How to Buy Bitcoin: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Started

A Simple Guide to Getting Bitcoins

To get Bitcoins you’ll need a Bitcoin wallet and a place to buy Bitcoins. One all-in-one solution is Coinbase, but there are many options to choose from.

In as simple as terms possible, to get Bitcoin:

1. You need a Bitcoin wallet. Ex. Bitcoin Core.
2. You need to find a broker or exchange of deals in Bitcoins. Ex. Coinbase (broker), GDAX (exchange), Kraken (exchange).
3. You need to verify your information and then purchase Bitcoins.

Of all those choices, Coinbase is a good choice for those who want to keep things simple (as Coinbase lets you skip step 1 and pairs with GDAX, making it a one-stop-shop). With that said, any of the above choices will work (and beyond the examples we offered, there are many other options to choose from for wallets, brokers, exchanges).

That is the super-simple version of how to get Bitcoin. Click on any of the in-page links for more information or see our section on investing in Bitcoin for a more detailed look on buying, selling, trading, and investing in Bitcoin.

How To Buy Bitcoin on Coinbase. A video walking you through the basics of Coinbase.

NOTE: The method for getting other cryptocurrencies is very similar to the method for getting Bitcoin. The only real difference is that you need a wallet specific to each cryptocurrency. So for Litecoin you need a Litecoin wallet, and for Ethereum you need an Ethereum wallet, etc.

NOTE: There are other ways to get Bitcoin. As long as you have Bitcoin wallet you can trade goods and services for Bitcoin and even get Bitcoins as a reward for doing things like filling our surveys.

NOTE: Make sure to brush up on the tax implications of Bitcoin before using it.