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Setting up a cryptocurrency account takes minutes, but you’ll need to provide some info, including your Social Security number (if in the USA) and the number to your bank account, debit card or credit card to fund your bitcoin account. Record and secure any new passwords for your crypto account or digital wallet (more on those below).

Do not use a credit card. Although some suppliers allow you to purchase bitcoin by credit card, making investments by borrowing from a high-interest item like a charge card is never a great concept.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency investments are not guaranteed by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation for exchange failures or theft, a protection that conventional stock brokerage accounts enjoy up to $500,000. Some exchanges like Coinbase provide personal insurance coverage, but that does not secure against private online breaches like anyone stealing your password.

Utilizing a safe and secure, private web connection is important any time you make monetary choices online. Purchasing bitcoin while at the coffee store, in your hotel space or using other public internet connections is not encouraged.

## 2 – Choose how to store bitcoin.

Bitcoins can be kept in 2 type of digital wallets: a cold wallet or a hot wallet. With a hot wallet, transactions typically are quicker, while a cold wallet often integrates additional security actions that assist to keep your investment safe but will also take longer.

### Hot wallet.

With a hot wallet, bitcoin is saved by a trusted exchange or company in the cloud and accessed through an app or computer browser on the internet. Any trading exchange you sign up with will offer a free bitcoin hot wallet w
here your purchases will immediately be saved. However lots of users prefer to move and store their bitcoin with a third-party hot wallet provider, also usually totally free to download and use.

Why select a wallet from a company other than an exchange? While supporters state the blockchain innovation behind bitcoin is even more safe and secure than conventional electronic cash transfers, bitcoin hot wallets are an attractive target for hackers. As Bitcoin.org warns: "Online wallets and many exchanges struggled with security breaches in the past and such services typically still do not offer enough insurance coverage and security to be used to keep money like a bank."

There are many hot wallet providers, using a variety of wallet types. Here are a couple of:

Coinbase: Also a popular bitcoin currency exchange, Coinbase offers totally free online hot wallets and guarantees losses due to security breaches or hacks, worker theft, or deceitful transfers.

Electrum: Software that permits your bitcoin to be kept on your laptop or desktop computer.

Blockchain: Like Coinbase, Blockchain is an online hot wallet; unlike Coinbase, Blockchain isn’t a currency exchange and is thought about a less attractive target for hackers.

Mycelium: A mobile-only bitcoin wallet, with versions readily available for Android or iPhone users.

Some hot wallet companies provide insurance coverage for large-scale hack attacks, that insurance might not cover one-off cases of unapproved access to your account.

### Cold wallet

A cold wallet is a little, encrypted portable gadget that allows you to download and transport your bitcoin. Cold wallets can cost as much as $100 but are deemed far more safe and secure than hot wallets.

Cold wallet companies consist of:

Trezor: This business uses little, key-size cold wallets ranging from about $80 to $170.

Ledger Nano: Designed like a thumb drive, Ledger Nano has cold wallets ranging from about $60 to $120.

When developing accounts for your digital wallets and currency exchange, use a strong password and two-factor authentication.

## 3 – Make your purchase

After linking your bitcoin wallet to the bitcoin exchange of your preference, the last step is the easiest– figuring out what amount of bitcoin you wish to acquire. While bitcoin made news in May 2019 by cresting to $8,000 for the very first time in a year, bitcoin (trading symbol BTC or XBT) can be bought and sold for fractional shares, so your preliminary investment could be as low as, say, $25 or even less.

## 4 – Manage your investment

If you like the idea of day trading, one option is to buy bitcoin once in a while offer it if and when its price moves higher. If you see a future for bitcoin as a digital currency, maybe your investment plan is to purchase and hold for the long haul.

Whatever your plan, understand that owning bitcoin develops a complicated tax situation.