Bitcoin Mining and Security Part 2

Let’s recap on crypto security and refer to part 1 if needed.

Bitcoin security is important. Your Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency has a unique address or identification or private key. Therefore, you should realize how important it is to keep it safe. If you lose it, it is difficult to recover, therefore it is necessary to secure it as best as possible.

I must clearly emphasize this as security should be paramount and should not be taken lightly.

There are countless stories of people who have lost access to their computers (either due to carelessness or abuse) and ended up unable to recover their bitcoins or other cryptocurrency. This should be the equivalent of leaving your wallet vulnerable through pickpocketing or carelessness when out and about.

Fortunately, there is a way to doubly protect your assets. A secure hardware wallet will ensure that if you have the misfortune of losing access to your computer or tablet, etc. (by whatever means), you will have the ability to recover your Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.

A hardware wallet allows you to restore your cryptocurrency on any other computer as it is basically a USB connection that you use to secure your transactions.

Second level of security.

Trezor is the original hardware wallet and is easy to set up for your Bitcoin security. There are other products available, but for the rest of this article I decided to focus primarily on the Trezor hardware wallet.

The core tenet of Trezors’ bitcoin security is zero trust.

Using the Trezor screen, you can independently verify and physically confirm each transaction directly on your device.

It also requires a pin from you every time you log in. This ensures that you are the one present at all times.

As a single purpose device, the wallet has no other functions.

Simplicity equals added security.

Trezor is no exception to the risk of malware or viruses, period. However, the fewer devices the Trezor communicates with, ie. there is no bluetooth, wifi or qr code scanning, so the simpler the communication protocol, the more secure your bitcoin security.

Also, the Trezor doesn’t have a battery. When it’s off, it’s off and your coins are safe from any cyber attacks.

I hope I have highlighted the importance of Bitcoin security. The main problems are zero trust and concrete security. Also ensure that your backup process is equally secure ie. if necessary, make sure your data is accessible to someone you specifically trust.

4 Benefits You Can Enjoy If You Invest in Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a type of digital currency based on the peer-to-peer network. It was introduced in 2009. What makes this type of currency different from the usual currency in use is that it is not centralized or dependent on a bank or government authority. However, Bitcoin offers many advantages. For example, it involves lower transaction fees than conventional payment mechanisms. Let’s take a look at 4 benefits you can enjoy if you invest in Bitcoin. Read on to learn more.

Multiple uses

In the beginning, Bitcoin users used the currency to make routine financial transactions without paying many fees. Since then, the currency has been used for many other purposes.

In fact, Bitcoin uses blockchain technology to facilitate digital transactions. Therefore, all transactions are verified and validated first. Moreover, all transactions can be viewed online through the database available on the blockchain site.

Additionally, Bitcoins can be used for digital trading of land ownership securities, insurance claims, etc. However, it is important to note that these uses are in the developmental stage. Therefore, they have not yet become part of the mainstream.

However, the currency is quite successful. Hence, it brought a revolution to the entire industry. According to many researchers, the value of Bitcoin will continue to grow in the future. That’s why it’s a great idea to invest in BTC if you want to earn a big return on your investment.

Expected earnings

First of all, it is important to note that the potential gain is higher than the potential loss when it comes to investing money in Bitcoins. According to many crypto analysts, Bitcoin will become an international currency in the future. In other words, the chances of losing money are lower than the chances of making a significant profit. So it is somewhat of a safe investment.

If this happens, it will give a boost to world trade. As a result, the value of one bitcoin will increase by 20,000 times its current value. However, this can only happen if this currency is recognized as a valid currency for domestic and international trade.

Interest on your investment

Because bitcoins are accepted as a type of commodity money, you can invest your bitcoins just like you would invest money in any business using traditional fiat money. Therefore, you can also earn interest on the invested money. Also, you can sell your bitcoins once their value increases.

Easy access

The interesting thing is that you don’t have to hold your bitcoins for a long time to make any profit. Based on how much money people transfer to the Bitcoin network, you can also earn a profit in a short period of time.

In short, it’s a great idea to invest in Bitcoin in 2019. Just make sure you follow the latest developments to grab the opportunities available.

The definition of Bitcoin

Bitcoin is known as the first decentralized digital currency, they are basically coins that can be sent over the internet. 2009 was the year Bitcoin was born. The creator’s name is unknown, but the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto is given to this person.

Advantages of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin transactions are done directly from person to person over the internet. There is no need for a bank or clearing house to act as an intermediary. Thanks to this, transaction fees are much lower, they can be used in all countries of the world. Bitcoin accounts cannot be frozen, there are no prerequisites for opening them, and no restrictions. Every day more and more merchants are starting to accept them. With them you can buy anything you want.

How Bitcoin Works.

It is possible to exchange dollars, euros or other currencies into bitcoins. You can buy and sell like any other country’s currency. To keep your bitcoins, you need to store them in something called wallets. These wallets reside on your computer, mobile device, or on third-party websites. Sending bitcoins is very simple. It’s as simple as sending an email. You can buy practically anything with bitcoins.

Why Bitcoin?

Bitcoin can be used anonymously to buy any kind of goods. International payments are extremely easy and very cheap. The reason for this is that Bitcoins are not actually tied to any country. They are not subject to any regulation. Small businesses like them because there are no credit card fees involved. There are people who buy bitcoins just for the purpose of investment, expecting them to increase in value.

Ways to acquire bitcoins.

1) Buy on an exchange: People are allowed to buy or sell bitcoins from sites called bitcoin exchanges. They do this by using their countries’ currencies or any other currency they have or like.

2) Transfers: People can simply send bitcoins to each other through their mobile phones, computers or through online platforms. It’s the same as sending cash digitally.

3) Mining: the network is protected by some individuals called miners. They are rewarded regularly for all newly confirmed transactions. These transactions are fully verified and then recorded in what is known as a public transparent ledger. These people compete to mine these bitcoins by using computer hardware to solve difficult math problems. Miners invest a lot of money in hardware. Nowadays there is something called cloud mining. Using cloud mining, miners simply invest money in third-party websites, these sites provide all the necessary infrastructure, reducing hardware costs and energy consumption.

Storing and Saving Bitcoins.

These bitcoins are stored in so-called digital wallets. These wallets exist in the cloud or on people’s computers. A wallet is something like a virtual bank account. These wallets allow people to send or receive bitcoins, pay for things, or simply save the bitcoins. Unlike bank accounts, these Bitcoin wallets are never insured by the FDIC.

Types of wallets.

1) Cloud Wallet: The advantage of having a cloud wallet is that people don’t need to install software on their computers and wait for long syncing processes. The downside is that the cloud can be hacked and people can lose their bitcoins. However, these sites are very secure.

2) Computer wallet: the advantage of having a computer wallet is that people keep their bitcoins safe from the rest of the internet. The downside is that people can delete them by formatting the computer or due to viruses.

Bitcoin Anonymity.

When making a Bitcoin transaction, you do not need to provide the person’s real name. Every single Bitcoin transaction is recorded and is what is known as a public ledger. This log only contains wallet IDs, not people’s names. so basically every transaction is private. People can buy and sell things without being tracked.

Bitcoin innovation.

Bitcoin created a whole new way to innovate. Bitcoin software is open source, which means anyone can review it. Today’s fact is that Bitcoin is transforming the world’s finances, similar to how the web changed everything about publishing. The concept is brilliant. When everyone has access to the entire Bitcoin global market, new ideas emerge. The reduction of transaction fees is a fact of Bitcoin. Accepting bitcoins is worth everything, plus they are very easy to set up. Fee refunds do not exist. The Bitcoin community will generate additional businesses of all kinds.

Are you thinking of investing? Think the Bitcoin way

What is Bitcoin?

If you’re here, then you’ve heard of Bitcoin. It has been one of the most frequent news headlines in the last year or more – as a get-rich-quick scheme, the end of finance, the birth of a truly international currency, as the end of the world, or as technology that has improved the world. But what is Bitcoin?

In short, it can be said that Bitcoin is the first decentralized money system used for online transactions, but it will probably be useful to dig a little deeper.

We all know in general what “money” is and what it is used for. The most important problem seen with the use of money before Bitcoin was that it was centralized and controlled by one entity – the centralized banking system. Bitcoin was invented in 2008/2009 by an unknown creator who goes by the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto” to bring decentralization of money on a global scale. The idea is that currency can be traded across international lines without hassles or fees, checks and balances will be distributed across the globe (not just on the ledgers of private corporations or governments), and money will become more democratic and equally accessible for everyone.

How did bitcoin start?

The concept of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency in general was started in 2009 by Satoshi, an unknown researcher. The reason for its invention was to solve the problem of centralization in the use of money that relied on banks and computers, a problem that many computer scientists were not happy with. Attempts to achieve decentralization have been made since the late 1990s without success, so when Satoshi published a paper in 2008 proposing a solution, it was widely applauded. Today, Bitcoin has become a familiar currency for Internet users and has given rise to thousands of “altcoins” (cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin).

How is bitcoin made?

Bitcoin is made through a process called mining. Just as paper money is made by printing and gold is mined from the ground, Bitcoins are created by “mining”. Mining involves solving complex mathematical problems regarding blocks using computers and adding them to a public ledger. When it started, a simple CPU (like the one in your home computer) was all you needed to mine, but the difficulty level has increased significantly and now you’ll need specialized hardware, including a high-end graphics processing unit (GPU), to mine Bitcoin.

How do I invest?

First, you need to open an account on a trading platform and create a wallet; you can find some examples by Googling “bitcoin trading platform” – they usually have names including “coin” or “market”. After joining one of these platforms, click on assets and then click on crypto to select your desired currencies. There are many indicators in every platform that are quite important and you should make sure you monitor them before investing.

Just buy and hold

Although mining is the safest and in some ways the easiest way to earn bitcoins, there is too much effort involved, and the cost of electricity and specialized computer hardware makes it out of reach for most of us. To avoid all this, make it easy on yourself, directly enter the amount you want from your bank and click ‘buy’, then sit back and watch your investment grow as the price changes. This is called an exchange and is done on many exchange platforms available today, with the ability to trade between many different fiat currencies (USD, AUD, GBP, etc.) and different crypto coins (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, etc.). n.).

Bitcoin trading

If you are familiar with stocks, bonds or Forex exchanges, then you will easily understand crypto trading. There are bitcoin brokers such as e-social trading, FXTM markets.com and many more to choose from. The platforms provide you with Bitcoin-Fiat or Fiat-Bitcoin currency pairs, for example BTC-USD means trading Bitcoin for US Dollars. Track price changes to find the perfect pair according to price changes; platforms provide price along with other indicators to give you relevant trading advice.

Bitcoin as a stock

There are also organizations created to allow you to buy shares in companies that invest in bitcoins – these companies do reverse trading, and you just invest in them and wait for your monthly income. These companies simply pool digital money from different investors and invest on their behalf.

Why should you invest in Bitcoin?

As you can see, investing in Bitcoin requires you to have some basic knowledge of the currency as explained above. As with all investments, there is risk involved! Whether to invest or not is entirely up to the individual. However, if I had to give advice, I would advise investing in Bitcoin for the reason that Bitcoin continues to grow – although there has been one significant boom and bust period, it is very likely that cryptocurrencies as a whole will continue to experience an increase in value in the next 10 years. Bitcoin is the biggest and best known of all the current cryptocurrencies, so it’s a good place to start and the safest bet right now. Although volatile in the short term, I suspect you will find that trading Bitcoin is more profitable than most other ventures.

Best Bitcoin Trading Platforms

Cryptocurrency not only provided the fastest way to transfer the money, but also a new entity to trade and earn money with, apart from stocks and other commodities. While you can directly sell and buy Bitcoin, you can also use Bitcoin trading exchanges to further your cryptocurrency transactions. There are many exchanges where Bitcoin trading is safe and secure and customers are facilitated with many advanced services. As a cryptocurrency investor or trader, you can choose any of the exchanges for your convenience. However, it is recommended that you take a look at the reviews of some before giving up. Below is a brief overview of the best Bitcoin exchanges in the world.

CoinBase: Probably one of the most reputable and largest direct and wallet dual trading bitcoin exchanges. CoinBase was founded in 2012 through the venture discovery of Y-Combinator and has grown rapidly since then. There are many lucrative services like multiple cash deposit and withdrawal options, money transfers between two CoinBase are instant, Wallet facilities with multiple signature options for more secure transfers, Bitcoin deposits are insured against any loss, etc. CoinBase has a wide variety of European and US payment partners that seamlessly allow transactions to take place through them. It has relatively low transaction fees and offers bitcoin trading as well as a large number of altcoin trading.

CEX.IO: One of the oldest and reputable exchanges that started in 2013, London as a Bitcoin trading exchange and also as a cloud mining facilitator. Later, its mining power grew so enormous that it held almost half of the network’s mining capacity; but now it is closed. “CEX.IO” allows clients to expand to a much larger amount of bitcoin transactions and has the ability to provide the bitcoins at the desired price instantly. However, this exchange charges a bit high exchange amount, but this is compensated by the security and facilities to allow multi-currency transaction (Dollar, Euro and Ruble) to buy Bitcoins.

Bitfinex: This is one of the most advanced trading exchanges and is especially suitable for experienced cryptocurrency traders. With high liquidity for Ethereum as well as Bitcoin, this exchange has better options like leverage, margin funding and multiple order trading. In addition, Bitfinex offers the features of a custom GUI, many order types, such as limit, stop, floating stop, market, etc. This exchange also provides about 50 currency pairs that can be traded and with easy withdrawals for everyone. One of the largest exchanges in terms of traded volume, Bitfinex offers a pseudonym for trades and only requires credentials for some of its services. The only downside to this exchange is that it does not support buying Bitcoin or any other altcoin via fiat transactions.

Bitstamp: Founded in 2011, it is the oldest exchange that offers cryptocurrency and bitcoin transactions. The most respected because even though it is the oldest, it has never been under a security threat until recently. Currently, Bitstamp supports four currencies Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple and also comes with the mobile app apart from trading website. There is great support for European users or merchants who have an account with Euro Banks. Security is also enhanced by the type of cold storage, which means that the coins are stored offline. So you can say that it is completely impossible for any hacker to penetrate. Finally, its sophisticated user interface suggests that it is not for the novice user but for professionals and offers relatively low transaction fees.

Kraken: This is one of the largest Bitcoin trading exchanges in terms of liquidity, crypto trading volumes in Euros and trading data in Canadian dollars, US dollars and yen. Kraken is the most respected exchange that has managed through the turmoil of cryptocurrency trading and has managed to keep customer funds safe despite other exchanges being hacked at the same time. With 14+ cryptocurrency trading facilities, the user can deposit fiat as well as cryptocurrency along with the same withdrawal capacity. However, it is not suitable for beginners, but it has better security features and low transaction fees compared to CoinBase. The most important factor for Kraken is that it is trusted by the community and is the first to display volumes and prices on Bloomberg Terminal.

Why did banks ban cryptocurrency purchases with their credit cards?

The wave of banks banning the purchase of cryptocurrency using their credit cards is growing, with Wells Fargo now joining this type of ban. A number of other banks, such as Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup and others, are also part of this new trend that restricts the purchase of crypto.

It seems that debit cards can still be used to buy cryptocurrency (check with your bank to be sure of their policy), but the use of credit cards to buy cryptocurrency has turned around with these banks leading the way with these bans on purchasing, and it probably won’t be long before this ban becomes standard.

Seemingly overnight, purchases started to reverse when credit cards were used to buy crypto, and people who had never had a problem before buying crypto with their credit cards began to notice that they were no longer allowed to these purchases. The volatility of the cryptocurrency market is the culprit here, and banks don’t want people to spend a lot of money that will turn out to be difficult to pay back if a major cryptocurrency crash happens, as it did at the beginning of the year.

Of course, these banks will also miss out on the money that can be made when people buy cryptocurrency and the market goes up, but they’ve clearly decided that the bad outweighs the good when it comes to this gamble with their credit cards. This also protects the consumer as it limits their ability to get into financial trouble by using credit to buy something that could leave them cash and credit poor.

Most investors who used credit cards for cryptocurrency purchases were probably looking for short-term gains and had no plans to stick around for the long term. They were hoping to get in and out quickly, then pay off the credit cards before the high interest rate hit. But with the constant volatility of the cryptocurrency market, many who had bought with this plan in mind found themselves losing a huge amount of assets as the market went down. Now they are paying interest on the lost money, and that is never a good thing. This, of course, was bad news for banks and caused the current and growing trend of banning crypto purchases with credit cards.

The lesson here is that you should never max out a line of credit to invest in crypto, and only use a percentage of your hard assets to make crypto purchases. These funds should be funds that you can lock in for a long time without hurting your budget.

So, don’t get caught putting money into a cryptocurrency you’ll need soon, only to find that the downturn has taken the money out of your pocket. There’s an old saying that goes, “Don’t gamble with money you can’t afford to lose,” and that’s the lesson banks want people to learn as they venture into this new investment frontier.

Things you need to know about Bitcoin Black

What is Bitcoin Black?

Bitcoin Black is basically the cryptocurrency of the people, by the people for the people. It will be adopted for use as a peer 2 peer payment system that puts the power back to the people.

If we talk about bitcoin, bitcoin failed in this, real value comes from actually using the ecosystem and empowering people. Bitcoin transactions are slow and expensive, and it can be said that Bitcoin is somewhat centralized. Bitcoin takes people power because it is heavily manipulated and through cycles that discourage participants from cryptocurrency as a whole.

People buy bitcoins to get rich, not to participate in the ecosystem. The one percent elite are taking advantage of Bitcoin and creating discouragement by strategically increasing the price and attracting access to the dream of wealth and dumping coins in their favor. In fear of adoption. Bitcoin is completely controlled, pumped and manipulated at will for many different reasons.

Bitcoin Black focuses on solving these problems as the coin is a fair distribution cryptocurrency Airdropped to 1 million wallets before the IEO, with all funds going to community groups voted by the community to move the project forward with a focus on fair distribution, mass adoption, usability, education, ease of access, simplicity and community.

The goal is to become a true decentralized autonomous network that gives power back to the people. He does not belong to a group, but belongs to many branches of the community.

Handing out coins

Bitcoin Black aims to initially airdrop to at least 1 million wallets with no more than 0.5% of the supply held by 1 founder, making it a truly decentralized cryptocurrency.

The project has a presale of 2.5% of the total supply, which is almost 900 million coins.

If we look at the IEO, 7.2 billion IEO coins will be distributed to several public foundations that will help the community move the project forward in the future.

Countermeasures for manipulation (about 5%). Part used for the stability control fund to eliminate the possibility of early manipulation at low volume and maintain the stability of the currency.

Finally, the rewards for introducing the app will be 14.4 billion coins.

Entering 30 million members with increasing number of new users. A method of bringing the coin into any school yard / university / workplace and community.

Total supply

The maximum supply is 36 billion coins.

Awards

3.6 billion coins to be claimed by members who help share the Airdrop.

A simple one-click social sharing platform. Share a social message that provides an introduction to the encrypted video and the app download link that will allow your friends to download it. The platform is currently live and functioning well.

Innovation

The best innovation is fee-free transactions. You can send bitcoin black to anyone for free. Transactions are instant and you can send money as easily as sending a message.

Wallets are readily available and very easy to use.

Conclusion

Bitcoin Black has a fairly mass distributed currency with a wide supply spread, which will create less volatility through synchronized pumps and dumps and result in a more stable price. Bitcoin black will be the next bitcoin. You can sign up for the airdrop by clicking here. I wish someone in 2008 had included me in the bitcoin airdrop. Bitcoin Black is going to change lives and we want to tell as many people as possible.

A quick but in-depth comparison between gold and bitcoin

A quick comparison between cryptocurrency, gold and bitcoin

In some places, gold seems to have a more important place in the financial world. On the other hand, some people are starting to see Bitcoin as a valid method of holding our savings.

This allows us to shop and do other everyday transactions. For average users, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies seem to provide a suitable alternative. It’s probably a good time to compare gold to Bitcoin and Ethereum (another cryptocurrency).

People have used gold as a form of currency since millennia; while Bitcoin has only been around for a little over a decade. Although the concept has gone through a certain maturation process, gold still has a pervasive influence on the market. Bitcoin promises continuous improvements in convenience, security and functionality. Experts have compared the current state of Bitcoin to the Internet in the early to mid-1990s. Bitcoin proponents argue that almost all of the improvements associated with gold have already occurred, as evidenced by the mass adoption of all kinds of physical gold bullion products from millennia ago. In fact, some company acquisitions are done using gold as currency. They simply do not believe that the government will not go into hyper inflation.

The idea of ​​gold versus bitcoin is an important argument worth setting aside. Instead of choosing one of them; many of us would prefer to use a combination of them to take advantage of the better qualities of each. In fact, we saw a coexistence between Bitcoin and gold in the form of Casascius coins. This is the first case of Bitcoin and gold being collected and it won’t be the last.

Ethereum another crypto currency is at $1,549.00. It’s usually best mined with Raedon x 5 or 6 graphics cards, racked for optimal organization. Lan cables allow it to mine at high speeds to profit from power consumption.

Paper money is our solution to improve circulation, and gold is our ancestors’ solution to preserve the value of currency. Metal is less affected by inflation because it is much more expensive than paper or other cheap metals. And cryptocurrency is the new technological equipment to ensure reliability during transactions, with the timelessness and precision of a Swiss watch.

Despite the criticism, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies will continue to appeal to many people because of their distinct advantages, especially compared to conventional currencies such as paper money, which are inflated and often lost, spent or stolen.

It is based on instant, direct P2P (peer-to-peer) transactions to completely avoid cumbersome and expensive electronic payment systems. Over time, investors would find that Bitcoin provides an improved store of value compared to all serially printed flat currencies.

The Bitcoin protocol places a limit on the amount of Bitcoins available at one time. There will always be 21 million bitcoins and the system sometimes seems fairer than even the US dollar. With Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, users can gain greater financial privacy; although there are fears that the government will quietly enter the system with constant financial monitoring.

How to understand Bitcoin?

A guide on how to understand Bitcoin and cryptocurrency?

Although Bitcoin is one of the most searched terms (according to Google), it is a very technical topic for many people and can get too technical for non-geeks. However, now there are hundreds of cryptocurrencies and more and more people are starting to want to learn how they work, probably driven by a distrust of bankers, which is a completely different discussion.

It’s hard to get a layman’s explanation without having to use technical terms like “secret keys”, “digital keys”, “digital wallet” and “cryptocurrency”, so I’ll do my best to keep things as simple as possible the clearest I can.

The concept of fiat money, ie. paper currency, was formulated to make it easier for people to exchange for goods or services to replace barter, as this would be limited to an exchange between two willing parties at best, while money allows you to provide your service or goods, then purchase whatever service or good you need from another or others.

This is why I would say that Bitcoin is the 21st century equivalent of barter, as it works as an exchange of goods or services directly between two willing parties. Barter had to be based on every promise and trust to provide and deliver the promised goods or services.

Today with Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency, each party will need a unique file or unique key to exchange the agreed upon value with each other.

By having a unique key or file, it becomes easier to maintain a record of each transaction. However, this also comes with problems.

Now, barter is the simple exchange of skills or goods, as I said before, the modern equivalent, or Bitcoin is vulnerable to security breaches, ie. theft or hacking of files, this is where a “cryptocurrency wallet” comes into the equation to protect your transactions.

Basically, you need a secure location for your cryptocurrency/bitcoin purchases and holdings. This is where the need for a hardware wallet comes from.

So now, once you’ve recorded/recorded which address contains what amount of bitcoins, and then updated every time a transaction is made, the file is known as the “Blockchain” – and it keeps a record of all transactions made with bitcoin.

The next problem is to ensure that our files remain unique.

I will deal with this in my next article.

A step-by-step guide to investing in Bitcoin

Well, as with almost anything else in life – if not everything – you have to buy it before you can invest in it. Investing in Bitcoin can be very challenging and that is if you don’t have a step set in front of you.

First you need to know that Bitcoin is a type of cryptocurrency, one of the first digital currencies that was invented, designed and developed by Satoshi Nakamoto and released to the public in 2009.

And from there, updates as well as improvements are made by a network of very experienced developers and the platform is partially funded by the Bitcoin Foundation.

Since bitcoins have become a hot topic of interest and many people are investing in them, there is nothing wrong if you also get a little digital wealth. It is interesting to note that in 2012, Bitcoin firms only managed to raise $2.2 million.

Despite falling prices this year, the cryptocurrency continues to see growth among both consumers and merchants who accept it as payment.

So how can you be a part of the action? Investing in Bitcoin can be easy for the average Joe if he just buys straight.

Buying it today is made easy with many businesses in the United States and everywhere involved in the business of buying and selling.

For US investors, the easiest solution is Coin Base, which is a company that sells BTC to people at a premium, which is usually about 1% above the current market price.

If you want a traditional exchange, Bit Stamp might be a better option as you will be trading users not only with the company but also with the users.

The company acts only as an intermediary. Liquidity is higher and you can almost always find another person to take the other side of your trade.

Fees start at 0.5% and go up to 0.2% if you’ve traded over $150,000 in the last 30 days. All of them are already investment vehicles in their own way, because the more BTC you buy, the more profit you will accumulate if you decide to store them or resell them to other traditional buyers at a higher price than what you bought with real companies.

You can also buy bitcoins in another way other than an exchange. One of the most popular routes to so much offline is Local Bitcoins, which is a website that connects you with potential buyers and sellers. Upon purchase, the coins are locked by the seller in escrow, from where they can only be released to buyers.

But buying bitcoins offline should be done with some extra precautions that are always common, just like you would when meeting a stranger. Meet during the day in a public place and if possible bring a friend.

Bitcoin is the hottest thing online right now. Investors and venture capital firms are betting it’s here to stay. There are many ways for the average Joe to invest and buy Bitcoins.

In the US, the most popular avenues are Coin Base, Bit Stamp and Local Bitcoins. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so do your research to find the one that’s right for you.