Coinstore vs Bitbuy: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Coinstore and Bitbuy This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Coinstore

Bitbuy

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Europe

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China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

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Coinstore is ideal if:

If you value broad crypto exposure and early-stage token access, Coinstore gives you hundreds of assets, frequent launchpad listings, spot and futures markets, plus staking and IEO options.
If intuitive design and mobile-first trading matter, its sleek interface and fully featured app make it beginner-friendly yet functional for seasoned traders.
If security and operational reliability are top priorities, it employs strong safeguards—cold storage, multi-sig wallets, real-time risk controls—though some community reviews note occasional trust concerns.

Bitbuy is ideal if:

Great for Canadian beginners — Bitbuy offers a secure, intuitive Express platform that makes getting started with crypto fast and simple.
Suitable for semi-experienced traders — The Pro Trade interface delivers advanced charting and order tools without overwhelming complexity.
Strong regulatory and security setup — Built for reliability, it operates under Canadian oversight with features like cold storage and third-party auditing, giving peace of mind.

Coinstore isn’t ideal if:

If you want smooth fiat on-ramp/off-ramp capability, Coinstore’s crypto-only deposits and withdrawals limit seamless transitions with traditional currency.
If you expect fast, reliable customer support, multiple user reports highlight slow responses, unresolved tickets, and issues during high-volatility periods.
If you prioritize regulatory security, Coinstore’s limited licensing and operating in unregulated or gray jurisdictions may offer less legal protection and recourse.

Bitbuy isn’t ideal if:

Not for global users — Bitbuy serves only Canadian residents, so anyone outside Canada won’t be able to access the platform.
Limited coin selection — Only offers a curated set of well-known cryptos, making it unsuitable if you want exotic or niche altcoins.
No advanced or passive tools — Lacks features like derivatives, leverage, margin, staking, or investment programs for more dynamic strategies.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Coinstore applies a flat 0.2% maker and 0.2% taker fee for spot trading regardless of volume, offering no stated discounts tied to holdings of a native token or tiered volume structure.

Bitbuy does not offer tiered pricing or native-token discounts; Express trades use a built-in spread instead of explicit fees, while Pro trades have a simple flat maker/taker rate around half a percent each.

Futures/Derivatives

Perpetual futures trades charge maker fees of 0.02% (reduced from 0.025%) and taker fees of 0.06%, while funding rates apply periodically on open positions to align with spot market prices.

Bitbuy doesn’t support any futures or derivatives trading, so maker, taker, or funding costs for these aren’t applicable.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Though not published directly, Coinstore’s flat-fee structure and spot liquidity suggest spreads in major pairs remain competitive and tight—suitable for standard crypto trading.

While Bitbuy doesn’t list spreads in conventional terms for those USD-pegged pairs, its Express trades embed a typical markup in the range of mid-single digits in basis points, reflecting the convenience rather than live order-book spreads.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat access is enabled via third-party partners like Mercuryo, Banxa, or Paxful using methods such as card payments or bank transfers; Coinstore doesn’t charge for this, but the providers may, and fiat-to-crypto conversion times can range from minutes up to several hours.

Fiat deposits are free via Interac e-Transfer or bank wire, and withdrawals via Interac normally cost a modest flat amount and arrive within 1–2 business days, with wires carrying a small percentage markup.

On-chain Withdrawals

Coinstore charges the network’s actual blockchain fee for withdrawals—dynamic and network-dependent (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX)—with no fixed platform-added rate.

Withdrawals of crypto like BTC and ETH use dynamic fees tied to network demand, while certain assets—such as XRP, LTC, BCH, XLM—are free to withdraw on-chain.

Hidden Costs

There are no reported inactivity fees or express-KYC charges, but conversion rates may differ subtly depending on the fiat provider; Coinstore itself does not layer on hidden surcharges.

Bitbuy applies an FX spread when converting between CAD and USD-denominated coins, charges no inactivity fees, and doesn’t upsell expedited KYC—a fairly transparent cost model overall.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

Buying €500 worth of BTC via a fiat-crypto provider yields USDT/USDC credited—no Coinstore fee—then trading that for BTC incurs a 0.2% spot fee plus usual bid-ask spread; if withdrawing on-chain, you’ll also pay the dynamic network fee.

If you purchased €500 worth of BTC via Express Trade, your cost would include the embedded spread (~0.5–1.5 %), then a dynamic on-chain network fee at withdrawal—so you’d pay the spread margin plus the miner fee at the time, with no extra platform markup.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Coinstore lists roughly 380+ cryptocurrencies across 410+ USDT-denominated pairs, and its top 20 by 24-hour trading share include heavyweights like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, SOL, XRP, BNB, DOGE, TRX, among others.

Bitbuy lists approximately 60 cryptocurrencies, offering a modest selection that includes major coins but lacks deep altcoin variety; around 28 trading pairs are active, dominated by top-volume assets like BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, DOT, and MATIC.

Product Range

The platform offers spot trading, perpetual futures with up to 100× leverage, Earn programs (staking), crypto Launchpad features, and API access; however, it does not support options, ETFs, margin beyond futures, copy trading, grid bots, DCA automation, or lending.

Bitbuy supports only spot trading and a staking product—no margin, perps, options, ETFs, lending, copy trading, grid bots, or automatic DCA features are available.

Liquidity

Recent data shows daily trading volume around $4B, with aggregated BTC/USDT volume surpassing $1.6B and ETH/USDT around $2B—demonstrating strong liquidity and depth for those core pairs.

While exact figures aren’t publicly available, the platform’s primarily Canadian user base suggests moderate liquidity with sufficient depth for typical retail trades in BTC and ETH, though volume trails large global exchanges.

Tools

Coinstore supports basic order types (market, limit), TradingView charts, and API/WebSocket trading, but lacks advanced order features like stop-limit, OCO orders, price alerts, or native order-management tools.

Bitbuy’s Pro Trade interface includes limit and market orders (plus OCO-style functionality via stop/limit combos), integrated TradingView charts, and API access—but it doesn’t offer price alerts or native WebSocket streaming.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain features—including derivatives, Launchpad, and Earn—are restricted in regions such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, the U.S. (and territories), Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

All Bitbuy services—including staking and spot trading—are exclusively available to Canadian residents; no products or features are offered to users living outside Canada.

Innovation

Coinstore stands out with its Launchpad token sales, enabling early project participation, and an Earn program offering staking-like yield, often including both flexible and locked-duration options for yield seekers.

Bitbuy doesn’t provide launchpad or launchpool services, and its staking setup follows a locked model tied to network bonding and unbonding periods, with no flexible-earn alternatives in place.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Coinstore is operated by COINSTORE PTE. LTD., a company incorporated in Singapore around 2020; its headquarters and legal operations fall under Singapore’s jurisdiction framework.

The platform operates under Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd (CCML), a Canadian CIRO-regulated brokerage, and Bitbuy Technologies Inc. is also overseen by the Ontario Securities Commission—all anchored in Toronto since around 2016.

Licenses/Registration

There’s no confirmed evidence that Coinstore holds formal VASP or MiCA registration, suggesting it’s not licensed under European or similar regulatory regimes.

Bitbuy holds a Money Services Business (MSB) registration with FINTRAC, CIRO dealer and marketplace member status via CCML, and limited dealer approval from the OSC—making it one of Canada’s most formally regulated crypto platforms.

Custody

Coinstore appears to manage assets in-house rather than through external custodians; no public proof-of-reserves, audits, or explicit cold storage percentages are provided on its platform.

own vs third-party; Proof of Reserves; audits; cold storage

Insurance & Protection Funds

There’s no indication that Coinstore offers any form of insurance coverage or dedicated protection fund for user assets.

They leverage BitGo’s institutional insurance, hold a financial institution bond over fiat deposits, and carry additional crime-theft coverage atop the standard custody insurance.

Incident History

Coinstore has no widely known history of hacks, regulatory suspensions, account freezes, or public fines, indicating a relatively clean incident record in the publicly available data.

Bitbuy has not suffered any known hacks or major security breaches, nor has it faced regulatory sanctions—indicating a clean operational track record to date.

Risk Controls

The platform employs standard security features such as 2FA, and may offer API permissions and anti-phishing safeguards, but lacks mention of features such as address whitelists or granular sub-account controls.

The platform enforces strong protections including two-factor authentication, ISO/SOC-compliant infrastructure, routine audits, and closed-source core systems; it also supports API access with granular controls.

Transparency

Coinstore does not publish monthly transparency reports or share public wallet addresses for client auditing, nor does it provide a formal SLA or guaranteed uptime documentation.

Bitbuy publishes a Trust Centre showing daily asset balances and trading volumes, delivers annual Proof-of-Reserves audits, and offers access to financial summaries upon request—providing a high level of openness.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Coinstore enables fiat deposits through third-party providers like Mercuryo, Banxa, or Paxful—accessible via “Buy Crypto”—offering payment methods such as bank transfers, credit/debit cards, or e-wallets; transaction limits vary depending on the provider, with options typically starting at around $10, and completion times ranging anywhere from minutes to several hours or sometimes up to a day, depending on process and KYC timing

Bitbuy accepts CAD via Interac e-Transfer (minimum around $20, processed typically within 24 hours) and bank wire transfers (higher minimums around $10,000 with 2–3 business days for processing); deposits by e-wallets or cards aren’t supported.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Coinstore employs two KYC tiers—Basic and Advanced—which unlock progressively higher withdrawal limits; for example, Basic allows single withdrawals up to 4,000 USDT and daily totals of 10,000 USDT, while Advanced increases these to 50,000 USDT per transaction and 300,000 USDT daily

Bitbuy requires full KYC from all users—there’s no tier without verification; limits are applied based on investor classification (Basic, Retail, Eligible, Accredited), where only certain tokens or profiles are exempt from annual purchase caps.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are subject to your KYC level limits, are processed via standard blockchain networks (e.g., ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20), and typically complete in alignment with network congestion—Coinstore itself doesn’t impose fixed withdrawal fees but passes on the actual network charges, and transactions may include necessary memos or tags depending on the coin

Crypto withdrawals are allowed across various networks with dynamic network-based fees; fiat withdrawals via Interac and wires follow the relevant limits and timelines, with no support for TRC20/BEP20 network options.

Customer Support

Coinstore offers 24/7 customer support through email, a live chat interface, and ticket submission; however, a call center is not available, and user feedback frequently notes delays and drawn-out resolution times, despite live-chat access being technically continuous

Bitbuy offers support via email and ticket system accessible through their Help Center, generally responding within a day—but there’s no live chat or phone support channel.

Languages & Localization

The platform and help center support multiple languages—including English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Bahasa Indonesia, and Korean—while displaying transaction amounts in local fiat formats where supported; however, localized regulatory disclosures vary depending on user region

The interface is natively English; fees are displayed solely in CAD—there’s no EUR or USD display option, and all operations comply strictly with Canadian regulatory standards.

App Quality & Stability

Coinstore’s app utilizes TradingView integration for charting and appears to be regularly updated, offering a responsive mobile and web trading experience; although there’s no publicly available data on crash rates or explicit stability metrics, the platform does emphasize a seamless UI in partnership with TradingView tools.

The Bitbuy mobile app for iOS and Android is well-regarded for its ease of use and timely updates, though some users report occasional performance or stability concerns on Android.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Coinstore delivers a clean and intuitive interface tailored for newcomers, without separate “Lite” and “Pro” tiers; there’s no steep learning curve, making it especially approachable for casual or first-time traders, though advanced users may find some features limited.

Bitbuy offers a streamlined “Express” mode that’s ideal for novices thanks to its simplicity, while the “Pro Trade” interface unlocks advanced tools and charting—making it easy for users to transition from basic to more sophisticated trading as they grow in confidence.

Performance

The platform tends to execute trades with acceptable speed, but during high-volatility spikes, users report occasional app lag and platform instability; bull-market KYC queues have sometimes delayed onboarding or higher-tier access.

The platform is known for a stable experience with minimal delays on routine trades; though during peak volatility or bull-market surges, users have occasionally observed minor order latency and extended verification waits, especially during high signup spikes.

Education

Coinstore offers basic educational content and news via its platform, but lacks a dedicated academy, demo simulator, or Spanish-language learning materials—leaving room for improvement for non-English speakers and hands-on practice features.

Bitbuy furnishes a rich educational hub featuring guides, tax breakdowns, and security tutorials, yet lacks a hands-on demo or simulator environment, and all materials are presented primarily in English without Spanish-language support.

Community

Coinstore maintains official Telegram channels for updates and community interaction, and runs a referral program offering standard 30% trading fee rebates (up to 60% for affiliates) on spot and futures trades—though no web forums or Discord server appear available.

Bitbuy maintains a referral program to reward users for bringing in new traders, but it doesn’t foster a public community hub, nor does it host official Discord or Telegram groups—relying instead on its blog and support channels for outreach.

Integrations

The platform includes its own built-in charting tools and APIs for automation, but it does not support TradingView integration, external trading bots, or tax/accounting tool compatibility—limiting ease of integration with third-party trading ecosystems.

The Pro interface is baked with native TradingView charting for technical analysis, plus API access for external bots and automations, though there’s no direct integration with tax preparation or accounting platforms.

Who Each One Is Best For

Coinstore is best suited for beginner to intermediate crypto traders who value simplicity, access to a wide asset range, and mobile-first convenience; it’s less ideal for advanced traders seeking deep analysis tools, full automation, or comprehensive educational modules.

Bitbuy is a standout choice for Canadian investors who value regulatory clarity, security, and intuitive progression from beginner to advanced trading, but it may fall short for power users seeking demo tools, multilingual instruction, deeper integrations, or broader community engagement.