I noticed an interesting trend — this year, the people going into crypto are completely different from before. There’s no excitement, no desire to get rich quickly. More and more I come across beginners who simply want to preserve and grow their capital. But the market has become much more complex, and there are no universal recipes anymore.

The hardest part is for those who are deciding for the first time which cryptocurrency to invest in. I talked with several experts, and they all have the same view — you should start not by searching for a magic coin, but with a strategy. Safety should be priority number one.

Here’s what they recommend. First, discipline matters more than all emotions. It’s better to keep most of your portfolio in resilient assets. You should buy regularly, but in small amounts — the so-called DCA approach. Invest only money that, if you lose it, won’t knock you off your feet. And of course, store your assets on hardware wallets, not on an exchange.

Now, specifically, about which cryptocurrency a beginner should invest in. The consensus is very clear — Bitcoin and Ethereum. They should be the core of the portfolio. The ratio depends on your willingness to take risks. More Bitcoin — more conservative. More Ethereum — higher potential, but also higher volatility.

Why exactly them? Last year, 91% of altcoins fell, many by 50-70%. Even professionals find it hard to guess, and beginners — even more so. That’s why the experts suggest keeping 70-80% of your portfolio in these two assets.

The remaining 20-30% can be allocated among major projects from the top 20. Solana, Polkadot, BNB — these are examples that have real utility and a clear role in the ecosystem. Meme coins and questionable projects are definitely not recommended for beginners.

There’s another option for cautious investors — adding USDT. This reduces risks and gives flexibility when making decisions without panic. Bitcoin plus a stablecoin is a classic pairing that helps you get through any volatility.

For those who are a bit more experienced, interest shifts to decentralized platforms for trading derivatives — Perpetual DEX. These include Hyperliquid, Lighter, Paradex, and others. But this is a more complex segment, and beginners shouldn’t rush into it.

In general, the main rule is — when deciding which cryptocurrency to invest in, don’t do it based on emotions, but on a plan. Enter the market step by step, in equal portions. Don’t believe promises of guaranteed profit. Discipline and realistic expectations work better than any single coin. These are the kind of insights.