It is common sense to have a super secure connection when managing your finances online; and you should always have a VPN turned on when accessing your online banking account and the same goes for trading crypto. Here too, the money is involved and you should strive for maximum security.
You also want speed and reliability so you need a VPN that delivers on all fronts — security, reliability and speed. But not just that as a VPN has more to offer and cover all your other needs that may go beyond securely managing your money online.
For instance, it will make public Wi-Fi networks truly secure, encrypting all data traveling between your device(s) and the rest of the Internet. This way, a VPN makes the so-called “man in the middle attacks” impossible as even if someone manages to intercept your data, he/she will not be able to do anything with that.
Furthermore, with a VPN – you get to bypass various blocks that stand in your way, and for instance, access popular news sites from high-censorship countries. Or access any streaming service no matter where you happen to be. And there’s more… But since you’re into crypto trading, here are the best VPN options for that purpose:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
Summary
Its network includes more than 6,200 servers spread across 111 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Good for both torrenting and streaming
- Works in China
- Solid network with servers in 60+ countries
- Easy to use apps on multiple platforms
- Live chat isn't always available
- Fairly pricey
Summary
Whether you need a VPN for watching Netflix shows or downloading files via BitTorrent, Astrill can help you out — all while keeping your identity under the radar. And this is especially true if you live or work in China when the company's stealth protocols will kick in to let you access all the popular sites that are by default blocked by the country's censors.
Astrill's apps are easy to use and available on all popular platforms. Nevertheless, they still manage to provide a host of advanced features tech-savvy folks are used to get. Highly recommended, again, especially if you're looking to bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- Fast download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Great for torrenting
- Advanced privacy features (i.e. Tor over VPN)
- Relatively small number of servers
- There are no browser extensions
- Live chat support is not always available
Summary
Specifically, you can rely on PrivateVPN for both torrenting and streaming, without paying a premium. It is, in fact, one of the most affordable options in its league and we love it for that.
Customer support may not be on par with bigger players but it's not like you should experience many problems anyway. You will get the same level of security and privacy as with other services, and a single license will let you run PrivateVPN on up to 6 devices. Pretty cool.
Pros
Cons
- Works in China
- Many servers in Asia
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Advanced services like VyprVPN Cloud
- No browser extensions
- Torrenting could be better
Summary
It manages to bypass restrictions in high-censorship countries and elsewhere by relying on its proprietary Chameleon protocol, which can easily slide under the radar.
VyprVPN is also great for accessing video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and so on — delivering the true buffer-free experience every single time. It will also work with BitTorrent, and consequently - Kodi.
VyprVPN has a strict zero-logs policy. Period.
Cryptocurrency trading and exchanges
Cryptocurrency trading takes place on a cryptocurrency exchange — or a digital currency exchange (DCE) — which allows customers like you and me to trade cryptocurrencies for other assets, such as conventional fiat money or other digital currencies. These exchanges may accept credit card payments, wire transfers or other forms of payment in exchange for digital currencies or cryptocurrencies. A cryptocurrency exchange can be a market maker that typically takes the bid-ask spreads as a transaction commission for this service or, as a matching platform, simply charges fees.
There are some cryptocurrency exchanges that also offer stocks, like Robinhood and eToro. These typically let users purchase but not withdraw cryptocurrencies to cryptocurrency wallets. On the other hand, dedicated cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase do allow cryptocurrency withdrawals.
How do cryptocurrency exchanges work?
The exchanges can send cryptocurrency to a user’s personal cryptocurrency wallet. Some can convert digital currency balances into anonymous prepaid cards which can be used to withdraw funds from ATMs while other digital currencies are backed by real-world commodities such as gold.
The creators of digital currencies are often independent of the digital currency exchange that facilitate trading in the currency. In one type of system, digital currency providers (DCP) are businesses that keep and administer accounts for their customers, but generally do not issue digital currency to those customers directly. Customers buy or sell digital currency from digital currency exchanges, who transfer the digital currency into or out of the customer’s DCP account. Some exchanges are subsidiaries of DCP, but many are legally independent businesses. The denomination of funds kept in DCP accounts may be of a real or fictitious currency.
Often, the digital currency exchanges operate outside the Western countries to avoid regulation and prosecution. However, they do handle Western fiat currencies and maintain bank accounts in several countries to facilitate deposits in various national currencies.
Decentralized exchanges such as Etherdelta, IDEX and HADAX do not store users’ funds on the exchange, but instead facilitate peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trading. Decentralized exchanges are resistant to security problems that affect other exchanges, but as of mid 2018 suffer from low trading volumes.
Top cryptocurrency exchanges include Binance, Bitfinex, Bithumb, Bitstamp, Coinbase, Huobi, Kraken, OKEx, and Upbit.
You are better off using a VPN for crypto trading
Even though you can “get away” without a VPN, when you’re trading crypto – you’re better off having the best protection the money can buy. In that sense, a VPN should be a part of your security arsenal to protect you from “man in the middle” attacks and all kinds of other malware code that could be placed on your way of owning some crypto assets.
Moreover, a good VPN will also cover all other needs you may have — serving as a trusted companion that protects you in the background while also unlocking parts of the Internet that could otherwise be outside of your reach. In other words, a good VPN will cover all kinds of needs, including for:
- Accessing content that could otherwise be restricted in your physical location.
- Preventing tracking and minimizing your digital footprint so that no one can track you online (at least not that easily).
- Avoiding throttling from your ISP – which is known to happen when you’re torrenting or accessing video streaming services.
- Bypassing firewalls in a workplace, university, school and so on.
- Bypassing censorship in places like China, North Korea, countries in the Middle East, and even Turkey and Russia.
- Securely connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots – with a VPN encrypting all the traffic coming to and from your devices.
The bottom line is – get a VPN that fits all your needs. The top contenders include the following:
