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How to buy Bitcoin with open banking in 2023

This introductory guide explains how to buy Bitcoin with open banking. Follow our simple three step guide to make your first purchase.

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Updated: May 17, 2023

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Firstly, the most important question to answer is: can I buy Bitcoin with open banking?

No, open banking doesn’t allow you to purchase cryptocurrency. However, you can use open banking to fund a trading account and buy Bitcoin that way.

You just need a crypto exchange that accepts open banking deposits. And we’re here to help.

How to buy Bitcoin with open banking – a step-by-step guide

It takes about 15 minutes to buy BTC with open banking. Have a copy of your photo ID to hand and follow this guide to get started.

Step 1. Sign up with eToro .

We recommend eToro as the best platform to use to buy BTC with open banking.

Step 2. Create an account.

You need an account before you can buy anything. Sign up with your contact details and a form of ID for verification.

Step 3. Make a deposit via open banking.

Enter how much you want to deposit and select open banking as your payment method from the list of options.

Step 4. Use the search box to find Bitcoin.

Use the search box on the home page to search for Bitcoin and the currency you want to pay in (such as GBP).

Step 5. Make your purchase.

Enter how much Bitcoin you want to buy, check the details and process the transaction. Once the payment goes through, your new Bitcoin will show up in your exchange account.

Top Bitcoin platforms that accept open banking

1. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

Visit site

1500

No. assets

$10

Minimum deposit

Crypto

Platform type

Pros & Cons

Popular ‘Copytrader’ function so users can follow top traders Mobile platform has great functionality Minimum first time deposit of $200 Expedient customer service, with live chat support provided Over 2,000 CFDs available to trade

Does not provide the MetaTrader platform High spreads on some assets Comparatively high fees for withdrawals and account inactivity

Overview

We love eToro because it makes it simple to trade crypto at home or on the go. If you’ve never bought cryptocurrency before, then eToro makes it simple to buy 75+ of the leading coins, including the likes of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. Every crypto trade comes with a flat 1% fee, which makes it one of the cheapest crypto brokers on the market to boot.

As well as being a broker that offers lots of investor protection, eToro offers a very social trading experience. You can easily see what’s trending on the crypto market every day, browse the latest technical analysis about every one of those tokens, and copy other people’s trade suggestions from your desktop or the eToro app.

The fees: You will be charged a 1% fee every time you buy or sell crypto. The charge is included in the market price that’s displayed on eToro. CFD trades may be charged an overnight or weekend fee if you leave the position open.

Visit eToro Read Review

77% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

2. Public. Best for sharing beginner trading ideas

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...

No. assets

...

Minimum deposit

Crypto

Platform type

Pros & Cons

Commission free stock and ETF investing Share and compare your portfolio on a social trading platform Trade crypto, fractional shares, and alternative investments

You can't trade on margin or use leverage No forex, options, funds, metals, or bonds

Overview

We love Public because it’s a social platform where you can share trading tips and get ideas from other people. Public offers 9,000+ financial instruments, including cryptocurrencies and stocks from around the world.

Alongside a community of other investors all sharing their ideas, Public offers real time news and information so that you can see the full picture before you invest. And the assets don’t just include your run-of-the-mill assets; you can make alternative investments in things like handbags and comic books as well.

The fees: Cryptocurrency trades are charged a 2.5% fee per transaction.

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3. Bitstamp. Best for professionals & trading with APIs

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No. assets

...

Minimum deposit

Crypto

Platform type

Pros & Cons

Low trading fees and no spreads Supports multiple fiat currencies Regulated platform

Limited number of coins available Major fees on deposits and withdrawals Liquidity has suffered due to the limited selection of coins and most liquidity is concentrated in top names like Bitcoin and Ether

Overview

We love Bitstamp because it has a proud reputation for top performance over more than decade. Bitstamp offers trading on 75+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, while staking is available on Ethereum and Algorand.

Bitstamp was one of the first crypto platforms to set up shop in 2011 and has built up trust since. It’s designed with institutional traders in mind, so it prides itself on near 100% uptime. It stores 95% of assets in cold storage and offers a sliding scale of fees so that high volume traders get the best rates.

The fees: There are no trading fees if you trade less than $1,000 in a rolling 30-day period. Above that, fees start from 0.4% and decline the higher your trading volume is. There is a 15% charge for staking. Withdrawals are charged a flat €3 fee.

Visit Bitstamp Read Review

Quick answers to key questions

Can I buy crypto with open banking?

Yes, you aren’t limited to buying Bitcoin alone. The only limit is which coins are available on the exchange you’ve chosen. Most crypto exchanges that support open banking as a payment method offer 50+ cryptocurrencies and many offer hundreds more.

Is open banking safe?

Yes, it’s completely safe to use open banking. The only risk to look out for is to make sure you sign up to a regulated open banking Bitcoin broker when buying Bitcoin. Using an unregulated broker platform can put your money at risk.

How much does it cost to buy Bitcoin via open banking?

To buy Bitcoin via open banking will cost around 1.5% of the transactions amount. The exact fee will vary depending on the exchange or brokerage platform you use, although generally anything above 2% is expensive.

Can I store Bitcoin in/on my open banking account?

No, open banking is a system that allows you to share financial data with third party apps. You cannot have an open banking account, nor store Bitcoin on one. It is simply a way to connect your bank account to your crypto exchange or brokerage account.

Why don’t more crypto platforms support open banking?

Many do as open banking is a popular system, espcailly in the United Kingdom and Europe. A growing number of crypto platforms will allow you to make deposits and withdrawals using the open banking system.

Should I buy Bitcoin using open banking?

Yes, you should consider using open banking to buy Bitcoin. It’s a relatively new technology that lets you share your financial information with third-party providers such as crypto exchanges or brokers. Using open banking makes it easier and more convenient to buy Bitcoin. You will generally pay less when using open banking to buy Bitcoin compared to other payment methods.

Pros

The fees for buying Bitcoin with open banking are low
Open banking is a secure way to buy Bitcoin
It’s a convenient way to buy Bitcoin

Cons

It’s a relatively new technology
There is a risk of hacking

Is there an alternative to buying cryptocurrency with open banking?

There are plenty of alternatives, whether you want to pay through an online payment provider or go down a more traditional route. Here are some of the different ways to pay for your Bitcoin purchase.