Updated September 29, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team
Bitfinex vs Gate.io
Bitfinex
Higher score in this comparison
Gate.io
What sets them apart
| Compare | BitfinexReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Gate.ioReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Taker fee | 0%Lower | 0.1% |
| Coins listed | 63 | 1,510Higher |
| Regulators | Digital Assets Service Provider El Salvador | Malta Financial Services Authority (MiCA, crypto asset service provider), Malta Financial Services Authority (payment institution under PSD2), Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai, Japan (licensed exchange acquired 2024, regulator not named), Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) |
| Fiat deposit methods | Card, Bank | Card, SEPA, Apple pay |
| Maker fee | 0%Lower | 0.1% |
| Withdrawal fee | Bank wire 0.1% (min 100 USD/Euro) | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Proof of reserves (Yes), Derivatives (Yes), Exchange type (Cex).
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Key differences
- Regulators: only Bitfinex offers Digital Assets Service Provider El Salvador.
- Regulators: only Gate.io offers Malta Financial Services Authority (MiCA, crypto asset service provider), Malta Financial Services Authority (payment institution under PSD2), Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai.
- Founded is lower at Bitfinex: 2012 vs 2013.
- Gate.io is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Taker fee is lower at Bitfinex: 0% vs 0.1%.
- Maker fee is lower at Bitfinex: 0% vs 0.1%.
- Coins listed is higher at Gate.io: 1,510 vs 63.
- Fiat deposit methods: only Bitfinex offers Bank.
- Fiat deposit methods: only Gate.io offers SEPA, Apple pay.
- Support channels: only Bitfinex offers Chat, Help centre.
Our verdict on each
Bitfinex
Bitfinex is a custodial exchange built for active traders and long-term holders who want a low cost on every fill rather than a very long coin list. It scores 7.3 overall on HodlCue, trading 63 coins, publishing proof of reserves and adding staking on the same account.
Gate.io
Gate.io suits traders who want a very long coin list alongside spot and derivatives trading, and it is licensed in Malta and Dubai. Trading fees of 0.1% sit below the 0.2% site taker fee median, while 1,510 coins listed puts it well ahead of most rivals.
Score breakdown
| Area | Bitfinex | Gate.io |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8HigherSpot taker fee of 0% and maker fee of 0%, so trading costs sit at the floor. | 9.0Fees of 0.1% taker and 0.1% maker on spot sit under the 0.2% site median. |
| Offer | 9.2Derivatives and staking with a yield of 3% to 6%, but a coin list of only 63. | 9.5Higher |
| Trust | 9.2 | 9.6Higher |
How they place
| Ranking | Bitfinex | Gate.io |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto exchanges | 37 of 297 | 41 of 297 |
| Crypto futures exchanges | 21 of 78 | 24 of 78 |
| Where to buy crypto | 26 of 177 | 30 of 177 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Bitfinex | Gate.io |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Custodial, StakingCovers more | Custodial |
| Legal entity | iFinex Inc. | Gate Technology Limited |
| Headquarters | Virgin Islands, British | Malta |
| Founded | 2012Lower | 2013 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Community |
Crypto earn
| Fact | Bitfinex | Gate.io |
|---|---|---|
| Yield | 3% to 6% | Not confirmed |
| Supported assets | TRX, SOL, ADA, DOT, ETH | Not confirmed |
| Lock-up terms | Soft staking, no lock except ETH2 which needs unstaking (weeks to months) | Not confirmed |
| Custody | Custodial | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Bitfinex | Gate.io | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taker fee | 0%lowest quarter | 0.1%below the median | 0.15% |
| Coins listed | 63below the median | 1,510highest quarter | 76 |
| Maker fee | 0%below the median | 0.1%at the median | 0.1% |
Median across 219 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Bitfinex
Pros
- Proof of reserves is published, which gives you something concrete to check before you deposit.
- Card and bank fiat deposits are both supported, and help runs on chat, help centre and community when something goes wrong.
- Staking is soft, so coins are not locked, except the ether position, which has to be unstaked first over weeks to months.
Cons
- A list of 63 coins puts it at 89 of the 172 brands we track, below the 344.5 the widest lists reach.
- Custody is custodial, so the exchange holds your coins rather than a wallet you control.
- Support runs on chat, help centre and community only, with no email or phone line for urgent cases.
Gate.io
Pros
- 1,510 coins listed against a 62 site median, with derivatives trading on the same platform.
- A Malta Financial Services Authority MiCA licence with id MiCA CASP 984500D6A0F945BB5A15, plus a VARA registration in Dubai.
- Deposits by card, sepa and apple pay let European buyers fund the account from a card, a SEPA transfer or a phone.
Cons
- Support runs on email and community only, so help arrives by email or through the community rather than a live agent.
- Accounts are custodial, so the exchange holds the keys to your assets rather than you.
- Taker fees of 0.1% rank 34 on the site, well above the 0% charged by ActivTrades.
Who each suits
Bitfinex
Who it suits
- Traders who trade often enough for the taker fee to matter more than the coin list.
- Holders who want a staking yield without locking up access to most of their coins.
- Traders who want spot and derivatives handled from a single account and one fee schedule.
Who should look elsewhere
- Bitpanda, if the coin list matters most to you: it lists from 650 coins against 63 on Bitfinex.
- bunq, if you would rather see a stated taker fee of 0.25% to 1.99% than trade at 0%.
- ActivTrades, if a short list of 9 coins covers everything you want to trade.
Gate.io
Who it suits
- Active traders who want spot and derivatives in a single custodial account.
- European buyers who want a named regulator and a published licence id.
- Long tail traders: 1,510 coins listed, against from 650 at Bitpanda.
Who should look elsewhere
- Bitpanda, if a curated euro retail list suits better than 1,510 coins.
- ActivTrades, if you trade heavily and would rather pay 0% in taker fees.
- bunq, if paying fees of 0.25% to 1.99% per trade suits your volume better than 0.1%.
Questions about each
Bitfinex
What are the trading fees on Bitfinex?+
Spot trading is charged at 0% for takers and 0% for makers, so both sides of the book sit at the same figure. That places Bitfinex at 1 on taker fee among the 118 brands we compare, while the site median sits at 0.2%.
How much does it cost to withdraw?+
A bank wire withdrawal costs Bank wire 0.1% (min 100 USD/Euro), and that is the figure published in the exchange's fee table. Because the charge includes a stated minimum, a small transfer can cost more to move than the rate alone suggests, so fewer larger withdrawals usually make more sense than a run of small ones.
Gate.io
What do Gate.io charge for trading?+
Gate.io charges 0.1% for taker trades and 0.1% for maker trades on its standard schedule. Both sit below the 0.2% site median for taker fees, so regular trading keeps costs on the cheaper side of the market for most users.
Which regulators license Gate.io?+
The Malta Financial Services Authority lists Gate.io as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCA and as a payment institution, with licence id MiCA CASP 984500D6A0F945BB5A15. Gate.io is also registered with the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority in Dubai and holds a licensed exchange in Japan, and the full list of entries sits under Malta Financial Services Authority (MiCA, crypto asset service provider), Malta Financial Services Authority (payment institution under PSD2) and Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA), Dubai.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Bitfinex
Gate.io