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Bitcoin’s monumental performance in recent years, as well as the increasing coverage of digital assets in the mainstream media, have attracted traders of all shapes and sizes looking to break into the world of cryptocurrency. While retail investors typically look to purchase modest amounts, you may want to purchase a large amount of Bitcoin in one go, which is where certain exchanges and OTC desks come in handy. By using one of these specialised services, you will be able to cut down on the costs involved compared to using a regular exchange.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
What’s a large amount of bitcoin?
Before going any further, it’s important to consider what actually constitutes a large amount of bitcoin. Of course, the definition of “large” will be different for everyone. A sizable trade for you will vary depending on factors like your income, net wealth, experience with digital currency and overall level of risk tolerance.
However, for the purposes of this guide, we’re talking about individual trades worth anywhere north of $10,000 and potentially into hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Options for buying a large amount of bitcoin
The two main options when buying a lot of bitcoin are to either purchase through a traditional cryptocurrency exchange or to use an over-the-counter (OTC) exchange. Each type of platform has its pros and cons, so let’s take a closer look at which one might be right for you.
Large transactions on traditional cryptocurrency exchanges: pros and cons
Traditional exchanges offer a simple and straightforward way for their customers to buy bitcoin and other crypto coins. These centralised platforms allow buyers and sellers to trade cryptocurrencies based on current market prices, with the exchange acting as an intermediary between the two parties. Examples of such exchanges include Binance, CoinSpot and Coinbase.
You register for an account, deposit fiat or cryptocurrency to your trading balance, and then place an order to buy your desired number of coins. All buy and sell offers are listed in a publicly available order book.
Pros
Easy to use. Traditional cryptocurrency exchanges are designed to make it simple and straightforward to buy coins and tokens. If you’re new to the world of cryptocurrency, they’re generally one of the easier ways to purchase coins and tokens.
Can often buy with fiat currency. While many platforms only offer crypto-to-crypto trading, some providers allow you to purchase bitcoin (BTC) directly with fiat currency such as Australian dollars (AUD). This can help a new user enter the marketplace and start trading.
Trade up to $100,000 per day. While transaction limits vary substantially between exchanges and can be based on your level of verification, some platforms will allow you to buy up to $50,000 or even $100,000 of bitcoin per day.
Access to a wide range of coins and tokens. The list of supported currencies varies from one exchange to the next, but many platforms allow you to go beyond bitcoin and trade an extensive selection of altcoins.
Cons
Transaction and withdrawal limits. Traditional exchanges have much lower transaction and withdrawal limits than OTC exchanges. For example, if you’re a new customer, you may be limited to a daily trading limit of $2,000 or $3,000. Furthermore, your options for withdrawing funds may be restricted or capped.
Raising transaction and withdrawal limits takes time. Many exchanges offer different transaction limits to their customers based on their level of verification, so you may need to provide additional personal details or proof of ID to raise your limit. Other platforms will only allow you to trade larger amounts once you’ve been a customer for a specified period of time or only if you’re a frequent trader.
Lack of liquidity. As cryptocurrency markets are still in their infancy and there are hundreds of exchanges to choose from, there may not be sufficient liquidity on your chosen platform to fulfil a large trade in one transaction. When this happens, your transaction will be split into several smaller trades and could lead to slippage.
Slippage. Slippage occurs when the market moves against you before your trade can be completed, resulting in the total cost of the transaction being more expensive than expected. It is often associated with large orders that take longer than usual to fill.
Risk of hacking and theft. Storing funds in an exchange wallet for any length of time exposes you to the risk of hacking and theft. There have been dozens of well-publicised examples of crypto exchanges falling victim to hacks, which is particularly worrying for anyone looking to spend a large amount.
Traditional exchanges compared
Which traditional cryptocurrency exchanges are well set up to support large trading amounts? Check out the brief reviews below for more details on the transaction and withdrawal limits that apply on a selection of popular exchanges, as well as the steps you’ll need to complete to access those limits. All figures quoted are accurate at the time of writing (27 April 2018).
Binance
Binance is a crypto-only exchange that allows you to buy and sell dozens of digital currencies. While there’s no limit on the amount you can deposit into your Binance account, the standard 24-hour withdrawal limit on a basic account is 2 BTC. You can upgrade this to 100 BTC by providing your name, gender, nationality and proof of ID. If you’d like to upgrade to an even higher withdrawal limit, you can contact Binance support directly.
BTC Markets provides its users with access to bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ether (ETH), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Ripple (XRP) and Litecoin (LTC), and it allows you to purchase digital currency with Australian dollars. The standard limits that apply on BTC Markets are as follows:
BPAY deposit: $2,000
AUD withdrawal: $8,000
Crypto deposit: $100,000
Crypto withdrawal: $50,000
However, you can apply for increased limits by providing the reason for the increase, specifying your occupation and entering your website or social media profile.
Melbourne-based exchange CoinSpot limits BPAY deposits to $1,000 per 24-hour period and online bank transfer deposits to $10,000 per 24-hour period. If you want to deposit cash at a newsagent, a limit of $1,000 per 24-hour period applies.
A $5,000 trading limit applies to sell orders, while the maximum buy order is $20,000.
CoinSpot doesn’t have any withdrawal limits, but you’ll need to verify your account before you can withdraw any funds. Verification is only available for Australian residents with an Australian contact number and bank account. You can verify your identity by submitting proof of ID, proof of address and a photo of yourself holding a handwritten statement
Founded in 2011, Kraken is a digital currency exchange designed to suit serious traders. Its deposit and withdrawal limits vary depending on the level of verification you achieve. It supports a range of fiat currencies like US dollars (USD), Canadian dollars (CAD), euros (EUR), and Japanese yen (JPY).
Huobi is a crypto-to-crypto exchange platform that allows its users to trade more than 190 currency pairs. It imposes limits on the maximum amount you can buy and sell per transaction, and those limits vary depending on the currency pair you choose. For example, the following limits apply if trading ETH/BTC:
Maximum amount of limit order: 10,000
Maximum buy of market order: 1,000
Maximum sell of market order: 10,000
There’s also a currency-specific limit on the maximum amount you can withdraw on your account per transaction. If your account is verified, you can withdraw a maximum of 200 BTC, 2,000 ETH or 5,000 LTC.
Large transactions on OTC exchanges: pros and cons
OTC trading refers to any cryptocurrency trading that takes place away from conventional crypto exchanges. While trades can be arranged peer-to-peer using online chat rooms like #bitcoin-otc, recent years have seen the emergence of an increasing number of OTC brokers. These brokers specialise in helping large-volume traders buy and sell substantial amounts of cryptocurrency and avoiding slippage.
Pros
Better value for money. OTC brokers can offer a higher level of liquidity than conventional exchanges, which means that they can help you access one single price for a buy order. This removes the risk of slippage and means a lower total transaction cost.
Higher limits. OTC brokers specialise in high-volume trades and therefore allow you to avoid the lower transaction limits imposed on conventional exchanges. Most conventional exchanges won’t allow you to place trades worth more than $50,000 or perhaps $100,000, but OTC brokers can help facilitate these types of big trades.
Faster trading. If there’s insufficient liquidity on a conventional exchange, large orders can take days to be filled. OTC trading ensures that transactions can be completed faster.
Deal with a trusted broker. If you’re a little uneasy about putting your trust in a cryptocurrency exchange to safely manage your funds, you may feel more comfortable dealing with a reputable OTC broker.
Suitable for ICO projects. If you’ve just completed an ICO and you need to convert the cryptocurrency raised during the crowdsale into fiat currency, OTC brokers can offer a cost-effective solution.
Cons
Not as transparent. Traditional exchanges make their order books publicly available for everyone to see, but there’s no such transparency in OTC trading. You’ll need to rely on your broker to carefully vet the other party before agreeing to a trade.
Lack of regulation. You’ll need to accept the increased risk that comes with minimal regulation surrounding some avenues of OTC trading.
Limits may be a little too high for some. Some OTC brokers impose a minimum transaction limit of $50,000 or more, which may be a little outside your budget.
Can’t actively trade price movements. If you want to be able to place quick trades to take advantage of small price movements of bitcoin or other digital currencies, it’s much more viable to do this on a conventional exchange.
There’s no “one size fits all” answer to this question, so consider your unique trading needs before choosing a platform to buy a large amount of bitcoin. Ask yourself the following questions:
How much cryptocurrency do I want to buy?
How important is getting the best value for money?
Do I just want to buy bitcoin or do I want to buy other cryptocurrencies as well?
Do I want to buy using fiat or cryptocurrency?
Is the platform registered? Is it reputable?
By thoroughly researching any exchange or broker you’re considering using, including taking a closer look at the fees or commissions charged, you’ll be well placed to decide on the best way to purchase a large amount of BTC or other cryptocurrency.
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Tim Falk is a writer for Finder, writing across a diverse range of topics. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, Tim has reported on everything from travel and personal finance to pets and TV soap operas. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors.
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