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Closed service · October 2026

LocalBitcoins alternatives

LocalBitcoins is no longer operating. Closure announced on 9 February 2023; the official site states the trading service is closed. These are the closest live replacements, ranked by Safety grade.

What happened to LocalBitcoins

LocalBitcoins alternatives in short

LocalBitcoins has closed. The closest p2p exchanges by Safety grade are Bisq (8.0), Haveno (7.3), Mostro (7.3). 7 of the 12 alternatives listed here have terms that rule out ID checks entirely.

What to use instead of LocalBitcoins

Alternatives to LocalBitcoins
# Service KYC Privacy Safety Evidence
01
Bisq Accepts Monero No account needed Never holds your funds Open source

Open-source desktop P2P exchange for bitcoin with no registration

 Never KYC 0 9.3 8.0 Docs reviewed
02
Haveno Accepts Monero No account needed Never holds your funds Open source

Open-source protocol for non-custodial Monero trading over Tor

 Never KYC 0 9.2 7.3 Docs reviewed
03
Mostro No account needed Never holds your funds Open source

Open-source P2P bitcoin trading protocol over Nostr and Lightning hold invoices

 Never KYC 0 8.9 7.3 Docs reviewed
04
Peer No account needed Never holds your funds Open source

P2P fiat on/off-ramp settling through smart-contract escrow and payment-app proofs

 Not mentioned KYC 1 7.3 7.0 Docs reviewed
05
Vexl Never holds your funds Open source

Mobile app for finding bitcoin trades within your own social network

 Not mentioned KYC 1 6.1 7.0 Docs reviewed
06
Hodl Hodl Never holds your funds

Web-based P2P bitcoin trading with 2-of-3 multisig escrow

 Not mentioned KYC 1 6.0 7.0 Docs reviewed
07
Dawnswap Tor onion address Accepts Monero No account needed Never holds your funds

Independent Haveno network for peer-to-peer Monero trading over Tor

 Never KYC 0 9.7 6.6 Docs reviewed
08
BasicSwap Accepts Monero No account needed Never holds your funds Open source

Self-hosted cross-chain DEX using atomic swaps for Bitcoin, Monero and more

 Never KYC 0 9.2 6.4 Docs reviewed
09
SkipShift No account needed Never holds your funds

Wallet-based peer-to-peer fiat on/off-ramp settled through smart-contract escrow

 Rare KYC 2 6.1 6.4 Docs reviewed
10
Peach Bitcoin No account needed Never holds your funds Open source May ask for ID

Swiss mobile P2P bitcoin app; sell offers restricted since September 2026

 Rare KYC 2 6.5 6.3 Docs reviewed
11
lnp2pBot No account needed Open source

Telegram bot for P2P bitcoin trades settled over Lightning

 Never KYC 0 8.2 5.8 Docs reviewed
12
RoboSats Tor onion address No account needed Open source

Tor-based P2P bitcoin exchange settling over Lightning with robot identities

 Never KYC 0 8.7 5.7 Docs reviewed

Check the rules where you live

Listings describe services. Whether a provider may serve you depends on local licensing rules.

LocalBitcoins: incidents on record

high

Shutdown

Announced discontinuation of its bitcoin trading service

LocalBitcoins announced on 9 February 2023 that it would discontinue its peer-to-peer bitcoin trading service after about a decade, citing difficult market conditions. Trading was suspended shortly afterwards and users were given a period in which to withdraw their bitcoin. The official site still states that LocalBitcoins Oy has closed its trading service and that remaining funds can be withdrawn by logging in to an existing account.

Service closed Source: cointelegraph.com ↗

Questions

What happened to LocalBitcoins?

Closure announced on 9 February 2023; the official site states the trading service is closed.

What is the best alternative to LocalBitcoins?

By Safety grade, Bisq (8.0 out of 10, Privacy 9.3). The right choice depends on the coins and payment methods you need, so compare the list.

Are these alternatives no-KYC?

Each one shows its KYC level, from 0 (ID never required) to 4 (mandatory). 10 of the 12 listed are level 0 or 1.