Bithumb fees and review
South Korea's second-largest won-market exchange. The famous 0.04% is a coupon rate that expires every 30 days.
Invite code
This code is not carried in a link. Register first, then enter the code in the invite field inside the app, see the steps below.
Paid to new Bithumb users only, after entering the invite code and connecting a verified Korean won bank account. Amounts and qualifying conditions are revised periodically, confirm in the app.
South Korea only
Bithumb trading fees
Standard-tier rates. What a newly created account pays before any volume or token discounts.
| Specifications | Maker | Taker |
|---|---|---|
| Spot | 0.25% | 0.25% |
Rates change. Confirm on the official fee schedule before funding an account. Terms verified Aug 14, 2026
Review
Bithumb is one of the two dominant Korean won-market exchanges and has operated since 2014. It trades spot only, no futures, no leverage, against the Korean won.
The fee needs care, because the number everyone quotes is not the base rate. Bithumb ended its zero-fee event and "unified" pricing at 0.04%, and that figure is now repeated everywhere as simply what Bithumb charges. The published base rate is 0.25%. The 0.04% is a fee coupon: free to register, applied instantly, and valid for thirty days, after which it must be registered again.
That renewal is the part worth knowing about. Nothing warns you when a coupon lapses. Your fee silently returns to 0.25%, which is six times higher, and stays there until you notice. For a trader making regular purchases that is a large and completely avoidable cost. If you use Bithumb, put the renewal in a calendar.
Registration requires a verified Korean bank account under your own name, Korean resident identity verification, and a Korean mobile number. This is a regulatory requirement under South Korea's real-name transaction rules, not a policy Bithumb sets, and there is no route around it. If you are not a Korean resident with a Korean bank account, you cannot use this exchange.
The invite programme is a consumer referral scheme rather than an affiliate contract. A new user who registers, enters an invite code and connects a won account receives a signup reward, and the person who invited them receives a smaller one. It pays once. There is no ongoing share of trading fees, which is the fundamental difference between Korean invite programmes and the lifetime rebates offered by the offshore derivatives exchanges on this site.
So the case for Bithumb is the bonus plus a coupon you remember to renew. The bonus is substantial by the standards of signup offers, but it is a one-time event, and the code gives you nothing after it. If you would rather not manage a thirty-day renewal, Korbit's Lowest Price plan is 0.05% with nothing to maintain.
Korean exchanges also periodically change the conditions attached to these programmes. Eligibility, qualifying actions and reward amounts have all been revised. Confirm the current terms in the Bithumb app before assuming a specific amount.
What it does well
- 0.04% with an active fee coupon is the joint-lowest rate in Korea, and the coupon is free
- Signup bonus is large relative to typical exchange referral offers
- Direct KRW deposit and withdrawal through a linked Korean bank account
- Long operating history and a licensed, regulated domestic venue
Where it falls short
- Base rate is 0.25%, the highest in Korea, and reverts there silently whenever the coupon lapses
- The coupon has to be re-registered every thirty days, with no warning when it expires
- Requires Korean residency and a Korean real-name bank account — not open to anyone else
- Spot trading only; no futures, no leverage
- The invite reward pays once, with no ongoing rebate on trading fees
- Reward conditions have been revised repeatedly and may differ from what is advertised elsewhere
How to register with the Bithumb code
Confirm you can actually register
You need Korean residency, a Korean mobile number and a bank account in your own name at a Korean bank. Without all three, registration cannot be completed.
Create the account first, then enter the code
Unlike the offshore exchanges on this site, the Bithumb code is not carried in a link. Register normally, then open the invite menu inside the app and enter the code there.
Connect your won account
The signup reward is paid only after the linked bank account is connected and verified. Registering and entering the code alone does not qualify.
Check the current reward terms in the app
Amounts and qualifying conditions are revised periodically. The figure shown in the app at the time you register is the one that applies.
Bithumb at a glance
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- Seoul, South Korea
- Listed assets
- 320+
- Max leverage
- Spot only
- KYC
- Required
- Fiat currencies
- KRW
- Korean interface
- Yes
- Restricted countries
- South Korea only
Bithumb FAQ
- Can non-Koreans use Bithumb?
- In practice, no. South Korean regulation requires a verified real-name bank account at a Korean bank, along with Korean resident identity verification. Without Korean residency and a Korean bank account you cannot complete registration.
- What is the Bithumb trading fee?
- The base rate is 0.25% for both maker and taker. Registering a free fee coupon reduces it to 0.04% for thirty days, after which it reverts unless you register again. The comparison table on this site shows 0.25%, because that is what applies without an active coupon.
- Does Bithumb offer futures trading?
- No. Bithumb is a spot-only exchange trading against the Korean won. Leveraged derivatives are not available on licensed Korean venues to retail users.
- Is the Bithumb invite bonus paid every time I trade?
- No. It is a one-off signup reward paid after registration, code entry and bank account connection. There is no ongoing share of trading fees, unlike the lifetime rebate programmes offered by offshore derivatives exchanges.