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Independent Reserve review

Updated September 28, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Independent Reserve suits Australian and New Zealand buyers who want a regulated custodial exchange with plain card and bank deposits. Fees of 0.02% to 0.5% are competitive with the site median of 0.2%, though the coin list is modest for traders who want broader markets.

Key facts

Best for
Australian and New Zealand residents buying mainstream coins with card or bank transfers.
Taker fee
0.02% to 0.5%↗
Coins listed
25↗
Regulators
AUSTRAC↗
Fiat deposit methods
Card, Bank↗
Proof of reserves
Yes↗
Withdrawal fee
AUD EFT free; AUD 1.50 PayID/NPP instant; USD 25 SWIFT; NZD 29; BTC 0.0001↗
Derivatives
Yes↗
Exchange type
Cex↗
Legal entity
Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd. (ABN 46 164 257 069)↗
Headquarters
Australia↗
Founded
2013↗
Support channels
Email, Help-centre, Community↗
Features
Custodial
Official website
independentreserve.com

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources

Apps and profiles

Get the app
Google Play
Elsewhere
LinkedInXyoutube.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Registered with AUSTRAC in Australia, so the exchange answers to a recognised anti-money laundering regulator.
  • Publishes proof of reserves, which 79.4% of compared exchanges do.
  • Card and bank transfers are both accepted through card and bank.
  • Taker fees of 0.02% to 0.5% sit close to the site median of 0.2%.

Cons

  • The list of 25 coins is small next to the site median of 62.
  • Support runs on email, help centre and community only, with no phone or live chat listed.
  • Balances are custodial, so coins sit with the exchange rather than in a wallet the holder controls.
Independent Reserve

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Scored 9.3 / 10 by HodlCue.

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Who it suits

  • Australian and New Zealand residents paying in by card or bank transfer
  • Buyers of mainstream coins who want proof of reserves and a named regulator
  • Traders who also want access to derivatives

Who should look elsewhere

  • Traders chasing a long tail of altcoins, where the exchange is a broker for Australia and New Zealand rather than a global venue
  • bitpanda, which lists from 650 coins for a much wider choice
  • bunq, whose taker fees of 0.25% to 1.99% suit European bank customers

Who runs it

Independent Reserve operates as Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd. (ABN 46 164 257 069), registered in Australia and trading since 2013. Its Australian registration sits with AUSTRAC, and the exchange publishes proof of reserves alongside that licence, DCE-100461150-001. Accounts are custodial, so coins are held by the exchange on the holder's behalf. Help runs through email, help centre and community rather than a phone line or live chat, which suits people who would rather read answers than wait on hold.

How Independent Reserve compares

Where Independent Reserve is available

Available
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore
Licence in Australia
AUSTRAC (DCE-100461150-001), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does Independent Reserve charge in fees?+

Taker fees run 0.02% to 0.5%, which brackets the site median of 0.2% and sits inside the upper quartile of 0.55%. Withdrawals are also charged: AUD transfers are free, while instant AUD and crypto withdrawals carry a fee.

Is Independent Reserve regulated?+

It is registered with AUSTRAC in Australia under DCE-100461150-001, the country's anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regulator. It also publishes proof of reserves, a step 79.4% of the compared exchanges report.

How do I deposit money?+

Fiat deposits run through card and bank, so a card or a bank transfer both work. Bank transfer is the more common route on 92.5% of compared exchanges, while card use is shared by 51.7% of them. Both are listed for Australian accounts.

Can I withdraw without a large fee?+

AUD bank transfers by EFT are free, so an Australian account holder can move money out at no cost. Instant AUD payouts and SWIFT, New Zealand dollar and crypto withdrawals each carry a fee, so the cheapest route depends on the currency and speed you pick.

How many coins can I trade?+

The exchange lists 25 coins, which is below the site median of 62 and well under the 344.5 upper quartile. It suits buyers of established currencies rather than traders hunting new listings.

Can I trade derivatives on Independent Reserve?+

Derivatives are offered, and trading them sits with the 0.1% median for the category. Fee tiers on the spot side run 0.02% to 0.5%, so cost depends on which market and volume band the trade falls into.

Who is Independent Reserve for?+

It is built for Australian and New Zealand residents, with an Australian headquarters in AU and fiat deposits by card and bank. Support is limited to email, help centre and community, so anyone who wants phone help or a broad altcoin list is better served elsewhere.

Sources

  • coingecko.com/en/exchanges/independent_reserve checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Coins listed, Founded

    “id=independent_reserve; coins=25; pairs=97”

  • independentreserve.com/about checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Features, Legal entity, Proof of reserves, Regulators, Licences

    “An insured, enterprise-grade Qualified Custodian holds the vast majority of our clients' digital assets in cold storage.”

  • independentreserve.com/contact-us checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Support channels

    “Address: Level 26, 44 Market Street Sydney, 2000 New South Wales, Australia”

  • independentreserve.com/fees checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Derivatives, Exchange type, Fiat deposit methods, Taker fee, Withdrawal fee

    “Leveraged trading fees ... Interest fee For leverage buy positions, 0.1% per day. For leverage sell positions, 0.03% per day.”

Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Independent Reserve

Independent Reserve

Australian and New Zealand residents buying mainstream coins with card or bank transfers.

9.3/10Visit