Swyftx vs Valr: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Swyftx and Valr 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

Swyftx

Valr

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United States

Europe

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India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Swyftx is ideal if:

Great for beginners and casual traders — Swyftx’s intuitive interface, demo mode, and educational incentives (like Learn & Earn) make it easy to get started with confidence.
Well-suited for Australian and New Zealand users — Built specifically for local fiat (AUD/NZD) usage and regulatory environments, offering seamless deposits and tax tools.
Less ideal for advanced traders — Lacks margin, futures, and derivatives options that experienced or professional traders often require.

Valr is ideal if:

Ideal for mobile-first traders Offers both a streamlined “Simple Buy/Sell” interface for quick trades and a robust exchange terminal with TradingView charts—perfect whether you're on the go or want advanced control.
Great for institutions and high-frequency traders Comes with institutional-grade APIs, subaccounts, and deep liquidity options tailored to algorithmic and corporate trading strategies.
Strong choice if you value security and regulation Backed by reputable investors and regulated across South Africa, Europe, and Dubai, offering peace of mind for users in jurisdictions where it's licensed.

Swyftx isn’t ideal if:

You need advanced or professional trading tools — Swyftx lacks margin, futures, derivatives, copy-trading, and staking features.
You trade niche, low-liquidity assets — Some rare tokens may show limited functionality or suffer from low liquidity, leading to higher slippage.
You’re outside Australia/New Zealand — Availability is currently restricted to those regions, so international users won’t have access.

Valr isn’t ideal if:

Not ideal if you're seeking global fiat flexibility Limited to a handful of fiat currencies, it doesn't support many global financial methods like PayPal or cards beyond ZAR.
Not ideal for complete beginners needing guidance Lacks educational tools, tutorials, and demo trading—so newcomers must learn by doing.
Not ideal if you need broad crypto variety or margin options Offers a narrower selection of assets and more restricted leverage choices than many mainstream exchanges.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Swyftx employs a unified spot fee structure—maker and taker are the same—and those rates decrease automatically with higher 30-day AUD trading volumes, starting from a standard tier and improving with volume tiers.

VALR uses a tiered structure where increased 30-day trading volume leads to lower or even negative maker fees and reduced taker fees on both fiat and crypto spot trades.

Futures/Derivatives

Futures, margin, and derivatives trading are not available on Swyftx, so there are no maker/taker or funding costs to consider.

Perpetual futures follow the same volume-tiered schedule—makers may pay zero or negative fees, while takers benefit from progressively lower percentages as volume rises; funding occurs regularly based on market conditions (but specific rates fluctuate over time).

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

While Swyftx doesn’t list exact spread figures in long-term terms, publicly reported estimates suggest moderately tight spreads for major pairs, suitable for straightforward spot trades without deep order-book advantages.

Spreads are generally tight, aligning with industry norms for highly liquid pairs, ensuring minimal difference between buy and sell prices.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Users in Australia and New Zealand can deposit using bank transfer, PayID, card (via Stripe or Banxa), with zero platform fees for AUD transfers—though third-party or card premium spreads may apply—while NZD withdrawals incur a flat local fee; processing times are standard regionally.

Fiat deposits (wire, SEPA, card, EFT depending on the currency) are free of platform fees and usually post within two days; bank withdrawals follow standard local banking hours and policies, with occasional small charges and speed options.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals incur only the blockchain’s network fee, which is dynamic and set by the network (not Swyftx), and varies per asset and congestion levels across BTC, ETH, TRX networks, etc.

Crypto withdrawals incur variable, network-based fees that depend on blockchain congestion—no fixed flat rates from the platform itself.

Hidden Costs

Swyftx does not charge inactivity fees; users may face third-party conversion or card provider spreads, and while there’s no express KYC charge, any expedited services would depend on external verification services.

There are generally no surprise or maintenance fees—no inactivity charges, no hidden conversion costs, and premium KYC (if offered) doesn’t carry extra fees unless noted at the point of use.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you were to buy roughly the equivalent of €500 worth of BTC via AUD (via conversion), the total cost would comprise the spot trading fee (based on your tier), any AUD conversion or card spread, and then the network fee when withdrawing on-chain—all combined into a seamless composite cost, without separate hidden charges.

If you were to purchase €500 of BTC, your total would include a modest trading fee (based on your tier), a minimal spread typical of liquid markets, and your withdrawal cost would depend on the chosen network’s fee at that time.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Swyftx offers over 440 cryptocurrencies across a wide variety of trading pairs, including all major BTC, ETH, and AUD combinations—so top-20 volume pairs are fully covered while smaller altcoins also enjoy strong representation.

VALR lists over 75 cryptocurrencies across roughly 60–71 trading pairs; top volume pairs typically include BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDT, and BTC/ZAR.

Product Range

The platform focuses exclusively on spot trading and provides features like crypto bundles and auto-invest (akin to DCA), but it does not support margin, futures, options, ETFs, staking/earn, loans, copy-trading, or grid bots.

VALR offers spot trading, spot margin with up to 5× leverage, and perpetual futures with leverage up to 60×. It also supports staking/earn programs and lending, but lacks options, crypto ETFs, copy trading, grid bots, or automated DCA products.

Liquidity

Swyftx delivers solid liquidity on popular BTC and ETH pairs via a broker model; while exact 24-hour figures and depth aren’t disclosed, spreads are reported as tight and competitive for seamless basic spot execution.

The exchange typically handles over US$30 million in daily trading volume, with deep liquidity on major BTC and ETH pairs facilitating tighter order book depth.

Tools

Swyftx offers limit, stop, and recurring (trigger) orders, full TradingView charting, auto-invest capabilities, market alerts, and an API for automated access—yet no native trading bots or OCO functionalities are noted.

You can place limit, market, and stop-limit orders (including OCO equivalents). VALR offers advanced charting integrated with TradingView, configurable alerts, and both API and WebSocket access for real-time trading and data needs.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

As of now, Swyftx is available only in Australia and New Zealand, and it does not offer any advanced derivatives, lending, or leveraged products to users in any region.

Some jurisdictions are restricted from offering certain features—derivatives, for example, are only available in qualifying regions, meaning not every user can access margin or futures products depending on local compliances.

Innovation

The platform stands out with its auto-invest (simplified DCA), crypto bundles, self-managed super fund (SMSF) support, demo mode, and educational rewards—but it does not currently offer launchpads, flexible vs locked earn programs, or similar promotional yield features.

While VALR doesn’t offer launchpads or launchpools, it does provide both flexible staking and lending options alongside traditional locked products, giving users varied approaches to earning on their assets.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Swyftx Pty Ltd, established mid-2010s, headquartered in Milton, Brisbane, Australia.

VALR operates through several legal entities including VALR Proprietary Ltd (established 2018, headquartered in South Africa), VALR EU in Poland, and regional branches in India and Dubai—demonstrating a multi-jurisdictional operational structure.

Licenses/Registration

Fully registered with local AML/CTF authorities in Australia and New Zealand, subject to regular audit under respective national frameworks.

VALR holds multiple regulatory approvals

Custody

Assets are split between hot and cold storage under Swyftx’s custodial control; they operate with a full 1

VALR maintains a fully reserved custodial model, where all user funds are held 100% backed and are never lent out. Transfers of crypto assets require multi-signature approvals across secure locations, with funds stored in both cold and hot wallets using multi-sig technology.

Insurance & Protection Funds

No publicly listed third-party insurance or protection fund is offered by Swyftx at this time.

There’s no publicly stated insurance or user protection fund offered—VALR emphasizes full reserves and strong internal safeguards rather than insured coverage.

Incident History

There are no reported hacks, major service suspensions, fund freezes, or regulatory fines recorded for the platform to date.

There are no publicly documented major security incidents, hacks, suspensions, or regulatory fines affecting VALR to date, reflecting a clean track record.

Risk Controls

Robust safeguards include optional two-factor authentication, biometric login, breached-password detection, least-privilege internal architecture, anti-phishing guidance, and wallet whitelisting processes for withdrawals.

VALR implements robust user protections

Transparency

Swyftx maintains ISO 27001 certification for information security management, employs ongoing third-party audits, and enforces a 1/1 asset model—but does not publish user-specific monthly reserve reports or transparent SLAs publicly.

VALR does not publicly publish monthly financial or reserve reports, nor does it offer a public wallet or explicit service-level agreements (SLAs); transparency is delivered through regulatory registration and communication rather than open-ended disclosures.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Users in Australia can deposit via bank transfer (instant with Osko or 2–3 business days otherwise), PayID (usually instant), card through Stripe (instant) or Banxa (30–45 minutes). Bank transfers include no minimum, Stripe has a ~AUD 30 minimum, Banxa starts at ~AUD 91, and PayID has no set minimum; each channel’s limits vary, and timing and third-party provider fees apply.

Users can deposit ZAR via EFT or South African-issued Visa/Mastercard (3D Secure), while USD and EUR can be sent via SWIFT or SEPA transfers (converted to stablecoins). ZAR card deposits incur around a 3.9% fee; EFT is free. USD deposits require a minimum of $5, while EUR has a €1 minimum. Processing times vary—from instant for cards to up to 48 hours for bank transfers.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

The platform uses a tiered verification system—Basic (Gold) for standard functionality and Diamond for higher limits—unlocking higher deposit and withdrawal caps when fully verified.

VALR employs a tiered KYC system with different levels (standard and Fully-Verified Plus). Higher levels, enabled by features like 2FA, unlock significantly higher withdrawal limits—ranging from fractions of a BTC up to 100 BTC daily.

Withdrawals

Fiat withdrawals in AUD and NZD are via bank transfer, with minimums of AUD 4 or NZD 30, daily totals up to ~AUD/NZD 50,000 (increasable with advanced KYC), and processing times from minutes (Osko) up to 10 business days. Crypto withdrawals require network confirmation, have dynamic network fees, and Swyftx deducts only the blockchain fee—not extra platform charges.

Daily crypto withdrawal limits depend on KYC status (up to 100 BTC). Users can choose networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20, and more; fees are dynamically quoted. Fiat (ZAR) withdrawals follow local banking hours, with free standard or paid fast transfers depending on the bank.

Customer Support

Swyftx provides 24/7 support via live chat, email, and phone, with access to a well-developed knowledge base and chatbot. Response times are typically fast, often within minutes for live chat.

VALR offers 24/7 support through a chatbot, email/ticket system, and a searchable knowledge base. Response via live chat or phone is limited, but the help center is comprehensive.

Languages & Localization

The platform is optimized for English-speaking users in Australia and New Zealand, showing balances and fees in AUD/NZD—with local regulatory alignment and no native display options for other fiat currencies.

The platform operates primarily in English (with limited additional language support), displays prices in local currencies like USD, EUR, or ZAR based on region, and reflects applicable regulatory contexts transparently.

App Quality & Stability

Swyftx’s app (iOS and Android) offers biometric security, TradingView charting, seamless trade functionality, and consistent updates; it holds high user ratings and is noted for a polished, stable experience.

VALR offers both web and mobile interfaces. Mobile apps are regularly updated, delivering smooth charting and trading experiences. While exact crash rates aren’t disclosed, user feedback suggests the app is generally stable, with no major performance complaints in recent updates. (No explicit crash rate data available.)

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Swyftx offers a highly intuitive interface with customizable dashboards on both app and web; though it doesn’t use explicit “Lite/Pro” modes, the layout adjusts seamlessly from beginner to more advanced users by adding/removing widgets and choosing preset layouts.

The platform offers a dual-interface approach—with a beginner-friendly “Simple Buy/Sell” mode for quick swaps and a more advanced trading terminal for experienced users, creating a smooth progression as your familiarity grows.

Performance

Order execution on Swyftx is fast and stable, even during busy periods—while explicit latency or downtime figures aren’t disclosed, user reviews frequently highlight swift reactions and minimal disruptions under volatile market conditions.

VALR delivers generally low-latency execution and stable performance even during busy periods, with no widely reported system outages or KYC bottlenecks—even in volatile market conditions.

Education

Swyftx delivers a robust learning ecosystem with its “Swyftx Learn” portal featuring courses and quizzes, plus a fully functional demo mode with USD $10,000 in mock funds to practice trading—all tools aimed at reinforcing confidence before live trading.

There’s no formal academy, demo account, or Spanish-language content on VALR; educational guidance is minimal, placing the learning responsibility primarily on the user.

Community

The exchange supports a referral program where both parties receive rewards after sign-up and KYC completion, while maintaining active presence across forums, Discord, Telegram, and social platforms to cultivate its community and engagement.

VALR supports a referral program and maintains communication channels through its support portal and social media, but doesn’t feature official forums or active Discord/Telegram communities.

Integrations

Swyftx integrates TradingView for advanced charting, offers API access for automation, and includes tax-report tools; while it doesn’t directly support third-party bots, its ecosystem facilitates DCA setups and portfolio tracking.

The exchange integrates TradingView natively for charting and supports external trading bots through its API, yet it lacks built-in tax reporting or bookkeeping tools.

Who Each One Is Best For

Swyftx works best for beginner to intermediate traders in Australia and New Zealand who value simplicity, educational support, and local fiat integration—less ideal for advanced traders seeking derivatives, margin products, or global access.

VALR shines for mobile-first traders and corporate users seeking advanced tools and clean interfaces, but may feel limited for beginners needing educational support or for users seeking tax and community integration.