Synthetix review
Updated September 28, 2026 · HodlCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Synthetix suits traders who want derivatives alongside spot in a self-custody venue, and who are content with a focused basket rather than a long list. The market covers 10 coins, so control and trading scope matter more here than breadth, and the account is yours, not the exchange's.
Key facts
- Best for
- Trading derivatives in a wallet you control.
- Taker fee
- 0.05%↗
- Coins listed
- 10↗
- Maker fee
- 0.02%↗
- Withdrawal fee
- Per-asset withdrawal fee, deducted from the amount received, plus Ethereum Mainnet gas paid in ETH by the wallet↗
- Derivatives
- Yes↗
- Exchange type
- Dex↗
- Legal entity
- Molon Labe Inc.↗
- Headquarters
- Panama↗
- Founded
- 2018↗
- Support channels
- Chat, Help-centre↗
- Features
- Self-custody
- Official website
- synthetix.io
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources
Apps and profiles
- Elsewhere
- Xdiscord.gg
Pros and cons
Pros
- Trading runs in self custody, so the keys stay with you: self custody.
- Spot and derivatives sit in the same decentralised venue: dex.
- A maker fee of 0.02% is lower than the taker fee of 0.05%.
Cons
- Only 10 coins are listed, against a site median of 62.
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, with no phone desk listed.
- Withdrawals cost a per-asset fee taken out of the amount received, plus Ethereum Mainnet gas paid in ETH by your own wallet.
Who it suits
- Traders with a self-custody wallet who want derivatives in the same venue.
- People who trade a focused basket of major assets rather than following new listings.
- Cost minded traders, with a maker fee of 0.02% against a taker fee of 0.05%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Bitpanda, if breadth is the priority: from 650 coins against 10 here.
- ActivTrades, if a taker fee of 0% outweighs holding your own keys.
- bunq, if taker fees of 0.25% to 1.99% suit you better than 0.05%.
Fees
A single schedule applies to every trade on the venue: a taker fee of 0.05% and a maker fee of 0.02%, with the maker rate lower than the taker rate. Withdrawals are charged per asset, with the fee deducted from the amount you receive, and the network cost paid in ETH by your own wallet on Ethereum Mainnet.
The company behind it
The exchange terms name Molon Labe Inc. as the legal entity, based in Panama, and the project dates back to 2018. That entity sets the terms accepted at the venue. Getting help goes through chat and help centre, so most questions are answered in chat or in the help centre.
How Synthetix compares
9.0 vs 9.5- 9.0 vs 9.3
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.7If a taker fee of 0% is the deciding factor, over 0.05% here.
9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.6
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.9
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.2
9.0 vs 8.2
9.0 vs 9.7
9.0 vs 9.4
9.0 vs 9.3
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.2
9.0 vs 9.1
9.0 vs 9.0
9.0 vs 8.7
9.0 vs 8.6
Where Synthetix is available
- Available
- Everywhere except Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, Syria
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to trade on Synthetix?+
A taker fee of 0.05% applies to trades, and a maker fee of 0.02% is lower for order flow that adds liquidity. The site median taker fee is 0.2%, so the venue sits at the cheaper end of the range for regular trading.
How many coins can I trade?+
The venue lists 10 coins, well under the site median of 62. That makes it a place for a focused basket rather than for following new listings, so readers who want breadth should look further down the list.
Does Synthetix offer derivatives?+
Yes. Derivatives are traded here alongside spot. The venue is a decentralised market (dex), so trading happens on chain rather than through a platform account, and that is the main reason traders come to it.
Who holds the coins I trade?+
You do. Trading runs in self custody (self custody), so the assets sit in the wallet you control rather than in a platform account. The exchange is a decentralised market (dex) built around that arrangement, which is the main draw for experienced crypto users.
What does it cost to withdraw?+
Each asset carries its own withdrawal fee, and that fee is taken out of the amount you receive. Because trading is in self custody (self custody), the Ethereum Mainnet network cost is paid in ETH by your own wallet, so the gas price at the time adds to what leaving costs.
What support can I get?+
Support runs on chat and help centre only. Questions can be asked in chat or covered in the help centre, so it helps to have your wallet details and transaction details ready before you open one.
Who runs Synthetix?+
The exchange terms name Molon Labe Inc. as the legal entity, based in Panama. The project itself dates back to 2018, so the protocol and the company behind the terms have a long history to look into.
Is there anything protecting my balance?+
The fact that matters for protection is custody: trading runs in self custody (self custody), so the coins sit in the wallet you control. Anyone choosing between a platform that holds a balance for you and a decentralised venue should weigh that difference first.
Sources
- docs.synthetix.io checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“The support chat widget should appear at the bottom right of this page”
- docs.synthetix.io/about-synthetix/synthetix-history checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded
“Synthetix began in 2018 as Havven, a protocol for decentralized stablecoins”
- docs.synthetix.io/deposits-withdrawals/withdrawing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Withdrawal fee
“Withdrawals can have a per-asset withdrawal fee. The fee is deducted from the amount received and is shown before you confirm”
- docs.synthetix.io/trading/fees checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Maker fee, Taker fee
“Regular User $0+ 0.020% maker 0.050% taker; Maker default fee rate 0.02%”
- docs.synthetix.io/trading/markets checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Coins listed, Derivatives
“Listed markets: BTC-USDT, ETH-USDT, SOL-USDT, XRP-USDT, DOGE-USDT, ZEC-USDT, FARTCOIN-USDT, 1000PEPE-USDT, XMR-USDT, PUMP-USDT”
- synthetix.io checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Exchange type
“Synthetix is a decentralized perpetual futures protocol built on Ethereum Mainnet”
- synthetix.io/exchange-terms checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Headquarters, Legal entity
“We do not custody, possess, or control the virtual currency, cryptocurrency, stablecoins, liquid staking tokens, or other cryptographic tokens held in the Wallet connected”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Regulators, Fiat deposit methods.