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Learn crypto, step by step

Twenty free guides in a clear order: start with the basics, learn to stay safe, read the market, then make a plan. No jargon, no hype.

Start with the first guide

Read them in order or jump to what you need. Each guide takes a few minutes.

Step 1

Start here

What crypto is, how blockchains and wallets work, and how to buy and move coins safely.

7 guides

  1. What Is Bitcoin? A Plain-English Guide for Complete BeginnersLearn what Bitcoin is, who created it, how transactions and mining work, why supply is capped at 21 million, and the main risks to know first.4 min read
  2. Blockchain Explained: How Blocks, Nodes and Consensus WorkUnderstand blockchains in plain words: what blocks and nodes are, how proof of work and proof of stake reach agreement, and the trade-offs involved.3 min read
  3. What Is Ethereum? Smart Contracts, Gas and ETH Explained SimplyA beginner's guide to Ethereum: what smart contracts are, how ETH pays for gas, why it moved to proof of stake in 2022, and the risks to keep in mind.3 min read
  4. What Are Stablecoins? How They Work, Main Types and Key RisksLearn what stablecoins are, how fiat-backed, crypto-backed and algorithmic coins hold their peg, why pegs can break, and how beginners use them.4 min read
  5. Crypto Wallets Explained: Custody, Private Keys and Seed PhrasesA beginner's guide to crypto wallets: custodial vs self-custody, hot vs cold storage, seed phrases, keys vs addresses, and how to avoid costly mistakes.3 min read
  6. How Crypto Exchanges Work: Orders, Spreads and Custody RiskLearn how centralized and decentralized crypto exchanges work, how orders fill, what spreads and slippage cost, and how to judge an exchange.4 min read
  7. Understanding Crypto Fees: Trading, Network and Hidden CostsA plain guide to maker and taker fees, spreads, withdrawal fees, Bitcoin fees and Ethereum gas, plus simple habits that keep your costs low.4 min read
Step 2

Stay safe

Protect your keys and accounts, and spot the scams that target beginners.

4 guides

  1. Seed Phrase Safety: How to Protect Your Crypto Recovery WordsWhat a seed phrase is, why whoever holds it owns your crypto, how to store and back it up safely, and how to secure exchange logins with 2FA.4 min read
  2. Phishing and Wallet Drainers: How to Spot Crypto Scams EarlyHow fake sites, fake airdrops, malicious approvals and address poisoning empty wallets, how to check every prompt, and what to do if you are hit.3 min read
  3. Fake support accounts: how crypto users get drainedThe direct message that looks official, what scammers ask for, and the habits that stop most attempts.2 min read
  4. Proof of reserves: what it proves and what it doesn’tHow exchanges show they hold customer coins, how to check your own balance, and the gaps a snapshot can hide.2 min read
Step 3

Read the market

Charts, market data and the scheduled events that move prices.

5 guides

  1. How to Read Candlestick Charts: A Calm Guide for Crypto BeginnersLearn what open, high, low and close mean, how to read candle bodies, wicks, timeframes and volume, and why chart patterns are never predictions.3 min read
  2. Support and resistance: what “key levels” really meanWhy prices react at the same zones again and again, what happens when a level breaks, and how to use levels without trusting them blindly.2 min read
  3. Market Cap vs Price: Why a Cheap Coin Is Not Always CheapLearn why a low coin price says little about value, how market cap and supply work, and what FDV, token unlocks and liquidity tell you.4 min read
  4. How inflation data and Fed decisions move cryptoThe two scheduled US events crypto reacts to most, why the surprise matters more than the number, and how to plan around release days.2 min read
  5. Spot Bitcoin ETF flows: what the daily numbers meanHow fund shares are created and redeemed, how to read net flows over a week instead of a day, and what flows cannot tell you.2 min read
Step 4

Make a plan

Decide how much to risk, when to buy, when to exit and what records to keep.

4 guides

  1. Position sizing: decide how much to risk before you buyA worked example of the habit that keeps one bad idea from hurting your whole account, and the mistakes that undo it.2 min read
  2. Dollar-Cost Averaging Explained: Investing a Fixed Amount Over TimeWhat dollar-cost averaging is, how the maths works in a simple example, how it compares with a lump sum, and the fees and risks to watch.4 min read
  3. Stop-Loss and Take-Profit Orders: A Beginner's Guide to ExitsHow stop-loss, stop-limit, take-profit and trailing stop orders work, where to place them, and why slippage, gaps and leverage matter.4 min read
  4. Crypto Taxes Basics: Taxable Events, Records and Cost BasisA general guide to how crypto is often taxed: common taxable events, cost basis, losses and the records to keep. Rules vary by country.4 min read