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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Cointiger 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

Cointiger

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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

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

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.

Cointiger is ideal if:

Great for active traders who want to diversify across many altcoins and tap into both spot and futures markets.
Well-suited for intermediate or advanced users seeking flexible trading tools—like staking pools and basic vs. advanced platforms.
Better for self-reliant users comfortable navigating limited customer support and lower transparency around regulation.

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.

Cointiger isn’t ideal if:

Not recommended if you expect strong regulation or licensing, since CoinTiger operates without recognized oversight.
Avoid if you prioritize swift, professional support, as users often encounter slow responses and limited multilingual assistance.
Unsuitable if you prefer fully transparent platforms, due to past accusations of opaque practices and concerning user complaints.

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).

CoinTiger applies a flat maker fee of 0.08% and taker fee of 0.15% for spot trading, and these can be progressively reduced for VIP members based on trading volume—no native-token-based discounts are mentioned.

Futures/Derivatives

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

Futures trading fees start at 0.025% maker and 0.07% taker, with tiered discounts for VIPs, while funding (overnight) costs are charged but specifics depend on instruments and are not publicly fixed.

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.

While exact spreads are not disclosed, CoinTiger generally relies on tight, market-driven spreads for its most liquid pairs, consistent with its emphasis on competitive pricing.

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.

CoinTiger supports fiat funding via credit/debit cards, wire transfers, Alipay, WeChat, and similar methods, with fees and processing speeds varying by payment provider and region—no standard fee schedule is published.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Cryptocurrency withdrawals incur flat fees that vary by asset (e.g. ~0.0005 BTC or 5 USDT), rather than dynamic, network-based fees.

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.

CoinTiger charges no inactivity fees, but users may face third-party currency conversion charges or variable costs for express KYC or special service features depending on region.

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.

On a €500 BTC purchase, you’d incur a spot taker fee (~0.15%), face a small market spread, and if you withdrew on-chain afterward you’d pay a fixed crypto withdrawal fee—this gives a realistic, evergreen cost estimate.

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.

CoinTiger currently lists over 300 distinct cryptocurrencies and supports several hundred trading pairs; its most active top-20 by volume include giants like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, ADA/USDT, SOL/USDT, as well as a mix of popular altcoins.

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.

The platform offers spot trading, USDT- and coin-margined futures, and staking pools; however, it doesn’t provide options, crypto ETFs, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA.

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.

CoinTiger reports daily volume in the range of hundreds of millions USD, ensuring moderate liquidity; the order book depth for BTC and ETH is decent—suitable for mid-size trades—though smaller than deep-liquidity Tier-1 venues.

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.

Traders benefit from a full suite of order types including limit, stop, and OCO, plus price alerts, advanced charting tools, an API/WebSocket interface, but no built-in TradingView integration is available.

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.

Derivative access is restricted in a few regions (e.g., the US), meaning futures and advanced trading products aren’t universally available across all jurisdictions.

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.

CoinTiger has rolled out a project-listing initiative (“TCH Labs”) and staking pools, offering some flexible earn options; however, there’s no formal launchpad/launchpool or clear distinction between flexible and locked staking yet.

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.

CoinTiger was established in December 2017 and is headquartered in Singapore, operated under the umbrella of CoinTiger UAB and affiliated teams across Singapore, South Korea, and China—forming a multi-jurisdictional structure within the centralized exchange landscape.

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.

While the platform claims compliance with regulations in its operating regions, it’s not openly licensed as a VASP under major frameworks like EU’s MiCA, and concrete regulatory credentials are not prominently published.

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.

CoinTiger stores the majority of user assets in its own wallets, supported by cold storage for enhanced safety; however, it does not publish proof-of-reserves, reserve ratios, or audit reports for public verification.

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.

There’s no clear mention of insured custodial assets or a dedicated user-protection fund—users should assume there is limited to no formal financial coverage in case of loss.

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.

CoinTiger does not have known major public incidents such as hacks, platform failures, or regulatory penalties disclosed, suggesting a relatively clean track record to date.

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 mandatory two-factor authentication, SSL encryption, and cold storage, but the platform lacks mention of additional safeguards like withdrawal whitelisting, anti-phishing tools, granular API permissions, or structured sub-account systems.

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.

CoinTiger does not publish regular transparency reports or Service Level Agreements, nor does it provide public wallet addresses for third-party inspection, offering limited external visibility into operational practices.

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.

CoinTiger accepts fiat deposits through credit/debit cards, wire transfers, SEPA, ACH, SWIFT, Apple Pay, UnionPay, and similar e-wallets; deposit minimums and maximums vary by method and jurisdiction, with processing times ranging from near-instant (cards/e-wallets) to several days depending on bank systems.

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.

CoinTiger allows basic usage without KYC, enabling daily withdrawals up to approximately 2 BTC; to access higher limits such as 10 BTC daily, as well as full fiat features, users must complete a KYC verification process.

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.

Crypto withdrawals follow network-specific conditions—via ERC20, TRC20, Omni, etc.—with dynamic fees based on blockchain congestion. KYC-completed users benefit from higher withdrawal limits (up to ~10 BTC/day), rising from the base ~2 BTC/day for unverified accounts.

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.

CoinTiger provides email support and live chat (though responsiveness can be slow), and offers a knowledge base and user guides; however, 24/7 live support may not be fully robust, with varied response times reported by users.

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 interface is available in multiple languages (e.g., English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, Vietnamese), and displays prices and balances clearly in major fiat currencies like USD or EUR; local regulatory adaptation varies by region.

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.

CoinTiger supports both Android and iOS mobile apps with modern UI and regular feature updates. While explicit crash-rate data isn’t publicly available, user sentiment suggests a generally stable experience with occasional performance lags.

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.

CoinTiger offers distinct trading modes—an introductory (Lite) interface with clean layouts for beginners, and a customizable advanced (Pro) interface featuring comprehensive charts and tools, which makes onboarding intuitive while giving experienced users the flexibility to tailor their workspace

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.

Traders generally experience swift order execution and responsive platform behavior, even during high-volume periods, though occasional lag or support delays may surface in extreme volatility—but KYC processing remains largely efficient without notable backlogs

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.

CoinTiger does not currently offer a dedicated crypto academy, demo trading, or simulators, nor localized Spanish-language educational content, focusing instead on platform-native guidance and tools rather than structured learning materials

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 exchange maintains an active referral program offering commission benefits, and fosters user engagement through community forums; however, there’s no emphasis on official Discord or Telegram channels in its public ecosystem descriptions

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.

CoinTiger’s advanced interface integrates TradingView charts directly, enhancing technical analysis, but lacks built-in support for external trading bots, tax tools, or accounting integrations—requiring users to rely on third-party solutions

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.

CoinTiger suits users who appreciate intuitive yet powerful tools—ideal for self-directed traders who want advanced charting in a compact UI without needing extensive educational aids or automation, and who value a broad altcoin ecosystem with fair performance.