How to buy bitcoin in the Solomon Islands
- Status
- Legal
- Currency
- Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)
- Recommended
- 4 exchanges
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-20
In the Solomon Islands bitcoin is neither banned nor regulated, and buying it means going offshore: Coinmama works for straightforward card purchases delivered to your own wallet, while Binance and Kraken offer fuller trading for those who can fund accounts by international transfer. The Central Bank of Solomon Islands has stated that cryptocurrencies are not legal tender, are not regulated by it, and are held entirely at the owner's risk, warnings sharpened after fraudsters circulated a fake digital currency called Sol York in the islands. No exchange lists the Solomon Islands dollar, so purchases settle in US or Australian dollars, and with international banking slow and costly, small card buys are the practical default.
Best exchanges in the Solomon Islands
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 | Coinmama | 3.9 | Commission plus card surcharge | Required | Visit | |
| 2 | Binance | 4.2 | From 0.1% spot, maker and taker | Required | Visit | |
| 3 | Kraken | 4.7 | From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker | Required | Visit | |
| 4 | CEX.IO | 4.0 | Maker-taker; card costs more | Required | Visit |
Some Visit buttons above are referral links: signing up through them is credited to us and may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Which platforms pay makes no difference to the ranking.
Why these picks
1. Coinmama A card-first broker that sends bitcoin straight to your own wallet instead of holding it for you.
2. Binance The largest crypto exchange by volume: the deepest bitcoin liquidity anywhere, the lowest headline spot fee of any major platform, and quarterly proof of reserves, under a settled US case and an independent monitor.
3. Kraken A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.
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 the Solomon Islands
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.
- Credit or debit cardPrimary
Crypto cards available in the Solomon Islands
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.
Bitcoin wallets available in the Solomon Islands
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 buy bitcoin in the Solomon Islands
A video walkthrough of buying bitcoin in the Solomon Islands: picking an exchange that takes Solomon Islands dollar deposits, passing verification, and moving your coins to self custody.
From our YouTube channel @dontgetrekt, uploaded 2023-02-20.
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 the Solomon Islands, 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 the Solomon Islands require this before you can deposit.
Fund your account with credit or debit card
Common options here: credit or debit card, international bank transfer (SWIFT), P2P trades. 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 the Solomon Islands
Bitcoin is legal in the Solomon Islands in the sense that no law prohibits it, but it is entirely unregulated. The Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI) has publicly warned that cryptocurrencies are not issued or regulated by it, hold no legal tender status, and are speculative investments made at the holder's own risk. There is no licensing regime for exchanges and no local platform, so all activity runs through offshore services without domestic protections.
Frequently asked questions
Is bitcoin legal in the Solomon Islands?
Yes, in the sense that no law bans it. But the Central Bank of Solomon Islands does not regulate or endorse cryptocurrencies, they have no legal tender status, and there are no local investor protections if something goes wrong.
Has there been crypto fraud in the Solomon Islands?
Yes. The CBSI publicly warned about a fake digital currency called Sol York being promoted to islanders, and its broader notices stress that crypto scams exploit the lack of regulation. Treat any locally promoted coin or investment scheme with deep suspicion.
How do people in the Solomon Islands actually buy bitcoin?
Through offshore platforms, most simply with a Visa or Mastercard purchase on a card-first broker, since no exchange lists the Solomon Islands dollar. Larger amounts usually require an international bank transfer in US or Australian dollars.
Where should I keep bitcoin bought from the Solomon Islands?
In a wallet you control. With every platform you can use being foreign and unaccountable locally, leaving coins on an exchange stacks platform risk on top of an already unprotected position. A hardware wallet with the seed stored offline is the safest option.
