How to buy Bitcoin in the UK 2025

Bitcoin is the original cryptocurrency and the world' number one digital asset in terms of market cap. Find out how to buy Bitcoin in the UK, and tips for using exchanges and wallets.

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.

2025 marks the 16th year of Bitcoin’s existence and what a journey it’s been! Despite numerous ups and downs, Bitcoin continues to stand tall, defying the naysayers and skeptics. It was one of the first 5 cryptocurrencies named to form the core of a new US crypto "strategic reserve".

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re ready to start adding Sats to your Bitcoin stack, or are at least seriously considering it. So, without further ado, here are the best ways to buy Bitcoin in the UK today.

Key takeaways

  • The best and simplest way to buy crypto like Bitcoin in the UK is to use a crypto exchange.
  • You can choose how much Bitcoin to buy as an investment, which could be a tiny fraction of a whole coin (known as a Satoshi).
  • To buy Bitcoin, you'll need to find a crypto exchange, decide how much Bitcoin you want to buy, and create an order.

How to buy Bitcoin in 4 steps

  1. Compare crypto exchanges
    The first step to buying Bitcoin is to choose a crypto exchange from the dozens of options available in the market. Comparing in the table below helps you find one with the features you want, whether it's low fees, ease of use, or 24-hour customer support.
  2. Create an account
    After selecting an exchange, the next step is to sign up for an account. This involves providing some personal information like your name, email address, and identity verification documents, such as your driving license or passport. Have these details and documents at hand to speed up the registration process.
  3. Deposit funds
    To buy Bitcoin, you'll need to deposit funds into your account. Exchanges offer a variety of deposit methods, including bank transfers, credit and debit cards, and even third-party payment solutions like PayPal.
  4. Buy Bitcoin
    With your account funded, you're all set to buy Bitcoin. On user-friendly exchanges, this is as simple as entering the amount you want to purchase and clicking "Buy". If you like, you can transfer your Bitcoin to your personal wallet after purchase.

The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes and all you'll need is a smartphone or computer, an internet connection, photo identification and a means of payment.

Best for new coins
Uphold logo
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Fast, flexible trading
280+ currencies
Earn 1% GBP cashback
Best for low fees
CoinJar UK logo
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Simple and easy to use platform
Built-in crypto wallet
Instant card payments
Best for overall exchange
Kraken logo
Finder Award
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
200+ cryptocurrencies
Free pro-trading tools
Flexible deposit methods
Best for beginners
eToro UK logo
Capital at risk. T&Cs apply.
Copy trading features
Simple 1% trading fee
Ready-made crypto portfolios

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.

Where to buy Bitcoin

Find an exchange to buy, sell and trade Bitcoin by comparing deposit methods, supported fiat currencies and fees. Select "Go to site" to sign up directly with the exchange.

Product Finder Score Deposit methods Available cryptos Cost of investing £100
Bank transfer (ACH), Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, LTC, ADA, XLM, TRX, NEO & 274 more
$0.99 + network fee + trading fee
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.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Compare product selection
Bank transfer, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, SEPA, Faster Payments (FPS), Apple Pay, Google Pay
BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, XLM, ALGO, EOS, SOL, ADA, XTZ & 57 more
£1.10
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.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Compare product selection
Bank transfer, Debit card, eToro Money
BTC, ETH, BCH, XRP, DASH, LTC, ETC, ADA, MIOTA, XLM & 90 more
£1 + spread
Go to site

Capital at risk

Compare product selection
Kraken logo
Kraken
Finder Award
Bank transfer, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, PayPal, Faster Payments (FPS), Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT
BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, LTC, ADA, XLM, DASH, USDT, BEAM & 227 more
Maker fee: £0.25
Taker fee: £0.40
Kraken offers staking, an OTC desk, and dark pools. Trade multiple fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies from your desktop or mobile with near-instant deposits and withdrawals.
Go to site

Capital at risk

Compare product selection
Coinpass logo
Bank transfer, Cryptocurrency
BTC, XRP, ETH, LTC, BCH, DOT, LNK, XLM & 3+ more & 5 more
£0.35
Make free fiat and crypto deposits as well as fast transactions on this crypto exchange.
Compare product selection
Crypto.com logo
Crypto.com App
Finder Award
Cryptocurrency, Debit card, SEPA, Faster Payments (FPS), Apple Pay, Google Pay
BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, FET, LTC, ADA, XLM, USDT & 289 more
Buy 375+ cryptocurrencies, earn up to 14.5% p.a. on holdings, pay with your crypto for cashback at stores, and more with this complete crypto-finance platform.
Compare product selection
Revolut logo
Revolut
Bank transfer, Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
BTC, ETH, XRP, BCH, EOS, LTC, XLM, OMG, ZRX, XTZ & 164 more
Maker: £0.00
Taker: £0.09
Buy and sell several popular cryptocurrencies through your Revolut account, set up recurring purchases and transfer it to other users. You can’t transfer cryptocurrency to anyone who does not have an active Revolut account.
Compare product selection
Gemini logo
Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT
BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, DOGE, ADA, SUI, LINK, AVAX, XLM & 69 more
Maker fee: £2.75
Taker fee: £2.95
Execute multiple trade types with no fees on cryptocurrency and wire transfer deposits on this exchange.
Compare product selection
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Finder Score for crypto exchanges

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Fees, features and asset-support across the most popular platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the exchange – simple.

Bitcoin to USD and GBP calculator

Our calculator works out how much Bitcoin would be worth in USD and GBP, depending on how much you hold or are looking to purchase.

BTC price last updated 24 July 2025, 03:07 UTC.

BTC
$
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Alternative ways to buy bitcoin

Other than crypto exchanges, you can also buy Bitcoin using:

  • Traditional beginner-friendly brokerages like eToro.
  • Banking and financial apps like Revolut.

What are the fees to buy Bitcoin?

The types and amount of fees to pay when buying Bitcoin vary across different platforms. Here are the common charges:

  • Deposit fee. Depending on the method used, you may have to pay a fee for depositing funds into your account. Bank transfers are typically free on most exchanges, whereas paying with a credit card usually incurs a fee.
  • Exchange fee. Most exchanges impose either a percentage-based or flat fee for each transaction carried out on their platform. The exact amount is unique to each platform.
  • Network fees. Transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain itself also carry a fee. This is a separate cost from those imposed by the exchange.
  • Withdrawal fee. Transferring Bitcoin from a crypto exchange to your crypto wallet or another exchange can also incur a fee.

What is the safest way to store Bitcoin?

Cold wallets

This type of crypto wallet isn’t connected to the internet, which prevents illegal or unauthorised access to your portfolio via online hacking.

Cold wallets include:
  • Hardware wallets. This type of wallet stores private keys (essential information needed to access your crypto and transfer them on the blockchain) on physical devices like USB thumb drives.
  • Paper wallets. This entails printing out private keys on paper.
Be careful when using cold wallets, however, if you misplace or forget your private keys, you may permanently lose access to your Bitcoin.

Hot wallets

You can also store your Bitcoin in a hot wallet. This type of wallet keeps your private keys online. You can access your Bitcoin from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. But while many hot wallets are quite secure, their online nature means they still carry some risk of unauthorised access and theft.

Is it legal to buy Bitcoin in the UK?

Yes, it’s perfectly legal to buy and hold Bitcoin in the UK. But note that cryptocurrencies are not officially recognised as legal tender.

Additionally, HMRC considers cryptocurrencies to be taxable assets, meaning they are subject to either income tax or capital gains tax (CGT), depending on how you transact with them. For example, if you buy Bitcoin, hold it, and then sell it later on for a profit, you could be liable for CGT if the gains exceed your annual allowance.

How much should I invest in Bitcoin to start with?

Whether a beginner or an experienced investor, the golden rule is to invest only an amount you can afford to lose.

Bitcoin, like many other crypto assets, is highly volatile and unpredictable. While it carries a substantial profit potential, so is the potential for loss.

Can I buy a fraction of a Bitcoin?

Purchasing an entire Bitcoin is likely to be financially impractical for many due to its market price. Not to mention the enormous risks of investing so much money in such a volatile asset.

The good news is that Bitcoin is divisible. This means you can buy fractions of the asset, allowing you to tailor your total investment to your budget, investment strategy, and risk tolerance.

Bottom Line

To buy Bitcoin in the UK, start by choosing a FCA-registered crypto exchange that accepts GBP deposits. Create an account, verify your identity, and fund your wallet using a bank transfer, debit card, or other accepted payment method.

Once your account is funded, you can place an order on the exchange to buy Bitcoin. Always remember to store your crypto securely, ideally in a private wallet, and be aware of any UK tax obligations on gains you make.

Is it a good time to buy Bitcoin?

Only you can make the decision about when is the best time to buy Bitcoin. However, here are some things to consider as part of your research.

Take a look at the fundamentals of Bitcoin. What type of coin is it? Utility, payment or governance token etc? How large is its market cap? How many coins are in circulation? All this will help you to understand how Bitcoin works and how much risk is involved.

Also consider how has performed so far. Our charts below show you Bitcoin's performance over time as well as its all time high.

Where could Bitcoin's price be heading?

Bitcoin's price is expected to rise to US$87,125 by year-end 2025, according to the average prediction from Finder's panel of fintech specialists. Panelists also predict that BTC will hit US$220,708 by 2030.

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*Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.

Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.

George Sweeney, DipFA's headshot
Deputy editor

George is a deputy editor at Finder. He has previously written for The Motley Fool UK, Nasdaq, Freetrade, Investing in the Web, MoneyMagpie, Online Mortgage Advisor, Wealth, and Compare Forex Brokers. He's focused on making personal finance and investing engaging for everyone. To do this he draws from previous work and his Level 4 Diploma for Financial Advisers (DipFA), sharing what he’s learnt. When he’s not geeking out about money, you’ll find him playing sports and staying active. See full bio

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