Data reportTrust
KYC requirements: 17 of 20 exchanges require identity verification to trade; 3 do not (BTCC, MEXC, Phemex)
Whether each of 20 exchanges requires identity verification before an order can be placed, as stated on its official help or policy page. The tables show the yes/no answer with its source, how many licences each group lists, and how fee levels compare. No safety judgement is made in either direction.
Published byGrace Hsu
Data reviewed byJason Lee About us → Key takeaways
- 17 of 20 exchanges (85%) require identity verification before trading, as stated on their official pages.
- 3 exchanges — BTCC, MEXC, Phemex — allow trading without identity verification; 2 of them list at least one licence or registration, compared with 15 of 17 in the KYC-required group.
- Median spot taker fee is 0.100% in the KYC-required group and 0.100% in the no-KYC group; a $1,000 spot taker trade costs a median $1.00 versus $1.00.
- The median KYC-required exchange names 2 licence jurisdictions; the median no-KYC exchange names 2.5.
01KYC status of each exchange
One row per exchange, no-KYC exchanges first. “Required” means the official page states that identity verification must be completed before an order can be placed; “Not required” means trading is possible without it, whatever limits then apply to withdrawals or features. Licence counts come from our licences report; fees are current spot and futures taker rates.
| Exchanges | KYC to trade | Licence jurisdictions | Headquarters | Spot taker | Futures taker | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTCC | Not required | 3 | Not disclosed | 0.300% | 0.055% | btcc.com |
| MEXC | Not required | Not confirmed | Not disclosed | 0.050% | 0.020% | mexc.com |
| Phemex | Not required | 2 | Not disclosed | 0.100% | 0.060% | phemex.com |
| Binance | Required | 5 | Not disclosed | 0.100% | 0.050% | binance.com |
| BingX | Required | 2 | Not disclosed | 0.100% | 0.050% | bingx.com |
| Bitfinex | Required | 1 | Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands | 0.000% | 0.000% | support.bitfinex.com |
| Bitget | Required | 6 | Seychelles (registered entity; operates without a single headquarters) | 0.100% | 0.060% | bitget.com |
| BitoPro | Required | 1 | Taiwan | 0.200% | Not offered | support.bitopro.com |
| Bitstamp | Required | 4 | London, United Kingdom | 0.400% | Not offered | blog.bitstamp.net |
| Bybit | Required | 2 | Dubai, UAE | 0.100% | 0.055% | bybit.com |
| Crypto.com | Required | 1 | Not disclosed | 0.500% | 0.040% | help.crypto.com |
| Deribit | Required | 1 | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | 0.050% | 0.035% | support.deribit.com |
| Gate.io | Required | 8 | Not disclosed | 0.100% | 0.050% | gate.io |
| Gemini | Required | 1 | New York City, USA | 1.200% | 0.070% | gemini.com |
| HTX | Required | Not confirmed | Seychelles | 0.200% | 0.060% | htx.com |
| Kraken | Required | 7 | Not disclosed | 0.800% | 0.050% | support.kraken.com |
| KuCoin | Required | 2 | Seychelles | 0.100% | 0.060% | kucoin.com |
| MAX Exchange | Required | 1 | Taipei, Taiwan | 0.160% | Not offered | support.maicoin.com |
| OKX | Required | 3 | Seychelles | 0.100% | 0.050% | okx.com |
| WhiteBIT | Required | Not confirmed | Vilnius, Lithuania | 0.100% | 0.055% | help.whitebit.com |
Source: CEX Compare, from official exchange sources (checked 2026-10-28)
02The two groups side by side
Each line is a median over confirmed values only — unconfirmed and undisclosed values are left out, not counted as zero. With 3 exchanges in the no-KYC group, its medians describe those 3 exchanges and nothing more.
| KYC required | No KYC to trade | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchanges | 17 | 3 |
| Median spot taker fee | 0.100%17 of 17 confirmed | 0.100%3 of 3 confirmed |
| Median futures taker fee | 0.050%14 of 17 confirmed | 0.055%3 of 3 confirmed |
| Median cost of a $1,000 spot taker trade | $1.0017 of 17 confirmed | $1.003 of 3 confirmed |
| Median BTC withdrawal fee | 0.00004 BTC15 of 17 confirmed | 0.00002 BTC3 of 3 confirmed |
| Median licence jurisdictions named | 215 of 17 confirmed | 2.52 of 3 confirmed |
| Exchanges listing at least one licence | 1515 of 17 confirmed | 22 of 3 confirmed |
Source: CEX Compare, from official exchange sources (checked 2026-10-28)
03What the no-KYC exchanges publish
The 3 exchanges that allow trading without identity verification, with the other data we hold on each. Withdrawal caps, feature limits and the conditions under which verification is later requested are not recorded in our data — the linked official page is the place to check them.
Source: CEX Compare, from official exchange sources (checked 2026-10-28)
04Method and limits
The yes/no answer records whether the exchange’s official help or policy page states that identity verification is required before trading. It does not record tiered limits, regional exceptions or when a policy was introduced, and policies change — the checked date is shown above. KYC status is informational: this site does not rank exchanges on it, and neither requiring nor waiving verification is treated as a point for or against an exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Which crypto exchanges let you trade without KYC?
Of the 20 exchanges we track, 3 state on their official pages that trading is possible without identity verification: BTCC, MEXC, Phemex (checked 2026-10-28). Withdrawal limits and other conditions are set out on each exchange’s page.
How many exchanges require KYC before trading?
17 of 20 (85%) require identity verification before an order can be placed, as checked 2026-10-28.
Is an exchange without KYC less safe?
This report does not say. It records each exchange’s stated policy and, alongside it, the licences it lists and its fee levels; it makes no safety judgement in either direction.
Every answer is generated from the values above and their official sources — nothing is added that the data does not show.
About this report
This report is built only from the verified figures on this site. Every number links to an official source, and the data is reviewed by Jason Lee. It is information, not investment advice. About us →