Bitcoin (BTC) hit its all-time high of $41,941.56 just at the beginning of this year, but the apex cryptocurrency is not rising in isolation, the so-called altcoins are also experiencing new highs.

Investors can wet their feet in cryptocurrencies by buying the coins directly from exchanges like Coinbase and Binance or fintech platforms like PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PYPL) and Square Inc (NYSE:SQ). 

See also: Today’s Dogecoin Price

However, there is one other way of getting hold of cryptocurrencies and that is by "creating" them through a process called mining.

ZCash (ZEC): Similar to ETH, this currency can also be mined with a GPU. A complete mining guide is available for novice miners. ZEC promoters recommend miners join a pool instead of attempting to go solo. 

Monero (XMR): Known for its anonymity, this altcoin is suitable for mining with your home computer. Miners will require a wallet to store the XMR, and there is one available for multiple platforms from Monero. 

Other coins that can be mined include Grin (GRIN), Beam, Bytecoin (BCN), Aeon, and Ethereum Classic (ETC).

Hot Stuff: Cryptocurrency mining can heat GPUs. It is best to use heat monitoring software to avoid damage to equipment. Miners need wallets for respective coins and access to cryptocurrency exchange in case they want to trade the mined coins.

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