THORChain vs Bit: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between THORChain and Bit 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 7, 2025

THORChain

Bit

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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THORChain is ideal if:

You value native cross-chain swaps — ideal if you're seeking seamless, non-custodial swaps between different blockchains without wrapped tokens.
You're experienced with DeFi mechanics — a great match if you're comfortable navigating liquidity pools, impermanent loss, and node operations.
You prioritize decentralization and control — perfect if you prefer trustless networks and retaining custody of your assets throughout trading.

Bit is ideal if:

You want access to a professional-grade platform with advanced derivatives and options for major cryptocurrencies.
You prefer a unified margin account that simplifies collateral management across spot, futures, and options.
You value institutional-level liquidity and infrastructure backed by a reputable global crypto finance group.

THORChain isn’t ideal if:

You're new to DeFi — its cross-chain mechanics and impermanent loss dynamics can be technically challenging for beginners.
You prefer institutional certainty — recent financial strains and paused lending services signal an unstable risk profile.
You favor strong traditional governance — decentralized decision-making has shown delays and controversy under stress.

Bit isn’t ideal if:

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

THORChain uses a single swap fee model that replaces traditional maker/taker pricing; fees adjust dynamically based on pool depth and trade size, with occasional affiliate fee options but no separate native token discounts.

BIT uses a tiered fee structure where maker and taker rates decrease as your 30-day trading volume increases, and some users benefit from additional discounts by using the platform’s native token to pay fees.

Futures/Derivatives

THORChain doesn’t offer derivatives or futures trading—its focus remains on native, non-custodial cross-chain swaps within liquidity pools.

Futures trades follow a similar tiered model with both maker and taker fees declining as your volume grows; funding rates are dynamic and reflect real-time market demand but are transparently displayed on the trading interface.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

As a decentralized protocol rather than an order-book exchange, THORChain does not quote fixed spreads; the effective cost emerges from slip-based fees tied to trade size and liquidity depth instead.

On highly liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, typical spreads are very tight, thanks to strong liquidity and professional market infrastructure—even though exact values aren’t publicly listed, they remain consistently narrow.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

THORChain operates purely on-chain with crypto-to-crypto swaps and doesn’t support direct fiat deposits or withdrawals through traditional methods like bank transfers.

BIT’s fiat support is limited, and where offered (e.g. via partners), deposit and withdrawal options—such as bank transfers—exist but with general processing times of hours to days and no fixed fee details publicly disclosed.

On-chain Withdrawals

Outbound withdrawal costs vary by chain—users pay what amounts to a markup over typical on-chain “fast” fees (sometimes one-and-a-half to three times), and there’s also slip-based pricing and protocol network fees embedded in the trade.

Crypto withdrawals incur network-based fees that adjust dynamically per blockchain (e.g., BTC, ETH), instead of a flat rate—this means actual costs vary in real time according to network congestion.

Hidden Costs

Beyond obvious transaction fees, users may face slip-based costs, optional affiliate charges, and on-chain gas variations—but there are no inactivity or expedited KYC fees built into the protocol.

There may be subtle costs like currency conversion when trading non-supported stablecoins, inactive account fees, or expedited KYC processing—but BIT emphasizes transparency, and these are minimal or avoidable through regular activity.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

In a typical scenario, swapping the equivalent of €500 into BTC would involve paying on-chain gas to send funds in, a slip-based swap fee, and an outbound gas-based fee deducted from the output—resulting in a slightly lower BTC amount, all embedded seamlessly in the transaction.

A €500 BTC purchase would include the spot fee (based on your VIP tier), a tight spread typical for Bitcoin, and an on-chain withdrawal fee that fluctuates with network conditions—all combined to present a total cost that remains competitive and transparent.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

THORChain supports around 29 native cryptocurrencies across approximately 39 trading pairs, with its top pairs by volume—including BTC/RUNE, ETH/RUNE, and USDT/RUNE—comprising the vast majority of activity, making them the most liquid and active trading options.

BIT lists over 130 cryptocurrencies and around 160+ trading pairs overall, with the top 20 by volume including BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, SOL/USDT, PEPE/USDT, XRP/USDT and others leading daily activity.

Product Range

THORChain primarily provides spot cross-chain swaps and liquidity provision, alongside staking (via RUNE), but it does not offer margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, lending services, copy-trading, grid bots, or auto DCA features.

The platform supports spot, perps (futures), US dollar–settled options, convert/swap, savings/earn, copy trading, block trades, and automated rebalance strategies— all unified under their single account model.

Liquidity

While exact figures change constantly, THORChain’s 24-hour trading volume reaches into the tens of millions, and its book depth is essentially represented by pool liquidity rather than traditional order books—meaning deeper pools yield smoother swaps for BTC and ETH pairs.

BIT provides high liquidity and deep order books in major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, backed by institutional infrastructure, yielding tight spreads and strong execution even under heavy volume.

Tools

As a decentralized AMM protocol, THORChain does not offer typical order types like limit or stop, nor OCO, charting tools, alerts, API/WebSocket, or native TradingView—its interface is designed for simple, immediate swaps rather than advanced trading strategies.

Traders can use limit, market, and OCO orders, set alerts, access advanced charting, leverage TradingView integrations, and connect via robust API/WebSocket endpoints.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

There are no explicit geographical product limitations like those seen in centralized exchanges—since THORChain is permissionless and non-custodial, its services are technically accessible anywhere, subject only to local crypto regulations in user jurisdictions.

Certain products such as derivatives (futures and options) are restricted in several jurisdictions—including the United States and parts of Asia—depending on local law and platform policy.

Innovation

THORChain delivers continuous innovation via native cross-chain swaps and staking pools, with features like flexible staking through liquidity provision; however, it doesn’t include traditional launchpads, locked vs flexible earn products, or centralized-style launchpool mechanisms.

BIT continuously launches new offerings like launchpad-style products, evolving earn features with flexible and locked staking options, and expanding USD-settled options across various assets.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

THORChain operates as a decentralized protocol without a single corporate entity; node operators collectively secure the network via bonded RUNE, and there is no clear legal headquarters or formal incorporation year.

BIT is operated by a Seychelles-registered entity established around 2020, headquartered in that jurisdiction, leveraging offshore incorporation to serve a broad global clientele.

Licenses/Registration

THORChain is fully permissionless and non-custodial, meaning it doesn’t hold licenses like VASP or MiCA registrations—its decentralized nature places it outside typical regulatory regimes.

It’s registered under the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) as a crypto-service provider, though it does not hold equivalent licenses under EU MiCA or major markets like the U.S.

Custody

Funds are secured using a threshold-signature (TSS) vault architecture involving many node operators; there’s no centralized custodian, no formal proof-of-reserves or third-party audits beyond early smart contract reviews, and no mention of cold-storage percentage.

Client funds are predominantly held in multi-signature cold storage across multiple continents with institutional-grade encryption; BIT is working toward combining both proof of reserves and proof of liabilities using Merkle-tree verification to enhance transparency.

Insurance & Protection Funds

The protocol does not offer insurance or dedicated protection funds; users rely on decentralized design and economic security (bonded RUNE) for protection from losses or insolvency.

The platform maintains an internal insurance fund—designed to absorb losses in extreme market conditions and support its liquidation system as a layer of fund protection.

Incident History

To date, THORChain has not experienced major hacks or forced fund freezes; there is no known record of suspensions or regulatory penalties, underscoring a clean operational track record.

BIT has maintained a clean track record with no publicly reported hacks, service suspensions, asset freezes, or regulatory penalties to date.

Risk Controls

As a pure on-chain protocol, THORChain doesn’t provide user access controls like 2FA, whitelists, anti-phishing tools, sub-accounts, or granular API permissions—security is rooted in user-side custody and key management.

Security measures include mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA), IP and withdrawal whitelists, anti-phishing safeguards, and support for sub-accounts and granular API permissioning to manage operational risk.

Transparency

The protocol offers transparent public access to node and pool activity via block explorers and dashboards; there are no formal monthly reports or SLA guarantees, but network status is openly viewable in real-time.

While BIT does not publish monthly audit reports or public wallet lists, it provides insurance fund status updates and aims to establish tools for verifying reserves and liabilities, offering growing transparency to users.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

THORChain itself is purely crypto-first and doesn’t support fiat deposit methods, but via THORWallet’s THORCash on-ramp you can use debit or credit cards—with no KYC up to certain limits—and bank transfers or local payment methods are coming soon, with rapid processing times.

BIT supports fiat deposits via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets depending on your region, with minimums and maximums and processing times clearly shown on the deposit screen once you initiate the flow.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Through THORCash, users can access purchase services with no KYC up to specific weekly and monthly thresholds; above those limits, verified KYC is required, although THORChain itself never requires any user-level identity verification.

The KYC framework includes levels like “Basic” and “Advanced” (or equivalent), where unverified users face strict limits or no fiat access, and completing higher KYC tiers unlocks full deposit, withdrawal, and product access.

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing & Networks

Customer Support

Support comes via integrated interfaces—THORCash offers 24/7 support in its app, while broader guidance is available through community channels like Discord, docs, and FAQs; email support and help pages aid with troubleshooting.

BIT offers 24/7 live chat and email support, with a comprehensive help center filled with FAQs and guides; response times vary but generally are prompt—especially for basic queries.

Languages & Localization

THORWallet app and THORCash on-ramp offer localized experiences including Spanish, display fiat amounts in €, and integrate with regional fiat networks where supported—making the user experience more regionally tailored.

The platform is native in English (and often other major languages), shows pricing and fees in local currencies like USD/EUR, and tailors certain services according to regional regulatory compliance.

App Quality & Stability

THORWallet is actively maintained with a focus on stability, native DeFi integration, and frequent updates; its design emphasizes reliability, though precise crash statistics aren’t published publicly.

The BIT mobile app is regularly updated on both iOS and Android, designed for smooth performance with minimal crashes, and offers a clean interface that mirrors the web experience.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Learning Curve & Modes THORWallet delivers a clean, mobile-first interface tailored for both newcomers and DeFi practitioners; while there’s no explicit “Lite” or “Pro” mode, the intuitive design layers advanced features like multisig and cross-chain swaps in a way that keeps the core experience user-friendly.

The interface is clean and beginner-friendly, offering an intuitive experience without overwhelming the user—advanced options are accessible but smoothly integrated, helping you transition as you grow.

Performance

Latency & Volatility Resilience Swap transactions execute with minimal delay due to THORChain’s high-throughput infrastructure, and the protocol infrastructure scales automatically to handle volatility surges—resulting in smooth operations even during high-demand periods.

BIT’s matching engine delivers ultra-low latency (under 50 ms), ensuring fast order execution; systems remain stable even during volatility spikes, with KYC processes generally unaffected by market surges.

Education

Learning Resources & Spanish Content THORChain’s ecosystem offers educational support through THORChain University (via YouTube), developer documentation, and multilingual resources, though there is no fully featured demo, simulator, or Spanish-specific academy yet beyond community material.

While BIT doesn’t have a dedicated academy or simulator, it offers in-platform guides and multilingual content (including Spanish), helping users understand features without external research.

Community

Forums, Chat & Referral Program A robust community thrives through THORChain’s Discord, developer Discord, and active forums; THORWallet also includes a referral mechanism that rewards affiliate activity and invites strategic growth.

Users can connect via BIT’s official Telegram and referral programs, enabling peer interactions and rewards, though there’s currently no full-fledged forum or Discord hub.

Integrations

Tools & Tax Support The ecosystem integrates seamlessly with wallets like Ledger, SwapKit-powered platforms, and interfaces such as Rujira and Defispot; however, there’s no native TradingView, tax-tool integration, or external bot support built-in.

Charts on BIT include TradingView integrations, and the platform supports external tools like copy trading strategies and some basic tax/accounting exports, though comprehensive third-party bot support is limited.

Who Each One Is Best For

THORChain shines for DeFi and self-custody enthusiasts who value cross-chain flexibility and emergent DeFi integrations; it’s less suited to users seeking demo trading, advanced charting, or automated strategies.

BIT is ideal for those seeking a straightforward yet powerful trading platform—great for beginners who appreciate clarity and for intermediate users who want solid tools without a steep learning curve.