Ethereum is still the coin most people buy after Bitcoin, and the Binance.US app is one of the cheapest places in the country to do it. The app had a rough patch, though. In June 2023, after the SEC sued Binance, Binance.US and founder Changpeng Zhao, USD deposits were frozen and the platform ran as a crypto-only exchange for almost two years. Bank transfers came back in February 2025. The SEC dropped the case with prejudice in May 2025, and by mid-2026 domestic wire transfers were restored as well.
For most Americans in supported states, the path from a bank account to ETH in your portfolio takes a few minutes. This guide covers each step, what it really costs, and the details that catch new buyers out.
What You Need Before You Start
Get these ready before you download anything:
- A residential address in a state Binance.US serves (the full list is below)
- A phone running a recent iOS version (the current App Store build needs iOS 18 or later) or a supported Android device
- Your Social Security Number and date of birth
- A government-issued photo ID if you want higher limits
- A U.S. bank account for ACH or wire transfers, or a debit card if you want speed over low cost
Is the Binance.US App Available in Your State?
Where you live decides what you can do in the app. Here’s the list as last updated by Binance.US in June 2026:
| Service Level | States and Territories |
|---|---|
| Full service (USD and crypto) | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming |
| Crypto-only (no USD deposits or withdrawals) | Kansas, Wisconsin |
| Not supported | Alaska, American Samoa, Connecticut, Georgia, Guam, Maine, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington |
State licensing changes often, so check the app’s current list before you apply.
How Kansas and Wisconsin Residents Can Still Get ETH
If you’re in a crypto-only state, you can’t link a bank account for dollars, but you can still end up holding ETH. One route is the Top Up feature, which uses a third-party payment provider to buy USDT with a debit card. You then trade that USDT for ETH on the ETH/USDT pair. The other route is to send crypto you already own from another wallet or exchange and convert it inside the app.
Opening and Verifying Your Account
Download the official app from the App Store or Google Play. The developer should be listed as BAM Trading Services, Inc. Fake apps with similar names do exist, so check the developer before you install.
Basic vs Advanced Verification
Binance.US has two verification levels:
| Basic Verification | Advanced Verification | |
|---|---|---|
| What you provide | Full legal name, date of birth, SSN, residential address (no PO boxes) | Everything in Basic, plus a government ID and an automated selfie check |
| Buy, sell, convert, stake, trade | Yes | Yes |
| ACH deposits and withdrawals | Yes | Yes, with higher limits |
| OTC desk access | No | Yes |
| Best suited to | Casual and first-time buyers | Larger or frequent purchases |
In its June 2026 community update, Binance.US said it had rewritten its verification error messages, that failed verifications dropped by 88%, and that most accounts now get approved in about three minutes. The most common reason for rejection is still a mismatch, such as a nickname on the application and a legal name on the ID, or an old address. Type your details exactly as they appear on your documents.
Three Ways to Buy ETH in the App
The app gives you three ways to buy ETH. They cost different amounts and give you different levels of control, so it helps to know how they differ before you tap anything.
| Feature | Buy (Yellow Button) | Convert | Advanced Trading |
|---|---|---|---|
| How pricing works | Spread built into the quoted price | Spread built into the quoted price, no separate fee | Order book, maker/taker fees |
| Typical cost | Varies, shown before you confirm | Varies, shown on the preview screen | 0% maker, 0.02% taker on standard pairs |
| Order types | Market-style instant purchase | Instant swap | Market and limit orders |
| Minimum order | Low | Low | $1 on USD and stablecoin pairs |
| Per-transaction cap | Depends on payment method | Roughly $10,000 to $25,000 depending on pair | Limited by your balance |
| Best for | Speed and simplicity | Swapping one coin for another | Lowest cost and price control |
Option One: The Yellow Buy Button
This is the easiest way, and the one most beginners use.
- Open the app and tap the yellow Buy button on the home screen.
- Pick Ethereum from the list of assets.
- Enter the amount in dollars or in ETH.
- Choose how to pay: USD balance, bank account, debit card, or Apple Pay with a linked debit card.
- Check the quote carefully, then confirm.
Your ETH appears in your portfolio almost instantly, even if you paid by ACH and the money hasn’t fully cleared yet.
Option Two: The Convert Tool
Convert is for when you already hold USD or another coin in your account. Tap Convert, choose what you’re converting from and to, enter the amount, and tap Preview Conversion. Binance.US says it charges no fee here, but it takes a small margin through the spread. The preview screen shows the exact rate, so compare it against the live market price before you tap Confirm Conversion. A single conversion is capped at roughly $10,000 to $25,000 depending on the pair.
Option Three: Advanced Trading With Limit Orders
This is where the app is cheapest. Open the trading screen, find the ETH/USD pair (or ETH/USDT), and choose a limit order to set the exact price you’re willing to pay. If your order sits on the book and someone else fills it, you’re the maker and pay nothing. A market order fills right away at a 0.02% taker fee, which works out to two cents on every hundred dollars. Paying trading fees in BNB takes another 5% off.
The trade-off is that a limit order may not fill if ETH moves away from your price. Many buyers set a limit slightly below the current price and leave it for a few hours.
Funding Methods Compared
How you pay matters more to your total cost than almost anything else:
| Payment Method | Deposit Cost | Speed | Withdrawal Option | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACH bank transfer | Free | Funds pre-credited, settle in several business days | Free | 7-day hold on withdrawing the purchased value |
| Domestic wire | Free to deposit | Usually same day | $25 plus your bank’s fee | Good for large amounts |
| Debit card | 3.99% | Instant | Not available for withdrawals | Most expensive option |
| Apple Pay (linked debit card) | Card pricing applies | Instant | Not available | Convenient on iPhone |
| Existing USD balance | Free | Instant | Via ACH or wire | Cheapest if already funded |
The 7-Day Hold, Explained
A lot of new users open a support ticket about this. If you fund a purchase by ACH, debit card or Apple Pay, you can trade the ETH straight away, but you can’t withdraw that dollar value (in cash or crypto) off the platform for seven days. Binance.US applies this to everyone with no exceptions, as protection against reversed payments. If you plan to move ETH to a personal wallet right after buying, factor in the wait.
What a $500 ETH Purchase Costs
Here’s roughly what the same $500 purchase costs through different routes, using Binance.US’s published rates:
| Route | Estimated Fee | ETH You Receive (Relative) |
|---|---|---|
| Debit card via Buy button | About $19.95 card fee, plus the spread | Lowest |
| ACH via Buy button | No deposit fee, spread only | Middle |
| ACH, then Advanced Trading market order | About $0.10 | High |
| ACH, then Advanced Trading limit order (maker) | $0 | Highest, if the order fills |
The spread on instant purchases isn’t a fixed percentage. It depends on market conditions, so treat the confirmation screen as your real quote. Still, the pattern holds: funding by ACH and buying through Advanced Trading usually leaves you with the most ETH for your money.
Automating Purchases With Auto-Buy
If you’d rather buy ETH on a schedule than try to time the market, the Auto-Buy feature does it for you. On the Buy screen, choose Ethereum, enter an amount and payment method, then switch on the Auto-Buy toggle. Available schedules are:
- Daily
- Weekly
- The 1st and 15th of each month
- Monthly
You can fund Auto-Buy from ACH, a debit card, Apple Pay or your USD balance. To stop it, go to Portfolio, tap Ethereum, select the recurring order, and choose Cancel Recurring Purchase. Remember that card-funded recurring buys pay the 3.99% card fee every time, which adds up quickly.
After You Buy: Hold, Stake or Withdraw
Staking ETH Inside the App
Binance.US pays staking rewards on more than 25 assets, including ETH. Traditional staking rewards arrive weekly. Binance.US takes a service fee of up to 25% of the ETH rewards before they reach you. Staked ETH is locked while it’s bonding and unbonding, which can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. The rates shown in the app are estimates based on past data and can change at any time.
Moving ETH to a Personal Wallet
ETH withdrawal fees on Binance.US move with live Ethereum network gas prices, so sending when the network is quiet costs less. Before you send:
- Make sure the destination address supports the network you select
- Send a small test amount first when using a new address
- Remember security locks: changing your password or 2FA blocks withdrawals for 48 hours, and changing your email blocks them for 120 hours
Binance.US vs Coinbase vs Kraken for ETH Buyers
A quick look at how the three big U.S. options compare on the fees that matter most:
| Binance.US | Coinbase | Kraken | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level maker fee | 0% | 0.40% | 0.25% |
| Entry-level taker fee | 0.02% | 0.60% | 0.40% |
| Instant buy pricing | Spread only | Spread plus variable fee | 1% fee plus spread |
| ACH deposits | Free | Free | Varies by method |
| ETH staking in the app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Biggest drawback | Not available in several large states, including New York and Texas | Higher trading fees | Instant buy is costly |
On cost alone, Binance.US is well ahead for active ETH buyers. Coinbase and Kraken are available in more places and have longer track records with U.S. regulators, which some investors care about more than saving a few basis points.
Mistakes New ETH Buyers Often Make
- Using a debit card for every purchase when a free ACH transfer would have done the job
- Buying through the instant Buy button without comparing its quote to the order book
- Not realizing that ACH-funded crypto can’t be withdrawn for a week
- Choosing the wrong network when withdrawing to an outside wallet
- Staking ETH they may need soon, without thinking about the unbonding wait
- Downloading a lookalike app instead of the one published by BAM Trading Services
Security Habits Worth Setting Up on Day One
Turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app rather than SMS, which is easier for attackers to hijack. Use a password you don’t use anywhere else, and never share verification codes with anyone who contacts you, even if they claim to be from support. If you plan to hold a large amount of ETH for years, consider moving it to a wallet where you control the keys.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Buy a Fraction of One ETH?
Yes. You can buy any fraction you like, and Advanced Trading accepts orders from $1 on USD and stablecoin pairs.
How Quickly Does ETH Show Up After Buying?
Almost immediately. Even ACH purchases are pre-credited, so the ETH appears in your portfolio before the bank transfer finishes settling.
Is Binance.US the Same Company as Binance?
No. Binance.US is run by BAM Trading Services, a separate U.S. entity with its own licensing, coin list and fee schedule. Accounts on the global Binance platform don’t carry over.
Are There Fees for Simply Holding ETH?
No. Binance.US doesn’t charge monthly, maintenance or inactivity fees.
Final Thoughts
For U.S. residents in a supported state, buying ETH on the Binance.US app is cheap and quick, especially if you fund with ACH and use Advanced Trading instead of the instant Buy button. The platform’s legal problems are mostly behind it, bank rails are working again, and the fees are among the lowest in the country. Check your state’s status, choose the funding method that fits your timeline, and buy an amount you’re comfortable holding through ETH’s price swings.
This article is for information only and is not financial advice. Crypto prices are volatile, and fees and state availability can change.