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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Coinswitch 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

Bithumb

Coinswitch

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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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.

Coinswitch is ideal if:

Perfect for quick, hassle-free trades — its aggregator model lets you instantly compare and access the best prices across multiple exchanges without managing several accounts.
Great for beginners and casual users — ultra-simple interface, fast KYC, and mobile support make it easy to get started and trade on the go.
Handy for privacy-focused and non-custodial users — you keep control over your assets, with no need to deposit funds into the platform itself.

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.

Coinswitch isn’t ideal if:

You need advanced trading tools — CoinSwitch’s aggregator model doesn't offer structured margin trading, charting, or deep order book functionality.
You expect full transparency on fees — its fees are embedded in the quoted rates, which may feel less clear than openly itemized costs.
You rely on ready access to fiat withdrawals — crypto-to-fiat conversions and bank withdrawals might be slower or less seamless than full-fledged exchange platforms.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

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).

CoinSwitch applies a tiered fee model for spot trading where fees decrease as your 30-day trading volume grows—casually higher at entry-level tiers, tapering gradually for higher volumes to reward active traders, without locking you into token-based discounts.

Futures/Derivatives

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

On CoinSwitch PRO, perpetual futures contracts include distinct maker and taker costs—maker being lower than taker—and although explicit funding rates aren’t publicly outlined, they operate as standard for perpetual contracts, adjusting with market conditions and applied periodically.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

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.

Although specific spread figures aren’t published, CoinSwitch leverages aggregated liquidity from multiple venues, so spreads on major pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT tend to be competitive, reflecting real-time best market prices sourced from deeper pools.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

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.

Fiat transactions are handled via standard banking channels (like transfers or UPI/net banking), offering reliable but somewhat slower processing, with modest cost differences depending on method—fast and instant options are often available but may incur slightly higher charges.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Crypto withdrawals—when accessible—are priced according to network demand, meaning fees adapt dynamically (e.g. BTC, ETH, TRX), rather than being pegged to fixed amounts, helping align closely with actual blockchain conditions.

Hidden Costs

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.

Users should stay aware of currency conversion spreads when moving between fiat or crypto pairs, fees tied to prolonged inactivity or expedited KYC processes, and possible deviations embedded in quoted prices that may not appear separately itemized.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

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.

Buying approximately 500 EUR worth of BTC would involve the spot fee applied to that amount, plus any spread embedded in the purchase price, and then the chosen method’s withdrawal or network cost; in practical terms that means slightly less than 500 EUR in BTC once all trading and transfer costs are accounted for.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

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.

CoinSwitch offers access to hundreds of cryptocurrencies—figures vary between 250+ to 650+ depending on the platform tier—and more than 45,000 trading pairs in total, with the top 20 by volume typically including major assets like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, SOL, ADA, and BNB on CoinSwitch PRO.

Product Range

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.

Users can trade spot and perpetual futures (no margin) and now have access to crypto options with flexible expiries; original aggregator features include SIP (automated regular buys), SmartInvest, and advanced API functionality, while products such as ETFs, staking, loans, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA aren’t supported.

Liquidity

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.

While CoinSwitch doesn’t maintain its own order book, it taps into partner exchanges to deliver deep liquidity, especially on BTC and ETH pairs—ensuring solid 24-hour volume and book depth via aggregated sources, even though precise volume figures aren’t publicly disclosed.

Tools

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.

The PRO interface includes essential order types like market, limit, and stop-loss (plus OCO in some cases), integrated TradingView charts, real-time alerts, and a robust API/WS setup for both spot and futures—though native TradingView remained limited to charting without full platform integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

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.

Advanced instruments such as futures and the newly launched crypto options are generally limited to Indian users or select jurisdictions; more restrictive regions may only have access to basic spot aggregation services, not derivative products.

Innovation

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.

CoinSwitch continues innovating with features like crypto options offering multiple expiry choices, and varied investment tools like SIP and SmartInvest; however, traditional forms like launchpads, launchpools, flexible vs locked yield programs remain absent from its ecosystem.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

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.

CoinSwitch is operated by operating entities such as Bitcipher Labs LLP (and related entities), incorporated in India and headquartered in Bengaluru, and has been active since its founding in 2017, serving as one of the country’s primary crypto platforms.

Licenses/Registration

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.

The platform is registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) and complies with KYC, AML, and CFT regulations; it also holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its data security framework.

Custody

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.

Custody is managed via trusted third-party custodians using multi-party computation (MPC) safeguards and encrypted cloud infrastructure; CoinSwitch publishes regularly audited Proof of Reserves reports that consistently show it holds assets equal to or exceeding client holdings.

Insurance & Protection Funds

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.

There is no public mention of any insurance policy or dedicated protection fund for user assets beyond standard safeguards and reserve backing.

Incident History

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.

There are no notable past incidents of hacks, service suspensions, freezes, or regulatory fines reported for CoinSwitch, indicating a clean security track record.

Risk Controls

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.

To protect user assets, CoinSwitch enforces two-factor authentication (2FA), PIN or biometric app locks, SSL/TLS encryption, anti-phishing measures, and secure API key management; however, support for sub-accounts or API permission granularity is not prominently featured.

Transparency

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.

CoinSwitch demonstrates transparency through independently reviewed Proof of Reserve publications and publishes reserve audits; while live wallet addresses are sometimes shared, there’s no formal SLA or regular monthly user reports.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

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.

The platform supports Indian users primarily with UPI and bank transfers, offering straightforward deposit flows with rapid crediting; there are generally no stated minimums or maximum limits, yet processing can take up to 24–48 hours in edge cases.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

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.

Identity verification is quick and streamlined through a video-KYC process; most users complete a single KYC tier sufficient to unlock full trading capabilities—there are no distinct “basic” or “advanced” tiers publicly outlined, and limits are implied rather than formally segmented.

Withdrawals

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.

Withdrawals are available via supported networks such as ERC-20 or TRC-20 where applicable; timing is generally swift once initiated, though specific withdrawal ceilings aren’t transparently listed and depend on network conditions and anti-fraud checks.

Customer Support

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.

Support includes 24/7 availability through in-app chat, email ticketing, and a dedicated FAQ hub that handles common issues; response times vary but generally resolve routine inquiries promptly, with clear procedural guidance available online.

Languages & Localization

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.

The interface is fully English and tailored for Indian users with INR display and local payment integration; fees appear in INR though sometimes mirrored for understanding in USD/EUR, and regulatory messaging aligns with Indian compliance norms.

App Quality & Stability

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.

CoinSwitch’s mobile app receives frequent updates, with recent versions focused on improved UI, enhanced security, performance optimization, and greater stability; overall, the app is robust and reliable for daily trading.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

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.

The mobile app provides a clean, intuitive interface designed for instant onboarding, ideal for beginners, while CoinSwitch PRO caters to advanced users with a denser, more data-rich screen optimized through a recent redesign for better structure and faster coin discovery.

Performance

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.

An enhanced matching engine powers faster trade executions and clear pre-trade pricing details, helping reduce lag even during volatile periods; historically, the platform maintains stability under load with no widely reported outages or excessive KYC delays.

Education

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.

CoinSwitch maintains an active content hub featuring educational video series on futures and options, beginner-friendly explainers, and technical analysis blogs; however, while rich in English, the platform lacks Spanish-language learning resources or a full demo/simulator environment.

Community

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

The platform fosters an engaged user base through its newsletter updates, educational blogs, and community-driven feedback programs, and offers a referral program rewarding both users and friends, though there’s no official presence on Discord or public forum channels.

Integrations

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.

CoinSwitch PRO supports API trading with robust endpoints for spot and futures, including features like arbitrage-finder; it doesn’t yet offer native TradingView chart embeddings, external bot support, tax-specific integrations, or accounting tools.

Who Each One Is Best For

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.

CoinSwitch suits beginners and long-term investors who value simplicity, trust, and educational support, with PRO attracting semi-professionals or tech-savvy traders; full-fledged traders or institutional users seeking highly customizable tools may find the platform’s ecosystem still maturing.