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

Trying to choose between Bithumb and Zebpay 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

Zebpay

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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

Yes

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.

Zebpay is ideal if:

Beginner-Friendly with Smart Tools – Offers intuitive tools like curated CryptoPacks and performance analytics, so newcomers can diversify and follow asset trends easily.
Robust Security & Trust – Maintains rigorous protection with multi-sig cold storage, bug bounty programs, and encryption, building confidence in safeguarding your assets.
Convenient Global Access – Supports fiat-to-crypto transactions across device types in many regions, making it a flexible choice for users worldwide.

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.

Zebpay isn’t ideal if:

Limited crypto diversity for global users – Outside core markets, the exchange offers a narrower selection of coins compared to larger global platforms.
No margin, leverage, or passive income flexibility – Advanced traders won’t find features like margin trading or extensive staking/investment options.
Mixed customer feedback quality – While some users report responsive support, others cite unresolved disputes or slow resolutions, impacting reliability perception.

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).

ZebPay’s spot trading fees often follow a tiered structure—beginners may be charged around 0.15% maker and 0.25% taker, while high-volume users can benefit from reduced rates (e.g., 0.06% maker, 0.10% taker)—but there is no public mention of discounts via native token holdings.

Futures/Derivatives

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

Futures trading on ZebPay is available mainly to KYC-verified Indian users via perpetual contracts (e.g., BTC-INR, ETH-INR), though fee and funding specifics aren’t openly disclosed on the main help pages.

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.

ZebPay’s publicly shared data doesn’t specify average spreads for pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT, suggesting this detail isn’t prominently published or may vary by region and market conditions.

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.

ZebPay typically offers fee-free fiat deposits and withdrawals via bank transfers, though in some regions instant deposit methods (like UPI or net banking) may carry small flat fees—processing time varies based on the local payment network.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Withdrawal fees depend on the specific cryptocurrency and location—e.g., India-based users pay around 0.0006 BTC for a Bitcoin withdrawal, while international users may enjoy free withdrawals; fees for other assets like ETH or TRX aren’t clearly listed.

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.

ZebPay applies a monthly inactivity fee (e.g., 0.0001 BTC plus GST) if there’s no trading or lending activity in the prior month, representing a cost that may be overlooked by inactive users.

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.

For a €500 BTC purchase, you’d incur the current trading fee percentage plus any spread (not publicly quoted), and if you were an Indian user withdrawing BTC, a fixed network fee (e.g., 0.0006 BTC) would apply—resulting in combined but approximated costs based on standard spot fees and withdrawal charge.

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.

ZebPay supports over 300 different cryptocurrencies, with the top 20 by volume typically including major names like Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, and others among the largest market-cap assets.

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 offers spot trading, perpetual futures (for KYC-verified Indian users), fixed-term crypto lending via a “Lend” feature, and curated CryptoPacks—however, there are no margin trading, options, ETFs, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA tools.

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 precise liquidity figures aren’t publicly indicated, ZebPay handles large trading volumes (billions in trade volume reported) implying sufficient depth particularly in BTC/ETH pairs—though order book details remain undisclosed.

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.

Users can place basic Market and Limit orders, utilize tools like Take Profit/Stop Loss, and benefit from a single-window interface—advanced features like OCO, native TradingView charts, real-time alerts, or full API/WebSocket support aren’t clearly emphasized.

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.

Futures trading is restricted to KYC-verified Indian users, spurred by regional regulatory choices; other products such as lending or spot trading are available more broadly, subject to country eligibility rules.

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.

ZebPay offers innovative features like CryptoPacks bundles and fixed-term lending with auto-renewal; however, there’s no launchpad or launchpool activity, nor flexible vs locked earn distinctions publicly highlighted.

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.

ZebPay is operated by Awlencan Innovations India Limited, founded in 2014 and headquartered in India (with ties to Singapore), functioning under Indian jurisdiction for its core operations.

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 exchange is registered under India’s Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and with the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), reflecting its full compliance with local crypto asset regulations and standards.

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.

ZebPay partners with trusted third-party custody services to implement multi-chain security and cold storage, with around 98% of assets held offline. It claims to maintain 100% reserves and supports third-party audit protocols like Proof of Reserves using Merkle trees.

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 specifically insured assets or a dedicated protection fund for users, suggesting that standard insurance or compensation policies are not prominently featured.

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.

ZebPay maintains a clean incident record, signalling it has not experienced any hacks, outages, or regulatory penalties to date, demonstrating a strong operational 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.

The platform features robust risk controls including mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA), phishing safeguards, bug bounty programs, and advanced wallet protection measures like MPC/Multi-Sig, IP whitelisting, and transaction-level velocity checks.

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 ZebPay emphasizes high compliance and security standards, it does not publish regular transparency reports, public wallets, or specific service-level agreements (SLAs), indicating limited user-facing audit transparency.

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.

International users can deposit fiat via bank transfer (AUD, EUR, etc.), with minimum/maximum transaction limits visible in the app and typical processing times of up to two business days; Indian users enjoy Instant Deposit via IMPS or UPI and manual NEFT/RTGS options, with region-specific minimums and restricted to registered bank accounts.

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.

The platform applies tiered KYC levels—ranging from basic to advanced—with higher verification unlocking larger withdrawal limits and daily transaction caps; upgrading requires submitting additional documents via support ticket.

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 withdrawal limits scale by KYC level and whether the address is whitelisted, with whitelisted transfers offering much higher daily caps; fiat withdrawals go to registered bank accounts only, processed within up to two business days.

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 provided via in-app tickets, live chat, and social media channels; response quality varies, with some users praising timely help and others citing unresolved issues—support aims to respond promptly and offers a detailed help base.

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.

ZebPay’s interface is natively in English, with fiat values typically displayed in local currencies like €/USD/INR depending on region; the platform tailors its offerings according to local regulations and payment infrastructure.

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.

ZebPay provides mobile apps for iOS and Android that are generally stable and user-friendly; while crash stats aren’t disclosed, the platform regularly updates the app and pushes security improvements to enhance reliability.

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.

ZebPay delivers an approachable interface with a sleek, dark-themed design that guides users—from beginners to pros—through intuitive navigation and educational tooltips; it lacks explicit “Lite” or “Pro” modes but offers a tailored experience via its progressive onboarding quiz.

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.

The platform maintains solid responsiveness and fast performance under normal conditions, though some mobile users report occasional lag during high volatility; overall, system stability holds up even when many users are onboarded simultaneously due to phased KYC processing.

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.

ZebPay features a rich learning hub with a beginner-focused crypto education series (CryptoKiPathshala) and blog content, yet it lacks a hands-on demo or simulator, and Spanish-language materials are limited or 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.

While ZebPay fosters community via its blog and social channels (like Telegram and Twitter), it currently offers no dedicated forums or Discord, but does include a referral program to encourage user growth and engagement.

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.

ZebPay provides robust REST APIs for developers and is exploring visual strategy-building tied to TradingView, though it does not yet support external tax tools or accounting integrations natively.

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.

ZebPay is best suited for users seeking a secure, beginner-friendly platform with mobile-first design and API capability, while active traders needing community forums, multi-language education, or deep third-party integrations might find it less tailored to their needs.