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Bull Bitcoin vs Netcoins: What Works Better For Canadians in 2024?

Oleg Galeev

Last updated March 12, 2024

This comparison delves into two distinct platforms in the Canadian cryptocurrency exchange landscape: Bull Bitcoin and Netcoins. While Bull Bitcoin focuses on providing Canadians with a straightforward way to buy Bitcoin and pay bills with BTC, emphasizing immediate self-custody, Netcoins caters to a broader audience with a range of cryptocurrencies available for trading, coupled with a beginner-friendly interface.

Description

Bull Bitcoin is a unique Canadian Bitcoin trading platform with ability to pay bills with bitcoin (cellphone, electricity even taxes to CRA) and that allows you to take self-custody immediately. 

Netcoins is a Canadian crypto exchange owned by a publicly-traded company called Bigg Digital Assets. Netcoins was founded by Mitchell Demeter who created the world’s first Bitcoin ATM in 2013.

Coins

BTC only

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar, EOS, USDC, Algorand, XRP, Avalanche, Ethereum Classic, SHIB, DOGE, MATIC, AXS, Cardano, Solana, Polkadot

Fees

Bull Bitcoin sends the BTC directly to your wallet so you avoid typical withdrawal and network fees that exchanges often have which is a money saver. Bull Bitcoin does not charge fees for buying bitcoin either. Instead, you’ll get exactly what their “We sell” price is. When paying via debit or cash at Canada Post, you’ll pay a 2% fee. 

  • Free deposits
  • Free fiat withdrawals
  • 0.5% trading fees

Pros

  • Immediate self-custody of assets
  • Send funds via e-Transfer or wire
  • Pay anonymously with cash
  • No withdrawal fees or wait times
  • Recurring buys directly from your bank account
  • Pay bills with bitcoin
  • Free fiat and crypto deposits
  • Free fiat withdrawals
  • Interac e-Transfer available
  • Phone support
  • Instant verification
  • Licenced and regulated in Canada
  • Educational resources available
  • Great customer service

Cons

Only bitcoin available 

  • Few cryptocurrencies available
  • No credit/debit card purchases
  • CAD only
  • High trading fees

Account Limits

  • $10,000,000.00 CAD deposit / day via wire trasnfer
  • $10,000.00 CAD deposit / day via Interac E-transfer
  •  $1,000.00 CAD deposit / day via Cash or Debit at Canada Post
  • Buy & Sell transfer are almost unlimited ( $1,000,000.00 CAD a day)
  • $10 min for Interac e-Transfer
  • $500 min for wire transfer
  • $50 min for online bill payment

Methods to buy

When buying cryptocurrency with Bull Bitcoin, you can deposit Canadian dollars via an Interac e-Transfer, wire transfer or cash or debit at Canada Post. With the first two options, you will have to KYC and verify your Bull Bitcoin account. 

  • Interac e-Transfer
  • Bank wire
  • Online bill payment

Security

  • Full custody of your bitcoin.
  • 2FA available
  • Registered with FINTRAC

Mobile and Desktop Trading

Bull Bitcoin offers a simplified web-based platform that is accessible and easy to use, with a focus on buying Bitcoin. There is no dedicated mobile app, but the website is mobile-friendly, allowing users to manage their transactions on various devices.

Netcoins provides a user-friendly experience both on desktop and mobile platforms. Its mobile app is highly rated on the App Store and Google Play, reflecting its commitment to providing a seamless trading experience. The desktop platform mirrors the app’s functionality, making it accessible to traders who prefer larger screens.

Bull Bitcoin

Bull Bitcoin has a simple website since all of the transactions happen via your bank. There aren’t many features to get you confused, however, we think their website could be designed a little better.

UI of Bull Bitcoin platform

Major Screen

Buying bitcoin with interac e-transfer on Bull Bitcoin platform

Buying Bitcoin via Bull Bitcoin

Transaction screen on the mobile app

Transaction screen on the mobile app

Bull Bitcoin app screenshot

Netcoins

Netcoins’ trading platform is simple to use with a sidecar offering all you need including options to buy, sell and trade. Your dashboard has two big options to either deposit funds or deposit crypto.

Buying crypto with Netcoins is easy thanks to its simple trade feature.

The Netcoins app has a 4.1-star rating from 171 reviews on the Apple App Store. It has a 3.6-star rating on Google from 127 reviews. 

The app is easy to use and beginner-friendly. It is almost an exact copy of the desktop platform but optimized for mobile.

Netcoins trading screen

Netcoins Desktop App (trading screen)

Funding money to our account with Netcoins

Netcoins Desktop App (funding account)

Netcoins vs Coinsmart trading mobile app

Netcoins Mobile App (balances)

Netcoins vs Coinsmart bitcoin transaction in mobile app

Netcoins Mobile App (trading)

Security Compliance

Bull Bitcoin is completely safe since you always take full custody of your bitcoin, you do not need to worry about hackers stealing your funds on the platform. However, there is still a level of trust needed because you do not buy the bitcoin yourself and must wait for it to be sent to your crypto wallet

Netcoins utilizes the services of Bitrank and QLUE to stay compliant by monitoring wallet addresses and transactions for fraud and connections to criminal enterprises.

Two-factor authentication is available to help keep your account secure.

Bull Bitcoin emphasizes the security of immediate self-custody, minimizing the risk associated with holding cryptocurrency on an exchange. It follows Canadian KYC regulations and is registered with FINTRAC, enhancing its security posture.

Netcoins, owned by BIGG Digital Assets, adheres to Canadian regulations and is registered with FINTRAC. Despite a past incident involving a software vulnerability, Netcoins has taken steps to secure its platform, though specifics on cold storage practices are not publicly detailed.

Regulatory Compliance

Bull Bitcoin is registered with FINTRAC as a Money Services Business and there is a full KYC procedure meaning Bull Bitcoin is fully compliant with Canadian regulations. 

Netcoins is fully regulated in Canada. It is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FINTRAC. Since Netcoins is also owned by Bigg Digital Assets, a publicly traded company, you can be sure that Netcoins is a safe exchange.

Both Bull Bitcoin and Netcoins are registered with FINTRAC, demonstrating their compliance with Canadian laws and regulations. This adherence ensures they operate within the legal framework set by Canadian federal organizations, providing a level of trust and security for Canadian users.

Customer support

Since it is a small company, it may take some time for them to get back to you. Their opening hours are from 9 AM to 8 PM Mon-Fri with sporadic ability on weekends.The platform has a 4.9-star rating on Trustpilot with almost 200 reviews, so it’s clear that customers are extremely satisfied with the service. 

Netcoins has excellent customer support with an impressive 85% excellent customer service reviews on Trustpilot with a 4.5-star rating. Netcoins offers email support, live chat and phone support, which is rare for crypto exchanges.

Bull Bitcoin offers support through email, and although it's a smaller operation, it maintains high customer satisfaction, as evidenced by its Trustpilot rating. The platform’s focus on simplicity means that support inquiries may be less frequent but highly specific.

Netcoins excels in customer support, providing 24/7 live chat, email, and even phone support – a rarity in the crypto exchange space. This comprehensive support system is reflected in its impressive Trustpilot score.

Conclusion

Both Bull Bitcoin and Netcoins serve the Canadian market effectively, each catering to different needs. While Netcoins offers a broader range of cryptocurrencies and a more beginner-friendly platform, Bull Bitcoin is declared the winner here for those prioritizing Bitcoin transactions. Its emphasis on immediate self-custody, straightforward buying process, and ability to pay bills with Bitcoin present a compelling case for users focused on Bitcoin. This unique approach to cryptocurrency trading, combined with its strong security posture and regulatory compliance, makes Bull Bitcoin an excellent choice for Canadians dedicated to Bitcoin.

Bull Bitcoin is the most cost-effective platform for trading Bitcoin in Canada, offering a unique feature that allows users to pay bills, including phone, electricity, and even taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

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.