Europe

A list of ways to purchase bitcoin in Europe.





Frequently Asked Questions



If I Bought Bitcoin

See how much you would have made if you bought Bitcoin in the past.






Transaction Fees

A look at the transaction fees for each exchange, both spread and commission.

  • Spread fee: Exchanges may charge a higher price than the actual price of Bitcoin.
  • Fee: Exchange fee for the transaction.
  • Total fees: The sum of the spread fee and the fee.
Exchange Spread Fee Fee Total Fees
KrakenKraken 0.0% 0.4% 0.4%
BitpandaBitpanda 1.5% 0.0% 1.5%
UpholdUphold 1.5% 0.0% 1.5%
CoinbaseCoinbase 1.0% 2.99% 3.99%

Actual fees may vary. Fees are subject to change. Fee estimates based on our research and testing. Some exchanges may charge less depending on volume.


Estimated Fees on €100

An estimate of the fees for buying €100 worth of Bitcoin using a bank account.

Exchange Total Cost on €100
KrakenKraken 0.4
BitpandaBitpanda 1.5
UpholdUphold 1.5
CoinbaseCoinbase 3.99


History of Bitcoin in Europe

Europe has played a pivotal role in Bitcoin's development. In 2011, Bitcoin Central became one of the first major European Bitcoin exchanges. A significant milestone occurred in 2013 when Germany became the first country to recognize Bitcoin as a 'unit of account', effectively treating it as a form of private money. In 2015, the European Court of Justice ruled that Bitcoin transactions should be exempt from VAT, setting an important regulatory precedent.

In 2016, Switzerland's Zug canton began accepting Bitcoin for government services, earning it the nickname 'Crypto Valley'. By 2018, the EU's Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD5) established the first comprehensive cryptocurrency regulations in Europe, requiring exchanges to register with financial authorities and conduct customer due diligence.



Financial & Regulatory Licenses

Exchange Licenses & Regulation
BitpandaBitpanda Registered VASP in Austria, France, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, Sweden and Norway. Licensed by BaFin in Germany for crypto custody and trading.
CoinbaseCoinbase Chartered by New York State Department of Financial Services for virtual currency.
KrakenKraken Registered money services business with FinCEN (USA).
UpholdUphold FinCEN (USA), FCA (UK), FINTRAC (Canada), FCIS (EU)
ATM RadarATM Radar This is a map only. Please check with individual ATM operators for their regulatory status and licenses.
NETELLERNETELLER Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom.


Deposit Fees

These are fees exchanges may charge for deposits. Fees are subject to change.

Exchange Deposit Fees
BitpandaBitpanda SEPA: Free
CoinbaseCoinbase ACH: Free
Wire: $10 USD
SEPA: €0.15 EUR
SWIFT: Free
KrakenKraken ACH: $0
Wire: $0
SEPA: $0
SWIFT: $3
UpholdUphold ACH: Free
Wire: $0 - $20
SEPA: Free
FPS: Free



Bitcoin Scams in Europe

Europe has faced several major cryptocurrency scams. In 2017, the OneCoin Ponzi scheme, headquartered in Bulgaria, defrauded investors of approximately €4 billion before its founder Ruja Ignatova disappeared. In 2019, Dutch bitcoin trader Theodorus Maarten Paulussen was arrested for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of €23 million through a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme.

More recently, in 2021, Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex halted operations with its CEO fleeing the country, taking $2 billion in investor funds. The same year, Swedish authorities warned about a surge in crypto investment scams, with reported losses exceeding 100 million SEK ($11.5 million), leading to increased regulatory scrutiny across Europe.



Mobile App Support

Exchange iOS App Android App
BitpandaBitpanda
CoinbaseCoinbase
KrakenKraken
UpholdUphold
NETELLERNETELLER


Earn Interest & Rewards

The following table shows interest rates offered by exchanges.

Exchange Interest Rate & Details
BitpandaBitpanda 2.65%
EUR 3.95%, USD 3.96%, GBP 3.96%.
CoinbaseCoinbase 4.70%
Earn 4.70% APY rewards by holding USDC on Coinbase. USDC is fully backed 1:1 by US dollars. Minimum $1.
KrakenKraken 0.15% - 6.5%
Available for BTC (0.15% bonded/0.1% flexible), USDT/USD/USDC (6.5% bonded/4.5% flexible), and EUR (4.45% bonded/3.5% flexible).
UpholdUphold 2 - 4.65%
Earn up to 4.65% APY on USD balances of $1,000 or more, or 2% APY on balances below $1,000 in Uphold's USD Interest Account.




Exchange snapshots

Bitpanda

Visit Exchange
Bitpanda snapshot
Minimum Deposit $1
iOS app score 4.7
Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android app score 3.5
Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Deposit Methods iDEAL, SEPA, Bank Account, Credit Card, Debit Card, giropay, EPS, SOFORT, Skrill, NETELLER, Google Pay

Coinbase

Visit Exchange
Coinbase snapshot
Minimum Deposit $1
iOS app score 4.7
Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android app score 4.6
Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Deposit Methods ACH, Wire Transfer, Debit Card, Bank Account, PayPal, Apple Pay, iDEAL, SEPA, Interac e-Transfer, Instant Verification, Google Pay
Review Read our review

Kraken

Visit Exchange
Kraken snapshot
Minimum Deposit $1
iOS app score 4.7
Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android app score 4.3
Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Deposit Methods ACH, Bank Account, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA, Interac e-Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Instant Verification

Uphold

Visit Exchange
Uphold snapshot
Minimum Deposit $1
iOS app score 4.6
Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android app score 4.7
Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Deposit Methods ACH, Bank Account, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Credit Card, Debit Card, SEPA, Interac e-Transfer

ATM Radar

Visit Exchange
ATM Radar snapshot
Minimum Deposit Each ATM will have a different minimum deposit amount.
iOS app score 4.5
Official rating from the iOS App Store as of November 18, 2024.
Android app score 4.5
Official rating from the Android Play Store as of November 18, 2024.
Deposit Methods Cash

NETELLER

Visit Exchange
NETELLER snapshot
Minimum Deposit $1
Deposit Methods NETELLER