How to buy Bitcoin with bank account in 2025

This introductory guide explains how to buy Bitcoin with your bank account. Follow our simple three step guide to make your first purchase.
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Updated on Oct 15, 2024
Reading time 5 minutes

Firstly, the most important question to answer is: can I buy Bitcoin with a bank account?

Yes, you use use a bank transfer to buy Bitcoin with most exchanges and crypto brokers. All you have to do is select bank transfer as your method of payment when adding funds to your trending account. Bank transfers also typically make the cheapest way to buy Bitcoin.

This guide explains everything you need to know about how to buy Bitcoin with a bank transfer. We explain the steps you need to follow, investigate how much it may cost you, and list the best Bitcoin brokers that accept bank transfer.

How to buy Bitcoin with bank transfer – a step-by-step guide

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

Step 1. Sign up with eToro

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We recommend eToro as the best platform to use to buy BTC with a bank transfer.

eToro review
4.6
eToro
Min. Deposit $100
Fees 1%
No. assets 3600+
Demo account Yes

eToro review

Cryptoassets investing and custody are offered by eToro (Europe) Ltd as a digital asset service provider, registered with the AMF. Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. You will never lose more than the amount invested in each position.

Step 2. Create an account

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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 bank account

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

Step 4. Use the search box to find Bitcoin

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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

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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 bank transfers

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We found 11 crypto platforms for users based in

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

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4.5
Ratings

€100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

3,600

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of more than 5,500 stocks and ETFs includes big names like Apple and Tesla, as well as smaller companies with high growth potential. You can start trading with as little as $10 using fractional shares if you’re on a tight budget.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. This is a great way to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across stocks, crypto, and options trading markets.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.08%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for the two biggest cryptos, Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

Plus500 has something for all types of crypto trader, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements of $20 for Ether and $100 for Bitcoin make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorized by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe, such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

3. Coinbase. Best secure trading platform for all types of trader

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4
Ratings

$10

Min. deposit

Up to 0.6%

Fees

200

No. assets

No

Demo account

Overview

We love Coinbase because it’s the leading public crypto platform. Coinbase offers more than 170 cryptocurrencies to trade, a secure wallet to store your coins in, and automatic staking rewards on 10+ cryptos through Coinbase Earn.

Coinbase’s user-friendly platform simplifies the buying, selling, and trading processes, making it one of the top crypto exchanges for all levels of trader. But, Coinbase isn’t just an easy to use platform, it’s one of the safest and most secure. 

A public company brings transparency and renown, so you can trust that any money on Coinbase is safe and you’re sharing the platform with over 100 million other users. It stores 98% of customer assets offline in cold storage, minimizing the risk of theft. There is also insurance on all cash balances up to $250,000

The fees: Trading fees start from 0.6% but reduce the higher your trading volume. Bank transfer deposits and withdrawals are free, other payment methods may be charged. There is no fee for wallet-to-wallet crypto transactions but you will have to pay blockchain fees. Coinbase charges a 25% fee for its staking services.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Quick answers to key questions

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Can I buy crypto with a bank account?

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Yes, using a bank transfer is one of the most common ways to buy Bitcoin online. To begin you’ll need to find an exchange that accepts bank transfers as a payment method. You can then add funds to your trading account and buy Bitcoin. 

You’re also not limited to just BTC, most crypto exchanges that support bank accounts as a payment method offer 50+ cryptocurrencies and many offer hundreds more. Here is a selection of tokens available when using bank transfer:

Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin (BTC) Ethereum (ETH) Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
Doge on Pulsechain (DOGE) Litecoin (LTC) Ethereum Classic (ETC)
Stellar (XLM) Cardano (ADA) Polkadot (DOT)
Cronos (CRO) SKALE (SKL) Immutable (IMX)
IOTA (MIOTA) EOS (EOS) TRON (TRX)
Zcash (ZEC) BNB (BNB) Tezos (XTZ)
Maker (MKR) Compound (COMP) Chainlink (LINK)
Uniswap (UNI) yearn.finance (YFI) Dash (DASH)
Aave (AAVE) Filecoin (FIL) Algorand (ALGO)
Cosmos (ATOM) Decentraland (MANA) XRP (XRP)
View more > eToro >

Is a bank transfer safe?

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Using a bank transfer is one of the safest ways you can buy Bitcoin. Banks are regulated financial institutions which means they follow strict rules for keeping customer funds safe. The main risk of bank transfer to buy crypto is using an unregulated exchange or broker. 

Before you buy BTC with bank transfer, make sure you’re using a trusted and regulated crypto exchange or broker, such as the platforms we’ve recommended above.

How much does it cost to buy Bitcoin via bank account?

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It depends on the broker but the cost can be between nothing and 2-3% of the transaction amount. You may have to pay a deposit fee but for a bank transfer it’s usually between 0-1% per deposit.

For that reason, a bank transfer is normally the least expensive way to buy Bitcoin. The overall fees are less than any other option, including card payments.

Here are the fees you may encounter with the top three crypto platforms accepting bank transfers:

Asset eToro fees Plus500 fees Coinbase fees
Crypto 1% From 2% Up to 0.6%
Commodities From 2 pips From 0.04%
Forex From 1 pip
Index prices From 0.75 pts From 0.7%
Stocks 0% commission From 0.08%
Stock CFDs 0.15%
ETF CFDs 0.15%
View more > eToro > Plus500 > Coinbase >

Can I store Bitcoin in my bank account?

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Not in any high street bank account, no. However, if you use a crypto bank like Nexo then you can hold your Bitcoin in there, and even earn interest on the crypto you hold.

Why don’t more crypto platforms support bank transfers?

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Virtually every crypto platform accepts bank transfers. The ones that don’t are likely to be crypto only, so you have to make a deposit in cryptocurrency in order to use it. 

Should I buy Bitcoin using my bank account?

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A bank transfer is a simple way to buy Bitcoin and is available on most crypto platforms. It’s an inexpensive option, with only the small risk that you might have to wait for the money to show up in your trading account.

Here is a summary of the pros and cons of using a bank transfer to buy Bitcoin.

Pros

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  • Simple to use a bank transfer with any crypto platform
  • The cheapest option with the lowest transaction fees
  • A bank transfer is an option for most people around the world

Cons

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Is there an alternative to buying cryptocurrency with a bank transfer?

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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.

FAQs

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01

Can I buy Bitcoin with a bank transfer on Coinbase?

02

Can I buy Bitcoin with a bank transfer on Cash App?

03

How do I fund my crypto account with a bank transfer?

04

Can I buy Bitcoin with a bank transfer instantly?

05

Can I buy Bitcoin with a bank account anonymously?

06

Are there low fees when using bank transfer to fund your account?

07

Can I hold cryptocurrency in my bank account?

08

Can I get other cryptos using bank transfer?

09

Are bank transfers instant?

10

Is bank transfer the easiest method to use?

11

What’s the biggest pro and con of using a peer-to-peer exchange that accepts bank transfers?

12

How easy is it to find a peer-to-peer exchange that accepts bank transfers?

13

Is using a bank transfer recommended for shorter-term Bitcoin traders?

14

Is using a bank transfer a viable strategy if you plan to hold Bitcoin for the long term?


Sources & references

James Knight

James Knight

Editor of Education

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James is the Editor of Education for Invezz, where he covers topics from across the financial world, from the stock market, to cryptocurrency, to macroeconomic markets. His main focus is on improving financial literacy among casual investors. He has been with Invezz since the start of 2021 and has been...