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Crypto.com vs. Bitvo: What Works Better For Canadians in 2024

Oleg Galeev

Last updated September 20, 2024

WonderFi and Bitbuy, its parent company, took over all Bitvo client accounts in 2023. This means Bitvo is now part of Bitbuy and isn't taking new sign-ups. If you're interested, sign up at Bitbuy instead. By using our referral link to sign up and depositing $250 in your account, you can receive a bonus of $50. Please note that the comparison provided below is now outdated and is preserved solely for educational and historical reference.

Crypto.com and Bitvo are leading cryptocurrency platforms that cater to different user needs. Crypto.com provides a broad suite of services, such as buying, staking, and lending cryptocurrencies, while Bitvo emphasizes a straightforward, fee-free trading experience with a strong focus on customer service.

Description

Crypto.com is a crypto exchange that is gaining popularity in Canada. It offers its own coin (CRO), staking, lending, NFTs, and pre-paid Visa crypto cards offering cashback. Crypto.com offers everything in one place and is suitable for Canadians looking for an easy way to buy crypto.

Bitvo is a cryptocurrency exchange that offers simple trading for Canadians. It's fully compliant in Canada and also has a crypto cash card that can be used for everyday purchases.

Coins

150+

You can purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin and more.

Fees

  • Free deposits
  • Variable Withdrawal fees
  • Send crypto to other crypto.com users for free
  • 0.04 to 0.4% maker/taker fees

The only fee you will pay is a 1% withdrawal fee

Pros

  • Wide range of coins available
  • Suitable for beginners and pro traders
  • Interac e-Transfer available
  • Deposits take up to one day to process
  • Visa cards
  • Staking
  • NFT marketplace
  • 20+ fiat currencies supported
  • Free deposits
  • No deposit fees
  • No trading fees
  • Low withdrawal fee
  • Beginner and advanced trading available
  • Bitvo Cash Card available
  • 24/7 customer support (including phone support)

Cons

  • No crypto education articles
  • Poor customer service
  • 1% CAD withdrawal fee
  • Limited number of coins available
  • Only for Canadians
  • High spreads

Account Limits

Low

A few withdrawal limits & deposit limit that could be found here

Methods to buy

  • Interac e-Transfer
  • Interac® e-Transfer
  • Wire
  • Canada Post Load

Security

  • 100% coins held in cold storage
  • Ledger Vault partnership
  • Multi-factor authentication
  • Mandatory whitelisting of withdrawal addresses
  •  It holds 95% of assets in cold storage
  • 5% in hot storage
  • A multi-layered firewall infrastructure to protect the exchange

Mobile and Desktop Trading

Crypto.com provides two trading platforms: a user-friendly mobile app and a more advanced Pro desktop exchange. The mobile app is rated 4.5 stars on the Apple App Store and 4.5 stars on Google Play, attesting to its reliable functionality. The Pro desktop exchange is suited for advanced trading, providing detailed charting and order types. Bitvo also offers a mobile and a desktop platform. Although it has fewer reviews on the app stores (three-star rating on iOS and no rating on Android), users commend its clean and intuitive interface. Bitvo's advanced trading platform is noted for its simplicity, making it an excellent choice for beginners as well.

Crypto.com

In the crypto.com app, users can buy and sell crypto easily. You can also directly stake or lend your crypto, apply for a crypto.com card, track favourite coins, withdraw to external wallets and more. The app is an all-in-one trading platform that’s user-friendly and suitable for beginners.

The app has a 4.3-star rating from 56,000 reviews on the Apple App Store and a 3.9-star rating from 200,000 reviews on Google Play.

If you’re looking for more advanced tools, you can use crypto.com’s desktop exchange. The exchange offers more charting and order types but the interface can be confusing for beginners. The crypto.com app has everything you need, so you’d only use the Exchange for slightly lower fees or advanced order types. 

Crypto.com advanced trading view

Advanced Desktop Trade

List of coins available for trading on Crypto.com desktop app

List of coins

Crypto.com app interface

Crypto.com app interface

Crypto com app while trading

Crypto.com app interface while trading

Bitvo

Bitvo’s mobile app does not have many ratings. Its iOS app has a three-star rating with 21 reviews and its Android app has a 3.1-star rating with 19 reviews. Some of the reviewers claim the apps are buggy and that the experience on their desktop exchange is better.

Bitvo desktop app main screen

Bitvo desktop app main screen

Bitvo desktop (trading view)

Bitvo desktop (trading view)

Bitvo mobile app

Bitvo mobile app

Bitvo app main screen

Bitvo app (main screen)

Security Compliance

Crypto.com is highly secure crypto exchange. They keep funds in cold storage, offer two-factor authentication to keep accounts secure, encrypt user data, and more. 

Crypto.com keeps 100% of users’ funds in cold storage, specifically in a Ledger vault. This percentage is the highest we’ve seen of any crypto exchange, showing crypto.com truly values security. Crypto.com also has $750M in cold storage insurance in case of theft. 

Crypto.com also makes its users whitelist all withdrawal addresses via email and users multi-factor authentication  - such as FaceID - to

It is standard practice to hold most digital assets in third-party cold storage and Bitvo is no exception. It holds 95% of assets in cold storage and 5% in hot storage.

Customers’ fiat funds are held in segregated bank accounts and they also have multi-layered firewall infrastructure to protect the exchange. They also have a third-party that screens any cryptocurrencies looking to be listed on Bitvo. They analyze the coin’s history as well as other factors and don’t list anything that doesn’t align with their policies. This scrutiny helps to protect their customers from investing in scam coins.

Both Crypto.com and Bitvo prioritize the security of their platforms. Crypto.com holds 100% of customer funds in cold storage and employs multi-factor authentication for all transactions. The platform also runs a bug bounty program to identify and rectify vulnerabilities. On the other hand, Bitvo holds between 95% to 100% of assets in cold storage, operates a multi-layered firewall infrastructure, and screens cryptocurrencies listed on its platform. It is apparent that both exchanges offer robust security measures. However, Crypto.com's extra initiative with the bug bounty program gives it a slight edge.

Regulatory Compliance

Crypto.com is fully regulated and can be accessed in Canada, USA (except New York), Europe, and other countries around the world.

Bitvo is registered with FINTRAC and is compliant with Canadian regulations.

Crypto.com upholds Canadian regulations, marking its prominence as the first international crypto exchange to ink a pre-registration commitment with the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). This underscores their dedication to delivering safe and lawful services to Canadian customers. Conversely, Bitvo is recognized as a registered Money Service Business in Canada, thoroughly adhering to the rules and regulations of FINTRAC.

Customer support

The customer support for crypto.com is quite slow. Users like the app, security, and the wide range of coins, but the customer service needs work. Crypto.com does not offer educational resources or a knowledge centre, which is a let down. 

Bitvo has 24/7 support including live chat, email, and phone support. Bitvo is the first cryptocurrency exchange we’ve reviewed that has a phone support option, so this is a big plus when you need urgent help.

Crypto.com's customer service, while a little slow, manages to resolve issues within 24 hours. Unfortunately, they lack an educational resource or knowledge center. In contrast, Bitvo guarantees 24/7 customer support, including live chat, email, and phone support options. They also offer a customer satisfaction guarantee that promises to credit users if there are delays in registration, deposits, or withdrawals.

Conclusion

While both Crypto.com and Bitvo offer valuable features for their users, Crypto.com edges out as the winner due to its broad spectrum of services, robust security, and commitment to regulatory compliance. It offers a comprehensive crypto experience including staking, lending, and a broad variety of cryptocurrencies. Improvements could be made in the realm of customer service, but overall, Crypto.com is a versatile platform for Canadians interested in crypto trading.

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

If you find that neither Crypto.com nor Bitvo 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.