Advice...Sometimes it saves us a lot of trouble, right?
Cryptocurrencies are fascinating, useful and even profitable as you know….but quite complicated to understand at first. New people hear about cryptocurrencies every day, but for many, the topic seems too difficult to understand. However, today, it is an unavoidable subject andhe bitcoin could well replace banks in the future…
This is tempting for many people, but often, when you're starting out, you don't know where to go or what to start. Due to lack of information, they give up before even understanding the mechanism of cryptocurrencies.
If you are on this page, it’s because you don’t want to be like them, right? You don't want to miss this opportunity to take part in one of the most incredible inventions of recent years.
This guide was therefore created for beginners in cryptocurrency. It covers the essentials for getting started in the crypto space. That you wish buy cryptocurrencies, exchange them, use them or even mine them at home (what audacity!), here is some basic information that will help you enormously.
With this guide, you will – normally – avoid common mistakes and significantly reduce wrong directions.
Keep reading to learn how to protect yourself, arm yourself with an arsenal of the best crypto tools, develop a basic strategy, educate yourself, and stay up to date. Read carefully and you will save hours of valuable time.
Here are the 10 tips that I would have wanted to read when I was a complete beginner and new to the subject.
1/ Take your time
Yes, of all the advice, this is the one that I find the most important. Yes, the first thing you should try to do is limit your impatience to know everything about blockchain or bitcoin.
It is a new universe where there are few "chosen ones" and information is certainly available but on a small scale.
Understand that this is still a recent technology and still undergoing transformation. If you are interested in cryptocurrency in general, this indicates that you are a curious person and open to new things.
That's not the case for most people, believe me.
In fact, at the beginning, we tend to want to learn everything quickly. We go from video to video, from blog to blog, from article to article and the risk of doing that? Well, this universe, which is quite difficult to understand, becomes a gigantic imbroglio in your head.
Relax. Take the time to keep yourself informed. The knowledge you will have after a while will consolidate and everything will be clearer.
In short, here is the number 1 rule for getting started intelligently in cryptocurrency: take time before making decisions.
2/ Get a secure email account.
The first mistake I personally made was this little mistake. I mixed the traditional world and that of cryptocurrencies.
I think it's really important to clearly separate things and distinguish the two worlds.
😎 In fact, this is especially true if you want more security and participate in airdrops for example.
There are many sites and services in the world of cryptocurrencies. You may receive a lot of notifications etc from these different sites.
Good information can be drowned out with the information you receive in your main mailbox.
So start with a new email address. Use this email address for all your crypto accounts.
Some email providers are more secure than others.
- Protonmail : For cryptocurrencies, I like the email service “Protonmail”.
This is a great choice because it is very secure and anonymous. Built by scientists at CERN and MIT, it is considered the world's largest secure email service. According to Forbes, Protonmail is the only email system that the NSA cannot hack, which is how secure it is. However, please do not lose your Protonmail password. Recovery is tedious and complicated and may result in loss of previous emails.
- Gmail: Otherwise, I created another address on Gmail which remains another good choice. Besides being popular and easy to use, it is very secure, especially when you have 2FA (two-factor authentication) enabled. It protects you from phishing attacks and prevents hackers from cracking your password. So, it remains an excellent alternative.
3/ Subscribe to a VPN service.
Another step you can take to protect yourself in the digital space is to install a VPN service. A VPN stands for virtual private network. VPNs help hide the websites you visit so that no one can track your online activities.
There are a wide variety of VPN services available on the Internet.
- TorGuard is a respected player in this sector. They even accept Bitcoin as payment.
- WindScribe is another fantastic option. They offer a basic plan that gives you 10 GB of bandwidth per month for free.
It's a good idea to use a VPN service whenever you want to do encryption on the Internet, then turn it off when you go about your regular activities.
This is what I do personally even when I go to sites like Coinbase for example.
3/ Set up double 2FA security.
This is advice that I recommend for all the sites you use in cryptocurrencies.
Security is very important in the crypto world. If you think an account is important, enable 2-factor authentication (2FA) on it. This makes it difficult for scammers to hack your accounts by requesting a code that can only be generated by your phone.
- Google Authenticator is very useful for 2FA. Simply download the app to your smartphone and set it up with whatever account you care about.
4/ Save your private keys
Do I really need to emphasize this advice? I imagine you already know that.
The question of wallets is extremely important. Today, we tend to go to online marketplaces and leave our bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies.
Of course, these companies do their best to strengthen security. But, very often, on other platforms or other services, you will have to register your private key yourself.
No one can give it to you if you lost it. This code number absolutely must be saved somewhere.
Understand how wallets work. You should be familiar with wallets and exchanges. Wallets are digital software used to store cryptocurrencies. Each wallet is unique and has distinct characteristics. Some wallets are more secure than others.
The most secure wallets are hardware wallets like Ledger, which give you full control over your private keys.
You can also write them on paper (be careful though), on a USB key or any other method that you deem foolproof.
Forget screenshots and other methods out of laziness…
5/ Use secure messaging applications.
It is also wise to use secure messaging platforms when discussing important questions about cryptocurrencies.
- Telegram offers highly encrypted messages that can self-destruct.
- Discord, a voice and text chat app favored by gamers, is also ideal.
Discord and Telegram are used by most crypto enthusiasts. Other means of communication, such as email messages like Skype and Facebook, are much easier to control.
Avoid using them lightly with your cryptocurrencies.
5/ Download antivirus software.
Obviously. This is the basis. Anyone who uses the Internet frequently needs antivirus software these days. I mean it's necessary even if you don't use cryptocurrencies.
The Internet is crawling with Trojans and everyone can fall victim to them in different ways. An antivirus protects your computer against these threats.
- Avast is a good option. While there is a free version, you can “upgrade” if you need more protection.
- Kaspersky is another top antivirus software, but it can get expensive…
6/ Use the right tools
Once your protection is strong, you can move on to the next steps.
You need to arm yourself with a number of tools to make your adventure in the cryptosphere as smooth as possible. These tools will make your life easier. This will help you make the right choices.
Stay up to date on cryptocurrency prices. CoinMarketCap is great for this. You will immediately know which are the best cryptocurrencies with just one glance at the table.
The sire lists over 1 coins and provides quick and easy access to their prices and fluctuations, trading volume, market capitalizations and other details.
7/Take tests and try again and again
You need to know which wallets work for you and which don't. There are tons of reviews online about wallets. Gaining experience by learning from the mistakes of others is a very good place to start.
Familiarize yourself with exchange platforms as well. Exchanges are crypto markets where people buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Each exchange supports bitcoins and other cryptocurrencies. Most of them offer Bitcoin to fiat or altcoin exchanges.
The most important thing is to try. Sometimes certain sites are not suitable for us for x or x reason. Try and choose what suits you best.
8/ Have a strategy and a vision
What do you want with your cryptommies? Why are you involved? Are you interested in blockchain technology only?
Do you want to earn money? Investing in an asset that will provide you with long-term returns? Make profits quickly?
There are several ways to get started in the world of cryptocurrencies. But the real advice for you is to decide on a strategy to follow.
Depending on your objectives, define the methods and actions to put in place. Besides, this is advice that applies to all aspects of your life.
Do you intend to be a crypto investor? A trader? A blockchain enthusiast?
Let these questions run through your head. Find answers that best suit your situation.
Make a plan of your future actions and intentions. When you're done, research what you need to do to achieve your goals.
9 /Stay curious
Be aware that cryptocurrencies are constantly on the move. There's a lot going on with blockchain. There, you will tell me, this is the very basis of sound advice before investing in anything else.
New projects, new services, new laws appear regularly.
You must have a working knowledge of the crypto world to become a true Cryptomaniac.
This involves constant or at least continuous research.
Of course, this is easier said than done. The key is to keep learning. Understand the basics before tackling more complex tasks. Familiarize yourself with popular words and terms used in cypto communities.
10/ Follow (good) influencers and experts in the field
Finally, the last of the last tips. Some people are very powerful in the crypto world. To become a crypto geek you need to be informed, sure, but how can you do that?
Follow the news! You don't have to read all the crypto news articles all the time. I know that reading cryptocurrency news can quickly become "boring".
There are interesting blogs that talk about crypto news like Coindesk and CoinTelegraph for example. .
Also learn from forums. Forums are great destinations for crypto enthusiasts. On forums such as Bicointalk and Reddit, people gather to discuss cryptocurrencies.
People talk about the latest news and major developments and discuss how it will affect prices and the market, for example. There is no shortage of interesting conversations on good forums. The forums are sources of news on cryptocurrencies and personalities in the sector.
Follow personalities active in the crypto space on social media. They are better able to give you relevant crypto advice.
