How To Buy Bitcoin

Coinbase makes it easy to convert your local currency into and out of bitcoin. On this page, you'll learn how to buy bitcoin and store it securely in a wallet.

Sign up for Coinbase

This first step is to sign up for a Coinbase account. This will give you a secure place to store your bitcoin, and easy payment methods to convert your local currency into or out of bitcoin.

Connect Your Bank Account

After you sign up, connect your bank account. You'll need to complete some verification steps before you can use the account. Once the verification steps are complete, you can start a purchase.

Buy and Sell Bitcoin

After starting your first purchase, we'll complete your buy and deliver your bitcoin. (Sells work the same way but in reverse). The price of bitcoin changes over time, so we'll show you the current exchange rate before you buy.

Standard Exchanges

First Select The Country

Buying bitcoin with credit cards is currently unavailable

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In the meantime please check out the Bitcoin Exchanges listed on this page which you can use to buy and sell bitcoins.

Some things you need to know

If you are about to explore Bitcoin, there are a few things you should know. Bitcoin lets you exchange money in a different way than with usual banks. As such, you should take time to inform yourself before using Bitcoin for any serious transaction. Bitcoin should be treated with the same care as your regular wallet, or even more in some cases!

Securing your wallet

Like in real life, your wallet must be secured. Bitcoin makes it possible to transfer value anywhere in a very easy way and it allows you to be in control of your money. Such great features also come with great security concerns. At the same time, Bitcoin can provide very high levels of security if used correctly. Always remember that it is your responsibility to adopt good practices in order to protect your money. Read more about securing your wallet.

Bitcoin price is volatile

The price of a bitcoin can unpredictably increase or decrease over a short period of time due to its young economy, novel nature, and sometimes illiquid markets. Consequently, keeping your savings with Bitcoin is not recommended at this point. Bitcoin should be seen like a high risk asset, and you should never store money that you cannot afford to lose with Bitcoin. If you receive payments with Bitcoin, many service providers can convert them to your local currency.

Bitcoin payments are irreversible

Any transaction issued with Bitcoin cannot be reversed, they can only be refunded by the person receiving the funds. That means you should take care to do business with people and organizations you know and trust, or who have an established reputation. For their part, businesses need to keep control of the payment requests they are displaying to their customers. Bitcoin can detect typos and usually won't let you send money to an invalid address by mistake. Additional services might exist in the future to provide more choice and protection for the consumer.

Bitcoin is not anonymous

Some effort is required to protect your privacy with Bitcoin. All Bitcoin transactions are stored publicly and permanently on the network, which means anyone can see the balance and transactions of any Bitcoin address. However, the identity of the user behind an address remains unknown until information is revealed during a purchase or in other circumstances. This is one reason why Bitcoin addresses should only be used once. Always remember that it is your responsibility to adopt good practices in order to protect your privacy. Read more about protecting your privacy.

Unconfirmed transactions aren't secure

Transactions don't start out as irreversible. Instead, they get a confirmation score that indicates how hard it is to reverse them (see table). Each confirmation takes between a few seconds and 90 minutes, with 10 minutes being the average. If the transaction pays too low a fee or is otherwise atypical, getting the first confirmation can take much longer.

Getting started with Bitcoin

Using Bitcoin to pay and get paid is easy and accessible to everyone.

1. Inform yourself

Bitcoin is different than what you know and use every day. Before you start using Bitcoin, there are a few things that you need to know in order to use it securely and avoid common pitfalls.

2. Choose your wallet

You can bring a Bitcoin wallet in your everyday life with your mobile or you can have a wallet only for online payments on your computer. In any case, choosing your wallet can be done in a minute.

3. Get Bitcoin

You can get Bitcoin by accepting it as a payment for goods and services. There are also several ways you can buy Bitcoin.

4. Spend Bitcoin

There is a growing number of services and merchants accepting Bitcoin all over the world. You can use Bitcoin to pay them and rate your experience to help honest businesses to gain more visibility.

1. Inform yourself

Bitcoin does not require merchants to change their habits. However, Bitcoin is different than what you know and use every day. Before you start using Bitcoin, there are a few things that you need to know in order to use it securely and avoid common pitfalls.

2. Processing payments

You can process payments and invoices by yourself or you can use merchant services and deposit money in your local currency or bitcoins. Most point of sales businesses use a tablet or a mobile phone to let customers pay with their mobile phones.

3. Accounting and taxes

Merchants often deposit and display prices in their local currency. In other cases, Bitcoin works similarly to a foreign currency. To get appropriate guidance regarding tax compliance for your own jurisdiction, you should contact a qualified accountant.

4. Gaining visibility

There is a growing number of users searching for ways to spend their bitcoins. You can submit your business in online directories to help them easily find you. You can also display the Bitcoin logo on your website or your brick and mortar business.

How Can I Buy Bitcoin?

Last updated: 26th January 2018

So you've learned the basics about bitcoin, you're excited about the potential and now you want to buy some*. But how?

(*Please, never invest more than you can afford to lose – cryptocurrencies are volatile and the price could go down as well as up.)

Bitcoin can be bought on exchanges, or directly from other people via marketplaces.

You can pay for them in a variety of ways, ranging from hard cash to credit and debit cards to wire transfers, or even with other cryptocurrencies, depending on who you are buying them from and where you live.

1 – set up a wallet

The first step is to set up a wallet to store your bitcoin – you will need one, whatever your preferred method of purchase. This could be an online wallet (either part of an exchange platform, or via an independent provider), a desktop wallet, a mobile wallet or an offline one (such as a hardware device or a paper wallet).

Even within these categories of wallets there is a wide variety of services to choose from, so do some research before deciding on which version best suits your needs.

You can find more information on some of the wallets out there, as well as tips on how to use them, here and here.

The most important part of any wallet is keeping your keys (a string of characters) and/or passwords safe. If you lose them, you lose access to the bitcoin stored there.

BUYING ONLINE

2 – open an account at an exchange

Cryptocurrency exchanges will buy and sell bitcoin on your behalf. There are hundreds currently operating, with varying degrees of liquidity and security, and new ones continue to emerge while others end up closing down. As with wallets, it is advisable to do some research before choosing – you may be lucky enough to have several reputable exchanges to choose from, or your access may be limited to one or two, depending on your geographical area.

The largest bitcoin exchange in the world at the moment in terms of US$ volume is Bitfinex, although it is mainly aimed at spot traders. Other high-volume exchanges are Coinbase, Bitstamp and Poloniex, but for small amounts, most reputable exchanges should work well. (Note: at time of writing, the surge of interest in bitcoin trading is placing strain on most retail buy and sell operations, so a degree of patience and caution is recommended.)

With the clampdown on know-your-client (KYC) and anti-money-laundering (AML) regulation, many exchanges now require verified identification for account setup. This will usually include a photo of your official ID, and sometimes also a proof of address.

Most exchanges accept payment via bank transfer or credit card, and some are willing to work with Paypal transfers. And most exchanges charge fees (which generally include the fees for using the bitcoin network).

Each exchange has a different procedure for both setup and transaction, and should give you sufficient detail to be able to execute the purchase. If not, consider changing the service provider.

Once the exchange has received payment, it will purchase the corresponding amount of bitcoin on your behalf, and deposit them in an automatically generated wallet on the exchange. This can take minutes, or sometimes hours due to network bottlenecks. If you wish (recommended), you can then move the funds to your off-exchange wallet.

BUYING WITH CASH

2 – choose a purchase method

Platforms such as LocalBitcoins will help you to find individuals near you who are willing to exchange bitcoin for cash. Also, LibertyX lists retail outlets across the United States at which you can exchange cash for bitcoin. And WallofCoins, Paxful and BitQuick will direct you to a bank branch near you that will allow you to make a cash deposit and receive bitcoin a few hours later.

ATMs are machines that will send bitcoin to your wallet in exchange for cash. They operate in a similar way to bank ATMs – you feed in the bills, hold your wallet's QR code up to a screen, and the corresponding amount of bitcoin are beamed to your account. Coinatmradar can help you to find a bitcoin ATM near you.

(Note: specific businesses mentioned here are not the only options available, and should not be taken as a recommendation.)

Authored by Noelle Acheson. Bitcoin image via Shutterstock.

Bitcoin just hit an all-time high — here's how you buy and sell it

Reuters Bitcoin hit a record high of nearly $18,000 per coin on Friday, December 15.

Two years ago, the idea of buying the virtual currency even at that price was laughable. After a rapid rise in value in 2013, the cryptocurrency's value more than halved by mid-2015.

At its lowest point, one bitcoin was equal to about $230.

Given the currency's covert nature, the average person still may not understand how buying and selling actually works.

Using the app Coinbase, which lets anyone trade bitcoins for a small fee, we decided to find out.

A brief warning: If you're going to do this, tell your bank you're about to buy bitcoin. More on that later.

And to read more about blockchain, the technology powering bitcoin, click here.

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Your search engine does not find any satisfactory results for searches. It is too weak. Also, the server of bing is often off

I created a yahoo/email account long ago but I lost access to it; can y'all delete all my yahoo/yahoo account except for my newest YaAccount

I want all my lost access yahoo account 'delete'; Requesting supporter for these old account deletion; 'except' my Newest yahoo account this Account don't delete! Because I don't want it interfering my online 'gamble' /games/business/data/ Activity , because the computer/security program might 'scure' my Information and detect theres other account; then secure online activities/ business securing from my suspicion because of my other account existing will make the security program be 'Suspicious' until I'm 'secure'; and if I'm gambling online 'Depositing' then I need those account 'delete' because the insecurity 'Suspicioun' will program the casino game 'Programs' securities' to be 'secure' then it'll be 'unfair' gaming and I'll lose because of the insecurity can be a 'Excuse'. Hope y'all understand my explanation!

chithidio@Yahoo.com

i dont know what happened but i can not search anything.

Golf handicap tracker, why can't I get to it?

Why do I get redirected on pc and mobile device?

Rahyaftco@yahoo.com

RYAN RAHSAD BELL literally means

Question on a link

In the search for Anaïs Nin, one of the first few links shows a picture of a man. Why? Since Nin is a woman, I can’t figure out why. Can you show some reason for this? Who is he? If you click on the picture a group of pictures of Nin and no mention of that man. Is it an error?

Repair the Yahoo Search App.

Yahoo Search App from the Google Play Store on my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I went to the Yahoo Troubleshooting page but the article that said to do a certain 8 steps to fix the problem with Yahoo Services not working and how to fix the problem. Of course they didn't work.

I contacted Samsung thru their Samsung Tutor app on my phone. I gave their Technican access to my phone to see if there was a problem with my phone that stopped the Yahoo Search App from working. He went to Yahoo and I signed in so he could try to fix the Yahoo Search App not working. He also used another phone, installed the app from the Google Play Store to see if the app would do any kind of search thru the app. The Yahoo Search App just wasn't working.

I also had At&t try to help me because I have UVERSE for my internet service. My internet was working perfectly. Their Technical Support team member checked the Yahoo Search App and it wouldn't work for him either.

We can go to www.yahoo.com and search for any topic or website. It's just the Yahoo Search App that won't allow anyone to do web searches at all.

I let Google know that the Yahoo Search App installed from their Google Play Store had completely stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I told them that Yahoo has made sure that their Yahoo members can't contact them about anything.

I noticed that right after I accepted the agreement that said Oath had joined with Verizon I started having the problem with the Yahoo Search App.
No matter what I search for or website thru the Yahoo Search App it says the following after I searched for
www.att.com.

WEBPAGE NOT AVAILABLE
This webpage at gttp://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geJGq8BbkrgALEMMITE5jylu=X3oDMTEzcTjdWsyBGNvbG8DYmyxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDTkFQUEMwxzEEc2VjA3NylRo=10/Ru=https%3a%2f%2fwww.att.att.com%2f/Rk=2/Es=plkGNRAB61_XKqFjTEN7J8cXA-
could not be loaded because:
net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED

I tried to search for things like www.homedepot.com. The same thing happened. It would say WEBPAGE NOT AVAILABLE. The only thing that changed were all the upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols.
Then it would again say
could not be loaded because:
net::ERR_CLEARTEXT_NOT_PERMITTED

This is the same thing that happened when Samsung and At&t tried to do any kind of searches thru the Yahoo Search App.

Yahoo needs to fix the problem with their app.

Yahoo Search App from the Google Play Store on my Samsung Galaxy S8+ phone stopped working on May 18, 2018.

I went to the Yahoo Troubleshooting page but the article that said to do a certain 8 steps to fix the problem with Yahoo Services not working and how to fix the problem. Of course they didn't work.

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Where and How to Buy Bitcoins

Best Ways to Buy

This guide will teach you how to buy bitcoins.

It's easy to find where to buy bitcoins online because there are so many options.

If you want to learn the best way to buy bitcoins, keep reading!

Welcome to Buy Bitcoin Worldwide! I'm Jordan Tuwiner, the founder of this site.

We understand that buying bitcoins can be extremely confusing and frustrating. Luckily for you, this site has ample information to help make buying bitcoins easier for you.

Introduction to Buying

Want to learn how to purchase bitcoin or get bitcoins?

You’re in the right place!

The short answer is:

Find a Bitcoin exchange

Trade your local currency, like U.S. dollar or Euro, for bitcoins

For the long answer, read this Bitcoin buying guide and by the end you’ll understand these key points:

How and where to buy bitcoin

How to choose the right exchange

How to secure your coins after you buy

How to avoid scams

Below, we listed exchanges you can use to purchase BTC. We suggest our listed exchanges and doing your own research before making your final decision.

Certain exchanges are simply there to steal your personal information or rob you of your bitcoins.

We conduct intensive research on every exchange we list to filter out any and all dishonest exchanges.

Choosing an Exchange: Which is the Best Bitcoin Exchange?

To select the perfect exchange for your needs, consider these 7 factors.

1. Privacy: Keep Your Information Safe!

Want to buy BTC privately?

You can already cross off a number of payment methods:

Bank transfer
Credit card
Debit card
PayPal
Any other method that requires personally or identifying information

Buying bitcoins with cash or cash deposit is the most private way to purchase bitcoins.

We also have a detailed guide which reveals your options for buying without verification or ID.

2. Limits: Are You Buying a Lot of Coins?

If you need to buy a large amount of bitcoins--say 25 or more--then big brokers or major exchanges are the way to go.

Coinbase has high limits for buying with a bank account.

CoinMama has the highest limits for buying with a credit card.

Most cash exchanges have no buying limits. Limits, however, will vary between individual sellers and are usually lower than online exchanges.

3. Speed: When Do You Need Access to your Bitcoins?

How quickly do you need to convert regular money into bitcoins? Different payment methods deliver your coins at different speeds.

Your first Bitcoin purchase may be time consuming. Once you get everything setup all subsequent purchases will be much faster!

Bitcoin ATMs can be the fastest way to purchase bitcoin if you’re lucky enough to have one in your area. Here's a map to help you out.

Some brokers offer instant buys with bank transfer, credit card, or debit card.

4. Exchange Rate

There is no official Bitcoin price. Use BitcoinAverage or CoinDesk to see the average price of Bitcoin across all major international Bitcoin exchanges and compare that to the price on your chosen exchange.

5. Reputation: Don't Get Scammed!

How long has the exchange been in service? Is the exchange trustworthy? Our Bitcoin exchange reviews can help you to find a trusted exchange.

6. Fees: Are You Getting a Good Deal?

How much does the exchange charge for its services? The fee will vary greatly based on the payment method you choose to use.

Remember to include deposit and withdrawal fees as well as trading fees. Some exchanges will lower their fees if you trade a lot of bitcoins.

7. Payment Method

How can you pay for the bitcoins? Payment method may be the most important factor.

We're sure you already have a payment method in mind that you'd prefer to use. More on that below.

Get a Wallet!

Some exchanges require a Bitcoin wallet before you can buy.

If you don't have a wallet yet, learn how to get a Bitcoin wallet and then come back.

We'll wait for you here ;)

Know your Payment Method?

Payment Methods

We can both agree that this Bitcoin stuff is confusing. Stick with us!

We're about to have you on your way to choosing a payment method and buying bitcoins.

Where to Buy Bitcoin?

Purchase bitcoins online with a credit card, debit card, or bank transfer.
Acquire bitcoins from a Bitcoin ATM near you.
Buy bitcoins with cash locally or via cash deposit.
Convert PayPal to Bitcoin online.

The above was just a brief overview of where you can buy bitcoin. Now, let's get into the details.

In order to buy bitcoins, you’ll need to exchange your local currency, like Dollars or Euros, for bitcoin. Here’s an overview of the 4 most common payment methods:

1. Credit or Debit Card

Credit/debit cards are the most common way to pay online. So, it's really no surprise that many people want to buy bitcoins this way.

Why buy bitcoin with a credit/debit card?

Credit cards are a payment method most people are familiar with; probably the easiest way to buy bitcoins online
Delivery of bitcoins is instant once initial verification is complete

Why NOT buy bitcoin with a credit/debit card?

High fees; if you're patient and not in a rush to buy then use a bank transfer for lower fees
Not a private way to buy; your ID will be required to buy with a credit card

A few places to buy bitcoins online with a credit card are:

Bank Account or Bank Transfer

Bank transfer is one of best ways to buy bitcoins in most countries.

Why buy bitcoins with bank account/transfer?

Good way to buy large amounts of bitcoins
Using a bank transfer will usually result in the lowest fees, so you can get a great price on your purchase

Why not to buy bitcoins with bank account/transfer?

Usually requires ID verification, so not a good choice for privacy
Slow; in the USA, bank transfers can take up to 5 days to complete

Some of the best ways to buy bitcoins with your bank account:

Cash deposit is often the fastest and most private ways to buy bitcoin. You can usually receive your bitcoins within a couple hours.

What are cash exchanges good for?

Can be more private since in some cases no personal information is required
Can be nearly instant; no need to wait 5 days for a bank transfer to process

What are cash exchanges bad for?

Privacy comes at a cost; cash exchanges often have price 5-15% above market rate
Easier to get scammed or robbed; need to be on alert and follow the exchange's rules

Some of the best places to buy bitcoin instantly with cash:

Note: There is no easy way to buy bitcoin at Walmart. We get asked this A LOT!

There are Bitcoin ATMs all around the world that let you purchase bitcoin with cash.

You simply insert cash into the machine, and get bitcoins sent to your wallet.

Use Coin ATM Radar to find a Bitcoin ATM near you.

What are Bitcoin ATMs good for?

Can be more private since in most cases no personal information is required
If you have an ATM in your area it can be a convenient and fast way to buy coins

What are Bitcoin ATMs bad for?

Privacy comes at a cost; Bitcoin ATMs often have a 5-15% premium above market rate

There is no way to directly buy bitcoins with PayPal. Under PayPal’s terms and conditions merchants are not allowed to sell bitcoins for PayPal.

I really recommend not buying bitcoins with PayPal. The fees are really high. Chances are that your PayPal is connected to your credit card or bank account, which can be used to buy at much lower fees.

However, there are a few hacks to get around this. You can buy other digital items with PayPal and sell those items for bitcoin. It's all explained in our guide on how to buy bitcoins with PayPal.

Why buy bitcoins with PayPal?

If you already have a balance, it can be an easy and fast way to convert PayPal to bitcoins

Cons of buying bitcoins with PayPal

Fees are over 12%; much better to just buy with a credit card or bank account

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're still a bit confused, that's okay. Buying bitcoins is hard, but that's why I built this site, to make it easier!

If you still need help, I hope this FAQ will help to answer any remaining questions.

When is the Right Time to Buy?

As with any market, nothing is for sure. Bitcoin is traded 24/7 and its price changes every second.

Use tools like Bitcoin Wisdom or Cryptowatch to analyze charts from other Bitcoin trading sites. These charts will help you understand Bitcoin’s price history across the many global Bitcoin exchanges.

Why Does Buying Bitcoin Take So Long?

Long wait times are usually a problem with existing payment systems, not with Bitcoin itself.

Bitcoin transactions only take about 10 minutes to confirm. Bank transfers in the U.S., for example, can take up to five days to complete.

Bitcoin transactions can be confirmed as quickly as 10 minutes; it’s rare to experience a delay longer than one hour.

This means that a merchant can’t release bitcoins to a customer until five days have passed unless they're willing to take on risk.

Can You Sell Bitcoins?

Yes, of course! Most exchanges that let you buy bitcoins also let you sell (for a fee of course).

Why Do I Need to Upload my ID for Some Exchanges?

This is due to Know Your Customer (KYC) laws which require exchanges to record the real world identity of their clients.

Can Anyone Buy Bitcoin?

Bitcoin requires no permission to use or buy.

You will have to check the legality of Bitcoin in your country. In most countries Bitcoin is legal!

Should I Buy Physical Bitcoins?

Physical bitcoins are physical, metal coins with a Bitcoin private key embedded inside.

We recommend that you stay away from physical bitcoins unless you’re a numismatist.

While physical coins sound like a good idea, they force you to trust the honesty of the creator of the coin. The creator could create two copies of the private key.

Unless you immediately open and withdraw the digital bitcoins from your physical bitcoin, the creator could at any time steal the funds it contains.

Can I Buy Partial Bitcoins?

Each bitcoin is divisible to the 8th decimal place, meaning each bitcoin can be split into 100,000,000 pieces. Each unit of bitcoin, or 0.00000001 bitcoin, is called a satoshi.

Most exchanges let you buy as little as $5 worth of bitcoins at a time.

Why Should I Buy Bitcoin Instead of Mining?

A long time ago anyone could mine bitcoins on their computer at home. Today, only specialized computer hardware is powerful enough to do this.

Think about it like this:

Should you buy gold or mine gold? Well, to mine gold you need big powerful machines, a lot of time, and money to buy the machinery. This is why most people just purchase gold online or from a broker.

So Bitcoin is no different.

You should just buy some if you want coins without trying to mine.

Do I need a Bitcoin Account Before Buying?

With Bitcoin, there are not really accounts.

Instead, you should have a Bitcoin wallet. If you want to store bitcoins, then a wallet is where you keep them.

In Bitcoin these wallets are not called an account but a wallet functions almost the same way. The only difference is you are responsible for the security if your wallet rather than placing the security in the hands of a bank or trust.

How do I check if I received a Bitcoin payment?

Why Would Someone Even Want to Buy Bitcoins?

There are many reasons people want to own bitcoins.

Many people like to purchase some and put them to the side in the hopes that they will be worth more in the future.

Many people are using bitcoins to remit money to their families from out of the country. Right now, Bitcoin is one of the cheapest ways to do this.

People also use Bitcoin to buy stuff online. Big companies like Microsoft, Dell, Newegg and Overstock all accept bitcoins.

Bitcoin is also very unique compared to other markets in that it trades 24 hours a day and never stops. Most stock markets only open on weekdays from 9 AM to 5 PM. So many traders buy and sell bitcoins because it is a fun and fast market to trade.

Can I Buy Bitcoin Stock?

Bitcoin itself is not a stock despite it functioning somewhat like one. You can’t buy bitcoins through a traditional stock fund and instead have to buy bitcoins yourself. This may change in the future if a Bitcoin ETF ever gets approved.

What Happens When you Purchase Bitcoins?

Bitcoins are actually just secret digital codes. When you buy bitcoins, the seller is using a wallet to transfer the ownership of the coins to you. Once your purchase is complete, the codes are now owned by you and not the seller.

Why Are the Chinese Buying So Much BTC?

It seems the Chinese really like Bitcoin’s properties such as its sound monetary policy and that it can be used anywhere in the world. Bitcoin's volatility also makes it interesting for speculative traders.

Is Bitcoin Legal?

Bitcoin is legal in nearly every country. Only a few countries have actually banned the use of bitcoins. Before you buy, make sure you double-check the legal status of Bitcoin in your country.

Why do I need to buy bitcoins before buying most altcoins?

Bitcoin functions as the "reserve" currency of cryptocurrency. So it is very hard to buy other coins without first buying bitcoins. Once you purchase the bitcoins you can convert the bitcoins into other cryptocoins. This is mostly because Bitcoin has very good liquidity and is traded on every cryptocurrency exchange. So most coins are traded against Bitcoin rather than the US dollar or other fiat currencies.

Am I Anonymous when I Buy?

Bitcoin is not anonymous but rather pseudonymous. All Bitcoin transactions are public but it is not always known the real identity behind any give Bitcoin address.

Can I use Multiple Exchanges?

If the limits on one exchange are to low you can simply open an account with another exchange to give yourself the ability to buy more.

You can signup, join, and use as many Bitcoin exchanges as you want that are available in your country.

Do I need to Pay Taxes on Bitcoin?

In most countries you will need to pay some kind of tax if you buy bitcoins, sell them, and make a gain. In the US you must do this on every transaction.

Be sure to check with your country’s tax authorities to make sure you are paying all the required taxes on your bitcoin use.

What Other Ways can I Get Bitcoins Besides Buying?

Just like any other form of money, you can get bitcoins by requesting from your employer to be paid in bitcoins.

Avoiding Bitcoin Scams: Don't Lose Money!

I've been using Bitcoin for 3+ years. I've never fallen victim to a single scam. Follow the tips explained here and you'll greatly reduce your chances of losing money.

There are many scams related to Bitcoin. Scammers target new Bitcoiners and less tech-savvy users. Follow these basic rules in order to avoid Bitcoin scams:

Study your intended exchange and make sure it’s trustworthy. Search forums like Reddit for the experiences of other users.

You can also use our Bitcoin exchange reviews to get in depth information about certain exchanges. If you don’t find your intended exchange listed on this site, extra caution and research is advised as it may be a scam!

Check Ratings

If you’re using a peer-to-peer exchange like LocalBitcoins or Wall of Coins, check the seller’s feedback. If most of their feedback is positive, your trade is more likely to go through without issues. If a seller has lots of negative feedback, it’s best to simply stay away and find a more reliable seller.

Use Escrow

Many scammers will try an approach like this:

“Send me bitcoins, and once I get the bitcoins I’ll pay you on PayPal!”

Don’t ever agree to a trade like this. Bitcoin payments are irreversible, so if you send first the scammer can simply not pay you and keep their bitcoins.

PayPal can't force the scammer to pay either, due to the pseudonymous nature of Bitcoin which doesn’t record the identity of a payment’s sender or recipient. This would leave you with no way to get your bitcoins back.

Stay Away from Bitcoin investments

Any service that claims to pay interest on bitcoins or increase your bitcoins is likely extremely risky or an outright scam. If it sounds too good to be true, stay away.

Be Careful with Altcoins

What are altcoins? Altcoins are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin.

Altcoins are traded globally on hundreds of exchanges. Avoid throwing money into coins which are experiencing a sudden and dramatic spike in price and volume. Such moves, especially in insignificant coins with otherwise thin volume and flat price action, are likely to crash fast.

Secure your Coins

Don't store coins on Bitcoin exchanges! Bitcoin users have lost over $1 billion worth of bitcoins in exchange hacks and scams.

Here are two examples where users got screwed by leaving bitcoins with a third party:

So, do yourself a favor:

Get yourself a Bitcoin wallet and control your own coins. For large amounts of bitcoins, we recommend cryptocurrency hardware wallets. Hardware wallets are small, offline devices that store your bitcoins offline and out of reach from hackers and malware.

Why? It's pretty simple:

Hardware wallets are the easiest way to securely store bitcoins and easy to backup
Less margin for error; setup is easy even for less technical users

Check out the Bitcoin hardware wallet comparison chart below:

Best 40+ Options To Buy Bitcoins Online Around The World

How To Instantly Buy Bitcoin Online With A Credit Card

The easiest and fastest way to buy bitcoins instantly with a credit card or debit card is via SpectroCoin where you can acquire $50 or less of bitcoin fast and usually within 10 minutes.

As you prove to be a reliable customer then limits are raised to $200 in four days and $500 in seven days.

Other options include Coinbase (Europe, USA & UK), SpectroCoin (Europe) and the decentralized exchange Bisq which is both worldwide and much more private because it is done without a trusted third-party company.

However, you should be aware that buying bitcoins instantly with a debit or credit card will usually result in higher fees because there are higher transaction and processing fees and a higher risk of fraud.

Buying Large Amounts of Bitcoin

To buy larger amounts of bitcoins we recommend following these simple steps:

Find a Bitcoin exchange (SpectroCoin or Kraken)
Buy bitcoins by exchanging your local currency, like the U.S. Dollar or Euro, for bitcoin
Transfer the bitcoins to your wallet
Get a Bitcoin debit card for easy spending

Learning how to use Bitcoin is just like any learning any other technology. This will require you to get familiar with how things function.

We highly recommend you learn how to transfer bitcoins to a cold storage Bitcoin wallet.

Additionally, the Bitcoin price can vary throughout the world so be sure to do your research to make sure you are getting a fair deal.

How To Buy Bitcoin Video

While Coinbase or Cryptopay are good places to start when buying bitcoins we strongly recommend you do not keep any bitcoins in their service; there is no excuse for controlling your own private keys.

Once you find a Bitcoin exchange in your country then compare the exchange rate on your local exchange to a Bitcoin price index.

What Makes For The Best Bitcoin Exchange

A number of factors must be considered when finding the best bitcoin exchange for trading bitcoins, which will vary person-to-person depending on the factors below.

Exchange Rate

How close is the exchange rate to the global average price found on an index. By comparing a local Bitcoin exchange’s prices to a Bitcoin price index then it is easier to get the best Bitcoin exchange rate.

Payment Method

You’ll need to find a Bitcoin exchange that accepts your preferred payment method. Different payment methods also incur varying fees. Credit card purchases, for example, are often charged a fee of 3-10%, while most deposits with bank transfers are free. More information about fees can be found on each exchange’s website.

Buying bitcoins fast can be challenging; particularly in larger amounts. You may have found the best Bitcoin exchange, but if verification takes one week and you need bitcoins now, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Initial verification can often take a few days, but all subsequent purchases may be instant. You’ll have to research each Bitcoin exchange to determine verification levels and delivery speeds.

Each Bitcoin exchange has different buying limits, which often varies depending on level of identity verification. At Coinbase, for example, regular users may only purchase up to $1,000 worth of bitcoins per day. Fully verified users, however, can buy up to $50,000 per day. Most exchanges offer a FAQ page online where the different levels of verification are explained.

Each Bitcoin exchange charges different fees for its services. Most Bitcoin brokers, that sell bitcoins directly to buyers, charge a flat rate of 1% per transaction. Exchanges with orderbooks are geared towards high volume trading, and often have fees of 0.25-0.50% per trade. More information can be found on each exchange’s website.

Exchanges that accept credit cards or bank transfers are required by law to collect information about users’ identities. Buying bitcoins with cash is the most private way to buy bitcoins, whether it be through a P2P exchange like LocalBitcoins or at a Bitcoin ATM.

Regulatory Compliance

In order to buy bitcoins, local currency, like the U.S. dollar or Euro, must be exchanged for bitcoins. In this process trust users must trust the Bitcoin exchange to secure money and not run away with funds. It’s best to use a regulated Bitcoin exchange. Most exchanges offer information about their regulatory compliance on their websites. If an exchange seems shady and doesn’t offer information about regulation or who’s behind the site, it’s best to find a different exchange.

Getting a Bitcoin Wallet

History is filled with Bitcoin exchanges running away with users’ funds. For this reason, it’s best to move your bitcoins off the exchange once you buy and store your coins in a wallet you own.

There are different types of Bitcoin wallets, each offering unique features and benefits. The wallet that’s right for you will depend on your specific needs and on how you intend to use Bitcoin.

For secure storage, wallets like the TREZOR and Ledger Nano make it easy to protect bitcoins. Paper wallets are another good option for those with greater technical knowledge.

If you’ll be making Bitcoin transactions frequently, hot wallets that work across many devices are a better option.

Buy Bitcoins in the United States

Coinbase and Kraken are considered the best ways to buy bitcoins online in the United States. At Coinbase you buy bitcoin with a connected bank account.

Coinbase is one of the world's largest Bitcoin exchanges. Users in the United States, Canada, most of Europe, and Singapore can buy bitcoins with a connected bank account or SEPA transfer.

European users can purchase bitcoins with 3D secure credit or debit cards.

If it's the first time you use the card, you will receive a call from Indacoin with a 4-digit code, which should be entered on your order page. After that, you will have to enter a 3-digit code, which can be found on your online card statement next to the charge amount.

You will have the limit of $50 for the first transaction, $100 for the second transaction available after four days of the initial purchase and $500 after eight days of the first buy. The total limit for the first month will be $5,000 and then no limits at all.