HitBTC Review 2025: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
- Trade over 620 markets with up to 100x leverage
- Native wallet and token for convenience and fee discounts
- OTC trading available for high-volume traders
In anticipation of the altcoin season, we decided to test CEXs that offer the best conditions for altcoin traders. HitBTC has emerged as a suitable candidate thanks to its large selection of altcoins and trading pairs and support for futures and margin trading.
To create an unbiased HitBTC review, we created an account on this CEX and tested its trading and security features. We also took into account reviews from other users to find out what its biggest strengths and limitations are.
With that in mind, in this guide, we’ll discuss HitBTC’s main features, native token and wallet app, fees, and available payment methods. We’ll also cover its main strengths and weaknesses, and you’ll learn how to create an account on HitBTC and how this CEX compares to other popular crypto trading platforms.
With that in mind, here’s all you need to know about HitBTC.
HitBTC Review: Pros and Cons
HitBTC is an ideal platform for frequent altcoin traders, as it supports over 375 cryptocurrencies, 800+ crypto pairs, and 626 markets. You’ll also get to trade perpetual futures with up to 100x leverage and practice your skills on its Demo account. This CEX is suitable for experienced traders as it supports perpetual futures with up to 100x leverage.
Advanced traders also benefit from its trading contests, which give rewards for trading specific tokens. HitBTC has a native token that offers fee discounts, and a native wallet that lets you buy crypto with VISA, MasterCard, and Apple Pay, and send tokens via QR codes.
On the downside, HitBTC uses three types of KYC verification, which could represent quite a challenge for many users. What’s more, HitBTC offers only one support channel – email -, and we found its support team slow to respond. We also noticed that its inactivity fee is quite high compared to its competitors – $50 per month.
Pros
- Supports 800+ crypto pairs and 620+ markets
- Perpetual futures come with up to 100x leverage
- Demo account available
- Frequent trading contests
- Supports multiple sub-accounts
- Trading fee discounts for $HIT token holders
- Native wallet
- Supports OTC trading
Cons
- Hit-or-miss customer support
- Not suitable for beginners
- High inactivity fee
- No regulatory licenses
What is HitBTC?
HitBTC is a centralized crypto exchange that specializes in altcoin spot trading. This exchange launched in February 2014 and is currently in the 101st place on CoinMarketCap’s list of the largest crypto exchanges. HitBTC has one of the largest spot trading markets. On that note, you can trade 375+ cryptocurrencies and 800+ crypto pairs.
The platform also supports perpetual futures contracts with up to 100x leverage and margin trading. HitBTC is based in Hong Kong and is available in over 90 countries. However, due to regulatory restrictions, the exchange is not available in the US, Canada, or the UK.
HitBTC Exchange Overview:
HitBTC is a CEX that is ideal for altcoin traders due to its low fees and a variety of trading products and services. In addition to being able to trade 375+ cryptocurrencies and 800+ crypto pairs, you’ll also get to participate in its trading competitions. Plus, you’ll get to practice your skills on its Demo account. With that in mind, here’s a quick overview of its products and services.
| Exchange Type | CEX |
| Best For | Altcoin traders |
| Based In | Hong Kong |
| Availability | 90+ countries. Excludes the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and more |
| Licenses | Compliance with GDPR |
| KYC Verification | Required |
| Supported Coins | 375+ |
| Deposit Methods | Crypto only |
| Trading Products | Spot and margin trading, perpetual futures contracts |
| Fees | Spot: 0.12% maker / 0.25% taker, Futures: 0.02% maker / 0.07% taker |
| Key Features | Demo account, trading contests, market overview dashboard |
| Customer Support |
Is HitBTC Safe and Trustworthy?
In this segment of our HitBTC review, we’ll cover its security features. On that note, HitBTC uses advanced security measures, such as 2FA, Touch ID login, address whitelisting, and cold storage. To log into your account, you’ll need to enter a 4-digit PIN code. Next, you’ll need to set up a 2FA or activate a biometric login option (Touch ID). The exchange also uses cold storage to keep your funds safe.
HitBTC follows the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means that users from the EU and EEA have the right to manage their private data. HitBTC will also notify the account owner if any type of suspicious activity occurs. However, HitBTC is not regulated by major financial authorities.
HitBTC has experienced only one significant security breach so far. In 2021, the Sentinel Network claimed that 40 million of $DVPN coins were stolen from its users. This happened due to the vulnerability in HitBTC’s mnemonic phrase.
HitBTC has a DD security rating on Certified, with a 26% security score, and an 80.24 A score on Certik.
What Coins and Trading Pairs Does HitBTC Support?
You can trade 375+ coins and tokens, from Bitcoin and Ethereum to Tether, and Ripple, as well as 800+ crypto pairs, like BTC/USDT, ETH/BTC, XMR/BTC, and DASH/BTC. The platform also supports 626 markets. To choose a trading pair, you’ll first need to select the trading instrument (BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, HIT, FIAT, DAI, EURS, and EURC). After that, you’ll see a list of all markets available for the selected token.
Besides altcoins, HitBTC also supports AI-powered tokens, like GRT, FET, and NMR, meme coins, like SHIB, FLOKI, and PEPE, and gaming tokens, like MANA, SAND, and AXS. On the downside, the platform delisted multiple popular coins, such as BTCP, BUSD, and DOGE.
HitBTC Features
As mentioned before in our HitBTC exchange review, the platform supports spot and margin trading, futures, and OTC trading. Beginners can practice their trading skills on a demo account, while experienced traders benefit from trading competitions, a market overview dashboard, and the sub-accounts option. Now, let’s discuss these features in more detail.
Spot and Margin Trading
HitBTC supports 375+ coins and tokens and 800+ spot trading pairs. The most popular spot trading pairs include BTC/USDT, ETH/BTC, and HIT/BTC. The platform also supports advanced trading tools, such as market, limit, stop, and stop-limit orders, which give you greater control over your portfolio and risk.
HitBTC offers two main accounts – the Wallet account and the Spot account. The former is used to receive and store funds, while the latter is used for placing orders. This means that you’ll have to transfer funds from your Wallet to your Spot account to conduct trades.
HitBTC also supports margin trading with leverage that ranges from 3x to 25x, depending on the trading pair. For example, you can trade BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT pairs with 25x and 20x leverage, respectively, while trading the HIT/BTC pair comes with 3x leverage.
Derivatives
The best crypto futures trading platforms enable you to speculate on the future prices of digital assets without owning them. They also allow you to use leverage, so you can amplify your trading positions and potential returns. HitBTC lets you trade 50 crypto pairs as perpetual futures, such as BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and SOL/USDT. The leverage ranges from 25x to 100x, depending on the trading pair. You can also trade multiple instruments using shared collateral.
On the downside, HitBTC doesn’t support copy trading and options. So, if you want to trade options, we suggest opening an account on one of our top-rated crypto options trading platforms.
OTC Trading
HitBTC’s over-the-counter trading (OTC) service enables you to buy/sell digital assets outside of public exchanges. The current minimum transaction amount stands at 10 USDT, while the maximum transaction amount is not fixed. You’ll also need to pay a transaction fee – 0.1% per transaction – which is relatively small compared to other exchanges.
Demo Account
In this segment of our HitBTC review, we’ll discuss one of its standout features – the demo account. You can use the demo account to get familiar with the platform’s tools and practice your trading strategies without making real investments. On that note, you’ll be using virtual funds that will be allocated to your wallet (0.2 BTC) and spot account (2000 USDT). You can also trade manually or via HitBTC’s API.
The demo platform mirrors HitBTC’s main platform. However, we noticed that it offers only three markets – BTC/USDT, EOS/BTC, and EOS/USDT, which is a bit of a letdown.
HitBTC Market Overview
The market overview dashboard helps you monitor all HitBTC markets at once. On that note, you’ll get to check the current price, the 24-hour trading volume, market spread, depth, and activity of all supported crypto pairs on HitBTC. You’ll also get to use filters and TradingView charts and take advantage of HitBTC’s built-in notifications.
Sub-Accounts
HitBTC lets you create a master account and multiple sub-accounts that are tied to it. Sub-accounts enable you to try different trading styles and strategies and keep your portfolios organized. You can use your master account to access the balance sheet of your subsidiary accounts. You can also transfer funds from your master to your sub-accounts for zero fees. However, you won’t be able to transfer funds between your sub-accounts.
Keep in mind that only accounts with email addresses that are not linked to the HitBTC exchange can be added as sub-accounts. We also noticed that there is no option to delete your sub-accounts. You can only freeze them.
Trading Contests
HitBTC is known for its trading contests that allow you to earn rewards by trading specific tokens, such as CGT, XRD, and SXP. For example, participants in the CurioDAO (CGT) trading contest competed for a prize of 50,000 CGT (which is about $98.55), while the Radix (XRD) trading contest offered a prize of 20,000 XRD (which is about $82.42). At the time of writing, HitBTC has no active trading contests.
HitBTC Wallet
HitBTC has a native software wallet where you can buy, swap, sell, and receive cryptocurrencies directly from the app. You can also buy crypto with VISA, MasterCard, and Apple Pay, and send tokens via QR codes. Moreover, in the future, you’ll get to send crypto to your friends for zero fees (this feature is yet to be released).
The wallet uses basic and advanced security measures, from 2FA to biometrics or face ID. Keep in mind that this is a custodial wallet, which means that HitBTC will be responsible for managing your funds and private keys. This makes it suitable for beginners and day traders but unsuitable for long-term traders and DeFi users, who should opt for a DeFi crypto wallet.
HitBTC wallet supports 700+ cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, EOS, and Cardano. The wallet is also compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
HitBTC Fees
This segment of our HitBTC exchange review is dedicated to its trading fees. HitBTC uses a tiered-fee system, which means that the maker and taker fees will depend on your tier, or 30-day trading volume. On that note, the maker and taker fees for spot and margin trading start at 0.12% and 0.25%, respectively, while the maker and taker fees for futures start at 0.02% and 0.07%, respectively.
The holders of its native token, $HIT, will get trading fee discounts for their spot and margin trades ranging from 3% to 45%, based on their HIT holdings. For example, Tier 1 and 2 traders (30-day trading volume over 100,000 USDT) will get a 3% discount by holding 500 $HIT tokens and a 40% discount for holding 16,000,000 $HIT tokens. Keep in mind that the taker fees cannot go below 0.02%. This token discount system is also used by some of the best low-fee crypto exchanges, like Best Wallet, Binance, and MEXC.
HitBTC doesn’t charge deposit fees, while the withdrawal fees are both flat and dynamic. I.e., the rates won’t depend on the withdrawal amount. Instead, they’ll be automatically adjusted to the market conditions. You’ll also have to pay inactivity fees if you don’t use your account for 6 months. The inactivity fee is charged on a monthly basis, and it stands at $50, which is quite high.
HitBTC Payment Methods
At the time of writing, HitBTC doesn’t support fiat deposits. This means that you won’t be able to link your HitBTC account with your bank account. You can only make crypto deposits. However, due to its partnership with third-party payment providers, MoonPay and Mercuryo, you’ll be able to buy crypto using Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay.
The transaction fee will depend on the payment provider. For example, MoonPay charges a 1% fee for bank transfers and a 4.5% fee for Visa cards. On the other hand, Mercuryo’s trading fees go up to 5.5% for cards and up to 3% for bank transfers.
Is HitBTC User-Friendly?
HitBTC is more suitable for experienced traders since it features advanced trading tools and multiple order types. As mentioned before in our HitBTC review, the platform uses two main accounts, one for receiving and storing funds and one for placing orders, which beginners may find overwhelming. Beginners may also find its market overview dashboard too complex.
The exchange is available as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. You can also use its web version. While the web version works without any issues, we noticed that its mobile app is pretty glitchy. For example, we faced errors when uploading KYC documents. Moreover, the verification process took longer than expected.
Where is HitBTC Available?
HitBTC is a global crypto exchange that’s available in over 90 countries. However, due to regulatory restrictions, the platform is not available in the following countries:
- US
- Canada
- UK
- France
- Germany
- Italy
- Belgium
- North Korea
- Sudan
- Crimea and Sevastopol
- Cuba
- Syria
Does HitBTC Require KYC?
To trade on HitBTC, you’ll need to pass the KYC verification. HitBTC uses three types of KYC verification – general, verified, and qualified. The general status is the basic status you’ll get once you create an account. It lets you use crypto-only features, i.e., to deposit and trade crypto. However, you won’t be able to use fiat.
The verified and qualified status will enable you to use USD, EUR, and GBP to make a deposit, join the fee tier program, and pay lower trading fees. You’ll also be able to increase your withdrawal limits. For example, you’ll be able to withdraw up to 100 BTC, while monthly withdrawals come with no limits.
To obtain the verified status, you’ll have to upload photos of your passport or national ID and a bank account statement that shows your home address. To get the qualified status, you’ll need to upload a certified (notarized) copy of your passport, proof of residence, and an original letter from the bank for at least one of your bank accounts.
If you prefer to trade crypto anonymously, we suggest choosing a platform from our best non-KYC crypto exchanges list.
HitBTC Customer Support and User Reviews
HitBTC offers email support and an extensive FAQs section where you’ll find guides and information on account and security issues, deposits/withdrawals, fees, and other topics related to trading on the platform. However, we noticed that some guides are outdated. What’s more, its email support is slow to respond. You may have to wait for a whole week to get a response.
To compare our experience with that of other users, we checked its ratings on Trustpilot. HitBTC has a 1.1 rating based on 2,155 reviews, which is pretty low. Most users are complaining about its KYC verification process. For example, some users are having trouble with withdrawals even though they passed the KYC verification. That is, they had to verify their accounts multiple times. Moreover, if your account is inactive for 6 months, you’ll have to pay an inactivity fee ($50 per month).
We also checked its subreddit channel, where users complained about the same problems – high inactivity fee and withdrawal issues due to overcomplicated KYC verification. On a positive note, HitBTC has an official Telegram channel with 2,299 members and an account on X (ex Twitter) where you’ll find news and announcements.
What are the Drawbacks of HitBTC Exchange?
The platform’s main drawbacks are its overcomplicated KYC verification process and slow customer support. As mentioned in our HitBTC review, you’ll have to wait for a week to get a response, and you may have to go through the KYC verification process multiple times to be able to withdraw your funds.
Its other drawbacks are the lack of live chat and a high inactivity fee, which amounts to $50 per month. Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay the inactivity fee if you don’t use your account for more than 6 months. Inactivity fees at most crypto exchanges are much lower, and they are usually activated after a year. This makes HitBTC exchange unsuitable for long-term holders.
The platform is also not ideal for beginners due to its advanced trading tools and two main accounts.
Best HitBTC Alternatives
If you’re looking for the best HitBTC alternatives, you won’t go wrong with MEXC, Binance, and CoinFutures. Each of the mentioned exchanges comes with certain advantages over HitBTC. On that note, MEXC supports the most coins and markets, over 1,800 and more than 2,800, respectively.
When we compared HitBTC with Binance, we noticed that the latter is more suitable for DeFi traders due to its self-custodial Web3 wallet, which will allow you to gain access to 100+ dApps. CoinFutures is recognized as one of the best crypto futures trading platforms due to its high leverage, which goes up to 1000x, while on HitBTC, the maximum leverage stands at 100x.
| HitBTC | Binance | MEXC | CoinFutures | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supported coins and markets | 375+ cryptocurrencies, 626 markets | 580+ cryptocurrencies, 2179 markets | 1844+ cryptocurrencies,2883 markets | 18 cryptocurrencies, 11 markets |
| Trading fees | Spot: 0.12% maker / 0.25% takerFutures: 0.02% maker / 0.07% taker | Spot: 0.1% maker / 0.1% takerFutures: 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker | Spot: 0% maker / 0.05% takerFutures: 0% maker / 0.02% taker | 1-3% fee to enter and exit positions |
| Trading products | Spot, futures, and margin trading | Spot, margin trading, futures, options, copy trading, staking | Spot, futures, copy trading, staking | Simulated futures |
| Maximum leverage | 100x | 125x | 500x | 1000x |
| Restricted Countries | US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and more | Canada, Netherlands, Cuba, Iran, and more | US, Canada, Cuba, Hong Kong, Iran, and more | N/A |
| KYC Required | Yes | Yes | No | No |
How to Get Started With HitBTC
In this segment of our HitBTC exchange review, we’ll show you how to create an account on this CEX in a few easy steps.
Step 1: Create an Account
Go to the HitBTC website and tap the Sign Up button located in the upper right corner of the page. Enter your email and password. Now, check your email. You should receive a confirmation message from HitBTC with the activation link. Click on the link to activate your account.
Step 2: Fund Your Account
Open your account and tap the green Deposit button in the upper right corner. You’ll see two options: Deposit Crypto or Buy Crypto with a Bank Card. Choose the first option. Select the cryptocurrency you want to deposit (use the search bar) and tap the Deposit button. This will generate your wallet address. Copy and paste this address at a third-party service to initiate a transaction.
Step 3: Transfer The Funds to Your Spot Account
To start trading, you must transfer the coins from your wallet to your spot account. To do that, select the coin, enter the desired amount, and tap the Transfer button.
Our Methodology: How We Tested and Reviewed HitBTC
To create an unbiased HitBTC review, we created an account, downloaded its wallet, and conducted a few trades. The process of creating an account was quite simple, although we had minor problems with KYC verification – that is, we had to wait longer than expected to pass the KYC verification process. Next, we made a small deposit and conducted a few withdrawals to find out if HitBTC charges any hidden fees.
We also checked which crypto pairs can be traded as perpetual futures, whether they’re USDT-denominated, what the maker and taker fees are, and what the maximum leverage is. Our methodology included testing its demo account, trading tools, and market overview dashboard, which helped us familiarize ourselves with its interface and locate its main strengths and limitations.
To find out if this exchange is safe to use, we checked its security features and ratings/scores on Certified and Certik, as well as its history of hacks and data breaches. A key part of our analysis was checking its ratings on Trustpilot, Google Play, and App Store, and contacting its support team.
HitBTC Review Conclusion: Is it Worth it in 2025?
HitBTC is a solid centralized exchange for altcoin and day traders due to its support for 375+ cryptocurrencies, 800+ crypto pairs, and 626 markets. You’ll also get to trade perpetual futures with up to 100x leverage, compete in its trading contests, and test your skills on its demo account.
The platform also supports OTC and margin trading, advanced trading tools, and multiple sub-accounts, which makes it more suitable for experienced traders. Plus, you’ll get to use its native token to pay lower transaction fees.
On the downside, the exchange charges a high inactivity fee, which makes it unsuitable for long-term traders. Moreover, it lacks a regulatory license, and its support team is very slow.
FAQs
Is HitBTC trustworthy?
Where is HitBTC located?
Is HitBTC regulated?
Does HitBTC offer options trading?
Can I Use HitBTC in the USA?
References
- The European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (University of Pittsburgh)
- Sentinel Network Reports Theft of 40M DVPN Coins in HitBTC Breach (Nasdaq)
- Certified
- Certik
- MoonPay
- Mercuryo
