To start trading in this market you need to buy BTC, ETH or USDT. But I recommend investing in pairs with USDT. When you invest in this market in USDT then you will be easier to follow.
I agree with what you say. I am currently investing in pairs like XRP / USDT. NEO / USDT. Investing in USDT makes it easy for me to track the profits I've made.
Using USDT also has many advantages, it helps preserve value while you haven't decided to invest. Now all exchanges are USDT, you can swap easily. Newbie should start from USDT, how much money start? You should still consider your financial ability.