What is a Asset? Definition and explanations for beginners

Easy

You wonder what is an asset ? The term asset designates any active , good or resource having a value and which can be held, exchanged or used to generate profits.

Table of contents

Simple definition of an asset

An asset is an asset or a good owned by a person, a business or an organization. It can be a physical object, a digital resource or a financial law. In French, we also speak of assets , heritage , value or to have .

Examples of assets in everyday life

  • A house or an apartment
  • A car
  • Shares or bonds
  • Works of art
  • Cryptocurrencies
  • NFT
  • Copyright

Asset's meaning in finance and investment

In finance, an asset is any element of value held in an investment portfolio Assets interests ) or gain value over time. wealth management and investment strategy .

The main categories of financial assets

  • shares and securities
  • Rate obligations
  • Real estate
  • Raw materials (gold, oil, etc.)
  • Cryptocurrencies and digital active ingredients

Asset and cryptocurrency: a new generation of assets

In the universe of cryptocurrencies , the word asset designates any digital active active in a blockchain . This includes:

  • The cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, ethereum , solana …)
  • Tokens , governance tokens ...)
  • NFT ( non -fungible tokens, unique digital works)
  • The stablecoin s (cryptos backed with a stable value)

An Asset Crypto is therefore a financial asset which only exists in digital form and whose property is guaranteed by blockchain .

What is a digital asset?

A digital asset is a resource or a property that exists in digital form. This includes cryptocurrencies , but also:

  • Multimedia files (images, videos, music)
  • Documents (PDF, presentations, electronic contracts)
  • Software licenses
  • Databases

In the business sector, the management of digital assets is called Digital Asset Management (DAM).

Why are the assets important in investment?

Assets constitute the basis of any investment portfolio . They allow:

  • Generate passive income
  • Protect your heritage against inflation
  • Take advantage of market growth
  • Diversify your sources of income

How to buy crypto assets?

To acquire digital assets such as cryptocurrencies, we recommend Bitvavo in particular. This platform offers:

  • Very competitive costs (maximum 0.25 % on the platform for beginners and even 0.05 % max on USDC pairs of the Pro Platform).
  • Very rare applied spreads and explicitly mentioned if necessary, including on the beginner interface.
  • Over 350 cryptocurrencies available.
  • An environment regulated and registered with European financial authorities.
  • A simplified interface for beginners.
  • The possibility of making free deposits in euros by bank transfer or SEPA.
  • Excellent security with partial insurance on funds in the event of a problem.

A free guide to understand everything step by step

To be guided in more detail to learn to invest in cryptocurrency and to decentralize your funds using a decentralized portfolio, we offer our free guide.

In this guide, you will find:

  • How to create an account on a centralized exchange,
  • How to make your verification KYC,
  • How to deposit and withdraw euros safely,
  • How to decentralize your funds and interact directly with the blockchain,
  • Practical advice to avoid beginner's mistakes.
All this with screenshots, step by step.

Management and monitoring of assets: the main thing to remember

The management and monitoring of your digital assets do not stop at their acquisition: it is strongly advised to ensure their protection, in particular by using a Cold Wallet .

These physical devices, designed to store your offline cryptocurrencies, offer reinforced security against hacking, viruses or phishing attempts, which remain major risks in the crypto universe. Among the most recognized solutions, we find Ledger and Trezor , two leading brands offering reliable and efficient wallet hardware.

Ledger is distinguished by its integrated secure element, a chip that protects your private keys by completely insulating them from the rest of the system, while Trezor is betting on open-source firmware audited by the community, with advanced features such as Shamir backup for additional protection.

If you already have cryptocurrencies or plan to acquire them, going through a cold wallet is a recommended step to secure your assets in the long term .

To choose the model that best suits your needs, we invite you to consult our articles " Which Ledger to choose?" As well as our " Ledger vs Trezor comparison ", where we detail the differences in terms of safety, ergonomics, compatibility and price.

In summary

An asset is all good , active or resource with value and that can be held, exchanged or used to invest. In the universe of cryptocurrencies , an asset designates a digital asset such as Bitcoin, a token or an NFT . Understanding what an asset is the first step to properly manage its assets and invest effectively in the financial markets or cryptocurrencies .

Investments in cryptocurrencies are risky. Crypternon could not be held responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused following the use of a property or service put forward in this article. Readers must do their own research before undertaking any action and investing only within the limits of their financial capacities. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This article does not constitute an investment advice.

Certain links of this article are sponsorship links, which means that if you buy a product or you register via these links, we will collect a commission on the part of the sponsored company. These commissions do not train any additional cost for you as a user and certain sponsorships allow you to access promotions.

AMF recommendations. There is no guaranteed high yield, a product with high performance potential implies a high risk. This risk taking must be in line with your project, your investment horizon and your ability to lose part of this savings. Do not invest if you are not ready to lose all or part of your capital.

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