Phemex vs Kuna: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Phemex and Kuna This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Phemex

Kuna

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Phemex is ideal if:

Fast-paced traders value it: With ultra-low latency and deep liquidity, Phemex's high-performance trading engine offers smooth execution and stability.
Tech-savvy users benefit: Advanced tools—like copy trading, bots, and DeFi-style earning products—empower both automation and strategy innovation.
Privacy-conscious users find appeal: Flexible KYC policies and a streamlined onboarding style suit those preferring minimal verification barriers.

Kuna is ideal if:

Effortless Quick Buys – If you prefer rapid purchases without account creation, Kuna’s “5-click” system lets you buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether in around 30 seconds directly to your wallet.
Straightforward and Friendly UI – Kuna offers a clean, intuitive interface (web and mobile) that’s especially suitable for newcomers and those who value simplicity and smooth navigation.
Regional Fiat Flexibility – If you're in supported areas, Kuna enables seamless fiat-to-crypto trades using local methods in UAH, USD, or RUB, plus tools like cash codes—making funding your trades frictionless.

Phemex isn’t ideal if:

Fiat-focused users may face limits: Fiat deposit and withdrawal services are unavailable or heavily restricted in numerous countries, reducing accessibility for those relying on bank transfers.
Newcomers could feel overwhelmed: The platform’s advanced features and high-leverage tools offer power—but may feel complex if you’re new to trading.
Risk-averse investors might be uneasy: Derivatives and high-leverage products carry greater risk, making Phemex less suited to those seeking lower-volatility exposure.

Kuna isn’t ideal if:

Limited Asset Variety – If you're looking to trade a wide range of cryptocurrencies or exotic altcoins, Kuna offers only a modest selection that may feel restrictive.
Basic Trading Tools Only – For those seeking advanced charting, technical indicators, or professional-grade trading features, Kuna’s platform remains quite simplistic.
No PayPal or Wallet Options – If you prefer funding your account with PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller, or need live chat or phone support, you’ll find those options aren’t available here.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Spot trading fees start at 0.1% for both maker and taker on the base VIP tier and can decrease via VIP-level benefits tied to trading volume or asset holdings; using the Phemex Token (PT) grants additional discounts—around 20% off spot fees—and those can stack with VIP reductions.

Kuna applies a flat 0.25 % trading fee for both makers and takers, without tiered volumes—though holding at least 100 KUN tokens grants VIP status, which waives maker fees entirely.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures (perpetual contracts) begin with a maker fee as low as 0.01% and a taker fee of 0.06%, with lower rates available through VIP status; funding rates vary according to market dynamics and are applied periodically, affecting long or short positions depending on current rates.

Kuna does not offer futures or other derivative trading instruments; therefore, there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Phemex delivers tight spreads on major spot pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, thanks to deep order-book liquidity and efficient execution, although the exact average spread fluctuates with market conditions and isn’t publicly standardized.

Kuna does not publicly disclose spread data, and their simplified fee model suggests minimal hidden spread, though precise average figures for these pairs are not available.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat deposits are facilitated via third-party gateways such as MoonPay or Banxa, often with fees imposed by those services; withdrawal in fiat is limited or restricted depending on jurisdiction and may incur fixed charges or banking delays driven by external banking partners.

Fiat deposits are accepted (e.g., via credit card for Ukrainian-issued Visa/Mastercard or via methods like Perfect Money, Payeer, Advanced Cash, or Kuna Code), with variable fees depending on the method—withdrawals mirror those deposit options, again with method-dependent fees and typical processing within short timeframes.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals carry network-dependent fees, which vary by chain and congestion

Crypto withdrawal fees are based on asset and network; for example, withdrawing BTC incurs a fixed fee of approximately 0.0005 BTC. Other assets like ETH or TRX may have different dynamic fees, though Kuna doesn’t specify those publicly across all networks.

Hidden Costs

Hidden costs may include markups from third-party fiat gateways, potential inactivity penalties (if any), and premium-tier services like expedited KYC—but generally, Phemex avoids additional charges beyond trading, withdrawal, and external service fees.

There’s no explicit information about inactivity fees or express KYC charges; however, currency conversion may incur a flat percent fee embedded in the exchange rate, depending on your selected method.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

Example

Buying €500 worth of BTC would incur the standard 0.25 % trading fee and any minor spread embedded by the platform, plus the fixed withdrawal cost of ~0.0005 BTC when sending the funds on-chain—exact totals depend on BTC’s live price at the time.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Phemex offers several hundred tradable assets across hundreds of spot and futures pairs; among the top by volume you’ll typically see major pairs like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, SOL/USDT, DOGE/USDT, ADA/USDT dominating the leaderboards.

Kuna lists approximately 22 to 40 cryptocurrencies and supports around 40 trading pairs, with the most active ones being BTC/UAH, ETH/BTC, ZEC/UAH, DAI/UAH, ZEC/USDT, KUN/USDT, BTC/USDC, and ETH/UAH.

Product Range

Phemex delivers a wide product mix including spot and margin trading, perpetual futures, automated copy-trading, grid-trading bots (spot and futures), DCA and Martingale bots, essential lending/borrow via margin, plus crypto earn products and launchpad functionality.

Kuna’s product suite is straightforward—spot trading only (crypto–crypto and crypto–fiat), no margin, derivatives, ETFs, lending, copy trading, grid bots, automatic DCA, or options; however, it does offer staking rewards through holding certain assets.

Liquidity

Phemex sees substantial daily volume usually in the hundreds of millions USD, with order-book depth in BTC and ETH strong enough to support sizable trades without excessive slippage, reflecting healthy active liquidity.

Kuna’s 24-hour volume is modest (several million USD equivalent), with BTC/USDT and ETH markets showing some activity; however, order-book depth is not publicly detailed, suggesting liquidity is appropriate for medium-sized trades but not high-frequency institutional-level operations.

Tools

The platform includes full order-type support such as limit, market, stop and OCO orders, real-time alerts, advanced interactive charts powered by TradingView, and robust API with WebSocket for seamless automation and live data.

Kuna supports basic order types like limit, market, and stop orders, features standard trading charts (not TradingView-native), and provides API access; it doesn’t offer advanced charting tools, OCO orders, price alerts, or built-in TradingView integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain services—especially derivatives—are restricted in countries like the United States, United Kingdom, parts of Canada, China, and other regions, while spot and earn products may remain accessible depending on local laws.

While spot trading is broadly available, Kuna does not provide derivatives or advanced products in any region, and its services are restricted for U.S. users; features like staking may also be limited depending on local regulations.

Innovation

Phemex continually expands its ecosystem with launchpad or launchpool-style token sales, and layered earn programs offering both flexible (withdraw anytime) and locked (higher yield) options to fit different investor preferences.

Kuna’s innovation footprint includes unique tools like Kuna Code (transfer via code), Kuna Pay (payment processing), and browser extensions from the community, but it currently lacks features such as a launchpad, launchpool, or differentiated flexible vs locked earning programs.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Phemex began in 2019 and is operated under entities such as Phemex Technology Pte. Ltd. in Singapore and Phemex Limited in the British Virgin Islands, placing it under those legal jurisdictions.

Kuna was founded in 2014 in Ukraine and maintained operations through regional entities—including those in the UK and Lithuania—but as of March 2025, the platform has fully ceased operations and is no longer active.

Licenses/Registration

While Phemex holds an MSB registration with FinCEN in the U.S., it currently lacks MiCA or equivalent EU licensing and is not authorized to operate in several regulated regions.

Kuna did not hold formal VASP licenses under European frameworks like MiCA, nor did it register under equivalent regimes; current regulatory programs such as those in the Cayman Islands or EU never applied to Kuna due to its closure prior to implementation of those licensing regimes.

Custody

The exchange maintains full custody of user assets and provides a self-verifiable Merkle-tree proof-of-reserves (PoR) tool that shows assets are backed 1

Kuna undertook what it called “the largest Proof of Reserves in history” to demonstrate backing of user funds, though there is no evidence of third-party audits, formal PoR implementation, or specified cold storage reserve ratios.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There is no publicly disclosed insurance or user protection fund; security relies on reserve mechanisms and risk controls but does not include third-party insurance coverage.

No formal insurance products or customer protection funds were publicly offered or advertised by Kuna at any point during its operation.

Incident History

Phemex has not reported any major hacks, though it temporarily suspended a hot-wallet after an internal security review; it also faced regulatory scrutiny in Canada and the UK for compliance issues.

Kuna maintained a calm incident history, with no publicly documented hacks, platform outages, account freezes, or regulatory fines reported prior to its closure.

Risk Controls

Users benefit from standard safeguards including mandatory two-factor authentication, IP or address whitelists, anti-phishing protection, segregated sub-accounts, and granular API permission controls.

Kuna offered basic security features such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and email confirmations, though advanced tools like withdrawal whitelists, anti-phishing measures, tiered sub-accounting, or granular API permission controls were not prominently supported.

Transparency

Phemex offers monthly-updated PoR data, public disclosure of partial cold wallet addresses, and reserve ratios, demonstrating a commitment to transparency though without formal SLAs or comprehensive monthly financial reports.

There were no monthly transparency reports, public audit statements, or disclosed service-level agreements. While the platform shared its initiative around reserves, ongoing financial transparency metrics or operational dashboards were not made available.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Phemex supports fiat deposits via bank transfers (SWIFT, SEPA, ACH, FPS) and third-party services like MoonPay or Banxa; minimums generally start around $50, maximums reach very high limits, and processing typically takes from instant (via e-wallet) to 1–3 business days for transfers.

Fiat deposit options on Kuna include credit cards (limited to Ukrainian-issued Visa/MasterCard) and payment services like Advanced Cash, Perfect Money, Payeer, or Kuna Code; there’s no publicly stated minimum or maximum, and processing times vary—card payments can be nearly instant, while some transfer methods may take several minutes to days depending on method and region.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

There are three user tiers

Kuna requires identity verification to unlock full functionality—basic account creation has limited access, and submitting documents (ID, proof of address) elevates you to a fully verified level, with no public breakdown of tiered access or trading limits, but verification is mandatory for fiat operations.

Withdrawals

limits, times, networks (TRC20/ERC20/BEP20, etc.)

Cryptocurrency withdrawals on Kuna support networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, BTC (native), and others; BTC withdrawals, for example, incur a 0.0005 BTC fee and typically process within 10 minutes after email and 2FA confirmation—limits are set internally and not publicly disclosed.

Customer Support

chat 24/7, email, response times, knowledge base

Kuna offers multilingual support via the help center and ticketing system (English, Ukrainian, Russian), with an extensive FAQ and tutorial base—while there’s no 24/7 live chat, support is accessible through email or tickets, and response times are generally prompt but unspecified.

Languages & Localization

The platform’s interface and support are primarily in English, with fees typically shown in USD or equivalent fiat; some content and interfaces are localized for major regions, though comprehensive local regulation compliance varies by jurisdiction.

The platform supports English (as well as Ukrainian and Russian), displays prices and fees in common fiat currencies like €/USD, and reflects some local regulatory positioning (e.g., awareness of Lithuanian VASP licensing), although it remains primarily headquartered in Ukraine.

App Quality & Stability

The Phemex mobile app is generally regarded as stable and regularly updated, offering seamless feature parity with desktop—though exact crash rates aren’t disclosed, user feedback reflects a smooth, reliable experience.

Kuna offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android that integrates core features like deposits and withdrawals; while there’s no public data on crash rates or update frequency, documentation includes instructions for confirming withdrawals via the app—suggesting a maintained and functional experience.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface with a low entry barrier for newcomers, while also featuring an advanced “Pro” layout tailored to seasoned users that surfaces more chart tools and analytics—all accessible without overwhelming either group.

Kuna’s design is widely praised for being intuitive and accessible to beginners, with no separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes—just a unified interface that blends simplicity with functionality to help new traders start quickly while still serving seasoned users.

Performance

Known for its fast order execution and robust infrastructure, Phemex handles volatility with minimal downtime, though during peak surges KYC and account approval may experience slight delays—performance remains solid overall.

Users report that orders on Kuna process nearly instantly under normal conditions; while data on crashes during volatile markets or extended KYC backlogs is limited, the lightweight design and responsiveness suggest generally stable performance even under pressure.

Education

Phemex Academy offers a rich library of beginner-to-advanced tutorials, while a fully functional Testnet simulator lets users practice trading risk-free; however, Spanish-language educational materials are limited or not as comprehensive.

Kuna currently offers limited educational materials and lacks demo or simulator tools; content is primarily in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, with no dedicated academy or learning hub in Spanish available at this time.

Community

Users can join lively communities via Telegram or Discord, participate in referral programs offering significant bonus pools and commissions, and access forums where updates and peer tips circulate regularly.

Kuna fosters an active user community via its official Telegram and social media channels, alongside a generous affiliate/referral program (up to ~75% commission), though it doesn’t operate its own dedicated forums or Discord server.

Integrations

Phemex’s interface embeds native TradingView charts, supports integration with external bot frameworks, and appeals to algorithmic traders via API access, though dedicated tax or accounting tool integrations are limited.

The platform doesn’t natively integrate with TradingView or third-party trading bots; there are no built-in tax reporting or accounting tools, making it more suited to straightforward trading rather than advanced automation or reporting workflows.

Who Each One Is Best For

Phemex stands out for active, tech-savvy or algorithmic traders seeking powerful tools, automation access, and derivatives options; it’s less ideal for ultra-beginners or those requiring local-language education or deep tax integrations.

Kuna shines for casual traders, especially in Eastern Europe, who want a no-frills, easy-to-navigate platform for basic spot trading in fiat and crypto—making it a solid fit for those seeking simplicity and regional accessibility rather than advanced trading features.