Kraken vs Bitbuy: How these crypto exchanges compare

Exchanges play a vital role in the wider crypto industry, acting as entry points for new users, providing crucial on and off-ramps, as well as key products like spot and futures trading. Choosing the right crypto exchange means matching the platform to your trading style, product needs and risk appetite.

Bitbuy and Kraken are both credible platforms, but they cater to different users. Kraken offers global coverage, deep product breadth and institutional-grade infrastructure.

Bitbuy focuses on the Canadian market with local fiat lanes, a regulated framework and straightforward trading for domestic users.

In this comparison we analyze how the two crypto exchanges compare across product range, fees, regulation and security.

Founded in 2011 in the United States, Kraken is among the earliest and most established names in the cryptocurrency industry. Launched less than two years after Bitcoin’s debut, the exchange has earned global recognition for its strong focus on security, operational transparency, and a high-quality user experience.

Today, Kraken serves more than 15 million clients in over 190 countries. Its offerings range from the flagship Kraken platform for individual investors, to powerful all-in-one trading platforms for advanced and institutional traders via the Kraken Pro platform and Kraken Desktop app.

Kraken’s institutional suite that covers spot, margin, futures markets, staking, and OTC trading for qualified clients. Kraken also invests heavily in education through Kraken Learn, supporting both new and experienced traders.

Headquartered in Wyoming, Kraken underscores is committed to accountability with routine Proof of Reserves, a practice it introduced to the industry back in 2014. It was also the first crypto exchange to be listed on the Bloomberg Terminal, helping bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets.

With regulatory licenses across key markets including the US, Canada, UK, EU and a history of assisting with cases such as Mt. Gox creditor claims, Kraken has built a reputation for stable, compliant operations that make it a trusted destination for those seeking a secure and enduring crypto exchange.

Founded in 2016 by Adam Goldman, Bitbuy is a Canadian crypto exchange with a reputation for user-friendliness and compliance. It positions itself as a trusted, regulated platform for easy access to digital assets.

Bitbuy’s product suite is centered around spot trading — where it supports a curated (albeit limited) selection of cryptocurrencies. It delivers a zero-experience flow for beginners, while also providing charting tools for advanced traders. To top it off, the platform also offers staking on select assets, a personalized service for large buys, and white-glove support for businesses.

As a regulated option, Bitbuy is well-regarded among Canadian users (of which it claims almost 1m). Its integration with local payment methods significantly reduces barriers to entry, as do its beginner-friendly interfaces.

While Bitbuy serves Canadian investors well with regulated fiat rails, local compliance and accessible interfaces, Kraken appeals to users who require a truly global platform. Kraken supports operations in more than 190 jurisdictions, offers spot, futures, staking and institutional tools under a unified global infrastructure.

For users seeking international access, multi-asset diversification and a platform built for both retail and institutional clients, Kraken provides broader flexibility and reach compared to Bitbuy’s Canada-centric model.

Kraken’s product ecosystem is designed to support a wide range of trading styles and experience levels. Users can trade on the go with its streamlined mobile app or tap into more advanced tools through Kraken Pro, which offers detailed charting, custom order types and real-time market data.

The platform supports spot trading for all users, with margin trading (up to 5x leverage) and futures contracts (up to 50x leverage) available in eligible regions. Institutional and high-net-worth clients can access additional services through Kraken’s OTC desk and Kraken Prime offering.

Beyond trading, Kraken provides crypto staking on over 21 assets, with rewards up to 17% APY depending on the coin and network conditions. Users can earn passively by staking assets like Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) directly through the platform.

Kraken also supports global digital payments through Krak, a feature enabling users to send crypto or cash without transaction fees.

In 2024, Kraken released its Ink Layer-2 network built on Optimism’s SuperChain, providing a seamless bridge between centralized exchanges and popular DeFi protocols.

For those seeking to deepen their financial knowledge, Kraken Learn offers educational resources covering everything from blockchain basics to advanced trading strategies.

Bitbuy’s product offering is tailored to the Canadian market and emphasizes simplicity and accessibility. The platform supports spot trading of major cryptocurrencies against CAD, features an Express interface for newcomers, and a Pro trading view for more advanced users.

The platform also offers staking for a limited number of proof-of-stake cryptocurrencies, as well as an OTC desk for trades above CAD $20,000. However, Bitbuy does not currently provide extended derivatives markets, large-scale futures or tokenised stocks exposure the way some global competitors do like Kraken. Its focus is spot-first and domestic oriented, making it ideal for investors primarily trading in CAD spot markets.

Bitbuy does allow API access for tech-savvy users who want to automate their trading and manage their accounts programmatically. This API allows developers to create applications that can interact with the Bitbuy exchange, enabling them to perform actions like algorithmic trading, managing accounts, and accessing real-time market data.

While Bitbuy offers a streamlined experience for Canadian spot traders, Kraken delivers a broader and more scalable product ecosystem.

Kraken’s suite covers not only spot trading but also staking, futures, institutional services and global asset access.

If your strategy goes beyond CAD spot purchases and you require multi-asset exposure, derivative access or global market reach, Kraken’s product depth and infrastructure outpace Bitbuy’s more limited regional offering.

Clients can access over 600 cryptocurrencies on Kraken, including majors such as Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP (XRP) as well as a variety of altcoins, from memecoins to liquid staking tokens.

There are also more than 11,000 commission-free ETFs and stocks available to trade directly in the Kraken app. And for clients in eligible locations, they can invest in xStocks, which are tokenized versions of these equities.
Kraken supports withdrawals and deposits in ten major fiat currencies, making it quick and convenient for global clients to fund their accounts.

Supported fiat currencies include:

• USD (US Dollar)

• CAD (Canadian Dollar)

• GBP (Pound Sterling)

• EUR (Euro)

• JPY (Japanese Yen)

• AUD (Australian Dollar)

• CHF (Swiss Franc)

• ARS (Argentine Peso)

• MXN (Mexican Peso)

• BRL (Brazilian Real)

There are also 15 stablecoins supported, including Tether (USDT), USDC and USDG.

Bitbuy primarily supports the Canadian market, offering a selective listing of crypto. There are only 50+ coins available from trading on the exchange, including major cryptocurrencies like BTC, ETH, SOL, and DOT.

The platform focuses on CAD pairs with limited derivatives or fiat cross-jurisdiction listings. That makes Bitbuy well-suited for Canadian spot traders, but less expansive compared with global-tier exchanges like Kraken that provide hundreds of token options and multiple fiat rails.

Bitbuy’s asset library meets the needs of Canadian-centric traders with a focused token list and CAD-fiat support.

Conversely, Kraken supports hundreds of cryptocurrencies, staking opportunities and even tokenised equities/ETFs in certain regions, offering greater diversification across digital and traditional asset types.

For investors seeking global access and broader markets, Kraken’s more expansive asset-ecosystem provides a clear advantage

Kraken’s volume-based fee model is tiered and transparent to support both professional traders and casual investors.

With maker fees starting at 0.25% and taker fees at 0.40% there are also discounts available for high-volume individuals and institutions. With to a Kraken+ subscription, these fees can be eliminated entirely for eligible clients up to certain monthly volumes.

Most crypto and fiat deposits are free, with some exceptions depending on the transaction method and specific asset. Kraken also highlights transparency by displaying all fees before a transaction is confirmed, ensuring clients are well aware any fees upfront and avoid costly surprises.

Bitbuy uses a fee structure that varies by trading mode and deposit/withdrawal method. On its ‘Express’ tier, Bitbuy claims to eliminate trading fees by generating trade quotes via spread rather than charging a direct fee. Meanwhile, the ‘Pro’ platform has flat rates of 0.50% for both makers and takers.

Deposits in CAD via Interac e-Transfer and bank wires are generally free, while crypto withdrawals carry network fees, and CAD withdrawals via wire attract a 1.5% fee.

Even though Bitbuy’s fee structure is simple and competitive at the spot level, Kraken offers broader value for traders who operate across product types and geographies.

Kraken’s published maker-taker fees, which cover spot, futures, margin and other products across multiple jurisdictions, offer clearer cost visibility and are not tied to local fiat segments.

For clients trading globally or across product types, Kraken’s unified cost framework and larger operational scale may provide better long-term transparency than Bitbuy’s more regional and spot-only fee model.

Kraken is widely regarded as one of the most secure crypto platforms in the industry. Since inception, Kraken has never experienced a breach resulting in loss of client funds, a claim that few other exhcanges can make. Clients benefit from multi-layered account protection, including 2FA with passkeys, PGP email encryption, granular API key permissions with range boundaries, configurable account timeout, real-time monitoring for suspicious activity, withdrawal whitelisting and master key settings.

Kraken pioneered Proof of Reserves in 2014 and continues to lead the industry with regular, independently verifiable audits. This cryptographic procedure allows clients to personally review how their account balances are backed by real assets, at any time. Kraken also holds ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, SOC 2 Type 2 audit compliance and operates a robust public bug bounty program.

Bitbuy holds a strong security profile for the Canadian market: over 95% of customer digital assets are reportedly kept in cold storage, backed by audits and insured custody partnerships such as with BitGo.

The platform enforces two-factor authentication (2FA), daily encrypted backups and claims full-asset backing verified by its proof-of-reserves audit.

Unfortunately, user reviews on Trustpilot raise concerns about account access delays and withdrawal restrictions, highlighting that operational transparency may lag behind top-tier industry peers.

Kraken’s global security framework sets a higher bar, in that it delivers fully published Proof of Reserves audits, broad regulatory licensing across jurisdictions, and a clean track record of major custodial breaches.

Compared to Canadian-focused Bitbuy, Kraken provides stronger assurance for traders who prioritize multi-jurisdiction compliance, institutional-grade custody practices and global market access

Kraken is known for its responsive and professional customer service, offering multiple support channels to meet different user needs. Clients can access 24/7 live chat with real human agents, submit requests via email, or (in select cases) speak directly with a support specialist by phone.

Kraken’s multilingual support team can assist users in over a dozen languages. This helps the company service its global customer base more effectively.

The exchange has also earned high marks in customer satisfaction and was recognized as the Winner of Best Use of AI in CX (Europe) at the Customer Centricity World Series. Its focus on clarity, empathy, and speed in resolving issues continues to distinguish Kraken’s client experience in a competitive space.

Bitbuy offers support via email ticketing and an online help center covering topics such as account verification, deposits, trading and withdrawals.

While these channels exist, the platform lacks extensive multilingual live-chat or phone support for international users.

Trustpilot feedback reflects mixed experiences, with some users reporting slow resolution times and account access issues.

Bitbuy’s asset library meets the needs of Canadian-centric traders with a focused token list and CAD-fiat support.

Conversely, Kraken supports hundreds of cryptocurrencies, staking opportunities and even tokenised equities/ETFs in certain regions, offering greater diversification across digital and traditional asset types.

For investors seeking global access and broader markets, Kraken’s more expansive asset-ecosystem provides a clear advantage

Both Kraken and Bitbuy deliver secure, compliant crypto trading experiences, but they serve very different audiences. Bitbuy focuses on simplicity and regulation within the Canadian market, offering a straightforward way for domestic users to buy, sell, and hold crypto in CAD.

It’s created for beginners who want a local, regulated platform with easy fiat access. Kraken, by contrast, caters to a global audience and offers a more comprehensive suite of products, from spot and margin trading to staking, futures, and institutional tools. Kraken provides a wider selection of supported assets, transparent Proof of Reserves audits, and 24/7 multilingual support, all backed by a long-standing reputation for security and trust.

For users whose needs extend beyond basic spot trading, whether that’s exploring advanced order types, earning staking rewards, or accessing global liquidity, Kraken provides a broader, more feature-rich trading environment, while Bitbuy remains a solid, regulated entry point for those prioritizing simplicity and a Canada-first experience.