Best/fastest way to buy BTC with $USD

[Mortimer452]

I've been mining for awhile and have quite a collection of scrypt altcoins, but I'd like to buy some BTC for trading on the altcoin exchanges.

Coinbase looked pretty slick, so I purchased 1.0 BTC through them last week but it is taking FOREVER to get my coins.  I'd like to get some more but if it's going to take 5 days to process a transaction this isn't going to work.

I signed up with mtGox and submitted all my verification paperwork, still waiting on getting "approved."  Are they any faster?  Is there anyone out there that does "instant" (or at least, 24-hr wait) transfers from bank account or credit card?

[jcoin200]

The only way I've been able to successfully buy with USD is through Coinbase, but yes it does a while to get your bank acct linked and then a while after that to receive your BTC (4 business days).  I haven't had luck with any other site.  If you can find someone on craigslist/localbitcoins that might be your fastest way to get some BTC.

Only other way I've gotten BTC is selling stuff on CoinGig.  But again, you have to wait for the item to arrive and for them to confirm receiving it to get the BTC released.

[Mortimer452]

Yeah, I tried looking Craigslist and LocalBitcoins but the prices there are absurd, like 1.5x current trade price.  Kindof like what the altcoins are selling for on eBay, everyone wants stupid money for their coins.

I guess I'm just pissed I missed out -- I was planning on investing 1.0 BTC into UNO last week, but of couldn't get my coins in time - and of course it showed up on CoinMarketCap in the meanwhile and now UNO is trading about 5x the price 

[DieJohnny]

I signed up with mtGox and submitted all my verification paperwork, still waiting on getting "approved." 

I still haven't seen my mt gox wire transfer show up in my account. I watched the price go from $65 to $1200 while my Gox deposit has sat in wire transfer hell.

Luckily for me i panic bought at $300 in face to face sales using local bitcoin owners.

I think face to face is the best way to buy Bitcoin. You can get you funds into any exchange in a few hours from now thanks to Bitcoin's amazing transfer capabilities.

[proudhon]

The only way I've been able to successfully buy with USD is through Coinbase, but yes it does a while to get your bank acct linked and then a while after that to receive your BTC (4 business days).  I haven't had luck with any other site.  If you can find someone on craigslist/localbitcoins that might be your fastest way to get some BTC.

Only other way I've gotten BTC is selling stuff on CoinGig.  But again, you have to wait for the item to arrive and for them to confirm receiving it to get the BTC released.

Once you get fully verified with Coinbase, it's really fast within the instant buy limit.  Just bought some last weekend, and had them in my account almost instantly.

[Mortimer452]

Yeah, but my instant buy limit is only 0.1BTC right now.  Is there a way to raise it?

[thesouljourner]

They have directions on their site. Look for a link called levels and limits.  basically, you need to give them a credit card number and then wait 30 days after your first purchase with them.

[jcoin200]

Yeah you can only "Instant Buy" with coinbase if you link a credit card though, Visa only.  If you dont have a Visa, I'm not sure you can use their "instant buy."  I don't have one, so my purchases always take 4 business days.

And I've also tried to transfer USD into btc-e.com but no luck.  I was trying to buy a bunch of LTC when it was around $3.  Its gone way up since then.  Very frustrating.

[jixin55]

definitely coinbase. they can verify your checking account instantly if u give them ur username and password

i would also like to add that i applied for mtgox. its been 3 weeks, with no response on my verification. submitted all the documents too

i also applied for dwolla. they suspended my account despite giving them full color copies of dl and passport.

only coinbase has functioned for me

[MGGB]

I have had no problems with Vault of Sotoshi, they are out of Ontario, Canada.  I got some BTC through them for the same reason.  Was fast to get ID confirmed(did it online) sent a certified check in USD , and traded it for some BTC all with in a couple of days.
Customer service was a little slow to respond, but did get back after a couple of days.  I did not really need to talk to them anyway, everything worked as expected, I was just confused about something. I only mention them cause no one else has.  Good luck.

[jonanon]

This is unfortunately one of the major issues with BTC - the inability to quickly get in and out.

As soon as this becomes a possibility then there really are no limits.

For all BTC transaction I use localbitcoins.com, as long as there's someone in you vicinity wanting to sell you should be OK!

[ZooKeeper74]

MtGox is a dead end road at this point. 10,000 support tickets behind because no money is going in or coming out as it should.  I'm trying to find the current stats on Bitstamp.  Seems you gotta check every 12 hours to find which exchange wont hide your money for months.

[Gasai Yuno]

bank wire.