How to Buy Bitcoin in Malaysia

In this guide, we will review the status of Bitcoin in Malaysia, its popularity, and the different local and international exchanges you can use to get Bitcoins in Malaysia.

Post Summary

Malaysia is an expanding crypto economy, and obtaining Bitcoin in the country is quite simple. Recently, the Malaysian government started the process of officially approving certain cryptocurrency exchanges to operate in the country, following a clear set of regulations. To purchase Bitcoins in Malaysia, follow these steps:

1.     Download or get a Bitcoin wallet or set up an online wallet
2.     Go to CoinMama
3.     Choose the amount of Bitcoin that you want to buy
4.     Enter your payment information and bitcoin address

Alternatively, you can go to each of these exchanges if you want to buy Bitcoin in Malaysia:

Sinegy

Availability

Worldwide

To be reviewed

Visit exchange

Luno

Availability

Multiple locations

Read review

Visit exchange

Coinmama

Availability

Worldwide

Read review

Visit exchange

Visit Site

CEX.IO

Availability

Worldwide

Read review

Exchange

Visit Site

1. Is Bitcoin legal in Malaysia?

The Malaysia state recently started to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges in the country, after a long period of a generally disapproving attitude towards Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin is not recognized as legal tender in the country, and as such the central bank cannot stand behind it. In other words, Malaysians may legally use Bitcoin but do so at their own risk, and can expect little support from authorities if anything goes wrong.

From a practical viewpoint, Bitcoin is legal in Malaysia. Any individual can freely buy and sell Bitcoin with local and international exchanges. Bank transactions go through without any problems, and people are free to own and use Bitcoin and other cryptos.

2. How Popular is Bitcoin in Malaysia?

Based on the Google trends chart, Malaysians are eager to stay updated on Bitcoin news. The chart shows the interest level, or search activity, for the term “Bitcoin” among the country’s total search queries. It highlights that interest reached its highest point around June of last year and continued at a consistent level for the remainder of the year.

As for trading activity, Bitcoin has seen a fair amount of activity, with the June peak in interest reflected in trading volume as well. This can be clearly seen in this localbitcoins chart:

This peak can be attributed to the news of Malaysia’s SEC announcing the registration of 3 Bitcoin market operators to establish digital assets exchanges in Malaysia in June 2019.

3. Main Malaysian Bitcoin Communities

Malaysia has several online Bitcoin resources, such as:

• Bitcoin Malaysia on facebook with over 52k members.
• Malaysian sub-thread on BitcoinTalk forums
• Local Events seem to be happening on a regular basis with 35 Bitcoin, blockchain, and cryptocurrency related in-person groups registered on Meetup.com.

4. Malaysia-based and Regulated Bitcoin exchanges

While there are no Malaysian-specific Bitcoin exchanges, the below exchanges have services targeted towards Malaysian Bitcoins users.

SINEGY Technologies

SINEGY is a trading platform and OTC desk founded in 2017 by an all-Malaysian team. As OTC trading tends to be reserved for very high value trades, we will focus on their trading aspect here. SINEGY’s exchange supports deposits or withdrawals in both crypto and fiat format.

Domestic fiat deposits are free, while international deposits are under the influence of intermediary banks, which will charge for the transmittance service. The only two fiat deposit options are MYR and SGD, while crypto deposits are available via Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple (XRP).

Fiat withdrawals cost 2 or 0.10 MYR, depending on the method, while crypto withdrawals are charged a fixed network fee. For now, fiat withdrawals are only possible in MYR, but the exchange claims that SGD will soon be available.

For more info, check out their official fees page.

Luno

Claiming to be “The world’s most international cryptocurrency team”, Luno is the leader in cryptocurrency trading in Malaysia. Luno provides its services to a variety of geographical regions aside of Malaysia including Europe, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia.

On the downside, Lunos fee structure is a bit complex so it’s worth checking their official page.

For instance, fees vary depending on your country and amount of purchase when using ‘instant buy’ feature. Crypto deposits are naturally free (except network fees).

5. International Exchanges Available in Malaysia

The number of international exchanges servicing customers from Malaysia is on the rise as well. Malaysians enjoy the service of most international exchanges, such as:

Coinmama

You can easily purchase Bitcoin from Coinmama with a credit or debit card, which makes getting your first Bitcoins simple and effective. While secure and reputable, this exchange usually has a pretty steep fee of up to 5.5% per transaction.

To learn more about this exchange read our full review of Coinmama for more.

CEX.IO

Founded in 2013, CEX.io is a UK-based cryptocurrency exchange that enables you to buy and sell a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin.

You can use a credit / debit card or a bank transfer to deposit funds into your account for free, with fees as low as 0.2% when trading.

To learn more read our full CEX.io to learn more.

Changelly

Changelly is a quick cryptocurrency exchange that requires you to already own cryptocurrencies to get started. You can easily exchange any supported cryptocurrency for Bitcoin. The fees are low at 0.5% per transaction, and Changelly does not ask for your government-issued ID to sign up.

Through their partners, you can also buy Bitcoin with a credit / debit card. There is a minimum limit of $50 and a maximum limit of up to $10,000 on your first transaction.

To learn more, read our full Changelly review for more information.

6. Crypto Wallets

Best Wallet – The Best Non-Custodial Bitcoin Wallet in the Market

An alternative option to buying on exchanges is Best Wallet , which I regard as the best non-custodial crypto wallet for 2025. Best Wallet is an interesting option because it is essentially a one-stop option for all your Bitcoin and cryptocurrency needs. Not only can you store your Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies in the wallet, but you can also seamlessly buy new crypto right through the wallet.

Additionally, Best Wallet is non-custodial, which means nobody but the user has access to the private keys and backup passphrases. Users take full control of the crypto coins via a mobile app, browser extension, or desktop software.

Not only does Best Wallet allow you to hold and trade Bitcoin, but it is also compatible with many other cryptocurrencies, which means it could be an all in one stop for all of your crypto needs. Best Wallet features very liquid markets for thousands of tokens on over 60 blockchains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Sui, Dogecoin, Uniswap, and many others.

When it comes to trading fees, Best Wallet charges none. The only fees you may encounter are blockchain fees. It’s important to note that Best Wallet is a non-custodial wallet, meaning your crypto will remain safe and in your hands.

7. How Many Bitcoin ATMs are there in Malaysia?

At the time of writing there are a total 5 Bitcoin ATMs in Malaysia, with 3 in Kuala Lampur and all of them located in the Western part of the country. You can use this link to learn more about Bitcoin ATMs in Malaysia.

8. Conclusion

While not being accepted as a legal tender, Malaysia’s attitude towards Bitcoin seems to be warming up. By taking the step of regulating crypto exchanges, the government will hopefully ensure the financial safety of Malaysian crypto users.

As global adoption accelerates, Malaysia has the opportunity to further integrate Bitcoin into its financial system, attracting investment and strengthening its position as a hub for blockchain and fintech development. By continuing to embrace Bitcoin with clear and supportive regulations, Malaysia can empower its citizens with greater financial freedom and position itself at the forefront of the digital economy.