Coinmama vs Bithumb: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Coinmama and Bithumb 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

Coinmama

Bithumb

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Coinmama is ideal if:

Effortless for beginners — Streamlined, no-frills interface lets you buy crypto and send it straight to your own wallet in just a few taps.
Global and flexible — Available in nearly 190 countries with a wide range of local payment methods to suit diverse needs.
Built for safety and autonomy — Non-custodial model means you always control your funds, supported by robust regulatory compliance and encryption.

Bithumb is ideal if:

Perfect for KRW-centric traders: If you prefer trading with South Korean Won as your base currency, Bithumb offers seamless fiat integration, high liquidity, and a smooth experience for KRW-based spot trading.
Great for beginners and hands-off traders: Its clear, user-friendly interface plus built-in features like staking and bot trading make it accessible and appealing to those starting out or seeking passive strategies.
Best for users prioritizing credibility and safety: With strong security certifications (like ISMS, ISO27001), full separation of client assets, and external audits, Bithumb focuses on institutional-level protection and transparency.

Coinmama isn’t ideal if:

Not for advanced traders — Lacks tools like charts, limit orders, and margin trading, making it unsuitable if you need sophisticated trading features.
Limited crypto variety — Offers a relatively small selection of coins, which may frustrate users looking for broader portfolio options or niche tokens.
No built-in wallet or phone support — You must use your own external wallet for storage, and customer support lacks direct phone access for urgent communication.

Bithumb isn’t ideal if:

You need global fiat flexibility: If you want to deposit with non-KRW currencies, Bithumb’s fiat support is limited, which may not suit you.
You're an advanced trader seeking leverage: Those looking for margin or futures trading won’t find these tools available on Bithumb.
You prefer seamless international onboarding: Verification hurdles, language barriers, and slow KYC in non-Korean languages can slow down global users.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Coinmama doesn’t operate with traditional maker/taker tiers based on order book liquidity—instead, it charges a flat commission plus a built-in spread, with loyalty-based fee reductions (up to around 25% off) for users who reach certain cumulative spending thresholds over time.

In KRW markets, maker and taker fees typically range from roughly 0.04% to 0.25%, with better rates unlocked through tiered trading coupons based on volume (discounts apply via native coupons, not necessarily token-based discounts).

Futures/Derivatives

Coinmama currently does not offer futures, margin, or derivative trading, so there are no related maker, taker, or funding costs involved.

Bithumb does not currently offer any futures or derivatives markets, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

While specific spread numbers aren’t publicly listed, Coinmama embeds a markup—commonly known as a spread—within the quoted rate on top of its commission, meaning any trade price you see already includes a buffer above market mid-price.

Precise spread data is not publicly provided, but given Bithumb’s strong liquidity in major markets, spreads on BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT pairs are generally tight—typically consistent with reputable high-volume exchanges.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can fund your account via bank transfers (SEPA, SWIFT, Open Banking) or card/e-wallets (Visa/Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill), with free options for some bank channels and a percentage-based “express fee” for cards and wallets; Fiat withdrawals are sent back to your original payment method, typically taking one to several business days to process.

Fiat operations center on KRW only, with deposits via bank transfer or card usually fee-free (unless below minimum thresholds) and withdrawals processed via Korean banking channels with typical processing times, without showing fixed fees.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals to your own wallet are facilitated without extra platform fees, but actual network fees apply and depend on the blockchain (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron), varying dynamically with network congestion and gas rates.

Withdrawal costs depend on the blockchain

Hidden Costs

Additional implicit costs may come from currency conversion if using non-fiat-native methods or local currency—plus small surcharges for instant payments through certain methods—while there are no inactivity fees and identity verification is required but generally included as part of the signup process, not as a premium service.

Some indirect costs may arise from currency conversion if funding in non-KRW, and there are no inactivity fees; extra-fast verification services may not be standard or may carry internal pricing, though not explicitly detailed.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you buy €500 worth of Bitcoin, the price you pay includes Coinmama’s commission and built-in spread, and sending that BTC to your wallet means you’ll also incur the standard blockchain network fee—but there are no surprises beyond the displayed total at checkout.

If you were to buy €500 worth of BTC, you’d first face a regular spot trading fee (within 0.04–0.25%) plus a small spread in execution, then a withdrawal fee in BTC (e.g., 0.0005 BTC)—that combined cost reflects the total out-of-pocket expense.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Coinmama offers over 40 cryptocurrencies in total, including around 19 of the top 30 by market cap. Its top-20 by volume mainly include familiar names like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), BNB, Solana (SOL), XRP, and others, ensuring exposure to the most traded assets.

Bithumb lists approximately 170–180 cryptocurrencies across roughly 400 trading pairs, with the top 20 by volume dominated by KRW-based pairs like BTC/KRW, ETH/KRW, XRP/KRW, USDT/KRW, and others in similar high-turnover positions.

Product Range

Coinmama focuses exclusively on spot purchases and simple swaps—offering no margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, staking programs, loans, copy trading, grid bots, or automatic DCA functionality.

The exchange supports spot trading, margin trading, staking, crypto lending, and bot/automated trading, but does not offer perpetual futures, options, ETFs, copy trading, or built-in DCA features.

Liquidity

Being a broker rather than an exchange, Coinmama doesn’t display order books or real-time volume data for pairs like BTC or ETH; liquidity is assured through its own inventory, making market depth and 24-hour volumes internal and not publicly shown.

Bithumb handles daily spot volumes in the high hundreds of millions to over a billion USD, ensuring deep order books—particularly for BTC/KRW and ETH/KRW—offering robust liquidity and execution.

Tools

Coinmama offers none of the typical advanced trading tools—there are no limit, stop, or OCO orders, no alerts, no charting interface, no public API or WebSockets, and no native integration with TradingView for analysis.

Traders have access to basic orders (limit and market), stop orders, and coupon-driven fee tools; there are also alerts and API access (including WebSocket), though there’s no native TradingView integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

All of Coinmama’s services are globally accessible where regulations permit; no additional products like derivatives or margin are available anywhere, so there are no region-specific product restrictions beyond general country bans.

Derivatives and margin features are not globally available, with access mainly focused on South Korean users; many international regions, notably US and EU, face limitations or lack derivative access.

Innovation

Coinmama doesn’t support features like launchpad or launchpool initiatives, nor does it offer flexible or locked earning programs—its current setup remains strictly focused on one-time fiat-to-crypto purchases without ongoing yield products.

Bithumb offers staking services and crypto lending along with occasional airdrop or DeFi/NFT promotions, but lacks formal launchpad or launchpool platforms and doesn’t separate between flexible vs locked earn products.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Coinmama is operated by a regulated company incorporated in Ireland (originally founded in Israel in 2013) and is part of Wellfield Technologies, with its current main base in Vancouver, Canada.

Bithumb is operated by BTC Korea.com Co., Ltd, founded in 2014 and based in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the country’s major crypto exchanges firmly entrenched in Korean financial infrastructure.

Licenses/Registration

Coinmama is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and also compliant with Canadian regulation under FINTRAC, ensuring proper oversight in these key jurisdictions.

As a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in South Korea, Bithumb is subject to oversight under local regulations, and as of mid-2025 it was designated a “conglomerate,” meaning it must adhere to heightened compliance and public disclosure rules.

Custody

Coinmama operates on a non-custodial model—meaning you always control your crypto, as they don’t hold tokens on your behalf—and there is no public proof of reserves, auditing statements, or disclosed cold-storage ratios.

A significant portion of user assets is held in cold storage, meeting at least 80% reserve requirements; the exchange has also set aside a substantial protection reserve fund (worth over KRW 100 billion) as a buffer in case of operational risk.

Insurance & Protection Funds

The platform does not advertise any insurance or user fund protection schemes, so users rely primarily on Coinmama’s non-custodial approach for the safety of their crypto holdings.

It maintains robust cyber insurance coverage, with multi-billion won policies through top Korean insurers, designed to help cover losses from cyber incidents and personal data breaches.

Incident History

Coinmama experienced a data breach in 2019, involving compromised emails and hashed passwords of older accounts; since then, no major hacks or regulatory penalties have been reported publicly.

Bithumb has endured several hacks and investigations, including major cryptocurrency thefts in 2017 and 2018, a large insider-related loss in 2019, and multiple regulatory probes since then, though it has taken steps to strengthen its security posture.

Risk Controls

Security measures include two-factor authentication (strongly recommended for users), but Coinmama does not currently offer advanced features like address whitelisting, anti-phishing layers, sub-accounts, or granular API permissions.

The platform employs industry-standard security measures—such as two-factor authentication, withdrawal whitelists, IP restrictions, anti-phishing controls, and regular external audits—to offer layered protection for user accounts and funds.

Transparency

The exchange does not provide transparent, publicly available reports like monthly proof-of-reserves, accessible wallet addresses, or service-level agreements for uptime—but emphasizes clarity about its regulatory standing and verification processes.

It has enhanced disclosure practices, driven by its conglomerate status, though real-time proof-of-reserve reporting is not publicly available; ongoing regulatory scrutiny is pushing it toward greater transparency in operations.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

You can fund your Coinmama account using bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets (like Skrill or Neteller), as well as regional systems such as Giropay, PIX, and PSE, with minimum amounts usually starting around $5–$20 and daily or monthly maximums tied to your verification level; processing times vary by method, with cards and e-wallets instantly crediting your account and banks typically taking longer.

Fiat deposits are exclusively in Korean Won (KRW) and handled via local bank transfers—debit/credit options or e-wallets aren’t supported—amount thresholds vary and processing is typically completed within the same day for local transfers.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Verification is tiered

Bithumb enforces tiered identity verification—basic phone/email for browsing, but Level 2 KYC is required to activate withdrawals, with higher limits tied to full verification.

Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals are sent directly to your own wallet and incur only the standard blockchain fee; fiat withdrawals return funds through the original payment method, with a minimum typically around $30 and timing dependent on the payout channel.

Crypto withdrawals require KYC Level 2, lower minimums for verified accounts, and are processed within hours (first withdrawal may take longer for security); supported networks include standard chains like ERC-20 and TRC-20, with fees varying by asset.

Customer Support

Support is available 24/7 via live chat and email, backed by a rich knowledge base and academy content for self-help—though phone support isn’t offered, allowing generally quick replies and practical guidance.

Support is reachable via live chat (available 24/7), email, and a regional phone line; response quality varies, backed by an FAQ and help center to assist common issues.

Languages & Localization

The platform’s interface is primarily in English, but supports multiple fiat currencies (like €/USD/GBP) for display, and adapts payment options and compliance to match local regulatory requirements across different countries.

The interface supports multiple languages including English, with prices shown in KRW—there’s no automatic display in USD or EUR, and localization is limited for non-Korean regulatory zones.

App Quality & Stability

Coinmama operates via a web-based service and does not offer a mobile app; while the website is reliable and regularly updated, there’s no downloadable application to discuss in terms of stability or crash performance.

The mobile app delivers a smooth trading interface with real-time data and strong security features (biometric login, 2FA), though user reports cite occasional crashes or slow performance during high-traffic periods.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Coinmama uses a clean, modern web interface that’s highly intuitive—there’s no Lite or Pro toggle, keeping it straightforward and instantly approachable for newcomers who just want to buy crypto quickly.

The platform strikes a balance between newcomer friendliness and advanced functionality, offering a clean interface with clear labels and comprehensive charting tools, though it doesn’t explicitly offer separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes.

Performance

Purchases are generally processed swiftly after payment confirmation, with minimal order latency even during busy periods; KYC processes remain efficient, and there’s little evidence of significant delays during bull runs.

Order execution is generally fast thanks to high liquidity, though peak volatility can bring some delays or gateway slowdowns, and KYC may slow onboarding during intense market rallies.

Education

Coinmama offers a helpful Academy hub with beginner-friendly articles in English, though it lacks demo trading tools or simulators, and currently doesn’t provide education content in Spanish.

Bithumb provides a dedicated academy and tutorial content via its official channels to help users learn, but it does not currently offer demo accounts or Spanish-language learning resources.

Community

While Coinmama doesn’t host an official forum or Discord, it does run a robust affiliate/referral program with tools and dashboards, fostering a grassroots community of promoters rather than active chat groups.

The platform encourages engagement through referral incentives and publishes on Medium, but it lacks officially managed forums, Discord, or Telegram communities for user interaction.

Integrations

The platform remains minimalist with no external integrations—there’s no TradingView, bot support, tax accounting tools, or bookkeeping connectors, keeping the focus purely on one-click fiat-to-crypto purchases.

Bithumb supports external tools like TradingView for charting and provides API/WebSocket access for automation, but lacks built-in tax tools or direct accounting integrations.

Who Each One Is Best For

This platform excels for buyers who value simplicity and speed, especially beginners; advanced traders seeking analytics, automation, or educational languages beyond English may prefer more feature-rich alternatives.

It’s ideal for traders seeking a high-liquidity, reliability-focused exchange that caters to a mix of moderate experience levels, whereas those needing demo tools, Spanish-language education, or a vibrant community may look elsewhere.