How to Invest in Bitcoin: A Guide for Beginners

Although Bitcoin was originally envisioned as a technology for payments, today most people consider it to be an investment asset—something to save

Bitcoin began as a technology for payments, but today most people use it as an investment asset. You can save in a Bitcoin IRA or add it to your portfolio as an alternative asset to hedge against inflation or diversify your investments. Bitcoin has experienced astronomical growth and has outpaced recent gains on major stock market indices, making it an attractive alternative.

Compared to blue chip stocks like Pfizer, Nike, or Nestle, Bitcoin is quite young. It was launched in 2009, and its price has skyrocketed. In 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz, a software developer and an early believer in Bitcoin’s value, famously paid 10,000 Bitcoins for pizza. Today, those coins would be worth over $580 million.

Since then, Bitcoin’s price has continued to climb. At the beginning of 2024, its price was $44,187. By March 2024, its price reached its highest level ever, surpassing $73,079.

“The potential benefits of investing in crypto are potentially higher returns than a more traditional stock and bond portfolio may yield on its own,” said Drew Feutz, a certified financial planner (CFP) with Migration Wealth Management.

However, Bitcoin often experiences price fluctuations and dips. As of September 2024, its price had dropped to about $58,000.

Bitcoin’s prices rise and fall for a variety of reasons. While the price of stocks can fluctuate based on company performance or industry news, Bitcoin is affected by other factors:

New cryptocurrency regulations from different government agencies or countries can impact the price of Bitcoin and other digital assets. For example, if the U.S. decides to crack down on cryptocurrency mining operations, it could drive up the price of Bitcoin. On the other hand, if another country decides to ban cryptocurrency use, it could cause the price of Bitcoin to drop.

The performance of other cryptocurrencies can also affect Bitcoin’s price. For example, if Ethereum experiences a bull run and sees astronomical growth, it could drive up the price of Bitcoin as well. This is because many people view Bitcoin as the “gold standard” of cryptocurrencies, and they believe that if other digital assets are performing well, then Bitcoin should also see some gains.

World events and economic conditions can also impact the price of Bitcoin. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the price of Bitcoin experienced some volatility. As the economy recovered and people began to feel more optimistic about the future, the price of Bitcoin also rose.

Investing in Bitcoin can take different forms.

Buy Bitcoin directly through a cryptocurrency exchange

One of the most popular ways to invest in cryptocurrency is to buy Bitcoin directly. You can do this by opening an account with a cryptocurrency exchange. Once your account is created, you can sync it with your bank account and use your money to buy Bitcoin.

Invest in a Bitcoin IRA

Another way to invest in Bitcoin is to open a Bitcoin IRA. A Bitcoin IRA is a tax-advantaged retirement account that allows you to invest in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin IRAs have the same tax benefits and contribution limits as traditional or Roth IRAs, but you can invest in alternative assets.

Consider cryptocurrency ETFs

A relatively new way to invest in Bitcoin is through a crypto exchange-traded fund (ETF). With these ETFs, you don’t directly own Bitcoin, but the performance of the ETF will reflect Bitcoin’s performance.

Crypto ETFs allow you to buy and sell shares through an investment brokerage account, without the need to worry about storage for cryptocurrency or opening a separate cryptocurrency exchange account.

Invest in cryptocurrency-related stocks

For those wary of investing directly in Bitcoin, another option is to invest in cryptocurrency-focused stocks. Potential options include publicly traded cryptocurrency exchanges, technology firms, and payment processors; these companies may use Bitcoin or use it in their operations, so you’ll indirectly benefit from Bitcoin’s performance.

Bitcoin is still a relatively new asset, but it has displayed impressive past performance, and more and more companies are using it or accepting it as a payment method. As Bitcoin becomes more established, it may experience fewer fluctuations in price too.

“Bitcoin’s price volatility is steadily decreasing over the years,” said Brady Swenson, co-founder and head of product marketing at Swan Bitcoin. “As a far more liquid asset, its price volatility is lower than relatively illiquid cryptos.”

If you plan on holding onto your investment for the long haul, investing money into Bitcoin could be a good choice.

“It’s always a good time to invest in Bitcoin with a long-time horizon, [such as] 10 or more years,” said Swenson. “Cryptos are for gambling, not investing.”

Although Bitcoin is the most well-known cryptocurrency, it’s not the only investment option you have. When deciding where to invest your