The Beginner's Guide to Buying Your First Cryptocurrency
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By Lyle Daly – Apr 3, 2026 at 7:30AM ESTKey PointsYou can buy your first cryptocurrency through a crypto exchange or a brokerage that sells crypto.Consider starting with Bitcoin, as its performance often follows or leads the crypto market.Other cryptocurrencies sometimes outperform but also carry much greater risk.When you're ready to buy your first cryptocurrency, it's basically a two-step process. To start, you'll need an account with either a broker that sells crypto or a crypto exchange, such as Coinbase or Gemini. That's the easy part. The next part is more challenging: picking a cryptocurrency and deciding how much to invest. Image source: Getty Images. My recommendation, especially for beginners, is to start with Bitcoin (BTC +0.96%). It may look expensive -- even after the recent downturn, its price is still about $66,000 as of March 29 -- but you can buy small portions of one Bitcoin. If you want to put in $100 or less, you can. You also have the option of investing in a Bitcoin ETF if you want to directly buy a crypto investment in your brokerage account. The advantage of Bitcoin is that its performance is often similar to that of the overall crypto market, since Bitcoin accounts for such a large share of the market. The crypto market as a whole is worth about $2.3 trillion, and Bitcoin accounts for $1.3 trillion (58%). Altcoins, a term for all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, can sometimes outperform Bitcoin, making them popular among investors seeking higher returns. But altcoins are also far riskier. They're much smaller than Bitcoin, so they tend to be more volatile, and for every one that outperforms, several others lag the market. Consider investing in Bitcoin first, and then you can always add altcoins later. ExpandCRYPTO: BTCBitcoinToday's Change(0.96%) $636.50Current Price$66672.00Key Data PointsMarket Cap$1.3TDay's Range$65819.00 - $67377.0052wk Range$60255.56 - $126079.89Volume36B Be conservative about how much you invest in cryptocurrency. A good rule of thumb is not to invest money you can't afford to lose. I also recommend dollar-cost averaging, which involves making smaller, equal investments on a regular schedule rather than putting in everything you plan to invest at once. This helps protect you from crypto's volatility. If prices drop after you buy, you'll still have money to invest, because you didn't use all your cash right away.Read NextApr 1, 2026 •By Lyle DalyCrypto Is Crashing Again. Here's What to Do With Your Portfolio.Mar 30, 2026 •By Reuben Gregg BrewerAfter Crashing 45% in 180 Days, Is Bitcoin Still a Buy?Mar 30, 2026 •By Lyle DalyThe No. 1 Crypto Mistake Young Investors MakeMar 30, 2026 •By Lyle DalyShould Retirees Invest in Crypto?
The Answer May Surprise You.Mar 30, 2026 •By Lyle Daly1 Sign Bitcoin Could Be Poised for a Comeback in 2026Mar 30, 2026 •By Bram Berkowitz1 Cryptocurrency to Buy That Has Bottomed and Can More Than Double by Year-End, According to Wall Street Analyst Gautam ChhuganiAbout the AuthorLyle Daly is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering information technology and cryptocurrency. Lyle has been a contributor at the financial services company since 2018. His work has been featured on USA Today, Yahoo Finance, MSN, Fox Business, and Nasdaq. Before joining The Motley Fool, he wrote for financial brands including Intuit.TMFLyleDalyX@LyleDalyStocks MentionedBitcoinCRYPTO: BTC$66,672.00(+0.96%)+$636.50*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.