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

Trying to choose between Bitmart 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

Bitmart

Pdax

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

United States

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

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Bitmart is ideal if:

Wide crypto selection for altcoin enthusiasts — Great if you're exploring a broad range of tokens, including niche and newly launched assets.
Beginners and advanced users both catered to — Offers a simple Buy/Sell tool for newcomers and robust futures, spot, and charting interfaces for experienced traders.
Social and copy trading opportunities — Ideal if you want to mirror expert strategies or explore passive exposure through copy/social trading tools.

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.

Bitmart isn’t ideal if:

No demo or practice mode — Beginners lacking a risk-free environment may find it harder to learn before committing real funds.
Security concerns persist post-2021 breach — Even with improved measures, the prior major hack may still cause hesitation around fund safety.
Limited fiat access and tools — Less ideal if you prefer direct fiat deposits/withdrawals or need features like bots, proof-of-reserves, or wallet insurance.

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

BitMart uses tiered spot fees based on trading volume and a pairing class system (Class A, B, C). You can also reduce costs by holding or using the BMX native token, which typically grants a sizable discount on maker/taker rates.

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

Maker/Taker and Funding

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

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

For high-liquidity pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, spreads usually remain narrow and market-competitive, making them more cost-efficient for active traders.

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

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Methods, Fees, Times

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

Fixed vs. Dynamic by Network (BTC, ETH, TRX, etc.)

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

Currency Conversion, Inactivity, KYC Express, etc.

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

Buying €500 in BTC (Fee + Spread + Withdrawal)

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

BitMart supports a wide cryptocurrency catalog (1,400+ assets) and offers over 1,050 spot trading pairs; its top 20 by volume typically include the usual heavyweights like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT among others.

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

You’ll find a full trading suite on BitMart

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

BitMart regularly achieves multi-billion-dollar daily volumes; its order books for liquid assets like BTC and ETH are deep and tight enough for efficient execution in most conditions.

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

The platform offers limit, stop, and OCO orders, alongside charting tools, alerts, a native API/WebSocket interface, and integration with TradingView for advanced analysis.

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

Product availability varies by region—certain jurisdictions may face restrictions, particularly around derivatives (e.g. perps and margin aren’t always available everywhere due to regulation).

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

BitMart continues innovating with features like a flexible vs. locked earn program, its in-house token launchpad, and expanded copy trading options that enhance user engagement.

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

BitMart is operated by GBM Global Holdings Ltd., founded in 2017, and headquartered in the Cayman Islands.

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

It holds a Money Services Business (MSB) license from the U.S. FinCEN, indicating strong anti-money-laundering compliance—but lacks broader EU or MiCA-specific licenses.

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

Custody

BitMart manages assets through a hybrid hot/cold wallet setup, with partial disclosures of hot wallet addresses as part of its transparency push; however, full proof-of-reserves or cold storage percentage data remains pending.

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

There’s no public information about dedicated insurance or user protection funds being in place to cover losses from hacks or other security incidents.

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

In December 2021, BitMart suffered a high-profile security breach that resulted in around $196 million stolen; the team pledged reimbursements and has since reinforced security infrastructures.

There are no publicly known major hacks, platform-wide freezes, or regulatory penalties affecting PDAX.

Risk Controls

The platform includes standard safety features like two-factor authentication, anti-phishing codes, API key restrictions, and an institutional-grade sub-account system.

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

BitMart has taken steps toward openness by sharing hot wallet addresses and working on Merkle-tree based proof-of-reserves, although regular audit reports, SLA commitments, or full public reserve disclosures are not yet available.

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

BitMart supports fiat deposits via credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard), bank transfers, and integrated third-party gateways like Simplex, MoonPay, Banxa and others; minimums start around USD 30, and processing varies by provider—from instant to a few days.

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)

BitMart offers non-KYC access, plus two personal levels—Starter and Advanced—that unlock higher daily withdrawal caps (Starter

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 support a broad range of networks (e.g., ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20), with limits and speeds depending on KYC level and network congestion; fiat withdrawals are also routed through select third-party gateways with similar variability.

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

BitMart offers 24/7 live chat, email/ticket support, and a help center; response speed is inconsistent by user feedback, and the knowledge base provides general guidance but may lack deeper troubleshooting.

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 user interface is available in English (with fiat shown in EUR/USD based on user region), though localized regulatory disclaimers can vary depending on where you access the platform from.

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 BitMart mobile app is available for iOS and Android, offering a smooth trading experience overall; while occasional bugs or temporary crashes occur, regular updates aim to enhance stability and add new features.

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

BitMart provides both “Lite” and “Pro” interface modes—“Lite” is clean and beginner-friendly, while “Pro” offers deeper charts and tools—so the learning curve remains gentle and scalable whether you’re new or advanced.

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

The upgrade to Futures V2.0 halved order latency and boosted system stability and matching capabilities, delivering smoother performance even during surges, though occasional order connector quirks reported by bot users can emerge.

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

BitMart Academy equips users with structured content from beginner to advanced levels, but there’s no live demo or simulated trading available, and Spanish-language materials are limited or mixed with machine translations.

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

BitMart supports an affiliate/referral program, and while active user groups exist on Discord or Telegram unofficially, the platform doesn’t yet operate fully centralized forums or reward-based official communities.

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

With full TradingView charting access via the “BITMART:” prefix, plus a robust API and WebSocket support, BitMart integrates seamlessly with external bots and tools—though tax/accounting tool partnerships remain sparse.

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

BitMart suits traders seeking a quick-start experience with flexible interfaces and strong third-party integrations, while developers or algorithmic traders benefit from reliable API access and TradingView support.

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.