Where & How To Buy Cardano

Hedge With Crypto aims to publish information that is factual and accurate as of the date of publication. For specific information about a cryptocurrency exchange or trading platform please visit that provider’s website. This information is general in nature and is for education purposes only. Hedge With Crypto does not provide financial advice nor does it take into account your personal financial situation. We encourage you to seek financial advice from an independent financial advisor where appropriate and make your own inquiries.

The top-rated crypto trading platforms are a good starting point for investing in Cardano. There are a select few criteria to help narrow the decision down. For instance, the best exchanges for buying Cardano should first list ADA tokens, support a preferred payment method, have competitive fees, and include a secure wallet.

The best places to buy Cardano are:

• Binance (best for low trading fees)
• Coinbase (best place for beginners to buy ADA)
• Kraken (best option in the USA for Cardano traders)
• eToro (simple and easy-to-use option)

EXCHANGE	CRYPTO ASSETS	TRADING FEES	RATING	PROMOTION	WEBSITE	REVIEW
Binance	385	0.1% (spot) and 0.02% / 0.04% (Futures)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.8 / 5	Up to $100 welcome bonus	Visit Binance	Binance Review
Kraken	222	0.16% (maker) and 0.26% (taker)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.8 / 5	None available at this time	Visit Kraken	Kraken Review
Coinbase	241	0.4% (maker), 0.6% (taker)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.7 / 5	$5 BTC bonus (USA only)	Visit Coinbase	Coinbase Review
eToro	79	1%	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.7 / 5	None available at this time	Visit eToro Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes only, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. [website domain name] is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB.	eToro Review

How To Buy Cardano – Quick Tutorial

1. Compare and select a crypto exchange

Once Cardano has been thoroughly researched, selecting a cryptocurrency exchange is the first step to buying some. Centralized exchanges that accept direct fiat deposits are the easiest way to add ADA to a crypto portfolio. However, there are alternatives for more experienced investors, such as decentralized exchanges (DEXs), P2P platforms, and brokers.

Reputable and popular centralized exchanges such as Binance offer a native wallet that can hold any cryptocurrency purchased on the platform. This gives new investors an easy and stress-free way of managing their assets without worrying about wallet addresses and networks. Certain platforms also offer a suite of features for optimizing crypto investments, including earning protocols, bundles, and instant coin swaps.

For this article, we will demonstrate buying ADA using Binance. This is not intended as a recommendation of Binance, and individual investors may choose a completely separate platform depending on their specific cryptocurrency needs. That said, Binance is a high-volume, long-running, and well-trusted exchange that will likely be a solid choice for most people looking to buy ADA.

2. Register an account with the exchange

To buy ADA, register an account on the exchange of choice. Most platforms allow customers to register by entering an email or phone number directly on their homepage.

Along with a valid email address and phone number, new exchange users will likely also need access to some government-issued identification. This is used to pass Know-Your-Customer (KYC) protocols,, which are required for most exchanges that accept fiat deposits. Supported documents typically include a driver’s license, proof of residency, bank statement and passport.

Once an email and mobile number have been verified, it will be time to pass KYC protocols. This process will require some basic information such as residential address and date of birth, as well as the documents above. Occasionally, customers can manually input numbers from their identification documents, but more often than not, they will need to upload images to the exchange.

Generally, this process is conducted automatically and should only take a few minutes. However, certain flags (such as a blurry photo) can trigger a “manual review process”, which can take 24+ hours. Once KYC protocols have been passed, the account should be ready for use. It is a good idea to immediately activate Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to help prevent hacking and loss of funds.

For Binance users, there are a few authentication options to choose from. The default is a mobile phone. However, third-party mobile apps can also be used. To access 2FA options on Binance, navigate to Profile>Security.

3. Deposit funds

The next step to buying ADA is funding the exchange account. The deposit process will vary depending on the platform chosen and the customer’s bank account. The majority of popular crypto exchanges will support “Instant deposits” – a process that utilizes third-party companies to perform online bank transfers within seconds.

Other common deposit methods include:

• Bank transfer (24–48 hours)
• Wire transfer (24–48 hours)
• Credit card instant purchase (30 minutes)
• Cash deposit (24–48 hours)
• OTC trading (requires direct communication with the exchange, varies in wait time)
• Crypto (depends on network congestion, usually less than 1 hour)

Be aware of deposit limits. Many exchanges have minimum and maximum figures that can be added to an account per transaction. It is also valuable to check if the platform has any withdrawal or deposit fees prior to adding money to an account.

Adding funds to a Binance account is a straightforward process. First, head over to the “Wallet” tab and select “Deposit” from the top of the page. From there, four different deposit methods will appear: fiat, crypto, instant buy with debit/credit, or P2P. For most beginners, Fiat will be the option of choice, but more experienced investors can leverage the other deposit methods if they are of benefit.

Next, select the fiat currency and input the amount to be deposited. Review the transaction, ensure all the numbers are correct and confirm the transaction. The funds should appear in the Binance account within a few minutes if an “instant deposit” option is selected.

4. Buy Cardano

An exchange account has now been funded, so it’s time to complete the buying process and purchase ADA. This process should be intuitive for most users.

To proceed, most platforms will have a hub listing their supported cryptocurrencies. This page may come with a name like “Markets”, “Assets”, “Cryptocurrencies” or even just “Buy Now”. From here, all investors have to do is scroll down to ADA, check the Cardano prices, confirm how much they wish to buy and verify the transaction, taking note of any transaction fees.

More advanced investors may wish to utilize certain order options, such as Stop-Loss or Market-Limit. Additionally, some exchanges will offer a range of trading pairs (eg. Crypto–Crypto and Fiat–Crypto) which can be useful for those wishing to swap cryptocurrencies while leveraging advanced trading options.

After a few minutes, the order should be executed and ADA will appear in the exchange’s native wallet. It’s possible that the newly purchased ADA will not be received into an account quickly – if it takes over an hour for the transaction to be processed, it may be worth consulting customer support.

Other Places To Buy Cardano

Although buying ADA from a centralized exchange is the recommended method, more experienced investors may wish to leverage other buying methods for adding ADA to their portfolios.

• Decentralized exchange. Cardano doesn’t have the biggest decentralized finance ecosystem, however, a couple of exchanges exist that allow users to swap between coins native to the Cardano network. The catch of using a DEX is investors will already need cryptocurrency and a non-custodial wallet before buying ADA, which isn’t suitable for crypto novices. However, the best crypto DEXs will often offer lower trading fees in comparison to swapping using a centralized exchange.
• Brokers. Cryptocurrency brokers are a lot like centralized exchanges. The key difference is in order matching. In an exchange, an algorithm utilizes an order book to find buyers for sellers at certain prices. Alternatively, all trades made on a brokerage are executed against a single seller – the broker. Brokerages usually require much more capital than traditional crypto exchanges, making them useful for high-volume investors.
• P2P. Peer-to-peer (P2P) sales can theoretically be conducted anywhere by anyone. The seller could be a family member, friend, or complete stranger. While direct sales can be executed (for example, buying 50 ADA from a friend who transfers it straight into a supported Cardano wallet), it is a good idea to use a trusted third-party platform that will protect buyers from scammers. These marketplaces are very similar to Gumtree or Craigslist. Find out what are the best crypto P2Ps in this comparison.

Cardano basics: What is Cardano and how does it work?

Can You Sell Cardano?

The selling process for ADA coins is almost identical to buying them. The easiest way to sell ADA is through a centralized exchange. This involves transferring the ADA to an exchange, selecting the fiat currency and payment method, entering the amount and confirming the transaction. For a full tutorial on how to sell Cardano, read our step-by-step guide.

Frequently Asked Questions