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Buy Ethereum With PayPal

Amala Pillai
Amala Pillai
June 6th, 2023
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The information in this detailed guide will help you figure out the best ways to buy Ethereum with PayPal. We have reviewed industry-leading exchanges, brokers, and crypto apps to help you identify what works best for you.

The platforms in this post have been shortlisted based on important parameters like security, reputation, user experience, fee structures, and much more. We'll also provide step-by-step instructions on buying Ethereum with PayPal.

Top Ethereum Brokers That Accept PayPal

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eToro8.7Visitetoro.com

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Plus500 CFD Broker9.8Visitplus500.com

82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Pepperstone9.0Visitpepperstone.com

Between 74-89 % of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Eightcap8.8Visiteightcap.com
Webull8.3Visitwebull.com
Coinbase8.4Visitcoinbase.com
Changelly7.4VisitChangelly.com
Trading 2128.4Visittrading212.com

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 83% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Best Ways to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

There are a lot of different ways to buy Ethereum with PayPal but we have cherry-picked some of the best options for you:

  • Ethereum Brokers

  • Ethereum Derivatives such as CFDs

  • Ethereum Exchanges

  • Ethereum P2P Services

  • Ethereum Apps

  • Buy Ethereum Directly on PayPal

PayPal is available in more than 200 countries and supports 25 different currencies

Best Brokers to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

One of the most practical and beginner-friendly methods of buying Ethereum with PayPal is brokers. These platforms sell and buy cryptocurrencies on behalf of the customers, which is ideal for new users with limited experience.

ProviderDeposit FeeGet Started
🥇 eToro$0Start with eToro now
🥈 Webull$0Start with Webull now
🥉 Coinbase2.5%Start with Coinbase now

The Ethereum brokers listed in the table above are the top-performing players in the industry, offering a wide range of services while maintaining a healthy reputation among their users. Furthermore, these platforms are also known for providing a competitive trading fee structure, intuitive user interfaces, and robust security.

eToro - A top choice for beginners

eToro8.7Visitetoro.com

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Beginners will enjoy user-friendly and exclusive features on eToro such as CopyTrader, which allows you to copy the trading patterns of experienced traders. Therefore, those who are new to trading can replicate the strategies that are employed by successful traders.

Additionally, eToro is regulated by financial regulatory agencies such as CySEC, FINRA, FinCEN, FCA, and ASIC, hence, making this platform reliable. Buying Ethereum with PayPal does not incur a deposit fee because of the spread-based structure. However, the withdrawal fee of $5 and the inactivity fee are some notable downsides.

Buy Ethereum on eToro with PayPal: Step-by-step guide

Step 1: Open eToro
Step 2: Verify Your Identity
Step 3: Deposit
Step 4: Buy Ethereum

Best CFD Brokers to Trade Ethereum With PayPal

Ethereum CFD brokers differ from exchanges because they do not grant you ownership of the asset. Instead, you make predictions about the rise or fall of a cryptocurrency during the contract period. The contract format involves settling on the Ethereum price difference at the start and end.

ProviderDeposit FeeGet Started
🥇 Plus500$0Start with Plus500 now*
🥈 Eightcap$0Start with Eightcap now

*Plus500 disclaimer: 86% of retail CFD accounts lose money

The CFD brokers selected above are winners over the competition because they charge the lowest fees, offer the best features, and have established excellent reputations among their users.

Plus500 - Top choice for a user-friendly interface

Plus500 CFD Broker9.8Visitplus500.com

82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

The Plus500 platform comes with a bit of a learning curve, but it does not take much time to figure out the features. The navigation menu and layout are intuitively designed, which ensures a seamless trading experience. The mobile app version of Plus500 also features a similar design philosophy, leading to a lot of excellent reviews on the App Store and Google Play.

You can open a demo account in a matter of minutes, meaning you'll be able to get familiar with the platform and test out trading strategies risk-free. The spread at Plus500 is close to the industry average, so the transaction fees are competitive. Unfortunately, the lack of educational and news content means beginners need to learn the basics elsewhere.

Best Ethereum Exchanges to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

If you want to buy Ethereum with PayPal, then navigating your way to the centralized cryptocurrency exchanges could be a great decision because these platforms offer robust protection, insurance, investment tools, fast transaction speed, and more.

ExchangeDeposit FeeGet Started
🥇 Coinbase2.5%Get started with Coinbase now
🥈 Crypto.comn/aGet started with Crypto.com now
🥉 KuCoinn/aGet started with KuCoin now

The industry-leading Ethereum exchanges listed in the table above have a wide user base, useful features, reliable security, and strong regulatory oversight. Overall, they offer a better experience than other Ethereum exchanges.

The trading fees on these platforms can be as low as 0.01%, so you will save money compared to buying Ethereum on the PayPal app directly. The customer service teams at these platforms have fine-tuned the process to provide fast responses to queries. Moreover, there are multiple channels to connect to the support team of these exchanges.

How to Buy Ethereum With PayPal on an Exchange

Ethereum is one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, so it will be easy to find this asset on most exchanges including but not limited to Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, KuCoin, and Crypto.com. Ethereum traders must register an account with these exchanges and complete a KYC verification process.

Unfortunately, PayPal will not be available as a deposit method on every exchange, so you might decide to use alternatives such as bank transfer or credit/debit card. When creating an account, you’ll need to navigate to the deposit page and choose PayPal as the payment method.

Furthermore, PayPal typically imposes limitations with respect to the type of fiat currencies that can be used for deposits and the amount of Ethereum you can buy in a specified time period.

How to Find Ethereum on an Exchange: You can find Ethereum on most exchanges by navigating to the platform’s trading page. You may find Ethereum listed above the fold because of its large trading volume, second-largest market cap in the crypto market, and immense popularity.

Altcoins and Ethereum

In some cases, it is difficult to directly use fiat currency to buy altcoins, so you will need to use cryptocurrencies like Ethereum as a gateway. Use the steps outlined above to purchase Ethereum and use the platform's search functionality to find the altcoin (paired with Ethereum) you want to buy. Next, choose the amount of Ethereum you would like to trade for the altcoin and confirm the transaction.

Furthermore, you may want to buy Ethereum without using PayPal. In this case, you can use other cryptocurrencies and swap them to have Ethereum. Use the search bar in the platform to find Ethereum and choose the cryptocurrency you want to trade it with and the amount.

Coinbase - Great choice for large selection of cryptocurrencies

Coinbase8.4Visitcoinbase.com

Coinbase allows users to trade over 200 cryptocurrencies, including Ethereum. You can get started with a minimum order of as little as $2 - this is a great way for beginners to experiment with cryptocurrencies without making a huge investment.

The process of exchanging cryptocurrencies on Coinbase is simple because of the intuitive user interface and responsive customer support team. This makes it easy to learn how to use the platform effectively. The search bar can be used to find Ethereum.

However, trading fees range between 0%-0.6%, based on the pricing tier, and fees for instant purchases, instant sales, and PayPal deposits can be even more. This is relatively high compared to alternative platforms. You will save money by using other exchanges for many cryptocurrency transactions.

Can I use decentralized exchanges with PayPal?

Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) started appearing in 2014 and opened the possibility for users to trade cryptocurrency without the involvement of an intermediary. The peer-to-peer model of decentralized exchanges is the reason why anonymous trading is possible. You don’t need to complete the KYC process or share your email address to start using a DEX for trading or investment purpose. Simply connect a decentralized wallet like MetaMask to load crypto funds to your DEX to get started.

By now, you might have realized why PayPal cannot be used to buy cryptocurrencies like Ethereum on decentralized exchanges. It is because a DEX does not accept fiat but only crypto deposits via a decentralized wallet. However, you can buy cryptocurrency with PayPal on an exchange, which can then be transferred to a decentralized wallet to start trading on a DEX.

Investing in cryptocurrency is high-risk and speculative

Best Ethereum P2P Platforms to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

Users can buy Ethereum on P2P platforms directly from others. Typically, users post an offer, which states the cryptocurrency price, payment methods, and amount of time allowed to pay.

ExchangeTrading FeesGet Started
🥇 KuCoin$0Get started with KuCoin now
🥈 Paxful$0Get started with Paxful now
🥉 Bybit$0Get started with Bybit now

The P2P platforms listed in the table above are excellent choices because they offer well-designed user interfaces and a wider choice of payment methods, including PayPal.

KuCoin - Top choice for safe transactions

Kucoin7.8Visitkucoin.com

KuCoin P2P transactions are safe because your money will only be released to the seller once it’s confirmed that they have released the cryptocurrency. Therefore, you can buy Ethereum from other users with peace of mind. Additionally, KuCoin is one of the more popular cryptocurrency P2P platforms, which means you’ll find many offers for buying cryptocurrencies like Ethereum.

KuCoin does not charge a fee for trading cryptocurrencies on its P2P platform. Therefore, you can save money compared to more expensive crypto P2P exchanges. Additionally, KuCoin has a large number of tradeable cryptocurrencies.

The disadvantages of using KuCoin to buy Ethereum include the lack of educational content for beginners to learn more about cryptocurrencies.

Best Apps to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

You can buy and sell cryptocurrency from the comfort of your smartphone. Also, the mobile app experience is quite similar to the desktop experience, so you’re not missing out by going mobile. The table below highlights 3 of the top mobile apps for buying Ethereum with PayPal.

ProviderOSGet Started
🥇 eToroAndroid / iOSStart with eToro now
🥈 RobinhoodAndroid / iOSStart with Robinhood now
🥉 WebullAndroid / iOSStart with Webull now

The listed mobile apps above are our top choices because they offer a wide selection of cryptocurrencies, are tightly regulated, provide low fees, and have excellent user interface designs. Also, beginners can start with low minimums to begin trading without a big investment.

eToro App - Best choice for a user-friendly experience

eToro8.7Visitetoro.com

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

If you’re looking for a smooth user experience in trading cryptocurrency, then eToro is the top choice. eToro’s mobile app offers the same features as the desktop version, which includes fan favorites such as the CopyTrader feature. This allows users to copy the trading patterns of other users.

Additionally, your account is protected via a 2-factor authentication mechanism that is required when executing deposits or transactions. The top regulators worldwide have verified eToro for the quality of its financial practices. This should give you confidence when holding cryptocurrency on the platform.

However, eToro’s fees are not the lowest, and they could improve their customer service by speeding up response times.

Buy Ethereum Directly on the PayPal App

In a few countries like the UK and the US, you can buy cryptocurrencies directly from the PayPal mobile app without the need for brokers or exchanges. Buying Ethereum from the PayPal app can be completed using the existing balance in your account.

If the balance is not sufficient, then you can fund your account via bank transfer or debit/credit card first and then use the balance to buy Ethereum. A benefit here is that you can start buying crypto on PayPal with as little as $1 in your PayPal account.

Buying Ethereum on PayPal fees

PURCHASE OR SALE AMOUNTPAYPAL FEE
$1.00 – 4.99$0.49
$5.00 – 24.99$0.99
$25.00 – 74.99$1.99
$75.00 – 200.00$2.49
$200.01 – 1000.001.80%
$1000.01+1.50%

Should You Buy Ethereum With the PayPal App?

Buying Ethereum with the PayPal app is a good choice for users that already have the app on their smartphones and quickly want to get involved with buying cryptocurrency. The low minimum deposit of just $1 allows new users to test the PayPal app with a small investment.

Additionally, PayPal is a trusted and highly regulated payment processor, so you can rely upon it to safely store your Ethereum. The platform offers fast deposits and withdrawals so you never have to wait long for the execution of your transactions.

However, the transaction fees are relatively high when compared with the providers mentioned in this guide. Therefore, you will save money by not buying directly on the PayPal app. Finally, there is a limited selection of cryptocurrencies, so you may have to seek out platforms like Coinbase, where you can trade over 150.

  • Widely available
  • Low minimum of $1
  • Trusted company
  • Fast Withdrawals

Exchange or a CFD Broker: What Are the Differences When Buying Ethereum With PayPal?

Exchanges and brokers have important differences with regard to trading Ethereum using PayPal. This section will shed light on those differences to help you decide on the best methods for your requirements.

Buying Ethereum with PayPal using an exchange

Ethereum can be purchased with PayPal on exchanges that are centralized platforms. Below is a list of their pros and cons to help you decide if these platforms meet your trading criteria.

  • Many cryptocurrencies available
  • Reliable and has an excellent user interface
  • Users have the option to leverage investments through margin trading

Trading Ethereum with PayPal using a CFD broker

Ethereum CFD brokers allow users to speculate on whether the price of Ethereum will increase or decrease over a specified time period. Note that when executing CFD transactions, you will not gain ownership of the asset like you would on an exchange. This is a fundamental difference between trading with CFD brokers and exchanges.

  • No custody of crypto or associated risks
  • Ability to go long or short
  • Ease of execution
  • No stamp duty

Is It Worth Buying Ethereum With PayPal?

This section answers the question of whether PayPal is a worthwhile payment processor to be used for buying Ethereum. Overall, it’s a solid choice because of its ease of use and the fact PayPal doesn't charge a fee for payment processing.

However, the limitations that are imposed by PayPal include deposit limits that vary by platform. Therefore, you may need to use alternative deposit methods to trade your desired amount of Ethereum.

Is PayPal the fastest way to buy Ethereum?

Having access to an infrastructure offering lightning-fast transaction speed improves the convenience of trading Ethereum. Fortunately, PayPal provides instant deposits in most cases, unless the transaction gets held for review by the customer service team. You can also achieve instant deposit speeds on most platforms by using a credit card to buy cryptocurrencies.

Is PayPal the safest way to buy Ethereum?

You can trust PayPal with your transactions because it’s a highly regulated money transfer company. They have a lot of experience and noteworthy regulators worldwide have vetted the quality of their financial practices for compliance with laws. The 2-factor authentication mechanism used by PayPal ensures that only the account holder can log in and execute transactions.

Is PayPal the cheapest way to buy Ethereum?

PayPal does not charge a fee when you select it as a payment method on a crypto platform, but the platform may charge its own deposit fees. However, when purchasing Ethereum directly through the PayPal app, you will be charged a fee of at least 1.5% of the transaction amount.

What Are the Fees When Buying Ethereum With PayPal?

In this section, we will explore the fees that you need to know about when buying, selling or trading Ethereum with PayPal.

ProvidereToroPlus500 (CFDs)Binance
Deposit FeeNo feeNo feeNo Fee
Buying Ethereum Fee1%Market spread0.1%
Transfer to Wallet FeeNo feeNo feeNo Fee
Selling Ethereum Fee1%Market spread0.1%
Payout Fee$5No feeNo Fee
Inactivity Fee$10 after 12 months$10 After 3 MonthsNo Fee

Is Buying Ethereum With PayPal Anonymous?

You will not have anonymity when buying Ethereum with PayPal in most cases because PayPal is a centralized platform that requires users to complete the KYC requirements before buying Ethereum or any other crypto available. Anonymously buying Ethereum is possible through decentralzied exchanges like Uniswap.

Can you buy Ethereum with PayPal without verification or KYC?

No. You will need to complete the KYC verification process to buy Ethereum on PayPal. The KYC verification is a pre-requisite on most exchanges and P2P platforms. The only way to avoid KYC verification when buying Ethereum is by using decentralized exchanges.

Can you buy Ethereum with PayPal without registration?

You must register an account with PayPal if you want to use their platform for buying Ethereum. Additionally, you will need to complete registration on the centralized exchange where you wish to trade cryptocurrencies. The length of registration processes varies, but in most cases, you can open an account within just a few minutes, with KYC verification times ranging from a few minutes to 48 hours.

Reasons to Buy Ethereum With PayPal

Before choosing a payment processor to buy Ethereum, you need to think about the top advantages. PayPal offers several benefits, which include instant deposits, no payment processing fees, and wide availability across 3rd party platforms.

Alternative Payment Options to Buy Ethereum With USD

If PayPal is not available to you, then an alternative method of buying Ethereum must be chosen. This section covers the most popular alternatives that are a practical choice for many users.

Buy Ethereum with debit card, credit card, or Amex

Most individuals have a credit card that they can use to buy Ethereum, so it’s a convenient method that is easily accessible. Credit cards offer instant processing on most Ethereum trading platforms. As well as credit and debit cards, Prepaid Cards are a popular option.

Buy Ethereum via bank transfer

Bank accounts are easily accessible for most people, so it’s another viable method of buying Ethereum. Also, due to strict regulations, banks are a safe place to store money. Bank transfer can also be a convenient method of buying Ethereum.

Buy Ethereum with PaySafeCard

Users can use a PaySafeCard for buying Ethereum. It also provides the benefit of anonymity because no personal information is attached to PaySafeCard purchases.

Buy Ethereum using digital wallets

Digital wallets can be used to instantly buy Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. The ease of access and the low number of steps are some of the top highlights of digital wallets. The most popular options are Apple Pay, Google Pay, Zelle, Venom, and Neteller.

What to Consider When Buying Ethereum With PayPal

It’s important to make a few considerations before you buy Ethereum with PayPal. These will allow you to set the right expectations.

  • Amount: Choose the appropriate amount of Ethereum to buy based on your personal financial goals. Cryptocurrencies are generally more volatile than other asset classes, so be prepared for higher price fluctuations.

  • Safety: Storing large amounts of Ethereum on a single platform might be risky. You may want to transfer the cryptocurrency to a cold wallet for safekeeping.

  • Taxes: As cryptocurrencies become more widely accepted, the tax laws are changing. In some countries, you may need to report your Ethereum gains and losses, which is the case in the United States. The IRS Form 8949 must be filled out if you trade Ethereum.

  • Fees: To reduce the cost of buying Ethereum with PayPal you need to find an exchange or any other platform that does not charge you much while making a PayPal deposit. Many platforms don’t charge a deposit fee, but you could pay a withdrawal fee when using PayPal.

  • PayPal Support: To buy Ethereum with PayPal, it must be one of the supported payment processors. Make sure that it is available before registering a new account.

Do All Platforms Accept PayPal to Buy Ethereum?

Below is a summary of PayPal availability on the most popular platforms where you can buy Ethereum.

ProviderPayPal AcceptedReview
CoinbaseYesRead Coinbase review
BinanceNoRead Binance review
LunoNo
WirexYesRead Wirex review
PoloniexNoRead Poloniex review

Can I Buy Any Other Cryptocurrencies With PayPal?

Now that you know how to buy ETH with Paypal, you may want to purchase other cryptocurrencies. If you wish to buy cryptocurrency directly from PayPal, then it is important to know that this payment system currently supports Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. If you want to buy a cryptocurrency other than these four using your PayPal balance, then you will need to use an exchange that supports PayPal deposits to finance your crypto purchases.

Should I Buy Ethereum With PayPal?

To wrap it up, buying Ethereum with PayPal is a popular choice because of the instant processing time, the simplicity of the process, and the wide availability. Buying Ethereum directly from the PayPal app is possible, but it comes with higher transaction fees compared with most exchanges and brokers.

The popularity of PayPal means that it’s available at some of the top Ethereum trading platforms such as eToro and Coinbase.

eToro8.7Visitetoro.com

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Remember, PayPal only supports Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin

FAQs

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Find Out More Ways to Buy Ethereum

Contributors

Amala Pillai
Senior Content Editor
Amala is custom content and news editor based in London. She is a former financial journalist based in Singapore with 7 years of experience covering a range of business and financial topics. Now she focuses on crypto and macro-economics. She has also covered feature profiles, tech, business politics and ESG— she was the Environment Editor for the Solutions Newspaper, 2016 and worked in an editorial capacity at both News corp (Dow Jones) and JBN. She also has experience as a content creator, strategist and brand editor for various financial institutions and banks.