About Stepwise

Stepwise exists to answer one question honestly: how do you actually buy crypto without getting fleeced or scammed on the way in? Most "how to buy" content is a thin wrapper around a referral link. We took the opposite approach — teach the mechanics properly, name the real costs and risks, and recommend the honest option even when it pays us nothing.

What we cover — and what we refuse to

We cover the buying process end to end: choosing where to buy, comparing payment methods and their real fees, passing identity checks safely, avoiding buy-side scams, and moving your crypto to a wallet you control. We do not tell you what to buy, when to buy, or what anything will be worth. There are no price predictions here, no "best coin" lists, and no presale or meme-token promotions — those are exactly the things that separate beginners from their money.

How we handle facts

Fees, limits and eligibility in crypto change constantly and differ by country, so we date the figures we publish, frame them as published or advertised ranges rather than promises, and tell you to confirm the current terms yourself before you act. Where we cannot verify something, we say so plainly instead of guessing. When we mention a failure — FTX, Celsius, Terra and others — it is because it teaches a concrete lesson about custody or risk, not for shock value.

How we pay the bills

Some outbound links to exchanges and on-ramps are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you open an account — at no extra cost to you. Several of the options we recommend most, including self-custody wallets like MetaMask, Trust Wallet and Exodus, pay us nothing, and we still recommend them because they are the honest answer. A commission never changes what we say. The full details are in our affiliate disclosure.

Nothing on Stepwise is financial, tax or legal advice. Crypto is volatile and you can lose money; only ever buy what you can afford to lose. Reviewed September 2026.