How to buy crypto (Bitcoin) with UBS in 3 steps?
Want to buy crypto directly via your UBS E-Banking login? You can, but you’ll need an account with a crypto exchange. In this short & clear guide, I explain directly how to buy Bitcoins, Ethereum and other crypto at the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS).
How to buy crypto at UBS?
Step 1: open an account with a crypto exchange
To invest in crypto, you first need an account with a crypto exchange. Crypto exchanges are companies that allow private investors to buy & sell Bitcoins and other crypto. By no means all crypto exchanges are equally reliable, I myself am a fan of the following parties:
| Brokers | Information | Register |
|---|---|---|
 | Trade in Bitcoin & other cryptos! Try for free with a demo & deposit money with UBS after. eToro USA LLC; Investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal. |
Step 2: activate your account & deposit money
Before you can start trading crypto, you need to activate your crypto account. For this, most exchanges require you to answer some questions about your experience with crypto & about your asset position. Then upload a copy of your passport and proof of your residential address (e.g. a utility bill). These steps are required, as crypto comes under increasing government scrutiny.
After your account is approved, you can deposit funds directly from your UBS account. To do this, log in within your UBS E-Banking and transfer the money to the crypto exchange. With some crypto exchanges, you can also deposit money using your credit card, but this often incurs higher fees.
Step 3: select & buy crypto via UBS
You are now 100% ready to buy crypto with your UBS funds! Select the crypto you want to buy within the trading platform. It can sometimes be difficult to choose: Bitcoin and Ethereum are the best-known crypto currencies, but thousands of other options exist. In any case, read up enough before buying any crypto.
Then, within the order screen, enter the amount you want to invest. For example, you can invest €10, €100 or €1000 in a specific crypto currency. When you then press buy, the order is sent directly via the crypto exchange. Your money will then be exchanged for the crypto coin you want to invest in. Congratulations; you’ve just bought your first crypto using your UBS bank account!
Safely investing in crypto with UBS
- Beware: don’t believe in fairy tales! When something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Realistic: It is important to maintain realistic expectations. It is true that you can make high returns with crypto, but you can also lose a hefty amount.
- Research: do enough research before investing in an unknown crypto currency. Some crypto currencies are pump-and-dump schemes and end up worthless.
- Secure: choose a good password and keep your crypto assets secret. That way, you keep malicious people out as much as possible.
- Wallet: you can choose to send your crypto to an external wallet. That way, you avoid the exchange’s counterparty risk.
What is UBS’s policy on crypto?
UBS warns investors about the risks of crypcorrencies and recommends alternatives. For instance, you can choose to invest in companies working on the technology behind the blockchain. The advantage of investing in a crypto company, is that you can also receive dividends and there is underlying value.
Yet UBS bank is increasingly embracing crypto; for instance, the bank was the first to issue a bond traded on both blockchain and traditional exchanges.
Swiss banks usually have a good reputation when it comes to freedom. UBS is no exception: as a user, you can therefore buy and sell crypto through your bank account without any problems when you open an account with a reliable crypto exchange.
About UBS
UBS Group AG is Switzerland’s largest bank headquartered in both Zurich and Basel. The bank is known for its banking secrecy and relationship of trust with customers. The bank is globally important because of its clients spread across the Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
UBS offers various banking services and invests large amounts of money. The bank also owns many underground vaults in the Swiss Alps where large amounts of gold are stored. Because of its banking secrecy, the USB regularly makes negative headlines; in fact, many customers use the bank to evade taxes in their home countries.
Can you buy Bitcons at UBS?
At the time of writing, it is not possible to buy Bitcoins and other crypto directly from your bank account at UBS. However, by opening an account with a crypto exchange, you can invest in Bitcoins and hundreds of other crypto currencies without any problems. Do take enough time to select a crypto exchange; there are many companies that commit fraud and steal customers’ assets.
