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

Trying to choose between Cex.Io and Wazirx 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

Wazirx

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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

Latin America

Yes

India

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.

Wazirx is ideal if:

Great for INR-based traders seeking seamless deposits and withdrawals via Indian banking rails and P2P exchanges.
Ideal if you value a clear, user-friendly interface and mobile app with advanced charts and straightforward navigation.
Perfect choice when you want a local platform with global reach, offering many cryptocurrencies plus features like WRX-token incentives and Smart Token Fund partnerships.

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.

Wazirx isn’t ideal if:

If you rely on instant crypto withdrawals, this platform may not suit you due to ongoing limitations and partial access issues following recent security events.
If you're an advanced technical analyst, you'll likely find the charting tools and order types (e.g. no market orders) too simplistic for complex trading strategies.
If you need responsive customer support, WazirX may fall short—user feedback points to frequent delays and limited support channels.

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.

WazirX uses a tiered maker/taker model where fees decrease based on 30-day trading volume and WRX token holdings, encouraging active trading and WRX ownership for ongoing fee discounts.

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).

WazirX currently focuses exclusively on spot trading and does not offer futures or derivatives, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees associated with those instruments.

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.

Liquid pair spreads like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT are typically narrow and market-competitive, reflecting high liquidity and fast matching, without meaningful average spread markup.

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.

INR fiat deposits and withdrawals work through local Indian banking channels (such as UPI and NEFT/IMPS), with generally quick processing for deposits and moderate processing times for withdrawals, depending on banking partners and verification status.

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 use dynamic network fees that adjust based on blockchain congestion, meaning the cost varies across networks like BTC, ETH, or TRX rather than a flat fixed rate.

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.

There are few hidden costs—minor currency conversion charges may apply if depositing or withdrawing in a non-INR currency, and expedited account verification might help speed processes but doesn’t incur extra public fees.

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 worth of BTC would involve paying a trading fee (discountable via WRX token), a tight market spread, and then paying a dynamic blockchain withdrawal fee to transfer the BTC on-chain—resulting in a slightly lower net BTC amount received than the €500 spent.

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.

WazirX lists over 250 to 300 cryptocurrencies and supports hundreds of trading pairs, with its top 20 pairs generally involving major coins like BTC, ETH, and USDT in high-volume combinations.

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 is focused mainly on spot trading, P2P markets, NFT marketplace and copy-style features like Smart Token Fund, and doesn’t offer margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, staking, loans, or automated bots like grid or 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.

BTC and ETH markets benefit from deep liquidity powered by connection to Binance, meaning order books are healthy and 24-hour volume remains solid for core pairs—creating tight spreads and swift execution.

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.

WazirX provides limit and stop-limit orders, alert notifications, integrated TradingView charts, and API/WebSocket access, offering a robust toolkit for spot traders without overly complex derivatives features.

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.

Some advanced products like derivatives and lending aren’t available globally; WazirX restricts offerings based on user location and compliance rules, limiting access to certain tools in select 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.

The platform includes creative features like a Smart Token Fund (akin to copy trading) and occasionally hosts token launch initiatives, while its P2P liquidity engine remains a standout innovation in fiat-to-crypto access.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

CEX.IO operates through several entities

WazirX is operated by Zanmai Labs Pvt. Ltd., founded in 2018 and headquartered in Mumbai, India, with its crypto operations under Zettai Pte. Ltd. based in Singapore for restructuring purposes.

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 India currently lacks formal crypto licensing, WazirX aligns with VASP-style requirements under FIU-India rules and is increasingly moving toward global compliance readiness, including potential future MiCA adherence.

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.

User assets are held in a mix of on-chain wallets and third-party custodians, with an internal and third-party-verified Proof of Reserves system to back solvency and asset holdings, supported by periodic audits and real-time transparency dashboards.

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.

The exchange is actively pursuing third-party custodial solutions offering insurance coverage, and its recovery plan includes allocating a portion of trading fees into a user protection reserve.

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.

In July 2024, WazirX suffered a major hack resulting in loss of over $230 million and suspensions of trading and withdrawals, prompting a restructuring process and implementation of new custody and recovery systems.

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 measures include mandatory 2FA (via SMS, email, authenticator apps, or even biometrics), anti-phishing alerts, and internal protocols—though features like API permission granularity and sub-accounts remain limited.

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.

WazirX issues regular transparency reports and complies fully with law enforcement inquiries; it also publishes wallet data and Proof of Reserves dashboards, though SLA metrics and public wallet tracking remain periodically updated rather than real time.

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.

WazirX accepts INR deposits via UPI, IMPS, NEFT, and RTGS, with minimums as low as ₹100 and maximums up to ₹50 lakh per transaction; UPI deposits are instant, while bank transfer methods usually complete within a few hours during business hours, up to a maximum of around 72 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.

WazirX applies a tiered Re-KYC process annually with varying document requirements; basic identity validation unlocks most features, and advanced verification may be prompted for higher volumes or full-feature access, with timing ranging from instant to up to 72 hours.

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing & Networks

INR withdrawals are processed via linked bank accounts only, with no third-party transfers allowed; withdrawals typically clear within a few hours up to 72 hours depending on the bank, and fees differ by transfer mode (e.g. NEFT vs instant). Crypto withdrawals allow network-specific address tagging, especially for assets like XRP/XLM, and fees are dynamic based on blockchain conditions.

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.

WazirX offers in-app live chat around the clock, along with email and blog support, plus dedicated phone support Monday to Sunday during Indian daytime hours; response times vary but the chat feature and support center help ensure timely assistance.

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 is fully localized for English speakers, displays amounts in INR but allows traders to conceptualize values in € or $ mentally, and operates under Indian regulatory guidelines—even though fiat is exclusively INR-based.

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.

The mobile app is stable and well-maintained, with frequent updates and minimal reported crashes—keeping enhancements rolling smoothly for a reliable user experience.

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.

WazirX’s revamped 3.0 interface delivers a clean, intuitive layout with order book and open orders adjacent to trading, requiring minimal learning effort for both beginners and experienced traders.

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.

Order latency is generally responsive and smooth thanks to streamlined UI, though users may occasionally notice slower response or brief interface lag during extreme market volatility or peak traffic surges.

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.

WazirX offers a “Learn & Earn” campaign with quizzes tied to real trading, plus a dedicated Crypto Learning Zone and partner educational programs, but lacks a simulated demo or practice account for risk-free trading.

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.

WazirX maintains an active presence on social platforms like Telegram and Reddit, runs educational contests and “Learn & Earn” campaigns, and supports referral programs to incentivize user growth.

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.

Traders benefit from integrated TradingView-style charts and API access, while official support for third-party bots or tax-accounting tools is limited—though the platform’s API allows flexible automation for developers.

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.

WazirX suits crypto novices who want a clear and efficient interface with educational rewards, and suits mid-tier traders comfortable with API tools—but is less ideal for those needing a virtual demo, heavy automation, or advanced pro-trader environments.