Buying guideBuying guide

This guide shows you how to safely buy, sell and store crypto in your own wallet, step by step and without jargon. We start with buying. Many beginners think buying crypto is complicated. It's not. At BTC Direct you do it in three steps, and the whole flow usually takes less than ten minutes.

Want to convert your crypto to euros? Good to know: all coins you buy with us can always be sold back to us. No surprises, no switching to another platform.

We support more than 50 cryptocurrencies. Many people buying crypto for the first time start with Bitcoin or Ethereum. Those are the two largest and most well-known names. Beyond that, you'll find coins for fast payments, smart contracts, scalable apps and much more.

Bitcoin. The original. Conceived in 2008 as a digital alternative to money without intermediaries. Bitcoin is often called 'digital gold', because like gold there's a fixed, limited supply. There will never be more than 21 million. That scarcity is mathematically embedded in the code and cannot be changed by anyone. Bitcoin is the most well-known and most traded cryptocurrency.

Alt-coins. All cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin are often called alt-coins, short for 'alternative coins'. Some are built for fast payments, others for smart contracts or specific applications.

Ethereum (ETH). Ethereum is the largest alt-coin and the second largest cryptocurrency in the world. It's more than just a coin: Ethereum is a platform where developers can build their own apps. The coin is actually called ether, the network Ethereum.

50+ other coins. With us you can also buy other well-known coins, like Solana, Ripple, Cardano, Polkadot, Litecoin, Chainlink and Dogecoin.

At BTC Direct you're the owner of your coins from day one. We're a broker, not a custodian. That means: your coins go directly to a wallet that only you control. We hold nothing.

What does 'be your own bank' mean? At a regular bank, you put money in your account and the bank keeps it for you. There are advantages to that, but also disadvantages. The bank can freeze your account, can go bankrupt, and can ask why you want to transfer money. You're dependent on someone else.

With crypto, it can be different. You can store your coins yourself in a wallet that only you have access to. No bank in between. This is called 'be your own bank': you are literally your own bank.

That gives you freedom, but also responsibility. Nobody else can access your coins, which is great. But it also means: if you lose your secret key, nobody can recover your coins. No helpdesk, no 'forgot password' button. That's why a secure wallet is so important.

Which wallet do you choose? A wallet is a digital purse. There are two types most suitable for beginners.

Software wallet (app on your phone or computer). Free, quick to set up and handy for smaller amounts. We work with reliable wallets like Aqua, Xaman and Coinomi. Suitable to get started.

Hardware wallet (a physical device). Our tip for those who want to store seriously. Your secret key is stored offline on the device, so even if your computer is hacked your coins remain safe. Well-known brands: Ledger, Trezor, Bitbox and Ngrave.