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

Trying to choose between Bitflyer and Exmo 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

Exmo

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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

China

Yes

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.

Exmo is ideal if:

Effortless for beginners — EXMO shines with a clean and intuitive interface that makes entering the crypto world straightforward, even for newcomers.
Strong foundational tools — It offers essential order types (market, limit, stop), solid security layers, and mobile access—delivering the essentials without overcomplicating things.
Reward-friendly experience — If you enjoy added incentives, EXMO’s ecosystem includes perks via its native token and Earn program, enriching your engagement beyond standard trading.

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.

Exmo isn’t ideal if:

If you need advanced trading tools, EXMO may feel limiting due to the absence of high-end features favored by professional traders.
If rapid customer support matters, response times can lag behind competitors, which might frustrate users seeking instant help.
If you're after aggressive margin use, EXMO offers modest leverage, so it’s not the best choice for high-risk, high-reward strategies.

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.

EXMO applies a tiered fee structure where both maker and taker fees decrease as your 30-day trading volume rises—from standard spot levels down to zero or even negative rates at very high volumes—while EXMO-Coin-backed Premium packages offer additional, fixed discounts ranging from modest savings to full fee waivers.

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.

EXMO currently focuses exclusively on spot and margin trading and does not support futures or derivative products, so maker/taker and funding fees for such instruments are not applicable.

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.

While precise spreads aren’t publicly listed, EXMO’s tight pairing on major BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT markets suggests they remain competitive in line with typical centralized exchange benchmarks.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

methods, fees, timing

You can deposit and withdraw fiat by card, bank transfers (SEPA, wire), and e-channels; deposit fees and limits depend on your chosen method, with processing times ranging from under an hour to up to three business days for traditional transfers.

On-chain Withdrawals

fixed vs dynamic fees

Crypto withdrawals follow dynamic, network-based fees—varying by coin and network congestion—rather than flat fees, and the specific fee for each asset is shown at the time of withdrawal.

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.

Although EXMO avoids surprise charges, users should note possible currency conversion margins, low inactive-account charges, and potential priority processing fees for expedited verification or transfers, depending on circumstances.

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.

Suppose you buy €500 worth of BTC via fiat—your cost includes a starting trading fee (based on spot or fiat tiers), the market spread embedded in the execution price, and a dynamic crypto withdrawal charge when you transfer BTC out—which together form the total effective cost of the transaction.

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.

EXMO supports around 90–100 different cryptocurrency assets and approximately 150–235 trading pairs, while its top 20 by volume include major names like BTC, ETH, ADA, DOT, LINK, XRP, SOL, LTC, AAVE, UNI, XLM, BCH, EOS, ATOM, FIL, VET, ZEC, XMR, TRX, and more.

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 platform offers spot trading (including margin with up to ~30× leverage), staking via the Earn program, OTC services, and automated features like copy-trading and third-party grid or trading bots—however, it does not support derivatives such as perpetuals, options, ETFs, or crypto loans.

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.

EXMO’s daily trading volume generally ranges from tens to a few tens of millions of dollars, with BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT among its most liquid pairs—indicative of a mid-tier liquidity exchange offering reasonable depth for retail and many pro traders.

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 can place market, limit, and stop orders; enjoy basic charting and alerts; and leverage web and mobile APIs—and while advanced tools like native TradingView charts aren’t built in, external integrations via API are possible.

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.

While spot and staking are widely available, margin trading may be restricted or unavailable in certain jurisdictions—particularly the US and other regions where regulations limit leverage products.

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.

EXMO’s Earn offering includes flexible staking that allows daily rewards and instant withdrawals, enabling compounding without locking funds; though it doesn’t currently offer launchpad or launchpool-style token launch features, its flexible earn model is a standout.

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.

EXMO operates under its legal entity EXMO EXCHANGE LTD., established around 2013–2014 and headquartered in the UK, functioning within British jurisdictional frameworks including AML/KYC mandates and the EU’s Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive (5AMLD).

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.

While EXMO is registered in the UK and complies with AML and KYC obligations, it does not hold formal licenses such as VASP or MiCA—operating without formal regulatory approvals from major bodies like the FCA or SEC, though it aligns with regional compliance best practices.

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.

The platform uses a hybrid custody model—hot wallets for daily transactions and cold storage for the bulk of assets—with routine security audits to bolster safety; however, there’s no public proof of reserves or explicit percentage breakdown of cold vs. hot holdings.

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.

EXMO maintains an internal insurance fund to provide some level of user asset protection against unforeseen events, though this is not comparable to coverage offered by major traditional financial insurers.

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.

EXMO has experienced operational challenges—such as platform downtimes and withdrawal delays—and notable events like the 2017 kidnapping of its Managing Director, leading to heightened scrutiny; no major security breaches have been publicly confirmed since.

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 offers strong security tools like 2FA (now moving toward Google Authenticator and passkeys), trusted IP whitelisting, anti-phishing email measures, and granular notification settings, enhancing account protection and risk mitigation.

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.

EXMO emphasizes user data security and transaction integrity but does not offer frequent public reports like monthly transparency statements or live wallet addresses, and it lacks a formally published SLA for uptime or service levels.

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).

You can deposit fiat via bank transfers (SEPA, wire), Visa/Mastercard cards, and various e-wallets; minimum and maximum limits vary by method and currency, can be found in your account, and deposits typically arrive within 1 minute to around an hour depending on the channel.

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.

New users must complete identity verification to access core features; additional levels like address or card verification unlock higher deposit/withdrawal methods and limits, with processing typically done within a few hours.

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 depend on the network chosen (e.g. TRC20, ERC20) and are subject to dynamic network fees; there are high upper limits (e.g. up to $500k or £10k) and actual processing times vary with method and network congestion.

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.

EXMO offers 24/7 support via chat, email, and ticketing, though response times may vary; there’s also a comprehensive knowledge base to help with common questions.

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 platform fully supports English and displays fees in major currencies like EUR and USD; localization extends to fiat support and regulatory considerations in regions where it operates.

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.

EXMO provides both mobile and web apps for trading, with a long-standing reputation, though users sometimes report downtimes and slower support responses—indicating a solid but not flawless user experience.

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.

EXMO delivers an intuitive and beginner-friendly interface with a “Simple” or “Advanced” trading view that lets users choose between a clean, streamlined flow or a more detailed layout—facilitating a smooth learning curve from novice to experienced levels.

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.

Users note that EXMO handles typical order latency well under normal conditions, although heavy volatility can slow response times, and during crypto bull runs, KYC queues can lead to delays in verification that hold up trading access.

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.

While EXMO doesn’t offer a full-fledged demo account, it does provide educational material—including guides and blog posts—and supports Spanish-language resources to help users learn trading basics and platform features.

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.

EXMO maintains an active presence on channels like Telegram and focuses on referral incentives to build community engagement, though it lacks a dedicated forum or Discord server for deeper 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.

EXMO has embedded native TradingView charting directly into its platform for technical analysis, and supports external bot integrations via API—but does not yet offer formal integration with tax reporting or accounting tools.

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.

EXMO is ideal for traders seeking a user-friendly, approachable platform with flexible UX modes and integrated charting—especially beginners and casual users—while power-user traders may find it less adequate due to limited simulator tools and backend integrations.