Safest and Best Crypto Exchanges in Australia

Many investors are concerned about the safety of their crypto in the current climate where many crypto services seem to be halting withdrawals and struggling with liquidity. If you're asking yourself, is crypto safe or can crypto be hacked - you're not the only one. That's why we've put together our list on the safest and best Australian exchanges to keep your investments secure.

The best Australian crypto exchange will have an excellent track record regarding security; for the most part, few have had major issues regarding being hacked. The best crypto exchange is a personal choice, so you will need to do your research and make a decision that suits your needs. So, to help you protect your investment, we have rounded up a list of some of the best Australian crypto exchange options in 2022. In doing this, we have looked at safety, the minimum deposit size, diversity of coins, their key selling points, whether they have a mobile app, the number of users, and what makes them stand out?

While we know that there are plenty of other criteria measures, we’re confident that this list will go a long way to helping you choose the safest crypto exchanges Australia has to offer. Let's dive in.

Swyftx

Swyftx was founded in 2018 and has since become one of the best crypto exchanges Australia has to offer. Swyftx also services investors in NZ. Swyftx takes pride in their customer service, user-friendly interfaces and educational content for beginners. They currently have more than 300,000 active users on the platform and are looking to expand their offering into the UK and Canada. Is Swyftx legitimate? Yes! They follow industry best practices and are registered with AUSTRAC.

• Is Swyftx safe? Swyftx has a dedicated security team in place, so if you're wondering, is it safe to keep crypto on Swyftx? The answer is a resounding yes! The main purpose of this team is to protect customer data and assets via the use of measures like, data encryption, 2FA, biometric authentication, breached password detection, and the cold storage of assets. They’re also ISO27001 compliant, which is an international standard on how to manage security information.
• Has Swyftx been hacked? No, to date Swyftx hasn’t had any hacks on the platform, but individual accounts have been compromised.
• Will Swyftx refund me if I'm hacked? Swyftx won’t refund you if your individual account is compromised through negligence. We can’t be certain if they will refund you if a breach was due to a security flaw on their end, but being AUSTRAC registered makes it far more likely they'd be forced to.
• Do you own your keys on Swyftx? No, Swyftx is a centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only decentralised exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can Swyftx freeze accounts? Yes, as is the case with most exchanges. This is not likely to happen unless you're using it from a restricted location or if Swyftx has been asked to do so by law enforcement.
• How many cryptocurrencies on Swyftx? Swyftx offers an excellent portfolio of coins to be traded, currently over 320 options.
• Does Swyftx have a mobile app? Yes, they launched a new and improved app in 2021 that is available in iOS and on Android.
• What fees do Swyftx charge? Swyftx currently has a 0.6% trading fee, and they don’t charge any deposit or withdrawal fees on AUD. There are standard blockchain fees on crypto deposits and withdrawals though.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Swyftx? Yes, a maximum of $100,000 a day in withdrawals. The minimum deposit depends on the crypto or method of payment for fiat currency.
• Does Swyftx have KYC? Yes, Swyftx are AUSTRAC registered and require photo ID and a selfie to verify new accounts. AUSTRAC is a government agency that helps to protect Australia’s financial services.

CoinJar

Is CoinJar available in Australia? Yes they are! They launched in 2013  which makes them one of the longest running crypto exchanges Australia has to offer. They currently have more than 600,000 users and offer more than 50 different cryptocurrencies to be traded.  They focus on the Australian and UK markets and are FCA registered. They also have a platform, CoinJar Exchange, for high volume advanced traders that offers a little more control over their trades. Is CoinJar regulated by AUSTRAC? Yes they are!  

• Is CoinJar safe to use? Yes. As one of the best Australian crypto exchange platforms, CoinJar’s security protocols include multi-level data encryption and multi-sig for hot wallets. CoinJar also use BitGo as their custodian for cold storage. In addition to those measures, they also have full currency reserves at all times and are AUSTRAC registered. 
• Has CoinJar been hacked? CoinJar hasn’t suffered any hacks or breaches to date. 
• Will CoinJar refund me if I'm hacked? Because CoinJar hasn’t had any hacks to date, we can’t be sure of how they will respond. But they are insured and hold full currency reserves at all times to cover more than 100% of customer balances. This means that a refund would be likely if their security protocols are breached.
• Do you own your keys on CoinJar? Unfortunately not, CoinJar is centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only non-custodial exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can CoinJar freeze accounts? Yes, almost all exchanges would reserve the right to freeze an account for fraud prevention, while identity checks are completed, or if compelled to by law enforcement.
• How many cryptocurrencies on CoinJar? CoinJar offers more than 50 different crypto options  to be traded on their platform.  All major coins are available, plus the most popular ERC-20 tokens. ERC-20 is a standard used for the issuing and creation of smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain.
• Does CoinJar have a mobile app? Yes, the CoinJar app is available for both iOS and for Android
• What fees will I pay on CoinJar? They have a 1% fee for conversions on CoinJar, and no taker fee on AUD pairs for CoinJar Exchange. They will also charge up to 0.1% for maker fees. So are CoinJar fees high? Compared to other exchanges in the market, CoinJar fees are relatively low.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on CoinJar? CoinJar has a minimum deposit of $10, while the maximum withdrawal is capped monthly, but  would depend on the account level each user holds.
• Does CoinJar have KYC? Yes, CoinJar are AUSTRAC registered and so they require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Independent Reserve

Independent Reserve Australia was founded in 2013, which makes them one of the most established crypto exchanges in Australia. They have a global footprint, but primarily serve the AUS and NZ markets, and have more than 250,000 customers. Their crypto superannuation offering is another reason why Independent Reserve is on the best Australian crypto exchange list. They offer investments for Self-Managed Super Funds and boast advanced features including API, automated trading strategies and OTC trading desk (a platform that deals with buyers and sellers directly).

• Is Independent Reserve safe? Yes, Independent Reserve run core servers that are located at two tier 3 data centres in Sydney. This helps to ensure zero data loss if one site has an outage. All data signed and encrypted multiple times using geographically dispersed keys at 4 data centres. They also operate cold storage for most digital assets with multi layer encryption. When it comes to account security, they have 2FA, email notifications on each login, instant account suspension from email link if an account has an unauthorised login, duress password to suspend account, withdrawals blocked for 72 hours after changes to account security, address whitelisting, browser whitelisting, bot shield, and even an option for PGP signed emails to avoid scams. Quite the list! So, if you have been wondering “Is Independent Reserve legit?”, the answer has to be yes!
• Has Independent Reserve been hacked? To date, Independent Reserve hasn't suffered any security breaches or hacks.
• Will Independent Reserve refund me if I'm hacked? As Independent Reserve hasn't been hacked we can’t be sure of how they would respond, but refunds due to a security breach on their end are likely as they're AUSTRAC registered. They also offer insurance on crypto assets for OTC services for high volume trade, which all bodes well for their users.
• Do you own your keys on Independent Reserve? No, your keys are held by Independent Reserve, but are spread around four data centres, geographically dispersed and with biometric ID for vault access as a security precaution.
• Can IR freeze accounts? As is the case with most exchanges, Independent Reserve may freeze accounts for security concerns or if compelled by law enforcement.
• How many cryptocurrencies on IR? Independent Reserve currently offers 30 different tokens to be traded on their platform.
• Does IR have a mobile app? Yes, the Independent Reserve app is available for both iOS and for Android
• What fees will I pay on IR? Independent Reserve has trading fees that are based on your 30 day trading volume. These are usually between 0.5% to 0.02%
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Independent Reserve? Deposits are often free on Independent Reserve, though there are exceptions depending on the amount, the currency, and method of payment, while crypto deposits are always free. Withdrawal fees will vary based on crypto or fiat currency being withdrawn as well as the  method being used. Minimum withdrawal amounts would also depend on the crypto that is being withdrawn, and would need to cover network fees.
• Does Independent Reserve have KYC? Yes, Independent Reserve ​​are AUSTRAC registered and so they require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

CoinSpot

CoinSpot was established in 2013 which makes them a well established exchange in the market. They offer investors more than 360 coins to buy, sell and swap and currently have 2 million customers. Are CoinSpot fees high? No, they offer a simple fee structure that makes them on of the best Australian crypto exchanges.

• Is CoinSpot safe? Yes, CoinSpot is ISO 27001 Certified, which is a specification for an information security management system. They also store assets offline in cold storage and offer customisable account security including 2FA, custom withdrawal restrictions and session timeout limits.
• Has CoinSpot been hacked? No, not to date, but CoinSpot has been targeted by many phishing scammers before so be aware.
• Will CoinSpot refund me if I'm hacked? Because CoinSpot hasn't had any security breaches yet we can’t be sure how they would respond. However they are highly compliant to government regulation and it is likely you would be refunded if the hack was attributed to their a flaw in their security protocols. 
• Do you own your keys on CoinSpot? No, CoinSpot is a centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only non-custodial and decentralised exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can CoinSpot freeze accounts? Yes, CoinSpot reserves the right to freeze any accounts. This is unlikely though and would only happen if you were using the exchange from a restricted country or there was a security issue. 
• How many cryptocurrencies on CoinSpot? CoinSpot currently offers more than 360 cryptocurrencies to trade on their exchange.
• Does CoinSpot have a mobile app? Yes, the CoinSpot app is available for both iOS and for Android
• What fees will I pay on CoinSpot? CoinSpot offers a simple fee structure,  0.1% on market orders and OTC, and 1% on instant buy, sell and swaps. This has helped make them one of the top crypto exchanges Australia has to offer.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on CoinSpot? CoinSpot offers free AUD deposits and withdrawals with POLi, PayID and direct deposits, but you'll pay a fee of 0.9% with BPAY and 2.5% with cash. There is a standard mining fee for crypto transfers to other wallets.
• Does CoinSpot have KYC? Yes, CoinSpot are AUSTRAC registered and so they require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Digital Surge

Digital Surge launched in 2017 and currently offers more than 300 cryptocurrencies for investors - as well as offering accounts for SMSFs. They boast low fees and pride themselves making crypto trading accessible and have a very user-friendly interface, as well as helpful features, such as recurring buys and allowing users pay bills with crypto using BPAY. All of this has helped them grow to one of the top crypto exchanges Australia has to offer.

• Is Digital Surge safe? Yes, Digital Surge offers 2FA for withdrawals, as well as cold wallet storage for most funds. In addition, all passwords are hashed and salted and they conduct criminal background checks for all employees. And if you’re asking yourself, “Is Digital Surge registered with AUSTRAC?” Yes they are.
• Has Digital Surge been hacked? No, Digital Surge hasn’t suffered a hack to date.
• Will Digital Surge refund me if I'm hacked? Because Digital Surge haven’t yet been hacked, it is not clear how they would respond, or if they would offer a refund. However, as they're AUSTRAC registered it is more likely that, if there was a security flaw on their end, they would refund users.
• Do you own your keys on Digital Surge? No, Digital Surge is centralised exchange, so you don't own your keys. Only decentralised and non-custodial exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can Digital Surge freeze accounts? Yes, as is the case with most exchanges, Digital Surge reserves the right to freeze any accounts. This is unlikely though and would only happen if you were using the exchange from a restricted country or if there was a security issue.
• How many cryptocurrencies on Digital Surge? Digital Surge currently offers 305 different tokens that can be traded on their platform.
• Does Digital Surge have a mobile app? Yes. The Digital Surge app is available to download for both iOS and for Android
• What fees will I pay on Digital Surge? Digital Surge generally charges 0.5% on buys and sells. While their marketplace trading fees are usually between 0.1% and 0.5%, based on your 30 day trading volume. 
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Digital Surge? Digital Surge don't have any withdrawal fees on AUD withdrawals, while crypto withdrawals incur standard mining fees for transfers to external wallets. Deposits of crypto and PAYID deposits are also free. They have a $2 minimum deposit and restrict withdrawals to $20,000 per day.
• Does Digital Surge have KYC? Yes, Digital Surge are AUSTRAC registered and so they require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Easy Crypto

Easy Crypto is one of the more popular crypto exchanges Australia and New Zealand markets can access. They offer outstanding customer service and a 100% safety guarantee on deposits.  With more than 150 cryptocurrencies supported, alongside transparent and clear operations, they’ve managed to grow to over 100,000 users to date.

• Is Easy Crypto safe? Yes. Easy Crypto offer 2FA for accounts, address book whitelisting, and they are the only Australian crypto exchange that offers a 100% guarantee on all transactions in the event of losses.
• Has Easy Crypto been hacked? No. To date, Easy Crypto hasn’t suffered any security breaches or hacks.
• Will Easy Crypto refund me if I'm hacked? Yes! Easy Crypto has a 100% guarantee that they will refund users if their security fault or flaw leads to a hack. 
• Do you own your keys on Easy Crypto? No. Because Easy Crypto is a centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only decentralised exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can Easy Crypto freeze accounts? Yes, but as with other exchanges it would only happen if you were using the platform outside of New Zealand or Australia, or if there were security concerns.
• How many cryptocurrencies on Easy Crypto? Easy Crypto currently offers 158 different cryptocurrencies to trade on their platform.
• Does Easy Crypto have a mobile app? Yes, the Easy Crypto app is available for both iOS and for Android
• What fees will I pay on Easy Crypto? 0.7% to 0.9% per transaction
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Easy Crypto? Easy Crypto has simple limits in place. Currently they have a minimum purchase amount of $100 and maximum withdrawal $100,000
• Does Easy Crypto have KYC? Yes. Because Easy Crypto are AUSTRAC registered they require photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

BTC Markets

BTC Markets was founded in 2013, and has since grown to be one of the top crypto exchanges Australia has to offer. They boast more than 325,000 active users in Australia trading upwards of $21 billion since their launch. They're a partner for the Ripple On-Demand liquidity program, offer free AUD deposits and withdrawals, and industry leading security protection. 

• Is BTC Markets safe? Yes. For personal accounts, BTC Markets has 2FA, rate limits, SSL encryption, and all personal data is encrypted. Better still, 98% of all assets are encrypted in cold storage. Is BTC Markets AUSTRAC registered? Yes, they are also ISO 270001 security certified and ADCA certified.
• Has BTC Markets been hacked? No, BTC Markets has remained incident free since launching in 2013. 
• Will BTC Markets refund me if I'm hacked? As BTC Markets hasn't had a previous hack, it is unclear how they would respond. However, as they are ADCA certified and AUSTRAC registered it's likely they would refund users if there was a hack due to a security flaw on their end.
• Do you own your keys on BTC Markets? No, because BTC Markets is a centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only decentralised exchanges give users ownership of their keys. BTC markets recommends storing your private keys in a non-custodial wallet, preferably a hardware wallet.
• Can BTC Markets freeze accounts? Yes. Though is unlikely BTC Markets would do this unless there were verification or security issues.
• How many cryptocurrencies on BTC Markets? BTC markets has 23 coins to be traded, a relatively small portfolio of currencies compared to some exchanges, but they offer all the market leaders.
• Does BTC Markets have a mobile app? Yes, BTC Markets has a mobile app that is available for both iOS and for Android
• What are BTC Markets fees? AUD market pairs trading fees are between 0.85% and 0.10%, based on 30 day trading volume.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on BTC Markets? AUD deposits and withdrawals are generally free with BTC Markets, although there may be charges that are linked to your payment method. Crypto withdrawals may also incur a network fee.
• Does BTC Markets have KYC? Yes, BTC Markets are AUSTRAC registered and so they require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Kraken

Kraken was founded in 2011 and is one of the largest global exchanges - which happens to be popular with Australian investors too. Kraken is one of the top crypto exchanges, with more than 6 million active users, trading nearly 200 cryptocurrencies. Much of Kraken's popularity comes down to the transparent nature of the team running things behind the scenes - the CEO himself is a firm believer in the not your keys, not your crypto mantra and encourages self-custody when you're not actively trading.

• Is Kraken secure? Yes. Kraken has Kraken Security Labs - a team dedicated to protecting user assets, testing third-party products and services and working with them to fix security flaws. Kraken also has an extensive bug bounty program for white-hat hackers. As for your assets - 95% of crypto is kept offline in air-gapped, cold storage. Meanwhile account security feature include 2FA and a global settings lock.
• Has Kraken ever been hacked? No, Kraken has never been hacked. But some accounts have been compromised due to user error - for example, falling victim to phishing emails.
• Will Kraken refund me if I'm hacked? They haven't been - so we don't know for certain, but it's likely. Kraken has previously refunded traders hit with by a dip in ETH price on Kraken where the price disparity from other exchanges was considerable, so historically the exchange has done its best to look after its users.
• Do you own your own keys on Kraken? No, Kraken is a centralised exchange so you don't own your keys. The CEO of Kraken recommends using a non-custodial, hardware wallet to protect your assets.
• Can Kraken freeze accounts? Kraken can freeze accounts, but they're unlikely to unless pressured by government legislation or law.
• How many cryptocurrencies are on Kraken? There are 195 cryptocurrencies available on Kraken exchange at the time of writing.
• Does Kraken have a mobile app? Yes, Kraken has a mobile app. There was also a Kraken Futures app - but this was discontinued in January 2022.
• What fees will I pay on Kraken? Kraken has a simple tier fee structure - between 0% and 0.16% for makers and 0.10% to 0.26% for takers, based on your monthly trading volume. There is also a 0.9% fee purchasing any stablecoins, a 1.5% fee for any other crypto purchase plus a transaction fee of up to 3.75% depending on payment method.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Kraken? Depending on your payment method, the deposit minimum on Kraken is as low as $1. Deposit and withdrawal limits on Kraken are based on account level - for example, there's a $9,000 deposit and withdrawal daily for Kraken express accounts.
• Does Kraken have KYC? Yes, Kraken are AUSTRAC registered and have KYC. Like many other exchanges, there are different levels of KYC - starter, express, intermediate and pro. Only the latter two require supporting documents.

Cointree

Cointree was founded in 2013 in Melbourne and currently has more than 80,000 registered users. They have become one of, if not the, top crypto exchanges Australia has for beginners thanks to their user-friendly interface and relatively low fees.

• Is Cointree safe? Yes. Cointree uses a hot/cold wallet system for all user assets. Security protocols for user accounts include 2FA and all passwords are hashed and salted. In addition to that, all employees are required to have criminal background checks.
• Has Cointree been hacked? No. Cointree has managed to avoid any hacks since their launch in 2013.
• Will Cointree refund me if I'm hacked? Because Cointree hasn't yet been hacked, it is not clear how they would respond, or if they would offer a refund. However, as they're AUSTRAC registered it is highly likely that, if there was a security flaw on their end, they would refund users.
• Do you own your keys on Cointree? No, Cointree is centralised exchange and so you won’t own your keys. Only decentralised exchanges give users ownership of their keys.
• Can Cointree freeze accounts? Yes, as with most crypto exchanges Australia has the reserve the right to freeze accounts if there are security concerns, or if user agreements are broken. 
• How many cryptocurrencies on Cointree? Cointree has a strong portfolio of coins on offer, currently there are more than 280 different cryptocurrencies available to trade.
• Does Cointree have a mobile app? No. Cointree currently does not have a mobile app for their users. 
• What fees will I pay on Cointree? Cointree fees depend on the account tier of each user. They usually charge from 0.9% for buying or selling, and from 0.25% for coin to coin trades. There are also no AUD deposit or withdrawal fees.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Cointree? Cointree has a minimum deposit of $20, and a maximum withdrawal limit of up to $10,000 a day. 
• Does Cointree have KYC? Yes. Cointree are AUSTRAC registered and require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Coinstash

Coinstash is an Australian exchange that allows investors buy, sell and trade crypto. As well as this, Coinstash offer some unique products for Australian investors including crypto bundles to diversify your portfolio and an earn program which lets you earn up to 24.48% PA in returns.

• Is Coinstash safe? Yes. Coinstash offers SSO encryption, multi-layered security, and 2FA on all user accounts.
• Has Coinstash been hacked? No. Coinstash remains a relatively small exchange and so aren’t generally targeted by would-be hackers.
• Will Coinstash refund me if I'm hacked? Coinstash hasn't been hacked we can’t be sure exactly how they would respond, but refunds are likely as they're AUSTRAC registered.
• Do you own your keys on Coinstash? No, Coinstash is a centralised exchange and so you don't own your keys.
• Can Coinstash freeze accounts? Yes. as with most crypto exchanges, Coinstash has the right to freeze accounts if there are security concerns, or if user agreements are broken. 
• How many cryptocurrencies on Coinstash? Coinstash boasts a large portfolio of tokens to be traded, currently they offer 436 different cryptocurrencies on their exchange.
• Does Coinstash have a mobile app? Yes. Coinstash has an app, available for both iOS and for Android.
• What fees will I pay on Coinstash? Coinstash has a trading fee of 0.85%.
• Are there any deposit and withdrawal limits on Coinstash? Coinstash has no deposit fees or limit, withdrawal limits and fees depend on the crypto that is being withdrawn or the payment method used for fiat.
• Does Coinstash have KYC? Yes. Coinstash are AUSTRAC registered and require a photo ID and some personal information in order to verify your account.

Bonus: Best Decentralised Crypto Exchanges

Now many crypto services are facing a bank run and fast running out of liquidity - many Australian investors are concerned about leaving their assets with a custodial exchange. While you can reap the benefits of increased security, many investors - like Celsius investors - have sadly learned first hand just how true the mantra, 'not your keys, not your crypto' is.

So what's the alternative? Well if you're not actively trading and instead hodling, we always recommend keeping your crypto in an offline, hardware wallet for starters. But if you want to trade, but don't trust any third-party custodians... decentralised crypto exchanges might be just what you're after.

Decentralised crypto exchanges work by utilizing liquidity pools - a collection of investor funds that facilitate trading and in return receive transaction fees as a reward. Anyone, anywhere can trade using a decentralised exchange (or dex) with no KYC necessary - all you need is a non-custodial wallet. Some popular and trusted options for non-custodial wallets include:

• MetaMask
• Trust Wallet
• MyEtherWallet
• Atomic Wallet
• Exodus Wallet

Once you've set up your wallet, transfer in the crypto you want to trade (or buy some) and head to a decentralised exchange to trade. Some of the most trusted and best decentralised exchanges include:

• Curve
• Uniswap
• PancakeSwap
• Balancer
• SushiSwap

If it all sounds too good to be true - then we'll take the time to point out that trading on a decentralised crypto exchange and using non-custodial wallets come with their own risks. For starters, your wallet is only as safe as you are. What we mean by this is that if you're not following best security practices for crypto then you're putting yourself at risk of being hacked. And if you get hacked, once your crypto is gone, it's gone. There's no chance of a refund as you were responsible for storing and securing it.

As well as this, dexes come with their own risks - with one of the biggest ones being liquidity issues. When a given pool, or indeed an entire dex, has liquidity issues, it affects all investors. Often creating panic and causing many investors to pull out at once, creating chaos and price disparity. Sometimes, this is deliberate and known as a liquidity rug pull - this is when bad investors will deliberately remove all their liquidity from a pool at once, leaving the other investors with now worthless tokens.

Finally, as they're decentralised, many dexes don't have the same security as centralised exchanges. In other words, they're only as secure as the developers working on the protocol. Security vulnerabilities are often exploited by hackers and many dexes have lost millions to these flaws and are unable to reimburse those who lost their crypto.

You should carefully assess the risks of using both centralised and decentralised exchanges and pick the option that suits you best. Most importantly, always follow best security practices for keeping your crypto safe whichever exchange you're using.

The information on this website is for general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice from Koinly. Koinly is not a financial adviser. You should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice to check how the website information relates to your unique circumstances. Koinly is not liable for any loss caused, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided directly or indirectly, by use of this website.