How to buy cryptocurrency: A beginners guide

It is believed that Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous inventor of Bitcoin, owns the most Bitcoin. A wallet with approximately 1.1 million Bitcoins is linked to Nakamoto. However, it is also believed that none of these coins have been touched since early in Bitcoin’s history.

Conversely, you may be able to double or triple your investment—but there are no guarantees. Satoshi Nakamoto is a pseudonym for the person—or people—who created Bitcoin. However, more than 15 years after the first Bitcoin block was mined on January 3, 2009, Nakamoto’s identity is still unknown. For that reason, you might consider another way to buy and store your Bitcoin. You might be tempted to buy your Bitcoin on PayPal, but purchasing crypto this way means you cannot move your Bitcoin around easily. You may also have to verify your identity by submitting a photo or scan of a government-issued ID.

Thanks to its simple, easy-to-use interface, we found Gemini to be the best crypto exchange for beginners. Note that the platform’s slightly higher fees are worth paying in exchange for convenience and ease of use. Crypto.com  provides a very good selection of cryptocurrencies, with more than 250 available. The platform offers unique perks and crypto rewards for Crypto.com Visa Card  users. You may already own some crypto and want to sell it for some other crypto.

Should I Invest in Bitcoin?

If there’s not a lot of volume and you put an order in, that’s called slippage. You could end up buying at a higher price or selling at a lower price than you’d want. The platform is headquartered in Seychelles, with a growing number of users in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. While U.S. users can access and use the trading platform, KuCoin is not licensed in the U.S. Another heavy hitter when it comes to the sheer amount of coins available, KuCoin  provides access to a wide library of altcoins at low fees. However, you may already know you want to purchase a crypto asset other than BTC.

Given the recent ecosystem and political developments, cryptocurrencies are gaining rapid mainstream attention. Many individuals are beginning to understand and learn about cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and are seeking to learn how to get involved. This short guide will give you all the information necessary to invest in cryptocurrency, giving you the tools and knowledge to do so safely and efficiently.

He brings a unique perspective to wealth management and financial planning as he manages over $250 million in individual and family assets while leading a team of five. Thanasi’s hard work and expertise has been recognized, as LifeManaged was named to the fifth annual “Investopedia 100 List of the Most Influential Financial Advisors” in 2021. Out of more than 100,000 independent financial advisors in the U.S., the Investopedia 100 spotlights the country’s most engaged, influential and educational advisors.

Understanding cryptocurrency basics

They provide you with accounts where you can create different order types to buy, sell and speculate in the crypto market. Hardware wallets are the most secure option, with assets stored offline. Investors tend to use these for long-term storage because of the lack of asset mobility. Software wallets are necessary to interact with decentralized exchanges, making them better choices for higher-frequency transactions, while still providing ample security and control over assets. Decentralized crypto exchanges (DEX) distribute responsibility for facilitating and verifying crypto trades.

1. Please remember that the prices, yields and values of financial assets change.
2. Further, by sending cryptocurrencies to a hardware wallet, an investor can take their assets offline and make them far more secure.
3. Price volatility has long been one of the features of the cryptocurrency market.

You may not be able to buy or sell cryptocurrency until you complete the verification process. The platform may ask you to submit a copy of your driver’s license or passport, and you may even be asked to upload a selfie to prove your appearance matches the documents you submit. To buy cryptocurrency, first you need to pick a broker or a crypto exchange. While either lets you buy crypto, there debits and credits quiz and test are a few key differences between them to keep in mind. We calculate the total cryptocurrency market capitalization as the sum of all cryptocurrencies listed on the site.

Coinbase recommends that potential users refrain from setting up accounts through the browser on their phone. Investors who want to keep their cryptocurrency secure can benefit from using strong passwords. For example, a user might want to craft a password that has many different characters, including letters, numbers and symbols. Technically, a user can write their private keys on a piece of paper, or alternatively, they can type them up using a word processor and print them out. While this may seem basic, it at least eliminates the risk of someone accessing one’s private keys through the internet. The best exchange for you depends on your needs, but beginners should look for exchanges that offer simple web and mobile interfaces, educational resources, and readily available customer support.

In addition, Gemini offers an extensive selection of educational materials in its Cryptopedia library. Users can read up on a whole host of crypto topics, from advanced crypto trading strategies to understanding the latest developments in decentralized finance (DeFi). Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation.

Trading Fees

A crypto exchange is a platform dedicated to facilitating the trading of cryptocurrency. Each exchange has its own rules when it comes to the buying, selling, and trading of cryptocurrency. Once there is money in your account, you’re ready to place your first cryptocurrency order. There are hundreds of cryptocurrencies to choose from, ranging from well-known names like Bitcoin and Ethereum to more obscure cryptos like Theta Fuel or Holo.

How does cryptocurrency work?

Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that operates without the oversight of banks and governments. It holds the distinction of being the first-ever cryptocurrency, launched in 2009. Most crypto exchanges report their U.S.-based customers holdings to the IRS. Of the world’s largest crypto exchanges, it has been reported that KuCoin does not report information directly to any U.S. governmental organizations, including the IRS. However, KuCoin is also not licensed for use anywhere in the United States.

LifeManaged also made the Phoenix Business Journal’s “The List” of the largest Phoenix-area investment advisors in May of 2021. His goal is to help facilitate conversations to uncover people’s fears around money, then create solutions catered specifically to each client. Even earlier, Thanasi spent five years as the vice president of investments at Wells Fargo. His expertise in the industry allows him to be an ASU Barrett Honors College instructor in personal finance. He has a passion for education and teaching financial literacy, and he frequently speaks at schools and conferences and on podcasts.

Another way to gain investment exposure to Bitcoin is to buy shares in a company with significant Bitcoin exposure, such as a Bitcoin mining company. A third option is to invest in a Bitcoin-focused fund such as an exchange-traded fund (ETF). As an investor in cryptocurrency, you need to decide how much of your portfolio to allocate to digital assets. There are scores of exchanges out there, but as a beginner, you’ll want to opt for one that balances ease of use with low fees and high security.

That’s a 76% decrease in price over the course of approximately one year. The crypto exchange you use probably has an integrated Bitcoin wallet or at least a preferred partner where you can safely hold your BTC. Some people, however, do not feel comfortable leaving their crypto connected to the internet—in a “hot wallet”—where hackers may more easily steal it. There are many reasons why experts believe Bitcoin and other cryptos should only be a small percentage of any investor’s portfolio. One reason is that although cryptocurrencies have been lucrative for some long-term investors, cryptocurrencies in general still suffer from extreme volatility. It’s generally advisable to pay for cryptocurrency purchases with cash or with another crypto you own.