What is the Spread?

When you trade crypto, whether you’re buying or selling, there’s always a difference between the buy price and the sell price. This difference is known as the spread.

Buy price = The price you pay to purchase crypto.

Sell price = The price you receive when you sell.

The spread = The gap between the two.

Example: If you’re buying Bitcoin at $101,000 and selling at $100,000, the spread is $1,000.

Why Does the Spread Exist?

We know this can seem like a hidden fee but it’s actually not an added fee in the traditional sense. Instead, the spread is a market driven margin that reflects the natural dynamics of supply and demand, and the cost of providing a seamless, instant trading experience.

Think of it this way:

Imagine you're exchanging USD at the airport. The rate you sell USD at is slightly less than the rate you buy USD at. That difference isn't a fee the counter lists separately, it's just how they cover their costs for offering the service.

Crypto works similarly. Coinstash and other exchanges don’t show the spread as a separate line item. Instead, it’s built into the price you see, so everything stays simple and upfront.

Is the Spread Always the Same?

Not always. The spread can vary depending on:

Market volatility. Bigger swings = wider spreads.

Trading volume. More trading = tighter spreads.

Foreign exchange (FX) rates. Crypto is priced in USD and converted to AUD, therefore shifts in the USD/AUD exchange rate can affect the spread.

Specific coin liquidity. Popular coins like BTC and ETH usually have smaller spreads than lesser-known or low-volume coins.

Our Commitment to Transparency

At Coinstash, our goal is to make crypto easy to understand and accessible. That’s why:

We include all fees in the quoted price so you can make informed decisions at a glance.

We aim to keep our spreads as tight and competitive as possible.

We’re always happy to explain how our pricing works.

Updated on: 15/05/2025