Bitget vs Binance (2026): Fees, Safety, Features and Availability in Australia and South Africa
Disclosure: This comparison contains my Bitget referral link. If you sign up through it and trade, I may receive a share of your trading fees from Bitget. I have no affiliate relationship with Binance. Your fees are the same either way. This is general information, not financial advice.
Bitget and Binance are two of the biggest crypto exchanges, and both offer spot trading, futures, copy trading and earn products. Because I earn from Bitget referrals, I have tried to keep this comparison to facts you can check on each exchange’s own pages and on regulator websites, and I point out where Binance comes out ahead. Everything was checked on 1 November 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm them on the live pages before you decide.
Quick comparison
| Bitget | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard spot fee (maker / taker) | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.1% / 0.1% |
| Spot fee with native-token discount | 0.08% (20% off with BGB) | 0.075% (25% off with BNB) |
| Standard futures fee (maker / taker) | 0.02% / 0.06% | 0.02% / 0.05% (USDⓈ-M) |
| Futures native-token discount | Check Bitget’s live fee page | 10% off with BNB (USDⓈ-M) |
| Proof of Reserves | Monthly, Merkle tree, 19 assets | Published, Merkle tree |
| Copy trading | Yes | Yes |
| Australia | AUSTRAC registration; ASIC warning on futures | AUSTRAC registration (InvestbyBit Pty Ltd); derivatives arm closed in 2023 |
| South Africa | FSCA CASP and ODP licences listed | Operating under an FSCA exemption; futures via a juristic representative |
Rates are base rates for regular, non-VIP users. Both exchanges say your actual rate can depend on your VIP tier and region.
Fees
Spot trading
Both exchanges charge a standard 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker fee on spot trades. The difference is in the native-token discount:
- Bitget: turning on “Use BGB to offset fees” gives a 20% discount on spot fees, bringing the standard rate to 0.08%.
- Binance: paying fees with BNB gives a 25% discount on spot fees, bringing the standard rate to 0.075%.
On a $1,000 spot trade at the standard tier, that is $0.80 on Bitget with BGB versus $0.75 on Binance with BNB, before any VIP discounts. For a beginner making a few trades a month, the difference is small. Holding a volatile exchange token just to save fees also adds its own price risk.
Futures trading
- Bitget: 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker, according to its Trading Fees FAQ.
- Binance (USDⓈ-M futures): 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker, with a 10% discount when paying in BNB.
For taker orders, Binance’s standard futures fee is lower. Both charge funding on perpetual futures, which is paid between traders, not to the exchange.
Australian readers: this site does not recommend Bitget futures to Australians, because ASIC has warned about Bitget’s unlicensed futures products. Binance closed its Australian derivatives business in 2023 (see below).
Deposits and withdrawals
Bitget says it charges no fee for crypto deposits and that withdrawal fees vary by coin and network. Withdrawal fees on both exchanges change with network conditions, so compare the fee each one shows on the withdrawal screen for the coin and network you actually use.
For the full Bitget breakdown, see Bitget fees explained.
Safety and track record
Bitget
On 24 September 2026, Bitget lost about $388 million from part of its hot and warm wallets after attackers exploited a zero-day vulnerability in a third-party security product. Bitget says cold wallets and private keys were not compromised, user balances were not affected, the loss was covered by its Protection Fund, and all withdrawals had resumed by 2 October 2026. Its October 2026 Proof of Reserves report showed an overall reserve ratio of 115% across 19 covered assets. Details are in Is Bitget safe?.
Binance
Binance also publishes Proof of Reserves with Merkle tree verification. In May 2019 it reported a hack of about 7,000 BTC from a hot wallet and said it covered the loss from its SAFU fund. In November 2023 Binance and its founder reached settlements with US authorities over anti-money-laundering and sanctions violations.
Neither exchange can promise your funds are safe. Large exchanges have been hacked and fined, and regulation varies by country.
Availability in Australia
Bitget. Bitget’s licence page lists a digital currency exchange provider registration with AUSTRAC (BTGT AUS PTY LTD on AUSTRAC’s register). This is an anti-money-laundering registration, not an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence. ASIC has issued an investor alert about Bitget’s unlicensed crypto asset futures products.
Binance. Binance’s Licenses page says InvestbyBit Pty Ltd, trading as Binance Australia, holds an AUSTRAC digital currency exchange registration (100576141-001). In August 2025 AUSTRAC directed InvestbyBit to appoint an external auditor, citing serious concerns about its anti-money-laundering controls. Binance’s Australian derivatives business, Oztures Trading Pty Ltd, had its AFS licence cancelled at its own request in April 2023. In March 2026 the Federal Court ordered Oztures to pay a $10 million penalty after it admitted misclassifying 524 retail clients as wholesale investors between July 2022 and April 2023, according to ASIC.
What this means: for spot trading, both have an Australian AUSTRAC registration. Neither offers a regulated retail futures product in Australia that I could confirm, and both have faced regulator action or warnings.
Availability in South Africa
Bitget. Bitget’s licence page lists an FSCA Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) licence and an Over-the-Counter Derivatives Provider (ODP) licence. Bitget’s Stock+ FAQ names Parsa Financial Services (Pty) Ltd, FSP 52563, as the FSCA-licensed entity for that service.
Binance. Binance’s Licenses page says Binance RSA offers crypto products and services (excluding futures and options) in South Africa under an exemption in FAIS Notice 25 of 2023, and that Binance Bahrain BSC offers futures and options as a juristic representative of FiveWest OTC Desk (Pty) Ltd, an authorised financial services provider (FSP 51619).
You can check any provider’s status on the FSCA’s public register before signing up.
Features
Both platforms offer spot markets, perpetual futures, copy trading, earn products, a P2P marketplace and mobile apps. Which one has the coins or tools you want depends on what you trade, so check each exchange’s markets page for the specific pairs you need. Bitget has made copy trading a central part of its platform. Feature availability also depends on your country.
Which should you choose?
- Lowest standard fees: Binance is slightly cheaper at the standard tier, especially for futures taker orders and with its BNB discount.
- Copy trading focus: Bitget puts copy trading front and centre. Remember that copying a trader does not copy their luck, and past results do not predict future returns.
- Regulatory comfort: both have regulator issues in Australia. In South Africa, Bitget lists its own FSCA licences, while Binance operates under an exemption and a juristic representative arrangement.
- Security record: both have been hacked in the past and both publish Proof of Reserves.
Many people keep accounts on more than one exchange. If you want to try Bitget and it is available where you live, you can sign up through my referral link. For the steps, see the Bitget sign-up and KYC guide.
Risk warning
Crypto assets are highly volatile, and you can lose all of the money you put in. Exchange hacks, outages and regulatory action can delay or prevent withdrawals. Futures, margin and copy trading carry higher risk because leverage magnifies losses. Nothing in this article is financial, tax or legal advice.
Bottom line
On standard fees, Binance has a small edge. In South Africa, Bitget lists its own FSCA licences. In Australia, both are AUSTRAC-registered for exchange services and both have drawn regulator action or warnings. Pick based on the coins you trade, the fees you will actually pay, and the rules where you live, and do not keep more on either exchange than you need. If you choose Bitget, you can create your account here.
FAQ
Is Bitget cheaper than Binance?
At the standard tier, spot fees are the same (0.1% maker and taker), but Binance’s BNB discount (25%) is larger than Bitget’s BGB discount (20%). For futures, Binance’s standard taker fee (0.05%) is lower than Bitget’s (0.06%).
Is Bitget safer than Binance?
Neither is risk-free. Bitget lost about $388 million in a September 2026 hack and says user balances were unaffected. Binance reported a hack of about 7,000 BTC in 2019. Both publish Proof of Reserves.
Can Australians use Bitget and Binance?
Both have AUSTRAC registrations for exchange services. ASIC has warned about Bitget’s unlicensed futures products, and Binance’s Australian derivatives arm stopped operating in 2023 and was penalised in 2026.
Are Bitget and Binance licensed in South Africa?
Bitget’s licence page lists FSCA CASP and ODP licences. Binance says Binance RSA operates under an FSCA exemption, with futures offered through a juristic representative of an authorised FSP.
Do both have copy trading?
Yes. Both offer copy trading. It carries the same risks as trading yourself, and past performance of a trader does not guarantee future results.
Sources (checked 2026-11-01): Bitget fee page (bitget.com/fee); Bitget Trading Fees FAQ (bitget.com/support/articles/12560603892734); Bitget security incident explainer (bitget.com/academy/bitget-security-incident-what-happened-timeline-impact-response); Bitget October 2026 PoR report (bitget.com/blog/articles/bitget-october-2026-proof-of-reserves); Bitget regulatory licences (bitget.com/promotion/regulatory-license); Bitget Terms of Use (bitget.com/support/articles/360014944032); Binance spot fee page (binance.com/en/fee/trading); Binance USDⓈ-M futures fee page (binance.com/en/fee/futureFee); Binance BNB fee discount FAQ (binance.com/en/support/faq/detail/115000583311); Binance Licenses page (binance.com/en/legal/licenses); ASIC media release 26-055MR (asic.gov.au); AUSTRAC media release “AUSTRAC orders audit of global crypto exchange” (austrac.gov.au); ASIC investor alert on Bitget futures (asic.gov.au).