1. Sign up with an exchange

Plenty of crypto exchanges will put some crypto in your wallet if you sign up as a client (just as brokerages will give you cash if you sign up as a client.) You may want to pick the best available option, although it could be worth your time to earn them all. The good news is that this is among the safest options if you’re looking to score free coins, though you’ll need to put up some yourself.


2. Crypto staking

Staking your crypto can help you earn a continual source of income, and that can be especially advantageous if you’re a long-term buy-and-hold investor or looking to stack up some coins. The rewards vary from coin-to-coin, but those for more speculative coins tend to be higher.

Some cryptocurrencies use a “proof-of-stake” protocol to validate and manage their decentralized system. That gives those who own the digital currency a chance to participate as a validator and earn income through staking their coins. You’ll support the infrastructure, get to hold your coin while doing so and even earn some income, too.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has challenged some staking programs as being unregistered securities offerings, which are illegal. Kraken agreed to end its staking program in early 2023 as part of a settlement with the SEC.

3. Free NFTs

A non-fungible token, or NFT, is a kind of digital asset or artwork, and they’ve become incredibly hot recently. Technically, NFTs aren’t cryptocurrency, but you can trade them for crypto quickly. So how do you get free NFTs in the first place? There are giveaways for those, too.

4. Learn and earn

Some websites offer you the chance to learn about cryptocurrency and earn a little bit of it at the same time. You may need to watch some videos, take a short quiz and pass to earn the bonus.

Coinbase Earn is one site that offers rewards for learning about crypto, but others such as CoinMarketCap.com also provide an opportunity to rack up free rewards. The thing with these “learn and earn” promos, however, is that you may not always get the cryptocurrency you want.

The Securities and Exchange Commission sued Coinbase in June 2023, alleging it had illegally operated as an exchange, broker-dealer and clearing agency, and offered and sold unregistered securities. The lawsuit said Coinbase knowingly violated securities laws that are designed to protect investors. Coinbase said it would continue to operate its business as usual.