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BitMEX Review

Last Updated on March 20, 2024

James Headshot
Written by
Adam Headshot
Edited by
BitMEX logo
3.06
Crypto Head Rating
Our review is based on the spot trading platform. Please check our methodology on how we rate exchanges for further information.
Visit BitMEX

The Bottom Line Our review is based on the spot trading platform. Please check our methodology on how we rate exchanges for further information.

BitMEX is a highly respected cryptocurrency derivative trading platform and has earned itself a place among top crypto exchanges. Boasting numerous advanced features like the Bitcoin/USD Perpetual Contract, as well as their commitment to an advanced trading platform, BitMEX provides traders with an attractive alternative for derivative trading.

However, due to its complex products and trading options, trading can be an overwhelming experience for those just beginning.

Table of Contents
Disclaimer: This is not a validation of cryptocurrency or any particular provider, service, or product. It should not be taken as advice to engage in trading or use any services. Please check our terms and conditions.

Pros

  • Advanced trading features
  • High leverage options
  • Strong security measures
  • Peer-to-peer funding
  • Variety of contract types

Cons

  • Not beginner-friendly
  • Limited asset selection
  • History of regulatory issues
  • No fiat deposits
  • Complex fee structure

Quick Summary

Headquarters Location International
Fiat Currencies Supported (through third party apps) USD, AUD, GBP, CAD, EUR, NZD + 90 others
Total Supported Cryptocurrencies 11+
Trading Fees -0.025% - 0.075%
Deposit Methods Cryptocurrency, MoonPay, Wyre, Xanpool, Mercuryo, Indacoin, Coinify, Utorg
Support Twitter, Live Chat, Help Center Articles, Support Ticket
Mobile App Yes - iOS, Android

Welcome to our comprehensive review of BitMEX, one of the pioneers of cryptocurrency trading exchange. Renowned for its leveraged contracts and advanced trading options, BitMEX meets all of your cryptocurrency trading needs with ease.

BitMEX homepage

BitMEX’s rise to prominence as a cryptocurrency trading platform exemplifies the dynamic nature of digital finance. Serving as a hub for savvy investors and traders, BitMEX remains at the forefront of innovation within digital finance by offering access to emerging financial markets globally via its cutting-edge trading infrastructure.

By taking full advantage of cryptocurrencies’ volatility and potential, Coinbase has established itself as an indispensable platform for traders looking to profit from rapid market movements.

About BitMEX

BitMEX (Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange), established by HDR Global Trading Limited and made its debut in 2012, has long been recognized for its innovation – such as perpetual contracts or offering 100x leverage on some offerings – drawing in experienced traders who see its unique offerings.

BitMEX’s rise has paralleled major moments in cryptocurrency history, reflecting an ever-evolving industry. From early days of Bitcoin’s popularity to Bitcoin Cash and other major crypto assets being introduced onto its trading platform, BitMEX has successfully adjusted to this ever-shifting landscape, tailoring its offerings to meet user demands as they change over time.

BitMEX features

The Exchange follows market trends closely, keeping an eye on regulatory shifts and technological innovations which shape global digital trading.

BitMEX has a number of active social profiles including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Discord, Reddit, Telegram and YouTube.

BitMEX has a mobile app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.

BitMEX Supported Cryptocurrencies

BitMEX supports trading on over 11 cryptocurrencies on their platform. This exchange currently supports 7 of the top 30 market cap cryptocurrencies.

  • Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Ethereum (ETH)
  • Tether USDt (USDT)
  • BNB (BNB)
  • Solana (SOL)
  • XRP (XRP)
  • USDC (USDC)
  • Dogecoin (DOGE)
  • Cardano (ADA)
  • Avalanche (AVAX)
  • Shiba Inu (SHIB)
  • Toncoin (TON)
  • Polkadot (DOT)
  • Chainlink (LINK)
  • Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
  • TRON (TRX)
  • Polygon (MATIC)
  • Internet Computer (ICP)
  • NEAR Protocol (NEAR)
  • Uniswap (UNI)
  • Aptos (APT)
  • Litecoin (LTC)
  • UNUS SED LEO (LEO)
  • Dai (DAI)
  • Stacks (STX)
  • Cosmos (ATOM)
  • Filecoin (FIL)
  • Ethereum Classic (ETC)
  • Arbitrum (ARB)
  • Immutable (IMX)

View all cryptocurrencies BitMEX supports

  • APE
  • AXS
  • BMEX
  • ETH
  • LINK
  • MATIC
  • SOL
  • TRX
  • UNI
  • USDT
  • XBT

Trading Experience

BitMEX was built for advanced traders, providing an exceptional trading experience with features like high leverage trading, an engine designed for speed and reliability, perpetual future contracts and various contract types – such as liquidation prices and margin trading are managed using an ingenious margin system that appeals to seasoned crypto industry traders.

At the core of BitMEX’s trading experience lies an exciting, fast-paced environment in which advanced traders engage with an extensive selection of contracts and leverage options, including its signature Binary series contracts and up to 100x leverage on certain products. Furthermore, its Liquidation Engine provides traders with a robust framework to navigate cryptocurrency market volatility with confidence.

BitMEX exchange marketing

BitMEX Fees

BitMEX’s trading fees follow an adaptive structure based on product and trader position in the market. Maker fees and taker fees are set in order to encourage liquidity at the exchange; withdrawal and perpetual contract costs aim at being competitive within their industry.

BitMEX’s fee structure is carefully tailored to accommodate its ecosystem of market makers and takers, each playing an essential part in maintaining market fluidity. By adopting a tiered fee schedule tailored specifically for each contract and trade type, BitMEX ensures its products remain accessible while simultaneously creating an efficient trading environment.

This approach helps reduce network congestion while ensuring that network fees reflect the demands of each blockchain platform.

Type Fee
Trading Fee -0.025% - 0.075%

BitMEX supports a range of different cryptocurrencies with varying withdrawal fees. When looking at Bitcoin, they don't charge anything above the standard Bitcoin network fee. Across all the crypto exchanges we've reviewed, the average Bitcoin transaction fee charged is 0.000463 BTC compared to the actual network fee of 0.000085 BTC. This means you are saving 81.59% on Bitcoin transactions by using BitMEX instead of other exchanges.

BitMEX has a maker/taker fee schedule which you can see below.

Fee Tier 30D Rolling ADV (USD) Taker Fee (XBT) Maker Fee (XBT) Taker Fee (USDT) Maker Fee (USDT)
B 0 0.0750 % 0.0200 % 0.0750 % -0.0200 %
I 1,000,000 0.0500 % 0.0100 % 0.0500 % -0.0200 %
T 5,000,000 0.0400 % 0.0000 % 0.0400 % -0.0200 %
M 10,000,000 0.0350 % 0.0000 % 0.0350 % -0.0200 %
E 25,000,000 0.0300 % 0.0000 % 0.0300 % -0.0200 %
X 50,000,000 0.0250 % 0.0000 % 0.0250 % -0.0200 %
D 100,000,000 0.0240 % -0.0030 % 0.0240 % -0.0200 %
W 250,000,000 0.0230 % -0.0050 % 0.0230 % -0.0200 %
K 500,000,000 0.0220 % -0.0080 % 0.0220 % -0.0200 %
S 1,000,000,000 0.0175 % -0.0100 % 0.0200 % -0.0200 %

Security - Is BitMEX Safe?

BitMEX’s security measures are at the heart of its operations, upholding their commitment to safeguard user assets with multi-signature deposit and withdrawal methods and the use of Amazon Web Services for providing robust infrastructure.

The exchange’s commitment to fund security can be seen in its approach to security, which seeks to mitigate various risks present in the volatile cryptocurrency market.

BitMEX’s security architecture is an intricate mix of preventative and proactive measures, from multi-layered communication security to real-time risk assessment protocols. These safeguards protect user assets even further via withdrawal processes that restrict withdrawals to once per day to an already established wallet address – providing timely detection and resolution in case any abnormal activity arises.

BitMEX Customer Support

Customer service is of utmost importance in trading, and BitMEX’s support via various channels such as email and live-chat is unparalleled. Their customer support team has earned an enviable reputation, frequently offering solutions to technical problems as well as answering queries regarding trading procedures and practices.

Navigating an advanced trading platform can be intimidating, and BitMEX’s customer support ecosystem is designed to address all the various needs of its clientele. From providing quick solutions for common user issues to offering comprehensive exchange guides, their support team ensures assistance is readily available and responsive allowing traders to focus solely on market dynamics.

BitMEX support

BitMEX Support Channels

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Live Chat
  • Help Center Articles
  • Support Ticket

How to Sign Up on BitMEX

  1. Create Account - Visit the BitMEX website and fill out the create account form. You'll need to include a valid email, set your password and type in other details like your phone number and name.
  2. Verify Account - Confirm your email, you should get an email asking you to verify your account creation.
  3. Transferring Funds - Once your account has been verified, you can deposit using the methods listed below. Note that this exchange only supports depositing fiat currencies through third party apps it supports.
  4. Start Trading Crypto - That's it! You should now have everything in place to start trading.

Deposit Methods

  • Bank Transfer
  • Debit Card
  • Credit Card
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Paypal
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • MoonPay
  • Wyre
  • Xanpool
  • Mercuryo
  • Indacoin
  • Coinify
  • Utorg

BitMEX Alternatives

Binance logo

Binance

3.23
Crypto Head Rating
Our review is based on the spot trading platform. Please check our methodology on how we rate exchanges for further information.

Total Supported Cryptocurrencies
386+

Trading Fees
0.10%

Fiat Currencies Supported
USD, GBP, CAD, EUR, NZD + 75 others

Visit Binance
Kraken logo

Kraken

3.67
Crypto Head Rating
Our review is based on the spot trading platform. Please check our methodology on how we rate exchanges for further information.

Total Supported Cryptocurrencies
233+

Trading Fees
0.06% - 0.16%

Fiat Currencies Supported
USD, AUD, GBP, CAD, EUR + 1 other

Visit Kraken
OKX logo

OKX

3.75
Crypto Head Rating
Our review is based on the spot trading platform. Please check our methodology on how we rate exchanges for further information.

Total Supported Cryptocurrencies
332+

Trading Fees
0.06% - 0.10%

Fiat Currencies Supported
USD, AUD, GBP, CAD, EUR, NZD + 85 others

Visit OKX

Final Thoughts

BitMEX stands out as an advanced trading platform, providing products designed to meet the needs of professional traders looking for deep liquidity and sophisticated margin options. Furthermore, its focus on derivatives trading makes it an appealing option for anyone navigating this sector of the market.

BitMEX FAQs

BitMEX is a well-known cryptocurrency exchange and has implemented various security measures to protect its users’ funds and data. Like any online platform, users should exercise caution and use best practices for security, such as enabling two-factor authentication.

BitMEX has established itself as a notable name in the cryptocurrency space. Trust in an exchange is subjective and can be influenced by user experiences, regulatory compliance, and security history.

BitMEX has restrictions on users from certain jurisdictions including the United States, the province of Quebec in Canada, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China, the Republic of Seychelles, Bermuda, Cuba, Crimea and Sevastopol, Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Sudan.

To withdraw from BitMEX, you need to log into your account, navigate to the ‘Withdraw’ tab, enter the amount and the destination wallet address, and then confirm the withdrawal with two-factor authentication.

BitMEX is owned by HDR Global Trading Limited, which was founded by Arthur Hayes, Ben Delo, and Samuel Reed.

Yes, Know Your Customer (KYC) verification is mandatory for BitMEX users to comply with regulatory standards and prevent fraudulent activities.

BitMEX is used as a trading platform for cryptocurrencies, offering a variety of contract types and other tools for traders.

BitMEX fees vary depending on the type of contract or trade. They typically include a maker fee, a taker fee, and a settlement fee.

Specific fee details are outlined on the BitMEX website.

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Methodology

At Crypto Head we use a rigorous research and rating process to assess each platform. Our star rating system is out of 5 stars and is designed to condense a large amount of information into an easy-to-understand format. You can read our full methodology and rating system for more details.

About The Authors

James Headshot
Written by

Crypto Technical Writer

James Page, previously the lead writer at Crypto Head and a registered psychologist, brings a unique perspective to the world of blockchain and cryptocurrency.

His extensive experience in the industry and ability to present complex concepts in an understandable manner make his articles a valuable resource for readers seeking to navigate the ever-evolving crypto landscape.

Check James out on:
Adam Headshot
Edited by

Co-Founder / Managing Editor

Adam Morris, the co-founder of Crypto Head and a respected crypto expert, offers insightful commentary and analysis on cryptocurrency, NFTs, and the evolving digital landscape.

His extensive experience and features in top-tier publications like Forbes and CNN underscore his deep understanding of the crypto world and its future potential.

Check Adam out on: