Bitcoin has gained the interest of a huge number of people. There are many young investors that are entering the world of cryptocurrencies and are gaining knowledge in it.
Acquiring knowledge of the bitcoin market and its working is quite important before investing in bitcoin.
Before you buy bitcoin, it is imperative to find a place to store it. The cryptocurrencies are stored in wallets, and there are varieties of wallets available in the world of cryptocurrencies.
All the different kinds of bitcoin wallets offer different access, storage, and security options.
The users must understand that bitcoin is a virtual currency, which means it cannot be stored physically. The bitcoin wallet does the work of storing the bitcoins technically.
It provides public and private keys and bitcoin address that is used to transfer or spend the bitcoins.
The private keys are obligatory to sign a transaction through online trading website and the user must never lose the private keys of the bitcoin wallet. You can use the form below to know more.
Here, in this article, we will know about some main types of bitcoin wallets that are:
- Desktop
A desktop wallet needs to be downloaded and installed on the computer; it provides complete control over the funds. There are two different types of desktop wallets: thick desktop wallets and thin desktop wallets. Thick desktop wallets allow users to control the authenticity by downloading the network blocks and provide autonomous security management of users’ funds. Thin wallets need to be downloaded to a portable device like USB.
- Online
When users use an online wallet, the private keys of the user’s wallet are stored online on a service that is operated by a third-party. This web-based wallet allows people to access their wallets from any device, and in such wallets, there’s a great risk of getting bitcoins hacked by the third-party running the server. To reduce the risk of getting bitcoins hacked, the user must implement various security measures.
- Paper
A paper wallet is considered the safest option for storing bitcoins as it has two QR codes that are generated by a designated service. One code is the public key, which is used to receive bitcoins, and the other is the private key that is used to send or spend the bitcoins stored in the bitcoin wallet.
- Hardware
These wallets are the portable devices that contain the private key of the user’s bitcoin wallet and help in completing the payments. The hardware wallets allow users to carry any amount of money in their wallets.
Where to buy Bitcoin?
Buying bitcoins might be confusing for first-time buyers as there are multiple options available. The users are provided plenty of options to choose from according to their needs and requirements. Let us know some places where users can buy bitcoins:
ATMs
With more people and businesses accepting bitcoins, Bitcoin ATMs are emerging in cities worldwide and are constantly growing. The ATM charges a commission of about 3-8% other than the normal exchange price but provides users the best buying experience. All users must insert cash in ATM, scan the QR code of the mobile wallet, and get a receipt of instructions and codes explaining how to transfer funds into the wallet. As bitcoin ATMs have gained popularity and have become the most preferred way to buy the bitcoins.
Gift cards
Bitcoins are used to do transactions and can also be used to buy gift cards. It is quite cheaper to buy gift cards with bitcoin instead of using cash. The user needs to purchase a gift card from the retailer log into bitcoin exchange where the sellers accept the gift cards and buy from them. You may find numerous online retailers that sell gift cards. The gift cards are a suitable way to store your bitcoins, but it is imperative to know how bitcoin’s value fluctuates.
Exchanges
The new bitcoin buyers find various bitcoin exchanges opposing for their businesses. It is important to choose the right exchange, and it depends on numerous factors, but the most important one is the location. The government regulates the exchanges, and therefore the users need to meet the KYC requirements. Buying bitcoins from exchanges must be done by considering price, features, and fees.
