There are not many sites that accepts PayPal for Bitcoins.
A lot of my followers have been asking me how to buy Bitcoin with PayPal.
Sure you could sell your Bitcoins on Coinbase and transfer out to PayPal. (This stopped working months ago)
But big sites like those do not accept PayPal as a payment method.
That’s because with PayPal like every other credit card company, allows charge-backs.
Due to this feature, scammers could take advantage and get Bitcoins for Free.
How the Scam works?
Say we agreed to a price of Bitcoin for $9800.
I pay you through my PayPal account.
Then after a few days, I contact PayPal and let them know I didn’t receive any of the goods you promised.
PayPal would tend to side the buyer’s party and refund the money I paid for because there’s no way for them to be sure since Bitcoin is pseudonymous.
Because of this flaw, I could ultimately end up getting Bitcoins without ever spending a buck.
And that is why most exchanges do not allow PayPal as a purchasing method for Bitcoin.
How to Find a Way round PayPal?
If you’re just using your Debit or Credit card on your PayPal account to purchase Bitcoin, then it’s a cinch! You could use them directly on CoinSwitch anywhere you are in the World.
The Fees are way cheaper than the 10% Extra you’re paying with PayPal and you’ll receive your Bitcoins Almost Instantly!
A. LocalBitcoins
Otherwise, you could still use Over-the-Counter (OTC) sites like LocalBitcoins and buy them from people you trust with either Cash or PayPal.
This is still perhaps the earliest method of purchasing bitcoin using PayPal and it is still very much effective. Local Bitcoins is like a marketplace for sellers and buyers of Bitcoin. The platform itself doesn’t sell Bitcoins to you, but rather the sellers on the platform who do.
Since you will be dealing with an independent seller, you have to make sure that you choose a trustworthy seller. To use LocalBitcoins, you will have to find a seller on the platform who is willing to sell his coins to you.
Bitcoins here are sold at premium rates (5% to as much as 20% + 1% service fee) on this platform due to the high risk for the seller and the cost involved. You’re also buying it anonymously and not giving any I.D. to the authorities, so it’s a price you have to pay.
Even though it is expensive, you can be sure of getting your Bitcoins anonymously.
- To purchase Bitcoin on this platform, the first step is to visit their homepage. Insert the amount you wish to buy and the country/currency of choice. There isn’t a worldwide search, so you’re only restricted to a country/currency of your choice.
- The second step is to choose your preferred seller. You will be shown a list of sellers based on your search parameters. Before choosing a seller, take a look at his or her profile.
Take note of things such as the feedback score, and the trade limits of the seller (ensure that the seller has a trade limit that is higher than your purchase requirement). The terms of the trade for the seller should also be read to ensure that everything is clear before initiating the transaction. Most require your verified name and proof.
- Once you have found your ideal seller, the final step is to complete the trade. Enter the amount you wish to purchase and click on ‘send trade request’.
- The State of New York requires license to operate, as such LocalBitcoins suspended the service for New York Residents.
While LocalBitcoins supports the use of PayPal, there is a price to pay for this convenience.
LocalBitcoins isn’t an exchange platform like the others, it is a platform where buyers and sellers of Bitcoin converge. They just provide the platform for you to conduct your trade.
If you just Bought bitcoins via LocalBitcoins, you need to Move them into a Bitcoin wallet that you control instantly!
Let’s take a look at some other platforms where you could use PayPal.
RECOMMENDATION
Just Bought bitcoins on Localbitcoins? Don’t store them there!
Move them into a Bitcoin wallet that you control like the Ledger or the Trezor.
Here is another place you can use PayPal…
B. Paxful
Buy bitcoins instantly via peer-to-peer in a Bitcoin-only marketplace.
Choose over 300 payment methods to pay for your bitcoins once you find a suitable seller.
Select PayPal in the top of the list as one of the most popular ways to transact on Paxful, choose how much you would like to purchase in your own currency and press “Buy Bitcoin Now”
You will now receive real-time offers of sellers who will accept payment with PayPal for bitcoins.
Look at their offer, read the terms and execute a purchase order in real-time.
Some would require you to submit photo IDs as verification, others don’t.
You’ll find fiat amounts you can purchase ranging from $10 to as much as $10,000.
Paxful is supported in many countries across the globe similar to LocalBitcoins, and if you follow the steps below, you can purchase Bitcoin using PayPal on a regular basis.
- Users who reach an equivalent of $1,500 in trade volume or wallet activity must provide ID for verification.
- Users who reach $10,000 in trade volume or wallet activity must *provide ID and address verification.
- Users who reach higher trade volumes or engage in certain wallet activity may undergo enhanced due diligence and may be asked for additional information.
- All buyers of bitcoin for bank transfer must provide ID and address verification.
- https://paxful.com/blog/paxfuls-new-global-verification-process/
- https://paxful.com/blog/id-and-address-verification-update/
Voila! There you have it, you have just bought Bitcoins using PayPal.
Don’t store your bitcoins on Paxful!!!
Just Bought bitcoins on Paxful? Don’t leave them there! Leaving bitcoins on exchanges are risky:
- Bitfinex hack where users lost $70 million
- Mt Gox where users lost $450 million or more
- 5 Things to Watch If You Leave Bitcoin on an Exchange
There are only two types of exchanges, the ones that have been hacked and the ones that WILL BE HACKED.
Make sure you get yourself a Bitcoin hardware wallet like the Ledger or the Trezor that will securely store your bitcoins.
We’ve only just begun…
In the world of Bitcoin, there’s so much more to delve into. That’s why I created The Zodiac Collection, that tells the story of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency revolution from every angle you can dream up.
There’s a lot of exciting stuff to read — I’ve selected a few of the stories, to start with, below.
To read a curated list of the most important crypto news stories each morning, subscribe for FREE. It will be everything you need to know, in your inbox, every day. No brainer 🙂
I certainly don’t want to overload your brain with the library of Bitcoin resources we have here.
Here are some special picks:
- How to Get Rich Without Trading Bitcoin (or renting out your time)
- How to Buy Cheap Bitcoin
- How to Get Rich In the Next Market Crash (Without Trading)
- 3 Bitcoin Wallets That Are Iron-Clad, Ultra-secure and Affordable
- 6 Top Ways to Instantly Exchange One Cryptocurrency for Another [300+ Altcoins]
- How do I Buy Bitcoin (BTC) on Binance w/ My Credit Card?
- 7 of the Fastest Ways to Buy Bitcoin (BTC) Today!
- Where Do Everyone Trade Bitcoin (BTC)?
Security is something you must not take lightly, unless you like to learn the hard way. Make sure to activate authenticator 2FA on all your crypto emails and exchange accounts.
Incredible exchange platform to trade bitcoins at (omitted), no sign up, no charges, no fees but prompt service delivery and satisfaction
Thanks for sharing this valuable post. But I think charges of these sites are little bit more than Changelly/CoinMama
You can make small orders with PayPal, but for bigger amounts, try looking for an exchange that accepts your local currency directly for bank transfers. Try to avoid Paypal, they have been going down the drain.
I don’t know how good paypal is.
You are right in almost all that you have said.
However you must understand that PayPal is a business.
They’re not out there to serve you; they’re out to make wealth first then any other thing next.