Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Its proprietary blockchain network is used by thousands of projects, ensuring that demand for ETH increases over time.
In this beginner’s guide, we explain how to buy Ethereum with a regulated crypto exchange. We also assess Ethereum’s potential as a long-term investment and what risks need to be considered before you proceed.
Before we get to our comprehensive walkthrough, here’s a quick overview of how to buy Ethereum in 2023: The best crypto exchanges support Ethereum, considering it’s the second-largest digital asset by market capitalization. However, most crypto exchanges are unregulated – so you need to tread carefully. Moreover, you also need to consider investment fees, account minimums, storage, liquidity, and other important factors. When exploring where to invest in Ethereum, the five platforms reviewed below are worth considering. eToro is heavily regulated, with the platform holding four tier-1 licenses. This includes regulation from the FCA (UK), FINRA (US), ASIC (Australia), and CySEC (EU). These reputable licensing bodies ensure that eToro keeps client money in segregated bank accounts. eToro is also mandated to verify the identity of all registered users, ensuring it complies with anti-money laundering regulations. Due to these strict regulatory practices, eToro is now used by over 30 million investors worldwide. In terms of the investment process, eToro’s minimum deposit requirement starts from $10. Most investors deposit funds with a debit/credit card or e-wallet, as payments are processed instantly. Although you can also transfer funds from your bank account – this increases the minimum to $500. Once your eToro account has funds, you can then buy Ethereum. The minimum investment is $10 per trade. This means you can buy a small fraction of one Ethereum token – rather than needing to risk over $1,600. eToro also offers a safe place to store your Ethereum tokens. Its custodial web wallet is protected by cold storage and analytic behavior machine learning. Your account is also protected by two-factor authentication. Not only is the eToro web wallet safe – but it makes it convenient to sell your Ethereum tokens. At the click of a button, you can cash out your Ethereum investment 24/7 – directly from your web wallet. eToro is also suitable if you want to buy other cryptocurrencies. For example, you can buy Dogecoin, Ethereum, Shiba Inu, Uniswap, Bitcoin, and Litecoin. If you don’t know which cryptocurrencies are worth buying, eToro has a solution – smart portfolios. It offers several smart portfolios that track the top trending cryptocurrencies, which are automatically rebalanced and reweighted on your behalf. Some smart portfolios contain over a dozen different cryptocurrencies, which is great for diversification. However, eToro smart portfolios might not be suitable for budget investors, as they come with a $500 minimum. A more affordable option is eToro’s copy trading service. This requires a minimum of $200 and allows you to copy successful investors like-for-like. You can choose an investor based on their average trade duration, past performance, risk rating, maximum drawdown, and other key metrics. When it comes to fees, eToro charges a flat commission of 1% on cryptocurrencies. That’s $1 for every $100 invested. Although this is more expensive than other crypto exchanges, eToro doesn’t charge deposit fees on USD payments (0.5% on other currencies). In contrast, most crypto exchanges charge between 3-5% on debit/credit card and e-wallet payments. For example, Gemini charges 3.49%, and at Bitstamp, you’ll pay 4% on instant purchases. Pros Cons
74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. Coinbase has a user-friendly dashboard, accessible online or via the iOS and Android app. You can buy Ethereum with several convenient payment methods, with Coinbase accepting debit/credit cards and PayPal. However, this is classed as an ‘Instant Buy’, meaning Coinbase will charge you 3.99%. Ethereum purchases below $200 are charged between $0.99 and $2.99, depending on the specific amount. You can reduce your trading fees by depositing funds via bank transfer. This is fee-free, so you’ll only need to cover the standard trading commission of 1.49%. However, this is more than eToro’s 1% commission and much higher than the industry average. That said, Coinbase is still worth considering for its robust security practices. 98% of client-owned cryptocurrencies are kept in cold storage. It’s also compulsory that you set up two-factor authentication on your Coinbase account. In addition, Coinbase has a 24/7 risk management department and all accounts go through a standard KYC process. Coinbase is also popular for its staking tools. Currently, you’ll earn an APY of 3.06% when staking Ethereum tokens. Pros Cons
Kraken offers very competitive trading commissions. It charges 0.26% per slide, which is just $0.26 for every $100 traded. If you trade larger amounts, you’ll be offered a lower commission structure. Kraken also offers fee-free bank account deposits – including ACH and UK Faster Payments. Although debit/credit card payments are also supported, fees are not displayed until you create an order. Although Kraken offers a user-friendly platform, it’s particularly popular with experienced traders. For example, Kraken Pro supports customizable charts, leveraged derivatives, and a full suite of technical indicators. What’s more, Kraken also offers margin accounts. This offers 4x leverage when buying Ethereum – meaning you can amplify your investment by four times. Kraken is also popular for building diversified portfolios. It supports more than 200 different cryptocurrencies, including some of the best meme coins. However, Kraken also comes with some drawbacks. For a start, Kraken does not offer a proprietary crypto wallet. Moreover, Kraken recently paid $30 million in fines to the SEC for selling unregistered staking services. Pros Cons
Although this is more expensive than eToro, it’s below the industry average. That said, debit/credit card payments in other currencies are charged different fees. For example, ARS deposits cost just 1%, while AUD is more expensive at 2%. Some currencies are charged a flat fee instead – so check out Binance’s fiat fees table. In addition, Binance also charges trading commissions. If you buy Ethereum via its spot trading exchange, you’ll pay a maximum commission of 0.1%. However, if you opt for the more user-friendly ‘Instant Buy’ option, this costs 0.5%. Commissions are discounted by 25% if you hold BNB tokens in your Binance wallet. However, this likely won’t be an option if you’re investing in cryptocurrencies for the first time. Binance also offers ways to earn interest on your Ethereum tokens. For example, you can earn APYs of 3.58% when staking Ethereum. Alternatively, you can earn 1.18% when depositing Ethereum into a flexible savings account. That said, you’ll need to consider the safety of your funds before joining Binance. For instance, Binance is currently being sued by the SEC for “placing investors’ assets at significant risk”. What’s more, Binance was hacked in 2022 for a reported $570 million. Pros Cons
If you’re looking to invest more than $1,000, you’ll pay a commission of between 0.03% and 0.4% – depending on your volume. Bitstamp also offers fee-free deposits on local bank transfers. This includes ACH, SEPA, and UK Faster Payments. However, if you’re planning to buy Ethereum with a debit card – you’ll be charged 4%. In terms of usability, Bitstamp is suitable for beginners and experienced traders alike. It offers a simple investment dashboard alongside a ‘Pro’ platform with charting tools and technical indicators. Bitstamp is also considered a safe crypto exchange, with the platform keeping 95% of client-owned tokens in cold storage. However, Bitstamp was hacked in 2015 – so its security practices are not bulletproof. Pros Cons
In this section, we explain how our methodology ranked the best places to buy Ethereum in 2023. Crypto exchanges are centralized platforms – meaning you need to trust that your investments are safe. Unfortunately, there have been many exchange hacks over the past few years. While some exchanges have compensated their users (e.g. Bitstamp and Binance), others haven’t. We’ve also seen large-scale exchanges go bankrupt – such as FTX. Therefore, you should consider the safety of your funds when choosing the best way to buy Ethereum. In our view, the most important safety metric is regulation. And not any regulatory body – we prefer tier-1 licenses from reputable organizations. eToro ranks as the best crypto exchange for regulation. Not only is it regulated by FINRA and the FCA, but also ASIC (Australia) and CySEC (EU). Another safety metric to explore is the security practices employed by the exchange. In other words, what security controls does it have in place to ensure your Ethereum tokens are kept away from hackers? Some of the security controls to look for include: Ultimately, safety, security, and regulation are the most important factors when deciding where to buy Ethereum. After Bitcoin, Ethereum is one of the most expensive cryptocurrencies to buy. Right now, it trades at just under $1,700. During the prior bull market, Ethereum was trading at almost $5,000. Because of this, most investors will buy a small fraction of one Ethereum token. That said, investment minimums will vary depending on your chosen Ethereum exchange. You’ll also need to check what the minimum trade size is. At eToro, you can buy Ethereum from just $10. At Coinbase, the minimum is even lower at just $1. However, Coinbase penalizes small investments, as it charges higher fees. For example, if you buy less than $200 worth of Ethereum, you’ll pay up to $2.99 in commission. Fees are also important when choosing a place to buy Ethereum. The majority of exchanges make money from payments and trading commissions. As such, you’ll need to check both of these fee types before opening an account. In terms of payments, eToro offers the cheapest way to buy Ethereum. This is because it only charges 0.5% on debit/credit card and e-wallet deposits. Moreover, there are no fees at all if your payment method is denominated in US dollars. Bitstamp, on the other hand, charges 4%. And Coinbase charges 3.99%. However, we also found that eToro charges high commissions. After making a deposit, you’ll pay 1% when buying and selling Ethereum. In contrast, Binance charges 0.1%. Bitstamp doesn’t charge any commissions at all when you invest less than $1,000 per month. As you can see, while some Ethereum exchanges offer low commissions, they charge high deposit fees (and vice versa). But overall, our calculations show that eToro is the cheapest option if you’re planning to buy Ethereum with a debit/credit card or e-wallet – even when factoring in the 1% commission. If you’re buying Ethereum for the first time, then you’ll need to choose a user-friendly exchange. The process of opening an account, depositing funds, and buying Ethereum should be seamless. The most beginner-friendly exchanges are eToro and Coinbase. You simply need to type in how much Ethereum you want to buy and confirm the investment. Kraken and Binance are more suited for experienced traders, considering the tools on offer. For example, both exchanges offer cryptocurrency derivatives, margin accounts, and high-level charting tools. In addition to Ethereum, there are thousands of other cryptocurrencies in the market. This enables you to create a diversified portfolio. Not only will this reduce your exposure to Ethereum but you might generate higher gains with other cryptocurrencies. As such, when choosing the best place to buy Ethereum, consider what other cryptocurrency markets it supports. For example, Coinbase and Kraken list over 100 and 200 cryptocurrencies, respectively. Binance has an even larger collection, with over 350 supported markets. Make sure your preferred payment method is supported when exploring Ethereum exchanges. The easiest and fastest way to buy ETH is with a debit/credit card or e-wallet. However, these payment methods often come with a 3-5% fee – so check this before proceeding. If you prefer using a bank account to deposit funds, you’ll usually find this is fee-free. For example, Coinbase doesn’t charge fees on ACH and SEPA deposits. Some investors are happy buying and selling cryptocurrencies on a DIY basis. In this instance, it’s worth choosing an Ethereum exchange that offers research and analysis tools. For example, financial news, real-time pricing charts, indicators, and market insights. On the flip side, some investors prefer to take a hands-off approach. If this sounds like you, eToro’s crypto smart portfolios might be of interest. Not only do smart portfolios allow you to diversify but they’re professionally managed by the eToro team. Therefore, your portfolio will automatically be rebalanced. For example, the ‘Crypto Equal’ smart portfolio contains 21 cryptocurrencies. In addition to Ethereum, this includes Chainlink, Bitcoin, Solana, Stellar, XRP, TRON, and Litecoin. This smart portfolio has grown by 452% since its inception in 2017. Another investment tool to look for is staking. This allows you to generate passive income on your Ethereum holdings. Staking also helps keep the Ethereum network secure. Binance is a popular option for staking Ethereum, as APYs are competitive at 3.58%. Coinbase also offers staking, but APYs are lower at 3.06%. Some investors will buy Ethereum and withdraw their tokens to a private wallet. Some of the best crypto wallets are MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and Exodus. However, beginners prefer to keep their Ethereum tokens with the exchange they purchased them from. This is similar to keeping shares in your stock brokerage account. eToro and Coinbase offer safe web wallets that come with many security controls – such as two-factor authentication and cold storage. If you want full control over your private keys, Coinbase also offers a decentralized wallet. This comes as an app for iOS and Android. When you buy cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, the investment process is similar to other assets. In a nutshell, you’ll make money if the price of Ethereum increases after you invest. And conversely, you’ll make a loss if you sell Ethereum for less than you originally paid. Here’s a quick example of how an Ethereum investment works: Just like stocks, Ethereum’s value increases and decreases based on market forces. However, Ethereum is a lot more volatile than blue-chip stocks, so do bear this in mind. For example, consider that Ethereum was priced at almost $5,000 in November 2021, 7 months later, Ethereum hit lows of just over $1,000. Since then, Ethereum has hit 52-week highs of over $2,100. Ethereum’s price action is determined by demand and supply. Demand for Ethereum is often high during the bull market. This means more people want to buy Ethereum, which helps drive up its price. During a bear market, there is less interest in Ethereum. As selling pressure increases, so does its value. Ethereum is both a blockchain network and a cryptocurrency. It was launched in 2015 and is now the second-largest blockchain project by market capitalization. Ethereum shares many similarities with Bitcoin. For instance, Ethereum is a decentralized network, meaning no single entity has control. Moreover, Ethereum is a digital asset, meaning it only exists in virtual form. And, just like Bitcoin, Ethereum transactions take place on a wallet-to-wallet basis. However, Ethereum offers many benefits over Bitcoin. For a start, Ethereum enables developers to deploy smart contracts. These are virtual agreements that follow a set of rules. Smart contracts are executed when pre-defined conditions have been met and they’re fully autonomous. Because of this, thousands of other cryptocurrencies have built their projects on the Ethereum network. This is beneficial, as other projects need to pay transaction fees in Ethereum. Ethereum is also a lot more efficient than Bitcoin. This is because Ethereum now uses the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. In simple terms, this consumes significantly less energy than Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system. It also ensures faster and more scalable transactions. All that being said, Ethereum does not have a limited supply of tokens like Bitcoin. This means that, unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum is not suited as a store of value. Both the Ethereum blockchain and ETH tokens have a clear use case. The Ethereum blockchain enables projects to build decentralized applications (dApps). These dApps utilize smart contracts, which enables them to operate without a centralized authority. As we mentioned earlier, thousands of dApps currently operate on the Ethereum blockchain. These are called ERC20 tokens. One of the most popular Dapps on the Ethereum blockchain is Decentraland. This is a metaverse project that allows users to socialize and buy virtual plots of land. Each transaction within the Decentraland metaverse requires an Ethereum smart contract. Now, every time an Ethereum smart contract is deployed, transaction fees need to be paid. The only currency accepted is ETH – the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain. Therefore, ETH has a solid use case, as ERC20 projects need it to pay fees. This makes ETH one of the best utility tokens in the market. If you’re exploring how to buy Ethereum, you’re likely doing so for investment reasons. In this section, we discuss Ethereum’s investment thesis – allowing you to make an informed decision. Not only is Ethereum one of the best-performing cryptocurrencies of all time – but of any asset class. To illustrate Ethereum’s unprecedented growth, we need to go right back to the beginning. Before the Ethereum network was launched in 2015, it held an initial coin offering (ICO). ICOs enable investors to buy a new cryptocurrency before it launches. According to CoinCodex, Ethereum’s ICO raised $18.3 million. Each ETH token was sold for just $0.31. After the ICO, Ethereum was then launched on crypto exchanges. This enables investors to buy and sell Ethereum in the open market. Although Ethereum went through many ups and downs, its value increased exponentially over time. Ethereum hit an all-time high of $4,891.70 in November 2021, as per CoinMarketCap data. When compared to its ICO price of $0.31 – that’s an increase of 15,779x. So, if you invested just $100 in Ethereum’s ICO, your investment would have been worth $1,577,900 at its peak. Since hitting an all-time high of $4,891.70 in November 2021, Ethereum has entered a bear market. Not just Ethereum, but the majority of the cryptocurrency industry. In simple terms, bear markets occur when cryptocurrency prices decline for extended periods of time. They can last more than a year, just like stock bear markets. However, bear markets also present new buying opportunities. This is because you can build a portfolio of cheap cryptocurrencies. For example, Ethereum is now trading at approximately $1,600. When compared to its all-time high, this represents a 65% discount. Another way to look at bear market discounts is that you’ll be getting more Ethereum tokens for your money. For example, suppose you invested $5,000 in Ethereum at its peak – you would have got just over 1 ETH token. Investing $5,000 at current prices will get you about 3.1 ETH. In other words, you’re getting three times as many ETH tokens at current prices. Ethereum is one of the best cryptocurrency projects for utility. This is because ERC20 tokens operating on Ethereum must pay transaction fees in ETH. According to BitPay, more than 450,000 ERC20 tokens have been created. However, only a small fraction of these are established, well-known projects. Nonetheless, each new project that builds on Ethereum increases demand for ETH tokens. Depending on the project, this can generate a significant amount of demand. Take Uniswap as a prime example. Uniswap is a decentralized exchange built on the Ethereum blockchain. It enables users to swap ERC20 tokens without using a centralized platform. Instead, Uniswap uses Ethereum smart contracts. Now, every time a user swaps a token – this generates a new smart contract agreement. In turn, the user must pay fees in ETH. This is the case even though Uniswap has its own native token, UNI. Uniswap is just one example of a project that runs on the Ethereum network. In addition to decentralized exchanges, Ethereum also handles play-to-earn games, metaverses, trading platforms, stablecoins, meme coins, and much more. Irrespective of the project, all require ETH tokens to function. Not only is the Ethereum blockchain popular with dApps – but NFT projects too. Non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, are a huge growth market. According to the Vanderbilt Business School, the number of unique NFT traders increased from 8,000 in 2019 to 1.15 million in 2021. That’s an increase of 14,275% in just two years. Moreover, total NFT sales in 2022 were over $11.8 billion. Crucially, the overwhelming majority of NFTs are minted and stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Just like smart contracts, each NFT mint requires a transaction fee – payable in ETH. Although NFT sales have dropped in 2023, this aligns with the broader bear market. Therefore, as interest in NFTs returns in the near future, this will create further demand for ETH tokens. Like all cryptocurrencies, Ethereum can be fractionized into small units. This is ideal for beginners, as there isn’t a requirement to purchase a full token. After all, this will currently set you back over $1,600. At its peak, a full Ethereum token would have cost almost $5,000. Here’s how it works: Crucially, investment growth works the same whether you own a full ETH token or just a small fraction. Your total investment is simply multiplied by Ethereum’s percentage growth. If you’re looking for the cheapest way to buy Ethereum, you’ll need to use a crypto exchange that offers low fees. Not only low trading commissions but payment fees too. The majority of first-time investors will use a standard payment method – such as a debit/credit card. Based on the five exchanges we reviewed earlier, here’s what each charges when using a debit/credit card: As per the above exchanges, debit/credit card payments can range from 0% to 4%. Next, you’ll need to consider the trading commission. Once again, this can vary widely from one exchange to the next. For example, eToro and Coinbase charge 1% and 1.49% respectively. However, the Coinbase commission is built into the debit/credit card fee – so you’ll only pay this when selling Ethereum. Binance and Kraken are a lot more competitive, charging 0.1% and 0.26% respectively. Both of these exchanges offer even lower fees when you reach minimum trading volumes. Although Bitstamp charges 4% on debit/credit card payments, it offers 0% commission on the first $1,000 traded. As such, there’s often a trade-off between payment fees and commissions. Overall, when factoring in deposit fees and commissions, eToro comes out as the cheapest option. For example, suppose you deposit $2,000. No fees apply to USD payments. Then, you use that $2,000 to buy Ethereum. You pay a 1% commission, so that’s $20. It’s wise to consider the safety and legality of investing in Ethereum before proceeding. Put simply, Ethereum is legal in the majority of jurisdictions – just like other cryptocurrencies. There are a few exceptions, such as China, Morocco, and Bangladesh – but this is a wider ban on cryptocurrencies rather than Ethereum. However, there are additional regulatory risks to consider. For example, if the SEC defines Ethereum as a security, this could have major implications. This is because crypto exchanges would need to register with the SEC as security broker-dealers – which isn’t an overnight process. That said, many believe that Ethereum’s decentralization protects it from being viewed as a security. In terms of safety, Ethereum is a volatile asset, so you’ll need to consider the risk of financial loss. If the price of Ethereum drops below what you paid – and you sell, you’ll get back less than you originally invested. You’ll also need to ensure your Ethereum tokens are being stored safely. If you keep them with an exchange, make sure it’s regulated and has robust security controls. If you’re using a private wallet, make sure you understand the risks of remote hacking attempts. Choosing the right Ethereum wallet is very important. You’ll need to strike the ideal balance between user-friendliness, security, and convenience. The best Ethereum wallet for you will depend on your experience, investment goals, and the amount of ETH you’re holding. For example, if you’re buying a large amount of Ethereum, a hardware wallet might be the best option. Providers like Trezor and Ledger Nano offer hardware wallets that always remain offline. This prevents your ETH tokens from being hacked remotely. Moreover, hardware wallets require a PIN when transferring funds. This needs to be entered on the wallet device itself. This means you’re protected even if the hardware wallet is stolen. However, hardware wallets aren’t suitable for active traders. This is because you’ll need to have access to your wallet to make a transfer. If you’re investing smaller amounts – or you plan to trade frequently, eToro’s web wallet is a good option. You can access your Ethereum tokens simply by logging into your eToro account. You can do this on a desktop or mobile device for added convenience. Keeping your Ethereum tokens with eToro also makes it simple to cash out. Simply create a sell order to instantly convert ETH to cash. eToro’s web wallet is also safe. You’ll be using a regulated custodian with tier-1 licenses. eToro also keeps the majority of client-owned cryptocurrencies in cold storage – meaning they’re not prone to hacking attempts. Still wondering how to invest in Ethereum in the cheapest and safest way? Read on to buy Ethereum in under five minutes with the regulated exchange eToro. You’ll first need to open an eToro account. Visit the eToro website and click on the ‘Sign Up’ button. Fill out the registration form that appears. You’ll need to provide some personal information, such as your name, nationality, and date of birth. eToro also needs your email address, telephone number, and national tax ID (e.g. social security). You’ll need to confirm both your email address and telephone number before proceeding. eToro will now require you to complete the KYC procedure. This means you’ll need to verify your identity and home address. eToro accepts passports and driver’s licenses for the proof of identity part. State ID cards are also accepted. To verify your address, you can upload a recently issued document that also contains your name. For example, a credit card statement or an electricity bill. eToro uses FinTech tools to verify your documents, so the process is automated. You should find your eToro account is verified within a few minutes. Note: You can still buy Ethereum on eToro without completing the KYC procedure straightaway. As long as you’re depositing less than $2,250 – you can upload the required documents later. You’ll now be asked to make a deposit. For most nationalities, the minimum deposit is $50. This is reduced to $10 for US and UK investors. The only exception here is bank wires – which require a minimum of $500. As such, most eToro clients opt for a debit/credit card or e-wallet. The latter includes PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill. Select your preferred currency and payment method, and type in your deposit amount. Click on ‘Deposit’ to confirm. Rather than searching through dozens of cryptocurrency markets, you can use the search bar. Search for ‘Ethereum’ and click ‘Trade’. Make sure you click the top result, as eToro also supports ‘Ethereum Classic’ and ‘Ethereum Name Service’. These are completely different cryptocurrencies and are unrelated to Ethereum. In the ‘Amount’ box, you’ll need to type in your investment amount. The minimum investment requirement on eToro is just $10. In our example above, we’re investing $200. This gets us 0.12 ETH. Click ‘Open Trade’ to complete your Ethereum purchase. There’s no need to withdraw your ETH tokens to a private wallet – eToro will keep them safe. When you decide to sell Ethereum, go back to eToro and click on ‘Portfolio’. Then, click on ‘Ethereum’ followed by ‘Close All’. To confirm, click ‘Close All’ again. Your Ethereum will be sold for US dollars and reflected in your account balance. You can then withdraw your money back to your registered payment method. If you don’t use US dollars as your primary currency, your balance will be converted when making the withdrawal. This will cost you an additional 0.5% in FX fees. We’ve explained how to buy Ethereum in 2023 with a regulated and low-cost exchange. eToro is our top pick as the best place to invest in ETH tokens. eToro is heavily regulated, accepts many convenient payment methods, and the investment process takes minutes. We also like eToro for its small minimum investment requirement of just $10.
74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.How to Buy Ethereum – 5 Simple Steps
Where to Buy Ethereum – Best ETH Exchanges Reviewed
1. eToro – Overall Best Place to Buy Ethereum in 2023 [Tier-1 Regulation and Crypto Smart Portfolios]
If you’re a complete beginner investing in cryptocurrencies for the first time, eToro is the best place to buy Ethereum. eToro is a user-friendly investment platform that was founded in 2007. It’s used by novice investors who want a simple yet safe place to buy cryptocurrencies.
Fee to Buy Ethereum
1% commission
Deposit Fee
0.5% or free when depositing USD
Top Features
Buy Ethereum in small fractions from just $10, Regulated by tier-1 licensing bodies, US-friendly, Smart portfolios support diversification and passive investing, No fees on USD deposits and withdrawals
2. Coinbase – Established Ethereum Exchange With Robust Security Practices
Coinbase is a popular crypto exchange that first launched in 2012. It supports more than 100 cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum, Dogecoin, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Cardano, and Solana. Coinbase has a very small minimum trade requirement of just $1. This means that for every $10 deposited, you can diversify across 10 different cryptocurrencies.
Fee to Buy Ethereum
3.99% instant buy fee when using a debit/credit card or PayPal. Standard trading fee of 1.49%
Deposit Fee
ACH and UK Faster Payments are free. USD wire deposits cost $10. SEPA (EUR) costs €0.1. For debit/credit cards and PayPal, revert to the above
Top Features
Robust security practices including cold storage and 2FA, User-friendly dashboard and mobile app, Supports over 100+ cryptocurrencies, In-built staking tool for Ethereum
3. Kraken – Low Trading Commissions of 0.26% and Support for Margin Accounts
Founded in 2011, Kraken is a popular crypto exchange with over 10 million client accounts. Although Kraken is based in the US, it’s one of the largest crypto exchanges for EUR trading volume. That said, Kraken accepts many different currencies, including USD, GBP, and AUD.
Fee to Buy Ethereum
Trading commissions start from 0.26%. Discounts are available when monthly trading volumes increase
Deposit Fee
Local banking methods like ACH are fee-free. Does not display debit/credit card fees until you create an order
Top Features
Offers 4x leverage when buying Ethereum on margin, Maximum trading commission of 0.26%, Bank deposits are free of charge
4. Binance – 0.1% Trading Commissions and Reasonable Debit/Credit Card Fees
Binance is one of the best places to buy Ethereum if your main focus is low fees. That said, Binance’s pricing structure is a bit confusing, as fees vary depending on the payment type, currency, and how to choose to buy Ethereum. For example, if you want to deposit funds in GBP or EUR with a debit/credit card, you’ll pay 1.8%.
Fee to Buy Ethereum
Trading commissions on the spot exchange start from 0.1%. Instant buy commission is 0.5%.
Deposit Fee
Varies depending on the currency and the payment method.
Top Features
Industry-leading spot trading commissions of 0.1%, Earn APYs of 3.58% when staking Ethereum, Attracts significant amounts of liquidity.
5. Bitstamp – 0% Commissions on Monthly Volumes of Under $1,000 and Operational Since 2011
One of the most established places to buy Ethereum is Bitstamp. This popular exchange was launched in 2011 and is now used by over 5 million people. Bitstamp is renowned for its low trading fees, which start from 0% when you invest under $1,000 per month.
Fee to Buy Ethereum
0% commission on monthly trading volumes below $1,000. After that, commissions range from 0.03% to 0.4%, depending on your volume.
Deposit Fee
No fees on banking payments like ACH and SEPA. 4% fee when using a debit/credit card or PayPal
Top Features
Keeps 95% of client-owned tokens in cold storage, No commissions when investing less than $1,000 each month. Fee-free bank deposits.
How We Ranked the Best Places to Buy Bitcoin
Safety and Security
Minimum Investment Requirements
Fees
Crypto Exchanges
Trading Commission
Payment Fees
eToro
1% commission
0.5% or free when depositing USD
Coinbase
3.99% instant buy fee when using a debit/credit card or PayPal. Standard trading fee of 1.49%
Kraken
Trading commissions start from 0.26%. Discounts are available when monthly trading volumes increase
Binance
Trading commissions on the spot exchange start from 0.1%. Instant buy commission is 0.5%.
Bitstamp
0% commission on monthly trading volumes below $1,000. After that, commissions range from 0.03% to 0.4%, depending on your volume.
No fees on banking payments like ACH and SEPA. 4% fee when using a debit/credit card or PayPal
User-Friendliness
Using a Demo Account to Trade Ethereum
Supported Cryptocurrencies
Accepted Payment Methods
Investment Tools
Wallet Storage
The Basics of Buying Ethereum
What is Ethereum?
What’s the Difference Between Ethereum, Ether, and ETH?
Ethereum Use Cases
Is Ethereum a Good Investment?
Ethereum is One of the Best-Performing Assets of All Time
Ethereum Trades at a 65% Discount From Its All-Time High
What is Ethereum’s Value?
Superb Utility Creates Constant Demand for ETH
De-Facto Network for NFT Minting and Ownership
There Isn’t a Requirement to Buy an Ethereum Token in Full
What is the Cheapest Way to Buy Ethereum?
Can I Buy Ethereum With Paypal?
Is Investing in Ethereum Safe & Legal?
Which is the Best Ethereum Wallet?
How to Buy Ethereum – Detailed Tutorial
Step 1: Open an eToro Account
Step 2: Upload KYC Documents
Step 3: Deposit Funds
Step 4: Search for Ethereum
Step 5: Buy Ethereum
Step 6: Sell Ethereum
Conclusion
References
FAQs
How do I buy Ethereum?
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Can you buy Ethereum with PayPal?
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