Why you cannot pay in dinars
Almost no European exchange accepts dinars. The money you send has to be in euros, which means you need a foreign-currency account at your bank. That is the biggest hurdle and it is rarely written about, even though it is the first step.
There are also local exchange offices and crypto ATMs that work with dinars in cash. They are faster and need no foreign-currency account, but their margin is usually higher and the choice of cryptocurrencies smaller.
Step by step
First you open a foreign-currency account, if you do not already have one. Then you pick an exchange — the comparison page shows how much each one charges and when we last checked that figure.
Next comes the identity check. The exchange asks for an ID card or passport and a photo of your face. That is not a whim of theirs but a legal obligation in the European Union. The check usually takes anywhere from a few minutes to one business day.
Once the account is ready, the exchange gives you the payment details: an account number and a reference number that is yours personally. That reference matters — it is how they recognise you. Get it wrong and the money is returned or spends a long time being traced.
The money arrives within one to two business days and shows up on the exchange as euros. Only then do you buy.
What it actually costs you
The price you see on the site is the market price. Nobody buys at it. On top of it comes the exchange’s commission, and often the gap between the price they sell at and the price they buy back at. That gap is called the spread; it never appears on your receipt, but you pay it.
If you pay by card instead of by transfer, a third cost appears: your bank converts dinars into euros at its own rate, which is not the official one. That part is invisible until the statement arrives.
After you buy
Crypto left on the exchange sits in their account, not yours. If the exchange has a problem, so do you. Withdrawing to your own wallet costs a network fee, but it is the only way for something to truly be yours.
If you do withdraw, send a small amount first and check that it arrived. A crypto transfer cannot be reversed.