Bithumb Review 2027 Supported Platforms and Tools

For years Bithumb was the largest crypto exchange in South Korea. It lost that title to Upbit, and much of its recent history has been an attempt to win it back with lower fees, new banking partners and aggressive listings. This Bithumb review for 2027 covers how the challenger compares with the market leader, what its security record looks like, and who is actually able to use it.

Background

Bithumb launched in 2014 and dominated Korean crypto trading through the 2017 boom, when the country accounted for an outsized share of global volume. It is operated by a Seoul-based company and has gone through a complicated series of ownership changes and attempted sales over the years, alongside investigations into former executives. The business has been restructuring with the stated aim of a stock market listing.

Today Bithumb is the clear number two in the Korean won market. Its share swings widely, at times rising above a third of domestic volume when its promotions or new listings catch traders' attention, and falling back when activity concentrates on its rival.

Regulation and eligibility

Bithumb is one of the handful of exchanges licensed to handle Korean won under the country's real-name account system. Every customer must hold a bank account in their own name at the exchange's partner bank; Bithumb moved its partnership to KB Kookmin Bank, one of the country's largest lenders, in 2025, a change intended to make sign-up easier for a wider population. The exchange is subject to the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which requires cold storage of most customer assets, insurance or reserve funds, and surveillance for unfair trading.

As a consequence, the platform is available only to residents of South Korea who can complete local identity verification. It is not open to international users, and any third party offering foreign traders access to a Bithumb account should be avoided.

Bithumb review: markets and features

Bithumb lists more than 400 cryptocurrencies, roughly double the number on Upbit. This broader selection is a deliberate strategy: by listing more small and mid-sized tokens, it gives Korean traders a reason to keep a second account. Features include:

• Spot trading in Korean won and Bitcoin markets
• Staking and deposit-style reward products on selected assets
• Lending services that allow eligible users to borrow against holdings, within limits set by regulators
• Automated recurring purchases
• Membership tiers with rewards based on trading activity

There are no futures or margin products of the kind found on global derivatives exchanges, because Korean rules restrict them for retail investors.

The wider token list comes with the same pattern seen across Korean exchanges, only more pronounced. Newly listed coins often surge on the first day as local buyers pile in and then fall back sharply. Tokens that fail to maintain standards are placed on a public warning list and can be removed. Traders should treat listing-day rallies with caution.

Fees in 2027

Bithumb has used pricing as its main weapon. After experimenting with a period of zero fees, it settled on a rate of 0.04% for both makers and takers in the won market, slightly undercutting Upbit's 0.05%. The lowest rate has at times required registering a free fee coupon in the app, with a higher default rate applying otherwise, so users should make sure the discount is active on their account.

In absolute terms these are among the lowest trading fees charged by any major exchange in the world. Crypto withdrawals follow the travel rule, so transfers above a threshold are limited to approved exchanges and verified personal wallets.

Security history

Bithumb's record includes several serious incidents during its earlier years. In 2017 an employee's computer was compromised, exposing customer data. In June 2018 attackers stole roughly $30 million in crypto, part of which was later recovered. In March 2019 a further theft, which the company suspected involved insiders, took assets worth well over $10 million from company-owned funds. In each case the exchange stated that customer assets were protected or reimbursed.

Since 2019 there has not been a comparable breach. Regulation has tightened considerably in that time: Korean exchanges must now keep at least 80% of customer crypto in cold storage, hold certified information security systems, maintain insurance or reserves against incidents, and submit to regular reserve examinations by external accountants. Customer cash sits with the partner bank rather than with the exchange. These rules reduce, though do not remove, the risks demonstrated by Bithumb's past.

Platform and support

The app and website are modern and quick, built primarily for Korean speakers. Sign-up requires mobile identity verification, a linked bank account and additional checks for higher limits. Bithumb runs a 24-hour customer centre and physical support locations in Seoul, which is unusual in the industry.

Strengths and weaknesses

Who is Bithumb for?

Bithumb is a strong second account for Korean residents: cheaper than the market leader, with more coins and convenient banking. Those who need the deepest liquidity will still do most of their trading on Upbit. International readers cannot open an account and should use the live data here simply as a window on the Korean market.

Frequently asked questions

Risk warning: crypto assets are highly volatile, and newly listed tokens on Korean exchanges are prone to sharp reversals. This Bithumb review is not investment advice.