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You'll need a Bitcoin wallet before you buy since some exchanges require one.
Don't have a wallet? Read our guide on the best Bitcoin & cryptocurrency wallets.
Coinbase Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinbase is the world's largest Bitcoin (BTC) broker. They represent an easy and fast way for new users to purchase bitcoins. Coinbase supports customers in over 30 countries, including the United States, Europe (besides Germany), UK, Singapore, Canada, and Australia.
Customers in the above-mentioned countries can purchase bitcoins by debit card, bank transfer, SEPA transfer, and more.
We may receive compensation when you use Coinbase. Please visit Coinbase for its exact pricing terms.
- High liquidity and buying limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- "Instant Buy" option available with debit card
- Purchases made with bank transfer can take up to 5 days to complete
- Coinbase may track how and where you spend your bitcoins
Coinmama Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinmama allows customers in almost every country to buy bitcoin with a credit or debit card. They charge a 4.9%-5.9% (depends on volume) fee on each purchase.
Customers in Europe can also purchase bitcoins with SEPA transfer for a lower fee.
Want to buy using Coinmama? This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Coinmama.
We may receive compensation when you use Coinmama. Please visit Coinmama for its exact pricing terms.
- Works in almost all countries
- Highest limits for buying bitcoins with a credit card
- Reliable and trusted broker
- Some of the highest fees among credit/debit card bitcoin brokers
Coinbase Pro Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinbase's exchange, Coinbase Pro, is one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in the United States. Users can fund their accounts via bank transfer, SEPA, or bank wire. Coinbase Pro offers good prices and low fees, but their confusing user interface may initially prove difficult to navigate.
We may receive compensation when you use Coinbase Pro. Please visit Coinbase Pro for its exact pricing terms.
- Some of the lowest fees available for US and EU customers
- Possible to buy bitcoins for 0% fees
- User interface is confusing for first time buyers
Kraken Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Founded mid-2011, Kraken is the one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, and the largest in Europe based on daily average trading volume. It is available in almost all countries. Deposits can be made via bank wire, SEPA, ACH and SWIFT.
- Well-financed and trusted exchange
- Very low 0.25% taker fee, falling to 0.1% with sufficient trading volume
- Very low maker fee, falling to 0% with sufficient trading volume
- Deep liquidity for large volume buyers in European markets ensures a price close to fair market rate
- Highly-rated for security and data protection
- Requires ID verification, so not private
CEX.io Buy Bitcoin Read Review
CEX.io lets you buy bitcoin with a credit card, ACH bank transfer, SEPA transfer, cash, or AstroPay. Purchases made with a credit card give you access to your bitcoin immediately. CEX.io works in the United States, Europe, and certain countries in South America.
We may receive compensation when you use CEX.io. Please visit CEX.io for its exact pricing terms.
- Support for many countries and regions
- Low 0.2% trading fee
- Established and trusted exchange
- Verification process is extensive, requiring much personal information (including a photo) and incurring a long delay
- GBP market lacks liquidity
LocalBitcoins Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
LocalBitcoins is an escrow service which also helps to match bitcoin buyers and sellers. The most common method of payment for purchase is cash deposit. However, users may advertise trades for whichever payment method they prefer.
Buying bitcoins via an in-person meeting, secured and facilitated by LocalBitcoins, may be one of the fastest and most private ways to buy bitcoins in any country.
We may receive compensation when you use LocalBitcoins. Please visit LocalBitcoins for its exact pricing terms.
- Can be private, fast and easy
- In-person trades require no personal information
- Purchases of bitcoin can be made quickly via cash deposit
- Beware of scams; always follow the rules!
- Harder to buy large amounts of bitcoins compared to large exchanges
- Slightly to significantly higher prices than regular exchanges; premium for higher privacy
BitQuick Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
BitQuick is one of the fastest ways to buy bitcoins in the United States using cash deposit. Users can browse a wide range of offers at various prices. Once a desired offer is found, buyers visit a bank to make a cash deposit into the seller's account. Buyers then usually receive their bitcoins within an hour.
We may receive compensation when you use BitQuick. Please visit BitQuick for its exact pricing terms.
- One of the fastest ways to buy bitcoins
- More physically secure than other cash payment methods as one pays the money to a bank teller
- 2% fees for buyers are somewhat high for cash trading
- Prices vary and can be much higher (or even lower) than the current Bitcoin price
Gemini Buy Bitcoin
Gemini is a New York-based Bitcoin exchange, open to residents of the United States, UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea. Deposits can be made via wire transfer, SEPA or ACH transfer.
- Trustworthy and regulated exchange
- Instant deposit lets you buy coins quickly (but not withdraw them)
- Some of the lowest fees in the US and Canada
- Somewhat confusing to use for new buyers
- Not yet available in all US states
Bitstamp Buy Bitcoin
BitStamp is one of the world's largest and most well-known Bitcoin exchanges. Deposits can be made through bank transfer, SEPA transfer, international bank wire, and now even credit cards.
- One of the longest-running Bitcoin exchanges
- Very low 0.25% fee, falling to 0.1% with sufficient trading volume
- Good range of deposit and withdrawal options
- Deep liquidity promotes a price close to fair market rate
- Offers wide range of altcoins
- Has been hacked before, users should not store funds on the exchange for any period of time
- High 8% fee on small credit card purchases, falling to 5% with sufficient trading volume
- Geared towards traders; slightly confusing for first time buyers
Bitcoin ATMs Buy Bitcoin
You can use our Bitcoin ATM map to buy bitcoins with cash. Bitcoin ATMs can be a quick and easy way to buy bitcoins and they're also private. That convenience and privacy, however, comes with a price; most ATMs have fees of 5-10%.
- Our map makes it super easy to find a Bitcoin ATM near you
- Bitcoin ATMs often have 5-10% fees per purchase
The Status of Bitcoin in Louisiana
Louisiana has a total of 54 Bitcoin ATMs offered by operators such as Bitcoin Depot, BitStop, Bitcoin Station, and Bitcoin of America. Even though most of the major cities have ATMs where you can buy Bitcoin, the only place where they can be sold as well is New Orleans.
Apart from Bitcoin, other currencies can also be purchased at these ATMs, including Ether, Litecoin, Monero, and Dogecoin. A study done in 2017 by the Crescent Electric company shows that the cheapest state in the US for mining Bitcoin is Louisiana.
Mining Bitcoin requires a lot of electricity, and energy prices are different in every state. The study shows the price of 9.87 cents for a watt of power in Louisiana. When all is said and done, it comes down to a total cost of $3,224 for mining a single Bitcoin.
With the price of Bitcoin ranging from $6500 to $7000, this is a good deal. This is why mining is very popular in Louisiana. At the moment, the state doesn't have clear policies on Bitcoin, and people are using, trading, and buying tokens freely.
However, the state has made moves to get back on track with internet technologies. At the moment, there are 11 exchanges in the state, and all of them operate without any issues. Still, it all depends on the platform and how they are organized. Some allow people to get Bitcoin in person while others only give online options.
