Buying bitcoin in Africa is possible with several easily accessible payment methods. This guide will look at seven of the most popular methods that Africans are using to purchase bitcoin.

Buying Bitcoin in Africa with Mobile Money

Sub-Saharan Africa is the leading mobile money market in the world. According to a GSMA report, the mobile money transaction value in Sub-Saharan Africa was $456.3 billion in 2019.

Some of the top mobile money providers on the continent are telecom companies like Safaricom, MTN, Econet, Airtel, Orange, Telekom, and Inwi. These companies offer M-Pesa, MTN Mobile Money, EcoCash, Airtel Money, Orange Money, T-Kash, and Inwi Money, respectively.

Since mobile money platforms are easily accessible in most parts of Africa, crypto exchanges and P2P marketplaces have adopted them as payment methods. For example, Paxful supports payments via all of the above mobile money platforms.

The acceptance of mobile money payments on crypto platforms means that buyers can use their local currencies to buy bitcoin.

To buy bitcoin via mobile money, all you need is the seller’s phone number and name. In most cases, the seller should be a subscriber of the mobile money platform you are using to make payment.

Buying Bitcoin in Africa via Bank Transfer

Bank transfers are another popular method of buying bitcoin in Africa. While the number of mobile money subscribers in Africa is increasing rapidly, bank accounts are still relevant. According to data from Statista, 298 million adults in Africa had a bank account in 2017. Therefore, it makes sense that crypto platforms would support bank transfers as well.

Buying bitcoin via a bank transfer on Paxful, for instance, is as easy as transferring money to the bank account details the seller gives you.

Buying Bitcoin in Africa Through Cash in-Person

Paying in cash is also a popular method for buying bitcoin in Africa. You can use this method when you are meeting with a seller or visiting the offices of an exchange platform. Paying in cash is a safer method of purchasing bitcoin as long as you ask to see the BTC first. It is even safer to receive the bitcoin first before handing out the payment.

If you are uncomfortable making bitcoin transactions on a P2P platform or over the phone, you should opt to pay in cash during a face-to-face meeting.

Paxful offers a location filter that you can use to find the most suitable cash in-person deal near you.

Pay With PayPal

PayPal is a global payment method that is accessible by most people across the globe, including Africans. That is why a few crypto platforms like Paxful allow payments through PayPal.

However, many exchanges do not allow PayPal payments because of chargebacks. If you pay for BTC through PayPal, then report a few days later that you did not receive the bitcoin even though you did, PayPal is likely to favour you, the buyer. This means you will get a refund and keep the bitcoin. Since it is difficult to connect the BTC to the original owner, the seller has no evidence to make his case. Therefore, to avoid fraud, most crypto exchanges do not accept PayPal payments.

Nevertheless, platforms that accept this method of payment require buyers to undertake several actions to protect the seller. For example, Paxful advises sellers to ask buyers to write some words on a piece of paper and take a selfie with it. Sellers can use this photo as evidence in case of a dispute. Sellers could also ask buyers to provide an ID, a billing address, and a social media account link to prove their identities.

Pay Via Chipper Cash

Chipper Cash is a cross-border money transfer option that allows users to cash-in from their mobile money wallets. Once you top-up your Chipper wallet, you can send money for free to anyone in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. Chipper plans to expand this service to more African countries.

The cross-border nature of Chipper Cash makes it ideal for buying bitcoin in Africa. So, if you are a Kenyan buyer on Paxful, you can purchase bitcoin from a seller in Ghana and pay via Chipper Cash. The platform uses live exchange rates to process cross-border transactions.

Exchange Other Digital Currencies for BTC

It is possible to exchange one digital currency for another on exchanges and P2P marketplaces. For example, you can exchange ETH on Paxful with a trader accepting this digital currency for selling BTC.

Trading one digital currency for another is suitable if you hold several digital currencies in your wallet. Additionally, you can use this method to make a profit and to accumulate your bitcoin holdings.

Exchange Gift Cards for Bitcoin

If you have an unused gift card that you received during Christmas, you can use it to buy bitcoin on a platform like Paxful. Alternatively, you can buy a gift card with cash then use it to buy bitcoin.

When buying bitcoin on Paxful with an Amazon gift card, for instance, you should take a high-resolution picture showing the codes on the physical card. Additionally, you should take a photo of the receipt showing you bought the gift card in cash.

It is easy to purchase bitcoin with a gift card, especially if you have one lying around unused or with a balance. Some of the gift cards that you can trade for bitcoin on Paxful include Amazon, Apple, Sephora, American Express, Asos, and Forever 21.

Some Africans abroad are using gift cards to send money to their relatives back home. To illustrate, a man in London sends his wife back in Nigeria an Amazon gift card worth $200. The wife then sells the gift card for bitcoin, and perhaps make a small profit. She then sells the bitcoin for more profit and cashes out in Naira.

Now that you know the most popular methods of buying bitcoin in Africa, you can learn how to trade bitcoin safely and securely in this guide.