We may earn a commission from links on our site, but this doesn’t affect our reviews. Learn more.
Hedge With Crypto is an independent publisher that provides objective and free content. Articles on our site may include links to our partners. If you click on these links, we may earn a commission. However, our editorial content remains unbiased, reflecting our own opinions or the general information available. For more information on our company policies, read the Affiliate Disclosure, Privacy Policy, and Terms & Conditions.
Digital Surge Review
Hedge with Crypto aims to publish information that is factual and accurate as of the date of publication. For specific information about a cryptocurrency exchange or trading platform please visit that provider’s website. This information is general in nature and is for educational purposes only. Hedge with Crypto does not provide financial advice nor does it take into account your personal financial situation. We encourage you to seek financial advice from an independent financial advisor where appropriate and make your own enquiries.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Bottom line:
Digital Surge is one of the most beginner-friendly crypto exchanges in Australia that we have tested. The overall trading experience is straightforward and fast from depositing AUD to withdrawing to a bank account. Combined with an extensive list of 320+ supported assets and fees starting at 0.5%, Digital Surge is a great option for Australians. Moreover, there is also a $10 free Bitcoin bonus using a Digital Surge referral code.
-
Trading Fees:
0.5%
-
Currency:
AUD
-
Country:
Australia
-
Promotion:
$10 Bitcoin for creating a verified account
Digital Surge At A Glance
Exchange Name | Digital Surge |
Fiat Currency | AUD |
Cryptocurrency | 300+ |
Payment Type | POLI, PayID |
Trading Fee | 0.5% |
AUD Deposit Fee | POLI: $2 to $3.30 |
AUD Withdrawal Fee | None |
Mobile App | Yes (iOS and Android) |
Digital Surge Overview
Digital Surge is a Brisbane-based digital currency exchange that provides a fast and no-fuss way to buy and sell digital currency using AUD. The platform has focused on providing a user-friendly exchange website for everyday Australians to get started with crypto assets.
The Australian cryptocurrency exchange is focused on simplicity which starts from the verification process which is automated through to making purchases. Investing in Bitcoin and other coins is simple and effortless with its well-designed user interface and exceptional mobile app. With a 4.8/5 star average based on 354 customer reviews, Digital Surge is a top crypto exchange for Australians.
Digital Surge Compared and Alternatives
EXCHANGE | CRYPTO ASSETS | TRADING FEES | RATING | PROMOTION | WEBSITE | REVIEW |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swyftx |
320+ |
0.6% |
Rating
We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.9 / 5 |
$20 Bitcoin for creating a verified account |
Visit Swyftx | Swyftx Review |
Binance |
385 |
0.1% (spot) and 0.02% / 0.04% (Futures) |
Rating
We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.8 / 5 |
Up to $100 welcome bonus |
Visit Binance | Binance Review |
CoinSpot |
380 |
1% (instant), 0.1% (spot) |
Rating
We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.7 / 5 |
$20 Bitcoin for creating a verified account and depositing |
Visit CoinSpot | CoinSpot Review |
Hedge With Crypto has reviewed and compared several alternatives to Digital Surge in the following comparisons:
Review of the Top Features on Digital Surge
User-Friendly
Digital Surge offers a user-friendly and easy-to-use trading platform to get involved and invest in crypto. The trading experience has been carefully designed and throughout to simplify the process. New users can create an account, complete ID verification and deposit AUD instantly to purchase crypto. The user interface is visually appealing and easy to navigate with a clean design to monitor a portfolio, recent gainers and watch-listed coins.
Instantly Buy & Sell Cryptocurrency
With more than 300 supported coins on the exchange, Digital Surge offers one of the widest selections of cryptocurrencies that can be bought and sold. Digital Surge has instant AUD deposit and withdrawals so users to buy and sell crypto rapidly. Each coin is clearly listed with its corresponding buy and sell price in AUD and price change over the last 24 hours. There is the option to add favourite coins to a ‘watchlist' for quick access.
Trading Fees From 0.5%
Digital Surge is one of the cheapest cryptocurrency exchanges in Australia with a maximum fee of 0.5% for buy and sell trades. Compared to other reputable providers such as Swyftx (0.6%), CoinSpot (1%), and BTC Markets (0.85%), the buy and sell fees on Digital Surge are some of the lowest in Australia. The fee can be reduced to 0.1% per trade for trading large amounts over $1 million in a 30-day period. Furthermore, the spreads average 0.4% per transaction across the supported coins.
Overall, Digital Surge offers great value for money and is one of the cheapest places in Australia to buy altcoins due to its trading fees and spreads. The comparison table below shows the differences in trading fees between the top exchanges in Australia.
Support For SMSF Investors
Investors who are seeking to invest crypto in a Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) can do so with Digital Surge. Australian super laws and regulations require SMSF and personal assets to be kept separate from each other, and so users will need to create an SMSF account.
Investors can easily create an SMSF account with Digital Surge by following the 3 steps below:
- Register a new SMSF account by providing a valid email address, phone number, and strong password, and choosing “SMSF” as the account type when prompted.
- Complete the verification process, and submit the required supporting documents and information including the SMSF name, its ABN, trust deed, and trustee information. If the Trustee is a corporate entity then the ACN and information on the Director/Beneficial Owner will need to be submitted.
- Begin investing in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Investors have the option of purchasing crypto using AUD and gaining interest yields on held assets. Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA) can be applied to trades to minimize the effects of market volatility.
Is Digital Surge Legit?
Digital Surge is a 100% legitimate exchange that is registered with ASIC and AUSTRAC. The company abides by strict financial laws to minimize the risk of criminals using cryptocurrency exchanges for money laundering, terrorism financing and cybercrimes. All new users are required to complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) process before purchasing crypto.
The Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 requires regulated entities such as Digital Surge to collect information to establish a customer’s identity, monitor transactions and report to AUSTRAC transactions or activity that is suspicious or involves large amounts of cash over $10,000.
Is Digital Surge Safe?
Digital Surge is a safe platform to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with industry standard security measures in place. Safety measures such as Two Factor Authentication (2FA) and offline cold storage wallets help ensure client funds are kept secure on the platform. Since Digital Surge was established, no reported hacks of theft of funds.
Account Registration & Login
To create an account with Digital Surge users will need to go through a registration process to create a trading account. Digital Surge exchange will prompt for an email address. Verification of the email address completes the basic account creation process and users can login to Digital Surge.
Verification Requirements
Digital Surge uses RapidID and two-factor authentication to ensure the identity verification process is smooth, safe and as quick as possible. Users can get verified in a few minutes with a smartphone camera (for facial recognition check) and a form of official identification such as a Passport or Australian Drivers Licence.
Deposit Methods & Limits
The selection of deposit methods on Digital Surge to fund an account with AUD will suit most investors in Australia. The payment methods are widely available and accessible to residents with an Australian bank account. The supported AUD deposit methods are bank transfers, PayID or POLi payments.
- PayID. Best method to fund an account with AUD. There are zero fees to use the service and the funds will arrive at Digital Surge within 60 seconds. There is a maximum limit of $20,000 per hours and is recommended for first-time investors and dollar-cost-averaging.
- POLi Payments. Service is provided by Australia Post and has a limit of $8,000 per 24 hours and incurs a small transaction fee of $2.00 and capped at $3.30. The funds will be deposited to a Digital Surge account within a minute and can be used to purchase Bitcoin or other digital currencies.
Digital Surge does not provide support for credit cards, debit cards, cash deposits using Flexepin or PayPal. There are only a handful of exchanges available for Australians to buy crypto with a credit card which include Swyftx, Binance, Crypto.com and eToro (CFD).
Method | Fee | Limit | Transfer Speed |
---|---|---|---|
PayID | None | $20,000 | Near-Instant |
Bank transfer | None | Depends on bank | 1-3 work days |
POLi | $2 | $8,000 | Near-Instant |
User Interface
Digital Surge’s interface features a simple and easy-to-use dashboard that allows users to view their Portfolio as a whole to see how their investments are performing. The interface allows users to monitor their favourite coins within a personal Watchlist to quickly see which coins are performing the best (and worst) with the Top Gainers list. An easy click through on any of them will transfer to a full detail page of each asset.
To get started, users can click on the asset to buy which will bring up the live chart and price in AUD. There are fields to enter in the amount to purchase with the deposited funds. For example, if the user wants to buy Dogecoin, the asset is selected from the list and they are taken to the coin details page. An order entry box is shown to enter the amount of AUD to buy DOGE. The equivalent amount of Dogecoin is displayed at the current market rate.
Paying Bills
Digital Surge offers a feature to let individuals pay any Australian bill or credit card statement using Bitcoin (BTC). Users will need the BPAY details of the biller to make a Bitcoin payment. The process is guided through a wizard to make it easy. This is a great option for investors that want to spend their funds without having to sell Bitcoin back to AUD.
The process is guided through a wizard which gives the option to:
- Pay BPAY bill
- Pay to Credit Card
- Pay to Bank Account
Once an option to pay has been selected, the biller's BPAY details can be entered. The funds will be taken from either the user's Digital Surge wallet or a reputable cryptocurrency wallet.
Trading Fees
Digital Surge fees for instant buying and selling are a flat 0.5%. This rate is competitive compared to other Australian crypto exchanges such as Swyftx (0.6%), Coinjar (0.5%), and Independent Reserve (0.5%). Users that trade high volumes on the exchange will be charged a different fee based on a rolling 30 day trade volume. The trading volume is calculated every 1 hour and the trading fees can be reduced to 0.1% if the volume exceeds 1 million AUD. This is the same fee that Binance charges for all trades.
The advantage of using Digital Surge compared to other exchanges such Swyftx for example is the trading fee discounts. For high-volume traders, the fee discounts can offer better value for money. For more information on Digital Surge vs Swyftx, read this article
Volume (30 days) | Trading Fee |
---|---|
<$100,000 | 0.5% |
$100,000 – $250,000 | 0.4% |
$250,000 – $500,000 | 0.3% |
$500,000 – $1,000,000 | 0.2% |
>$1,000,000 | 0.1% |
Supported Coins
Digital Surge offers over 320 altcoins, giving it one of the widest selections of crypto in Australia. Investors are spoilt for choice with the platform listing several DeFi tokens and meme coins such as Shibu Inu and Dogecoin that can be bought. The major supported coins include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- EOS (EOS)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Tezos (XTZ)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- NEO
- Theta (THETA)
- Basic Attention Token (BAT)
Security Measures
Digital Surge has a security-first approach to ensuring its customers assets are 100% safe on its platform. The exchange features industry-leading security measures such as 2-Step verification required for login and withdrawals and hot wallet storage. For the protection of personal information, the exchange runs over an encrypted SSL on secure servers and all passwords are hashed and salted to provide optimal security.
Customer Support
Digital Surge has a responsive customer service team that can be contacted through a live chat app or via email. The response time of the live chatbot is within a couple of minutes based on our experience. According to customer feedback, Digital Surge is a highly recommended crypto exchange with excellent customer support and a
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Digital Surge Have Staking?
Digital Surge does not currently offer crypto staking on its platform for customers to store assets to earn staking rewards. Australians who want to stake their assets will need to find a crypto staking platform in Australia that preferably accepts AUD deposits.
Is There A Mobile Phone App?
Yes, Digital Surge offers a mobile trading app for iOS and Android devices to buy/sell digital currencies on the exchange.
What Countries Does Digital Surge Support?
Digital Surge trading platform only supports users in Australia and New Zealand to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies. International residents outside of these regions will need to use a global fiat-to-crypto exchange that accepts their local fiat currency and payment method.
Is There A Referral Program?
Digital Surge one of the best crypto affiliate programs in Australia. Digital Surge pays out 50% of fees collected on all trades made by the accounts all users have referred. This industry leading referral program allows users to earn passive income for referring friends and family.
How We Rated Digital Surge
Review Category | Hedge With Crypto Rating |
---|---|
Features | 4.8 / 5 |
Supported Fiat Currencies and Deposit Methods | 4.6 / 5 |
Supported Cryptocurrencies and Trading Pairs | 4.5 / 5 |
Fees | 4.4 / 5 |
Ease of Use | 5 / 5 |
Customer Support | 4.8 / 5 |
Security Measures | 4.8 / 5 |
Mobile App | 4.7 / 5 |