All of our content is written by Canadian crypto experts, not robots. We ensure each article is reviewed and updated regularly. Learn More

We earn commissions through referral links to crypto exchanges and products on this site. However, this does not impact our reviews or ratings. Learn More

Listen

Bitcoin Well VS. Beaver Bitcoin: What Works Better For Canadians in 2025

Oleg Galeev

Last updated September 22, 2025

Beaver Bitcoin and Bitcoin Well are two Canadian platforms that make it easy to buy and self-custody Bitcoin. While both focus on simplicity and transparency, Beaver Bitcoin is newer and extremely streamlined, whereas Bitcoin Well has a longer history, a public listing, and more purchase options such as ATMs and bill payments.

Description

Bitcoin Well is a Canadian bitcoin platform that gives customers the choice of buying bitcoin online through their bank or with cash at one of their roughly 200 Bitcoin ATMs across Canada. Every purchase is sent directly to the customer's own wallet, and the platform never takes custody of your coins. Bitcoin Well has also expanded into the US, where its online portal operates in all 50 states.

Coins

Bitcoin only, with full Lightning Network support for buying, selling and even paying bills.

Fees

The online portal charges a 1.2% spread on buys, sells and bill payments, with no withdrawal, account or hidden fees. In your dashboard you can pick your blockchain fee setting: choose the free batched option if you don't mind waiting a few hours, or pay a priority fee if you need your bitcoin right away. Lightning transactions skip miner fees entirely. Cash vouchers carry higher costs (a 4% funding fee plus a 3% spread), and ATM purchases carry typical ATM premiums.

Pros

  • Immediate self-custody of assets
  • Option to buy bitcoin with cash at ATMs or via cash vouchers
  • Buy online with Interac e-Transfer, wire transfer or bill payment from your bank
  • Lightning Network support for instant, near-free transactions
  • Sell bitcoin directly from your own wallet
  • Pay bills and buy gift cards with bitcoin
  • Public company (TSXV: BTCW), which offers transparency

Cons

  • Only Bitcoin available
  • 1.2% spread is not the cheapest in Canada
  • No advanced order types

Account Limits

  • Personalized limits shown in your account dashboard
  • Transactions of $50,000 or more go through Bitcoin Well Infinite, their OTC desk with a dedicated advisor for high-value transfers
 
 

App

Methods to buy

  • Interac e-Transfer
  • Wire transfer
  • Bill payment from your online banking
  • Cash via Bitcoin ATMs
  • Cash vouchers

Security

As a public company Bitcoin Well has a duty to be transparent with its investors and adhere to all Canadian regulations. Additionally, since you always take full custody of your bitcoin, you do not need to worry much about platform security, because your coins are never sitting on an exchange in the first place.

Mobile and Desktop Trading

Both exchanges are built with simplicity in mind, but they differ in how polished their platforms are:

  • Beaver Bitcoin: Operates mainly through a clean web dashboard that works smoothly on desktop and mobile browsers. There isn’t a dedicated mobile app, but the interface is minimal, making it easy for beginners to set up recurring buys or one-time purchases.

  • Bitcoin Well: Offers a desktop platform. Bitcoin Well’s desktop platform is also straightforward and includes more functionality than Beaver Bitcoin.

Bitcoin Well

Bitcoin Well has a simple website since most transactions happen either in person at a Bitcoin ATM or through your bank. Once your account is verified, you get full access to your online dashboard, where you can set blockchain fee preferences, manage recurring buys and pay bills.

Transaction limits on Bitcoin Well

Setting up the account with Bitcoin Well

Security Compliance

As a public company Bitcoin Well has a duty to be transparent with its investors and adhere to all Canadian regulations. Additionally, since you always take full custody of your bitcoin, you do not need to worry too much about the security measures of the platform, since you hold your bitcoin yourself. 

  • Beaver Bitcoin: Security relies on its non-custodial model. Since Bitcoin is immediately sent to your own wallet, the platform never holds your funds. The main trust factor is that Beaver successfully sends BTC to your address each time.

  • Bitcoin Well: Also non-custodial, with the added transparency of being a publicly traded company. It follows strict reporting rules and emphasizes safe delivery of funds either online or through its ATMs.

Which is safer? Both are safe since they don’t hold your Bitcoin. However, Bitcoin Well’s public company status and decade-long track record provide additional peace of mind compared to Beaver Bitcoin’s shorter history.

Regulatory Compliance

Bitcoin Well is registered with FINTRAC (registration M19811620) and with Revenu Québec, and is fully legal in Canada. As a company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, it also publishes audited financials, a level of transparency almost no other Canadian bitcoin platform offers.

Both Beaver Bitcoin and Bitcoin Well are registered with FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) as Money Services Businesses (MSBs). This means they are fully compliant with Canada’s federal anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) laws, specifically under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA). Compliance requires KYC verification, transaction monitoring, and regular reporting to FINTRAC.

Customer support

Bitcoin Well runs an in-house Canadian support team available around the clock, and you can browse their help centre, open a support ticket, or even call or text their team. Most crypto platforms do not offer a phone number, so this is a big plus. Their Trustpilot rating sits around 4 stars across a modest number of reviews.

  • Beaver Bitcoin: Offers website-based support. As a small team, response times may be slower, but the service is considered straightforward enough that many users won’t need frequent help.

  • Bitcoin Well: Provides a more comprehensive support system, including online help articles, ticket submission, and even phone or text support. This is rare in the crypto exchange space and makes Bitcoin Well more accessible for users who prefer direct communication.

Conclusion

Both Beaver Bitcoin and Bitcoin Well give Canadians an easy, non-custodial way to buy Bitcoin. Bitcoin Well wins in terms of experience, features, and customer support, while Beaver Bitcoin shines with simplicity, transparency, and a clean user experience perfect for beginners.

Winner: Bitcoin Well — while both are excellent, Bitcoin Well is the better choice for Canadians who want a simple, no-nonsense platform with flat, transparent fees and the quickest path to long-term Bitcoin savings.

We recommend choosing Bitcoin Well over Beaver Bitcoin for your cryptocurrency trading needs. By opting for Bitcoin Well through our referral link, you support us in conducting comprehensive independent analyses of crypto trading options for Canadians.

If you find that neither Beaver Bitcoin nor Bitcoin Well meets your requirements, we encourage you to explore our monthly-updated list of the best exchanges for Canadians to trade crypto. This list provides a range of alternative options that may better suit your specific needs and preferences.

Author

Oleg is a Canadian citizen & crypto expert who has been trading since 2016. He started out with Coinbase, Kraken and Peer-to-Peer exchanges. After some time, centralized exchanges started charging crazy fees to their users.

He decided to review different crypto exchanges that operate in Canada and start a Youtube channel in order to educate Canadians on what kinds of things are going inside each one while giving them unbiased advice. On top of that, Oleg also has experience with NFT, airdrops, and crypto staking and he is constantly checking on new crypto assets.

His writing has been featured in popular Canadian media sources such as Toronto Sun and Ottawa Citizen. 

Discover Your Perfect Canadian Crypto Exchange!