A helpful guide on how to buy bitcoin anonymously

Buying Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency isn’t that complicated nowadays. But when you buy these, everything is connected to your account or your bank address. If you want to buy Bitcoin with the amount of privacy that paying in cash offers, there are not many options. Most crypto exchanges require your private details, due to KYC regulations from government institutes. But buying crypto anonymously is not impossible, there are several solutions available to circumvent government enforcers and their anti-privacy policy.

Bisq
With Bisq you get a decentralized peer-to-peer network where you can buy and sell crypto without the need to scan your passport or disclose your financial history. You only need to download the Bisq open source desktop software. Information about traders is not being stored or used anywhere. Bisq is interesting, because it moves bitcoin to fiat and vice versa. No one except trading partners exchange personally identifying data. All personal data is stored locally and end-to-end encrypted communication is routed over the Tor network. Bisq is not the easiest system to use when you want to get into trading, but it sure is the safest.

Bitcoin ATM
Getting Bitcoin from an ATM is probably the most private way to go. You put your cash in the machine and it will be converted into Bitcoin. Generally a Bitcoin ATM will ask you for your Bitcoin address, but don’t fill this in… mistakes are way too easy to make. Just let the system generate a new address with private key for you. Later on you can always transfer the coin from that address into your normal address. The biggest problem of course, is that there aren’t that many Bitcoin ATM in the world. But CoinATMRadar has mapped a lot of the ATMs worldwide for your convenience.

Localbitcoins
LocalBitcoins is perhaps the Craigslist of crypto markets. It’s a P2P exchange and does require to share your phone number and e-mail address, but those are easily spoofed (a 10 dollar prepaid card and a new Gmail account should do the trick). When you start trading big amounts of coins on this platform, it will require additional identification. The most interesting aspect of Localbitcoins is that if facilitates cash transactions in person. And once you’ve met with a seller and you trust him, it’s possible to do more transactions in confidence and in privacy, without the government looking over your shoulder.

Openbazaar
Openbazaar is an online marketplace where you can buy all kinds of goods, including recreational drugs and of course cryptocurrencies. Just download the OpenBazaar client, integrate your BTC, BCH or ZEC wallet and start trading. OB is committed to keeping your privacy, and it’s a popular choice to buy Bitcoin without the need to deliver documents and provide all kinds of information.

Please, feel free to share your thoughts about this topic in the comments. But refrain from setting up deals here. Thank you, and stay safe while trading!