FAQ – Bitcoin Now

Fees & limits at a glance

Two tiers. No surprises.

Phone verification only

$1,000/day

Total for the day under $1,000 CAD

Just a phone number — no ID
$5 CAD increments, $995 max per transaction

ID verified

$1,000+/day

Required once your daily total reaches $1,000 CAD

Complete a quick verification process with Bitcoin Now
Higher daily limit, confirmed during verification

Rates and fees shown here are indicative. The exact exchange rate and fee for your transaction is always displayed on the machine screen before you confirm.

Using the ATM

Bitcoin is our main currency and what every machine supports. Depending on the machine, you can also purchase Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Tether (USDT) — your options are shown on the screen before you confirm.

No traditional account is needed for transactions that keep your total for the day under $1,000 CAD — just a phone number. At $1,000 CAD and above, an account and ID verification are required.

Most transactions are quick — insert cash, confirm, and receive your crypto in your wallet. During busy periods, blockchain confirmation can occasionally take longer.

Contact our support line with your phone number and receipt ready, and we'll help resolve it.

Bitcoin Now machines are Buy Only (cash-to-crypto), one-way — insert cash and receive crypto directly in your own wallet.

Fees & Limits

$995 CAD maximum per transaction, in $5 increments, and $20 CAD minimum. With phone verification only, your total for the day can go up to $1,000 CAD. At $1,000 CAD and above, ID verification is required.

They're very close, but not guaranteed to be identical. Crypto prices move in real time, so the rate locked in on the machine screen at the moment you confirm is the one that applies — always check it before completing your transaction.

ID & Compliance

Once your total transactions for the day reach $1,000 CAD, ID verification is required — below that, a phone number is sufficient.

Wallets

Yes — have a wallet app ready on your phone with a scannable QR code. Bitcoin Now machines don't generate wallets for you.

Any wallet that can display a standard Bitcoin receive address as a QR code will work.

!

If someone is telling you to use this machine right now, stop.

No government agency, police service, bank, utility company, or legitimate employer will ever instruct you to pay them, "protect" your money, or "verify your identity" using a Bitcoin ATM. If you're on the phone or texting with someone, or acting on instructions from someone you haven't met in person — walk away and call someone you trust before you do anything else.

Safety

Common scams that use Bitcoin ATMs

These are the patterns we see most often. The details vary, but the shape is usually the same: urgency, secrecy, and a stranger telling you exactly what to type into the machine.

Impersonation

Government & law enforcement calls

A caller claims to be from the CRA, CBSA, RCMP, or local police, says you owe money or a loved one is in trouble, and pressures you to pay immediately at a Bitcoin ATM. Real government agencies do not collect debts, fines, or bail this way.

Impersonation

Tech support & bank fraud alerts

A pop-up, email, or phone call warns that your computer is infected or your bank account has been compromised, and tells you to "protect" your funds by converting them to Bitcoin and sending them to a "safe" wallet. There's no such thing as a safe wallet in this scenario — it's the scammer's.

Relationship

Romance & online relationship scams

Someone you've only met online, often after weeks or months of messaging, asks for financial help with an emergency, travel, or customs fees — and asks you to send it as Bitcoin.

Employment

Job, task, and "cash-flip" scams

A remote job or task platform asks you to receive a transfer and forward it on as Bitcoin, or to buy Bitcoin as part of a paid "task." The original transfer is often reversed days later, leaving you responsible for the funds.

Family emergency

"Loved one in trouble" calls

A caller claims to be a family member (or a lawyer or officer acting on their behalf) in urgent trouble — an accident, an arrest, a hospital bill — and asks for immediate payment by Bitcoin ATM, often insisting you not tell anyone else in the family.

Prizes & rentals

Lottery, prize, and rental deposit scams

You're told you've won a prize or been approved for a rental, and need to pay a "fee" or "deposit" in Bitcoin before you can receive it. Legitimate prizes and landlords don't require payment by Bitcoin ATM.

Red flags

Signs you may be in the middle of a scam

×

You're on the phone or texting with someone who is telling you what to enter into the machine, step by step.

×

You're being rushed, and told something bad will happen if you don't pay immediately.

×

You're told to keep it a secret from family, friends, your bank, or Bitcoin Now staff.

×

You're sending Bitcoin to someone you've never met in person, especially someone you only know from a call, text, or dating app.

×

You're told this is the only accepted payment method for a fine, bill, bail, deposit, or fee.

×

You're asked to scan a QR code someone else sent you, rather than your own wallet's receive address.

Before you transact

What Bitcoin Now machines can and can't do

Buy Only

Cash in, crypto out — that's it

Buy Only machines: insert cash and receive crypto in your own wallet, one-way
If someone tells you a Buy Only machine can cash out or redeem crypto for money, that's not accurate — treat it as a red flag

Once it's sent, it's sent

All transactions are final

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency transactions can't be reversed, frozen, or recalled once confirmed
Bitcoin Now can't retrieve funds once they've been sent
If you're unsure, stop and ask before you confirm — not after

If you think you've been scammed

What to do next

01

Stop the transaction, don't send any further funds, and immediately stop using the machine.

02

Contact your local police service and file a report.

03

Report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.

04

Contact Bitcoin Now support with your receipt number so we can flag the receiving address — this can't undo a completed transaction, but it helps protect the next person.

Bitcoin transactions are irreversible and non-refundable. Because the Bitcoin network has no central authority, once a transaction is confirmed Bitcoin Now is not able to freeze, reverse, or recover the funds. This section is provided for educational purposes and doesn't cover every possible scam — when in doubt, slow down and verify independently before you transact.

Contact support

Frequently asked questions