How to Buy Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrency became popular with Bitcoin's success, as its value rose from $0 per coin in 2013 to nearly $20,000 at the end of 2017 [1]. Today, numerous cryptocurrencies exist, some of which are very valuable while others remain low in value. 

With the hopes of finding the next Bitcoin, buying crypto has become a popular topic, whether that’s buying it for a personal investment or becoming a cryptocurrency trader and buying it for others. Below, we cover the basics of how to buy cryptocurrency and the knowledge and education you may need if you choose to pursue buying crypto.

Read more: Cryptocurrency: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Why buy cryptocurrency?

There are multiple reasons to purchase cryptocurrency, starting with the fact that it’s a transformational technology. This means crypto and its underlying technology have the potential to make massive changes in numerous industries, including banking. 

A crypto buyer might reap massive rewards in this world where transformational technology sometimes leads to massive payoffs. 

Another key reason for buying crypto is its stability and resistance to change from a single regulatory board. Crypto serves as a long-term store of value because there is a limited supply of coins available to be mined. Once all the coins have been mined, no more will be created. This is unlike fiat currency—paper money—which allows regulators or other government entities to print more money or dilute its value via inflation.

Read more: Cryptocurrency Explained: Definitions, Skills, and Opportunities

Steps to buying cryptocurrency

To buy cryptocurrency, you’ll need to go through the following steps.

1. Decide on a broker or crypto exchange.

First, you’ll need to choose the medium to purchase your cryptocurrency. Two of the most common methods are a crypto exchange or broker. While they share the same concept of offering a marketplace to buy and sell cryptocurrency, they work differently. 

A crypto broker buys and sells crypto for a client based on their portfolio or instructions. The broker is an intermediary between a buyer and a crypto marketplace or exchange. So, you go through a broker to purchase crypto from a marketplace. You can also be a broker, or a broker can be a firm or platform. Examples of cryptocurrency brokers include eToro, AvaTrade, TradeStation, and Webull.   

A crypto exchange is also an intermediary but sits between two traders. So if a seller goes to an exchange looking to sell crypto and you arrive wanting to buy crypto, the exchange connects the buyer and seller and conducts the transaction. Examples of cryptocurrency exchanges are Huobi Global, Uniswap, and Tokenlon. 

What to consider when choosing a broker or exchange

So, which broker or exchange is right for you? Here are a few variables to consider when choosing the right one: 

• Security: While crypto is secure against a regulatory agency devaluing it, it is still digital and susceptible to hackers and scams. Verify a broker or exchange has proper basic securities, such as two-factor authentication (2FA). Other security measures that further enhance its resistance to hackers and scams include biometric login and requiring government-issued identification to create an account. 

• Fee: You’ll typically pay a fee to use a broker or exchange, so compare the fees before choosing the right one. You’ll incur these fees when depositing, withdrawing, or trading crypto. The major US crypto exchange’s fees range from 0 to 5 percent [2]. As for brokerages, the fees vary more widely, with some charging no fees at all and others, like Robinhood, Coinbase and Gemini, charging 0.5 percent plus at least 99 cents [3, 4]. 

• Available coins: You can choose from upward of 20,000 different types of crypto to buy, so you have many options [5]. Choose the crypto you’re most interested in, then ensure the broker or exchange you’re considering offers it. Sticking to the larger exchanges, like Coinbase and Kraken, generally gives you the most flexibility. 

• Centralized or decentralized exchanges: A centralized exchange has one entity in charge of all the assets, so there is a lot of liquidity and rules and procedures for exchanging crypto. The added controls and liquidity lead to additional fees, and the fact that a single entity controls the process opens it to large-scale hacks. A decentralized exchange connects buyers and sellers with no one entity in control. This reduces fees but complicates the process and limits liquidity, potentially leading to an exchange filing bankruptcy and you potentially losing money. 

• Fiat conversion: Another thing to consider is that not all exchanges allow you to use fiat currency to purchase crypto. They only exchange crypto for other cryptos. If this is important to you, find an exchange offering a fiat wallet to store fiat currency to buy crypto digitally. 

2. Create and verify your account.

It’s time to sign up for your cryptocurrency exchange or brokerage account. Generally, creating this account involves a process called “know your customer” or KYC. This protects the company from fraudulent activities and often includes you providing the following information and documentation: 

• Date of birth

• Social Security number

• Physical address

• Scan of government-issued identification

• A selfie picture matching the photo on the identification

After that, you’ll also want to set up 2FA, which can be through a smartphone app, like Google Authenticator, or a code text messaged or emailed to you. It may take a few hours or even days to verify your identity and open your account fully.  

3. Choose a payment option and connect your broker or exchange.

Before trading, you must connect the payment method you wish to use to buy and liquidate crypto. Each brokerage or exchange will have different options, but the common choices are PayPal, credit card, debit card, bank transfer, or digital tokens. 

If you choose a crypto-only brokerage or exchange, they will only accept digital tokens.

Note the varying exchange fees by payment method, as some require higher fees than others. You’ll also want a secure option. Recognized entities such as Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal are the most secure payment options. Digital tokens are generally considered secure since they are protected by cryptography.  

4. Fund your crypto account.

With a selected payment method, you’re now ready to fund your exchange or brokerage account with digital tokens or fiat currency. If you choose a bank transfer, you’ll often save on fees, but this method is the least secure and can take several days to complete. 

If you choose a credit or debit card, you may pay additional fees, but the funds could appear in minutes or hours. Be aware that using a credit card will incur additional fees from paying the interest on your credit card balance.

5. Place your currency order.

After you establish your account with a broker or on an exchange, you’re ready to place your cryptocurrency order. You'll have options for how to order crypto. These options are as follows: 

• Market order: This is when you instantly instruct the broker or exchange to purchase cryptocurrency at the best available price. It is the most simple ordering style and does not require waiting for the crypto to reach a specific price before the transaction is complete. 

• Limit order: This is when you ask the brokerage or exchange to purchase cryptocurrency, but not until it reaches a specific price. For example, you want to buy five Bitcoins until the value reaches $15,000 per coin. Crypto sellers can see this order, which will sit on the marketplace until one is prepared to sell you crypto at your requested amount.

• Stop-limit order: This is similar to a limit order in that you set a maximum buying price (limit price), but you must set a time frame for the stop-limit order to be valid and a minimum buying price (stop price) that initiates the stop-limit order. Once the crypto price reaches your set stop price, the exchange creates a limit order to buy crypto up to the limit price. The exchange will not complete the trade if the crypto price exceeds the limit price. 

Read more: Cryptocurrency List (Important Cryptos Besides Bitcoin)

6. Select a safe storage method.

When buying cryptocurrency, you won’t receive a physical coin. Instead, you’ll acquire digital currency. You’ll want a safe storage method for this currency in this world of hacking and scams. 

You can leave the currency on the exchange or place it in a digital wallet. Let’s explore your options.

Leave the crypto on the exchange.

Many exchanges provide wallets to store the crypto you purchase. While this is a convenient way to store it, it’s not overly secure for several reasons, including:

• No control over keys: Your keys secure your digital wallet, and an exchange-provided wallet has two keys. The public key is the address to your wallet and is how people send you crypto. Your private key is the password to your wallet, and the exchange knows this key on an exchange-provided wallet. This is good because the exchange can provide a replacement key if you forget it, but it’s also susceptible to hacking and data leaks. If your private key leaks, hackers can drain your wallet. 

• Frozen wallets: It’s rare, but exchanges can also freeze wallets for various reasons, including fraudulent activity or if the exchange goes bankrupt.

• Transaction fees: If you store your crypto on an exchange wallet and perform transactions from it, you may incur fees for every transaction. These fees are generally small but can add up. 

Choose hot wallets.

Hot wallets are like exchange-provided wallets, as they live online and can be accessed anytime from anywhere. However, unlike an exchange wallet, a hot wallet gives the wallet owner complete control, including exclusive access to the private key.

This complete control limits your exposure to wide-ranging hacks and limits fees, but if you lose the keys, you lose your crypto. With these accounts, keeping your keys in a safe location, such as in a safe or safety deposit box at a bank is critical. Examples of hot wallet options include Coinbase, Electrum, and Mycelium.

Choose cold wallets.

A cold wallet is one of the most secure crypto storage options, as it has no connection to the internet, so it is immune to hackers. Some people may refer to these as offline or hardware wallets too. 

A cold wallet is a piece of hardware that stores your public and private keys. You then use the hardware’s included software to view your portfolio without inputting your keys into an internet-based application or website. Instead, you simply get the keys from your cold wallet—typically by connecting the USD hardware to your computer—to access your crypto account on your computer. Some hardware cold wallets include Trezor, Ledger Nano, and SafePal S1. 

A cold wallet can also be as simple as a piece of paper you use to write down your keys. This is less secure, as you can lose the paper, the ink may fade, or the paper could get destroyed. Typically, it’s best to laminate these keys and put them in a safety deposit box. 

Alternative ways to buy cryptocurrency

Brokerages and crypto exchanges are far from the only way to buy cryptocurrency. Let’s explore some of the alternatives. 

1. Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs)

Like the stock market, crypto has ETFs, too. These are funds composed of one or more cryptocurrencies that rise and fall in value based on the values of the digital tokens held in the ETF. Crypto ETFs are a way to diversify your crypto portfolio without buying each crypto individually. 

2. Bitcoin ATMs

Bitcoin automatic teller machines (ATMs) are similar to bank ATMs, where you can receive and move money. However, unlike a bank ATM, these machines don’t dispense physical cash. Instead, you can use cash or a debit or credit card to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptos without creating an exchange or brokerage account. You can then wire the amount to your digital wallet.

3. P2P exchanges

Peer-to-peer (P2P) crypto exchanges work a lot like standard crypto exchanges in that you buy and sell crypto from and to other individuals. However, the difference is that formal crypto exchanges often have strict identity-verification protocols before you can use them. P2P networks, on the other hand, tend to be more relaxed. 

Also, P2P networks allow you to work directly with another individual to buy crypto instead of relying on an automated engine to find your ideal trading partner. This allows you to choose the best deal for yourself without exchange fees. 

The downside is being looser with the restrictions opens these networks to scammers and hackers. Also, manually finding a trading partner can be a slow process. 

Skills needed to trade cryptocurrencies

Most of the skills you'll need to trade cryptocurrencies involve patience, discipline, and other character traits. Some skills to develop over time and through experience include: 

• Discernment: Discernment is the ability to use keen insight and judgment. You'll need to develop the capacity to assess a situation and determine if it’s the right move at the right time, then make a decision based on that determination.

• Skepticism: Being a skeptic is crucial in crypto trading, as you need to question the motives behind many events.

• Adaptability: The crypto market is constantly changing. This means you must continually adapt to meet the new market norms. Maybe the trading approach you've used for the past five years no longer works. It’s your job to realize this and change so you can remain profitable. 

• Self-evaluation: Trading crypto can be emotional; sometimes, you can quickly gain or lose profits. You must evaluate your feelings and realize what triggers these emotions, as strong emotions can lead to rash, incorrect trading decisions. Understanding your emotional triggers will help limit these events. 

• Risk management: Managing your losses is another important skill you'll develop while trading crypto, as some days you may achieve significant gains, and other days you may face losses. These investments should always keep you financially sound; developing this skill will ensure you stay in a strong position.

• Research: Watching the pattern of crypto is helpful but not entirely straightforward. The goal is to recognize past patterns and use that recognition to predict what will happen. Recognizing and analyzing these patterns will help you better understand what a specific currency may do in the future. 

• Discipline: Discipline is the final skill to learn as a crypto trader. This means setting rules and guidelines that drive your success and sticking to them, regardless of whether someone is watching you. This involves resisting the urge to impulsively buy crypto during a surge, holding onto crypto even when tempted to sell for profits, and adhering to your planned stop-loss number.

Degree and qualifications for cryptocurrency traders

While you don’t need a college degree to get into cryptocurrency trading, one can come in handy if you plan on making it a career. Let’s explore a few degree options for someone exploring a career in crypto trading. 

• Master of Science in Digital Financial Technologies (FinTech): This master’s degree program can help someone with a bachelor’s degree in finance or a related field become a crypto expert. You’ll learn about cryptocurrencies, smart contracts, blockchain, and cybersecurity. You’ll also learn the strategies and tools needed to develop market-driven skills.

• Master’s in blockchain and digital currency: This course helps financial services and business professionals understand the technical side of crypto and blockchain. It’ll also help you understand how crypto will interact with the current monetary and financial system.

Certifications that can help crypto traders

Certifications help you hone your skills as a crypto trader and set you apart if you decide to make this your career. Let’s review some certifications you may consider to help you be a better crypto trader. 

• Certified Cryptocurrency Trader (CCT): In this course from the Blockchain Council, you’ll gain a basic overview of blockchain and crypto, then get more in-depth with modules covering analysis, risk management, trading fundamentals, derivatives, cryptonomics, scams, and more. You’ll take an exam to become a Certified Cryptocurrency Trader at the end of this six-hour, self-paced course. 

• Certified Bitcoin Expert: The Blockchain Council also offers certifications in Bitcoin. This course teaches you about the P2P network, Bitcoin regulations, buying Bitcoins, Bitcoin variations, Bitcoin trading, and more. This six-hour, self-paced course culminates with a certification exam. 

• Certified Ethereum Expert: The Blockchain Council also has a certification for those looking to specialize in Ethereum trading. This course teaches you about the Ethereum blockchain, smart contracts, blockchain use cases, blockchain for businesses, mining, and more. This five-hour course is also self-paced and ends with a certification exam. 

Next steps in buying cryptocurrency

Ready to buy cryptocurrency or learn more about blockchain? You can dip deeper into the topic with a wide range of online Specializations on Coursera, including Financial Technology (Fintech) Innovations Specialization. This program covers blockchain, cryptocurrency, innovations in investment technology, and more. Upon completion, gain a shareable Professional Certificate to include in your resume, CV, or LinkedIn profile.