Cex.Io vs Bitso: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Cex.Io and Bitso 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

Cex.Io

Bitso

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

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Cex.Io is ideal if:

Great for beginners seeking simplicity: Offers intuitive fiat-to-crypto access and easy navigation, making first-time buying or selling smooth and straightforward.
Useful for users valuing regulatory compliance: Holds multiple licenses and registrations, which adds credibility and reassurance for those prioritizing security.
Suited to flexible and evolving needs: Includes features like staking, margin options, and mobile trading—helpful as your crypto journey grows.

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.

Cex.Io isn’t ideal if:

Not suited for fee-sensitive traders: Deposit and withdrawal costs—especially from credit cards or SWIFT transfers—can be on the higher side.
Less ideal for altcoin hunters: Coin selection is solid for mainstream assets but may feel restrictive for those seeking niche or emerging tokens.
Not optimized for advanced traders: Lacks advanced order types and demo environments, and interface may feel cluttered during complex trading sessions.

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.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

CEX.IO’s spot trading fees begin at 0.25% for taker orders and 0.15% for maker orders, and progressively decrease as your 30-day trading volume rises—reaching lower bands (like around 0.10%) at higher volumes, with no discounts tied to a native token.

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.

Futures/Derivatives

CEX.IO separates its derivatives platform from spot trading and applies different fee structures, but publicly available information on specific maker, taker, or funding rates is limited (often requiring account access or direct inquiry for clarity).

maker/taker and funding

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Spreads for major pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT on CEX.IO are generally tight and in line with competitive market norms, helping ensure that trading costs remain low for highly liquid assets.

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.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can fund your account using various options—credit/debit cards, bank transfers (SEPA, SWIFT, ACH), digital wallets, and alternative services—with timing and fees varying by method and region, and listed transparently during transaction setup.

methods, fees, timings

On-chain Withdrawals

On-chain withdrawal fees differ depending on the blockchain (BTC, ETH, TRX, etc.) and are dynamically adjusted based on network conditions, rather than using a one-size-fits-all flat fee.

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

Hidden Costs

Beyond trading and transfer fees, there may be extra charges lurking in currency conversion margins, inactivity fees, or expedited KYC processing—but these are typically disclosed at the relevant step, not built into everyday trading.

currency conversion, inactivity, expedited KYC, etc.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you were to convert €500 into BTC, your total cost would combine the spot maker/taker fee, the market spread, and any withdrawal or conversion fee—resulting in a composite cost slightly above the raw crypto amount, depending on your payment method and network chosen.

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

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

CEX.IO currently lists around 280 cryptocurrencies across approximately 829 trading pairs, with its highest-volume pairs including BTC/USD, ETH/USDT, ETH/USD, XRP/USD, LINK/USD—forming the bulk of daily activity.

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.

Product Range

CEX.IO supports spot trading, margin trading with up to 10x leverage, crypto staking and savings, and lending services; however, it does not currently offer perpetuals, options, ETFs, automated DCA, grid bots, or copy trading tools.

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.

Liquidity

Reported 24-hour trading volume on CEX.IO ranges in the tens to hundreds of millions of USD, with robust liquidity in major pairs like BTC and ETH—offering sufficient depth for swift execution without significant price impact.

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.

Tools

The platform provides basic order types such as limit and stop (plus OCO where available), access to advanced charting via its trading terminal, real-time price tracking, alerts, and full-featured APIs (REST, WebSocket, FIX on Prime) ideal for automated strategies.

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.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain features—including margin trading, staking, savings, and advanced product access—are restricted or unavailable in specific countries due to jurisdictional licensing and compliance requirements.

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.

Innovation

CEX.IO offers flexible staking and savings options under its “Earn” program that allow on-demand access to funds; however, it does not currently support token launchpad or launchpool initiatives.

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.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

CEX.IO operates through several entities

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.

Licenses/Registration

The exchange holds a U.S. Money Services Business registration with FinCEN and multiple state-level money transmitter licenses, a Gibraltar DLT provider license, Spanish VASP registration, and Lithuanian VASP status, reflecting a broad regulatory coverage across major markets.

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).

Custody

CEX.IO maintains a layered custody model—hot wallets with PCI DSS-compliant security and cold wallets secured via multi-signature and manual controls; fiat is held in segregated bank accounts—though no formal public proof-of-reserves disclosures or third-party audits are noted.

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.

Insurance & Protection Funds

While CEX.IO provides FDIC insurance for USD balances held within participating U.S. banks up to typical limits, there is no general insurance for crypto assets beyond its rigorous internal security protocols.

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

Incident History

The platform maintains a clean operational record with no major security breaches, public incidents, service suspensions, or regulatory penalties reported to date, underlining its reputation for reliability.

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.

Risk Controls

User protection is reinforced with mandatory KYC/AML procedures, two-factor authentication, address whitelisting, a proprietary transaction-monitoring system, and granular APIs aimed at enhancing security and user control.

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

Transparency

CEX.IO does not publish monthly financial or operational reports, nor provide public wallet addresses or formal service-level agreements (SLAs), although its regulatory compliance and security stance contribute to overall trust.

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.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

CEX.IO allows fiat deposits via bank cards (Visa/Mastercard), bank transfers (SWIFT, SEPA, ACH, Faster Payments), and e-wallets like Skrill and PayPal; limits depend on verification level—new users may be capped at around $1,000 daily and $3,000 monthly, with standard limits applied after three months—and deposits typically arrive instantly (for cards/e-wallets) or within 1–3 business days (for bank transfers) depending on the method and region.

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.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

CEX.IO enforces at least identity verification for full access to fiat features like card and transfer services; preliminary verification allows limited use, while higher account tiers—such as Enhanced or Corporate—lift deposit/withdrawal limits and enable large-scale operations.

There are typically three KYC tiers

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing & Networks

Customer Support

Users have access to help via live chat (mobile and web), email support, and an extensive knowledge base containing guides and FAQs—but response times vary and are influenced by location and request complexity.

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.

Languages & Localization

The platform is fully available in English (as its primary language), and shows amounts in USD or EUR depending on region; local regulatory compliance is reflected in the user’s jurisdiction which affects available payment methods and features.

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.

App Quality & Stability

The CEX.IO app boasts a solid level of stability with regular updates; while precise crash rates aren’t publicly disclosed, the platform emphasizes performance enhancements and bug fixes in app release notes to deliver a smooth user experience.

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.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

CEX.IO offers a single unified interface rather than separate “Lite” or “Pro” views, relying on straightforward layout and intuitive navigation to help both new and experienced users pick up functionality quickly and seamlessly.

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.

Performance

The platform benefits from institutional-grade infrastructure designed to minimize order latency, but like many exchanges, occasional slowdowns can surface during extreme market volatility; onboarding generally remains efficient even during high-demand periods.

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.

Education

CEX.IO University delivers free, beginner-friendly crypto education with a comprehensive glossary and lessons ranging from basic to advanced levels—though it currently lacks a live demo or simulator, and content in Spanish is available through its educational portal.

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.

Community

The ecosystem includes an affiliate and referral program to reward users for spreading the word, but it does not prominently feature official forums or active Discord/Telegram communities as part of its outreach.

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.

Integrations

The platform integrates TradingView for charting, offers fully featured APIs for external bot support, and allows data export for tax and accounting purposes, making it viable for integration into broader trading and reporting workflows.

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.

Who Each One Is Best For

CEX.IO is particularly well-suited for users seeking a balanced and compliant entry into crypto—from beginners who want ease of use and educational resources to semi-advanced traders needing reliable tools and external integration capabilities.

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.