Buy Internet Computer with a dedicated broker handling the trade from your first question through to settlement into institutional custody.
Buy Internet Computer with a dedicated broker handling the trade from your first question through to settlement into institutional custody.
Create your account Register and verify your identity. No experience needed, and nothing to set up yourself. Most accounts are ready to fund the same day.
Speak to your broker A dedicated broker walks you through how buying Internet Computer works and answers your questions. No order books, no charts, no guesswork.
Fund your account and get your quote Fund in your preferred currency and your broker prepares a live quote, so you know exactly what you’re getting before you commit. Larger orders route through OTC execution.OTC execution.
Buy and settle into custody Confirm with your broker and your ICP settles into institutional custody secured by Fireblocks. Hold it there or withdraw to your own wallet anytime.Fireblocks. Hold it there or withdraw to your own wallet anytime.
General considerations not advice. How you act on them depends on your own circumstances.
Crypto is volatile Internet Computer’s price can move sharply in both directions sometimes within a single trading session. It’s an asset class to approach with capital you’re prepared to see fluctuate in value. General information only not a prediction or recommendation.
General information only — not a prediction or recommendation.
Where it’s held matters Crypto bought on an exchange typically sits on the exchange’s balance sheet. Institutional custody holds your ICP separately a structural difference worth understanding before you buy.
How custody worksBroker vs exchange Buying Internet Computer through a broker works differently from a self-serve exchange order book. Understanding how the two differ helps you choose the path that fits how you want to buy.
See the differenceLarger trades are different Buying a significant amount of ICP in one go can move an exchange’s order book against you. OTC execution is built for size filling large orders without that market impact.
About OTC tradingA plain-English look at what it is, how it works, and what it's used for — so you can understand the asset before you buy.
Internet Computer (ICP) is a Layer-1 blockchain developed by the DFINITY Foundation, a non-profit incorporated in Zug, Switzerland in October 2016 by cryptographer Dominic Williams. Unlike most blockchains, which primarily store transaction data, the Internet Computer is designed to run software directly on-chain — hosting websites, applications, and back-end services without relying on traditional cloud providers. The network launched on May 10, 2021, after DFINITY raised more than $100 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Polychain Capital across funding rounds beginning in 2017.
How the
Internet Computer
works
The Internet Computer runs on a multi-layered consensus protocol combining an identity layer, a random beacon layer, a blockchain layer, and a notarisation layer. Together, these are designed to provide provable security against common attack vectors while allowing the network to scale across a growing number of independent data centres, each running specialised hardware called node machines. Applications on the Internet Computer run inside units called canisters bundles of code and state that execute WebAssembly. Canisters use what DFINITY calls a ‘reverse gas model’: instead of end users paying transaction fees directly, developers pre-fund their canisters with ‘cycles’ units of compute that are obtained by converting and burning ICP. This allows applications to offer a fee-free experience to end users, similar to how a traditional web app doesn’t charge visitors per click. A core technology underpinning the network is Chain Key Cryptography, which allows the entire Internet Computer to be represented by a single public key. This enables features such as direct integration with other blockchains (allowing canisters to hold and transact Bitcoin or Ethereum-based assets without traditional bridges) and fast verification of data from any device, including phones and smartwatches.
What
Internet Computer
is used for
ICP serves several functions on the network. It can be staked in neurons to participate in NNS governance and earn voting rewards. It is converted into cycles, which developers use to pay for the compute, storage, and bandwidth their canisters consume making it the underlying resource currency of the platform. Beyond governance and compute, ICP is used to reward node providers who operate the physical infrastructure of the network, and can be used within applications built on the Internet Computer, including DeFi protocols, decentralised social platforms, and fully on-chain websites. The Internet Computer also supports Internet Identity, a decentralised authentication system that lets users sign into applications using device-based credentials rather than passwords or centralised identity providers an approach the project positions as an alternative to conventional Web2 login systems.
Runs software on-chain. Unlike most blockchains that primarily store transaction data, the Internet Computer hosts and executes full applications directly on-chain through units called canisters. Reverse gas model. Developers pre-fund their applications with cycles converted from ICP, allowing end users to interact with apps without paying transaction fees directly. Chain Key Cryptography. The entire network is represented by a single public key, enabling direct integration with other blockchains and fast cryptographic verification from any device. No fixed maximum supply. New ICP is minted to reward node providers and governance participants, while ICP burned for compute cycles creates an offsetting reduction in supply. On-chain governance. The Network Nervous System lets ICP holders lock tokens into neurons to vote on network upgrades and economic parameters,
Institutional custody Your assets are held by Fireblocks the custody infrastructure used by leading global banks and digital asset platforms using multi-party computation and hardware isolation. Your crypto is kept strictly separate from operational funds.
Custody by FireblocksSpeak to your broker A dedicated broker walks you through how buying Internet Computer works and answers your questions. No order books, no charts, no guesswork.
One broker, start to finishAUSTRAC registered Uptrade is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider and operates under its regulatory obligations. The registration number is published and verifiable. DCE100856266-001
DCE100856266-001You can buy Internet Computer through Uptrade with the help of a dedicated broker. Rather than trading on a self-serve exchange, you work directly with a broker who guides the purchase from start to finish and settles your ICP into institutional custody.
There’s no single right way it depends on how much you’re buying and how hands-on you want to be. Buying through a broker suits people who want guidance rather than a self-serve order book, larger purchases, or institutional custody. Compare broker and exchange to see what fits your situation.
Your ICP is held in institutional custody secured by Fireblocks, using multi-party computation and hardware isolation and every transaction requires direct broker-led approval.
Yes. Larger purchases are handled through OTC execution, which is designed to fill size without the slippage that a large order can cause on an exchange order book.
Canisters are the units of code and state that run applications on the Internet Computer. Cycles are units of compute obtained by converting and burning ICP, which developers use to pay for the resources their canisters consume allowing end users to interact with apps without paying fees directly.
No. Many Uptrade clients are buying crypto for the first time. Your broker walks you through every step, so there’s nothing you need to know in advance.
Uptrade is registered with AUSTRAC as a Digital Currency Exchange Provider (DCE100856266-001) and operates in compliance with its regulatory obligations.
A consultation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. Ask the hard questions your broker will walk you through exactly how it works.
