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
- Bank Transfer (AED only) – see "Buying with AED by bank transfer (TransFi)" below
*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 button for the cryptocurrency you selected (for example, [Buy USDC]) 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
- Bank Transfer (AED only) – see "Buying with AED by bank transfer (TransFi)" below
*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.
Buying with AED by bank transfer (TransFi)
If AED is available for your account, you can buy USDT with UAE Dirham (AED) by bank transfer on the Express page, through our payment partner TransFi.
Requirements and availability
KYC Level 2 and a verified email address are required.
This channel is being rolled out gradually, and availability also depends on your KYC country/region. If it is available to you, [Bank Transfer] appears as a payment channel after you select AED. If it does not appear, or you see a message that the channel is not available in your region, please use another deposit method.
How to buy
Go to the Express page (Web: [Buy Crypto - Express]; App: [Pionex] – [More] – [Buy] – [Express]).
Select AED as the fiat currency, enter the amount, and choose [Bank Transfer] as the payment channel.
The page shows the receiving bank account, the exact amount to transfer, and a transfer reference. Transfer exactly this amount from your bank to this account.
In your bank transfer, enter the transfer reference exactly as shown in the reference / remarks field. Do not leave it empty or change it.
USDT is usually credited within 1–2 business days.
Important: the transfer reference
The transfer reference is how the payment provider matches your payment to your order. If it is missing or changed, your payment cannot be matched automatically and crediting will be delayed. In that case, please contact customer support with your bank transfer receipt (amount, date and time, sending account name, and the receiving account) so we can follow up.
Notes
Limits are calculated for each order and shown on the page before you pay.
AED bank transfer purchases are not subject to the Express T+1 withdrawal restriction.
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 For AED, see "Buying with AED by bank transfer (TransFi)" above.
Q: My Express Buy order keeps showing “Pending” and the crypto has not arrived. What should I do?
A: Please check the following:
Payment not completed: orders that are not paid are closed automatically after 2 hours.
Payment completed, but the crypto has not arrived after more than 24 hours: please contact customer support and provide a screenshot of your bank transfer record, and we will help check it further.
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: What should I do if I don’t receive the bank OTP / 3D Secure code when buying crypto or adding a card?
A: The 3D Secure code (an SMS OTP or a push notification in your bank app) is sent by your card-issuing bank. Pionex cannot see or resend it. Please check the following in order:
Confirm with your bank that 3D Secure, online transactions and international transactions are enabled on the card.
Make sure the mobile number registered with your bank is correct and can receive SMS, or that transaction notifications are turned on in your bank app.
Some banks restrict crypto-related transactions. Contact your bank to confirm and ask them to authorize the payment.
If your bank confirms there is no issue but you still do not receive the code, you can try another provider under Buy Crypto – Third-Party Channels (available channels and payment methods depend on your fiat currency, region and card issuer; refer to what the page shows), or deposit with crypto instead. If the problem continues, please contact live chat 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. If the card is already in your own name and was linked earlier, but the payment is still blocked or shows "Under Risk Control Review", delete the linked card and link it again, then retry the payment. See "How can I delete a previously linked bank card?" above for the steps. If it is still blocked after re-linking, contact customer support. Note: after you re-link a card, the payment provider may ask you to wait several hours before you can buy with it. See the next question.
Q: My card worked before. Why am I now seeing “Cardholder name does not match KYC name”?
A: Express Buy now checks the cardholder name against the name on your identity verification (KYC), so a card that worked before can also be blocked. In addition, the cardholder name is stored by the payment partner when the card is linked. If the name stored for that linked card is wrong (for example, it is not the real name printed on the card), you can still see this message even when the name on your card matches your KYC exactly.
Please delete the card, then link the same card again and enter the cardholder name exactly as printed on the card (see “How do I delete a linked bank card?” above). If it still fails after re-linking, use another card in your own name that matches your KYC, or use Buy Crypto → Third-Party.
Q: I just linked or re-linked my card and the verification passed, but the payment page says I need to wait several hours (for example, 3–6 hours) before I can buy. Why?
A: This waiting period comes from the security checks of our card payment provider, not from a restriction on your Pionex account. It can appear after a card is newly linked or re-linked, even if the card, account holder and network are the same as before. Please follow the waiting time shown on the payment page and try the purchase again after it ends; the actual time may vary. Pionex Support cannot shorten or lift this waiting period. If you need to buy right away, you can try Buy Crypto → Third-Party in the meantime.
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. This does not apply to AED bank transfer purchases.
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 (per order) | T+60 | - | Not checked | 10 | Not checked | 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. This table applies to card purchases. AED bank transfer limits are shown on the page for each order.
Q: When are the Express Buy daily limit and daily transaction count restored? Do they reset at 00:00 UTC every day?
A: No. The daily limit and the daily transaction count are calculated on a rolling 24-hour basis. They do not reset at a fixed time each day.
Q: How is the Express Buy monthly limit calculated? Does it reset on the 1st of each month?
A: No. The monthly limit and the monthly transaction count are both calculated on a rolling 30-day basis, not by calendar month. Example: if you bought 3,000 USDC on October 10 and 1,900 USDC on November 2, your used monthly limit on November 3 is 4,900 USDC. The October 10 purchase stops counting on November 9.
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 chose to remove the limit for an order, the crypto bought in that order is subject to a T+60-day withdrawal restriction. You will need to wait 60 days from that order 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: Can I buy above my daily or monthly limit?
A: If an order would exceed your daily or monthly limit, the App or website shows a prompt offering to remove the limit for this order. If you tick the confirmation and confirm the second prompt, this order is processed without the daily/monthly limit check, and the crypto bought in this order is subject to a T+60 (60-day) withdrawal restriction instead of T+1. This applies to this order only: your next purchase is checked against your normal limits again. This order still counts toward your transaction count (at most 10 per day and 50 per month in total), and its amount still counts toward your daily and monthly limits afterwards.
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. This does not apply to AED bank transfer purchases.
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: Why does the system still show that I’ve reached the limit when I didn’t successfully complete an Express Buy transaction today?
A: The limits and daily frequency count both purchase attempts and successful transactions. Orders placed but not paid for (e.g., due to an incorrect security code or an interrupted payment) will count toward the daily and monthly limits even if no funds were deducted. Unpaid orders will be automatically closed after 2 hours. Once the order is closed, the limits and transaction counts it used are released.
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: When binding my card, should I enter my surname first or last? What if binding says the card name does not match my verified name?
A: Enter the name exactly as it is printed on your card, with the same spelling, spacing, and order of surname and given name. Do not rearrange it. When your surname contains a hyphen (-) or is a compound surname: The name field is provided by our payment partner, and Pionex cannot modify its character requirements. If you’re unable to enter a hyphen, please try replacing it with a space. In most cases, the name should still pass verification.
The name on the card must match the name in your Pionex identity verification (KYC). If it does not, binding fails with the message "The name on your card does not match your verified name. Please use a card in your own name and try again." Support cannot manually approve a mismatched card, so please use a card in your own name that matches your KYC name.
If you entered your surname and given name in the wrong order during KYC (and this is not a legal name change), email service@pionex.com and describe the mismatch. See Identity Verification (KYC) Complete Guide.
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: 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.