
a global pandemic. Besides the price volatility, a sudden event like this can spread fear and
uncertainty, causing many to sell their holdings, reducing liquidity. Governments might respond with stricter regulations, affecting businesses
and users. If trust in the market weakens, adoption could slow down, making IT harder
for cryptocurrencies to reach widespread use. However, black swan events don't tend to repeat
themselves, that's why they are difficult to predict. Previous black swans in crypto
The COVID-19 pandemic was a major black swan event that impacted global markets, including
crypto.
In March 2020, as fear spread, investors rushed to sell risky assets, causing Bitcoin and
other cryptocurrencies to crash by over 50% in just a few days.
However, as governments introduced stimulus measures
and interest in digital assets grew, crypto markets rebounded and reached new all-time highs
in the following years. This event highlighted both the volatility and resilience of cryptocurrencies.
The Mt. Gox collapse in 2014 was another major black swan event. Mt Mount Gox was considered, by many sources, the biggest
bitcoin exchange at the time. However, due to mismanagement and hacks, it lost around
850,000 BTC, leading to its bankruptcy. The collapse shook investor confidence and caused
bitcoin's price to drop significantly. It also exposed the need for better security
and regulation in crypto exchanges, shaping the industry's approach to risk management. In 2022, the Terra, Luna, Crash and FTX bankruptcy
were two of the most diva-stating black swan events. Terra's algorithmic stablecoin,
Ust, lost its peg, it wasn't stable anymore, wiping out billions of dollars and collapsing
the entire ecosystem. Later that year, FTX, one of the largest exchanges, went bankrupt due to fraud and mismanagement,
and likely as a side effect of Terra, too, further damaging trust in the industry.
Both events led to stricter regulations and made investors more cautious.
That's the thing with black swan events.
They're often devastating enough to make everyone learn from previous mistakes and make efforts, and laws, so that they don't happen ever again. The European Union,
for instance, banned algorithmic stablecoins after the Terra episode. Future black swans in crypto?
While price predictions are never fully reliable, black swan events are even more unpredictable.
Analysts can study markets and news, forming their own theories and guesses, but nothing
is certain, no one can truly see the future.
However, some preventive measures are always available.
To protect themselves from black swan events, crypto investors should diversify their portfolios
and avoid putting all their funds into one asset.
Holding a mix of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and even traditional assets can reduce
risks during market crashes. Choosing coins that have survived past crises and proven their
resilience is also crucial. Long-established projects with strong fundamentals and active
development are more likely to withstand unexpected downturns. Additionally, investors should practice
risk management by setting stop-loss orders while
engaging in speculative trading, and only investing what they can afford to lose.
Keeping funds in secure non-custodial wallets instead of exchanges can also prevent losses
in case of hacks or bankruptcies. Staying informed about market trends and regulatory
changes can help users react quickly and make better financial decisions.
It's also important to remember that cryptocurrencies weren't created just for speculation.
The real value lies in their utility and autonomy. Instead of chasing price movements,
users should focus on projects that offer them some real-world benefits.
For example, Obite has provided a resilient and fully decentralized crypto ecosystem since 2016.
has provided a resilient and fully decentralized crypto ecosystem since 2016.
Its DAG-based platform eliminates middlemen like miners and validators, while enabling smart contracts, conditional payments, customized tokens, self-sovereign ID, text coins, chatbots, and more,
making it a strong choice for those looking for the most resilient crypto ecosystems.
Thank you for listening to this Hacker Noon story, read by Artificial Intelligence.
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