More and more people have been looking to enter the cryptocurrency market, but they don’t know where to start. To be honest, getting started with cryptocurrencies can look complicated, but as long as you grasp a few core principles, beginners can do quite well.

First, let’s talk about why so many people are paying attention to cryptocurrencies. Traditional stock and bond markets are already largely dominated by institutions, and retail investors don’t really have an advantage. But cryptocurrencies are different—this market has only been developing for about ten years, and there are still plenty of opportunities. Also, the entry barrier is low: you can start with at least $2–$10, far lower than what’s required for stocks or forex. More importantly, cryptocurrencies trade 24 hours a day, with no trading halt restrictions—anyone around the world can participate.

For people new to cryptocurrencies, the first thing to decide is which trading method to choose. There are mainly two options: one is to buy and sell directly on exchanges (such as centralized exchanges or decentralized exchanges), and the other is to trade through Contracts for Difference (CFD). The former requires real-name verification, while the latter is regulated more strictly and offers relatively higher fund safety. If you care about fund safety and want to use one account to operate multiple assets, CFDs may be more suitable.

Now let’s talk about which coins beginners should start with. The most reliable strategy is to pick coins with large market caps, strong liquidity, and high consensus. Bitcoin is the first choice. Its current price is around $77.47K, the 24-hour increase is 1.04%, and its circulating market cap has reached $1,552.06B. It’s like the blue-chip stock of the crypto world—able to attract the most capital and institutions, with relatively the lowest risk. Ethereum is the second choice. Its current price is $2.12K, the 24-hour increase is 1.12%, and its circulating market cap is $256.40B. Unlike many new public chains that only talk big, Ethereum’s applications have long been in real use—DeFi, NFTs, and on-chain games are all genuinely there.

Besides these two, Tether (USDT) is a must-have “tool coin.” Its price stays stable at around $1, mainly used to convert between different coins and to hedge. Binance Coin (BNB) is currently priced at $662.60, up 1.05%, with a market cap of $89.31B. Its utility is solid, and holding it can let you enjoy trading discounts. Solana (SOL) is priced at $85.84, up 0.45%, with a market cap of $49.63B. It has fast transaction speeds and low fees, making it suitable for beginners who want to experience a high-speed blockchain.

What mistakes are most common for people who are new to cryptocurrencies? Frequent trading is the biggest trap. After picking up some technical analysis, people start entering and exiting positions frequently, but end up having most of their profits eaten up by transaction fees. The second is not treating the market with proper respect—knowing the risks but stubbornly “going all in,” only to end up getting liquidated. The third is not setting stop-loss or take-profit, leaving your position completely exposed to risk. I personally suffered a loss on the 312 event day: I thought 1x leverage was safe, but I was still directly liquidated.

When it comes to getting started with cryptocurrencies, there are also two major traps you must be wary of. The first is hype-driven “trash coin” promotion—packaged under the names “metaverse” or “Web3.0,” claiming they can double your money. In reality, they have no technology and no real applications at all—just the project team controlling the market to harvest retail investors. The second is a Ponzi scheme, disguised as “blockchain financial innovation.” In reality, it uses the money from later investors to pay earlier investors. At the beginning, it may let you make a little profit to lower your guard, but once you invest large amounts, they’ll claim “system maintenance” and prevent withdrawals, and then disappear.

Avoiding these traps is simple. Remember two principles: first, don’t believe any “high return” promises. Anything that says “guaranteed doubling” or “thousandfold coins” is 100% a scam. Cryptocurrency is highly volatile—nobody can guarantee returns. Second, only choose large exchanges or platforms with proper financial regulation. Don’t pay to personal accounts or unfamiliar QR codes. Checking a platform’s license is important—going directly to the regulator’s official website to verify is the safest.

Overall, getting started with cryptocurrencies isn’t as difficult as you might imagine, but you also can’t be careless. Making mistakes isn’t scary; what’s scary is repeatedly making the same mistakes. Beginners can start with the smallest trading units to try things out, learn while practicing, and gradually build up experience.