If you’re looking to invest in cryptocurrency for the first time, you will be entering a trading space that has now surpassed a market value of $1.18 trillion.

More than 20,000 different cryptocurrencies exist, all with different use cases, specialisms, market caps, prices and potential for the future.

In this beginner’s guide, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about investing in cryptocurrency, including how to balance and diversify your portfolio.

Key topics include how to choose a safe and low-cost cryptocurrency exchange, selecting the best digital currencies, and the steps required to invest in less than five minutes.

We will also discuss the inherent risks of crypto investing and what steps to take against scammers.

How to Invest in Cryptocurrency for Beginners – 5 Easy Steps

There are numerous ways to invest in cryptos but the safest, quickest and easiest is to find a regulated online broker and download its mobile app.

We recommend eToro as our top choice but there are hundreds of crypto exchanges available, as well as crypto wallets – such as MetaMask – that allow users to purchase and store crypto.

Here’s a quick-fire overview of how to invest in cryptocurrency at eToro or a similarly regulated trading app.

  • Step 1 – Download App and Open Account: Find the eToro app in iOS or Android stores and download it. Then, open an account for free.
  • Step 2 – Verify Identity: As a regulated broker, users need to verify their identity – this is with a photo ID and proof of address.
  • Step 3 – Deposit Funds: Users can quickly, securely and easily deposit funds in the eToro wallet, with a $10 (or equivalent) minimum.
  • Step 4 – Find Crypto Tokens: Investors should conduct proper research on any cryptocurrency they may be interested in – eToro supports more than 75 leading tokens.
  • Step 5 – Purchase Tokens: Once found, enter the amount of a select token to buy and click ‘Open Trade’.

First-time traders might appreciate a slightly more detailed guide on how to invest in cryptocurrency, or on how to invest in a crypto presale – both of which can be found near the bottom of this article.

Cryptocurrency Investment Explained

The most simple way to understand cryptocurrency is to view them as stocks – like Apple and Google, investors are buying into a project but rather than buying shares of a company they are buying crypto tokens.

Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is, of course, a lot more complex than that but at the most basic and foundational level that will allow new investors to understand what they are buying.

crypto top 15

Buying Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) as a beginner is really no different to buying Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG) or Amazon (AMZN) stock.

As we outlined in our quick steps above, many trading platforms offer crypto trading and investment alongside traditional trading and investment.

The price of a particular crypto is, just like a stock, based on supply and demand – the more people that are interested and invest in a certain project, the more its value will increase over time.

Answering which, when and why certain cryptos will increase in price is a much more complex question to answer, but the actions needed to invest are almost identical.

There are a great many exchanges and trading platforms that offer crypto investment, but new starters should also be aware that greater regulation is coming to the space.

Binance and Coinbase, two of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, have just been targeted in a lawsuit from the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which has accused them of violating securities rules.

sp500

The lawsuits will have huge ramifications for the two exchanges, and other smaller ones not named, so new crypto investors may wish to stick to brokers that are fully regulated in their country at the start of their journey.

The crypto investing space is muddied because investors are also able to invest in crypto presales (often called an ICO) – similar to a stock market IPO – which are projects that are not yet available on trading platforms.

There is also a significant difference between centralized (CEX) and decentralized exchanges (DEX).

However, these are not things that crypto beginners really need to worry about initially, but things that can be learned over time as they can offer huge potential for returns.

Types of Crypto to Invest In

There are many different types of crypto that offer many different types of use cases.

Comparing Bitcoin and Ethereum, the two largest and most popular cryptos, is futile even if they exist in the same sphere.

Following the stock market analogy, it would be like directly comparing Google and Amazon – both may be Big Tech firms but they have completely different business models, use cases, identities, governance structures and so on.

There are more than 20,000 cryptos in the space covering a vast variety of niches, from decentralized app development, decentralized finance, crypto gaming and so on.

The ever-popular meme coin niche is made of tokens that often have zero utility and has been likened to purchasing a lottery ticket.

Is Cryptocurrency a Good Investment?

Cryptocurrency investment can be extremely lucrative and profitable but comes with the same risks that all investment does – nothing is guaranteed.

Crypto price action is much more exaggerated and volatile than investing in stocks or commodities, which means that while wins will be bigger, losses will be much worse.

The most important factor new crypto investors need to understand is their own personal investor profile.

This is made up of many factors such as risk tolerance, amount of capital available and investment goals – $100 can be a significant amount of money for some and inconsequential for others.

Most importantly, we would recommend only investing amounts that you can afford to lose.

Investor Profile

Broadly speaking, investors fall into one of the conservative, moderate or aggressive investor types.

To work out which you may be, the following factors should be considered:

  1. Capital: An investor that only has $100 will have to be more conservative in their investments than one who has $1,000 or $10,000.
  2. Age: Generally, younger investors can afford to risk more capital (relatively) and spend more time researching riskier projects as they have fewer responsibilities.
  3. Comfort Level: People are different, some are naturally more risk-averse and others are more gung-ho. Consider your own personality and how you might react to dramatic price changes – both up and down.
  4. Timeline: While some investors are prepared and can afford to wait a long-time for their investments to bear fruit, others may want to make quick cash.
  5. Investing Goals: It is also important to understand why you are investing as this will be a major factor in what you are prepared to risk.

Should I Invest in Cryptocurrency? Benefits of Crypto Investing

In this section, we will talk about some of the reasons why so many investors are now turning to cryptocurrencies to make both short and long-term financial gains.

Cryptocurrencies Smash Through Stock Market Gains

While cryptocurrencies are inherently risker than traditional stocks, the former continues to generate significantly higher gains both in the short term and as a longer-term investment.

If we compare the leading stock to the leading crypto, the differences are vast. In the past year, Apple (AAPL) has increased in price by around 33% from $137 to $189, but in that same time period, Bitcoin (BTC) has increased from $20,280 to $30,340 – a gain of 49.5%.

btc 12months 2906

Extending that to five years and BTC has gained more than 400% and AAPL has gained 300%.

Not factored into these numbers is that Apple is at an all-time high price at the time of writing, while Bitcoin is more than 50% down from its November 2021 ATH of $69,000.

Bitcoin is also one of the more conservative crypto picks that can be made. Only in May was there a meme coin frenzy that saw the likes of Pepe gain 7,000% in around two weeks and Miladys pump more than 5,000% in just 24 hours.

There are numerous other examples of cryptos making incredible gains, with the likes of Dogecoin and Shiba Inu two other famous examples from the last bull run.

Of course, crypto investment comes with much greater risk than stock or commodity investment so investors should have a diverse portfolio that includes both.

Investment Diversity

That leads us to our next point, crypto investment is a relatively new and exciting asset class that, in our opinion, should make up a portion of an investment portfolio.

It is good to have a split between conservative, moderate and aggressive investments, to cover all bases.

If possible, crypto investment should sit alongside traditional stock investment, real estate and so on.

Within crypto investment, there is also a massive range of choice open to investors to suit all interests.

altcoins

There are decentralized finance projects, crypto games and the metaverse, meme coins and so on.

Again, your crypto portfolio should have a mix of ‘safe’ and ‘risky’ projects to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.

New investors may wish to first stick with established projects such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and when they are more comfortable and experienced, move on to smaller market cap cryptos and presales.

Large market cap projects are less volatile but the upside potential might be more limited.

On the other hand, small market cap projects offer the potential for greater profit margins but also increased risk of loss as they have no established marketplace or utility.

There is also the option to gain exposure to multiple cryptos via a single index fund.

Crypto as a Currency

Increasingly, crypto tokens such as BTC, ETH, USDT and others can be used to purchase goods and services.

The American banking crisis saw the collapse of multiple banks at the start of 2023, while rampant inflation and rate hikes have seen some lose trust in traditional financial institutions and fiat currency.

The use of crypto as a currency and for financial services continues to increase globally – especially in the developing world – and is expected to have major uptake in the coming decades.

Bitcoin and other cryptos can also be used to purchase goods or to play at dedicated crypto casinos.

Major Companies are Engaging With Cryptocurrency

Some of the largest financial institutions and most recognizable multinational companies are now fully engaged with cryptocurrency and actively investing in the space.

For example, Tesla – which is one of the largest companies globally with a market capitalization of over $1 trillion, invested $1.5 billion from its balance sheet in late 2020 into Bitcoin.

Then you have companies like Overstock, Paypal, Microsoft, and Starbucks – all of which allow you to buy with Bitcoin on their respective products and services.

Those same companies, as well as the likes of Nike and Adidas, have also partnered with various crypto companies to offer Web3 services to customers and to develop a presence in the metaverse.

On the financial side, BlackRock, Invesco and Fidelity are among some of the world’s largest financial institutions to recently apply to offer Bitcoin ETFs (exchange-traded funds) to their customers.

Cryptocurrency can Yield Capital Gains and Regular Income

Another major reason that is leading to more and more people investing in cryptocurrency is that digital assets now allow you to make money on two fronts.

First, as noted earlier, you will make a profit from your cryptocurrency investment if the value of the token increases in the open marketplace.

However, investors can also deposit their digital tokens into crypto savings accounts to earn passive income or to stake them and earn interest that way.

There are a range of financial services available with cryptos, including as a lender.

Cryptocurrency is a Trailblazing Concept 

Cryptocurrency has achieved legitimacy in many ways – especially when you consider the vast number of established companies and brands that are now engaged in this space.

However, it is also important to remember that the world’s first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was only launched in 2009.

altcoins like arb's price in cart

That is less than 15 years ago and some of the largest cryptocurrency projects in this space are even younger.

Blockchain technology promises to solve many of the world’s issues because of its ability to process things in a super-fast, efficient and transparent manner.

We are on the cusp of switching from Web2 to Web3, with the development of the metaverse also likely to change the way people work and live in the coming years, with crypto firms at the very forefront of this charge.

All in all, it is far from too late to invest in cryptocurrency – as the broader marketplace is still in its infancy and developing.

The Best Cryptocurrencies to Invest in – Presale Projects

After almost 18 months of a bear market cycle, things appear to be perking up in the crypto space.

Bitcoin has been pumping in recent weeks and is up more than 80% in 2023 amid a banking crisis in the US, SEC regulation against other leading altcoins, and applications for Bitcoin ETFs by numerous leading asset managers.

The future looks bright despite ongoing regulatory woes in the industry and with the Bitcoin halving expected in mid-2024, analysts predict we could soon be entering a bull market.

Throughout the bear market, however, crypto investors were also able to make gains by finding the best crypto presale projects and investing in them early.

Presale projects are more high risk but often offer a much higher potential for large returns than more established tokens, as they offer prices at below market value to build hype and encourage investment in a project.

However, investors have to ensure they do proper research and due diligence with any crypto presale.

How To Find and Research Crypto Presales

Dozens of new crypto presales launch every day but it can be difficult to separate the best projects, especially for beginners.

  • Use social media sites and ICO calendars such as CoinCodex or ICOLink to find new projects.
  • Read a project’s whitepaper to decide whether it is a worthy investment. Red flags include poorly written, vague or incomplete whitepapers.
  • Check the roadmap to see if the timescale is realistic and the tokenomics to ensure the contract is audited and fair.
  • Check social media sentiment to see if there is interest in the project – projects with no interest from the community will struggle to launch.

Wall Street Memes (WSM) – Exciting Crypto Presale to Invest In with Huge Community Support

Wall Street Memes ($WSM) is a new meme coin project that only launched its presale a month ago but has already secured more than $11 million of investment.

The project is backed by a massive community of almost a million social media followers – with Elon Musk a known fan – and previously developed highly popular Wall Street Bulls NFT collections on Ethereum and Bitcoin Ordinals.

wall street memes

Wall Street Memes has a max supply of 2 billion $WSM tokens, with 50% of tokens available through 30 presale stages and no vesting stage. The project is already in stage 20 with tokens currently priced at $0.0307.

The remaining supply is split between community rewards (30%) and CEX (10%) and DEX (10%) liquidity.

Notably, no tokens have been reserved or allocated to the team of developers, which shows this will be a totally community-driven project.

More information on the project can be found on their social media pages via Linktree.

yPredict (YPRED) – AI-Powered Crypto Platform to Help Users Maximize Profits

While Wall Street Memes is tapping into the hyped meme coin market, yPredict will utilize another highly influential asset class – artificial intelligence.

The $YPRED token presale has now raised more than $2.6 million with tokens on sale for $0.09, at the time of writing, and rising to $0.012 in the final presale stage.

ypredict robot

The yPredict ecosystem, built on Polygon, is made up of AI and machine learning experts, software engineers and financial quants and professional traders.

Users purchase $YPRED tokens to gain access to different tools, predictive trading models and other insights through a three-tier subscription model.

Financial data scientists can also offer results and signals generated through their predictive models, with yPredict also providing a marketplace to sell model predictors.

Join the Telegram group for more information.

Other Top Cryptocurrencies to Invest in

Away from the top presale projects, there are tens of thousands of digital tokens to choose from in a wide range of asset classes, with various utilities and at different stages of their developmental cycles.

Knowing which cryptocurrency to invest in can be a cumbersome and challenging process and will largely depend on an individual investor, their expectations, interests and risk tolerance – points we all cover above.

If this is your first time investing in cryptocurrency, there are a small handful of projects that a large portion of the crypto community have invested in.

Bitcoin (approx 50%) and Ethereum (approx 20%) make up around 70% of the entire crypto market and are far and away the most popular cryptos to invest in.

Bitcoin (BTC)

It will likely come as no surprise to learn that Bitcoin is the most popular crypto investment for both new and established crypto investors as well as institutional investors.

Bitcoin was the world’s first cryptocurrency and has the longest track record of success in the space, having increased millions of percent since it was created.

Bitcoin and gold

Despite enduring a tough 18 months, Bitcoin is not only enjoying a strong performance in 2023 as it approaches the halving in 2024 but is also still more than 50% down from its all-time high, making it an enticing investment opportunity.

Bitcoin has seen increased institutional uptake in recent weeks and analysts still believe it will surpass $100k in the next bull run – an increase of 233%.

While other cryptos will likely exceed those gains in the coming months and years, BTC stands alone as the best long-term crypto investment and has been described as ‘digital gold’.

Furthermore, it is also important that investors understand Bitcoin dominance – essentially because of its dominance of the market, when BTC is performing well so does the rest of the market, and vice versa.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum was launched in 2015 and since then its native ETH token has increased in value by more than 5 million percent.

While Bitcoin is largely used as a store of value and has very little use except as a currency in a minority of places, Ethereum is a thriving network loved by decentralized app (dApp) builders.

Ethereum ETH 2.0 Ethereum Price Analysis

Leading Web3 projects such as liquid staking firm Lido, crypto lender AAVE and decentralized exchange Uniswap are built on the Ethereum blockchain, as well as many thousands of smaller projects.

According to crypto data analysis firm DeFiLlama, Ethereum has almost 60% market dominance over other chains with a $25 billion TVL (Total Value Locked) – the value of other projects built on top of it – five times its nearest rival.

It is also the leading blockchain for NFT collections and crypto games, meaning ETH has huge utility as a currency.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

Ripple (XRP)

XRP is a much-loved crypto that could be set to explode in 2023 given it has been locked in a two-year court case with the US SEC that is expected to end soon.

The court case is asking whether XRP’s parent company Ripple violated securities laws.

XRP valuation model

XRP provides banks and large financial institutions with technology that can execute cross-border transactions and unlike traditional systems, XRP permits cheap and near-instant transfers – regardless of the currencies involved.

Currently priced at just less than $0.50, one recent study from private equity firm Valhill Capital – which took two years to undertake – suggests XRP’s fair market value could be around $12,000 per token.

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

What are the Risks of Investing in Cryptocurrency? 

It is all good and well to focus on the many benefits that you can take advantage of when you invest in cryptocurrency.

However, seasoned traders will always consider the risks of an asset class before proceeding with an investment.

We take a closer look at some of the main risks to consider when you invest in cryptocurrency.

Speculative

All investment is speculative and crypto is at the higher end of the speculative scale – no tokens are guaranteed to bring returns and none should be treated as sure-fire ways to earn a profit.

While it is considered extremely likely by many that Bitcoin, for example, will break a new all-time high in 2024 and could even reach six figures, there is no promise that it will happen.

hoge finance

All crypto investors should understand that they absolutely will make some losing investments. Not all tokens succeed, even if they tick boxes that look like a legitimate path to success.

Furthermore, many cryptos – especially meme coins – have a very short shelf life as they offer no utility or inherent value and once the hype has moved away from them they struggle to ever return to their previous prices.

One such example to consider is Hoge Finance, a meme coin that peaked in April 2021 with a market cap of $240 million and daily trading volume of almost $15 million.

However, HOGE (pictured above) has been on a downturn ever since and currently has a market cap of just $6 million and trading volume of only $10,000 – with the price of the token 98% down from its all-time high.

Volatile

As we have mentioned several times in this article, the price of cryptos is extremely volatile, especially with small market cap coins.

Stock prices for Apple, Amazon or Microsoft are never going to dramatically change overnight because their market caps are hundreds of trillions of dollars.

On the other hand, while cryptos can make dramatic gains in just hours, days and weeks, they can also see dramatic sell-offs.

At the height of its popularity, Dogecoin grew nearly 8,000% to $0.71 in early 2021 before falling to $0.16 – a 77.5% loss – just four weeks later. It has not been above that price since.

Rug Pulls and Other Scams

Because there is so much money to be made in the crypto space, and a high level of technical knowledge is needed, there is a number of scammers that operate in the market.

Scams come in all sorts of different guises but one of the most regular and profitable iterations for scammers is the ‘rug pull’.

This is a project that was created with the sole intention of scamming investors, or pulling the rug from under them.

A recent example of this was Squid Game coin, which resulted in investors losing millions of dollars after being unable to sell their tokens.

Hacks

Hacking crypto wallets and exchanges is another extremely lucrative avenue for crypto scammers

Protocols, crypto wallets and exchanges can be hacked remotely with the funds then difficult to be recovered.

2022 crypto hacks

According to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, 2022 was the biggest year ever for crypto hacks with almost $4 billion stolen from various DeFi protocols.

Around $1.7 billion of the hacks were accredited to the Lazarus Group, which is said to be backed by the North Korean government and helping to fund the state’s nuclear missile program.

Regulation

While many agree that increased regulation is key to driving mainstream adoption of crypto, there is also a growing feeling that crypto is under attack from regulators such as the SEC.

Recently, the body filed lawsuits against the top two crypto exchanges, Binance and Coinbase and also said that various leading altcoins were in violation of securities laws.

That saw the value of Polygon, Tron, Cosmos and other leading tokens plummet and the threat of increased regulation in the US will undoubtedly change how crypto operates as well as the price potential of individual tokens.

It is essential to keep abreast of the latest crypto news if you are a short or long-term investor, to understand how regulation could affect your holdings.

Where to Invest in Cryptocurrency 

There are over 100+ exchanges and brokers in the online space that allow you to invest in cryptocurrency. When thinking about where to invest in cryptocurrency, we would suggest choosing a provider that is regulated to ensure that you can invest in safety.

It’s also a good idea to choose a platform that offers low fees and of course – support for your preferred cryptocurrencies.

In the sections below, you will find reviews of where to invest in cryptocurrency assets safely and in a low-cost way.

1. eToro – Overall Best Place to Invest in Cryptocurrency

etoro logoeToro was launched in 2007 and is one of the most trusted mobile trading platforms in the space and is heavily regulated, with offices in the US, UK, Australia and Cyprus.

It has become one of the best copy trading platforms and offers access to a wide range of asset classes – as well as more than 75 cryptos, users can also invest in everything from ETFs and index funds to forex and commodities.

eToro exchange

When it comes to fees, eToro allows US clients to deposit USD on a fee-free basis, which is the case irrespective of which deposit type you choose.  Options here include ACH, e-wallets like Paypal and Neteller, online banking, and debit/credit cards. Trading commissions when you buy cryptocurrency cost just 1%.

If you are interested in gaining exposure to cryptocurrency but you don’t know which tokens to add to your portfolio, eToro offers a duo of passive trading tools. First, there are professionally managed smart portfolios, which allow you to diversify across more than a dozen digital currencies through a single investment.

Users might also consider the copy trading tool, which allows them to mirror the cryptocurrency investments of a proven trader like-for-like. The minimum investment stake with copy trading is just $200.

Alternatively, for more control and flexibility over your cryptocurrencies, the eToro wallet app can be downloaded to your iOS or Android smartphone.

Finally, we should note that eToro is perhaps the best crypto exchange in the market for complete beginners – as both its website and mobile app are super easy to use.

Number of Cryptos 60
Trading Commission 1% plus market spread
Debit Card Fee FREE
Minimum Deposit $10

What We Like

  • Heavily regulated
  • Super low trading fees
  • No deposit fees
  • Supports dozens of coins including Tron and Zcash.
  • Deposit funds with a debit/credit card, e-wallet, or bank transfer
  • Copy trading tools
  • Access to the greenest cryptocurrencies

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. 

2. Webull - Invest in Crypto With Just $1  

webull logoThere is no longer a requirement to risk large sums of money when you invest in crypto - especially when you have an account with a broker like Webull. Put simply, this top-rated brokerage site allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrency from just $1 per trade. 

And, best of all, you won't be required to meet a minimum deposit when you open an account. As such, this means that you can deposit $1 to get a feel for how the cryptocurrency platform at Webull works. With that said, it's best to use ACH when depositing funds here - as no transaction fees are charged.

webull platform screenshot

Domestic bank wires, however, are charged at $8 per transaction. Nonetheless, another major benefit of choosing Webull to invest in crypto is that you will not pay any commissions. Bid-ask market spreads start at 1% here, so do bear that in mind when calculating your investment costs. 

If you are looking for a cryptocurrency broker that also enables you to invest in traditional assets - Webull also offers stocks, ETFs, and options. These financial instruments can also be bought and sold on a commission-free basis - plus the market spread. Finally, Webull offers retirement accounts across various IRAs, but no copy trading tools are available.

        

Number of Cryptos 20+
Trading Commission 0% commission plus market spread
Debit Card Fee ACH and bank wires only
Minimum Deposit No minimum deposit

What We Like:

  • 0% commission broker
  • Minimum position size only $1
  • Real-time market data and charting features
  • Two-factor authentication offered
  • $5 reward when completing first crypto trade

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No UK or EU investor protection.

3. Binance - Low Fee Exchange to Invest in 600 Cryptocurrencies  

Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange globally. With that said, the exchange offers a domestic version of its website that is only accessible to US clients. And, compared to the 600+ cryptocurrencies hosted on the main Binance website, the US version of this exchange supports 80+ markets.

Nevertheless, once you have opened a verified account here and made a deposit, you can trade cryptocurrencies at a commission of just 0.10% per slide. Moreover, when funding your Binance account via ACH or a domestic bank wire, you won't be charged any transaction fees.

On the other hand, depositing with a debit or credit card is expensive here, with Binance charging 4.5%. Moreover, this is in addition to an instant buy fee of 0.5%. When it comes to trading tools, this is where Binance stands out. This is because you can analyze the cryptocurrency markets through high-level technical indicators and charting features. 

However, these tools won't be suitable for beginners, so do bear this in mind before you open an account with Binance. Another popular feature offered by Binance is its Trust Wallet app - which enables you to store thousands of different tokens across multiple blockchains. For a simpler way to store your crypto investments - you can use the main Binance web wallet.  

As noted above, it is important to understand that Binance has been targeted by several regulators globally and is firmly in the crosshairs of the US SEC.

        

Number of Cryptos 80+
Trading Commission Up to 0.10%
Debit Card Fee 4.5% plus an instant buy fee of 0.5%
Minimum Deposit Depends on the payment method

What We Like:

  • 80+cryptocurrencies to trade
  • Low trading commissions
  • Dedicated staking service gives users access to the best staking coins
  • Suitable for technical traders

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No UK or EU investor protection.

4. Coinbase - Top Exchange for First-Time Cryptocurrency Investors    

coinbase logoThe Coinbase website itself offers a somewhat bare-bones service - which will likely appeal to first-time investors. There is no complicated jargon found at Coinbase and when you invest in cryptocurrency - you will be guided through the required process step-by-step.     

Coinbase is a heavily regulated exchange that is now listed on the NASDAQ as a tradable stock. We like that the platform keeps 98% of client funds in cold storage and all accounts must have two-factor authentication installed. All in all, Coinbase is one of the safest cryptocurrency platforms in this industry.

coinbase platform screenshot

However, Coinbase also charges some of the highest fees that we have come across. For example, when you invest in cryptocurrency here, you will pay a standard commission of 1.49%. This 1.49% commission will again be charged when you close a position. Although ACH payments can be made fee-free, debit/credit card transactions are charged at 3.99%. 

This does, however, include your trading commission. Nonetheless, cheaper fees are most certainly available elsewhere. If you do decide to use Coinbase to invest in cryptocurrency - then you have several options when it comes to storage. This includes a dedicated wallet app that allows you to manage your private keys.

As with Binance, Coinbase has also been a target for the SEC.

        

Number of Cryptos 50+
Trading Commission 1.49%
Debit Card Fee 3.99%
Minimum Deposit Depends on the payment method

What We Like:

  • User-friendly mobile app interface
  • Can purchase crypto using credit/debit card and PayPal
  • Great educational content
  • Two-factor authentication

Cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No UK or EU investor protection.

5. Gemini - Safe and Regulated Exchange to Invest in Cryptocurrency    

gemini logoIn many ways, Gemini offers a very similar service to that of the previously discussed Coinbase. This is because, just like Coinbase, Gemini offers a simple user interface that makes the process of investing in cryptocurrency easy - even for beginners. Furthermore, Gemini is a heavily regulated exchange.

This includes a license with the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYSDFS) - so you should have no issues regarding safety. However, much like Coinbase, Gemini is one of the most expensive cryptocurrency exchanges in the market. For example, you will pay a standard commission of 1.49% per slide for any cryptocurrency investments above $200.

Gemini

If you trade less than $200, you will pay a flat fee depending on the size of the investment. Either way, this will work out at more than 1,49% in percentage terms. Another thing to note about the pricing structure at Gemini is that although debit and credit card payments are supported, this will set you back 3.49% of the purchase amount.

This is why it's best to deposit funds via a wire transfer at Gemini, which is free of charge. In terms of supported markets, Gemini is home to 75+ leading cryptocurrencies. This includes everything from Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, to Chainlink, Zcash, and Bitcoin Cash. Finally, Gemini also offers an earning tool that allows you to generate interest in your crypto investments.

        

Number of Cryptos 75+
Trading Commission 1.49%
Debit Card Fee 3.49%
Minimum Deposit Depends on the payment method

What We Like:

  • Strong regulatory framework
  • Institutional-grade security
  • 75+ cryptocurrencies supported
  • Earning tool that allows you to generate interest

Best Penny Cryptocurrency to Invest in

If you come across the term 'penny cryptocurrency', this simply refers to digital tokens that trade for less than $1. As such you can explore the cheapest options via our best cryptos under $1 guide.

Crucially, it is important to remember that just because a cryptocurrency is cheap this doesn't mean that you are taking on enhanced risk or that it has less 'value' than a more expensive coin.

After all, the value of a cryptocurrency is determined by its tokenomics, which is the total market cap divided by the number of coins in circulation.

Are High-Priced Tokens Better?

  • XRP is trading at around $0.47 per token with a market capitalization of $25 billion as it has a large supply.
  • Maker has a much smaller market capitalization of less than $660 million but a single token costs around $680 each as it has much fewer coins in circulation.
  • Investors should understand that a higher price doesn’t mean a token is necessarily better or more valuable than a cheaper one.

Once again, conducting your own due diligence before investing in penny cryptocurrencies is absolutely crucial and will help you understand which cryptos are worth investing in now and for the future.

Investing in Cryptocurrency vs Trading Cryptocurrency

The terms 'investing' and 'trading' are typically used interchangeably in the cryptocurrency industry.

However, just like in the stocks and shares scene, these two terms refer to two totally different strategies.

Investing

  • When you invest in a cryptocurrency, you typically do so with a long-term vision in mind.
  • This means that at a minimum, you will likely hold onto your tokens for at least one year, not selling no matter what the price does.
  • Cryptocurrency investing requires little input from you after having bought your chosen tokens.

Trading

  • Cryptocurrency trading is typically viewed as a shorter-term strategy.
  • This means that you might buy a cryptocurrency and cash out within the next few weeks or months, if not sooner.
  • In some cases, traders will open and close a position, or multiple positions, within one day - which is also referred to as crypto day trading.
  • Crucially, cryptocurrency trading requires active participation in terms of research and technical analysis.

As a newbie in this industry, it's best to stick with a long-term approach to cryptocurrency and not start trading until learning about the space and the tools needed to do so.

This means that you will look to choose solid projects that offer a viable long-term outlook and will have little interest in shorter-term price action and volatility.

Is it Safe to Invest in Cryptocurrency?

In a nutshell - it is very safe to get into crypto in the US, as we covered earlier, there are still a multitude of risks that you need to take into account.

This includes the risk of hacks, scams and regulation, as well as the general risk of losing an investment because of volatility and poor selection.

At the forefront of ensuring safety is by selecting a heavily regulated broker or exchange to conduct your business.

Moreover, when it comes to wallet security, this is another area where those apps excel and will help users avoid hacks.

How to Invest in Crypto - Tutorial 

This section of our guide will explain how to invest in any of the 75 cryptos offered via eToro - although the process is similar for beginners on most crypto trading platforms and exchanges.

You will learn how to open a verified account, deposit funds, and place an investment order in less than 10 minutes.   

Step 1: Open an Account 

The first step is to visit the eToro website or download the mobile app and then click ‘Join Now’.

A registration form will then appear on your screen and, initially, users will need to enter their name, email address, phone number, and a chosen username and password.

Next, you’ll need to provide additional personal details such as date of birth and home address.            

Finally, to complete the process, users will need to verify their phone number by entering the SMS code that eToro sends to them. 

Step 2: Verify Identity 

In a couple of minutes, users can verify their account by uploading a photo ID. This will increase your deposit limits and make you eligible to request withdrawals.  

To get verified, upload a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or state-issued ID - to prove your residency status, upload a recently issued bank statement or electricity/water bill. 

Step 3: Deposit Funds

If you are depositing funds in US dollars, then no fees apply. At eToro, users can choose from a debit/credit card or an e-wallet to have their deposit processed instantly. 

If you’re happy to wait longer - 1-3 working days - ACH and bank wire transfers are also supported by the brokerage.

The minimum deposit at eToro for US clients is $10. 

Step 4: Search for Crypto

Users should now have a verified account with at least $10 in funds, which means they are able to invest in more than 75 crypto tokens.

search for btc on etoro

Use the search bar to find a particular crypto - for example by entering ‘BTC’ - and then click ‘Trade’.  

Step 5: Invest in Crypto

An order box will now appear on the trading screen, which is where users need input how much money they want to invest in a certain token.  

Buy BTC on eToro

This can be any amount from $10, albeit, in the example above, we are investing a total of $50.

Finally, once the ‘Open Trade’ button has been clicked, eToro will carry out the investment instantly.

Step 6: How to Sell Crypto

Users can keep track of their investments by navigating to the eToro portfolio. At any given time, users can elect to sell any of their holdings.

Just look out for the cog button next to the selected token and and click on ‘Close’.

eToro will then sell the tokens back to US dollars at the best available price.

How to Invest in Cryptocurrency - Wall Street Memes Tutorial

This beginner's guide on how to invest in cryptocurrency will conclude with a detailed walkthrough of how to buy top crypto presale project, Wall Street Memes.

For more in-depth steps, visit our guide on how to buy Wall Street Memes.

Here's the process for acquiring $WSM during its presale stages:

Step 1: Get a Crypto Wallet

To start, make sure you have a compatible crypto wallet, like MetaMask or TrustWallet, which can be installed from their official websites.

Metamask is the usual choice for most crypto beginners as it’s free and easy to set up

After creating an account on a specific wallet, you can go to the Wall Street Memes presale website and then click on the 'Connect Wallet' button.

Step 3: Funding Your Wallet

In this step, make sure that your wallet has sufficient funds. The presale website will provide different funding options for your crypto wallet. In case you don't have enough funds, you can use a Transak to acquire the necessary amount.

Step 4: Buy $WSM

After your wallet has adequate funds, click on 'buy with ETH' / 'buy with USDT' and mention the amount of $WSM you want to receive in return for USDT or ETH. Be sure to leave some excess ETH to cover network transaction (gas) fees.

Wall Street Memes $7.1M Raised

Step 5: Claim Your Tokens

Upon approving the transaction fees, the transaction will be authorized. You can redeem the $WSM from its presale page after the conclusion of the presale phase.

Visit Wall Street Memes Presale

Conclusion 

To invest in cryptocurrency right now the process takes just five minutes from start to finish.

You should, however, ensure that you do plenty of research so that you can decide on which cryptocurrency to invest in and select a trusted brokerage or crypto exchange to conduct business.

Investors should also remember that digital currencies are a highly volatile asset class, so need to consider the risks and their own profile before proceeding.

Investing in established tokens can be extremely profitable but the likes of Bitcoin and Ethereum, at this point in their development cycle, offer less potential gains than some newer projects.

Presales and meme coins offer huge potential for massive gains, although the risks are significantly increased.

We found that Wall Street Memes ($WSM) is a promising contender in the coming months - the project already has a huge community of more around a million followers across its social media channels and previously launched an NFT collection that sold out in just 30 minutes.

The $WSM token presale has been a roaring success since launching - raising $300k on the first day of its launch and around $11 million in just a month at the time of writing.

Wall Street Memes (WSM) - Newest Meme Coin

Our Rating

Wall Street Memes
  • Community of 1 Million Followers
  • Experienced NFT Project Founders
  • Listed On OKX
  • Staking Rewards
Wall Street Memes

References

Frequently Asked Questions on Investing in Cryptocurrency

Is cryptocurrency a good investment?

How do I invest in cryptocurrency?

What is the best way to invest in cryptocurrency?

What is the best site to invest in cryptocurrency?

What cryptocurrency should I invest in?

Read more: