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Bitget vs. Bitcoin Well: What Works Better For Canadians in 2024

Oleg Galeev

Last updated October 8, 2024

As Canada’s cryptocurrency market thrives, the challenge lies in selecting the ideal platform for trading needs. In this piece, we’ll dissect the specifics of two notable contenders: Bitget and Bitcoin Well, highlighting the intricacies of their offerings and revealing how they fare against each other in several critical domains.

Description

Bitget is a global cryptocurrency exchange for skilled users, known for copy trading, futures and a huge altcoin selection. Important: Bitget is no longer available to Canadians. In early 2026, following new CSA guidance, Bitget restricted Canadian users, stopped accepting Canadian sign-ups and added Canada to its list of prohibited jurisdictions.

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

Over 650 major coins and altcoins (some sources cite 1,300+ trading pairs), none of which are accessible from Canada.

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

Fees

  • 0.1% spot trading fee, discounted further if you pay fees with their BGB token
  • Competitive futures fees for derivatives traders

Low fees were always Bitget's main draw, but they're irrelevant for Canadians now.

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

  • Low trading fees
  • Huge altcoin selection
  • Advanced features like copy trading, futures and trading bots
  • Monthly Proof of Reserves with a ratio above 100%
  • 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

  • Not available in Canada
  • No Interac e-Transfer and no CAD support, even historically
  • Confusing for beginners
  • Never registered with Canadian securities regulators, and Alberta issued an investor warning before the full restriction
  • Only Bitcoin available
  • 1.2% spread is not the cheapest in Canada
  • No advanced order types

Account Limits

n/a for Canadians, since new accounts cannot be opened from Canada and existing Canadian accounts have been restricted.

  • 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
 
 

Methods to buy

Canadians cannot buy crypto on Bitget. The platform blocks Canadian users, and accessing it through a VPN violates Bitget's terms of service and can get your account frozen with funds stuck inside. If you were drawn to Bitget for altcoin variety or low fees, consider alternatives instead, which are registered to operate in Canada.

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

Security

  • 2FA and anti-phishing codes
  • $300 million+ protection fund for user losses (note: this is a company-run fund, not third-party insurance)
  • Monthly Proof of Reserves

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

Bitget boasts an impressive mobile application, evidenced by its ratings: 4.4 stars on Apple's App Store and 4.6 on Google Play. The app mirrors the advanced features of its desktop counterpart, albeit with a steeper learning curve for novices given its advanced charting tools and order book data. On the other hand, Bitcoin Well focuses on delivering a user-friendly experience, especially on its desktop platform. It prioritizes simplicity and intuitiveness, making it a suitable choice for those new to the crypto space.

Bitget

The Bitget platform is built for experienced traders, with advanced charting and order book data that can overwhelm beginners. The mobile app is well rated on both stores, but since the platform no longer serves Canada, the app is off-limits for Canadian users anyway.

Trading crypto on Bitget from Canada

Bitget desktop view (trading screen)

Depositing money to Bitget

Bitget depositing screen

Bitget mobile app main screenshot

Bitget mobile app main screen

Bitget mobile app screenshot

Bitget mobile app (coins)

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

Bitget uses two-factor authentication, sends alerts for logins and withdrawals, and offers an anti-phishing code to verify genuine emails. It maintains a protection fund of over $300 million to compensate users for losses where they're not at fault, and publishes monthly Proof of Reserves. Worth knowing: Bitget has had at least one security incident in its history and has been criticized for limited transparency around it.

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. 

Security remains paramount in the volatile world of cryptocurrencies. Bitget offers robust protective measures, including two-factor authentication and email notifications for various account activities. Their trump card, however, is their massive emergency insurance coverage, amounting to $300 million. This ensures a level of restitution in the unfortunate event of asset loss. Bitcoin Well doesn’t lag behind in this arena, with multi-factor authentication, cold storage solutions, and vigilant real-time monitoring to thwart potential threats.

Regulatory Compliance

Bitget is not registered with Canadian securities regulators and, as of 2026, Canada sits on its list of restricted jurisdictions. The Alberta Securities Commission had already warned investors that Bitget was not registered in the province before the broader restriction took effect. Canadians should avoid workarounds like VPNs, which breach Bitget's terms and put funds at risk of being frozen.

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.

Canada's regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies is stringent and evolves to protect its citizens. Bitcoin Well takes pride in its absolute compliance with Canadian regulations, assuring its users of legitimate operations within the nation’s legal framework. While Bitget, being a global player, complies with international norms, its specific alignment with Canadian laws remains less transparent than its counterpart.

Customer support

Reviewers frequently describe Bitget's customer support as slow or unhelpful, particularly for complex issues involving futures or copy trading. That matters less now for Canadian readers, since the platform is closed to them, but anyone with a legacy account trying to withdraw remaining funds should be prepared for a slow support process.

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.

Navigating challenges in cryptocurrency trading requires efficient support. Bitget unfortunately faces some criticism in this domain, with Trustpilot reviews pointing towards unsatisfactory customer service. However, this perspective may not be universal, and some traders still find value in Bitget's offerings. In contrast, Bitcoin Well excels in its customer support commitment. Their proactive approach, combined with their expert knowledge base, ensures users experience minimal hiccups.

Conclusion

Both Bitget and Bitcoin Well hold their ground as top-tier cryptocurrency exchanges in Canada. Bitcoin Well’s robust client support and unwavering compliance with Canadian regulations make it a dependable choice. However, given Bitget’s advanced features, competitive fees, diverse cryptocurrency portfolio, and considerable security measures, it slightly edges out as our preferred pick for 2024.

Bitcoin Well stands out from Bitget with its Recurring Buy feature, allowing users to automate Bitcoin purchases at set intervals. This is especially helpful for those wanting to invest gradually over time without manually handling each transaction. In addition, Bitcoin Well has expanded its services to cater not only to Canadian customers but also to the USA, broadening its reach across North America. These developments set it apart, especially for users focused solely on Bitcoin and long-term investment strategies.

Bitget has recently launched the Bitget Card, enabling users to spend cryptocurrency globally, enhancing accessibility and convenience. Furthermore, the platform now features zero transaction fees for USDC/USDT spot trading, positioning itself as a cost-effective option for Canadian users aiming to optimize their trading strategies. These updates further distinguish Bitget from other exchanges, offering both advanced features and financial advantages that are especially beneficial for traders focused on minimizing costs while maximizing efficiency.

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

If you find that neither Bitget 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. 

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