Bitcoin Gateway
Buying and selling Bitcoin has never been easier!
Through our liquidity integration with Bull Bitcoin, users benefit from up-to-the-minute, competitive pricing, without the confusion or hassle of navigating complicated trading platforms and charts. Whether you're new to digital assets or already a veteran in the space, the Bitcoin Gateway makes owning Bitcoin simple, direct, and efficient.
Unlike other product offerings that deal in paper derivatives or pooled crypto products, the Bitcoin you purchase through the gateway is real, truly yours, securely stored, insured, and never leveraged. Custody is provided by Balance, a Canadian leader in securing digital assets and the Bitcoin custodian in the country, operating since 2017.
With just a few clicks, you can buy Bitcoin directly from your Bow Valley Credit Union account. Your Bitcoin Gateway account is linked to your traditional BVCU account, enabling seamless transfers between fiat and Bitcoin, with little tech expertise or knowledge of blockchain required.
Bitcoin has proven to be an effective hedge against inflation and government money printing and the highest returning asset in the last 15 years.
Setting up an account is easy!
Simply sign into your BVCU online banking
Frequently Asked Questions
Bitcoin Gateway is designed as an introductory way for any Bow Valley Credit Union Member to get access to Bitcoin.
Most trading platforms don’t sell you actual Bitcoin. Rather what you get is a claim on Bitcoin on their platform, effectively a “paper” contract called a crypto contract, since the platform itself hold the legal title to the Bitcoin after the purchase, not you.
If a crypto trading platform goes bankrupt like FTX did in 2022, you could lose your assets.
With your real, non-paper contract, Bitcoin safely and securely stored at Balance in your direct name and title, disasters such as FTX are not possible.
Also, you can easily move your Bitcoin value to fiat currency using a Bow Valley Credit Union account. Through your Bow Valley Credit Union account you can use traditional banking rails such as cash, cheques, e-transfer, bill payment, AFTs, EFT, credit cards, wires, and so on.
Yes!
All three companies that make the Bitcoin Gateway possible are Alberta based. Bow Valley Credit Union is headquartered in Cochrane, Alberta and for 71 years our staff have been Alberta based. Balance is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, and is Canada’s oldest and largest digital asset custodian. Bull Bitcoin is also based in Calgary, Alberta, and Canada’s most trusted Bitcoin exchange since 2013. Bitcoin Bull as a liquidity provider sends Bitcoin directly to your wallet at Balance within minutes.
Alberta has become a hub for Bitcoin technology and the epicenter for the Bitcoin Gateway project. Unfortunately, at this time, we cannot offer this service to people and businesses residing outside of Alberta.
Military-Grade Offline Storage:
- Private keys are generated, stored, and managed offline on custom built Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) that are either CC EAL4+ or FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified.
- The HSMs are kept in bank-grade vaults that are geographically distributed across North America and are access controlled, monitored, and guarded 24/7.
- We backup private keys through two fully redundant and independent systems.
- Transaction signing happens entirely offline and is cryptographically approved by the client.
Strick Internal Controls:
- Multi-factor authentication and tier-based access controls regulate access to infrastructure.
- Sensitive data is encrypted when in transit over public networks and at rest.
- All employees are subject to initial and ongoing criminal background and credit checks.
- We restrict employee access based on role, following the principle of least-privilege.
- Our employees are never in personal possession of or have direct access to any assets.
- Our co-founders are unable to independently transfer any of your digital assets.
- Our offices do not store or contain anything of value.
Customizable Security Controls
- Platform access is restricted to whitelisted devices and locations.
- Multisig approval workflows can restrict transfers at the user level.
- Multisig approval workflows can restrict external account access at the user level.
- API keys and access is configured at the user level.
- Users can be restricted from sending transfers out of or viewing certain wallets.
- Users can be restricted from sending transfers to certain external accounts.
Yes, subject to Balance’s crypto crime insurance policy:
- $10M USD of coverage protects your offline assets against dishonest acts of the custodian, targeted cyber-attacks, physical loss, or physical damage.
- $750M USD of extra capacity is available on demand, for an additional cost. Contact support@balance.ca to discuss any custom needs.
Yes!
You can take your Bitcoin into self-custody at any time directly from Balance.
No. Not yet.
Unlike most crypto trading platforms, Bull Bitcoin does not hide their spread. We quote a lower rate when users sell Bitcoin and a higher rate when users buy Bitcoin, just like traditional currency exchanges. Premiums are known upfront and what you see is what you get. All Bow Valley Credit Union members get preferential pricing for buying or selling Bitcoin through Bull Bitcoin on the BVCU Bitcoin Gateway.
Instant Bitcoin price lock-in
As soon as you send your order, the Bull Bitcoin exchange rate is fixed. Other platform require you to send the Bitcoin first and wait for the deposit transaction to confirm on the blockchain before you can execute a sell. On the BVCU Bitcoin Gateway, the exchange rate is locked-in instantly.
Fast and reliable fiat settlements