Cryptocurrency adoption is on the rise in Mexico, but buying Bitcoin and other digital assets can be confusing due to the country’s evolving regulatory landscape. This guide provides an overview of how to purchase cryptocurrency safely and legally in Mexico.
The regulation of cryptocurrencies in Mexico is still developing. In 2018, Mexico passed the Fintech Law, which formally defines virtual assets and brings them under regulatory oversight. The main authority overseeing cryptocurrency regulation is the Bank of Mexico.
Under the Fintech Law, cryptocurrencies are referred to as “virtual assets” and defined as electronically recorded representations of value used for payment, with transfers only possible electronically 3. They are not considered legal tender or currency in Mexico.
The Fintech Law also established regulations for companies facilitating transactions with virtual assets, requiring registration or licensing from financial authorities. In 2023, further regulations were introduced under the new Fintech Law, defining crypto assets as digital representations of value that can be transferred digitally.
Today, there are around 26 crypto exchanges operating in Mexico, serving an estimated 2.5% of the population that owns cryptocurrency. However, Mexico still lacks comprehensive regulations specifically for blockchain technology and cryptocurrency use cases.
When buying cryptocurrency in Mexico, it is important to use reputable, licensed exchanges and wallet providers. The Bank of Mexico does not prohibit virtual assets, but warns of risks and requires authorization for banks and financial entities dealing with them. While the regulatory environment is still developing, Mexicans are increasingly embracing cryptocurrencies.
What you'll learn 👉
Easiest and cheapest ways to buy crypto in Mexico
Getting bitcoins in Mexico is not an easy task as not all popular crypto exchanges are available to Mexican citizens. This is a current list of bitcoin exchanges that allow users from Mexico to buy crypto. They all support buying crypto with credit/debit cards but some of them offer other payment methods as well.
Volabit offers users in Mexico Bitcoin-based financial services. These services include online payments, cross-border money transfers, and remittances.
Volabit claims that it uses physical, technical and administrative security measures to reduce the risks of loss, misuse, unauthorized access and alteration of the account and its content.
👛 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
Best Bitcoin Wallets in Mexico
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.
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – High 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD
Founded in 2013 in Israel, Coinmama is one of the oldest crypto exchanges in the business. With its current headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, this centralized cryptocurrency exchange allows its users to quickly and securely buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
Coinmama is a popular platform used by 1.5 million people in more than 150 countries (except for 11 states in the United States). The company is registered with The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in the United States and 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
Available almost worldwide Mobile App (Android and iOS) Good for Beginners Good Support Various payment methods
A small selection of available cryptocurrencies Not the lowest fees Can’t do anything on the platform other than purchases and sells of coins
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP + more
eToro is a comprehensive trading platform that provides access to a variety of financial instruments, such as 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.
eToro is based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Furthermore, eToro has offices in 4 more countries and is regulated in these countries by CySec (Cyprus), FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), and FSAS (Seychelles). The has roughly around 17 million users worldwide and is available in around 100 countries. Retail Leverage, Pro Leverage, Customisable Leverage, Deleveraged Trading, Copy-Trading, Spot Trading, and Demo account are the main features of eToro. It supports more than 45 currency pairs.
Forex and CFD fees are competitive, and eToro offers complimentary stock and ETF trading. Available in numerous countries, eToro has a list of blocked countries, including Afghanistan, Belarus, and China. The platform 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
The longevity on the crypto market Low fees Various exciting features User-friendly interface
Lack of stocks and other investment options Not available in all states in the US Inactivity fee
👛 Ease of Use – Medium 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, RUB
Binance was launched back in July of 2017 and very quickly became the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume with more than $1 billion on a daily basis.
There are various reasons why Binance became so popular so quickly with the main ones being a professional attitude, friendly and transparent CEO, low trading fees, and the large number of cryptocurrencies supported by the platform. In fact, the number of cryptocurrencies supported is over 350 and Binance is supported in over 60 countries. The founder of the exchange is Changpeng Zhao. Binance’s headquarters are unknown.
⚡️ 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
The largest cryptocurrency platform Various advanced services and features Low fees and high liquidity A large number of cryptocurrencies supported
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 2-3 Days 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CAD
Established in 2011, Kraken has carved a niche for itself as a trusted and reliable crypto exchange. It boasts support for an impressive roster of over 220 digital assets, encompassing major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and many others. Security has always been a cornerstone for Kraken, making it a go-to choice for many.
Its global footprint is vast, covering a majority of countries with only a few exceptions such as Iran and Washington state. On the convenience front, Kraken doesn’t disappoint. Users have a wide array of payment options at their disposal, and the platform is also flexible when it comes to fiat currency transactions. Additionally, seasoned traders can leverage advanced features to optimize their trading strategies.
⚡️ 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
Available almost worldwide High security Over 90 cryptocurrencies Various payment methods
Fees slightly above the industry average No tax support
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Low 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, and more
LocalBitcoins is one of the oldest P2P online marketplaces where you can buy and sell Bitcoin. It is considered the largest peer-to-peer crypto platform. LocalBitcoins is based in Helsinki, Finland.
LocalBitcoins was founded by Jeremiah Kangas in 2012. It operates in more than 240 countries worldwide. The platform is a peer-to-peer network that connects sellers with buyers in the local area. Users post ads on the platform in which they state payment methods and exchange rates for purchasing or selling Bitcoins. Then, other users reply to these ads in order to make a transaction. LocalBitcoins has a great reputation in the crypto market and it pays a lot of attention to regulations and security of the platform.
👛 Ease of Use – Easy 👛 Fees – Average 👛 Verification – 1 Day 👛 Reputation – Trusted 👛 Supported fiat – USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD + more
Paxful is widely considered “the Uber” of the Bitcoin world. It is a crypto exchange that is based in the US and has over 200 employees. Paxful was launched in 2015, so it has longevity on the crypto market.
Artur Schaback and Ray Youssef are the founders of Paxful. The headquarters of the company is in NY, US. On Paxful, you can easily buy crypto with just a few clicks. Moreover, there is Paxful’s affiliate program called “virtual kiosk” where you can spread the word about the exchange while generating a 2% revenue from any amount bought.
⚡️ 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
Secure and safe The longevity of the crypto market The number of payment methods is extremely high Easy-to-use platform
No trading features It is not regulated
Frequently asked questions about buying Bitcoin in Mexico
What is the best way to buy Bitcoin in Mexico❓
You can buy Bitcoin in Mexico on any of the exchanges mentioned in this article.
Which Bitcoin wallet is available in Mexico❓
Exodus and Ledger are the best Bitcoin wallets available in Mexico.
How do I buy Bitcoin with cash in Mexico❓
Volabit is the most popular crypto exchange in Mexico.
Is Coinbase in Mexico❓
Coinbase, a leading U.S.-based exchange, has announced it will now allow remittance receivers in Mexico to cash out the funds received through its service in local currency.
How are regular people making returns of as much as 70% in a year with no risk? By properly setting up a FREE Pionex grid bot - click the button to learn more.
Crypto arbitrage still works like a charm, if you do it right! Check out Alphador, leading crypto arbitrage bot to learn the best way of doing it.
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.
Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and let's discuss the exciting world of cryptocurrencies and decentralized technologies!
