Bybit vs KuCoin
Side-by-side comparison from our sourced exchange data. A dash means we haven't verified that fact — we don't fill gaps with guesses.
| Bybit | KuCoin | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | — | — |
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Dubai, United Arab Emirates (relocated from Singapore in 2022) | Seychelles (founded in China, later relocated via Singapore to the Seychelles); terms governed by Turks and Caicos Islands law |
| Spot maker (base) | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Spot taker (base) | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Listed assets | ~425 | ~1,000 |
| KYC | Required | Required |
| Notably unavailable | United States, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong | United States (incl. territories), Singapore, Mainland China and Hong Kong, Malaysia |
How they differ
Bybit, founded in 2018 and headquartered in Dubai since relocating from Singapore in 2022, lists about 425 assets and unifies spot, derivatives and options under one account model. KuCoin, founded in 2017, is based in Seychelles with terms governed by Turks and Caicos Islands law and states roughly 1,000 listed assets across spot, margin, futures, earn and copy trading. KuCoin is the broader listing venue; Bybit is more concentrated around its unified derivatives account.
Base spot fees start at the same 0.1% maker and taker. Bybit applies that flat rate to non-VIP users, charges 0.2% on Adventure Zone pairs and reduces rates through VIP tiers. KuCoin's 0.1% LV0 rate applies to Class A pairs, with a 20% discount when fees are paid in KCS and higher fees on less liquid Class B and C pairs. On both, the pair you trade determines the rate as much as your volume.
Verification is mandatory on both. KuCoin made KYC compulsory from 15 July 2023, with unverified legacy accounts losing deposits and most trading; Bybit requires at least Standard verification of its three levels. Exclusions overlap on the United States, mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Bybit adds Canada, Uzbekistan, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Syria, Sudan and Russian-controlled Ukrainian regions; KuCoin adds Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Ontario and British Columbia, France, the Netherlands and five occupied Ukrainian regions.
Both carry substantial incident history, of different kinds. Bybit lost roughly $1.5B in Ethereum from a cold wallet in February 2025 via a compromised third-party signing interface. KuCoin lost about $281M in a September 2020 hot wallet compromise, later covered by recovery and insurance, and in January 2025 pleaded guilty to a US unlicensed money transmitting charge, paying about $297M and agreeing to exit the US market for at least two years. KuCoin holds a MiCAR authorisation in Austria; Bybit holds a UAE Virtual Asset Platform Operator licence and provisional VARA approval.