How to buy Ethereum with American Express in 2025

This introductory guide explains how to buy Ethereum with American Express. 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 Ethereum with American Express?

American Express doesn’t allow you to purchase cryptocurrency. However, you can use American Express to fund a trading account and buy Ethereum that way.

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

How to buy Ethereum with American Express – a step-by-step guide

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It takes about 15 minutes to buy ETH with American Express. 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 ETH with American Express.

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

eToro review

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

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 American Express.

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

Step 4. Use the search box to find Ethereum.

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

Step 5. Make your purchase.

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

Top Ethereum platforms that accept American Express

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We found 6 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 an easy place to trade the currency markets. Forex can be intimidating, but eToro strips back the complexity to give you a platform where you can trade 50+ currencies at competitive prices and with up to 30x leverage*.

*CFDs trading is restricted for US users.

As well as being a broker that offers lots of investor protection, eToro offers a very social trading experience. You can easily see how all the major and minor forex pairs are performing every day, track how investors feel about every one of those currencies, and copy other people’s trade suggestions from your desktop or the eToro app.

The fees: eToro charges a fee on currency trades through the spread. Spreads are variable depending on the currency and start from 1 pip for EUR/USD trades, 1.5 pips for EUR/GBP, and 2 pips for GBP/USD. Overnight and weekend fees apply.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

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.

2. Plus500. Best for international trading*

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4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.8%

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. Kraken: Best for simple, global cryptocurrency trading from your phone

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3.5
Ratings

$10

Min. deposit

0.10% - 0.26% (volume dependent)

Fees

90

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Kraken because it’s a beginner-friendly crypto trading platform, one that’s designed to make it quick and convenient to buy and sell crypto on the go. The Kraken mobile app provides access to over 200 cryptocurrencies making it one of the most diverse platforms around. 

With an intuitive interface and many advanced features, the Kraken crypto app is suitable for those just starting, or experienced traders wanting to enhance their trading experience. The Kraken mobile app caters to different trading styles and preferences with spot, margin, and futures all available. 

Kraken’s mobile app also supports up to 5:1 leverage allowing you to amplify your position and potentially increase your returns. With such a wide selection of tokens available and a solid range of features and tools, the Kraken app is one of the top cryptocurrency trading platforms while on the go. 

The fees: Kraken charges a fee of between 0-0.26% on every crypto trade. There are no costs to set up an account and no flat trading fees.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Quick answers to key questions

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Can I buy crypto with American Express?

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

Is American Express safe?

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

How much does it cost to buy Ethereum via American Express?

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The exact amount you will be charged when you buy ETH with AMEX will vary depending on the brokerage platform you use. Generally, fees range between 0.5% – 2.5%. However, you should note that American Express itself may charge an additional fee. 

Crypto transactions are sometimes treated as a cash advance by the credit card company, which can result in higher fees. 

Can I store Ethereum on my American Express account?

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No, you can’t store Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency in your AMEX account. You have to use AMEX to fund a trading account with a company like Bitpanda and then store your coins on that platform.

Why don’t more crypto platforms support American Express?

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Card issuers charge the merchant a percentage of each transaction in fees and AMEX fees are among the highest. 

Visa and Mastercard charge roughly 1-2% per transaction, while the AMEX processing fee can be nearly 4%, so many platforms simply choose not to offer it as an option.

Should I buy Ethereum using American Express?

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It depends on your own circumstances and any benefits you may receive for using an AMEX card to make purchases. One of the main reasons people prefer to use American Express is the additional perks of using the card. 

When you use an AMEX card to buy Ethereum online, you may receive points which can then be exchanged for benefits like airline miles or tickets. If this is important to you, then using AMEX to buy Ethereum could be a good option. But, before you do so, make sure you calculate the costs and whether or not they are worth it, as a different option may be better. 

Pros

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  • A secure way to buy crypto, backed by AMEX’s security features
  • Funding a trading account with AMEX is simple and only takes a few minutes
  • AMEX is accepted by most major crypto platforms
  • You can earn cashback and rewards for your purchase

Cons

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Is there an alternative to buying cryptocurrency with American Express?

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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 Ethereum purchase.

FAQs

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01

Can I buy Ethereum with American Express on Coinbase?

02

Can I buy Ethereum with American Express on Cash App?

03

How do I fund my crypto account with American Express?

04

Can I buy Ethereum with American Express instantly?

05

Can I buy Ethereum with American Express anonymously?

06

Can I buy Ethereum with an American Express credit card?

07

Can I buy Ethereum with an Amex gift card?


Sources & references

Prash Raval

Prash Raval

Financial Writer

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Prash is a financial writer for Invezz covering FX, the stock market and investing. For over a decade he has traded spot FX full time while running an educational service helping novice traders learn the markets. He has a keen interest in micro and small cap stocks....