Second only to Bitcoin by market capitalisation, Ethereum is a blockchain powered by its native cryptocurrency, ETH. Host to thousands of decentralised applications (dApps) from DeFi projects such as Curve and Bancor to NFT marketplaces such as Opensea, many projects built on Ethereum are starting to gain mainstream attention.
With the honour of being the first blockchain to popularise smart contracts, under the leadership of Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum has carved the foundations for the beginning of a new type of internet known as Web 3.0. This page will guide you through the process of buying Ethereum, reveal what Ethereum can do and show you how to store it securely.
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Min Deposit
$100
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User Score
10
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Payment Methods
Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
Full regulations list:
CySEC, FCA
3 steps to buy Ethereum
Step 1: Sign up to a broker or exchange
Register with a brokerage or crypto exchange where you can purchase Ethereum. You’ll need to provide some personal identification and your contact details before your account can be created. Known as KYC, or ‘know your customer’, a term you’ll come across when signing up, it’s a bit like opening a bank account.
Deposit some funds into your trading account so you can buy some ETH. Deposits can be made using your credit or debit card, bank transfer or you can also buy Ethereum with PayPal. The transaction with a card should only take a few minutes but if you use a bank transfer it could be longer.
Step 3: Buy Ethereum (ETH)
In the search bar of the exchange, type in ETH. When it appears, select it and then enter the amount that you’d like to purchase. When you’re happy with the amount, click the buy button and you will have converted your fiat currency into Ethereum.
Where to buy Ethereum
You can buy ETH from a number of different trading platforms. Below are some of the best exchanges and brokers to pick up ETH.
Most Popular
1
Min Deposit
$100
Promotion
User Score
10
Up to $240 bonus!
Build a diversified portfolio with crypto, stocks, and ETFs — all in one place.
Trade on the world's leading social trading and investing platform
eToro offers a wide range of cryptos, such as Bitcoin, XRP and others, alongside crypto/fiat and crypto/crypto pairs. eToro users can connect with, learn from, and copy or get copied by other users.
Payment Methods
Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, PayPal, Wire Transfer
Plus500 is a leading provider of Contracts for Difference (CFDs), delivering Leveraged trading on +2,000 financial instruments, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, Options and Cryptocurrencies. CySEC license number (#250/14)
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American Express, Apple Pay, Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, Discover, Google Pay, Mastercard, PayPal
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3
Min Deposit
$10
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User Score
8.7
Offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate platform, making it accessible for both novice and experienced traders
Global audience, providing various deposit options and allowing users to cash out directly to their bank accounts
Cold storage for funds and two-factor authentication to ensure the safety of users’ assets
Bitstamp, established in 2011, is a pioneer in the cryptocurrency exchange world, offering a secure and straightforward platform for trading a variety of digital currencies. It’s known for its user-friendly design, robust security measures, and global reach, making it a preferred choice for crypto traders worldwide.
Payment Methods
Apple Pay, Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Cryptocurrencies, Debit Card, Google Pay, SEPA
Full regulations list:
Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
Why buy Ethereum (ETH)?
The Ethereum network is home to the most popular decentralised finance applications and decentralised marketplaces for cryptocurrencies and NFTs. New dApps and creations are constantly being released on Ethereum.
Being such a large platform with thousands of use cases, Ethereum has arguably been a victim of its own success and has suffered from congestion and painfully high gas fees. This has led to many developers migrating to other similar blockchains such as Solana, Polygon and Avalanche.
That said, Ethereum remains the biggest blockchain project by market capitalisation, second only to Bitcoin. And it’s now in the process of fixing its issues with its hotly anticipated upgrade, which will, according to its website, ‘scale to meet global demand while improving security and decentralisation’.
The Ethereum token can be used to pay for transaction fees on the Ethereum network and staking. Since 2021 the Ethereum token has become deflationary and the development of its consensus layer—a vital part of its upgrade—should give Ethereum the level of functionality that dedicated users have come to expect.
If you’re interested in decentralised finance and want to get involved in NFTs, decentralised applications or making your own dApps then buying some ETH is essential.
Where to store your Ethereum
Outside of cryptocurrency exchanges and brokerages, you can store your Ethereum in a digital wallet. Metamask and Trustwallet are two of the most widely used browser wallets for storing Ethereum safely. Hardware wallets such as Ledger Nano and Trezor are great USB wallets with greater security. You can use the links below to purchase a hardware wallet for yourself.
Nobody knows what the price of Ethereum will be in the future, but the general outlook is that the price of Ethereum can go much higher.
NFT marketplaces such as Opensea accept payments in Ethereum. Other NFT marketplaces that use the Ethereum token are Foundation and Super Rare.
You can mine Ethereum using a computer or even a mobile phone. Mining involves using a computer to validate blocks of transactions on a blockchain network such as Ethereum. Miners who successfully validate a block will receive a reward in Ethereum.
There is no set date for when this will be ready but most sources in the Ethereum and crypto community point to sometime in 2022. The upgrade will introduce shard chains into the Ethereum network. Shard chains split the network into small chunks to allow data to pass through more quickly which speeds up transactions. You can read more about the upgrade and shard chains by visiting the official Ethereum website.
All non-custodial desktop and browser wallets are free to download and use. Hardware wallets need to be bought as they are physical usb’s. Many people use browser wallets to connect to decentralised finance applications or to purchase NFTs. They are considered safe as long as your password or key phrase to your non-custodial wallet never gets revealed to a third party. Sharing your key phrase can put your wallet at risk.
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