Spot Trading Fees Comparison: Which Crypto Exchange Charges the Least in 2025

When you're buying or selling Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other crypto on the spot market, you're not just paying for the asset-you're paying a fee to the exchange. These fees might seem tiny-like 0.1%-but if you trade often, they eat into your profits faster than you think. A 0.05% difference on a $10,000 trade is $5. Do that 100 times a month? That’s $500 gone. And if you’re a high-frequency trader, it could be thousands. So choosing the right exchange isn’t just about which one has the most coins-it’s about who charges the least when you click buy or sell.

How Spot Trading Fees Actually Work

Not all fees are the same. Most exchanges use a maker-taker model. A maker places a limit order that sits on the order book, adding liquidity. That’s the good guy. They usually pay less-sometimes nothing. A taker places a market order that immediately matches with an existing order, removing liquidity. That’s the one who pays more. It’s like parking: if you park in an empty spot (maker), you pay less. If you take someone else’s spot (taker), you pay more.

This system started in stock markets but got adopted by crypto exchanges around 2013. Today, it’s standard across nearly every major platform. The key is understanding which side of the trade you’re on. Most beginners don’t realize this, and they end up paying more than they need to just because they’re using market orders all the time.

Who Has the Lowest Fees in 2025?

As of November 2025, the fee landscape has shifted hard. Here’s what the top exchanges are charging for spot trading, based on standard accounts with no discounts:

MEXC leads the pack with a 0.00% maker fee. That’s right-zero. No other major exchange offers that. Taker fees are still 0.05%, which is half of what Binance charges and less than one-eighth of Kraken’s. For traders who rely on limit orders (and that’s most serious traders), this is a massive advantage.

Binance dropped its maker fee to 0.075% in November 2025, making it one of the cheapest for high-volume users, especially if you hold BNB. KuCoin and Bybit keep things simple with flat 0.10% fees across the board. Kraken, on the other hand, still charges the highest standard rates-0.25% maker and 0.40% taker. But here’s the catch: Kraken is one of the few exchanges fully compliant with U.S. regulations, has SOC 2 Type 2 security certification, and is trusted by institutional investors. You’re paying for safety.

Native Tokens Can Slash Your Fees

Most exchanges let you reduce fees by holding their native token. It’s not a trick-it’s a loyalty program disguised as a discount. On Binance, holding BNB gives you up to 25% off. On KuCoin, KCS gives you 20%. MEXC offers up to 20% off with MX tokens. That means if you’re trading $100,000 a month, a 20% discount saves you $200 in fees alone.

But here’s what most people miss: you have to actually hold the token. You can’t just buy it and sell it right away. If you’re not planning to hold, you’re not saving anything. And if you’re trading the token itself, you’re still paying taker fees on that trade. So the math has to work both ways.

Some traders buy BNB or KCS just to get the discount. That’s fine-but you’re adding another asset to manage. And if the token drops 15% while you’re holding it, you’ve lost more than you saved in fees. It’s not free money. It’s a trade-off.

Volume Tiers: The Real Game Changer

If you trade more than $1 million a month, you qualify for VIP tiers. Binance’s VIP 1 tier drops maker fees to 0.06% and taker fees to 0.08%. That’s a 15% cut from their standard rates. Kraken’s highest tier brings fees down to 0.16% maker and 0.26% taker. That’s still higher than Binance’s VIP 1, but Kraken’s infrastructure is built for institutions.

For most people, these tiers are irrelevant. But if you’re trading $50,000 a day, you should be in one. The problem? You need to prove your volume. Exchanges track your 30-day trading activity. If you dip below the threshold, your fees jump back up. It’s not a one-time discount-it’s a continuous commitment.

Fees Aren’t Everything

MEXC has the lowest fees. But in November 2025, Trustpilot reviews show 29% of negative feedback points to hidden withdrawal fees. Some users report paying $10 to withdraw Bitcoin, even though the blockchain fee is $3. That’s not a fee-it’s a tax.

Kraken doesn’t have flashy discounts, but it’s one of the few exchanges that doesn’t get hacked. In 2023, Binance settled a $4.3 billion fine with U.S. regulators. MEXC and Bitget have no U.S. regulatory approval. If you’re in the U.S., Kraken or Coinbase are your only safe options-even if you pay more.

Liquidity matters too. Kraken has higher liquidity on major pairs like BTC/USD and ETH/USD than Bitget or MEXC, according to Kaiko data. That means your orders fill faster, with less slippage. A 0.00% fee is useless if your $5,000 buy order only fills halfway because there’s no seller.

How to Actually Save on Fees

Here’s what works in real life:

1. Use limit orders instead of market orders. You’ll pay maker fees, which are 20-100% lower.
2. Hold the exchange’s native token if you trade often. BNB, KCS, MX-pick one and stick with it.
3. Check withdrawal fees before you deposit. Some exchanges charge $5 to send BTC out, even if the network fee is $1.
4. Use referral links. Most exchanges give you 10% off your first 3 months of trading.
5. Don’t trade on exchanges that don’t show their fee schedule clearly. If you have to dig for it, avoid them.

Most new traders think the cheapest exchange is the best. But the best exchange is the one that fits your behavior. If you’re a day trader using limit orders, MEXC wins. If you’re holding BTC long-term and want to move it safely, Kraken is worth the extra 0.15%.

The Future of Spot Trading Fees

Fees are dropping fast. In 2023, the average maker fee was 0.15%. Now it’s 0.08%. Delphi Digital predicts it’ll hit 0.05% by mid-2026. MEXC’s 0.00% fee is already pushing others to follow. But here’s the problem: exchanges need to make money. If fees drop too low, they’ll start charging for withdrawals, deposits, or API access.

The SEC is also watching. Their proposed Digital Asset Market Structure rule could force U.S. exchanges to spend 15-20% more on compliance. That might mean fee hikes for Kraken and Coinbase in 2026. So if you’re in the U.S., locking in a low-fee plan now might be smarter than waiting.

Decentralized exchanges like Uniswap and PancakeSwap are also growing. But they charge 0.25-0.30% plus $1-$5 in gas fees. For small trades, that’s worse than centralized exchanges. For big trades, it’s unpredictable. Most traders still use centralized platforms because they’re faster, easier, and more liquid.

What You Should Do Right Now

1. Check your current exchange’s fee schedule. Go to their website. Find the maker and taker rates. If you can’t find them, you’re already paying too much.

2. Switch to limit orders. Don’t use market orders unless you’re in a hurry. You’ll save 20-50% on fees immediately.

3. Calculate your monthly trading volume. If you’re under $10,000, MEXC or Binance are your best bets. If you’re over $100,000, look at VIP tiers.

4. Don’t chase the lowest fee if it means sacrificing security. A hacked account costs more than any fee ever could.

5. Use the exchange’s fee calculator. Binance and Kraken have the most accurate ones. MEXC’s has a 12% error rate, according to Trustpilot users.

Spot trading fees aren’t a detail. They’re a core part of your strategy. The difference between 0.05% and 0.25% isn’t just a number-it’s hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. Get it right, and you keep more of your profits. Get it wrong, and you’re just funding the exchange.