Buy NEO – How To Buy NEO in South Africa In Under 5 Minutes

Peter Knight

Last Updated: 30, May 2022

Fact Checked by Gary McFarlane

Please note that we are not authorised to provide any investment advice. The content on this page is for information purposes only.

NEO is an established cryptocurrency that has been around for over seven years at this point, with a fairly strong background. It was originally released as AntShares, but it was rebranded in 2017 with a catchier name. Its value has fluctuated a lot over time, but that’s pretty typical in the world of cryptocurrencies.

South Africa is an emerging country in terms of digital currencies. Its citizens can buy, sell, and even spend all sorts of cryptocurrencies without worrying about legal ramifications. In terms of brokers, all the major online platforms are available in South Africa as well.

If you want to find out more about how and where to buy NEO, this article aims to clear everything up and provide you with a multitude of brokerages to choose from.

#1 Broker to Buy NEO – Capital.com

1

Min Deposit£20

Mobile AppYes

• No commission or hidden fees
• Officially regulated by FCA, CySEC, and NBRB
• Hedging mode available

Visit WebsiteOur score 10

More InfoClose More Info

Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. Crypto asset investing is unregulated in most EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Your capital is at risk. CFD crypto trading is unavailable for clients residing in the UK and US.

Offer Terms

CySEC Regulatedno

IFSC Regulatedno

FCA Regulatedno

How to Buy NEO in South Africa

Purchasing NEO can be achieved rather easily if you follow these steps:

1. Open an Account with Capital.com – The easiest way to buy NEO in South Africa is through Capital.com. a CFD broker. Sign-up for an account using your details to enjoy 0% commission on trading on the platform.
2. Upload ID – Simply upload any government-issued ID (passport or driver’s license) and a recent utility for your account verification process.
3. Deposit Funds – Deposit your funds using any supported payment option on the platform.
4. Buy Cryptocurrency – Search and select the crypto NEO, then purchase some.

Where to Buy NEO in South Africa

Now that we have provided you with a bit of research when it comes to what NEO is and how to get it, here are some of the trading platforms you can use in order to start buying it:

1. Capital.com – Best Platform to Buy NEO South Africa

Capital.com is a global CFD and forex broker with physical offices in Cyprus, London, and Belarus. It is referred to as a fintech company founded on April 7, 2016, with Ivan Gowan.

The company aims to enhance the world of finance by making it more helpful, accessible, and engaging.

This broker has lots of financial assets apart from Bitcoin. You can access stocks, commodities, ETFs, Forex, Indices, etc. Bear in mind that Capital.com allows investors to trade crypto as CFDs. So, you don’t have to worry about the storage or ownership of your Bitcoin.

Capital.com is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority(FCA) UK and the National Bank of the Republic of Belarus (NBRB).

It’s also regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) and operates in over 183 countries globally. Capital.com is regarded as a reliable broker because it’s regulated by the top-tier FCA.

A table of the broker’s fees.

Cons

2. Binance – Simplest way to Buy NEO

Binance is one of the fastest-growing online trading platforms out there, which is especially impressive when you consider the fact that it deals in cryptocurrencies only. Because of this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that NEO is amongst the coins that can be purchased through this brokerage.

Its rapid growth is also the reason why they can afford to support a wide variety of payment options, so you don’t have to worry about this aspect. In addition, the trading fees are quite low, allowing you to buy and sell without losing too much of your profit in the process.

You should know that withdrawals can be a bit of an issue sometimes, mainly because an automated algorithm dictates the fees. Since you can never predict the fees, we highly recommend that you check this aspect whenever you are thinking about withdrawing some funds.
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3. CEX.IO – Trusted method to Buy NEO

CEX.IO is a beginner-friendly trading platform that makes it incredibly easy to buy and sell NEO coins, as well as a few other cryptocurrencies. The app also offers a few advanced features if that’s what interests you, including things like margin calls. 

Deposits can be made in pretty much any local currency, which makes it a lot easier to get started, since you don’t have to lose additional money while exchanging one currency to the other.

Some business and company-oriented tools are available as well, just in case you are a bit more serious about trading NEO and you need access to various institutional services.

In terms of payment methods, CEX.IO allows you to use credit/debit cards, as well as bank transfers for both deposits and withdrawals. The minimum deposit is $20, which is definitely better than other similar platforms.

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4. Paybis – Easy way to Buy NEO

Paybis is designed with security as its top priority, which is why you are encouraged to keep the purchased coins in your own personal wallet. Thanks to this, you should never have to worry about the safety of your investment, although it is still wise to create a few backups for your wallet in order to be sure.

The platform offers a variety of coin offerings when it comes to buying and selling, including, of course, NEO. Payment methods are also quite diverse, especially since you can pay using a credit card as well.

One other great thing about the platform is the amount of information you can find relating to the coins available for trade. You can quickly find out the history of the coin you are interested in, as well as check various charts and graphs detailing its price history.

Pros

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5. Kraken – Cheap way to Buy NEO

Kraken is an online trading platform with a spotless record in terms of safety and security, given the fact that it has yet to be hacked since it was released to the public. Not only that, but it’s also very beginner-friendly in terms of the user interface, making it a great way to get started if this is your first foray into the crypto market.

The downside comes in the form of somewhat high trading fees, not to mention the fact that the newbie-friendly option called ‘Instant Buy’ adds some extra cost to every purchase.

Because of this, we recommend you get a running start and jump straight into regular trading, otherwise, you may end up forking up too much cash for your initial investment. 

Pros

Cons

6. Bittrex – Accessible method to Buy NEO

In terms of sheer numbers, Bittrex is by far one of the biggest trading platforms when it comes to cryptocurrencies. Dozens of coins are available for purchase, and the daily volumes are impressive, to say the least, which means that you can always move a lot of NEO if you have the money to do so.

The diversity comes at a cost, however. Bittrex is known for its rather high trading fees, not to mention the fact that you are pretty much forced to use bank transfers in order to deposit or withdraw your funds.

While not a huge problem per se, bank transfers can sometimes be incredibly slow, especially because of bank holidays and on weekends. If you can get over this negative aspect, Bittrex is definitely one of the best trading platforms out there.

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7. Changelly – Effective way to Buy NEO

Changelly is an exchange platform where you can easily exchange one cryptocurrency into another, as well as use cash to buy the desired coin. Keep in mind that this is not a P2P marketplace like LocalBitcoins, which means that you are dealing with the company itself, and not with private individuals.

With that being said, the good news is that there are over 150 cryptocurrencies to choose from besides NEO, and you can also easily trade one coin for another. This process is a lot easier than on most traditional trading platforms, which is a definite advantage.

In addition, you can also deposit fiat currency and use it to directly purchase coins. Only USD, GBP, and EUR are currently supported, but that shouldn’t be a problem for most people, since it’s fairly easy to convert your local currency into any of these three options.

Pros

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8. Crypto.com – Quick way to Buy NEO

Crypto.com is one of the leading names in terms of buying cryptocurrencies, and as luck has it, NEO is on the list of available coins as well. There are all sorts of benefits that come along with opening a Crypto.com account, including many bonuses for using the app, or if you decide to invest in their own coin called CRO.

The other neat thing about the platform is the possibility to quickly buy NEO using a credit card, especially since you can do it directly on your phone if you are using the mobile app. It only takes a couple of seconds to get started.

On the other hand, you should know that you are required to take the KYC verification test, which may be a problem if you are a fan of anonymity.

Pros

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9.Poloniex – Alternative way to Buy NEO

The main thing that makes Poloniex great for buying NEO is the fact that you can use a credit card to deposit funds. The platform uses Simplex for this feature, which is only available in a couple of select countries. Thankfully, South Africa is one of these countries, which means that you are eligible to use the service.

With that being said, working with Simplex requires a KYC verification, which may take a bit of time. This is necessary in order to avoid fraud, which is actually a good thing since credit card theft is very common and widespread.

Pros

Cons

10.Bisq – Decentralized way to Buy NEO

With Bisq, the goal is for people to trade cryptocurrencies with each other at their own risk, which means that the platform uses a decentralized system. People have to get in touch with each other in order to exchange coins or fiat money, so you can negotiate prices much easier.

Since the company itself is not selling anything, you cannot actually buy NEO straight from them, which may be a bit of an inconvenience for some people. Dealing with strangers is not everyone’s cup of tea, which is understandable.

On the other hand, the decentralized system allows you to maintain your anonymity, which may be exactly what you are looking for. Keep in mind that this feature goes away if you give away your information freely to the people you are trading with.

Pros

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11. Huobi – Well-known way to Buy NEO

Since Huobi is a China-based trading platform, it’s no surprise that NEO is one of their most popular offerings. In fact, this is probably one of the best options if NEO is your primary focus since they tend to move a lot of coins on a daily basis.

The downside of working with a Chinese company is the fact that you are going to pay a lot more fees if you are not using Yuan for your deposits or withdrawals. While not outrageously high, the fees can add up over time, especially if you are not planning on investing a lot of money.

Even so, the sheer liquidity involved in Huobi makes the platform a very attractive prospect for serious investors, even with all the hurdles you must overcome.

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12. Avatrade – Reputable way to Buy NEO

Avatrade is a trading platform that does not limit itself to cryptocurrency, which makes it more akin to Capital.com or other similar websites. As such, you need to be aware of the fact that the instruments put at your disposal may be a bit more advanced than usual, so a fair bit of research and practice may be needed before you can start trading.

The platform is also heavily regulated, which is actually a good thing if you care about insurance and security. It is unlikely that the website will try any shady business with so many governmental agencies watching them.

Unfortunately, the downside is that your NEO coins cannot be transferred to a non-custodial wallet, since you are actually working with CFDs and no coins change hands for the most part.

Pros

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Purchasing NEO – Is it a Good Investment?

If you look at NEO price history since its inception, it should be pretty clear that the coin follows the overall market trends, with two big spikes in 2018 and 2021. As such, you can expect it to rise and fall together with every other cryptocurrency, thus making it fairly easy to assess.

With that being said, NEO is still a highly speculative investment, as is the case with most cryptos. It doesn’t take much for it to lose value in a matter of days, which can turn into quite a significant loss if you are sitting on a lot of volume.

Even so, NEO is pretty popular in China, which means that it is a bit isolated in terms of overall volatility. On the other hand, its Chinese origins can also make it a bit harder to predict sometimes, especially if you don’t keep an eye on news coming from that part of the world.

Buying NEO right now seems like a pretty good investment, since it is definitely riding the crypto wave of the last couple of months. As always, it’s always up to you to pull the trigger on a purchase, and we also recommend you do your own thorough research beforehand.

Thus, just like with every other cryptocurrency, it’s all about buying and selling at the right time, not to mention the fact that it may also be wise to hold on to your coins whenever there’s a dip in the price.

The Advantages of Investing in NEO

If you are looking specifically into NEO, there are some things that make it stand out from the crowd in terms of tech. In addition, it also has a fairly strong financial basis, not to mention its Chinese support. Here are some of the advantages when it comes to investing in NEO:

1. A strong algorithm designed for speed and efficiency– Many other altcoins out there were designed as quick cash grabs or simple Bitcoin clones. NEO is a bit different, especially under the hood.
2. High daily trading volume– As of right now, NEO’s 24-hour volume is around $680 million, which is pretty good for an altcoin. There are also around 70 million NEO coins currently in circulation.
3. It can lead to pretty high profits– The current low price per coin means that you can afford to buy a lot of them for relatively cheap, with the possibility to make a decent profit if the market goes into an upswing in the near future.
4. Dedicated developers constantly improving it – The coin is far from dead, with new features and improvements being added on a regular basis.
5. It’s a great way to diversify your crypto portfolio – It’s never a wise decision to stick with a single coin, as is generally the case in the world of investments. Diversifying your assets should be every investor’s goal.

The Disadvantages of Investing in NEO

Since nothing is ever that simple, there are also a few risks and downsides you have to keep in mind before getting into NEO. Here are some of the most important ones:

1. Wild value fluctuations – NEO is no different than every other cryptocurrency out there, which means that it can go from triple-digit prices to double digits in a matter of days. There’s not much to do about this, except, of course, to keep an eye to be well aware of the market and be prepared for red ticks.
2. The underlying algorithm may be prone to bugs – We’ve only been using cryptocurrencies for a couple of years, and no one really knows if everything is working as it should at the lowest level, at least in terms of algorithms and code. This is especially true for NEO, which uses a pretty special blockchain system.
3. Few regulations and no real protection – Again, NEO suffers from the same faults as every other coin on the market. Reversing transactions is not possible, and there are no regulations in terms of buyer protection.

How Much Does it Cost to Buy NEO in South Africa?

NEO prices are fairly volatile, but as long as you are using a trusted trading platform, you are not going to pay more for them than anywhere else in the world. As of right now, one NEO coin is worth around $45, which is pretty good for an altcoin.

Past prices have even gone as high as almost $200, so there is definitely a lot of room for growth in the future as well. Keep in mind that prices have also gone under $10 in the past, and this may happen again if the proper conditions are met.

With that being said,  the price you pay in South Africa can also be influenced by the payment method you are using, or even the local currency if the broker you are dealing with supports that. Paying with a credit card usually infers a lot of fees, so you may end up paying a lot more per coin than other users.

Purchasing NEO – How to Pay for It

There are many different ways to exchange your cash for NEO, and it all depends on what you are most comfortable with. Not all methods are equal, however, since you are actually losing money if you don’t pay attention to various hidden fees.

Speaking of hidden things, it’s always a good idea to store your NEO on a personal, offline wallet. That may not always be possible, depending on the broker, but it’s never a bad idea to transfer your coins to a non-custodial wallet instead of keeping them in online wallets.

Here are some of the payment methods that can be used to buy NEO online:

Buying NEO using PayPal

PayPal is one of the most popular payment processors in the online world, which is why many people prefer to use it for all sorts of purchases. So naturally, you can also use it to purchase NEO from various brokers and exchanges.

Not every platform supports PayPal, but plenty of popular ones do. If you do not have a PayPal account yet, you should also know that you need to go through a verification process in order to connect your bank account and make deposits.

This verification procedure usually requires you to submit photos of documents that prove your identity, such as a driver license or a bank statement. Thankfully, it only takes a few days for the verification to go through, so it should be a relatively painless process.

The main advantage when it comes to using PayPal is that the platform has been around for many years, which means that you can trust it to not mess up your funds. It also takes very little time for a withdrawal to go through.

Buying NEO using a Credit/Debit Card

While it’s not the most appropriate method, using a debit or a credit card can definitely work if that’s your only solution. Not that many platforms support this payment method, but there are a few major ones that will allow you to make purchases this way.

The nasty part is that credit cards are linked to banks, which are well-known for their draconian fees. Pretty much any kind of transaction is subject to all sorts of hidden fees, and you never really know how much you are going to lose with every purchase.

Trading platforms are well aware of this as well, which is why they usually charge additional fees in order to cover themselves. Hence, while it sounds incredibly easy to just use a credit card like with your regular online shopping, the downsides are not worth it most of the time.

Additionally, you also open yourself up to identity fraud and even theft if you are not careful. Submitting your credit card info to brokers can lead to your personal details being leaked if the platform in question is ever hacked.

How to Create NEO Wallets in South Africa

Storing your NEO should be approached with care, as is the case with every other cryptocurrency you may own. Losing access to your wallet is basically a guarantee that you will never get your coins back since there is no refund process. There are plenty of methods to secure your NEO, such as:

Online/Hosted Wallet

Most trading platforms on this list allow you to create online wallets and store the NEO tokens you buy. Sometimes you are allowed to move your coins to your personal wallet, but that is not always the case. This is a good thing if you want to avoid losing your wallet, but it can also be a curse if the website happens to be hacked.

In order to create an online wallet, here are the steps you have to follow:

• Create an account with Capital.com or any of the other platforms mentioned in this article. After that, you should have a button somewhere in your dashboard that allows you to create a NEO wallet. Sometimes it is automatically created when you make a purchase.
• Protect your account with a strong password, or preferably a passphrase instead. A two-factor authentication method is recommended as well, just for an extra layer of protection against hacking attempts.
• Purchase the desired amount of NEO and store it in your online wallet.

Non-custodial Wallet

If you don’t trust online wallets, then personal wallets are the next best choice. There are plenty of official NEO wallets available on the official website, as well as many third-party ones that support it. It’s up to you to choose the one you like best, although you should stick with the official ones if you want to avoid any possible scams.

Speaking of which, storing your wallet on a PC can be a bit dangerous if you are not careful. Hard drive failures can easily lead to lost coins, especially if you don’t create backups. As mentioned before, there is no way to retrieve lost NEO tokens, so you are out of luck if your wallet gets lost.

Here is how to get and set up a personal wallet:

• Download the software from the official website. You can choose a dedicated NEO wallet or a multi-crypto wallet for all of your coins.
• Install the software and follow the necessary steps. Create backups of your wallet as soon as you transfer the funds.
• Come up with a strong passphrase – This is extremely important if you value security. Weak passwords can be cracked quite easily nowadays, and it’s not enough to add special characters either. Thus, make sure you choose a long passphrase that only you know, and never write it down anywhere.
• Transfer the NEO tokens to your wallet – Depending on which platform you use, the next step is to get the tokens from your online dashboard to your private wallet.

Hardware Wallet

Hardware wallets are designed to be the most secure method of storing your NEO, especially if you don’t want to rely on your PC or mobile phone. They are also more resilient to failure, although it is still recommended to keep backups just in case. 

Naturally, hardware wallets cost actual money in order to buy, while both online and non-custodial wallets are free. This may be worth it, however, at least if you are really serious about the safety of your coins. Here is how to get and set up a hardware wallet:

• Go online and search for a hardware wallet that supports NEO. Ledger is a company that offers such a wallet, which is a pretty recognizable and trusted brand. It’s still a good idea to do your own research, however.
• Install the software provided by the manufacturer – Hardware wallets usually come with dedicated software that’s needed to access your funds. Make sure to read the instructions and follow the necessary steps to install everything accordingly.
• Transfer the funds to your wallet – There is nothing too complicated about this step since it’s only a matter of sending the NEO from one wallet to another.

Conclusion

In the end, getting your hands on NEO is not difficult at all if you live in South Africa, especially since most of the well-known trading platforms are available in the country with no restrictions. Furthermore, many different payment methods are supported as well, and in some cases, you can even use your local currency when it comes to making a deposit.

NEO does indeed show a lot of promise, especially since many call it ‘China’s Ethereum’. If the original Ethereum is anything to go by, then we should see the coin rise in popularity and value in the years to come. 

1

Min Deposit£20

Mobile AppYes

• No commission or hidden fees
• Officially regulated by FCA, CySEC, and NBRB
• Hedging mode available

Visit WebsiteOur score 10

More InfoClose More Info

Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. Crypto asset investing is unregulated in most EU countries and the UK. No consumer protection. Your capital is at risk. CFD crypto trading is unavailable for clients residing in the UK and US.

Offer Terms

CySEC Regulatedno

IFSC Regulatedno

FCA Regulatedno

FAQ

Is it illegal to buy NEO in South Africa?

Cryptocurrency buying and trading are not against the law in South Africa, which means that you are free to buy NEO as well. Granted, the government does advise against investing in cryptocurrency in general, but that’s mainly because it is such a volatile market. It’s easy to lose money in this niche, which is why you must operate with a lot of caution, regardless of the chosen crypto.

What is the future of the NEO coin?

Like with every cryptocurrency, it is very difficult to predict how NEO will fare in the coming months or years. However, the good news is that the coin has very dedicated developers working continuously behind the scenes to make it better, and most predictions say that it will increase in value as more people adopt it, especially in China.

How many NEO coins are there?

100 million coins were initially created, and 50 million of them have already been given away to early investors. The rest are now locked in smart contracts, and anyone can mine them. As more of them become available, they will also become harder to acquire, which should increase their value.

Is NEO better than Ethereum?

The answer to this question depends on the criteria chosen to compare the two cryptocurrencies. Obviously, Ethereum is currently doing much better than NEO, but that’s not the only metric. As an example, NEO supports 10,000 transactions per second, whereas Ethereum is limited to only 15. The difference in tech is on NEO’s side, but there’s obviously much more to it than that.

What type of crypto is NEO?

Just like Ethereum, NEO is a smart contract cryptocurrency. NEO is also one of the very few coins that use a dual token system, with two different coins that are part of the same overall system.

About Peter Knight PRO INVESTOR

Peter Knight is a content writer and also a Crypto enthusiast with years of experience as an investor/trader in the crypto market. Peter believes Cryptocurrency is the future of the Fintech industry, and it is his passion to enlighten people about it. As a result, Peter has written articles on many aspects of the Cryptoverse through thorough research and analysis, reviewing different trading platforms including crypto trading, forex, and stock trading. Now, Peter writes honest reviews about trading platforms and automated trading tools to guide inexperienced traders and help intending users make good choices.

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