How to Invest in Cryptocurrency Mutual Funds

Imagine showing up at the next birthday bash or holiday gathering bearing not the usual wrapped box, but a slice of the digital gold rush: cryptocurrency. As of 2023, a notable 17% of Americans have dipped their toes into investing, trading, or spending cryptocurrencies, according to Pew Research Center. This means handing over a tiny fraction of crypto could easily jazz up your gift game. Unlike traditional assets, cryptocurrencies thrive on market sentiment rather than tangible backing or corporate cash flow, so their value sways purely with how much fellow investors are willing to shell out for each digital coin.

That said, if you’re keen on slipping some crypto into a gift, here are four creative avenues to explore.

1. Dive Into Crypto Exchanges

When it comes to turning dollars into digital coins, crypto exchanges are your go-to hubs. Expect to shell out a flat fee plus a cut of your trade value — for instance, if your transaction falls between $50 and $200, a typical charge might be around $2.99. But heads up, the regulatory red tape and compliance hoops these platforms navigate can sometimes stall your gifting timeline.

How to Navigate a Crypto Exchange Gift: Pick your battlefield—apps like Cash App or PayPal let you send Bitcoin directly. Simply log into your account, hunt down the payments or finances section, pick your crypto amount, select the lucky recipient, and voilà—gift sent!

2. Crafting Your Own Crypto Wallet

Beyond exchanges, gifting crypto via a wallet means handing over the keys to a digital vault, literally. This method demands a bit more know-how since you’re entrusting the recipient with full control over the coins.

Software Wallets

Software wallets are programs installed on a computer or apps on your phone that guard your crypto with secret private keys—think of these as unique passwords unlocking your digital stash. Web wallets function through browser plugins, offering a similar secure gateway.

Hardware Wallets

For those craving extra security, hardware wallets stash private keys offline, usually on USB-like devices. Buy your crypto on an exchange, then tuck it safely away in this offline stronghold, impervious to online hacks.

How to Gift via Wallet: Select a wallet type, follow setup instructions to create it on software or hardware, then hand over access details to your chosen giftee.

3. Alternative Routes: Crypto Gift Cards and More

If wrestling with wallets or exchanges feels too geeky, consider skipping the technical mayhem by grabbing a crypto gift card from vendors like BitPay or Coinbase Card. These cards let recipients redeem crypto without fuss.

How to Use a Crypto Gift Card: Decide on the card’s crypto type, purchase it directly from the provider, and hand it over wrapped or digital, ready to be claimed.

Quick Crypto Gift Tax Snapshot (2024)

4. Tailor Your Approach to the Recipient

When gifting crypto, match the method to the recipient’s tech comfort level. Tech pros will appreciate a freshly minted wallet or a direct transfer to their existing one. For those who prefer simplicity, a quick purchase of crypto through an exchange or a peer-to-peer app will do the trick.

Cryptocurrency’s allure stretches far beyond just digital coins; it’s famed for transforming visionary pioneers and early believers into staggering billionaires overnight.

Here’s a rundown of five of the most affluent figures in the crypto universe — from the masterminds behind massive exchanges to the steadfast investors weathering the wild storms of the market, including trailblazers who paved the way.

Data compiled from Bloomberg as of June 30, 2025

1. Changpeng Zhao: Architect of Binance’s Meteoric Rise

Binance, one of the globe’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, owes much of its breakthrough to Changpeng Zhao, who helmed the company as co-founder and former CEO. What began as a career coding trading algorithms spiraled into something far grander when Zhao, in 2013, was advised by Bobby Lee—then CEO of BTCC—to tuck away 10% of his savings into Bitcoin.

Although initially hit by Bitcoin’s sharp downturn, Zhao bet the farm by selling his apartment to double down on the digital asset. As Bitcoin bounced back, Zhao seized the moment to launch his own exchange. By 2017, Binance was born—and it turned a profit in under three months.

However, Zhao’s tenure ended in 2023 following his guilty plea to U.S. anti-money laundering violations. The ensuing penalty saw Binance shelling out a hefty $4.3 billion fine. Despite the controversy, Binance’s user base ballooned past 250 million by late 2024, with Zhao reportedly holding a commanding 90% ownership stake, according to Forbes.

The bottom line: Zhao’s net worth is estimated at an eye-watering $45 billion.

2. Brian Armstrong: From Airbnb to Crypto Trailblazer

Brian Armstrong’s journey began in software engineering, which led him to Airbnb—a place where he spotted a glaring inefficiency: sluggish and expensive payments to Latin America. Recognizing crypto’s potential to overhaul this cumbersome system, Armstrong moonlighted developing a crypto marketplace on the side.

That side project eventually blossomed into Coinbase, the crypto exchange giant that went public on NASDAQ in 2021, sporting a market cap near $89 billion. Armstrong remains its CEO and owns roughly 13% of shares, based on filings from early 2025.

Net worth snapshot: Around $15 billion, riding the wave of Coinbase’s growth.

3. The Winklevoss Twins: From Olympic Rowers to Bitcoin Billionaires

Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss carved their place in crypto lore after famously tussling with Mark Zuckerberg over Facebook’s origins. Using the $11 million settlement from that dispute, they plunged into Bitcoin back in 2012—the very move that crowned them the first Bitcoin billionaires five years later.

Beyond Bitcoin, the twins spearheaded Gemini, a leading crypto exchange and custodian, fortifying their position in the market.

Quick Fact:

• The Winklevoss twins invested early, turning their Facebook settlement into a multi-billion-dollar Bitcoin empire.
• They are pioneers not only in investing but in building infrastructure for crypto trading and custody.

4. Giancarlo Devasini: The Brain Behind Tether’s Stability

Giancarlo Devasini’s entry into the cryptosphere was sparked by his fascination with Bitcoin and partnership with Raphael Nicolle during their work on Bitfinex, a platform revered for its advanced trading features. Devasini rose through the ranks as CFO before founding Tether in 2014, the groundbreaking stablecoin project that revolutionized crypto liquidity.

Although not the creator of the currency itself, Devasini steered Tether’s corporate growth for years and shifted to chairman in March 2025. Forbes credits him with owning nearly half—47%—of the company.

Estimated fortune: Approximately $11.5 billion.

5. Michael Saylor: Software Mogul and Bitcoin’s Biggest Advocate

Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy, rebranded as Strategy, boasts a market capitalization north of $113 billion and is widely noted for its massive Bitcoin treasury. The company’s holdings peaked at an astonishing nearly 700% increase, highlighting the scale of its crypto bet.

As of mid-2025, Strategy owns 597,325 bitcoins, amassed at an average entry price of $70,982 each, underscoring its deep commitment to crypto exposure. Some investors view Strategy as a leveraged avenue into Bitcoin, though this approach carries inherent risks.

Saylor’s net worth: Stands around $8.3 billion.