The value of bitcoin appears to be on the rise again, after it fell by almost $9,000 in a matter of days.
The notoriously volatile cryptocurrency is expected to carry on fluctuating unpredictably, which is why numerous fianancial experts are urging people not to get involved with it, believing the boom can only end badly.
However, if you're still curious and want to find out more, here's how beginners can buy bitcoin. The easiest way to get involved is by signing up to a bitcoin wallet service. You can also "mine" bitcoin using a super computer-an unrealistic option for most people or set up and control your own wallet but using a third party service is far simpler.
Some of the most popular options are coin base, blockchaan.info and xapo which you can use on both desktop and mobile. You can sign up to these as you would sign up to any website. Enter your name and email address and set a password to get started. After that, it's time to connect your bank account, debit card or credit card. Use two-factor authentication to secure your account but don't use your phone number or SMS for this. According to security researchers, criminals only need to know your name and number in order to steal from your bitcoin wallet. Instead, use Google authentication or a security key such as the Yubikey.
Once you've done this, you can start investing in bitcoin. Whichever service you decide to use, you'll be able to access a graph showing how bitcoins value has changed over time
