The below 3-step guide will walk you through the process of how to pay a bitcoin invoice.
Step 1: Get a Bitcoin Wallet
There are various options available for a bitcoin wallet each with varying benefits. For this guide, I will be using a third-party service called blockchain.com
#1. To set-up a bitcoin wallet head over to blockchain.com and click on ‘Get a Free Wallet’.
#2. You will be redirected to a sign-up where you will need to create a wallet account using your e-mail and a password.
That’s it! You just created a bitcoin wallet that you can now use to pay bitcoin invoices. You can use the Send/Request buttons to send or receive bitcoin.
When you click on the ‘request’ button you will see a popup window that will display an address. This address is called a bitcoin address (looks like a string of random letters and numbers), which is a unique address valid only for your wallet. You can use this address to receive bitcoin into your wallet.
More Options for Bitcoin Wallets (feel free to skip this section and head down to Step-2):
Some popular options are mentioned below, if you wish to create your wallet using any one of them, simply click on it and follow the guide.
- Android/iOS Wallets: MyCelium, Coinomi, Edge, Bitcoin.com
- Desktop Wallets: Exodus, Electrum
- Hardware Wallets: Ledger, Trezor
- Online Third-Party Wallet providers: Btc.com
- Paper Wallet
Step 2: Purchase Bitcoin and send it to your wallet
Once you have created your Bitcoin Wallet, its time to fill it up with some bitcoin. To purchase bitcoin the most convenient and secure way is to use a bitcoin exchange.
There are many cryptocurrency exchanges available that can be used to purchase bitcoin for fiat currency. Payment options vary but the majority of exchanges have the option to pay via bank transfer while some also accept credit and debit cards.
Since the use of bitcoin exchanges involve fiat transactions, their usage varies based on location to accommodate the necessary regulations as well as currency support.
For this guide, I have covered 4 locations, India, USA and Europe. Additionally, I have mentioned a few options for globally recognized exchanges at the end of this section.
India
When buying bitcoin in India, one of the most reliable and trusted exchange is WazirX.
You can view the step-by-step guide to buy bitcoin using WazirX here.
USA
In the USA, the most popular and perhaps the easiest-to-use exchange to buy bitcoin is Coinbase.
You can view the step-by-step guide to buy bitcoin using Coinbase here.
Europe
BitPanda takes the lead in Europe as the best exchange to buy/sell bitcoin. It offers an easy-to-use platform and multiple payment options to buy bitcoin.
You can view the step-by-step guide to buy bitcoin using Bitpanda here.
WorldWide
Some popular options are mentioned below, they are globally recognized and operate in multiple countries.
If you wish to use any one of them, simply click on its name and follow the step-by-step guide:
- Exchanges: Kraken, Binance, BitStamp, Gemini
- Peer-to-peer: LocalBitcoin, Paxful
- Bitcoin ATM
Step 3: Pay your Bitcoin Invoice
Once you have bitcoin in your wallet you can now pay bitcoin invoices.
To pay the invoice you have to:
1. Copy the Bitcoin Address:
The bitcoin address can be copied and pasted in your desired wallet to make the payment.
2. Copy the amount in BTC:
Once you have copied the bitcoin address, you have to copy the amount mentioned in the invoice. Make sure to copy the amount mentioned in BTC and not the fiat currency (USD, Euro, etc.).
3. Send the Bitcoin
In your wallet, click on the ‘send’ button which will open a pop-up window. Enter the copied bitcoin address and amount in the respective sections and make the payment.
