Canada's professional crypto trading platform — detailed review of Bitbuy's fees, advanced trading tools, security record, and who it's best suited for.
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Get KOHO Free — Code 45ET55JSYA| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2016 — Toronto, Ontario |
| FINTRAC Registered | Yes (MSB) |
| Coins Available | 30+ major cryptocurrencies |
| Express Trading Fee | ~1.5% spread |
| Pro Trading Fee | 0.20% maker / 0.30% taker |
| Deposit Methods | Interac e-Transfer, bank wire, crypto |
| OTC Desk | Available for trades $50,000+ |
| Security | Cold storage, BitGo custody |
Bitbuy offers two trading interfaces for different types of users:
Simple buy/sell interface — similar to Newton or Shakepay. You enter a dollar amount or crypto quantity and execute instantly at a spread-inclusive price (~1.5%). No orderbook, no market/limit orders. Best for casual buyers who want simplicity.
Full orderbook-based exchange with market orders, limit orders, and a real-time price chart. Fees are much lower: 0.20% for maker orders (orders that add liquidity to the book) and 0.30% for taker orders (orders that fill immediately). This is Bitbuy's key advantage for active traders — the lowest explicit fee structure among major Canadian exchanges.
For trades of $50,000+ CAD, Bitbuy's OTC desk provides competitive quotes with minimal market impact. Institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals often prefer OTC for large BTC or ETH purchases.
| Trade Size | Express Fee | Pro Taker Fee | Savings with Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | ~$15 | $3.00 | $12 |
| $5,000 | ~$75 | $15.00 | $60 |
| $25,000 | ~$375 | $75.00 | $300 |
| $100,000 | ~$1,500 | $300.00 | $1,200 |
The Pro interface pays off quickly for anyone trading more than $2,000 at a time. Setting up Pro takes about 5 minutes and is available on the same account.
Bitbuy uses BitGo as its crypto custody provider — one of the most reputable institutional-grade custody solutions in the industry. Customer funds are stored in multi-signature cold wallets. Bitbuy was one of the first Canadian exchanges to implement a "Proof of Reserve" audit, allowing independent verification that customer funds are fully backed.
All users should enable 2FA (authenticator app). Withdrawal address whitelisting is available and strongly recommended for large accounts. As with all exchanges, consider withdrawing long-term holdings to a personal hardware wallet.
Bitbuy provides complete CSV transaction history exports from your account dashboard. These files work with Koinly, CoinTracker, and other Canadian crypto tax tools. For high-volume traders using the Pro interface, keeping ACB calculations current is especially important — consider importing monthly rather than waiting until tax season. See our crypto tax guide for full reporting instructions.