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How to sell Bitcoin
A simple guide to cashing out your Bitcoin for GBP or another cryptocurrency.
If you’ve taken the leap and bought some Bitcoin, it’s equally important that you know how (and when) to cash out and sell. Selling your Bitcoin with low fees is the best way to get the most return on your investment, which is why we’ve done the research of comparing 50+ crypto exchanges to help you find the best match
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different ways you can sell Bitcoin in the UK, as well as the ins and outs of converting your BTC to GBP or another cryptocurrency.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
Where to sell Bitcoin in the UK
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So long as you have access to your private keys you can sell your Bitcoin at any exchange you’d like. Compare exchanges using deposit methods, fiat currency support and accepted cryptocurrencies to find the best match for your needs.
Step-by-step guides on selling Bitcoin
There are two main options available when selling your BTC holdings:
- Selling Bitcoin for fiat currency, such as pound sterling (GBP)
- Selling Bitcoin for another cryptocurrency, such as Ethereum, XRP or any number of other altcoins
For many people, the main aim when selling Bitcoin will be to cash out for GBP, so you can find instructions on how to do that below. However, if you want to trade your BTC for another crypto, we’ve included a step-by-step guide on how to do that as well.
Selling BTC for GBP
If you want to sell BTC for fiat currency, here’s an example of how you can do it:
Register on an exchange that lists the BTC/GBP trading pair
To satisfy government regulations, most exchanges will also require you to provide your full name, address and proof of ID.
Deposit BTC into your account
Before you can sell your Bitcoin, you’ll need to transfer it into the wallet of your chosen exchange. Find the deposit address for Bitcoin and then transfer BTC from your external wallet to that address.
Sell BTC
Once your transfer has been completed, you can then search for the currency pair you want to trade on the exchange you’re using. In this case BTC/GBP, and enter all the details of your transaction.
Withdraw GBP
The final step is to withdraw the GBP you’ve acquired to your bank account. This is a simple process on most platforms – just look for the “Withdraw” link and follow the prompts – but make sure to check any limits and fees that apply before finalising your transaction.
Selling BTC for cryptocurrency
Here’s now to exchange your Bitcoin for another crypto:
Register on an exchange that lists BTC
Bitcoin can be exchanged for hundreds of altcoins on a huge range of platforms, so you’ll have plenty of crypto exchanges to choose from.
Deposit BTC into your account
You’ll first need to find the BTC deposit address, so head over to your wallet and use the address you’ve just copied as the destination for your BTC transfer.
Sell BTC
Go to the trading section of your chosen platform and enter the full details of your sale. Then type in how much BTC you want to sell, review the details and click “Sell BTC”.
Transfer your new cryptocurrency into a secure wallet
Consider finding a crypto wallet that supports your new digital currency and lets you control your private key.
How to sell a large amount of Bitcoin
If you’re looking to sell a large amount of Bitcoin, such as £20,000 or more, conducting the transaction through an ordinary crypto exchange may not be the best way to go about it, because there may not be sufficient liquidity on a traditional exchange. This can result in slower processing times or “slippage” – which is when a large market sell order eats through the available buy orders, resulting in a price drop.
The transaction limits on these exchanges may also be too low for your needs, so anyone looking to sell a large amount of Bitcoin should consider an over-the-counter (OTC) trade. OTC trades are those that take place away from a conventional, regulated exchange, and they offer a simpler and more cost-effective way to buy and sell large amounts of Bitcoin.
Check out our OTC cryptocurrency trading guide for more info on how this type of trading works.
How to choose the best way to sell Bitcoin
There’s no such thing as a best way to sell Bitcoin for everyone, because what works well for one person might not necessarily be a good fit for the next. Instead, it’s all about working out which option is the right choice for you. You can do this by asking yourself a few important questions:
- Do you want to sell Bitcoin for GBP or another cryptocurrency?
- How quickly do you want to sell your Bitcoin?
- Are you willing to accept a price well below the market rate, or do you want to negotiate the best price possible?
- If selling for GBP, how do you want to receive payment?
This should help you decide how you want to sell your Bitcoin, and you can then figure out which platform has all the features you need. When comparing your options, make sure you consider:
- Price. How does the exchange rate you’ll get compare to those offered by other platforms?
- Fees. Compare any trading fees that apply and whether there’s a fee for withdrawing funds into your bank account or crypto wallet.
- Trading and withdrawal limits. Is there any limit on the amount of Bitcoin you can sell, or on how much GBP you can withdraw from your account?
- Security features. Are there any security measures in place to help protect your funds and your private data, for example 2-factor authentication or a reputation system for buyers and sellers?
- Customer support. If something goes wrong with your transaction, how will you be able to contact customer support? During what hours is support available?
- Reputation and reviews. Seek out online reviews and check crypto forum posts from other users to find out whether they’d recommend a particular exchange, trading platform or Bitcoin ATM provider.
There are several other important features to consider, such as where an exchange is regulated and the payment methods accepted by peer-to-peer trading sites, so check out our cryptocurrency exchange guide for more tips on how to choose the right platform.
How to sell Bitcoin: what are my options?
The step-by-step guides above take you through the process of selling Bitcoin on an exchange. However, this is just one of several options available when you want to cash out your Bitcoin, so let’s take a closer at what other options you have.
Withdrawing your funds after the sale
Even after you’ve sold your Bitcoin, your transaction hasn’t been fully completed. The final step is to withdraw the proceeds of your sale into either your bank account or your cryptocurrency wallet.
Withdrawing GBP
If you’ve sold Bitcoin through a platform that permits GBP withdrawals, check to see what withdrawal methods are supported. Options may include:
- Bank transfer
- Credit/debit card
- PayPal
- Cash
When choosing your withdrawal method, make sure you consider:
- Fees. Many (but not all) platforms impose a withdrawal fee, and the fee charged usually varies depending on the withdrawal method selected.
- Limits. Are there any minimum or maximum limits on how much you can transfer? How do they differ between withdrawal methods? Can you increase these limits by providing additional verification or ID?
- Processing times. How long will it take for the GBP to arrive in your wallet or bank account? For example, while cash withdrawals are instant, bank transfers can take several days to arrive.
- Any other restrictions. For example, some exchanges will require you to withdraw funds using the same payment method with which you made your deposit.
Withdrawing cryptocurrency
Storing your cryptocurrency on an exchange for the long-term is not recommended. Exchanges control the private keys to these wallets and are also popular targets for hackers, so the safest option is to transfer your crypto into a secure wallet which lets you retain ownership of your private keys. It’s a good idea to set this wallet up well in advance of selling your Bitcoin, and make sure you double-check your wallet address before depositing any funds.
Once again, check whether there are any limits on the amount of crypto you can withdraw per-transaction or in any 24-hour period. You’ll also need to factor any withdrawal fee into the total cost of the transaction.
When is the right time to sell Bitcoin?
Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer to this question.
Timing is crucial to maximising the success of any trade – anyone who sold Bitcoin at or near its ~US$20,000 peak in December 2017 can attest to this fact – but working out the right time to sell can be a tricky task. From crypto regulatory developments and broader economic factors to Bitcoin hype levels and even your own appetite for risk, there are many factors that can affect whether you should or shouldn’t sell your BTC.
Analyse the market carefully to decide whether you want to sell or hold. Our guide to cryptocurrency technical analysis is a useful tool to help you better understand and read the crypto market.
FAQs
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Disclosure: At the time of writing, the author holds ADA, ICX, IOTA and XLM.
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