In this article we discuss the different methods in which you can buy Ethereum. We will also explain to you who we think are the best Ethereum brokers and what is the best way to continue with Ethereum.
Types of trading platform
BROKER
A broker is nothing else than a company that owns a large amount of Ethereum and buys and sells it. So you can consider it a bit like an “Ether store”. The price they ask for their Ether is often based on the current price and an extra rate that they charge for their service.
Brokers often have a simple and clear website. Which is great for many because it is usually the first step they put into the world of cryptos.
Brokers have their own inventory of Ether, this stock can always run out. Below is a top 3 list of the most popular places to buy ethereum in the UK:
| Platform | Without Verification | Promotion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
€ 50, – | no | ||
 |
€ 75, – | no | ||
 |
£0, – | $10 free in bitcoins |
Suitable For: New users or old users who want to buy and want to own Ethereum or people who are not too familiar with the network but want to start as soon as possible.
Not Suitable for: There are better methods to trade with Ethereum, for such users CFD is more suitable (and more profitable).
ONLINE TRADING PLATFORM
These types of websites are concerned with connecting buyers and sellers of Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies. Unlike brokers, these platforms usually do not have their own inventory of Ether. This means that you can not go there often if you really want to buy Ethereum. But it is a place where you go if you want to trade your Ether against other currencies or actively buy and sell on the fluctuations.
A trading platform is a sort of marketplace where people can place purchase and sales orders for Ethereum. It also has other useful functions such as stop-loss limits etc. A trading platform is essential for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies, because it is the place where the value of the crypto is derived from.
If your goal is to get the most out of your investment in Ethereum, a trading platform is one of the best places to leave your Ether. You can benefit from fluctuations in the price of Ether on such a platform (only CFD is more optimal).
You can simply do this by selling your Ether on the tops and buying it back in the dumps. Something that is immediately possible on such a platform.
The only drawback of a trading platform is that it can be quite overwhelming for new users. In addition, there is often no option to buy Ether directly via an exchange. This is normally bought at a broker and then transferred to an exchange.
Below a top 3 list of the most popular online trading platforms to trade Ethereum:
| Platform | Trading fee | Promotion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
0.1% | no | ||
 |
0.5% -0.2% | no | ||
 |
0.2% | no |
Suitable For: Experienced users who want to make maximum profit on their Ethers investment. Online trading platforms are the place where “all the magic happens” and you can make the best use of all the peaks and valleys that Ethereum makes in its price. Suitable for users who want to invest more than 1000 euros in Ether. But also want to save the currency for a long term (years).
Not Suitable For: Users who want to trade in Ether, but prefer not to execute all steps such as drawing up a wallet. Can better choose to go for CFD trading.
ONLINE CFD TRADING PLATFORM
For most people, Ethereum is a great piece of technology and they want to buy Ethereum, not just to use but also to support the network!
But for many investors, Ethereum is a great opportunity to get a higher return on their investment. Especially when you look at the growth in the price that Ethereum has made over the past six months, it is clear why more and more people are willing to take advantage of this opportunity.
If we look at the price chart of Q1 and Q2 of 2017, it is immediately clear why. Ethereum experienced an increase of up to 30 times his value.
One of the best ways to take advantage of this growth without having to buy Ether is with a CFD trading platform. The abbreviation CFD stands for “contract for difference”. As the name implies, this is a contract between two parties. So you will not trade in Ethereum but in CFD’s of Ethereum. This brings many benefits.
Firstly, as mentioned earlier, you do not need any intermediate steps such as choosing a wallet, storage etc … Ethereum CFD trading is done with a simple push of a button!
Secondly, within CFD you have to deal with a concept that is called “leverage”. The advantage of leverage is that you can make more profit with smaller amounts than with a traditional platform.
Thirdly, within a CFD trade you not only have the opportunity to benefit from an increase in the price of Ethereum (long), but also the option to make a profit on the falls (short).
An investor, after some research, concluded that Ethereum will increase in value. He opens a CFD position (long) for 10 Ether worth 2000 (10 times 200) euro.
Normally the investor would have to invest 2000 euros for this; but to keep the CFD open, the investor must only have a certain margin on his account. Set the margin is 10%; the investor must then keep 2000 x 10% = 200 euro margin on his account.
In general, CFD platforms are better suited for beginners who have just started trading. There are several reasons for this, the clear design of the website helps prevent a lot of confusion, completely accompanied by the absence of many intermediate steps. But in addition, many CFDs offer the option to create a demo account. Where you can trade with virtual coins. This is a very useful way to see if you are making the right decisions and how the cryptocurrencies trade proceeds. All of this without risk of your own capital!
Suppose the value of Ether rose from 200 to 210 euros. Then the investor’s profit is the starting – end price. Either 2200-2000 = 200 euros. A profit of 100%!
The disadvantage of CFD trading is that you always have to keep the margin, a minimum amount of the total, on your account.
Below are the three most popular CFD platforms for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies:
| Platform | Min Deposit | Promotion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
€ 100 | no | ||
 |
€ 200 | no | ||
 |
€ 100 | Up to € 7500 |
Suitable For: For the users who are more interested in making a profit on the price of Ethereum than using the coin itself, CFD trading is optimal. You can get the most out of the rise and fall of the price of Ether without having to worry about the technical aspect. Because of the leverage that is offered, there is also a larger profit to be gained with smaller amounts.
Not Suitable For: For people who really want to own Ethereum this is not an option, since you do not buy Ether but Ethereum CFDs.
COPY TRADING PLATFORM
Would you like to trade in Ethereum but do not trust your own skills, or would you rather leave it to someone with more experience? Then Copy trading might be a good alternative for you!
Copy trading is a fairly new phenomenon and it works as follows. You can follow other experienced investors and copy their steps. The Copy Trade platform always see how much success the investor has scored in the past and what his average percentage is ROI.
This investor does not do it for nothing, he or she gets a percentage of the platform as a reward! This costs the people who participated, of course, nothing extra, and is thus a win-win situation for both parties. Furthermore, Copy trading is identical to CFD and is also worked with and acted on.
Most copy trade platforms allow you to automatically follow someone. In addition, it is also possible to become an investor that people follow. So it is a very attractive platform for both new and aspiring investors.
Below are the three most popular copy trading platforms for Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies:
| Platform | Min Deposit | Promotion | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
€ 200 | no | ||
 |
€ 3000 | No | ||
 |
Differs per broker | No |
Suitable For: Similar to the CFD users, only this form is just what makes is more beginner friendly. Plus, as an experienced trader you can also benefit from knowledge by sharing it with others.
Not Suitable For: You can see how well the top investors perform, but you still have to trust an unknown person with investing your money. That idea can be difficult for some.
OFFLINE TRADING PLATFORM
Unlike Bitcoin, you are quite limited with buying Ethereum if you want to do that offline. There are no special platforms available yet to offer you this option for Ethereum.
But there is another way to indirectly buy your Ethereum with cash. This is possible because you can buy bitcoins with cash; and then you can redeem these bitcoins online to Ethereum.
- Go to LocalBitcoins and look for a person / trader who sells Bitcoin in the UK for cash. Check his reputation by reading the experiences and reviews from other people.
- Put your purchased bitcoins in an exchange such as Cryptopia or Coinbase .
- Convert your bitcoins to Ethereum within those exchanges.
- You can now choose to leave your ethereum in the wallet of the relevant exchange, or to transport it to your own wallet.
Suitable For: For people who would like to buy Ethereum with cash; or prefer to remain anonymous (use Tor as a browser).
Not Suitable For: People who would rather not travel for buying their Ethereum.
How do you rate an Ethereum seller / trading platform?
CHECK THEIR REPUTATION
One of the first things you have to do is of course see if it is a reliable trading platform. This can be done by:
- Google the name of the site + “review” and study the result.
- Read the “About us” page of the Ethereum seller / dealer.
- Ask forums for the experiences of other users, a nice example is bitcointalk
VOLUME AND TRANSACTION COSTS
A good sign of trust is a trade or broker that sells and buys a large volume of Ethereum. You can often see this on their website.
It is also wise to look at the transaction costs that the broker uses. Do not underestimate this point. That way you can get the most out of your investment! The few euros difference count quickly to a larger sum that you prefer to put in your own pocket.
EXPENSIVE VERIFICATION PROCESS
Some platforms may use a certain form of identification of your requirements for you to use their service. This process can consist of a photo of your ID or passport or transferring an amount (usually 1 cent) to verify your bank account.
This process can sometimes take up to 2 days with some brokers, and is something that still needs to be checked manually.
Can I buy and sell Ethereum anonymously?
In our article; buy bitcoins anonymously we explain exactly how you do that with bitcoin. It is a difficult process but it is indeed possible if you have an online service like Local bitcoins used . The only extra step in this process for Ethereum is that you only have to transfer the purchased bitcoins to Ether.
Ethereum online payment methods
BUY ETHEREUM WITH A CREDIT CARD
There are only a limited number of UK brokers offering the option to purchase Ethereum with a credit card.
The biggest advantage of using a credit card is that you have the extra security of your credit card company if a payment does not arrive. But it is not wise to fully rely on that, and there are cases where the total has not been sent.
Two brokers where you can buy Ether directly with credit card are Coinmama and BTCdirect .
It is also possible to buy your Ether at Coinbase , but then you have an intermediate step. You first have to purchase Bitcoin and then exchange it to Ether within their own wallet.
TIP: For the people who would like to pay with paypal, that option is possible but requires a hefty number of intermediate steps. For that reason we strongly advise against using Paypal to get your Ether.
BUY ETHEREUM BY BANK TRANSFER
Of course you can also buy your Ether by transferring traditional money to your broker. This process takes longer, because a normal bank transfer can usually cost a working day. One of the reasons that makes Blockchains so popular is the transaction speed .
The advantage of bank transfer is that you often pay much less on transaction costs. The disadvantage is that you are in a hurry to buy your Ether, this is far from optimal.
BTCdirect offers the option to pay by bank transfer. Another option that you have is Coinbase. There you can link a bank account (similar to paypal). What speeds up the process somewhat.
BUY ETHEREUM WITH CASH
Unfortunately there is no website like Local Bitcoins that offers Ether just like Bitcoin. But chances are that in the future you can do this.
But all hope is not lost yet! An outdated method; but a solution is to buy Bitcoins at Local Bitcoins first. You can then trade in Bitcoins for ETH with an exchange such as Binance.
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