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

Trying to choose between Bitflyer and Bithumb 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

Bitflyer

Bithumb

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Bitflyer is ideal if:

Great for cautious starters – Offers a clean, beginner-friendly interface with strong regulation and security, especially suited if you value peace of mind and a guided experience.
Smart for professionals too – Its Lightning platform and API support advanced trading styles while remaining within a trusted, compliant ecosystem.
Best for mainstream assets – Focuses on the core major cryptocurrencies rather than obscure altcoins—ideal if you're after simplicity, not a sprawling asset list.

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.

Bitflyer isn’t ideal if:

Not for altcoin hunters — Offers only a small selection of mainstream cryptocurrencies, limiting your options if you're looking to explore lesser-known tokens.
Limited advanced trading tools — Lacks robust derivatives, futures, lending, and staking features that active or margin traders often need.
Less competitive for cost-focused users — May involve higher spreads or fewer deposit options compared to more versatile, low-cost exchanges.

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.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

On bitFlyer’s Lightning Spot, maker and taker fees decrease progressively as your 30-day trading volume grows—from about 0.10 % at lower volumes down to roughly 0.03 % for very high turnover, with potential bespoke discounts for particularly active users or sizeable trades.

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).

Futures/Derivatives

bitFlyer offers Bitcoin futures and crypto CFDs with margin, where trading fees fall in the same low double-digit-basis-point range, plus a funding cost applied at fixed intervals based on price divergence from spot—creating a small rollover cost for open positions.

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

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Spread information isn’t explicitly disclosed on bitFlyer, but based on its exchange design, liquid pairs typically carry modest spreads that are embedded in prices, especially via the Easy Exchange interface where the buy/sell price includes conversion margin rather than a separate fee.

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.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

methods, fees, timing

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.

On-chain Withdrawals

fixed vs dynamic fees

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Hidden Costs

There are no apparent idle-account or express-KYC charges; however, minor implicit costs can stem from currency conversion spreads if you’re using a non-native fiat, and any third-party wire or bank fees—which vary regionally—can affect your overall cost.

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.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

Buying €500 worth of BTC would entail a small embedded spread (via Easy Exchange) or low Lightning fee, plus the flat withdrawal charge (e.g., ~0.0004 BTC) if you choose to withdraw—resulting in a modest overall impact relative to the value but with no hidden or percentage-based surprises.

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.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

bitFlyer supports around 7–8 core cryptocurrencies with roughly 10–12 trading pairs, mainly focused on major assets like BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, ETC, LSK, MONA, and a few fiat pairings—its offering remains intentionally compact.

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.

Product Range

The platform offers spot trading, margin trading (up to around 2×–4× leverage depending on region), Bitcoin futures (derivatives), Ethereum staking (upcoming), and OTC for large volume trades—but lacks more exotic features like options, ETFs, lending, copy-trading, automated bots, or full DCA tools.

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.

Liquidity

bitFlyer handles daily trading volumes in the low-hundreds of millions USD (with top pairs like BTC/JPY and ETH/JPY dominating), while its order book depth on main pairs remains modest compared with major global exchanges—sufficient for moderate trades but not for ultra-large orders.

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.

Tools

Advanced users benefit from a Lightning platform offering standard order types (limit, stop), custom alerts, charting, API and WebSocket access, and a native professional interface—but there’s no built-in TradingView integration or OCO orders.

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.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Derivatives and margin capabilities vary by region, with limited pairs available in the U.S. (e.g., BTC/USD, ETH/USD, BCH/BTC) and broader altcoin access in Europe and Japan, reflecting regulatory constraints across jurisdictions.

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.

Innovation

Recent enhancements include ETH staking (pending launch) and ongoing CFD asset expansions. However, bitFlyer does not currently offer launchpads, flexible vs locked Earn products, or structured innovative financial instruments.

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.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

bitFlyer, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Tokyo, Japan; it has extended operations internationally through regulated subsidiaries such as bitFlyer Europe to serve multiple regions globally.

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.

Licenses/Registration

It holds Virtual Asset Exchange licensing under Japan’s FSA, and its European arm is a fully regulated payment institution in Luxembourg, holds the first VASP registration there, and undergoes annual audits by a Big Four firm.

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.

Custody

Customer assets are stored offline in proprietary cold wallets (often over 80–100%), with multilayer physical security; while specific Proof of Reserves disclosure isn’t public, financial statements undergo external audit and assets are held separately from company funds.

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.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There’s coverage for unauthorized withdrawal via encrypted authentication and secure wallet infrastructure, but no widely advertised comprehensive insurance fund for hacks or exchange-level failures.

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.

Incident History

Apart from regulatory enforcement fines (e.g., levied by New York DFS), bitFlyer does not have public records of hacks or fund losses, reflecting a clean operational history with no major security breaches or customer fund suspensions.

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.

Risk Controls

The platform enforces strong password policies, two-factor authentication, account lockouts, encryption, and segregates client and company funds; features such as whitelists, sub-accounts, anti-phishing, and granular API permissions enhance security.

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.

Transparency

While bitFlyer doesn’t publish monthly reserve reports or wallet addresses, it provides audited compliance, segregated custodian practices, encryption standards transparency, and maintains clear regulatory and operational SLAs via its regional legal frameworks.

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.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Bank transfers (like SEPA, ACH, Fedwire) are available (sometimes free), with PayPal accepted in Europe; credit/debit card options depend on region, and deposit limits lift with full Trade Pro verification, while processing ranges from instant (cards) to 1–3 business days (bank transfers).

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.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Accounts start at a basic (Standby) level with entry-only access, upgrade to Trade Class to deposit and trade within limits, and finally Trade Pro unlocks unrestricted activity—requiring progressively more ID documentation during verification.

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.

Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals have fixed minimums (e.g., 0.001 BTC plus fee), fiat withdrawals via bank take about 1–3 business days, and supported networks include the standard ones like BTC and ETH—no TRC20/BEP20 options mentioned.

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.

Customer Support

Support is accessible via email and contact form (weekdays during business hours), with response typically within that timeframe; a FAQ/help center exists, but there’s no live 24/7 chat available.

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.

Languages & Localization

The platform offers native-level English (and other EU languages like French); pricing and fees are shown in local fiat (€/USD/JPY), with region-specific regulatory compliance embedded per locale.

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.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile app supports core functions, is generally stable, though users report some limitations in advanced trading features, occasional minor bugs, and mixed ratings—recent updates aim to improve usability and reliability.

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.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

bitFlyer strikes a balance between accessibility and power—casual users will find the Lite interface intuitive with a gentle learning curve, while experienced traders can switch to a Pro mode that offers deeper functionality without overwhelming novice users.

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.

Performance

Order execution is generally responsive during normal conditions, but like many exchanges, there can be brief latency or slight slowdown during high-volatility spikes; KYC queues may also lengthen during strong bull runs, potentially delaying onboarding.

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.

Education

The bitFlyer Academy provides beginner-friendly articles and guides to help users understand crypto fundamentals, though there’s no live demo or simulator, and educational content in languages other than English is limited.

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.

Community

bitFlyer maintains an official help center and blog for updates, but lacks public community forums like Discord or Telegram; it does offer a referral program to incentivize bringing new users—but no broad peer-to-peer community space is currently provided.

The platform encourages engagement through referral incentives and publishes on Medium, but it lacks officially managed forums, Discord, or Telegram communities for user interaction.

Integrations

The platform supports API and WebSocket access for automated trading, yet does not offer native TradingView charts, external bot marketplaces, or integrated tax/accounting tools—so users typically rely on external systems for advanced analytics or bookkeeping.

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.

Who Each One Is Best For

bitFlyer is ideal for traders who want a secure, regulated platform with a choice between streamlined and professional UIs, while those who prefer community-driven tools, extensive integrations, or a learning sandbox may find more options on other platforms.

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.