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Compare ways to sell crypto
There are several ways to turn crypto into money, and they trade off against each other on speed, cost, identity requirements and how long you keep control of your coins.
| Method | Speed to cash |
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The speeds above are indicative rather than fixed, and costs are not shown here because they vary by provider, region, asset and amount. Compare the final payout figure for your own order instead.
How to sell crypto
Selling crypto means converting it to a government-issued currency such as USD, EUR or GBP and withdrawing that money to your bank, card or a payment app, or handing it to a buyer directly in return for cash. If you want to go the other way, you can also buy crypto on this site.
Liquidity varies by asset. More liquid assets generally have tighter spreads and more available selling routes, while thinner markets can produce wider spreads or fewer cash-out options. Some platforms ask you to convert a thinly traded token to a major asset or a stablecoin before cashing out.
Selling in a wallet app
A wallet app lets you sell crypto for local currency without moving it to a separate platform first. With the Bitcoin.com Wallet app you hold your own keys, which means you keep control of your crypto right up until the point of sale.
Selling to cash in the app is available in supported regions. Open the app and tap Sell, choose the asset, follow the prompts to connect your payout details the first time, enter the amount, then review and confirm. The proceeds are sent through the payout method available for your order.
Selling on this page
The sell widget at the top of this page is a direct conversion. You do not first deposit crypto into a trading account, use an order book or make a separate fiat withdrawal afterwards: you choose the asset and payout currency, send your crypto against a quote, and the payout goes to the method you selected. The three steps above cover the flow.
Review the order carefully before you confirm. The wallet address you provide is used as the return address for that order if the transaction cannot be completed, so it is worth checking alongside your payout details.
Selling on a centralized exchange
A centralized exchange matches buyers and sellers on an order book, which gives it deeper markets. That matters most for larger orders and for assets that trade thinly elsewhere, and order types such as limit sells let you set the rate you are willing to accept.
Register and complete identity verification, deposit the crypto, sell it for your chosen currency, then withdraw the proceeds to your bank. This is two separate movements of money, and the fiat withdrawal can add additional processing time. From the moment you deposit until the moment you withdraw, the exchange holds your crypto. Availability and verification requirements vary by exchange and location.
Selling peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer marketplaces connect you directly with buyers and support a wide range of payment methods, from bank transfers and payment apps to cash in person. Depending on the marketplace, sellers may be able to create offers with their own rate and payment conditions. Verification requirements vary by platform and by transaction.
Counterparty risk is the trade-off. Where the platform offers escrow, keep your crypto in escrow until the payment has actually cleared into your account. Do not treat a screenshot or a payment notification as confirmation that funds have arrived. Rules for peer-to-peer crypto trading vary by jurisdiction, particularly for frequent or business-like activity.
Selling at a crypto ATM
Some ATMs let you sell supported assets for physical cash on the spot. It can be one of the quickest ways to get banknotes, but fees and exchange-rate margins can be considerably higher than online selling methods, and machines differ in which assets they accept. Check the quoted rate on the machine before you send anything.
Selling directly or converting to a stablecoin first
This is the choice that makes selling crypto different from selling a single coin. You have two broad routes.
- Sell directly to cash: Convert the asset straight to your local currency and withdraw. This uses the fewest conversion steps when direct cash-out is available for the asset.
- Convert to a stablecoin first: A stablecoin is designed to track the value of a reference asset, usually a fiat currency such as the US dollar, although its market price can deviate from that target. Converting a volatile asset into one lets you step out of price swings straight away and withdraw whenever you are ready. It helps when you want to fix a value now and cash out later, or when a platform only lets you withdraw from stablecoins.
Selling directly uses fewer conversion steps. Converting to a stablecoin first separates the decision to exit the original asset from the decision to withdraw into fiat, but introduces another transaction and potentially another fee.
If you do route through a stablecoin, the network you move it on affects the cost. The same stablecoin often exists on several networks, and network fees can differ substantially between chains. Match the network your cash-out platform expects, because sending on a network the receiving service does not support can result in funds being difficult or impossible to recover.
What it costs to sell crypto
Most services show the amount you will receive before you confirm, so you rarely need to calculate anything yourself. It still helps to know what shapes that number, because the cost is spread across several layers.
- Conversion or trading fee: What the platform charges to sell the asset.
- Spread: The gap between the quoted rate and the market price. A spread may be incorporated into the quoted rate rather than shown as a separate fee, which makes it easy to overlook.
- Network fee: Paid when you move crypto from your own wallet to a cash-out platform. It varies by asset and by network, so moving a stablecoin on a low-fee network can cost considerably less than on a busy one.
- Withdrawal fee: Some platforms charge to send the fiat to your bank or card.
Because the cost is spread across those layers, a low headline trading fee does not always mean the cheapest cash-out.
How to compare crypto selling costs
When you are weighing one route against another, put four things side by side:
- The quoted sell rate for your asset
- Any explicit service or trading fees
- The network fee to move your crypto
- The final amount you will receive
The final amount received is the most useful comparison, but also check whether network fees or other costs sit outside the quoted amount.
How to sell crypto safely
Crypto transactions cannot be reversed once they confirm. There is no chargeback and no support line that can claw a payment back, so a few checks before you send are worth the time.
- Match the asset and the network: Sending an asset on a network the receiving service does not support can result in funds being difficult or impossible to recover. Check both every time, particularly when a token exists on several networks.
- Check the address: Confirm you are sending to the address supplied for your specific order, and scan a QR code rather than typing an address by hand where possible.
- Check the amount and the currency: Confirm you are selling the amount you intend, in the currency you intend, before you approve the transaction.
- Confirm your payout details: A wrong bank or card number can delay or misdirect your payout even when the crypto side of the sale went perfectly.
- Never share your recovery phrase or private keys: No legitimate service, buyer or support agent needs them. Knowing how to back up and restore your wallet protects the coins you keep.
- Confirm peer-to-peer payments independently: Check your own bank or payment account for cleared funds. A screenshot or a pending notification is not confirmation that money has arrived.
- Use escrow properly where it is offered: Leave your crypto in escrow until payment has cleared, and keep both the conversation and the payment on the platform.
Do you pay tax when you sell crypto?
In many countries, selling crypto for cash is a taxable event, and converting one crypto to another can be too, including swapping into a stablecoin. Simply holding is usually not.
Because of this, it helps to keep a record of each sale and each conversion: the date, the asset and amount, the rate you sold at, the fees you paid, and what you originally paid. Reconstructing that information later is considerably harder than recording it at the time.
Rules differ substantially between countries, and between individual circumstances within the same country. Check the regulations where you live, or speak to a qualified tax professional. This page provides general information and is not tax advice.
For a single asset, see our guide on how to sell Bitcoin.