Since it is only the tip of the iceberg, we can only guess how many people risking their livelihood do not fully understand the instruments available to them in the DeFi ecosystem. Retail traders can use a variety of helpful tools to invest without knowing much about the novel financial market. For example, relying on the best free crypto signals in Telegram can be a good idea for a newcomer without any prior exposure to this industry. However, for something that can actually produce profits, it is necessary to use at least some beginner crypto learning platforms and understand the basics of investing in these novel digital assets.
We are going to cover some of the most interesting places where novices can deepen their understanding of the DeFi ecosystem and the operation of main nets. Some of them are biased as they are publicly available on platforms with a vested interest in attracting users. For instance, any brokerage service provider or a centralized exchange will have high-quality crypto learning materials for their clients, but they will often play down risks or simply scratch the surface of a topic instead of giving it a proper explanation with examples and practical use cases.
Newcomers should focus on exploring all available sources of valuable information and pay close attention to subjects that directly cover the main components of their investment strategies. Finding good sources can be challenging given the number of websites, social media pages, and individuals offering their insights.
The best crypto resources for beginners
It is a good idea to get started with information compiled by centralized exchanges and brokers since they are interested in educating potential customers and making some concepts as easy to grasp as possible. Below are some examples:
- Binance Academy is a vast collection of articles, guides, and simplified lessons for newcomers. While some more sophisticated concepts are also covered extensively, the website is still better suited to be an introductory vault of knowledge that can be accessed by novices without any understanding of some concepts of investing in digital assets.
- Learn Crypto is also a good choice if you have questions about the industry and technology that powers it. This knowledge base contains a comprehensive glossary, and multiple useful courses on blockchain gaming, trading, and more. Everything is simplified and comes with images and video tutorials to make it easier for novices to absorb information.
- Crypto.com is a large centralized exchange that focuses on providing a variety of financial products to its customers. The company makes a significant effort to educate users by hosting live events, teaching analytical techniques, and building a catalog of lessons available in the “university”.
These are leading crypto education sites that immediately pop up in search results on Google or Bing. Indeed, using them is a good idea for any newcomer with an insufficient understanding of digital assets like Bitcoin or Ethereum. The problem is that these are very surface-level sources that won’t help you get a better grasp on concepts like yield farming, liquid staking, and so on.
On the other hand, if you have a desire to use something like a trading bot to make investments more efficient, learning from CEX platforms is a good idea since they are compatible with all forms of trading automation. You can simultaneously work with your favorite digital assets and learn.
Books and other publications
Many people learn much faster and better by reading. Physical books have been losing popularity throughout the last three decades, but they are still being printed. You can always get a digital copy if fondling paper is not among your favorite activities.
Below are some books that can be very useful to novices:
- The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking. This book is written by Saifedean Ammous, a recognized economist and renowned speaker. The content covers the history of the biggest mainstream coin, its influence on the global economy, and the role it can play in changing the very concept of banking. You can also pick up “Mastering Bitcoin” by Andreas Antonopoulos.
- Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies. This one is written by Kiana Danial, an internationally recognized speaker, and investor with a massive following and several social media channels that attract close to a million users. This educational publication was released in 2019 and has some good tips for newcomers. While slightly outdated by contemporary standards, it is still a good pick for any newbie.
Relying on old best-sellers can be a good idea if you are completely out of the loop with these novel digital assets and want to slowly approach it from a traditional angle by reading a couple of pages every day until you feel more confident.
Best Free Crypto Learning Resources
Books are expensive and often have to travel long distances before they arrive at your doorstep. Visiting places where advice and information are free is a good way of learning for many newcomers. Since we are going to mention popular destinations for users, you can also visit them to join a community of passionate enthusiasts often having an even deeper understanding of the industry and various DeFi protocols.
Here are several good places to hunt for valuable insights:
- Reddit. This is the biggest online forum where people gather to discuss all sorts of topics including blockchain and decentralized finance. Some good advice and deeply discussed topics can be found on r/CryptoCurrency and r/Bitcoin. These subreddits are also known for their continuous debates on all sorts of controversies, hyped-up projects, and more. In many cases, you can find arguments and counter-arguments for any position or investment strategy.
- Bitcoin.com and its forum. The first and oldest place where users can gather and talk about various aspects of the evolving digital world. This particular place is an excellent introduction with many basic concepts explained in excruciating detail. Reading some of the most popular topics or simply joining the conversation can be extremely useful for novices without any prior exposure to BTC, blockchain, and trading.
- Bitcointalk.org is another public forum for enthusiasts. The main motto of this platform seems to be “HODL” with thousands of power users defending the idea of keeping BTC holdings without selling for as long as possible. It can be a viable strategy and you will hear a lot about its advantages here. Relying on advice from this community is not recommended without hearing the other side.
Note that some of the best crypto educational resources are created by people for the people. Forums are also very different from social media platforms often influenced by opinions of select individuals rather than the truth found in heated debates. If you do not have any knowledge about the market and its assets, we strongly recommend joining these forums and reading as much as possible.
The best crypto education platforms
Social media, particularly YouTube, is a good source of information if you have good creators to follow. The video hosting giant’s catalog is full of infomercials, biased content, and complete nonsense that coexist with incredibly useful guides, advice, and explanations from experts and people with first-hand experience.
The added benefit of using YouTube is that you see the person who tries to explain sophisticated technology instead of reading something written on corporate blogs. Let’s talk about some good creators that may catch your attention!
- Coin Bureau on YouTube has been around for quite a while and has amassed a large library of educational videos, informercials, news stories, and more. The creators also have other social media channels and have some of the biggest following among those who dedicated their time and effort to creating content about all sorts of tokens and trading.
- Andreas Antonopoulos is a prominent figure in the world of blockchain. His book “Mastering Bitcoin” is a good read for people without any knowledge about the industry. It covers some fo the basics quite well. The YouTube channel of the author is also educational, but we warn you about infomercials and biased videos that may promote questionable projects.
- Benjamin Cowen is also known well for his solid ability to educate viewers on all matters related to financial literacy, blockchain technology, novel ideas like staking, investing, and more. If you are interested in following someone with extensive knowledge of this industry, Cowen is a good choice. Just like in the case with any influencer, it is important to verify any information they give you.
During the last five years, we have seen several scandals where influencers with significant following or celebrities took advantage of their audiences by promoting pump and dump schemes or scams including a multitude of NFT projects that ultimately turned into nothing. While many people on social media try to be useful and give solid advice, finding authentic educators is increasingly challenging due tothe nature of the competition and how algorithms work.
As a rule of thumb, do not follow individuals who do not show their face in videos whale engaging in crypto demo trading which is in itself an excellent tool but can be used for deception by bad actors. It is also important to avoid investing blindly based on suggestions and promises made by an influencer who may have a vested interest in promoting a certain platform.
Innovative crypto education resources
It would be quite strange if the industry did not have some interesting projects that help users learn about the blockchain technology and the DeFi ecosystem it powers. While traditional courses, informative articles, and other types of content can be extremely useful, some people want an alternative that can also give them something useful.
Several interesting gamified apps to use for studying this industry:
- The Web3 Exam by BitDegree is an interactive digital course that allows competitors to earn tokens and participate in various lotteries after they finish the exam consisting of many rotating questions and easy puzzles. It is a good place to start as it turns the learning experience into a competitive game with rewards and valuable prizes. BitDegree also has other interesting questionnaires and games.
- jbudz.xyz is a unique website that has a multitude of in-depth materials written for newcomers by experienced people. These articles comprise a curated list maintained by the original creator of the site. If you a complete newbie, it is the best place to start. No advertisements, no biases, and no nonsense. Jbudz is all about useful information neatly categorized by topics. The resource is primarily about Ethereum and its advantages.
- Bake.io offers a very simple educational application that provides answers to many questions novices have about the market and the blockchain industry as a whole. Newcomers who want to focus on learning the basics and do it in a way that feels entertaining will appreciate this particular app full of quizzes and informative slides. There is not much content but it is designed well and helps newbies to easier approach a very challenging material.
Gamification is one of the best ways to make learning faster and more efficient for those who do not have the stomach for outrageously large articles and courses designed for studying over several academic hours. Since the vast majority of newcomers to the growing digital market do not have the necessary volume of knowledge about blockchain technology and the very concept of decentralized finance, they benefit from using these apps that offer a simplified way to acquire crucial information.
Using top crypto learning resources
Some investors believe that they can magically find some educator or a vault with mysterious lessons that will grant them the ability to make money consistently. The problem is that understanding the ins and outs of the industry is merely a building block of a robust strategy that will still be vulnerable to a variety of market risks.
Trading is not a mechanical skill that can be picked up. The same is true for risk management, investing, and many other aspects of interacting with the world of decentralized finance. It is hugely important to study the basics and start practicing without being influenced by biases of experienced veterans or the fear of missing out often used by educators as a tool to increase the engagement of their audiences.
The sources listed in this article contain useful information which should also be verified by readers. The golden rule of the industry is DYOR or “Do Your Own Research”. Many licensed financial advisors try to stay away from our whole ecosystem since they also do not understand the technology behind many DeFi instruments to the degree necessary to provide sound tips for efficient decision-making.
Relying on various communities for advice seems to be a good choice for many newcomers as they can learn by asking questions that bother them and read debates between knowledgeable individuals. Another good idea is to use information offered by developers who are not financially affiliated with DeFi protocols and do not have any reason to insert their biases in their educational materials.
A good example of a such platform is WunderTrading, a company focused primarily on delivering solutions for trading automation like an innovative AI crypto bot or statistical arbitrage systems. The WunderTrading website has a ton of useful articles, materials, news stories, opinion pieces, and more. They company simply sells instruments for retail traders and does not have any reason to publish biased learning courses.
Some can argue that learning trading automation and contemporary analytical tools is even more valuable than understanding the technology powering DeFi protocols and tokens traded publicly. In the end, all digital assets are still subjected to the attention from investors who behave in the same way regardless of the market. Technical analysis and trading automation can be applied to stock and Bitcoin trading with an equal level of success.
The main takeaway
Despite the variety of available learning courses and articles, finding good places to get started in the sophisticated digital industry of decentralization can be quite hard for newcomers who feel lost in the sea of information. Use the resources provided in this article to get started and slowly venture out to learn about nuances of specific platforms, technologies, and new digital assets.