Guide category

Crypto Guide

Basic operational safety and payment flow for cryptocurrency purchases.

AUTHORS: megumi ([email protected])

CO-AUTHORS: -

LAST REVIEWED: May 16, 2026 (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

NOTICE: This page was translated from the original Spanish using an AI model. Translation errors are unintentional and will be corrected. The Spanish original is the authoritative version. This notice will be removed when the page is manually translated.

Overview

This guide explains from scratch how to obtain and use cryptocurrency for your DIY purchases: acquiring it, wallets, types of crypto, exchanges, etc...

To make things clear, cryptocurrency is nothing more than a way of sending money digitally in a decentralized manner, that is: with no bank, with no account that can be blocked, with no reversible transactions. Absolute privacy.

As you can imagine, it is extremely useful for what we are after, which is exactly that. Dismissing anything related to cryptocurrency as a "scam" only feeds misinformation and helps no one. There are scams in it, yes; just like in any field.

To be safe, use only the links referenced on this website, and also check the last reviewed date so you do not fall victim to any scam.

Theory

Let's start by explaining several terms I will use throughout the guide to refer to things:

  • Wallet: This is the place (commonly an application) where you will receive, store, and send your payments from. One I recommend, since it is simple for beginners and supports many types of coins, is Exodus.
  • FIAT: Fiat money, such as the euro or the US dollar.
  • Crypto: Any decentralized digital currency, such as Bitcoin (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH). In this guide, I will refer to "crypto" as the payment method you will use to buy your hormones, and "coin" to refer to each type of crypto (e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc...)
  • Exchange: This is the website/app where you will trade your fiat money (FIAT) for the crypto you need.
  • KYC (Know Your Customer): This is the identity verification process that many exchanges require in order to comply with financial regulations.

Now that we have this clear, let's explain the general crypto purchase process:

Fiat money (FIAT) -> Exchange -> Crypto -> Wallet -> Payment processor

That is: from your bank/paypal account, you transfer it to an exchange, and from the exchange, you send it to your wallet, to then send it from your wallet to the payment processor.

There are countless coins available, but for practical purposes, I will only focus on Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Monero (XMR). Your payment processor may accept all of these, or only some of them.

There are two main types of exchanges: those that require KYC (Know Your Customer) and those that do not. The ones that require it tend to be more reliable, but they can be completely unviable for underage users, people without bank accounts, etc...

Preparation

In this guide we will use Exodus as our digital wallet.

It can be installed on desktop computers and mobile devices, and it handles multiple cryptocurrencies.

Go ahead and download and install Exodus on your device. The process is simple and well documented, so we won't go into details.

In one of the steps, it will ask you to write down your recovery phrase. Grab a sheet of paper and a pen, and write the phrase down in order, without making any changes. If you lose this phrase, you will lose access to your wallet and all your cryptocurrencies.

Congratulations! You are now ready to proceed to the following steps.

Buying with KYC

For KYC purchases, we will use Kraken for this example. It is the one I (megumi) use to this day, the fees are not excessive, and I find it easy enough.

There are also other options such as Binance, which has a P2P purchase system, which I may explore in the future of this guide.

Buying without KYC

Here you have multiple options for making purchases without needing to verify your identity:

  • Crypto ATMs: This is personally how I got my first vial at 16 years old :). Use a site like CoinAtmRadar to find an ATM near you. They usually don't ask for verification until purchases of ~500€. These usually require a bit more skill to operate, since the crypto will be given to you on a ticket, in a wallet created just for that transaction, or they may let you transfer it directly to a wallet of your own.
  • Online no-KYC exchanges: There is a full list at KYCnot.me, but they are very specific and somewhat complex to navigate. We recommend Trocador.
  • Other P2P methods (Paysafecard, MercadoPago, etc...): There are options such as using Paysafecard cards and other payment methods; this one is especially useful for those who do not have a way to pay online. One of these vendors is LocalCoinSwap. BE VERY CAREFUL with scammers on these websites, always use vendors with many purchases and positive reviews. This method is possibly the most expensive of all.
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