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Independent Reserve vs Digital Surge

Independent Reserve and Digital Surge compared on what decides the bill for an Australian: the real cost of an AUD buy, whether there is an AUD book to trade against, and who you are contracting with.

Coindaily Research Desk·Every figure verified against a primary source·Last checked 26 July 2026
Trade on Independent Reserveindependentreserve.com Trade on Digital Surgedigitalsurge.com.au Both links are affiliate links. They never change the ranking, the scores or the data on this page.
Independent Reserve Sydney · est 2013 · AUD order book
AUSTRAC RegisteredInsured CustodyAU Order Book
Coindaily Score 87/100
independentreserve.com Independent Reserve homepage as served to Australian visitors
VS
Digital Surge Brisbane · est 2017 · Brokerage
AUSTRAC RegisteredPast Administration (2022)AU Brokerage
Coindaily Score 72/100
digitalsurge.com.au Digital Surge homepage as served to Australian visitors
72
Costwhy
76
Independent Reserve · 72
  • Effective cost of the default route is about 0.60% (order book: taker plus spread)
  • 53% of the cost facts on our independent-reserve review read as favourable
Digital Surge · 76
  • Effective cost of the default route is about 0.50% (brokerage: the spread is the cost)
  • 58% of the cost facts on our digital-surge review read as favourable
78
Liquiditywhy
21
Independent Reserve · 78
  • Crossing its AUD book costs a measured 0.037% on a A$10,000 order
  • A$465,231 of asks inside 1% of mid, top order 15% of that
  • Global liquidity standing 72/100 from the Coindaily exchanges table
Digital Surge · 21
  • No public order book to measure: this is a brokerage that quotes you a price
  • There is no depth behind a quote, only the platform's willingness to fill it
  • Global liquidity standing 38/100 from the Coindaily exchanges table
97
AUD accesswhy
60
Independent Reserve · 97
  • Its AUD book is real and measurable: XBT/AUD at a 0.058% touch spread
  • 3 documented AUD deposit rails: PayID, OSKO, Bank
  • 77% of its money-in-and-out facts read as favourable
Digital Surge · 60
  • No AUD order book, so every AUD trade routes through a conversion or a quote
  • 2 documented AUD deposit rails: PayID, OSKO
  • 71% of its money-in-and-out facts read as favourable
64
Trust & regulationwhy
45
Independent Reserve · 64
  • AUSTRAC-registered, and holds no AFSL
  • 70% of its custody and regulation facts read as favourable
  • Operating since 2013
Digital Surge · 45
  • AUSTRAC-registered, and holds no AFSL
  • 42% of its custody and regulation facts read as favourable
  • Operating since 2017
65
Asset rangewhy
82
Independent Reserve · 65
  • 42 assets listed
  • 62% of its what-you-can-trade facts read as favourable
  • Not every listed asset is reachable in AUD
Digital Surge · 82
  • 400 assets listed
  • 62% of its what-you-can-trade facts read as favourable
  • Not every listed asset is reachable in AUD
86
Features & supportwhy
87
Independent Reserve · 86
  • 81% of its trading, support and tax facts read as favourable
  • Drawn from 22 sourced facts across three sections
  • Scored on what is documented, not on marketing claims
Digital Surge · 87
  • 82% of its trading, support and tax facts read as favourable
  • Drawn from 24 sourced facts across three sections
  • Scored on what is documented, not on marketing claims
Honours even, 3 pillars each. Scores are the desk's assessment of the evidence on this page, judged for an Australian buying in Australian dollars.
The Coindaily Score above ranks a venue globally: liquidity, cost and standing across every market it runs. The six pillars re-weight the same evidence for one specific job, an Australian funding an account in AUD. That is why a venue with a lower headline score can win pillars here. Full method on the exchanges table.

What a trade actually costs

Cost calculator

Three costs kept apart, because they are not the same thing: the published trading fee, the AUD conversion a venue with no AUD book forces on you, and the measured cost of crossing its order book. Click any route for the detail.

Scenario
RouteTrading feeAUD conversionCrossing the bookAll inOn A$1,000

Execution. Crosses its own AUD book, measured below.

Taker rate plus the measured cost of crossing the book.

Execution. Posting rather than taking avoids the crossing cost entirely.

You pay the maker rate and no spread, at the price of an uncertain fill.

Execution. Priced by quote, not a book. The margin is inside the rate you are shown.

A brokerage prices the spread into the quote, so the spread is the cost.

Execution. This platform publishes no route below its quoted price.

Where a platform runs a cheaper order book, it appears here. This one does not.

On A$1,000 bought and held, the lowest all in cost is Independent Reserve · PayID, then post a limit order at A$5.00, of which 0% is crossing the book, not fee. That is A$0.29 below the dearest default route.

The books behind those numbers

Both sides of both public books, walked 26 July 2026. Top order is the share of that side held by a single resting order: depth that is one order can leave. Anything above 25% of visible depth is marked too big rather than given a price it would not get.
VenueDepthTop orderA$1kA$5kA$10kA$25kA$50kA$100k
Independent Reservebuying A$465k 15%0.029%0.029%0.037%0.094%0.141%0.169%
Independent Reserveselling A$517k 13%0.029%0.029%0.029%0.037%0.044%0.048%
Trading fees are the platforms' own published rates. Crossing costs are walked from the live order book. The AUD conversion is the one figure here we cannot verify from a public book, so it is modelled from the exchanges table and marked with a dotted underline; it is also the number that decides the Binance result, so treat it as an estimate rather than a quote. It applies only from an AUD start: if you already hold USDT, ignore that column and Binance's cheap route is 0.075%. Posting a limit order avoids the crossing cost at the price of an uncertain fill. Network fees are excluded, they depend on the chain rather than the venue.

Which one is for you

Choose
Independent Reserve
  • Strongest regulatory posture of the local venues (AUSTRAC + MAS licence)
  • Insured custody and clean corporate structure
  • SMSF and OTC capability
  • Genuine order book, not a brokerage spread
But go in knowing
  • Only ~30 assets - majors and large caps
  • 0.5% headline fee is high next to global books (falls with volume)
  • No derivatives or advanced products
Read the full Independent Reserve review →
Choose
Digital Surge
  • Chose repayment over liquidation after FTX - rare follow-through
  • Simple, clean AU brokerage with good rails
  • Wide asset range for a small venue
But go in knowing
  • 2022 administration is a permanent counterparty-risk lesson
  • Brokerage spreads around 0.5% each way
  • Smallest scale of the platforms listed here
Read the full Digital Surge review →
The call

For an AUD buy, Independent Reserve. Past that it depends on what you are doing.

These two are scored here for one job: an Australian funding an account in Australian dollars. The pillars above re-weight the same evidence for that reader, which is why they can disagree with the global Coindaily Score.

Buying with Australian dollars
Independent Reserve
Its default route lands at about 0.5% all in, against 0.5% on Digital Surge.
You want to trade against AUD directly
Independent Reserve
We could walk its live AUD book. Digital Surge has none, so AUD converts first.
You want the stronger regulatory standing
Independent Reserve
Scores 64 against 45 on licensing, custody and enforcement history.
You want the widest asset menu
Digital Surge
Scores 82 against 65 on how much is listed and reachable.
Tooling, tax reporting and support
Digital Surge
Scores 87 against 86 across trading features, support and tax.
What would change it

Order book depth is the least stable figure on this page and the easiest to re-check: the measurements here are a single snapshot. Fees and licence conditions change too, so click through to a source on any row that matters to your decision.

Common questions

Is Independent Reserve or Digital Surge cheaper in Australia?

On the default route each one puts in front of you, Independent Reserve. It lands at about 0.5% all in against 0.5%. Those figures are the published fee plus, where the platform has no AUD order book, the cost of converting Australian dollars first. Where we could walk a live book, the measured cost of crossing it is included too.

Which has better execution, Independent Reserve or Digital Surge?

Independent Reserve is the only one of the two with a public AUD order book we could measure. It shows a 0.058% touch spread with A$465,231 of asks inside 1% of mid. Digital Surge gives an Australian no AUD book to execute against, so the price you get is a quote or the result of a conversion.

Which is more regulated, Independent Reserve or Digital Surge?

Both are on the AUSTRAC register. On our trust pillar, which weighs licensing, custody, audits and enforcement history from the sourced facts on each review, Independent Reserve scores 64 and Digital Surge scores 45. AUSTRAC registration is anti-money-laundering registration, not a financial services licence, and it says nothing about whether your balance is protected.

Which lists more assets, Independent Reserve or Digital Surge?

Independent Reserve scores 65 and Digital Surge scores 82 on asset range, which counts what is listed and weighs how much of it is actually reachable in Australian dollars. A large catalogue priced only against USDT is worth less to an Australian buyer than a smaller one priced in AUD.

Can I use both Independent Reserve and Digital Surge?

Yes, and plenty of Australians do: one platform as the AUD door, the other as the trading venue. Moving crypto between them costs a network fee, so it is only worth the extra step if the fee gap covers it. Both report to AUSTRAC and the ATO's data matching program either way.

Every fact we hold, side by side

All 152 researched facts from the Independent Reserve and Digital Surge reviews, grouped by the ten sections both pages share. Rows are shown as each platform documents them rather than forced into shared labels, so nothing is re-interpreted on the way here. Every row keeps its own source.

Section
Independent Reserve
Digital Surge
What it costsTrading fees, subscriptions, deposits and withdrawals 8 vs 8 facts
Maker feeWhat you pay when your order sits on the book and someone else fills it.
0.50%starting rate
src
Taker feeWhat you pay when you take an existing price off the order book.
0.50%identical to maker, there is no maker or taker split
src
Volume discountsThe fee falls as your rolling 30 day AUD volume grows, recalculated every four hours.
0.48% at A$50,00028 tiers, bottoming out at 0.02%
src
AUD depositMoving Australian dollars in from your bank account.
Freebank transfer, EFT and PayID
src
Card and PayPal depositsThe instant funding options, all of which carry a percentage charge.
1% to 3.5%1% Australian card, 3.5% international card, 1% PayPal
src
AUD withdrawalGetting Australian dollars back out to your bank.
Free, or A$1.50 instantstandard EFT free, PayID and NPP instant A$1.50
src
Crypto withdrawal feeA fixed per asset fee rather than a live network fee pass through.
0.0001 BTC, 0.003 ETH10 USDC on Ethereum but 1 USDC on Solana, Base or Arbitrum
src
Custody or inactivity feeAn ongoing charge just for leaving assets sitting in the account.
Noneno fee is charged for storing crypto
src
Standard trading feeThe rate you pay before any volume discount kicks in. It applies to buys, sells and swaps.
0.5%Digital Surge describes 0.5% as the standard rate for users who have not reached a higher volume tier
src
Best advertised trading feeThe floor of the volume-based schedule, reached only by high volume traders.
0.1%The headline "fees from 0.1%" on the fees page is the bottom tier, not the rate a new account pays
src
How the discount worksFees step down automatically based on your trading volume, with nothing to opt into.
Rolling 30-day volumeAutomated volume-based fees were introduced in January 2026 and apply to buys, sells, swaps, trigger orders and recurring buys
src
Crypto to crypto swapsWhether swapping one coin for another costs you two trades or one.
Single trading feeDigital Surge charges one fee on a swap rather than a sell plus a buy
src
AUD deposit feeWhat it costs to move Australian dollars onto the platform.
$0Free for both PayID and standard bank transfer
src
AUD withdrawal feeWhat it costs to move Australian dollars back to your bank.
$0Digital Surge states there are no fees on AUD withdrawals
src
Crypto withdrawal feesA flat per-asset fee charged when you send coins off the platform.
0.00003 BTC, 0.00013 ETH, 1 USDT, 0.01 SOL, 0.2 XRPPublished on a live fee table that Digital Surge notes is subject to change
src
Card depositsWhether you can fund with a debit or credit card, which usually carries a surcharge.
Not offeredFunding is bank transfer, PayID or crypto only, so there is no card surcharge to worry about
src
Limits and the costs that hideSpreads, deposit caps and charges that do not appear on a fee page 7 vs 8 facts
BTC/AUD spreadThe gap between the best buy and sell price, paid on top of the trading fee.
About 0.14%Coindaily order book snapshot, 25 July 2026, on roughly 15 BTC of 24 hour volume
src
Deposit limitsCaps on how much you can push through the instant funding rails.
Not publisheddaily and weekly caps apply to cards and PayPal, shown only on your deposit screen
src
Assisted transfer feeCharged when a deposit or withdrawal has to be fixed by hand, usually a mismatched reference.
A$20applies to AUD, NZD, USD and SGD
src
Leveraged trading costsOpening and closing is free, but carry and forced closure are not.
0.1% per day long0.03% per day short, plus a 1% mandatory liquidation fee
src
Small SWIFT depositsA flat charge on smaller inbound US dollar wires.
USD 15 under USD 5,000free at USD 5,000 and above
src
Non AUD withdrawalsThe other supported currencies are markedly more expensive to withdraw than AUD.
NZD 29, USD 25against a free AUD EFT withdrawal
src
OTC desk minimumThe threshold to trade through the desk rather than the public order book.
A$50,000quoted up to A$50m plus
src
Fee tier tableThe volume thresholds that decide which fee you actually pay.
Not published publiclyThe help centre explains the mechanism but directs you to your own profile to see your current tier, so you cannot compare tiers before signing up
src
SpreadThe gap between the price you get and the market mid price. This is where brokerage-style platforms make quiet money.
Not quantifiedDigital Surge markets "tight spreads" and criticises rivals for hiding costs in spreads, but publishes no spread figure of its own
src
Crypto withdrawal fee is inclusiveHow the network fee is taken out of a send.
Deducted from the amount you enterEnter 0.05 BTC with a 0.00003 BTC fee and the destination receives 0.04997 BTC
src
Network fee mark-upWhether the withdrawal fee is the true chain cost or includes a margin.
Not disclosedDigital Surge shows the exact fee before you confirm but does not say whether it passes the network cost through at cost
src
Maximum single orderThe cap on one instant buy or sell.
Up to $100,000 AUD per transactionVaries by asset, and you can place as many instant orders as you like
src
Daily AUD limit, personal accountsHow much cash can move in or out of a personal account in a day.
$20,000 per dayApplies to both deposits and withdrawals
src
Daily AUD limit, corporate accountsThe higher cap for SMSF, business and trust accounts.
$50,000 per dayCovers SMSF, business and trust structures
src
Limit increase requestsThe rule that governs how often you can ask for more headroom.
One request per 30 daysYou can request either a limit increase or the enabling of crypto sends in a 30-day window, not both
src
What you can tradeAssets, Australian dollar pairs, staking and derivatives 7 vs 7 facts
Staking and earnEarning a yield on coins you already hold.
Not offeredno staking, savings or earn product
src
Not part of the current feature setDigital Surge previously ran an Earn product, but staking does not appear among its listed trading features today. Confirm with support before relying on it
src
Tradable assetsHow many coins and tokens you can actually buy and sell.
42a deliberately narrow, large cap led list
src
Direct AUD pairsWhether you trade straight against Australian dollars or have to route through a stablecoin.
All 42 assetsno conversion leg needed
src
Leveraged tradingLong and short positions funded with borrowed money.
Five assetsBTC, ETH, SOL, XRP and DOGE, eligible users only
src
Crypto backed loansBorrowing cash against your holdings without selling them.
Added 2 July 2026provided by Block Earner, ACL 542689, not by Independent Reserve. Personal accounts only
src
Other fiat currenciesCurrencies besides Australian dollars you can fund and settle in.
NZD, USD, SGDthe same account supports all four
src
OTC deskNegotiated block trades away from the public book, for size.
Availablewholesale liquidity on transactions over A$50,000
src
Assets listedHow many coins you can buy, sell and swap.
400 plusDigital Surge advertises over 400 cryptocurrencies across its site and help centre
src
Australian dollar pairsWhether you trade directly against AUD or have to route through a stablecoin.
Direct AUD buy and sell on listed assetsBuying converts AUD to crypto and selling converts crypto back to AUD without an intermediate leg
src
Crypto to crypto swapsDirect coin-for-coin trades without cashing out to AUD.
SupportedCharged as one trade rather than two
src
Asset categoriesHow the listings are grouped for browsing.
AI, DeFi, gaming, Layer 1, meme, metaverse, NFT, RWACategory browsing is built into the platform
src
Derivatives, margin and leverageWhether you can trade with borrowed money or take short positions.
Not offeredThe platform offers instant orders, trigger orders and recurring buys only
src
Fiat currencies acceptedWhich national currencies you can fund with.
Australian dollars onlyFunding is AUD via PayID or bank transfer, or a crypto transfer in
src
How your assets are heldCustody, reserves, insurance and self-custody 7 vs 8 facts
Proof of reservesA cryptographic attestation that customer balances are fully backed.
Not publishedan annual external audit of financial statements is done instead
src
None publishedNo proof of reserves report or third party attestation appears on the security page or elsewhere on the site
src
InsuranceWhat a policy would actually pay out on, as opposed to what the marketing implies.
Narrow and undisclosedwording points to an insured qualified custodian, so it is the custodian's cover. No underwriter, limit or custodian named
src
No insuranceDigital Surge tells users their digital assets are not insured and suggests they consider obtaining their own cover
src
Client asset segregationWhether your coins and cash are kept apart from the company's own money.
Segregatedthe exchange states it does not commingle customer funds
src
Self custody withdrawalsWhether you can move coins off the platform to a wallet you control.
Supportedexternal wallet deposits and withdrawals for listed assets
src
Withdrawal address allowlistWhether coins can only leave to addresses you have pre approved.
Mandatorywithdrawals can only go to addresses in the verified address book, one off SMS verification per address
src
Security certificationAn independently audited information security standard.
ISO 27001certified since 2021
src
Breach historyWhether customer funds have ever been lost to an exchange compromise.
No confirmed hackacross more than twelve years of operation
src
Who owns the coinsThe single most important line in the terms. It decides where you stand if the business fails.
Digital Surge holds legal titleThe terms state Digital Surge holds legal title to all fiat and digital assets it holds to your account
src
Segregation of client assetsWhether your holdings sit in an account identified as yours.
Not segregated per accountDigital Surge states account balances are not segregated on a per-account basis
src
Custodian statusWhether the platform holds itself out as a custodian or trustee for you.
Expressly not a custodianThe risk disclosure says Digital Surge does not provide custodial or fiduciary services and does not hold your digital assets for you or on your behalf
src
Assurance FundAn internal pool intended to help cover a counterparty failure.
Exists, but is not insuranceHeld in Australian dollars, sized at Digital Surge's discretion from time to time, with no guarantee it will mitigate a loss
src
Storage modelHow the keys are actually managed day to day.
Majority cold storage, Fireblocks MPCA dual hot and cold wallet strategy with multi-party computation key management and annual external penetration testing
src
Self-custody withdrawalsWhether you can move coins to your own wallet.
Supported, fee per assetCrypto sends may need to be enabled on your account first, and that request counts against the one-per-30-days rule
src
Who can open an accountEntity types onboarded in Australia 8 vs 8 facts
IndividualA standard personal account in one person's name.
SupportedAustralian residents may qualify for FastTrack and trade immediately
src
YesThe default account type
src
TrustAn account held by a trustee on behalf of a trust.
Supportedtrustee ID, proof of address and the trust deed cover, schedule and signature pages
src
YesSupports both individual and corporate trustees
src
SMSFA dedicated self managed super fund account, kept separate from personal holdings.
Supportedcrypto must be enabled in the trust deed and withdrawal addresses must be under the fund's control
src
YesA dedicated SMSF account type with its own onboarding path
src
CompanyAn account held by a registered Australian company.
SupportedACN plus director and beneficial owner details required
src
Joint accountOne account in two names, such as a couple.
Not a listed typethe published account types are personal, company, trust, SMSF and institutional
src
Under 18sAn account for a minor, whether direct or held by a parent.
Not a listed typeno minor or custodial account appears in the published account types
src
InstitutionalFunds, family offices and asset managers trading at size.
Supporteddedicated relationship manager, OTC desk and Fireblocks integration
src
Multi user accessLetting an accountant, adviser or co-director into the account at a limited level.
Supportedtiered access for trusted third parties
src
Company or businessRegistered companies and organisations trading as a corporate entity.
YesRequires an ASIC company extract as part of verification
src
Joint accountsTwo people sharing one account, common for couples.
Not listedDigital Surge's account types article names personal, SMSF, trust and business only
src
Minors and under 18sAccounts held for or by children.
Not listedNo minor or custodial account type appears in the supported list
src
SMSF paperworkWhat you need to hand over to get a fund account open.
Full trust deed, ABN, trustee proofDigital Surge states SMSF approvals are usually completed within 24 hours
src
Funding source ruleWhose bank account the money is allowed to come from.
Own name onlyThird party deposits are rejected and returned
src
Trading featuresOrder types, recurring buys, tooling and access 8 vs 8 facts
Order typesThe instructions you can give the order book.
Sixmarket buy and sell, limit buy and sell, stop limit buy and sell
src
Stop loss and take profitAutomatic exits attached at the time you place the order.
Supportedon market buys, limit buys and leveraged positions, for BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP and DOGE
src
Trailing stops, OCO and conditionalsThe more advanced conditional order structures active traders look for.
Not offerednot among the six published order types
src
Recurring buysAutomatic dollar cost averaging on a schedule you set.
Five frequenciesdaily, weekly, fortnightly, monthly or last day of month. No fee beyond standard brokerage
src
Minimum order sizeThe smallest trade the matching engine will accept, set per asset.
0.0001 BTC0.001 ETH, 1 XRP. The live list is published via the API
src
Time in forceHow long a limit order stays alive before it is cancelled.
GTC, IOC, FOK, MOCavailable on limit orders via the API
src
APIProgrammatic access for bots, tax tools and portfolio trackers.
REST and WebSocketread only key permission and IP allowlisting available. No FIX and no sandbox
src
Demo accountA practice mode to trade with fake money before risking real funds.
Not offeredno paper trading or test environment is published
src
Instant ordersBuy or sell straight away at the best available price.
YesRouted through Digital Surge's smart routing rather than a public order book
src
Trigger ordersSet a price and let the platform execute when it is hit. Used for take profit and stop loss.
YesFunds are not locked while the trigger waits, and fees apply only to trades that actually fill
src
Recurring buys and DCAAutomatic scheduled purchases, the feature Digital Surge is best known for.
Yes, daily, weekly or monthlyCharged at the same volume-based trading fee as any other order
src
Limit orders on an order bookResting orders that add liquidity and usually earn a maker discount.
NoOnly instant orders, trigger orders and recurring buys exist, so there is no maker and taker distinction
src
Price alertsNotifications when an asset reaches a level you care about.
YesSet per asset and delivered automatically
src
ChartingThe quality of the price charts you get inside the app.
TradingView powered chartsListed as a feature of the mobile app
src
API accessProgrammatic access to your account data.
Read-only API keysDocumented for connecting tax and portfolio tools rather than for algorithmic trading
src
Demo or paper tradingA practice mode to learn on before risking real money.
Not offeredNo demo account appears in Digital Surge's trading features or education material
src
Money in and outMinimums, methods and settlement speed 7 vs 8 facts
Minimum depositThe smallest amount you can fund the account with.
Not publishedno minimum is stated on the fee schedule or the FAQ
src
$20 AUDApplies to fiat deposits
src
AUD withdrawal speedHow quickly cash lands back in your bank.
Instant optionfree standard EFT, or PayID and NPP instant for A$1.50
src
Instant on Osko and NPP banksUp to 24 hours where the bank does not support fast payments
src
Crypto depositsBringing coins in from an external wallet or another exchange.
Freeno deposit fee on any supported asset
src
SupportedTiming depends on the blockchain network, and an AUD deposit is still needed to link your bank account
src
AUD deposit methodsThe ways you can get Australian dollars onto the platform.
Fourbank transfer and PayID, debit or credit card, PayPal, and SWIFT
src
Card restrictionsWhich cards are actually accepted for instant funding.
Australian issued onlymust be in the account holder's name. Amex, Diners, Discover and UnionPay are not accepted
src
Minimum crypto withdrawalThe smallest amount of a coin you can send off platform.
0.0001 BTC0.01 ETH and 0.01 SOL, set per asset
src
Fast onboardingWhether you can fund and trade before full manual verification.
FastTrackAustralian residents opening individual accounts may deposit and trade immediately
src
PayID and Osko depositsThe fast rail for getting cash in.
Usually under 60 secondsSome banks may hold a first PayID deposit for up to 24 hours
src
Standard bank transferThe fallback if your bank does not do PayID.
1 to 2 business daysNear instant if your bank supports Osko or the New Payments Platform
src
Minimum AUD withdrawalThe smallest amount you can take out.
$20 AUDYour bank account links automatically after your first AUD deposit
src
First withdrawal delayA security hold applied the first time you cash out.
24 hour delayApplies to your first AUD withdrawal only
src
Cancelling a withdrawalWhether you can pull back a request after you send it.
Not possibleDigital Surge states withdrawals cannot be cancelled once submitted
src
Tax and reportingWhat you get at tax time, and what you do not 6 vs 8 facts
Transaction history exportThe raw record your accountant or software needs.
CSV and PDFfull transaction history downloadable from the account
src
CSV, date range selectableAvailable alongside a downloadable account statement
src
Accountant accessGiving your adviser or SMSF auditor a look at the account directly.
Tiered multi user accessuseful for SMSF and trust annual audits
src
Built-in data sharingCovers accountants and SMSF providers
src
Summ, formerly Crypto Tax CalculatorThe in-platform tax partner, launched from Transactions then Tax.
Integrated, 30% offaccount auto created and transactions synced. Discount applies to paid plans above the entry tier
src
KoinlyThe other widely used Australian crypto tax package.
Supportednamed as a supported reporting integration
src
SylaAn Australian-only tax package with an ATO focus.
API sync or file importSyla lists a dedicated Independent Reserve integration
src
Read only API keysLetting tax software pull your history without any power to trade or withdraw.
Supportedread only is a selectable key permission
src
Capital gains reportWhether the platform itself works out what you owe.
Not produced in-platformDigital Surge relies on third party tax providers, and their full capital gains and income reports sit behind paid plans
src
Tax software integrationsWhich crypto tax tools you can connect to.
Koinly, Syla, Summ, CoinLedger, CoinTrackingConnect by read-only API key or CSV export. Summ was formerly Crypto Tax Calculator
src
EOFY prices statementA 30 June valuation of your holdings, useful for fund and company reporting.
Available to downloadDocumented as a standard end of financial year download
src
BGL data sharingDirect feed into the SMSF administration software most Australian funds use.
SupportedA meaningful advantage for SMSF trustees over exchanges that require manual imports
src
Portfolio return trackingWhether the app shows realised as well as unrealised gains.
Both, and you choose the methodYou can set a preferred wallet return calculation
src
Australian tax guidancePlain English help on how the ATO treats crypto.
In-house guideCovers capital gains and treatment of staking rewards as income
src
Platform and supportApps, account security and how you reach a human 8 vs 8 facts
EducationLearning material for people new to crypto or new to the platform.
Knowledge base and bloghow-to guides on order types, wallets, tax and leveraged trading
src
In-house guides hubBeginner guides on blockchain, research, strategy and portfolio diversification
src
Mobile appTrading, funding and withdrawing from a phone.
iOS and AndroidiOS 16 or later. Supports AUD, NZD, USD and SGD
src
App limitationsWhat the phone app cannot do that the website can.
Market, limit and leverage onlymore advanced order types require the website
src
Biometric loginFace or fingerprint unlock instead of typing a password each time.
Supportedfingerprint or Face ID, subject to device support
src
Two factor authenticationThe second step protecting your login and withdrawals.
Authenticator appGoogle Authenticator style TOTP. SMS is a backup for login only, sensitive actions need the app
src
Extra account protectionsDefences beyond a password and a code.
Duress passwordan alternate password suspends the account for 24 hours. New IP addresses trigger extra verification
src
Support channelsHow you actually reach someone when something goes wrong.
Encrypted portal and emailsupport@independentreserve.com. No public phone support line is published
src
Support hoursWhen the support team is on.
24/7company is headquartered in Sydney
src
Mobile appsNative apps for phone trading.
iOS and AndroidThe iOS app is published by Digital Surge Pty Ltd and rated 4.1 from 423 ratings on the Australian store
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Android appThe Google Play listing.
AvailablePublished under the package au.com.digitalsurge
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Live chatThe fastest way to get a person.
365 days a yearAustralian-based team, with response times typically within a few minutes
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Tickets and emailThe slower channel for anything that needs a paper trail.
24/7 ticket submissionAnswered by the same Australian support team
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Phone and account managersWhether you can actually speak to someone.
Specialist appointments availableYou book a time with an account manager rather than calling a general hotline. The app listing also lists phone support
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Two-factor authenticationWhether 2FA is optional or forced.
Compulsory for all usersA second verification step is also required on withdrawals
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Withdrawal address controlsProtection against an attacker sending your coins somewhere new.
New addresses need email confirmation and 2FAYou can also restrict external transfers entirely, and accounts can be locked instantly if unauthorised access is detected
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Trust and regulationThe entity you are actually contracting with 7 vs 8 facts
AUSTRAC registrationThe mandatory digital currency exchange registration for operating in Australia.
DCE-100461150-001registered digital currency exchange provider
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Registered, number 100576214Stated in Digital Surge's own terms and conditions
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Australian entityThe company name and number on your customer agreement.
Independent Reserve Pty LtdABN 46 164 257 069
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AFSLAn Australian financial services licence, which would bring conduct and dispute obligations.
Not heldAUSTRAC registration is not a financial services licence
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Singapore licenceThe offshore arm's regulatory standing, often cited in marketing.
MAS Major Payment Institutionlicence PS20200517, held by the Singapore entity, not the Australian one
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OwnershipWho controls the business you are handing money to.
IG Group holds 70%completed 30 January 2026 for about A$109.6m, implying roughly A$178m for 100%. Call option over the remaining 30%
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Track recordHow long the platform has been running and under whom.
Founded October 2013Sydney, by Adam Tepper, Adrian Przelozny and Lasanka Perera. Adrian Przelozny remains chief executive
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Financial auditIndependent verification of the books, in place of proof of reserves.
Annual external auditfinancial statements audited under Australian Accounting Standards with client balances verified
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Legal entityThe company name on your customer agreement.
Digital Surge Pty Ltd, ACN 620 473 109ABN 89 620 473 109, an active Australian private company registered in Queensland since July 2017
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Australian Financial Services LicenceWhether the platform is licensed by ASIC to deal in financial products.
No AFSLThe terms state Digital Surge does not hold or operate under an AFSL and does not offer financial advice. AUSTRAC registration is an anti money laundering measure, not consumer protection
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Voluntary administration, December 2022The event that matters most in this platform's history.
Administrators appointed 8 December 2022Digital Surge froze customer accounts from 16 November 2022 with roughly A$33m of customer-related assets trapped in the FTX collapse. About 22,000 to 22,500 customers were affected. KordaMentha was appointed administrator
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Deed of company arrangementThe rescue deal creditors voted for instead of liquidation.
Approved January 2023, signed 15 February 2023Creditors voted it up with about 90% support, backed by a A$1.25m loan from related business Digico. The exchange resumed trading rather than being wound up
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What customers actually got backThe recovery rate, which is the number that matters. Customers were not made whole.
Estimated 55% of claim value, plus the rest over five yearsATO class ruling CR 2024/50 records that the DOCA provided customers and unsecured trade creditors an estimated 55% of the AUD value of their claim as at 8 December 2022. Balances under A$250 were repaid in full. The remainder was to be paid from company profits over five years
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Where the DOCA stands nowWhether the company is still under external administration.
DOCA terminated, claims moved to a Creditors' TrustOn termination Digital Surge was released from participating creditors' claims and each creditor became a beneficiary of a Creditors' Trust instead. The trading company is no longer in external administration
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Ownership todayWho controls the business now.
Privately held, Australian owned and operatedBrisbane based and still run by its founders. It was not acquired or absorbed by a larger group after the administration
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Checked on 26 July 2026. 13 facts happened to line up by name and are shown as single rows; the rest sit in each platform's own column. Hover a row: src opens the primary document, flags that platform's value as wrong.
VisitIndependent Reserveindependentreserve.com VisitDigital Surgedigitalsurge.com.au
Registrations, licences, fees and product availability change. Check the current AUSTRAC Virtual Asset Service Provider Register and each platform's own disclosures before depositing. This page is general information only, not financial advice, and contains modelled figures where a platform does not publish a rate. Coindaily may earn a commission from links marked as such - it never changes the ranking or the data.

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