Coinbase, a very popular, centralised, and fee-charging digital currency exchange located in San Francisco, CA, is the easiest, most direct, and most common way to purchase, sell, and store cryptocurrencies. (You can find alternate Dai marketplaces here if Coinbase is not available in your region.) Coinbase accepts fiat currencies (e.g. USD, EUR, GBP, and others) through several methods, including Bank and wire transfer, and payment by debit and credit card. Payment options available to you on the platform will, however, depend on your country of residence.

Since cryptocurrencies around the world are regulated differently, not all can be purchased with fiat cash. Dai, for instance, can not be purchased directly using USD in several places. So, many individuals start by buying Ethereum (ETH) or Bitcoin(BTC), and then exchanging the Dai swap.

Another significant factor for beginners is that it is a centralised forum, while Coinbase serves as a currency guardian. That means it partners with service users with central banks and other third parties. So, if you intend to connect with a decentralised app (dapp) such as Dai, it runs on blockchain technology and does not rely on third-party technology.