Easiest and cheapest ways to buy crypto in Illinois
No matter where they live, people always seek the easiest and cheapest way to buy bitcoin. Buying crypto in Illinois is a bit harder than in some other countries so we have compiled a list of exchanges where Illinois citizens can buy bitcoin.
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – EUR, USD, and 50+ more
Coinbase is widely considered one of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges, especially in the US. It has over 60 million users which is a remarkable number.
It was founded back in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam. Coinbase has users in over 100 countries. Coinbase’s headquarters are in San Francisco, California. The platform offers not only exchange-based services but also a wallet so it is a perfect place for all crypto investors.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Credit/Debit Card: 3.99%SEPA: €0U.S Bank Transfer: 1.49% (the US $0.15 min.)Coinbase USD wallet: 1.49%ACH Transfer USD: $0 Wire Transfer USD: $10 ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: SEPA: €0.15U.S Bank Transfer: 1.49% (US $0.15 min.) Coinbase USD wallet: 1.49%Wire Transfer USD: $25 ⚡️ Trading fees: Fees vary ⚡️ Payment Methods: Bank Account, Debit Card, Credit Card, Wire Transfer, SEPA Transfer, ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, CNY & 50+ more
A variety of fiat currencies supported Over 100 cryptocurrencies supported A regulated and trustworthy company Large user base and widely popular Provides a Coinbase debit card
No future or margin trading Higher trading fees than main competitors have (Binance for instance)
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, GBP, EUR + more
Launched in 2015 in New York, Uphold represents an exchange platform that supports crypto, precious metal, US equities, Forex trading, and commodity trading. Uphold has gained popularity through its Anything-to-Anything feature that enables users to trade different types of assets. There are more than 50 cryptos supported, including majors, alt-coins, stablecoins, and emerging tokens.
There are a variety of different payment methods such as Bank Transfer, Wire Transfer, Crypto Exchange, SWIFT, Credit/Debit Card Payment, and many more. Depositing and withdrawing are free of charge, but users have to pay network and trading fees. The trading fees aren’t fixed, and they vary depending on the trading spread (the spreads are based on the trading asset and country).
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Free ⚡️ Trading fees: Based on spreads ⚡️ Service fees: 1% – 3% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Debit/Credit Cards, Bank Transfer (SEPA), SWIFT, ACH Transfer, Wire Transfer, Crypto Conversion, etc. ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, GBP, EUR, and 15+ more
Anything-to-Anything feature Straightforward registration process Enables investments in US stocks, national currencies, and precious metals There isn’t a fixed minimum investment
Telephone and Live-chat support doesn’t exist Lower volume assets require higher spreads
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 2-3 Days 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CAD
Kraken is one of the oldest and biggest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges on the market. It was founded in San Francisco, California, the United States, in 2011. It has over 6 million users all over the world. Kraken offers 90+ cryptocurrencies that you can buy, sell, and trade.
Today, Kraken is available in more than 170 countries around the world. It is registered under FinCEN in the U.S., but residents from New York and Washington aren’t allowed to use it. It is a user-friendly exchange and an excellent platform for safe and secure transactions. It supports buy/sell, send/receive, exchange, margin trading, OTC trading, staking, limit, market, and stop-loss limit order, futures, take profit market order, and more.
⚡️ Deposit fees: EUR SEPA Deposit (Free) – EEA countries only USD Bank Wire Deposit ($5 USD) – US onlyEUR Bank Wire Deposit (€10) – outside the US only USD Bank Wire Deposit ($10 USD) – outside US onlyJPY Bank deposit (Free, ¥5,000 deposit minimum) – Japan-only USD, Wire Deposit (Free) ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Cryptocurrency: Fees vary, SEPA Withdrawal (€0.09) – EEA countries only USD Bank Wire Withdrawal ($5 USD) – US only USD Bank Wire Withdrawal ($60 USD) – outside US onlyEUR Bank Wire Withdrawal (€60) – outside US onlyJPY Bank withdrawal (¥20) – Japan onlyCAD EFT Withdrawal ($10 CAD) ⚡️ Trading fees: Maker: 0.16%Taker: 0.28% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Fedwire, Bank Transfer (SEPA), SWIFT, Wire Transfer, Etana Custody, Silvergate Exchange Network (SEN), FPS, CHAPS, and BACS, PayID, Osko ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CAD
170+ countries supported Never been hacked Mobile App (iOS and Android) Various payment methods A wide range of cryptocurrencies is available
Fees slightly above the industry average Limited customer support
Best Bitcoin Wallets in Illinois
It is never a good idea to keep your coins on an exchange as that exposes you to numerous risks (exchange hacks, fund freezes by the exchange or some government regulatory body, etc). That is why you should use one of the wallets we list below to store your digital assets. The safest option is a hardware wallet like Nano X but ZenGo is also a good choice, especially for newcomers.
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD + more
Founded back in 2015, with its headquarters in New York, United States, a cryptocurrency exchange platform Paxful offers its services to nearly 5 million users around the globe.
Being one of the longest-lasting P2P Bitcoin exchanges, Paxful offers its users a straightforward and easy-to-use platform where they can buy, sell and trade supported crypto fast. When it comes to supported cryptocurrencies, Paxful supports only 3: Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Tether USD. However, the volume of Bitcoin trading is very high. On the other hand, Paxful supports a stunning amount of fiat currencies, more than 140 different ones.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: 0.5% – 5% ⚡️ Trading fees: No buyer fee, seller fee varies from 0.5% to 5% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Over 350 payment methods are available ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, and many more
Safe Escrow trading Various payment methods Responsive support forum Support for a large number of fiat currencies
With its headquarters in the United Kingdom, Paybis offers a multilingual platform with 9 different languages to choose from English, French, Arabic, Italian, Korean, Spanish, German, and Russian. Paybis supports 180 different countries around the world, and they have 24/7 multilingual customer support. The platform offers only 38 cryptocurrencies, including the most popular ones: BTC, BCH, BNB, ETH, LTC, XRP, USD Tether, etc. Paybis is registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network as an MSB.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Free ⚡️ Trading fees: 0.99 – 2.49 % ⚡️ Payment Methods: Bank Transfer, Credit/Debit Card, Skrill, and Neteller. ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, and 40+ more
Super easy to use Excellent customer support A great resource for crypto education Transparent fees and fast transactions
A limited number of supported crypto assets A bit higher trading fees
Users can buy, sell, and trade an extensive list of currencies, and enjoy relatively low trading fees. Additionally, the company offers cryptocurrency credit cards, a decentralized exchange, a standalone crypto wallet, and an NFT marketplace. It also allows users to stake their crypto, or hold it in a Crypto.com wallet for a set period, to earn up to 14.5% interest.
An extensive list of supported cryptocurrencies Transparent, competitive fees with discounts available Support for an ecosystem of cryptocurrency products
Higher fees unless you hold and use CRO Poor customer support Trading fee discounts can be confusing to navigate
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – High 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD
Coinmama is one of the oldest centralized cryptocurrency exchanges on the market. It was founded in Israel in 2013. Today, Coinmama’s head office is in Dublin, Ireland. Using this crypto exchange, you can easily and quickly buy and sell 10 different cryptocurrencies.
Coinmama is a cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to buy and sell a small selection of digital assets using various payment methods, including credit cards, bank account transfers, and payment apps. It is known for its easy-to-use platform and fast verification process, but it has high fees and a limited selection of cryptocurrencies. It also does not offer a wallet service and has mediocre educational content. Coinmama may be a good fit for those who want to make occasional small crypto purchases, but it may not be suitable for long-term use due to its high fees and limited features.
⚡️ Deposit fees: 0 – 5 % ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: None ⚡️ Trading fees: 2.9 – 3.9 % ⚡️ Payment Methods: Bank Transfer (SEPA), SWIFT, Fedwire, Bank cards, Open Banking, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Skrill ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD
150+ countries supported Mobile App (iOS and Android) Various payment methods Quick verification process
Fees above the industry average Only 10 cryptocurrencies No wallet or trading options, just purchases or sells
Frequently asked questions about buying Bitcoin in Illinois
Is Kraken available in Illinois❓
Yes, Kraken is available in Illinois.
Why are Coinbase fees so high❓
The platform charges high fees for both crypto-to-crypto transactions, as well as fiat conversions. The main reason for high bitcoin miner fees is supply and demand.
Is Coinbase a good exchange❓
Yes, Coinbase is one of the best and most popular crypto exchanges in the world.
Does Chicago use bitcoin❓
Yes! While you might think bitcoin is only popular in Silicon Valley or New York City, bitcoin interest is booming all across the United States, including Chicago.
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CaptainAltcoin's writers and guest post authors may or may not have a vested interest in any of the mentioned projects and businesses. None of the content on CaptainAltcoin is investment advice nor is it a replacement for advice from a certified financial planner. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CaptainAltcoin.com
I am Petar and I come from a small country in South-Eastern Europe called Serbia. I am a big-time crypto enthusiast and I am proud to be a part of the project. My job with Captainaltcoin is the content editor and content writer position.
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