What Is Beaver Bitcoin?
Beaver Bitcoin is a new platform that makes it easy for Canadians to dollar-cost average (DCA) Bitcoin on autopilot. By linking a bank account, users can set up weekly Bitcoin purchases that are sent directly to their personal wallet.
Recurring purchases are available on many platforms, including Shakepay, NDAX, and VirgoCX. However, Beaver Bitcoin is the first to offer fully automated bank withdrawals. Other apps won't withdraw funds from your bank account, so you have to manually deposit funds beforehand. So, Beaver Bitcoin is offering a set-and-forget way to accumulate Bitcoin in Canada.
How Does It Work?
Recurring Buys
You just need to link your bank account and enter a Bitcoin address to send the Bitcoin to. In just a few minutes, you can set up a long term strategy to accumulate Bitcoin on autopilot. Here's what it looks like:
- Sign up
- Link your bank account
- Pass KYC verification
- Choose a weekly buy amount
- Enter your BTC wallet address
- Sit back and relax
Beaver Bitcoin is non-custodial. This means all funds are sent directly to your personal Bitcoin wallet. They do not have access to your funds like the majority of cryptocurrency exchanges.
Smash Buys
Beaver Bitcoin has added a new feature called Smash Buys. This feature enables users to purchase up to $10,000 CAD worth of Bitcoin via Interac e-Transfer. The BTC will be delivered to the user’s Bitcoin wallet within minutes, making it a safe and secure way to buy Bitcoin.
Key Features
Right now, Beaver Bitcoin is a very simple platform that just launched in July 2022. It's intended to be an easy, non-confusing way to accumulate Bitcoin. Based on this reddit thread from the founder, they have plans to improve the product over time with new features and lower fees. Here are key features currently:
- Recurring Purchases: Set up weekly Bitcoin purchases (minimum $100)
- Fully Automated: Easily link your bank account
- Non-custodial: Bitcoin is sent directly to your private BTC wallet
- Smash Buys: Buy up to $10,000 with Interac e-Transfer
- Purchases Only: No exchanging or selling
- Bitcoin Only: No Ethereum or altcoins
Is It Safe?
Beaver Bitcoin is a non-custodial platform, which means they have no access to your Bitcoin, and all transactions are directly sent to your private wallet, eliminating the possibility of them seizing your funds. Since it's non-custodial, you don't have to worry about them getting hacked, lending out your funds, or running with your money because all Bitcoin is sent directly to a wallet that you own and control.
Additionally, as per Canadian regulations, Beaver Bitcoin is a Money Service Business (MSB) registered with FINTRAC (M21577275). Platforms like Shakepay and Newton follow the same requirements.
It's important to note that Beaver Bitcoin is still a new platform, having launched only in July 2022, so they have yet to build a track record. Overall, Beaver Bitcoin's non-custodial model reduces the risks associated with having a third-party custodian control your assets. Here is additional information that was found online:
- Non-custodial - They do not have access to your Bitcoin
- Money Service Business (MSB) registered with FINTRAC (M21577275)
- Bank account integration is through Flinks
- KYC is done through Trulioo
- Office is registered in Toronto
- Multi-factor authentication for login (Google Authenticator, Authy, etc)
- More info can be found in their FAQ
Fees
Beaver Bitcoin has a fixed fee of $3.00 + 0.99% on each purchase and according to them, they plan to lower fees over time as they grow. When it comes to small purchases (under $250), it's more pricey than most Canadian platforms we tested. The sweet spot for Beaver Bitcoin is purchases around $500 or more. That's where the total fee is cheaper than many Canadian platforms.
- $3.00 + 0.99% on every buy
- Beaver Bitcoin claims they do not mark up the cost of Bitcoin from their liquidity provider
- NSF fees (insufficent funds) from your bank if there is not enough funds for the transfer
The more you spend on Beaver Bitcoin the cheaper it will be. Here is what the $3.00 + 0.99% fee looks like for different purchases:
Amount | Total Fee (%) |
|---|---|
$100 | 3.99% |
$250 | 2.19% |
$500 | 1.59% |
$1,000 | 1.29% |
$2,500 | 1.11% |
$5,000 | 1.05% |
$10,000 | 1.02% |
Beaver Bitcoin Alternatives
Canada has a few Bitcoin-focused apps including Bull Bitcoin, Bitcoin Well, and Shakepay. There's also plenty of crypto exchanges and brokers, ensuring you can find the best one that suits your needs.
Bull Bitcoin is also a Bitcoin-only exchange that sends BTC directly to your wallet. You can fund your account with e-transfer, set up recurring purchases and even pay your credit card bills with Bitcoin. In addition, they care about privacy and have a no KYC option if you're looking for a way to privately buy up to $1,000 worth of Bitcoin.
While Shakepay offers Ethereum, it's still a very Bitcoin-focused app. They have grown to over 1 million users and offer an easy user interface, free deposits and withdrawals, and free Bitcoin rewards. In addition, they offer free BTC and ETH withdrawals for when you want to transfer your assets off the platform.
The Bottom Line
Beaver Bitcoin is a great way to dollar-cost average Bitcoin in Canada because it's fully automated and sends Bitcoin directly to your wallet, allowing you to control your funds at all times. On the downside, it has a $3.99 + 0.99% fee on every purchase, minimum $100 orders, and limited features. It's also a new company, so their customer service, track record, and reputation is still TBD.
It's great if you're willing to pay for a convenient, non-custodial platform. If you just want the cheapest way to buy Bitcoin, Canadians can use apps like NDAX and Newton to get better rates. NDAX had a total fee of 0.49% when we tested it and Newton was 0.69% (hidden fees included).
With all that being said, Beaver Bitcoin JUST launched in 2022. If this is version one, it will be exciting to see them improve. Hopefully they keep getting better, try lowering fees, and add new features because this will fill a need in the Canadian market.
