We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (2024)

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This is what the Coinbase app looks like on an iPhone. When you first open the app, you're presented with the latest price of bitcoin and its change within a certain period. You can see in the chart below how wild the latest moves have been. I happen to be one of the many who have never traded bitcoin before. There's a certain level of wariness in buying into the cryptocurrency world. However, Coinbase's interface makes it simple to enter the basic personal information it needs to create your account. User-friendliness quickly hit a snag. When I put in my address, the app didn't recognize I had already selected it from the autofill menu. I couldn't proceed unless I switched to the desktop app. So switch I did. From the desktop portal I could easily enter more identifying info. The final step before entering my financial information was two-step verification for security, which Coinbase quickly sent to my phone. I decided to give the app another try and opted to use my debit card to buy the bitcoin. Entering all my information was just as straightforward as everything else. The problem was that I couldn't exit this screen. Neither the "buy" nor "not now" option registered. I had to press the X and start all over. Ultimately, and frustratingly, it was back to the desktop. So far, the actual process of buying bitcoin was simple — the app itself was my only nemesis. My $50 ended up buying 0.0524 of one bitcoin. No looking back! (Until I sell, of course.) Oh. It appeared the price was falling pretty fast the morning I decided to buy. I went back to try again, doing my best to outrun the falling price. I own bitcoin! Well, a small fraction of a bitcoin. But now this means I could sit on my hypothetical tiny pile of cryptocurrency and hope it amasses value. Instead, I decide to sell off immediately. (But not before shedding a single tear for the 12 cents I've already had to part with.) To sell the bitcoin, Coinbase only allows users to pair their bank account with the app; a credit or debit card won't suffice. So I scrolled through the options to pick my bank. And we're back to the desktop. When I tried to sell the bitcoin, the app told me either the amount was invalid or I couldn't pay with the given method. I didn't understand what that meant and didn't want to enter a wrong number. Luckily, the online experience is much smoother. My bank account showed up right where it should have, and I sold the bitcoin just like I bought it. Since Coinbase wasn't linked to my bank account, the transaction needs a few days to process before the money is transferred. A small hiccup: When I went to sell the bitcoin, I had to estimate the amount. The numbers were inconsistent in certain places depending on the bitcoin value or the dollar value. I ended up with one penny left over. When I tried to close the account, that penny proved to be an issue. As much as I tried to send the lone cent with addresses I found around the internet, Coinbase didn't let me. Here's to hoping bitcoin skyrockets and my investment quadruples in value. FAQs
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Chris Weller

2017-01-05T19:54:10Z

A year and a half ago, the idea of buying the virtual currency bitcoin was laughable. After a rapid rise in value in 2013, the cryptocurrency's value more than halved by mid-2015.

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At its lowest point, one bitcoin was equal to about $230.

These days, bitcoin has made a comeback — it recently rallied to over $1,000 before fluctuating wildly.

But given the currency's covert nature, the average person still may not understand how buying and selling actually works.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (1)

Reuters

Using the app Coinbase, which lets anyone trade bitcoins for a small fee, we decided to find out.

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A brief warning: If you're going to do this, tell your bank you're about to buy bitcoin. More on that later.

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This is what the Coinbase app looks like on an iPhone.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (2)

Chris Weller

When you first open the app, you're presented with the latest price of bitcoin and its change within a certain period. You can see in the chart below how wild the latest moves have been.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (3)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

I happen to be one of the many who have never traded bitcoin before. There's a certain level of wariness in buying into the cryptocurrency world.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (4)

Chris Weller

However, Coinbase's interface makes it simple to enter the basic personal information it needs to create your account.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (5)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

User-friendliness quickly hit a snag. When I put in my address, the app didn't recognize I had already selected it from the autofill menu. I couldn't proceed unless I switched to the desktop app.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (6)

Chris Weller

So switch I did. From the desktop portal I could easily enter more identifying info.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (7)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

The final step before entering my financial information was two-step verification for security, which Coinbase quickly sent to my phone.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (8)

Chris Weller

I decided to give the app another try and opted to use my debit card to buy the bitcoin.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (9)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

Entering all my information was just as straightforward as everything else. The problem was that I couldn't exit this screen. Neither the "buy" nor "not now" option registered. I had to press the X and start all over.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (10)

Chris Weller

Ultimately, and frustratingly, it was back to the desktop. So far, the actual process of buying bitcoin was simple — the app itself was my only nemesis. My $50 ended up buying 0.0524 of one bitcoin.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (11)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

No looking back! (Until I sell, of course.)

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (12)

Chris Weller

Oh. It appeared the price was falling pretty fast the morning I decided to buy. I went back to try again, doing my best to outrun the falling price.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (13)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

I own bitcoin! Well, a small fraction of a bitcoin. But now this means I could sit on my hypothetical tiny pile of cryptocurrency and hope it amasses value.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (14)

Chris Weller

Instead, I decide to sell off immediately. (But not before shedding a single tear for the 12 cents I've already had to part with.)

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (15)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

To sell the bitcoin, Coinbase only allows users to pair their bank account with the app; a credit or debit card won't suffice.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (16)

Chris Weller

So I scrolled through the options to pick my bank.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (17)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

And we're back to the desktop. When I tried to sell the bitcoin, the app told me either the amount was invalid or I couldn't pay with the given method. I didn't understand what that meant and didn't want to enter a wrong number.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (18)

Chris Weller

Luckily, the online experience is much smoother. My bank account showed up right where it should have, and I sold the bitcoin just like I bought it.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (19)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

Since Coinbase wasn't linked to my bank account, the transaction needs a few days to process before the money is transferred.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (20)

Chris Weller

A small hiccup: When I went to sell the bitcoin, I had to estimate the amount. The numbers were inconsistent in certain places depending on the bitcoin value or the dollar value. I ended up with one penny left over.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (21)

Chris Weller

Advertisem*nt

When I tried to close the account, that penny proved to be an issue. As much as I tried to send the lone cent with addresses I found around the internet, Coinbase didn't let me. Here's to hoping bitcoin skyrockets and my investment quadruples in value.

We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (22)

Chris Weller

Oh, and a final thing: When I tried to buy lunch after all this, my card got declined. My bank had blocked the card after the initial purchase.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who was wary about going into all this.

Check out: Personal Finance Insider's picks for best cryptocurrency exchanges

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We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (23)

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We bought and sold bitcoin — here's how it works (2024)

FAQs

How does buying and selling of Bitcoin work? ›

Buying and selling cryptocurrencies via an exchange

When you buy cryptocurrencies via an exchange, you purchase the coins themselves. You'll need to create an exchange account, put up the full value of the asset to open a position, and store the cryptocurrency tokens in your own wallet until you're ready to sell.

Can you turn Bitcoin into real money? ›

‍A: Bitcoin ATMs allow you to sell Bitcoin in exchange for cash. You need to verify your identity, typically through a government-issued ID, phone number, and a picture. You then send Bitcoin to the ATM's wallet and receive cash equivalent. The transaction process can take around 10-20 minutes.

Can I buy Bitcoin and then sell it? ›

1. Use an exchange to sell crypto. One of the easiest ways to cash out your cryptocurrency or Bitcoin is to use a centralized exchange such as Coinbase. Coinbase has an easy-to-use “buy/sell” button and you can choose which cryptocurrency you want to sell and the amount.

What is the transaction fee for $1000 dollars of Bitcoin? ›

Cost Breakdown for $1,000 of Bitcoin

Here's how the fees would add up: Retail Fee: Let's consider the higher end of the retail fee range ($4.95) for this calculation. $4.95 per transaction x 2 transactions = $9.90. Bitcoin Purchase/Conversion Fee: $1,000 x 11% = $110.

How much is $1 Bitcoin in US dollars? ›

$63,314.32

Can you make $100 a day with crypto? ›

It is possible to make $100 per day, but there is no guarantee or specific technique you can use to ensure it happens. Cryptocurrency trading, lending, staking, and investing all come with significant risks because it is such a volatile and unpredictable asset.

Can I transfer Bitcoin to my bank account? ›

Yes, you must find an exchange platform that supports fiat currencies, like USD, EUR, or other currencies of your choice. Buy BTC from the exchange or transfer if you own it in your crypto wallet, then sell BTC for fiat and withdraw the amount to your bank account.

How long does it take to convert Bitcoin to cash? ›

How long does it take to cash out Bitcoin?
MethodEstimated transaction duration
Bitcoin ATMsMinutes to 20 minutes
Centralized exchanges1-2 business days (or instant for a fee)
P2P exchangesMinutes to hours
Bank transfers3-5 business days

How long does it take to cash out Bitcoin? ›

If you decide to cash out your Bitcoin using an exchange (such as Binance), then it will normally take about 1-5 days for the money to reach your account.

When you sell Bitcoin where does the money go? ›

After the sale is processed, you'll receive cash in your bank account. Here's how it works: Visit our official Sell Bitcoin page.

What happens to my Bitcoin when I sell it? ›

When you sell your Bitcoin, you'll incur a capital gain or a capital loss based on how the value of your BTC has changed since you originally received it. If the value of your BTC has gone up in value since you originally received it, you'll be required to pay capital gain tax on your profits.

What happens when you sell 1 Bitcoin? ›

If you disposed of or used Bitcoin by cashing it on an exchange, buying goods and services or trading it for another cryptocurrency, you will owe taxes if the realized value is greater than the price at which you acquired the crypto. You may have a capital gain that's taxable at either short-term or long-term rates.

What if I invested $1000 in Bitcoin in 2010? ›

That investment would be worth $6,859,178,076.22 today based on the same price of $28,122.63 at the time of writing. While investing in Bitcoin today may never be worth billions of dollars in the future, the hypothetical investment illustrates the large increase in value of the leading cryptocurrency over time.

Is it worth buying $1000 of Bitcoin? ›

If we go by Wood's predictions of Bitcoin hitting $1 million in 2030, that would represent a 1,288% price increase from today's price. In turn, $1,000 in Bitcoin bought today would produce a return of $12,880 return in six years.

Who owns the most Bitcoin? ›

Who Owns the Most Bitcoins? Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, is believed to own the most bitcoins, with estimates suggesting over 1 million BTC mined in the early days of the network.

How does buying Bitcoin make you money? ›

How Does Bitcoin Make Money? Miners on the Bitcoin network can be rewarded by successfully opening blocks. Bitcoins are exchangeable for fiat currency via cryptocurrency exchanges. Investors and speculators can make money from trading bitcoins.

When you sell Bitcoin do you get real money? ›

You can use a crypto exchange like Coinbase, Binance, Gemini or Kraken to turn Bitcoin into cash. This may be an easy method if you already use a centralized exchange and your crypto lives in a custodial wallet. Choose the coin and amount you'd like to sell, agree to the rates and your cash will be available to you.

What happens if you invest $100 in Bitcoin today? ›

If you invest $100 into Bitcoin today, don't expect to make a fortune. However, you could still make some solid gains if your bet on Bitcoin pays off. Many people who are interested in crypto would like to get started with smaller amounts, which is entirely reasonable given that cryptocurrencies are risky investments.

How does Bitcoin work for beginners? ›

Bitcoin is a form of digital currency that uses blockchain technology to support transactions between users on a decentralized network. New Bitcoins are created as part of the mining process, as a reward to people whose computer systems help validate transactions. Buying Bitcoin exposes you to a volatile asset class.

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