How to Buy Solana (SOL): A Freelance Engineer's Investment Guide
Richard Rembert
As a freelance engineer who's built countless websites and managed numerous SEO projects, I've discovered that investing my extra income in Solana has become one of my smartest financial decisions. This guide reflects my personal journey of converting project earnings into SOL tokens, combined with technical insights from both my development background and investment experience.
Having allocated 30% of my monthly freelance & personal earnings to SOL since early 2021, I've watched the price climb from $8 to over $200. As someone who regularly builds on Web3 platforms, I'm particularly excited about the growing number of developers choosing Solana for their projects. The network's speed and low transaction costs have made it especially attractive for the types of applications my clients are increasingly requesting.
Last month, I converted the earnings from two major website projects into SOL, timing my purchase with a minor market dip. The recent institutional adoption and DeFi innovations have validated my strategy of steady accumulation through freelance income. As both a developer and investor, I'm seeing firsthand how Solana's technological advantages are attracting more real-world applications.
As a developer, Solana's architecture immediately caught my attention. Created by former Qualcomm engineer Anatoly Yakovenko in 2017, the platform's proof of history mechanism revolutionized how blockchain transactions are processed. From my experience building decentralized applications, I can confirm that Solana's 2,700 transactions per second capability isn't just marketing - it's a game-changer for real-world applications.
When I first started investing my freelance earnings into SOL tokens, I approached it from both a developer's and investor's perspective. The token serves multiple purposes: transaction fees, staking, and governance rights. I've found this utility particularly valuable when accepting partial project payments in SOL, as the token's various uses help offset any short-term price volatility.
After experimenting with various platforms for converting my freelance income to SOL, I've developed a flexible system using multiple services. While Coinbase serves as my primary exchange for larger transactions, I've found that integrating services like MoonPay offers convenient alternatives for quick purchases. As a freelancer who values efficiency, I appreciate how MoonPay's integration with ApplePay lets me instantly buy SOL during short market dips, even between client meetings.
When clients pay through PayPal, I've streamlined the process of converting these payments to SOL using PayPal's direct integration with certain exchanges. This has become particularly useful when international clients prefer PayPal for project payments. I've found that keeping multiple purchase options available helps me optimize for both convenience and fees depending on the situation.
Managing the conversion of client payments to SOL has evolved beyond simple bank transfers. Here's my typical approach based on different scenarios:
For large project payments ($5,000+), I use traditional bank transfers to Coinbase for the lowest fees. When time is critical, such as during market dips, I leverage ApplePay through MoonPay for instant purchases, accepting the slightly higher fees for the convenience of not missing opportunities.
One game-changing addition to my workflow has been SolCard, which I now use for everyday expenses. Being able to spend SOL directly means I can keep more of my freelance earnings in crypto while maintaining liquidity for regular purchases. I've found this particularly useful for business-related subscriptions and office supplies, essentially creating a circular economy with my SOL holdings.
During busy development sprints, the ability to quickly switch between payment methods has proven invaluable. My spreadsheet now includes a "speed vs. cost" calculator that helps me decide whether to use instant purchase options like MoonPay or wait for traditional bank transfers to clear, factoring in both current market conditions and my immediate business needs.
For recurring expenses, I've set up an automated system where a portion of my monthly business revenue automatically converts to SOL through whichever method currently offers the best rates. This automation ensures I maintain my investment strategy even during hectic project deadlines.
This balanced approach to buying and using SOL has transformed how I manage both my freelance business and crypto investments, creating a seamless flow between earning, investing, and spending in the Solana ecosystem.
As a freelance developer juggling multiple projects, I've refined my SOL buying process to be as seamless as possible. My primary platforms are MoonPay and Coinbase, chosen specifically for their flexible payment options that match my freelance lifestyle. While some developers prefer complex trading platforms, I've found that the convenience of instant purchases through familiar payment methods better suits my workflow.
When using MoonPay, I love that I can quickly purchase SOL using:
For Coinbase, I maintain a similar flexible approach:
I typically set aside 20% of each project payment immediately, with my purchase strategy varying based on payment size. For smaller payments ($500-$2,000), I usually buy immediately through Coinbase using ApplePay or debit card, accepting the slightly higher fees for convenience. For larger project payments ($5,000+), I'll plan my purchases through Coinbase to optimize fees.
Through custom scripts I've written, I track market conditions and receive alerts for potential buying opportunities. Having multiple payment options ready means I can act quickly when my alerts trigger. Just last week, I received a price dip alert during a client meeting and was able to discreetly make a purchase through Coinbase with ApplePay without interrupting our discussion.
This flexible buying approach has several advantages for my freelance business:
The ability to quickly shift between payment methods has proven invaluable during volatile market conditions. Whether I'm receiving a PayPal payment from an international client or stepping out of a development meeting, I can easily convert fiat to SOL without being tied to a desktop platform or traditional banking hours.
When it comes to securing my SOL investments, I've learned that sometimes the simplest approaches are the most effective. While I'm not a security expert, I've adopted what I consider the "Fort Knox" approach for everyday investors. The cornerstone of my security strategy is a dedicated Android phone that I use exclusively for crypto transactions – no social media, no random apps, no browsing, just crypto.
Let me share a real example: After hearing horror stories about crypto theft, I invested in a basic Android phone (around $200) that serves as my dedicated crypto device. It might seem excessive to some, but considering I'm investing thousands in SOL from my freelance earnings, having a clean, secure device makes perfect sense.
While I can't share my exact security setup for obvious reasons, I can offer some crucial considerations for protecting your SOL investments. The crypto space is full of opportunities, but it also comes with significant risks if proper security measures aren't in place. After some close calls early in my investment journey, I've learned that being overly cautious with security is never a bad thing.
When it comes to securing your seed phrases (the keys to your crypto kingdom), it's essential to think beyond digital storage. Consider multiple secure physical locations and avoid any digital records - no photos, no cloud storage, no password managers. While I can't detail my personal storage solution, I recommend researching various physical security methods and choosing what works best for your situation.
Think of your crypto security like protecting your most valuable possessions - you wouldn't leave your house keys lying around or share your bank PIN with strangers. Here are some security considerations to keep in mind:
Remember, there's no such thing as being too careful when it comes to protecting your crypto investments. While I maintain strict operational security that I keep private, I encourage everyone to develop and maintain their own robust security practices.
The most important lesson I've learned: Don't let the convenience of digital solutions compromise the security of your investments. Sometimes the simplest, most traditional security measures are the most effective.
When managing both development and investment tasks, it's helpful to set up a wallet system with different levels of security. For example, a hardware wallet like Ledger is a secure choice for storing long-term holdings. For constant activity and testing, a software wallet like Phantom (designed for Solana) can be convenient. Keeping a small balance on exchanges allows for quick fiat conversions, which can be useful if clients pay in traditional currency.
For secure crypto asset management, it’s essential to have strong practices in place. Here are some tips:
My development work in the blockchain space gives me unique insights into Solana's potential. I closely monitor GitHub activity, developer adoption rates, and network metrics alongside traditional price indicators. This technical perspective has helped me maintain conviction during market downturns, often using these periods to increase my position with additional freelance earnings.
Managing risk is crucial when investing freelance income. I never invest project deposits or operating expenses, only allocating a portion of completed project payments to SOL. I've developed a dynamic spreadsheet that adjusts my investment percentage based on current project pipeline and operating expenses, ensuring I maintain adequate fiat reserves for business operations.
Practical Applications
As both a developer and investor, I’ve discovered many useful ways to incorporate SOL into my work and everyday life. For example, I now accept partial project payments in SOL, especially from Web3 clients, since the low transaction fees and fast processing times make it ideal for business operations. Additionally, I've built several client projects on the Solana blockchain, which has given me valuable insight into its capabilities.
Beyond work, SOL offers exciting uses in the resale market, like through XP, where you can buy tickets for sports events, concerts, and more with Solana. This experience has shown me the practical value of using SOL across different aspects of business and personal life.
The future of Solana looks promising from both a technical and investment perspective. I'm particularly excited about upcoming features that will make the platform even more attractive for development projects. My client requests for Solana-based applications have increased significantly, which I see as a strong indicator of growing adoption.
Investing freelance income in Solana requires balancing technical understanding with practical financial management. By leveraging my development background and maintaining disciplined investment practices, I've successfully built a significant SOL position while growing my freelance business. Remember that while the potential for returns exists, proper risk management and technical due diligence remain essential.
I maintain a six-month operating expense buffer in fiat and only invest additional freelance earnings. My investment amounts scale with project completions rather than following a fixed monthly schedule, allowing me to maintain business stability while growing my SOL position.
Based on my experience, I started with 10% of completed project earnings and gradually increased to 50% as my business stabilized. This varies based on your operating expenses, project pipeline, and risk tolerance. Never invest money needed for business operations or tax obligations.
I use custom tracking software to monitor all conversions from freelance income to SOL, maintaining detailed records for tax purposes. Consider consulting with a crypto-savvy accountant, as I did, to properly handle both business and investment tax obligations.
Beyond standard security practices, I recommend maintaining separate wallets for business operations and long-term holdings, using hardware security keys for all exchange accounts, and implementing strict operational security procedures. My development background taught me that security should never be an afterthought.
I use a dollar-cost averaging strategy adapted for irregular income, converting a set percentage of each project payment to SOL. I've developed an automated system that monitors market conditions and executes purchases when certain criteria are met, helping remove emotion from the process.
Market downturns often coincide with increased Web3 development opportunities. I maintain consistent investment percentages from project earnings but might increase allocation slightly during significant dips, provided my business operating reserves remain healthy.
Richard Rembert is a Software Engineer and SEO Specialist with over a decade of experience in web development and digital marketing. He combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of search engine algorithms to create innovative, high-performing web solutions. Richard's articles on software development, SEO strategies, and web technologies are widely read in the tech community.
When not coding or optimizing websites, Richard mentors aspiring developers and contributes to open-source projects.
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