How to Buy Bitcoin with a Credit Card – Bitcoin Magazine – Bitcoin Magazine
Introduction
Surprisingly, the first time the term “credit card” was used to describe a card for expenses was back in 1887, mentioned several times in the utopian science fiction novel “Looking Backward” by Edward Bellamy.
Although the concept at the beginning was a little different than today and did not include debt when it comes to borrowing money from the government, credit cards have been around for almost 150 years and will not go away easily.
People use it for convenience, but often go overboard, buying goods and services they couldn’t afford without going into debt. In the long run, those who don’t have good money management skills can get into financial trouble if they don’t repay the debt on time, as the interest rates can be too high.
Until a Bitcoin standard encourages credit card users to tear up that piece of plastic forever and adopt a debt-free existence, people will continue to spend money they don’t have. Many bitcoiners will argue (sarcastically or otherwise) that a credit card’s only meaningful use is to buy more bitcoin. Joke or not, you should be aware of the trade-offs involved in using a credit card to buy bitcoin, as the extra cost of the transaction may not be worth it.
This article will shed light on the pros and cons of using a credit card to buy bitcoin and whether an alternative option should be considered.
Pros and Cons of Using a Credit Card to Buy Bitcoin
Benefits:
- Practical: You can buy bitcoin even if you don’t have the money.
- Speed: If the bitcoin exchange you use allows it, you can buy bitcoin with a credit card. Although bank transfers can take up to two days to be processed, the purchase is instant with a credit card.
- Funds: Credit cards are an easy way to buy bitcoin; However, you are entering into debt with a financial institution and you should consider that the interest rates and fees involved for the transaction may be very high.
- Rewards: You can collect credit card rewards such as cashback, travel points or miles if your provider allows it with cryptocurrency.
Cons:
- Debt: When you buy goods or services with a credit card, other than high transaction fees, you also incur a debt to a bank or financial institution and agree to pay interest rates that can be very high.
- Cash advances: Consider ATM cash withdrawals with credit cards: they are more expensive than debit cards. Paying by credit card to buy bitcoin may be considered a cash advance by the card issuer, and you should consider the following fees incurred for such a service:
- Fees can be as high as 3-5% of the transaction amount;
- The APR on the interest rate can be very high if you don’t pay off the entire monthly credit card bill;
- loss of a grace period of usually 21 days before you are charged interest;
- loss of rewards, as your card issuer is unlikely to apply rewards to crypto purchases as it is considered cash equivalent;
- KYC: “Know Your Customer” procedures are widely used to purchase bitcoin with a credit card, to the point that the card issuer may block your purchase, based on bitcoin volatility and fraud potential.
- Credit Score: Depending on your jurisdiction and credit card provider, your credit score may be affected.
- High Fees: The total fee you have to incur to buy bitcoin with a credit card can be significant.
In the next section, you can find details about the types of fees that will be assessed for both the credit card provider and the exchange you use to buy bitcoin. Remember to consider these when buying bitcoin with a credit card because they can make a big difference in the final bill.
Types of fees to expect
Credit card company fees
Assuming that the financial institution or a bank allows customers to buy bitcoin with a credit card, they will charge a number of fees that are usually higher than other payment methods. This is because credit card issuers treat the purchase of bitcoin as a cash advance rather than a regular purchase:
- Cash advances: fees can be as high as 3-5% of the transaction amount.
- Cash Advance Interest: APR on interest can be very high, often over 25%, and starts accruing the day you buy bitcoin until you pay off the credit. This is in contrast to normal card purchase interest which starts to be charged after a period of three to four weeks, depending on the card provider.
Cryptocurrency exchange fees
While most cryptocurrency exchanges and brokers allow you to buy bitcoin with a credit card, you shouldn’t take it for granted. Many Bitcoin services will not allow credit card purchases due to the chargeback time limit, considering that it can take up to six months for a credit card transaction to complete.
For those services that offer credit card purchases of bitcoin, here are the fees outlined below:
- Commission or service fee: Applied for using a credit card to buy bitcoin. For example, US cardholders may have to pay the exchange a commission fee of around 3% to buy bitcoin with a credit card.
- Foreign exchange fee: If the exchange is based outside your jurisdiction, you may have to pay a foreign exchange fee of usually 3%.
Name | Platform | Borders | Fees |
---|---|---|---|
Bit stamp |
Crypto exchange |
$20,000 per month, $5,000 or £5,000 per day |
5% when you deposit fiat currencies or buy instantly by credit card |
ByBit |
Crypto exchange |
$10,000/transaction |
1.1% in the EU, between 2.7% and 3.05% in countries outside the EU |
Coingate |
Broker |
$20,000/transaction |
8% |
CashApp |
The Bitcoin App |
$10,000/week |
3% |
Coin base |
Crypto exchange |
$3000/day (US only) |
3.99% |
Coinmama |
Broker |
$15,000 per month, $5,000 per day |
Between 4.9% and 5.9% fee with credit card |
Binance |
Crypto exchange |
Up to €5,000 per day and up to €75,000 BTC per month |
3.5% fees per transaction or $10 |
Bitpanda |
Broker |
Verified accounts are allowed €2500/day and €300000/month |
1.49% |
Paybis |
Crypto exchange |
$20,000/week $50,000/mo |
No fee on the first transaction. Not clear afterwards. |
CEX.io |
Crypto exchange |
No daily or monthly limits |
2.99% to 3.99% + service charge; 1.49% |
How to buy Bitcoin with credit card
Depending on the jurisdiction or type of cryptocurrency exchange, you may need to go through a verification process before buying bitcoin with a credit card.
Before linking your credit card to your exchange or brokerage account, you must open an account with the service provider and verify a method of identification, usually a passport or driver’s license.
Below are the common steps you need to follow to buy bitcoin with a credit card:
- Register: Most platforms require you to go through KYC procedures and verify your identity. Only after that you will be able to buy bitcoin with a credit card or any other type of payment available.
- Link your credit card: After you’ve registered and verified your account, you can link your credit card from the payment settings page.
- Set the amount to buy immediately: Some platforms require you to use your credit card to buy fiat currency and deposit it into your exchange or brokerage account before making a transaction. Others will allow you to deposit money directly into your private wallet with a credit card purchase. Check with the exchange what options you have available, and make sure you have a wallet address available for the purchase.
- Select the option “Buy with credit card.” and click “buy”.
Are there better alternatives than using a credit card?
There are better ways to buy bitcoin, cheaper and more anonymous. Buying by credit card is undoubtedly the most convenient way. Still, if you can spare the time, consider options like bank transfers and even gift cards, prepaid cards, and cash if you want to buy bitcoin anonymously.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to complete a bitcoin credit card transaction?
Depending on your credit card issuer, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple of hours on average, but up to 12 hours in case the financial company needs to check additional ID and banking information.
Is it safe to buy bitcoin with a credit card?
Apart from the typical problems associated with the risk of using your bank details online, using a credit card to buy bitcoin is safe.
Can I fund my bitcoin wallet with a credit card?
Yes, non-custodial brokers like Coinmama, Coingate and Paybis allow you to buy bitcoin and send it directly to your wallet.
What apps can I use to buy bitcoin instantly with a credit card?
Most apps require you to have a balance with their platform before buying bitcoin. However, that balance can be topped up with a credit card immediately, giving you a chance to buy bitcoin immediately after.
Conclusion
Regular purchases of bitcoin should not be made with a credit card. It should be a one time purchase if you are in a hurry to buy or it is your first time trying to buy bitcoin. It’s a convenient way to make a transaction and allows you to buy bitcoin even if you don’t have cash on hand. Still, the cons outweigh the positives, as you may have realized from this article.
Given the number of options available to buy bitcoin today, we recommend exploring them and choosing the one that suits you best. You have plenty of advice with Bitcoin Magazine guides that will lead you to good money using more privacy and security in the true spirit of Bitcoin.