EarnBitcoin.co › Buy Bitcoin › United Kingdom
The UK sits just outside the EU’s new licensing regime but remains well-served: Strike, Coinbase, Kraken and Uphold all operate with pound rails (Gemini, by contrast, closed its UK accounts in April 2026). The notable gaps are the self-custody-first brokers — Relai hasn’t launched in the UK and Bull Bitcoin’s terms exclude it — so withdrawing to your own wallet after you buy matters that little bit more here.
All of these ask for ID — that’s the regulation talking, not the company. The “Checked” date on each card is when we last verified it.
A clean bitcoin-only app built on the Lightning network. Buy with a bank transfer at a transparent tiered fee (recurring buys are free after the first week), then send or withdraw instantly for pennies. Covers all 50 US states and 95+ countries.
Why it’s here: The app we'd hand a beginner who plans to actually use their sats, not just hold them.
The mainstream exchange — publicly traded, licensed where it operates, with local-money buying in 45+ countries (in ~50 more it's crypto-to-crypto only). The simple buy button costs ~1.5% plus spread; the Advanced Trade screen on the same account drops that under 0.6%.
Why it’s here: The safe, boring on-ramp — a household name that answers the "is this legit?" fear.
Local note: Buy by 3DS card, Easy Bank Transfer or PayPal
A multi-asset app serving the US, UK and Europe — by its own count 100+ more countries, though we list only what we've confirmed (Canada isn't served). Commission-free with the cost in the spread, about 1.8–2% on bitcoin; coins withdraw to your own wallet.
Why it’s here: The one signup bonus here that's open outside the US.
A veteran exchange, running since 2011, serving 190+ countries and every US state except New York and Maine. Instant Buy costs ~1.5%, but the same account unlocks Kraken Pro at 0.25–0.4% — and Lightning withdrawals are free.
Why it’s here: The cheapest all-in route on this list, if you're willing to learn a real exchange screen.
Private, but not beginner-easy: you’re trading with another person, prices run above market (a couple percent on some venues, 10%+ on others), and support is a forum, not a help desk. Start with the list above unless privacy is the point.
A Swiss peer-to-peer app where you buy directly from another person, the bitcoin held in multisig escrow until you've paid. No account, no ID, up to roughly 1,000 CHF a day. Payment methods are Europe-centric; not available in the US.
Why it’s here: The gentlest of the no-ID options — it feels like an app, not a trading floor.
A P2P marketplace running since 2018: no ID at any trade size, every trade locked in 2-of-3 multisig escrow where you hold one of the keys. Works from any browser — though its terms bar US residents since 2026.
Why it’s here: No ID at any amount — and holding an escrow key means the trade can't move without you.
The decentralized old-timer: software that trades over Tor with no company behind it at all. The newer Bisq Easy mode is far friendlier, but sellers there charge a real premium — often 10% or more — as the price of its reputation-based security.
Why it’s here: The most censorship-resistant way to buy there is — you pay for that in the premium, not in fees.
An entirely Lightning-based P2P exchange reached over Tor. Fees are tiny and trades settle in minutes — but you'll need a Lightning wallet and the Tor browser before you can start.
Why it’s here: For the already-comfortable: the cheapest private sats on the internet.
Cash App, Robinhood, Gemini, River, SoFi Crypto, Relai, Bull Bitcoin.
Availability is set by regulators and each platform’s own terms, not by us — there’s no trick to unlock a platform that doesn’t operate here. We re-check this list regularly; the main guide walks through the four steps of a first purchase — ID checks, paying, and withdrawing to a wallet you control.
Yes. Of the platforms we vet, 8 currently serve the United Kingdom: Strike, Coinbase, Uphold, Kraken, Peach Bitcoin, Hodl Hodl, Bisq, RoboSats. The regulated ones ask for ID; the peer-to-peer ones don't. Fees and catches are on the cards above.
From our vetted list: Cash App, Robinhood, Gemini, River, SoFi Crypto, Relai, Bull Bitcoin. Availability is set by regulators and each platform's own terms, so this changes over time — we re-check regularly and every card above carries the date it was last verified.
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