I am about to start on a very low level as I learn to trade. Is there any benefit to purchasing one of the major currencies

over the other in order to trade the smaller emerging ones like ripple etc..? 

No one can really advise, to be fair, and it's a huge gamble. I just spread my investment around the 12 that we are allowed to buy for THB on Bx. Bought back into Ripple yesterday around 102 but I used to own at 28  haha