Which Services Offer the Lowest Fees for Crypto Trading? Complete Guide for a Busy Year

Trading fees can chew up your profits fast if you’re not paying attention to where you trade. In 2026, Best Wallet, KCEX, and MEXC stand out for zero maker fees and super low or even no taker fees on most trades. Sticking with these platforms lets you hang on to more of your hard-earned gains, instead of letting fees whittle them away.

Fee structures can get confusing, but they really do matter. Different exchanges charge you different amounts for doing exactly the same thing. Some will take a cut when you buy or sell, others ding you when you deposit or pull out funds. If you’re trading often, choosing the right exchange could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year.

This guide breaks down which platforms have the best fee setups and what you should look for. We’ll get into maker/taker fees, withdrawal and deposit costs, and some sneaky discounts that can chop your trading expenses down even further.

Key Takeaways

• Best Wallet, KCEX, and MEXC top the list with zero or near-zero maker fees and aggressive taker rates

  
  

• Holding native exchange tokens like BEST, MX, BNB, or OKB can slash your trading fees by 20% to 70%

  
  

• Fee structures jump all over the place, so matching your trading style to the right exchange can save you a lot over time

How Crypto Trading Fees Work

Crypto exchanges charge a mix of fees that affect what you actually keep. If you understand maker/taker fees, withdrawal and deposit costs, and those hidden extras like spreads, you can figure out what you’re really paying.

Maker vs Taker Fees Explained

Maker fees happen when you place a limit order that adds liquidity to the order book. You’re basically saying, “I’ll buy/sell at this price, let me know when someone matches it.” Taker fees kick in when you use a market order and take liquidity right away by matching with an existing order.

Most exchanges set maker fees lower than taker fees to encourage people to provide liquidity. Binance, for example, charges 0.10% for both makers and takers at the base level, while BTCC sets 0.20% for makers and 0.30% for takers on spot trades.

If you’re new, you’ll probably pay taker fees more often because you want fast execution. The gap between maker and taker fees can add up, especially if you’re trading a lot.

Futures fees work the same way, but they’re usually a bit lower than spot trading fees. BTCC, for instance, charges 0.03% for futures makers and 0.06% for futures takers, way less than their spot rates.

Other Exchange Fees: Withdrawal, Deposit, and Funding

Withdrawal fees depend on the exchange and the coin. Some places charge a flat fee, others base it on network traffic. Bitcoin withdrawals almost always cost more than coins on faster networks.

Deposit fees don’t show up as often. Most exchanges let you deposit crypto for free, but some tack on fees if you use a credit card or bank transfer to buy crypto with cash.

Funding fees are for perpetual futures contracts. If you hold a leveraged position, you’ll pay or receive funding every few hours, depending on whether you’re long or short. These fees keep the futures price close to the spot price. They move around a lot when the market’s jumpy and can get expensive.

Conversion fees pop up when you swap one coin for another directly, skipping the usual trading pair. Some platforms charge extra for this shortcut.

Hidden Costs: Spreads and Network Fees

Spreads are the gap between the highest buy price and the lowest sell price on an exchange. If the spread is wide, you’ll pay more to buy and get less when you sell. Less popular trading pairs usually have wider spreads than big ones like BTC/USDT.

Spreads act like a sneaky, invisible fee. An exchange might brag about low trading fees, but if their spreads are wide, you’re still paying more. Always check the order book before you trade to see what’s really going on.

Gas fees are the network tolls you pay to move coins on blockchains like Ethereum. Exchanges don’t control these, but you have to pay them when you move tokens around. Sometimes gas fees are higher than the trading fees themselves.

Network fees and withdrawal fees aren’t always the same, even though exchanges often roll them together. The real network cost might be less than what you’re charged.

Exchanges With the Lowest Crypto Trading Fees

A handful of big exchanges are fighting for the lowest fees in 2026. MEXC gets rid of maker fees altogether, while Binance, OKX, KuCoin, and Bybit cut costs through volume tiers and native token perks.

MEXC: Zero Maker Fee Platform

MEXC charges 0% maker fees for both spot and futures trades. Taker fees start at 0.05% for spot and 0.02% for futures.

They’ve got over 50 million users in 170 countries and support more than 2,900 coins, with daily trading volume topping $2.5 billion. If you hold at least 500 MX tokens for 24 hours, you get fee cuts on eligible pairs.

Withdrawal fees change depending on the network. BTC withdrawals run between 0.00003 and 0.00005 BTC. On BNB Chain and Solana, MEXC even waives withdrawal fees.

You can crank up to 200x leverage on futures. There’s no required KYC, so you can just use an email to start trading.

Binance: Volume-Based Discounts & Token Savings

Binance starts with 0.10% maker and taker fees for spot. If you hold BNB tokens and use them to pay fees, you get a 25% discount, dropping costs to 0.075%.

They’ve got a VIP system based on your 30-day trading volume and BNB stash. The more you trade and the more BNB you hold, the less you pay. VIP 9 members can get down to 0.012% maker and 0.024% taker fees.

Futures fees start at 0.02% for makers and 0.04% for takers, and those get even lower for VIPs. Binance moves more daily trading volume than anyone, so price slippage is rarely a problem, even for huge trades.

They offer over 500 coins and have deep liquidity pools, so big orders go through with tight spreads and little market impact.

OKX: High Volume and VIP Incentives

OKX sets regular spot fees at 0.08% maker and 0.10% taker. If you hit VIP status with enough trading or OKB tokens, you get better rates.

Their VIP program has nine tiers. VIP 1 needs $50,000 in monthly volume or 500 OKB. At this level, spot fees drop to 0.07% maker and 0.09% taker. VIP 9 gets you down to 0.015% maker and 0.03% taker.

Futures start at 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker. VIPs get discounts on both perpetual swaps and delivery contracts. You can use up to 125x leverage on some pairs.

OKX uses a unified account system, so you can share margin across spot, futures, and options. They support 340+ coins and nearly 500 spot pairs.

KuCoin: Fee Reductions With KCS Token

KuCoin’s standard spot fees are 0.10% for both makers and takers. Pay with KCS tokens and you’ll get a 20% discount, so fees drop to 0.08%.

There are 12 VIP levels based on your 30-day volume and KCS holdings. Higher tiers can earn you negative maker fees—as low as -0.005%—so you actually get paid to provide liquidity. VIP 12 taker fees can fall to 0.0025%.

Futures start at 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker. VIPs can get up to -0.008% maker and 0.025% taker. KuCoin lists more than 800 coins and 1,200+ trading pairs.

Depositing crypto is always free. Withdrawal fees shift with network congestion.

Bybit: Low-Cost Futures and Spot Markets

Bybit charges 0.10% maker and taker fees for spot. They started with futures and only later added spot trading.

Futures fees begin at 0.02% maker and 0.055% taker. Hold BIT tokens and you can get up to 20% off trading fees. Their VIP program has seven levels—higher volume and bigger holdings mean lower fees.

VIP 1 needs $10 million in 30-day volume. At this level, futures fees drop to 0.015% maker and 0.04% taker. VIP 7 pays 0% maker and 0.02% taker on derivatives.

Bybit is known for perpetual contracts with up to 100x leverage. They support 400+ coins and keep deep liquidity on big pairs. The unified margin account lets you use a single pool of collateral across many positions.

How to Minimize Crypto Trading and Withdrawal Costs

You can cut your exchange costs with native token discounts, VIP tiers, maker rebates, and zero-fee promos. These tactics can shrink trading fees from 0.10% down to zero—or even negative.

Using Exchange Tokens and Fee Discounts

Most exchanges give you discounts if you pay fees with their own tokens. Binance users get 25% off when using BNB, dropping the standard 0.10% fee to 0.075%. KuCoin’s KCS token gives you 20% off, so you pay 0.08%. Bitget’s BGB token cuts fees by 20%, and MEXC’s MX token can drop taker fees to 0.01% for futures.

Gate.io users with GT tokens see fees fall to 0.09%. OKB holders on OKX get similar deals, depending on how much they hold and trade. These token discounts often stack with other fee cuts.

Coinbase One charges $29.99/month, but you get zero trading fees up to $10,000 in monthly trades, plus a few other perks.

VIP Programs and Volume-Based Reductions

Exchanges reward high-volume traders with lower fees through VIP tiers. MEXC gives 0% maker fees if you hold at least 500 MX tokens for 24 hours. They check your balance three times a day to keep you in the club.

KuCoin’s VIP 12 offers -0.005% maker fees (so you’re paid to provide liquidity) and taker fees down to 0.0025%. Gate.io’s VIP 16 has 0% maker and about 0.02% taker fees.

Binance VIP starts at $1 million in 30-day volume. Higher tiers drop maker fees to 0.02% and taker to 0.04%. Bitget has similar discounts, with futures fees as low as 0.01% maker and 0.02% taker for big traders.

Your monthly volume decides your tier. You’ll need to keep both volume and token holdings up to stay at the best rates.

Choosing Maker Orders and Negative Maker Fees

Maker orders add liquidity and usually cost less than taker orders. MEXC charges 0% maker fees on most spot and futures pairs, compared to 0.05% for takers. That’s a $50 difference for every $100,000 traded.

Taker orders remove liquidity and always cost more. The maker/taker fee gap is usually 0.03% to 0.08% on most exchanges.

Some platforms actually pay you to provide liquidity with negative maker fees. KuCoin offers rebates up to -0.008% for top VIPs. Gate.io does the same for high-volume market makers.

If you place a limit order below market price (for buys) or above (for sells), you’re a maker. Market orders and instantly-matching limit orders count as taker trades.

Zero-Fee Promotions and Events

Exchanges love rolling out zero-fee promos to reel in more users. MEXC keeps things simple with permanent 0% maker fees on both spot and futures markets for eligible pairs, while takers pay just 0.02% on futures trades.

Gate.io throws occasional zero-fee trading events for select Bitcoin pairs, wiping out both maker and taker fees for a limited time. Bitget jumps in sometimes with its “0 Fee Fest” to celebrate new coin listings.

Some platforms let you trade free for your first 30 days after signing up. Others offer fee-free withdrawals on certain blockchain networks—MEXC, for example, charges nothing to withdraw on BEP-20 and Solana.

You’ll usually need to meet some requirements to qualify for these promos. Always double-check which pairs and order types are eligible before you hit that trade button. Zero-fee events often skip over premium services or ask you to hold a minimum amount of the exchange’s own token.

Other Considerations for Choosing a Low-Fee Crypto Exchange

Trading fees matter, but they’re just part of the story. Security, transparency, withdrawal options, and platform features can have a big impact on your overall experience.

Security Features and Fund Protection

Security can make or break your crypto trading journey. Look for exchanges that offer two-factor authentication (2FA), withdrawal address whitelisting, and anti-phishing codes as standard.

Cold storage is a must. When exchanges keep 95% or more of user funds in cold wallets, the risk of hacks drops dramatically. These wallets stay offline, far away from prying eyes.

Insurance adds another layer of comfort. Some exchanges, like Gemini ActiveTrader, back user funds with insurance and stick to strict regulations in the US.

Regular security audits and bug bounty programs show that an exchange takes your protection seriously. Platforms that invite researchers to poke around usually catch and fix problems faster than those that don’t.

Proof-of-Reserves and Transparency

Proof-of-reserves audits help you know your crypto’s actually there. Independent auditors check wallet addresses to confirm the exchange really holds enough reserves—a practice that’s become way more important after some high-profile disasters.

Transparent exchanges publish audit results and lay out their corporate structure clearly. They’ll let you know about security incidents, scheduled maintenance, and fee changes. PrimeXBT and BloFin, for instance, have adopted proof-of-reserves to build trust.

It’s smart to pick exchanges that display their licenses and show they’re registered with authorities in the US, UK, or EU. These tend to follow tighter rules on transparency.

Withdrawal Methods and Free Withdrawals

Withdrawal fees can sneak up and wipe out your savings from low trading fees. Free withdrawals or zero fees for certain tokens can really cut down your total costs. Some platforms give you one free withdrawal per month or skip fees for specific coins.

Fiat withdrawals need extra attention—these usually cost more than crypto transfers. Bank transfers are often cheaper than card withdrawals, and P2P platforms sometimes offer better rates for turning crypto into local cash.

Each withdrawal method has its own speed. Bank transfers might drag on for a few days, while crypto withdrawals usually land in your wallet within hours. Think about both speed and cost when picking your method.

Additional Platforms: Best Wallet, Phemex, and More

Best Wallet acts as a non-custodial option with low fees and no exchange withdrawal costs. You keep control of your keys and trade straight from your wallet.

Phemex focuses on derivatives and offers copy trading, so you can mirror the moves of experienced traders if you’re still learning.

Some platforms go beyond basic trading. Staking rewards let you earn passive income on your crypto, and CFD trading through MetaTrader 5 gives you access to leverage and fancy charting. These extras can make higher fees worth it if they fit your style.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Trading fees can eat into your profits, so it pays to know the details. Here are some common questions about low-fee exchanges, how fee structures stack up, sneaky costs to watch for, and the things that really matter when you’re comparing platforms.

What are the top platforms known for low trading fees in cryptocurrency markets?

Best Wallet is tough to beat for low fees—it charges zero maker and taker fees on its DEX. Card deposits cost about 1%, but bank transfers are free.

KCEX keeps spot trading at zero fees for both makers and takers, supports over 860 tokens, and is running a zero withdrawal fee promo for transactions under $100 per month.

MEXC has 0% maker fees and just 0.05% taker fees on spot trades. On futures, it’s even lower: 0% maker and 0.02% taker.

Binance, OKX, and KuCoin all charge a standard 0.1% for makers and takers, but they offer token-based discounts that can shave off 20% to 40%.

How do fees vary across different cryptocurrency exchanges?

You’ll see the biggest differences in maker and taker fees. Makers add liquidity and usually pay less than takers, who take liquidity away.

Most exchanges charge somewhere between 0% and 0.1% for maker fees. Taker fees range from 0.02% to 0.1% at the big names.

Deposit methods matter, too. Crypto deposits are usually free, but card purchases can run anywhere from 1% to 5%, depending on the platform.

Withdrawal fees depend on the blockchain. Some exchanges cover these during promos, while others pass them straight to you.

Can you list reliable crypto services with minimal transaction costs?

Best Wallet offers zero service and platform fees on its DEX, covering 60+ blockchains. You just pay the network fee for withdrawals.

KCEX keeps spot trading and deposits at zero fees, and only charges network fees for withdrawals.

MEXC gives you 0% maker and 0.05% taker fees for spot, plus a zero-fee conversion program for over 2,300 pairs.

PrimeXBT charges just 0.01% for makers and 0.045% for takers on futures. Deposits in crypto and USD are free.

Margex has low futures fees—0.019% for makers and 0.06% for takers. Crypto deposits are free, but card deposits run from 0.5% to 5%.

What are some hidden fees to watch out for when choosing a low-fee crypto trading platform?

Watch out for conversion fees when you swap one crypto for another outside of normal trading. Some platforms tack on extra percentages for these quick swaps.

Liquidation fees come into play if you’re trading with leverage and your position gets closed automatically. These can range from 0.05% to 0.5%.

Inactivity fees can sneak up if you let your account sit unused for months. Some exchanges start charging after 90 or 180 days of no action.

Funding fees hit every 8 hours on perpetual futures contracts, moving between longs and shorts depending on the market.

Interest fees show up if you borrow funds for margin trading. Rates vary a lot and can add up quickly if you hold positions for days.

Are there any crypto exchanges that offer zero-fee trading, and how do they sustain this model?

KCEX currently offers zero-fee spot trading thanks to a promo event. They make money from futures trading fees and premium features.

Best Wallet doesn’t charge maker or taker fees on its DEX. Instead, it earns through its native BEST token and liquidity provider fees on cross-chain swaps.

MEXC keeps maker fees at zero for all spot pairs, and covers costs with taker fees, futures trading, and its MX token.

Zero-fee trading helps these platforms attract new users. They balance it out with revenue from memberships, token holdings, and advanced trading tools.

Which factors should be considered when evaluating the fee structure of a cryptocurrency trading service?

Trading volume really shapes your total costs over time. For example, if a platform charges 0.1% per trade, you’ll end up paying $1,000 for every million dollars you trade. Drop that fee to 0.05% and suddenly you’re only out $500. That difference adds up fast, especially if you’re trading regularly.

Some platforms run token discount programs, which can knock your fees down if you hold their native tokens. Binance, for instance, gives a 25% discount if you use BNB. OKX goes even further, offering a 40% cut with OKB. Not bad if you’re already invested in those tokens.

Don’t ignore deposit and withdrawal methods. Sometimes card deposits hit you with fees between 2% and 5%. That’s way more than what you’d save by chasing slightly lower trading fees, so it pays to check those numbers before you fund your account.

Security and platform reliability? Honestly, you can’t afford to compromise here. Saving a few bucks on fees isn’t worth it if the platform’s sketchy or keeps going offline. I’d rather pay 0.1% on a safe, steady exchange than risk losing everything to save a fraction of a percent.

The selection of supported cryptocurrencies also plays a role. If a platform offers more trading pairs, you can swap coins directly without jumping through hoops or paying extra conversion fees. That flexibility can make a real difference, especially for folks who like to move fast or diversify their holdings.