Cryptocurrency is digital money secured by cryptography and recorded on a blockchain: a public ledger maintained by thousands of computers around the world. Because no single authority controls the ledger, transactions cannot be secretly altered or reversed.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, created in 2009 as a peer-to-peer payment system. Since then, thousands of other digital assets have appeared. Ethereum introduced smart contracts, while stablecoins such as USDT are pegged to the US dollar to keep their value steady.

To get started you need a wallet: an application that stores the keys controlling your funds. You can buy crypto on an exchange like Coinectra, send it to friends and family, or simply hold it as a long-term investment.

Start small, learn how transactions, fees and confirmations work, and only move to larger amounts once you feel comfortable with the basics.