How To Invest In Bitcoin In India: A Complete Guide to Buy Bitcoins

Bitcoin is the most preferred cryptocurrency for investment because of the underlying reliable blockchain technology, security, and accessibility. 

The chain of blocks (blockchain technology) is actually a digital ledger. Where past bitcoin transaction information is recorded in such a manner that it is difficult to change, hack, duplicate or fraud the details. 

The records on a blockchain are secured through cryptography and you have private keys that are assigned to the transactions making it secure.

The digital ledger of transactions is made accessible by distributing it across the entire network of computer systems on the blockchain.

Bitcoins are available on all the crypto currency exchanges for investment and trading. 

Bitcoins are used by various global online merchants for accepting payments. For example, Microsoft allows account top-up through bitcoins. In the coming days, there is a most likely hood that merchants in India start accepting bitcoins. 

Different Ways to Invest in Bitcoin in India 2021

There are three ways to  buy/sell bitcoins for investment  purposes in India. 

#1. Invest in Bitcoins Through Cryptocurrency Exchange

Unlike stock exchanges where buying/selling of shares happens, a cryptocurrency exchange is where you can buy/ sell various cryptocurrencies like bitcoins, ethereum, or ripple.

Buying bitcoins from the cryptocurrency exchange is the simplest possible way to invest in bitcoin. You just have to open an account with any of the crypto exchanges, transfer money into the account and use the exchange platform to buy bitcoins.

You need to pay the transaction fees for buying bitcoins from the crypto exchange. 

#2. Invest in Bitcoins Through P2P Transaction

If you do not want to pay the transaction fees or use the exchange trading platform then you can use the P2P (Person to Person) mode of buying bitcoins.

In P2P transactions, the exchange/ platform only acts as facilitators. They help you find a bitcoin seller and then you need to close the transaction.

Depending on the platform internal policy they may or may not hold bitcoins in the escrow account till the money transfer completes.

In India, marketplace like Paxful provide P2P transactions at a 0% fee for buyers, whereas sellers need to pay a certain percentage of fee, normally up to 1% of the transaction amount.

But the other platforms or exchanges may collect a small amount of fees for P2P transactions, that you need to check before using the P2P mechanism for buying bitcoins.

#3. Get Bitcoins Through Mining

You can also get bitcoins through mining. Mining is a process where you are rewarded with bitcoins on the successful addition of a block to the blockchain.

Bitcoin mining involves two separate tasks. First, you need to verify the past bitcoin transactions that have already taken place. The file size containing details of bitcoin transactions equal to 1MB needs to be verified. 

After that, you need to solve a complex mathematical problem so that the block of verified bitcoin transactions can be added successfully to the existing blockchain.

When you complete both the tasks successfully then you are awarded 1 bitcoin for your efforts. 

The degree of complexity involved can be understood from the fact that both the tasks cannot be done on your home PC. 

You need ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) computers dedicated only for bitcoin mining and lots of electricity to mine bitcoins.

Also read – Best bitcoin wallet in India

The easiest way to invest in bitcoin in India for a beginner is to buy bitcoins on the exchange platform. 

How to Invest in Bitcoin in India 2021

You can start a bitcoin investment by selecting an exchange to open an account, transfer money and use your money to buy bitcoins. 

You can follow step-by-step procedures to invest in bitcoins in India. 

I have used the WazirX exchange to open an account and buy bitcoins because of the simple & easy account opening process, lightning-fast transaction, and easy-to-use platform.

WazirX also has tie-up with the world’s largest crypto exchange – Binance. But you can use any other exchange, the process will be more or less the same as shown below. 

#1. Open Crypto Trading Account

Open an account on WazirX by following steps mentioned here

#1. Sign Up on WazirX 

Click here to visit the WazirX website and sign up to start the account opening process. 

#2. Fill Details to Start Creating Account

In the first step, you need to fill your email address and create a strong password to open an account. 

#3. Email Verification and Account Security Setup

WazirX sends you an email for account verification. Verify your email and set up your account security. 

You can use any of the two ways to set your account security. 

• Google Authenticator App
• Mobile SMS service

However, the Google Authenticator app is safer as compared to mobile SMS because the SMS is prone to the delayed receipt and there are chances of SIM card hacking.

#4. Select Country and Choose Account

WazirX allows you to open an account with or without KYC. Without KYC you can only deposit and trade on your WazirX account. 

The KYC compliant account has the facility perform all the transactions including withdrawals and can trade in P2P.  

For completing KYC you need to enter a few details like

• Full name as appearing on KYC document
• Date of birth
• Address as per the KYC document

Upload the scanned copy of your KYC documents and selfie to complete the account opening process. 

Check out- detailed WazirX review

#2. Transfer Money (INR) to Your Trading Account

Before you trade, you need to deposit Rupee (INR) into your account. The money can then be used to directly buy bitcoins, USDT or other cryptocurrencies listed on the exchange. 

On WazirX the minimum deposit amount is Rs. 100 whereas, there is no upper cap on deposit. 

You can deposit using IMPS, UPI, RTGS and NEFT methods.

Click “Funds” for depositing INR after you have logged into your account. Select the option “Rupee INR” and click on deposit. Then you will need to link your bank details with your WazirX account.

Further, you will be prompted for “Instant deposit using IMPS/ NEFT/ RTGS” and get WazirX bank details. 

Transfer the funds via any of the IMPS/ NEFT or RTGS channels. Your money (in INR) will be credited in your WazirX account instantly which you can use to buy bitcoins on the exchange platform.

#3. Buy Bitcoins on the Exchange

To invest in bitcoins login to your account and click on INR under the section “Exchange”. This is a spot market place for all the cryptocurrencies that are paired against INR.

On the screen, you will be able to see various cryptocurrency pairs against INR. Select the bitcoin (BTC) – INR pair. 

When you select the BTC/INR pair you will get the price chart, the order book details and the order entry form on the right-hand side as shown.

On the right-hand side bottom, you will also find an order (buy/sell) entry form like the one shown below. 

Fill in the buy order form for buying bitcoins and click on “Place buy order”. The order gets placed instantly and you will receive bitcoins as soon as the order gets traded. 

#4. Store Bitcoins in Your Wallet

After you have bought bitcoins you need to store them in your wallet because leaving them in the exchange account is not safe. The bitcoins can get stolen from the exchange account or there are possibilities that the exchange may close operations in the future.

To prevent such scenarios you need to transfer your bitcoins from the exchange account to your personal wallet.

For transferring bitcoin you need to create an address to receive bitcoin. 

Note: You cannot receive bitcoin on ethereum address. Every cryptocurrency has its own specific address to receive that particular cryptocurrency only.

A typical bitcoin address looks like the one shown below

Next, you need to sign in to your exchange account and select bitcoin to send it into your wallet. Click on send/ withdraw bitcoin, then select the amount of bitcoin that you want to send and paste the address generated from your wallet in the recipient place.

Confirm the transaction using the two-factor authentication and you will receive bitcoin in your own wallet.

Also read – WazirX vs Zebpay

Best Bitcoin Wallet in India 2021

#1. WazirX Multi-Cryptocurrency Wallet

You need to open a WazirX account to use the wallet facility. WazirX exchange provides a web/ app based wallet facility. 

You can use the wallet to trade 70+ cryptocurrency on the WazirX exchange and do P2P transactions.

Fees

WazirX does not charge any deposit fee but withdrawals are subject to fees (depending on the cryptocurrency) and minimum withdrawal amounts.

What I Like

• Option to have both web and mobile wallets
• Directly trade on the WazirX exchange
• 70+ crypto coins can be stored

What I Didn’t Like

• Withdrawals are subject to fees 
• Limit on the minimum and maximum withdrawal amount

#2. Ledger Nano X Bitcoin Wallet

Ledger Nano X is a hardware wallet that you need to purchase online. The Ledger Nano X is costly but the safest way to store bitcoin. 

Ledger Nano X is in the form of a USB that contains secure chips to store your bitcoins and is a cold (not connected to the internet) hardware wallet. 

The wallet is powered by a 100mAh battery and is compatible with iOS (9+) and Android (7+) smartphones that help you manage 24 coins and 1250+ ERC-20 tokens.   

Fees

Priced in the range of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 12,500

What I Like

• 34 grams of weight
• Secure chip and custom OS
• Manage 24 coins and 1250+ ERC-20 tokens

What I Didn’t Like

• You need to keep track of the USB
• Needs to be powered
• High price upwards of Rs. 10,000

#3. Exodus Bitcoin Wallet

Exodus uses encrypted private keys and lets you store 110+ cryptocurrencies including bitcoin.

Exodus is a desktop-based bitcoin wallet. You need to download a .exe software on your desktop in order to set up and use the wallet. 

Fees

The .exe Exodus application is free to download. For a transaction, you need to pay the miners fee.

What I Like

• Wallet downloadable on Windows, Mac and Linux PC
• QR codes for address verification 
• Encryption of private keys for security

What I Didn’t Like

• Need Mac 10.12, Windows 10 and 64-bit Linux (kernel version 4.10 and higher) 

Important Things You Should Know Before You Start Investing in Bitcoins

#1. Requires Patience and Understanding

Investing in bitcoin is risky because of the heavy price fluctuations. You need to have patience and understanding of the price movements. You need to have a medium to the long term holding period.

Bitcoin prices change every moment and without the understanding of the market you can end up losing a substantial amount of money.

#2. Invest in Smaller Amounts

Bitcoin is a high priced cryptocurrency and the best thing is that you can invest in bitcoins in small fractions. You can invest in 0.001 bitcoins. 

One bitcoin costs you around Rs. 9,00,000. For beginners, this can be a large sum of money. But you can definitely buy 0.01 bitcoins for Rs. 9,000. 

#3. Have a Wallet to Store Bitcoin

Never make a mistake of leaving your bitcoin in the exchange account. Bitcoins can get stolen or are vulnerable to hacking and virus attacks. In such a scenario you can lose your bitcoin.

Transfer them to your very own bitcoin wallet and store them in a secured place where only you have access. 

#4. Know Your Risk-Taking Abilities

Bitcoin is a high-risk investment because of the high price volatility. If you do not have the capacity to bear risk then you can invest only such an amount that you do not mind losing it.

Aggressive investors with large risk-taking capacity do not mind even if their capital is eroded by 50%. Whereas, conservative investors protect their base capital. For them, a loss of 20% is the limit. 

Conclusion

Investing in bitcoin in India is totally legal (after the Supreme Court relaxation) and not that difficult. You can start bitcoin investment by opening an account online with WazirX

Initially, you can allocate Rs. 10,000 to buy bitcoin and understand the cryptocurrency marketplace. Once you are comfortable then you should increase your bitcoin investment amount.