How to Buy, Trade, or Convert Crypto

This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of how to buy, trade, or convert crypto.

Total crypto market capitalization (24H)

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$2.47T

0.23%

)

    What you'll learn

  • Step-by-step instructions on how to buy crypto.

  • An overview of different methods to buy crypto.

  • Simple guides to help you figure out how to buy.

There are currently 10553 guides available on how to buy, trade, or convert crypto.

How to Buy Crypto on Coinbase.com & Coinbase Mobile App

There are a variety of factors that come into play, such as location and protocol, that impact whether an asset is available on Coinbase's centralized exchange. For a video guide, visit our help center. If you're looking to buy a crypto asset that is available on our centralized exchange, here's a step-by-step guide:

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Create a Coinbase account

    Sign up for Coinbase or download the Coinbase app and start the sign up process. You will need a valid ID and may be asked for proof of address in order to transact, so be sure to have those ready. Verifying your ID may take longer than a few minutes, depending on where you live.

  1. 2

    Add a payment method

    Tap on the payment method box and connect a payment method. You can use a bank account, debit card or initiate a wire.

  1. 3

    Start a trade

    On Coinbase.com, select Buy & Sell. On the Coinbase mobile app, tap the ( + ) Buy on the Home tab.

  1. 4

    Select the crypto you're looking to buy from the list of assets

    On Coinbase.com, click the Buy panel to search and select your crypto of choice. On the Coinbase mobile app, search for your crypto of choice by typing the asset's name into the search bar. When you see the crypto asset you're looking for appear in the results, tap it to open up the purchase screen.

  1. 5

    Enter the amount you want to buy

    Use the number pad to input the amount you want to spend in your local currency. The app will automatically convert that into a crypto amount. You can tap the arrow buttons to the right of the amount of money you want to spend to switch the number to the equivalent amount of the crypto you're looking to buy.

  1. 6

    Finalize your purchase of your crypto asset

    Tap “Preview buy” when ready. You'll be shown the details of your purchase. Make sure everything looks good and then confirm your purchase by clicking “Buy now”.

  1. 7

    Done

    Once the order processes, you'll be taken to the confirmation screen. That's it, you've bought crypto.

Related Guides

Get crypto with Coinbase

How to Trade Crypto on Decentralized Exchanges (DEX): Available via Trade on DEX

There a number of assets that are not available through Coinbase centralized exchange, but a select number of crypto assets are available to buy if you execute a Trade on DEX within the Coinbase mobile app. By using your primary Coinbase account and your web3 wallet, you will have access to a variety of crypto assets that are only tradeable on DEXs like Uniswap, Sushiswap, Curve, Balancer, etc. For assets that are tradeable on DEX, here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Create a Coinbase account

    Sign up and download the Coinbase app. You will need a valid ID and may be asked for proof of address in order to transact, so be sure to have those ready. Verifying your ID may take longer than a few minutes, depending on where you live.

  1. 2

    Start a trade

    Navigate to the “Trade” tab. Please note that Trade on DEX is only available on Coinbase app and is subject to location. Coinbase is not responsible for activity or assets traded through a DEX. Before completing a trade, do your research.

  1. 3

    Select a crypto asset

    Search for a crypto asset by typing the asset name into the search bar. When you see the right crypto asset appear in the results, click 'Trade' button. A pop-up message will appear introducing you to our integrated DEX feature and your newly created dapp wallet which you can use to execute this trade. Select “Continue” and “Let's go” to proceed.

  1. 4

    Enter the amount of ETH

    Use the number pad to input the amount of ETH you want to trade for your crypto asset.

  1. 5

    Preview your trade

    Select “Preview DEX trade” when you're ready. You'll be shown the details of your purchase, including payment method, exchange rate, fees charged by the Ethereum network to process your transaction, Coinbase fees, and the total cost of the transaction. Make sure everything looks good and then select “Trade now” to confirm your trade.

  1. 6

    Complete your trade

    If you do not currently have any ETH in your primary Coinbase account, you will be prompted to “buy ETH with cash” or to “receive ETH from another wallet”. If you already have ETH in your wallet, you will simply be asked to transfer ETH from your primary wallet to your newly created dapp wallet. On the 'Transfer Ethereum' page, enter the amount of ETH you wish to transfer to your dapp wallet and then select 'Preview transfer'. Once you've confirmed the details on the transfer preview page, select “Transfer now”.

  1. 7

    Return to DEX and approve spending

    Once you've completed the transfer, select “Return to DEX” to complete your trade. Once the transfer is complete, the DEX will then ask you to approve spending of ETH in your dapp wallet. After approving your ETH to be spent, you can complete the trade for the crypto asset by selecting “Trade now” on the final order preview page. That's it, you've bought a crypto asset through a DEX.

Get crypto on Decentralized Exchanges with Coinbase

How to Custody Crypto using Coinbase Wallet

Coinbase Wallet is your key to the world of crypto, offering you one place to store all of your crypto and NFTs. Coinbase Wallet currently supports hundreds of thousands of tokens and apps. For assets available through Coinbase Wallet, here are detailed instructions on how you can custody a crypto asset or token.

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Download Coinbase Wallet

    Coinbase Wallet is available as a mobile app and browser extension. Download Coinbase Wallet.

  1. 2

    Choose a Coinbase Wallet username

    As part of setting up your Coinbase Wallet, you will need to choose a username. This username lets other Coinbase Wallet users easily send you crypto. You can keep your username private, but you will need one to access the account. If you create a cb.id, you'll be able to easily share your cb.id username and view your profile on profile.coinbase.com.

  1. 3

    Securely store your recovery phrase

    When you create a new self-custody wallet, you'll be given a recovery phrase that consists of 12 random words. The recovery phrase is the key to your crypto, meaning anyone with your recovery phrase has access to your crypto. Do not share your recovery phrase with anyone. We strongly recommend writing these down on paper and storing them securely, as well as using Coinbase Wallet's cloud backup feature. Remember, do not share your recovery phrase with anyone. Coinbase will never ask you for your recovery phrase. And if you lose your recovery phrase, Coinbase cannot help you access your wallet.

  1. 4

    Understand and plan for Ethereum network fees

    Fees vary based on how busy the network is, how complicated the transaction is, and how fast you'd like the transaction completed. Plan to set aside some money for fees. Learn more about Ethereum fees here.

  1. 5

    Buy and transfer ETH to Coinbase Wallet

    If you don't have a Coinbase account, you'll need to create one to buy Ethereum (ETH). Learn more about how to create a Coinbase account and buy Ethereum (ETH) here. The way you transfer ETH to your Coinbase Wallet varies depending on whether you're using the mobile app or the Chrome extension. See detailed instructions here.

  1. 6

    Use your ETH to buy your token in the trade tab

    Once you've added ETH to Coinbase Wallet, you can swap your ETH for your token in the mobile app or browser extension. Tap or click the "Swap" icon in the Assets tab, then select "Choose asset" and pick the token you’re looking to buy. Input the amount of ETH you'd like to exchange for that crypto asset. Remember to leave enough for transaction fees. Confirm your purchase and follow the instructions on the screen to finalize.

Get crypto with Coinbase Wallet

How To Buy Other Crypto Assets

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Popular cryptocurrencies

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Staking assets

Crypto assets that are currently available to earn rewards through staking on Coinbase.

Frequency Asked Questions

Can I buy crypto with cash?

You can buy crypto assets available on Coinbase centralized exchange using an approved payment method, including a bank account, a debit card, or you can initiate a wire transfer.

How to buy crypto using PayPal?

Currently, only US customers are able to buy supported crypto assets using PayPal. All other customers are only able to use PayPal to cash out or sell, and transaction availability depends on the region.

How to buy crypto with a gift card?

You can use a digital gift card purchased from online merchants to redeem on Coinbase accounts for the purchase of supported crypto assets. Gift cards are currently only available in the U.S. at this time (redemption excluded in Hawaii). For more information on how to use and redeem gift cards, check out our help center.

How to buy crypto with a credit card?

There are several payment methods you can use to buy supported assets on Coinbase's ecosystem. A full list of payment methods and best use cases can be found in our help center. At this time, credit cards cannot be used to purchase crypto assets.