Crypto Guide

How to Invest in Cryptocurrencies in 2025

Focus on passive income, not speculation

Passive Income10 min readUpdated 2025

The "right" way to invest in crypto is for passive income—not hoping prices go up

Cryptocurrencies have a lot of potential to generate passive income, but there are also many pitfalls to avoid. In this article, I'll tell you how to invest in cryptocurrencies for passive income—and more importantly, what to absolutely avoid.

For me, the "right" way to invest in cryptocurrencies (and to invest in general) is to invest in order to generate passive income. This approach means investing in stable assets that avoid speculation and allow you to build a solid investment portfolio that grows over time.

Most of the investment methods I'll share use stablecoins—cryptocurrencies that copy the value of fiat currencies like the Euro or Dollar. Because they don't fluctuate, you can focus on earning yield without worrying about price crashes.

What to Avoid in Crypto

Before learning how to invest, let me tell you what to absolutely avoid—and yet I see so many people doing these things day after day.

🎰

Avoid: Pure Speculation

Buying Bitcoin or other cryptos hoping the price will rise. Most cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value—they're just instruments.

📉

Avoid: FOMO Buying

Buying because everyone else is buying. Many people bought Bitcoin at the start of 2021 hoping it would keep rising, then suffered huge losses.

⛏️

Avoid: Mining for Income

Crypto mining requires large material investments and is more speculation than passive income. Skip this unless you're a hardware enthusiast.

🎢

Avoid: Volatile Crypto Holdings

Holding volatile cryptocurrencies exposes you to massive price swings. Use stablecoins instead for predictable passive income.

The Core Problem with Speculation

I believe there is no intrinsic value in most cryptocurrencies. They're instruments that allow you to do things, but they don't have inherent worth like a company with earnings. There's no reason to invest in crypto hoping for long-term price gains.

A lot of people put money in Bitcoin at the start of 2021, hoping the price would continue to rise. However, Bitcoin's price declined rapidly in mid-year, causing great losses for investors. Don't be one of them.

How to Invest in Crypto for Passive Income

From simplest to most complex—5 ways to generate passive income with crypto

🤝
#1

Crypto Peer-to-Peer Lending

Lend stablecoins to borrowers and earn interest. Collateral is paid directly in crypto, making loans more secure than traditional P2P platforms.

Expected Return
~12% / year
Risk Level
Medium
Difficulty
Easy
  • Collateral automatically taken if borrower defaults
  • Use stablecoins to avoid price volatility
  • Similar returns to traditional P2P lending
📈
#2

Stock Tokens

Invest in cryptocurrencies that represent shares on the stock market. Get dividend income with simpler account setup and lower fees than traditional brokers.

Expected Return
3-4% + growth
Risk Level
Medium
Difficulty
Easy
  • Simpler account opening than traditional brokers
  • Lower fees than conventional platforms
  • Buy fractions of shares easily
🏦
#3

Crypto Savings Accounts

Earn interest on your crypto holdings through platforms like Binance Earn. Much better returns than traditional bank savings accounts.

Expected Return
~6% / year
Risk Level
Low
Difficulty
Very Easy
  • Zero risk if using stablecoins
  • Much higher than traditional savings rates
  • Great way to start with crypto
🔒
#4

Staking

Lock your crypto in Proof of Stake (PoS) networks to help them function. In return, you receive cryptocurrency rewards.

Expected Return
5-15% / year
Risk Level
Medium-High
Difficulty
Medium
  • Help secure blockchain networks
  • Rewards paid in the staked cryptocurrency
  • Funds are locked during staking period
🤖
#5

Algorithmic Trading

Use automated programs to buy/sell crypto based on algorithms. Not long-term speculation—systematic trading for consistent returns.

Expected Return
Variable
Risk Level
High
Difficulty
Advanced
  • Computer makes decisions for you
  • Can copy existing profitable strategies
  • Requires understanding of trading basics

Why Stablecoins Are Key

💵

Stablecoins = Stability

Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that copy the value of fiat currencies like the Euro or US Dollar. Examples include USDT, USDC, and DAI. Because they're pegged to real currencies, they don't fluctuate in value like Bitcoin or Ethereum.

When you use stablecoins for crypto lending or savings accounts, you get the benefits of crypto (high yields, easy transfers, DeFi access) without the price volatility that makes speculation so dangerous.

This is why most passive income strategies in this article use stablecoins—you focus on earning yield, not gambling on price movements.

Where to Start?

🏆

My #1 Recommendation: Crypto Lending

If I had to pick one way to start investing in crypto for passive income, I would say crypto lending. It's really easy to get started on these platforms, the returns are solid (~12% with stablecoins), and the collateral system makes it more secure than traditional P2P lending.

You don't need to understand blockchain technology or trading. Just deposit stablecoins, lend them out, and collect interest. It's the closest thing to "set and forget" passive income in the crypto world.

For Complete Beginners

Start with a crypto savings account. Platforms like Binance Earn let you deposit and earn ~6% with minimal risk. It's like a savings account, but much better returns.

Risk: Low | Returns: ~6%

For More Adventurous Investors

Try staking if you're comfortable holding specific cryptocurrencies. Returns can be higher (5-15%), but you're exposed to price fluctuations.

Risk: Medium-High | Returns: 5-15%
⚠️

Important Risk Considerations

  • Platform risk: Crypto platforms can fail or be hacked. Only use established, reputable platforms.
  • Regulatory risk: Crypto regulations are evolving. Rules may change in your country.
  • Stablecoin risk: Even stablecoins can lose their peg in extreme scenarios (see UST collapse in 2022).
  • Smart contract risk: DeFi protocols can have bugs that lead to loss of funds.

Never invest more than you can afford to lose, and diversify across multiple platforms.

Final Thoughts

Cryptocurrencies offer real opportunities to diversify your investment portfolio and generate passive income. But the key is to focus on income-generating strategies—not speculation on price movements.

Use stablecoins to avoid volatility. Start with crypto lending or savings accounts for the easiest entry point. And always remember: if someone promises guaranteed huge returns with no risk, it's probably a scam.

Stay focused on building consistent passive income, and crypto can be a valuable part of your overall investment strategy.