How to Profit from Cryptocurrency — Leading Strategies

Our Criteria for Selecting the Best Ways to Earn with Cryptocurrency — BeInCrypto Methodology

When selecting the most effective methods for earning with cryptocurrency, we evaluated several core factors: how easy it is to get started, security for users, potential profit, and the required initial capital and time commitment.

Trading earned the top spot on our list. While it demands significant time for education and practice, the potential returns from crypto trading are virtually unlimited. Leading exchanges now offer a comprehensive range of trading automation tools, including trading bots and copy trading, which make it much easier for beginners to enter the market.

Mining is second. During bull markets, this method can yield impressive profits. Notably, you don’t have to buy expensive hardware to get started—you can mine via cloud services, renting computing power from specialized providers.

Airdrop hunting is quickly becoming a popular way to earn in crypto. You can receive tokens for free or with minimal spending. Some projects reward active community members with thousands of dollars, making airdrop farming an appealing option for many enthusiasts.

Affiliate programs are especially attractive for influencers and content creators. If you have a large audience on social media or other online platforms, you can share referral links and earn commissions from the trading volume of users you refer to crypto exchanges and platforms.

Staking represents a form of passive income in the crypto sector. By locking your coins for a set period, you help secure the network and earn rewards. The main drawback is that staking generally offers lower yields than more active earning strategies.

The Play-to-Earn model lets you earn income by playing blockchain games. Most games pay rewards in in-game currencies, which you can convert into popular tokens and withdraw as fiat through exchanges.

The decentralized finance (DeFi) sector provides a wide range of income opportunities—from joining liquidity pools to providing crypto loans. However, some DeFi strategies are complex for beginners, and the highest yields are typically offered by new projects that lack an established track record for security or reliability.

Crypto faucets can add several dozen dollars to your balance each month with virtually no effort. These platforms reward users for simple tasks like entering captchas or viewing ads.

Bonus programs are especially popular among crypto newcomers. Crypto exchanges frequently offer welcome bonuses for registration, account verification, or making an initial deposit.

Earning from price differences—otherwise known as cryptocurrency arbitrage—can also be profitable. To succeed, you’ll need substantial starting capital and an understanding of how different trading venues function.

Rounding out our list is participation in Learn-to-Earn programs. Many leading crypto projects are willing to reward users for learning about their products and blockchain technology, making this a compelling way to combine education with earning potential.

11 Ways to Earn with Cryptocurrency

1. Trading

Difficulty Level: 8/10

Potential Income: Unlimited

Trading involves actively buying and selling cryptocurrencies to profit from price movements. The core idea is to buy an asset at a lower price and sell at a higher one. Succeeding with this method requires in-depth market knowledge, technical and fundamental analysis skills, and sound risk management.

There are many trading strategies and approaches. Some traders focus on long-term investments, holding positions for months or years. Others prefer short-term trading, opening and closing positions within a single day (day trading) or even in minutes (scalping).

Shorting—taking short positions—is especially noteworthy, as it allows you to profit when cryptocurrency prices fall. This tool is particularly valuable during bear markets, when most assets are losing value.

Modern technologies provide traders with powerful options to automate trading. Trading bots can run 24/7, executing trades according to preset algorithms. Copy trading services let newcomers automatically replicate the trades of successful investors, substantially lowering the entry barrier.

Advantages:

• Potentially unlimited income
• Wide selection of proven trading strategies
• Ability to automate trading activities
• Easy access to copy trading for following experienced traders
• Opportunities to profit in both rising and falling markets

Disadvantages:

• Requires a considerable learning curve to trade independently
• High risk of losing invested capital
• Initial capital required to start
• Emotional stress and volatility-related pressure

2. Mining

Difficulty Level: 7/10

Potential Income: From several hundred to several thousand dollars per month

Cryptocurrency mining is the process of validating blockchain transactions using the computational power of specialized hardware. Miners are rewarded with new coins for securing and maintaining the network.

Traditional mining requires serious investment in equipment (ASIC miners or high-end GPUs), technical know-how for setup and maintenance, and access to low-cost electricity. Today, the sector is highly competitive, with large mining farms dominating the extraction of leading cryptocurrencies.

Cloud mining offers an alternative. You can rent computational power from specialized providers, eliminating the need for buying or maintaining your own hardware. You pay for a certain amount of hashrate and earn a proportional share of the mined coins.

Some miners focus on extracting less popular Proof-of-Work coins with lower network hashrates and potentially higher rewards. This approach carries the risk of low liquidity and possible depreciation of the mined assets.

Advantages:

• Ability to generate passive income
• High profitability during bull markets
• Mine via rented computing power—no hardware purchase needed
• More predictable income compared to trading

Disadvantages:

• Requires technical expertise for self-managed mining
• High equipment costs and ongoing upgrades
• Significant power expenses
• Risk of losses if mined coins’ value doesn’t cover costs
• Hardware wear and the need for replacement

3. Airdrops

Difficulty Level: 2/10

Potential Income: From several dozen to several hundred dollars per month

Airdrops are free token distributions by crypto projects to their users or holders of specific assets. They serve as marketing tools to attract attention and build engaged communities.

There are several types of airdrops. Standard airdrops distribute tokens to holders of certain cryptocurrencies or users of particular wallets. Bounty airdrops require simple actions—subscribing to social channels, reposting, writing articles, or creating content.

Retroactive airdrops are increasingly popular, where projects reward early users of their services. For example, some DeFi protocols and blockchain platforms have distributed tokens to users who actively engaged with their service before the token launch.

To maximize airdrop income, participate in testing new protocols, use various decentralized apps, and stay active in the crypto community. Always check project legitimacy, as scammers often use airdrops to steal private keys or funds.

Advantages:

• Earn without financial investment
• No special knowledge or skills required
• Unlimited number of simultaneous airdrops
• Potentially high payouts from successful projects

Disadvantages:

• Risk of scams
• Most airdrops offer low returns
• High-quality airdrops are rare
• Requires ongoing monitoring for new opportunities

4. Affiliate Programs

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Potential Income: Several hundred dollars per month

Affiliate (referral) programs on crypto platforms reward users for bringing in new clients. This win-win arrangement gives the platform new users and you commissions for their activity.

Most crypto exchanges offer multi-level affiliate programs. You earn a share of the trading fees generated by your referrals and, in some cases, also from users referred by your referrals (two-level system). Commissions typically range from 10% to 50%, depending on the platform and your status.

To succeed with affiliate programs, you need an audience. If you run a blog, social media channel, YouTube, or a Telegram group about crypto, you can integrate referral links into your content. The larger and more engaged your audience, the higher your income potential.

Some platforms offer extra bonuses for attracting active traders with high volumes. There are also special programs for professional partners, offering higher commissions and additional marketing materials.

Advantages:

• No advanced technical knowledge required
• Participate in multiple programs at once
• Potential for passive income from active referrals
• Extra bonuses and incentives from platforms

Disadvantages:

• Income depends on the size and engagement of your audience
• Ongoing need to create quality content
• Relatively low income without a significant following

5. Staking

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Potential Income: Several hundred dollars per month

Staking enables passive income from holding cryptocurrencies that use the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) mechanism. First introduced by Peercoin, staking is now widely adopted across the crypto industry.

Staking works by locking your coins in the network to support operations and security. In return, you receive rewards—similar to earning interest at a bank. Your chance to validate the next block is proportional to your staked coins.

There are several ways to stake. Direct staking involves running your own validator node, requiring significant technical skills and a large coin balance (e.g., 32 ETH for Ethereum). A more accessible option is staking via exchanges or specialized platforms, which handle the technical side for you.

Liquidity pools let you stake small amounts by pooling funds with other users. Some platforms offer liquid staking, giving you derivative tokens in exchange for your staked coins, which you can use in DeFi protocols.

Popular staking coins include Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, Solana, and others. Yields range from 3–5% to 15–20% per year, depending on the network and conditions.

Advantages:

• Relatively stable source of passive income
• No special knowledge needed when staking through exchanges
• Join with small amounts via pools
• Lower risk than trading

Disadvantages:

• Coins must be locked for a set period
• High entry threshold for direct staking of major cryptocurrencies
• Relatively modest yields
• Risk from volatility of staked assets

6. Play-to-Earn

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Potential Income: From several hundred to several thousand dollars per month

Play-to-Earn (P2E) is a game-changing model in the gaming sector, allowing players to earn real money while playing. Blockchain games use NFTs and crypto tokens to create game economies that translate achievements into real value.

P2E games offer a variety of earning mechanics: rewards for completing quests, winning PvP battles, participating in tournaments, creating and selling in-game items (NFTs), and staking in-game tokens. Some games let you earn by owning virtual property or managing gaming guilds.

Most P2E games require initial investment to buy characters, land, or other assets. However, scholarship programs allow experienced players to lend assets to newcomers in return for a share of the profits.

Popular genres include card games, strategy, virtual worlds, and metaverses. Earnings depend on the game’s popularity, your skills, time invested, and the overall state of the NFT market.

Advantages:

• Earn by doing something enjoyable
• No special knowledge needed to begin
• Play multiple games simultaneously
• Potential for high income in successful projects

Disadvantages:

• Not all games generate meaningful income
• Most popular games require upfront investment
• Risk of losing investment if a game loses popularity
• Significant time commitment

7. Earning on DeFi

Difficulty Level: 6/10

Potential Income: Unlimited

Decentralized finance (DeFi) unlocks a wide range of crypto earning opportunities through various financial instruments and protocols. This sector operates entirely on blockchain, offering alternatives to traditional banking without intermediaries.

One of the most popular methods is providing liquidity to automated market makers (AMMs). You deposit token pairs into a liquidity pool and earn a share of trading fees. Yields can range from 10% to several hundred percent per year but carry the risk of impermanent loss.

Yield farming maximizes returns by moving assets between protocols in search of the best rates. Experienced farmers use strategies involving LP token staking, participation in multiple protocols, and reinvesting rewards.

Lending in DeFi allows you to loan your crypto through platforms like Aave or Compound and earn interest from borrowers. Rates change based on demand for specific assets.

Some protocols offer DeFi insurance, where you can earn premiums by providing coverage to other users.

Advantages:

• Diverse earning strategies
• Opportunity to diversify across protocols
• Potential for high returns
• Relatively passive income

Disadvantages:

• Complex for beginners
• Smart contract and hack risk
• Requires active monitoring and rebalancing
• High transaction fees on some networks

8. Bitcoin Faucets

Difficulty Level: 1/10

Potential Income: Several dozen dollars per month

Crypto faucets are websites or apps that distribute small amounts of cryptocurrency for performing simple tasks. This is one of the easiest ways to start earning crypto with zero investment.

Typical faucet tasks include solving captchas, watching ads, clicking links, playing simple games, or entering lotteries. Each action pays a small amount in satoshis (for Bitcoin faucets) or other crypto coins.

There are several faucet types. Classic faucets allow you to collect rewards every few minutes or hours. Auto faucets pay out automatically for time spent on site. Some platforms offer extra earnings for surveys, app installs, or watching videos.

To maximize earnings, use multiple faucets at once and claim rewards regularly. Some faucets offer daily activity bonuses or referral programs.

Advantages:

• No special knowledge required
• Use unlimited faucets simultaneously
• No financial investment needed
• Great way for beginners to get familiar with crypto

Disadvantages:

• Extremely low income potential
• High withdrawal fees
• Time-consuming repetitive tasks
• Risk of scam platforms

9. Bonus Programs

Difficulty Level: 2/10

Potential Income: From several dozen to several hundred dollars per month

Bonus programs on crypto platforms offer users extra rewards for certain actions. These are effective marketing tools for the platforms and a great opportunity for users to earn additional crypto.

Welcome bonuses for new users are most common. Crypto exchanges frequently reward for registering, verifying identity, or making a first deposit. Rewards can range from a few dollars to hundreds, based on the promotion.

Deposit bonuses are given for adding funds to the platform—for example, a 10% bonus on your first deposit. Trading bonuses reward you for reaching certain trading volumes.

Some platforms host regular contests and prize draws for active users. Participation may require subscribing to social channels, sharing posts, or reaching specific trading milestones.

Loyalty programs reward long-term users with perks like reduced fees, higher limits, or exclusive access to new products.

Advantages:

• Easy to join
• Participate in numerous programs
• Extra income with minimal effort
• Often requires little or no investment

Disadvantages:

• Strict requirements to receive bonuses
• Must meet trading volume conditions
• Limited number of high-quality programs
• Bonuses often have withdrawal restrictions

10. Arbitrage

Difficulty Level: 7/10

Potential Income: Unlimited

Cryptocurrency arbitrage is a strategy to profit from price differences for the same asset across different exchanges or trading pairs. Because the crypto market is fragmented, prices can vary widely, creating profitable opportunities.

Several types of arbitrage exist. Inter-exchange arbitrage means buying crypto on one exchange and selling it on another at a higher price. Spatial arbitrage exploits price gaps across regions. Triangular arbitrage uses three trading pairs on a single exchange to capitalize on rate mismatches.

To succeed, you need substantial capital, multiple exchange accounts, fast internet, and often automated trading bots. Typical arbitrage profits are 0.5–3% per trade, but frequent, high-volume trades can result in significant income.

Always consider trading and withdrawal fees, transaction times, and possible price changes during transfers. Experienced arbitrageurs use stablecoins to reduce volatility risk.

Advantages:

• Potential for unlimited profit
• Lower risk compared to traditional trading
• Process can be automated
• Works in all market conditions

Disadvantages:

• Requires substantial initial capital
• Ongoing market monitoring is essential
• Fees can eat away much of the profit
• Risk from transaction delays

11. Learn-to-Earn

Difficulty Level: 3/10

Potential Income: Several dozen dollars per month

Learn-to-Earn rewards users for acquiring knowledge about cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Major crypto projects and educational platforms pay users for learning, blending education and marketing.

The process is simple: study educational content about a crypto project, its technology, and features, then complete a short quiz. Pass the quiz and you earn tokens from that project.

Top Learn-to-Earn platforms include exchange-run educational programs, regularly adding new courses on various crypto projects. Each course typically includes short videos and quizzes, taking just 10–20 minutes to complete.

Rewards range from a few to several dozen dollars per course. While each course pays modestly, regular participation across platforms can add up with minimal effort.

Another benefit is that you gain practical crypto industry knowledge useful for more advanced earning strategies.

Advantages:

• Earn while you learn
• No prior knowledge required
• Wide selection of programs
• Acquire valuable crypto industry insights

Disadvantages:

• Relatively small earnings
• Limited number of new courses
• Some programs are region-specific
• Identity verification required on some platforms

Which Way to Earn with Cryptocurrency to Choose

The best earning method depends on your goals, skills, available capital, and risk appetite. Here’s our guidance for different user types.

Beginners with minimal experience should consider bonus programs, bitcoin faucets, airdrops, and Learn-to-Earn. These methods require no special knowledge or major investment, making them an ideal introduction to crypto and a way to gain hands-on experience. Difficulty is rated 1–3 out of 10, with potential income ranging from several dozen to a few hundred dollars per month.

Intermediate users can try affiliate programs (difficulty 4/10, earnings of several hundred dollars), staking (difficulty 4/10, several hundred dollars), and Play-to-Earn games (difficulty 3/10, from several hundred to several thousand dollars). These approaches require deeper involvement and offer greater earning opportunities.

Advanced users with solid market understanding can consider earning with DeFi (difficulty 6/10, unlimited returns), mining (difficulty 7/10, several hundred to several thousand dollars), and arbitrage (difficulty 7/10, unlimited returns). These strategies require more expertise, technical skills, and often significant capital, but can yield substantial profits.

Professionals ready to devote significant time and effort should focus on trading (difficulty 8/10, unlimited income). This method demands extensive education, ongoing skill development, and risk management, but offers virtually unlimited earning potential.

Remember, the most effective strategy is diversification. Combine methods—make trading your main focus, earn passive income from staking, and join airdrops for extra profit. This approach reduces risk and maximizes your overall crypto earnings.

FAQ

What are the main ways for beginners to earn with cryptocurrency?

Beginners can earn through mining, staking for rewards, spot trading, arbitrage between exchanges, and liquidity farming in DeFi protocols.

How much money do you need to start investing in cryptocurrency?

You can start with a small amount—even just a few thousand rubles. Minimums depend on your chosen cryptocurrency and platform. Only invest what you can afford to lose.

What is staking and how can you earn from it?

Staking means holding cryptocurrencies on the blockchain to validate transactions and earn rewards. You earn passive income as fees and new coins. The more coins you lock, the higher your earnings.

How is mining different from other ways of earning in crypto?

Mining rewards you with cryptocurrency for computational work, not for trading or simply holding assets. It requires special hardware and electricity. Other methods—like trading or staking—don’t carry those equipment costs.

What are the risks of trading cryptocurrency?

Risks include price volatility, cyberattacks and wallet hacks, scams, unclear regulation, platform outages, and liquidity issues. Research projects thoroughly before investing and use secure storage for your assets.

How can you earn with cryptocurrency without large investments?

Start with micro-investments in promising projects, use staking for passive income, participate in airdrops and bounty programs, trade small amounts on exchanges, or mine with a home computer.

What is liquidity farming and how does it work?

Liquidity farming means providing crypto pairs to DeFi protocol pools to earn fees and tokens. Your rewards depend on the liquidity you supply and the pool’s trading volume.

Is earning with cryptocurrency safe and legal?

Yes, as long as you comply with your country’s tax and legal requirements. Report your income transparently to ensure your operations are fully legal.