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

Trying to choose between Cex.Io and Cointiger 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

Cointiger

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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

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

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.

Cointiger is ideal if:

Great for active traders who want to diversify across many altcoins and tap into both spot and futures markets.
Well-suited for intermediate or advanced users seeking flexible trading tools—like staking pools and basic vs. advanced platforms.
Better for self-reliant users comfortable navigating limited customer support and lower transparency around regulation.

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.

Cointiger isn’t ideal if:

Not recommended if you expect strong regulation or licensing, since CoinTiger operates without recognized oversight.
Avoid if you prioritize swift, professional support, as users often encounter slow responses and limited multilingual assistance.
Unsuitable if you prefer fully transparent platforms, due to past accusations of opaque practices and concerning user complaints.

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.

CoinTiger applies a flat maker fee of 0.08% and taker fee of 0.15% for spot trading, and these can be progressively reduced for VIP members based on trading volume—no native-token-based discounts are mentioned.

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).

Futures trading fees start at 0.025% maker and 0.07% taker, with tiered discounts for VIPs, while funding (overnight) costs are charged but specifics depend on instruments and are not publicly fixed.

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 exact spreads are not disclosed, CoinTiger generally relies on tight, market-driven spreads for its most liquid pairs, consistent with its emphasis on competitive pricing.

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.

CoinTiger supports fiat funding via credit/debit cards, wire transfers, Alipay, WeChat, and similar methods, with fees and processing speeds varying by payment provider and region—no standard fee schedule is published.

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.

Cryptocurrency withdrawals incur flat fees that vary by asset (e.g. ~0.0005 BTC or 5 USDT), rather than dynamic, network-based fees.

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.

CoinTiger charges no inactivity fees, but users may face third-party currency conversion charges or variable costs for express KYC or special service features depending on region.

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.

On a €500 BTC purchase, you’d incur a spot taker fee (~0.15%), face a small market spread, and if you withdrew on-chain afterward you’d pay a fixed crypto withdrawal fee—this gives a realistic, evergreen cost estimate.

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.

CoinTiger currently lists over 300 distinct cryptocurrencies and supports several hundred trading pairs; its most active top-20 by volume include giants like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, ADA/USDT, SOL/USDT, as well as a mix of popular altcoins.

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.

The platform offers spot trading, USDT- and coin-margined futures, and staking pools; however, it doesn’t provide options, crypto ETFs, lending, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA.

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.

CoinTiger reports daily volume in the range of hundreds of millions USD, ensuring moderate liquidity; the order book depth for BTC and ETH is decent—suitable for mid-size trades—though smaller than deep-liquidity Tier-1 venues.

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.

Traders benefit from a full suite of order types including limit, stop, and OCO, plus price alerts, advanced charting tools, an API/WebSocket interface, but no built-in TradingView integration is available.

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.

Derivative access is restricted in a few regions (e.g., the US), meaning futures and advanced trading products aren’t universally available across all jurisdictions.

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.

CoinTiger has rolled out a project-listing initiative (“TCH Labs”) and staking pools, offering some flexible earn options; however, there’s no formal launchpad/launchpool or clear distinction between flexible and locked staking yet.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

CEX.IO operates through several entities

CoinTiger was established in December 2017 and is headquartered in Singapore, operated under the umbrella of CoinTiger UAB and affiliated teams across Singapore, South Korea, and China—forming a multi-jurisdictional structure within the centralized exchange landscape.

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.

While the platform claims compliance with regulations in its operating regions, it’s not openly licensed as a VASP under major frameworks like EU’s MiCA, and concrete regulatory credentials are not prominently published.

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.

CoinTiger stores the majority of user assets in its own wallets, supported by cold storage for enhanced safety; however, it does not publish proof-of-reserves, reserve ratios, or audit reports for public verification.

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.

There’s no clear mention of insured custodial assets or a dedicated user-protection fund—users should assume there is limited to no formal financial coverage in case of loss.

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.

CoinTiger does not have known major public incidents such as hacks, platform failures, or regulatory penalties disclosed, suggesting a relatively clean track record to date.

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.

Security features include mandatory two-factor authentication, SSL encryption, and cold storage, but the platform lacks mention of additional safeguards like withdrawal whitelisting, anti-phishing tools, granular API permissions, or structured sub-account systems.

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.

CoinTiger does not publish regular transparency reports or Service Level Agreements, nor does it provide public wallet addresses for third-party inspection, offering limited external visibility into operational practices.

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.

CoinTiger accepts fiat deposits through credit/debit cards, wire transfers, SEPA, ACH, SWIFT, Apple Pay, UnionPay, and similar e-wallets; deposit minimums and maximums vary by method and jurisdiction, with processing times ranging from near-instant (cards/e-wallets) to several days depending on bank systems.

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.

CoinTiger allows basic usage without KYC, enabling daily withdrawals up to approximately 2 BTC; to access higher limits such as 10 BTC daily, as well as full fiat features, users must complete a KYC verification process.

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing & Networks

Crypto withdrawals follow network-specific conditions—via ERC20, TRC20, Omni, etc.—with dynamic fees based on blockchain congestion. KYC-completed users benefit from higher withdrawal limits (up to ~10 BTC/day), rising from the base ~2 BTC/day for unverified accounts.

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.

CoinTiger provides email support and live chat (though responsiveness can be slow), and offers a knowledge base and user guides; however, 24/7 live support may not be fully robust, with varied response times reported by 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 interface is available in multiple languages (e.g., English, Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, Vietnamese), and displays prices and balances clearly in major fiat currencies like USD or EUR; local regulatory adaptation varies by region.

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.

CoinTiger supports both Android and iOS mobile apps with modern UI and regular feature updates. While explicit crash-rate data isn’t publicly available, user sentiment suggests a generally stable experience with occasional performance lags.

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.

CoinTiger offers distinct trading modes—an introductory (Lite) interface with clean layouts for beginners, and a customizable advanced (Pro) interface featuring comprehensive charts and tools, which makes onboarding intuitive while giving experienced users the flexibility to tailor their workspace

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.

Traders generally experience swift order execution and responsive platform behavior, even during high-volume periods, though occasional lag or support delays may surface in extreme volatility—but KYC processing remains largely efficient without notable backlogs

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.

CoinTiger does not currently offer a dedicated crypto academy, demo trading, or simulators, nor localized Spanish-language educational content, focusing instead on platform-native guidance and tools rather than structured learning materials

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.

The exchange maintains an active referral program offering commission benefits, and fosters user engagement through community forums; however, there’s no emphasis on official Discord or Telegram channels in its public ecosystem descriptions

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.

CoinTiger’s advanced interface integrates TradingView charts directly, enhancing technical analysis, but lacks built-in support for external trading bots, tax tools, or accounting integrations—requiring users to rely on third-party solutions

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.

CoinTiger suits users who appreciate intuitive yet powerful tools—ideal for self-directed traders who want advanced charting in a compact UI without needing extensive educational aids or automation, and who value a broad altcoin ecosystem with fair performance.