ActivTrades vs Giottus: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between ActivTrades and Giottus 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 5, 2025

ActivTrades

Giottus

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Europe

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

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ActivTrades is ideal if:

User-Friendly Platforms – ActivTrades offers intuitive trading via MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, and its proprietary ActivTrader, plus handy tools like progressive trailing stops and sentiment indicators, making it straightforward for both newer and seasoned traders.
Strong Safety and Trust – With multi-regulatory oversight and enhanced investor protection—including negative-balance coverage and insurance exceeding standard thresholds—it prioritizes client security across regions.
Wide Multi-Asset Access – It supports a broad market portfolio including CFDs on forex, stocks, indices, commodities, ETFs, bonds, and select crypto, giving you flexible diversification opportunities under one roof.

Giottus is ideal if:

Beginners or INR-first users: Perfectly suited—it offers ultra-fast INR deposits and a highly intuitive interface tailored for Indian users.
Security-focused traders: Excellent choice—bank-level encryption, massive redundancies, and a high-throughput matching engine ensure a stable and safe environment.
Looking for global or altcoin variety?: Likely not ideal—limited international reach and a narrower crypto selection compared to global exchanges.

ActivTrades isn’t ideal if:

Limited real equity access – Offers only CFDs, which means you can’t buy actual stocks or ETFs directly.
No copy-trading or social tools – Doesn’t support automated strategy sharing or social trading, which may be a drawback for those seeking passive or collaborative trading methods.
Potential inactivity and funding limits – May charge dormancy fees after extended inactivity, and deposit/withdrawal options can vary depending on your region.

Giottus isn’t ideal if:

Need broad altcoin access? Not the best fit—Giottus’s crypto selection is more modest compared to global exchanges.
Globally located or outside India? Probably not an ideal match—its services and availability remain largely confined to India.
Seeking advanced trading tools? Might fall short—it lacks some sophisticated features demanded by experienced or professional traders.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

ActivTrades offers zero-commission crypto CFD trading with spreads embedded in the price instead of separate maker/taker fees. There’s no tiered pricing based on trading volume and no native-token-based discounts available.

Giottus offers zero maker fees and standard taker fees on crypto-INR trades, with no extra incentive tiers tied to volume or token discounts—so your trading costs stay predictably low regardless of how much you trade.

Futures/Derivatives

Since ActivTrades focuses on spot crypto CFDs rather than traditional futures contracts, there are no maker or taker fees—costs come via spread and overnight financing charges if you hold positions beyond a trading day.

At present, Giottus does not support futures or derivatives products, so there’s no maker/taker structure or funding rate to factor into your cost analysis.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

ActivTrades aims to offer tight spreads and minimal slippage on its most traded crypto CFDs, though specific spread values for pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT aren’t reported publicly as fixed figures.

While exact figures fluctuate, spreads on Giottus appear in line with industry norms for liquid crypto pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, reflecting competitive pricing for actively traded markets.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can deposit or withdraw fiat via bank transfer, credit/debit card, or e-wallet. Most methods are free, but deposits using cards incur a small percentage fee depending on your region. Processing time ranges from near-instant for cards and e-wallets to the same working day for bank transfers.

You can deposit or withdraw INR instantly (24/7) via IMPS or UPI with zero fees for normal transactions—instant methods are processed in seconds or minutes through your bank, while traditional IMPS/NEFT may take a few hours depending on timing.

On-chain Withdrawals

ActivTrades doesn’t support on-chain crypto withdrawals—only CFDs—so there are no network-based or fixed blockchain withdrawal fees to consider.

Crypto withdrawal fees are set per coin and network, typically fixed values rather than dynamic; for example, BTC withdrawals follow a set fee, and various networks like ETH or TRX similarly have fixed charges per transfer.

Hidden Costs

There’s a small currency conversion fee if your deposit or withdrawal currency doesn’t match your account base. After prolonged inactivity (typically over a year), a monthly dormancy fee applies. There’s no explicit, paid “KYC express” service advertised, keeping these verification costs minimal or absorbed in standard processes.

Giottus does not layer hidden charges—there’s no currency conversion markup, no inactivity penalty, and no premium KYC option; all core costs align with publicly declared fee structures and are transparently applied.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you use €500 to buy BTC via CFD, you’d face a spread-based cost embedded in the execution price (since it’s commission-free), followed by any applicable currency conversion if your base isn’t in euros, and would then encounter no actual withdrawal fee—since crypto cannot be withdrawn, you’re unable to transfer real BTC out of the platform.

Imagine converting €500 to INR, then using that to buy BTC and withdrawing it

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

ActivTrades provides around 16 crypto CFDs covering major coins like BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC and others—not ranked by volume—so you’ll trade the most recognized tokens but won’t find a broader altcoin selection or a highlights list of top 20 by trading volume.

Giottus supports roughly 300+ cryptocurrencies across 300+ trading pairs, with the top 20 by volume dominated by INR pairs like USDT/INR, ETH/INR, BTC/INR, SOL/USDT, and XRP/INR—these reflect the most active and liquid markets.

Product Range

ActivTrades specializes in spot-style crypto CFDs only; it does not offer derivatives like perpetuals or options, nor crypto ETFs, staking, lending, copy trading, grid strategies, or automatic DCA functionalities.

The platform offers a comprehensive spot exchange plus fiat-crypto and crypto-crypto trades, along with earning tools like staking, lending, curated baskets, and automated SIP (Systematic Investment Plan), but it does not offer margin, derivatives, ETFs, options, copy trading, grid bots, or DCA tools.

Liquidity

Liquidity must be inferred from competitive spreads and seamless execution, as ActivTrades does not publish direct 24-hour volumes or depth-of-book data for BTC or ETH CFDs—but execution speed and tight pricing suggest adequate market depth.

While specific volume metrics change daily, Giottus ranks as one of India’s most liquid exchanges, aggregating liquidity from sources like Bitfinex to ensure shallow slippage and solid order-book depth on pairs like BTC/INR and ETH/INR.

Tools

ActivTrades features robust trading tools across its proprietary ActivTrader, MT4, MT5, and TradingView platforms, offering limit/stop orders (including OCO), real-time alerts, sophisticated charting, and API/WS access on desktop and mobile.

The platform supports basic order types (like limit and market) on a real-time order book with charting tools; it integrates advanced visuals and historical data into its UI, though full native TradingView charts or API/WS support aren’t prominently featured.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain features—such as leverage levels and guaranteed stop-loss tools—vary by jurisdiction due to regulatory boundaries, and crucially, crypto CFDs aren’t available to clients in the United States.

Giottus’s products are fully accessible only within India, and features like its earning tools and spot functionality are not available to users outside Indian jurisdiction.

Innovation

ActivTrades focuses on core CFD trading and doesn’t extend into more avant-garde offerings like launchpads, launchpools, or flexible/locked crypto earning programs.

The platform introduces innovation through curated crypto baskets and SIP investment mechanisms, and while it offers staking and lending, it does not currently support launchpad/launchpool offerings or differentiate between flexible and locked yield products.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

ActivTrades is operated by ActivTrades PLC, incorporated in 2001 and headquartered in London, UK, with international branches in Milan, Sofia, and The Bahamas.

Giottus is operated by Giottus Technologies Pvt Ltd, established in 2017, with its headquarters located in Chennai, India.

Licenses/Registration

The firm is regulated by the UK’s FCA, Portugal’s CMVM, and the Securities Commission of The Bahamas (SCB), with a previously held Dubai license now revoked—no explicit VASP or MiCA registration is noted.

As an Indian crypto service provider, Giottus is registered with the Financial Intelligence Unit–India as a Virtual Asset Service Provider, fully complying with local regulatory obligations under the AML/PMLA framework.

Custody

Client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier financial institutions; the broker does not publish proof-of-reserves, cold storage percentages, or third-party custody details.

own vs third-party; Proof of Reserves, audits, % cold reserves

Insurance & Protection Funds

Beyond regulatory safeguards, ActivTrades maintains up to $1 million in supplemental insurance (underwritten by Lloyd’s syndicates) to protect client funds in the event of firm insolvency.

There is no indication that Giottus currently maintains an insurance policy or dedicated insurance fund to cover unexpected losses or custodial risks.

Incident History

There are no widely known or recent incidents involving hacks, platform suspensions, or asset freezes; a past fine in 2011 for fund segregation issues has since been addressed through strengthened client fund protections.

To date, Giottus has not reported any major security breaches, exchange suspensions, or regulatory penalties, reflecting a clean track record in operational integrity and compliance.

Risk Controls

The platform enforces robust security measures—including SSL encryption, 2FA, anti-phishing protocols—as well as functionality for sub-accounts and granular API permissions to help manage risk and ensure safer access.

The exchange enforces industry-standard security measures including mandatory two-factor authentication, KYC-linked withdrawal tiers, and integration with compliance tools that bolster governance and anti-phishing defenses—though features like sub-accounts or granular API permissioning aren’t prominently highlighted.

Transparency

ActivTrades operates within MiFID II frameworks, offering best-execution policies and regulatory compliance documents, though it doesn’t provide public wallets, monthly financial reports, or explicit SLA disclosures on its website.

Giottus enhances transparency through its pending Proof of Reserves initiative and public communication via blog updates, but it does not currently publish routine monthly audit reports, public wallet addresses, or formalized service-level agreements.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

ActivTrades allows fiat deposits via bank wire, credit/debit card, and e-wallets like Skrill, PayPal, and Sofort—with no universal minimum deposit (except higher thresholds for China and Brazil), typically credited instantly via cards/e-wallets and same-day for bank transfers.

You can deposit INR into your Giottus account via UPI or IMPS instantly 24/7, and via NEFT/IMPS during the day with zero fees—both processing are fast, with instant routes completing in seconds and normal deposits credited within a couple of hours.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Account functionality is gated until full identity and address verification are submitted; there are no functional “levels” with specific tradeable limits publicly defined—it’s a verification-first model.

Giottus enforces a tiered KYC system, where completing full identity verification (PAN, Aadhaar or equivalent) unlocks access to higher withdrawal limits that are evaluated individually by compliance—there’s no zero-KYC tier for active trading.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are processed to the original funding method—bank transfers, cards, or e-wallets—and often reach users within a few business days, with at least a $30 minimum per request; crypto on-chain withdrawals are not supported.

Crypto withdrawals are subject to fixed network fees and follow network-specific protocols, while INR withdrawals up to ₹200,000 via IMPS are instant and free, and larger amounts are processed using NEFT according to banking timings, with limits adjusted to your KYC tier.

Customer Support

ActivTrades provides 24/5 support via live chat, email, and phone—with multilingual assistance—and hosts a detailed help center and FAQs to guide users independently.

Support is available through live chat, email, and phone, with a helpful knowledge base to guide users—response tends to be prompt, although peak hours may cause slight delays.

Languages & Localization

The platform supports multiple languages including native Spanish, displays amounts in base currency like euros, and operates under local regulation frameworks where applicable.

The platform is localized mainly for Indian users, with interface and support in English and amounts shown in INR; the legal and compliance framework is aligned with Indian regulatory standards.

App Quality & Stability

Their mobile and desktop platforms (ActivTrader, MT4/5) are well-maintained, frequently updated, and recognized for stability—though specific crash-rate metrics aren’t published, user feedback generally reflects reliable performance.

The mobile app is generally stable and regularly maintained, with no widespread reports of frequent crashes; regular updates keep the platform current and responsive to user needs.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

ActivTrades delivers a modern and intuitive interface—its proprietary ActivTrader and xStation platforms cater well to beginners and advanced users alike, with a clear, browser-friendly layout rather than separate Lite or Pro modes.

Giottus features a clean, intuitive interface with minimal learning curve that suits both novices and more advanced users; there is no explicit “Lite” or “Pro” toggle, but the platform naturally accommodates different experience levels through its organized layout and simplified navigation.

Performance

The broker boasts a robust cloud-based infrastructure ensuring lightning-fast order execution—around 0.004 seconds—and generally steady performance even during volatile periods, with no major reports of downtime or onboarding bottlenecks.

Built on a high-capacity trading engine capable of processing tens of thousands of transactions per second, Giottus maintains fast order execution even during volatile periods and has engineered resilience to handle surges, while KYC queues remain manageable thanks to its streamlined verification process.

Education

ActivTrades supports skill-building with a full demo account, platform guides, webinars, and a rich help center—while Spanish-language materials are available, there’s no formally branded “academy” or simulator beyond their standard demo environment.

While Giottus invests in user education through blog posts and public awareness initiatives, it does not currently offer an in-app academy, simulator, demo mode, or content in Spanish—its educational assets are more operational and aimed at raising general crypto awareness.

Community

While ActivTrades doesn’t host public forums or Telegram/Discord communities, it runs a direct referral program offering up to $5,500 and cashback incentives per referred client.

Giottus builds community engagement via its official Telegram channel and referral program that rewards users for inviting friends, but it does not appear to operate public forums or an official Discord server at this time.

Integrations

ActivTrades excels in integration—its ActivTrader platform is powered by TradingView charts and supports automated strategies via Expert Advisors (EAs), but it lacks built-in external trading bots, tax tools, or accounting integrations.

Although Giottus doesn’t integrate natively with TradingView or tax/accounting software, it does support connectivity with third-party trading bot platforms—enabling advanced automated strategies via services like Bitsgap.

Who Each One Is Best For

This setup favors self-driven traders who value a polished, fast, and stable CFD experience with strong platform tools—especially those comfortable using TradingView and MetaTrader—but less so for social traders seeking copy trading or tax/reporting automation.

Giottus is especially well-suited for Indian users seeking a seamless fiat-to-crypto experience, regional language support, and straightforward tools for regular investing (like SIPs and baskets); it’s less tailored to power users requiring advanced charting, global fiat options, or institutional-level integrations.