Trade Shortlist

Start with the costs

Your first $100. Three ways into crypto.

Learn how small-capital methods work, buy a fraction of a first coin, or check what a signup reward is really worth.

Already chose an exchange?

Compare first ↓

Crypto prices can fall and you can lose money, and what you can use depends on where you live.

Hypothetical example — not a live opportunity

What remains from a $100 buy at a 2% gap?

$0.80remaining before tax

two trading fees
− $0.20
rebalancing
− $1.00
remaining before tax
= $0.80

$2.00 gross difference − $0.20 trading fees − $1.00 rebalancing costs = $0.80 remaining before tax

A 2% gap is not 2% profit

Needs roughly $200 prefunded – cash on one exchange, the same coin on the other – plus fee reserves. Price movement, slippage, funding costs, failed orders and account restrictions are left out, and any one of them can erase the result.

See the full calculation

Buy a coin

Find where to buy your coin

Browse all coin shortlists →

Availability depends on your country – confirm on the exchange before you deposit.

No exchange yet? Start with the beginner shortlist

A few exchanges compared on app simplicity, the first purchase, and coin range.

Open the Beginner Shortlist

Compare exchanges

Check the exchange before you sign up

Stuck on an exchange?

Fix the failed step first

Who writes this

Written by a trader who prices the costs first

Trade Shortlist is run by Mercy Park, who started with roughly $10K and built more than $10M in cumulative gains through crypto arbitrage and futures. That is one person’s record, not a result to expect. Guides cite official exchange pages and date what was checked.

About the authorHow we check factsSee verified route coverage