Independent Reserve: licences, security, fees and reviews
Centralized exchange
In short
- Legal entity
- Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd., ABN 46 164 257 069 (Australia)
- Fees
- Spot taker: 0.50% at 0-50,000 AUD 30-day volume, falling to 0.02% at the top tier; same fee for maker and taker (as of 31 October 2026)
- Risks and caveats
- Custodial service: the exchange or its custodian holds client crypto.
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
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Key facts
- Type
- Centralized exchange
- Exchange launched
- 2013
- Operator
- Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd. (Australia, ABN 46 164 257 069); Independent Reserve SG Pte. Ltd. (Singapore)
- Official site
- independentreserve.com
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources and regulator registers.
What is Independent Reserve
Independent Reserve is a centralised crypto exchange founded in 2013 in Australia by Adam Tepper, Adrian Przelozny and Lasanka Perera. It serves customers in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and offers spot trading, an OTC desk, leveraged trading and accounts for companies, trusts and self-managed super funds.
Good to know
- Since January 2026 Independent Reserve has been a subsidiary of IG Group Holdings plc, which acquired a majority stake (company overview page). ↗
- In Australia the terms state that Independent Reserve does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence and does not provide financial product advice. ↗
- Singapore customers deal with a separate entity, Independent Reserve SG Pte. Ltd., under Singapore-specific terms. ↗
- The MAS-required risk warning says the Singapore licence does not mean customers will recover all money or tokens if the business fails. ↗
- The platform is only for residents of the countries listed on its getting-started page. ↗
- Independent Reserve has owned the bitcoin.com.au brand since 2023. ↗
Services
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot trading | Buy, sell and trade crypto against AUD, NZD, SGD and USD with a volume-based trading fee. |
| Margin | Leveraged trading after a suitability test; positions can be liquidated. |
| OTC | OTC trading desk for orders above $50,000. |
| Custody / wallet | Custodial wallet; most client crypto is held in cold storage by an insured qualified custodian. |
| Fiat deposits | AUD, NZD, SGD and USD SWIFT deposits; options vary by region. |
Licences and registrations
| Jurisdiction | Entity | Licence / registration | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd. | Registered Digital Currency Exchange provider, DCE-100461150-001 (company statement) | AUSTRAC |
| Singapore | Independent Reserve SG Pte. Ltd. | Major Payment Institution licence PS20200517 for Digital Payment Token services under the Payment Services Act 2019 (company statement) | Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) |
Security and audits
- Most client crypto is held in cold storage by an insured, enterprise-grade qualified custodian (company statement).
- Annual external audit of financial statements, including verification of fiat and crypto balances held for clients.
- Client assets are segregated and, per the company, never lent or traded.
- ISO 27001 certification; 2FA, address whitelisting and a 72-hour withdrawal lock after security changes.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot taker | 0.50% at 0-50,000 AUD 30-day volume, falling to 0.02% at the top tier; same fee for maker and taker (as of 31 October 2026) |
| Deposits | Free deposits available; AUD 20 when manual processing is required (as of 31 October 2026) |
| Withdrawals | Free EFT bank withdrawals; fees apply to instant, SWIFT and crypto withdrawals (as of 31 October 2026) |
| Leveraged trading interest | 0.05% per day on leveraged buy positions, 0.03% per day on sell positions; 1% liquidation fee (as of 31 October 2026) |
Who can use it
- Verification: Individuals must be at least 18 and provide identity information; full access requires verification.
- Available only to residents of the countries listed on the getting-started page (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and other listed countries).
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Founded in Australia by Adam Tepper, Adrian Przelozny and Lasanka Perera. |
| 2023 | Acquires the bitcoin.com.au brand. |
| January 2026 | IG Group Holdings plc acquires a majority stake. |
Risks and caveats
- Custodial service: the exchange or its custodian holds client crypto.
- In Australia it holds no Australian Financial Services Licence; AUSTRAC DCE registration is an AML/CTF registration, not a licence.
- In Singapore the MAS licence does not guarantee recovery of money or tokens if the business fails.
- Leveraged trading can lead to mandatory liquidation and loss of funds.
About the company
- Legal entity
- Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd., ABN 46 164 257 069 (Australia)
- Founded
- 2013
- Founders
- Adam Tepper, Adrian Przelozny, Lasanka Perera
- CEO
- Adrian Przelozny (Group CEO); Lasanka Perera (CEO, Singapore)
- Parent company
- IG Group Holdings plc (majority stake since January 2026)
Official links
- Website: www.independentreserve.com
- Fees: www.independentreserve.com/fees
- Licences: www.independentreserve.com/about
- Terms of use: www.independentreserve.com/help/terms-and-conditions
- Security: www.independentreserve.com/security
Questions and answers
Is Independent Reserve regulated?
Independent Reserve Pty. Ltd. says it is registered with AUSTRAC as a digital currency exchange (DCE-100461150-001), and Independent Reserve SG Pte. Ltd. says it holds MAS Major Payment Institution licence PS20200517 in Singapore.
Does Independent Reserve publish proof of reserves?
It states that it keeps a full 1:1 reserve of client fiat and crypto and that an annual external audit verifies client balances; no separate public proof-of-reserves report is listed.
What are Independent Reserve's fees?
As of 31 October 2026 the trading fee starts at 0.5% and falls to 0.02% with 30-day volume; EFT bank withdrawals are free.
Who owns Independent Reserve?
It was founded in 2013 by Adam Tepper, Adrian Przelozny and Lasanka Perera; IG Group Holdings plc acquired a majority stake in January 2026.
Sources
- Independent Reserve - About
- Independent Reserve - Company overview
- Independent Reserve - Fees
- Independent Reserve - Security
- Independent Reserve - Terms and conditions (Australia)
- Independent Reserve Singapore - About
- Independent Reserve Singapore - Terms and conditions
- Independent Reserve - Leveraged trading
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