How to buy Ethereum with credit card

Therefore, if you want to get ethereum at a competitive rate and capitalise on fluctuations in price, then you’ll want to sign up to an exchange or CFD platform. The key difference between these two types of service is that on an exchange you store the coins yourself, whereas with a CFD platform you trade ethers without actually owning them.

How to buy Ethereum with a credit card – a step-by-step guide

Now you know what your options are, you need to know how to use them. That’s why we’ve outlined how to buy Ethereum with credit card right here. If you’re already familiar with how it’s done and have specific questions you need answering, then skip to our frequently asked questions section at the bottom of the page.

What do I need to do before I get started?

You’ll need to provide some information to sign up to a service. Spending ether is completely anonymous, but in order to verify your account and to combat fraud there are a few things you need to have with you. To get started you need to prepare your:

Method of payment

Whether you want to use a credit card, a debit card, bank transfer, or PayPal you’ll need to have your account details to hand and make sure there are no restrictions on payments of that type through your chosen service.

Proof of identity

You’ll almost always be asked to supply valid photo ID to prove your identity when signing up to a platform. A passport or driving license is most commonly required and you’ll often be asked to supply a selfie of you next to it to verify it’s yours.

Proof of address

Along with photo ID you’ll be asked to supply proof of your address, generally in the form of a utility bill or a bank statement. If you don’t have access to these documents, others are sometimes accepted. This will, however, depend on the platform so be sure to check you have the right forms of ID before signing up to a particular service.

Exchange or broker platform

Now decide which type of platform you want to use. Consider what you want to get out of your investment, and then find the service that best matches your aims from the summaries above.

The final steps

Alright, you’re ready to sign up and get started. Here’s how to do it once you’ve chosen the broker.

1. Visit site and open a free account. Select a service from our list and click the link. Once you’ve arrived on your chosen platform, select the option to register an account.
2. Fill out personal details. Fill out the required details to register a new account. This will usually be your name, email address, and country of residence. On most platforms this form will also be where you set your account password. If not, then:
3. Create password. It’s very important to have a solid password, especially on an exchange as your account will be used to store your ethers. Make sure to include a mixture of letters and numbers and make your password memorable. In a few cases there won’t be an option to create a password at this stage. This will mean one has been randomly generated and in your confirmation email (see next step) there will be a link to change your password. Make sure you do this as nothing is more important than the safety of your account.
4. Activate account. In the majority of cases the next step is to check your inbox for an account verification email which will include a link to activate your account. As mentioned above, for some services this will also be the point at which you set or change your password.
5. Fund account or make payment. In most cases, you’ll have to transfer money into your account balance, and in other cases you’ll be able to make a direct payment. Either way, there are a variety of methods you can use to pay for your ether. We’ve summarised them for you here:
   • Bank transfer. You’ll need to acquire the destination bank details from the site, key in your own account details and the amount of money you wish to transfer. Bank transfers commonly take between 1 and 5 days to go through.
   • Card payments. Depending on the platform you’ll either have to add your card details to your account, or simply enter your card details and make a one-off payment. The process is the same as using your card on any online shopping site.
   • PayPal/other. If your platform accepts PayPal (many of them don’t), then you’ll simply have to select the option to pay with PayPal. This will direct you to a page that will enable you to pay from your PayPal into the account you’ve created on the platform. You’ll want to ensure that your PayPal account is active, funded and has no restrictions.
6. Make your purchase. If you’ve made a payment, congratulations! You’ve bought your first ether. If you’ve transferred funds into your account then you’re just one small step away: simply follow the link on the platform to use the money deposited in your account. Choose how much ether you want and confirm the transaction. Done!
7. Additional: Withdraw to wallet. If you’re using an exchange there will be an integrated wallet you use to store and trade coins, but you can create an external wallet into which you can transfer coins for extra security. If you’re using a CFD platform, you don’t need a wallet as the coins are handled within the platform.