So you’re interested in divesting from fossil fuels, prison slavery, warfare states, Big Pharma, Big Banks, the Federal Reserve, Wall Street, etc. and you’re ready to make the switch to cryptocurrency but don’t know where to begin? Well let’s break it down and make things simple. If you can use PayPal, Cashapp, and the like, it won’t be difficult at all.

First thing you want to do is purchase some crypto. Now there are many options as far as altcoins go (Bitcoin being the most famous) and there are many altcoin exchanges out there but my best suggestions for beginners would include either Coinbase or LocalBitcoins.

Coinbase is the way to go if you wish to purchase altcoins directly via your bank account or card. They do require personal information in order to confirm your identity and abide by state regulations so this is only a good launching point. I would not suggest using them as your primary wallet. Coinbase does however offer one of the easiest methods of transition from our current banking system to the crypto-economy by allowing individuals to purchase Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, XRP, and USD Coin directly via the traditional banking system.

LocalBitcoins is your choice if you wish to stay slightly more anonymous. They do still ask for your identification and some other information when registering but it does not require you to go through a bank in order to make purchases. Instead purchases can be made using pretty much any form of currency a seller is willing to accept. Trades can be made online or in person. The only issue is that despite accepting pretty much any altcoin imaginable for payment, you can only purchase Bitcoin and no other altcoin. Local.Bitcoin offers a similar service but limited only to Bitcoin Cash. If you wish to just buy directly and anonymously from someone trusted, you can just email me directly at theglitterbombqueen@riseup.net and I will personally sell you whatever altcoin you want.

As far as wallets go, if you wish to work with multiple altcoins without the hassle of multiple having to have accounts, CoinPayments is the way to go. CoinPayments allows individuals and merchants to deal in over 100 different cryptocurrencies all from one account making things simple and easy. If there is an altcoin that you use as your primary storage however, it is always recommended to have a safer form of storage.

Online wallets, such as those offered by Coinbase, LocalBitcoins, or CoinPayments, are all what are called “hot” wallets. This means that they are more susceptible to hacking since they are based online. Alternately, there are “cold” wallets which are stored offline. Among cold wallets, you have three basic options: software wallets, hardware wallets, and paper wallets. While you can go the route of downloading a software wallet onto your computer, phone, or tablet which is a slightly safer alternative, the devices that software is stored on are still susceptible to hacking or theft.

Hardware wallets, such as Trezor or the Ledger, are portable storage devices that operate similarly to pin drives or external hard drives. You plug them into your computer when you wish to use them online and unplug them when you’re done to keep your wallet safe and sound. Some even have screens on the device itself for use even when offline while others have bluetooth capabilities allowing you to connect and spend easier. Paper wallets are a low-tech alternative to hardware wallets and consist of your wallet information printed onto a piece of paper as a series of QR codes which can be scanned to retrieve the data later. While this option is much cheaper, it is also easier to misplace or damage. Both hardware and paper wallets are safe from hacking but are still susceptible to theft and therefore should be stored in a secure location such as a safe or lock box. Probably one of the most secure non-hardware cold wallet recommendations would be the Brainwallet, which allows you to store Bitcoin and Litecoin virtually anywhere from text documents to photographs to your own brain just by memorizing a few key pieces of information.

For those wishing to incorporate cryptocurrency into their daily lives, a crypto debit card is a necessity. While there are many options to choose from worldwide, Bitpay has the only one currently available in the united states. While it does still partner with Visa in order to be accepted at most retailers, it is still one of the best options available on the current market. Having a crypto debit card not only allows you to make purchases anywhere that accepts debit cards, but you also have access to features such as cash back and direct deposit. Just keep your altcoins in your personal storage wallet until you’re ready to spend and the transfer them to your Bitpay card wallet and spend away. While Bitpay does only operate with Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash, partnering it with the use of a service like CoinPayments or one of the multi-currency wallets from Ledger or Trezor can open up a world of possibilities for everyday use. Of course, if you are able to use altcoins directly for a purchase, always go that route first instead of going through Visa or any other major banking service.

Obviously some of these recommendations are less than perfect but we have to remember that agorism is a transitional process and #DivestWallStreet is part of that transition. So yes, use Coinbase while you still have a bank account but plan to eventually shut that down if feasible and make the full switch. Yes, Bitpay still utilizes Visa’s debit card system in order to be accepted by a majority of retailers but it’s merely a resource to use when we can’t find a retailer that will directly accept cryptocurrency. Some of us would even prefer if we got away from currency altogether and transitioned towards a gift economy and that’s a noble goal that can be partnered with this move as well. Community banks and credit unions are far from perfect and yet most of us saw the advantage of transferring away from big banks in favor of those alternatives. Some of us even happily participated in efforts such as Bank Transfer Day or the Water Protectors‘ divestment campaign. This is merely the next step in this transition. Will you take it with us?

Want to support The Green Market Agorist using cryptocurrency? Be sure to check out some of our cyptocurrency-friendly affiliates below for all kinds of cool agoristic goodies! And while you’re at it, why not educate yourself further on the subject by taking a class from BitDegree or Skillshare?