Cryptocurrencies continue to gather attention for the value the market offers. New stories of cryptocurrency millionaires continue to break into 2022. But the opposite is true as well, as many crypto millionaires lose out from dangerous speculative activity.
Cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile. They make and break people daily, presenting extraordinary opportunity and risk simultaneously.
If you want to get into the cryptocurrency market and start buying and selling Bitcoin and other digital assets, you likely have several questions, starting with how one buys and sells cryptos. So, this article aims to answer your questions, and it will cover:
- How cryptocurrencies are bought, sold, and exchanged
- Optimal cryptocurrency storage
- How to earn more from crypto
How to Buy, Exchange, and Sell Cryptocurrency
Buying, selling, and exchanging cryptocurrency requires you to:
- Have a storage solution
- Use a cryptocurrency exchange OR buy and sell directly from others
Let’s break down how these processes work.
Use a Cryptocurrency Exchange
Cryptocurrency exchanges function similarly to financial exchanges you may be more familiar with. For example, if you are considering buying stocks, you may first look at the New York Stock Exchange listings.
Cryptocurrency exchanges list current crypto prices and facilitate crypto transactions. Crypto exchanges typically also offer hosted wallets, and the most popular crypto wallets have built-in exchanges. That means you can store your cryptocurrencies through your account with them.
When looking for a crypto exchange, you will want to consider:
- The exchange’s fees
- Cryptocurrencies offered on the exchange
- Transactions enabled, ex. USD for BTC, BTC for other cryptos, etc.
- The security measures taken by the exchange
All of these issues are critical. If you commit to one exchange, you will deal with these ongoing concerns. You don’t want to be spending too much on exchange services unknowingly. Worse yet, you don’t want your account hacked and assets stolen due to a lack of strong security.
Sell Directly to Users
Not all crypto transactions need to take place on an exchange. Selling directly (known as selling peer-to-peer in the crypto space) is also possible. If you know someone who has some cryptos that you want, you can arrange a transaction with them. You can use secure payment apps like PayPal or settle the transaction some other way.
If you don’t know anyone who has the cryptos you want but still want to bypass the exchanges, you can use a matchmaking service. These platforms help buyers find sellers and vice-versa. The two parties are then left to negotiate between themselves. This may help skip some exchange fees, but you will need to be more careful if you want a fair deal.
Use a Crypto Wallet with an In-built Exchange
This option strikes a balance between the two above options. As cryptocurrency has developed as a technology and as a market, a new kind of exchange has emerged. Some platforms simultaneously function as cryptocurrency:
- Wallets
- Exchanges
- Investments
A few platforms currently offer such a comprehensive service. Then, there are various lists of the services provided, as these are a newer kind of innovation in the crypto world.
Earn More from Your Cryptocurrency
Many of the features of traditional finance have been spilling over into the cryptocurrency world. One of the most exciting and profitable opportunities has been earning interest in crypto.
Cryptocurrency investors can earn passive income in one of two main ways:
- Lending crypto to lending platforms and collecting part of the interest
- Staking crypto on a variety of platforms for interest
This is another aspect of crypto where different platforms can offer widely differing opportunities and levels of service. Overall, passive earning opportunities provide much higher interest rates in crypto than in traditional finance. Interest rates vary depending on the crypto in question and the platform.