How to buy bitcoin in Monaco
- Status
- Legal
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Recommended
- 4 exchanges
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-12
Monaco residents buy bitcoin much the way their French neighbors do, through EU platforms over euro rails: Relai, a bitcoin-only app with self-custody by default, is our first pick, with Kraken and Coinbase close behind. The principality wrote its own rulebook rather than importing the EU's: Law 1.491 of 2020 covers token offerings and Law 1.528 of 2022 regulates digital asset service providers, which need government authorization to operate from Monaco. As a non-EU state it sits outside MiCA, but Monaco uses the euro and belongs to the SEPA zone, so funding an account by bank transfer is trivial. With no personal income tax for most residents, French nationals excepted, bitcoin gains stay untaxed for many Monegasques.
Best exchanges in Monaco
Ranked by our editorial review of fees, security record, and local payment support. Rankings are never sold.
| # | Exchange | Rating | Fees | ID check | Pay with | Visit or read the review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Relai | 4.5Bitcoin-only | Around 1% per purchase | Required | Visit | |
| 2 | Kraken | 4.7 | From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker | Required | Visit | |
| 3 | Coinbase | 4.5 | Maker-taker on Advanced Trade | Required | Visit | |
| 4 | CEX.IO | 4.0 | Maker-taker; card costs more | Required | Visit |
Why these picks
1. Relai Swiss bitcoin-only app with SEPA instant buys, self-custody by default, and a MiCA license covering the EEA.
2. Kraken A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.
3. Coinbase The easiest US on-ramp for beginners, publicly listed, and legally in the clear since the SEC dropped its case.
4. CEX.IO A card-friendly exchange licensed across most of the US, but currently closed to deposits and trading in Europe.
Payment methods in Monaco
The rails local buyers actually use, under their local names. Support varies by exchange; the list above shows exactly which methods each one takes here.
- SEPA transferPrimary
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Crypto cards available in Monaco
These spend money at ordinary shops and pay you back in crypto, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those buy bitcoin, these do not. Availability is the issuer's own published coverage.
- ether.fi Cash3% cashback on the first $2,000 (Core), $10,000 (Luxe), or $50,000 (Pinnacle) of monthly spend, stepping down to 1% then 0.5% beyond that band; invitation-only VIP pays 4% on its first $50,000.
- RedotPay CardRoughly 3% cashback on Apple Pay/Google Pay transactions is available to RedotPay Pro subscribers ($12.90/month or $129/year); the base card has no broad percentage-back cashback program.
- MetaMask CardChanged1% cashback in mUSD on the free Virtual tier; 3% on the first $10,000 of annual spend (then 1%) on the $199/year Metal tier.
Bitcoin wallets available in Monaco
A wallet is where bitcoin lives after you buy it, which is the opposite of the exchanges above: those sell it, these hold it. Availability below is the maker's own published shipping or eligibility policy.
Hardware devices
- Ledger Flex$249The Ledger to buy if you want a touchscreen: $249, the same certified chip as the Stax, and more screen pixels than it.
- Ledger Nano S Plus$59Ledger's $59 entry device: the same certified secure element as the $399 Stax, no Bluetooth, and no iPhone support at all.
- Ledger Nano X$79The cheapest Ledger with Bluetooth, now $79 on Ledger's own store, and the one to buy if you want to sign from a phone.
- Ledger Stax$399Ledger's $399 flagship, with the biggest screen it sells and exactly the same secure element as the $59 Nano S Plus.
- Tangem Wallet$59.9A smart card you tap against your phone, sold only in sets of two or three so your backup is another card rather than a written seed.
Desktop and browser
Compare every wallet, including the ones we tell you not to buy
Watch: how to choose an exchange
This is our general video rather than a walkthrough for Monaco. It shows the method in two steps: first the country you are buying in, then the exchange. You have done step one by being here, so start from the exchanges ranked above.
We have not filmed a walkthrough for Monaco yet, so this is our general one, from our YouTube channel @dontgetrekt. It also sits on the home page, next to the country search it starts from.
Do you need a VPN?
A VPN hides which sites you visit from the network you are on and from your internet provider, which is worth having when you move money over a connection you do not control. It does not get you past an exchange's identity checks: every platform we list verifies who you are no matter where you connect from.
If you want one, the strongest records on our list belong to NordVPN (6 independent no-logs audits, the most of any service we review), Windscribe (its no-logs claim tested in the real world 3 times) and Proton VPN (the most audited service with a free tier).
Buying bitcoin in Monaco, start to finish
Pick a platform and verify your identity
Choose from the table above and complete KYC verification with a photo ID. Regulated platforms in Monaco require this before you can deposit.
Fund your account with SEPA transfer
Common options here: SEPA transfer, credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay. Bank transfers are usually the cheapest; cards are faster but add fees.
Buy, then decide where to keep it
Place your order, and for anything more than pocket money consider moving it to a hardware wallet you control. Our security guide covers the habits that keep coins safe.
Legal status and regulation in Monaco
Bitcoin is legal in Monaco, which regulates crypto under its own national framework rather than EU law. Law No. 1.491 of 2020 created a regime for token offerings, and Law No. 1.528 of 2022 regulates digital asset business, requiring providers operating from the principality to obtain government authorization. Monaco is not an EU member, so the MiCA regulation does not apply directly, and residents commonly use French and EU-licensed platforms over euro payment rails.
Words worth knowing before you buy in Monaco
Picked from what this page already says about Monaco, not from a standard list.
- Recurring buySEPA bank transferA recurring buy is the exchange feature that executes a purchase for you on a schedule, pulling money from your bank on the day you picked without you logging in.
- Maker and taker fees4 venues to compareMaker and taker fees are the two prices an exchange charges for a trade: less if your order waits in the book, more if it takes an existing order out.
- Bid-ask spreadApple Pay and Google PayThe bid-ask spread is the gap between the highest price a buyer will pay and the lowest price a seller will accept, and you pay half of it every time you cross.
Frequently asked questions
Is bitcoin legal in Monaco?
Yes. Monaco regulates digital assets under its own laws, principally Law 1.491 of 2020 on token offerings and Law 1.528 of 2022 on digital asset business, which requires providers operating from the principality to hold government authorization. Buying and holding bitcoin as an individual is legal.
Does the EU's MiCA regulation apply in Monaco?
No, Monaco is not an EU member, so MiCA does not apply directly. In practice residents use French and EU platforms that are MiCA-authorized in their home markets; check each platform's terms to confirm it accepts Monaco residents.
Do I pay tax on bitcoin gains in Monaco?
Monaco levies no personal income tax on most residents, French nationals excepted under treaty rules, so private bitcoin gains are generally untaxed. Anyone with tax ties to another country should take advice, since foreign rules can still reach them.
How do people in Monaco fund a bitcoin purchase?
By SEPA transfer in euros from a Monaco or French bank account, which most platforms accept free or nearly free, or by card for speed at a higher fee. Monaco's banks are inside the SEPA system, so transfers work like anywhere in the euro area.
