BTC Markets review
BTC Markets is one of the oldest Australian venues still trading, and it is built for people who want AUD order books and API access rather than a buy button. Its weakness is the price of admission: the entry-tier taker fee is the highest of the major local platforms.
Operating from Melbourne since 2013 and registered with AUSTRAC under ABN 45 164 093 887, it has long been a reference point for Australian dollar bitcoin liquidity. Traders use it for local market depth, historical AUD price data and a proper API rather than for cheap retail buys.
The fee schedule is where you have to be honest about your own volume. AUD pairs start at 0.85 percent taker for low-volume accounts and only reach 0.10 percent once you are trading more than 5 million Australian dollars a month. On bitcoin-denominated markets the schedule is different again, paying makers a 0.05 percent rebate and charging takers 0.20 percent.
Funding is genuinely good. PayID and Osko deposits are free and land almost immediately, and AUD withdrawals go back out over Osko at no cost, including on weekends. First deposits can take up to a day to clear while your bank runs its own checks.
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Fees
- AUD pairs start at 0.85 percent taker and reach 0.10 percent only above 5 million Australian dollars a month. PayID and Osko deposits and withdrawals are free.
- KYC
- Required
- Payment methods
- Local bank transfer, PayID / Osko, Credit or debit card
- Status
- Operating
How you can pay on BTC Markets
Every deposit rail BTC Markets supports in at least one market. Which of them you can use depends on your country; the country guides below list the exact methods per market.
- Domestic bank rail
- Local bank transferPayID / Osko
As published by BTC Markets: PayID, Direct bank deposit, Credit or debit card.
Pros and cons
What works
- Deep Australian dollar order books and a long local price history, useful if you care about execution
- Free instant PayID and Osko deposits, and free AUD withdrawals that clear on weekends
- AUSTRAC-registered and trading in Australia since 2013
- A proper API for anyone automating recurring buys rather than clicking through an app
What to watch
- The 0.85 percent entry-tier taker fee on AUD pairs is the highest of the major Australian platforms
- The discount schedule only becomes meaningful in the millions of dollars a month
- The interface assumes you already understand order books, which makes it a poor first exchange
Fees in detail
- maker
- Tiered by 30-day volume; bitcoin markets pay makers a 0.05 percent rebate
- taker
- 0.85 percent on AUD pairs at the entry tier, falling to 0.10 percent above 5 million Australian dollars a month
- deposit note
- PayID and Osko deposits are free and near-instant, though a first payment can take up to 24 hours to clear.
- withdrawal note
- AUD withdrawals are processed free over Osko where your bank supports it, including on weekends.
Where we recommend BTC Markets
Countries where BTC Markets ranks in our local guide. Availability beyond these is possible but unverified by us.
Frequently asked questions
Why is BTC Markets more expensive than other Australian exchanges?
Its AUD entry tier starts at 0.85 percent taker, where CoinSpot's market screen is 0.1 percent and Independent Reserve's is 0.50 percent. The fee only becomes competitive at volumes above 5 million Australian dollars a month.
How fast are AUD deposits?
PayID and Osko deposits are free and usually arrive within a minute. Your first payment can take up to 24 hours while your bank completes its own checks.
Who is BTC Markets actually for?
Active traders who want Australian dollar order books, local market depth and API access. If you are making a monthly purchase and moving it to a wallet, cheaper platforms will serve you better.
Is BTC Markets registered in Australia?
Yes, with AUSTRAC, under ABN 45 164 093 887. That covers anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer obligations rather than guaranteeing customer balances.
Worth comparing
- 4.5Independent ReserveSydney exchange aimed at serious and self-managed-super buyers, and the first in Australia to publish regular proof-of-reserves attestations.
- 4.3CoinJarAustralia's longest-running exchange, with a consumer app for convenience and a separate order-book exchange where the fees drop to a tenth of it.