CoinSmart and Shakepay are among the best crypto exchanges in Canada.
CoinSmart (now Bitbuy) is reputed for its instant account verification, same-day deposits, low trading fees, and 24/7 responsive customer support.
Shakepay offers commission-free trading and doesn’t charge any extra deposit/withdrawal fees for fiat and crypto but instead allows users to trade with in-built spreads.
In this post, I compare the two crypto trading platforms side by side so that you can choose the one that fits your trading needs.
CoinSmart vs Shakepay: Top Features Compared
CoinSmart Crypto Exchange (now Bitbuy)
Top crypto exchange in Canada (now Bitbuy)
Great for new & advanced traders
Competitive trading fees
Get a $50 bonus when you deposit $250
Shakepay
Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum fast
Works for new & advanced traders
1-3% trading fee, free withdrawals
Get a $20 bonus when you trade $100
Account Funding Methods
CoinSmart offers multiple fund transfer methods, including Interac e-Transfer, bank wire, credit/debit cards, Electronic Funds Transfer, and crypto deposits.
Shakepay account funding methods include Interac e-Transfer, wire transfer, and BTC/ETH deposits.
Supported Cryptocurrencies
CoinSmart supports a broader selection of about 39 cryptocurrencies, while Shakepay supports only Bitcoin and Ethereum.
CoinSmart supports 3 fiat currencies, including CAD, USD, and EURO, while Shakepay supports only CAD.
Fees
These crypto trading platforms vary in their trading fees and other administrative fees.
CoinSmart fees
CoinSmart fees stand at 0.2% for single trades and 0.3% for double trades. You’ll also incur deposit/withdrawal fees on the platform.
Fiat deposit/withdrawal fees on the platform range from 0%-1.5% depending on the transfer method and amount and up to 6% for credit card deposits.
CoinSmart crypto withdrawal fees vary by coin. For instance, the fee is 0.00025 BTC for Bitcoin, 0.003 ETH for Ethereum, and 0.001 LTC for Litecoin.
Shakepay fees
Shakepay is a commission-free trading platform. That means you won’t pay any extra dime when trading Bitcoin and Ethereum on the platform, and deposits/withdrawals are free for all transfer methods.
To make money, Shakepay applies an in-built spread fee so that there is a difference between the price at which you can buy and sell crypto on the platform.
Trading Platforms
CoinSmart offers a more advanced trading platform with multiple interfaces to meet different traders’ needs, while Shakepay offers only a basic web interface and the Shakepay mobile app.
CoinSmart trading platforms include:
- SmartTrade: Allows beginners to buy crypto with a single click.
- Advanced Trade: Offers real-time charting and market orders like limit and stop loss orders to experienced traders.
- OTC desk: CS Premium features an OTC desk to enable professional traders to fill large orders of $25,000 and above.
- CoinSmart crypto app: A mobile app for iOS and Android to access your account 24/7 and trade on the go.
Thus, CoinSmart is excellent for both beginners and experienced traders, while Shakepay is great for users looking to buy BTC and ETH with CAD in a single click.
Crypto Payments
CoinSmart offers SmartPay Invoicing to enable businesses to accept crypto payments. It comes with an auto-sell feature that converts your crypto to fiat in real time and wires the funds to your accounts so that you don’t suffer losses occasioned by price volatility.
Shakepay doesn’t support crypto payments for businesses but offers a crypto Visa card to enable you to spend your Shakepay CAD balance hassle-free online and in-store anywhere in the world where Visa is accepted and get 1% in Bitcoin cashback.
Customer Support
CoinSmart offers 24/7 responsive customer support via phone, live chat, email, and a comprehensive FAQ support page, and you can be sure to get your issues resolved within minutes.
Shakepay offers customer support via a FAQ support page, and in-app or web chat. They don’t offer phone support, and it may take hours to get your issues resolved.
Availability
Shakepay is only available in Canada, while CoinSmart is available in Canada and several other countries, including Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Norway, Spain, Netherlands, and others.
Is CoinSmart Safe?
CoinSmart is a safe crypto exchange in Canada that’s FINTRAC registered and fully regulated by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC).
To secure users’ funds, CoinSmart employs the following security measures:
- 95% offline, cold storage of digital assets
- Crypto insurance up to $100 million
- 2FA to ensure safe and secure log-in
- A member of the anti-money laundering group TRUST
CoinSmart is one of a few publicly-traded crypto exchanges in Canada, which gives you the confidence to invest with an exchange with scrutinized financial dealings.
Is Shakepay Safe?
Shakepay is a safe and secure MSB registered and licensed by FINTRAC and Revenu Québec to offer crypto services in Canada.
The platform employs industry-leading security measures to secure users’ funds, including:
- Offline, cold storage of digital assets
- Insurance policy to cover assets against theft, private key loss, and other damages
- Strict whitelisting and multi-party approvals of transactions to prevent unauthorized withdrawals from its cold storage reserves.
- Segregated accounts to separate user funds from its operational capital and avoid cases of fractional reserves.
- Provides proof of reserves & security report, which can be viewed from their website
- Top account security measures, including 2FA, data encryption, biometric device lock, email & SMS account notifications, and withdrawal confirmations.
CoinSmart Pros and Cons
Pros
- Instant account verification and same-day deposits
- A crypto list of 30+ coins
- 24/7, responsive customer support
- Assets are insured up to $100 million
- Competitive trading fees
- Multiple trading platforms to accommodate different users
Cons
- Levies deposit/withdrawal fees of 1%-1.5%
- A fee of 6% for debit/credit card deposits
Shakepay Pros and Cons
Pros
- Commission-free trading
- A great place to buy BTC and ETH with a single click
- Industry-leading security features
Cons
- Limited coin offering
- A basic cryptocurrency brokerage that’s only great for beginners
- Customer support needs improvement
- Only available in Canada
- Hidden spread fees can get expensive
CoinSmart vs Shakepay Summary
| Feature | CoinSmart | Shakepay |
| Automatic KYC verification | Yes | Yes |
| Fund transfer methods | Interac e-Transfer, bank wire, credit/debit cards, Electronic Funds Transfer, and crypto deposits | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfer, and BTC/ETH deposits |
| Supported coins | 39 | 2 |
| Trading fees | 0.2% and 0.3% | Up to 3% in-built spreads |
| Deposit/withdrawal fees | 1%-1.5% | Free |
| Trading platforms | Basic and advanced | Basic |
| Crypto payments | Yes | No |
| Crypto card | No | Yes |
| Customer support | Phone, live chat, email, FAQ | FAQ, in-app, and web chat |
| Sign up bonus | Get $50 when you deposit $250 or more | Get $5 if you buy $100 of BTC or ETH |
Related: Netcoins vs Wealthsimple Crypto.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrency is a volatile and speculative investment. If you decide to invest, we recommend you do your own research and only commit funds you can afford to lose. The author may own one or more of the crypto assets mentioned in this article.
