How to Buy Bitcoin & Crypto with Bunq

You can use Bunq to buy Bitcoin on CEX.IO through the Bunq Mastercard debit card and through SEPA bank transfers from your Bunq IBAN. The Bunq Mastercard works at any merchant that accepts Mastercard, and CEX.IO accepts Mastercard at Instant Buy checkout. You can also send euros from your Bunq IBAN to CEX.IO over SEPA Instant for €2.99 per transfer.

However, the Bunq app is not available as a checkout option on CEX.IO. You cannot pick “Bunq” at the payment step, so the card or a SEPA transfer carries the purchase. Bunq also lets users trade crypto inside the Bunq app through a Kraken integration, although that product runs on a separate trading service from CEX.IO.

In this guide, we explain how Bunq works, how to use the Bunq transfers on CEX.IO, and what fees, limits, and alternative payment methods to expect.

Disclaimer: The Bunq app is not a supported checkout method on CEX.IO. To buy crypto, you use the Bunq Mastercard at card checkout or a SEPA bank transfer from your Bunq IBAN. Bunq sometimes blocks crypto-related transactions on free plans, so check your Bunq plan terms before completing a transaction.

What is Bunq?

Bunq is a Dutch neobank that launched in 2012 in Amsterdam. Ali Niknam founded the company and self-funded the early build. De Nederlandsche Bank issued Bunq a full European banking license in 2014, which makes Bunq one of the few neobanks with its own EU banking license. The Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme covers Bunq deposits up to €100,000 per depositor.

Bunq operates across all 30 SEPA countries and counts over 17 million users. The Bunq app gives each user a Dutch IBAN, multiple sub-accounts, joint accounts, and a Mastercard debit card. Bunq offers four card tiers: Easy Bank, Easy Money, Easy Green, and Easy Travel. Paid plans add metal Mastercard cards, multi-currency accounts, and higher monthly limits.

Since 2023, Bunq users can buy and sell crypto inside the Bunq app through a Kraken integration. Kraken provides the trading infrastructure and custody. Over 30 tokens are available, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana.

How does Bunq work?

Bunq runs as a mobile-first bank. You open an account inside the app, complete identity verification through a video call or document scan, and receive a Dutch IBAN within minutes. Bunq issues a virtual Mastercard right after onboarding and ships a physical card to your address on request.

The Bunq Mastercard runs on the Mastercard network. Every merchant that accepts Mastercard accepts your Bunq card, and that includes CEX.IO at Instant Buy checkout. The card supports 3D Secure for online purchases. You can lock the card from the app, freeze a specific merchant category, and set monthly spending limits.

Bunq also gives you SEPA access through the Dutch IBAN. SEPA Credit Transfer settles within one business day, and SEPA Instant Credit Transfer settles within seconds. CEX.IO accepts both. EU users send euros from Bunq to CEX.IO over SEPA, then convert those EUR funds to crypto with Spot Trading or CEX.IO Convert.

For Bunq crypto purchases on CEX.IO, the card and SEPA routes carry the transaction. You enter the Mastercard details at checkout, or you send a SEPA transfer using your Bunq IBAN.

How to Buy Bitcoin with Bunq

The way to buy Bitcoin with Bunq on CEX.IO is to use the Bunq Mastercard at Instant Buy or to send euros from your Bunq IBAN over SEPA. Sign in to CEX.IO, head to Instant Buy, pick the asset and amount, then enter your Bunq Mastercard details at checkout.

You can also link the Bunq Mastercard to Google Pay or Apple Pay. CEX.IO supports both wallets, so you confirm the transaction on your phone without re-entering card data.

For larger purchases, send euros from your Bunq IBAN to CEX.IO over SEPA Instant for €2.99 per transfer. The EUR funds land in your CEX.IO account within seconds, and you convert them to crypto on Spot Trading or CEX.IO Convert.

How to Buy Bitcoin at CEX.IO: a Step-by-Step Guide

The four steps below cover Instant Buy with the Bunq Mastercard.

Create and verify your account

Sign up on CEX.IO using your email address and set a secure password. Confirm your email, then complete identity verification in your account dashboard or through the mobile app.

You will need to:

• Be 18 or older
• Provide basic personal information
• Upload a valid ID document (national ID, driver’s license, or passport)
• Complete any additional checks if prompted

Open the Instant Buy section on CEX.IO

Once your CEX.IO account is ready, log in and head to the Buy Cryptocurrency tab:

• Specify your fiat currency (EUR works directly with Bunq)
• Enter the amount you want to spend
• Choose BTC or another supported asset
• Click Buy Crypto Instantly to move to the Add Funds page

Select Your Payment Method

On the Add Funds page, choose card payment and enter your Bunq Mastercard number, expiration date, and security code. Authenticate the transaction through 3D Secure inside the Bunq app.

If you prefer e-wallets, link your Bunq Mastercard to Google Pay or Apple Pay first, then pick that wallet at checkout. For larger amounts, switch to a SEPA Instant transfer from your Bunq IBAN.

Receive Bitcoin in your CEX.IO Wallet

After Bunq approves the payment, CEX.IO credits Bitcoin to your CEX.IO Wallet. Card transactions clear within seconds, while SEPA Instant transfers land in a few seconds and SEPA Credit transfers settle within one business day.

Once you receive your BTC, you can hold it, trade it on Spot Trading, convert it via CEX.IO Convert, or send it to a self-custody wallet.

Bunq transfer fees and limits

When you use the Bunq Mastercard on CEX.IO, you pay the standard card fee structure: 0.49% to 4.99% plus a service charge, with a minimum deposit of $20. The full cost appears before you confirm.

If you link the Bunq Mastercard to Google Pay or Apple Pay, the same fee range applies, although e-wallet deposits cap at $1,000 per transaction.

SEPA Instant transfers from a Bunq IBAN to CEX.IO cost €2.99 per transfer. SEPA Credit transfers cost the same. There is no transaction-size cap on standard SEPA Credit, and SEPA Instant caps at €100,000 per transfer.

Bunq sets monthly card spending limits on its side. Free Easy Bank cards allow €5,000 per month by default. Paid plans raise the cap to €25,000 or higher. Check your Bunq plan in the app before placing a larger order.

Some Bunq users on free plans report blocked crypto-exchange transactions on Mastercard. If your card declines, switch to the SEPA route or upgrade to a paid Bunq plan.

Alternative Payment Methods on CEX.IO

The table below covers digital payment methods available on CEX.IO. Each method has its own fee, region, and limit. See the full schedule at cex.io/limits-commissions.

For a full schedule of fees, limits, and supported currencies, visit cex.io limits & commissions page.