Valr vs Bigone: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Valr and Bigone 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

Valr

Bigone

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Valr is ideal if:

Ideal for mobile-first traders Offers both a streamlined “Simple Buy/Sell” interface for quick trades and a robust exchange terminal with TradingView charts—perfect whether you're on the go or want advanced control.
Great for institutions and high-frequency traders Comes with institutional-grade APIs, subaccounts, and deep liquidity options tailored to algorithmic and corporate trading strategies.
Strong choice if you value security and regulation Backed by reputable investors and regulated across South Africa, Europe, and Dubai, offering peace of mind for users in jurisdictions where it's licensed.

Bigone is ideal if:

Strong security foundations — BigONE deploys cold wallet reserves, multi-signature storage, and enforced two-factor authentication, making it a solid pick if asset protection is your priority.
Flexible services ecosystem — Offers margin and futures trading, copy trading, staking, lending, and liquidity mining—all within a single platform, ideal for users who want diverse earning and trading options.
Beginner-friendly features — With demo accounts, low minimum deposits, an intuitive interface, and mobile access, it provides a gentle entry point for new traders keen to learn hands-on.

Valr isn’t ideal if:

Not ideal if you're seeking global fiat flexibility Limited to a handful of fiat currencies, it doesn't support many global financial methods like PayPal or cards beyond ZAR.
Not ideal for complete beginners needing guidance Lacks educational tools, tutorials, and demo trading—so newcomers must learn by doing.
Not ideal if you need broad crypto variety or margin options Offers a narrower selection of assets and more restricted leverage choices than many mainstream exchanges.

Bigone isn’t ideal if:

Not fully regulated transparency — The exchange doesn’t clearly disclose its regulation structure or provide detailed company background, which could raise trust concerns for users seeking fully licensed platforms.
Fiat limitations affect access — Lacks direct fiat deposit support in many regions and doesn’t allow bank/card funding in most cases, making it inconvenient for users who prefer traditional payment methods.
Security breach history — Recently suffered a significant hack targeting its hot wallet, temporarily halting trading and deposit services—which may deter those prioritizing operational resilience.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

VALR uses a tiered structure where increased 30-day trading volume leads to lower or even negative maker fees and reduced taker fees on both fiat and crypto spot trades.

BigONE charges a flat 0.2 % for both maker and taker orders on spot trading, and applies discounts through its tiered VIP system—higher levels (Bronze to Challenger) qualify for lower maker/taker fees based on privilege points earned via volume, referrals, or holdings, with fees notably reduced at top tiers

Futures/Derivatives

Perpetual futures follow the same volume-tiered schedule—makers may pay zero or negative fees, while takers benefit from progressively lower percentages as volume rises; funding occurs regularly based on market conditions (but specific rates fluctuate over time).

For perpetual futures contracts, BigONE charges 0.02 % maker and 0.06 % taker fees, with funding rate payments exchanged between long and short positions at regular intervals and no additional platform fee for funding itself

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Spreads are generally tight, aligning with industry norms for highly liquid pairs, ensuring minimal difference between buy and sell prices.

While BigONE-specific spread data is scarce, the exchange’s BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT pairs are generally expected to align with tight spreads seen across highly liquid platforms—typically well below 0.1 % for such major pairs

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat deposits (wire, SEPA, card, EFT depending on the currency) are free of platform fees and usually post within two days; bank withdrawals follow standard local banking hours and policies, with occasional small charges and speed options.

methods, fees, timings

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals incur variable, network-based fees that depend on blockchain congestion—no fixed flat rates from the platform itself.

fixed vs dynamic fees (BTC, ETH, TRX, etc.)

Hidden Costs

There are generally no surprise or maintenance fees—no inactivity charges, no hidden conversion costs, and premium KYC (if offered) doesn’t carry extra fees unless noted at the point of use.

Implicit costs can include exchange rate conversion within OTC trades, inactivity charges (none publicly indicated), expedited KYC processes (not clearly associated with extra cost), or fallback spreads embedded in peer-to-peer OTC fiat conversions—so while not labeled as fees, these can quietly affect overall costs.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you were to purchase €500 of BTC, your total would include a modest trading fee (based on your tier), a minimal spread typical of liquid markets, and your withdrawal cost would depend on the chosen network’s fee at that time.

Suppose you convert €500 via OTC into USDT or BTC (with a typical provider fee of ~2 %), then place a spot trade paying ~0.2 % spot fee and accept a spread of ~0.05 %; if you then withdraw BTC on-chain (0.0005 BTC fee), your total cost would roughly include

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

VALR lists over 75 cryptocurrencies across roughly 60–71 trading pairs; top volume pairs typically include BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, and BTC/ZAR.

BigONE supports over 500 cryptocurrencies across more than 170 trading pairs, with its top-20 by volume typically including heavyweights like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, and SOL/USDT.

Product Range

VALR offers spot trading, spot margin with up to 5× leverage, and perpetual futures with leverage up to 60×. It also supports staking/earn programs and lending, but lacks options, crypto ETFs, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA products.

You’ll find a broad suite of offerings—spot, margin trading (up to 10×), perpetual futures (up to 100× leverage), structured products (like dual investment), lending, staking, liquidity-mining, copy-trading, grid-bots, and DCA-style automated tools.

Liquidity

The exchange typically handles over US$30 million in daily trading volume, with deep liquidity on major BTC and ETH pairs facilitating tighter order book depth.

The 24-hour trading volume is in the high hundreds of millions of dollars, and for key pairs like BTC and ETH, order book depth is robust enough to ensure smooth execution on sizable trades.

Tools

You can place limit, market, and stop-limit orders (including OCO equivalents). VALR offers advanced charting integrated with TradingView, configurable alerts, and both API and WebSocket access for real-time trading and data needs.

BigONE supports a full range of order types—including limit, stop, TP/SL, OCO, post-only and reduce-only—along with trading alerts, advanced charting (TradingView integration), and both REST API and WebSocket access for automating or building strategies.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Some jurisdictions are restricted from offering certain features—derivatives, for example, are only available in qualifying regions, meaning not every user can access margin or futures products depending on local compliances.

Some advanced products—especially derivatives—are not accessible in restricted regions such as the United States and China, limiting access based on user location.

Innovation

While VALR doesn’t offer launchpads or launchpools, it does provide both flexible staking and lending options alongside traditional locked products, giving users varied approaches to earning on their assets.

The platform includes innovative features like flexible versus fixed staking options, launchpad/launchpool alternatives, and other evolving income opportunities to help users engage with new projects or yield mechanisms.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

VALR operates through several legal entities including VALR Proprietary Ltd (established 2018, headquartered in South Africa), VALR EU in Poland, and regional branches in India and Dubai—demonstrating a multi-jurisdictional operational structure.

BigONE is operated by One Trading Limited, founded in 2017 and registered in Seychelles; it also operates under the regulated entity BigONE Eurasia based in Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which is governed by the Astana Financial Services Authority.

Licenses/Registration

VALR holds multiple regulatory approvals

The AIFC-based segment of BigONE holds licenses for operating as an investment exchange, clearing house, trading facility, and custodian—indicating formal oversight in that jurisdiction, though global licensing appears limited.

Custody

VALR maintains a fully reserved custodial model, where all user funds are held 100% backed and are never lent out. Transfers of crypto assets require multi-signature approvals across secure locations, with funds stored in both cold and hot wallets using multi-sig technology.

BigONE maintains a mixed custody model with segregated cold and hot wallets, employs multi-signature safeguards, and claims 100 % asset reserves with a mechanism enabling users to track reserves—though external audit or formal Proof of Reserves verification remains unpublished.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There’s no publicly stated insurance or user protection fund offered—VALR emphasizes full reserves and strong internal safeguards rather than insured coverage.

The platform holds an internal insurance reserve pool which it drew upon to fully compensate users after a security breach, acting as a form of self-insured protection.

Incident History

There are no publicly documented major security incidents, hacks, suspensions, or regulatory fines affecting VALR to date, reflecting a clean track record.

In July 2025, BigONE endured a supply-chain attack targeting its hot wallet, resulting in a $27 million loss—private keys remained intact, the threat was contained, and full user compensation was made from internal reserves.

Risk Controls

VALR implements robust user protections

Security measures include mandatory two-factor authentication, real-time wallet monitoring, cold-hot wallet separation with multi-signature use, encrypted key management, and a public bug bounty program to surface vulnerabilities.

Transparency

VALR does not publicly publish monthly financial or reserve reports, nor does it offer a public wallet or explicit service-level agreements (SLAs); transparency is delivered through regulatory registration and communication rather than open-ended disclosures.

While BigONE communicates openly during incidents and allows reserve tracking, it currently does not publish regular reports, maintain a public wallet address, or offer formal service-level agreements.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Users can deposit ZAR via EFT or South African-issued Visa/Mastercard (3D Secure), while USD and EUR can be sent via SWIFT or SEPA transfers (converted to stablecoins). ZAR card deposits incur around a 3.9% fee; EFT is free. USD deposits require a minimum of $5, while EUR has a €1 minimum. Processing times vary—from instant for cards to up to 48 hours for bank transfers.

BigONE doesn’t support traditional fiat deposits directly through bank transfer, card, or e-wallets; instead, users rely on its OTC desk, where they can use channels like Alipay or WeChat Pay to convert fiat to crypto for trading. No official minimums or maximums are advertised, and timings depend on third-party provider processing.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

VALR employs a tiered KYC system with different levels (standard and Fully-Verified Plus). Higher levels, enabled by features like 2FA, unlock significantly higher withdrawal limits—ranging from fractions of a BTC up to 100 BTC daily.

BigONE features two identity verification tiers

Withdrawals

Daily crypto withdrawal limits depend on KYC status (up to 100 BTC). Users can choose networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20, and more; fees are dynamically quoted. Fiat (ZAR) withdrawals follow local banking hours, with free standard or paid fast transfers depending on the bank.

limits, speeds & networks

Customer Support

VALR offers 24/7 support through a chatbot, email/ticket system, and a searchable knowledge base. Response via live chat or phone is limited, but the help center is comprehensive.

The exchange offers 24/7 multilingual assistance via live chat and ticketing/email, though it lacks a direct call center; users can also consult an extensive FAQ and support library through the help center for self-service.

Languages & Localization

The platform operates primarily in English (with limited additional language support), displays prices in local currencies like USD, EUR, or ZAR based on region, and reflects applicable regulatory contexts transparently.

BigONE’s interface supports over a dozen languages, including English, and displays trading figures in widely used currencies such as USD and EUR, but local regulatory nuances aren’t highlighted or tailored for specific jurisdictions.

App Quality & Stability

VALR offers both web and mobile interfaces. Mobile apps are regularly updated, delivering smooth charting and trading experiences. While exact crash rates aren’t disclosed, user feedback suggests the app is generally stable, with no major performance complaints in recent updates. (No explicit crash rate data available.)

The BigONE mobile app—available on iOS and Android—is reported to be stable and smooth, with fast loading times, no significant lags or crashes noted, frequent updates, and a responsive UI that supports real-time trading and charting.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform offers a dual-interface approach—with a beginner-friendly “Simple Buy/Sell” mode for quick swaps and a more advanced trading terminal for experienced users, creating a smooth progression as your familiarity grows.

BigONE delivers a clean and intuitive interface that’s approachable for newcomers yet robust for advanced users; mobile and web platforms provide streamlined default views for quick trades and a more advanced layout (pro-style) for detailed charting and order control.

Performance

VALR delivers generally low-latency execution and stable performance even during busy periods, with no widely reported system outages or KYC bottlenecks—even in volatile market conditions.

Order execution is generally fast and consistent, with minimal delays under normal conditions; even during high-volatility spikes, the system scales reliably, and KYC processing experience remains responsive without long queue delays—even in peak bull markets.

Education

There’s no formal academy, demo account, or Spanish-language content on VALR; educational guidance is minimal, placing the learning responsibility primarily on the user.

The platform offers educational resources like a learning center and trading guides, though a full demo or simulator isn’t currently available; Spanish content is moderate—translated basic materials exist but in-depth tutorials are primarily in English.

Community

VALR supports a referral program and maintains communication channels through its support portal and social media, but doesn’t feature official forums or active Discord/Telegram communities.

BigONE nurtures an active community with official channels on Telegram and Discord, maintains a robust referral rewards program offering fee discounts, and engages users through social updates rather than formal forums.

Integrations

The exchange integrates TradingView natively for charting and supports external trading bots through its API, yet it lacks built-in tax reporting or bookkeeping tools.

There’s a built-in TradingView terminal for advanced technical analysis, supports integration with external trading bots via API, though it doesn’t offer native tax or accounting tools; users typically export data for external bookkeeping.

Who Each One Is Best For

VALR shines for mobile-first traders and corporate users seeking advanced tools and clean interfaces, but may feel limited for beginners needing educational support or for users seeking tax and community integration.

This platform suits a wide range—from beginner users who value simplicity and educational support to intermediate traders who want tools like grid bots and copy-trading, but power users seeking full tax or accounting automation may need complementary tools.