Where & How to Buy Bitcoin in 2025– Best Places & Exchanges to Buy

How to Buy Bitcoin in 2025

Even though there are only 21 million Bitcoins in circulation, right now, Bitcoin is more accessible than ever, and there are multiple avenues to obtaining it. You can buy it from all sorts of crypto marketplaces, online platforms, and even physical ATMs.

Having said that, we believe that the best way (safest and fastest way) to buy Bitcoin is to purchase it from a centralized crypto exchange. This is a relatively straightforward process that can be broken down into six key steps:

1. Choose the crypto exchange you would like to buy the BTC from
2. Create an account and join the crypto exchange
3. Confirm your identity through the KYC verification process
4. Deposit the funds necessary for your purchase of BTC
5. Place the buying order and finalize the transaction
6. Secure your newly purchased BTC by moving it to a crypto wallet

We will get into more details and provide you with expert tips and insights on how to buy Bitcoin from a crypto exchange. We will also discuss some other, alternative ways to buy Bitcoin and explore some use cases for your BTC after you buy it. 

Where to Buy Bitcoin – Best Exchanges

As you probably already know, finding the right crypto exchange may be the hardest part of buying BTC, particularly for beginners just starting in the crypto market.

While following our guide may be easy enough, identifying a high-quality exchange with the right sets of features and security protocols may prove to be a daunting task, especially for people struggling with the specific vocabulary. To make things easier for you, we did the research and curated a top list of the best crypto exchanges for your purchase.

Without any further ado, here are the best sites to buy Bitcoin in 2025.

How to Buy Bitcoin - Step by Step

If you are looking for additional instructions on how to buy Bitcoin from a crypto exchange, the walkthrough below will guide you through every step of the way.

Choosing the Right Crypto Exchange

Before you can buy Bitcoin, you must find the right crypto exchange for your purchase and this is not an easy decision. There are hundreds of crypto exchanges in operation today which can make your research process convoluted and overwhelming.

Even though all crypto exchanges facilitate the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies, there are notable differences between them. Some of them are more geared toward experienced traders and provide advanced tools and features, while others are more beginner-friendly and make the trading process more simple.

You will need to sort out your priorities and decide which quality you value the most. Whether you are looking for the best security features, the lowest costs, the fastest transaction speeds, the biggest variety of payment methods supported, or something entirely different.

If you need some help identifying the best place to buy Bitcoin, feel free to browse through our selection of the top crypto exchanges for buying Bitcoin in 2025. Our recommendations are safe, easy to use, and allow buying BTC at a competitive rate.

Creating a Crypto Exchange Account

After you find a crypto exchange that is fitting for your purchase of BTC, you will need to join the exchange by creating an account with it. 

Creating a crypto exchange account is a simple process, similar to signing up for any other online service. You just need to fill out a form with some basic personal information such as your name and address, your date of birth, your email address, and anything else the exchange might require.

Then, more likely than not, the exchange will prompt a confirmation message, either through an email or a text, which you will need to respond to activate your account.

Once your account is activated, you will be able to log in and explore the exchange. However, some of the more advanced actions, like making deposits and buying cryptocurrency, may not yet be available.

Confirming Your Identity

To be able to make full use of the crypto exchange’s features and capabilities, you may have to go through the KYC verification process.

KYC (Know Your Customer) is a standard compliance procedure in which customers must prove that they are who they say they are before they are allowed to make transactions. It is a mandatory requirement imposed by law on financial institutions to comply with AML (Anti Money Laundering) regulations.

To confirm their identity, users must submit pictures of government-issued ID, such as driver’s licenses, or passports as well as pictures of their faces to the services they are trying to use. Once the images are verified with the platform’s system, the users are allowed to make deposits and transactions as they please.

Centralized crypto exchanges are regulated, which means that the exchange you want to use to buy BTC will likely ask you to confirm your identity.

Depositing the Funds for the Purchase

With your account activated and your identity verified you are now ready to make a deposit and load your account with money to fund your purchase of BTC.

Start by finding the right section of the exchange where deposits are managed. This can either be the “Wallet” or the “Balances” tab, depending on the terminology used by the exchange. Tap on deposit and choose the method of payment you want to use to add money to your account.

Most crypto exchanges support multiple payment methods, including bank transfers, debit cards, a variety of e-wallets, etc. Pick your preferred method of payment and insert the amount of money you want to deposit into the exchange. Be sure to double-check the transaction details and charges applied to your deposit.

If everything seems to be in order, proceed with the transaction and finalize your payment to add money to your account.

Placing the Buying Order and Finalizing the Transaction

Now that your crypto exchange account is loaded with money, you can go on and initiate the buying process. To get started, find the trading section of the platform, typically labeled as “Trade” or “Markets” or something like that.

Then, find Bitcoin (BTC) from the list of cryptocurrencies available for trading and select it. This should open a new window where you will need to tap on “Buy” or “Place a Buy Order”.

The exchange may give you some additional options to choose from, like order type or conditional orders. To initiate a straightforward purchase of BTC, just go with the default options, place a basic market order, choose your balance as a payment method, and insert the amount of dollars you want to exchange for BTC.

Before confirming your payment, once again, double-check the transaction details and make sure you are happy with the costs and fees applied to your transaction.

Securing Your Newly Purchased Bitcoin

Once you confirm the payment, the transaction will be completed and the BTC will shortly be credited to your crypto exchange account’s balance. This means that although the crypto is yours, it is still in the crypto exchange’s custody.

To take full control of your Bitcoin you will need to move it to your own crypto wallet. Supposing you already have one, the process of transferring crypto from an exchange to a wallet is also very simple.

All you have to do is find the transferring section of the exchange, initiate a withdrawal by tapping on "Withdraw BTC" or "Send Bitcoin", choose the amount of BTC you want to move, insert your wallet’s public key, and confirm the transaction.

Keeping it stored in your own crypto wallet is the best way to own Bitcoin not only because it gives you control, but also enhances its security, so you should seriously consider doing it.

Why Trust Us?

Webopedia is a leading resource and a trusted authority in the world of cryptocurrency. Our aim is to deliver accurate and high-quality content, while remaining impartial and free of any biases.

We take great pride in our dedication to tirelessly research, analyze, and rigorously test the crypto exchanges we are writing about. Our insights are curated by a team of seasoned experts who have navigated the crypto market for years, and have the experience to identify trends and provide in-depth analysis.

Whether discussing the best sites to buy Bitcoin or exploring the latest in blockchain technology, we share our insights exactly as we find them. Our goal is not to sway your opinion, but to equip you with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions and navigate the crypto world on your own.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced trader, you can trust Webopedia to deliver comprehensive guides, unbiased reviews, and actionable advice to help you navigate the complex world of cryptocurrency with confidence.

Alternative Methods to Buy Bitcoin in 2025

While crypto exchanges arguably offer the easiest and most secure way to buy Bitcoin, they are not the only option. In fact, there are quite a few alternative methods for buying Bitcoin that are viable in 2025, including:

• Peer-to-peer platforms
• Decentralized exchanges
• Online brokerages
• Crypto ATMs
• Crypto wallets

If you have any trouble accessing centralized crypto exchanges, have no access to traditional banking services, or simply, don’t like using them, you can try using one of them. 

Let’s take a closer look at how each of these methods works.

Peer-to-Peer Platforms

Peer-to-peer platforms are crypto marketplaces that, unlike centralized crypto exchanges, facilitate crypto transactions by connecting buyers and sellers directly in a P2P network.

Instead of relying on a central authority to manage trades, these platforms allow sellers to browse through listings created by the sellers and negotiate terms directly. This provides traders with greater freedom to negotiate deals in the way that they see fit.

While there are undeniable advantages to this approach, there are also considerable drawbacks. Namely, the lack of regulatory oversight on these platforms can lead to increased risk of scams and fraud, making them not the safest way to buy Bitcoin.

Traders looking to buy cryptocurrencies on a P2P platform must exercise caution and utilize additional security features and escrow services to ensure the safety and integrity of their purchase. 

Decentralized Exchanges

Similar to P2P platforms, decentralized crypto exchanges are trading platforms that are also not regulated by a central authority and facilitate direct crypto transactions between buyers and sellers. 

However, to address the security concerns often associated with P2P platforms these exchanges use smart contracts to execute transactions.

Smart contracts are self-executing contracts which require both the seller and the buyer to meet certain conditions before finalizing a transaction. This ensures the safety and integrity of the purchasing process and eliminates the risk of fraud.

The downside is, using a decentralized exchange is not exactly the easiest way to buy Bitcoin as it requires a certain level of understanding of blockchain technology, and managing smart contracts, private keys, etc. 

Additionally, most of these exchanges don’t accept fiat currencies, which means you have to own a certain crypto asset to use them, making them not the most beginner-friendly platforms.

Online Brokerages

Online brokerages are trading platforms that typically deal with more traditional investment asset classes, such as stocks, bonds, ETFs, etc. 

However, in recent times, more and more online brokers have expanded the scope of their services and started offering crypto trading. Some brokers even specialize in crypto.

Buying Bitcoin through an online broker may be a great option for investors who have already used this type of service before. If you already have a portfolio you want to diversify with crypto investments, these platforms could provide a convenient solution that will simplify the process.

But if you are looking to just buy Bitcoin and have no interest in managing a broader portfolio, it makes little sense to use an online broker, over a centralized crypto exchange. The exchanges are cheaper, faster, and offer a larger variety of trading pairs than most online brokers.

Crypto ATMs

Cryptocurrency ATMs are physical machines that resemble traditional cash dispensers that are used to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. There are thousands of crypto ATMs spread out over high-traffic areas in the US, which allow users to buy Bitcoin without the need to create an account with a crypto exchange.

While they accept multiple payment methods, one of the biggest advantages crypto ATMs have over the other methods of purchasing cryptocurrency is that they are the only way to buy Bitcoin using cash. This makes them indispensable to people who have no access to traditional banking services but want to own BTC.

That said, crypto ATMs typically charge higher transaction fees than the other methods. Additionally, driving up to a crypto ATM to make a purchase is not exactly the fastest way to buy Bitcoin, particularly if you have the option to do it on a crypto exchange.

Crypto Wallets

Although crypto wallets are typically used for safekeeping cryptocurrencies, some crypto wallets come with an integrated crypto exchange feature that allows users to buy cryptocurrencies directly from the wallet’s interface.

This is a very convenient method because it eliminates the need to browse two separate environments to buy BTC and the need to transfer it after the purchase. Under the right conditions, this very well may be the quickest way to buy Bitcoin.

However, in reality, built-in crypto exchanges are rarely as liquid as centralized crypto exchanges, which can result in inefficient transactions, with delays and higher transaction fees. 

Overall, while it may be slightly more inconvenient, it is almost always better to buy BTC on an exchange, and then move it to your wallet.

What Can You Do With Bitcoin?

Having already discussed how to buy Bitcoin and the best places to buy it, we can turn our focus to what you can do with your BTC after you purchase it. While there are many things you can do with Bitcoin, we will present you with five of its most impactful applications, such as:

1. Trading and investing
2. Making online purchases
3. Sending money overseas
4. Paying for microtransactions
5. Using it as security in DeFi

Bitcoin offers significant benefits in each of these use scenarios, and below, we will discuss how you can leverage it effectively.

Trading and Investing

As the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, Bitcoin has a great investment potential for both long-term and short-term investment strategies. 

Often referred to as digital gold, its widespread adoption and limited supply have led to amazing price appreciation before and are likely to continue driving its value upwards.

On the other hand, its volatile nature and frequent price fluctuations also make it suitable for day trading and scalping, where traders can profit daily from its short-term movements.

Making Online Purchases

Like any other currency, you can always use Bitcoin to buy things online. There is an ever-increasing number of vendors and merchants that accept BTC as a method of payment, and we can only expect this list to expand.

Bitcoin facilitates secure, quick, and cheap transactions with minimal processing times and delays. If you don’t want to use your credit card for everything, BTC is a great alternative.

Sending Money Overseas

One of the main purposes and benefits for which cryptocurrency was invented was to provide users with the ability to make quick and low-cost international transfers and avoid slow and expensive bank services.

While nowadays there are significantly quicker and cheaper cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin is still a better alternative for sending remittances than bank transfers, so you can always use it for this purpose.

Paying for Microtransactions

As the freemium model is reaching its peak popularity, microtransactions are becoming increasingly prevalent. Whether for in-game purchases, tips, donations, or other expenses, small payments are becoming very common.

And the problem with microtransactions is no matter how small, you still have to pay a fixed transaction fee when using traditional payment methods to pay for them. By paying with BTC, you avoid these fixed fees and make paying for microtransactions much more efficient.

Using It as Security in DeFi

Decentralized finance is a rapidly growing alternative financial sector, operating outside of traditional banking institutions. On it, you can use your Bitcoin for all kinds of profitable ventures, such as:

• Lending and borrowing
• Yield farming
• Staking
• Synthetic asset investing
• Trading on decentralized exchanges

Moreover, you can use your Bitcoin to support all kinds of DeFi and dApp projects and benefit from the overall growth of its ecosystem.

Conclusion: Final Tips

In summary, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency with mainstream popularity, which means it won’t be hard to find a place that sells it. Having said that, it is important to always research and find a reliable exchange that will allow you to trade without worrying about your financial information.

We would also like to point out that merely knowing how to buy Bitcoin is not nearly enough to become a successful trader. The crypto market is dynamic and you must continuously learn and stay current to adjust your strategy to capitalize on market opportunities.

Finally, remember that trading is speculative and profit is never guaranteed. Only invest money you can afford to lose and do your best to manage your risk.

FAQ on How to Buy Bitcoin