Bitbuy vs. Binance: Which crypto exchange is better?

Binance is one of the largest and most comprehensive crypto exchanges in the world. However, it has come under increasing scrutiny from regulators around the globe. In contrast, Bitbuy is a much smaller operation which focuses solely on Canadian customers and is known for its compliance-focused approach to regulators. Here’s our Bitbuy vs Binance breakdown to help you choose the platform that’s right for you.

Round 1: Bitbuy vs. Binance on vital statistics

Looking at vital statistics, Binance does stand out for its size and features. As one of the largest platforms around it has a comprehensive amount of services including a debit card and the potential to earn returns on your crypto assets. However, Binance has experienced several issues with regulators in the past and is no longer operating in Canada.

While smaller in size, Bitbuy takes a compliance-focused approach to regulators. It is FINTRAC-registered as a money services business and is federally approved as a restricted dealer for digital assets in Canada. While it doesn’t have the same features as the larger exchanges, its Express Trade option is great for beginners.

Overall rating	★★★★★	★★★★★
Costs rating	★★★★★	★★★★★
Registered
Exchange location	Canada	Cayman Islands
Offers a debit card
	More Info

Winner: Binance

Round 2: Supported coins

For most crypto traders, Bitbuy’s variety of supported coins would be sufficient. It covers the major coins of BTC and ETH and a decent amount of altcoins. But for traders who are looking for something more, Binance has an extensive amount of coins. If you are looking for an obscure altcoin, the likelihood is that you will be able to find it on Binance.

Number of tradeable crypto assets	53	356
	More Info

Winner: Binance

Round 3: Supported fiat currencies

If you are a Canadian user who is not particularly interested in using other fiat currencies, then Bitbuy keeps things streamlined by only supporting the Canadian dollar. However, if you think there is a scenario where you may want access the exchange with more than just the Canadian dollar, Binance has a good range of supported fiat currencies.

Number of supported fiat currencies	1	71
	More Info

Winner: Binance

Round 4: Fees

Binance has some of the lowest fees among cryptocurrency exchanges. Deposit fees are low or non-existent and its trading fees are very competitive for both maker and taker trades. In contrast, Bitbuy does not compare quite as well. Its slightly more complex fee structure includes charges for withdrawals, as well as trading fees and crypto withdrawal fees.

Minimum deposits	$50 (Interac e-Transfer) or $10,000 (wire)
Deposit Fees	Crypto: 0% (network fees apply) Interac e-Transfer: 0% Wire transfer: 0%	None
Trading Fee	Bitbuy trade: 0.5% - 1.85% spread Bitbuy Pro: 0%-0.5% maker & taker fee	Maker: 0.015 - 0.1% Taker: 0.03 - 0.1%
Withdrawal Fees	Crypto: varies Interac e-Transfer: 0% Bank deposit: 1.5% Wire transfer: 1.5%	Fees vary
Deposit methods	Cryptocurrency, Interac e-Transfer, Wire transfer	Credit card, Cryptocurrency, Debit card, Simplex, Banxa, Apple Pay, Google Pay
	More Info

Winner: Binance

Round 5: Wallets

The Binance Wallet is a non-custodial wallet that is available as a browser extension. Users can keep control of their private keys, as well as connect to the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) and access DeFi services directly. Bitbuy has a built-in wallet for every account with insurance in place through BitGo to cover up to the full price of your assets. However, it is fairly limited in terms of functionality and the number of coins you can withdraw.

Winner: Binance

Round 6: Security

Bitbuy has some strong security credentials. It is a federally approved restricted dealer for digital assets in Canada and holds 95% of all its digital assets in cold storage. Security and regulatory issues seem to be Binance’s Achilles heel. It operates in a decentralized fashion but has come under increasing scrutiny from regulators across the world. It has been hacked in the past but the hackers were only able to access 2% of the Bitcoin reserves as the rest was held in cold storage. All affected users had their funds returned.

Winner: Bitbuy

Round 7: Ease of Use

While Binance has a lot to offer, it’s not necessarily the easiest exchange to use straight away. It’s easy to understand but difficult to master. But if you can persevere and familiarize yourself with its tools it can be very rewarding. Meanwhile, Bitbuy has an approachable UI that is easy to navigate for both new and experienced traders. Its Express Trade option means that new customers can get trading quickly and easily.

Winner: Bitbuy

Bitbuy vs Binance winner: Binance

It was a tough one to call in this battle, as both exchanges offer users something different. Bitbuy is smaller with a good beginner-friendly platform and strong security credentials. However, Binance narrowly wins based on its competitive fees and extensive range of services.

Written by

Kate Steere

Editor

Kate Steere is an editor at Finder, specialising in fintech, banking and cryptocurrency. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio

Kate's expertise

Kate has written 13 Finder guides across topics including:

• Fintech
• Banking
• Cryptocurrency
• Mortgages
• Payments