HitBTC Review: What You Need to Know About This Crypto Exchange

When you're searching for a HitBTC, a long-standing centralized cryptocurrency exchange that launched in 2013. Also known as HitBTC Exchange, it was once one of the top platforms for trading altcoins with deep liquidity and low fees—especially for traders who wanted access to less popular tokens. Unlike newer exchanges that focus on user-friendly apps and beginner guides, HitBTC never chased simplicity. It stayed focused on active traders, offering advanced charting, API access, and over 500 trading pairs—even when most exchanges were cutting down to just the biggest coins.

What makes HitBTC different isn’t just its history—it’s how it handles centralized exchange, a platform that holds your crypto and executes trades on your behalf, unlike decentralized exchanges where you control your keys. Also known as CEX, it’s the kind of exchange that still matters if you’re trading large volumes or need fast order execution. You won’t find auto-staking or social trading here. Instead, you get raw trading tools: limit orders, stop-losses, margin trading up to 5x, and direct access to order books. That’s why institutional traders and high-frequency bots still use it, even if regular users find the interface outdated. But there’s a catch: HitBTC doesn’t offer fiat on-ramps for most countries anymore. If you want to buy crypto with USD, EUR, or GBP, you’ll need to use another service first.

It’s also worth noting that HitBTC has had security issues in the past—most notably a 2019 hack that led to a temporary shutdown. While they recovered and improved their systems, that event still lingers in the minds of cautious traders. And unlike exchanges like Coinbase or Binance, HitBTC doesn’t have a strong customer support reputation. If something goes wrong, you’re often on your own.

So who’s this exchange for? Not beginners. Not people who want to buy Bitcoin with a credit card. But if you’re someone who knows how to move crypto between wallets, understands order types, and wants to trade obscure tokens with tight spreads, HitBTC still delivers. Below, you’ll find real user experiences, breakdowns of its fee structure, and comparisons with other exchanges that might be better suited to your needs—no hype, no fluff, just what actually happened.