How much money do I need to start?

Technically a few units of currency. Practically, an amount you would shrug at losing while you learn.

Most platforms have minimums in the range of a few units of local currency, so the technical barrier is nothing.

The useful answer is different. The first purchase is not an investment, it is a lesson in mechanics: verification, deposit, order, fee, withdrawal to a wallet you control. Doing that with an amount you would not mind losing entirely teaches everything the guides can teach, at a cost you can name in advance.

Two things make small amounts awkward. Fixed fees eat them — a network fee of a few units is trivial on a large transfer and painful on a tiny one. And a hardware wallet costs more than the amount many people start with, which is fine: buy the device when the amount justifies it, not before.

Buying your first coin is the whole sequence, and what activity costs covers the fees.

Last checked 19 Oct 2026.