Hello,

I registered with CoinTracking last night and found it to be quite a nifty little program.

I imported my Binance history with absolutely no problem. When I try to import my .CSV files from Coinbase, however, I run into issues. Basically... it doesn't work. I see that I can instead upload a .api file. Perhaps this would work better? I went through the steps to create the 'API Key,' but Coinbase says that this file should never be given to a third party. Obviously, Coinbase does not advise giving this file to anyone.

I am not quite sure what someone could do if they were to gain access to my API Key (something nefarious, perhaps?). I tried to input all of my trades manually, but in addition to taking a few hours, I must not be inputting the information correctly, because the end result of my total coins on CoinTracking doesn't reflect what I actually have. So, I would like to simply upload my file and have it done, but not if it is not safe.

Can anyone shine some light on this for me?

Thanks,

-Faj

*Edit

I realized that this perhaps may not be the best board to post this question. I tried to delete my post, but was unable to. If it could be moved to an appropriate board, I would appreciate it.

Thank you for all of the replies, guys.

I was looking into Kraken, but I am not very comfortable with having to give them my social security number. I will check out a few of the others mentioned.


I would like to use Localbitcoin, but I am not familiar with many of the payment methods one can use; WebMoney, advcash, Payeer, and so on. I see some people except Paypal, but their prices tend to be much higher, for some reason (currently all Paypal prices (in USD) are well over $3000/BTC, aside from one guy).

Which payment method do you prefer?

Before buying my first Bitcoin, I did some research as to what would be the "best" Bitcoin Exchange for me. A number of people, books, and websites recommended Coinbase, and I eventually decided to go with them.

Now, it seems that everyone I talk to says to stay away from Coinbase (though, before so many people were recommending it). I am not that happy with their services; their limits are too low and raise too slowly. For instance, I need to spend $1,000+ in order to raise my limit via debit card, but the max I can buy per WEEK is $10 worth of Bitcoin. That is insane.

Anyway, could you guys please tell me what exchanges you use?

I even hesitate to ask because I am sure there are many people with an agenda who will simply push their exchange, and I won't end up with a good answer. But I am that a number of the replies to this post will be genuine and from people that want to help.

Thanks,

-Faj

Thanks for the replies, guys. I appreciate it.

But I gotta admit, I am a bit frustrated at this point; not just with Coinbase, but with Bitcoin exchanges in general.

I looked up Kraken and Bitstamp (two exchanges that were recommended in the previous post), and most of the reviews are negative; many people telling stories about how they've been ripped off. Of course, these people could just simply be lying themselves. I have no idea, and I do not know whom to trust.

I have been reading various books, blogs, websites, message boards, etc... in an attempt to learn as much about Bitcoin as I can. And I have put in a lot of time and energy in just simply trying to BUY some, and have not been successful (though, the order I placed on Coinbase should go through in a couple of days, but at $100 worth, it's almost meaningless). So, I have to imagine that if the 'average joe' were to want to also dive into the Bitcoin world, that there is almost no way he would end up buying/using it, and would quickly give up. How can this currency possibly be expected to take off when it is so damn hard to get?

Hello,

I have looked online and tried searching through the forums, but I have yet to find a definitive answer regarding the limits Coinbase puts on new accounts.

I made an account last week, and had an initial purchasing limit of $100. I understand they need to "build trust with customers," so I don't have a problem with this, per se, but I don't know by how much or even WHEN my limits will be raised. $100 is simply too low of a limit if it were to continue for weeks (or months).

Can anyone tell me through their own experiences how their limits changed over time?

Thanks in advance,

-Faj

Also, as of now, I have only linked my bank account with my Coinbase account. I understand that it is possible to raise limits by also registering one's credit card as well. Does anyone know by how much this affects one's limits?

Hello,

I recently made an account with Coinbase and subsequently my first purchase of Bitcoin.

Currently, my limit is set to $100/week. I understand that as I spend more time with Coinbase as a customer, the limit will increase. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any information anywhere indicating exactly when or by how much one's limits will be raised (there are numerous topics on the website's very own message board, and they don't, in my opinion, adequately address the issue).

Throughout my research, I read mention of GDAX (which is a partner or subsidiary of Coinbase?). It seems to be a pretty popular/simple method for buying/selling Bitcoin, but I thought the same thing about Coinbase (and my experience thus far, albeit not very long, has not been the greatest).

I am interested in Bitcoin mostly from an investment standpoint, and would like to make more substantial purchases than $100 a week.

Would creating an account with GDAX be a good option for me? I'm quite new to the Bitcoin world, and I'd rather not stretch myself out too thin with different accounts, wallets, etc... but I don't have any idea what to expect from Coinbase, in regards to the purchasing limitations.

Thank you for reading and thank you for any helpful advice,

-Faj

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I clicked that link as well, and was able to raise my limits from $20 to $100; not very substantial.

What is your current limit?

Thanks guys. I appreciate the help.

While I am quite behind the idea of using Bitcoin, I am still rather unsure about doing these kinds of transactions (especially with, what is to me, a large amount of money). I will check out the links provided, and make an account with an exchange. To start off, perhaps I will simply try and transfer a little to see how smoothly the transaction goes, before I trust it completely.

Thanks again,

-Faj

Hello,

I currently reside (and work) in China, and I have about $10,000 USD worth of RMB that I would like to transfer to my bank account in the US.

Unfortunately, recent laws have made it a bit more difficult to transfer money out of China (I used to do it in a 45 minute trip to the bank...).

I am quite new to Bitcoin. I have a wallet, but don't presently own any Bitcoin (I have placed an order, but still have a few more days until I receive it).

How easy would it be to take my RMB (Chinese currency), buy Bitcoin with it, and then purchase USD with the Bitcoin and transfer that USD to my bank account in the US?

I currently have an account on Coinbase, if that helps.

Thanks for any tips/advice,

-Faj

Hello, I am (almost) officially an owner of Bitcoin!

I just made my first purchase (via Coinbase) of $100 worth of BTC (which I'll receive next week). I originally intended to purchase one BTC, but was disappointed to learn that there is a maximum limit one can purchase (my limit is currently $100).

I tried to look up some information regarding these limits (and how to raise them), and it seems that perhaps time is the essential factor. Can anyone who uses Coinbase possibly tell me how long it took to raise their limits (and perhaps to what? The bot on the Coinbase site was not very helpful).

Anyway, I'm really excited to take my first step into and be a part of what I am sure will completely revolutionize the entire world (for the better). I'll have to mark this day on my calendar...

-Faj

The bank account I am trying to verify is my account in the US.

And I can't even get to the point of entering any kind of amount. I am asked to enter my banking account's Username and Password, and upon entering my information, I get the "you've reached the maximum number of login attempts" error message.

I've sent an e-mail to customer service. I will see if they can help me clear this up.

Thanks

Hello,

I am trying to create an account with Coinbase so that I may begin delving further into the wonderful world of Bitcoin, but I am having issues.

Yesterday, when I made my first attempt to verify my bank account information, I was greeted with the follow error message: You've exceeded the maximum number of attempts for today. Please wait 24 hours and try again.

Now, today (more than 24 hours later) after my first attempt of the day to verify my bank account information, I get the same error.

Has anyone else had this problem? Could the fact that I am in China be causing this issue? I tried verifying my information with my VPN activated and deactivated.

Any information/advice would be appreciated,

-Faj

I am working on making my first purchase of Bitcoin (via Coinbase), but don't currently possess any at the moment.

According to one book I have read, a few websites would essentially give away bitcoins to help those new to the Bitcoin world. Unfortunately, the two sites given are no longer active.

Am I too late to the Bitcoin party to get any Bitcoin from anywhere? Before I make my purchase via Coinbase(planning on buying 1BTC), I'd like to experience receiving, sending, spending, etc... a little bit and get familiar with how my wallet program (Electrum) functions.

If there are no websites that provide this service, would anyone be willing to send a Satoshi, or two? Or, would those get eaten up as fees by miners?

Thanks for any help/advice,

Faj

Thank you Iranus, I appreciate your advice.

Bitstamp seems like a nice option, as well. I had never heard of it before. Just out of curiosity, what is the difference between Bitstamp and Coinbase? And why is Bitstamp less expensive?

It's not that I "don't want to," but I just don't think it is feasible given where I live (a rural part of China). I imagine nobody here has even heard of Bitcoin (let alone possesses any).

Though, I have read that the number of Bitcoin users in China is quite substantial (perhaps in the major cities). So, person-to-person may be a possibility.


Yes, I think one would acquire the most knowledge simply from experience, which is why I want to actually make my first Bitcoin purchase (which will undoubtedly subsequently teach me quite a bit). But like I said in my original post, I find the amount of information and options available to be particularly overwhelming.


Obviously, I am not an expert, but I think you are mistaken, in this regard. I specifically remember reading this particular detail in more than one book. I am actually planning on re-reading one of the books tomorrow, and when I come across it, I will let you know. In the meantime, however, I am sure an individual with more knowledge regarding this particular subject can shed some light.

Hello,

For years I have been curious about Bitcoin. Though, I never did anything to satisfy that curiosity... until yesterday!

So far, I have read three and a half books (currently in the middle of 'Bitcoin Beginner' by Sam Patterson) and have decided that Bitcoin is something I would love to get involved with.

While I feel I have a more than necessary theoretical understanding of Bitcoin and how the system "works," as someone who simply wants to use BTC as an investment tool (while of course spending a bit (no pun intended) every now and then as well), I find that when it comes to actually purchasing BTC and managing it, I am quite overwhelmed.

I have decided that I would like to make an initial purchase of one BTC. According to one book I read ('Bitcoin for the Befuddled' by Conrad Sparski (which I found extremely informative and easy to read)), there are basically three ways to buy BTC; person-to-person (which is basically not an option for me), through a 'middleman' like Coinbase, or via a currency exchange.

Buying through a currency exchange seems like the better option to me, because it is cheaper. However, using Coinbase (for instance) provides ease and convenience for a newbie like myself.

While the higher fee isn't exactly a plus, it is something I don't mind paying, given the service that is provided. However, after having read a few books and some of the threads on this board, I also feel that I would like to hold a vast majority (90% or so) of my BTC in an offline wallet.

If I were to buy BTC using Coinbase, how simple would it be to move some percentage of it into an offline wallet?

And since I don't plan on executing a particularly large number of transactions, is using Coinbase (or some other middleman) worth it? Would it be better for me to simply go through a currency exchange?

Thank you for any helpful information/advice,

-Faj

Also, I apologize if my use of the BTC symbol is inappropriate (or annoying). I know there is a difference in meaning between 'Bitcoin' and 'bitcoin,' and I wasn't sure which would be appropriate in the above sentences.