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# How to Get Your First Ethereum
### What's an Ethereum wallet?
Ethereum wallets are applications that let you interact with your Ethereum account. Think of it like an internet banking app – without the bank. Your wallet lets you read your balance, send transactions and connect to applications.
You need a wallet to send funds and manage your ETH.
Your wallet is only a tool for managing your Ethereum account. That means you can swap wallet providers at any time. Many wallets also let you manage several Ethereum accounts from one application.
That's because wallets don't have custody of your funds, you do. They're just a tool for managing what's really yours.
#### An app for managing your funds
Your wallet shows your balances, transaction history and gives you a way to send/receive funds. Some wallets may offer more.
#### Your Ethereum account
Your wallet is your window into your Ethereum account –– your balance, transaction history and more. But you can swap wallet providers at any time.
#### Your login for Ethereum apps
Your wallet lets you connect to any decentralized application using your Ethereum account. It's like a login you can use across many dApps.
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## Find a wallet
Wallets have lots of optional features which you might like. So choose your wallet based on the features you want.
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{% tab title="Where to buy ETH" %}
## Where to buy ETH
You can buy ETH from exchanges or from wallets directly. Check which services you can use based on where you live.
#### Centralized exchanges
Exchanges are businesses that let you buy crypto using traditional currencies. They have custody over any ETH you buy until you send it to a wallet you control.
#### Decentralized exchanges (DEXs)
If you want more control, buy ETH peer-to-peer. With a DEX you can trade without giving control of your funds to a centralized company.
[Try a DEX](https://ethereum.org/en/get-eth/#dex)
#### Wallets
Some wallets let you buy crypto with a debit/credit card, bank transfer or even Apple Pay. Geographical restrictions apply.
[More on wallets](https://ethereum.org/en/wallets/)
####
#### Search by country
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