XRP is trading around $1.10, down roughly 70% from the all-time high of $3.65 it set in July 2025, but it remains the third or fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market cap and one of the most-searched coins on every major exchange. For live price data and levels, see XRP Price Today. Whether you’re buying your first XRP or comparing platforms, this guide walks through every step, the best places to buy XRP in 2026, and how to avoid common mistakes.
Quick Answer
- Choose a regulated exchange (Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.US, or Robinhood are the most popular in the US)
- Create an account and complete identity verification (KYC)
- Deposit funds via bank transfer, debit card, or PayPal
- Buy XRP by entering a dollar amount or XRP quantity
- Optionally move your XRP to a private wallet like a Ledger for long-term storage
Is It Legal to Buy XRP in the US?
Yes. The years-long uncertainty around XRP’s regulatory status in the United States has been resolved. The SEC filed notice to voluntarily dismiss its appeal in April 2026, and Judge Analisa Torres approved the joint dismissal with prejudice in May 2026, formally closing the case after Ripple paid a $125 million civil penalty. The court’s underlying ruling — that XRP sold on secondary markets (i.e., through exchanges to retail buyers) is not an unregistered securities sale — stands. That clarity is why Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.US, Robinhood, and Gemini all list XRP for US customers without restriction. Separately, the pending CLARITY Act would extend that same clarity to the whole digital asset market by classifying commodity-like tokens at the federal level; see our CLARITY Act explainer for where that legislation stands. Spot XRP ETFs from issuers including Bitwise, Grayscale, 21Shares, Canary Capital, and Franklin Templeton also began trading on NYSE Arca, Nasdaq, and Cboe BZX in late 2025, giving investors a way to gain XRP exposure through a brokerage account without holding the coin directly.
How to Buy XRP: Step-by-Step
This walkthrough works whether you’re an experienced trader or looking specifically for how to buy XRP for beginners — the process is identical across nearly every regulated exchange.
1. Pick an Exchange or Broker
Your choice depends on what you want: lowest fees, easiest interface, or the ability to withdraw XRP to your own wallet. See the comparison table below.
2. Create an Account and Verify Your Identity
Every regulated exchange requires KYC — typically a photo ID and a selfie. Verification usually takes minutes but can take up to 24 hours on busier platforms.
3. Fund Your Account
Common funding methods:
- Bank transfer (ACH/wire): lowest fees, but can take 1-3 business days
- Debit or credit card: instant, but usually the highest fee (often 2-4%)
- PayPal: supported on a handful of platforms like MoonPay-integrated exchanges, with fees comparable to card purchases
4. Buy XRP
Search “XRP” in the exchange’s trading or “Buy Crypto” section, enter the amount in USD or XRP, and confirm. Market orders execute immediately at the current price; limit orders let you set a target price.
5. Store Your XRP
You can leave XRP on the exchange for convenience, but moving it to a non-custodial wallet — software (like the XUMM/Xaman wallet) or hardware (like a Ledger) — gives you full control of your private keys and removes exchange counterparty risk.
Best Places to Buy XRP in 2026
Looking for the best place to buy XRP, the best way to buy XRP, or the best app to buy XRP? The best platform to buy XRP depends on what matters most to you — lowest fees, simplest interface, or the ability to withdraw to your own wallet. Here’s how the major options compare:
| Platform | Best For | Fees | XRP Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | Beginners, US regulatory clarity | ~0.6% (Advanced Trade lower) | Yes |
| Kraken | Lower fees, advanced trading | ~0.25% taker | Yes |
| Binance.US | Widest selection, competitive fees | ~0.1%-0.6% | Yes |
| Robinhood | Simplicity, commission-free crypto | Spread-based, no explicit fee | Yes (since 2024) |
| Uphold | Easy PayPal/card funding | Variable spread | Yes |
| Gemini | Security-focused users | ~0.4%-1.49% | Yes |
Buy XRP on Coinbase
Coinbase remains the default choice for US-based first-time buyers thanks to its clean interface and insured custodial wallets. Go to Coinbase’s buy page, click Buy/Sell, select XRP, enter an amount, and confirm the purchase using a linked bank account or card. This is also the simplest answer if you’re searching for how to buy XRP crypto directly, rather than exposure through a fund. See our full Coinbase review for a fee and feature breakdown.
Buy XRP on Binance
Binance.US offers some of the lowest trading fees for XRP and supports both market and limit orders. International users outside the US can use Binance.com directly, which also offers P2P purchases. See our full Binance review for details on fees and supported regions.
Buy XRP on Kraken
Kraken is popular with cost-conscious buyers because of its lower maker/taker fees and has offered XRP continuously even through the SEC litigation period.
Can You Buy XRP on Robinhood?
Yes. Robinhood relisted XRP for trading and now allows withdrawals to external wallets, which wasn’t the case in earlier years. It’s one of the simplest options if you already have a Robinhood brokerage account.
How to Buy XRP Stock
XRP isn’t a stock — it’s a cryptocurrency native to the XRP Ledger, so you can’t buy it under a ticker on a traditional brokerage the way you’d buy a stock. The closest equivalent is a spot XRP ETF: funds from Bitwise, Grayscale, 21Shares, Canary Capital, and Franklin Templeton trade on NYSE Arca, Nasdaq, and Cboe BZX and can be bought through any standard brokerage account (Fidelity, Schwab, Robinhood) using a regular stock ticker, without needing a crypto exchange account.
How to Buy XRP with a Credit Card or PayPal
Buying with a credit card is the fastest method but carries the highest fees, typically 2-4% per transaction, and some card issuers code crypto purchases as cash advances, which can trigger extra fees or interest. PayPal-funded purchases are available through Coinbase, MoonPay, and Uphold-integrated checkouts, with similar fee ranges. For larger purchases, a bank transfer is almost always cheaper.
How Much XRP Should I Buy?
There’s no universal answer — it depends on your budget and risk tolerance, not the coin’s per-unit price. Because XRP trades around $1, it’s easy to buy fractional or whole-number amounts (unlike Bitcoin, where most buyers hold fractions of a coin). Many exchanges allow purchases as small as $1-$10, so you can start small and scale up rather than buying a large position at once.
When to Buy XRP
Timing any single crypto purchase is unreliable — even professional traders rarely call short-term bottoms consistently. A more practical approach many investors use is dollar-cost averaging: buying a fixed dollar amount on a regular schedule (weekly or monthly) instead of trying to time one lump-sum purchase. That said, XRP has historically been more sensitive to news-driven catalysts (court rulings, ETF approvals, exchange listings) than most large-cap coins, so keeping an eye on regulatory and product news is more useful for XRP than for, say, Bitcoin — see XRP News Today for the latest developments.
Where Can I Buy XRP in USA?
Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.US, Robinhood, Uphold, and Gemini all support XRP purchases for US residents, though availability can vary slightly by state due to local licensing (New York’s BitLicense regime being the most common source of restrictions). For the safest place to buy XRP, stick to exchanges registered with FinCEN as money service businesses and licensed in your state — all six platforms above meet that bar.
How to Sell XRP
Selling works the same way as buying, in reverse: log into the exchange where you hold XRP (or transfer it there from a private wallet first), select Sell, choose XRP, enter the amount or USD value, and confirm. Funds typically settle to your exchange balance instantly and can then be withdrawn to a bank account, usually within 1-3 business days.
Is XRP Worth Buying?
If you’re asking “should I buy XRP right now,” the honest answer is that it depends on your own risk tolerance and time horizon, not a signal this article can give you. XRP’s investment case now rests less on regulatory uncertainty — which has largely cleared — and more on adoption of Ripple’s cross-border payment network and the XRP Ledger, plus institutional access through spot ETFs. That said, XRP remains a volatile asset that has fallen roughly 70% from its 2025 peak, and its price has historically been driven more by sentiment, exchange listings, and legal headlines than by fundamentals — for the broader picture, see Crypto Market Today. If you’re buying XRP for the first time, the safer approach is starting with a small amount on a regulated exchange rather than committing a large sum on day one — even beginners can build a position gradually as they get comfortable. As with any cryptocurrency, only invest what you can afford to lose and treat this article as informational, not financial advice.
Nothing on this page constitutes financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry significant risk, including loss of principal. Always conduct independent research before making investment decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy XRP?
XRP is available on nearly every major exchange, including Coinbase, Binance, Kraken, Robinhood, Uphold, and Gemini, as well as through spot XRP ETFs on traditional stock brokerages.
How do you buy XRP?
Sign up on a regulated exchange, verify your identity, deposit funds via bank transfer, card, or PayPal, and place a buy order for XRP — see the step-by-step section above for the full walkthrough.
Do I need a wallet address before buying XRP?
No — if you're buying and holding on an exchange, the exchange manages the wallet for you. You only need your own wallet address if you plan to withdraw XRP to a private wallet like Ledger or Xaman.
Can I buy XRP with a credit card?
Yes, most major exchanges support credit card purchases, though fees are higher than bank transfers, and some card issuers may treat it as a cash advance.
Can I buy XRP with PayPal?
Yes, through platforms like Coinbase, MoonPay, and Uphold that support PayPal as a funding method.
What's the cheapest way to buy XRP?
Funding your purchase via bank transfer (ACH or wire) and using an exchange with low maker/taker fees, such as Kraken or Binance.US, minimizes costs compared to card or PayPal purchases.
Is it safe to buy XRP?
Buying XRP on a regulated, well-established exchange is generally safe. The bigger risk is market volatility, not the purchase process itself. For added security, move holdings to a hardware wallet after buying.
What's the difference between buying XRP directly and an XRP ETF?
Buying XRP directly on an exchange gives you the actual token, which you can hold, transfer, or move to a private wallet. A spot XRP ETF, bought through a brokerage account, gives you price exposure without holding the underlying asset — convenient for retirement or brokerage accounts, but you can't withdraw actual XRP from it.
Is XRP a good investment in 2026?
That depends on your risk tolerance and investment horizon. XRP has regulatory clarity and ETF access that it lacked in prior years, but it remains a volatile asset well below its all-time high. This isn't investment advice — do your own research before buying.
