Blockchain.Com vs Pionex: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Blockchain.Com and Pionex 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

Blockchain.Com

Pionex

⚠️ 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

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

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.

Blockchain.Com is ideal if:

Fast & liquid trading for individuals — Built for retail users seeking a slick, high-speed exchange with deep real-time order books and ultra-responsive execution.
Seamless wallet-to-exchange flow — Perfect if you want the flexibility of effortlessly shifting funds between a secure non-custodial wallet and your trading account.
Straightforward tools, not overload — Ideal if you prefer a clean trading experience: just enough assets and order types, enhanced with customizable charts without overwhelming complexity.

Pionex is ideal if:

If you value trading automation: Pionex is perfect for you with its built-in, cloud-based trading bots—free to use, no coding needed, and designed for hands-off strategies.
If you’re a beginner in crypto or bots: You’re in luck—user-friendly interface paired with in-depth tutorials makes it easy to get started and understand each bot’s purpose.
If you want flexibility and broad exposure: Pionex offers wide asset access plus both manual and automated tools under one roof, ideal if you like switching between trading styles.

Blockchain.Com isn’t ideal if:

If you need broad crypto access — Not suited for you if you’re after an extensive altcoin lineup, as its asset selection is relatively limited.
If you want round-the-clock live support — Might frustrate you if you rely on phone or email help, because support options are primarily online and can lack responsiveness.
If direct fiat withdrawals are essential — Not ideal if you're aiming to withdraw fiat to a card or e-wallet, as such options are restricted or unavailable.

Pionex isn’t ideal if:

If you prefer fiat deposits and simplicity: Pionex doesn’t support direct fiat-to-crypto deposits, so newbies must first buy crypto elsewhere and transfer it in.
If you want risk-free practice: There’s no demo or virtual trading—every bot requires real funds, which might deter cautious beginners.
If you need instant, low-cost withdrawals: Some users report high fixed withdrawal fees and occasional delays, making it less convenient for quick exits or small transfers.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Blockchain.com applies a tiered maker-taker model for spot trading; maker fees decrease from around 0.40% down to 0% and taker fees from approximately 0.45% down to 0.06%, depending on your 30-day trading volume—there are no explicit discounts tied to holding a native token.

Both spot makers and takers pay a flat rate (around 0.05%) across all volume tiers, though VIP users with high volume may receive reduced maker fees as they climb VIP levels.

Futures/Derivatives

Blockchain.com offers margin trading (not full perpetual futures) with a recurring margin fee of around 0.02% every 4 hours, applied alongside the usual maker/taker structure when applicable.

Futures trading starts around 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker, with maker fees dropping further for VIP users; there’s no separate funding fee charged by Pionex, though users receive or pay the prevailing funding rate as per the perpetual contract—the profit or cost depending on market direction.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

While the platform doesn’t publish exact spread figures, liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT generally trade at tightly competitive spreads comparable to other major retail exchanges, especially during normal market conditions.

Pionex doesn’t publish exact spreads; however, based on industry norms and the platform’s aggregation model, spreads are typically tight and highly competitive on major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can deposit fiat via methods like ACH, SEPA, wire transfers, or faster local systems—with deposits typically free or carrying a small fixed fee, and funds arriving in 1–5 business days depending on the method; withdrawals to bank via ACH/SEPA are usually free or low-fee, while wire transfers may carry a modest flat charge and take a few business days.

You can deposit via credit/debit cards—with modest percentage fees depending on region—or via free SEPA (for EUR), Faster Payments (for GBP), and PIX (for BRL), with processing ranging from instant to a few business days; withdrawal fees vary especially for fiat, often via third-party gateways.

On-chain Withdrawals

Deposit to the exchange is free aside from network fees, and withdrawals incur a processing fee plus the variable on-chain network fee, which is displayed before you confirm; the network component is dynamic per blockchain (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX).

Withdrawal fees depend on the blockchain used—some are set (like BTC’s 0.0005 BTC), while token transfers on networks like Ethereum, TRON, or BNB Smart Chain follow either fixed or network-based pricing per coin listed.

Hidden Costs

Some indirect costs include holding-period delays for card or ACH purchases, currency conversion margins if your currency differs from supported ones, and fees or delays tied to express KYC or expedited verification.

There are no inactivity or platform maintenance fees, but third-party fiat deposit methods may incur conversion charges; express KYC or related services aren’t publicly detailed, so any extra cost may come from external providers.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

You’d pay a maker/taker trading fee on the €500 trade (depending on order type and volume tier), plus the spread embedded in the rate, and if you then withdraw on-chain, you’d also pay the dynamic network fee and the small processing charge before the BTC reaches your wallet.

Suppose you credit €500 via SEPA (no deposit fee), convert to USDT or BTC via a 0.05% trade (small fee plus tight spread), then withdraw BTC on-chain (e.g., a 0.0005 BTC fee)—your total cost would include that small trading fee, potential slippage, and the network withdrawal charge.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

The platform offers 26–30 cryptocurrencies and 50–80+ trading pairs overall, with the top 20 pairs dominated by major markets like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and top altcoin combinations.

Pionex lists over 120 cryptocurrencies and maintains more than 200 trading pairs, with the top 20 by volume largely featuring major tokens like BTC, ETH, BNB, SOL, XRP, ADA—though exact rankings shift frequently.

Product Range

Supports spot trading, selective margin (up to 5× on certain USD/USDT pairs), and lending/borrowing via institutional OTC, but does not offer perpetuals, options, crypto ETFs, staking/earn, or copy-trading and advanced automation natively.

Pionex offers spot trading, leveraged futures (up to 100×), numerous free built-in bots (grid, DCA, arbitrage, TWAP, spot-futures, margin-grid, reverse grid, Infinity Grid, etc.), plus copy trading; it also supports P2P fiat conversion, staking/earn programs, but doesn’t appear to provide options, ETFs, or crypto-lending services.

Liquidity

While exact figures aren’t published, BTC and ETH pairs enjoy robust liquidity, with substantial 24-hour trading volumes and deep order books in core markets.

Pionex aggregates liquidity from major exchanges like Binance and Huobi, delivering high 24-hour volumes—reported in the tens of billions—and deep order books on BTC and ETH, ensuring tight execution and reliable bot performance.

Tools

Offers standard limit and stop orders, but lacks OCO functionality; provides live price charts, basic alerts, and supports both REST API and WebSocket access, though it does not embed a native TradingView charting interface.

The platform supports limit, market, stop, and OCO orders, alongside bot-driven strategies; while it offers customizable dashboards and APIs, there’s no native TradingView integration, so users rely on built-in charts or external tools.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Margin trading is blocked in several jurisdictions, including the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, and sanctioned nations, while spot services remain available more broadly.

Derivatives and advanced instruments like futures may be unavailable in certain regions (e.g., specific countries within Europe or Asia), while others are limited to spot and bot trading depending on local regulations.

Innovation

The platform lacks features like launchpads or pools. It also does not offer flexible vs. locked earn options, limiting its appeal for users looking for innovative passive-income tools.

Pionex doesn’t currently offer launchpads or launchpools, but it distinguishes itself with flexible earn programs and an ever-evolving lineup of AI-enhanced bots that automate strategies 24/7 without locking funds—championing passive innovation over token-sale hype.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Blockchain.com originated in 2011 in the UK and is now structured under entities including Blockchain (LT), UAB (Lithuania) and other legal arms in Ireland and the BVI, with its main headquarters in Luxembourg.

Pionex operates through its global platform headquartered in Singapore (launched in 2019) and a U.S.-specific platform, Pionex.US, registered in Princeton, New Jersey—with each entity governed under its own legal structure.

Licenses/Registration

It operates under Lithuanian corporate registration, and in the UK it acts through a regulated partner for financial promotions—no publicly highlighted MiCA or EU-wide license is cited.

It’s officially registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with FinCEN in the U.S., but does not hold a MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore) license, contrary to some reports.

Custody

Custody is centralized (Blockchain holds assets); there’s no visible Proof-of-Reserves report or cold storage ratio publicly declared via their site.

User funds are held via partnerships with major exchanges; Pionex publicly conducts periodic Merkle Tree-based Proof of Reserves, audited independently by firms like Elite Partners and Moore, verifying assets exceed liabilities.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There’s no explicit mention of insurance policies or protected fund schemes designed for user asset safety listed on the platform.

There’s no publicly disclosed insurance policy or dedicated protection fund for user assets, beyond the strong reserve and custody practices already in place.

Incident History

The platform has not publicized hacks, service suspensions, or regulatory fines, suggesting a relatively clean public incident record to date.

To date, there are no known security breaches, hacks, fund suspensions, or regulatory penalties, reflecting a clean operational track record.

Risk Controls

Security features include user-enabled 2FA, support for whitelisting withdrawal addresses, anti-phishing alerts, plus REST and WebSocket API access, though fine-grained sub-account roles aren’t promoted.

Security measures include mandatory 2FA, IP whitelisting, anti-phishing warnings, and KYC-based account levels; API permissions are likely granular, though sub-account features aren’t prominently promoted.

Transparency

There are no publicly available regular solvency reports, on-chain wallet data, or service-level commitments for transparency, at least not in an openly accessible format.

While formal systems like monthly public reports, SLAs, or a visible public wallet aren’t prominently published, the combination of PoR audits and the availability of verification tools offer a meaningful level of transparency.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

You can deposit fiat via bank wire, ACH, SEPA, or card payments, with typical minimums and maximums set per method (e.g. cards around €5, wires higher), and processing times ranging from instant up to several business days, depending on the method and region.

You can deposit fiat via SEPA for euros, CHAPS/FPS for GBP, and PIX for Brazilian real—typically fee-free for bank methods, while cards and e-wallets (Google Pay, Apple Pay, etc.) are supported via third-party providers with higher fees; processing ranges from instant to a few business days.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Verification follows tiered access—unverified users have limited functionality, while Full Access requires identity verification, unlocking higher transaction limits and broader features; exact thresholds depend on your country and payment methods.

There are two verification tiers—Level 1 (country and full name) unlocks basic deposits and up to $20,000 crypto withdrawals per day, and Level 2 (ID + facial recognition) raises limits to around $1,000,000 daily and enables credit-card fiat purchases.

Withdrawals

Withdrawal limits are roughly $100,000 daily, with individual transaction caps by method (e.g. cards ~$1,200, ACH/wire $25,000), and withdrawals process in hours to a few days; crypto withdrawals are supported over common networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, and options depend on token.

limits, timing, networks (TRC20, ERC20, BEP20)

Customer Support

Support is available 24/7 via ticket and email, there’s no phone line; response times vary (sometimes slow), and there’s an extensive knowledge base and FAQ for self-help.

Pionex offers live chat accessible during working hours plus email support; response times can vary, and a robust help center with tutorials and FAQs is available to guide users when agents are offline.

Languages & Localization

Blockchain.com supports multiple interface languages, including Spanish, and automatically displays balances and fees in your local fiat currency when possible; regulatory coverage adapts per country, using local entity registrations or partner arrangements where applicable.

The platform is primarily in English with options to display prices in € or $; fiat support is localized (e.g., SEPA in Europe), but there’s limited tailoring for regional regulations outside generic compliance.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile app is noted for being fast and stable with low crash rates, regularly updated; it supports multiple languages including Spanish, displays fees in relevant local currencies, and adapts some features based on your location.

Pionex’s mobile apps hold solid ratings—above 4+ on iOS and 4.4 on Android—with a large user base; while crash statistics aren’t public, consistent updates and high review scores suggest reliable performance.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The interface is clean and intuitive, with a consistent layout that’s easy to navigate for new users—but there’s no explicit “Lite” or “Pro” toggle; advanced settings emerge as you explore deeper into the trading view, offering a seamless learning curve rather than separate modes.

Pionex’s interface is clean and intuitive, offering a gentle learning curve especially through its guided bot setup; instead of “Lite/Pro” tiers, it maintains a unified experience where features like bots and charts are accessible with minimal configuration—making it ideal whether you’re starting or experienced.

Performance

Order execution is generally swift and reliable, though during high-volatility spikes the platform can experience minor latency; KYC verification speeds have notably improved with recent integrations, limiting wait times even when demand surges.

The platform has dramatically reduced data and order latency—now syncing in under 30 seconds—although there was a brief latency glitch during a peak futures volatility event in May 2024 that affected manual futures trades; KYC processing remains generally smooth, even in bull market surges.

Education

Blockchain.com offers a robust free Learning Portal filled with beginner-friendly guides, explainer videos, podcasts, and deep dives—you can absorb knowledge at your own pace directly from the platform, although dedicated simulators or demo accounts aren’t currently part of the suite.

While there’s no formal demo or simulator, Pionex offers multilingual support including Spanish in its blog and documentation, plus detailed step-by-step tutorials and bot walkthroughs that serve educational purposes effectively.

Community

The exchange supports an official referral program—recently rewarding users with token-based bonuses under defined conditions—and encourages participation through social channels, but there’s no dedicated Blockchain.com Discord or forum hosted by the platform.

Pionex fosters engagement via its community channels like Telegram for API and bot discussions, along with a bot marketplace where creators can monetize their strategies; referral programs are also active, rewarding users who bring in new traders.

Integrations

The platform includes integrated TradingView charts for in-platform technical analysis and provides API and WebSocket access for connecting external tools, although automated bots, tax-tracking suites, or accounting integrations are not formally embedded.

You can integrate Pionex directly with TradingView via its Signal Bot (using alerts and webhooks), and also use the platform’s API to connect with external bot tools; however, dedicated tax or accounting tool integrations are not part of the current offering.

Who Each One Is Best For

Blockchain.com works best for users who value a streamlined, educational experience, combined with solid trading tools and direct learning resources—but it may be less suitable for traders seeking ultra-custom interfaces or multi-tool automation.

Pionex suits hands-off traders seeking robust automated tools and copyable strategies, as well as tech-savvy users who want to hook up custom setups via API or TradingView; those needing traditional charting ecosystems with accounting or simulator features might find it less tailored.