You own some Bitcoin, or you're thinking about it.

Either way, you know Bitcoin is the biggest opportunity of our lifetime.

But most people start the wrong way—and it costs them.

• They use the wrong exchange.

• They don't truly understand the asset.

• They think they own Bitcoin, but they don't.

The world is noisier than ever. Everywhere you look, there’s another distraction, scam, or get-rich-quick scheme:

• Politicians are inflating the money supply.

• Influencers, even the U.S. President, are shilling garbage coins before dumping them on retail investors.

• Exchanges want you trading, not holding—because that's how they make money.

It's complete chaos, and if you don't know what you're doing, it's very easy to fall into one of the many traps set for newbies.

Most people lose life-changing money because they focus on the wrong things.

The truth is, the simplest strategy is the best one.

If you can filter out the noise and focus on just three things, you’ll avoid 95% of the mistakes beginners make:

• Buying Bitcoin the right way (without getting ripped off)

• Understanding why Bitcoin matters (so you don’t panic-sell)

• Securing your Bitcoin properly (so no one can take it from you)

That’s why I put together The Bitcoin Starterpack—three essential tools to help you start with Bitcoin the right way.

No bullshit, no distractions. Just the basics you actually need.

1. Strike: Buy Bitcoin The Right Way

Most people start out with platforms like Crypto.com, Coinbase or Binance. But these exchanges are not designed with your best interests in mind.

These exchanges make money when you trade, not when you buy Bitcoin and hold it for the long-term.

That's why they often push garbage altcoins, staking and leverage trading. That's how they profit.

Strike is different. It's built for people who want to own Bitcoin, not gamble.

Another common mistake? Not understanding exchange fees.

Many exchanges make it seem like they have low fees, but they hide extra costs in the spread—the difference between the price they offer and the real market price. This means you often pay more without realizing it.

Strike keeps it very simple, no hidden spreads, just a transparent fee.

That’s why it’s my go-to exchange—it’s Bitcoin-only, simple to use, and built with the right priorities in mind.

My favorite feature: you can set up automatic purchases with zero fees after the first week.

If you want to check it out, you can sign up using this code, and we'll both get $500 in fee-free trading: ZWP1YV.

What to Look for in an Exchange

If you don’t want to use Strike, at least make sure the exchange you pick meets these criteria:

• No hidden costs – Transparent pricing matters.

• Easy withdrawals – No withdrawal limits or sudden policy changes.

• Bitcoin-only focus – Avoid exchanges that push gambling on altcoins.

• All Bitcoin backed 1:1 – This means you own your balance at all times. You don't want the exchange lending out your Bitcoin.

Strike checks all the boxes, which is why most experienced Bitcoiners recommend it.

2. The Bitcoin Standard: Why Bitcoin Matters

Most people who buy Bitcoin don’t truly understand it.

That’s why they panic-sell during a dip. Or worse, they chase altcoins, thinking they’ll outperform Bitcoin.

Imagine Bitcoin hits a new high, and your portfolio is growing. Everything looks great—until a sudden 30% drop erases weeks of gains.

Doubt creeps in. You wonder if you should take profits or if you picked the wrong asset. Maybe an altcoin with bigger short-term gains would have been the better move?

This is where many people struggle.

They sell or get distracted, only to watch Bitcoin recover and continue climbing. Without a strong understanding of Bitcoin’s long-term value, it’s easy to make emotional decisions.

If you want to build conviction and actually hold long-term, you need to understand what you own.

The best place to start? The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous.

The #1 Book on Bitcoin

The Bitcoin Standard is the most recommended book in Bitcoin for a reason.

It’s not a technical manual—it’s about why Bitcoin matters and the broken system it was designed to fix.

• Why fiat money keeps losing value.

• Why central banks manipulate the economy.

• Why Bitcoin is the best form of money ever created.

The Bitcoin Standard will give you the perspective shift you need to hold through volatility and stop thinking in fiat terms.

If you want a quick breakdown, I summarized The Bitcoin Standard in this thread on X—check it out below.

Other Great Resources

The Bitcoin Standard is a very solid starting point, but there's more to explore:

Books:

• Broken Money by Lyn Alden

• The Price of Tomorrow by Jeff Booth

• The Hidden Cost of Money by Sebastian Bunney

• The Internet of Money by Andreas M Antonopoulos

YouTube:

• Preston Pysh's channel

• Matthew Kratter's Bitcoin University

• Any podcast featuring Michael Saylor

• Andreas M Antonopoulos's channel: aantonop

• The Money Matters Podcast by Jack Mallers (CEO of Strike)

3. Where to Store your Bitcoin: Trezor or Blockstream

You bought some Bitcoin, the next step is making sure you actually own it.

If your Bitcoin is sitting on an exchange, it’s not really yours—you’re just trusting someone else to hold it for you.

That means:

• You’re trusting they won’t get hacked.

• You’re trusting they won’t go bankrupt.

• You’re trusting they won’t freeze withdrawals.

History has shown this is a bad bet. Exchanges fail all the time.

That’s why self-custody is the only way to guarantee your Bitcoin stays yours.

A hardware wallet gives you full control over your Bitcoin, making it impossible for anyone else to take it from you.

But not all hardware wallets are created equal.

For beginners, I recommend:

• Blockstream Jade

• Trezor Safe 3 Bitcoin-only

• Trezor Safe 5 Bitcoin-only

These devices are easy to use, Bitcoin-only, and built with security in mind.

If you want to understand what makes a great hardware wallet, I’ve written a full guide: The 7 Must-Have Features in a Bitcoin Hardware Wallet.

Start Small, But Start Now

If you’re just getting started, grab my free 7-Step Bitcoin Self-Custody Checklist to secure your Bitcoin properly.

If you’re holding significant funds, check out The Bitcoin Self-Custody Triangle—a complete framework to protect your Bitcoin for the long term.

Keep It Simple, Don't Get Distracted

The world is full of distractions, scams, and bullshit.

But Bitcoin doesn’t have to be complicated.

If you focus on understanding Bitcoin, buying it the right way, and securing it properly, you’ll avoid the biggest mistakes.

Everything else can come later. Start here, and you’ll be ahead of 95% of people.

— Robin