How to Buy Large Amounts of Bitcoin

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Those interested in buying large amounts of Bitcoin often include individuals, traders, and institutions.

We’ve researched and listed trusted exchanges with low fees. We believe these are two important factors for buyers of large amounts.

Key Takeaways

  • Kraken and Coinbase are two of the best ways to buy large amounts of bitcoin.
  • If buying lots of bitcoin, the main features to look for are low fees and exchange reputation.
  • There are dozens of options for exchange for large amounts and OTC.

Top Exchanges for Large Purchases

Online exchanges can be one of the fastest and easiest ways to buy large amounts of crypto. We’ve researched and listed the top exchanges below.

Kraken - Best for Low Fees


Kraken is one of the largest global exchanges and services most countries, including:

Visit Kraken

Kraken has some of the lowest fees in crypto. Kraken charges maximum 0.26% on trades. Depending on your trading volume and trade type, this can go as low as 0%.



Coinbase Advanced Trader


Coinbase Advanced Trader is separate from Coinbase’s main brokerage services.

Coinbase Advanced Trader is currently the largest U.S. based Bitcoin Exchange, with around 7,000-10,000 BTC traded daily.

Users of the following locations can use Coinbase Advanced Trader:

Visit Coinbase Advanced Trader



Coinbase

coinbase homepage

Coinbase is a good option for individuals who want to buy large quantities of bitcoin. It’s also one of the easiest ways to buy bitcoin in the US, Canada, or Europe.

Fully verified users can buy up to $50,000 worth of bitcoin per day on Coinbase, through a connected bank account via ACH bank transfer, or with a wire transfer.

Here are some key points:

Users in certain US states and Europe can request to raise their deposit limit from $50,000 to $100,000.

If your request is granted, deposits over the $50,000 per day must be made with a wire transfer.

Gemini


The Winklevoss twins launched Gemini in November 2015. Gemini works with both individuals and institutional clients.

Fully verified users have high deposit limits. While the exchange has received a lot of hype, it’s not yet shown in its volume. Due to this users may have a tough time making use of their large deposits. In the future, this may be a better option.

In January 2022, Gemini agreed to purchase BITRIA, acquiring its tools that allow for advisors to manage holdings of cryptocurrencies for clients. This is thought to allow the company to expand into the wealth management area and offer full-service digital asset management in addition to the traditional portfolio management systems.

Cumberland Mining


Cumberland Mining is one of the leading OTC liquidity providers in the digital currency space. It is a subsidiary of DRW Trading, a prominent financial cryptocurrency trading firm.

As one of the few institutional trading firms in the digital currency space, it helps provide global liquidity to the overall ecosystem through competitive markets/prices. It offers:

Cumberland offers trading of these coins to institutional investors who want to make large orders using USD, EUR, GBP and other fiat currencies.

River - Best for Bitcoin Only

river.com


River Financial, based in San Francisco, operates as a Bitcoin-only exchange. They’ve positioned themselves to offer users an unparalleled, professional Bitcoin buying journey.

River Financial is designed to offer users a straightforward and professional experience when purchasing Bitcoin. Registered in the USA, it upholds strict security standards to ensure users’ peace of mind.

Security:

The platform’s “Private Client” service is especially beneficial for users looking to invest in significant amounts of Bitcoin. Not only does it allow for the purchase of larger Bitcoin volumes, but it also provides personalized phone support for a smooth acquisition process.

Bitcoin Mining:

River’s fee structure is tailored according to the size of the purchase. The more you buy, the more you save.

Fees:

While River boasts a highly-rated iOS app for easy on-the-go transactions, potential users in Nevada and New York should be aware that the platform is currently not accessible in those states.

Bitstamp

Established in 2011, Bitstamp stands as one of the longest-running cryptocurrency exchanges. Its reputation for reliability, robust security features, and transparency has positioned it as a trusted choice for substantial cryptocurrency trades.

High Liquidity: Thanks to its established standing in the market, Bitstamp boasts substantial liquidity, ensuring that large trades are executed swiftly and efficiently.

Advanced Trading Interface: Bitstamp offers a state-of-the-art trading platform that caters to both novice and seasoned investors. For those making significant transactions, this advanced interface provides in-depth analysis and real-time data to inform buying decisions.

Security First: Prioritizing the safety of its users’ assets, Bitstamp employs a multi-tiered security approach. This includes cold storage solutions, two-factor authentication, and mandatory confirmation for high-value withdrawals.

Transparent Fee Structure: For high-volume traders, Bitstamp offers a competitive, tiered fee structure that decreases as trading volume increases, benefiting those transacting substantial amounts.

Global Reach with Compliance: Bitstamp’s commitment to regulatory compliance allows high-net-worth individuals and institutional traders to transact with peace of mind, knowing their significant investments are made on a platform that adheres to international legal standards.

In essence, for large-scale cryptocurrency purchases, Bitstamp offers a perfect blend of security, liquidity, and advanced trading features.

Satstreet - Best for Canada

Satstreet is an OTC desk in Canada, specializing in selling large amounts of crypto. Here are some key features:

Fee Comparison

Exchange NameFees
Kraken0 - 0.26%
Coinbase Advanced Trader0.4 - 0.6%
Gemini0.5% - 3.49%
Cumberland MiningUnclear
River Financial0.8% - 1.2%

Use OTC Brokers and Cryptocurrency Exchanges

Over-the-counter crypto exchanges have helped increase liquidity. Large players now have more options to deal with large blocks of bitcoin, thanks to the companies discussed in depth below.

Just be aware that in many (if not most) cases, buying large amounts of Bitcoin will mean paying a premium over the spot price. This is especially true for OTC purchases.

his premium may seem to counter how most purchases work since bulk purchases usually come with a discount. However, large transactions are harder to fill than small ones, and the profit made on them is less since most exchanges make money on transaction volume.


FAQ

What is the maximum amount of Bitcoin I can buy?

There is no legal maximum to the amount of Bitcoins you can buy. If your country will allow you to buy any Bitcoin, you can buy as many as you want.

The only real limit is the total amount of Bitcoin: 21 million. Obviously you cannot buy more than are in existence.

How many Bitcoins can you sell at once?

You can sell as many Bitcoins as you want on pretty much any exchange. The issue would be getting your fiat off the exchange, as most exchanges have daily, monthly, and yearly withdrawal limits that differ based on what level of KYC you have undergone.


krakens fiat withdrawal limits
Kraken's fiat withdrawal limits - higher tier traders can withdraw A LOT of fiat every month

How much Bitcoin can you withdraw per day?

This depends on the exchange. Most crypto exchanges have withdrawal limits that prevent you from withdrawing digital assets above a certain amount of coins per day. Check your exchanges FAQs to find out what their limits are, and do your best to work with exchanges with large withdrawal limits.


Krakens crypto withdrawal limits
Kraken's crypto withdrawal limits - higher tier traders can withdraw A LOT of Bitcoin every month

Can you buy .1 Bitcoin?

Yes, you can buy as much or as little Bitcoin as you want. Most exchanges do have a minimum purchase limit, however the minimums are well below .1 Bitcoin on any exchange.

Where should I keep a large amount of Bitcoin?

If you have bought (or are planning to buy) a large amount of Bitcoin, you need to keep your coins in a hardware wallet.

The nice thing about hardware wallets is that the private key that holds your Bitcoins is never exposed to the internet which makes it almost impossible to steal your coins in a hack.

The only thing you have to do once you buy your crypto assets is withdraw them to an address generated by your hardware wallet and be sure to make a backup of the wallet when you set it up.

If you have a truly astounding amount of Bitcoin (for instance, more than $100,000 worth), one hardware wallet may not be secure enough. For this, you should look into creating a multisig wallet with 3 or more hardware wallets of different make and models. Using a multisig means that coins cannot be spent unless 2 of the 3 or sometimes 3 of the 3 signatures for the wallet all sign the transaction.

It’s sort of like multi-factor authentication, but for Bitcoin.

Unchained Capital has an experimental multisig software called Caravan that makes this easier to implement these days.

unchained capital caravan
Unchained Capital's Caravan software

Another option for easy multisig using a clean desktop UI comes from Specter.

Thankfully, full node software developers like mynode have integrated caravan and specter into their software to make it easier. And if you are holding that much Bitcoin, you should be running a full node anyway.

How low are Kraken’s fees?

Here are Kraken’s exact fees:

30-Day Volume (USD) Maker Taker
$0 - $50,000 0.16% 0.26%
$50,001 - $100,000 0.14% 0.24%
$100,001 - $250,000 0.12% 0.22%
$250,001 - $500,000 0.10% 0.20%
$500,001 - $1,000,000 0.08% 0.18%
$1,000,001 - $2,500,000 0.06% 0.16%
$2,500,001 - $5,000,000 0.04% 0.14%
$5,000,001 - $10,000,000 0.02% 0.12%
$10,000,000 - $100,000,000 0.00% 0.10%
$100,000,000 - $250,000,000 ** 0.00% 0.08%
$250,000,000 - $500,000,000 ** 0.00% 0.06%
$500,000,000+ ** 0.00% 0.04%

Terms to Understand

Our Methodology

We mainly looked at two factors:

Users looking to buy large amounts want to make sure their funds are secure. Secondly, they want to avoid paying large amounts of unnecessary fees. 0.2% vs 1% on a $1 million dollar purchase of bitcoins would save the buyer $8,000.

Article Sources

BuyBitcoinWorldWide writers are subject-matter experts and base their articles on firsthand information, like interviews with experts, white papers or original studies and experience. We also use trusted research and studies from other well-known sources. You can learn more about our editorial guidelines.

  1. IBTimes - Tyler Winklevoss: Gemini will have a positive effect on price of Bitcoin , https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tyler-winklevoss-gemini-will-have-positive-effect-price-bitcoin-1523331
  2. Wikipedia - Over the counter, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Over-the-counter_(finance)
  3. Yahoo - Top Cryptos by Volume (all currencies, 24hr), https://finance.yahoo.com/u/yahoo-finance/watchlists/crypto-top-volume-24hr/

About the Author

jordan tuwiner

Jordan Tuwiner is the founder of BuyBitcoinWorldwide.com. He studied computer science at Towson University and holds an online degree in trading & cryptocurrency. Jordan has been writing about Bitcoin since 2015. His work has been featured in The Guardian, International Business Times, Forbes, VentureBeat, CoinDesk and many other top Bitcoin media outlets.



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