Best Crypto Brokers in Australia 

Gone are the days when you had to buy Bitcoin from a shady exchange and keep it safe written down on a piece of paper. The crypto market has evolved to the point that there are hundreds of ways for investors to safely build a digital asset portfolio. One of the most popular modern ways to purchase crypto is through a broker. Many newcomers may confuse a crypto broker with an exchange – but in reality, their services can be quite different.

What is a Crypto Broker?

A crypto broker is a beginner-friendly way for investors to take their first steps into the market. These companies operate as an intermediary allowing people to buy and sell digital assets directly. In that sense, you can think of a crypto broker as a bit like a storefront – they can buy, sell and store the goods on your behalf.  

Brokers typically boil down the market price of digital currencies into a single cost, while utilising a beginner-friendly interface. This way, traders don’t have to worry about determining market value, navigating order books or learning how to place buy/sell orders on an exchange. 

Because brokers operate like a shop, they may offer tailored services such as personal customer support reps, storage solutions. 

In short, a broker can manage crypto transactions on your behalf.

Crypto Broker Vs Exchange: What is the Difference?

At a glance, crypto brokers and exchanges can appear similar. Both facilitate buying and selling crypto, and both even act as intermediaries. 

However, a crypto exchange is the middle-ground between two traders. When you buy Bitcoin from an exchange, you’re actually buying it from another trader who has listed it on the platform at a certain (market) price. Taking advantage of this can require a decent level of trading experience.

A crypto broker instead buys digital assets from an exchange (or elsewhere) and sells them directly to customers. Brokers may also offer a variety of financial services – such as custody of your assets – and operate more like a financial firm than a trading platform.

Essentially, an exchange facilitates crypto trading with other people, while a broker directly sells crypto to investors. 

Related: Most trusted crypto exchanges australia

Best Crypto Brokers in Australia

1. Ainslie Crypto

Ainslie Crypto is an Australian broker with offices in Brisbane and Melbourne. The team has over fifty years experience in the financial industry, operating as one of Australia’s largest gold and silver bullion dealers. 

Ainslie is renowned for its top-notch customer support, with every customer able to access a dedicated sales consultant – in-store or over the phone. The broker’s industry connections give them deep pockets, with daily OTC trading limits of up to AUD $20m.

But perhaps Ainslie’s most compelling advantage is its direct bullion to crypto swaps, which lets customers easily swap between physical precious metals and the digital assets market. And its state-of-the-art tokenised gold (AUS) and Silver (AGS) ERC-20 tokens; which are 100% backed by real bullion, secured in an underground vault in Australia, and verified by a third party quarterly for peace of mind.

Business name: Ainslie Crypto

Assets offered: 9+ cryptocurrencies, tokenised gold (AUD) and silver (AGS)

Services: 

• Lifetime storage of digital assets
• Dedicated sales consultant
• In-person sales and support at Melbourne and Brisbane headquarters
• Tokenised gold and silver fully backed by real bullion
• Seamless swaps between crypto and physical bullionMassive daily trading limit of $20m
• SMSF support

2. Caleb & Brown

Caleb & Brown is one of the world’s most recognised crypto brokers. The company was founded in 2016 and has since built an international presence, serving thousands of customers across hundreds of countries. The brokers have offices in Melbourne and Sydney, and customers are given a personal expert to facilitate buying, selling and swapping most major crypto assets.

For those who want a one-size-fits-all investment, Caleb and Brown also offer a flagship fund that comprises a “broad-based exposure to crypto assets”.

Business name: Caleb & Brown

Assets offered: 100+ cryptocurrencies, two actively managed crypto funds

Services: 

• Industry-leading cold storage solutions 
• Personal broker who can make trades on your behalf
• Headquarters in Australia (Melbourne and Sydney)
• Internationally-trusted brand name
• Access to unique investment opportunities through various crypto funds
• SMSF and business support

3. Stormrake

Stormrake is an Australian crypto broker headed by co-founders Michael Milmeister and Douglas Hemingway. The firm was born in 2019 as a “trading desk” for arbitrage trades but has since blossomed into a one-stop-shop for your crypto trading needs. 

The broker is best known for its “in-house proprietary technology” – initially developed for the founders – that allows investors to access the best market price at any given time. Stormrake offers hundreds of cryptocurrencies via their dedicated brokers, while also providing 1:1 cold storage solutions for clients.

Business name: Stormrake

Assets offered: 350+ cryptocurrencies

Services: 

• Head offices in Melbourne for in-person consultation
• 5-star rating from customers on Google
• Each customer is paired with a dedicated broker
• Cold storage solutions for investors seeking third-party custody
• Unique insights and market analysis

Do You Need a Broker to Trade Cryptocurrencies?

One of the key reasons for crypto’s popularity is the financial freedom it provides – meaning no, investors do not need a broker to trade digital currencies. There are many ways to build a crypto portfolio, some suited to beginners while others best left for Web3 experts.

However, using a broker to trade crypto is a bit like having a safety blanket. Brokers simplify the buying/selling process and provide several other services that can make your foray into the cryptosphere stress-free.

What are the Advantages of a Crypto Broker?

• Personalised touch. The best crypto brokers provide customers with a dedicated expert in the industry. These consultants can help you navigate the world of cryptocurrency while executing trades on your behalf.
• Ease of use. Crypto brokers make trading crypto a breeze, removing the barrier to entry that may come with using an exchange or other trading platform.
• Security and custody. Using a crypto broker can provide an extra layer of security, as they can manage your assets in cold storage – making them extremely difficult to hack.

What are the Disadvantages of a Crypto Broker?

• Premium costs. Certain brokers may charge a premium for the additional services they provide, such as buying/selling digital currencies on your behalf. However, in some instances, brokers can be cheaper than using a crypto exchange.  
• Limited flexibility. Although dedicated brokers can execute transactions for clients, others that sell direct to customers only offer crypto at one price. As investors become more experienced, they may wish to employ flexible trading options such as stop-losses and take-profits. 

How Did We Choose the Best Crypto Broker in Australia?

Customer Support

Customer support is one of the biggest factors when selecting a broker to trade with. A cornerstone of these financial institutions is offering a dedicated consultant – so having a responsive, insightful and friendly representative is extremely important.

Convenience and Accessibility 

Investors turning to brokers for their crypto needs are often seeking convenience and easy on-ramping. They wish to remove the clutter and stress that can come with trading on the markets. Good brokers will offer an easy-to-navigate website with simple signup and contact protocols.

Security

Security is a huge deal for crypto investors, especially those new to the scene. Everyone’s heard the horror stories of exchange hacks and DeFi exploits costing millions. But the industry’s safest storage method – cold wallets – can be expensive and confusing for first-timers. By using a broker, investors can leverage the security of cold storage while keeping things simple.

Australian-based and Regulated

Australian crypto investors often prefer a local touch – so sticking with an Aussie broker might be the way to go. Financial firms like brokers operating in Australia must be licensed an regulated by the Australian authorities, so you can rest easy knowing you’re protected.