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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Pdax 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

Pdax

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United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

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.

Pdax is ideal if:

Locally integrated experience Enables seamless PHP deposits and withdrawals through banks and e-wallets, making it highly convenient for users in the Philippines.
Regulated and secure Operates under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, with features like two-factor authentication and cold storage to protect your assets.
User-friendly and inclusive Offers an intuitive interface, low minimum deposits, and access to crypto, bonds, and collectibles—perfect for both beginners and everyday investors.

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.

Pdax isn’t ideal if:

Not ideal for advanced traders Lacks access to derivatives, margin trading, staking, or passive income tools—so seasoned traders may find its offerings too limited.
Highly localized to the Philippines Designed for Filipino residents with PHP-only support and local IDs, making it inconvenient for international users.
Potential technical hiccups Historical reports of service outages during peak activity suggest possible reliability concerns for time-sensitive trades.

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).

Maker orders cost around 0.4 % while taker orders are about 0.5 %, and there are no volume-based discount tiers or native-token rebates.

Futures/Derivatives

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

PDAX currently does not offer derivatives or futures trading, so maker/taker fees and funding rates are not applicable.

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.

Specific spread data isn’t publicly listed, though local liquidity suggests competitive spreads similar to other regional spot-only platforms.

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 available via bank transfers, e-wallets, and over-the-counter options; PDAX itself charges little to no platform fee, though third-party processing fees may apply, and settlements typically complete within hours to a day.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Withdrawal fees vary by cryptocurrency and blockchain—for example, BTC withdrawals cost around 0.0004 BTC, while other tokens each have set blockchain-based fee rates adjusted dynamically by network 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.

There are no known inactivity or express KYC fees, but users should account for potential currency conversion charges and third-party processing fees that may not be explicitly 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.

If you were to convert €500 (equivalent to PHP), you’d incur roughly a 0.5 % trading fee plus any spread embedded in the quote, and then pay a blockchain withdrawal fee—like 0.0004 BTC—if you choose to withdraw, though exact totals depend on the real-time exchange rate and network conditions.

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.

PDAX offers over 64 cryptocurrencies overall, including the top 20 by volume—major names like BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, SOL and ADA—paired primarily with PHP for easy access.

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.

The platform focuses on spot trading and also provides tokenized government bonds, collectibles, and access via an OTC desk for Prime users, but does not support margin, perps, options, ETFs, staking, lending, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA.

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 exact 24-hour volumes and order-book depth data aren’t public, PDAX is known to maintain solid local liquidity, especially for major pairs like BTC/PHP and ETH/PHP, backed by visible order-book depth in Pro mode.

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.

PDAX supports basic tools such as limit, market, and stop-limit orders, Pro mode with order book and depth chart, advanced TradingView charts (with indicators like RSI and MACD), and offers API/WebSocket access for developers.

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.

All trading services, including spot markets, are strictly limited to the Philippines—there is no availability for residents elsewhere, and derivative products are not offered in any region.

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.

PDAX includes features like an OTC Prime trading desk for institutional-level access, tokenized “Hold & Earn” bonds, and collectible offerings, but does not currently feature launchpads, launchpools, or flexible vs locked earn programs.

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.

Operated by Philippine Digital Asset Exchange, Inc., founded in 2017 and headquartered in Taguig (Greater Metro Manila), the platform is incorporated under Philippine law.

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.

PDAX is licensed by and fully compliant with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas as a virtual currency exchange, operating under BSP Circular guidelines.

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.

PDAX uses custodial wallets (holding private keys for users), and while there’s no public proof-of-reserves or audit reports, they emphasize internal security protocols for asset protection.

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.

Digital assets on PDAX are not insured under any deposit protection scheme, as crypto holdings are not classified as insured deposits by Philippine regulators.

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 publicly known major hacks, platform-wide freezes, or regulatory penalties affecting PDAX.

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.

The platform supports strong security features such as two-factor authentication, anti-phishing measures, and a dedicated risk and compliance team to enforce AML and safeguard operations.

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.

PDAX does not currently publish monthly proof-of-reserve reports or maintain publicly visible wallets, though they do communicate via their Help Center and Learning Hub on security topics.

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.

Deposits in PHP are available via bank transfers, e-wallets, online channels, and OTC partners; minimums and fees vary by channel, and processing times range from near-instant to a few hours or up to a day depending on method.

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.

PDAX offers four account tiers—Basic, Verified, Premium, and Prime—with escalating daily, monthly, and annual transaction limits tied to each level.

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 subject to tiered daily limits based on your account level, typically processed within minutes but occasionally taking up to an hour; networks such as ERC-20, TRC-20, and others are supported with fees assigned per token.

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 is available by email and support tickets with variable response times; there is no live 24/7 chat, but users can access a knowledge base for self-help.

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 fully localized for the Philippines, with a native English/PHP interface, showing fees only in PHP and tailored to compliant local regulation.

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.

The PDAX mobile app is generally stable and user-friendly, with regular updates visible in app stores and few reports of crashes among regular users.

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.

PDAX offers a gentle learning curve with its toggleable Lite (Convert) mode for beginners and Pro mode showcasing order books and depth charts, enabling users to seamlessly transition from simplified to more advanced tools

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.

Users generally enjoy responsive order execution under normal market conditions, though occasional reports hint at brief downtime or slower processing during sharp volatility spikes—typical of regional exchanges with growing demand

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.

The platform includes a rich “PDAX Learn” section featuring crypto basics, market insights, and educational content; however, there’s no dedicated demo or simulated trading environment, and Spanish-language content is currently absent

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.

PDAX maintains official presence on Discord, Telegram, and Facebook, and runs engaging referral and reward programs—like PDAX Quests and influencer promos—to encourage peer participation and user-driven growth

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.

The platform comes equipped with TradingView-powered charts but currently lacks direct integrations for external trading bots, tax tools, or accounting services, limiting advanced automation and financial tracking options

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.

PDAX is ideal for everyday Filipino users and crypto newcomers seeking a familiar, regulated, PHP-based experience; seasoned traders seeking derivative trading or deep automation may find its ecosystem less aligned with their advanced strategies.