The dawn of digital assets: Understanding cryptocurrencies
Russell Price, Chief Economist – Ameriprise Financial
Thomas Crandall, Vice President of Asset Allocation – Ameriprise Financial
March 9, 2026
The last year has proven to be yet another period of exceptional volatility for cryptocurrencies. Digital currencies like Bitcoin have experienced major price swings, both upward and downward.
Regardless of this volatility, however, the landscape for digital assets is broadening.
A digital asset is one that exists in the digital realm; however, like a physical asset, it can be bought, sold, held or traded. As innovation in this area continues, it now includes items such as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), utility and governance tokens, stablecoins and cryptos.
To help you make sense of this growing space, the Ameriprise Financial Investment Research Group has released a new report providing an overview of cryptocurrencies and their risks.
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Background and qualification information is available at FINRA's BrokerCheck website.
Investing in cryptocurrency should be considered highly speculative and investors must be willing to risk substantial loss.
Ameriprise does not allow any solicited purchases of securities with cryptocurrency exposure or permit any direct trading of cryptocurrency through specialized exchanges such as Coinbase or Kraken.
Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.
Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.