How to buy Bitcoin (BTC) with a debit card from Australia

Nilooka Dissanayake avatar
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Andrew Boyd avatar
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Updated 30 Nov 2022

Using a debit card to buy Bitcoin is fast and widely supported at many crypto exchanges.

Below you’ll find a complete guide to buying Bitcoin with a debit card in Australia — including exchanges that accept Australian debit cards — and a step-by-step guide for new investors.

Unsure about what exchange to use?

Where to buy Bitcoin with a debit card

Binance Australia

On website

Highlights

  • Sign up on Binance Australia to get a 100 USDT cashback voucher. Terms and Conditions apply.
  • World's largest crypto exchanges.
  • Buy, sell, trade, and stake 1,000s of crypto coins and trading pairs.
  • Zero-fee deposit via PayID or Osko from Australia.

Pros

  • It has some of the lowest trading fees out there. 0.1% for spot trading and 0.5% for instant buy or sell fees.
  • Credit card or debit card deposits are accepted.
  • Provides charting and trading tools suitable for advanced crypto traders.

Cons

  • The platform UI can be complicated to learn for new investors.
Swyftx

On website

Highlights

  • Receive $10 worth of BTC when you sign up and verify your account.
  • Trade over 300 assets on Swyftx including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin as well as DeFi coins such as UniCoin.
  • Deposit or withdraw funds from your account using several payment methods (PayID, OSKI, POLi or bank transfers).
  • New to Crypto? Try Swyftx's demo mode, it allows you to mock trade with no financial risk while you learn the ropes of crypto trading.

Pros

  • Trade more than 300 crypto assets through the Swyftx platform.
  • Offers tight spreads and low trading fees.
  • Get support within 5 minutes through their live chat.
  • Practice trading with a demo mode.

Cons

  • Lacks access to advanced trading markets.
eToro Crypto

On website

Crypto assets are unregulated & highly speculative. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

Highlights

  • Access thousands of assets across multiple categories.
  • Copy trades of popular investors that trade Crypto.
  • Access powerful analysis tools and innovative social features.

Pros

  • The user-friendly website and app make it easy to trade from anywhere.
  • Trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 60+ other crypto assets.
  • With its CopyTrader feature, you can replicate the moves of other investors.
  • Start trading with just $10.

Cons

  • There is a 1% fee that is added to the market price.
  • Other exchanges have more selections of crypto coins and tokens.
Coinbase

On website

Finty may be compensated when you click on the link.

Highlights

  • Buy and sell popular digital currencies, keep track of them in one place.
  • Invest in cryptocurrency slowly over time by scheduling buys daily, weekly, or monthly.
  • Coinbase Australia is registered with AUSTRAC.

Pros

  • Get access to a wide variety of altcoins.
  • Start trading with as little as $2.
  • Advanced trading includes Market, Limit, Stop Limit, and Auction Mode orders.

Cons

  • Fees are higher compared to other exchanges.
Coinmama

On website

Coinmama

Highlights

  • Buy Bitcoin and Ethereum with a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, or bank transfer.
  • Place your order and get your coins instantly.
  • Fast-track verification with excellent customer service.

First time buying?

How to buy Bitcoin with a debit card

Step 1: Select a crypto exchange

To buy Bitcoin with a debit card, sign up with an exchange that supports deposits made with a debit card (most do).

You can compare different crypto exchanges here on Finty. All the exchanges listed on this page accept deposits made with debit cards.

When comparing crypto exchanges, important factors to consider include what the exchange’s commission is to buy Bitcoin, if there are any fees when depositing and withdrawing funds, and what tokens are available apart from Bitcoin.

You may be interested to compare other features like the ability to stake crypto with the exchange and yield a reward, get access to your account balance with a card, etc.

Step 2: Confirm your identity

After your account has been set up, verify your identity by providing your driver’s licence, passport, or another form of government-issued ID. Some crypto exchanges also require an image of yourself holding the photo ID so they can verify it’s really you setting up the account.

Step 3: Decide how much to invest

Given that Bitcoin’s price is highly volatile, be careful about how much you invest in it. The general rule of thumb is that you should only invest what you can afford to lose.

Step 4: Deposit funds in your exchange account

Next, you can deposit funds in your exchange account. Using a debit card is typically the fastest way to deposit funds.

  • Not all banks allow their cards to be used to buy Bitcoin due to government regulations.
  • There are alternative funding options if your bank blocks transactions at crypto exchanges, but you still want to buy Bitcoin. For example, you could transfer funds to your PayPal account and use it to deposit funds at the exchange.

Step 5: Place an order

There are generally three different types of orders: market, trigger, or recurring.

Market orders execute immediately at the next available price and require practically no configuration whatsoever. By configuring a trigger order, you can set a target price at which you watch the order to be executed. You may be able to set up recurring orders to buy a certain amount of Bitcoin periodically, e.g. buy $100 of Bitcoin every month (if there are enough funds in your trading account at the exchange).

Step 6: Buy Bitcoin

Once the order of your choice has been configured, you can execute the transaction.

Still not sure?

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Fast and convenient. Buying Bitcoin with a debit card is faster than using a bank transfer.
  • Limits speculation. You can only buy as much as you have available to use in your bank account, limiting the risk of investing too much in a speculative and volatile asset.

Cons

  • Limited bank support. Not every bank permits their customers to use their own debit card to buy Bitcoin.
  • Less fraud protection compared to a credit card. Although debit cards are more widely accepted compared to credit cards, there is less consumer protection.
  • Transaction fees. Exchanges may charge a fee to process deposits made with a debit card.

Extra help

FAQs

How long does it take for funds to transfer using a debit card?

Funds deposited into your exchange account using a debit card are typically available to use immediately.

Can I buy Bitcoin with a debit card anonymously?

You can purchase bitcoins with a debit card anonymously on decentralised peer-to-peer exchanges.

Can I buy other cryptocurrencies with a debit card?

Yes, you can buy other cryptocurrencies with a debit card. Once you have funded your trading account at the exchange, select the cryptocurrency you want to buy, fill out the order form, and complete the purchase.

As seen on

Media - The Sydney Morning Herald
Media - Yahoo Finance
Media - News.com.au
Media - Daily Mail Australia
Media - Australian Fintech
Media - Dynamic Business