Hitbtc vs Simpleswap: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Hitbtc and Simpleswap 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

Hitbtc

Simpleswap

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Hitbtc is ideal if:

Sophisticated API-driven tooling Perfect for algorithmic and pro traders leveraging fast REST, WebSocket, or FIX services and advanced order types like scaled or trailing entries
Extensive demo zone and broad pair availability Great for learning or testing strategies without risk, while enjoying access to hundreds of spot, margin, and futures pairs
Robust security and transparency systems Ideal if you value strong safeguards like cold storage, 2FA, session monitoring, and audit-friendly reporting

Simpleswap is ideal if:

Great for quick, no-registration swaps: Ideal if you want to exchange coins swiftly and privately, without creating an account or going through KYC.
Perfect for privacy-focused users: Its non‑custodial design helps you maintain full control over your assets throughout the transaction.
Suited for users exploring a wide range of coins: Offers an expansive selection of crypto assets—from mainstream to lesser-known altcoins—making it handy for flexibility and experimentation.

Hitbtc isn’t ideal if:

Frustration-prone customer support Resolving urgent account or withdrawal issues may take days or longer, leaving critical calls pending
Opaque corporate governance Unclear headquarters, anonymous leadership, and regulation gaps can hinder your confidence and legal recourse
Inactivity-fee risks & asset access issues Long idle periods may lead to unexpected charges or frozen funds without clear notifications

Simpleswap isn’t ideal if:

Not for beginners needing fiat on-ramps: If you don’t already own crypto, SimpleSwap doesn’t support seamless fiat-to-crypto purchases without extra partner steps.
Limited for advanced traders: No margin, futures, charting tools, or sophisticated order types—only basic instant swaps.
Less suitable during network congestion: Transactions can slow when blockchains are busy, affecting speed and predictability.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

HitBTC applies a tiered fee system where initial maker/taker rates decrease with higher 30-day trading volumes, and the highest tiers may even reward maker activity—while holding the native HIT token can further reduce spot and margin trading costs.

SimpleSwap doesn’t distinguish between maker and taker fees—instead, all costs are embedded within the quoted exchange rate, so there are no separate fee tiers or native-token discounts to worry about.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures (including perpetuals) follow fixed maker/taker pricing that can drop with volume tiers, and while there’s a funding or liquidation cost element applied per position, no dynamic funding fees like funding rate cycles are noted.

SimpleSwap does not offer futures or other derivatives at all, so there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees to consider.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

Spreads on major liquid pairs remain competitive, typically tight due to deep order books and active liquidity, though exact spread sizes aren’t publicly fixed and fluctuate with market conditions.

Spread details aren’t openly published, but market comparisons suggest a mark-up hovering around 1.2%, meaning the price you see already includes a slight premium over market rates.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

HitBTC doesn’t directly support fiat deposits or withdrawals through bank or wire; instead, you must use third-party providers (like credit/debit card services) to buy crypto, which incurs third-party fees and varies in speed depending on provider.

Fiat transactions are handled via a partner (like Mercuryo), typically using Visa or Mastercard, with fees built into the exchange rate and shown upfront—there’s no platform-stated flat rate or set timing for processing.

On-chain Withdrawals

Withdrawal costs are adjusted dynamically based on each network’s conditions—this means fees adapt in real time depending on blockchain traffic rather than being a fixed flat fee.

There’s no separate withdrawal fee charged by SimpleSwap—only the blockchain’s own network (gas) fees apply, which vary by network and reflect real-time congestion levels.

Hidden Costs

While no explicit fees for inactivity, KYC acceleration, or base currency conversion are listed, indirect costs may arise through third-party fiat services, prolonged KYC delays, or transaction spread during conversions.

There are no inactive-account fees or express-KYC charges; any currency conversion or rate-related cost is already baked into the exchange price, so you face no surprises beyond the displayed rate.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you purchase €500 worth of BTC via a credit card provider, you’d incur that provider’s fee (often a few percent), face the execution spread on BTC, and then pay a dynamic network withdrawal cost when moving BTC off-platform—creating a bundled cost beyond a simple fee.

If you exchange €500 to BTC, the platform displays the rate including a small mark-up (around 1–2%) at the time, and then the final BTC received reflects that pricing, minus network fees; there are no extra line-item charges added afterward.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

HitBTC hosts between roughly 300 to over 500 cryptocurrencies and hundreds—likely between 500 to 2,300—trading pairs, while the top 20 by volume typically includes heavy-hitters like BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, ADA/USDT, SOL/USDT and AAVE/USDT.

SimpleSwap supports over 1,500 cryptocurrency assets for instant swaps; while there’s no public list of the top 20 by trading volume, it’s safe to infer that mainstream heavyweights like BTC, ETH, USDT-based pairs, and other popular altcoins lead the most frequently exchanged.

Product Range

HitBTC supports spot, margin, and perpetual futures trading, along with staking functionality; it does not offer options, crypto ETFs, copy trading, or automatic DCA tools.

SimpleSwap is designed solely for instant, spot crypto-to-crypto swaps and staking through integrated programs; it does not offer margin, futures/perps, options, crypto ETFs, lending, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA features.

Liquidity

The exchange processes substantial 24-hour trading volume—often several hundred million dollars—and offers solid book depth for liquid pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, fostering efficient execution in large-size orders.

Exact liquidity metrics like 24-hour trading volume or order-book depth aren’t published, but SimpleSwap sources liquidity from multiple partner exchanges, enabling smooth execution for BTC and ETH swaps via aggregation rather than a unified internal book.

Tools

HitBTC provides advanced trading tools, including limit, stop, and OCO order types, customizable price alerts, TradingView-integrated charting, and robust API access via REST, WebSocket, and FIX.

The platform is minimalist—neither limit nor OCO orders are available beyond fixed-and-floating rate swaps; it lacks advanced charting or alerts, though it does offer integration tools like APIs and widgets rather than a native TradingView interface.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Derivatives and some advanced features are unavailable in jurisdictions such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and various sanctioned regions, even while spot trading remains globally accessible in most locales.

Since SimpleSwap doesn’t offer derivatives, there are no region-based limitations on those products specifically, but its fiat-to-crypto service is restricted in a set of countries flagged by regulatory or partner limitations.

Innovation

The platform does not currently support launchpads or launchpools, and while it offers staking, it appears geared toward flexible-use models rather than fixed-term or locked reward schemes.

While SimpleSwap doesn’t run launchpads or launchpools, it does innovate in passive earning via its loyalty and affiliate programs, offering flexible cashback and staking-like benefits rather than locking funds into fixed-term products.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Htechno Business LTD (and operators such as Ullus Corporations/Hit Solutions Limited) runs the platform, having launched around 2013 with ties to both Saint Vincent & the Grenadines and Hong Kong, plus branch operations in Chile.

SimpleSwap is operated by SimpleSwap Limited, established in 2018 and based in George Town, Cayman Islands, functioning under that jurisdiction while also listing a U.S. office in San Francisco for support operations.

Licenses/Registration

The exchange does not hold explicit financial licenses (e.g., VASP or MiCA-based EU registration), and while it conducts KYC and AML compliance, its regulatory standing remains relatively informal and varies by user region.

The platform operates under money transmitter licenses where applicable, respecting relevant regulatory frameworks without explicitly holding licensing such as VASP registration or MiCA compliance, though its services may vary regionally to meet local requirements.

Custody

HitBTC retains a high percentage of assets in cold storage (roughly 80–90 %), conducts external wallet-balance proofs, and states it’s never been breached or lost custody of user funds—though full audit reports are not publicly published.

As a non-custodial exchange, SimpleSwap never holds user assets, reducing exposure to custodial risks; the platform does not currently offer public Proof of Reserves, cold reserve percentages, or external audit disclosures.

Insurance & Protection Funds

There appears to be no formal insurance coverage or dedicated protection fund for user assets, meaning that gamblers with large holdings are not shielded against operational or platform risks.

There is no public program offering insured coverage or asset protection funds—security relies on infrastructure practices like SSL encryption and secure transaction channels rather than third-party insurance.

Incident History

The platform claims zero successful hacks or asset losses since inception; however, users have occasionally reported account freezes or withdrawal delays, though there’s no record of formal penalties or regulatory sanctions.

SimpleSwap has maintained a clean record—no documented security breaches, funds seizures, or regulatory enforcement actions appear in public sources, reflecting a history free from major incidents.

Risk Controls

Security tools include mandatory two-factor authentication (via app or YubiKey), withdrawal whitelists, phishing safeguards, session kill-switches, and granular API access, plus identity recovery protocols for lost 2FA.

The platform enforces strong security protocols including SSL encryption, optional two-factor authentication for added account safety, and compliance-driven KYC escalation in higher-risk cases; however, features like address whitelists, sub-accounts, granular API controls, or anti-phishing mechanisms are not prominently offered.

Transparency

HitBTC supports transparency through public wallet-address disclosures for proof-of-reserves, but does not regularly publish monthly audit reports or uptime SLAs, and further formal documentation remains limited.

SimpleSwap does not provide regular reporting like monthly reports or SLAs, nor does it maintain public wallet addresses; its transparency relies on its non-custodial structure and clear service terms rather than open reserve disclosures or performance metrics.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

HitBTC does not support direct fiat deposits via bank transfer or e-wallets; any fiat funding goes through third-party providers such as card processors, which bring their own limits and variable processing times.

SimpleSwap supports fiat deposits exclusively through its partner Mercuryo, typically via Visa or Mastercard, including virtual, debit, and credit cards, zero stated minimums or maximums, and instant payment processing, though processing limits are influenced by third-party policies.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

HitBTC offers tiered account statuses—unverified “starter”, “verified”, and “qualified”—each unlocking progressively higher crypto withdrawal and (insider-access to) fiat limits, with basic trading accessible even without KYC.

SimpleSwap enables anonymous crypto-to-crypto swaps without KYC, but using fiat services or large transactions may trigger partner-enforced identity verification (e.g., basic KYC via Mercuryo) depending on risk assessments, without predefined tiers disclosed.

Withdrawals

limits, timing & networks

Since SimpleSwap is non-custodial, withdrawals simply reflect on-chain transfers to your wallet, with no platform-imposed limits; completion typically takes between several minutes up to an hour depending on network load and chosen blockchain.

Customer Support

Support is primarily via ticket or email (not live chat), with a knowledge base available, and response times can slow during busy periods despite claims of 24/7 availability.

SimpleSwap offers 24/7 live chat and email support with generally fast response times, backed by a detailed FAQ and blog guides that serve as a robust self-help resource.

Languages & Localization

The platform is natively in English, shows prices in USD or EUR, but does not tailor regulatory disclosures or fees for local jurisdictions—geospecific clarity is limited.

The platform is available in around 10 languages on the website (with app support in 6), displays pricing and rates in common fiat like EUR or USD based on your region, while service availability is tailored to local regulatory environments.

App Quality & Stability

HitBTC’s mobile app is actively maintained and used for trading on the go, though it may lack some features from the web interface; official crash-rate data isn’t published, but periodic updates continue to improve stability and UX.

SimpleSwap’s mobile app is designed for smooth, user-friendly crypto swaps and applies the same core functionalities as the web platform; while precise crash rates aren’t published, user feedback reports high stability and ongoing updates to expand asset availability and app performance.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform balances usability for beginners with depth for pros; while there’s no “Lite/Pro” toggle, the demo mode offers a simplified environment, and the main interface supports both intuitive order entry and advanced API-driven workflows.

SimpleSwap’s interface shines with its minimalist design—there’s no “Lite” or “Pro” toggle, but the intuitive layout makes the learning curve nearly nonexistent, allowing users of all levels to initiate swaps quickly and effortlessly on both desktop and mobile.

Performance

HitBTC generally delivers low-latency order execution, though market surges can spike system load; its real-time system monitor dashboard reveals live queues and statuses of deposits, withdrawals, and trading availability.

The platform generally executes instant swaps with low latency by sourcing multiple liquidity providers; while it doesn’t face order system overloads, swaps may take slightly longer during high blockchain congestion—there’s no bulk KYC process since accounts aren’t required.

Education

The exchange offers a fully functional demo/simulator with virtual funds to practice strategies across spot, margin, and futures markets, supplemented by support articles and multilingual content; while resources exist, dedicated Spanish-language materials are limited.

SimpleSwap offers robust educational support via its blog, guides, and FAQs—but lacks demo or simulator tools; however, it caters to Spanish speakers with translated articles and interface options for enhanced accessibility.

Community

HitBTC supports community engagement via its blog, Reddit, and Telegram channels, and runs a referral program, though standalone forums or Discord-based discussions appear minimal.

Community engagement thrives through its ambassador and affiliate programs, offering users access to private Telegram groups, content support, and cashback incentives—though public forums or Discord channels aren’t prominently advertised.

Integrations

The platform integrates with TradingView-style charts natively, supports robust external bots through REST, WebSocket, and FIX APIs, and while it doesn’t offer tax tools, traders can export trade reports for accounting tasks.

SimpleSwap doesn’t embed TradingView charts or offer native bot support, but it does provide a transparent API and widget for smooth integration with external tools and developer workflows; no built-in tax or accounting tools are included.

Who Each One Is Best For

HitBTC suits algorithmic and experienced traders seeking deep asset coverage and programmatic access, while demo tools lower the entry barrier—but newcomers without comfort in API or report-driven accounting may find it less straightforward.

SimpleSwap is ideal for both newcomers and seasoned crypto users who value instant, no-account swaps with strong privacy and multi-language support—especially useful when speed, simplicity, and broad coin access matter more than advanced trading tools.