Bitcoin—it’s all the rage in the twenty-first-century cryptocurrency market. Throughout the years, this digital currency has garnered more interest from investors. Bitcoin is difficult to understand, but don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. If you’re new to crypto and want to know how to invest in bitcoin, this article is for you. We’ll discuss the definition of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, ideas to consider before investing, and a detailed guide on how to avoid pitfalls while garnering more wealth.
The Basics and History of Cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin
Cryptocurrency Definition
Photo credit by: openaccessgovernment.org
A cryptocurrency is a virtual voucher with attributed value. This value works in business exchanges—and the practical uses of crypto are growing vast. Crypto uses a system called cryptography to secure transactions against fraud while controlling the number of digital dollars that are in circulation. Because of cryptography’s strict access, it is safe to learn to how to invest in bitcoin—or other cryptocurrencies—and apply it in the crypto markets.
History of Early Crypto
Since the 90s, cryptocurrency programs emerged—such as Flooz and DigiCash. These attempts at new crypto failed for several reasons; the main issue was the security and competitive nature of the digital dollar; the technology was also more limited compared to today.
The companies that pushed for early crypto used a Trusted Third Party system, meaning that other companies verified any transactions involved with crypto. The failure of these crypto attempts destroyed people’s faith in digital currency—until the twenty-first century.
Enter the Bitcoin
In 2009, a group of users under the title of Satoshi Nakamoto introduced a new digital dollar: the bitcoin. Satoshi described the bitcoin as a decentralized cryptocurrency, serving more like a peer-to-peer exchange with no middlemen, servers, or controlling authority.
Normally, a Trusted Third Party system protects against fraudulent use of crypto. With bitcoin, every consumer and trader fulfills this role. The essence behind bitcoin is coined—pun intended—the Blockchain. This system is a public ledger of all transactions with bitcoin and the persons involved. This means that everyone can see his or her neighbor’s balance, their spending behavior, and how they archive their bitcoins.
The Blockchain
Photo credit by: due.com
When learning how to invest in bitcoin, it is crucial to understand how the Blockchain behaves in the system. Within a crypto market like bitcoin, designated individuals called miners confirm the creation of a bitcoin. A miner does this by solving a complex cryptographic puzzle. With each bitcoin creation, the crypto puzzles grow in complexity. Nowadays, a robust computer—usually several—work to solve bitcoin puzzles. We’ll elaborate more on this below.
Once a bitcoin is created, the miner confirms the process, marking the crypto as valid. A miner will spread legitimate bitcoins across networks. The networks will archive the crypto into databases. The validation of bitcoin dollars is a permanent addition to the internet. The miner receives a reward for the act, and the process repeats, albeit slower with the puzzles’ growing complexity.
Because of the consensus-keeping modality, third parties and blind trust are obsolete. The transparency keeps fraud to a minimum while providing an ongoing digital dollar for miners and network investors alike.
Uses for Crypto like Bitcoin
Purchasing Good and Services
Years ago, finding a merchant—who accepts crypto online or offline—was difficult. In the twenty-first century, the scenario favors digital payment. Applicable merchants range from large-scale retailers like Newegg and Overstock to small shops and bars. Other uses of bitcoin include:
- Hotels, like Airbnb
- Airplane flights
- Jewelry
- Apps
- Computer parts
- College degrees
- List Element
Bitcoin compromises most crypto payments. Other cryptos—like Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin—are still in the early phases of integration. Some marketplaces like Bitify only accept crypto.
Mining
Photo credit by: coingape.com
As we discussed above, miners are a central facet of cryptocurrencies. The act of mining is an investment; you trade time and computer electrical power for a crypto’s value. Miners provide an essential bookkeeping function for crypto communities. They are the hard-working farmers of digital crops.
The process of mining increases with complexity with time. As more people express interest in how to invest in bitcoin and mine this digital crypto, the puzzle becomes harder and slower—requiring more computers and tougher GPUs to fulfill the same task. In the past, many people found wealth by mining bitcoin. Nowadays, the operation requires high-quality computers—and an expensive electricity bill.
That said, Litecoins, Dogecoins, and Feathercoins are still early in development and relatively cheap to mine. A neophyte miner may earn around fifty cents to ten dollars daily with mediocre hardware.
The increasing difficulty with crypto creation, like bitcoin, is by design; there can only be twenty-one million bitcoins at most. Once the limit comes, no more bitcoin creation. Since last year, seventeen million bitcoins are in circulation. As the number increases, the reward for miners will decrease, while the value of a bitcoin will skyrocket. This inevitably paints crypto mining as a competitive activity.
Investing
Photo credit by : cryptosellar.com
With the multitude of uses with bitcoin, investors jumped on the bandwagon. Many believe bitcoin as the hottest opportunity in financing for the twenty-first century. There are stories of millionaire investors, their fortune built solely off bitcoin. Of all cryptos, bitcoin is the most recognizable. The value of a bitcoin varies, but it trails in the thousands of dollars range. Ethereum is the runner-up to bitcoin, with its exploding value and the quantity in circulation.
How to Invest in Bitcoin: Risks and Procedure
Gambling with Bitcoin
Regardless of the boons, cryptos are a high-risk investment. Because they are a psuedo-currency, cryptos are subject to IRS or federal scrutiny. By law, the IRS classifies bitcoins as property and not currency. This means that they tax bitcoins to the maximum capital gains rate of fifteen percent.
Photo credit by: gamblingsites.org
The value of cryptos can fluctuate wildly by the hour. Successful investing relies on a careful examination of market trends and the competition—other cryptos. In the beginning—as with any business venture—you can expect to lose money. Be sure you have funds set aside for this expedition.
Hackers may interrupt the flow of cryptos—and may even steal from your own account. Since a currency like Bitcoin does not have the official oversight of a bank or an established company, you may not get the help or resources you require—at least, not without extensive networking with co-investors. Cyber attacks are fairly common with cryptos—additional security measures are a must.
If you understand the many risks involved with bitcoin—let alone cryptocurrencies—and take the appropriate precautions to safeguard your money, then you should be off to a great start with how to invest in bitcoin.
Bitcoin Wallets
Photo credit by: 99bitcoins.com
The most popular way to set yourself up for bitcoin purchases is through a cryptocurrency wallet. An excellent website to create a wallet is Coinbase. Others like Bitstamp, Kraken, and Bitfinex also work.
Once created, an account must affiliate with a payment source, such as a bank or credit card with two-factor verification. Remember to use a quality authenticator from Google or another trusted source rather than a text-based authenticator, which are more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
Purchasing Bitcoin
Photo credit by: money.cnn.com
When learning more about how to invest in bitcoin, don’t rush to buy. You can purchase up to eight decimal places worth of a single bitcoin. This allows low-risk investments, especially for beginner investors or those testing the waters. Once purchased, a bitcoin remains in your wallet until you trade it for another purchase or by selling it. There are also bitcoin ATMs in select locations.
A brokerage account is like a bitcoin wallet; you can’t buy bitcoins with mainstream investments. Every transaction may also accrue a small fee. Day-trading with bitcoin may not be wise with additional fees in place. Check with the seller/buyer first before a bitcoin transaction.
Other Ways How to Invest in Bitcoin
You can invest in—more recently—bitcoin futures. Sites like Coinbase should offer this service. Remember, with every new installment of bitcoin, financial excitement can dramatically change the market trends of the crypto.
The Bitcoin Investment Trust from Grayscale Investments is another option. This is, however, a third-party investment; you’re buying stock in the fund, not in any bitcoins. There may also be a membership fee, which may eat into profits. As far as advantages, you get the structure and tax perks that don’t normally preside in standard bitcoin transactions.
Conclusion
Bitcoin is a high-risk asset for investors. The gamble comes from its poorly understood, wild nature. Many mainstream institutes still struggle to comprehend what it is and how to invest in bitcoin. While bitcoin enjoys public transactions and transparency, this double-edged sword opens a backdoor for hackers, IRS fees, and volatile market trends. It is wise for a new investor to understand all facets of crypto—not just bitcoin—before he or she jumps into the water.
Establishing a bitcoin wallet over secure sites is vital to the investing processing. Through the many investment options available, some have made fortunes, while many others have lost their life’s earnings.
Despite its risks, bitcoin has gained increasing popularity year after year. Where applicable, the uses of bitcoin are legion. The lack of a middleman oversight is a great boon to some.
We hope this article has helped you understand the obscure nature of this—still relatively new—cryptocurrency phenomenon. Remember to take it slow and consider all options before hitting that purchase button. Good luck.
Follow
Leave a Reply