Manager buying cryptocurrency through mobile phone app Thana Prasongsin / Getty Images The 10 Greatest Entrepreneurs Close How Do You Invest in Cryptocurrency? Are you considering investing in cryptocurrency? Although Bitcoin is likely the best-known virtual money, thousands of cryptocurrencies already exist. 1 Cryptocurrency investing can take many forms, ranging from buying cryptocurrency directly to investing in crypto funds and companies. For direct investing in crypto coins, you can buy cryptocurrency using crypto exchanges or apps or through certain broker-dealers.
Find out more about how you can invest in one of the newest and most inventive asset classes available.
Key Takeaways
Cryptocurrency is virtual money that is secured by blockchain technology.
Cryptocurrency investing can take many forms, from buying cryptocurrency directly to investing in crypto funds and companies.
You can buy cryptocurrency using a crypto exchange or through certain broker-dealers. Once you own it, you can store, manage, and even buy or sell your crypto in a wallet.
Pay attention to transaction fees when making crypto purchases because these fees can vary widely among currencies.
Investing in cryptocurrency is risky, so it's important not to invest more money than you can afford to lose.
Different Types of Cryptocurrency Investing
When you think of investing in cryptocurrency, you might think about buying and holding one or more crypto coins. Buying cryptocurrency directly is probably the most common way to add crypto exposure to your portfolio, but when it comes to investing in cryptocurrency, you have a few different options:
Buy cryptocurrency directly: You can choose to directly purchase and store one or more cryptocurrencies. Your options range from the most established digital currencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin to virtually unknown coins that are newly released.
Invest in cryptocurrency companies: You can invest in companies with a partial or total focus on cryptocurrency. Your options include cryptocurrency mining companies, mining hardware makers, companies like Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD) and PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL) that support cryptocurrency, and many others with varying levels of crypto exposure. You also can invest in companies like MicroStrategy Inc. (MSTR), which holds large amounts of cryptocurrency on its balance sheets.
Invest in cryptocurrency-focused funds: If you don't want to choose among individual cryptocurrency companies, then you can decide to invest in a cryptocurrency-focused fund instead. You have a choice of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), such as index funds and futures funds, in addition to a range of cryptocurrency investment trusts. In January 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the first Bitcoin Spot ETFs. These funds hold bitcoin and offer shares to investors based on bitcoin spot prices.
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Invest in a cryptocurrency Roth IRA: If you want to invest in cryptocurrency and also garner the tax advantages afforded by an individual retirement account (IRA), then you can consider investing in a cryptocurrency Roth IRA. Using the services of a crypto IRA provider can also facilitate more secure storage for your cryptocurrency holdings.
Become a crypto miner or validator: Perhaps the most direct way to invest in cryptocurrency is to mine it or act as a validator in a crypto network. Cryptocurrency miners and validators can earn rewards in crypto, which they can either hold as investments or exchange for another currency.