Bitso vs Switchere: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Bitso and Switchere 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

Bitso

Switchere

⚠️ We look for what’s best for you.

₿ Getting into crypto? With eToro you can start in minutes: buy/sell top coins, set recurring buys, track markets, and use Social/CopyTrader features.

👉 Start here and explore the crypto offer.

Available Countries

United States

Europe

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Thinking about starting with crypto? This is for you.

In select regions, eToro offers a $10 welcome bonus when you open an account today.*

🎯 An account built to help you start with crypto—without the hassle.

➕ Buy and sell top cryptocurrencies in minutes

➕ Recurring buys, price alerts, and advanced charts

➕ Social/CopyTrader™ to follow experienced investors

➕ One of the largest and most trusted platforms worldwide

Limited-time promotion — still available.

*Offer subject to terms, eligibility and regional availability. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Bitso is ideal if:

Latin America–centric users: Tailored for users in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia with local currencies, payments, and regulatory coverage, offering a seamless regional crypto experience.
Beginners who value simplicity: Its intuitive interface and easy onboarding make it a solid entry point for anyone new to crypto trading.
Crypto holders seeking flexible future options: Features like Bitso+ (earnings on your holdings with no lock-ups) and a growing suite of tools make long-term crypto use more rewarding.

Switchere is ideal if:

Effortless fiat-to-crypto gateway – ideal if you want a no-fuss, speedy way to convert USD or EUR into crypto using cards or online banking, with funds delivered directly to your wallet.
Friendly for total beginners – offers a streamlined, intuitive platform that removes complexity, making it a welcoming entry point into crypto for new users.
Regulated and non-custodial setup – delivers peace of mind through legal compliance and ensures you retain control of your crypto by sending purchases straight to your own wallet.

Bitso isn’t ideal if:

…you live outside Latin America: Access and services are focused mainly on countries like Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia, limiting availability elsewhere.
…you need a wide range of cryptocurrencies: Bitso’s portfolio is effective for mainstream assets, but lacks the extensive variety offered by larger global exchanges.
…you value fast, hands-on support: Customer service primarily relies on tickets and digital channels, which can result in slower response times when urgent help is needed.

Switchere isn’t ideal if:

Limited crypto selection – if you're looking for a broad portfolio that includes niche altcoins, Switchere only offers a basic range of major tokens.
Premium pricing for convenience – the platform’s streamlined experience comes with higher-than-average purchase costs, which may deter budget-conscious users.
Browser-only access – no dedicated mobile app means you’ll need to navigate the platform via web browser on phones and tablets, which could affect convenience for on-the-go use.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Bitso applies a tiered maker–taker structure where fees decrease as your 30-day trading volume increases; for instance, in the USD (USDC) market, maker rates range from ~0.25% at low volumes to ~0.04% at the highest tiers, with taker rates starting around 0.30% and dropping to about 0.05%—there’s no native token discount program.

Switchere primarily serves as a straightforward “buy crypto” service rather than a traditional exchange, so it doesn’t offer maker/taker fee tiers by volume or discounts for using a native token—it simply charges a built-in processing fee for every transaction.

Futures/Derivatives

maker/taker and funding

Switchere does not support derivatives or futures trading, so there are no maker/taker fees or funding rates to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

While Bitso doesn’t publish exact spread figures, available data and reviews suggest it maintains competitive spreads on major, liquid pairs, though not necessarily as tight as ultra-high-volume global platforms.

There’s no transparent order book or spread data since you purchase directly via a widget; the cost is embedded in the exchange rate presented at time of purchase.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

methods, fees, timings

You can pay using credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SEPA/instant bank transfers—fees and processing speeds vary by method, and cashouts are not handled since crypto goes straight to your wallet.

On-chain Withdrawals

fixed vs dynamic fees per network (BTC, ETH, TRX, etc.)

Switchere doesn’t charge separate withdrawal fees

Hidden Costs

currency conversion, inactivity, expedited KYC, etc.

The platform clearly displays all fees before confirmation; there are no extra charges for inactivity, fast-track KYC, or currency conversions—you just pay the visible processing plus the network fee.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

“Buying €500 in BTC” (fee + spread + withdrawal)

You’d see a single total cost that includes the platform’s processing fee and the blockchain cost—everything is bundled into the final euro-to-BTC rate shown at checkout.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Bitso offers around 100 trading pairs and supports roughly 55–100 cryptocurrencies, with top-volume instruments like BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, and USDC featuring prominently among the top 20 by liquidity.

Switchere supports over 180 cryptocurrencies, covering a wide variety of tokens from major coins to DeFi, GameFi, and utility assets; the most traded usually include Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Solana, and Cardano.

Product Range

Bitso provides spot trading plus a flexible staking/earn product (Bitso Earn) and fiat-crypto remittances (via Bitso Shift), but it does not offer margin, derivatives (futures/options), ETFs, lending, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA strategies.

The platform focuses exclusively on spot purchases—there’s no margin, derivatives, options, ETFs, staking/earn programs, loans, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA services available.

Liquidity

Daily volumes for major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT run into the tens of millions USD, offering sound liquidity and stable order-book depth, though not as deep as global mega-exchanges.

As a fiat-to-crypto gateway rather than an order-book exchange, Switchere does not provide public 24-hour volume or order book depth metrics for BTC or ETH pairs.

Tools

Bitso supports market, limit, stop-loss, and stop-limit orders, integrates with TradingView for advanced charting, offers price alerts, and provides robust API/WebSocket access through its Bitso Alpha platform.

There are no advanced order types like limit, stop, or OCO; nor are there alerts, in-platform charting tools, API/WS access, or native TradingView integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain advanced features like staking and fiat on-ramps are limited to Latin American residents; derivatives and margin aren’t offered at all, and access is restricted outside these primary markets.

While Switchere is broadly available across many regions, advanced trading tools simply don’t exist anywhere, so there are no geographic restrictions in that sense—everyone has the same (limited) functionality.

Innovation

Bitso excels with its flexible-earn staking (withdraw anytime, weekly rewards) and has broadened coverage into emerging DeFi space by adding new tokens like HYPE, though it doesn’t currently run launchpads or locked-pool offerings.

The platform currently does not offer launchpads, launchpools, flexible vs locked earn programs, or similar innovation-driven products—it remains strongly rooted in streamlined fiat-to-crypto simplicity.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Bitso operates under the legal entity Badger Technology Company Ltd, incorporated in Gibraltar, with operations stretching across Latin America since its launch in 2014 out of Mexico City.

Switchere is operated by SH EUROPE UAB (and services are provided by PayBis Poland Sp. z o.o.), with its legal foundation in Lithuania (HQ in Vilnius) and operations regulated under Estonian jurisdiction—creating a dual-layer structure that combines Lithuanian incorporation with Estonian oversight.

Licenses/Registration

The platform holds a pioneering DLT license from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and operates in Mexico under the local Fintech law as an authorized payment institution (IFPE).

The platform holds virtual currency service licenses from Estonia’s Financial Intelligence Unit, affirming legal compliance under EU standards for handling cryptocurrency exchanges and wallet operations.

Custody

Bitso uses its own custody infrastructure, reinforced with multi-signature controls and disaster recovery via CoinCover, and offers transparency through real-time security metrics via its Trust Center.

Switchere operates as a non-custodial gateway—crypto assets are sent directly to your personal wallet rather than held under its control, with no public proof-of-reserves or cold storage disclosures, as it does not hold funds itself.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Bitso has complemented its digital-asset protection by partnering with CoinCover to provide additional risk mitigation and recovery mechanisms for user funds.

There are no publicized funds or insurance schemes to cover user balances, as the model avoids custodial risks by transferring all assets directly to users’ personal wallets.

Incident History

To date, Bitso has not experienced any known hacks or security breaches, and it has a track record of uninterrupted service without suspensions or major compliance penalties.

To date, there are no widely reported hacks, suspension events, or major regulatory penalties associated with Switchere; it maintains a comparatively incident-free record.

Risk Controls

The platform enforces robust risk safeguards including two-factor authentication (2FA), phishing prevention, transaction whitelists, and granular API permissions for institutional users.

The platform employs industry-standard security measures—including SSL/TLS encryption, 3D Secure for card payments, and mandatory identity verification via AML/KYC—however, features like 2FA, whitelists, or granular API permissions are not prominently offered.

Transparency

In the interest of openness, Bitso shares live security and compliance metrics in its Trust Center, though it does not produce regular reserve or transparency reports or public wallets.

Switchere provides clear upfront cost disclosures and limit tiers, but lacks public monthly transparency reports, publicly viewable wallet addresses, or guaranteed service-level agreements (SLA) for operations.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Bitso accepts fiat deposits via local bank transfers (e.g., SPEI in Mexico, Pix in Brazil), digital dollars through Payoneer, and in some markets, card deposits; minimum and maximum deposit amounts vary based on local regulations and bank systems, and transfer times generally align with domestic banking hours.

You can fund purchases using debit or credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro), SEPA transfers, and even e-wallets like Neteller or M-Pesa, with typical deposit times ranging from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the method, and flexible per-transaction limits based on your verification level.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

There are typically three KYC tiers

There are tiered verification levels—basic (no documentation required) lets you transact up to around €700 monthly, ID/address verification raises limits to around €15,000, and adding proof of income unlocks effectively unlimited purchasing power.

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing & Networks

Since Switchere operates as a non-custodial fiat-to-crypto service, there’s no direct “withdrawal” feature—instead, purchased crypto is instantly sent to your own wallet on relevant networks (e.g., ERC-20), subject only to the built-in blockchain fee.

Customer Support

Bitso provides support through live chat and an extensive Help Center ticket system, with response times typically within 24–48 hours and a rich knowledge base to guide users.

Support is available around the clock via live chat and email, typically responding quickly, and is supplemented by an in-app FAQ/knowledge base to guide you through common questions and transaction flows.

Languages & Localization

The platform operates natively in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, displays fees in relevant local currencies, and tailors its services to comply with regional legal and regulatory frameworks.

The platform supports multiple languages (including English, Spanish, French), displays prices in your local fiat (EUR or USD), and adjusts payment options based on your region to maintain regulatory compliance.

App Quality & Stability

Bitso’s mobile app (available for iOS and Android) mirrors the web platform in functionality and offers a smooth trading experience with strong user reviews, suggesting stability and regular updates.

Switchere offers a mobile app for both Android and iOS, noted for its simple, smooth interface; while user reviews suggest occasional crashes, it is regularly updated, providing a dependable experience for on-the-go users.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Bitso caters to different skill levels by offering a stripped-down classic mode for newcomers and the more advanced Alpha Pro interface for serious traders—both seamlessly blend intuitive design with enhanced charting and order tools, making the learning curve manageable yet scalable.

The interface is clean and ultra-simple, with no “Lite/Pro” toggles—making it beginner-friendly, but potentially too basic for advanced users craving flexibility or customization.

Performance

Bitso’s Alpha Pro is optimized for fast trade execution and generally maintains uptime even during busy periods; however, during bull markets, KYC queues can lengthen, occasionally delaying full access for new users.

Transactions are generally smooth and fast, though during major market surges verification queues and payment processing can slow things down slightly for new users.

Education

Although Bitso doesn’t offer a trading simulator or demo, it does provide educational content—including guides and insights—in Spanish across its blog and Help Center, making it accessible for Spanish-speaking users seeking self-guided learning.

There’s no formal academy, demo environment, or Spanish-language tutorials—Switchere keeps things minimal, relying on straightforward interface cues instead of built-in educational content.

Community

Bitso fosters community engagement through active channels like official Telegram groups and a referral program, though it doesn’t operate a public forum or Discord server specifically for user discussions.

While there’s no dedicated forum or Discord channel, a basic referral program encourages word-of-mouth growth; otherwise, community interaction happens through external platforms.

Integrations

Bitso integrates directly with TradingView, enabling charting and analysis of its full spot-pair range; it also supports external integration via its robust API, though it lacks built-in tax tools or direct accounting integrations.

The platform stands alone—there are no built-in integrations with TradingView, external bots, tax reporting tools, or accounting suites, keeping it simple but limited for advanced workflows.

Who Each One Is Best For

Bitso offers an ideal blend of simplicity and capability for Latin American users—from beginners enjoying the clean interface to intermediate traders accessing Alpha Pro—making it less suited for algorithmic traders, simulator users, or those needing integrated financial tooling.

Switchere is best suited for newcomers or occasional buyers looking for a fast and hassle-free fiat-to-crypto purchase experience—professionals who want powerful tools or automation might find it too bare-bones.