 TITLE: What Is Bitcoin and How Does It Work? CONTENT: Alternatives Ways to Invest\n---------------------------\nIf you want to begin investing with Bitcoin, you may want to limit your risk by starting small and putting just a small share of your overall portfolio in cryptocurrencies. Look to diversify your portfolio with additional investments, such as:\n*   **Stocks**: When you buy stock, you're purchasing partial ownership in a company. The stock's value may increase as the value of the company increases, and some companies share part of their income with stockholders as dividends. However, stocks can also be a risky investment, and you could lose all your money if a company goes bankrupt.\n*   **Bonds**: You can purchase corporate and government bonds, which are essentially loans to a company or government organization. As the lender, you can earn interest on the money you lend and receive the principal loan amount back at the end of the loan's term.\n*   **Mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs)**: If you want to quickly invest in many things with a single purchase, you can buy shares in a mutual fund or ETF. These funds can be made up of multiple stocks and bonds, or mirror the price of a collection of stocks or bonds.\nThere are many easy ways to start investing if you're brand new. You can open a brokerage account online or using a mobile app, fund the account with a bank transfer and then purchase investments. However, if you're investing for retirement, there may be tax advantages to using an individual retirement account or an employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k). END