We can both agree on this:
Buying bitcoins with a credit card or debit card is confusing.
Today we'll show you how easy and fast it can be.
We've collected the best exchanges and listed them for you below.
Chapter 1
Introduction to Buying
Here's the deal:
Buying bitcoin (BTC) with a credit or debit card used to be REALLY hard.
Luckily, companies like Coinbase (USA, Canada, Europe & UK) and Coinmama (worldwide) have made the process smooth and fast.
Below, we've listed 5 proven exchanges for buying bitcoins with your credit card.
You'll need a Bitcoin wallet before you buy since some exchanges require one.
Read our guide on the best Bitcoin wallets.
Quick Info: Popular Exchanges
Coinmama https://www.coinmama.com
Works in almost all countries
Highest limits for buying bitcoins with a credit card
Reliable and trusted broker
eToro https://www.etoro.com
Supports Bitcoin, Ethereum & 15 other coins
Start trading fast; high limits
Your capital is at risk.
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
Bitpanda https://www.bitpanda.com
Best for Germany, Netherlands, Italy, France & rest of Europe
Extra features like ability to buy bullion
Trusted exchange
We suggest using the exchanges listed below or doing research before buying from any exchange.
Many exchanges are simply trying to steal your credit card information!
We do research on every exchange we list and are very careful not to include scam exchanges on our site.
Chapter 2
Credit/Debit Card Bitcoin Exchanges
Coinbase
Coinbase is the world's largest Bitcoin broker.
At Coinbase you can buy up to $150 or €150 of bitcoin per week instantly with a debit card (not credit card) in:
the United States
Canada
Europe
United Kingdom
Australia
Coinbase charges a flat 3.99% fee on all purchases via debit card, which is among the lowest for European and US customers.
A quick step-by-step guide on how to buy bitcoins with debit card on Coinbase:
1. Create account. Open your account on Coinbase.
2. Connect debit card. Add your debit card to your Coinbase profile
3. Verify ID. Verify your ID with Coinbase.
4. Buy bitcoins! Buy bitcoins using your debit card.
Want to buy on Coinbase? This guide will show you step-by-step in more detail how to use Coinbase.
We may receive compensation when you use Coinbase. Please visit Coinbase for its exact pricing terms.
PROS
High liquidity and buying limits
Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
"Instant Buy" option available with debit card
CONS
Purchases made with bank transfer can take up to 5 days to complete
Coinbase may track how and where you spend your bitcoins
Ease of Use - Easy
Privacy - Low
Speed - Average
Fees - Average
Reputation - Trusted
Limits - High
Coinmama
Coinmama is a bitcoin broker that specializes in letting you purchase bitcoin with a debit or credit card.
You'll be charged a 4.9%-5.9% fee due to the risks and processing fees that come with credit card payments.
Coinmama offers high limits. You can buy up to:
$5,000 worth of bitcoin per day
$20,000 worth of bitcoins per month
After your account is verified and a purchase is made you will receive your bitcoin within a few minutes.
Coinmama is only available in some US states; please see this page for details.
Want to buy using Coinmama? This guide will show you step-by-step how to use Coinmama.
We may receive compensation when you use Coinmama. Please visit Coinmama for its exact pricing terms.
PROS
Works in almost all countries
Highest limits for buying bitcoins with a credit card
Reliable and trusted broker
CONS
Some of the highest fees among credit/debit card bitcoin brokers
Ease of Use - Easy
Privacy - Low
Speed - Fast
Fees - Average
Reputation - Trusted
Limits - High
eToro
eToro is a trading platform and crypto exchange. It supports buying bitcoin with credit or debit card. It also offers unique features like copy trading.
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
We may receive compensation when you use eToro. Please visit eToro for its exact pricing terms.
PROS
Offers unique copy trading feature
Trusted echange that has been active in traditional finance
Interface is clean and easy to use
CONS
You cannot deposit cryptocurrency, but you can deposit with other payment methods
Ease of Use - Easy
Privacy - Low
Speed - Average
Fees - Low
Reputation - Trusted
Limits - High
CEX.io
CEX.io lets you buy bitcoin with a credit or debit card.
CEX.io is one of the oldest Bitcoin exchanges and works in the United States, Europe, and some countries in South America.
CEX.io's verification process is extensive and can take up to 30 minutes to complete.
US residents:
CEX is only available in some US states; please see this page for details.
We may receive compensation when you use CEX.io. Please visit CEX.io for its exact pricing terms.
PROS
Support for many countries and regions
Low 0.2% trading fee
Established and trusted exchange
CONS
Verification process is extensive, requiring much personal information (including a photo) and incurring a long delay
GBP market lacks liquidity
Ease of Use - Average
Privacy - Low
Speed - Average
Fees - Average
Reputation - Trusted
Limits - Average
Chapter 3
Tutorials: Buy Bitcoin in Less than 5 Minutes
Coinbase Buying Tutorial (Credit Card/Debit Card)
Coinbase lets you buy bitcoins instantly with a credit card or debit card. Here are step-by-step instructions to help make the buying process easier for you.
1. Create an Account on Coinbase
First select "Get Started" on the top left of Coinbase.com.
Then fill in your info at the signup form and select "Create Account".
Once you create an account, confirm your personal details and login. You may be asked to upload a scan of ID. Once you’ve logged in, continue to the next step.
2. Navigate to account settings
Navigate to the top right corner and click on your name. There should be a drop-down menu where you can click "Settings". Then click "Payment Methods" on the menu at the top and you should see something that looks like this:
Click on "Add Payment Method" in the right corner.
3. Click "Credit/Debit Card"
4. Enter your Credit/Debit Card Information
Note that Coinbase only accepts Visa and Mastercard credit/debit cards at this time.
5. Confirmation
You should see a confirmation like the one below. If so, your credit/debit card has been successfully added!
6. Buy Bitcoins!
Go to the buy page and you should see a widget that looks like the image below:
Enter the amount you want to buy, and click "Buy Bitcoin Instantly". Your coins will then be delivered to your Coinbase wallet!
CoinMama Buying Tutorial (Credit Card/Debit Card)
This section will show you how to buy using CoinMama. (PS: you can also check out our CoinMama review!)
Open an Account on CoinMama
Once you create your account and verify your email address, you can begin following the steps below:
1. Login to Your Account
2. Verify your Identity
Enter all of your personal details in the fields above and save them.
3. Upload and Verify your ID
GET A WALLET!
You NEED a Bitcoin wallet for the next step.
If you don't have a wallet yet, learn how to get a Bitcoin wallet now.
We'll wait for you here
4. Select Payment Method
You can use credit/debit card, SWIFT, SEPA (Europe only) or Faster Payments (UK only).
5. Select Amount of Bitcoins to Buy
You can also buy other coins.
6. Enter your Bitcoin Wallet Address
The bitcoins will be sent here once your payment has been completed.
7. Enter Card Info
Enter your credit or debit card information.
BitPanda Tutorial (Credit Card/Debit Card)
This section will show you how to buy using BitPanda. (PS: you can also check out our BitPanda review!)
Open an Account on BitPanda
Once you create your account and verify your email address, you can begin following the steps below:
Login to Your Account
Login to your account and click "Buy" in the top menu bar. You will now see a page like below. Select "Visa/Mastercard" since you want to buy with your credit or debit card. Also, enter the amount of euro you want to spend or amount of BTC you want to buy:
Now confirm that you want to buy with credit/debit. (Note that only 3d-Secure Mastercard and verified by Visa cards are allowed. If you don't have one of these try CoinMama or Coinbase).
Now you need to confirm that the amount you entered before is indeed the amount you want to buy. Also, you confirm that you agree to BitPanda's exchange rate. In the "the Current Price" field you can also see the exchange rate you are getting. It will likely be 3-4% above the market rate since BitPanda's fees are included in the exchange rate.
Note, you only have 60 seconds to lock in your exchange rate and confirm!
Now you will have to verify via SMS or a phone call:
Enter the PIN code you received via SMS or phone call:
If you verified successfully, you can now click "Click here to start the payment process". Make sure you note the 10 minute time--you have this amount of time to complete your order.
On this page you enter your credit card details through mPAY24. One you enter your card information press "Bezahlen":
That's it! Now in your BitPanda account you can check your "History" tab to view the trade details.
You should now withdraw the bitcoins you bought to your wallet.
Chapter 4
Exchange Comparison
A quick comparison of credit/debit card exchanges. These cover nearly every country in the world.
Buy Bitcoin with Credit/Debit Card at These Exchanges
Coinbase 2-4% USA, Europe, Canada
Coinmama 4.9-5.9% Global
eToro
CEX.io 7.5% Global
Please note that fees are approximate and may vary based on your country or purchase size.
Chapter 5
Theft, Scams, and Storage
If you get one thing from this article let it be this:
Don't store your bitcoins on exchanges!!!
I've been buying bitcoins for more than three years. I've never lost any money to scams or thefts. Follow the guidelines in this article and you'll be able to do the same.
Here are two examples where users got screwed by leaving bitcoins on exchanges:
Bitfinex hack where users lost $70 million
Mt Gox where users lost $450 million or more
And there are many more I could list.
Make sure you get yourself a Bitcoin wallet that will securely store your bitcoins.
Besides storage, there are many scam exchanges out to steal your credit card information and/or bitcoins.
Following these two basic principles should help you avoid theft, scams, and any other loss of funds:
1. Do research before buying on any exchange. Check reviews, ratings, and regulation information.
2. Don't store coins on the exchange. Already mentioned above but worth repeating.
Secure Bitcoin Hardware Wallets:
- Ledger Nano X
- Ledger Nano
- TREZOR T
- TREZOR One
What To Do With Bitcoin After You Buy It
Buying Bitcoin is becoming easy. If you are an institutional buyer, the CBOE and CME offer options arrangements to buy Bitcoin. Additionally, there are endless points of sale and even ATM machines where you can buy Bitcoin. On the other hand, as an individual buyer, all you need to have is money and access to any of the platform that offers Bitcoin for sale such as Crypto Exchanges, financial institutions, etc. Once you buy Bitcoin, you use the BTC for the following:
Bitcoin Buying Options
Bitcoin continues to be an ultimate investment choice due to the immense probabilities of gains. The options for buying the leading cryptocurrency are diverse:
Credit Transactions
Although most Banks do not authorize the use of credit cards to buy Bitcoins, some credit card providers whose sole business is to offer credit are flexible and offer the service. If you are considering using your credit card to acquire Bitcoins, you can follow the steps below:
• Find the Best Bitcoin Marketplace such as Coinbase, Coinmama, Bitpanda, etc.
• Sign up an account
• Connect to your credit card
• Trade your local currency in the card
• Transfer the Bitcoin into a secure wallet
The credit card transactions, however, attract fees that average 3.75% that is considerably expensive. Moreover, the credit purchase can be considered as cash advances that may attract higher fees making the transaction expensive. However, the credit card can increase the credit line if the exchange is considered as a purchase to enable you to spend more on Bitcoin exchange.
Debit Card Transactions
The protocol for debit card transactions in Bitcoin purchases is almost similar to credit card transactions. The steps are the same, as you have to open an account in your preferred exchange and follow the process as outlined under credit card transactions. The only difference is that you are to select the debit card option as opposed to credit card selection.
Under this category, the fees are usually lower than on credit cards. The only major hurdle is that your bank may not be allowing Bitcoin transactions due to regulatory or precautionary measures that are being adopted in almost all countries in the world.
Cash Solutions
There is a Bitcoin ATM that offers one-stop solutions to people with cash who want to buy Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. The machines are places in people’s businesses, malls or high traffic areas that accessible to the public.
Bitcoin atm map. Our Bitcoin ATM map shows you.
However, a prerequisite for buying BTC is that you have to have a wallet from which you can directly deposit the BTC after the cash purchase. The machine is convenient, easy to use, and safe as the risk of being scammed is almost zero. The safety factor is underpinned d y the fact that the machines operate under KYC regulations as per the jurisdiction of operation.
Online Money Transactions
Online money is different from digital cash. The difference is that online money is fiat money denoted by online codes such as numbers, etc. On the other hand, the digital cash represents tokens such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. that are generated through mining, in addition to being decentralized and supporting private transactions. In this regard, the option for online money in Bitcoin transaction is possible through various platforms.
PayPal
The PayPal platform enables you to buy Bitcoins within Bitcoin exchange platforms such as eToro, Cryptex24 Exchange, xCoins P2P Bitcoin Lending, and many other crypto market platforms. To complete a transaction, you will need to have an account of Second Life Linden Dollars (SLL)-the currency for the virtual world.
The PayPal platform has recently applied for a patent right on the Expedited Virtual Currency Transaction System (EVCTS). This means that the BTC can be bought in the Virtual world mainly for speculative purposes. Additionally, the EVCTS allows instant transaction time frames as the PayPal platform supports the creation of “mini wallets” to act as blocks for authorizing transactions that support BTC exchange.
Other Similar Platforms are:
- Google Wallet
- Skrill
- Intuit
Conclusion
Bitcoin is a major investment, both as an asset and a cryptocurrency. With such a potential, it is worthwhile to consider aspects of Bitcoin such as its history, payment options, biggest scams in history and the wallet.
Chapter 6
Frequently Asked Questions
If you're still a bit confused, that's okay. Buying bitcoins is hard and that's why I built this site.
The FAQ section below should answer all of your remaining questions.
What risks are involved when buying bitcoins with credit card?
First of all, make sure the company you're buying for has a good reputation and is regulated. It's possible that sketchy companies selling bitcoins may be collecting card (credit card fraud) information and could possibly use your information to make fraud purchases with your card.
Some users have reported cash advanced fees, so be sure to understand how your CC company handles the purchase of bitcoins.
What are the benefits and advantages?
Purchasing with a debit/credit card is one of the easiest ways to buy bitcoins. Also one of the fastest! Since most people understand how to shop online using credit and debit cards, it may be easier for less technical buyers to use credit cards to purchase bitcoins.
What are the disadvantages?
It's hard to buy large amounts of bitcoins with a CC or DC. Also, the fees are higher due to the risk of fraud and scams.
PRO TIP
Do you want to buy larger amounts of bitcoins? Try buying with a bank account and you'll save on fees.
Can I buy bitcoin with stolen credit card?
This is not possible since you won't pass ID verification. It's also illegal, so you should not do it or try.
Can I buy bitcoin with credit card anonymously?
This is illegal and you won't pass ID verification.
Can I buy bitcoin with a pre-paid debit card?
Most exchanges will not allow you to use a pre-paid debit card. To buy bitcoin with a pre-paid debit card you will have to exchange it locally using LocalBitcoins.
If the limits aren't high enough for me, can I buy bitcoins on multiple exchanges?
Yes, of course.
If, for example, CoinMama's limits are too little for you, you could buy $150 each week and also open a Coinbase account and buy an additional $150.
Is it risky giving up my ID in order to buy?
It depends how much you trust the exchanges. Just like any information you give up online, there is always the risk that it can be hacked or stolen from the website you give it to.
One thing that Bitcoin exchanges have going for them is that because they are constantly under attack, they have some of the best security and protections in place to protect against the hacking of your personal info.
There is always risk with anything related to information online. Even Yahoo was hacked and information on 400 million accounts was stolen.
How do I determine the best way to buy?
The best way is to read through the description for each exchange. Make sure you find one that supports your country and has fees that you're okay with. You're also free to try multiple exchanges to see which you like using the best.
What Happened to VirWox?
VirWoX is no longer working.
For now, please try buying bitcoin with card or use our exchange finder to find an exchange.
RECOMMENDATION
Do you want to buy bitcoins more privately? Try buying bitcoins with cash instead.
Can you Buy Less than One Bitcoin?
Yes, it is possible to buy less than one bitcoin.
Each bitcoin is divisible to the 8th decimal place, meaning each bitcoin can be split into 100,000,000 pieces. Each unit of bitcoin, or 0.00000001 bitcoin, is called a satoshi.
How to buy bitcoin with paypal
When buying Bitcoin, you don’t have to buy a full bitcoin and can easily buy less than one.
Most Bitcoin exchanges will let you specify the amount of fiat currency you want to spend and in exchange sell you the equivalent amount of Bitcoin. For example, if one bitcoin is worth $250, and you want to buy $125 worth of bitcoin, you’ll receive 0.50 bitcoin–assuming there are no fees.
Vice-versa, most Bitcoin brokers also let you specify the amount of bitcoin you want and will charge you the equivalent in fiat. For example, if you want to buy 0.25 bitcoin and 1 bitcoin is $300, you’ll be charged $75.
So, yes, it’s 100% possible to buy less than one bitcoin. Companies like Coinbase will let you buy as little as $1 worth of bitcoin.
Should I leave my bitcoins on the exchange after I buy?
We really recommend storing any bitcoins you want to keep safe in a wallet you own. Many Bitcoin exchanges have been hacked and lost customer funds. If you don't want to fall victim to these hacks then the easiest way is to store your coins in a wallet you control.
Can you sell bitcoins?
Out of the exchanges we listed, CEX.io is the only one that allows you to sell bitcoins to your credit card.
Will the fees for buying bitcoins with debit card or credit card ever get lower?
Probably not. Payment processors like Visa, Mastercard and American Express charge at least 2.9% per transaction. So any exchange selling bitcoins for CC payments is always going to pass this fee off to you, plus charge a bit more to make a profit. The fees could get lower if some exchange cuts a deal with a credit card processing company to get lower fees.
Can I buy other cryptocurrency using this method?
Depends on the exchange. Coinbase, for example, allows you to buy litecoins and Ethereum with credit card. Coinmama, on the other hand, supports Bitcoin, litecoin, ether and cardano.
If you want to buy lesser-known cryptos you can always buy bitcoins using the methods above and trade them for altcoins on another exchange like Binance, Changelly, Kraken or Poloniex.
Why are Fees so High when I Use Credit Card?
Credit Cards exist to make buying items fast and easy. When you use a credit card, you are actually borrowing money from the card issuer. Because you are not actually spending your money when you use a credit card, it means its very easy to cancel a charge or refuse to pay the balance off. Credit card companies tend to side with their customers over the merchant as well. Card companies also charge the merchant around 3% to process the payment.
For all of these reasons, accepting credit card purchases is quite expensive. Chargebacks, fees, and fraud all must be considered when accepting a credit card and that cost comes out in the form of an increased price for whatever you are buying.
This is especially difficult when the merchant is selling something like Bitcoin, becuase once you have it, the merchant cannot reverse the transaction to get it back.
Why do I have to buy bitcoins with credit card in order to buy other cryptocurrencies?
This is because most other cryptocurrencies are traded against Bitcoin. The liquidity for altcoins against the US dollar is often very poor. But on the other hand, the liquidity against BTC is usually very good. So it's easy to get other currencies once you have bitcoins, but not easy to get other currencies without having BTC first.
Did banks ban buying cryptocurrency with credit card?
In the USA, some banks are blocking users from buying cryptocurrency on credit. Debit cards appear to still be working. European users still appear to be able to buy crypto with a credit card. The US banks essentially felt as people were getting a cash advance since crypto is usable instantly and is basically like cash.
On June 11, 2018 there were reports that Wells Fargo blocked all its customers credit cards from buying BTC. At that time, most credit cards had already been blocked by Visa and Mastercard from buying bitcoins as well. Wells Fargo likely took another step, although the bank said they may allow purchases of cryptocurrency again down the line.
Why are some exchanges missing from your list?
We don't want to overwhelm people, so we've hand selected what we believe to be the best exchanges available. You can use the home page tool to narrow down more exchanges.
(c) https://www.buybitcoinworldwide.com/credit-debit-card/
