If you're looking to get your hands on Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency, you'll need to use a leading Bitcoin exchange or trading platform. There are many around, but the very best Bitcoin exchanges make it extremely simple to buy and sell cryptocurrencies using regular fiat money the US Dollar, British Pound etc. Bitcoin exchanges also often allow uses to store cryptocurrency, although if security is a priority, you'll want to store your virtual wealth in a non-custodial Bitcoin wallet , over which you have total control.
Before diving in head first, you'll need to be aware of what to look for when it comes to the best Bitcoin exchange for your specific needs. A good place to start is the cryptocurrencies supported by the exchange. With many altcoins in circulation beyond just Bitcoin, you'll need to decide which to invest in.
Additionally, it's worth paying close attention to the fees levied. While all Bitcoin exchanges charge transaction fees, it is obviously best to find one with the lowest costs in order to maximize your own profits.
The Top 10 Bitcoin And Crypto Investing Sites
In some cases, however, low fees come at the expense of other important qualities. Based in the US, Coinbase is one of the biggest fully-regulated cryptocurrency exchanges. Coinbase allows you to buy and sell Bitcoin, as well as over two dozen other cryptocurrencies. GDAX is now known as Coinbase Pro and offers various trading tools designed for professional traders. In addition to standard exchange features, Coinbase supports off-chain transfers, which allows users of the platform to send funds between one another without incurring transaction fees.
For more, read our full Coinbase review. Based in Israel, eToro boasts of millions of clients in over countries.
The platform first introduced Bitcoin trading in , but has since become a more well-rounded exchange that offers various cryptocurrency products. Broadly speaking, eToro offers two mechanisms for investing in crypto. You can either buy crypto with no leverage, in which case the underlying asset is held in cold storage by eToro on your behalf. One aspect that makes eToro stand out is that it is offers social trading facilities. Using the platform's copy-trading feature, for example, users can follow and copy the positions of other traders. For more, check out our full eToro review.
Robinhood burst onto the financial services scene in with commission-free trading of stocks and exchange-traded funds ETFs.
How to Buy Bitcoin
It may seem like a small difference, but each coin offers users more opportunity. Binance is the ideal exchange for anyone who would like to trade altcoins or anyone who wants more advanced charting than most other exchanges. When paying for the fees using Bitcoin, the cost to trade one Bitcoin is 0. When paying the fees in BSQ, the fee to trade one Bitcoin is 0.
The premise of Bitcoin itself is that it grants open and free access to a unit of account. Banking products, like a checking or savings account, are only accessible if you have a legally provable government-issued identification. It can be accessed regardless of nationality or location, and without any identification. While many argue that this accessibility opens up possibilities for criminal activity the same could be said about using cash , it also immediately grants units of account to individuals in countries with less-developed banking systems.
There are millions of people in the world who do not have access to bank accounts or means to trade because their countries may not have the proper financial infrastructure, or the individuals may not have government-issued identification. Bitcoin, used in tandem with a decentralized exchange like Bisq, can be a good solution in these cases. Bisq is a downloadable software and peer-to-peer decentralized Bitcoin and crypto exchange. This means that Bisq has no central point of failure and cannot be taken down, much like Bitcoin itself. In that scenario, Coinbase holds the right to seize your funds if it deems your account activity suspicious, whether or not the activity is actually illegal in your location.
Bisq is instantly accessible to anyone with a computer or smartphone as there is no registration process or KYC Know Your Customer rule. This makes it ideal for those looking for privacy, dissidents living within an oppressive regime, or anyone who does not have any government-issued identification. Bisq offers trading of several different fiat currencies including USD, as well as Bitcoin and a number of other cryptocurrencies.
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Its decentralized and peer-to-peer characteristics can mean low trading volumes and slower transactions, but for some, this is well worth it. To choose the best exchange for your needs, it is important to fully understand the types of exchanges. Centralized Exchange. The first and most common type of exchange is the centralized exchange. Popular exchanges that fall into this category are Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, and Gemini. These exchanges are private companies that offer platforms to trade cryptocurrency. These exchanges require registration and identification, also known as the Know Your Customer, or Know Your Client , rule.
The exchanges listed above all have active trading, high volumes, and liquidity. That said, centralized exchanges are not in line with the philosophy of Bitcoin. They run on their own private servers which creates a vector of attack. If the servers of the company were to be compromised, the whole system could be shut down for some time. Worse, sensitive data about its users could be released. The larger, more popular centralized exchanges are by far the easiest on-ramp for new users and they even provide some level of insurance should their systems fail. While this is true, when cryptocurrency is purchased on these exchanges it is stored within their custodial wallets and not in your own wallet that you own the keys to.
The insurance that is provided is only applicable if the exchange is at fault. Should your computer and your Coinbase account, for example, become compromised, your funds would be lost and you would not likely have the ability to claim insurance. This is why it is important to withdraw any large sums and practice safe storage.
Decentralized Exchange. Decentralized exchanges work in the same manner that Bitcoin does. A decentralized exchange has no central point of control. Instead, think of it as a server, except that each computer within the server is spread out across the world and each computer that makes up one part of that server is controlled by an individual. If one of these computers turns off, it has no effect on the network as a whole because there are plenty of other computers that will continue running the network. This is drastically different from one company controlling a server in a single location.
Attacking something that is spread out and decentralized in this manner is significantly more difficult, making any such attacks unrealistic and likely unsuccessful. Due to this decentralization, these types of exchanges cannot be subject to the rules of any regulatory body, as there is no specific person or group running the system.
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The individuals who participate come and go, so there is no one individual or group that a government or regulatory body can realistically pursue. This means that those trading on the platform do not have to declare their identification and are free to use the platform in any manner they choose, whether legal or not. Investopedia is dedicated to helping those interested in cryptocurrency investment make informed and safe decisions. We are committed to providing our readers with unbiased reviews of the top Bitcoin exchanges for investors of all levels. The landscape of cryptocurrency can be quite intimidating.
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I Accept Show Purposes. Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Best Crypto Exchanges Expand. Best Crypto Exchanges. Best Overall : Coinbase and Coinbase Pro. Open Account.
Pros Solid variety of altcoin choices Extremely simple user interface Very high liquidity. Cons High fees when not using Coinbase Pro User does not control wallet keys Fewer altcoin trading options than some other exchanges. Best for Beginners : Cash App.