BTCC review
BTCC traces back to June 2011, when Bobby Lee, Yang Linke and Huang Xiaoyu launched what became BTC China, briefly ranking as the world's largest exchange by volume in 2013. Chinese regulatory pressure forced it to halt mainland trading in September 2017; a Hong Kong investment firm acquired the business in January 2018, and it now operates as BTCC, offering spot, high-leverage perpetual futures and copy trading. Dan Liu became CEO in May 2025. Its Lithuania VASP registration was set to wind down by end-2025 as the EU moved to MiCA licensing, and its only US registration is a narrow, AML-focused Money Services Business status. CoinGecko rates its trust score 3/10; CoinCodex does not classify it as a trusted exchange.
BTCC key facts
- Website: www.btcc.com
- Category: Centralized cryptocurrency exchange (CEX)
- Founded: June 2011, as BTC China, by Bobby Lee, Yang Linke and Huang Xiaoyu
- Headquarters: Hong Kong-linked ownership since 2018; formerly UK and Lithuania registered entities
- Regulatory status: Lithuania VASP registration wound down by end-2025 ahead of EU MiCA transition; US MSB (AML-only) registration; no confirmed major-market trading license
- Products: Spot, perpetual futures to 500x leverage, tokenized commodity/stock futures to 150x, copy trading, margin, OTC, launchpad
- Trading fees: Standard 0.1% maker / 0.1% taker, with a VIP0-SVIP5 tiered schedule that lowers trading and withdrawal fees
- Supported assets: ~360-370 cryptocurrencies across roughly 370-380 trading pairs (CoinGecko/CoinCodex)
- Trust rating: CoinGecko trust score 3/10; CoinCodex does not classify BTCC as a trusted exchange
- FYI Score: 83.3/100 (ranked #13 of the 48 crypto exchanges we track)
Trading fees
- Standard spot fees of 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker (CoinGecko)
- Tiered VIP0 through SVIP5 program that reduces trading, withdrawal and conversion fees at higher volume tiers
- Free crypto deposits
- Dedicated account management available at the top VIP tiers
Supported assets
- Roughly 360-370 cryptocurrencies listed across 370-380 trading pairs, per CoinGecko and CoinCodex
- 9 stablecoins supported for trading (CoinCodex)
- Over 200 spot pairs and more than 300 futures pairs, spanning majors (BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA), fan tokens and meme coins (CoinMarketCap)
- 24-hour trading volume in the $3.8-4 billion range as reported by CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap
Products
- Spot trading and margin/leverage trading
- Perpetual futures on crypto with leverage up to 500x, and futures on tokenized commodities/stocks with leverage up to 150x
- Copy trading, with a company-reported 15,000+ lead traders and 600,000+ copy traders
- OTC trading and a token launchpad
Security & regulation
- Held a Lithuania VASP registration via BTCC Lithuania Limited UAB, which the company said would conclude by December 31, 2025 as Lithuania and the EU moved to MiCA-based CASP licensing; no confirmed replacement EU authorization found in available sources
- US registration is limited to Money Services Business (MSB) status, an AML-focused registration rather than a full trading license
- Company states PCI DSS compliance achieved in March 2023 and reports no publicly disclosed hacks since founding
- CoinGecko trust score of 3/10 (component scores: liquidity 50%, regulation 15%, cybersecurity 20%, incident history, proof of reserves 5%); CoinCodex does not classify BTCC as a trusted exchange
Markets
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Who BTCC is for
BTCC suits traders specifically seeking very high leverage derivatives and copy trading who are comfortable with an exchange carrying a low third-party trust rating and an unsettled EU regulatory status. It is not a fit for users who prioritize licensed, major-market oversight.
Pros
- One of the longest continuously operating exchanges in the industry, with roots to 2011 and no publicly reported hack of user funds to date
- Broad derivatives suite, including copy trading with a large reported base of lead and copy traders
- Tiered VIP program reduces trading and withdrawal costs at volume
- Reports serving users across the US, Europe and Asia, with a wider stated footprint than several fully-offshore-only peers
Cons
- Low third-party trust rating: CoinGecko scores it 3/10 and CoinCodex does not classify BTCC as a trusted exchange, with the CoinGecko score reflecting weak regulation and cybersecurity components in particular
- Its Lithuania VASP registration, its clearest EU regulatory footing, was set to wind down by the end of 2025 with no confirmed replacement MiCA CASP license found in available sources; its only US registration is a narrow AML-focused MSB status, not a trading license
- Up to 500x leverage on crypto perpetuals is extreme even by industry standards and carries very high liquidation risk for retail users
- Was named in 2022 among 16 foreign crypto businesses operating without proper registration in South Korea
- Reported daily trading volume (roughly $3.8-4B) is large relative to its low third-party trust score, a gap worth independent scrutiny before relying on its liquidity figures
BTCC FAQ
Is BTCC regulated?
Only narrowly. BTCC's Lithuania VASP registration, held through BTCC Lithuania Limited UAB, was set to wind down by the end of 2025 as the EU shifted to MiCA-based CASP licensing, and available sources do not confirm a replacement EU authorization. Its US registration is a Money Services Business (MSB) status focused on anti-money-laundering compliance, not a full trading license. It was also named in 2022 among unregistered foreign crypto operators in South Korea.
Is BTCC safe?
BTCC reports no publicly disclosed hack of user funds since its 2011 founding and says it achieved PCI DSS compliance in 2023. However, third-party trackers rate it cautiously: CoinGecko gives it a trust score of 3/10 and CoinCodex does not classify it as a trusted exchange, largely reflecting its light regulatory footprint rather than any known security incident.
What happened to BTC China / how old is BTCC?
BTCC began in June 2011 as a small project by Bobby Lee, Yang Linke and Huang Xiaoyu, incorporating as BTC China in Shanghai in 2013, when it briefly became the world's largest exchange by trading volume. Chinese regulatory pressure forced it to halt all mainland China trading in September 2017, and a Hong Kong investment firm acquired the business in January 2018, after which it continued operating internationally as BTCC.
What leverage does BTCC offer?
BTCC offers crypto perpetual futures with leverage up to 500x and futures on tokenized commodities/stocks with leverage up to 150x, both well above what most licensed exchanges permit retail users, and both carry substantial liquidation risk.
Compare BTCC with other crypto exchanges
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