Platform review

Bitfinex review

Bitfinex lists zero execution fees for spot, margin and derivatives in the consulted schedule. The whole workflow is not free: bank transfers have minimum charges and Borrow separates lender and borrower pricing.

Last updated:

Scope
Bitfinex international fee schedule
Trading
0% maker/taker in documented modes
Bank deposit
0.1%, minimum USD/EUR 60

International product

Product-specific feesFees with the relevant trading context
Entities and custodyDifferences relevant to users
Editorial analysisFees, products and risks in context

Best of Bitfinex

Strengths to compare

  • The consulted schedule lists zero maker/taker fees for spot, margin and derivatives.
  • OTC and crypto deposits also have zero listed charges.
  • Lending and borrowing charges are distinguished explicitly.

Areas to improve

Costs and limitations that matter

  • Bank funding has a USD/EUR 60 minimum and ordinary withdrawal a USD/EUR 100 minimum.
  • Express withdrawal costs 1%, minimum USD/EUR 125.
  • Borrow lenders pay 15% of generated fees, or 18% for hidden offers.

Compare trading with a distinct funding structure

Bitfinex may interest someone comparing spot, margin or derivatives who separates execution from funding and balance movements. Its schedule consulted on 4 November 2026 lists zero maker and taker fees for those modes. That is useful information, but does not make all account actions free or remove product-specific components.

For a small bank-funded amount, transfer minimums can outweigh several executions. Someone arriving with existing crypto follows a different deposit and exit route. Start by asking how the balance will arrive and where it should finish rather than choosing from the trading zero alone.

Review product terms and risks before trading.

Spot, margin, derivatives and OTC remain distinct

Spot buys or sells the traded asset. Margin introduces financing, derivatives create contract exposure and OTC is another listed mode. Zero execution entries across those categories do not make them equivalent or appropriate for a first purchase.

API documentation names iFinex Financial Technologies Limited for the derivatives platform. That name is not transferred to every spot contract here. Bitfinex Securities is also a separate line rather than an automatic exchange-account function. Identify the product you are confirming before applying its pricing.

What zero execution removes, and what it does not

The schedule lists zero maker/taker for spot, margin and derivatives, alongside zero OTC. On a hypothetical USD 5,000 notional, that execution component would be zero under those entries. It does not establish identical buying and selling prices or a zero position outcome. Markets move and orders can fill at different prices.

No execution fee does not turn a pending order into a completed purchase. A limit can rest or fill partially; immediate completion has another behavior. Our orders guide helps assess those differences even when maker and taker rates match.

Against a platform charging a percentage, include funding, financing and exits on both sides. Multiplying the other rate and declaring zero the winner misses the route. Our total-cost guide identifies components that actually disappear versus those priced elsewhere.

Fees by product
Product or movementPublished terms
Spot, margin and derivatives0% maker / 0% taker
Incoming bank wire0.1%; minimum USD/EUR 60
Outgoing bank wire0.1%; minimum USD/EUR 100
Express withdrawal1%; minimum USD/EUR 125
Borrow: lender15% of generated fees; 18% with hidden offer
Memo/tag recoveryUSD 150 where recovery is needed

Bank transfer minimums change the budget

Incoming bank wires list 0.100%, minimum USD or EUR 60. For a hypothetical 1,000 units in either currency, the percentage would be one unit, so the 60-unit minimum dominates. At 100,000 units, 0.1% becomes 100 and exceeds the minimum. These are arithmetic illustrations rather than recommended transfer amounts.

Ordinary outgoing bank wires list 0.100%, minimum USD or EUR 100. A hypothetical same-currency 1,000-unit deposit and withdrawal therefore incurs combined minimums of 160 before other components. Free execution does not make that small bank-funded route inexpensive.

Express withdrawals list 1.000%, minimum USD or EUR 125. This differs from ordinary withdrawal rather than automatically adding to it. Choose the required route and compare its effective charge for your amount. Our funding guide separates those movements.

Borrow distinguishes lending from borrowing

Borrow pricing lists a zero borrower charge and a lender charge of 15% of fees generated by active loans, rising to 18% for hidden offers. A zero service-charge line for borrowers must not be advertised as costless financing: service charges and the cost of obtaining funds are different concepts.

With a hypothetical 20 units of generated fees serving as the charge base, 15% equals three units and 18% equals 3.60. This is not a percentage of the entire loan principal or a promised return. The percentage base matters as much as its value.

Borrowing and margin require understanding the transaction and possible closure or liquidation. Adding financing to a purchase that does not need it is not justified by one zero-priced entry. Define the need first and evaluate product components afterwards.

Position takeover uses avoided loss as its base

The schedule lists 5.0% of avoided loss if Bitfinex takes over a loan or margin position instead of liquidating it. This is not a 5% charge on every spot purchase or ordinary entry. It describes a particular event with a different base from trading notional.

If the relevant avoided loss were hypothetically 1,000 units, 5% would be 50 units. That neither predicts the avoided loss nor guarantees takeover instead of liquidation. It clarifies why this entry should not be merged with maker/taker pricing when budgeting an ordinary order.

Free execution does not remove contract mechanics

Derivatives retain their exposure and collateral mechanics even when execution is listed at zero. Distinguish notional, supplied margin, contract and intended closure before trading. Price movements can affect balances regardless of execution fees.

Our spot and futures guide explains that separation, while the funding guide covers financing where applicable. This review neither assigns universal funding rates nor assumes funding is zero because maker/taker is. Each component needs its own conditions.

Crypto deposits, withdrawals and memo mistakes

The schedule lists free crypto deposits. A sending exchange can still charge, and outgoing Bitfinex fees need checking by asset and method. Free receipt is not evidence of a free crypto round trip.

Recovery for a wrong or missing tag, memo or payment ID lists USD 150 where recovery is needed. That is neither guaranteed repair for every error nor an ordinary charge on every deposit. Review the asset’s deposit instructions, including references required beyond an address.

The transfer guide and networks guide cover compatibility before sending. Keep the transaction identifier and distinguish a requested withdrawal from a credited deposit. That care can matter more than a small execution saving.

Operational balance, collateral and personal wallets

A centralized balance differs from assets stored with personally controlled keys. A balance used as collateral also differs from funds available to withdraw. Decide what must remain for your product rather than treating the entire account as unencumbered.

Zero pricing is not proof of solvency, balance guarantees or an incident-free history. Arrange access security and recovery and retain movement records. Our custody guide and account security guide cover those responsibilities without inventing personal testing.

Comparing Binance, Bybit and Kraken

Binance and Bybit provide other international trading references. The Bybit vs Binance comparison contrasts modes and funding. Compare the same product and include the bank or crypto movements your actual route generates rather than opposing their percentages to zero alone.

Kraken adds another perspective on funding, margin and exits, keeping product scope explicit. Bitfinex may be relevant for its execution structure, but banking minimums and Borrow change the assessment by user. Choose the route and tools needed instead of turning one free entry into a promise of zero total cost.

Who may find it suitable?

Bitfinex lists zero execution fees for spot, margin and derivatives in the consulted schedule. The whole workflow is not free: bank transfers have minimum charges and Borrow separates lender and borrower pricing.

Our review of Bitfinex

Bitfinex is worth considering when trading matters and you can separate the surrounding costs. Zero execution can be relevant, but banking minimums transform small-amount budgets. Choose Borrow, margin and derivatives for their purpose and financing terms rather than a shared zero in the trading table.

Related guides

Explore guides
Guide

Order book, single fee or spread

Three ways to read a spot price: maker/taker, a single fee, and a fee plus spread. The lowest percentage is not a closed cost.

Read guide
Guide

Custody at the exchange or in your own wallet

Leaving crypto-assets on the platform and moving them to a wallet whose keys you keep are not the same. This is what the contracts say, not a product recommendation.

Read guide
Guide

Total exchange cost: fees and worked example

Calculate trading, spread, funding and withdrawals. A worked €1,000 example with verified rates and explicit assumptions.

Read guide

Frequently asked questions

Do zero trading fees make funding and withdrawal free too?

No. Bank deposits list 0.1% with a USD/EUR 60 minimum and ordinary withdrawals 0.1% with a USD/EUR 100 minimum. Execution is separate.

Does Borrow’s zero mean free financing?

No. It is one borrower charge entry, not a statement that every financing component is free.

Does the lender’s 15% apply to loan principal?

The reference is 15% of fees generated by active loans, or 18% for hidden offers. It is not presented as a percentage of all principal.

Is memo recovery included in free deposits?

No. Recovery where needed lists USD 150. This is not guaranteed repair for any transaction.