Get informed about how to buy actual bitcoin in Switzerland, and compare the costs of Swiss bitcoin service providers.
Switzerland has long been a leader in banking, finance, and the use of alternative currencies. It is not surprising then that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are also widely available to the general public. In addition to investing in bitcoin derivatives like bitcoin ETFs, it is also possible to buy actual bitcoin. In this guide, moneyland.ch compares the fees charged by Swiss bitcoin service providers for direct purchases of bitcoin.
Which fees and charges apply when you buy bitcoin?
How can I buy bitcoin offline in Switzerland?
You can buy bitcoin from special bitcoin ATMs and from the ticket vending machines of the Swiss federal railways (SBB/CFF). Some bitcoin service providers also have partnerships with stores so that you can buy bitcoin at these outlets. Buying bitcoin offline is easy. You can pay for the bitcoin in cash, and often by debit card as well, without having to first open an account with a bitcoin service provider. When you purchase bitcoin at a store or vending machine, you get a QR code (on a paper wallet, for example) that lets you access an automatically-generated bitcoin wallet that contains the bitcoin you bought. You can then transfer the bitcoin to your personal bitcoin wallet.
The disadvantage of buying bitcoin at brick-and-mortar locations, compared to buying it online, is that the fees are much higher, and the exchange rates used are often much less favorable.
Table 1: Swiss service providers for buying bitcoin offline
| Service provider | Can I pay in Swiss francs? |
Limits for bitcoin purchases |
Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bity ATMs | Yes, in cash. Euros also accepted. |
CHF 1000 per 30 days. Higher limits with registration. |
CHF 2, plus 3.5% to 9.5%, |
| Cryptonow cards (Värdex) |
Yes, at the post office, at Coop, in stores from the Valora Group (including K Kiosks), and at some other Swiss stores. |
CHF 1000 per 30 days. | 9.9% plus CHF 1 activation fee. |
| SBB/CFF ticket vending machines (Sweepay) |
Yes, in cash. Debit cards are also accepted. |
CHF 500 per day. | 14.3% to 7.6%, depending on the amount you buy. |
| Start2coin cards (Sweepay/Tangem) |
Yes, in stores from the Valora Group (including K Kiosks). |
CHF 1000 per 30 days. | One-time fee for the card: CHF 29.90. Transaction fees unknown. |
| Tibc ATMs | Yes, in cash. Euros also accepted. |
CHF 1000 per 30 days. Higher limits with registration. |
Fees vary between ATMs. |
| Värdex ATMs | Yes, in cash. Euros also accepted. For purchases at partner stores: Debit cards also accepted. |
CHF 1000 per 30 days. Higher limits with a Värdex account. |
CHF 1 plus 6.4% to 10%, depending on which ATM you use. |
| Zeus ATMs | Yes, in cash. | CHF 1000 per 30 days. | 6% to 10%. |
Note: All of the Swiss service providers listed in Table 1 are regulated by a Swiss self-regulatory organization (SRO) and registered with FINMA.
You can find the locations of Swiss bitcoin ATMs from Bity, Tibc, and Värdex on Coinatmradar.com. The locations of SBB/CFF ticket vending machines are shown on the SBB/CFF website. Overviews of vending machine locations are also typically available on the websites of service providers.
How can I buy bitcoin online in Switzerland?
You can also buy bitcoin from online cryptocurrency platforms. There are many Swiss online bitcoin service providers, including one licensed bank (Swissquote). The fees are generally much lower than those charged by Swiss offline bitcoin service providers. The disadvantage is that most online service providers require you to open an account with them in order to transfer money from your bank account and buy bitcoin. The account-opening process takes some time and effort.
The table below shows you which Swiss service providers you can use to buy bitcoin online. Be aware that the bitcoin exchange rates can vary broadly between service providers. In addition to comparing the fees charged, it is beneficial to compare the exchange rates as well.
Table 2: Swiss service providers for buying bitcoin online
| Service provider | Bank license | Can I pay in Swiss francs? |
Fees for buying bitcoin * |
Fees for transferring bitcoin to your personal wallet * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin Suisse (Minimum account balance: CHF 100,000) |
No | Yes, by bank transfer. | 0.95% | CHF 50 |
| Bity | No | Yes, by bank transfer (verified customers can also pay with Visa or Mastercard) |
0.8% (1.2% for non-verified users) |
None |
| DFX | No | Yes, by bank transfer. | 0.99% | None |
| Lykke | No | Yes, by bank transfer. | None | BTC 0.00025 |
| Mt Pelerin (Bridge) |
No | Yes, by bank transfer. Card payments accepted with an additional fee of between 2.5% and 3.4%. |
No fee for purchases of up to CHF 500 per year. For purchases in excess of CHF 500 per year: 0.9% to 1.3%, depending on the amount you buy. Lower fees for holders of Mt Pelerin tokens. |
None |
| No | Yes, by bank transfer. | 1.5% | None | |
| Relai | No | Yes, by bank transfer. Card payments accepted with an additional fee of between 1.5% and 3%. |
2% to 2.5%, depending on the amount you buy. |
None |
| Smart Valor |
No |
Yes |
1.29% to 8.9%, depending on the amount you buy. |
BTC 0.0005 |
| Swissborg | No | Yes, by bank transfer. Card payments accepted with an additional fee of 2.25%. |
1.49%. Lower fees for holders of Swissborg tokens. |
BTC 0.00035 to BTC 0.0026 |
| Swissquote | Yes | No. Bitcoin can only be purchased with EUR or USD. You can load your Swissquote account with CHF by bank transfer. Card payments accepted with an additional fee of 1.9%. |
0.5% to 1%, depending on how much you buy |
USD 10 |
* The mining fees charged by the bitcoin network are not accounted for. Mining fees typically apply in addition to the fees charged by the service provider.
Note: With the exceptions of Swissborg, all of the Swiss bitcoin service providers listed in Table 2 are regulated by a Swiss self-regulatory organization (SRO) and registered with FINMA.
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