Buy bitcoin in 232 countries and territories

Every guide is written for its country: which exchanges actually serve it, how people pay locally, and what the law says. Countries under bans or sanctions get an honest legal briefing instead of a buying guide.

Last reviewed 2026-09-07.

Filter countries

Europe

North America

South America

Africa

Middle East

Bitcoin by region

The same guides grouped 8 ways by region, 32 by subregion and 6 by economic bloc, each with the exchanges and payment rails its members share. All regions

Best exchanges by country

A longer comparison for the 37 countries where readers ask for one: the same ranking as the country guide, with each platform's security record and local payment rails set beside its fees.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries do you cover?

232 countries and territories, each with its own guide rather than a regional summary. That includes places where buying is restricted or illegal, because a reader in one of them needs the legal position more than a shortlist. Every guide carries the date it was last reviewed.

Which countries cannot buy bitcoin legally?

18 of the 232 guides are written legality first, covering places under a ban, a sanctions regime, or a rule that penalises the individual trader. Those pages set out what the law says and who enforces it instead of recommending an exchange.

Why does the exchange ranking change from country to country?

Because availability does. An exchange that is cheapest in one market may hold no licence in the next, or support no local payment rail there. Rankings weigh published fees, security record and local payment support, so the same three criteria produce different orders in different places.

Can I use an exchange from another country?

Usually not. Exchanges verify identity against the country you claim, so an account opened from elsewhere tends to fail at verification or at withdrawal, with your funds already inside. The guide for your own country lists the platforms that will actually accept you.