So you’ve signed up to CoinJar and have your account up and running, and you have made your first purchase of £20 worth of Bitcoin. It worked well and now the Bitcoin is sitting in your CoinJar account. The confidence test has been passed and now you are ready to start your life as a crypto bro or sis. So what do you buy first?

A key amount to invest as a starter amount that often gets bandied around is £2000. According to some investors, that’s probably enough skin in the game to make it interesting and get a good return if it goes well, but not a life-changing amount of money to lose if things go Pete Tong. 

Building your first £2,000 crypto portfolio will look different between different people with different investment goals. Your crypto portfolio should be developed based on your own investment goals, and no blog post can do this for you, however we’ve come up with an example of a portfolio with some diversification of assets for you to mull over.

A Simple, Balanced Portfolio Example

Here’s one way to allocate £2,000 across four core cryptocurrencies:

• Bitcoin (BTC)
• Ethereum (ETH)
• XRP (XRP)
• Solana (SOL)

Let’s break down why this mix makes sense for beginners.

1. Bitcoin – The Foundation

Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency and remains the most widely adopted digital asset. While its price can fluctuate, it is seen by some as a long-term store of value. Allocating a solid portion of a portfolio to BTC gives exposure to crypto’s flagship asset without going all-in.

2. Ethereum – The Innovator

Thousands of decentralised apps (dApps) have been built on The Ethereum Network. These developers and the fans of these dApps all use Ether (ETH) to pay for activities and digital assets both on the Ethereum Network, and on other networks as well. It’s more than just a currency. The Ethereum Network is a programmable blockchain with real-world use. Holding ETH is investing in the ecosystem which is driving a lot of today’s crypto innovation.

3. XRP  – The Bridge Asset

XRP is designed for fast, low-cost international payments, and it is used on the XRP Ledger, making it have real-world use. Unlike many coins that rely solely on hype, XRP is also used by banks and payment providers to move money across borders efficiently.

XRP’s price doesn’t always move in lockstep with Bitcoin or Ethereum, which helps balance a portfolio.

4. Solana – Speed and Low Cost

The Solana Network is known for its speed and low costs. The Solana blockchain has become a popular platform for decentralised finance (DeFi), NFTs, and Web3 applications. Its growing ecosystem of developers and users makes it an attractive option for those seeking exposure to next-generation blockchain technology. 

SOL has a different technical approach compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, adding further diversification to a portfolio.

Why Diversification Matters (Even at £2K)

Putting all your money into one coin might feel loyal to a particular idea. But it’s also risky. Spreading your investment across different asset types helps smooth out the ups and downs of the market. 

Something to think about is that you don’t have to buy everything at once. On CoinJar, you can set up a recurring buy (investing a fixed amount weekly or monthly). This can help you build a £2,000 position over time, reducing the stress of timing the market.

Progress Over Perfection

Investing in crypto like this can help to build confidence, and get you used to the tech and the way the app works. And, it can push you along the timeline of building your financial future. 

Remember, the value of cryptoassets can fluctuate, including the more well-known, higher market cap assets; this means that there is never a guarantee that your portfolio will increase in value.

Nobody expects you to walk away in 3 years time with a Lambo and a jewel-encrusted Nano Ledger like Snoop Dogg. However it can get you on the road to thinking about investing seriously and creating interesting times ahead.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high‑risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

Cryptoassets traded on CoinJar UK Limited are largely unregulated in the UK, and you are unable to access the Financial Service Compensation Scheme or the Financial Ombudsman Service. We use third party banking, safekeeping and payment providers, and the failure of any of these providers could also lead to a loss of your assets. We recommend you obtain financial advice before making a decision to use your credit card to purchase cryptoassets or to invest in cryptoassets. Capital Gains Tax may be payable on profits.

CoinJar’s digital currency exchange services are operated in the United Kingdom by CoinJar UK Limited (company number 8905988), registered by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Cryptoasset Exchange Provider and Custodian Wallet Provider in the United Kingdom under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, as amended (Firm Reference No. 928767).