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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Luno 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

Luno

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

Yes

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.

Luno is ideal if:

Excellent for beginners – Luno’s interface and mobile app are clean, intuitive, and built with simplicity in mind, making crypto entry easy and user-friendly.
Strong security and compliance – With features like deep-freeze storage and a regulation-first approach, Luno prioritizes the safety and trustworthiness of user investments.
Designed for local currency users in emerging markets – Ideal if you want to trade using your local fiat or participate in markets underserved by bigger exchanges.

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.

Luno isn’t ideal if:

Limited asset variety – If you seek a broad selection of cryptocurrencies or niche altcoins, Luno’s offering may feel too narrow for you.
Few advanced trading features – Traders who need margin, derivatives, social or P2P trading tools may find Luno’s functionality too basic.
Restricted geography – If you’re located outside its supported regions—or in underserved markets—Luno may not serve you fully or at all.

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).

Maker and taker fees adjust based on your rolling 30-day trading volume—makers generally pay no fees while takers see reduced fees at higher tiers, with no discount tied to any 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.

Luno currently does not support futures or derivatives trading, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees 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.

Luno maintains competitive, tight spreads on major crypto-fiat pairs thanks to strong liquidity, but exact spread values vary and are shown in real time during your transaction.

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 deposit or withdraw fiat through local bank transfers, cards, and other methods specific to your jurisdiction; most deposits are free, withdrawals involve your bank’s processing time and possible nominal charges, and timing depends on your region.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Withdrawals in crypto (e.g. BTC, ETH, TRX) use dynamic fees based on current blockchain congestion plus minimal operational cost—there’s no flat fee.

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.

Luno is clear about fees, but you may face currency conversion costs if depositing or withdrawing in a diff

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 you plan to buy €500 worth of BTC, the total cost would include a small taker fee (unless using a maker order), a modest spread embedded in the quoted price, and a dynamic blockchain fee when withdrawing—all of which are clearly shown before you confirm the transaction.

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.

Luno currently offers around 18 cryptocurrencies, with roughly 114 trading pairs available; the top 20 by volume typically include major ones like BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, USDT, USDC, LTC, DOT, AVAX, and LINK.

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.

Only spot trading is available—there’s no margin, futures/perpetuals, options, crypto ETFs, copy trading, or grid bots; Luno does offer straightforward staking and has a recurring buy (DCA) feature, but lending or advanced products aren’t supported.

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.

While exact numbers aren’t public, Luno maintains solid liquidity on top pairs, contributing to tight spreads; 24-hour trading volumes usually fall in the tens of millions USD range, indicating healthy order book depth for basics like BTC and ETH.

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.

Luno supports standard spot order types like limit and stop-limit, enables price alerts, includes basic charting (with TradingView embedded), and offers API and WebSocket access for automated or programmatic trading.

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.

Derivatives and advanced trading tools are not offered anywhere, as Luno is strictly spot-only; availability of certain trading pairs and features also depends on the user’s country or regulatory region.

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.

Luno includes simple staking for a select set of assets like SOL, ADA, and ETH, with flexible unstaking and weekly payouts; they don’t offer complex launchpad programs or a variety of flexible-vs-locked “earn” products.

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.

Luno is operated by Luno Group Holdings Limited, founded in 2013, with its main legal headquarters in London, UK, and maintains regional corporate entities across jurisdictions like Malaysia, South Africa, Nigeria, Australia, Indonesia, Uganda, and the UK.

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.

The platform holds official registrations with local regulators—such as the Securities Commission of Malaysia, AUSTRAC in Australia, BAPPEBTI in Indonesia, Nigeria’s Financial Intelligence Unit, South Africa’s FIC, and the UK’s Financial Intelligence Unit—demonstrating robust compliance across its operating markets.

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.

Luno uses a hybrid custody model involving both in-house controlled addresses and third-party custodial partners. It publishes independently audited proof-of-reserves using a Merkle tree methodology, showing assets fully covering all customer liabilities, often above 100% coverage.

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.

While Luno does not publicly list an insurance policy for user funds, its operational model focuses on strong custody practices and regulatory oversight rather than explicit insurance coverage.

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.

Luno has maintained a clean safety record, with no major hacks or regulatory penalties reported. Its platform continuity has been uninterrupted, and user wallet freezing or account issues are not prevalent.

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.

Luno enforces industry-standard security measures including two-factor authentication (2FA), address whitelisting, anti-phishing code support, and granular API permissions; it also integrates advanced geolocation risk detection to prevent spoofing and unauthorized access.

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.

The platform emphasizes transparency through its regular proof-of-reserves audits, maintains risk and compliance reporting internally, yet does not publish public monthly wallet activity reports or formal SLAs—its transparency centers on audit-backed proof and internal governance.

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.

You can deposit fiat via bank transfers (including instant methods like PayID or FPX, where available), debit or credit cards in select regions, and even vouchers in some countries; minimums and maximums depend on your verification level, and funding can be instant or take up to a few business days depending on your bank and country.

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.

Account verification progresses through three levels—Level 1 (basic details), Level 2 (ID and selfie), and Level 3 (proof of residence and source of funds)—with each unlock offering higher deposit, trading, and withdrawal limits, often culminating in virtually unlimited access once fully verified.

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.

Fiat withdrawals must go to a bank account in your name, are subject to minimums and maximums per region tied to your KYC tier, and typically clear within standard banking times; crypto withdrawals are conducted over relevant networks (e.g., ERC20, TRC20) and use dynamic blockchain-based fees.

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.

Luno offers 24/7 assistance via an in-app digital assistant (Toshi) or email, supplemented by a thorough FAQ and Help Centre; response times vary, but many users resolve routine queries quickly through the knowledge base before reaching out directly.

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 supports native English (and other regional languages) and displays fees and balances in your local fiat (EUR, USD, ZAR, etc.), ensuring clarity and compliance with local regulatory frameworks in supported jurisdictions.

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.

Luno’s mobile and web apps are known for stability and frequent updates. While specific crash-rate statistics are not disclosed, the apps maintain a smooth user experience with regular enhancements and minimal downtime reported.

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.

Luno offers a clean, intuitive interface ideal for beginners, alongside a slightly more detailed layout—not an explicit “Lite/Pro” toggle, but it achieves a simple-to-advanced feel within a single platform.

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.

Execution is generally swift with minimal latency under normal conditions; while occasional slowdowns may occur during sharp market spikes or KYC surges in bull runs, Luno’s infrastructure handles typical volume reliably.

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.

Luno provides a robust Help Centre and educational articles for crypto basics, but it lacks a demo or simulator; Spanish-language support may be limited depending on your region, with most guidance 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.

The platform supports a referral program that rewards both parties in Bitcoin, and runs an ambassador program for content creators—though it doesn’t maintain dedicated forums or public Telegram/Discord communities.

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.

While Luno embeds TradingView for charting, it doesn’t support external bots; however, it integrates smoothly with top crypto tax tools like Koinly, Recap, CoinLedger, and other accounting platforms.

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.

Luno is best suited for casual or beginner crypto users who prioritize simplicity, regulatory clarity, and basic staking—not ideal for traders seeking advanced automation, simulators, or robust community interaction.