How To Buy Crypto (BTC, ETH, XRP) in Dubai? Best Apps To Buy Bitcoin in UAE

January 18, 2024

Dubai has become one of the crypto-friendliest cities in the world as regulations around digital assets continue to evolve favorably in the UAE. With the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies locally, many investors in Dubai are looking for convenient ways to buy Bitcoin and other digital assets legally.

This guide helps answer the prominent question on how to buy Bitcoin in Dubai and the rest of UAE. We review some of the top cryptocurrency exchange apps that make it simple to buy BTC, ETH, XRP and more in Dubai with dirham or credit card payments.

Before we dig into it, let’s analyze crypto regulations in Dubai and UAE.

Crypto Regulations in Dubai (UAE)

Dubai has emerged as a leading crypto hub, actively shaping a regulatory landscape that supports and nurtures virtual currency innovations. In a groundbreaking move, the UAE established the world’s first dedicated crypto regulator, the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA), in March 2022. Further strengthening its stance, the UAE Central Bank introduced anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules for virtual assets in May 2023.

Additionally, the UAE Cabinet’s recent decision enforces a new virtual asset regulation from January 15, 2023, setting up a comprehensive supervisory framework aimed at safeguarding investors and fostering innovation. With Dubai and Abu Dhabi already established as cryptocurrency centers, other emirates like Ras Al Khaimah are poised to join this trend. The UAE’s extensive crypto regulations position it as a prime destination for burgeoning projects, ranking it fifth in the economic environment for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

How To Buy Bitcoin & Crypto (XRP, Doge etc) in UAE and Dubai

Coinmama

Coinmama claim themselves to be “The easiest way to buy & sell cryptocurrency”, proudly showing off their almost 3,000,000 customers since 2013, and usage across 188 countries. Coinmama offers a plethora of different methods to purchase your crypto with, including debit cards, credit cards, bank transfers and more notably, Apple Pay. Apple Pay is not normally usable when purchasing crypto so if this is your preferred method to use then Coinmama could be the exchange for you.

Coinmama offers the exchange of 11 cryptocurrencies, meaning it is also a great place if you are looking to purchase more than just Bitcoin. Although Coinmama does not display any of their prices in the AED, they do allow you to purchase in any currency, including AED.

There are a few downsides with Coinmama, having a minimum purchase of 100USD for a start, in combination with charging up to 5.9% fees on your activities, this stops it from being the first choice in a lot of investors’ eyes.

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CEX.IO

CEX.IO is another platform that has been around since 2013 and has 4 million customers registered with them. CEX.IO prides themselves on having never lost a customer’s funds due to a hack or other means, which is definitely something to be proud of in the cryptocurrency space. CEX.IO has offices around the world and has a large team of over 250 people.

CEX.IO is a versatile organisation, offering three separate platforms to investors, the first of which is CEX.IO itself, it acts as a classic cryptocurrency market/exchange, offering the instant buying and selling of numerous cryptos. Secondly, we have CEX.IO Broker, it acts as a crypto CFD brokerage, offering a range of different trading tools, and lastly, we have CEX.DIRECT which is aimed at those looking to purchase cryptocurrency but not as much for trading purposes, more for holding or usage.

CEX.IO’s fees aren’t the cheapest, but they also can’t really be considered high. On credit card purchases, CEX.IO requires 3% and sometimes a small commission of about $5 too. You can circumvent most of the fees by simply buying through CEX.IO’s trading interface, as it has lower fees to incentivize day traders.

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Bitfinex

Created in Hong Kong in 2012, Bitfinex has been around for a long time. Unlike a couple of the other exchanges on this list, it hasn’t been without its controversies, suffering multiple hacks and exploits over the years. The exchange is well suited towards more advanced traders who have experience in the industry, and looking to trade crypto assets rather than simply just buying Bitcoin.

Though Bitfinex still deserves a mention on this list as they can cater specifically towards those with a large amount of capital, offering OTC (Over the Counter), trades to $100,000+ purchases. OTC trades are normally the top choice when it comes to organisations buying Bitcoin as they are suited to large private deals, away from exchanges.

It also must be noted that although Bitfinex has had problems with cyber security and such over the years, they have successfully repaid all of their debts to their customers, which cannot be said for all hacked exchanges (namely Mt. Gox).

Bitfinex offer free deposits and only charge for some major cryptos when it comes to withdrawals, with Bitcoin coming in at a 0.0004 BTC fee.

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Paybis

Paybis is a Bitcoin purchasing platform that lets you simply and easily buy Bitcoin. It is very well suited to beginners in that it has a very simple interface and takes very little effort to use effectively.

The platform also boasts low commissions, though in exchange for this, the companies exchange rates are quite poor, making up for the low fees. Paybis also have great security to keep your coins and details secure.

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Paxful

Paxful is different to the rest of the items on this list as it isn’t a cryptocurrency exchange. Paxful is a peer-to-peer based finance platform, allowing parties to engage in trade between Bitcoin and other currencies directly. This method is often considered a bit more risky as you generally get bad exchange rates, in addition to much less trustworthy individuals who are avoiding exchanges in order to hide their identities.

Nevertheless, Paxful is still a viable method of acquiring Bitcoin, you just need to remember the risks and such when using it.

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Changelly

Although quite well known, Changelly is one of the smaller exchanges on this list. Founded in 2015, they have since acquired over 1 million users. Changelly has a much wider range of assets available for purchase compared to the rest of this list, they offer their clients over 170 different crypto assets. Furthermore, they have expanded heavily since their small beginnings, now with over 80 employees and 3 offices.

Changelly facilitates the buying and selling of their wide list of currencies in a range of payment methods, Changelly is another of the few exchanges that offer Apple pay as a payment method for their services. A great feature of Changelly is Changelly Swap, here you can almost instantly swap over 170 different digital assets.

When it comes to trading fees, Changelly is pretty good. On trading fees, you will pay a maximum of 0.1%. When it comes to purchasing crypto, you will need to pay a fee of 5%, which is somewhat high though considering how there are no deposit fees, though could be worse. When withdrawing funds, it is quite expensive to withdraw Bitcoin, at 0.0004 BTC per transaction, though this can be reduced to 4USDT if withdrawing through Tether.

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EToro

Etoro is a well-established trading platform that has been around 2006, founded in Israel. Before diversifying their facilities into trading cryptocurrencies, they offered the trading of stocks, ETFs, commodities and more, securing their position as a major, all-round trading platform. EToro cater to all levels of investors, from the smaller day-to-day traders to the big institutional capital, EToro can help you.

EToro has numerous features that secure it a peg above its competitors, offering their users competitively low fees, for example not charging a penny for sending or receiving crypto to/from their platform. This means that you can withdraw and deposit all you like without any loss in coins, apart from miner fees ofcourse. Another great feature is their cyber security. EToro’s funds are fully managed and kept in cold storage, making it incredibly difficult for any hackers to come close to accessing your coins, this is one of the many features that secure EToro as a top pick for those looking to buy crypto in the UAE.

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AFSL 491139. Leveraged positions and short positions are OTC Derivatives, regulated financial product. Capital at risk. See PDS and TMD.
Non-leveraged buy positions are real crypto assets and not regulated. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

Crypto Exchanges Based in and around the UAE

There are also cryptocurrency exchanges that are base in the UAE itself, these are typically much more accommodating for customers based in the UAE.

Rain

Rain is one of the most recognisable and established exchanges in the middle east, with it being the first one to earn a regulatory license. The exchange supports the use of multiple middle eastern currencies, including the United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) and Bahraini Dinar (BHD), the exchange also supports the use of the US Dollar.

The Rain crypto exchange has strong regulatory oversight, being that it is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain. This ensures they keep great security of your cryptos and does their best to keep them safe. They also offer 24/7 customer support, so if anything goes wrong or you are unsure about an aspect of your experience, they are always contactable. They also have a great customer support section.

They also have great fees, charging only 1.5% on transactions through their brokerage! This makes them a great choice for those in the UAE.

BC Bitcoin

BC Bitcoin is based in the UK, rather than the Middle East, despite this they accept users from the UAE. They have speedy verification and are very simple to use. Though it should be noted that due to exchange rates and fees you will be paying over 3.5% the average BTC price on average!

Bitex UAE

Bitex is a much newer exchange compared to some of the other exchanges on this list, only being founded in 2018. The exchange was created in the UAE. The exchange is quite basic, with some general trading features and functions, this makes it good for novices getting into cryptocurrency as you won’t have to see any over-complicated UIs and such.

Bitex has 0 fee on deposits thankfully, though on withdrawals they charge 0.0005 BTC and a minimum of 0.001 BTC withdrawn.

BitOasis

BitOasis is another example of a big crypto exchange in the middle east. The exchange claims to be the “largest digital asset exchange in the middle-east”. They cater well towards those in the UAE, listing all of their crypto market prices in AED.

BitOasis offers the trading of over 10 different assets, with plans to introduce more. They also utilise cold storage to keep their assets safe, creating a reliable environment to store your coins. BitOasis offers two iterations of their platform, Core and Pro, with Pro being suited to the more regular traders, offering more assets, trading pairs, and other features.

When it comes to fees, BitOasis has a standard withdrawal fee of 0.0005 BTC, which is good if you are trading large amounts, though quite high otherwise.

Palmex

Palmex is a cryptocurrency exchange based in the UAE and the first licensed digital asset exchanges in North Africa and the Middle East. They offer highly advanced trading features and technical features, mainly catering towards traders rather than longer term investors. To ensure that their customers are never left in need, they operate a 24/7 support center where users can get the help they need and quickly.

Palmex charges some quite competitive fees, with trading fees being a maximum of 0.4%. Their deposits are always free, though they charge a mall network fee when you withdraw your assets. Palmex has a lot of pros though is much more suited to seasoned traders rather than those looking to just purchase some Bitcoin.

Bitcoin ATMs in Dubai and UAE

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency ATMs have been popping up all over the world, though it seems this digital revolution hasn’t quite reached the same level in the middle east. There appears to only be a few in the UAE. There is a couple in Dubai and in Abu Dhabi but due to the lack of publicity and their rarity, online exchange is the most common method in the UAE when it comes to purchasing Bitcoin.

Some Options for Crypto Wallets

You can use online wallets to store Bitcoin in the UAE, the one of these we would recommend is Exodus Wallet. What is even more secure is storing them in an offline physical wallet, such as Trezor or Ledger.

Final Thoughts

Although some people may think that the UAE is more limited in its options in purchasing cryptocurrency, they are largely mistaken. Apart from a lack of Bitcoin ATMs, the country is forward thinking about the new technology and has plenty of exchanges in and outside the country that you can use. Always remember to try and store your coins in a personal wallet and do your due diligence when choosing an exchange or wallet.

FAQs

Bitcoin is Considered Halaal under Sharia Law

Bitcoin has been a point of controversy, with a lot of opposing arguments and opinions when it comes to Bitcoin being Halal or Haram under Sharia Law. Some consider it to be Haram in that it is not Islamic money, whereas some consider them to be investment products similar to stocks which is considered to be Halal.

At this point in time there is no strong legislation or ruling of being haram, so it is best to make the decision to invest in it yourself.

Bitcoin’s Legal and Tax Status in Dubai

Dubai is a country that is welcoming to Bitcoin and blockchain technology. They have even recently launched the Emirates Blockchain Strategy in 2021 and aim to conduct 50% of government transactions on the blockchain. Overall, the regulations on Bitcoin in the UAE are considered “vague” as there is no legislation for or against the digital currency when it comes to everyday users, though the UAE is pushing their own digital currencies, such as Emcash.

If you use Bitcoin in the UAE for salary or trading purposes, you pay no income tax thanks to the UAE’s very relaxed tax laws.

What to keep in mind when buying, trading Bitcoin in the UAE

When buying Bitcoin in the UAE, the main things to be aware of is that you are buying from a well-established exchange, and that said exchange is offering their services to Dubai, otherwise you will be wasting your time and possibly giving your details away to sites that shouldn’t have them.

Another thing is to make sure you are getting a good exchange rate on your purchase, many of the exchanges suited to crypto novices make their money by upping their exchange rate and boasting low or no commission on their purchases, this can be checked by researching the price at the time of purchase.

Of course, you also need to keep an eye out in case the UAE changes its stance on crypto regulation as you don’t want to be involved in any illegal activities.

What is the price of Bitcoin in Dubai?

The price of Bitcoin is the same as the rest of the world, with the current exchange rate being 168,500 AED at the time of writing (45,900 USD)

How do I cash out of Bitcoin in Dubai?

The exchanges listed in this article allow you to buy and sell Bitcoin, making them perfect options to cash out.
If you would rather use another method, you can cash out your Bitcoin through a Bitcoin ATM, though these are quite rare in the UAE. Lastly, you can use a peer-to-peer exchange site such as localbitcoins.com, though we don’t recommend this as it is less trustworthy than official exchanges.

Can I buy property with Bitcoin in Dubai?

There is a number of different estate agents and other organisations that accept Bitcoin for their properties in the UAE, though it should be noted that the prices will normally be presented in Dirhams, meaning the price in BTC is constantly fluctuating.

Is Bitcoin Trading Legal In The UAE?

Bitcoin trading is legal in the UAE and can be conducted in a wide range of places, including the list of crypto exchanges previously listed in this article. There is the question of whether or not it is legal under sharia law, though there isn’t really an official decision on this, so it is up to you to make that judgement.

Which bitcoin wallet works in Dubai?

One popular choice for Bitcoin wallets is Exodus. Exodus wallet lets you store a range of crypto assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and more. There are a range of similar wallets online available to investors, these are known as online wallets. What we recommend is offline wallets, also known as cold storage. These are physical wallets such as a Ledger or Trezor wallet. These store your coins password protected and require you to physically access a small metal wallet in order to get your coins out, making them inaccessible to online entities such as hackers.

There is a popular saying in the crypto world, “Not your keys, not your coins”. This refers to those keeping your coins on crypto exchanges that don’t show your private keys and such. It is best avoided storing them on exchanges as they are at risks of hacking and the coins are not completely in your possession.

What is the best Bitcoin wallet in UAE?

Trezor model T

Buy bitcoin in Dubai with cash

It is quite hard to buy Bitcoin with cash in Dubai, there is a small amount of Bitcoin ATMs you could visit which can facilitate the transaction for you, though they are quite uncommon. Another method is to sale for physical cash over localbitcoins.com or another peer-to-peer transaction platform, though this is much riskier due to the lack of an intermediary party to verify the transaction.

How to buy Ethereum in Dubai?

Almost every crypto exchange out there now supports Ethereum, including the ones we have listed today. Ethereum is considered the biggest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, making it a popular choice for investors, after decided which exchange is best for you, you can purchase the Ethereum in the same way your purchased the Bitcoin, just as easily, safely and simply.