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Key Takeaways
Luno Luno allows residents of Malaysia to buy bitcoins with Ringgit MYR. Customers can use FPX. The company has instructions on how to deposit easily with MayBank, CIMB Clicks, Public Bank, RHB, Hong Leong Bank or AmBank. Visit Luno's Website
Paybis Paybis is a popular cryptocurrency exchange. They serve 180 countries and 48 US states and are registered with FinCEN, making them a more trusted, regulated exchange. Paybis offers incredibly high limits and super fast payouts, not to mention 5 minute ID verification and nearly perfect review scores on Trustpilot.
Bitcoin ATMs You can use our Bitcoin ATM map to buy bitcoins with cash. Bitcoin ATMs can be a quick and easy way to buy bitcoins and they're also private. That convenience and privacy, however, comes with a price; most ATMs have fees of 5-10%. View Bitcoin ATMs
Malaysia has recently implemented a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, with a view of recognizing them as securities. Consequently, cryptocurrencies are to be overseen by the Malaysian Securities Commission. This measure is in alignment with the government’s positive outlook on cryptocurrencies, aiming to foster their adoption and integration into the country's digital economy.
The implications of these regulations may pose immediate challenges to exchanges, mandating them to undergo review by the Commission and to exhibit stringent security measures. The services of those failing to meet the prescribed criteria will be terminated. However, this regulatory stride is perceived as a catalyst for long-term growth in the cryptocurrency sector.
Malaysia is steering efforts to proliferate the adoption of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin by establishing a conducive and regulated environment, potentially unlocking new avenues in the financial ecosystem and the broader economy.
As of September 2023, our comprehensive guide to buying Bitcoin in Malaysia outlines a variety of cryptocurrency exchanges available for users to trade Bitcoin. However, prospective buyers should be cognizant of the new regulatory landscape, which could potentially affect the operation of some cryptocurrency exchanges in the country, necessitating the acquisition of a secure wallet to store Bitcoins.
Once a suitable wallet and exchange are selected, users are required to register, verify their identity, add a payment method, deposit funds, and can then proceed to purchase Bitcoin. Alternatively, Bitcoin can also be acquired instantly from ATMs without the need for verification, albeit with higher transaction fees ranging between 5% and 10%.
In conclusion, the progressive outlook of the Malaysian government towards cryptocurrencies is fostering an environment where the adoption and utilization of Bitcoin are continually on the rise, providing users with a plethora of options to trade and spend their Bitcoins.
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In 2020, the International Monetary Fund stated that the economy of Malaysia is the 6th largest in Southeast Asia and the 39th largest economy in the world. The Malaysian economy is a strong one based tech product exports.(1)
The Malaysian government does not recognize cryptocurrencies as legal tender, but it has announced that they are not banned. Still, the government has issued a few regulations where it requires exchanges to take serious measures in protecting users and their assets.
If you want to get exposure to Bitcoin, one of the easiest ways to do so in Malaysia is through the cryptocurrency exchanges outlined above. There are several exchanges offering Bitcoin in Malaysia, and you can easily select one based on your requirements and preferences using our guide. 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 the fact that certain exchanges might require them to get a wallet of their own before they are able to buy the digital currency. Also, it is recommended to have a wallet of your own for security reasons, preferably a hardware wallet.
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In 2019, a group of nine scammers in Malaysia promised investors in their cryptocurrency scheme returns of up to 15% a week. The minimum investment in their digital currency AliCoin was 10,000 ALiCoins or MYR47,000. This group even used the cryptocurrency AliCoin platform, to which every investor had access to follow their money/investments.
But soon, the victims realized that they had been deceived: they had no access to the cryptocurrency platform and did not receive any of the promised profits.(3)
The Malaysian police eventually arrested the perpetrators of the scam and charged them with fraud.
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A video of crypto mining equipment being destroyed in Malaysia went viral in July 2021.
It was reported that Malaysian authorities seized 1,069 bitcoin mining rigs, laid them out in a parking lot at police headquarters, and used a steamroller to crush them. This was part of a joint operation between law enforcement and electric utility Sarawak Energy. Assistant Commissioner of Police Hakemal Hawari, said the miners were siphoning off power from the energy company and allegedly stole $2 million worth of electricity.(4)
If you are going to mine Bitcoin, pay for the electricity.
Better yet, most people buy their Bitcoin directly from an exchange, rather than investing in expensive mining hardware and paying an arm and a leg for electricity.
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Coinbase does NOT support customers in Malaysia as of November 2023.
As of September 2023, we researched and found only one Bitcoin ATM in Malaysia and it is located in Kuala Lumpur.
You can use our Bitcoin ATM finder tool to check back in occasionally and see if more are installed.
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.
Any exchange with a Malaysian ringgit trading pair will allow you to sell your Bitcoin for fiat currency. Luno has MYR trading pairs for many popular coins.
Another way to sell Bitcoins is through automated teller machines (ATMs). Unfortunately you need to be in Kuala Lumpur to locate the only ATM in Malaysia that we found in 2023.
Tracto is a now-defunct altcoin that claimed to be cheaper and faster than Bitcoin.
Tracto was first invented and launched in Malaysia, but today there is no trading activity.
Tracto is a very good example of why you should be very suspicious of altcoins, especially those that claim to do anything better than bitcoin.
In most cases, these coins have very poor development practices and are simply invented to make the founders money, cashing in on blockchain hype.
They often claim to be decentralized (some even claim to be more decentralized than Bitcoin), but never are. Tracto was a good example of this as well.
Tracto described itself as follows:
Since Tracto is no longer around, it clearly failed to deliver on its promises, like most altcoins.
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.
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