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You'll need a Bitcoin wallet before you buy since some exchanges require one.

Don't have a wallet? Read our guide on the best Bitcoin & cryptocurrency wallets.

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Europe is a mega hub for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency trading. As Europe boasts some of the wealthiest and most technologically advanced democracies on Earth, its no wonder that so many countries are going wild for Bitcoin.

Among the most confident in Bitcoin are countries like Poland, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain.

Bitflyer, a crypto exchange based in Luxembourg, released its updated Cryptocurrency Confidence Index, which is a yearly survey of citizens across all of Europe to determine their appetite and confidence in Bitcoin and crypto more broadly.

Here are the 2020 results compared with the 2019 results:

It is pleasing to see these results that indicate a slow but steady progression of cryptocurrencies into the mainstream consciousness. Although we might look at this as an achievement for digital currencies in spite of the challenging economic times we are facing, it is also worth considering that this may well be partly because of these times.

It is interesting to see that countries like Italy which have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis are expressing more faith than ever in cryptocurrencies. As people face economic hardship, we can expect populations to seek alternatives to traditional financial systems. This is an important time for the crypto industry to demonstrate how cryptocurrencies and associated concepts such as decentralised finance can provide attractive alternatives or even substitutes for incumbent economic models, as we battle unprecedented financial times globally and look for novel solutions.

Andy Bryant COO, Bitflyer

One of the easiest ways to buy Bitcoin in Europe is through cryptocurrency exchanges. There are several exchanges offering Bitcoin in Europe, and you can easily select one based on your requirements and preferences using our guide for each country.

Different exchanges have different transaction fees, withdrawal limits, payment modes, and verification processes that need to be kept in mind before users select one.

Additionally, Bitcoin buyers need to keep in mind the fact that certain exchanges might require them to get a wallet of their own before they are able to buy the digital currency. Also, it is recommended to have a wallet of your own for security reasons, preferably a hardware wallet.

If you don’t have a wallet, refer to our guide on the Best Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Wallets to choose one.

Another way to buy Bitcoins in Europe is through automated teller machines (ATMs). These ATMs allow users to instantly purchase the cryptocurrency using cash, and most of them don’t require any verification either, thereby ensuring the buyer’s anonymity.

You can locate Bitcoin ATMs in Europe using our Bitcoin ATM Map, though there are only three of them available for now in the cities of Berlin, Stuttgart, and Munich.

There are many Bitcoin ATMs throughout Europe

No matter which method you choose, just be sure to follow our guides and do your own research. Bitcoin is an amazing technology but there are a lot of pitfalls out there. Stay safe!

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Europe has access to many large Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchanges.

Have a look at our favorites below:

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There are three main types of Bitcoin wallet and all of them are supported in Europe:

Best for Security

Ledger Nano X

Secure storage for any cryptocurrency

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The Ledger Nano X is the newest crypto hardware wallet, and is very easy to use. It connects to iOS, Android & desktop computers.

Temporary Wallet

Atomic Wallet

Best for storing crypto for short period of time

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Atomic wallet is a multicurrency mobile wallet with a beautiful interface and easy to use features.

Best for Desktop

Electrum

Simple yet powerful desktop wallet

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Electrum is a Bitcoin-only wallet that has been around since 2011. It's easy to use, but has advanced features.

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OneCoin Scam

In August of 2014, OneCoin was born, and its face was a woman named Dr. Ruja Ignatova. Over the course of two and a half years, Ignatova was able to raise nearly $4 billion across the world, trading users her OneCoin coins for Bitcoins.

She made wild promises about how successful it would be. That it would be a 'Bitcoin Killer'.

However, several investors and outside sceptics eventually pieces together that there was actually no blockchain. It was merely a SQL database being centrally hosted. And worst of all, there was no way to convert OneCoin coins into US dollar or any other currency for that matter.

Eventually, under increased scrutiny and pressure to create an exchange that allowed investors to dump their OneCoins, Ignatova ran away with the Bitcoin and no one knows for sure where she went to this day.

OneCoin represents the largest cryptocurrency scam in the history of industry and perhaps the history of the world.

Optioment Scam

As reported by Bloomberg, in February of 2018, Interpol made mass arrests on a group of scammers spread out across Denmark, Germany, and Latvia. These scammers defrauded hundreds of victims in Austria, Poland, Germany, and several other Eastern European companies. The scam firm, known as 'Optioment' claimed to deliver its customers with returns of 4% a week through arbitrage trading of cryptocurrencies.

Instead, the whole operation was likely a pyramid and ponzi scheme that eventually resulted in an exit scam

For an in-depth coverage of this story, check out this fantastic BBC article on OneCoin.

CryptoCore Phishing Scams

In from 2018 to 2020, a cybercriminal group known as CryptoCore have attacked several high profile crypto exchanges in the US, Asia, and the Middle East. According to Research from ClearSky, CryptoCore has managed to steal around $200 million US dollars worth of cryptocurrencies by spear phishing the corporate credentials of employees of target exchanges.

2gether Exchange Hack

In August of 2020, Spanish cryptocurrency exchange 2gether's CEO Ramon Ferraz Estrada announced via Twitter that the exchange had been hacked for $1.4 million worth of cryptocurrency.

Hola a todos. Compartimos un vídeo en el que Luis Estrada, Salvador Casquero y yo mismo explicamos los acontecimientos. Estamos trabajando en la subida de la App, en breve os damos más detalle al respecto. — Ramón Ferraz Estrada (@monchoferraz) August 3, 2020

The executives of the company then claimed they did not have the money to pay users back and that customers were simply out of luck.

“In the two days following the attack, we’ve been working on finding the funds needed to cover all positions....and until a few minutes ago, we’ve been working with an investment group with which we sadly haven’t been able to reach an agreement,”

You can watch the full video from 2gether executives explaining the events with english subtitles below:

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Does Coinbase work in Europe?

Coinbase works in some European countries. See the list below for the most up to date support for Europe.

This shows all kinds of support provided to each European country

Where Can I Find a Bitcoin ATM in Europe?

European countries vary when it comes to prevelance of Bitcoin ATMs. The best thing to do is to check our pages for each country for more detailed information on each specific country.

This map shows all of the Bitcoin ATMs in Europe

What is the price of Bitcoin in Europe?

The current price of Bitcoin in Europe is €9,353.49, however this amount changes every minute, so always check the value on your local exchange.

How do I send money to Europe using Bitcoin?

Sending Bitcoin to someone in Europe is the same as it is for anyone outside of Europe.

Both you and the person you want to send Bitcoin to should get a wallet.

Once the recipient has a wallet, they will give you a sending address.

You will create a Bitcoin transaction in your wallet (which you already have some Bitcoin in), and you will input their address as your destination.

This video shows you in more detail what this process might look like since almost all wallets look and act more or less the same.

Is there a Bitcoin ETF in Europe?

In July, a Swiss based financial products company named 21Shares announced that its Bitcoin ETF had been accepted to be listed on Xetra, Deutsche Boerse’s electronic trading venue.

The listing on Xetra not only strengthens our current position in Germany but also opens up institutional-grade crypto products to the wider European and international markets

Laurent Kssis managing director, 21Shares

There is another ETF offered by London-based investment firm ETC Group.

How do I cash out of Bitcoin in Europe?

Any exchange with a Euro trading pair will allow you to sell your Bitcoin for fiat currency. Bitpanda and Coinmama has EUR trading pairs for many popular coins.

You can also use CoinATM Radar to find Bitcoin ATMs in your city if you wish to exchange your Bitcoin for cash in the quickest amount of time.

Local Bitcoins is another option. Here, you can buy and sell Bitcoin for a wide range of payment methods, from gift cards to bank transfers. Local Bitcoins is a peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange, where you buy and sell with another individual. This does introduce a degree of risk, though by ensuring that you conduct all business on the platform, make use of its escrow services, and only trade with users who have a good reputation, you'll minimize any potential problems.

You could also use a service like eGifter to sell your Bitcoin for gift cards.