Direct answer
In Colombia the most common way to buy bitcoin is through an exchange, paying in pesos by PSE when the platform offers it or buying USDT via P2P with a bank transfer or digital wallet. The Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia has said that crypto-asset platforms are not under its supervision and that crypto-assets have no central bank backing and no deposit insurance. Before you buy, read that notice and find out which entity of the exchange actually serves you.
What the regulator publishes
In June 2024, when it closed the pilot that let crypto-asset platforms hold bank accounts, the Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia (SFC) stated that these platforms are not regulated by Colombian law and are not subject to its control, supervision or inspection. There is therefore no public register of "authorised" exchanges that you can look up at the SFC.
The SFC reminded the public that crypto-assets are not legal tender, are not backed by a central bank or by any private or state guarantee, and are not covered by deposit insurance. It also warned that their value can fall sharply and even reach zero, and that each person must understand and accept those risks.
If a platform says it is "supervised by the Superfinanciera", check on the SFC website which entities it supervises and in what capacity. Supervised financial institutions and crypto platforms are different things, even when they work together on a payment method.
Tax authority
The tax authority is the Dirección de Impuestos y Aduanas Nacionales (DIAN). In 2026 the DIAN announced that crypto-asset service providers must report information about their users under the CARF standard, in line with Resolución 240 de 2025, which means your transactions can reach the DIAN through the exchange.
Crypto-assets form part of the wealth you declare in your income tax return, and gains from selling them may be taxable; how they are classified depends on your situation. Keep the peso history of every transaction and confirm your position with an accountant.
How people usually fund an account
The usual routes are a COP deposit by PSE, when the exchange offers it (Binance, for example, describes this method in its help centre and requires that your mobile number match the one registered with your bank), and P2P, where you pay another user by bank transfer or digital wallet and receive USDT. Check under "Add funds" which methods your account actually shows.
Credit and debit cards may appear as an option with higher fees, and some banks block these purchases. To withdraw pesos you need a bank account or wallet in your own name.
Rules that do not change with the country: always pay and receive from accounts in your own name (platforms reject third-party payments, and a request for one is the first sign of fraud); in a P2P purchase the seller must not release the crypto until the money shows as credited in their bank, and you must not mark the order as paid without having paid; and when you deposit or withdraw crypto, the network you choose must be the same at origin and destination, because a transfer over the wrong network is normally lost for good. Make a small test transaction before moving larger amounts.
Check before you start
- Read the Superintendencia Financiera notice on crypto-asset platforms.
- Identify in the terms of use which entity of the exchange provides the service in Colombia.
- Have a valid cédula de ciudadanía or passport ready for identity verification (KYC).
- Confirm whether your account allows PSE deposits or only P2P in pesos.
- Check the withdrawal limits in crypto and in COP and the network fee.
- Keep your transaction history: the DIAN receives information from providers under CARF.
- Avoid "investments" offered over WhatsApp or social media, screenshots as proof of payment, and payments from third-party accounts.
Related guides and tools
Official sources
This page summarizes what official bodies publish as of the date shown. It is not legal or tax advice and does not say that any exchange is licensed in this country.
