How to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal: A Beginner’s Guide

In 2025, buying cryptocurrency is easier than ever. Looking to buy Bitcoin with PayPal but don’t know where to start? You clicked right. Thanks to PayPal’s growing support for crypto and its integration with tons of platforms, you’ve got plenty of ways to get your hands on Bitcoin and other coins. That said, it’s important to know what you’re getting into. In this guide, we’ll walk you through some reliable sites where you can safely buy Bitcoin and altcoins using PayPal, plus what to keep in mind along the way.

Buying Bitcoin with PayPal: Summary

Although you can purchase and hold Bitcoin using a PayPal crypto wallet, there are better options if you want to use PayPal solely as a payment method. Our top choice for buying crypto with PayPal is either directly on PayPal or through CEX.IO and Ledger Live. However, there’s a handful of alternatives, including crypto wallets, crypto apps, and crypto exchanges. Let’s dive straight in!

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Buy Bitcoin Directly on PayPal

So you just checked out the value of Price Volume in 24h Price 7d Buy Now! and decided that crypto prices are right where you want them. You’re ready to buy but don’t feel like going through a crypto exchange. Don’t worry, all you need is PayPal, and you can load up your Bitcoin wallet. 

In October 2020, PayPal rolled out direct purchases of Bitcoin (and three other cryptocurrencies) within the PayPal digital wallet through a partnership with Paxos.

This allows users to hold and sell Bitcoin purchased through the service, as well as use them to pay PayPal-supported merchants. PayPal also allows users to withdraw their coins into third-party wallets for personal storage or wider use throughout the ecosystem. It’s worth mentioning that this option is currently only available for US users, with more countries due to be added over time.

Maximum purchase limits are $100,000 per week with no annual limit, while weekly withdrawal limits max out at $10,000. Fees vary from between 0.49 USD to 1.80%, depending on the size of your transaction.

How to Buy Bitcoin Directly on PayPal

1. Sign up for an account if you don’t already use PayPal;
2. Click on Finances on the top left, then Crypto (available only to supported locations);
3. Click on Bitcoin and Buy;
4. Enter the amount of Bitcoin you want to buy;
5. Select your payment method and click Next;
6. Check the conversion rate and transaction fee.

That’s it. Click Buy now to confirm the purchase. The coins should now be available in your PayPal digital wallet.

Note: As of October 2023, PayPal has temporarily paused cryptocurrency purchases for UK customers. Availability may vary by region. ​

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Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Coinbase

Coinbase, one of the world’s most trusted cryptocurrency exchanges, began accepting PayPal for crypto as a means of payment in 2022. Unfortunately, as of writing, Coinbase doesn’t allow users to buy directly using their PayPal balance but rather through a debit card or bank account that is linked to their PayPal account. This is somewhat restrictive. On the bright side, the maximum daily limits are nice and high at $25,000 per day.

Fees for using PayPal to make a debit card purchase on Coinbase are 4% of each trade, while bank deposits via PayPal cost 2.5%. Coinbase users can also withdraw fiat from Coinbase to their PayPal account.

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Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Kraken

Kraken, founded in 2011, is a veteran US-based cryptocurrency exchange known for its robust security measures and recent expansion across Europe. The exchange offers an advanced trading platform (Kraken Pro) with features like staking, spot trading, margin and futures trading, and OTC options.

With PayPal, users can securely deposit funds to their Kraken account. There is a €1,000 daily rolling limit on PayPal deposits and a minimum transfer of €1. PayPal does charge a deposit fee that Kraken displays in the UI before account connection and deposit initiation. These fees are 3.39% for the EU.

Note that funds deposited through PayPal will not be eligible to be withdrawn for seven days.

PayPal is only available to clients who reside in the United Kingdom and the European Union (excluding Hungary and Croatia).

How to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Kraken

1. Open the Kraken app and tap the Action button at the bottom of the navigation bar;
2. Select Deposit, then search and select EUR;
3. You will be redirected to PayPal to connect your account to Kraken;
4. On your PayPal account, click Save and Continue to connect your account to Kraken;
5. On the Deposit screen, select PayPal and enter the amount you wish to deposit;
6. Review the deposit information and swipe to deposit.

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Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Ledger Live

Ledger is one of the original and most respected hardware wallet companies around. The Ledger Live app allows users to quickly and easily manage their crypto assets. With Ledger Live, users can buy, sell, swap, and stake cryptocurrency.

Ledger and PayPal teamed up to offer crypto purchases through PayPal directly inside Ledger Live. You will need to have a PayPal account to use this feature; otherwise, you will be prompted to create one.

In addition to buying Bitcoin (BTC), users can also purchase Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Litecoin (LTC).

Note: PayPal purchases through Ledger Live are only available to users based in the United States. To access Ledger Live, you will need a Ledger hardware wallet.

How to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Ledger Live

1. Open the Ledger Live app and go to Buy/Sell on the left sidebar. Then select Buy.
2. Choose USD as your currency, and enter the amount you want to buy. Press Confirm amount.
3. On the next screen, select the PayPal button from the list of providers. Then click Continue to PayPal.
4. You will be redirected to PayPal crypto, where you’ll need to log into your account (or create one if you haven’t already) and review and confirm the transaction.
5. Choose your payment method, then click Buy and Send Now. Your assets will then be sent to your Ledger Live account.

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Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on LocalCoinSwap

LocalCoinSwap is a P2P (peer-to-peer) marketplace where buyers and sellers connect directly. When you buy Bitcoin online with LocalCoinSwap, you’re dealing with an actual person, which means that the seller’s credibility is another thing to watch out for.

As for fees, sellers will usually charge a premium since they’re taking a big risk of buyer chargebacks. The upside is that you will usually get your bitcoins faster. You can read our full LocalCoinSwap review here.

How to Buy BTC with LocalCoinSwap

Step 1 – Enter your search parameters

The first step will be to go to LocalCoinSwap and click Buy Crypto or Sell Crypto on the top. Then select what coin you wish to trade, what payment method, and finally, the location of the deal. Although LocalCoinSwap was originally made for people to meet face-to-face, there’s a “worldwide” search, which is cool. Alternatively, you can go through each country, one at a time, to see relevant sellers.

Step 2 – Choose your seller

After you’ve entered your preferred parameters, you’ll see a list of available sellers. You can now browse them one by one. Clicking on each seller will open a detailed view, including important info.

Some of the things we’d check before trusting a seller are:

• What is the seller’s feedback score?
• How many confirmed trades does this seller have?
• How old is the account?
• How many people trust this seller?
• How many people blocked this seller?

In the end, there’s no real measurement to help you evaluate how reliable a seller is. You will need to use common sense after reviewing their complete details.

Step 3 – Complete the trade

Once you’ve found your seller, you can click on the Buy button. There, you’ll be able to see information about the user’s trade limits, location, and payment window (how much time you have to send funds and mark the payment as done after you initiate a trade).

It’s also super important to read the trade terms and conditions for the specific seller located on the right side. Some sellers will require that you have an initial reputation to buy from them to avoid scams or fraud. This means that you might have to conduct some small transactions to build your reputation.

Once you have gone over all of the information and made sure it suits you, just enter how much Bitcoin you want to buy and click Buy Bitcoin.

It’s crucial to conduct all communications within LocalCoinSwap and preferably use their escrow services (which are triggered automatically for all online sales). While this method is relatively fast, it may take some time to gain enough reputation and find a seller.

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Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Bitstamp

Bitstamp is one of the oldest and most respected cryptocurrency exchanges today, being in operation since 2011. The platform supports PayPal for Bitcoin purchases if you’re a resident in the US or EU and pay with EUR or USD.

There’s a limit of up to $2,500 daily and a cap of $20,000 per month. Fees on PayPal purchases are 4% of the total purchase amount, which is high (but not uncommon) for the payment method.

It should be noted that as of writing, users cannot withdraw money directly back to their PayPal account upon selling their Bitcoin–they will have to opt for an alternative fiat withdrawal method.

Click here to read a full review of Bitstamp and its services.

How to Buy Bitcoin with PayPal on Bitstamp

1. Select Bitcoin from the assets page, then click Buy with PayPal. Alternatively, you can click Direct Crypto Purchase on the Deposit page.
2. Enter the fiat amount you wish to spend, then click on Buy with PayPal.
3. You’ll be directed to the PayPal login screen, where you can link your PayPal account with Bitstamp to initiate PayPal to Bitstamp transactions.
4. Ensure that the name associated with your PayPal account is the same as the one you’ve used to register your Bitstamp account.
5. Confirm the transaction. Your accounts will be successfully connected, and the purchase can be completed.

Security and Storage

Once you’ve purchased Bitcoin using PayPal — or any other method — a sensible next step is to think about how you will securely hold your crypto assets. While it is possible to leave your coins on the exchange or website where you purchased them, transferring them to a personal wallet gives you greater control and security.

There are two general types of wallets to consider: online hot wallets, ideal for regular transactions but more vulnerable to being hacked; and offline cold wallets, like hardware wallets, far more secure for long-term holding.

Note: Whichever option you select, be certain to secure your private keys and back up your wallet data — losing these could result in losing your Bitcoin permanently.

See also:

• Best Mobile Crypto Wallets for May 2025

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Conclusion – Can I Use PayPal to Buy Bitcoin?

Buying Bitcoin with PayPal in 2025 is straightforward, with multiple platforms catering to different needs. Whether you choose to purchase directly through PayPal, use a cryptocurrency exchange, or engage in P2P transactions, it’s crucial to understand the associated fees, risks, and security measures. Always conduct thorough research and consider consulting financial advisors before making investment decisions.​