Well, like almost everything in life — if not —, you have to buy it before you can invest in it. Investing in Bitcoin can be very challenging, and that’s if you don’t have the step put in front of you.
First you need to know that Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, one of the earliest digital currencies, invented, designed and developed by Satoshi Nakamoto, and it was released to the public in 2009.
And from there, updates as well as improvements are made by a network of highly experienced developers and the platform is partially funded by the Bitcoin Foundation.
As bitcoin has become a hot topic of interest and many people are investing in it, there is no harm if you can also acquire a digital wealth. It is interesting to note, back in 2012, Bitcoin companies were only able to raise $ 2.2 Million.
Despite the price drop this year, the cryptocurrency continues to grow with users and traders accepting it as payment.
So how do you get involved in the action? Investing in Bitcoin for the average Joe can be simple as he will only buy a few directly.
Buying it has now become simple, with many companies in the United States and everyone involved in the buying and selling business.
For U.S. investors, the easiest solution is Coin Base, which is a company that sells BTC to people at a mark that is typically about 1% of today’s market price.
If you prefer traditional exchanges, Bit Stamp can be a great option because you will not only sell to the company, but to the users.
The company only acts as a middleman. Liquidity is higher and you will almost always find someone else to take the other side of your trade.
Fees start at 0.5% and go down to 0.2% if you have sold more than $ 150,000 in the last 30 days. These are all in their own ways, investment mediums, because the more you buy BTC, the more profit you will make if you choose to keep it or sell it to other traditional buyers more higher price than you buy using real companies.
You can also buy bitcoins in another way of exchange. One of the most popular routes for offline is Local Bitcoins, which is a website that puts you in touch with potential buyers and sellers. When buying, the coins are locked from the seller’s escrow, where they can only be issued by buyers.
But buying bitcoins offline needs to be done with some extra precautions, which are always common, just like you would when meeting a stranger. Meet during the day in a public place and if possible, bring a friend.
Bitcoin is about the hottest thing online right now. Investors and venture capital firms are betting it’s here to stay. For the average Joe, many ways exist to get into investing and buying Bitcoin.
In the US, the most popular channels are Coin Base, Bit Stamp and Local Bitcoins. Each has their advantages and disadvantages, so do your research to find the one that works best for you.