Buying cryptocurrency on Pionex has become so simple and convenient. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to help you purchase cryptocurrency on the Pionex platform using a bank card.
Currently, we support Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards for payments.
Web operation step
Step 1: Click on the top navigation [Buy Crypto - Express] to enter the Express page.
Step 2: Below the amount fields, select your payment channel:
- Bank Card (Mercuryo) – Recommended, fast arrival (default option)
- Bank Card (Third-party) – Multi-channel quotes
*If you select Third-party, you'll be redirected to a different purchase flow. Please follow this guide instead: How to Buy Cryptocurrency with a Bank Card in Pionex (Third Party). The steps below continue with the Mercuryo channel.
Step 3:
1. Select the fiat currency and cryptocurrency you want to use;
2. Enter the amount you want to pay or the quantity you want to purchase;
3. Click [Add Card].
*If you have already linked a bank card, the card number of your linked card will be displayed directly. You can use the current card or change to a new card for payment.
Step 4: Enter your bank card information and click the [Pay] button to enter the 3D Secure verification for your bank card. Once completed, your card will be successfully linked.
*Please ensure that your bank card supports 3D Secure and meets international and online transaction eligibility. When linking the bank card, 1 unit of fiat currency will be temporarily frozen, which will be unfrozen within 72 hours once the linking is completed.
Step 5: After successfully linking the card, select your linked card and click the [Buy USDC] button to make the payment. The system will prompt you to enter verification information for authentication. Your 3D Secure verification typically takes a few seconds to process.
Step 6: Purchase complete. Once the transaction is completed, the cryptocurrency will be immediately deposited into your account.
APP operation step
Step 1: Click [Pionex] – [More] and go to the "Deposit & Withdrawal" category. Then click [Buy] and select [Express].
Step 2: Tap the payment channel box to open the channel selector, then choose:
- Bank Card (Mercuryo) – Recommended, fast arrival (default option)
- Bank Card (Third-party) – Multi-channel quotes
*If you select Third-party, you'll be redirected to a different purchase flow. Please follow this guide instead: How to Buy Cryptocurrency with a Bank Card in Pionex (Third Party). The steps below continue with the Mercuryo channel.
Step 3:
1. Select the fiat currency and cryptocurrency you want to use;
2. Enter the amount you want to pay or the quantity you want to purchase;
3. Click [Select Payment Method].
Step 4:
1. If you have already linked a bank card, you can select your card for payment and press the [Pay Now] button.
2. If this is your first time using the service, you need to link your bank card. When linking the bank card, 1 unit of fiat currency will be temporarily frozen, which will be unfrozen within 72 hours once the linking is completed.
*Please ensure that your bank card supports 3D Secure and meets international and online transaction eligibility.
Step 5: Enter your bank card information and click the [Pay] button. The system will prompt you to enter verification information for authentication. Your 3D Secure verification typically takes a few seconds to process.
Step 6: Purchase complete. Once the transaction is completed, the cryptocurrency will be immediately deposited into your account.
FAQ
Q: Are there other deposit methods besides Express Buy?
A: Pionex offers multiple deposit channels. You can choose from third-party payment options such as Banxa, Simplex, and AlchemyPay based on your needs.
*Note: PayPal transactions are currently not supported.
Q: Can I use bank transfer instead of a credit card?
A: Pionex supports the bank transfer option for EUR and BRL currencies. Tutorial
Q: Why did my payment fail (showing "Payment Failed" or "Declined")?
A: Payment failures are typically triggered on the bank's end. Please check the following:
Card settings – Ensure that overseas transactions and online payments are enabled on your card.
3D Secure – Confirm that your card supports and has 3D Secure verification enabled.
Balance and limits – Make sure you have sufficient funds and that the transaction does not exceed your bank's per-transaction limit.
Bank policy – Some banks may restrict cryptocurrency-related transactions. We recommend contacting your bank to authorize such payments.
*If the issue persists, please contact our live support with a screenshot and the first 6 and last 4 digits of your card number.
Q: Why can’t I use a bank card that I previously linked to my account?
A: This may happen if the linked card has expired, the bank has issued a replacement card with a different card number or expiration date, or the previous card was invalidated due to an update to the system’s security mechanisms. In these cases, we recommend deleting the existing card and linking it again.
Q: How can I delete a previously linked bank card?
A:
Web: Go to Buy Crypto → Express → click “Change Card” next to the linked card → enter “Card Management” → delete the existing card.
App: Go to Home → More → Buy Crypto → Express → enter the minimum purchase amount → click “Change Card” next to the linked card → enter “Card Management” → delete the existing card.
Q: Why does my credit/debit card Express buy purchase show “Under Risk Control Review” or get blocked?
A: One common reason is that the cardholder’s name does not match the name registered for your account’s identity verification (KYC). The system automatically compares the cardholder information with the name submitted during KYC. If the names do not match—for example, if you use someone else’s card, the name is spelled differently, or you have changed your surname—the transaction may be blocked and marked as “Under Risk Control Review.”
Q: What should I do if my payment is blocked or triggers a risk control review?
A: Use a bank card in your own name and make sure the cardholder name exactly matches your KYC name before trying the payment again.
Q: Why can't I withdraw my funds after completing Express Buy?
A: For every successful transaction, the amount purchased is subject to a T+1 (24 hours) withdrawal restriction.
Q: Why can't I transfer funds to Pionex Card after purchasing crypto through Express Buy?
A: Transferring funds to Pionex Card is classified as a withdrawal operation by the system. For security reasons, assets purchased through Express Buy are subject to a T+1 (24-hour) withdrawal lock period. Once the lock period expires, you will be able to transfer the funds to Pionex Card as usual.
Q: What are the current Express-Buy purchase limits?
A: Purchase limits depend on your account's Express-Buy limit tier:
Limit Tier | Withdrawal Lock | Per-Transaction Limit | Daily Limit | Daily Transaction Count | Monthly Limit | Monthly Transaction Count |
Normal (Non-Brazil) | T+1 | - | 2,000 | 3 | 6,000 | 10 |
Normal (Brazil) | T+1 | - | 1,000 | 3 | 3,000 | 10 |
Limit Removed | T+60 | - | Unlimited | 10 | Unlimited | 50 |
*Regardless of tier, users registered in Nigeria (NGA) and Guatemala (GTM) are fixed at a T+60 withdrawal restriction by default, per compliance requirements.
Q: It has been more than 1 day after the completed transaction, and I'm still unable to withdraw my funds. Why is this happening?
A: If you have previously opted to remove the Express-Buy limit, each completed transaction is now subject to a T+60-day withdrawal restriction. For every successful transaction, you will need to wait for 60 days before you can withdraw the respective amount.
Due to compliance requirements, users registered in Nigeria and Guatemala are subject to a T+60 (60-day) withdrawal restriction by default on all Express-Buy transactions, regardless of your Express-Buy limit settings.
Q: I have previously opted to remove the Express-Buy limit, and I want to cancel it. How can I do so?
A: Please contact Pionex Support for assistance, or use alternative deposit methods to resolve this issue.
Q: How can I check the status of the T+60 date?
A: Once you have completed an Express Buy transaction, you will receive an email regarding the update of the withdrawal restriction.
Q: When using Express Buy, I can choose to receive USDC or USDT. What is the difference, and which one should I choose?
A: Both USDC and USDT are stablecoins pegged 1:1 to the US dollar. The main differences are their issuers (USDT is issued by Tether, while USDC is issued by Circle) as well as differences in reserve transparency and related disclosures. Both assets can be used normally on the Pionex platform. You can choose between them based on your personal preference and the applicable fees.
Q: My Pionex account has more funds than the purchased amount. Why can't I withdraw it?
A: If you have purchased 1,000 USDC via Express Buy and your Pionex account has 1,500 USDT, all your funds must be in the Primary Account and unoccupied (not used in bots or open orders) before you can withdraw the excess 500 USDT.
Q: I made a purchase of 10,000 USDC on March 1st and 15,000 USDC on April 1st. When can I withdraw the funds?
A: The 10,000 USDC purchased on March 1st can only be withdrawn after 60 days (April 30th). The 15,000 USDC purchased on April 1st can only be withdrawn after 60 days (May 31st).
Locking Rules:
If you wish to withdraw before April 30th, funds valued at 25,000 USDC will be locked.
If you wish to withdraw before May 31st, funds valued at 15,000 USDC will be locked.
After May 31st, you can withdraw all your funds.
Q: Why am I unable to transfer funds to my Pionex Card after depositing via Express-Buy?
A: Transfers to the Pionex Card are categorized as withdrawal operations. For security purposes, funds deposited via Express-Buy are subject to a T+1 (24-hour) withdrawal lock. You will be able to transfer the funds once this 24-hour holding period has elapsed.
Q: How is the 24-hour waiting period calculated?
A: The countdown begins exactly 24 hours from the order completion time, based on your local time zone.
You can find your Express order history by following the steps below:
Web: Click this link to check the time of the relevant orders.
App: Pionex → More → Buy→ Express → ⏱︎ → Completed
Q: Does this 24-hour restriction apply to every deposit?
A: Yes. For security reasons, the T+1 (24-hour) transfer restriction applies individually to every order completed via Express-Buy. The unlock time for each deposit is calculated independently based on its specific order completion time.
Q: Why did I receive significantly less cryptocurrency than expected after my card purchase?
A: In addition to the third-party provider's processing fee and on-chain transfer fee, your card issuer may charge foreign exchange fees and cross-border transaction fees. These bank-side charges vary by issuer and cannot be estimated in advance by Pionex.
Q: What is the difference in fiat purchase limits between KYC Level 1 and KYC Level 2?
A: All fiat deposit and withdrawal services on Pionex require KYC Level 2 verification. Users with only KYC Level 1 are not eligible for fiat services. We recommend completing KYC Level 2, or using cryptocurrency deposits as an alternative.
Q: Can I enter non-Latin characters or Chinese in the billing address or name fields when purchasing crypto with a bank card?
A: No. The billing address, cardholder name, and other relevant fields must be entered using English/Latin characters. Chinese, other non-Latin characters, and special symbols are not supported. This information is used to verify the details against the records held by the card-issuing bank. Please ensure that the information you provide matches the records of your card issuer. Otherwise, the order cannot be successfully created.
Q: I can't find my currency in the Express page, what should I do?
A: If your currency is not listed, we suggest you to search it in Third Party page. Else, you may consider depositing via cryptocurrency.
Q: When I want to bind my bank debit/credit card to Express buy channel, why does it fail?
A: There are two possible reasons:
Rejected by your bank. Your bank may have declined the transaction due to suspected fraud, an inactive card, a failed 3D Secure (3DS) verification, insufficient funds, a reached credit limit, or a policy that blocks crypto-related payments. Note that when a new card is added, a small test charge of 1 unit of local currency may be temporarily reserved to verify the card — this is not actually debited and will be released automatically within 72 hours. If binding fails, please contact your card issuer directly to identify the cause and request that payments to Pionex's payment partner be approved. You may also need to explicitly enable online payments, international transactions, and 3D Secure for the new card in your banking app.
Rejected by Pionex's payment provider. The transaction may have been blocked by our third-party payment processor. This can happen even if you are using a new card from the same bank, as the new card number may be flagged during an automated risk check. Please contact Pionex Customer Support for further assistance.
You may also try binding a different Visa or Mastercard from your bank as an alternative.
Q: Can I buy USDT through this channel?
A: No. Only USDC is available for purchase via the Express Buy channel using a bank card.
Q: I am from Russia. Can I use the fiat deposit service?
A: Unfortunately, due to local regulations and platform policies, users from Russia are unable to use fiat deposit and withdrawal services.