By: Ofir Beigel | Last updated: 10/4/23
Buying Bitcoin with a credit card is now easier than it’s ever been. These days, a majority of major crypto exchanges and wallets provide the option to purchase Bitcoin with a credit card, either directly or through a third-party payment provider.
In this post, I’ll review the most popular methods for buying Bitcoin with a credit card.
Buying Bitcoins with a Credit Card Summary
The easiest way to buy Bitcoins with a credit card would probably be CEX. Here are the steps:
- Visit CEX and create an account
- Choose the amount you want to buy
- You may be asked to complete KYC
- Enter your Bitcoin address
- Enter your credit card details
- The coins will be sent to your wallet
If you want to read in-depth about additional exchanges that accept credit cards, keep on reading. Here’s what I’ll cover:
1. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through CEX.IO
Pros: Veteran company, high buying limits
Cons: Support can be slow, higher exchange rates than the competition
Established in 2013, CEX.IO is a cryptocurrency exchange trusted by over 4 million users. CEX.IO works in most countries across the world, with very few exceptions. Currently, 32 states in the US are also supported. The site supplies a complete trading platform as well as a brokerage service.
Visit CEX.IO Read review
How to Use CEX.IO
1. Open a CEX.IO account.
2. Click on “Finance,” then “Deposit” next to the requested currency.
3. You’ll then have the option to either wire transfer the money or use your credit card to buy Bitcoins instantly.
CEX.IO also offers instant withdrawals of USD, EUR, and GBP to payment cards, meaning you can deposit and withdraw funds in and from your payment cards once they’re linked to your CEX.IO profile.
Withdrawal requests are processed automatically right after their placement, and they do not require you to log in to any third-party services. In most cases, withdrawals are processed instantly, enabling you to gain convenient access to the funds on your Visa or Mastercard right away.
2. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Coinmama
Pros: Good support, respectable company, fast service
Cons: Limited states in the United States
Coinmama has specialized in Bitcoin purchases through a credit card since 2013. They charge a premium fee for their services, and you can buy up to $20,000 worth of Bitcoin per day with a fully verified Coinmama account. They provide a fast and reliable service with receiving Bitcoins instantly after your purchase confirmation. Coinmama support is typically pretty responsive.
For regulatory compliance, some countries and US states are served by a third party, while a handful are not supported at all.
Visit Coinmama Read review
How to Use Coinmama
1. Get a Bitcoin walletas Coinmama doesn’t hold the Bitcoins for you.
2. From Coinmama’s homepagechoose how many Bitcoins you’d like to buy. Enter the price either in BTC, USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, or AUD.
3. Click “Buy,” and you will be taken to the sign-up page.
4. After signing up, confirm the amount you’d like to purchase and click “Continue.”
5. You’ll be prompted to fill in your receiving wallet’s details. Then click “Continue.”
6. You’ll be asked to fill in your credit card information before completing the purchase.
3. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Bitpanda
Pros: Multiple payment options, relatively low fees
Cons: Not available worldwide
Bitpanda is an Austrian startup company that was founded in October 2014. The company allows you to buy Bitcoins and a variety of other assets, including altcoins, stocks, commodities, ETFs, and metals, with a credit card. Additional payment options include wire transfers, Neteller, Skrill, SEPA, and more. Bitpanda supplies its services to Europe and only a handful of other countries at a relatively low fee.
Visit Bitpanda Read review
How to Use Bitpanda
1. Visit Bitpanda and sign up
2. Verify your identity
3. Choose a cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin) and click “Buy”
4. Choose the “Visa/Mastercard” payment method
5. Enter the amount you wish to buy
6. Click “Next step”
7. Confirm your order
4. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Coinbase
Pros: User-friendly interface, relatively low fees, established reputation
Cons: Not completely available worldwide, horrible support
Note: Credit card purchases through Coinbase are not available to US users.
Coinbase is the largest and most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the US. Coinbase no longer discloses a standard credit card transaction fee; however, you can double-check the fee being charged before completing a purchase. The exchange is open to 100+ countries around the world.
Visit Coinbase Read review
How to Use Coinbase
1. Create a Coinbase account.
2. Go to “Settings,” then “Payment Methods,” and then click “Add Payment Method.”
3. Click “Credit/Debit Card.”
4. Enter your card’s information.
5. Once the card is confirmed, you can go to Buy/Sell and buy your Bitcoins.
6. The Bitcoins will be sent to your Coinbase wallet.
In order to connect your card, you’ll need to verify your identity by uploading a government-issued ID.
5. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Binance
Pros: Good reputation, available worldwide
Cons: Slow verification process, slow support
Binance has grown to become the biggest crypto exchange in terms of popularity and trading volume. Previously a crypto-only exchange, Binance now accepts credit card purchases of crypto, both through themselves and third parties (such as the popular payments processor, Simplex).
Visit Binance Read review
6. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through LocalCoinSwap
Pros: Wide variety of sellers, easy-to-use interface
Cons: Higher fees for credit card purchases, limited coin options
LocalCoinSwap is a peer-to-peer crypto exchange that shares its profits with the community via its native LCS token. Although not as popular as some of its more established competitors like Paxful, LocalCoinSwap does not enforce user verification and supports a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards.
Visit LocalCoinSwap Read review
How to Use LocalCoinSwap
1. Register at LocalCoinSwap
2. Under “Payment Method,” search for a seller who accepts credit cards.
3. View the options, choose a seller, and verify their reputation and feedback.
4. Be sure to read the “Trade terms and conditions.”
5. Enter the amount you’d like to buy and click “Buy Bitcoin.”
6. Make sure you read the on-screen warnings about protecting yourself.
7. You will be redirected to the trade status area, where you can communicate with the seller and complete the transaction.
7. Buy Bitcoins with a credit card through Bitstamp
Pros: Great reputation, multiple payment options, accepts customers from most countries
Cons: Average fees, verification process can take a long time, not very user friendly
Established in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the oldest and most reputable Bitcoin exchanges out there. The exchange currently holds 51 licenses and registrations globally. Bitstamp fees for credit card purchases are 4% plus a standard trading fee. Its service is open to over 80 countries globally, including Europe and the USA (most states), plus a selection of Asian and South American countries.
Visit Bitstamp Read review
How to Use Bitstamp
1. Visit Bitstamp and click “Get started” to create an account.
2. Go to the deposit page and choose card purchase from the side menu
3. Choose which cryptocurrency you want to buy
4. Select a currency to pay with
5. Choose how much currency you would like to purchase
6. Enter your card details
7. Confirm your purchase
To finish your order, you’ll need to use a 3D Secure credit card. Also, some banks may consider your credit card deposit as a cash advance. If that’s the case, your bank or credit card provider may charge extra fees.
8. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Coinhouse
Pros: Reputable company, high buying limits
Cons: Limited countries available, high exchange rates
Coinhouse began as La Maison Du Bitcoin (The House of Bitcoin) in 2014 and is headquartered in Paris. You can buy as little as €50 worth of Bitcoins by Visa and MasterCard. Although the credit card fees are low, the exchange rates themselves may be high.
Visit Coinhouse Read review
9. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through CoinCorner
Pros: Easy to use for beginners, supporting mobile app
Cons: High administration fees on deposits, not available worldwide
CoinCorner is a Bitcoin broker established in 2014, located in the Isle of Man. The exchange services several countries around the world. You can buy Bitcoin with as little as £10. CoinCorner also has a mobile app that allows you to send and receive Bitcoins from your account using your mobile phone.
Visit CoinCorner Review coming soon
10. Buy Bitcoin with a credit card through Xcoins
Pros: Very quick turnaround for purchases, 24/7 support
Cons: No explicitly-stated fee, accepts USD and EUR only for fiat
Xcoins is a Malta-based cryptocurrency exchange platform which has been around since 2016.
Users of the service can purchase BTC as well as LTC, ETH, XRP, BCH and DOGE using any one of several fiat currencies via Visa or Mastercard.
Xcoins takes the speed of its service very seriously; The exchange actually promises to send your coins within 15 minutes of payment approval. This makes Xcoins a good choice if you want to get your hands on some bitcoin quickly.
The minimum purchase amount is 50 USD for ETH and BTC, 40 USD for XRP, and 30 USD for DOGE, LTC, and BCH. Users can buy up to 150 USD in crypto without verification.
Visit Xcoins Review coming soon
11. Frequently Asked Questions
The vast majority of Bitcoin ATMs accept only cash or debit cards as payment for Bitcoin (due to chargeback issues). You will not be able to pay with your credit card at a Bitcoin ATM.
All of the exchanges listed on this page accept Visa cards as a form of payment.
Most exchanges accept Visa and Mastercard. However, some exchanges like Paxful accept Discover Cards as well.
12. Conclusion: How Do I Know Which Exchange to Use?
It can be kind of hard to decide which exchange is the best for buying your Bitcoin since there are so many of them. I suggest trying out each exchange with a small amount of money and moving on to larger funds only after you’re comfortable with the process.
Once you take the first step, you’ll start to notice what you actually value in an exchange and adjust your choices accordingly. If you have any more questions or comments about the methods I just described, leave me a comment below.