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Start Here

This guide will help you deposit your money to crypto poker sites: CoinPoker, Phenom Poker, and QQPK. It starts from Euro — if your local currency isn't Euro, like mine, you first need to exchange to Euro. I use Wise to do that.

If you're in a region where USD makes more sense than Euro, you can still follow this guide, the steps will be almost the same. The overall cost of USD vs Euro can differ some. Feedback on cost for USD deposits will be much appreciated.

For the exchange step, I cover CoinBase, OKX and Kraken. Use CoinBase first hand or OKX second — they're significantly cheaper. Kraken is here as a backup, in case CoinBase and OKX aren't available where you are. Or just check them all out if you want to be super prudent, costs may differ between regions.

Heads up: the exchanges will likely ask you to verify your identity (KYC) before you can deposit or withdraw. It's usually quick, but worth doing ahead of time rather than when you're in a hurry to get to the tables.

The guide is very comprehensive and you may not need all steps. Click the applicable steps below for further instructions.

If you have feedback, find anything outdated or something that doesn't work in your region, please email me and I will update the guide promptly.

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What you need

• (optional) An e-Wallet, if your original currency isn't Euro. I use Wise.
• A crypto exchange, to convert Euro to tokens (stable coins). I use CoinBase — it's the cheapest alternative, at least in my region (see table below). OKX and Kraken is covered too, as a backup in case CoinBase isn't available where you are.
• A crypto wallet, to transfer tokens between the exchange and poker sites. I use MetaMask in this guide.

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Which token to choose

The poker sites offer different tokens for deposit. The table below has my recommendations — the tokens I've found to be cheapest and most convenient.

In my region I can only get USDC in the exchange, and I have limited network options when sending it to MetaMask. So for QQPK I have to swap to the correct token in MetaMask.

If you have more options available, you can use the correct token and/or network already in the exchange and avoid the extra swap cost.

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Deposit to Kraken

Note! This step will differ a little if you start with USD - SEPA is a Euro only transfer method so USD deposit will have to use another transfer method. In my region USD transfers aren't available so I can't guide you through this step in detail. Look through your options carefully to find the cheapest one.

On the Home screen in Kraken, tap Add money.

Home screen → Add money

On the next screen select Euro.

Home screen → Select Euro

Select Manual bank transfer.

Select deposit method

Select SEPA.

Select deposit method

Copy the IBAN number and name, and go to your bank app or e-wallet to make the transfer.

Deposit details

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Deposit to OKX

Note! This step will differ a little if you start with USD - SEPA is a Euro only transfer method so USD deposit will have to use another transfer method. In my region USD transfers aren't available so I can't guide you through this step in detail. Look through your options carefully to find the cheapest one.

In OKX, go to Portfolio and tap Deposit next to EUR.

Portfolio tab → Deposit

Choose Bank transfer (SEPA) and tap Next.

Select deposit method

Copy the IBAN number and name, and go to your bank app or e-wallet to make the transfer.

Deposit details

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Deposit to CoinBase

Note! This step will differ a little if you start with USD - SEPA is a Euro only transfer method so USD deposit will have to use another transfer method. In my region USD transfers aren't available so I can't guide you through this step in detail. Look through your options carefully to find the cheapest one.

On the Home screen in CoinBase, tap Transfer

Home tab → Transfer

Choose Deposit cash.

Deposit cash

Copy the IBAN number and name, and go to your bank app or e-wallet to make the transfer.

Deposit details

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Buy tokens in Kraken

Tap the + and tap Buy.

+ → Buy

Select USDC. If USDT is available in your region, you can use that instead — I have to use USDC since USDT isn't available where I am. Here you can find the best token for you.

Select USDC

Enter the amount, but watch out — Kraken is showing a higher availability than what we deposited. They want us to buy tokens on credit.

Enter amount

Confirm you're paying with your EUR balance, then tap Buy USDC.

Confirm

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Buy tokens in OKX

From Portfolio, tap Trade.

Portfolio → Trade

Tap Buy.

Trade menu → Buy

Select USDC. If USDT is available in your region, you can use that instead — I have to use USDC since USDT isn't available where I am. Here you can find the best token for you.

Select USDC

OKX may default to the wrong payment method. Check what it says under "Pay with" — if it's not your EUR balance, tap it to change.

Wrong payment method selected

Select EUR balance.

Choose EUR balance

Back on the buy screen, confirm it now shows EUR balance as the payment method, enter your amount, and tap Preview.

Correct payment method, ready to preview

Confirm you're paying with your EUR balance, then tap Buy USDC.

Confirm and buy

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Buy tokens in CoinBase

On the Home screen, tap Buy & Sell.

Home → Buy & Sell

Tap Buy.

Buy & Sell menu → Buy

Select USDC. If USDT is available in your region, you can use that instead — I have to use USDC since USDT isn't available where I am. Here you can find the best token for you.

Select USDC

On the buy screen, enter your amount, and tap Review Order.

Enter your amount

Confirm you're paying with your EUR Wallet, then tap Buy Now.

Confirm and buy

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Send tokens to wallet from Kraken

From Portfolio, tap Withdraw.

Portfolio → Withdraw

Select USDC.

Select asset

Select Polygon (USDC).

Select network

Now you need your wallet address from MetaMask. In MetaMask's home view, tap the copy icon at the top.

MetaMask home → copy icon

Find Polygon in the list and tap the copy icon next to it.

Copy your Polygon address

Back in Kraken, paste the copied address into Withdrawal address, and give it a name.

Paste your address

Enter the amount and tap Review.

Enter amount

Review the details and tap Confirm.

Review and confirm

Note! At this point, with the money in MetaMask wallet, the cost via Kraken has been 3.3% of the original €100.

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Send tokens to wallet from OKX

From Portfolio, tap Transfer.

Portfolio → Transfer

Tap Withdraw.

Deposit or Withdraw → Withdraw

Select USDC.

Select asset

Select Unhosted wallets.

Select destination

Select Polygon.

Select network

Now you need your wallet address from MetaMask. In MetaMask's home view, tap the copy icon at the top.

MetaMask home → copy icon

Find Polygon in the list and tap the copy icon next to it.

Copy your Polygon address

Back in OKX, paste the copied address into Enter address.

Paste your address

Enter the amount, or tap Max.

Enter amount

Confirm that it's your own address.

Confirm ownership

Acknowledge that it's your own address.

Consents & acknowledgements

Review the details and tap Confirm.

Review and confirm

Done — your withdrawal is on its way.

Receipt

Note! At this point, with the money in MetaMask wallet, the cost via OKX has been 0.8% of the original €100.

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Send tokens to wallet from CoinBase

On the Home screen in CoinBase, tap Transfer

Home tab → Transfer

Tap Send crypto.

Send crypto

Now you need your wallet address from MetaMask. In MetaMask's home view, tap the copy icon at the top.

MetaMask home → copy icon

Find Polygon in the list and tap the copy icon next to it.

Copy your Polygon address

Back in CoinBase, paste the copied address into Enter address.

Paste your address

Select USDC.

Select asset

Select Polygon.

Select network

Confirm that we can accept the token and network.

Confirm

Enter the amount, or tap Max.

Enter amount

Pick Self-custody wallet.

Self-custody wallet

Enter that it's your own address.

Confirm ownership

Review the details and tap Send now.

Review and confirm

Note! At this point, with the money in MetaMask wallet, the cost via CoinBase has been 0.3% of the original €100.

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Get gas money

If you try to send a token and see a red "Network fee" warning, it means you don't hold the token needed to pay the network fee (commonly called gas). Note which token it's asking for — once you have it, the fee itself will be less than a cent.

Red network fee warning

From MetaMask's home screen, tap Swap.

Home → Swap

Select the token you were trying to send, and swap it for the gas token (the main token on that network — the same one you saw next to the network fee warning). You don't need much: the fee was less than a cent, so even a few cents is enough. I usually swap about a dollar's worth to be safe.

Swap a small amount for gas

Now you can send your token — the network fee warning is gone and Confirm is enabled.

Send goes through

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Swap to a different token/network

Depending on your destination and what token (USDC/USDT) you were able to get in the exchange you may have to swap to the token-network combination of the site you're depositing to. Here you can find the best token for the site you're depositing to.

From MetaMask's home screen, tap Swap.

Home → Swap

Select the token you were able to get from the exchange, and swap it for the token you need.

Swap to the token that fits your poker site

You'll see this bridge screen and it can take a minute or two, because there are more than one transaction going on in the background. But if you don't see your token after a little while you may have to import it in MetaMask.

Bridging.

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Token not showing up in MetaMask?

MetaMask only displays tokens it already knows about. If you've received or swapped into something new, you sometimes need to add it manually — this doesn't affect your balance, it just tells MetaMask to display it.

From MetaMask's home screen, tap Tokens.

Home → Tokens

Tap the + button.

Tokens → +

Select the network your token is on (e.g. Polygon), search for the token by name or symbol, check the box next to it, then tap Next to import.

Select network, search, and import

Make sure you pick the correct network — the same one you sent or swapped the token on. If you import it on the wrong network, it still won't show up.

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Send tokens to CoinPoker

For CoinPoker I recommend using USDT/USDC on Polygon.

Go to wallet, deposit and select token and network. Then copy the provided address (this is your address on CoinPoker).

Wallet → deposit → copy address

On MetaMask home screen tap send.

Tap send

Select the token (on the correct network) you want to send.

Select token+network

Select the amount (or just tap max).

Select amount

Paste the address you copied in the CoinPoker app.

Paste address

Review the address and confirm.

Review and confirm

The money arrives in seconds and the whole operation cost us 0.3% (assuming that we used CoinBase) plus less than a cent in gas money.

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Send tokens to Phenom Poker

For Phenom I recommend using USDT/USDC on Polygon, but they offer several token-network combinations without any fees.

Go to wallet, deposit and tap Stablecoins.

Wallet → deposit → Stablecoins

Select token and network. Then copy the provided address (this is your address on Phenom).

copy address

On MetaMask home screen tap send.

Tap send

Select the token (on the correct network) you want to send.

Select token+network

Select the amount (or just tap max).

Select amount

Paste the address you copied in the Phenom app.

Paste address

Review the address and confirm.

Review and confirm

The money arrives in seconds and the whole operation cost us 0.3% (assuming that we used CoinBase) plus less than a cent in gas money.