Crypto Exchange comparison
Bybit vs Digital Surge
The biggest practical difference between Bybit and Digital Surge is that one is an offshore derivatives giant and the other is a locally registered Australian exchange. Bybit offers a massive range of crypto trading pairs, derivatives and low fees, but it has no AUSTRAC registration and doesn't support AUD bank deposits. Digital Surge is AUSTRAC-registered, Australian-owned, and lets you deposit with PayID or OSKO — but it's a much smaller platform with fewer coins and no desktop app.
Choose
Bybit
if…
- ›You want access to derivatives, futures and margin trading on hundreds of crypto pairs
- ›You're comfortable using an offshore exchange with no AUSTRAC registration and no direct AUD deposits
- ›You want a desktop trading platform with advanced charting and a demo account to practice
- ›You need 24/7 live chat support and don't mind dealing with an overseas-based team
- ›You want zero monthly, inactivity or market data fees and low trading fees across the board
Choose
Digital Surge
if…
- ›You want an AUSTRAC-registered, Australian-owned exchange that accepts PayID, OSKO and bank transfers
- ›You need an Australian tax statement and a CGT report at tax time without manual spreadsheet work
- ›You want to open a joint, trust or SMSF account — Digital Surge supports all of these
- ›You prefer a simpler, more curated platform and don't need a desktop app or demo account
- ›You want free AUD withdrawals and same-day deposits via PayID or OSKO
Where they differ
| Fact | Bybit | Digital Surge |
|---|---|---|
| AUSTRAC registration | No | Yes |
| AUD deposit methods | Third-party fiat gateway (Banxa, Mercuryo, MoonPay) or P2P | PayID, Bank Transfer, OSKO |
| Australian tax statement | Not provided | Provided |
| Account types | Individual and company only | Individual, joint, company, trust and SMSF |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
Verdict
Choose Bybit for advanced crypto trading and low fees; choose Digital Surge for Australian regulation, tax support and simple AUD deposits.
All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Bybit | Digital Surge |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | — | custodian |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | Yes | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | — |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | — | No |
| ASX ETFs supported | — | No |
| US shares supported | — | No |
| US ETFs supported | — | No |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | — | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | — | No |
| Options trading | — | No |
| CFDs supported | — | No |
| Crypto trading | Yes | Yes |
| Managed funds | — | No |
| Bonds supported | — | No |
| IPO access | No | No |
| costs hidden | ||
| Market data fees | $0/month | — |
| Conditional order fees | $0 | $0 |
| costs visible | ||
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | — |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | — |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | — |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | — | $0 |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Bybit Fintech Limited | Digital Surge Pty Ltd |
| AUSTRAC registration | No | Yes |
| Year founded | 2,018 | 2,017 |
| Parent / ownership | Bybit Fintech Limited (privately held; founded and led by Ben Zhou) | Digital Surge Pty Ltd (privately held, Australian-owned; co-founded by Dan Rutter (CEO) and Josh Lehman). Following the 2022 FTX exposure event, an associated company 'Digico' provided a A$1.25M loan as part of the Deed of Company Arrangement that allowed the business to resume operations. |
| Country of incorporation | SC | AU |
| Public company status | private | private |
| money movement | ||
| Deposit methods | Crypto deposit, Third-party fiat gateway (debit/credit card via Banxa, Mercuryo, MoonPay), P2P trading (peer-to-peer fiat), Bybit Card top-up (where available) | PayID, Bank Transfer, OSKO |
| Withdrawal time | AUD bank withdrawals not supported; crypto withdrawals processed typically within minutes once approved (subject to network confirmation) | 1 business day (typically same-day for PayID; up to 1-2 business days for standard bank transfer) |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | Yes | No |
| Demo account | Yes | No |
| Free real-time market data | Yes | Yes |
| Free research reports | No | No |
| 2FA support | authenticator | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | 24/7 live chat, email/ticket, help center, in-app support | live chat, email |
| Support hours (AU time) | 24/7 (live chat); email tickets responded in 1-3 business days | Live chat available 365 days a year (Australian-based support team); specific hours not published |
| Education content | video + courses | basic articles |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | No | Yes |
| CGT calculator / report | No | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | Yes |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | Yes | Yes |
| Conditional orders | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | multiple |
| After-hours / overnight trading | Yes | Yes |