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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Paribu 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

Paribu

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United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

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.

Paribu is ideal if:

Great for beginners A clean, intuitive interface and easy onboarding make it perfect if you're new to crypto trading.
Best for Turkish-based users Full fiat support in Turkish Lira and integration with local banks makes it especially convenient for residents of Turkey.
Not suited for advanced traders Limited international reach, absence of margin/futures tools, and fewer advanced features might limit power users.

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.

Paribu isn’t ideal if:

You need diverse fiat access Only supports Turkish Lira, which restricts users wanting to transact in other currencies.
You're looking for advanced trading tools No margin, futures, or complex order types—all trading remains basic and spot-only.
You require global regulatory coverage It operates under Turkish compliance only, lacking global regulatory licenses or international oversight.

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).

Paribu applies a tiered maker/taker fee system

Futures/Derivatives

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

Paribu currently does not support any futures or derivatives trading, so there are no associated maker/taker or funding fees to consider.

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.

Paribu mainly offers spot trading on TRY and USDT pairs, but the platform does not disclose average bid-ask spreads; however, tight spreads on its most liquid markets are implied by its focus on high-volume TRY and USDT pairs.

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.

Only Turkish Lira is supported for fiat via bank wire among a select group of local Turkish banks—there are generally no platform fees for deposits, though intermediaries may charge, and withdrawal times and fees (like a small TRY fee or via Papara) vary regionally.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Crypto withdrawals incur network-based fees; for example, Bitcoin carries a fixed 0.0005 BTC fee, while other assets vary based on their respective blockchain conditions, meaning Paribu uses a mix of fixed and dynamic models depending on the coin and network.

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.

Paribu does not charge inactivity fees or express KYC premiums, but currency conversion may incur indirect costs if using unsupported fiat, and third-party services like Papara or intermediary banks could introduce additional charges beyond platform control.

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.

If someone buys the equivalent of €500 in BTC via USDT pair, they’d face maker/taker trade fees depending on volume tier (e.g. ~0.25–0.35%), a likely narrow spread on this liquid pair, then on withdrawing BTC they’d pay approximately 0.0005 BTC as the network fee—together these create a modest, transparent cumulative cost.

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.

Paribu lists around 190–205 cryptocurrencies across approximately 205 trading pairs; its top 20 pairs by volume largely consist of TRY-denominated markets such as BTC/TRY, USDT/TRY, and popular altcoins like SPELL/TRY and ASR/TRY.

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.

Paribu provides spot trading and staking services but does not support margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, loans, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA features.

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.

The platform sees strong 24-hour activity—BTC/TRY alone handles tens of millions in volume—suggesting decent liquidity depth on major markets, though ETH pairs are noticeably thinner by comparison.

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.

Paribu supports basic limit and market orders and offers advanced charting tools and APIs for integration, though there is no native TradingView or OCO/stop-loss alerts functionality.

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.

Derivatives and margin trading are globally unavailable on Paribu, meaning users cannot access advanced trading tools regardless of their location.

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.

While Paribu doesn’t offer launchpads or formal launchpool programs, it supports staking and earn services—primarily structured earn—especially through its institutional Custody platform, offering flexible staking access but without retail-focused locked campaigns.

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.

Paribu operates under a Turkish registered company founded in 2017, headquartered in Istanbul, and serving primarily under Türkiye’s legal framework.

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.

Paribu is in the process of aligning with Türkiye’s newly established crypto regulations, seeking licensing from the Capital Markets Board (CMB) under the VASP regime introduced in mid-2024.

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.

Paribu manages custody internally through its own Paribu Custody arm, using ColdShield® technology for secure key fragmentation, though it does not publicly disclose proof of reserves, audit frequency, or specific cold storage percentages.

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 publicly available description of an insurance policy or dedicated user protection fund covering digital assets held on Paribu.

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.

No major security breaches or fines have been publicly documented for Paribu, and the platform has maintained continuous service without significant interruptions or fund loss events.

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.

Paribu enforces standard security measures including two-factor authentication and API-based process automation, but it doesn’t appear to offer features like withdrawal whitelists, anti-phishing kits, granular API permissions, or sub-account structures.

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.

While Paribu emphasizes institutional security standards via Paribu Custody, it does not currently publish monthly transparency reports, nor does it provide public wallet addresses or formal SLAs for uptime or response times.

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.

Paribu supports fiat deposits only via bank transfers in Turkish Lira through major local banks and Papara e-wallets with a minimum of 10 TRY for Papara; there are no fixed maximums for TL transfers. Deposits via bank transfers can be near-instant within operating hours, while Papara channels may vary in speed.

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.

Paribu requires completion of full identity verification for any trading activity or withdrawals—there is no reduced KYC level that allows limited use, as accounts without verification are blocked from trading or withdrawing.

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.

Crypto withdrawals are enabled across supported networks, such as ERC-20 and TRC-20, with minimum amounts per asset as listed in help pages, and withdrawal delays depending on regulatory waiting periods—typically 48- to 72-hour hold before first external transfers.

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.

Paribu offers a “Support” or “Request Support” channel on its website, and users have access to a help center and knowledge base, though there’s no explicit 24/7 live chat or guaranteed response time published.

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 platform is primarily localized in Turkish with Turkish Lira as account base; English interface support exists informally, but fees and balances are shown in TRY, not USD or EUR, and regulatory compliance is strictly under Turkish oversight.

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.

Paribu maintains actively updated iOS and Android apps replicating its web interface; user feedback suggests stable performance with occasional interface glitches, but there’s no public crash-rate data or release notes detailing recent updates.

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.

Paribu delivers a sleek, intuitive platform that welcomes all levels of users. It features both a simplified “Lite” view for beginners and a more advanced “Pro” dashboard with deeper charting and order-book visibility, smoothing the learning curve as traders grow.

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.

Paribu is built on robust infrastructure optimized for speed and high-volume performance, maintaining responsiveness during normal conditions. However, during intense volatility, users may experience slight order delays, and demand-driven spikes can lead to temporary KYC processing backlogs.

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.

Through Paribu Hub, the exchange offers a rich calendar of free online blockchain and cryptocurrency training programs. There’s no built-in trading demo or simulator, and educational content remains primarily in Turkish, with limited or no Spanish-language materials available.

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.

Paribu fosters community engagement via university partnerships and events through Paribu Hub, as well as active updates on social media. However, it does not formally maintain official Discord or Telegram channels nor run a public referral program.

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.

While Paribu provides API access for third-party tools and supports integration with external trading bots, it lacks native TradingView charts or dedicated tax accounting tools—users rely on external platforms for these capabilities.

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.

Paribu is an excellent choice for Turkish-based newcomers or experienced spot traders who value a clean interface, local fiat support, and educational outreach. It’s less suitable for users seeking demo environments, international language support, or advanced integration features.