How to Buy Ethereum in the US, Step by Step for First Time Buyers

If you want to know how to buy Ethereum in the US, the short version is this: open an account with a regulated exchange or payment app, verify your identity, add a bank account or card, and place a buy order for ETH. Most of the time on your first purchase goes into identity checks, so set aside a quiet half hour. This guide is for first time buyers who want to own ether (ETH, the coin that runs on the Ethereum network) directly, rather than through a fund. If you are still fuzzy on what ETH actually is, read our plain English Ethereum guide first.

Before you start

Gather these before you sign up anywhere. It saves you from stalling halfway through verification.

• A valid state issued ID. Coinbase, for example, accepts a state driver license or state ID card for US customers, and its help center says it does not accept US passports, green cards, military IDs or temporary paper IDs. Expired IDs are rejected.
• Your legal name and home address, entered exactly as they appear on your ID.
• A bank account you can link, or a debit card if you are willing to pay more in fees.
• A budget you can afford to lose. The FTC points out that crypto is not backed by a government and is not insured the way FDIC bank deposits are.
• Somewhere private to write things down, such as your password and two step verification backup codes.

Stage one: choose where to buy ETH

You have three realistic routes in the US, and they differ more than the marketing suggests.

1. A crypto exchange such as Coinbase or Kraken. You get the widest choice of coins, the ability to move ETH out to your own wallet, and usually lower fees on bank funded buys.
2. A payment app. PayPal says on its crypto page that US users can trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, PayPal USD and more, with custody handled by Paxos Trust Company. It also says you can move crypto into and out of PayPal. This is convenient if you already use PayPal.
3. A brokerage app such as Robinhood, Fidelity or Schwab, which many people search for by name. Schwab recently opened crypto trading to all eligible clients, which we covered in our Schwab Crypto story. Check each broker's current terms before you fund an account.

One common surprise: Cash App does not sell ETH. Its bitcoin page says the app is "built for bitcoin and stablecoins," so if you searched for buying Ethereum on Cash App, you will need a different service.

The ethereum.org Get ETH page adds two more routes: some wallet apps sell ETH directly with a card, bank transfer or Apple Pay, and decentralized exchanges let you swap other crypto for ETH. Both assume you already have a wallet and know how to use it, so most beginners start with an exchange.

Stage two: open and verify your account

1. Download the exchange's official app from the App Store or Google Play, or type its web address yourself. Do not tap links from texts or ads.
2. Create an account with your email and a strong, unique password.
3. Turn on two step verification. An authenticator app is safer than text messages.
4. Complete identity verification inside the app or website. Coinbase's help center says ID documents must be verified through its site or app, and it does not accept emailed copies. Take the photo in good light against a plain background.
5. If a check fails, wait before retrying. Coinbase suggests waiting 30 minutes between attempts.

Expect delays if the photo is blurry or your details do not match your ID exactly.

Stage three: add money

How you fund the account decides your fees and how long you wait before you can move your ETH. Kraken's US deposit table is a useful example of the trade offs, as of October 2026:

• Bank transfer through Plaid (ACH): free, $1 minimum, arrives almost instantly, but triggers a 7 day hold on withdrawals.
• Debit card: $0.25 plus 3.75% of the amount, $10 minimum, near instant.
• PayPal: processing fees apply, with a 72 hour hold.
• Wire transfer: free, typically within one business day.

Kraken also says it does not accept US checks or cash. Other exchanges have their own fee schedules, so always look at the final quote before you confirm.

Stage four: place your ETH order

The exact buttons vary by app, but Kraken's buying crypto guide shows the typical flow:

1. Click Buy on the right side of the screen.
2. Click the asset name and search for ETH to switch from the default coin.
3. Enter either a dollar amount or an amount of ETH. You do not need to buy a whole coin; fractions are normal.
4. Choose how to pay under Pay With (cash balance, card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or a linked bank), and pick a one time or recurring purchase.
5. Click Buy ETH. A confirmation screen shows the amount of ETH, the quoted price, fees and the total in dollars.
6. Check every number, then click Confirm.

Kraken warns that purchases are final and cannot be cancelled once placed. That is true across crypto generally, so slow down at the confirmation screen.

Stage five: decide where your ETH lives

When you buy on an exchange, the exchange holds your coins. Ethereum.org puts it plainly: exchanges "have custody over any ETH you buy until you send it to a wallet you control," and if an exchange runs into financial trouble, your funds are at risk.

For small amounts, many people leave ETH on a large, regulated exchange. For larger sums, moving it to your own wallet gives you control, along with full responsibility. The ethereum.org wallets page tells you to write your seed phrase down, never store it on a computer, and remember that transactions cannot be reversed. Our guide to how crypto wallets work explains hardware versus app wallets.

If you do send ETH out, test with a tiny amount first, double check the address, and make sure you are sending on the Ethereum network, not another chain the exchange supports.

When something does not work

• Verification keeps failing. Make sure your ID is current and your name matches exactly. Coinbase recommends using the latest Chrome, good lighting and a plain background.
• You cannot withdraw your ETH. You are probably inside a funding hold. On Kraken, card and PayPal buys carry up to a 72 hour hold and ACH buys up to 7 days.
• ETH is not offered. Some services only sell certain coins, and ethereum.org notes that many exchanges can only sell crypto in the regions where they operate.
• Someone is "helping" you buy. Stop. The FTC says only scammers demand payment in crypto or guarantee profits. Our checklist on how to spot a crypto scam covers the patterns, and you can report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

A note on taxes

The IRS says buying ETH with dollars and holding it is not a taxable event. Selling, swapping or spending it later is, and brokers now report sales on Form 1099-DA. Keep a record of what you paid on every purchase, because that cost basis sets your gain or loss. Our guide to crypto taxes walks through it, and the IRS digital assets page has the official detail.

Before your first buy, try a small purchase, perhaps $25, and follow it all the way through to the confirmation screen. You will learn the fees and holds of your chosen app with very little at stake. For more beginner guides, browse our crypto section.