Best Crypto Exchanges in Europe

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eToroeToro

eToro is a trading platform and crypto exchange. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Zcash and many other coins.

Deposits can be made quickly via bank transfer, SEPA, NETELLER, PayPal and more. It also offers unique features like copy trading.

Cryptoasset investing is highly volatile and unregulated in some EU countries. No consumer protection. Tax on profits may apply.

Visit eToro's Website

Pros
  • Offers unique copy trading feature
  • Trusted exchange that has been active in traditional finance
  • Interface is clean and easy to use
Cons
  • You cannot deposit cryptocurrency, but you can deposit with other payment methods
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Ease of Use
Easy
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Privacy
Low
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Speed
Average
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Fees
Low
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Reputation
Trusted
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Limits
High

BitpandaBitpanda

Bitpanda is a Bitcoin broker based in Europe.

They have high payment limits and low fees across their wide range of payment methods.

Bitpanda offers customers the option to buy bitcoins with credit card, debit card, SOFORT, Skrill, NETELLER, giropay, eps, SEPA, and Online Bank Transfer.

Visit Bitpanda's Website

Pros
  • Some of the lowest fees for buying bitcoins with credit/debit card
  • Reliable and trusted broker
Cons
  • Fees aren't shown openly on the site but instead included in the buying price
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Ease of Use
Easy
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Privacy
Low
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Speed
Fast
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Fees
Low
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Reputation
Trusted
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Limits
High

CoinbaseCoinbase

Coinbase is the world's largest Bitcoin (BTC) broker. They represent an easy and fast way for new users to purchase bitcoins. Coinbase supports customers in over 30 countries, including the United States, Europe, UK, Singapore, and Canada.

Customers in the above-mentioned countries can purchase bitcoins by debit card, bank transfer, SEPA transfer, and more.

Get $5 in free bitcoin after you sign up on Coinbase and make your first trade. Visit Coinbase's Website

Pros
  • High liquidity and buying limits
  • Easy way for newcomers to get bitcoins
  • "Instant Buy" option available with debit card
Cons
  • Purchases made with bank transfer can take up to 5 days to complete
  • Coinbase may track how and where you spend your bitcoins
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Ease of Use
Easy
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Privacy
Low
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Speed
Average
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Fees
Average
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Reputation
Trusted
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Limits
High

BitstampBitstamp

Bitstamp is one of the world's largest and most well-known Bitcoin & crypto exchanges. Deposits can be made through bank transfer, SEPA transfer, international bank wire, and now even credit cards.

Pros
  • One of the longest-running Bitcoin exchanges
  • Very low 0.25% fee, falling to 0.1% with sufficient trading volume
  • Offers wide range of altcoins
Cons
  • High 8% fee on small credit card purchases, falling to 5% with sufficient trading volume
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Ease of Use
Hard
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Privacy
Low
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Speed
Slow
fees icon
Fees
Average
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Reputation
Trusted
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Limits
High

BityBity

Bity is a Bitcoin exchange and ATM operator, based in Switzerland. Their 5 ATMs allow for a quick first purchase and only require phone verification for an initial buy limit of 1,000 EUR or CHF. Their online service accepts wire transfers, SOFORT and online bank transfers.

Pros
  • Easy to start buying bitcoins after mobile phone verification
  • Payment limit of up to €100,000 annually after intensive verification
Cons
  • ID verification is required for most purchases, so not a private way to buy
  • Low annual limit of only €4,000 without intensive verification
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Ease of Use
Average
privacy icon
Privacy
Low
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Speed
Fast
fees icon
Fees
Low
reputation icon
Reputation
Trusted
limits icon
Limits
High

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Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Trading in Europe


Europe is a mega-hub for Bitcoin and crypto trading. As Europe boasts some of the wealthiest and most technologically advanced democracies on Earth(1), its no wonder that so many countries are going wild for Bitcoin.

Among the most confident in Bitcoin are countries like Poland, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.

crypto exchange europe

Bitflyer, a crypto exchange based in Luxembourg, released its updated Cryptocurrency Confidence Index, which is a yearly survey of citizens across all of Europe to determine their appetite and confidence in Bitcoin and crypto more broadly.(2)

It is pleasing to see these results that indicate a slow but steady progression of cryptocurrencies into the mainstream consciousness. Although we might look at this as an achievement for digital currencies in spite of the challenging economic times we are facing, it is also worth considering that this may well be partly because of these times.

It is interesting to see that countries like Italy which have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis are expressing more faith than ever in cryptocurrencies.

andy bryantAndy Bryant COO, Bitflyer crypto exchange
And with all of this enthusiasm for Bitcoin and crypto in general, comes a TON of exchanges and services too.

One of the easiest ways to buy Bitcoin in Europe is through cryptocurrency exchanges. There are several exchanges offering Bitcoin in Europe, allowing you to select one based on your requirements and preferences using our guide outlined above.

Different exchanges have different transaction fees, withdrawal limits, payment modes, and verification processes that need to be kept in mind before users select one.

Additionally, Bitcoin buyers need to keep in mind that certain exchanges might require you to get a wallet of your own before being able to buy the digital currency. Even if there is no requirement, it is recommended to have a wallet of your own for security reasons (preferably a hardware wallet). If you don’t have a wallet, refer to our guide on the Best Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Wallets to choose one.

Another way to buy Bitcoins in Europe is through automated teller machines (ATMs). These ATMs allow users to instantly purchase the cryptocurrency using cash, and most of them don’t require any verification either, thereby ensuring the buyer’s anonymity.

You can locate Bitcoin ATMs in Europe using our Bitcoin ATM Map. As of November 2022, there are almost 1500 ATMs in Europe operated by over 160 operators.

No matter which method you choose, just be sure to follow our guides and do your own research. Bitcoin is an amazing technology but there are a lot of pitfalls out there. Stay safe!


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Exchange Hacks and Crypto Scams in Europe


The Finiko Ponzi Scheme of 2021

A 2021 report by Chainalysis showed that Eastern Europe and Western Europe were in the top 5 regions with the highest rate of transaction addresses to scam sites including TheFiniko(dot)com. The Finiko ponzi scheme, based in Russia, offered high-yield returns on bitcoin holdings. Eventually, individuals were unable to access their accounts. A total of 750 BTC was thought to have been withdrawn from one of the wallets used by Finiko. Chainalysis reports over $1.5 billion in bitcoin from investors was deposited in the scam from December 2019 to August 2021.

COVID-19 Opportunism in 2020

During the worldwide pandemic, scammers in Europe were taking advantage of the crisis by impersonating Red Cross workers and offering to sell medical supplies to groups in need. What they were really doing was gathering personal information and/or soliciting donations paid in crypto that never made it to the Red Cross.


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She made wild promises about how successful it would be. That it would be a 'Bitcoin Killer'.

However, several investors and outside skeptics eventually pieces together that there was actually no blockchain. It was merely a SQL database being centrally hosted. And worst of all, there was no way to convert OneCoin coins into US dollar or any other currency for that matter.

Eventually, under increased scrutiny and pressure to create an exchange that allowed investors to dump their OneCoins, Ignatova ran away with the Bitcoin and no one knows for sure where she went to this day.

OneCoin represents the largest cryptocurrency scam in the history of industry and perhaps the history of the world.

Optioment Scam

As reported by Bloomberg, in February of 2018, Interpol made mass arrests on a group of scammers spread out across Denmark, Germany, and Latvia. These scammers defrauded hundreds of victims in Austria, Poland, Germany, and several other Eastern European companies. The scam firm, known as 'Optioment' claimed to deliver its customers with returns of 4% a week through arbitrage trading of cryptocurrencies.(3)


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Instead, the whole operation was likely a pyramid and ponzi-scheme that eventually resulted in an exit scam

For an in-depth coverage of this story, check out this fantastic BBC article on OneCoin.(4)

CryptoCore Phishing Scams

From 2018 to 2020, a cybercriminal group known as CryptoCore attacked several high profile crypto exchanges in the US, Asia, and the Middle East. According to Research from ClearSky, CryptoCore managed to steal around $200 million US dollars worth of cryptocurrency by phishing the corporate credentials of employees of target exchanges.

2gether Exchange Hack

In August of 2020, Spanish cryptocurrency exchange 2gether's CEO Ramon Ferraz Estrada announced via Twitter that the exchange had been hacked for $1.4 million worth of cryptocurrency.


2gether crypto exchange hack tweet

The executives of the company then claimed they did not have the money to pay users back and that customers were simply out of luck.

“In the two days following the attack, we’ve been working on finding the funds needed to cover all positions....and until a few minutes ago, we’ve been working with an investment group with which we sadly haven’t been able to reach an agreement,”


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FAQ


Does Coinbase work in Europe?

Coinbase works in some European countries. See the list below for the most up to date support for Europe.


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This shows all kinds of support provided to each European country

Where Can I Find a Bitcoin ATM in Europe?

European countries vary when it comes to prevalence of Bitcoin ATMs. The best thing to do is to check our pages for each country for more detailed information on each specific country.

You can use our Bitcoin ATM finder tool to find the one nearest you.

What is the price of Bitcoin in Europe?

Bitcoin prices are changing every second.

The best way to find the most up-to-date price of Bitcoin is to check out our Bitcoin price page.

How do I send money to Europe using Bitcoin?

Sending Bitcoin to someone in Europe is the same as it is for anyone outside of Europe.

Both you and the person you want to send Bitcoin to should get a wallet.

Once the recipient has a wallet, they will give you a sending address.

You will create a Bitcoin transaction in your wallet (which you already have some Bitcoin in), and you will input their address as your destination.

This video shows you in more detail what this process might look like since almost all wallets look and act more or less the same.

Is there a Bitcoin ETF in Europe?

In July, a Swiss based financial products company named 21Shares announced that its Bitcoin ETF had been accepted to be listed on Xetra, Deutsche Boerse’s electronic trading venue.

The listing on Xetra not only strengthens our current position in Germany but also opens up institutional-grade crypto products to the wider European and international markets

laurent kssisLaurent Kssis managing director, 21Shares

There is another ETF offered by London-based investment firm ETC Group.

How do I cash out of Bitcoin in Europe?

Any exchange with a Euro trading pair will allow you to sell your Bitcoin for fiat currency. Bitpanda and Coinmama has EUR trading pairs for many popular coins.

Article Sources

BuyBitcoinWorldWide writers are subject-matter experts and base their articles on firsthand information, like interviews with experts, white papers or original studies and experience. We also use trusted research and studies from other well-known sources. You can learn more about our editorial guidelines.

  1. Wikipedia - Europe, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe
  2. Bitflyer - Confidence in cryptocurrency increases across European populations year-on-year despite ongoing coronavirus crisis , https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200428005938/en/bitFlyer%C2%A0Confidence-in-cryptocurrency-increases-across-European-populations-year-on-year-despite-ongoing-coronavirus-crisis
  3. Bloomberg - Austrian Bitcoin ‘Scam’ Triggers Police Search Across Europe, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-02-15/austrian-bitcoin-scam-triggers-police-search-across-europe
  4. BBC - Crypto queen: How this woman scammed the world, then vanished, https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-50435014

About the Author

jordan tuwiner

Jordan Tuwiner is the founder of BuyBitcoinWorldwide.com. He studied computer science at Towson University. Jordan has been writing about Bitcoin since 2015. His work has been featured in The Guardian, International Business Times, Forbes, VentureBeat, CoinDesk and many other top Bitcoin media outlets.



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