How to buy Bitcoin (BTC) from Australia

By   |   Verified by David Boyd   |   Updated 9 Feb 2024

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There are a number of ways to buy Bitcoins. You can buy Bitcoin on an exchange, using a broker, or you can buy it from someone who already owns some. There are even Bitcoin ATMs.

If you want to know where and how you can buy Bitcoin from Australia today, this is the guide for you.

Crypto exchanges

Buying Bitcoin using a crypto exchange is very common and there are a lot to choose from. Some of them are more established than others and there are several exchanges based in Australia such as Swyftx and CoinSpot.

To buy Bitcoin using an exchange, you’ll need to set up an account and then verify your identity by providing some personal information. Typically you will need to provide your name, address, and a proof of identity like an ID card, passport, or driving licence. Exchanges differ in their verification requirements, so it could take you anywhere between a few minutes to over a week before you can buy and sell on their platform, which is a long time in crypto investment.

Once you have been verified, you can fund your account by linking up your bank account or credit card and buy some Bitcoin. There is a fee to buy Bitcoin using an exchange and they typically vary depending on the size of the trade and where you are located vis-a-vis the exchange.

Binance Australia

On website

Highlights

  • Sign up on Binance Australia to get a 100 USDT cashback voucher. Terms and Conditions apply.
  • World's largest crypto exchanges.
  • Buy, sell, trade, and stake 1,000s of crypto coins and trading pairs.
  • Zero-fee deposit via PayID or Osko from Australia.

Pros

  • It has some of the lowest trading fees out there. 0.1% for spot trading and 0.5% for instant buy or sell fees.
  • Credit card or debit card deposits are accepted.
  • Provides charting and trading tools suitable for advanced crypto traders.

Cons

  • The platform UI can be complicated to learn for new investors.
Swyftx

On website

Highlights

  • Receive $10 worth of BTC when you sign up and verify your account.
  • Trade over 300 assets on Swyftx including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple and Litecoin as well as DeFi coins such as UniCoin.
  • Deposit or withdraw funds from your account using several payment methods (PayID, OSKI, POLi or bank transfers).
  • New to Crypto? Try Swyftx's demo mode, it allows you to mock trade with no financial risk while you learn the ropes of crypto trading.

Pros

  • Trade more than 300 crypto assets through the Swyftx platform.
  • Offers tight spreads and low trading fees.
  • Get support within 5 minutes through their live chat.
  • Practice trading with a demo mode.

Cons

  • Lacks access to advanced trading markets.
CoinSpot

On website

Highlights

  • Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and over 370 other digital currencies.
  • Refer a friend and earn $10 BTC.
  • Get 24/7 helpdesk support.

Pros

  • Trade for only 0.1% and withdraw in AUD for free.
  • Multiple deposit options.
  • Access CoinSpot NFT Marketplace.
  • CoinSpot is regulated by AUSTRAC and is ISO certified

Cons

  • Margin trading is not available.
eToro Crypto

On website

Crypto assets are unregulated & highly speculative. No consumer protection. Capital at risk.

Highlights

  • Access thousands of assets across multiple categories.
  • Copy trades of popular investors that trade Crypto.
  • Access powerful analysis tools and innovative social features.

Pros

  • The user-friendly website and app make it easy to trade from anywhere.
  • Trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 60+ other crypto assets.
  • With its CopyTrader feature, you can replicate the moves of other investors.
  • Start trading with just $10.

Cons

  • There is a 1% fee that is added to the market price.
  • Other exchanges have more selections of crypto coins and tokens.
Uphold Crypto

On website

Crypto assets are highly volatile. Your capital is at risk. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

Uphold Crypto

Highlights

  • Invest in 250 + cryptocurrencies and stablecoins, 27 national currencies, and multiple precious metals with 0% commission.
  • Ability to trade crypto against other assets like foreign currency and commodities.
  • Registered with FinCEN (US), FCA (UK), and FCIS (Lithuania).

Pros

  • Open an account in less than a minute.
  • Low deposit requirement and commission-free trading.
  • Option to trade fiat currencies and precious metals.

Cons

  • High spreads on low-liquidity assets.

Brokers

It is increasingly common for brokers to offer crypto as an asset class alongside other tradable assets such as shares, precious metals, and currencies. Although the likes of CommSec have yet to make crypto a tradable asset, others like eToro and CMC Markets do. (If you already have a trading account, it would be worth checking in case you can use it to buy Bitcoin before opening another.)

There is not much difference between signing up for a stock broker or a crypto exchange, but what is worth considering is this: do you plan on investing in crypto alone, or would you also like the ability to also trade shares?

If you would like to buy Bitcoin, trade crypto, and also be able to trade markets, then you'll need to use a stock broker since crypto exchanges are typically solely focussed on crypto.

Stock brokers typically charge a fee in the spread, i.e. the difference in the buy and sell price. Fees vary between brokers and are similar to those charged by exchanges.

eToro

On website

eToro AUS Capital Limited AFSL 491139. eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.

Highlights

  • Trade and invest in top financial instruments, including a wide selection of stocks.
  • eToro is regulated by CySec, FCA, and ASIC.
  • Your funds are protected by industry-leading security protocols.
  • Earn up to 5.3% annual interest on your balance.*

*Applicable to uninvested funds. Your capital is at risk. Eligibility and Terms & Conditions apply.

CMC Markets

Highlights

  • Trade your preferred instruments such as FOREX, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Commodities, Shares & ETFs and Treasuries from around the world.
  • Keep your trading costs down with competitive spreads, commissions and low margins.
  • CMC Markets' educational material is written by a team of global market analysts and strategists with many years of experience trading in financial markets.

Other ways to buy Bitcoin

If you would rather not use an exchange or broker to buy Bitcoin, there are some other options available.

Digital banks

Digital banks like Revolut are positioning themselves much like a one-stop-shop for all your banking needs. In many ways, Revolut could be considered a financial "super-app" since it offers a broad range of banking services from a debit card with intelligent budgeting to money transfers and crypto.

Other digital banks in Australia such as 86 400 and Up are yet to offer crypto, whereas it has been available on Revolut since 2017.

As a way of buying Bitcoin — and several other crypto coins — Revolut is a viable option considering you can set up an account with Revolut without switching from whoever you currently bank with.

Revolut charge a margin for exchanging Bitcoin. The fee you have to pay depends on the plan you have and ranges from 1.5% to 2.5%.

Buying from an individual

If you know someone who has some Bitcoin, you can buy it from them, i.e. trade Bitcoin for AUD or something else of value. The seller will need to know your wallet ID — you can think of this like an address that's unique to you‚ in order to transfer the Bitcoin into your ownership.

However, let me be clear: this is not without its risks and dangers, especially when it comes to buying from a stranger. Be very careful because unless you trust the seller you are dealing with, they could take your money or goods and then not transfer the Bitcoin.

If you still want to buy Bitcoin from someone, then consider mitigating your risk by using an Escrow service. There are several to choose from, and it may well be a cost worth incurring if it protects you from fraudulent sellers.

Bitcoin ATMs

There are several Bitcoin ATMs, also known as BTMs, located around in Australia. While possible, buying Bitcoin from an ATM is not without its problems.

First of all, Bitcoin ATMs are not easily accessible. There are very few of them in Australia, and those that do exist tend to be located in the capital cities (for obvious reasons we won't go into). If you don't live nearby, simply getting to them will cost money and time, and time is of the essence with Bitcoin.

And then there are the fees. Using a Bitcoin ATM does not come cheap, with fees ranging from 10 - 20% and higher — considerably more than it would cost to use an exchange, stock broker, or Revolut.

Where to store your Bitcoin

Just the way you store cash in a physical wallet, you can store Bitcoin in a digital wallet. Digital wallets can be either software-based or hardware-based.

These wallets store the information you need to make transactions. Though these wallets are described as a place to store crypto assets like Bitcoin, they are essentially inextricable from the blockchain.

Digital wallets are primarily of two types, i.e., hot wallets and cold wallets. While hot wallets are accessible online, cold wallets are intentionally kept offline to keep hackers from gaining access. Hardware wallets are also considered cold wallets because they have no direct connection to the internet and are the most secure way to store Bitcoin.

Final thoughts

There are many many ways to buy Bitcoin. If you want to diversify your portfolio and invest in Bitcoin, you have lots of reliable, transparent, and regulated options.

Few assets experience volatility like Bitcoin — a cursory glance at its price will tell you everything you need to know. The question is not so much how to buy Bitcoin, rather it is should you buy it now or wait for the price to drop.

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