Purchase Ethereum

Since most NFTs are Ethereum-based tokens, most marketplaces for these collectibles accept only Eth tokens as payment. If the user already has an account with a cryptocurrency exchange, they can purchase Ethereum on it and send crypto to the MetaMask wallet.

If users don’t already have a crypto exchange account, Coinbase and eToro are good options for beginners.

There are many marketplaces to buy and sell NFTs. A lot of these websites have secondary marketplaces with a variety of NFTs, but each platform operates slightly differently. Depending on which marketplace users choose, they will be able to purchase different types of art or collectibles.

  • MetaMask is an Ethereum wallet available via chrome extension and mobile app. To sign on to OpenSea (and other NFT platforms), users need an Ethereum wallet. For maximum security, users can link MetaMask to a Ledger hardware wallet to mitigate the risk of hacks. Simply download MetaMask, set up a wallet, and send over the ETH just purchased from Coinbase. If this is the user's first time interacting with crypto wallets, check out the free Crypto & Defi 101 guide for an in-depth video walk-through.

  • Ledger is a hardware wallet that stores a variety of different NFTs altcoins. If the user invests a significant amount of money into NFTs, it should secure investments with a hardware wallet. Software wallets don't offer the same security measures, and unfortunately, hacks are common in the NFT space. A Ledger Nano S is $59 –– a great price for insurance on digital assets.

  • OpenSea is a marketplace for NFTs that operates on Ethereum. Users can interact with the network to exchange non-fungible tokens for cryptocurrency. It hosts a variety of digital collectibles, from video game items to digital artwork. To use the platform, users need a web3 cryptocurrency wallet such as MetaMask. The Ethereum wallet address acts as a username and password to interact with certain platforms like OpenSea. Once connected to the wallet, it is ready to start browsing the market and placing bids.

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