Getting started in Bitcoin is not a simple task. You are going to need all of the best tools available to preserve your privacy, increase your security, and reduce the friction of using Bitcoin. The resources listed below are some of what we feel the Bitcoin space needs to build the most robust ecosystem possible. Please use these tools to help us all achieve hyperbitcoinization.
Affiliate Disclosure
I work hard to provide the bitcoin space with helpful Bitcoin content. In order to continue to grow, I need funding. Rather than overwhelming my readers with lots of ads, I’ve chosen to use affiliate and referral links to generate revenue and grow my team. Some of these links listed below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you choose to click through and make a purchase.
If you decide to use any of the services below, it helps me to move one step closer to working on Bitcoin-related projects full time.
That being said, let’s look at these resources and how they are helping to take Bitcoin mainstream.
Earn Bitcoin
You can earn bitcoin a number of ways but one of the fastest-growing trends in the bitcoin space is apps that help you to stack sats when you shop. Here are some of my favorite apps and tools to stack sats.
Fold
The Fold App (Affiliate) is the single best app for getting new users to stack their first sats. Instead of bogging down the user with all sorts of technical jargon like seed phrases and 8 decimal places, Fold starts with sats right from the start and gives every new user 20,000 sats with a simple explanation of what that means.
Bitcoin Case Study: Earning Bitcoin with Fold
Affiliate Bonus: If you join Fold with my referral link, you receive 20,000 sats and I get to move up the list to hopefully be one of the first 1,000 users to get access to the Fold Debit Card.
Lolli
Lolli (Affiliate) is a Chrome plugin that enables you to stack sats when you shop online at one of Lolli’s partner stores.
Case Study: Earning Bitcoin with Lolli
Affiliate Bonus: If you join Lolli with my referra link, we both receive $10 of BTC after you make your first qualified purchase. This helps to bring me one step closer to work on bitcoin projects full time.
Earning Bitcoin Interest
If stacking sats with apps isn’t your thing, you might enjoy stacking some passive sats simply by saving bitcoin and earning interest on it. Here are all of the services that I am currently experimenting with to earn passive bitcoin by letting a custodian HODL my private keys on my behalf.
Beware: You do not control your private keys if you use any of these services.
Celsius Network
Celsius Network (Affiliate) is another bitcoin bank that offers their users the ability to earn interest in their bitcoin deposits. Currently, Celsius offers 6.2% APY on BTC deposits of up to 5 bitcoins and a dimished rate on all other bitcons after that.
If you would like a more detailed breakdown of how exactly how many sats you can stack with Celsius, I am in the process of writing a case study on Celsius which can be found here: Earning Bitcoin with Celsius.
Affiliate Bonus: If you join Celsius with my referral link and meet the minimum deposit requirements, we both receive $10 worth of bitcoin after your deposit is 2 weeks old.
Nexo
Nexo is another bitcoin banking service that enables you to earn 4.0% fixed APY on your BTC deposits. You can also take out loans against your BTC.
Learn more about exactly how many sats I am stacking with Nexo here: Earning Bitcoin with Nexo.
BlockFi
BlockFi (Affiliate) is a bitcoin bank that enables their users to create an account and earn a flat rate 6.0% interest on their bitcoin deposits (limit of 5 BTC) and you can even take out a fiat loan against your bitcoin.
Here’s my case study about BlockFi: Earning Bitcoin with BlockFi.
Affiliate Bonus: If you join BlockFi with my referral link, we both receive $10 worth of bitcoin after you deposit $100 worth of BTC and keep it there for at least 1 month …I think.
Buy Bitcoin
Buying Bitcoin is still probably the most common way to acquire your first fraction of a bitcoin. Here are the services that I have used in the past and believe are building a stronger bitcoin ecosystem.
Cash App
The Cash App (Affiliate) is a simple app for sending and receiving money to your friends and family who also have the cash app. What makes Cash so cool is that they allow you to buy bitcoin directly within the app.
Affiliate bonus: When you sign up with our referral code, you get $5 when you send at least $5 to someone. Maybe you can use your $5 to buy some bitcoin. This helps us keep this blog going because we also receive $5 when you sign up and send your first $5.
Swan Bitcoin
Swan Bitcoin (Affiliate) is a newser service but I think that their business model might be the healthiest for the long term benefit of the bitcoin ecosystem.
I am writing a case study about Swan Bitcoin here: Earning Bitcoin with Swan Bitcoin.
Strike.Me
Strike.Me is a new service that I think could possibly be the best business model in the entire Bitcoin ecosystem. Instead of simply buying bitcoin, Strike enables you to spend bitcoin on the Lightning Network without actually having to own any bitcoin. Instead of buying, you attach your bank account or debit card to their system and integrates with the Lightning Network to
Bitcoin Case Study: Buying Every Dip with Strike by @BitBallin.
Accept Bitcoin
If you would like to get started accepting bitcoin payments, you need a payment processor. Well, we’ve got good news for you. These services listed below all enable users to begin to accepting bitcoin with minimal fees and effort.
Blockonomics
Blockonomics (Affiliate) is a tool for getting started selling products for Bitcoin. You can create invoices, watch addresses, install payment buttons on your website and earn bitcoin with their referral program.
BTCPay Server
Nomiddleman Crypto
If you want to begin to accept Bitcoin payments on your WordPress WooCommerce store, Nomiddleman Crypto is the easiest tool that I have found. Once you install the WordPress plugin, you can accept Bitcoin on-chain payments directly to your own wallet. Nomiddleman takes a cut. I am still waiting for them to find a way to implement the Lightning Network.
Trade Bitcoin
Not everyone wants to just buy and HODL their bitcoin. Some people who have bitcoin want to turn it into more bitcoin and trading is one of the fastest (and riskiest) ways to do that. These are the services that I have used to trade bitcoin.
Beware: Although I always end up with a higher USD valuation after I do some trading, I almost always end up with a lower amount of BTC. Unless you have a solid strategy and strong hands, I suggest being careful with trading.
Binance
Binance.COM (Affiliate) is one of the biggest exchanges in the world with support for more cryptocurrencies than almost every exchange in the world. If you are located outside of the United States, you can use Binance.COM but if you are located in the US and/or a US Citizen, you will need to use Binance.US.
Non-Bitcoin Affiliates
Not all of the services that I use are bitcoin services. I use lots of tools that simply help me to stay organized, increase productivity, send/receive fiat payments, and otherwise live a better life.
AirTable
AirTable (Affiliate) is an excellent tool for building and organizing databases in a powerful spreadsheet format. I use AirTable to keep pretty much all of my to-do lists nice and organized.
If you sign up with my Airtable referral link, I don’t earn an actual payout but I do get $10 of AirTable credit which helps increase my productivity.
Miro
Miro is probably the only relevant and useful twitter ad that I have ever clicked on. It’s a simple tool that helps me to make “Mind Maps” which I use to organize an idea on paper and then make it happen.
Tally
Tally (Affiliate) is a legacy banking tool that is designed to help you get out of credit card debt. Just like many Americans, I was under the bondage of fiat shitcoin slavery via a disgustingly high-interest rate of like 28% APR. With some help from Tally, I consolidated my debt into a single monthly payment with a lower interest rate.
Fiverr
Fiverr (Affiliate) is one of the world’s largest freelance marketplaces. You can buy all sorts of services on Fiverr for just $5 for smaller tasks all the way up to enterprise projects well into the several thousand dollars per month.
Affiliate Bonus: If you sign up for Fiverr using my affiliate link, you’ll receive 20% off of your first order.
Sticker Mule
Stickers are one of the best ways to start conversations with your friends, family, coworkers, and anyone sitting across the table from you at your local coffee shop. If you want to get some Bitcoin stickers made up, give StickerMule a try.
Affiliate Bonus: If you sign up with my referral link, we both receive a $10 credit for stickers. I promise to spend my $10 to get some sweet new bitcoin stickers made up.
All of the above services are tools that we actually use and refer our readers to because we truly believe in the value that they offer the bitcoin space. If you would like to help us to keep this project alive and us doing what we are doing, please take the time to visit our affiliates. If you feel that they might help you or your business, please take the time to try them out. Again, signing up with our affiliate links is no additional cost to you and also helps us to keep this site going.