How to buy Aave (AAVE) from Canada

By Verified by David Boyd   |   Updated 9 Sep 2022

  • Aave (AAVE) is a well-known DeFi (decentralized finance) protocol in crypto markets.
  • Aave is completely open-source and lets you borrow assets, earn interest and build applications.
  • It is considered a very promising cryptocurrency.

Looking to buy Aave? Read our step-by-step guide to buying Aave Protocol from Canada.

Not sure which exchange to use?

Where to buy Aave

Bitbuy

On website

Highlights

  • Get $40 bonus when you sign up via Finty.
  • Trade quickly and easily on Bitbuy Express, or use the professional tools on the all new Bitbuy Pro.
  • Get low and transparent fees with live order books for advanced users.

Pros

  • You can earn a signup bonus.
  • Competitive trading fees.
  • Assets are insured and held in cold storage.
  • User-friendly website and mobile app.

Cons

  • Deposit and withdrawal fees apply.
NDAX

On website

Highlights

  • Get $10 when you sign up and deposit at least $100 in your account.
  • Has the lowest fees in Canada.
  • Set up recurring buys for assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and 18 other coins so you can invest in cryptocurrency on your own schedule.
  • NDAX holds a majority of user funds in an offline, multi-signature wallet.

Pros

  • Competitive trading fees at 0.2% for both selling and buying cryptocurrencies.
  • Get 24/7 customer support.
  • Earn by referring a friend.

Cons

  • Other exchanges have a larger choice of digital assets to trade.
  • Only available to Canadian residents
Coinberry

On website

Highlights

  • Register in just 60 seconds and start investing with as little as $50.
  • No CAD deposit and withdrawal fees.
  • Coinberry is insured, FINTRAC registered & PIPEDA compliant and is the only digital asset platform trusted by Canadian Government municipalities.

Pros

  • Easy sign-up process and instant verification.
  • No fees to deposit or withdraw fiat.
  • There is a $200 million crypto asset insurance.
  • Easy to use mobile app.

Cons

  • Limited choice of altcoins.
  • High trading spreads.
VirgoCX

On website

Highlights

  • Get $10 when you sign up and get verified and an additional $20 when you deposit over $100.
  • Competitive buy and sell prices with excellent liquidity and tight spreads.
  • Enjoy commission-free trading and 24/7 live support.

Pros

  • 0% trading fees
  • Free cash deposits and withdrawals.
  • VirgoCX also offers NFTs.
  • FINTRAC registered.

Cons

  • Only accepts CAD and USD as fiat currencies.
  • Other exchanges offer more coin selection.
Crypto.com

Crypto.com

Highlights

  • Earn up to 8.5% p.a. on your crypto, and up to 14% p.a. for stablecoins.
  • Spend with the Crypto.com Visa Card and get up to 8% back.
  • Shop with Crypto.com Pay and receive up to 10% back, paid in CRO.

Pros

  • Get access to additional features including lending, borrowing, debit cards, and more.
  • Start trading with just $1.
  • Interest-earning deposits are available.
  • There is a $2,000 referral bonus.

Cons

  • Lack of educational resources.

First time buying?

How to buy Aave

Step 1: Choose a crypto exchange

Aave is available on a growing list of cryptocurrency exchanges.

When comparing exchanges, look at what fees are charged for transactions (maker and taker or a spread). Check if there's a fee to deposit or withdraw fiat currencies, what options are available for orders (market, recurring buys, etc.), if it has a mobile app, and so on.

Step 2: Get verified

If you create a new account with a crypto exchange, you will be required to give some personal information (name, telephone number, and email address).

You'll then have to verify your identity for tax purposes. This can be done with any valid photo ID. The verification process will take no more than a few minutes to complete at most exchanges.

After your identity has been verified, you are able to fund your account and begin trading.

Step 3: Set a budget

You should only invest money that you can afford to lose, especially when it comes to cryptocurrency, which is a volatile asset.

Most exchanges have no minimum deposit requirement or, if they do, require a small deposit.

Step 4: Deposit funds in your account

You can deposit fiat (CAD) currency in your account, which you can transfer from a bank account or with a debit card. Interac e-Transfer, PayPal, Skrill, etc. may also be accepted, but funding methods vary considerably between exchanges. There will probably be a surcharge to deposit funds with a credit card at most exchanges, if they even accept credit cards.

Check whether your crypto exchange lets you trade stablecoins and other crypto tokens for Aave. Not all exchanges accept crypto-to-crypto trades, but if you already hold crypto in a wallet, you may be able to fund your account with it.

Step 5: Buy AAVE

If you aren't concerned about slippage cost and don’t have a trading strategy in mind, use a market order to buy Aave. Most exchanges also make it possible to set up trigger orders to be immediately executed whenever Aave is at a specific target price, which you can use to execute a strategy.

Some exchanges have automatic recurring orders that will automatically purchase more Aave at a specified interval, e.g. each week or month. This lets you take advantage of dollar cost averaging over time.

After you buy

Where to store your Aave

To have easy access to your AAVE tokens, you can keep them in the hot account in the exchange in which you purchased the tokens. It is possible to transfer them to a hot account you control in another exchange at a later time. Be aware that hot wallets are connected to the internet, and therefore, are susceptible to theft, hacking, and malware.

Cold wallets, in contrast, are specially-designed devices that do not connect to the internet. They're the safest way to store crypto. However, it’s a less convenient option for active traders.