How to Invest in Cryptocurrency: Easy Ways to Buy Crypto

If you’re looking for an investment that has the potential of producing strong returns, you may want to consider cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other popular cryptocurrencies have generated incredible returns over the past few years. With blockchain technology being used in more ways, many experts believe the adoption of crypto will continue to increase.

Investing in digital currency doesn’t come without risk. Prices are extremely volatile and can swing 10%+ in a single day. However, many investors are bullish on the long-term value of Bitcoin and other crypto tokens, so it could be a good investment depending on your risk tolerance.

In this article, we’ll look at how to invest in cryptocurrency for beginners. We’ll present several specific and easy options to buy cryptocurrency (or sell).

This article should not be taken as investing advice. You’ll need to do your own research and decide if crypto is right for you based on the inherent risks. Don’t invest any money that you can’t afford to lose.

How to Invest in Cryptocurrency for Beginners

1. Public.com

Public.com is one of the best investment apps that offers commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrency (crypto was added in October of 2021). There’s a lot to like about Public.com and it’s become very popular with everyday investors. It’s a very user-friendly platform that’s simple and intuitive for beginners or seasoned investors. You can buy fractional shares, which means anyone can get started today.

Fees are common on the leading cryptocurrency exchanges, so a platform like Public.com that offers free crypto trading is enticing.

The following cryptocurrencies are currently available through Public.com:

• BTC – Bitcoin
• ETH – Ether
• BCH – Bitcoin Cash
• ETC – Ethereum Classic
• DOGE – Dogecoin
• ZEC – Zcash
• XLM – Stellar
• DASH – Dash
• ADA – Cardano
• SHIB – Shiba Inu
• SOL – Solana
• LUNA – Luna (Terra)
• UNI – Uniswap
• AVAX – Avalanche
• LINK – Chainlink
• MATIC – Polygon
• ALGO – Algorand
• SUSHI – Sushi Swap
• BAT – Basic Attention Token
• REN – Ren
• ATOM – Cosmos
• MANA – Decentraland
• FTM – Fantom
• GRT – The Graph
• LTC – Litecoin

Investing in crypto with Public.com is just like investing in stocks or ETFs. Your crypto holdings will be displayed in your portfolio along with the stocks and ETFs you own. You can also add them to your long-term portfolio if you plan to hold them for more than a year.

When you’re buying and selling crypto, Public.com allows you to set limit orders to buy or sell at the price you want (just like stocks and ETFs).

Public.com also provides additional information about each cryptocurrency so you can learn more prior to making any investment decision.

You don’t need a digital wallet to hold your digital assets when investing through Public.com. They use Apex Crypto for the execution and custody services, so you don’t need to worry about things like security and private keys. According to Public.com, they’re currently working towards supporting digital wallets for users who prefer to store their own crypto.

Join Public to get up to $300 of free stock when you make a deposit.*

If you’re looking for a simple solution for how to invest in cryptocurrency, Public.com could be the answer.

Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. This is not a recommendation. You can lose money with any investment. Open To The Public Investing is a member of FINRA & SIPC. Regulatory and firm fees apply. See Public.com/disclosures/.

Get started with Public.com

2. Titan

Titan is a “premier investment firm, but for everyone.” They currently offer four different strategies or funds for individual investors, including cryptocurrency. Titan’s offering is unique and different than what you’ll find anywhere else. Their cryptocurrency investing experts handpick a portfolio that includes roughly 5-10 digital currencies based on a long-term investment strategy. I’m not aware of any other crypto funds like this.

One of the most common roadblocks that keeps people from investing in crypto is a lack of familiarity. If you like the idea of investing in cryptocurrency but you feel like you don’t know enough about it to choose the right options, Titan could be the solution for you.

Titan is also an option for anyone who wants a chance to maximize their returns by investing in up-and-coming cryptocurrencies. The experts at Titan identify opportunities for significant growth, which often involves cryptocurrencies that many people don’t know about yet. Instead of pouring all of your time into research and technical analysis, you can let Titan do it for you. It’s probably the easiest way to invest in crypto and have a chance for outstanding returns.

Just like Public.com, Titan does not require you to store crypto in your own digital wallet. They also use Apex and you’ll see your crypto holdings in the Titan mobile app along with any investments you have in their other strategies.

Titan charges a management fee of 1% per year. You can reduce or eliminate the fee by referring your friends to their platform. Since the company was founded in 2018, they’ve produced excellent results, so the fee may or may not be an issue for you.

If you’re wondering how to invest in cryptocurrency for beginners, Titan is an excellent choice since their experts will create and manage the portfolio. It’s an ideal option for getting your first exposure to cryptocurrencies.

Get started with Titan

3. Webull

Webull is an investing app that’s similar to brokers like Public.com and Robinhood. They offer commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, and crypto. Webull currently supports the following cryptocurrencies:

Bitcoin (BTCUSD), Bitcoin Cash (BCHUSD), Ethereum (ETHUSD), Litecoin (LTCUSD), Dogecoin (DOGEUSD), Zcash (ZECUSD), Stella Lumens (XLMUSD), Ethereum Classic (ETCUSD), Cardano (ADAUSD), Dash (DASHUSD), Shiba Inu (SHIBUSD), Basic Attention Token (BATUSD), Chainlink (LINKUSD), Uniswap Protocol Token (UNIUSD), Algorand (ALGOUSD), Polygon (MATICUSD), Sushi (SUSHIUSD), Avalanche (AVAXUSD), Terra (LUNAUSD), REN (RENUSD), Cosmos (ATOMUSD), Decentraland (MANAUSD), Fantom (FTMUSD), The Graph (GRTUSD) and Solana (SOLUSD). Like several of the other platforms already mentioned, transactions are processed through Apex Crypto.

We have Public.com ranked higher because we find it to be a little more user-friendly, but Webull is also an excellent choice.

Webull currently offers new users up to 12 free stocks for trying the platform. You’ll get two free stocks (each worth $3 – $3,000) for signing up. Deposit any amount to get up to 10 more free stocks. Sign up for Webull through this link to be eligible for the bonus.

4. Robinhood

Robinhood is an extremely popular online brokerage that was one of the first to offer commission-free trades. Like Public.com, Robinhood allows you to buy fractional shares for as little as a $1 payment, so it’s very beginner-friendly for the retail investor.

With a free Robinhood account, you can trade stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency. You can buy or sell Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin SV (BSV), Dogecoin (DOGE), Ethereum (ETH), Ethereum Classic (ETC), and Litecoin (LTC).

Also like Public.com (read our Robinhood vs. Public.com comparison here), you’ll be able to see your crypto, stock, and ETF holdings all together in your Robinhood portfolio. The process of cryptocurrency trading is the same as trading a stock or ETF, except you can do it 24/7.

You don’t need your own digital wallet to own crypto with Robinhood. They’ll store it securely for you. They also provide insurance for theft or cybersecurity breaches. Currently, Robinhood does not allow you to use your own crypto wallet, but this option is coming soon.

5. BlockFi

BlockFi is an appealing option to buy cryptocurrency because you can earn interest on your crypto. They offer interest accounts that will pay you up to 8.25% APY, and of course, your interest will be paid in cryptocurrency. Instead of investing and only making money from an increase in value, you can also earn a significant amount of interest on your holdings.

You can also trade cryptocurrencies through BlockFi’s platform. Currently, you can trade BTC, ETH, LTC, PAXG, USDC, GUSD, PAX, and USDT (USDT is only available to non-U.S. residents).

The BlockFi crypto exchange allows you to start investing in crypto with as little as $20. Simply transfer money from your bank account via ACH and begin trading right away. The crypto assets you purchase will begin earning interest immediately. You can also set custom schedules for automated repeat buying.

Unlike some of the other options (Public.com for example), BlockFi charges a small fee for each transaction. There are also withdrawal limits per day. For example, you can withdraw up to 100 BTC or 5,000 ETH in a 7-day period.

BlockFi also offers a rewards Visa card that earns crypto rewards. Instead of a regular cashback credit card, you’ll be building up your cryptocurrency holdings with each purchase.

It’s important to note that the crypto savings accounts from BlockFi, just like other crypto savings account providers, are not FDIC insured.

6. Coinbase

Coinbase is one of the leading crypto exchanges. Many people who are wondering how to invest in cryptocurrency turn to Coinbase because it is an industry leader. They offer a bigger selection of crypto than any of the other platforms covered here. If you’re looking to get more familiar with cryptocurrency, you can read the many articles available at Coinbase, or use other informational sites like Crypto Academy.

With Coinbase, you can store the assets in your own digital wallet, or use Coinbase’s wallet.

While Coinbase is a leading cryptocurrency exchange, there are two reasons it’s not ranked higher on our list:

1. Fees. Using other platforms like Public.com and Robinhood, you can trade cryptocurrency with no fees. Coinbase charges fees for each transaction.
2. User Reviews. Coinbase has a very low rating at TrustPilot (currently 1.6 out of 5 stars). If you read the reviews, you’ll see a lot of different complaints from Coinbase users.

The Coinbase fees aren’t the most transparent or easy to figure out because there are multiple factors that can influence the fee you’re charged. Those factors include the payment method, size of the order, and market conditions.

Active traders may be interested in a Coinbase Pro account, which involves a small monthly fee and then lower fees per transaction.

7. Buy Stock

Investing in cryptocurrency doesn’t necessarily require you to own or hold crypto. Another option is to invest in publicly traded companies (or a mutual fund) that are involved in the industry, instead of directly buying a crypto asset. The stock price of these public companies will be heavily influenced by what’s going on with Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as other cryptocurrencies.

Some of the top crypto stocks include:

• Coinbase (COIN)
• Marathon Digital Holdings (MARA)
• Square (SQ)
• PayPal (PYPL)
• Nvidia (NVDA)
• MicroStrategy (MSTR)
• Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

To invest in any of these stocks, simply use Public.com or your preferred online brokerage.

8. ETFs

In October 2021, the first Bitcoin-related exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were approved. The ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has the distinction of being the first, but a few similar funds followed shortly behind. Instead of investing directly in Bitcoin, these ETFs track Bitcoin futures.

As an investor in a Bitcoin ETF, you won’t technically own cryptocurrency. Instead, you’ll hold an asset that is directly influenced by the value of Bitcoin.

Investing in a crypto ETF is easy. ETFs can be purchased through brokerages like Public.com, Robinhood, and Unifimoney.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Invest in Cryptocurrency: Final Thoughts

Cryptocurrency is an intriguing asset class that more and more investors are turning to. With the growing popularity of blockchain technology and NFTs, digital currency is something you may want to consider. If you’re wondering how to invest in cryptocurrency, thankfully, there are multiple solutions There are a growing number of ways to invest in crypto, either directly or indirectly.

We’ve covered what we think are some of the top options to buy cryptocurrency, but be sure to do your own research. Crypto is highly volatile and while there’s a significant upside, it’s possible that you’ll lose a lot of money with these speculative investments. Be sure you’re comfortable with the risks before making financial decisions like purchasing crypto.

*Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. This is not a recommendation. You can lose money with any investment. Open To The Public Investing is a member of FINRA & SIPC. Regulatory and firm fees apply. New customers receive free stock with value $3-300; 0.3% receive the max value. Cryptocurrency trading offered by Apex Crypto LLC. See Public.com/disclosures/