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  • 19 AUG 2019
  • Gerald McGowan

How to Buy Bitcoin with Credit & Debit Card

Buying bitcoins via credit and debit cards is one of the most popular and convenient ways to purchase Bitcoin.

Convenience can come at a price, as most cryptocurrency exchanges will charge around 4% for card purchases. If delivery speed isn’t a factor, consider using a bank account to save on fees.

Here are some of the best exchanges we recommend that allow for purchasing of Bitcoin with a credit card.

Then, once you’ve decided which exchange to use look towards the bottom of this page for step by step guides on using each exchange.

Coinbase


Coinbase (review) is one of the most reputable Bitcoin exchanges in the world. Since 2012, they’ve made it simple for anyone to get into cryptocurrency.

Just make an account, link your preferred payment method, and start purchasing. Please note that if you are based in the United States, most credit card purchases are disabled. Debit card purchases are still supported and one of the most popular methods for Coinbase users in the United States.

For AML reasons, Coinbase (and nearly all other exchanges) require users to submit a picture of their ID and other information for verification purposes. This verification typically occurs quickly and almost always allows for same-day purchases.

Fees and Limits

Coinbase’s credit and debit card purchasing fees are remarkably low compared to the competition at 3.99%. As far as limits go,  they are relatively low when using a card to pay compared to other exchanges.

Purchase limits depend on your accounts verification level, with the highest tier of verification allowing $50,000 to be purchased daily.

The exchange features no deposit fees for moving currency onto the exchange. The only time you’ll ever pay a fee is when purchasing or selling cryptocurrency on the platform.

All in all, Coinbase provides a fantastic starting point for beginners by having an easy to navigate interface, and quick sign up process.

Coinmama


Coinmama is also an excellent option for those wanting to purchase Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Navigate to the buy tab an enter a BTC or USD amount that you’d like to purchase! You’ll then be prompted for a withdrawal address.

One thing to note about Coinmama is that they do not provide you with a wallet for storing your purchased cryptocurrency. Instead, they ask you for a wallet to send the purchased currency too.

This shouldn’t be an issue at all, as long as you have your own wallet. To learn more about Bitcoin wallets, check our guide.

Coinmama has a great reputation in the crypto community as they have reliable customer support and have been around for a while. They are based in Israel and support several countries and nearly all US States.

Fees and Limits

Coinmama charges a fee of around 5% for credit and debit purchases. Although its fees are higher than Coinbase, they have instant delivery and higher purchasing limits.

Coinmama has high purchasing limits at a max of $5,000 daily, and $20,000 monthly. As far as minimum purchases go, Coinmama has a minimum of $60 USD.

Visit Coinmama

Bitpanda

Bitpanda separates itself from other exchanges by offering many different payment methods and cryptocurrencies. They only sell cryptocurrency to customers in Europe but have extremely competitive rates and fees.Bitpanda’s user interface is pretty clean, making it easy for beginners to purchase currency on the site. Outside of credit cards, Bitpanda offers Sofort transfers, Neteller, Skrill, EPS, Giropay, SEPA transfers, and OBT.Bitpanda requires an ID upon sign up, making it not a great choice for those concerned with privacy.

Fees and Limits

Bitpanda charges 2.99% fees on purchases and 1.29% fees on sells. External payment providers will then charge between 1.5%-3.6% fees depending on the payment method.

Depending on your verification level, users will be able to purchase different amounts of cryptocurrency. Overall Bitpanda is a fantastic choice if you are based in Europe.

Visit Bitpanda

CEX.io

CEX.io is another great option to buy bitcoin with a credit or debit card. They have been in business since 2013 and are based in London, UK.The exchange brings strong security, great liquidity, and cross-platform trading via their website, mobile app, and API solutions.

According to the website, they have over 2 million active traders. CEX.io also allows margin trading for those that want to, and near 100% uptime.

Their service coverage is decent, allowing 24 US states, and 99% of countries around the world. Make sure to see if your state is supported. They are working on increasing the number of supported US states by obtaining additional Money Transferring Licenses.

Fees and Limits

As far as fees and limits go, CEX.io is competitive with a 3.9% on credit and debit card deposit fee. When selling Bitcoin back to your credit or debit card, there will be a 2.9% fee.

This is a special feature to CEX.io as many exchanges do not allow you to sell back onto your credit card.

CEX.io appears to offer feeless purchasing, but this is not the case. They charge a premium upon purchasing. This basically means that the price of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies is sold above the going rate.

Visit CEX.io

Bitstamp

Bitstamp’s claim to fame is that it’s the ‘first fully licensed bitcoin exchange’ in the world. As the statement suggests, Bitstamp provides more than just debit and credit card purchases.It also allows you to buy with a bank transfer, SEPA transfer, and>Then, more. You can even cash out your balance in gold.

That, however, does not deter from the ability to make credit and debit purchases. The page has a simple interface that lends itself to navigation and oversight.

Debit card purchases, like with most services, require identity verification. Once the account has been verified, just link your debit card and make purchases as desired.

Fees and Limits

Credit card purchases using Bitstamp also follow a scaling fee system.

  • For up to 500$/500 Euro purchases the fee is 8%.
  • For up to 1000$/1000 Euro purchases the fee is 7%.
  • For up to 2500$/2500 Euro purchases the fee is 6%.
  • For up to 5000$/5000 Euro purchases the fee is 5%.

All in all, Bitstamp offers very low prices compared to most other services, considering other services can charge 5%+ for credit card processing alone.

Visit Bitstamp

How to Buy Bitcoin on Coinbase

In order to buy Bitcoin on Coinbase, you will need to first create an account. Click “Create Account” and then confirm your email.

Next, you will be asked to confirm your phone number. Enter your number, and Coinbase will text you a code. Type in the sent code to go the next step.

From here, you will need to verify your identity by filling in several fields.

After this step, you are almost ready to buy Bitcoin!

Click the settings tab on the navbar and click “Link a new account”. From here, you choose the payment method you want to link.

As stated above, Coinbase does not allow US customers to use credit cards to purchase Bitcoin anymore. Debit cards still work.

After linking the payment method you are ready to buy Bitcoin!

Click the buy/sell tab on the navigation bar to continue. Enter a $ amount or a BTC amount and click Buy!

Congrats, you now own Bitcoin! Since we used a debit card, we will receive our Bitcoin instantly! Learn how to store your Bitcoin’s on a hardware wallet in one of our other guides.

Visit Coinbase

How to Buy Bitcoin on Coinmama

Before we can purchase cryptocurrency on Coinmama, we must first create an account! To start, you will be prompted for some simple information.

After making your account, you will be prompted to enter some more information in order to verify your identity.

This can be annoying but is mandatory for Coinmama to serve its customers. You only have to do this part once.

Click next when you are finished! There may be a verification process where you have to send in some photo to prove your identity.

If not, you are ready to purchase Bitcoin on Coinmama using your credit or debit card!

Click Bitcoin on the navigation bar to start purchasing.

You’ll be taken to Coinmama’s packages screen, where you can choose a preselected amount or your own price.

Choose an option, and click Buy Now! You’ll be taken to the next screen. Enter the wallet address you want to send your Bitcoin to. As you can see the order expires to ensure accurate pricing.

Next, enter your card information. Click Pay Now when you are finished and your Bitcoin will be delivered shortly!

Congrats, you have successfully purchased Bitcoin on Coinmama!

How to Buy Bitcoin on CEX.io

Before you can purchase Bitcoin on CEX.io, you will need to create an account. After an account is made, click the green deposit button under the navigation bar.

From here, you will be asked to deposit funds. CEX.io accepts Visa and Mastercard. CEX.io will take a 3.5% deposit fee, which is somewhat high compared to the rest of the exchanges.

Next, go to the Buy/Sell tab on to enter an order.

This will take you to a screen similar to this. Upon scrolling down, you will see options for limit and market orders.

For a beginner, we recommend using a market order as they execute instantaneously.

With a limit order, users select a price and an amount and after someone sells into your buy order, the order is filled. These take longer but allow you to get a better price sometimes.

After your order has been filled, you have successfully purchased Bitcoin on CEX.io with a card!

How to Buy Bitcoin on Bitpanda

To start off buying Bitcoin on Bitpanda with a credit or debit card, create an account. Please note that Bitpanda is currently limtied to European countries.

After filling in all of the fields, you’ll need to link a payment method. As we stated above, Bitpanda has an enormous amount of payment methods available.

Once a payment method is linked, select Bitcoin or whatever cryptocurrency you plan on purchasing.

Click BTC buy to get to the next menu.

Select Bitcoin and again and choose your payment method (credit card or debit card most likely). In this example, I’ll use my Euro balance.

Next, enter the amount you want to purchase or click maximum.

Lastly, click go to summary, and accept their purchase terms.

Click buy now, and then you have successfully purchased Bitcoin on Bitpanda using a credit or debit card!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get the best price of Bitcoin?

There are two factors that affect the amount of Bitcoin you receive. These are the exchanges fees, and the going price of Bitcoin.

For example, if Coinmama is selling Bitcoin for $8,000 a coin while Coinbase is selling Bitcoin for $7,950, it may make more sense to use the cheaper exchange Coinbase.

Small differences in exchanges pricing is a common thing in cryptocurrency, so keep an eye out when making your purchases.

The Bitcoin halving also has greatly affects the price, so be sure to follow a Bitcoin halving countdown to keep track of when it’s going to happen.

Can I Buy Less Than One Bitcoin?

Absolutely yes! With the price of Bitcoin being in the thousands, many potential investors have started to become intimidated by its high price.

Did you know Bitcoin is divisible to the eighth decimal place? (sometimes even more). This small denomination is known as the “Satoshi” after the initial creator of Bitcoin.

Several cryptocurrency exchanges allow for the purchasing of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

The most popular cryptocurrency exchange, Coinbase, allows users to purchase as little as $2 at a time! This is not recommended, due to Coinbase’s minimum purchase fee, but can certainly be done!

 

How do I buy Bitcoin instantly with a credit or debit card?

The exchange Coinbase allows users to buy cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin instantly when a credit or debit card is used. This is great for buying dips in the price.

On most exchanges, if a credit or debit card is used, you will have instant delivery of your Bitcoins. This is perfect for buying the bottom, or catching a big move right before it happens.

Why use a credit or debit card to purchase Bitcoin?

Buying Bitcoin using a credit or debit card is a much faster way of obtaining cryptocurrency.

If you were to use your bank account, exchanges will make you wait 3-8 days to receive your cryptocurrency, making you unable to move it off the exchange. This can be inconvenient, so some users decide to use a card for their purchases.

If time is not a concern, consider using a bank transfer to purchase Bitcoin, as you will save on purchasing fees.

Are there any disadvantages to buying Bitcoin with a credit card?

There are two main disadvantages of buying Bitcoin with a card. The first is the higher fees associated with the process. For example, Coinbase charges a 1.49% fee for buying Bitcoin with your bank, but a 3.99% fee if you were to use a credit or debit card.

The other disadvantage of buying Bitcoin with a card is the purchasing limits. Due to the risks exchanges face when users purchase Bitcoin with a  card, they offer lower limits. These limits can be increased when:

  • A bank account is linked
  • A photo ID is provided
  • A phone number is linked
  • A purchase history is established

How can I get around low purchasing limits?

If you reach your limits on one exchange, try using a combination. As stated above, we recommend Coinbase, Coinmama, and Bitpanda. Limits are replenished on exchanged slowly over the course of the week, so depending on how patient you are you could just use one exchange.

Is it safe to send in my ID or other sensitive information?

Absolutely! Coinbase and other exchanges are required to ask for this information in order to comply with government regulations. There has been no data breaches or anything of the sort so far. However, there is always a chance of your information being used, so it is important to be aware that it is possible.

Can I Buy Bitcoin with Paypal?

Absolutely! The fees associated with this method are higher than a credit or debit card, but it certainly is possible. To learn more, check out our in-depth guide to buying Bitcoin with Paypal.

How do I sell Bitcoin back after purchasing?

To sell your Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies on an exchange after purchasing, just go to the appropriate page or tab, for example, Coinbase has a Buy/Sell tab where users can buy and sell on the same page.

Most exchanges will charge a fee for selling, usually around 1%-2%. The exchange CEX.io will allow users to sell Bitcoin and receive funds directly to their credit card.

Why can’t I buy some altcoins directly with a credit card?

Due to issues with liquidity and regulations, it is difficult for exchanges to offer altcoins directly for fiat. To get around this, just buy Bitcoin first, and send the purchased Bitcoin to crypto to crypto exchange like Binance to buy alt-coins.

Should I try and trade Bitcoin, or just hold onto it?

This is up to you and depends on how much experience you have trading, and how much you are willing to risk when trading. There is definitely some serious gains that can be made if done properly.

How Do I Pay Taxes on Cryptocurrency?

This will really depend on the country you reside in, which coins you traded, and whether you profited or loss. For more information on cryptocurrency taxes and your different software options, check out our guide!

Conclusions

At the moment, the market rate for Bitcoin credit and debit card purchases is hovering around 5%. Although that might seem like a lot for a regular currency transaction, it is easier to justify given the security risks exchanges face, and the potential gains cryptocurrency including Bitcoin have to offer.

Using a bank transfer will almost always be the most cost-effective option when purchasing cryptocurrency, but it is important to be educated about your different payment options.

Lastly, before purchasing Bitcoin, it is important to learn about the different options you have for storing your Bitcoin. Leaving cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin on an exchange for an extended period of time is not recommended.