Bithumb vs Coinspot: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Coinspot 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

Bithumb

Coinspot

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

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Bithumb is ideal if:

Perfect for KRW-centric traders: If you prefer trading with South Korean Won as your base currency, Bithumb offers seamless fiat integration, high liquidity, and a smooth experience for KRW-based spot trading.
Great for beginners and hands-off traders: Its clear, user-friendly interface plus built-in features like staking and bot trading make it accessible and appealing to those starting out or seeking passive strategies.
Best for users prioritizing credibility and safety: With strong security certifications (like ISMS, ISO27001), full separation of client assets, and external audits, Bithumb focuses on institutional-level protection and transparency.

Coinspot is ideal if:

Perfect for Australians starting crypto — it offers seamless AUD deposits, instant buy/sell options, and a clean, intuitive interface that’s beginner-friendly.
Great for diversifying with ease — features like crypto bundles, an NFT marketplace, staking, SMSF support, and a CoinSpot Mastercard let you explore beyond basic trading.
Built around security and reliability — with ISO 27001 certification, extensive audits, 2FA, cold storage, geo-locking, and real-person live support, you trade with confidence.

Bithumb isn’t ideal if:

You need global fiat flexibility: If you want to deposit with non-KRW currencies, Bithumb’s fiat support is limited, which may not suit you.
You're an advanced trader seeking leverage: Those looking for margin or futures trading won’t find these tools available on Bithumb.
You prefer seamless international onboarding: Verification hurdles, language barriers, and slow KYC in non-Korean languages can slow down global users.

Coinspot isn’t ideal if:

Not suited for advanced traders — lacks tools like leverage, futures, or advanced charting, limiting strategic options for experienced users.
Australian market only — only supports AUD and residents in Australia, so if you're abroad or need multi-currency support, it falls short.
Higher fees for instant trades — instant buy/sell functions tend to cost more than typical trades, which can add up if you trade often.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

In KRW markets, maker and taker fees typically range from roughly 0.04% to 0.25%, with better rates unlocked through tiered trading coupons based on volume (discounts apply via native coupons, not necessarily token-based discounts).

CoinSpot uses a flat spot fee model, meaning both taker and maker trades carry the same simple rate that applies across volume tiers—there are no separate maker/taker tiers and no discounts for holding or using a native token.

Futures/Derivatives

Bithumb does not currently offer any futures or derivatives markets, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees to consider.

CoinSpot does not support futures or derivatives trading, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding costs to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Precise spread data is not publicly provided, but given Bithumb’s strong liquidity in major markets, spreads on BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT pairs are generally tight—typically consistent with reputable high-volume exchanges.

Liquid pairs on CoinSpot typically incur spreads that are broader than those on ultra-tight global venues, reflecting its convenience-first design; users can expect modest spreads that offset the simplicity and security of the platform.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat operations center on KRW only, with deposits via bank transfer or card usually fee-free (unless below minimum thresholds) and withdrawals processed via Korean banking channels with typical processing times, without showing fixed fees.

You can fund your account via AUD options like PayID, POLi, BPAY, or cash—some are free, while others carry small percentage-based charges—with varying processing times from instant to same-day; withdrawing AUD to your bank is free and typically completes within one business day.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Crypto withdrawals on CoinSpot pass network fees that vary dynamically based on the specific blockchain’s load and conditions; there are no flat or inflated internal fees, just the actual network cost.

Hidden Costs

Some indirect costs may arise from currency conversion if funding in non-KRW, and there are no inactivity fees; extra-fast verification services may not be standard or may carry internal pricing, though not explicitly detailed.

CoinSpot maintains a transparent fee structure—there are no hidden costs such as inactivity charges, forced conversions, or express KYC surcharges, making costs predictable and visible upfront.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you were to buy €500 worth of BTC, you’d first face a regular spot trading fee (within 0.04–0.25%) plus a small spread in execution, then a withdrawal fee in BTC (e.g., 0.0005 BTC)—that combined cost reflects the total out-of-pocket expense.

If someone were to convert approximately €500 worth into BTC—accounting for the platform’s combined trade execution cost plus spread and then withdrawing that BTC on-chain—the total cost would reflect the modest premium built into the execution rate, as well as the actual network fee, without surprise mark-ups.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Bithumb lists approximately 170–180 cryptocurrencies across roughly 400 trading pairs, with the top 20 by volume dominated by KRW-based pairs like BTC/KRW, ETH/KRW, XRP/KRW, USDT/KRW, and others in similar high-turnover positions.

CoinSpot offers an extensive cryptocurrency selection—over 530 tradable assets according to one source—though trading pairs are more limited, generally allowing trades against AUD or crypto swaps; the top 20 coins by volume include major names such as BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, ADA, TRX, AVAX, LTC, etc. (list adapted from platform data).

Product Range

The exchange supports spot trading, margin trading, staking, crypto lending, and bot/automated trading, but does not offer perpetual futures, options, ETFs, copy trading, or built-in DCA features.

CoinSpot focuses primarily on spot trading, offering features like staking (via CoinSpot Earn), crypto bundles, an NFT marketplace, and an OTC desk; it does not support margin, futures/perps, options, crypto ETFs, loans/margin loans, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA (beyond recurring buys via bundles).

Liquidity

Bithumb handles daily spot volumes in the high hundreds of millions to over a billion USD, ensuring deep order books—particularly for BTC/KRW and ETH/KRW—offering robust liquidity and execution.

CoinSpot does not publicly publish exact 24-hour trading volume or detailed order-book depth metrics for pairs like BTC/AUD or ETH/AUD, but as the largest exchange in Australia by volume, its liquidity for these major coins is generally adequate for retail trades, though deeper volumes and tighter spreads can typically be found on international exchanges.

Tools

Traders have access to basic orders (limit and market), stop orders, and coupon-driven fee tools; there are also alerts and API access (including WebSocket), though there’s no native TradingView integration.

CoinSpot provides basic order types like market, limit, and stop-loss, along with user-friendly charts, but it lacks advanced trading tools such as OCO orders, real-time alerts, a public API or WebSocket feed, and does not embed TradingView charts within its interface.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Derivatives and margin features are not globally available, with access mainly focused on South Korean users; many international regions, notably US and EU, face limitations or lack derivative access.

CoinSpot has innovated with features like crypto bundles and an NFT marketplace, but it does not offer launchpad or launchpool programs. Its Earn (staking) service allows users to stake certain cryptocurrencies for variable rewards, but primarily in a flexible model without mandatory lock-periods.

Innovation

Bithumb offers staking services and crypto lending along with occasional airdrop or DeFi/NFT promotions, but lacks formal launchpad or launchpool platforms and doesn’t separate between flexible vs locked earn products.

CoinSpot is operated by Casey Block Services Pty Ltd, established in 2013 and headquartered in Victoria, Australia, functioning under Australian corporate and financial jurisdiction.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Bithumb is operated by BTC Korea.com Co., Ltd, founded in 2014 and based in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the country’s major crypto exchanges firmly entrenched in Korean financial infrastructure.

The exchange is officially registered with AUSTRAC as a Virtual Asset Service Provider, fully compliant with Australia’s regulatory framework for digital currency platforms—though it does not fall under EU’s MiCA as it operates only within Australia.

Licenses/Registration

As a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in South Korea, Bithumb is subject to oversight under local regulations, and as of mid-2025 it was designated a “conglomerate,” meaning it must adhere to heightened compliance and public disclosure rules.

Digital assets are held in-house with stringent custody measures—most funds are stored offline in cold wallets, the platform undergoes regular external security audits, and it has repeatedly achieved ISO-certified compliance for its information security.

Custody

A significant portion of user assets is held in cold storage, meeting at least 80% reserve requirements; the exchange has also set aside a substantial protection reserve fund (worth over KRW 100 billion) as a buffer in case of operational risk.

CoinSpot performs regular security audits and penetration tests, and a substantial majority of client funds are kept in cold storage to maintain high safety; however, it does not currently publish a formal Proof of Reserves or a precise percentage breakdown of cold vs. hot holdings.

Insurance & Protection Funds

It maintains robust cyber insurance coverage, with multi-billion won policies through top Korean insurers, designed to help cover losses from cyber incidents and personal data breaches.

The platform does not advertise any explicit insurance coverage or protection fund for user assets, focusing instead on technical security and operational transparency as its core safeguard.

Incident History

Bithumb has endured several hacks and investigations, including major cryptocurrency thefts in 2017 and 2018, a large insider-related loss in 2019, and multiple regulatory probes since then, though it has taken steps to strengthen its security posture.

In 2023, CoinSpot experienced a security breach involving theft of assets from its infrastructure, yet user funds remained fully protected and insurance or operational resilience prevented customer losses.

Risk Controls

The platform employs industry-standard security measures—such as two-factor authentication, withdrawal whitelists, IP restrictions, anti-phishing controls, and regular external audits—to offer layered protection for user accounts and funds.

Security features include multi-factor authentication, withdrawal restrictions, customizable session timeout settings, and anti-phishing advisories, though it lacks advanced tools like sub-account management or fine-grained API permissions.

Transparency

It has enhanced disclosure practices, driven by its conglomerate status, though real-time proof-of-reserve reporting is not publicly available; ongoing regulatory scrutiny is pushing it toward greater transparency in operations.

CoinSpot provides periodic security updates and insights into its protocols, but it does not publish monthly financial statements, open wallet addresses, or formal service-level agreements for uptime or support response times.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Fiat deposits are exclusively in Korean Won (KRW) and handled via local bank transfers—debit/credit options or e-wallets aren’t supported—amount thresholds vary and processing is typically completed within the same day for local transfers.

CoinSpot allows AUD deposits via PayID, OSKO, POLi, BPAY, direct bank transfer, credit/debit card, and cash through Blueshyft; PayID, OSKO, and POLi are often fee-free and instant, BPAY and cards come with small fees (0.9–1.9%), and Blueshyft is instant with higher fees; daily limits (e.g., for POLi up to ~AUD 20,000 or BPAY ~AUD 5,000) vary by verification level and processing times range from instant to same or next business day.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Bithumb enforces tiered identity verification—basic phone/email for browsing, but Level 2 KYC is required to activate withdrawals, with higher limits tied to full verification.

Users can deposit and trade on CoinSpot with minimal identity verification, but higher limits—such as larger daily deposit or withdrawal caps—require full KYC (ID verification plus 2FA); specific requirements and thresholds vary, and are adjusted based on your verification status.

Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals require KYC Level 2, lower minimums for verified accounts, and are processed within hours (first withdrawal may take longer for security); supported networks include standard chains like ERC-20 and TRC-20, with fees varying by asset.

Withdrawals of AUD to local bank accounts are free and typically arrive within one business day; crypto withdrawal limits depend on your verification status and are not publicly stated—CoinSpot supports standard networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20, etc., with dynamic blockchain fees and no added platform markup.

Customer Support

Support is reachable via live chat (available 24/7), email, and a regional phone line; response quality varies, backed by an FAQ and help center to assist common issues.

CoinSpot provides 24/7 live chat support and email help desk with generally fast response times, along with a comprehensive help centre and FAQ articles, offering reliable assistance for most user questions.

Languages & Localization

The interface supports multiple languages including English, with prices shown in KRW—there’s no automatic display in USD or EUR, and localization is limited for non-Korean regulatory zones.

The platform operates in English only and is localized for Australian users—fees and balances are shown in AUD, not in EUR or USD, and it follows Australian regulations (AUSTRAC compliance) rather than frameworks of other regions.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile app delivers a smooth trading interface with real-time data and strong security features (biometric login, 2FA), though user reports cite occasional crashes or slow performance during high-traffic periods.

CoinSpot’s mobile app for iOS and Android is generally praised for its stability and user-friendly interface, maintaining high ratings on app stores; while exact crash rates or update logs aren’t disclosed, the app receives regular updates that align with user experience improvements.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform strikes a balance between newcomer friendliness and advanced functionality, offering a clean interface with clear labels and comprehensive charting tools, though it doesn’t explicitly offer separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes.

CoinSpot provides an intuitive, approachable interface that minimizes the learning curve for new users, with clean menus and seamless navigation, though it doesn’t offer separate Lite or Pro modes—rather, its single unified UI is designed to be simple yet functional for most users

Performance

Order execution is generally fast thanks to high liquidity, though peak volatility can bring some delays or gateway slowdowns, and KYC may slow onboarding during intense market rallies.

The platform maintains reliable performance with fast load times and responsive trade execution, though like many exchanges, it may experience minor delays or slowdowns during extreme market volatility; swift KYC processing generally handles volume surges effectively, helping keep onboarding wait times short

Education

Bithumb provides a dedicated academy and tutorial content via its official channels to help users learn, but it does not currently offer demo accounts or Spanish-language learning resources.

CoinSpot does not feature formal education tools such as an academy, demo trading environment, or simulator, nor does it offer content in Spanish—its learning resources are limited to general help articles and FAQs that are all in English.

Community

The platform encourages engagement through referral incentives and publishes on Medium, but it lacks officially managed forums, Discord, or Telegram communities for user interaction.

While CoinSpot maintains active social profiles (e.g., Twitter, Reddit, Instagram), it does not operate its own community platforms like Discord or Telegram nor an official referral program; community engagement is mainly driven via external forums and user reviews

Integrations

Bithumb supports external tools like TradingView for charting and provides API/WebSocket access for automation, but lacks built-in tax tools or direct accounting integrations.

CoinSpot does not support integrations with TradingView, external trading bots, or tax/accounting tools—its ecosystem remains self-contained, with no publicly available API or advanced third-party linkages.

Who Each One Is Best For

It’s ideal for traders seeking a high-liquidity, reliability-focused exchange that caters to a mix of moderate experience levels, whereas those needing demo tools, Spanish-language education, or a vibrant community may look elsewhere.

CoinSpot excels for beginners and intermediate traders in Australia who prioritize ease of use, quick deposits, and a broad range of assets over advanced trading features or a connected trading ecosystem.