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How to buy Helium (HNT)

Learn how to buy Helium (HNT) on 4+ crypto exchanges in our step-by-step guide.

EXCLUSIVE

Gemini Cryptocurrency Exchange

Gemini Cryptocurrency Exchange logo
  • Trade HNT and 80 other cryptos.
  • Platform designed for traders of all experience levels
  • Get $25 in Bitcoin when you trade $100 with code Finder25
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Helium (HNT) is the 128th largest cryptocurrency by market cap, valued at US$536,284,637.

Helium is a highly volatile asset capable of major price swings in a single day. Today the price of HNT is $2.99, which is lower than yesterday's trading price of $3.06. Over the past year, Helium's price has seen a decrease of -60%.

So before you buy Helium, make sure you understand these unique risks as well as its legal and tax status here in the US.

If you're ready to get started, read on for step-by-step instructions on how you can buy Helium.

How to buy Helium in 5 steps

The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes and all you'll need is a smartphone or computer, an internet connection, photo identification and a means of payment.

  1. Compare crypto exchanges
    The easiest way to buy Helium is from a cryptocurrency exchange. Comparing in the table below lets you find one with the features you want such as low fees, ease of use or 24-hour customer support.
  2. Create an account
    To create an account on an exchange, you will need to verify your email address and identity. Have some photo ID and your phone ready.
  3. Make a deposit
    Once verified, you can deposit USD using the payment method that best suits you – cryptocurrency, bank and card payments are widely accepted.
  4. Buy Helium
    You can now exchange your funds for Helium. On beginner-friendly exchanges, this is as simple as entering the USD or HNT amount you want to purchase and clicking "buy".
  5. Secure your Helium
    Consider transferring your HNT to a personal crypto wallet to protect against some of the risks of keeping it on an exchange, such as hacks, scams or platform bankruptcy.
Disclaimer: This is not an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.

Where to buy Helium

Find an exchange to buy, sell and trade HNT by comparing deposit methods, supported fiat currencies and fees. Select Go to site to sign up directly with the exchange.

1 - 4 of 4
Product GXFCY Finder Score Fiat currencies Cryptocurrencies Deposit methods Offer Disclaimer
Gemini Cryptocurrency Exchange
Exclusive
Gemini logo
9Excellent

7

81

Bank transfer (ACH), PayPal, Wire transfer (USD), Bank transfer (EUR and GBP), FAST transfer (SGD), Cubix, Plaid Direct Payments (UK)
Get $25 in Bitcoin when you trade $100 with code Finder25
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Uphold - Digital Asset Platform
Uphold logo
8.6Great

27

253

Bank transfer (ACH), Bank transfer, Credit card, Debit card, Wire, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Refer a friend to earn US$20 — $10 for you and $10 for the person you refer. T&Cs apply.
Terms apply. Cryptoassets are highly volatile. Your capital is at risk. Available in the US, CA, UK and AU
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange
Finder Award
Kraken logo
9Excellent

6

277

Bank transfer, Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, SEPA, Instant SEPA, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT, ACH online banking
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
Coinbase Digital Currency Exchange
Coinbase logo
9Excellent

23

271

Bank transfer (ACH), Debit card, PayPal, Wire transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Get up to $200 in crypto with eligible purchases.
Go to site

Capital at risk

View details
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What is Helium?

Helium is a decentralized, blockchain-powered network that allows low-powered wireless devices to communicate with each other according to Morioh. One of the co-founders, Shawn Fanning, is known for developing Napster, a peer to peer mainstream music sharing service. You can earn HNT tokens by hosting a “Hotspot” which is a hardware for providing network coverage for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sending the data to the Internet. As a Hotspot host you will provide coverage to devices such as pet trackers, motion detectors and temperature sensors that form part of security systems, smart thermostats, e-bikes and scooters. According to the website, running a Hotspot will only use a small amount of power of roughly 5W, which is less than a standard LED light bulb.

How do I find the best places to buy Helium?

Cryptocurrency exchanges offer similar services, but differ in a few key ways – mainly fees, the range of cryptos available and payment methods. You can use our table to compare the features of popular cryptocurrency exchanges available in the US to help you choose the one that's right for you.

Some other factors you may want to consider are customer support, user reviews, ease of use and whether or not the exchange is registered with a local regulator. This information can be found by clicking on the exchange name in the table which will take you to its review page.

What will I need to buy Helium?

To create an account on any cryptocurrency exchange you will need an email address. Some exchanges may also ask for a phone number and photo ID, so it's a good idea to have those ready.

An increasing number of cryptocurrency exchanges will ask to verify your identity before you can deposit funds and start trading Helium.

  • This process is known as Know Your Customer (KYC) and usually requires photo ID and a webcam or smartphone. You may also need to prove your address by uploading a copy of a recent bank statement or utility bill.
  • Some exchanges allow you to deposit and trade cryptocurrencies without passing KYC, but they will not allow you to transfer local currency from your bank account. So if you are planning on purchasing HNT with your local currency then you will need to pass KYC.
  • Once you have verified your identity, it is a good idea to enable 2-factor authentication (2FA) before depositing any funds. This will increase the security of your account and help keep your funds safe.

What are the best ways to buy Helium?

Once you've created an account, you will need to deposit funds to buy HNT with. You can either deposit local currency from a bank account or credit card, or transfer cryptocurrency from another exchange or wallet. Here are some popular ways to buy HNT:

  • Bank account: Transfers from local bank accounts are usually free, but you will need to double-check this with the exchange you choose – this information can be found in our table by clicking on 'view details'.
  • Credit or debit card: Linking a card to your account is another convenient way to top up your account, but be aware that it usually attracts an additional fee. An advantage, though, is that you can use a card to make instant purchases or set up a recurring purchase.
  • Cryptocurrency: You can usually purchase HNT by trading it for another cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or a stablecoin. This varies between exchanges though, so you will need to search for HNT on the spot market to see what cryptocurrencies it can be traded for.

What is the easiest way to buy Helium?

The easiest way to buy HNT is by placing an 'instant buy' order to purchase it for a fixed price but not all crypto exchanges offer this feature.

Alternatively, you can open a trade on the spot market which allows you to set your own price – this is the most common way to purchase cryptocurrency. Using the instant buy feature is straightforward but typically more expensive than using the spot market.

Before buying HNT, you may want to check the market conditions. To help you decide if now is the right time to buy, you can take a look at our all-time high tool to get an idea of how the price of Helium has been performing recently.

Best Helium wallets to store your HNT

You can keep your HNT on the exchange you purchased it on, or move it to a personal wallet:

  • Some people like to use their own wallets to guarantee total ownership over their assets, or to use them with other applications like DeFi services.
  • Hardware wallets are typically considered to be the safest type of cryptocurrency wallet, as they use a physical device to enhance security in a number of ways. You can take a look at some of our top hardware wallet picks for self-custody of your HNT below.

Ledger Nano X Wallet

Trezor Model T Wallet

Go to site
Go to site

Supported assets

5,500+

Supported assets

1,000+

Price (USD)

$149

Price (USD)

$129

Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.

Is Helium a good investment?

Investing in altcoins, any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin, involves high risks, so it's important to understand the key features before buying HNT. Here are things to consider:
  • Supply. According to its website, HNT has a maximum supply of 223 million tokens. HNT tokens were mined initially at a rate of 5 million tokens per month and then the amount will halve every 2 years. In August 2021, the net HNT issuance will be halved to 2.5 million HNT tokens per month.
  • Hosting a Hotspot. As a Hotspot host, you can earn HNT tokens by providing wireless coverage to Internet of Things devices such as scooters and pet trackers. According to the Helium website, if you're in a big city like San Francisco the total power cost of running a Hotspot for an entire year is about $5, about the same as a Starbucks coffee. It takes about 10 minutes to deploy the Hotspot.
  • Staking. Currently you cannot stake Helium tokens. However, in February, Helium indicated that staking will be introduced for validators.
  • Data Credits. Data Credits are the only payment accepted to send data over the Helium network. Data Credits can be purchased with HNT which will remove HNT from the circulating supply. The price of Data Credits is fixed at US$0.00001 and Data Credits are non-transferrable and can only be used by their original owner. Think of them like pre-paid mobile phone minutes or airline miles.

Today's Helium price versus ATH

Compare today's price of Helium ($2.99 USD) against its all-time-high price of $54.88 USD on 12 November 2021. The closer the bar is to 100%, the closer HNT is to reaching its ATH again.

Helium's price: $2.99
ATH date: November 12, 2021
5.45%

Helium ATH: $54.88


How to trade, convert or sell Helium

You can convert or sell your HNT with the same exchange you bought it through:
  1. Sign in to the exchange you have HNT on.
  2. If you store your Helium in a digital wallet, compare crypto exchanges to convert or sell it on.
  3. Choose Sell or Convert and place a sell order.
  4. Choose the amount of HNT you'd like to convert or sell.
  5. Confirm the sell price and fees and close your sale of Helium.
  6. Complete your transaction and move your HNT to a wallet for storage.

Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies, including Helium, are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance of HNT is no guarantee of future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information. You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the Helium or any other cryptocurrency discussed.

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