Firstrade vs Probit: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Firstrade and Probit 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 September 1, 2025

Firstrade

Probit

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Firstrade is ideal if:

Perfect if you value simplicity and self-led growth — Firstrade shines for investors who want a straightforward platform enhanced by rich educational content and intuitive tools like Options Wizard and FirstradeGPT.
Great for cost-conscious traders focused on the US market — It delivers commission-free trading across stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds, ideal if you prioritize low ongoing costs and trade U.S. securities.
Not ideal if you need advanced or global asset access — The platform doesn’t offer futures, forex, crypto, IPOs, or international markets, so it's not suited for highly diversified or exotic investment strategies.

Probit is ideal if:

Great for exploring diverse assets If you value access to a broad selection of cryptocurrencies—especially niche altcoins—ProBit Global offers one of the widest catalogs available.
Perfect for privacy-minded traders With optional KYC and no compulsory identity checks for standard usage, it suits users who prefer trading with minimal personal data.
Solid for passive income seekers Integrated staking options and opportunities to participate in IEOs make ProBit attractive for investors looking to earn without active day trading.

Firstrade isn’t ideal if:

If you seek automated or advisor-led services — Firstrade doesn’t provide AI-driven trading automation, robo-advice, or personalized financial planning options.
If you need access to non-U.S. or exotic markets — It excludes futures, forex, international equities, and advanced asset classes, limiting your global exposure opportunities.
If you prioritize sleek navigation and advanced macroscopic insights — The platform’s layout can feel cluttered, with limited portfolio tracking and broader market analytics visible at a glance.

Probit isn’t ideal if:

Not for advanced margin traders Limited functionality for leveraging or derivatives may frustrate experienced users seeking more complex strategies.
Not ideal for fiat-heavy users If you prefer depositing or withdrawing traditional currencies directly, ProBit relies on third-party gateways and doesn’t natively support fiat operations.
Not beginner-friendly The interface and limited real-time support options—like no live chat—can make it challenging for newcomers navigating the platform solo.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Firstrade does not operate on a crypto exchange-style maker/taker fee model since it primarily offers commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds; there are no volume-based discounts tied to a native token.

ProBit Global charges a flat 0.2% for both maker and taker spot trades by default, but if you stake PROB (the native token), you’ll qualify for VIP levels and can reduce fees significantly—even down to around 0.05% or lower when paying with PROB, depending on your tier.

Futures/Derivatives

Firstrade does not support trading in futures, options on crypto, or any leveraged derivative contracts, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees in this category.

ProBit Global currently does not offer futures or derivatives trading, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

As Firstrade does not currently offer direct spot cryptocurrency trading, there are no applicable spreads for BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT pairs within its platform.

While ProBit doesn’t publicly publish exact spread figures, the BTC/USDT pair on major platforms typically shows mid-market spreads of a few dollars or a very small fraction of a percent; ProBit’s liquid pairs likely fall within that tight range, especially for well-traded assets.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Deposits and withdrawals are processed via ACH, wire transfers, and check requests; ACH is typically free and fast (1–2 business days), while wires may have a fee and take 1–3 days depending on the bank.

Fiat deposits are handled via third-party gateways (like Simplex, MoonPay, Mercuryo), each with varying fees typically ranging from ~1–5%; speed depends on the provider—often near instant or up to a few business days—while ProBit does not support fiat withdrawals, only crypto withdrawals.

On-chain Withdrawals

Since Firstrade does not facilitate direct on-chain crypto transfers, there are no blockchain network withdrawal fees for BTC, ETH, TRX, or other tokens.

Withdrawal fees vary by blockchain and adjust dynamically based on network congestion; they are typically network-level fees—deducted in the asset you’re withdrawing—and fluctuate rather than being fixed values.

Hidden Costs

The main extra cost to be aware of is currency conversion for non-USD accounts; Firstrade does not charge inactivity or expedited account verification fees.

There are generally no inactivity penalties; hidden costs may include currency conversion spreads when funding via non-USD/EUR gateways, and expedited KYC or premium services may incur extra fees through payment partners, not from ProBit directly.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

This action cannot be performed directly on Firstrade, as it does not provide native crypto purchasing; acquiring BTC would require an external platform, where costs would depend on that provider’s commission, spread, and withdrawal fee structure.

If you convert €500 via a payment gateway, expect ~3–5% fee plus a small spread, then trade into BTC with roughly a 0.2% trading fee, and finally withdraw crypto with a small dynamic network fee—altogether, total costs could range around ~4–6% of the original amount, depending on variables.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Firstrade offers trading in approximately 38–41 cryptocurrencies, focusing on spot pairs only—there’s no full order book with crypto-to-crypto pairings, just single-asset buys priced in USD on their platform.

ProBit Global features a vast catalog—around 800+ cryptocurrencies across 1,000+ spot markets, with the top-20 by volume including major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, alongside other highly traded altcoin pairs.

Product Range

Firstrade supports only spot cryptocurrency trading; it does not support margin, perpetuals, futures, options, ETFs on crypto, staking, lending, copy trading, grid bot tools, or automated DCA programs.

It offers spot trading, staking/earn programs, grid trading bots, automated DCA tools via third-party bots (e.g., Cryptohopper, DeltaBadger), and token launchpads, but does not support margin, futures/perpetuals, options, crypto ETFs, loans, or copy trading.

Liquidity

Firstrade does not disclose actual 24-hour volume or order book depth data for crypto; trading occurs via their internal system with instant settlement but without traditional exchange-level liquidity metrics.

ProBit Global maintains solid liquidity with daily trading volumes typically ranging in the hundreds of millions USD, and order book depth on BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT is sufficient for smooth execution, especially for mid-sized orders.

Tools

Their crypto offering includes basic order types, real-time quotes, charts, and research features, but lacks advanced tools such as stop/OCO orders, advanced charting, native TradingView integration, alerts, or API/WS access for crypto.

The platform supports limit, market, IOC, and FOK order types, integrated grid and algorithmic trading via visual bots, offers API/WebSocket access, and customizable trading interfaces—but it doesn’t have native TradingView charting.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Crypto trading is available only to users in the United States; there are no crypto markets or services offered outside U.S. jurisdictions.

Some products like staking events or launchpad access may be limited in certain countries, and derivatives are universally unavailable—some services might even be restricted where KYC isn’t supported.

Innovation

Firstrade has not rolled out innovation tools like launchpad/launchpool, nor any flexible vs blocked crypto-earned programs—its crypto offerings remain simple and limited to direct spot purchases.

ProBit continues to innovate with an active launchpad program (hosting hundreds of token sales), and staking/earn offerings that may include flexible vs locked options, helping users participate in new token listings and earn passive rewards.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

The crypto service is delivered through Firstrade Crypto LLC, a U.S.-based subsidiary operating under parent company Firstrade Securities Inc., founded in 1985 and headquartered in Flushing, New York.

ProBit Global is a privately held cryptocurrency exchange, founded in 2017, operating under a corporate entity based in the Seychelles, with additional registered points of contact in European hubs to support compliance and local operations.

Licenses/Registration

Firstrade Securities operates as a registered broker-dealer under FINRA and the SEC; crypto trading itself is facilitated by Apex Crypto LLC, acting under regulatory standards but without explicit VASP or MiCA licensing.

The exchange does not hold formal VASP or MiCA licenses and operates outside of comprehensive regulated frameworks, relying instead on regional registrations and voluntary compliance where practicable.

Custody

Cryptocurrency custody is handled by Apex Crypto LLC as a third-party provider—not held on Firstrade’s own infrastructure. There’s no publicly shared proof of reserves, audit reports, or stated cold-storage percentages.

ProBit Global secures around 95% of user assets in offline cold wallets, combined with encryption and multi-factor authentication; however, it does not publish proof of reserves or formal audit reports.

Insurance & Protection Funds

While traditional account assets benefit from SIPC and possibly FDIC protections, crypto holdings are not covered under these programs and have no dedicated insurance or extra custodian protection.

There is currently no custodian insurance or dedicated protection fund backing user assets, meaning funds are not covered in the event of a breach or other loss.

Incident History

Firstrade hasn’t suffered publicized hacks or major suspensions tied to its crypto platform; however, it recently received FINRA censure and a fine for misleading communications about crypto offerings via an affiliate.

ProBit maintains a clean track record—no hacks, breaches, floods, or regulatory fines have been reported since its founding—highlighting a strong security reputation to date.

Risk Controls

Firstrade enforces strong security measures including multi-factor authentication, SSL encryption, firewalls, fraud detection systems, phishing education, and a secure security center, but doesn’t highlight features like API permissions or sub-accounts for crypto.

Users benefit from comprehensive security controls, including support for 2FA (with hardware keys like FIDO U2F), passkeys, biometric authentication, anti-phishing safeguards, and granular API permissions; there are also options for account whitelisting and layered access controls.

Transparency

There’s no public monthly reporting or wallet audit data available for crypto holdings. Users rely on Firstrade’s Online Protection Guarantee for unauthorized trades, yet there’s no SLA or public wallet addresses disclosed.

Although there are no public monthly reserve or audit reports nor on-chain wallet disclosures, the platform does offer a bug bounty program and maintains stable infrastructure uptime, but does not publish SLAs or external transparency metrics.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Firstrade supports fiat deposits via ACH, wire transfer, check, and transfers from other brokerages; ACH from U.S. bank accounts is fee-free and takes a couple of business days, wires are faster but involve sending-bank fees, and check deposits vary by type and processing, with some available immediately.

ProBit Global allows fiat purchases via credit/debit card and bank transfer through third-party providers, with buys typically processed within minutes to a few hours depending on provider; minimums and maximums vary by provider and region, and exact values are defined by the payment gateways rather than ProBit itself.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

There’s no formal tiered KYC structure; account opening requires ID verification, and once verified, users can access full services—there are no intermediate “basic” or “advanced” levels with differing limits.

There are two KYC tiers: Step 1 (email only) allows basic deposits, trading, and withdrawals up to about $5,000 daily; Step 2 (identity verification) unlocks full platform access, staking, IEO participation, and higher withdrawal ceilings (up to $500,000 with 2FA enabled for at least 7 days).

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are available via ACH, check, or wire—ACH (up to $50,000 per day) is free and takes 1–2 business days, checks may take up to two weeks depending on delivery, and wires cost a fee and take several days; crypto token withdrawals (e.g. ERC20/TRC20) are not supported.

Crypto withdrawals have defined minimum amounts and dynamic network fees; supported networks include major blockchains like ERC-20, TRC-20, and BEP-20—withdrawals are generally processed promptly, subject to blockchain confirmation times.

Customer Support

Support is offered via email and U.S. phone during business hours, complemented by a Help Center with FAQs—there’s no 24/7 live chat, and response times and knowledge base depth are moderate and office-hour dependent.

ProBit offers customer support primarily via email and a ticketing system, with response times generally within a few hours to a day; it also maintains a well-structured FAQ and help center to guide users through common queries.

Languages & Localization

The platform and mobile app support English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese; the interface displays USD values only, with no localized support for Spanish or Euro-based users—reflecting its U.S.-centric design.

The platform is localized in over 40 languages, including English, and displays pricing in major fiat terms like USD or EUR; local payment methods vary by region, and relevant fees are shown at the point of transaction.

App Quality & Stability

The Firstrade app (iOS/Android) is well-rated, noted for intuitive navigation and sync across devices, though some users report occasional crashes; regular updates enhance features and UX, but no official crash-rate metrics are disclosed.

The mobile app is described as stable and user-friendly across devices, with regular updates enhancing features and performance; while exact crash rate data isn’t publicly stated, user feedback suggests a smooth and reliable experience.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Firstrade delivers a clean, beginner-friendly interface that helps new users get started quickly, though it doesn’t offer distinct “Lite” or “Pro” modes; advanced traders may find the layout functional but not deeply customizable.

The platform offers a clean, intuitive interface with a short learning curve; the mobile app even includes a lighter version (“ProBit Global Lite”) optimized for simplicity, while the standard web and mobile versions offer more control and customization for experienced users.

Performance

Firstrade offers solid performance under normal conditions, but during high-volatility events, users sometimes note slight delays in order execution; account verification remains swift even during surges, with KYC queues rarely causing major hold-ups.

ProBit Global delivers fast order execution with minimal latency and reliable uptime, even during volatile market spikes; however, identity verification (KYC) may take longer during high-traffic periods, especially around major crypto bull runs.

Education

The platform provides a rich library of written and video educational resources for investing concepts, though it lacks a dedicated simulator or demo trading environment and does not yet offer educational content in Spanish.

While ProBit has a help center and support articles, it lacks built-in simulator or demo trading tools; educational content in Spanish or other languages tends to focus on FAQs rather than structured courses or videos.

Community

Firstrade does not operate official community channels like Discord or Telegram. It did run a referral program in the past, but that has been discontinued, and users must rely on formal help centers rather than peer-driven forums.

ProBit maintains active community channels including Discord and Telegram, as well as a referral program that rewards users for bringing in others—creating a collaborative and engaged user community.

Integrations

Firstrade recently integrated advanced research tools from Trading Central, but doesn’t support direct TradingView charting, bot trading, or built-in tax/accounting integrations—users rely on manual methods or third-party tools.

The platform integrates directly with TradingView charts and supports third-party trading bots like Cryptohopper or WunderTrading; tax or accounting tools aren’t built-in but users can export data to manage finances externally.

Who Each One Is Best For

Firstrade shines with investors who value a reliable, easy-to-use platform with educational support and occasional advanced tools—ideal for self-directed U.S. investors prioritizing simplicity over complex trading setups.

ProBit suits privacy-conscious traders who value wide crypto choice and automated bot support, while beginners and those expecting advanced derivatives or educational tools may find it less fitting.