How to Buy USD Coin (USDC) with a Credit & Debit Card?

What is USD Coin (USDC) and what is it for?

USD Coin or USDC is a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar on approximate 1:1 basis. Although the stablecoin market has become quite crowded over the past few years, USDC has aimed to impose serious competition in various ways.

And one of the ways to achieve this is transparency. The Centre consortium, which launched USDC in September 2018, claims that each unit of this cryptocurrency in circulation is backed by US dollars and assets with equivalent fair value. Also, the backed assets are held in a reserve with US-regulated financial institutions. USDC reserves are regularly attested by one of the largest US accounting organizations, and these attestations are published on Centre consortium webpages.

Besides, USD Coin is a service to tokenize US dollars and facilitate their use over crypto space. According to the Centre consortium, tokenized US dollars can be exchanged back to USD at any time. USDC issuance and redemption are executed using ERC-20 smart contracts.

As a stablecoin, USD Coin can be used as a safe haven for crypto traders during periods of high volatility or a USD substitute when trading on crypto-to-crypto markets.

Where to buy USDC token and why select CEX.IO?

USDC received massive support from different crypto exchanges and has become one of the top stablecoins in the market quite fast. Because of such popularity, a lot of people are searching how to buy USD Coin and what is the best crypto and bitcoin exchange to do that. But before selecting one, it is worth paying attention to supported countries, available payment options, and services. These things are crucial to finding an appropriate way to buy USDC, and CEX.IO can be the exchange that fits all your needs.

Global support

CEX.IO is a global crypto exchange with more than 4 million users worldwide that can provide its service in over 99% of countries. It means that CEX.IO is available for most users around the world, providing access to USDC and other cryptocurrencies.

Top-tier security

CEX.IO is a regulated crypto exchange with over 8-year history that has already established itself as a reliable place to store and trade cryptocurrencies. It has a mandatory verification to provide a safe trading environment with a lot of crypto-related services available. The platform uses advanced technologies to secure users’ accounts and offers users multiple second-layer security measures to keep their funds even more secure. If you want to find more about the security of users’ funds on CEX.IO, you can read our article for the blog.

Numerous fiat payment options

CEX.IO is known as one of the first crypto exchanges that started offering crypto purchases using Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards. In addition to card transactions, the platform also supports domestic (ACH, SEPA, Faster Payments) and international (SWIFT) bank transfers, and online wallets (Skrill, AdvCash, Epay, QIWI).

The ecosystem of crypto-related services

CEX.IO supports over 90 cryptocurrencies, allowing you to buy and trade digital assets using several services. Also, CEX.IO Exchange is only a part of the CEX.IO ecosystem, meaning the CEX.IO account opens the gateway to advanced crypto-related services like staking, loans, savings, etc.

Step-by-step guide on how to buy USD Coin (USDC) with a credit card?

On CEX.IO, you can use different services to buy Ethereum with a credit card as well as Ethereum-based cryptocurrencies like USDC:

• Instant Buy/Sell;
• Trade;
• Exchange.

Each service has its own features and provides a different experience, so let’s discover them.

Instant Buy/Sell

The Instant buy service is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to buy Bitcoin instantly using a payment card or CEX.IO balance. It is also available for other cryptocurrencies supported on CEX.IO, including USDC. With the Instant Buy service, you no longer need to search how to buy USD Coin cryptocurrency, because you can do it in a matter of minutes.

Besides instant transaction processing, another significant feature of the Instant buy service is that it calculates the price of your purchase automatically and freezes it for 120 seconds. It helps users to mitigate the risks connected with price fluctuations.

If you want to buy USDC via the Instant Buy service:

• Select USDC in the list of available cryptocurrencies for purchase;
• Choose fiat currency in the dropdown list;
• Pick one of the pre-calculated packs or set your amount to buy/spend;
• Decide what payment method to use (add a new card, use verified card, CEX.IO balance);
• Make sure that all details are correct and confirm the transaction.

And that’s it!

Instant sell works the same as Instant buy. It allows you to sell Bitcoin online as well as other cryptocurrencies and withdraw fiat funds back to a verified payment card. Unlike Instant buy, the Instant sell option is exclusive to the CEX.IO app.

Trade

The Trade page on the CEX.IO website or Trade Pro in the CEX.IO app allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies in the spot market by placing market and limit orders.

With a market order, you can buy cryptocurrencies instantly at the best available price in the order book. This order has instant execution, meaning it can't be canceled. On the other hand, limit orders allow you to buy crypto below the current market price or sell it above the current market price. But you need to wait until the market rate reaches a specified level or an opposite order occurs in the order book. A limit order can be canceled before its full execution.

If you want to buy USDC using the Trade option, then you first need to add funds to your balance using a payment card or any other payment method. Then go to the Trade page to select one of the USDC markets. The first thing you’ll see on the Trade page will be the BTC to USD chart. But with a search field and filtration system, you will easily find all available USDC markets.

After that, you need to choose what order type to use, enter the amount of USDC you want to buy, and then place an order. USDC will be added to your CEX.IO balance after order execution.

Exchange

The Exchange option allows you to convert one asset into another even when there is no direct currency pair available for trading. You can use it to easily swap between fiat and cryptocurrencies, including USDC. The Exchange option is exclusive to the CEX.IO app, and you need to replenish your balance with a card or other payment option to use it.

How to buy USD Coin (USDC) with a debit card in my local currency?

Although CEX.IO supports four fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP), you still can use a payment card in your local currency for deposit/withdrawal or transactions via the Instant Buy/Sell service. For that, you need to make sure that your debit card supports currency conversions and international transactions. Then, just select one of the supported currencies on CEX.IO, and a transaction in your local currency will be converted with your bank rates.

Please note that it is recommended to use only personal Visa and Mastercard payment cards, so double-check that you don’t try to use the gift, prepaid, or business cards.

Frequently asked questions