To get into the crypto market, you need to set up an account on a crypto exchange. Coinbase is one of the biggest, with listings for all major mainstream cryptos and quite a few others. There are cryptocurrency exchanges worldwide, but we recommend those which are "banked" in the United States, and compliant with U.S. regulatory authorities, like Kraken, Gemini, and Voyager. These exchanges must follow anti-money laundering and Know Your Customer (KYC) laws like any other American bank or brokerage. Opening an account on these exchanges isn't any different than opening a checking, savings, or brokerage account. You'll need to provide information like your name, date of birth, primary address, Social Security and driving license or state identification number. These exchanges make it easy, and they'll walk you through the process with step-by-step instructions. You can use the exchange's non-custodial "wallets" for storing your crypto, or look into making your own custodial wallet arrangements. You can find out more about wallets all across our site.