How to Buy Bitcoin & Crypto with Bunq

How to Buy Bitcoin & Crypto with Bunq

Summary: Bunq does let you buy crypto directly inside its app, but the fees are extremely high, so we’d use Bunq to send EUR to a MiCA-licensed crypto exchange like Kraken and buy there.

For most users in the Netherlands, that means making a SEPA transfer from your Bunq account to a regulated exchange, or using your Bunq card if the exchange supports card deposits.

Can I Buy Bitcoin with Bunq?

Yes, but the Bunq app charges high fees, and the selection is limited. In our checks, the practical route is to send EUR from your Bunq account to a regulated crypto exchange in the Netherlands and buy Bitcoin there, because Bunq does not offer built-in crypto trading for retail users.

For most people, we’d start with a SEPA transfer rather than a card deposit. It fits how Bunq is normally used for Euro payments, gives you a cleaner funding trail, and is usually the least frustrating route when an exchange reviews your deposit.

Inside Bunq, we’d set up the exchange as a new payee, double-check the IBAN and payment reference, and send a small test transfer first if it is the first time funding that account. That is usually the safest and most reliable way to buy Bitcoin using Bunq.

How to Buy Crypto with Bunq

The best way to buy crypto with Bunq is to use your Bunq EUR balance to fund a regulated exchange like Kraken. We rate Kraken as a strong match for Bunq because it is already the integrated exchange in the Bunq Crypto app, but it offers much lower fees. 

Kraken holds a MiCA license (Reg No. C468360) and operates across the Netherlands, Europe, and 160 other regions globally. The exchange accepts Euro deposits via SEPA, bank transfers, iDEAL, credit/debit cards and PayPal.

Here is the step-by-step process we’d use to buy crypto with Bunq:

  1. Create an account: Open your Kraken account and finish identity verification before sending any money. We always do this first so the deposit lands on a verified account and future withdrawals are less likely to get held up.
  2. Get your EUR deposit details: In Kraken, go to the funding section, choose EUR, and select the bank deposit method available on your account. We copy the beneficiary name, IBAN, and payment reference exactly as shown.
  3. Send EUR from Bunq: In the Bunq app, we’d start a bank transfer, add the exchange as a new payee, paste in the deposit details, and check the payment reference one more time before confirming.
  4. Buy your crypto: Once the Euros land in the exchange account, search for Bitcoin or the coin you want, enter the order amount, review the fees and total cost, and complete the trade.
Buy Crypto with Bunq

Bunq Fees and Deposit Limits

Before using Bunq to buy crypto, we focus on four things first: how the EUR deposit is sent, whether the exchange adds a card fee, what it costs to withdraw Euros back to Bunq, and the trading fee you pay when the order goes through. That is where the real cost usually shows up.

  • SEPA deposits: For most Bunq users, we’d fund a crypto exchange with a Euro bank transfer first, as it incurs zero fees. 
  • Bunq Deposit Limits: Bunq’s outgoing transfer limits are generous, with a default of €5,000 per day per IBAN on personal accounts that can be raised, while the overall personal outgoing transfer limit is €1,000,000 per day.
  • Card deposits: A Bunq card can work for exchange purchases where card funding is accepted, but we treat that as the backup route. On Kraken, EEA debit card deposits in EUR currently carry a fee of €0.25 + 3.75%, which is usually worse than a bank transfer.
  • Withdrawals back to Bunq: Before selling, we always check the EUR cash-out fee on the exchange. Kraken currently lists standard SEPA withdrawals from €1, while one Instant SEPA route is listed at €0.90.
  • Trading fees: The trading cost depends on how you buy. On Kraken, the simple Buy, Sell, and Convert flow includes a fixed trading fee of 1%, while Kraken Pro uses maker-taker pricing, starting at 0.25% for makers and 0.4% for takers.

Bunq Cryptocurrency Policy

Bunq now lets eligible users buy and sell crypto directly inside the app through Bunq Crypto, with execution and custody handled by Kraken. However, advanced services such as margin trading are not supported, so this is built more for spot buying than for active trading.

The fees on the Bunq Crypto app are also significantly higher than most crypto exchanges, as they charge a monthly subscription fee (up to €18.99), a trading fee (up to 1.99%), and a hidden spread that varies between 2% and 4% depending on the asset.

For most Bunq users, the smart setup is simple: use a separate exchange if you want lower fees, wider coin coverage, different order tools, or features Bunq does not support.

Best Alternative Crypto Exchanges for Bunq

If we wanted alternatives to Bunq’s in-app crypto feature, we would look for exchanges that work smoothly with EUR funding and give Bunq users a clear path from a Euro account to a completed crypto purchase.

For a Bunq user, the best alternatives usually have a clean SEPA deposit flow, fast account verification, and enough liquidity to keep spreads and execution costs under control once the Euros arrive.

Here are the platforms we would look at first:

Exchange
Trust Score
Cryptos
Trading Fees
EUR Deposit Methods
Key Features
Kraken
9.9/10
600+
0.25% maker/0.40% taker
SEPA, iDEAL, bank transfer, debit/credit card, PayPal
Best fit for Bunq users who want a simple EUR transfer flow, lower fees, and a smoother cash-out route back to a euro account.
Bybit
9.7/10
2,600+
0.10%
SEPA, bank transfer, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Good for Bunq users who want lower trading costs, a larger coin list, and more tools than Bunq Crypto offers.
Binance
9.6/10
350+
0.10%
SEPA bank transfer, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Deep liquidity and a strong product menu, though EUR funding methods can differ by country and account.
Gate
9.2/10
4,400+
0.20%
Bank card, third-party fiat providers, crypto deposit
Best for wider altcoin access, but not our first pick for a simple Bunq-to-exchange funding setup.

About Bunq

Bunq is a Dutch app-based bank built for people who want fast, flexible banking from their phone. It offers everyday accounts, cards, savings features, budgeting tools, and support for users who live, work, or travel across Europe. 

Bunq also now offers in-app crypto buying in some European markets through its partnership with Kraken. The simplest way to describe Bunq is that it combines digital banking, travel-friendly money management, and app-first convenience in one product. 

It is a strong fit for users who want to manage spending, savings, and payments in a modern mobile interface without dealing with a traditional branch-heavy bank.

Bunq.

Final Thoughts

If you want the cheapest and cleanest way to buy crypto with Bunq, use Bunq as the funding account, not the trading platform. 

We’d complete verification on a MiCA-licensed exchange first, send a small SEPA test transfer, check the payment reference carefully, and place the trade only after the EUR deposit arrives.

This route usually gives you lower fees, better execution, and more control than buying inside the Bunq app.

Written by 

Datawallet Team

Research

Datawallet is an independent crypto research platform covering digital assets, blockchain data and on-chain analytics since 2019. Our research is cited by Binance, CoinMarketCap, Messari and leading academic publications.