Buying Bitcoin in Switzerland: the complete guide to getting started

You can buy Bitcoin in Switzerland from an app, by bank transfer, at the counter of an exchange office or even with a gift card. The options are there. The real question is choosing the one that matches what you want to do with your bitcoins.

Do you want to buy a small amount to try it out? Build up a position regularly? Hold them yourself? Or use them to pay while you travel? Depending on your answer, the right tool will not necessarily be the same.

My name is Martin Zandona, also known as MartinBTC or Martin Bitcoiner. I am a Swiss content creator and I document Bitcoin on the ground. Among other things, I took on a challenge: living for a week in Switzerland paying only in bitcoin. Mission accomplished. My travels have also taken me 9,300 kilometres solo from Las Vegas to New York, and to Mexico, El Salvador and Peru.

What interests me is understanding how Bitcoin works in real life. And that experience often starts with a very simple question: where do you buy it?

Here are the main differences between Binance, Coinbase, Mt Pelerin, SwissBorg, Rex Change in Geneva, Cryptonow, Yuh and Revolut, with particular attention to fees.

Information checked on 18 September 2026. Prices and features may change. Some links are referral links: I may receive a benefit if you use them, depending on the service's terms. Any benefit for you also depends on those terms.

Where can you buy Bitcoin in Switzerland?

To find your way, start with the type of service you are looking for. This table sums up the uses; the details and sources are in the sections that follow.

Before buying: do you need to own a whole bitcoin?

No. You can buy a fraction of a bitcoin. One bitcoin is divided into 100 million satoshis, often called "sats".

So the price of a whole bitcoin is not an entry ticket. You can start with a small amount, depending on the minimum accepted by the service you choose.

For a first try, the goal can simply be to understand the process: buy, see your BTC appear, then learn how to receive them in a personal wallet. No need to start with an amount that keeps you awake at night.

Binance: understanding the fees beyond trading

Binance offers an exchange interface with different order types. To simply buy Bitcoin, look at the spot market, in other words buying outright. You do not need futures contracts or leverage.

The general fee schedule shows 0.10% maker and taker fees for a standard user, excluding discounts, promotions or special conditions. But that figure applies to spot trading: it does not necessarily represent the cost of a purchase from your Swiss bank account. Official Binance fee schedule

Before depositing, look at the payment methods and currencies offered on your account. If your route involves converting CHF into EUR and then buying BTC, that conversion has to be part of your calculation. Also add the cost of any withdrawal to your wallet.

My advice: compare the final amount of BTC you receive, not just the percentage being advertised.

Coinbase: telling the simple purchase apart from Coinbase Advanced

Coinbase lets you buy cryptocurrencies through a beginner-friendly flow. Its Advanced interface offers another way to place your orders.

This distinction matters: simple purchases include a spread in the quoted price, on top of the applicable fees. The spread is the margin built into the price at which you buy or sell. Fees depend in particular on the amount, the payment method and market conditions. Coinbase shows them before you confirm. Coinbase's official fee explanation

If you already use Coinbase, take the time to compare both flows before a large transaction. A simpler interface can be handy, but that convenience can come at a cost.

Discover Coinbase →

Mt Pelerin: buying Bitcoin straight to your own wallet

Mt Pelerin is a Swiss solution that notably lets you buy cryptocurrencies delivered to a personal wallet. Bridge Wallet, its app, is self-custodial: you are responsible for your keys and their backup. Mt Pelerin's official overview

The principle: you enter the receiving wallet, follow the payment instructions and receive the bitcoins once processed. It is an option worth considering if your goal is to hold your BTC yourself.

For bank transfer purchases, the fee schedule shows an annual allowance of CHF 500 with no service fee, then notably 1.3% for the CHF 501 to 5,000 annual volume tier. Careful: the fee applies to the whole transaction, not pro rata. The page also states that the free credit is used up by your exchange operations. Card purchases have separate, higher pricing. So check the quote for your transaction. Mt Pelerin's official pricing

Discover Mt Pelerin →

SwissBorg: buying from a crypto app

SwissBorg uses an aggregation system to look for execution routes across several markets. The app lets you buy and sell cryptocurrencies without having to manage several exchange interfaces yourself. SwissBorg's official overview

The process is to open and verify your account, fund it with one of the methods offered, then select Bitcoin and review the quote.

Fees depend on the service and on your account's rank. The pricing policy distinguishes in particular between deposits by bank transfer and by card, exchanges and withdrawals. It also states that the displayed price may include an adjustment linked to market liquidity. So comparing the commission alone is not enough. SwissBorg's pricing policy

It is an option if you are looking for an app dedicated to crypto. If you only want to buy Bitcoin, stay focused on that goal: you do not need to use every product in the app.

Rex Change in Geneva: buying Bitcoin with cash

Would you rather talk to someone? Rex Change offers buying and selling of cryptocurrencies at the counter, including for cash. The office is at 29 bis, rue de Berne, in Geneva. Check the opening hours before you go. Rex Change's official website

To prepare your purchase, contact the counter with the amount you want, ask for a quote and have a Bitcoin wallet that you own. Rex Change says it checks control of the wallet at the branch. After the checks and your agreement, you settle the transaction as agreed and receive your BTC.

For cash-to-crypto transactions, the fee schedule notably shows 6% up to CHF 999, 5% from CHF 1,000 to 9,999 and 4% from CHF 10,000 to 24,999. Ask for the total, including any delivery fees. The website mentions identification from CHF 1,000 cumulated over 30 days. How Rex Change works, and its fees

The appeal is human contact and access to cash. It is up to you whether, for your use, this service justifies its cost compared with buying online.

Cryptonow: how does the Bitcoin gift card work?

Cryptonow lets you start with a gift card bought in Swiss francs at an authorised point of sale. It is a concrete way to discover Bitcoin or to give it as a gift.

It works in three steps:

1. You buy a Cryptonow gift card from an authorised retailer.
2. You follow the activation instructions on the official website and convert the balance into the corresponding cryptocurrency.
3. The cryptocurrencies are transferred to the associated Cryptonow Wallet.

Buying the card does not mean buying bitcoin immediately at that moment's price. The conversion happens at the rate applicable on activation. So you need to tell apart buying the voucher and actually buying the crypto. How Cryptonow works

The pricing page shows 12% in commissions and execution fees for physical vouchers, with network fees and the initial transfer to the Cryptonow wallet shown at zero. That is a significant cost to know about before choosing this option. Cryptonow's official fees

In my view, this format makes most sense as a gift or a first discovery. For regular purchases, compare the alternatives carefully. Keep the card and its secret details safe; do not share them in a photo.

Yuh: buying Bitcoin in a Swiss finance app

Yuh brings together payments, savings and investments. Its banking and financial services are provided by Swissquote Bank SA. It may suit someone who wants several uses in a single app. About Yuh

For cryptocurrencies, Yuh shows 1% on buying and 1% on selling, with no custody fees. These commissions are separate from the price at which the transaction is executed and from any currency exchange fees. Yuh pricing

The decisive point is transfers: Yuh says it does not currently offer transfers of cryptocurrencies to or from other financial institutions. So it is not the solution to choose if you want to buy and then send your BTC to a personal wallet. Yuh's official FAQ

For exposure to the price of Bitcoin in a familiar app, this simplicity may suit you. To pay directly in bitcoin or manage your own keys, you need to choose a route suited to those uses.

Download Yuh → · My referral code: fc52t5. The offer's terms apply.

Revolut: checking the offer available on your Swiss account

Revolut offers crypto services in several markets. The appeal is being able to buy from an app you may already use for your payments and travels.

But as a Swiss resident, you need to check which features are actually available on your account. The offers, fees and transfer options presented on a page aimed at another country do not guarantee the same conditions in Switzerland.

Before buying, check in the app that Bitcoin is available, look at the cost of the transaction and confirm whether you can send your BTC to an external wallet. Do not assume either that Revolut X's prices apply to purchases in the main app: they are separate offers. General overview of Revolut's crypto offers, page aimed at the German market

I am not giving any figures for Swiss pricing here: local conditions could not be confirmed when this guide was checked.

Watch the fees: compare what you actually receive

Two services can show similar commissions and still deliver different amounts of bitcoin. To compare properly, look at the whole transaction.

The right comparison: for the same total amount debited in CHF, how many BTC arrive at the destination I chose?

Make this comparison at the same moment, since the price moves. And compare equivalent routes: leaving your BTC in an app and receiving them in your personal wallet are not exactly the same service.

A purely illustrative example: on a base of CHF 1,000, a 1% commission is CHF 10; a 5% commission is CHF 50. Before even talking about performance, the choice of route can make a difference.

Buying and holding your bitcoins: two different decisions

When a provider holds your bitcoins, it manages the keys for you. It is convenient, but access and withdrawals depend on how it operates and on its terms.

With a self-custody wallet, you control the keys. You are also responsible for their security: losing the backup or sharing it with someone can lead to the loss of the funds.

Before a first transfer, check the receiving address and network. Do a small test if the amount and fees allow it. A Bitcoin address, a Lightning payment request and a token representing Bitcoin on another blockchain are not interchangeable.

Your recovery phrase must never be sent to a so-called adviser, to customer support or to anyone who contacts you on social media.

For me, understanding this difference is part of the learning. Buying is a first step; learning to hold and use your BTC gives you far more autonomy.

How do you make your first Bitcoin purchase in Switzerland?

1. Define your goal. Discovery, regular purchases, holding it yourself or payments.
2. Choose a suitable service. Look at the fees, the payment methods and the withdrawal options.
3. Go to the official website or app. Complete the required checks and secure your access.
4. Start with a small amount. Review the quote and the amount of BTC before confirming.
5. Organise how you hold them. If you want to withdraw your bitcoins, set up and back up your wallet properly.
6. Keep your records. Keep the history of purchases, sales and fees for your own tracking and your tax filings.

You can then consider regular purchases of a fixed amount, an approach often called DCA. It spreads out your entry points, but guarantees neither a profit nor protection against a prolonged decline.

Frequently asked questions

Can you buy Bitcoin with Swiss francs?

Yes, several of the services covered here accept CHF. Still, check whether your route uses that currency directly or involves an intermediate conversion.

Where can you buy Bitcoin with cash in Geneva?

Rex Change offers this service at the counter. Prepare your wallet and find out about the quote, the documents required and the opening hours before your visit.

Can you buy Bitcoin without fees?

Some offers include a commission-free allowance or a promotion. "Commission-free" does not automatically mean no total cost: look at the rate, the payment and the withdrawal.

What is the best platform to get started?

There is no universal winner. A simple app, a service that delivers to your wallet or a physical counter meet different needs. Above all, choose a route you understand.

Can you pay directly with the bitcoins you bought?

It depends on the service and on whether you can transfer the BTC to a suitable wallet. To pay a merchant in bitcoin, also check the accepted method, in particular on-chain Bitcoin or Lightning.

Discover Bitcoin with MartinBTC

Once your first purchase is done, you can go further than watching a chart. Receiving a payment, sending a few satoshis or meeting a merchant who accepts Bitcoin makes the subject much more concrete.

That is what I document in my videos: a 100% Bitcoin week in Switzerland, encounters in Peru, trips to Mexico and El Salvador, and the realities on the ground that you do not always see from behind a screen.

Discover my videos and my Bitcoin world on MartinBTC →

A Bitcoin collaboration in Switzerland with MartinBTC?

Do you represent a company, an app, a business or a Bitcoin project? I am Martin Zandona, the Swiss content creator behind MartinBTC, and I offer educational videos, real-world tests and reports about Bitcoin, technology and travel.

If you are looking for a Bitcoin collaboration in Switzerland, French-language content or a project to document on the ground, discover my work and let's talk about what we can achieve together.

Discover collaborations with MartinBTC · Contact me

This guide is for information only and does not constitute personalised investment advice. Bitcoin is volatile and a significant, or even total, loss is possible. Choose an amount that suits your situation and your needs.

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