Where do you buy bitcoin?

It is much easier to buy bitcoin today than it was a few years ago. Several developed countries now have regulated bitcoin marketplaces where you can buy bitcoin online. When choosing a bitcoin exchange you need to consider your country of citizenship, your local currency, how much bitcoin you want to buy, and how reputable the service is.

Buy Bitcoin with a Bank Account

LocalBitcoins.com is an alternative type of exchange that lets you buy bitcoins from someone near you.  There is the only exchange that lets you buy bitcoin with cold hard cash.  That’s right, you can find a seller to meet in person, or make a deposit into their bank account.  LocalBitcoins operates worldwide and lets accepts more fiat currencies than any other exchange.  You may have to pay a premium but this is the fastest way to buy bitcoins.

OKCoin.com is another very large exchange that competes with Bitfinex for trade volume. OKCoin has markets for USD and CNY, and separate markets for trading bitcoin and litecoin futures. The offer up to 20x leverage for margin traders, which is far more than offered at Bitfinex. They also tend to have higher prices so would not recommend OKCoin as the best place to buy bitcoin, but it is a great place to trade bitcoin if you want to play the market or try trading bitcoin futures.  It only takes about 30 minutes to deposit bitcoin and start trading.  OKCoin is a safe haven for hedge funds who want to make a killing trading bitcoin.

**OKCoin no longer accepts deposits from U.S. customers.  Wealthy U.S. Investors should use Bitfinex, they have the best liquidity and fee model for larger traders.

CoinMama.com is one of the fastest ways to buy bitcoin because you don’t have to wait for a bank transfer.  They make it easy for new investors to signup by email and buy bitcoin with cash or a credit card on the same day.   Bitcoins at CoinMama are priced slightly higher than other exchanges, but you will find that with any bitcoin service that focuses on speed and convenience.  Coinmama is the ideal way for investors to buy a small amount of BTC quickly.  **CoinMama does not accept U.S. customers.