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PayPal crypto allows you to buy, sell and transfer five cryptocurrencies in the US: bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), litecoin (LTC), bitcoin cash (BCH) and PayPal stablecoin, PayPal USD (PYUSD). Once you verify your identity, you can make a purchase through PayPal’s app or website and get started with as little as $1.
However, if you don’t want to buy cryptocurrency directly through PayPal, there are also exchanges that support PayPal as a deposit method. This allows you to transfer funds from your PayPal account to the exchange and then trade them for crypto.
How to buy Bitcoin with PayPal instantly
Buying and selling cryptocurrencies through PayPal can be done through the PayPal mobile app or by accessing your account via a web browser on your desktop and following a few simple steps.
Sign up for a PayPal account.
If you do not currently have a PayPal account, you will need to sign up before buying Bitcoin.
Go PayPal’s Finances section.
At the bottom of the app’s screen, select on the icon that reads ‘Finances’. Once there, select the icon that reads “Crypto’ found at the top of the screen.
Select bitcoin and choose your amount.
PayPal displays a choice of all their crypto assets which include bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), litecoin (LTC), bitcoin cash (BCH) and PayPal USD (PYUSD). Select Bitcoin and set the quantity you’d like to purchase, then select ‘Buy’. If this is your first purchase, you will need to confirm your account after reading through PayPal’s terms and conditions.
Enter payment method.
You can typically use bank accounts, debit cards or your PayPal balance to buy cryptocurrencies. Review the details of your purchase and select ‘Buy Now’ to make your purchase. After buying cryptocurrency through PayPal, you’ll be able to see your total balance in your account.
PayPal crypto fees
Transaction fees are applied to your purchase when you buy or sell. Sometimes you can save on fees by buying a bit more cryptocurrency. For instance, you’ll pay less in fees to buy $201 in crypto than you would to buy $199.
Fees are accurate as of December 13, 2023.
Buy or Sell amount
Fee
$1 – $4.99
$0.49
$5 – $24.99
$0.99
$25.00 – $74.99
$1.99
$75.00 – $200.00
$2.49
$200.01 – $,1000.00
1.80%
$1,000.01
1.50%
Pros and cons of buying Bitcoin on PayPal
Pros
Easy to use. Buy cryptocurrencies through the PayPal app or through the website in a few steps.
Track your portfolio. See your current crypto portfolio’s worth at a glance.
Flexible payment options. Pay with a debit card, from your bank account or using your existing PayPal account balance.
Instant transactions. Buy and sell crypto through PayPal instantaneously.
Purchase with crypto. Make purchases through PayPal’s network using cryptocurrency.
Option for self-custody. PayPal recently began allowing users withdraw their BTC from the platform’s custody. However, you can still leave the private keys to your BTC or other crypto assets in PayPal’s custody if that’s more convenient for you. PayPal custodies your crypto through Paxos.
Cons
High fees. You’ll be charged a fee based on the total amount of your purchase and the fees are higher than most crypto brokerages and exchanges. The fees get more expensive as your purchases approach the $200 threshold and reduce after said threshold.
Limited crypto options. PayPal currently only supports bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), litecoin (LTC), bitcoin cash (BCH) and PayPal USD (PYUSD).
Quick look at PayPal supported cryptocurrencies
Although PayPal may add support for more cryptocurrencies in the future, currently only four are supported.
Bitcoin was released in 2009 and it is known as the world’s first cryptocurrency utilizing blockchain technology.
Bitcoin Cash was released in 2017 as a hard-fork (copy) of Bitcoin.
Ethereum was released in 2015 and has since brought thousands of software applications to the blockchain through the use of smart contracts.
Litecoin was released in 2011 and is thought of as the silver to Bitcoin’s gold
PayPal USD was released in 2023 and is a stablecoin fully backed by US dollar deposits, short-term US Treasuries and cash equivalents.
Buying crypto from an exchange using PayPal as a payment method
You can now use PayPal as a payment method on a number of different crypto exchanges and brokerages. These include but aren’t not limited to Binance.US, bitFlyer, Bitstamp, CEX.IO, Coinbase, eToro, Gemini, Huobi, KuCoin and Revolut.
When you are ready to make your crypto purchases at these exchanges, select PayPal as the payment option. PayPal will then deduct the money from the balance that you hold on the app or the primary bank account or credit/debit card that you have linked to your PayPal account.
eToro is a social trading platform that caters to traders of all experience levels. To buy Bitcoin on eToro using PayPal, follow these steps:
Go to the cryptocurrency page and select Bitcoin or use the search bar.
You’ll then be presented with two options: “Trade” or “Order”. If you select Trade, you can buy a certain amount of BTC at a specific price. If you select Order, you can set a BTC price target as well as the number of coins you’d like to purchase at that target. Your order is then executed automatically when and if the price of BTC hits your order target.
Choose the amount you’d like to buy and select “Deposit”.
Select “PayPal” as your deposit method.
KuCoin is a crypto exchange that offers an extensive selection of altcoins. To buy Bitcoin on KuCoin, follow these steps:
Go to the payment methods page and select “Add Payment Method”.
Select “PayPal”.
Enter your PayPal information and select your payment instrument.
Navigate to the “Market” page and select “Bitcoin”.
Decide whether you want to make a “one-time” or “recurring” order and how much BTC you want to buy.
Select “PayPal” as your payment method.
Review your order and select “Confirm”.
Paxful is a global peer-to-peer platform to buy and sell Bitcoin using over 350 payment methods. To buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Paxful, follow these steps:
Select the “Select a currency” tab and select “US dollar (USD)”.
Select the “Select a way to pay” tab and select “PayPal”.
On the “Open offers for PayPal” page, select the seller you’d like to buy from and select the “Buy” button to the right-hand side of the screen.
Revolt is a British financial technology company that offers banking and investing services. To buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Revolut, follow these steps:
Select “Enable Virtual Card” and Revolut will create a virtual credit card for you.
Write down the details of the card.
Go to your “PayPal” account and select on “Link a card” to link this virtual card to the your PayPal account.
Input the credit card number, the card type, the expiration date and the security code.
Go back to the Revolut page or app and confirm that your PayPal account is linked via the virtual card. “PayPal” should be an option for online payment if it’s linked.
Confirm via PayPal that you’ve linked a Revolut Mastercard.
On Revolut, go to “Cryptocurrencies”.
Select “Bitcoin”.
Select the amount of Bitcoin you’d like to buy and select “Buy now”.
Complete all identity verification documents to make sure your country of residence is correct.
Select “Settings”.
Select “Payment Methods”.
Select “Link new account” from a desktop device or tap “Add a Payment Method” in the mobile app.
Select “PayPal” and you’ll be prompted to log in to PayPal. (Please note that your PayPal email address must match your Coinbase email address or you’ll need to take extra steps to link your PayPal account to Coinbase.)
Make sure that you have either a bank account or a debit card linked to your PayPal account. Coinbase will charge your bank or debit card through PayPal and doesn’t accept prepaid cards or credit cards linked to your PayPal account.
Select the “Buy/Sell” tab.
Select the “Buy” panel to select the asset you’d like to purchase.
Enter the amount of BTC you’d like to buy denominated in US dollars.
Select “PayPal” as your payment method.
Select “Preview Buy” to confirm your purchase.
If the details are correct, select “Buy” to complete your purchase.
Compare exchanges that allow PayPal as a payment method
There are many crypto exchanges and platforms that accept PayPal as a deposit method where you can use your PayPal funds to purchase Bitcoin.
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How to sell Bitcoin on PayPal
To sell cryptocurrency using either the app or web browser version of PayPal:
Select the ‘Finances’ icon.
Under ‘Crypto,’ select one of your existing crypto holdings and select ‘Sell’.
Confirm your tax information (if it’s your first time selling).
Enter the amount you want to sell and select ‘Next’.
If you are sure of the amount you’d like to sell, select ‘Sell Now’.
Bottom line
Buying BTC or other cryptocurrencies on PayPal is easy and convenient, but the transaction costs are high.
If being able to hold your BTC self-custody is important to you and you still want to use PayPal to purchase your BTC, PayPal now enables you to move your BTC from it’s custody to an external Bitcoin address.
You can also use PayPal to purchase BTC via crypto exchanges including Coinbase, Gemini and Kraken.
FAQs
Yes, you can buy Bitcoin with PayPal by either using their mobile app (iOS, Android) or desktop website. Alternatively, you can use PayPal as a payment method with several cryptocurrency exchanges and investing apps.
Fees range from $0.49 to $2.49 for purchases between $1 and $200. Purchases between $200.01 and $1,000 incur a 1.80% fee while purchases above that range are charged 1.50%.
Buying Bitcoin with PayPal can take you less than a minute if you already have a verified PayPal account.
Simply use the PayPal app or desktop site and navigate to the “Finances” tab, then “Crypto”. Enter the amount you want to purchase then select “Buy”. You can pay with your PayPal account or another method such as a debit card or bank account.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Zak Killermann was a technical publisher at Finder who specialized in currencies and investing. Zak’s expertise was in breaking down technical finance concepts into approachable, digestible nuggets of information. See full bio
Frank Corva is business-to-business (B2B) correspondent for Bitcoin Magazine and formerly the cryptocurrency writer and analyst for digital assets at Finder. Frank has turned his hobby of studying and writing about crypto into a career with a mission of educating the world about this burgeoning sector of finance. He worked in Ghana and Venezuela before earning a degree in applied linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also taught writing and entertainment business courses in Japan and worked with UNICEF in Namibia before returning to the US to teach at universities in New York City. Earlier in his career, he spent years working as a publicist and graphic designer for record labels like Warner Music Group and Triple Crown Records. During that time, he was also a music journalist whose writing and photography was in published in Alternative Press, Spin and other outlets. See full bio
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