How to buy Bitcoin & other cryptocurrencies in Zimbabwe in 2021

Garikai Dzoma Avatar
Bitcoin, Crypto Bill Botswana, Bitcoin's, trading Zimbabwe

We get it, the days when cryptocurrency was the preserve of nerds are now long gone. Even though the number of people involved in the trade of cryptocurrencies is still very small in my estimation (a few thousand maybe) these days cryptocurrencies are pretty much mainstream.

Despite their growing familiarity with the subject of cryptocurrencies, most people are still bystanders and have questions. The most popular question I often hear many people asking is how do I buy Bitcoin? Where do you get it? Is there a place where you walk in, swipe and they give you Bitcoin?

The RBZ tore it all down

Unfortunately, that is no longer possible and we have the RBZ to thank for that little predicament. There was a time when buying Bitcoin was easy in Zimbabwe. We had a thriving and well-established exchange called Golix. Several startups were on their way to join the sector when the RBZ tore it all down.

They didn’t explicitly ban Bitcoin, they just instructed banks to stop processing transactions associated with cryptocurrency exchanges. The distinction is important as I will explain later on but that order effectively killed Golix and other budding cryptocurrency exchanges that were beginning to put down their roots.

During the pre-ban era buying Bitcoin was simple, you just joined an exchange, link your wallet, load funds using Ecocash or bank transfer and start trading. You only had to find someone selling Bitcoin and put in your offer rate, if the seller accepted, your trade was executed, the seller got their ZWL and you got your Bitcoin or whatever cryptocurrency you had bought sent to your wallet.

Now it’s just peer transactions

All trades on an exchange take place under the watchful gaze of the exchange. The exchange acts as a trust which holds both the Bitcoin and ZWL/USD funds in escrow. Funds are only sent to each party once both have been satisfied with the transaction. That was a relatively safe way to deal to buy and sell Bitcoin.

These days if you want to buy or sell Bitcoin you are restricted to peer transactions only. This means if you want to buy Bitcoin you have to actually find someone who has Bitcoin to sell and negotiate with them. The trouble with such transactions is that there is always room for scammers to get the better of you.

At first, that sounds a bit daunting especially during COVID-19 where our movement is restricted. This means that people are sometimes conducting Bitcoin purchases and sales online without ever seeing the face of the person that they are dealing with. WhatsApp groups are full of stories of people who get scammed.

How to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Zimbabwe the right way

Again you can forget about buying Bitcoin from exchanges if you are a Zimbabwean. Most exchanges are located in territories where central banks and other financial authorities have placed restrictions on their operations and usually these restrictions prevent them from selling to Zimbabweans.

Remember what I said about the RBZ not banning crypto-currencies? It’s important because it means while we no longer have exchanges you can still legally buy or sell Bitcoin.

The only easy way to buy crypto is from local dealers and other people who may be disposing of their Bitcoin for whatever reason. That sounds daunting and discouraging at first but believe me. There are plenty of such people, I know people who sell tens of thousands of Bitcoin on a regular basis.

You just need to follow these steps if you want to buy Bitcoin:

  • First of all, familiarise yourself with the basics first. Learn what is involved in Bitcoin/cryptocurrency transactions and watch videos if you have to.
  • Create a wallet that you will use to store your crypto I would recommend something like Coinbase, it’s a beginner-friendly wallet
  • Find a crypto-currency exchange group. Be careful here and only join a group with well-known dealers. Ask in Techzim WhatsApp groups and someone will point you in the right direction.
  • Once you have entered a group, establish trust. The very same way you do not want to be scammed is the same way other people are afraid of being scammed by you. Do a few face-to-face deals first so that you will have people that can vouch for you.
  • When you post and advert e.g. I want to buy US$300 of Bitcoin using Ecocash, people might inbox you with offers, in that case, make sure to publicly ask members of the group if there is anyone who can vouch for the person making the offer.
  • If no one can vouch for a given individual do not go through with the exchange
  • Also, make sure you give people the right wallet address to which they can send a given crypto-currency. Sending the wrong crypto to the wrong wallet will result in that crypto getting lost forever.

It’s sad that this is what it has come to when one wants to buy cryptocurrency, all this low-level functionality is what exchanges were made for especially the trust part, but unfortunately, if you want to buy or sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in Zimbabwe this is the kind of legwork you have to do. One wrong step and you risk getting scammed.

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  1. Langton

    Or one can ask a friend with a foreign account to buy on his or her behalf.

    1. Garikai Dzoma

      True that works too.

    2. Anonymous

      Create your account and buy bitcoin easy way contact Mr Sharef on this + 263 0780667498

  2. takudzwa

    how can i register

  3. Shadreck Zhuanginyu

    YIU CAN NOW USE intellazone Website o buy and Sell Bitcoin.
    or contact: 0775532200 #Skywalker

    1. tjaymac

      Isn’t there a typo in the name of that website?

  4. Kushinga

    Am really serious I want to buy bitcoin

  5. Grant Wills

    Contact me if you are in Zim and want to get some BTC and other cryptos. I’m in RSA and have a Zimbo wife. +27824559549

  6. Sharyf Sunny

    If you want to trade under a mining company you can hook up on 0780667498 for more info

  7. Stan

    Contact me on 0777433880 in Harare if you want to buy or sell bitcoin.

  8. tjaymac

    Bitcoin available for USD, Mukuru, bank deposit & Cityhopper

    Altcoins, Skrill, Deriv & Airtm also available

    Please note:
    1. Minimum transaction size is US$25
    2. Premium rates apply
    3. RTGS accepted subject to trade volumes

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    website coming soon.

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  9. Carter

    Thank you for the information

  10. Archie

    … your mattress is a much safer! All things considered.

  11. Afro NinjaGo

    Problem with Zimbos is vanotaura maRate ekupenga! Get rich quick schemes won’t get you anywhere guys, slow and steady wins the race! You’ll wait 6+ months to make money you would have made in a week, just because of the rediculous margins you put, its called small profit quick return! But just you wait, when I finally get this set up, I’ll undercut all you ninjas and show you how its done, LOL!

  12. Afro NinjaGo

    If you want to buy Bitcoin in Zim head on over to this site,
    https://cryptogem.global
    don’t know how long this will last but the pips who are behind it are local and so far its the best option I’ve come across

    1. Chris

      This Site is a scam, don’t use it, a friend of mine got scammed by this number0773119918 probably cycles through numbers!

      1. Chris

        Please disregard my message, wrong website!

  13. Elton

    Hi
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    1. Sharef

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  14. crypto gaza

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  15. angelovnight

    bazaarx.tk true bhingaz

  16. Sharef

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  17. My guy

    If you want to buy or Sell Bitcoin, Ethereum or Tether, use Paxful. The only thing you have to do is to find an offer by using the means of how you want to buy or sell your coins. If you want to buy using EcoCash, find an offer with an option of paying with EcoCash, as simple as that. Use the link below to register.
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  18. em

    Why are you guys saying we should use Coinbase to register for Bitcoin wallet, I mean did you ever try using that one in Zim??

    1. Hon W.H.Changachirere

      I think this might help a lot of us,I want to hv a btc acc ,what is the best site or broker…thanks kune vachabatsira

      1. Anonymous

        Tust wallet

  19. Andy

    Hi, may I ask,
    Can you trade in Zimbabwe with an account that you opened while you staying in SA?
    Is it going to work when you want to withdraw your money in dollars, or you’ll need to open another one?

    Thanks to those who will help…🙏🙏🙏

  20. Christina

    Which exchange wallet supports usdt trc20 in Zimbabwe

    1. Luckson Takudzwa

      Am using paxful for both USDT TRC20 and USDT ERC20…………https://paxful.com/register?r=gKmkAZqLXQV…register using the link above…

  21. Luckson Takudzwa

    Am using paxful for both USDT TRC20 and USDT ERC20…………https://paxful.com/register?r=gKmkAZqLXQV…register using the link above…

  22. Tafadzwa

    Try paybis.com to use credit/debit cards. I used it today – 16/5/2022 – and it worked with my NMB Visa card. no restriction on Zimbabwe there. Very competitive rates and transaction costs too.

    1. inno

      its not working with my stanbic Visa card

  23. Valentino

    Looking for $150 worth of BTC in CBD Harare deals face to face call today 0774303659 whatsapp!!!

  24. Stanley

    Contact me in Harare. I buy and sell bitcoin and other crypto. +263 777 433 880

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  26. Anonymous

    Any one using kraken? Please inbox 0775036559

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