If you own bitcoin or some other form of digital currency, there are many things you can do with it. Except for trading it, gambling with it, buying and selling stuff, or simply making more, one can also transfer cryptocurrency into traditional cash. Bitcoin (BTC) has been among us for more than a decade, so the industry has caught up nicely and everyone is accustomed to it. There are several options for converting your bitcoin into cash, and in this article, we will go over them. If you still want to learn more about the topic, make sure to visit cfds-trader.com where you can expand your knowledge and educate yourself on CFD trading.
1. Transferring Bitcoin to a Bank Account
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Ever since it gained prominence, bitcoin is thought of as a currency that is eventually going to replace fiat currencies, which is another name for traditional, government currencies like US dollars and Euros. This is why a rising amount of people are investing in bitcoin and making money with it. However, until it completely replaces fiat currencies, there is still a need for cash, and those who have bitcoin sometimes need to convert. Still, more businesses do not accept digital currencies than those who have made it a legitimate paying option. Because of this, some customers are transferring their bitcoins to their bank accounts. This can be performed quite easily. Navigate your way to an online cryptocurrency exchange. Once you are there, create an account, sign in, verify everything, and sell however much you want. Then, transfer the money you get from your bitcoins into your bank account and withdraw it as you would normally, on an ATM, or a service like PayPal.
2. Get Cash through a Bitcoin ATM
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Although they were quite scarce and not at all common during the last five or six years, more and more bitcoin ATMs are now available worldwide. Most major cities and economic centers around the world house modern, easy-to-use ATMs that can give you cash for your digital currency. This is also a relatively fast and easy way to convert bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies into government currency, most notably $, €, £, and ¥. Many of these devices let the users buy bitcoin too, in the same way you would deposit your cash at a normal ATM. Except for bitcoin, most cryptocurrency ATMs support Ethereum and Litecoin too, as well as other prominent ones. Keep in mind there are transaction fees that are still quite high, considering this is new technology. Fees tend to be much higher than regular fees of online banking. Conversation rates are another potential problem, so make sure to do some research first.
3. Bitcoin Debit Cards
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Cryptocurrency debit cards are both an affordable and practical way of spending bitcoin and other currencies like it. They allow the users to deposit them on websites that can convert digital currencies into fiat currencies, again, most notably USD and EUR. VISA or Mastercard power each card, which can be associated with Monaco, CoinJar, BCCPay, Bitpay, and other less popular card issuers. Online and offline shopping work equally well with these cards, but the availability varies, and so do the daily and monthly limits. Compare each card to find the best one for your respective circumstances.
Things to Remember
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Before you decide to convert your hard-earned BTC into regular fiat currencies, we highly advise you to consider the following:
- Taxes
The popular saying goes, “only death and taxes are inevitable”, and the same goes for bitcoin conversion. There is still a high need for many jurisdictions that would clarify the position of bitcoin, including tax laws and other accompanying issues. Until that happens and things become clearer, most governments and tax authorities claim that the users have to pay taxes on profits they make when they sell their bitcoin for traditional cash. For those who think they can simply ignore these rules, it is not so easy. Some bitcoin exchange services have to report your profits to the tax people above them whenever you cash out, meaning you cannot hide forever.
- Fees
All three forms of converting bitcoin for fiat currencies listed above come equipped with heavy fees, higher than all the banking and online payment fees an average user is familiar with. An exception to this is only selling digital currency directly to your friends since you will probably not take advantage of one another and keep things civilized. In any other case, the exchange, BTC ATMs, and debit cards are going to act as intermediates, charging fees, and slowly poke and drain away from your digital currency.
Closing Remarks
Source: bitcoin.com
It is relatively a straightforward process to convert your bitcoins to cash. The real question is whether or not you should do it. Cryptocurrencies are thought of as more of an investment than a traditional currency, which is why many advise against conversion. It is not the same as converting British pounds into American dollars. These people view it as selling property, land, or art, something that gains, or loses value over time. This is why it would be smarter if you kept it for the time being unless there is an extreme emergency. By doing so, you could earn a fortune in the coming years, considering the infamous spikes in wealth cryptocurrencies are known to have.
If you still wish to convert bitcoin into cash, take one more break, and consider the cost and ease of method you chose. Before you cash out, ask yourself do you really need the cash or you simply want to have your savings in the form of traditional money. Think of where it will be deposited, the type of currency and the country you live in, the conversion rate, and how long you can or want to wait to get cash. If you end up thinking it is not worth it, that is fine, because bitcoin is the future and it might be best to just save up your amount instead of converting it!
