Where to Begin
Besides Bitcoin, Ether is the most well known and widely used cryptocurrency in the world. If you want to get into crypto, these two blockchains are the ones to start with, but they are also quite different from each other.
Bitcoin is mostly a store of value: You buy it like you would buy gold, and stash it away to see the value grow. Bitcoin is the oldest and most established cryptocurrency in the crypto market.
Things you can do with Bitcoin: buy, sell, hold, and speculate.
Just like Bitcoin, Ether can be used as a cryptocurrency, but it also powers a platform for smart contracts, which are essentially programs and applications written in a special Ethereum blockchain language called Solidity.
Things you can do with Ethereum:
- buy, sell, hold, speculate
- DeFi: lending, borrowing, liquidity providing, yields, and rewards
- play games
- NFTs: create and buy unique collectibles and artworks
- write contracts that automatically execute predetermined actions
- obtain verifiable documents like licenses, diplomas, and proofs of ownership
- vote and exercise governance
- track provenance and shipment of goods
The freedom to accomplish these things without the control or interference of third parties like governments, lawyers, and bankers is the why of getting into cryptocurrency for many people. Now, let’s move on to the how!
Welcome to Ethereum
Because the Ethereum blockchain use cases are so varied, the Ethereum community of developers is the largest among blockchains, and the community of users is among the most active. This article explains how to become a participant in this community, and by extension the entire crypto space, from zero knowledge to full awareness.
It does say ‘Absolute Beginner’ right on top, so if you’ve made and lost thousands of dollars in crypto, rode the wave, HODLed*, FOMOed**, FUDed***, DYORed****, invested in dozens of ICOs*****, and wrote a bunch of smart contracts – it’s probably not for you.
However, if you really are new to the space, this article can help you feel comfortable with crypto and save you the considerable hassle of learning from your own mistakes.
Yes, it’s long and there’s no TL;DR******, but you are allowed to read it in more than one sitting. It’ll be here tomorrow. Use a bookmark and come back to it – like actual books used to work, remember?
And honestly, if you TL;DR crypto, you’ll get robbed and no one will be able to get that money back. This is not a ‘how to get rich in crypto in 3 steps’ article. It’s a ‘what is it’ and ‘why should I’ and ‘how do I go about it’ article. However, you will also be directed to excellent guides for specific goals on the way, so - onwards!
*HODL: hold on for dear life
**FOMO: fear of missing out
***FUD: fear, uncertainty, and doubt
****DYOR: do your own research
*****ICO: initial coin offering, the regulation-free IPO of crypto, now mostly replaced by more regulated STOs (security token offering) and IEOs (initial exchange offering)
******TL;DR: too long, didn't read
Introducing the Marketplace
It’s helpful to think of the Ethereum ecosystem as a big marketplace, where many kinds of goods and services are available, and all transactions are carried out on a power grid, fueled by the ETH currency.
This means that any action on the Ethereum blockchain requires a small fee called gas. Whether you are sending ETH or tokens, swapping, minting NFTs, or interacting with any contract, game, or service – you will need a little bit of ETH in your wallet. You do not need ETH to receive transfers, though.
The Ethereum marketplace is separate from, let’s say, Bitcoin, Ripple, Litecoin, or Doge – those are all different and separate blockchains. You are welcome to explore the other blockchains, but you may not need to because the Ethereum environment covers many of things you may have heard about in relation to crypto:
- smart contracts
- tokens
- DeFi
- NFTs
- yield farming,
and much more.
In fact, Ethereum might be the perfect ‘starter’ blockchain for a crypto beginner. Why? Because it allows you to try many different blockchain applications on one platform, setting up just one type of wallet and having an easily accessible, active community of users that you can turn to for answers.
Where can this community be reached? Twitter and Reddit tend to be the platforms where most crypto news and discussion takes place. If you use MEW, it’s highly recommended that you follow the Twitter account for updates, tips, and alerts. You can also find MEW on Telegram, another messaging platform popular in the crypto space. Decentralized crypto services like MEW don't email users first (only in response to a support inquiry) to avoid creating vectors for phishing attacks, so it’s important to stay tuned to social channel announcements.
Subreddits like Ethereum and CryptoCurrency can be very helpful, but can also be daunting, because members’ level of expertise varies widely. You can always receive targeted support in the MEW Reddit community and look for groups that specifically address beginner concerns. Truly, there are a lot of people out there willing to help Ethereum newbies.
If the Ethereum ecosystem sounds like something you’d like to explore, getting a wallet is the essential first step.
The Wallet: Your Key to Ethereum and Crypto
What's a wallet
Before you can do anything in the crypto market, on any blockchain, you need a wallet.
Every participant of the ecosystem must have at least one, but it’s common for people to have a few, just as one can have a few different bank accounts or apps.
When you enter the Ethereum market, whether you are there to buy, sell, or trade – you need money and some form of ID. In the crypto space, your wallet is both (but does NOT necessarily reveal your actual ID beyond the crypto market – more on this later). It’s like an online account, but with the important difference that you are the only person accessing and managing it.
For any interaction with the blockchain – sending or receiving money, playing a game, casting a vote or exchanging information – there are no email sign-ups or profile setups, much less logins with Facebook… Your point of entry and connection is always your wallet. Different blockchains will require different blockchain-specific wallets. We will focus on Ethereum wallets here.
Choosing a wallet
There are many varieties of wallets out there, and they fall into 5 general categories:
Web
Web-based wallets may also offer browser extensions, PWAs (progressive web apps) or be natively integrated in a browser.
Desktop
Desktop wallets are applications installed on the computer. While some consider these to be safer than web wallets, this is arguable: you still need to be online for transactions to go through, and a PWA from a web wallet can serve much the same purpose as a desktop app (namely, prevent you from going to a phishing site by accident). Besides, desktop apps may not be updated as frequently or reliably as websites and mobile apps, which can set them behind in terms of security features.
Hardware
Hardware wallets, used in combination with a web interface, are still the highest standard of security in crypto. They will keep your private keys from being exposed on the internet without the need for an offline computer.
Mobile
Depending on design and philosophy (custodial vs non-custodial), mobile wallet apps can vary in level of security and amount of control over your assets. However, with the world moving to mobile as the default way to use internet services, mobile app security is improving considerably and can have certain advantages over desktop and web wallets.
Paper
A method of 'cold storage', which means wallets that are always kept offline. A paper wallet is a private-public key pair, or a mnemonic phrase, printed on a card and kept stored in a safe location, without ever accessing it online.
Choice of wallet depends a lot on individual needs and goals, but for your first wallet, try to avoid being impetuous or lazy. If someone dropped a chunk of gold in your lap and asked “How would you like to store this?”, you would probably say “I’d like your best, state-of-the-art, long-term security solution, please.” You wouldn’t say, “That shed over there seems ok, although I may have given my neighbor Joe a key at some point…”
Crypto may not be a chunk of gold yet, but you are putting in your own money into it, so choose the best security for your hard earned coins right from the start. Get a hardware wallet (reputable ones start at around $50) or MEW's mobile Ethereum wallet (MEW wallet app).
The principle of Do Your Own Research applies here, as it does – very strongly – in the rest of the crypto space. You can read more about different types of Ethereum wallets here, and why using a secure wallet solution is important here.
Creating and Accessing Different Wallets
The procedure for creating a wallet will vary depending on the method and service provider you are going to use, but in all cases you will be required to copy some information and then keep it very safe. Usually, the information – also known as your wallet keys – will consist of two items:
1. a phrase of 12 or 24 words, called ‘mnemonic’, ‘recovery’ or ‘seed’ phrase, which is used to restore wallet access if you lose your phone, your computer breaks, and other emergencies
2. an additional password or pin used for logging into your wallet on a regular basis
(If you created a wallet a long time ago, you may instead have a keystore/JSON file with password and/or a 64-character private key. It is NOT recommended to use those directly online – read on to find out why.)
Let’s view specific examples.
Hardware wallet with web interface
The hardware wallet manufacturer will provide specific instructions, but generally you will make a pin or password to access the device and confirm transactions, and write down a 24-word recovery phrase to use if the device breaks, an update goes wrong, or you lose it.
The recovery phrase will always lead back to the same addresses, as long as you use the same HD derivation path (What path, now? It's one of the options available with hardware wallets. Read about paths here). The HD path looks something like this: m’/44’/60’/0’/0 – that’s the default one for Ethereum, by the way. Just take note of which path you are using at the very beginning. It’s usually the default one, but you might choose a different path by accident or the hardware wallet settings may vary. In an emergency, you want to have all the information about how you created the wallet.
Once you have the hardware wallet set up, you will need to use it in combination with a web interface like MEW. Some devices have native application interfaces, but they usually offer fewer functions. You’ll connect the device to a computer via a cable or Bluetooth, go through the interface prompts, and confirm transactions first on the hardware device, and then on the computer screen.
Direct key access (private key, keystore file, mnemonic phrase)
When blockchains and cryptocurrencies were first introduced, there were no hardware wallets or wallet interface apps to help people interact with the blockchain. It was accessible only to developers familiar with the command line, and wallet generation was not adapted for regular users and good security practices.
At that point, most users created wallets via private key or encrypted keystore file, and more rarely via mnemonic phrase. In such cases, all the user received is the ‘naked’ wallet information of a private key, phrase, or encrypted file, and they would enter it directly when accessing the wallet. If this ‘naked’ information is transmitted via the internet (as it is when you use it online), it allows anyone who intercepts it to immediately access your wallet just like you are doing.
These software wallet creation methods are still available, but using them online means greatly increasing the chances of being phished. In fact, some wallet interfaces and services are planning to discontinue access via these methods altogether. So, don’t do it. If you need more convincing, read this.
P.S.: There is an option of accessing a wallet via software methods offline. It’s a bit complicated, and for best results you will need a second ‘air gapped’ computer that is always offline. You can read about the offline procedure (as used in MEW) here. The general purpose of offline access is to keep your private keys from being exposed on the internet. Hardware wallets or a good mobile wallet will do this for you without the complex setup.
Browser wallet solutions
Increasingly, as more applications are built on Ethereum, web browsers and browser extensions are providing integrated wallet and Web3 services. What does this mean? By downloading a specific browser (like Opera or Brave) or installing a browser extension (like MetaMask), you will be continuously connected to your wallet while using the browser so you can interact with decentralized applications seamlessly.
When creating an account using these services, you will usually make an app password for regular access and receive a recovery phrase of 12 or 24 words, or a keystore file/private key. It's important to keep in mind that with browser wallets, you still need to keep track of your keys and store them in a safe location. Browser wallets are a better choice than direct software access, but hardware wallets are still the most secure solution for holding large amounts of currency for long periods. Browser wallets are more suitable for holding small amounts for the purpose of daily interaction with applications.
Mobile wallets
As previously mentioned, mobile wallet applications come in many different ‘flavors’ – depending on whether they are associated with an exchange or not, whether anyone is taking custody of your assets while you are using the wallet, and how your private keys are stored and handled.
MEW's mobile app, MEW wallet, is a truly non-custodial solution – you remain in full control of your keys and assets. You can use the app both as a standalone wallet and by connecting to the MEW web interface via a QR code. MEW wallet app gives you an easy and safe way to interact with crypto and the Ethereum blockchain, but it’s your job to keep your wallet information secure and to follow news updates in the space. On the other hand, this also means that MEW can’t lose your money, freeze your account, or in any other way interfere with what you do with your coins.
Here, the expression “Not your keys, not your crypto” is very relevant. Most of the time, a non-custodial wallet will give you your private key or seed phrase and will not require KYC. A custodial wallet, like Coinbase, will let you create a password only, will not give you the private key or seed phrase, and will require you to submit identification for KYC. Before using a mobile wallet app, figure out what kind of custodianship is involved, and make your decision according to the setup which works best for your needs.
Paper wallets and cold storage
It seems that a fair number of crypto beginners have heard of paper wallets as a safe method for cold storage, as well as a good way to gift crypto to someone.
We’d like to point out here that putting wallet information on a piece of paper or a plastic card does not in itself make the wallet secure by some mysterious alchemy. What makes it safe is that after creation, the wallet is never accessed online. The public address can be used to deposit more assets to the wallet and to view the wallet balance on a blockchain explorer.
However, using that private key or seed phrase even once to access the wallet online and send a transaction will null its cold storage status and leave it vulnerable to being phished. Especially when gifting a paper wallet, it’s essential to make the new owners understand this: If they choose to use the assets actively, they must create a different, safer wallet and transfer the crypto from the original paper wallet to the new one.
Get Started on Ethereum
Now that you have a wallet set up, what are some things you can try doing?
Receive assets
Once you have an Ethereum address, you can start receiving ETH and tokens. Copy your public address only (it starts with 0x and has 40 more alpha-numeric characters, like this: 0x29cAbc05c5F105ca8d8c9460Dd56bce697Fd826a) and give to people so they can send you crypto.
There is no harm in receiving free token airdrops, although most of them are obscure and will not have any real market value for a long time, if ever. An incoming token can’t give your wallet a ‘virus’, but if someone says ‘send me 2 ETH, and I’ll send you back 20 ETH’ – it’s a scam. No one ever gives away valuable currency.
Buy ETH
For anything besides receiving assets, you will need some ETH in your wallet to pay for gas. Gas prices can vary (Eth Gas Station will have the current rates), and some operations like swapping will require more gas than simply sending ETH, but most wallets will calculate gas for your transaction automatically. One way to get ETH is to buy it with a credit card through an exchange. You can do this with MEW wallet app via Wyre or Simplex, on MEW web via Simplex, or on exchanges like Coinbase.
Take note that when you do this, you will have to go through the KYC (Know Your Customer) procedure which will essentially connect your Ethereum wallet to your real identity. That doesn’t mean that your wallet service or anyone on the blockchain will know your name when they see your Ethereum address – they won’t. But it does mean that your government and bank can know your cryptocurrency history, if they choose to take interest and investigate. More on this later…
There is an alternative way of getting ETH: receiving it from another user (a friend, a client, an employer paying for services, or even a stranger on Reddit who sends you a few bucks to pay for gas and help you move your assets).
Believe it or not, there are even ETH ATMs which will take cash and deposit ETH into a provided address. For now, these are not widely available, and their reliability is not well-established. It’s something to consider though, if you don’t want to provide a lot of personal information for the purchase.
Of course, ETH can also be mined, but that requires sophisticated blockchain knowledge and equipment. It is not a very practical way of obtaining the currency for a beginner, but you are more than welcome to do the research and see if it’s something that you are willing to try!
Swap tokens
Frequently, people come into crypto after being inspired by a particular project and deciding to invest in it. Good news! Most of the time, the tokens of such projects are in the ERC20 format, based on Ethereum.
Sometimes projects distribute tokens for free (airdrop them), in which case all you need to do is provide your public address. If the tokens have market value, you can use an exchange to swap ETH for the token of your choice.
If you are using a custodial exchange wallet like Coinbase, your assets are already on the exchange, so you just have to check which tokens are supported. MEW is a non-custodial wallet, but it is partnered with decentralized exchanges that provide swaps within the MEW interface. When you use non-custodial wallets that do not integrate any exchanges, or you need to swap a token not supported by the integrated exchanges, you will have to move your assets to a wallet on the exchange first, conduct the swap there, and then move the swapped coins back to your non-custodial wallet.
Swaps are not limited to ETH and tokens. You can even swap ETH for Bitcoin, or vice versa, but keep in mind that Bitcoin can’t be sent to your Ethereum wallet – they are different blockchains, and you’ll need a different wallet for Bitcoin.
Blockchain explorers
Regardless of which wallet interface you are using, if you are ever in doubt about your balance or unsure about the status of a transaction, there is one source of blockchain truth you can always turn to – the blockchain explorer. Wallet interfaces may have errors that prevent seeing correct balances, or they may fail to show the most recent transaction details. The block explorer will always have that information up to date.
At the moment, the most popular explorer for Ethereum is Etherscan. Put simply, it’s a database that shows all activity on the blockchain. If you put your public address in the search field, you can view your ETH and token balances, as well as the full transaction history. You can also explore token prices, average gas fees, latest block information, transaction volume, miner rewards, and lots of other data. Learning to use the block explorer is very helpful for navigating the crypto space with confidence.
Giving DeFi and DApps a Try
It’s time to talk about decentralization as the structuring principle of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
Why Decentralize?
The main idea is that with decentralized networks, there is no third party that validates network transactions – which means there is no gatekeeper that can dictate rules that might prevent you from using the service, and there is no central point of failure which can be used to ‘take out’ the entire network.
In practical terms, decentralization removes barriers to entry and puts control into the hands of the network participants rather than a single governing body. A government can restrict citizen movements and rights, a bank can deny a loan or freeze assets, and a centralized service like Google or Facebook can change terms and impose any set of rules on the users. Decentralized tools aim to provide the same functions and services, but without the limitations and threats of centralized organizations.
DApps
Decentralized applications (DApps) are just what they sound like – computer programs and online services that are built on a decentralized blockchain. There are thousands of DApps out there, and most are based on Ethereum. You can browse lists of currently active DApps on websites like dapp.com, State of the DApps, and DappRadar. There are games, gambling, social networks and, of course, NFT collectibles. The biggest stars of decentralization, though, are the DeFi applications.
Decentralized Finance
DeFi is, without a doubt, the most important development on Ethereum. Adding a decentralized structure to financial instruments makes them available for those who don’t have access to traditional banking –a significant part of the world’s population outside of North America, Western Europe and Australia. Even for those with a bank account, there can be limitations placed by financial institutions on asset movement and investment possibilities. Decentralized finance levels the playing field and lowers the barriers to entry.
Stablecoins – cryptocurrencies tied to the value of a fiat currency like the US Dollar – are an essential component of the DeFi environment. They offer many of the benefits of cryptocurrencies while counteracting the crypto market’s considerable volatility, and enable investors to do complex financial operations without leaving the cryptocurrency space. You can read more about stablecoins here.
DeFi allows anyone who owns ETH to take out a loan or earn interest without the necessity of applications, credit checks, excessive fees, or commitments. You can also make savings deposits, provide liquidity, or stake tokens to earn interest on your assets. To find ideas how you can use DeFi for your financial goals, read more about DeFi right here on MEWtopia.
Security and Compliance
Just like a busy marketplace, Ethereum has its share of pickpockets, con artists, and authorities attempting to keep things under control. Of course, whether the players vying for power in the space are genuinely concerned about the safety of the public, or they are more interested in hijacking the entire operation, is a matter of opinion.
Be that as it may, as a participant of the cryptocurrency marketplace, you must be mindful of people trying to steal your money, people promising to take care of your money, and people attempting to supervise your money. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.
Phishing and scams
Even a very casual foray into the world of cryptocurrency will immediately bring you into contact with all kinds of formidable security warnings and, for lack of a better word, disclaimers.
While no service in the space wants to scare users off, there is still a lot of phishing in crypto, and reports of crypto security concerns are not that exaggerated. In fact, while crypto UX designers work on bringing you soothing colors and 2-click onboarding procedures, it’s still your job to protect yourself from scams. As it always has been in this life, by the way.
Non-custodial crypto solutions like client-side wallets are not like banks.
They do not manage accounts, collect your data, monitor your IP addresses, or store histories on servers.
They can not reset your password, cancel transactions, or investigate scammers.
They will never see your password, private key or seed phrase (so they can’t help you bring those back if you lose them).
Blockchain technology is a one way street without red lights – the chain is growing continuously and can not be rolled back. A transaction is knit into the fabric of the ledger, and once it’s sent, it’s forever. Whether they happen as a result of a phishing scam, a misunderstanding about the way blockchains work, or a wrong address entered by accident, ‘wrong’ transactions can’t be frozen or reversed, by anyone.
That's why crypto security is heavy on prevention. This collection of tips on avoiding phishing is a good start. This piece talks about the most frequent issues experienced by new users and handled by MEW support – all of them very preventable. Really, there is plenty of information out there about best crypto safety practices, the trick is to actually read it before jumping in…
Custodians
If non-custodial, decentralized solutions are so scary and labor-intensive, with no one to help you fix mistakes, perhaps a traditional centralized approach is best? It’s really a matter of personal choice.
Are you passionate about being free from the restrictions of third parties and being in full control of your assets? Are you concerned about the possibility of bank defaults, policy changes, and authoritarian governments? Then perhaps staying in charge of your own security would not be such a burden.
On the other hand, are your reasons for exploring crypto less ideological? Are you just looking for a new investment opportunity and would rather have someone taking care of your assets, like a bank does, even at the price of full independence and agency? Then custodial, centralized services may be a better choice.
Whether or not centralization in finance and governance is a bad thing is the subject of an extensive political, social, and philosophic discussion actively ongoing in the Ethereum community (and beyond it). As in any good discussion, there are valid arguments on all sides. Still, there is no getting away from one fact – either you are the sole custodian of your assets, or you are dependent on someone else, fully or partially. The choice is entirely yours. Make sure that you are comfortable with it.
Regulators
Where there is money, there will always be regulators and taxes.
You may have heard about the ‘ICO craze’ of 2017. What happened is this: a large number of blockchain projects decided to pursue the Initial Coin Offering model of financing, which is like a traditional IPO crossed with crowdfunding. The companies created their tokens on the blockchain (which is not difficult to do and does not require any permissions from anyone) and sold them like stocks to interested investors, despite the tokens having no real value at the time of the ICO.
Neither the companies nor the investors had to undergo any regulatory checks. Some of the projects used the money for developing their product, raising the value of the token. Most, however, never created anything and/or ran away with the assets, leaving investors without any recourse for recovering their money.
The opportunity for speculation and the possibility of anonymous payments are two reasons why regulators are beginning to look closely at cryptocurrencies. Whether they are justified in doing so is arguable, given that plain old cash is still the currency of choice for evil deeds, and investment scams existed long before cryptocurrencies, or even calculators, were invented.
The very qualities that are making blockchain useful for people who don’t have access to centralized finance and governance are also the qualities that threaten the power of those financial institutions and governments. It’s unlikely that cryptocurrencies will just be ‘left alone’ by regulators and tax agencies. It’s also impossible for cryptocurrencies to be ‘shut down’, due to their decentralized structure. At this time, there are still no clear regulations or taxation procedures for most cryptocurrencies, in most countries.
Regulatory compliance, both for companies and retail investors, requires a very individual approach, taking into account various factors like:
- whether decentralized or centralized services are used
- whether KYC is/has been part of the process
- specific types of tokens or currencies involved
- national and international laws affecting relevant jurisdictions
Once again, Do Your Own Research. Official reports on regulation of cryptocurrency and taxation guides are your best sources for correct, up-to-date information.
Venturing Into Other Marketplaces
It’s important to keep in mind that the crypto space comprises many different blockchains, and they will often have different rules and functionality.
We mentioned Bitcoin in the beginning of the article. It’s the most established and highly-valued cryptocurrency at the moment, so it is seen by many as the best store of value in crypto.
What are some other well-known blockchains, and what do they do?
EOS and Tron provide alternative platforms for decentralized applications. Ripple, BitcoinCash, Litecoin, and Stellar aim to facilitate transactions and establish fast global payment networks. Zcash and Monero emphasize strong privacy features. There are permissioned and permissionless blockchains, as well as public and private blockchains. There are also a number of distinct consensus algorithms including proof of work and proof of stake.
Don’t worry, for most purposes, you don’t need to know all the details of blockchain differences. Just be aware that
- specific conditions may apply (like gas fees on Ethereum, for example), so do your research before diving in
- you may need to create blockchain-specific wallets for corresponding coins
- you can’t send assets between blockchains, but you can use exchanges to swap one kind of crypto with another
Be adventurous and have fun, but remember to keep track of all your various wallets’ information and follow the news about all your investments. A lot of services and projects will not contact users directly because of security concerns, and some may simply lack the resources for consistent community support.
ERC-20 tokens that were originally launched on the Ethereum blockchain may transition to their own mainnet – that’s a big change, it often requires some action on the part of the investor, and you can read about that here.
Blockchains can fork, which means splitting off to form two distinct chains with possibly different rules and histories. Sometimes the new chain becomes the default chain, sometimes it becomes a whole different project. It’s another big change to pay attention to, and you can read more here.
Finally, stay mindful of the crypto market’s volatility and immaturity. Don’t invest more than you are prepared to lose, and check back often on projects you invested in.
Helpful Resources
We are impressed and excited that you made it through the article! Hopefully, you are feeling a bit more comfortable with crypto at this point, but of course there is so much more to learn.
Browse beginner articles here on MEWtopia, visit our help center, and join the MEW community on Twitter, Telegram, and Reddit. We are looking forward to sharing your crypto journey with you!
