People buying cryptocurrencies in 2023 is widespread, and easier than ever. Stellar in particular has been firmly seated in the top 25 most popular digital coins since it was launched in 2014.
Enthusiastic about purchasing Stellar for yourself but unsure about how it works? Stay right where you are.
In this How to Buy Stellar - Beginners Guide, we cover the ins and outs of buying this digital currency. This includes potential broker fees to look out for, popular investment plans - and how to find a good Crypto platform to buy Stellar today!
How To Buy Stellar (XLM) – Quick Guide
To help you buy Stellar coins as quickly as possible, we broke the process down into a few easy steps:
- Step 1: Open an account with eToro – Head to eToro’s website and click join now to open a new account.
- Step 2: Verification – By uploading essential documents that show proof of identity and home address, you will get your account verified in a short time.
- Step 3: Deposit – Fund your new eToro account with a minimum of $10.
- Step 4: Search for Stellar on eToro – Search for XLM or Stellar in the eToro crypto market.
- Step 5: Buy XLM – Enter the amount of the worth of Stellar you want to purchase in United States Dollars (USD), then click Open Trade.
That’s it! By following these easy steps, you can invest in Stellar in less than 5 minutes.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Step 1: Choose An Online Stellar (XLM) Broker Or Exchange
We’ve mentioned online brokers there in our 5-step sign up guide, but you can also buy Stellar via a cryptocurrency exchange.
If buying crypto-assets via a third-party crypto exchange you will likely be able to swap a digital currency like Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, or and Ripple into Stellar.
Crucially though, more often than not, the aforementioned exchanges are unregulated spaces. This lack of regulation obviously opens up the doors of risk when buying Stellar.
Additionally, you will already need to be in possession of a digital currency, as most of these exchanges do not support real-time deposits with debit/credit cards and e-wallet etc.
On the contrary, a select number of online brokers offer convenience via heaps of instantly processed payment payments - not to mention the safety anchor of a fully-regulated status.
As such, below you will find some tips on how to find a suitable online platform to buy Stellar Lumens.
Regulation
We mentioned regulation in the section above, as this is a crucial part of finding a safe and trustworthy place to buy Stellar. There are a lot of disingenuous online brokers and exchanges out there - so proceed with caution.
Furthermore, if you opt to purchase your digital coins from an unregulated entity, you should be aware that this entails taking care of your own private key (password) and crypto-wallet. This isn’t mandatory per-say, it’s just that you wouldn’t want to leave your Stellar stored at a platform that doesn’t care about licensing.
Furthermore, stories of crypto wallets being hacked, or people forgetting their all-important private key details aren’t unheard of. Without the protection of regulation, you are in it on your own.
Fortunately, popular broker eToro is regulated in several jurisdictions - allowing you to buy Stellar directly, in a safe manner.
The platform holds licenses from the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. Additionally, US clients are protected by FINRA. Once you buy Stellar Lumens at eToro, the regulated broker will store the coins for you.
Payment Methods
When you are on the hunt for a place to buy Stellar, payment methods shouldn’t be a concern. The vast majority of regulated crypto providers accept a plethora of payment types.
Back in the early days, wire transfer was often the only way to deposit and buy Stellar, and at an exchange not bound by regulation at that. As you likely know, this meant a waiting period of days, if not weeks.
Fast forward to 2021, and the process of how to buy Stellar is convenient and much easier for beginners. eToro, for instance, will allow you to deposit funds into your account using an array of different payment methods. This includes safe and convenient e-wallets like Skrill, PayPal, and Neteller, as well as debit/credit cards.
Fees and Commissions
Online crypto providers, like any financial service - need to make some money. They do, after all, provide access to the markets. The aforementioned profit is secured by charging fees and commissions when you buy Stellar.
Each and every crypto broker will charge different fees, in different ways. Our How to Buy Stellar Guide found that fees are usually variable and based on a percentage of your order.
To give you an example, if you were to sign up at crypto platform Coinbase - each trade would cost you 1.49% commission.
To clarify further, if you entered your buy Stellar position at $1,000, you would pay $14.90. If your XLM coins were worth $1,800 at the time of cashing out, you would be liable for a further 1.49% - which equates to $26.82 (1.49% of $1,800).
Please see below a practical example of how your Stellar purchase could be affected by this fee:
- You create a $500 buy order on Stellar
- You pay Coinbase the aforementioned 1.49% fee of $7.45
- Upon selling your XLM coins they are valued at $620 - which amounts to $9.23
- In our example, you paid $16.68 in commission - simply for entering and exiting the market
Whilst we agree,1.49% is better than 20% - these small fees add up. After all, if you were to place a Stellar order worth $10,000, you would have to pay a whopping $149 commission. Furthermore, the same platform charges clients 3.99% on all debit card deposits.
When thinking about how to buy Stellar at eToro, the only charge you will need to factor in is that of a 0.5% deposit fee. This is only charged if you fund your account with a currency other than US dollars. In terms of trading commissions, this isn’t charged by eToro on any of its markets.
Other Important Factors
As you can see from our above example, fees and commissions can soon nibble away at your gains if you’re not careful.
As no two online brokers are the same - to give you an idea of what to expect, we have listed a few more factors to keep an eye out for.
- User-friendliness: Easy platform navigation is essential when you buy Stellar. The very best brokers will make placing orders and accessing your account a stress-free process from start to finish.
- Minimum Investment: It’s important to do your homework and check what the minimum investment is to buy Stellar. Some brokers might require as much as $250 to get started. Whereas at beginner-friendly broker eToro you can buy Stellar Lumens coins for a minimum of $25 - which is achievable for most newbies.
- Storage: We are going to detail storage shortly. However, it is a key factor when deciding where to buy Stellar. Many platforms insist you store your own personal crypto-wallet - which as we said is daunting for beginners. When you buy Stellar at eToro, the broker stores your digital coins for you in a regulated space.
Read Also: Should You Buy Stellar XLM?
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Step 2: Come Up With An Investment Plan
As is the case with anything involving your hard-earned cash, it’s advised to come up with an investment plan before electing to buy Stellar.
The cryptocurrency market is particularly volatile, so we want to give you the best start possible. With this in mind, we have created a list of investment plan ideas you might want to incorporate into our own strategy when buying Stellar Lumens online.
Long-Term or Short-Term
When the time to buy Stellar comes - do you see yourself becoming a long, or short-term investor?
First a little explainer about how to buy Stellar in the short-term. This investment plan focuses on making gains from the short-term price fluctuation of the digital currency in question.
This is achieved by buying XLM coins and then cashing out within minutes, days, or sometimes weeks - depending, of course, on the sentiment of Stellar in the market.
We talked about Stellar price fluctuations - consider that these digital currencies can change in value by double digits. As you can imagine, those who dare to brave the volatility of the market can indeed prosper if done correctly.
Now, let’s move onto how to buy stellar in the long-term. If you instead like the idea of being a little less active when purchasing digital currencies - then a ‘buy and hold’ strategy may be more suitable.
Not only that, but it’s perfect for those who don’t like the idea of spending their capital in such an unpredictable space, because you don’t need to worry about short-term price movements.
This investment plan entails keeping a hold of your Stellar until the time comes that you want to cash out. This might be for a few months or even years. Nevertheless, the goal is to sell your Stellar investment for more than you initially paid - resulting in a profit.
Check Out: 9 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Stellar (XLM) Today
Target Stellar Price
Whilst optional, many investors choose to utilize a target Stellar price strategy to buy the crypto-asset.
To illustrate further, if you want to double your Stellar investment - the crypto coins would need to rise in value two-fold. As such, if you buy the asset at $0.20, it would need to increase to $0.40. To triple your investment it would need to increase from $0.20 to $0.60 - and so forth.
As unlikely as this sounds, bear in mind the following facts:
- In 2018, Stellar hit an all-time high of $0.89 USD
- 4 years earlier the digital currency saw lows of $0.002 USD, so less than a cent
- That’s a 4-year increase of over 44,000%!
The above indicates just how volatile the market actually is. Many of those holding onto, and subsequently cashing out on Stellar would have made a decent profit.
Consider Regular Investments
If you are a beginner, or just new to the cryptocurrency space - you should consider regular investments to buy Stellar.
By investing manageable amounts on a frequent basis, you can mitigate your risk in a highly unpredictable environment - whilst expanding your portfolio.
For instance, many people include regular investments in their long-term strategy plan - to be done on a weekly or monthly basis. This enables you to keep track of your finances, especially if you are a newbie.
Social trading platform eToro will allow you to buy Stellar from as little as $25. This should be quite achievable for most people, and is a great way to build up your portfolio of cryptocurrencies.
Would you consider investing in Stellar XLM?
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Step 3: Open A Stellar (XLM) Broker Account
Now that you have decided which platform you want to use to buy Stellar - you can go to the website and sign up.
The sign-up link on most platforms is easy to locate. If you have traded forex and such before this part will be instantly recognizable.
You will start by filling in a form containing your full name, residential address, email address, and phone number. Next, regulated brokers will require a copy of your photo ID before you can buy Stellar - this refers to your passport or driving license.
The proof of address you are asked to provide can be in the form of a fairly recent utility bill, bank statement, or government tax letter. The aforementioned proof of identity is standard practice when it comes to buying Stellar online, which is due to strict regulation to prevent financial crime.
It has to be said that some online brokers will take as long as a week to verify your ID documents.
eToro on the other hand makes the most of modern automated ID validation tech. So you will be able to buy Stellar from as little as $25 - and best of all, within fewer than 10 minutes of signing up!
Step 4: Deposit Some Funds
After making sure your online broker of choice accepts your preferred payment method - you can deposit some funds into your new account.
It’s recommended that you use the quickest and most convenient payment method on offer. Wire transfers, for instance, can delay your Stellar purchase by days.
eToro supports fast and secure deposits from debit/credit cards such as Maestro, Mastercard, and Visa. In terms of e-wallets, you can choose from Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill. All of these methods are convenient and secure.
Step 5: Set Up A Trading Order
Once you have funded your account with the minimum deposit required - you can buy Stellar.
Of course, first, you need to tell your broker what your position is on Stellar. Put simply, - do you believe that the price will rise or fall?
To do this, you need to create an order. If you have traded before, you will know this process well. If you are a newbie in the cryptocurrency world, not to worry, we have created a list of useful orders for you.
Buy Order
Whilst it seems obvious, a ‘buy order’ is the go-to order when thinking about how to purchase Stellar. This order gives you access to the market in the first place.
Crucially, If you have a feeling the price of the digital currency will increase - all you need to do is place a buy order at the XLM platform.
Limit or Market Order
We’ve told you that the value of Stellar, and any other financial asset, increases and decreases on a second-by-second basis. This is important as you will be looking to make gains from the price shifts - entering and exiting the market at the right time.
Let’s start with the most simple of the two orders, the ‘market order’.
If you are quoted a price you like when looking to buy Stellar, you should create a market order. Your online broker will action your order immediately.
On account of the aforementioned price shifts, you might place your order at $0.1750. However, in the split-second it takes to execute your order this price might shift to $0.1752 or $0.1748. This is completely inescapable due to the nature of supply and demand.
In terms of ‘limit’ orders, this order enables you to choose your own price at which to enter the Stellar market.
Let's clear the mist with a quick example:
- Let’s hypothesize that Stellar is valued at $0.20 - you do not want to buy it until it reaches $0.21
- With this in mind, you place a limit order at $0.21
- When, or if, the crypto-asset increases to your target price - the broker actions your order
- This order remains in place until you either cancel said order, or Stellar hits $0.21
As you can see, both orders are highly useful. Whilst market orders are beginner-friendly due to simplicity - limit orders are helpful for entering the Stellar market at a specific price.
Stake
When placing an order with your online broker to buy Stellar, you need to specify your stake. In other words, how much money are you willing or able to risk?
The amount you stake is entirely your decision and dependent on your personal situation. With that said, it is advisable to start small. This is especially the case if you are a complete novice when it comes to buying cryptocurrencies.
Put simply, rather than investing your entire budget into your Stellar purchase - start by meeting the minimum requirement.
Again, at eToro, you can buy Stellar from $25 and up. This is a great way to steadily build your XLM coins without breaking the bank.
Confirm Order
When you are happy with your prediction, orders, and stake - you can hit confirm to proceed with your Stellar purchase.
You will see that once this stage is complete, your crypto assets have been added to your new online broker wallet.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Step 6: Storing Your Stellar (XLM)
Because Stellar is a digital currency, it goes without saying that cryptocurrencies need to be stored differently.
With this in mind, many cryptocurrencies are stored on decentralized networks, which are based on blockchain tech.
In terms of your personal purchases, any coins you buy are stored in a crypto wallet. This wallet can be downloaded on your computer or mobile phone.
It’s important to note that instead of being given a 4-digit password like in the case of your bank account - crypto-wallets come with a ‘private key’, which tends to be over 50 characters.
As such, by storing your own digital currencies you are not only responsible for your private key, but also the safety of your wallet. Once a hacker gains access to your crypto wallet, you can kiss your Stellar Lumens goodbye.
If that has given you the fear - don’t worry, there is another option to consider. If you sign up with a modern online broker such as eToro, the platform will gladly store your cryptocurrencies for you.
eToro is regulated by multiple regulatory entities, which gives you a much-needed safety net against crooks. This also cuts out the need to use a decentralized wallet and gives you the freedom to cash out your Stellar Lumens - whenever you see fit.
Ready to dive into Stellar XLM market?
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
Step 7: Selling Your Stellar (XLM)
The long, or short term goal of buying Stellar is to make a profit. This is achieved by timing the market and selling your crypto-asset for more than you bought it for.
We’ve mentioned the contrast between unregulated exchanges and regulated brokers.
However, in the name of clarity:
- If you sign up with a crypto exchange to buy Stellar, when it comes to cashing out, you will likely have to jump through a few hoops first.
- The first step would be to transfer your crypto coins from your own wallet to the one at the exchange.
- The next step is to swap your Stellar into a fiat currency, like Euros, or US dollars for example.
- There will no doubt be a charge liable for this exchange.
As per the above, this can both cumbersome and costly.
When it comes to cashing out via popular crypto provider eToro, the process goes like this -
- Sign in to your account
- Click on the ‘sell’ button next to Stellar in your portfolio.
That’s it! The process usually takes seconds from start to finish. Best of all, at eToro it’s commission-free!
Other Ways To Buy Stellar (XLM) In 2023
We’ve covered the basics of how to buy Stellar. Let’s now have a look at some other ways to buy the popular digital currency.
Buy Stellar Debit Card
A debit card is a popular way to make safe online purchases around the world. Not only that, but transactions are expeditious.
With that said, it makes sense to buy Stellar with a debit card. When you wish to cash out your Stellar investment, your funds will be transferred to the initial card you used.
If this sounds like the best option for you, all you have to do is enter your debit card details and decide how much to buy. As we said, at eToro you can deposit the minimum amount and buy Stellar from $25 using a debit card.
Buy Stellar Credit Card
If paying by credit card is more up your street to buy Stellar - this is also accepted at eToro.
Importantly, you should check with your provider whether brokerage transactions are classed as a ‘cash advance fee’ - much like ATM withdrawals and gambling deposits are.
We find that the majority of credit card providers charge about 3% of the value.
Buy Stellar Paypal
Did you know you can even buy Stellar using PayPal? PayPal is safe, super-fast, and convenient.
If you want to buy Stellar with PayPal, you can do so via online broker eToro with ease. The platform also supports Neteller, and Skrill - two other popular e-wallets.
Stellar ATM
Our ‘How to Buy Stellar Guide’ found that there are over 13,000 cryptocurrency ATMs globally.
Crucially though, these machines are yet to support Stellar specifically.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
How To Buy Stellar (XLM) In 2023 - The Verdict
When the time comes for you to buy Stellar, you should now feel more confident in knowing how to do so.
The first port of call is to sign up to a respected and regulated broker. eToro shines here, as the crypto provider is under a strict ruling from various bodies including the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC. For US clients, this safeguarding and integrity comes from regulatory authority FINRA.
Not only that, but by buying Stellar via eToro, you can instantly deposit funds with a debit/credit card and e-wallet, and you won’t pay any trading commissions at all.
eToro – Best Broker To Buy Stellar XLM
eToro have proven themselves trustworthy within the crypto industry over many years – we recommend you try them out.
Crypto asset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.
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How To Buy Stellar (XLM) FAQs
How easy is it to buy Stellar?
It is incredibly easy to buy Stellar. Sign up with a trusted online broker holding a regulatory license, deposit the minimum amount required, and place your order.
What is the safest way to buy Stellar?
The safest way to buy Stellar is via a regulated crypto platform. eToro is great for beginners. The broker is commission-free, registered with FINRA, and regulated by the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC.
Can I buy $100 of Stellar?
Yes, you can buy $100 of Stellar. We recommend starting with smaller amounts, like $25 each time. This is possible at the user-friendly platform eToro.
Can you lose money on Stellar?
Yes, it is possible to lose money on Stellar, much the same as any asset. If you predict the market correctly and place the appropriate order - you make gains. If you are incorrect - you make a loss.
What is Stellar highest price ever?
Stellar all-time high price is $0.89, which it hit back in 2018.