The complications when you buy Bitcoin with Paypal are well-known: many individuals have sold their bitcoins on Paypal to buyers who have then claimed chargebacks, in essence leaving the seller without their cryptocurrency or funds from the sale.

Thankfully, there are many other ways to buy Bitcoin nowadays, and to do so on safe, regulated platforms. In our eToro review, we have found eToro to be the best platform for purchasing bitcoin through Paypal, while Plus500 is a good option if you want to trade Bitcoin CFDs. Read on to find the steps you should take to buy Bitcoin on these platforms and on more exchanges, all of which will be reviewed in detail in this article.

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How to Buy BTC with Paypal in 5 Steps Sign up to eToro Select Paypal as a payment option Deposit funds Search for bitcoin in the search bar Click on buy, enter the amount and click on place order

Best Overall Platform to Buy bitcoin with Paypal

The best site for buying bitcoin with paypal is eToro, based on its low fees, regulation and ability to copy successful crypto traders. It’s US friendly and also offers a wallet to store your coins. Click the table below to visit their site today.

eToro: Best Platform to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal (US Friendly too!) Our Rating 15+ Cryptos + Wallet Available

$50 Minimum Deposit for US & Australian users

Accepts PayPal

US Friendly Visit Site 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Crypto assets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection.

Alternative Platform to Buy Cryptocurrency with Paypal and Sell Cryptocurrency CFDs

If you want to trade cryptocurrency CFD’s (speculate on the price without owning the asset), then Plus500 allows you to deposit via Paypal. It’s not available to US customers, but does accept customers from Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Being a LSE listed company and holding various licenses, your funds will be in safe hands. Plus500 also offers 24/7 customer service which is definitely something to consider. Get started today with only $/€/£100.

Plus500: Regulated broker to trade Bitcoin CFDs CySEC & FCA regulated platform

Has the most popular crypto pairs

No fees on Paypal deposits

Free demo account Open Free Account 80.5% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Why should I buy Bitcoin with Paypal? First of all, it’s very quick – you can make a transaction within 3 clicks if you have an existing Paypal account. Secondly, it’s only regulated and reputable platforms such as eToro and Plus500 that integrate Paypal. If anything goes wrong, you can successful file chargebacks through Paypal and these companies will be held accountable. When you buy bitcoin through exchanges and using debit card, you’re at the mercy of unregulated websites and dodgy payment providers. This has been seen in the case of scam products such as First of all, it’s very quick – you can make a transaction within 3 clicks if you have an existing Paypal account. Secondly, it’s only regulated and reputable platforms such as eToro and Plus500 that integrate Paypal. If anything goes wrong, you can successful file chargebacks through Paypal and these companies will be held accountable. When you buy bitcoin through exchanges and using debit card, you’re at the mercy of unregulated websites and dodgy payment providers. This has been seen in the case of scam products such as Bitcoin Trader and Bitcoin Revolution . For now we will be focusing on trusted platforms.

In this article In this tutorial you will find listed the easiest, most detailed ways to buy Bitcoin with Paypal on these providers: eToro (US friendly) Plus500o (non-US customers) LocalBitcoins (US Friendly) Coinbase (US Friendly) VirWoX (US Friendly) Paxful (US Friendly) BitPanda Wirex (US Friendly)

How to buy Bitcoin with Paypal – step by step

eToro - US friendly Unlike on exchanges, buying Bitcoin with Paypal on eToro is a very straightforward process which is why we recommend this platform over others. Step 1: Register an account Go to the eToro website and register an account by clicking “Sign up.” You will need to fill out your information on the form that appears and then submit the form to get your account set up. But you also have the option of signing up using your Google or Facebook account to skip filling the form. Step 2: Verify Identity As a regulated platform, eToro requires all users to submit to KYC and AML procedures. For this you will need to upload your ID, driving license or passport. Though you do not have to do this simply to purchase Bitcoin, you can only sell it on the site if you are verified user. Step 3: Fund Your eToro Wallet and Buy Bitcoin You can fund your account using a bank transfer or buy Bitcoin with a debit card and then buy Bitcoin within the wallet. eToro supports numerous payment methods including eWallets Neteller, Skrill and PayPal. Select PayPal if that is your preferred payment method and then make your first deposit. For a beginner, $200 is a good amount to start with as it’s the minimum deposit required you learn how the platform works. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection.

Plus500 - Non-U.S. (Europe and rest of the world) Step 1

Step 2

Step 3 If you’re in Europe or in the rest of the world and want to buy/sell Bitcoin with PayPal, we recommend Plus500. The first thing you’ll have to do is sign up to Plus500 by clicking here. Doing that is very quick and straight forward. All you need to do is go on the official website and fill in the account creation form with your email address and password. You will then have to verify your phone number to confirm your identity. Before being able to make a deposit, you will have to fill in a questionnaire in accordance with ESMA restrictions. You will first be asked to fill in a short form with your personal details, including your full name, home address, country of residence and date of birth. You will then have to answer a few questions about your financial circumstances, including your income, reasons for trading. After that, you will have to answer a few more questions about your trading experience and knowledge. At this point, you will be able to make the deposit by simply clicking on “deposit” in the “funds” of your account. It is there that you will be able to select PayPal as a payment method. The minimum deposit for you to get started with trading on Plus500 is $100. Once you have made your deposit, all you have to do is click on “trade” in the menu on the left side of the page. There you will find your trading space. If you scroll down you will find the option of trading cryptocurrencies. When you find Bitcoin, you will be able to trade with it by clicking on “sell” or “buy”. It really is as simple as that. Visit Plus500 80.5% of retail investor accounts lose when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the risk of losing your money.

LocalBitcoins What is LocalBitcoins?

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Step 3 Local bitcoins is a P2P website that sets up a marketplace for users to buy and sell their Bitcoins. If the word eBay comes to mind, then you’re exactly right. LocalBitcoins is like an eBay for cryptocurrencies. You will find users buying and selling cryptocurrency, and some of these users might just as well take PayPal as a payment method. Usually the way it works is, you browse their platform and look for a user that is selling bitcoins at the price you’re looking to buy, then you initiate conversation with the buyer. Once all the details have been agreed to, you proceed on to buy bitcoins with PayPal. LocalBitcoins is sought after by many users, as the cryptocurrency there are rather cheaper than the ones bought from other exchanges. Visit LocalBitcoins.com To create an account, you need to first go on their homepage and fill out your details like name, last name, phone number and email. Once you confirm those details, you will receive a confirmation email to activate your account. Now the next step is to locate the users that are willing to let you buy btc with PayPal. You can filter searches on LocalBitcoins to match that. Once you’ve found a user that is selling at a reasonable price (always research the price), you can either drop them a message and try to haggle the price a little bit, or proceed on to buy Bitcoin with PayPal. Once everything has been agreed to, your funds will remain in LocalBitcoins’ escrow to prevent any fraud or scamming. Once both parties have accepted and released funds, you will be able to receive the bitcoins bought with PayPal. You can even check how much you will receive with an updated price on their calculator widget.

Coinbase What is Coinbase

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Withdrawing from Coinbase to PayPal Coinbase is one of the oldest and most trustworthy exchanges in crypto history. In fact, Coinbase has been hacked in the past, but it is actually one of the only exchanges that are up to date with SEC’s rules and regulations for cryptocurrencies. Coinbase is actually sought after for its wallet feature. They allow their users to create an account and a wallet without needing to perform a KYC process. You only need to identity yourself if you want to buy cryptocurrencies via Coinbase. Visit Coinbase A few things to consider before you Buy Bitcoin with Paypal on Coinbase: PayPal at the moment is strictly enabled for withdrawals, so theoretically you cannot link a PayPal account and purchase Bitcoin directly with it.

PayPal at the moment is strictly enabled for withdrawals, so theoretically you cannot link a PayPal account and purchase Bitcoin directly with it. In order to withdraw sold Bitcoin and FIAT currency to your PayPal account from Coinbase you’ll first need to find your account preferences.

Once under “Linked Accounts”, click on the “Link a New Account” button in blue at the top right of the page. Once selected, click the panel that says “PayPal”. Once you’ve found your account’s preferences & settings then navigate to the “Linked Accounts” tab:Once under “Linked Accounts”, click on the “Link a New Account” button in blue at the top right of the page. Once selected, click the panel that says “PayPal”. Once you’ve clicked the PayPal panel button, a new window asking you to login to your PayPal account should load. On this page, enter your PayPal credentials, and select yes to any proper terms or requirements that are necessary. Once completed, you’ve linked your PayPal account for processing withdrawals. In order to actually withdraw using PayPal on Coinbase, you’ll need to convert any of your cryptocurrencies into fiat amounts; then, you can go to “Withdraw” on the traditional homepage, and simply select your PayPal account. Currently, as of writing, you cannot deposit or purchase Bitcoin using PayPal, only withdraw fiat after the Bitcoin has been sold to regulated currency. Coinbase used to allow their users to buy and sell Bitcoin with PayPal on their platform, but along the years that feature has been on and off. You will find web that Coinbase allows its American users to buy bitcoins with PayPal, but that’s actually a false statement. Recently, Coinbase has updated their method for selling cryptocurrency and sending payments via PayPal to their users. That is a major improvement, but you still can’t buy bitcoin with PayPal on Coinbase. Although Coinbase has millions of users in their database, and many positive aspects, they have a few negative points that should be something to consider.

BitPanda What is BitPanda

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BitPanda is an exchange that sells Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It was founded in 2014, and its initial name was Coinimal. Although Bitpanda sells cryptocurrencies in several countries, its origin is from Vienna, Austria.As a matter of fact, Bitpanda works together with the Austrian authorities to prevent any fraud and money laundering attempts. They offer on their platform not only Bitcoin, but the majority of the coins available on the market. BitPanda is an exchange that sells Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It was founded in 2014, and its initial name was Coinimal. Although Bitpanda sells cryptocurrencies in several countries, its origin is from Vienna, Austria.As a matter of fact, Bitpanda works together with the Austrian authorities to prevent any fraud and money laundering attempts. They offer on their platform not only Bitcoin, but the majority of the coins available on the market. Visit Bitpanda Initially, the users were allowed to buy bitcoin with PayPal on Bitpanda, but unfortunately their partnership ceased to exist, as they announced on twitter in February of 2017 due to conflict of interests between PayPal and Bitpanda. In the same year the announcement that users wouldn’t be able to buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Bitpanda was made, they won an award for the best Fintech company in Europe, which made them one of the most important exchanges that sell cryptocurrencies in Europe. They have in their platform over 1,000,000 users and Bitcoin account created.

Buy Bitcoin on VirWox What is VirWox

Step 1 VirWox is an online payment provider and forex exchange, that was made famous for allowing their users to exchange money for a virtual currency SLL (Second Life Linden Dollars) that is used in the virtual game Second Life.

If you think about that, this was actually one of the first original crypto currencies. Although it’s not decentralized, it still consisted in buying virtual currency to exchange for items and goods in game, or exchange the SLL back into USD. The way you can Buy Bitcoins with VirWox on PayPal used to be very straightforward. All you needed to do was buy the SLL with USD via PayPal, and then buy the BTC with SLL. Visit VirWox

The reason why we said it used to be easy is because as of January 2019, PayPal has suspended all activities on VirWox. Due to the high volume of bitcoin purchases, and PayPal not being able to verify the identity of the people buying and selling, they decided to cut back on the partnership and stop offering their services on VirWox. That is quite a shame, as VirWox’s method of exchanging currency for SLL was very efficient in preventing any chargeback. Virwox issued a Proof of Purchase to whoever bought bitcoins, thus preventing any chargeback on the user end. Buying bitcoins with PayPal on VirWox was actually one of the only reasons why they had such a high volume of bitcoin sales, as their commission fees are higher than the average exchange. Another negative aspect is that their KYC method is taking much longer now, and new users should get their accounts approved within 48 hours.

Wirex What is Wirex

Step 1 Wirex is a company that is similar to PayPal and VirWox in a sense. This company is also a payment provider, and what Wirex does is let their users buy Bitcoin with a credit card or debit cards (virtual and physical). Once you create an account with Wirex, you can use both the Virtual and Physical cards to buy bitcoins on their platform, so just select the one that is more convenient for you. Visit Wirex The next step is funding your Wirex account, which you can do by several payment methods, including PayPal. To add funds with PayPal, select the ‘Wallet’ option. This is not a Bitcoin wallet, rather it’s your wallet section that contains the payment methods in your Wirex account. Once you’ve added a payment method, and added funds to your Wirex account, you just need to select the ‘Buy Bitcoin’ option, and you should be able to buy your bitcoins with PayPal via Wirex.

Buy Bitcoin with Paypal on Paxful What is Paxful?

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Step 2 Paxful is a marketplace for buying and selling bitcoins. At core, Paxful is a platform that offers the service of Bitcoin Wallets, as well as payment system. They offer many ways to buy bitcoins, including buying Bitcoins with PayPal. Their website is one of the most friendly websites available for buying and selling bitcoins. They are not an exchange, but rather are a brokerage firm that earns its profit on the commissions made from trades by their users. Visit Paxful Once you’ve selected the amount of Bitcoins you want to purchase, you can select your preferred payment method and currency. You can choose between the option to buy or sell Bitcoins on the main page. Once you’ve entered the amount you want to purchase, click on either Search for random results, or ‘Give me the best’ for the best offers available. For this tutorial, we clicked on the ‘Search’ button. Once the results load, you will see that you can scroll between the different options on the left hand side. The prices sometimes are unfathomable and just much higher than the normal. The reason for that, is because you don’t need to upload your KYC and identity if you want to buy Bitcoins with PayPal on Paxful. You can only buy a fraction, and raising the overall price, raises the price of the fraction. The sellers are pretty much taking advantage of the buyers’ privacy options. As you can see, you don’t need an ID, receipt or verification needed to buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Paxful. You are, however, limited to a trade or purchase limit.

Buy Bitcoin with PayPal in Your Country

UK US and Canada Now that you are familiar with all the methods that you can buy Bitcoin with PayPal, it’s time to show you the best method in the UK. The best method to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal in the UK is via eToro. The reason for that is because their platform is regulated by CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) and the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority). You can buy and store real bitcoins on the eToro platform, or trade them using leverage. Once you’ve bought you’ve made your initial deposit on eToro, you just need to Click on the Bitcoin market in the overview screen in the platform, and click on the buy button. eToro is also the best option if you’re from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. The best method to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal in the US is via eToro and for Canada we suggest Local Bitcoins. Although they are a P2P platform, you will find that the offer for people selling Bitcoin with PayPal is really high. Remember though, before buying Bitcoin with PayPal on LocalBitcoins, make sure the seller is legit and trustworthy.

Tips on How to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal

Verification Apply as much account verification, preferably maximum, as possible prior to trying to make purchases. The reasoning for doing this sooner rather than later is because not all exchanges and crypto providers that allow for PayPal integration have the exact same regulatory process. Therefore, you could find yourself continuously entering the same repetitive information over and over when after the whole time you could have taken a bit of time prior, filled out all parameters, and went from there.

Trustworthy Always check for phishing links. PayPal phishing links are not uncommon at all. Phishing links are fake pages that replicate real PayPal logins and popup asking you for your login tricking the user into thinking they are a verified processor. After entering the details, the window dissolves, and the phishing link takes the login information for the PayPal. To protect against this, always check for security on your popups as well as any cryptocurrency exchanges you’re using that enables PayPal integration. For example, try to find safety indicators such as these if you’re using Chrome. It’s important to consider security during the Bitcoin era.

Do Your Research Research as much as possible. If you’re unsure if you can buy Bitcoin on an exchange, try to contact an official team member. Do your due diligence as well. Lower-tier and lesser-known sites are more likely to be scams.

Bitcoin vs PayPal

Understanding the core differences and similarities between PayPal and Bitcoin are quintessential in extracting their absolute usability. It’s more beneficial to see how they are similar initially, as most users are more accustomed to either Bitcoin or PayPal already and simply want to learn more about the latter.

Similarities Both Bitcoin and PayPal are payment methods

Both Bitcoin and PayPal are payment methods Both are used as a P2P payment system

Both are used as a P2P payment system Both are used to create fast, less costly transactions online

Both are used to create fast, less costly transactions online Bitcoin and PayPal are both technology that aim to streamline the payment process for all users digitally

Bitcoin and PayPal are both technology that aim to streamline the payment process for all users digitally Both Bitcoin and PayPal enable international transfers and direct integration with online platforms

Differences Bitcoin itself is a currency, whereas PayPal itself is not a currency or transferrable entity/asset

Bitcoin itself is a currency, whereas PayPal itself is not a currency or transferrable entity/asset PayPal works with banks and individuals to process their payments serving almost like a gateway; Bitcoin is decentralised

PayPal works with banks and individuals to process their payments serving almost like a gateway; Bitcoin is decentralised Bitcoin uses a distributed ledger technology to show validated transactions. PayPal relies on Banks to verify the transactions

Bitcoin uses a distributed ledger technology to show validated transactions. PayPal relies on Banks to verify the transactions Once a payment has been released with Bitcoin, it cannot be cancelled. PayPal has a chargeback feature to cancel payments

Once a payment has been released with Bitcoin, it cannot be cancelled. PayPal has a chargeback feature to cancel payments Bitcoin uses cryptography and users do not need to be identified. You need to upload your passport/ID, or enter your bank details to open a PayPal account

Is Bitcoin better than PayPal or vice-versa?

Bitcoin is not necessarily better than PayPal and PayPal is not explicitly better than Bitcoin because they’re in two different playing fields.

Theoretically, Bitcoin enables faster transactions, settlement, and confirmation speeds at fractions of the cost that PayPal enables them, however, this is because PayPal accommodates to fiat currencies, the currently most liquid form of payment available.

Although Bitcoin may maintain an internal technical advantage, liquidity and adoption also come into play; virtually 95% of all modern day outlets that you use allow for PayPal integration, whereas only a small finite percentage allows for Bitcoin processing.

That is their tradeoff and the subsequent argument that arises. While Bitcoin can technically prove more efficient than PayPal as a form of processing, it has multiple growing pains that it must overcome to be named significantly better than PayPal.

Reasons to buy Bitcoin with PayPal KYC Procedure No Bank Details Instant Payments or Transfers Supported by Well Known Exchanges Chargeback A KYC, or Know your Customer procedure, is used by banks and payment providers to prevent money laundering and fraudulent activity. Most serious exchanges and platforms that sell cryptocurrency requires that their users submit their documents for a KYC procedure. With PayPal, you have to do that anyways if you want to start sending and receiving payments. That’s right! When you buy Bitcoin with PayPal, you don’t need to share your bank or payment details with exchanges or 3rd party websites. PayPal takes care of all the transaction for you. Another good quality of PayPal is that nearly every transaction, upon verified with your bank or institution, is made instantly. The same goes for receiving payments with PayPal. It’s not as fast as cryptocurrencies, but it’s a great method to send and receive payments or transfers. Let’s face it. These exchanges rely on the Distributed Ledger Technology, which makes them decentralised. Just like banks though, they deal directly with a lot of money intake via Crypto or FIAT currency. Most legit exchanges support PayPal as a payment method due to the agility in processing payments from their users and investors. By far the best feature on PayPal, if someone has impersonated or stolen your paypal identity, or if you’ve made a payment for a service you didn’t receive, you can always request your payment back via the Chargeback Feature.

eToro: Best Platform to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal (US Friendly too!) Our Rating 15+ Cryptos + Wallet Available

$50 Minimum Deposit for US & Australian users

Accepts PayPal

US Friendly Visit Site 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Crypto assets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection.

Plus500: Regulated broker to trade Bitcoin CFDs CySEC & FCA regulated platform

Has the most popular crypto pairs

No fees on Paypal deposits

Free demo account Open Free Account 80.5% of retail investors lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

FAQs

Why is it difficult to buy Bitcoin with PayPal? To keep it Short and sweet, the answer to this question above is decentralisation. Bitcoin is a decentralised currency, that registers its transactions on a distributed ledger called blockchain. PayPal, on the other hand, is a centralised and well known payment method, affiliated with centralised financial institutions. Basically, PayPal has no problem in sharing your information with Banks and other financial institutions, whereas with Bitcoin all of that is done anonymously.

Can you send from PayPal to Bitcoin? No, at the moment you cannot send Bitcoin from PayPal or send Bitcoin to PayPal.

What is the best site to buy Bitcoin with PayPal? As a registered and FCA regulated firm, eToro is more than likely the safest platform on which to buy Bitcoin with PayPal.

Can I buy Bitcoin with PayPal? Yes! However, you have to use a cryptocurrency exchange that supports PayPal in order to connect it and buy Bitcoin.

Can you sell Bitcoin to PayPal? You cannot sell Bitcoin directly to PayPal, however, you can sell Bitcoin to third party exchanges that enable PayPal integration.

Can I convert Bitcoin to USD with PayPal? You cannot convert Bitcoin to USD on the PayPal platform, you can convert Bitcoin to USD on an exchange that supports PayPal, and then withdraw the USD to your PayPal account.

Can I convert Bitcoin to GBP with PayPal? No, you cannot directly convert Bitcoin to GBP with PayPal; you will have to find an exchange that supports Bitcoin to GBP listings as well as PayPal connections, convert your Bitcoin to GBP, and then withdraw GBP to your PayPal.

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