If you have any interest to buy Cosmos (ATOM), you will be required to have either Bitcoin abbreviated as (BTC) or Ethereum (ETH) for trading purposes. I have reviewed the major cryptocurrency exchange Binance in this post to help you determine the best sites to buy cryptocurrency using a credit card or bank account. Take a read and get tips on the best cryptocurrency trading.
Step 1: How to create a Binance account:
1.1 Visit Binance’s Website (https://www.binance.com/en)
There have been several phishing cases reported over the past years that are imitations to the original site, it is essential to scrutinize the URL to the website keenly. First, be on the lookout for the ‘Secure’ certificate that should pop up in your address bar and that acts as a confirmation of the site’s genuineness. Second, to be extra safe while trading on the platform, ensure to bookmark the authentic site to evade any confusion in future searches.
1.2 Fill in your trading details
You have to fill in your details by going to the ‘’Register” tab found in the right-hand corner of the website’s page and fill in your trading details. For instance, you will need to fill in your mobile number or you choose to use your email address. For the email address, it is necessary to use your main email that you can access easily and the most secure one since you will need it to sign in to your Binance account always.
You also need to choose a strong password for your email; a strong password should comprise a mix of numbers, symbols, upper and lower-case letters. You will receive a 6-digit code via the email you provided as your account’s verification code and for completing the registration process.
1.3 Allow 2FA-Two-factor authentication (Optional)
To make your account more secure you need to allow use of a two-factor authentication after your first log in. Trust me; it is vital to set up the 2FA because it makes your account more secure from any hacking activity!
Every time you log in with the two-factor authentication, you will need to provide a unique code once your type in your email and password. To get your unique code, use the Google authenticator app downloaded into your smartphone.
Step 2: Buying your first Bitcoin (BTC)
To send money to your Crypto wallet account on Binance either directly via your bank account through SWIFT money transfer or you can opt to use your debit/credit card. For this part, I will guide you on how to use your credit card.
Binance previously didn’t allow the use of credit or debit cards on its platform, but the same has been introduced. Binance partnered with Simplex to allow its users to use their credit and debit cards to buy Bitcoin or Ethereum. This has led to faster Crypto transaction speeds, low transaction charges, and more transaction flexibility.
I highly recommend buying Bitcoin first and then trading it for the right amount of Cosmos (ATOM).
It is easy to purchase Bitcoins via your credit card but I will elaborate on best ways you can do it step-by-step to make sure you understand all the trading nitty-gritty.
- Move your mouse’s cursor to ‘Buy Crypto’ tab found on the top bar and activate the dropdown menu. Then choose the currency, For instance, US Dollars, and click the ‘Credit/Debit Card’ to lead you to the next step.
- You be led to the next page; in this page you will see options to choose the desired Bitcoin (Select BTC), and the amount you need to spend to buy your choice Bitcoin amount. The total amount you need to spend will be displayed according to the Bitcoin amount you request and the matching market price at that time (inclusive of all fees). However, you can choose to first set the total charge then the system will automatically calculate the order amount for you.
- Next, click “Buy BTC. A window that contains all the details of your order will pop up. However, before you confirm your order you need to read the disclaimer and Terms of Use. Once satisfied, confirm your order by ticking the tab and head to “Go to payment’’; click.
- Fill in your credit card details and personal information too. Once done, you need to click “Pay now” and give it a moment to verify your details.
- You will be required to verify your email and phone number if it happens to be your first simplex payment via a code send through your email or an SMS. Complete the verification process by opening the link in your email and type in the code you receive via SMS. Once you do all the above, you can click “Continue”.
- Verification of identity follows next via the use of an official document. Basically upload your identification document photo accompanied by your personal details and click the “Upload Document” tab.
Lastly, your personal document will be approved once verified by the system and an email send to show the confirmation of order purchase. Subsequently, your Binance account is credited with the purchased BTC or Ethereum.
Step 3: Transferring Your Cryptos to an Altcoin Exchange Bittrex
Now, let me guide you on how to purchase Cosmos (ATOM) using your investment from Binance.
But remember you cannot trade every crypto in Binance you will have to transfer your coins to an exchange that Cosmos (ATOM) can be traded. So I will guide you to Bittrex which is a famous exchange to trade altcoins. Use the link below to register your new account.
If you have completed similar processes as we’ve done before with Binance you now are ready to transfer your Bitcoins.
Step 4: Depositing BTC to Exchange
If you have finished creating your new trading account setup at one of the exchanges that trades Cosmos (ATOM), you will need to transfer your BTC from Binance to that specific exchange. This is done via a wallet system.
You also need to click “Holdings” on the top right menu.
Look for “BTC” from Token section and copy the given “Deposit Address”
This process may be difficult a little bit but don’t worry, it is simpler than a bank transfer.
After you have copied your unique BTC wallet address go back to Binance.
You have to move your cursor to “Wallet” on the right hand side of the topbar and once the popup shows up, click on “Fiat and Spot (Deposit & Withdrawal)”.
Look for BTC in the list and click on “Withdraw” on the right hand side.
Then, you have to paste the deposit address you just copied from the other exchange and select BTC as the transfer network. Then type the amount that you want to withdraw (you may click the Max button if you want to withdraw all).
After you have done the above, click on the Submit button to begin with the withdrawal process. If you need to continue with the withdrawal, Binance may ask you for your 2-Factor Authentication code and also you will have to confirm the withdrawal with an e-mail.
That is all you are required to do, then you should wait for a few seconds so that the blockchain to confirm your transaction.
Step 5: Trading Cosmos (ATOM)
You now need to go back to Bittrex to buy Cosmos (ATOM) with the Bitcoins you sent over there.
You need to look for “Markets” and click that button and you will see altcoins list.
On your left side, there is a colum in which you have to make sure you select “BTC” pair and in the search bar type in “ATOM”. If you have already moved your coin click on it and now you will see a price table of ATOM/BTC in the middle of the page. Then select the “Market” tab as that is the simplest way of buying orders. You can either type in your amount or choose what portion of your BTC deposit you would like to spend on buying, by clicking on the percentage buttons.
When you have confirmed all details, click “Buy ATOM”. Now you have just bought your own ATOM!
Other Exchanges to Buy Cryptos
The following are other sites you can buy from these exchanges:
HotBit (Which permits US investors)
MXC (This exchange allows US investors)
On top of the above-listed exchanges, there are some more common crypto exchanges where daily trading volumes and a huge user base is available. This helps to ensure that you can sell your coins any time you want and the charges for the trading are not high. It is recommended that you should also register on these exchanges because whenever Cosmos gets listed there it give the traders who have already registered a large amount of trading volumes, that means you will be provided with some great trading opportunities!
Final Step: How to Store Cosmos securely in hardware wallets
1. Ledger Nano S
- Easy to set up and has a friendly trading interface.
- Allows use on desktops and laptops
- Lightweight and Portable too
- Has been designed to Support most blockchains and a wide range of (ERC-20) tokens
- Has many trading languages.
- Designed by a well-established company found in 2014 with great chip security
- It is not expensive but can be acquired at affordable price
2. Ledger Nano X
- It made with a more advanced and secure element chip (ST33) than Ledger Nano S
- Has an easy design that allows the use on desktop or laptop, or even smartphone and tablet through Bluetooth connection.
- Also Lightweight and Portable and has a built-in rechargeable battery
- Has a Larger screen
- Comes with more storage space compared toLedger Nano S
- It supports most blockchains and wide range of (ERC-20) tokens
- Provides several languages for every customer
- It was designed by a famous company found in 2014 with great chip security
- Can be obtained at an affordable price
If you still have plans to stay at hodl” as some people call it, basically misspelt “hold” (which become famous as time passes) your Cosmos for some long time, you need to find ways to ensure it stays safe safe,
However Binance is the most safe cryptocurrency exchange, in the past few years there have been hacking incidents and funds were lost. Because of the design of the wallets in exchanges, they will be accessible always via the internet (“Hot Wallets” as they are called), therefore exposing certain aspects of weaknesses.
Thus safeguard your cryptos by putting them in “Cold Wallets”, where the wallet will only have access to the blockchain(or simply “go online”) when you send out funds,. This reduces the chances of being hacked. For example, use a paper wallet which is a type of free cold wallet. It can also be defined as an offline-produced pair of public and private address and that you write on a paper for keeping safely with you. But, it is not permanent and may be faced by certain risk.
Thus, Hardware wallet is therefore the best compared to cold wallets. Since they are usually USB-enabled devices that can hold the key information of your wallet in the safest manner. Also they are designed using military-level security and their firmware’s are continuously upgraded by their manufacturers and this makes them extra safe to use. For example, Ledger Nano S and Ledger Nano X and are most common hardware wallets, you can buy one at $50 to $100 depending on the specifications they have. I highly recommend these for holding your assets because these wallets are a worthy every penny according to my experience and opinion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to buy Cosmos with cash?
The answer is No. Because there is no way you can directly buy Cosmos with cash. But, using marketplaces such as LocalBitcoins to first buy Bitcoin, and completethe rest of the steps by transferring your bitcoin to respective AltCoin exchanges.
How do I Buy Bitcoin from local sellers?
You can go to LocalBitcoins that is a peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange. It is more of a marketplace where users can buy and sell Bitcoins to and from each other. Users, known as traders, make advertisements to show their price and the payment method they want used. Then buyers buy from the traders to buy from sellers in a particular nearby region on the platform. LocalBitcoins is after all a good place to go to buy Bitcoins when it is impossible for you to find your favorite payment methods somewhere else. The site’s prices are high and you have you have to be extra careful to avoid conmen.
What are the quickest ways I can buy Cosmos while living in Europe?
While in Europe you have the advantage of buying cryptos in an easy and quick way. Because Europe has even online banks which help buyers to simply open an account and transfer money to exchanges such as Coinbase and Coinmama. Such banks which are common as online banks in Europe are Bunq, N26 and Revolut.
Can I use alternative platforms to purchase Cosmos or Bitcoin with credit cards?
Yes you can, you just need to visit Changelly which an easy to trade in site especially when it comes to buying Bitcoin with credit cards. It provides an automatic cryptocurrency exchange that gives a buyer the opportunity to exchange crypto fast and buy them using credit card. It has been designed to allow users to have easy crypto buying since it has a simple user interface and provides instructions that are easy to follow too.
About Cosmos (ATOM)
What Is Cosmos (ATOM)?
In a nutshell, Cosmos bills itself as a project that solves some of the “hardest problems” facing the blockchain industry. It aims to offer an antidote to “slow, expensive, unscalable and environmentally harmful” proof-of-work protocols, like those used by Bitcoin, by offering an ecosystem of connected blockchains.
The project’s other goals include making blockchain technology less complex and difficult for developers thanks to a modular framework that demystifies decentralized apps. Last but not least, an Interblockchain Communication protocol makes it easier for blockchain networks to communicate with each other — preventing fragmentation in the industry.
Cosmos’ origins can be dated back to 2014, when Tendermint, a core contributor to the network, was founded. In 2016, a white paper for Cosmos was published — and a token sale was held the following year. ATOM tokens are earned through a hybrid proof-of-stake algorithm, and they help to keep the Cosmos Hub, the project’s flagship blockchain, secure. This cryptocurrency also has a role in the network’s governance.
Who Are the Founders of Cosmos?
The co-founders of Tendermint — the gateway to the Cosmos ecosystem — were Jae Kwon, Zarko Milosevic and Ethan Buchman. Although Kwon is still listed as principal architect, he stepped down as CEO in 2020. He maintains he is still a part of the project but is mainly focusing on other initiatives. He has now been replaced as Tendermint’s CEO by Peng Zhong, and the whole board of directors was given quite a substantial refresh. Their goals include enhancing the experience for developers, creating an enthusiastic community for Cosmos and building educational resources so greater numbers of people are aware of what this network is capable of.
What Makes Cosmos Unique?
A major concern for some in the crypto industry centers on the levels of fragmentation seen in blockchain networks. There are hundreds in existence, but very few of them can communicate with each other. Cosmos aims to turn this on its head by making this possible.
Cosmos is described as “Blockchain 3.0” — and as we mentioned earlier, a big goal is ensuring that its infrastructure is straightforward to use. To this end, the Cosmos software development kit focuses on modularity. This allows a network to be easily built using chunks of code that already exist. Long-term, it’s hoped that complex applications will be straightforward to construct as a result.
Scalability is another priority, meaning substantially more transactions can be processed a second than more old-fashioned blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. If blockchains are to ever achieve mainstream adoption, they’ll need to be able to cope with demand as well as existing payment processing companies or websites — or be even better.
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How Many Cosmos (ATOM) Coins Are There in Circulation?
ATOM has a very specific total supply — 260,906,513 to be exact. Of these, at the time of writing, about 203,121,910 were in circulation. It is worth noting that these cryptocurrencies aren’t mined — instead, they are earned through staking.
Two private sales were held in January 2017, followed by a public sale in April of that year. This raised a total of $16 million, which is the equivalent of about $0.10 per ATOM.
Breaking down the token distribution, about 80% was allocated to investors, while the remaining 20% was split between two companies: All In Bits and the Interchain Foundation.
Cosmos has compared ATOM tokens to the ASICs that are used to mine Bitcoin. As a technical paper written by the Tendermint team explained: “It is a piece of virtualized hardware (economic capital) that you need to obtain in order to participate as a keeper in the network.”
How Is the Cosmos Network Secured?
As we mentioned earlier, Cosmos uses a proof-of-stake consensus algorithm. Validator nodes that stake a higher quantity of ATOM tokens are more likely to be chosen to verify transactions and earn rewards. Nodes that are found to be acting dishonestly are penalized — and they can end up losing the tokens that they had at stake.
Where Can You Buy Cosmos (ATOM)?
Given the size of Cosmos, it is now available across a number of major exchanges — including big names such as Binance, Coinbase and OKEx. It’s possible to find trading pairs with a number of fiat currencies, and you can find more about the process of converting dollars and euros to crypto here.