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Topic: LocalBitcoins is no longer available in Germany ? (Read 7160 times)

legendary
Activity: 2870
Merit: 7490
Crypto Swap Exchange
By the way, it is very easy to still use localbitcoins.com in Germany, just switch to another country in the 'Change' link of "Showing advertisements in Germany. Change", siehe my other post about this.

Looks like they don't want lose customer & seller from Germany since transaction volume from Germany is very big, so they say their service isn't available in Germany, but they still left bug Roll Eyes
Maybe people in Germany will buy/sell bitcoin through TOR now Roll Eyes
newbie
Activity: 24
Merit: 0
By the way, it is very easy to still use localbitcoins.com in Germany, just switch to another country in the 'Change' link of "Showing advertisements in Germany. Change", siehe my other post about this.
legendary
Activity: 1372
Merit: 1014
you can change your location to a city in a neighbouring country, then look at the map

it is however a problem that people cannot edit/create ads, just enable existing ones

I am not so sure how temporary the problem truly is, so alternatives are needed....back to the old times, the Want ads?  Roll Eyes

Brilliant, really brilliant, how Germany is trying to head back into the past; just not sure if the BaFin is to blame or the scammers (which is LBCs fault then)  Angry

Most German sellers are acting illegally under German law. I don't know if LBC's "retreat" from Germany is the result of actions on BaFin's side or if LBC is just being proactive. In any case I doubt we'll see them return any time soon.

Mycelium's Local Trader seems to be an acceptable alternative for now.

P2P private transactions are not illegal, whether in cash nor other means of payment.

The Bafin is taking the stance that people who place an ad on LBC, are creators - not users - of the marketplace while responding to an ad is fine. I do not think that stance will fly in court. This would mean that any individual actively placing an ad for something (Ebay, small ads, whatever) would automatically be considered a professional dealer and subject to all sorts of regulations. On top of that there is still the question, is BTC money at all? If it is merchandise, not money, it would be treated like gold (which can be bought at professional dealers up to EUR 10 000 per day, for cash, anonymously).

But of course, people and LBC staff try to avoid legal hassle and this is the result.

I hope that this is taken to court soon, because it would be so wonderful if a court ruling in Germany states than BTC is money.  Cheesy

legendary
Activity: 2226
Merit: 1052
Seems it is the time to make TOR version of LocalBitcoins.

That would be risky for the users as online FIAT transactions can easily be traced. F2F meeting may also get interrupted by agents.
sr. member
Activity: 350
Merit: 250
Seems it is the time to make TOR version of LocalBitcoins.

Didn't localbitcoins stop their service purposely only in germany? If so, they won't launch a tor website so that Germans can use it.
They did and I don't think this would be of much use. In order for your ad to "work" you need to accurately disclose what country you are in so any potential trader can send money to the right country via whichever payment method is being used
newbie
Activity: 4
Merit: 0
no buddy am from germany
hero member
Activity: 1680
Merit: 505
Seems it is the time to make TOR version of LocalBitcoins.
I don't think this would work very well. Whenever you trade with someone on a service like LBC, you are risking that the other party is some kind of attacker (potentially a government attacker seeking to discover the identity of people breaking their aml type laws)
sr. member
Activity: 384
Merit: 250
Seems it is the time to make TOR version of LocalBitcoins.

Didn't localbitcoins stop their service purposely only in germany? If so, they won't launch a tor website so that Germans can use it.
sr. member
Activity: 261
Merit: 265
Seems it is the time to make TOR version of LocalBitcoins.
legendary
Activity: 3598
Merit: 2386
Viva Ut Vivas
I still have my listings up. I did get contacted last week by a buyer and everything from there works fine.
They only recently (within the last few days) suspended service within Germany. I would imagine that some features would temporarily still work as they make adjustments to their site (and discover they forget to disable certain things within their site)

The things that weren't working last week are now working. I see no place where anything is blocked. Though I did not try to create a new sell ad.

Edit: I did notice the map does not display all locations. So you need to search by city.
sr. member
Activity: 350
Merit: 250
I still have my listings up. I did get contacted last week by a buyer and everything from there works fine.
They only recently (within the last few days) suspended service within Germany. I would imagine that some features would temporarily still work as they make adjustments to their site (and discover they forget to disable certain things within their site)
newbie
Activity: 16
Merit: 0
you can change your location to a city in a neighbouring country, then look at the map

it is however a problem that people cannot edit/create ads, just enable existing ones

I am not so sure how temporary the problem truly is, so alternatives are needed....back to the old times, the Want ads?  Roll Eyes

Brilliant, really brilliant, how Germany is trying to head back into the past; just not sure if the BaFin is to blame or the scammers (which is LBCs fault then)  Angry

Most German sellers are acting illegally under German law. I don't know if LBC's "retreat" from Germany is the result of actions on BaFin's side or if LBC is just being proactive. In any case I doubt we'll see them return any time soon.

Mycelium's Local Trader seems to be an acceptable alternative for now.
legendary
Activity: 1372
Merit: 1014
you can change your location to a city in a neighbouring country, then look at the map

it is however a problem that people cannot edit/create ads, just enable existing ones

I am not so sure how temporary the problem truly is, so alternatives are needed....back to the old times, the Want ads?  Roll Eyes

Brilliant, really brilliant, how Germany is trying to head back into the past; just not sure if the BaFin is to blame or the scammers (which is LBCs fault then)  Angry
legendary
Activity: 3598
Merit: 2386
Viva Ut Vivas
Strange, I can search by city in Germany and get a full listing of people. Not even logged in.
legendary
Activity: 1734
Merit: 1015
What if you are using Tor ?

It doesn't matter. Searching within Germany or creating offers in Germany is disabled site-wide.

Oops... that is difficult then.

Are Bitstamp & BTC-e are operating normally within Germany ?

Yes but they do not take cash (or allow cash withdrawals), which is the real problem here =/

Do u mean they are not allowing online transfer from Germany ? Then how come they are operating ?

Do I mean they do not take cash (actual Euro Notes) and they don't let u withdraw cash. They only take virtual Euros and they want your identity ...
legendary
Activity: 2226
Merit: 1052
What if you are using Tor ?

It doesn't matter. Searching within Germany or creating offers in Germany is disabled site-wide.

Oops... that is difficult then.

Are Bitstamp & BTC-e are operating normally within Germany ?

Yes but they do not take cash (or allow cash withdrawals), which is the real problem here =/

Do u mean they are not allowing online transfer from Germany ? Then how come they are operating ?
legendary
Activity: 1734
Merit: 1015
What if you are using Tor ?

It doesn't matter. Searching within Germany or creating offers in Germany is disabled site-wide.

Oops... that is difficult then.

Are Bitstamp & BTC-e are operating normally within Germany ?

Yes but they do not take cash (or allow cash withdrawals), which is the real problem here =/
legendary
Activity: 2226
Merit: 1052
What if you are using Tor ?

It doesn't matter. Searching within Germany or creating offers in Germany is disabled site-wide.

Oops... that is difficult then.

Are Bitstamp & BTC-e are operating normally within Germany ?
newbie
Activity: 16
Merit: 0
What if you are using Tor ?

It doesn't matter. Searching within Germany or creating offers in Germany is disabled site-wide.
legendary
Activity: 3598
Merit: 2386
Viva Ut Vivas
I still have my listings up. I did get contacted last week by a buyer and everything from there works fine.
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