All links are external & open in a new tab, except for "Read Review" buttons. Before jumping into this page, an important disclosure.
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 wallets.
Coinbase Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinbase is the world's largest Bitcoin 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 credit card, debit card, bank transfer, SEPA transfer, and more.
Get $10 or €10 worth of free bitcoin when you buy more than $100 or €100 worth through this link.
- High liquidity and buying limits
- Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
- "Instant Buy" option available with credit card or 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 an ~6% fee on each purchase.
If buying less than $150 worth of bitcoins, you won't need to verify your identity. This convenience makes small purchases quick and easy.
Want to buy using Coinmama? This step-by-step guide will show you how to use Coinmama.
- 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
BitPanda Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
BitPanda is a Bitcoin broker based in Austria.
They have high payment limits and low fees across their wide range of payment methods.
BitPanda offers customers the option to buy bitcoins with credit card, debit card, SOFORT, Skrill, NETELLER, giropay, eps, SEPA, and Online Bank Transfer.
Our guide will show you how to buy bitcoins with a credit card on BitPanda.
- Some of the lowest fees for buying bitcoins with credit/debit card
- Reliable and trusted broker
- Fees aren't shown openly on the site but instead included in the buying price
GDAX Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinbase's exchange, GDAX, is one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges in the United States. Users can fund their accounts via bank transfer, SEPA, or bank wire. GDAX offers good prices and low fees, but their confusing user interface may initially prove difficult to navigate.
- 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
- Sending bitcoins directly from GDAX to any legally-questionable site may result in closure of your account
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.
- 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.
- 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
Luno Buy Bitcoin
Luno is a Bitcoin exchange based in Singapore. It originally launched to support countries like South Africa and Indonesia, but recently expanded to Europe and supports the purchase of bitcoin through SEPA transfers.
- Trusted exchange that has been around for a long time
- Free deposits and low withdrawal fees
- Users should not store bitcoins in Luno's wallet service
- Limited deposit options, only SEPA for European users
Bitcoin.de Popular Buy Bitcoin
Bitcoin.de is a major European peer-to-peer Bitcoin exchange. Users can buy bitcoin online from other Bitcoin.de users through SEPA bank transfers.
- One of the oldest and largest exchanges in Europe
- Claims to have high security and regular audits
- Limited to SEPA as a payment method
Cointed Buy Bitcoin
Cointed allows customers to buy and sell bitcoins across Europe, using SEPA, Skrill, cash, and many other payment options. They also operate 9 Bitcoin ATMs across Austria.
- Many payment methods available
- ID verification required, so not a private way to buy
Paymium Buy Bitcoin
Paymium was the first European Bitcoin exchange, founded in 2011. It provides a EUR/BTC exchange service, and complies with all relevent European Regulations. Customers can purchase bitcoins via SEPA, wire transfer, or credit card.
- Established and trusted exchange
- Mobile app available
- ID verification required for amounts over €2,500, so not private
Bity Buy Bitcoin
Bity is a Bitcoin exchange and ATM operator, based in Switzerland. Their 5 ATMs allow for a quick first purchase and only require phone verification for an initial buy limit of 1,000 EUR or CHF. Their online service accepts wire transfers, SOFORT and online bank transfers.
- Easy to start buying bitcoins after mobile phone verification
- Payment limit of up to €100,000 annually after intensive verification
- ID verification is required for most purchases, so not a private way to buy
- Low annual limit of only €4,000 without intensive verification
LakeBTC Buy Bitcoin
LakeBTC is the fourth largest Bitcoin exchange in China. They operate internationally, in around 40 different countries. LakeBTC is one of the top 15 global exchanges based average daily trading volume. Customers can deposit via cash, bank wire, Western Union, MoneyGram, OKPay, Perfect Money, PayPal, Payza, Skrill, Neteller, Leupay, CHATS or LakePay, although not all methods are available in all countries.
- Global exchange that offers many payment methods
- Vast array of BTC-fiat currency trading pairs
- Interface may be hard to use for first-time buyers
Gatecoin Buy Bitcoin
Gatecoin is a regulated Bitcoin and altcoin exchange based in Hong Kong. They accept bank transfers from around 40 different countries. Users can buy bitcoin using HKD, EUR, USD and CNY.
- High liquidity
- Several BTC-fiat currency trading pairs
- Multi-sig security feautures
- Was hacked in May of 2016; users should not store funds on the exchange if it can be avoided
Safello Buy Bitcoin
Safello is a Bitcoin exchange based in Sweden and fully-registered as a financial institution. It offers a wide range of payment methods - Swish, SEPA, SWIFT, Faster Payments, Bankgiro and iDEAL - to European residents.
- Available from 32 countries
- Offers a wide variety of payment methods
- Deep liquidity ensures prices near the fair market rate
- Support staff available every day from 8 AM to 10 PM
- Not a private way to buy since ID verification is required
- Support staff available during weekdays only, from 9 AM to 5 PM (UTC)
- Only Swish payments will confirm over weekends
- Fees aren't clearly stated but included in your buying price
BL3P Buy Bitcoin
BL3P is a product of Dutch Bitcoin broker Bitonic, which has been selling bitcoins since 2012. BL3P is available in all European countries. BL3P charges a fixed fee 0.25% per trade.
- Trusted and established Bitcoin company
- Service in all European countries
- Low fees
- Hard to use for inexperienced buyers
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
Kraken Popular Buy Bitcoin
Founded mid-2013, Kraken is the world's largest Euro-denominated Bitcoin exchange, based on daily average trading volume. It supports deposits from US, European, Canadian, British, and Japanese customers. Deposits can be made via bank wire, SEPA, SWIFT, and bank deposit (Japan only).
- 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
- Publishes proof of reserve audits
- User-interface makes it difficult for first time buyers
- Requires ID verification, so not private
CoinCorner Buy Bitcoin
CoinCorner is a Bitcoin exchange based on the Isle of Man. They cater to first-time buyers in the UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and certain African, Asian, and South American countries. CoinCorner users may purchase bitcoins with SEPA, credit/debit card, GBP bank transfer, and now Neteller too. No verification required for purchases under £100.
- Trusted and regulated company in the UK
- Wide range of payment options
- Good customer support
- Instant credit card purchases
- Supports a very wide range of countries
- Video tutorials covering the basics of Bitcoin and buying and selling
- Multi-sig security features
- 1% trading fee slightly high by European standards
- Offers a mobile wallet but this is not ideal for bitcoin storage
- Requires ID verification, so not private
- Does not provide exchange prices for comparison without sign-up
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
Coinhouse Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Coinhouse lets you buy bitcoins in Europe with a 3-D Secure-activated Visa or Mastercard credit/debit cards, certain prepaid cards and Neosurf tickets. While their fees are somewhat high, Coinhouse does offer relatively high buying limits.
- High limits make it easy to buy large amounts of bitcoins quickly
- Reliable and trusted broker; run by the Bitcoin Embassy in Paris
- Highest fees among those trusted exchanges which accept credit/debit cards
- Intensive verification procedures
Coinhouse Buy Bitcoin
Coinhouse will let you buy bitcoin via 3DS-secured credit/debit cards and Neosurf prepaid cards. Neosurf cards can be purchased at over 50,000 locations across Europe. Coinhouse charges a 10% fee for all purchases made with a Neosurf card. Coinhouse is located in Paris, France and is operated by Ledger, a Bitcoin security company.
- One of the easiest ways to buy bitcoins with Neosurf
- Reputable broker run by Ledger / Paris Bitcoin Embassy
- Steep 10% trading fees, falling to 6% with sufficient trading volume
- Neosurf fee plus trading fee can bring total costs up to 20%
- Initial €2,000 monthly purchase limit
- Nor private; requires ID verification which defeats privacy advantage of anonymous Neosurf payment method
Cubits Buy Bitcoin
Cubits is a Bitcoin exchange based in the United Kingdom. It allows users in almost every country besides the United States to purchase bitcoins, using a wide range of currencies and payment methods. The payment options include SEPA, SWIFT, credit cards, OKPAY, SOFORT, Skrill, Dotpay, and online bank transfer.
- Fair 0.9% trading fee
- Wide range of payment methods offered
- Support for 20 fiat currencies
- Super clean design makes the buying process easy
- Offers a wallet that should not be used to store bitcoins
- Requires ID verification, so not private
VirWoX Popular Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Technically, VirWoX isn't even a Bitcoin exchange. It mainly serves as a way for people to buy Second Life Lindens, a currency used in the virtual world Second Life. You can't buy Bitcoin with PayPal directly at VirWoX, but it's possible to first buy Second Life Lindens (SLL) and then trade your SLL for Bitcoin. This process works perfectly, but in the end will cost you about 10% in fees.
This workaround/hack has made VirWoX the easiest and most popular way to buy bitcoins with PayPal.
- The easiest and basically only way to purchase bitcoins with PayPal or Skrill
- Comes with a price: it will cost around 10% in fees to buy with PayPal
Bitit Buy Bitcoin Read Review
Bitit lets you purchase bitcoin online with a 3DS-enabled credit/debit cards or with cash via Neosurf, Flexepin (coming soon) and Cashlib vouchers, available in over 150,000 local stores across Europe.
- Unique way of purchasing offers extra privacy over other methods
- 8% Neosurf fee is slightly better than Coinhouse's 10%
- Available in 50 countries
- €10,000 initial weekly Neosurf cash payment limit
- Bitcoin gift cards also available; more expensive than other options
- In-person buying methods offer more privacy but can be confusing
- Identity verification required for buying amounts over €25
- €500 initial weekly credit/debit card limit
itBit Buy Bitcoin Read Review
itBit is a global Bitcoin exchange, licensed with the New York State Department of Financial Services. It also operates a global OTC trading desk, making it easy for customers to buy large amounts (100 BTC and up) of bitcoin. It supports all US states besides Texas.
- OTC trading desk is one of the best ways to buy large amounts of bitcoins
- Deep liquidity promotes a price close to fair market rate
- Extremely low fees; 0% for market makers and 0.2% for market takers
- Fee on OTC brokering service is only 0.1%
- Limited payment options
- Geared towards traders; exchange interface may be confusing for first time buyers
- Requires ID verification, so not private
Anycoin Direct Buy Bitcoin
Anycoin Direct is a Bitcoin broker based in the Netherlands which services clients across Europe. Customers can purchase bitcoin with SEPA, SOFORT, Giropay, iDEAL, Mybank, Bancontact, and TrustPay.
- High limits can be achieved with time
- Very wide range of payment methods
- Support for numerous altcoins
- Fees not directly published on website
- Requires intensive ID verification, including video chat, so not private
Belgacoin Buy Bitcoin
Belgacoin is a Bitcoin broker based in Belgium. They accept payments via SEPA or international bank transfer. The service requires no verification or even registration, so it's both convenient and anonymous (although bank transfers by their nature are not anonymous).
- Perhaps the easiest and most private way to buy bitcoins in Europe
- Established and trusted brokerage that's been around for a long time
- Private method; no registration or verification required
- Low 1% trading fee
- Simple website and purchase process
- Can take up to 1 business day for order to be processed after confirmation of deposit
HappyCoins Buy Bitcoin
HappyCoins is a Bitcoin exchange based in the Netherlands which services customers across Europe. HappyCoins accepts a wide range of payment methods, including many instant payment methods; iDEAL, Bancontact, GiroPay, myBank, Sofort and Interac. It also offers SEPA deposits for all EU residents, which take 1 to 3 days to clear.
- Long-running and trusted exchange
- Wide range of payment options offered
- Occasional "HappyHour" 0% fee periods
- Quite private; only email and bank account number and name required
- Fees are not displayed publically; only included in price at checkout
Mycelium Local Trader Buy Bitcoin
Mycelium Local Trader helps you find local Bitcoin sellers. Once you locate a seller, you meet up in-person and conduct the trade. Mycelium charges absolutely no fees. While Mycelium Local Trader works great in highly-populated areas, users in low population areas will have trouble finding sellers.
- Easy and cheap way to buy bitcoins with cash
- Private way to buy bitcoins, no personal information required beyond cellphone number
- Users in sparsely populated areas will have trouble finding sellers
Changelly Buy Bitcoin
Changelly lets you buy bitcoin with Litecoin, Dogecoin, altcoins and many other digital tokens. Changelly works in nearly every country but you will need another cryptocurrency in order to purchase bitcoins. Exchanges happen almost instantly because Changelly never actually controls your tokens but just exchanges them.
- Easiest and fastest way to buy bitcoins with altcoins
- Fees are reasonable for larger traders
- Need altcoins or other digital tokens to use
bitcoin-otc Buy Bitcoin
Bitcoin-OTC is an over-the-counter marketplace for the peer to peer exchanging of bitcoin. It is almost like a Craigslist for Bitcoin. Users must create ads or locate other ads to find sellers of bitcoin. Bitcoin-OTC is somewhat complicated and hard to use, but may be the only option for users in some countries without an exchange.
- Can be a good way to find Bitcoin sellers if no other options exist
- Need to keep eye out for scams
- Need to build trust and feedback for your account before trading larger amounts
ANXPRO Buy Bitcoin
ANXPRO is a Bitcoin exchange based in Hong Kong. It lets you buy bitcoins with bank transfer.
- One of the oldest running Bitcoin exchanges
- Low 06% fee for market takers and 0.3% fee for market makers
- Limited payment options
- Extra fees may be charged when sending a wire to the exchange
- Requires ID verification, so not private
BitSquare Popular Buy Bitcoin
BitSquare is a decentralized Bitcoin exchange. They facilitate trade by escrowing bitcoins of both buyer and seller, to promote the successful conclusion of trades. It offers high privacy and security, and never controls its users funds.
- The exchange never has control of your money
- Usually requires some bitcoin for escrow, so not an option for first-time buyers
- Works over TOR for increased privacy
- Very low 0.0008 BTC flat fee
- Currently low volume, so may be hard to purchase depending on buy amount or your location
- 1 bitcoin trade limit, no limit on number of trades
History of Bitcoin in Switzerland
Rather than shunning the innovation of digital money, the Swiss have embraced it and cleared its path to cut into volatile central bank controlled fiat currency markets, while also reducing fees and improving security on the technology.
Status of Bitcoin in Switzerland
Last month, the Swiss town of Zug began to accept Bitcoin payments for certain city services, as part of an experimental trial run in integrating cryptocurrency with governance. The trial is set to run for the rest of 2016, and allows citizens to pay up to 200 francs worth of public services in Bitcoin.
Zug stands out as an example of success in involving cryptocurrency in government.
The Swiss canton of Zug is known in the cryptocurrency world as home to “crypto valley,” an area containing the headquarters of numerous blockchain companies, including Xapo, Shapeshift, and Ethereum.
Switzerland took another large step in the direction of a crypto paradise with the introduction of a motion to redefine client deposits, exempting Bitcoin businesses from the stringent financial regulations banks face in the July of 2016.
LocalBitcoin volume from coin.dance shows volume has been up and down over the years. However, there has been a recent spike this year to its highest volume level on record.
Companies using Bitcoin
Bitcoin Suisse has announced the installation of a pair of two-way BitXatm machines in Geneva and St. Gallen, an ancient city near the shores of Lake Constance. The Geneva BTM can be found at Magicom on Rue Paul Bouchet, and the St. Gallen BTM can be found at Restaurant Hörnli right on the Marketplatz.
Both machines charge fees of 5%, and unregistered users can transact up to 500 CHF. If you register an ID, passport or driver’s license to [email protected] and identify yourself at the ATM, then you are able to purchase bitcoin up to 5,000 CHF.
Xapo, a prominent Bitcoin wallet platform and solutions provider successfully obtained a conditional approval from the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority, hereinafter FINMA, this week.
The approval of FINMA to financial service providers in Switzerland is equivalent to that of BitLicense to the New York-based Bitcoin exchange. Companies willing to engage in the Swiss financial market are required to be authorized by FINMA in order to provide financial service in the country.
In a major event for Swiss banking and Bitcoin generally, Falcon Private Bank became the first Swiss bank to begin offering customers direct access to their Bitcoin and altcoin portfolios. Through a partnership with Bitcoin Suisse AG, the bank is able to provide the necessary infrastructure to allow clients access to their coin holdings.
Swiss Federal Railways, government-owned railway company of Switzerland, sells bitcoins at its ticket machines.
EY Switzerland, formerly known as Ernst and Young, is a professional service company in Zurich was the first advisory firm in the world to accept Bitcoin .
A government-backed Blockchain consortium the Crypto Valley Association launched in Zug, Switzerland with the aim of supporting the development of Blockchain and cryptographic related technologies and businesses. The formation of the Crypto Valley Association has already engaged local government, startups, venture capital and larger corporations.
Merchants Accepting Bitcoin
According to Spendabit.com there are currently four merchants in Switzerland that accept bitcoin as payment.
Legality of Bitcoin
Bitcoin businesses in Switzerland are subject to anti-money laundering regulations and in some instances may need to obtain a banking license.
On 5 December 2013 a proposal was put forth by 45 members of the Swiss Parliament for digital sustainability (Pardigli), that calls on the Swiss government to evaluate the opportunities for utilization of bitcoin by the country’s financial sector. It also seeks clarification on bitcoin’s legal standing with respect to VAT, securities and anti-money laundering laws.
In response to the parliament postulates, the Swiss
Federal Councilissued a report on virtual currencies in June 2014. The report states that since virtual currencies are not in a legal vacuum, the Federal Council has concluded that there is no need for legislative measures to be taken at the moment.
