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

Trying to choose between Webull 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 20, 2025

Webull

Valr

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Webull is ideal if:

Best for hands-on, self-directed traders who want a sleek mobile-first experience with powerful charting tools, paper trading, and streamlined technical analysis.
Great for active or intermediate investors who appreciate commission-free access to stocks, ETFs, options, fractional shares, and even crypto on a responsive multi-platform setup.
Suitable for those seeking simple automation, thanks to Webull’s beginner-friendly tools like Smart Advisor (robo-advisory service), recurring investments, and digital portfolio guidance.

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.

Webull isn’t ideal if:

Not great if you prefer mutual funds or bonds, since Webull doesn’t offer access to those traditional investment vehicles.
May overwhelm true beginners, as its platform leans heavily on technical tools and charting that can be complex for newcomers.
Limited customer support could frustrate you, especially if you expect fast, live assistance or chat options during crunch times.

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

Webull applies a built-in price markup (spread) for crypto trades rather than standard maker/taker fees, with no public volume-tier discounts or token-based rebates available on their platform.

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

For futures, Webull charges contract-based fees set by its exchange partners (like CME), and the platform does not publicly disclose maker/taker or funding-rate structures for these instruments.

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

Webull embeds typical spreads of around one percent on both buying and selling of major crypto trades, implicitly reflecting the cost rather than stating exact bid–ask spreads per pair.

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

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Users can deposit or withdraw via ACH, which is free but slower, or via domestic/international wire transfers, which are faster yet incur modest fixed fees set by the clearing firm; timing varies from same-day up to several business days.

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

Webull currently does not support external crypto wallet transfers for most assets, so network and dynamic on-chain withdrawal fees do not apply for crypto; fiat wires are processed off-chain.

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

Hidden Costs

Webull does not charge inactivity or maintenance fees. Currency conversion may occur at your bank when funding with a different base currency, and there are no added charges for expedited identity 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 purchase €500 worth of Bitcoin, you’ll effectively pay a small percentage markup embedded in the trade price, then any fiat withdrawal back to your bank may incur a wire-transfer charge, while ACH withdrawal of fiat remains free.

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

Webull supports trading in approximately 36 cryptocurrencies directly through its platform, offering a well-rounded selection of both major and niche tokens, though the top 20 by trading volume typically include dominant pairs like BTC, ETH, Litecoin, and Dogecoin.

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

Webull provides spot trading for cryptocurrencies, recently expanded into futures contracts (e.g. Bitcoin and Ethereum) via its partnership with Coinbase Derivatives, and offers staking and stablecoin rewards through Webull Pay powered by Coinbase’s infrastructure; crypto options, crypto ETFs, margin, copy trading, bots, and auto-DCA are not part of its current crypto menu.

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

While Webull itself doesn’t publish specific 24-hour volumes or order book depth for its crypto pairs, the Coinbase infrastructure backing Webull Pay provides access to institutional-grade liquidity and tight spreads, implying solid depth for major pairs like BTC and ETH.

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

Webull offers advanced trading tools including limit and market orders, and robust charting features across mobile and desktop (akin to TradingView-level interactivity), plus customizable alerts; however, advanced order types like OCO (one-cancels-other), public API/WS for crypto, and native TradingView integrations are not currently available.

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

Crypto trading on Webull is seamless in most U.S. states, but there are regional exceptions—for instance, New York residents are limited to trading a narrower set of tokens; futures and expanded crypto offerings are currently available only to U.S. users, with global rollout in progress.

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

While Webull doesn’t currently offer launchpad or launchpool events, it’s innovating in crypto yield products—through Webull Pay, users will soon access staking and USDC-based reward programs (with flexible terms) thanks to its Coinbase partnership, though locked-term options have not been specified.

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

Webull was founded in 2016 under a Chinese holding, with Webull Financial LLC established in Delaware in 2017, turning into a U.S.-based broker-dealer licensed by the SEC and FINRA by 2018, while Webull Corporation now sits as the Cayman-Islands-registered parent headquartered in Florida.

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

Webull operates under top-tier U.S. oversight (SEC, FINRA) with requirements for client fund segregation, though it does not publicly present itself as a VASP under MiCA or equivalent global crypto licensing frameworks at this time.

VALR holds multiple regulatory approvals

Custody

Custody for crypto on Webull is handled through Coinbase’s Crypto-as-a-Service, leveraging institutional-grade security with encrypted systems and offline cold storage; there’s no public disclosure of proof of reserves, audit reports, or a cold-storage percentage.

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

Securities and cash in Webull Financial LLC accounts are SIPC-protected up to standard limits, with excess SIPC insurance via Lloyd’s of London or clearing firm Apex, but no specialized insurance for digital asset holdings.

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

Webull has not been involved in major crypto-exchange hacks; however, it has faced regulatory scrutiny such as a $3 million FINRA fine in 2023 over customer complaint handling and due diligence lapses, along with multi-state probes and a state-device ban in Tennessee due to concerns over ties to China.

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

Risk Controls

Webull enforces industry standard safeguards like 2FA, encryption, and internal controls, with account security layers in place; however, advanced crypto-specific features like whitelists, sub-accounts, anti-phishing tools, or granular API permissions are not prominently available.

VALR implements robust user protections

Transparency

Webull does not currently publish monthly custody or audit reports, nor a publicly visible wallet or balance sheet for crypto assets, and service-level agreements (SLAs) for uptime or asset availability aren’t publicly disclosed.

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

Webull supports funding via ACH transfers—free, with up to $50,000 per deposit and settlement in 3–5 business days, allowing around $1,000 of immediate purchasing power; wire transfers (domestic/international) are available with faster settlement (1–2 days for domestic, up to 5 for foreign), no formal deposit limits, and costs handled by the sending bank.

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)

Webull requires standard identity verification upon account opening (name, bank linkage) and performs additional steps like micro-deposits through Plaid when needed; it does not advertise multiple KYC tiers or specific deposit/withdrawal limits tied to verification levels.

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 are possible via ACH (free, 1–3 business days, daily limit around $50,000) or wire transfers (domestic and international options, time ranging from next-day to several days); there’s no support for crypto-network withdrawals (e.g., ERC-20, TRC-20) from crypto holdings as Webull currently handles those internally.

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

Webull offers support primarily via email and an extensive online Help Center with FAQs and guides; there’s no indication of a 24/7 live chat, and response times vary; documentation is comprehensive, though interactive support may be limited.

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 tailors its services based on region—US users operate in USD, while European users access deposits and pricing in euros (via Webull Europe), with localized interfaces and regulatory compliance. However, Spanish-language localization isn’t broadly featured unless offered locally by a regional branch.

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

Webull is generally considered stable and has effectively weathered market surges and volatility since its 2016 launch, but users occasionally report UI crashes or performance hiccups, especially on mobile; regular updates and troubleshooting tips are available in its help guides.

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

Webull strikes a solid balance between sophistication and ease of use, featuring a streamlined interface for the everyday user while offering a “Pro-like” feel through customizable dashboards, advanced charting, and intuitive navigation—though there’s no true “Lite” vs “Pro” mode toggle.

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

The platform generally delivers low-latency trade execution and holds up firmly during high-volatility periods; while user surges can cause interface lag, widespread “crashes” are rare and downtime is minimal even in bull markets.

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

Webull provides a rich educational ecosystem, including a structured learning section with tutorials, community-led lessons, in-app webinars, and a robust paper-trading simulator—though Spanish-language modules are limited outside select regions.

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

Webull fosters a lively investing community through in-app discussion boards where users share strategies, ask questions, and learn from each other; there’s engagement via feeds and idea-sharing, but no formal presence on Discord or Telegram for official support.

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

The platform now offers deep integration with TradingView—allowing you to trade directly from its rich charting interface—although integrations with external tax tools, accounting software, or third-party bots remain limited.

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

Webull is ideal for self-directed and intermediate investors who value powerful visuals, flexible tools, and a vibrant peer community—less suited for those wanting lightweight simplicity, multi-platform integrations, or extensive multilingual support.

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.