Buy Ethereum in Finland in four steps
When you want to buy Ethereum, the process is almost the same as buying bitcoin: choose a supervised crypto exchange, identify yourself, make a deposit and buy ETH. Once the account is open, a purchase usually takes just a few minutes.
| Step | What you do in practice |
|---|---|
| 1. Choose an exchange | Pick a service with a MiCA licence. Compare fees and features in our exchange comparison. |
| 2. Identification | Finnish services usually use bank ID, international ones a photo of an ID document. |
| 3. Deposit | A SEPA bank transfer is usually cheapest, a card fastest. |
| 4. Buy ETH | At market price immediately, or with a limit order at the level you want. |
You don't have to buy a whole coin at once, as one ETH divides into 1018 of its smallest unit (wei). You can buy Ethereum with just a few tens of euros if the exchange's minimum purchase allows it.
Before your first purchase, read up on the most common crypto scams in Finland. There are many fake wallet apps and unsupervised "staking services" around Ethereum.
Where to buy Ethereum in Finland: licensed exchanges
All the crypto exchanges we review sell Ethereum. They differ in fees, payment methods and whether you can stake ETH through the service. All the services below hold a licence under the EU's MiCA regulation; see is crypto legal in Finland.
| Service | Licence (MiCA) | Worth knowing for ETH buyers |
|---|---|---|
| Coinmotion | FIN-FSA (Finland) | Finnish service, Finnish-language support and bank ID sign-up |
| Northcrypto | FIN-FSA (Finland) | Finnish service with ETH and SOL staking |
| KvarnX | FIN-FSA (Finland) | Finnish service that added ETH staking in 2024 |
| Coinbase | CSSF (Luxembourg) | Large international exchange, also offers staking; ID document sign-up |
| Bitpanda | FMA (Austria) | Wide selection and staking, short waiting time when unstaking ETH |
| Crypto.com | MFSA (Malta) | App-based service that also has a crypto payment card |
| eToro | CySEC (Cyprus) | Investment platform with shares and funds alongside crypto |
Always check the fees in the service's own price list before buying, as they change from time to time. Current fee differences are collected in best crypto exchanges in Finland. If you don't have Finnish bank ID, the international services are your option; see buying crypto without Finnish bank ID.
Buy Ethereum on the right network: mainnet, layer 2 and ERC-20
This is where buying Ethereum differs most from buying bitcoin. Besides the Ethereum mainnet, ETH moves on so-called layer 2 networks such as Arbitrum, Optimism and Base. Inside the exchange this doesn't matter, but when you move ETH out of the exchange you must choose the network correctly.
- Ethereum mainnet: the safest choice when moving ETH to your own wallet or another exchange. The transfer fee (gas) is often higher than on layer 2 networks.
- Layer 2 networks: transfers are cheaper and faster, but the receiving wallet or exchange must support exactly the same network.
- ERC-20 tokens: many other coins, such as the stablecoins USDC and USDT, move on the Ethereum network as ERC-20 tokens. Their transfer fees are paid in ETH.
If you send ETH to a network the recipient doesn't support, the funds can be lost permanently. So make a small test transfer the first time before sending a larger amount.
Buy Ethereum and stake it: what you need to know
In September 2022 Ethereum moved to Proof of Stake, where the network is secured by validators who stake ETH. That is why you can earn a return on ETH by staking it, i.e. locking it for the network's use. Running your own validator requires 32 ETH, so most people stake through an exchange's staking service.
Staking is not a deposit: rewards vary, the service takes a share of them, and there can be a waiting period when you withdraw. We have collected the methods, costs and risks in a separate guide: crypto staking in Finland.
Buy Ethereum and store it safely
Small amounts can be kept with a supervised exchange. For larger amounts, consider moving them to your own wallet, where only you hold the private keys. Almost all hardware wallets and the most common mobile wallets support Ethereum.
Remember that with your own wallet the responsibility is entirely yours. If the recovery phrase is lost, the funds cannot be recovered. Before transferring, read our guide to choosing a crypto wallet.
Buying Ethereum in Finland: think about tax from the start
Simply buying ETH with euros has no tax consequences. A taxable event arises when you sell ETH for euros, swap it for another crypto or pay for goods or services with it. Staking rewards are also taxable income when you receive them.
Record the date, amount and price of each purchase straight away, as you will need them to calculate your capital gain. Read more in our guide to crypto taxes in Finland.
Buy Ethereum in Finland: frequently asked questions
Where should I buy Ethereum in Finland?
Buy Ethereum from a service that holds a MiCA licence. Of the Finnish exchanges, Coinmotion, Northcrypto and KvarnX are licensed, and of the international ones, for example Coinbase, Bitpanda, Crypto.com and eToro. Your choice depends on fees, payment methods and whether you want to stake ETH.
What is the minimum amount of Ethereum I can buy?
You don't need to buy a whole ETH, as Ethereum divides into very small parts. The minimum purchase depends on the exchange and is usually from a few euros to a few tens of euros.
Is the supply of Ethereum capped like bitcoin's?
No. Ethereum has no 21 million coin cap like bitcoin. New ETH is created as staking rewards, and part of the transaction fees is burned, i.e. removed from circulation, so the change in supply depends on network usage.
What is the difference between Ethereum and ETH?
Ethereum is the blockchain network and ETH its own cryptocurrency, used to pay the network's transaction fees. In everyday language both names are used for the same thing, and when you buy Ethereum on an exchange you are buying ETH.
Can I buy Ethereum without identification?
Not from a licensed exchange. Anti-money laundering law requires customers to be identified before buying. If a service doesn't require identification, it is probably not supervised and is not worth considering.
This content is general information, not investment advice. The value of cryptocurrencies can fall quickly, and you can lose the money you invest.
