While still emerging, the cryptocurrency industry is gaining more acceptance and recognition in Italy. As more Italians look to invest in digital currencies like Bitcoin, it’s important to understand the regulatory landscape and find trusted platforms to make purchases.
This guide will provide an overview of Italy’s regulations regarding cryptocurrencies and recommend some of the best bitcoin exchanges and wallets for Italian residents to easily buy, sell and store their crypto. We’ll cover the top options to get started with investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Italy safely and securely.
What you'll learn 👉
Crypto Regulations – Is Bitcoin legal in Italy?
Cryptocurrency regulations in Italy fall under the jurisdiction of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), where cryptocurrencies are recognized as legal and subject to regulation. There are no restrictions on buying, selling, or holding cryptocurrencies in the country.
Starting from January 2023, Italy has enhanced its oversight on cryptocurrency exchanges by requiring crypto businesses to register with the Organismo Agenti e Mediatori (OAM). This move aims to increase transparency via a specific registry and to ensure adherence to Anti-Money Laundering protocols. Consequently, Italian investors are advised to engage only with registered crypto firms within Italy.
Source: cryptonomist
In March 2022, the MEF issued a decree mandating that providers of virtual assets/currencies must register in a new section of the OAM’s registry. This initiative seeks to supervise cryptocurrency exchanges more closely and bolster anti-money laundering measures.
By May 18, 2022, this registry section became active, offering a 60-day grace period for existing operators in Italy. Following this period, all cryptocurrency exchange providers, including those offering trading, digital wallet services, and other related services, are required to register in this section to legally operate in Italy. Non-compliance will lead to administrative penalties and make the provision of such services illegal.
The decree further mandates regular reporting by these providers to the OAM regarding their clients and transactions in Italy, and in turn, the OAM must report to the MEF. It also encourages cooperation between the OAM and other regulatory bodies, including the Anti-Money Laundering authority, the Bank of Italy, and Consob.
These measures are part of Italy’s broader strategy to align its cryptocurrency regulations with upcoming European Union standards, particularly in anticipation of the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulations, which are expected to influence the operation of cryptocurrency firms across the EU.
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – EUR, USD, and 50+ more
Coinbase is one of the well-known, established, and trusted cryptocurrency exchanges. It was founded back in 2012, with its headquarters in San Francisco.
Coinbase offers its services in over 100 different countries around the world and has more than 60 million registered users. It offers its users more than 100 cryptocurrencies to choose from. Additionally, well above 400 trading pairs are offered on the Coinbase exchange. Furthermore, there is also a mobile app that is supported on Android as well as IOS.
⚡️ 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
An easy way for new users to purchase Bitcoin More than 100 cryptocurrencies to choose from A regulated and trustworthy company High liquidity and purchasing limits
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP + more
eToro is a versatile trading platform that provides users with access to a range of financial instruments, including stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs. The platform charges a transparent 1% fee for cryptocurrency transactions, with no fees for ETFs and stocks, although ETFs may have their own internal costs. Forex and CFD fees are competitive, and eToro offers free stock and ETF trading.
The exchange is regulated in 4 countries – CySec (Cyprus), FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and FSAS (Seychelles). The headquarters of the company is in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. eToro has over 17 million users in approximately 100 countries. The main features of eToro are Retail Leverage, Pro Leverage, Customisable Leverage, Deleveraged Trading, Copy-Trading, Spot Trading, and Demo account. eToro supports more than 45 currency pairs.
The platform is available in numerous countries, with a list of blocked countries that includes Afghanistan, Belarus, and China. eToro supports trading in over 30 cryptocurrencies in the US and nearly 80 internationally, with popular options like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. A 0.1% fee is charged for crypto-to-crypto conversions. eToro’s user-friendly mobile app and social trading feature, which allows users to replicate the trades of successful traders, are notable highlights.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: $5 ⚡️ Trading fees: 0.75 % – 4.9 % spread depending on the cryptocurrency ⚡️ Payment Methods: 15+ (MasterCard, Visa, EWallets, etc.) ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, and 20+ more
Competitive trading fees Various exciting features such as demo account User-friendly interfaces It has been active on the crypto market for a very long time
$5 withdrawal fee Lack of stocks and other investment options
The exchange has been becoming increasingly popular throughout Europe with a very well-designed and easy-to-use platform.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Vary from coin to coin ⚡️ Trading fees: 0.05% – 0.10% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card, Cryptocurrency Neteller Bank Transfer (SEPA), SOFORT ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, CHF, GBP
1+ million customers Variety of payments and withdrawal methods Variety of supported fiat currencies
No insurances and no staking Fees medium
Best Bitcoin Wallets in Italy
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.
But, which bitcoin wallet is available in this country?
The safest option is a hardware wallet like Nano X but ZenGo is also a good choice, especially for newcomers.
Safello’s services are available in 32 European countries – both EU member states and countries outside the union. Safello is completely compliant with EU and Swedish law to ensure reliable service customers. Safello does not charge commission. Instead, it uses a “spread model”, meaning all fees (banking, forex fees, etc.) and commissions are included in the buying and selling price.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Depending on the membership ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: 0.00021 BTC ⚡️ Trading fees: 2.5% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Credit Card, Debit Card, Bank Transfer, Bank Transfer (SEPA), Swish Handelsbanken Direkt, Bankgirot iDEAL ⚡️ Supported fiat: SEK, NOK, DKK, GBP, CZK, CHF, HUF, EUR
Helpful Interface Regulated exchange No hidden fees Allows fiat currency trading.
Requires KYC verification It supports only Bitcoin
👛 Ease of Use – Medium 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, RUB
Over 30 million users worldwide and more than $15 billion in daily trading volume make Binance the world’s largest centralized cryptocurrencies exchange. Originally launched in 2017 in Hong Kong, the platform is still unregulated, it quickly became the most used exchange on the market. Binance is supported in 60+ countries (excluding the U.S).
On Binance, you can buy, sell, and trade a large number of cryptos with low fees. Two Factor Authentication, cold storage, and multi-sig wallets provide Binance users excellent security. It is considered one of the most secure cryptocurrencies exchange in the crypto sphere. Binance supports spot trading, margin trading, P2P trading, futures, earn (locked savings, fixed savings, yield farming, and DeFi staking), mining, and staking pools. You can trade more than 350 cryptos and over 1300 trading pairs.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Vary from crypto to crypto ⚡️ Trading fees: 0.1% ⚡️ Payment Methods: Debit Card, Credit Card, SWIFT, Bank Transfer (SEPA), and more ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, RUB, and 15+ more
Low fees High liquidity Lite and Pro version 350+ cryptos and 20+ fiat currencies
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, GBP, EUR + more
Uphold is a crypto exchange that has been in the game since 2015. The headquarters of the company is in NY, the US. It offers its users a multi-functional exchange of different assets, other than just buying and selling cryptocurrencies.
Uphold offers a beginner-friendly interface. The main focus (and the main differences compared to its competitors) is on trading directly between asset classes with fixed payments, offering a future where all users have access to financial services, thanks to Uphold’s unique “Anything-to-Anything” trading experience.
⚡️ 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
Offers a beginner-friendly interface Various advanced features Unique “Anything-to-anything” trading service Low fees It is regulated by the US laws
Customer support can be better Various trading limitations A less organized educational section (compared to its competitors)
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP
Initiated in 2011, Bitstamp has emerged as a trustworthy name in the world of cryptocurrency exchanges. It’s renowned for being the crypto exchange with the longest history, marked by its cost-effective rates, consistent service, and uncomplicated design. Bitstamp’s reach extends to over 100 countries, though some regions might experience limited features.
The helm of the exchange is in the hands of seven adept professionals with rich experience in both age-old and modern decentralized finance realms. The platform supports an array of over 80 digital assets, with Tether (USDT) being one of them.
However, exchanges like Coinbase seem to have an edge with support for more than 150 digital currencies. Bitstamp’s app is available in a plethora of countries, from Armenia to Austria. Moreover, all EU countries can benefit from Bitstamp’s instant crypto purchases via credit and debit cards.
⚡️ Deposit fees: 0 – 5 % ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: Sepa – 3 EUR, ACH – Free, Credit cards – 5%, International wire – 0.1%, and crypto – depends on the asset (0.0005 BTC) ⚡️ Trading fees: 0 – 0.5 % ⚡️ Payment Methods: Credit/Debit Card, ACH Transfer, SEPA, USD Wallet, Faster Payments, and International Wire. ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP
It is one of the oldest crypto exchanges Useful for both beginners and experienced traders Low fees Security and reputation on the high level
The limited number of coins supported (50) No margin or future trading The limited number of coins available for staking (2)
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD + 20 more
KuCoin, with its roots in Hong Kong since 2017, has emerged as a leading figure in the cryptocurrency exchange arena. Offering a diverse range of over 600 cryptocurrencies, it ensures that traders have a plethora of options, from well-known coins like Bitcoin to emerging tokens. Their self-developed trading platform is a blend of sophistication and simplicity, tailored to meet the needs of both novice and experienced traders.
A standout feature of KuCoin is its profit-sharing system, where they reward KuCoin Shares (KCS) holders by redistributing 50% of the platform’s trading fees. This initiative showcases their dedication to fostering a loyal user base.
On the fiat front, KuCoin supports an impressive 50 currencies, making fiat-to-crypto transitions effortless. With the inclusion of advanced trading features and a presence in a vast 200+ countries, notably in regions like Asia, the UK, US, and Canada, KuCoin’s global footprint is undeniable.
⚡️ Deposit fees: Free ⚡️ Withdrawal fees: 0 – 16$ (average) ⚡️ Trading fees: 0 – 0.1 % ⚡️ Payment Methods: Debit and Credit card, Apple and Google Pay ⚡️ Supported fiat: USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD + 20 more
Easy to use and beginner-friendly A lot of (advanced) crypto services and features Competitive fees
It is not regulated No fiat trading pairs Not bank deposits
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – High 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD
Coinamma is one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges since it was launched back in 2013. The headquarters of the company is in Slovakia and Ireland and its founders are Laurence Newman, Nimrod Gruber, and Ilan Schuster.
Coinmama is an exchange that boasts a user base of over 1.5 million people in more than 150 countries, and has a team of over 40 employees. It is notable for its user-friendly interface, which makes it a great choice for beginners. In addition, Coinmama ensures that the coins purchased through their platform are directly transferred to the user’s non-custodial wallet, rather than being kept in Coinmama’s own wallets.
⚡️ 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
Simple, user-friendly interface Various ways to deposit such as bank transfers or via credit card Suitable for beginners No withdrawal fee Available in almost all countries
No mobile app and no staking No phone number for customer support
Frequently asked questions about buying Bitcoin in Italy
What Bitcoin app does Italy use?❓
Which Bitcoin application is preferred in Italy? In Italy, eToro stands out as the top choice for cryptocurrency investors, offering a wide array of assets, distinctive functionalities, competitive pricing, compliance with OAM regulations, and an intuitive interface that supports cost-effective EUR deposit methods.
Are there Bitcoin ATM in Italy❓
Back in 2022, Milan was among two locations in Italy boasting more than 10 Bitcoin ATMs, with the majority of these machines situated in the country’s southern region.
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As the Head of Content at Captainaltcoin, I bring years of experience in the crypto industry. With a strong belief in the potential of the web3 market since 2017, I'm passionate about sharing valuable insights and knowledge.
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