How To Buy Bitcoin UAE – Buy Bitcoin In Under 5 Minutes
Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.
Buying Bitcoin (BTC) in the UAE is now a simple and burden-free process. All you need to do is open an account with a regulated cryptocurrency broker, make a deposit with your debit/credit card or bank account, and then complete your Bitcoin purchase.
If you’re completely new to the world of blockchain assets – this guide will walk you through the process of how to buy Bitcoin in the UAE with a trusted and low-cost broker.
Table of Contents
Below we offer a quick overview of the best online brokers that allow you to buy Bitcoin in the UAE safely and at competitive fees.
Looking for a comprehensive review of the above UAE Bitcoin brokers? If so, scroll down!
If you’re looking to buy Bitcoin in the UAE right now – the steps below will show you how to complete the process safely in less than five minutes.
And that’s it – you have just learned how to buy Bitcoin in the UAE at top-rated brokerage eToro. The digital assets will remain in your eToro account until you wish to cash out.
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
There are lots of online brokers that allow you to buy Bitcoin online. But, with so much choice on the table, it is wise to do a bit of research before selecting a provider. Key metrics to look out for include fees and commissions, regulation, user-friendliness, and minimum investment requirements.
Below we review the best brokers that allow you to buy Bitcoin in the UAE.
eToro is an online broker that offers thousands of stocks and ETFs, forex, commodities, indices, and of course – cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The platform was first launched in 2007 and is now used by over 20 million people – many of which are located in the UAE. What we really like about this cryptocurrency broker is that it offers some of the lowest fees in this space. In fact, you can buy Bitcoin in the UAE on a spread-only basis.
In a nutshell, this means that you simply need to cover the difference between the bid and ask price – which at eToro, averages just 0.75% when buying Bitcoin. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, you won’t get hit with huge deposit fees as you do at brokers like Coinbase and Binance. On the contrary, you will only need to pay 0.5% of the deposit amount – which is very competitive. Supported payment methods at this top-rated brokerage include debit/credit cards, local bank transfers, Paypal, Skrill, and Neteller.
If you’re looking to stake small amounts on Bitcoin, eToro is most definitely the right broker for you. This is because the platform requires a minimum investment of $25 per Bitcoin trade. eToro is also great if you wish to diversify into other cryptocurrencies. At the time of writing, the broker is home to over 30 crypto assets – which includes everything from AAVE, Ethereum, and XRP to Litecoin, Cardano, and Dogecoin. More digital currencies are added on a regular basis – many of which include decentralized finance (DeFi) coins.
You can also invest in digital currencies in a passive nature at eToro. For instance, its CryptoPortfolios offer a basket of crypto assets – which you can access via a single investment. This diversified portfolio is professionally managed by the team at eToro, meaning that you can sit back and allow your crypto investments to work for you. Then you have the eToro Copy Trading tool, which is also a passive investment feature. This allows you to copy a successful eToro trader like-for-like – proportionate to the amount you decide to invest (minimum $500).
When it comes to the safety of your funds, this is where eToro really stands out. Crucially, not only is the broker approved by the SEC and FINRA in the USA, but it is authorized and regulated by CySEC, ASIC, and the FCA. If you wish to buy Bitcoin in the UAE from eToro – the minimum first-time deposit amount is $200. Opening an account is simple and fast – as you simply need to provide some personal information and upload a copy of your government-issued ID. You can complete the registration and investment process online or via the eToro mobile app.
Pros
Cons
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Next up we have Coinbase – which is one of the best brokers to buy Bitcoin in the UAE for beginners. The online broker – which is now used by over 56 million people, offers a simple, clean, and burden-free interface. You can easily open an account with Coinbase and upload a copy of your ID – all in under 10 minutes. You can then use your debit card to instantly buy Bitcoin in the UAE.
This will cost you 3.99% per transaction, so that’s $19.95 for every $500 invested. This is much more expensive than eToro, so do bear this in mind. Once you have completed your instant Bitcoin purchase, the tokens will appear in your Coinbase wallet. You can keep them there until you decide to cash out – or withdraw the Bitcoin to a private wallet. If opting for the former, Coinbase will be responsible for safeguarding your private keys. The broker offers two-factor authentication, IP address whitelisting, and keeps 98% of client funds in cold storage.
The other option you have when buying Bitcoin in the UAE at Coinbase is to transfer funds from your bank account. This will not cost you anything in terms of transaction fees, so you are saving yourself the 3.99% debit card charge. However, once your bank transfer is processed, you will then need to buy Bitcoin manually – which will attract a standard commission of 1.49%. This is still expensive when you consider that eToro offers a spread-only pricing model which starts at 0.75%.
Pros
Cons
at eToro, UAE’s #1 Broker
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
The next option you have when considering where to buy Bitcoin in the UAE is OKEx. This platform has grown considerably since it was launched in 2014 – with the exchange now serving over 20 million clients from more than 200 countries. You can open an account in minutes at this provider and if you are planning to deposit funds with crypto – you won’t be required to provide any personal details.
Furthermore, you will also benefit from super-low fees. For instance, if you currently own Ethereum and wish to swap your tokens for Bitcoin, you will only pay a commission of 0.10%. That’s just $1 for every $1,000 traded. On the other hand, if you want to buy Bitcoin in the UAE with a debit or credit card, OKEx can also help. You will, however, first need to go through a standard KYC process – which requires two documents. This includes a copy of your government-issued ID and proof of residency.
Once you have completed your Bitcoin purchase, OKEx offers both a web and mobile wallet. The latter is decentralized, meaning that you retain full control over your private keys. The former is a custodial wallet, which means that OKEx will be responsible for looking after your Bitcoin funds. With that said, you might also consider putting your Bitcoin tokens into the OKEx savings account. This will allow you to earn interest on your Bitcoin investment – which is in addition to any capital gains you make.
Pros
Cons
at eToro, UAE’s #1 Broker
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Binance is a global cryptocurrency exchange with more than 100 million users. The platform facilitates billions of dollars worth of trading volume every day and offers super-low commissions. Much like OKEx, this stands at just 0.1%. You can get this fee reduced by 25% should you hold the platform’s native digital token – Binance Coin. The exchange is particularly popular in the UAE as it offers Bitcoin markets that are priced in AED.
For instance, if you were to trade BTC/AED, this would allow you to avoid unnecessary FX fees. Furthermore, Binance also offers an instant buy feature – which allows you to purchase Bitcoin with a local payment method. This covers debit and credit cards issued by Visa and MasterCard. Once again, paying for your Bitcoin purchase with fiat money will require a quick KYC process – meaning you will need to upload a copy of your government-issued ID. Binance is also a great option for those of you that wish to diversify.
Crucially, you will find hundreds of digital currencies on the Binance exchange and even more in terms of tradable pairs. Binance also offers cryptocurrency derivatives, which include the likes of Bitcoin options and futures, alongside leveraged markets. Should you wish to earn interest on your idle Bitcoin investment, Binance offers a cryptocurrency savings account. This covers flexible accounts which allow you to withdraw your tokens at any given time. Fixed-term accounts require a minimum lock-up period, albeit, higher rates of interest are available.
Pros
Cons
at eToro, UAE’s #1 Broker
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
If you’re a complete novice in the world of Bitcoin – you might need a more detailed and comprehensive walkthrough on how to complete your investment. If so, below you will find a step-by-step tutorial on how to buy Bitcoin in the UAE at eToro. To recap, this regulated online brokerage allows you to buy Bitcoin from just $25 on a spread-only basis.
Head over to the eToro website and open an account. You will initially need to create a username and strong password, and enter your email address address, mobile number, and full name.
Once you click on the ‘Create Account’ button, you will be asked to enter your home address, date of birth, and national tax number. Finally, eToro will send a code to your mobile phone. On receipt, enter this code when prompted to complete the eToro registration process.
Cryptoassets are highly volatile unregulated investment products. No EU investor protection. 67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Before you can buy Bitcoin in the UAE with fiat money, eToro will need to confirm your identity.
For this, you will need to upload the following two documents:
eToro will automatically validate your ID documents, so you should see that your account is verified in less than 60 seconds.
Now that you have a verified eToro account – you can deposit some funds. The best way to do this is with a debit or credit card, albeit, e-wallets like Paypal are also an option. These payment methods are processed instantly, so you can proceed to buy Bitcoin without delay. You can also transfer funds from your bank account if this option is preferable for you.
But, bank transfers at eToro can take a number of days to process. Irrespective of your chosen payment method, the minimum deposit requirement is $200 and you will be charged a small FX fee of 0.5%.
Now it’s time to buy Bitcoin with the funds you just deposited! To fast-track the process, enter ‘BTC’ into search box – which you will find at the top of the page. As you will see in the image above, several results will load when you search for BTC.
This is because eToro offers heaps of tradable markets that are dominated in Bitcoin. With that said, you should click on the top result – as this allow you to directly invest in Bitcoin, as opposed to trading it in the form of CFDs.
Next, click on the ‘Trade’ button, which you will find on the top-right hand corner of the page. You should now see an order box appear – like in the image below.
You will need to let eToro know how much Bitcoin you wish to buy. You do not need to state this in terms of tokens. On the contrary, simply enter your stake in US dollars – ensuring that you meet the minimum investment amount of $25.
And finally – to complete your Bitcoin purchase – click on the ‘Open Trade’ button!
When learning how to buy Bitcoin in the UAE for the first time, you also need to consider the best place to complete your investment. After all, by searching for the best place to buy Bitcoin via Google – you will be inundated with thousands of results. To save you from having to perform countless hours of research, below we discuss the best places to buy Bitcoin in the UAE.
Bitcoin brokers operate much the same way as a traditional share dealing platform. That is to say, the cryptocurrency broker should be in receipt of a regulatory license, so you can be sure you are buying Bitcoin safely. The broker in question will therefore have the legal remit to offer fiat currency facilities.
In other words, you will be able to buy Bitcoin in the UAE with a debit/credit card or bank account transfer. Some providers in this category – such as eToro, even accept Paypal.
Ultimately, buying Bitcoin from a regulated cryptocurrency broker is not only the safest and most convenient way of entering this marketplace, but perhaps the most cost-effective. After all, the likes of eToro will only charge you a trading fee of 0.75% via the spread. However, this isn’t always the case, as regulated brokers like Coinbase charge almost 4% to buy Bitcoin in the UAE with a debit card!
You might also be thinking of using a more conventional cryptocurrency exchange. These are platforms that sit between buyers and sellers. That is to say, in order to buy Bitcoin in the UAE from a cryptocurrency exchange, there needs to be a buyer on the other side of the trade.
This means that should the exchange encounter an external hack or worse – the platform engages in internal malpractice – your Bitcoin funds are at risk of loss. If this does happen, you will have nowhere to turn.
There are a small number of Bitcoin ATMs that can be found in the UAE – most of which are located in Dubai. The concept of these ATMs is that you will select the amount of Bitcoin you wish to buy and then enter cash. Next, the ATM will ask to scan your personal Bitcoin wallet address – so that it can transfer the tokens over. The fees charged by Bitcoin ATMs average 5-20% – which is huge.
It goes without saying that as a multi-billion dollar asset class – there are many ways to buy Bitcoin in the UAE. Consider the methods discussed below to choose one that best meets your needs.
Using your local debit card to buy Bitcoin in the UAE could not be easier. In fact, even if this is your first time buying Bitcoin – the process should still take you no more than five minutes from start to finish. First, open an account with a regulated broker like eToro, deposit some funds with your debit card, and then complete your Bitcoin purchase.
Best of all, when you eventually decide to sell your Bitcoin investment, you can do this instantly on the eToro platform. Plus, you can then withdraw your cash proceeds back to the same debit card!
Buy Bitcoin with Debit Card at eToro From $25 Now >
Buying digital currencies with a credit card can be a risky process, especially when you consider how speculative and volatile this asset class is. Nevertheless, if you do want to buy Bitcoin with a credit card in the UAE, eToro is also the best option in the market. Unlike other providers in this space, eToro doesn’t charge you a premium to use a credit card.
Buy Bitcoin with Credit Card at eToro From $25 Now >
eToro is the only regulated and trusted Bitcoin broker that we have come across that permits Paypal deposits and withdrawals. Sure, Coinbase states on its website that it supports Paypal. But, this is only available to US clients and Paypal can only be used for deposits and not for cashing out.
At eToro, you can buy Bitcoin with Paypal at a minimum deposit of just $200. Once you complete your first-time deposit, you can then buy Bitcoin from just $25!
Buy Bitcoin with PayPal at eToro From $25 Now >
You can, of course, also buy Bitcoin with crypto. By this, we mean that if you already some a digital currency – such as Binance Coin, XRP, or Ethereum – you can exchange your tokens into Bitcoin. This process can be beneficial for a number of reasons.
For instance, not only is it possible to buy Bitcoin with crypto without needing to pass a KYC process, but there are exchanges in this space offering commission rates of just 0.10%. With that said, if this is your first time entering the digital asset market, you likely won’t have any cryptocurrencies to pay for your Bitcoin purchase.
Buy Bitcoin at eToro From $25 Now >
Bitcoin is undoubtedly the most innovative asset class to enter the investment scene over the past decade. Although many people will admit that they still don’t understand what the phenomenon is or how it works – most people have, at the very least, heard of Bitcoin.
However, simply being aware of Bitcoin is not a good enough reason to invest. On the contrary, it’s crucial that you do some homework of your own before proceeding so that you can make an informed investment decision.
With this in mind, below we offer some of the reasons why you might elect to buy Bitcoin in the UAE.
Put simply, had you invested $1,000 into Bitcoin when the digital currency was first launched in 2009 – you would now be a very wealthy individual. After all, Bitcoin was worth a tiny fraction of $0.01 in its first couple of years. Fast forward to 2021 and the cryptocurrency has since hit highs of $64,000. This translates into gains of almost 640 million percent!
It goes without saying that Bitcoin will never see parabolic returns of this magnitude again. This is because the crypto-asset already carries a trillion-dollar market capitalization. However, that isn’t to say that the digital currency isn’t able to generate huge market returns.
For example, in the 12 months prior to writing this guide, Bitcoin price was just over $11,000. And – today, Bitcoin is priced at $48,000 – so that’s 1-year returns of over 336%. When you compare this to traditional stock market index funds like the Dow Jones or S&P 500 – these returns are highly significant.
Furthermore, as of October 19th 2021, the first Bitcoin Futures ETF was launched – setting a new milestone for the cryptocurrency industry. This catalyst towards mainstream acceptance now gathers global attention as Bitcoin Price began to break towards and above $63,000 once more.
BTC price broke above $68,000 as of November 9th 2021 and still struggles towards the $70,000 mark as it fights the resistance level. Bitcoin’s current price is $66,826.
The blockchain technology that backs Bitcoin is home to a decentralized framework. In Layman’s terms, this means that no person, entity, or government has control over the Bitcoin network. In turn, this ensures that you, and only you, have control over your Bitcoin funds.
In turn, the supply of Bitcoin cannot be manipulated, and thus – the art of ‘money printing’ is simply not possible. This is a major benefit – not least because it makes Bitcoin a deflationary financial instrument.
When Bitcoin was created by its pseudonymous developer – Satoshi Nakamoto, the primary objective of the network was to operate as an alternative to the traditional monetary system.
After all – and as noted above, the supply of Bitcoin cannot be manipulated. Furthermore, the total supply of Bitcoin will be capped at 21 million tokens, so the digital currency is a finite asset class.
Many risk-averse investors in the UAE avoid cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin because of the enhanced volatility levels that this industry invites. On the one hand, Bitcoin is nowhere near as volatile as it once was – where 50% daily swings were not uncommon. However, Bitcoin is still much more volatile than the likes of real estate or blue-chip stocks – so you must be prepared for this.
The good news is that long-term investors in the UAE can avoid the stress of short-term volatility and speculation by undertaking a dollar-cost-averaging strategy. Instead of investing a single lump sum, this will see you buy Bitcoin in small, but regular intervals.
For instance, you might decide to buy Bitcoin in the UAE every month at an amount of $500, or perhaps $50 per week. Either way, by sticking with this investment plan, you will average out your cost price after each Bitcoin purchase. In doing so, you can forget about checking the price of Bitcoin every day and instead focus on the long-term potential of this innovative digital currency.
Another huge benefit of buying Bitcoin in the UAE is that you can now earn interest on your investment – much like you would with a traditional savings account. In a nutshell, this is made possible by the growth of the crypto lending space. That is to say, by depositing your Bitcoin into a platform that offers crypto loans, your tokens will be used to fund financing agreements.
Nevertheless, this innovative crypto lending arena allows you to earn interest in conjunction with any capital gains you make when the price of Bitcoin increases.
With hundreds of cryptocurrency platforms competing for your business, the costs involved when buying Bitcoin are getting more and more competitive. However, not all platforms in this industry charge reasonable fees – especially when it comes to using debit or credit cards to pay for the purchase. As such, it’s important to assess the fee structure of your chosen UAE Bitcoin broker before proceeding.
The main costs of buying Bitcoin in the UAE are explained below:
Other important changes to look out for when buying Bitcoin in the UAE include the spread (difference between buy and sell price), inactivity fees, and withdrawals fees.
All investors that buy Bitcoin in the UAE will, at some point, look to cash out. It is hoped that when you get around to doing this, you do so at a profit. This will only be the case if you are able to sell your Bitcoin at a higher price than you originally paid. For instance, if you invested $1,000 into Bitcoin at a price of $40,000 and sell at $60,000 – that’s a gain of 50%.
Nevertheless, in terms of the selling process itself, you can typically do this with the same broker you used to complete your purchase. This is, however, on the proviso that the broker in question has the legal remit to support fiat currency withdrawals. This is why we like eToro, as the broker allows you to sell Bitcoin from within your portfolio 24 hours per day – 7 days per week.
Once you complete the sale, eToro will add the funds to your brokerage account. Then, you can either use the money to invest in other asset classes or withdraw the cash to your bank account, e-wallet, or, debit/credit card.
In conclusion, this in-depth guide has covered all you need to know to buy Bitcoin in the UAE in less than five minutes. We’ve not only reviewed the best brokers and exchanges in this space, but also the many ways in which you can buy Bitcoin from the comfort of your home.
The final takeaway here is that eToro offers the very best platform to buy Bitcoin in the UAE – as the broker is heavily regulated, it supports lots of convenient payment methods, and is very competitive in the fee department.