One of the main things needed for a long road trip is gas in the tank. The same thing applies when you are using most Arweave applications. When you make a transaction on an Arweave application, you need a little gas to make the transaction go. In the case of Arweave applications, the “gas” is Arweave Tokens (AR). The good news is that you will only need a very, very small amount of gas.
If you are experiencing Arweave for the first time, here is a guide on the different ways to purchase AR Tokens.
Before you get started
- You are going to need an Arweave account
- You are going to need your Arweave address
- Payment method to purchase tokens
- Identification (if necessary)
In Wander directly via Transak integration
This process is the simplest but may require you to go through account verification depending on the region where are you located and the amount of AR Tokens you are trying to purchase.
- Open your Wander wallet
- Click the "Buy AR" button on the Wander dashboard
- Enter the amount of AR Tokens you want to purchase along with the currency you want to pay in and your payment method.
- Follow any additional steps in Transak user interface to complete the transaction.
Please note, Wander does not store any personal information or payment method details. Any personal information or payment method details provided is done directly via Transak's user interface. Transak's privacy policy can be found here.
Decentralized options
For some users, they may prefer a decentralized option to acquire AR Tokens. This process usually involves owning an asset on a different blockchain and swapping that asset for AR Tokens.
Here are some decentralized options for acquiring AR Tokens
Centralized exchanges
AR Tokens are available on more centralized exchanges than other services, like onramps. Unlike onramps, purchasing AR Tokens from a centralized exchange isn’t as simple. There will be a few additional steps and verfication requirements you will need to complete before being able to purchase or swap for AR tokens via their services.
Examples of centralized exchanges that support AR Tokens are:
Here is a full list of CEXs that support the AR Token: Centralized exchanges
Centralized exchanges may or may not be supported in your country of residence.
One more thing
Whenever using a new service for the first time, please do your research and read through any guides before using so you understand all the required steps. Each service is going to have different rates and prices, so make sure to review the details of any purchase or swap. Most importantly, no service will need your Arweave account seed phrase or recovery information. If requested, do not provide it and do not use the service.
Regardless of which method above you used to get your AR Tokens, once they are in your Arweave account, you are all set up to use Arweave applications.