How to Buy Cardano (ADA) – A Beginner’s Guide

By Alexander Reed

Last Updated: Jan 14, 2025

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Cardano is an open-source, decentralized cryptocurrency founded in 2015 that became available for trading in September 2017. You’re ready to buy Cardano now, maybe because you just read about how to become a Cardano millionaire. However, choosing the right Cardano exchange is essential for securely buying ADA and managing your investments effectively. In this post, I’ll explain how to buy ADA (Cardano) online.

How to Buy Cardano Summary

Here’s how to buy Cardano (ADA):

  1. Get a Cardano (ADA) wallet (Best WalletLedger Nano X, Trezor Safe 3, Exodus)
  2. Locate your ADA address
  3. Find a Cardano exchange or broker to buy ADA (OKX, Binance)
  4. Purchase the ADA directly or trade another cryptocurrency for it
  5. Withdraw the ADA to your wallet

Here are a few additional buying options from exchanges we recommend:

Best Wallet
Overall rating:
Margex
Margex crypto app
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MEXC
MEXC review
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OKX
OKX logo
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That’s how to buy Cardano in a nutshell. Keep reading if you want a deeper explanation of Cardano and the buying process.


1. How to Buy Cardano (ADA) in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1 – Choose a Cardano wallet

When Cardano was still in its early stages, there weren’t many options for storing ADA. However, the project has come a long way, and today, most hardware and software wallets allow you to store ADA. We recommend that after you buy Cardano you move it into a wallet off the exchange.

Cardano Hardware Wallets

You can use a hardware wallet if you’re looking for a secure solution to store your ADA. Hardware wallets keep your private keys offline, making them much more resistant to hacking than software wallets connected to the Internet.

You can use a Ledger hardware wallet to store ADA. All Ledger models support ADA, but the Nano X also has Bluetooth mobile support. You can read my Ledger Nano X review here.

Alternatively, you can use the Trezor Model T or Trezor’s newest wallet, the Trezor Safe 3.

Check out our Trezor Model T review and our Trezor Safe 3 review for more information.

Cardano Software Wallets

The easiest way to store ADA alongside other cryptocurrencies would be to use a free software wallet such as Best Wallet or  Exodus. Exodus offers both a mobile and desktop option with Best Wallet is mobile only. Both of these wallets feature a built-in exchange so users can buy and swap crypto directly within the wallet without giving up custody to a third party. Best Wallet has this article on How to Buy ADA with Best Wallet if you want to read up on how it works.

Trust Wallet is a mobile wallet that supports Cardano (ADA) and nearly every other cryptocurrency or chain currently available. The crypto-behemoth Binance purchased Trust Wallet in 2018. The wallet is available for Android and iOS smartphones and is very smooth and easy to use.

Finally, Daedalus is the official, open-source Cardano desktop wallet. It can be downloaded from its official website. The wallet’s idea is to grow with the community and become a universal wallet, blockchain application platform, and app store.

Daedalus Wallet is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Homepage screenshot of the Cardano (ADA) cryptocurrency wallet Daedalus

Locate Your Cardano Address

Once you have your Cardano wallet, locate your ADA address on the Cardano network. It’s a very long string of letters and characters that starts with a “D.” Here’s an example:

DdzFFzCqrht6uv8fraMCgBXgTYypPmNZvJeJupPraMUgbYJWJ2CVoqNQ4KfGne2ebpZgjaC7PP1vxgyRwLZ3WsywNDxZVPjHgMmLRQ3W

Step 2 – Buy ADA on a Cardano exchange

Now that you’ve got your wallet it’s time for you to buy Cardano. Since Cardano (ADA) is one of the most popular cryptocurrency projects and among the biggest market caps, it is available on numerous crypto exchanges and through many brokers.

Buy Cardano Through Best Wallet

Best Wallet is our top pick for users looking for the easiest way to buy Cardano directly within a wallet. Best Wallet allows users to buy, sell, and swap crypto from directly within the wallet using the built-in DEX-aggregator.

BestWallet Bitcoin Wallet

The reason we recommend Best Wallet for new users and those looking for the most friction-free way to buy ADA is that by purchasing crypto from directly within a wallet, users lower their risk of exposing themselves to exchange hacks, third-party risks, and the possibility of sending to incorrect addresses when withdrawing from a traditional crypto exchange. The Best Wallet DEX aggregator sources the best rates for users’ swaps, supporting 50+ chains, connecting to over 200 decentralized exchanges, and using up to 20 cross-chain bridges. Users can make both same-chain and cross-chain swaps.

Visit Best Wallet

Buy Cardano through CEX.IO

CEX.IO is a cryptocurrency exchange that has both an “instant buy” option for beginners and an advanced trading platform for more seasoned traders.

The exchange allows you to buy Cardano with  multiple different payment methods including credit card, debit card, SEPA transfer, Swift, Skrill, Epay, ACH, and wire transfer. If you want to save on fees, using the trading platform and not the instant buy option is better. Check out our full CEX.IO review before proceeding.

Buying Cardano through Coinbase

Coinbase allows you to instantly buy Cardano with your debit card, bank account, Apple/Google Pay, and PayPal. The exchange is available for users from over 100 countries globally and claims relatively low fees (especially when using ACH transfers within the US).

Coinbase has been around since 2012 and has a solid reputation, with the only exception being the quality of its support. It seems like the company has a lot of room for improvement there, with the only live support being subject to lengthy phone waiting times and an offline response time between ‘slow’ and ‘no response at all.’

Still, Coinbase is one of the cheapest and fastest options for buying ADA – as long as its services are available in your country.

Make sure to read our full Coinbase review for more information.

Buy Cardano through Coinmama

Coinmama is one of the oldest cryptocurrency brokers around. Coinmama acts as a broker, meaning they instantly send you your coins instead of holding them in a dedicated account like other sites may do.

Coinmama allows you to buy Cardano with a credit card, debit card, SEPA/Swift transfer, Apple/Google Pay, or Skrill. Verification is relatively quick, and the fees are pretty low compared to the competition. Of course we also have a complete Coinmama review for you to read as well.

Buy Cardano through Binance

Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2017 that has become the biggest crypto exchange in the world. On Binance, you can find and trade over 500 cryptocurrencies, including ADA, that can be bought with various cryptos or fiat currencies.

Binance lets you buy Cardano and other cryptocurrencies from its exchange with a credit or debit card, SEPA transfer, or bank transfer. make sure to read our Binance review to determine whether or not it is the exchange for you.

Here’s how to buy Cardano on Binance using Bitcoin:

  1. Sign up to Binance
  2. Go to “Deposit” -> “Crypto” and select BTC to locate your Bitcoin address
  3. Deposit Bitcoin to your Binance Bitcoin address
  4. Wait for the coins to show up in your account
  5. Go to “Exchange” -> “Basic”
  6. Search for the ADA/BTC pair
  7. Go to “Market” and type in the amount of ADA you want to buy
  8. Click “Buy ADA”

Here’s how to buy Cardano on Binance using your bank card:

  1. Sign up to Binance
  2. Go to “Trade” -> “Buy Crypto”
  3. Search for ADA
  4. Type in the amount of ADA you want to buy
  5. Enter your card details
  6. Click “Buy ADA”

Buy Cardano through Uphold

Uphold is an all-in-one platform that lets users trade cryptocurrencies, including Cardano, commodities, equities, and fiat currencies. Although it doesn’t offer the greatest range of additional cryptocurrency features, Uphold is perfect for those who wish to trade all kinds of assets on a single platform.

Uphold users can fund their accounts instantly using a debit/credit card, wire transfer, or, alternatively, link a bank account for easy transfers. Note that there are hidden spreads for Uphold trading, so ensure you understand how much you will pay before making a trade.

Read our Uphold review to learn more.

Buy Cardano through eToro

eToro is an investment platform known for its speculative investment opportunities. The company allows users to buy and sell coins at low fees and with various payment options.

eToro’s platform also allows users to invest in (and trade) various assets, including commodities, stocks, currencies, and indices. US customers, however, can only invest in Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum. It has many advanced trading tools, such as stop-loss, take-profit, and set orders, which execute automatically according to a coin’s price. It should be noted that stop-loss and take-profit are not guaranteed.

The main thing to remember when dealing with eToro is that it’s a bit complicated to withdraw the coins to your own wallet. However, with eToro, you can easily withdraw fiat currency (i.e., USD, EUR). Therefore, if you’re using eToro, you might as well skip Step 1 of getting a wallet.

Make sure to check out our complete eToro review to see if it is the right exchange for you.

eToro disclaimer: Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.

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. Take 2 mins to learn more

Buy Cardano with Cash

There are very few crypto/Bitcoin ATMs where you can buy Cardano (ADA) with cash. Therefore, you may be better off buying Bitcoin with cash and then exchanging it for Cardano on one of the cryptocurrency exchanges listed above.

How to Buy Cardano with PayPal

You can buy Cardano with PayPal on Coinbase. It’s expected that there will be more options for buying with PayPal in the future as cryptocurrencies continue to grow in popularity.

Alternatively, you can go to LocalCoinSwap, which lets you buy Bitcoin via PayPal. All you need to do is transfer your Bitcoin to an exchange such as Binance and exchange it for ADA. Then, withdraw it to your private wallet—don’t leave it on the exchange.

Step 3 – Withdraw the ADA to your own wallet

Once you’ve finished buying ADA, move the coins to your own non-custodial wallet (i.e., a wallet that gives you access to your private key). Leaving your coins on an exchange exposes you to the risk of fraud or theft (which has happened numerous times in the past).

Once the coins hit your wallet, you’ve successfully completed the process of buying Cardano.


How to Buy Cardano: Conclusion

Cardano is a cryptocurrency that has become one of the most popular projects in the market. It continues to grow in popularity. While the project has come a long way since its early stages, there is still much room for growth as the platform is used for more applications.

It’s hard to say if Cardano will continue to stay near the top of the cryptocurrency list in the future, with such fierce competition from Ethereum, Solana, Polkadot, and others. But it is definitely one to keep an eye on going forward. After reading everything above you are now ready to officially buy Cardano.

ADA has performed well in the last few bull markets, but Cardano will need to develop some more widely used applications in order to keep that streak alive. That said, if you believe in Cardano, ADA could be a good investment for you.

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Wondering how high ADA could go? Check out our Cardano Price Prediction 2025-2030

See Also: Cardano Review: Beginner’s Guide to ADA

FAQs

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Disclaimer
Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice. You could lose all of your capital.
99Bitcoins may receive advertising commissions for visits to a suggested operator through our affiliate links, at no added cost to you. All our recommendations follow a thorough review process.
Alexander Reed
Alexander Reed
Editor

Having delved into futures trading in the past, my intrigue in financial, economic, and political affairs eventually led me to a striking realization: the current debt-based fiat system is fundamentally flawed. This revelation prompted me to explore alternative avenues, including... Read More

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