FreiExchange Crypto Exchange Review: Zero Fees, High Risks

FreiExchange Crypto Exchange Review: Zero Fees, High Risks

FreiExchange Withdrawal Fee Calculator

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Fee Percentage: 0.5%

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Comparison to Other Exchanges

For comparison, at current BTC price:

- Binance withdrawal fee: Fixed fee per coin

- Coinbase withdrawal fee: Fixed fee per coin

- Kraken withdrawal fee: Fixed fee per coin

Key Risk Reminder

Withdrawing large amounts (10+ BTC) from FreiExchange costs over $3,000 in fees at current prices. Remember, you have no insurance, no regulation, and no legal protection if the platform fails.

FreiExchange claims to be the exchange that doesn’t charge trading fees. That’s the headline. And if you’re someone who trades small amounts of obscure altcoins, it sounds almost too good to be true. But here’s the catch: FreiExchange is not just low-fee - it’s practically invisible in the crypto world. With a 24-hour trading volume under $25,000 and no regulatory oversight, this isn’t Binance or Coinbase. It’s a quiet corner of the market, built for a very specific kind of trader - and not everyone should be stepping into it.

What FreiExchange Actually Offers

FreiExchange launched in 2016 and is registered in Norway, but don’t let that fool you. Being registered doesn’t mean it’s regulated. No financial authority - not the SEC, not the FCA, not even Norway’s Finanstilsynet - oversees its operations. That’s a red flag for anyone who cares about legal protection or dispute resolution.

The platform supports 110 cryptocurrencies across 145 trading pairs. That sounds impressive until you realize most of those are obscure tokens with little to no liquidity. You won’t find Bitcoin or Ethereum trading volumes here that matter. Instead, you’ll find coins like Freicoin, BitCloud, and other niche projects that bigger exchanges dropped years ago. If you’re holding one of these and need to trade it, FreiExchange might be one of the few places left that still lists it.

Its biggest selling point? Zero trading fees. Both makers and takers pay 0%. That’s rare. Even decentralized exchanges like Uniswap charge a small fee. On centralized platforms like Kraken or Bybit, you’re looking at 0.1% to 0.2% per trade. FreiExchange removes that cost entirely. For someone making dozens of small trades daily, that adds up. But here’s the twist: while trading is free, withdrawals cost 0.5% of the amount you take out.

That 0.5% withdrawal fee isn’t flat. It scales. Withdraw 0.01 BTC? That’s 0.00005 BTC in fees - barely noticeable. Withdraw 10 BTC? That’s 0.05 BTC - worth over $3,000 at current prices. If you’re moving large sums, this fee could eat into your profits faster than any trading fee ever could. And there’s no info on deposit fees. Some sources say there aren’t any. Others say they just haven’t found the details. That lack of transparency is a problem.

Security: Surface-Level, Not Deep

FreiExchange says it uses cold storage, two-factor authentication, and encryption. That’s standard. Every exchange claims those things. But what’s missing is proof. There are no third-party audits. No public wallet addresses for verification. No transparency reports showing how much crypto is held offline versus online.

You can connect hardware wallets like Ledger or Trezor - that’s good. But if the platform itself gets hacked, your private keys aren’t the only thing at risk. The exchange holds your funds in hot wallets during trading. If someone breaches their system, your coins are gone. And with no regulation, you have no legal recourse. No insurance fund. No compensation policy. Just a website and a promise.

The Trust Score on CoinGecko is 3 out of 10. That’s low. For comparison, Binance scores 9.5. Coinbase scores 8.7. FreiExchange’s score reflects concerns about fake trading volume, lack of oversight, and user complaints. That’s not just a number - it’s a warning.

User Experience: Functional, But Frustrating

The interface is clean. Market data loads fast. Charts are basic but usable. If you know what you’re doing, you can place trades without confusion. But that’s the problem - you need to already know what you’re doing.

There are no tutorials. No glossary. No beginner guides. No YouTube videos linked from the site. If you’re new to crypto, you’re on your own. Even basic terms like “maker vs taker” aren’t explained. That’s not user-friendly - it’s exclusionary.

Users report a high bounce rate (54%) and low average time on site (just over 2 minutes). That suggests people land on the site, get lost, and leave. Navigation is described as “inaccessible” by multiple reviewers. Buttons are hard to find. The menu structure doesn’t follow common patterns. Even experienced traders have said they spent 15 minutes trying to locate the withdrawal page.

Customer support is another mess. WikiBit says it’s responsive. Traders Union says FreiExchange ignores negative reviews. Trustpilot has only two reviews. That’s not enough data to judge, but the fact that the company doesn’t reply to criticism speaks volumes. If you run into a problem - a delayed deposit, a failed withdrawal - you’re unlikely to get help.

A decaying exchange building with a broken sign, a crow on a 'Trust Score: 3/10' sign, and dark windows.

Who Should Use FreiExchange?

This exchange isn’t for most people. It’s not for beginners. It’s not for long-term holders. It’s not for anyone who wants to feel safe.

It’s for one group: altcoin traders who need to move small amounts of obscure tokens and are willing to accept high risk for zero trading fees. If you’ve got 0.5 ETH of some forgotten token you bought in 2021 and you want to swap it for another obscure coin - and you’re okay with paying 0.5% to get it out - then FreiExchange might be your only option.

It’s also for developers. The platform offers an API. If you’re building a bot or tool that needs to interact with low-volume altcoins, this could be a useful endpoint. But again - no documentation quality is confirmed. You’d be testing blind.

How It Compares to the Rest

FreiExchange vs Major Exchanges
Feature FreiExchange Binance Coinbase Kraken
Trading Fees 0.00% 0.10% (maker), 0.10% (taker) 0.50% (spot) 0.16% (maker), 0.26% (taker)
Withdrawal Fee 0.50% of amount Fixed fee per coin Fixed fee per coin Fixed fee per coin
Regulated No Partially (global) Yes (US, EU) Yes (US, EU, Canada)
Coins Listed 110 350+ 200+ 200+
24h Volume $24,000 $25+ billion $1.8+ billion $1.2+ billion
Trust Score 3/10 9.5/10 8.7/10 8.5/10
Educational Resources None Extensive Extensive Extensive
Customer Support Inconsistent, no public replies 24/7 live chat 24/7 live chat 24/7 live chat
A trader on a cliff holds crypto coins as a shadowy figure offers a key to a vault labeled 'Your Funds'.

The Real Cost of Free Trading

Free trading sounds like a gift. But in crypto, nothing is free. FreiExchange makes money through withdrawal fees and possibly by front-running trades or holding user funds longer than necessary. The lack of transparency means you’re trusting them with your money without knowing how they profit.

There’s also the risk of platform failure. If FreiExchange shuts down tomorrow - because of a hack, a legal crackdown, or just because the owner got bored - you might lose access forever. No one is watching over it. No regulator is stepping in. No insurance fund is ready to pay you back.

And then there’s the psychological trap. When you don’t pay trading fees, you trade more. You take bigger risks. You chase small price swings because “it’s free.” That’s how people lose money - not because the market is bad, but because they forget the cost of their own behavior.

Final Verdict

FreiExchange isn’t evil. It’s not a scam. It’s just outdated, unregulated, and dangerously opaque. It fills a tiny niche: letting people trade obscure altcoins without paying trading fees. But that’s it.

If you’re a seasoned trader with a specific altcoin you need to move, and you understand the risks - go ahead. But treat it like a last resort, not a primary exchange. Keep your funds in a hardware wallet when you’re not trading. Don’t deposit more than you can afford to lose. And never assume it’s safe just because it’s been around since 2016.

For everyone else - beginners, investors, anyone who wants security, support, or reliability - keep looking. There are better options. Safer ones. Ones that actually care about your money.

Is FreiExchange safe to use?

FreiExchange is not safe for most users. It has no regulatory oversight, no public audits, and no insurance for user funds. While it uses basic security features like 2FA and cold storage, there’s no proof these are properly implemented. If the platform is hacked or shuts down, you have no legal recourse. Only experienced traders who understand the risks should consider using it.

Does FreiExchange charge deposit fees?

It’s unclear. No official documentation confirms whether deposit fees exist. Some sources say deposits are free, but no details are provided on supported methods like bank transfers, credit cards, or crypto deposits. This lack of transparency is a red flag.

Why is FreiExchange’s trading volume so low?

FreiExchange’s low volume - under $25,000 per day - is due to its focus on obscure altcoins with little demand. It doesn’t list major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum in high volumes. Its user base is small, and most traders avoid it because of its unregulated status and lack of liquidity. Low volume also raises questions about whether the reported numbers are accurate.

Can I use FreiExchange on my phone?

Yes, FreiExchange offers mobile apps for iOS and Android. However, user feedback suggests the interface is hard to navigate on smaller screens. The app doesn’t offer any features beyond the web version, and there are no reviews or ratings in official app stores to confirm reliability.

What happens if FreiExchange goes offline?

If FreiExchange shuts down, you may lose access to your funds permanently. There is no customer support to contact, no regulator to file a complaint with, and no insurance to claim. Your coins are stored on their servers - if they disappear, so do your assets. This is the biggest risk of using any unregulated exchange.

Is FreiExchange good for beginners?

No. FreiExchange offers zero educational resources. There are no tutorials, guides, or explanations of trading terms. The interface is confusing even for experienced users. Beginners should avoid this platform entirely and start with regulated exchanges like Coinbase or Kraken that provide learning tools and customer support.

Does FreiExchange support fiat currency?

FreiExchange claims to offer fiat gateway services, but no details are available on which currencies are supported, which banks are integrated, or how deposits are processed. There are no verified examples of users successfully depositing USD, EUR, or other fiat currencies. This claim appears unverified and potentially misleading.

LaTanya Orr
  • LaTanya Orr
  • November 23, 2025 AT 06:23

I've used FreiExchange for my weird altcoins and honestly? It's the only place that lets me trade Freicoin without getting charged a fortune. I know the risks, but I'm not here to bank. I'm here to move tokens. I keep 95% in cold storage anyway. Just don't deposit more than you'd lose on a dice roll.

Zero fees for trading? That's the whole reason I'm here. Withdrawal fee? Fine. It's predictable. Better than paying 0.1% every time I flip a coin.

Ashley Finlert
  • Ashley Finlert
  • November 23, 2025 AT 23:17

There is something profoundly poetic about an exchange that thrives in the shadows of the crypto world - a digital monastery for the forgotten tokens. FreiExchange does not seek to be the temple of the masses; it is the quiet chapel where the faithful, the fringe, and the forgotten come to worship in silence. Its lack of regulation is not negligence - it is a philosophical stance. A declaration that not all value must be measured in compliance, in KYC, in institutional validation. To use it is to embrace the wild, unregulated soul of crypto - before it became a Wall Street derivative.

Marilyn Manriquez
  • Marilyn Manriquez
  • November 25, 2025 AT 23:01

I respect the idea of a fee-free exchange. Truly. But when you look at the numbers - $24k volume, zero audits, no customer support - it's not freedom. It's abandonment. This isn't a platform. It's a digital ghost town with a trading interface. I've seen startups like this vanish overnight. If you're using this, you're not a trader. You're a volunteer test subject.

taliyah trice
  • taliyah trice
  • November 27, 2025 AT 20:05

Free trading sounds nice but if you lose your money no one cares. Stay away unless you know exactly what you're doing.

Charan Kumar
  • Charan Kumar
  • November 29, 2025 AT 03:17

I used this for my DogeAltCoin swap last year and it worked fine. Withdrawal took 3 days but it went through. No fees on trade. That's all I care about. Why you guys always overthink? If it works, use it. If it breaks, move on.

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