BTSE review
BTSE is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2018 by a team with a background in high-frequency trading technology, now led by CEO Henry Liu and COO Jeff Mei. It offers spot trading, perpetual futures with leverage up to 100x, dated futures up to 20x, an NFT marketplace, OTC trading and white-label exchange solutions for other businesses. Its registered jurisdiction is reported inconsistently across exchange trackers, Costa Rica per CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap, the British Virgin Islands per CryptoRank, and CoinGecko's trust-score breakdown gives it a low regulation subscore, noting no regulatory authorization identified. BTSE reports keeping the large majority of client assets in cold storage, maintains an insurance fund, and had a proof-of-reserves audit performed by Hacken in March 2026. It blocks users from the United States, Iran and Syria.
BTSE key facts
- Website: www.btse.com
- Category: Centralized cryptocurrency exchange (spot and derivatives)
- Founded: 2018
- Headquarters: Reported inconsistently: Costa Rica (CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap) or British Virgin Islands (CryptoRank)
- Leadership: Henry Liu, CEO; Jeff Mei, COO
- Regulatory status: No major regulatory authorization identified per CoinGecko; blocked in the US, Iran and Syria
- Products: Spot trading, perpetual futures up to 100x, dated futures up to 20x, NFT marketplace, OTC trading, white-label solutions
- Trading fees: Spot 0.20% flat maker/taker; futures from 0.02% maker / 0.055% taker, improving through a 10-tier VIP program
- Supported assets: 250+ cryptocurrencies and a similar number of trading pairs; figures vary slightly by tracker
- FYI Score: 74.5/100 (ranked #39 of the 48 crypto exchanges we track)
Trading fees
- Spot trading charges a flat 0.20% maker and taker fee
- Futures start at 0.02% maker and 0.055% taker, improving toward slightly negative maker fees at the top of a 10-tier VIP program tied to trading volume and BTSE token holdings
Supported assets and products
- Spot trading across roughly 250 cryptocurrencies and a similar number of trading pairs, with BTC/USDT the most active pair
- Perpetual futures with leverage up to 100x and dated futures up to 20x
- NFT marketplace, an OTC trading desk, and white-label exchange solutions for other businesses
- Deposits and withdrawals across 12+ fiat currencies and 100+ cryptocurrencies
Security and regulation
- CoinGecko's trust-score breakdown gives BTSE a low regulation subscore, noting no regulatory authorization identified
- Registered jurisdiction is reported inconsistently across trackers: Costa Rica per CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap, the British Virgin Islands per CryptoRank
- Reports keeping the large majority of client assets in cold storage and maintains an insurance fund
- A proof-of-reserves audit was performed by Hacken in March 2026; CoinGecko records no prior security-incident history for the exchange
- Blocked for users in the United States, Iran and Syria
Team and operations
- Founded in 2018 by a team with a background in high-frequency trading technology
- Led by CEO Henry Liu, who moved into blockchain from merchant banking, and COO Jeff Mei
- Offers a well-documented API with WebSocket support aimed at algorithmic and institutional traders
Markets
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Who BTSE is for
BTSE may suit traders who want spot and leveraged derivatives from one offshore account and who are comfortable with an exchange that does not clearly disclose its regulatory jurisdiction. US residents cannot use it.
Pros
- Broad product range beyond spot trading: derivatives, OTC desk, NFT marketplace and white-label solutions for other exchanges and brokers
- Reports high cold-storage coverage, an insurance fund, and a March 2026 Hacken proof-of-reserves audit
- No recorded security-incident history per CoinGecko's exchange tracker
- Well-documented API suited to algorithmic and institutional trading
Cons
- CoinGecko flags BTSE with a low regulation subscore and no regulatory authorization identified
- Registered jurisdiction is reported inconsistently across exchange trackers, making the exact regulatory home unclear from public sources
- Up to 100x leverage on perpetual futures carries substantial loss risk
- Blocked for US residents, limiting its relevance for US-facing market research
BTSE FAQ
Is BTSE regulated?
Not by a major regulator that CoinGecko's exchange-trust methodology could identify; its breakdown gives BTSE a low regulation subscore. Its registered jurisdiction is also reported inconsistently across exchange trackers, Costa Rica per CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap, the British Virgin Islands per CryptoRank.
What are BTSE's trading fees?
Spot trading charges a flat 0.20% maker and taker fee. Futures start at 0.02% maker and 0.055% taker, improving through a 10-tier VIP program based on trading volume and BTSE token holdings.
Is BTSE safe to use?
BTSE reports keeping the large majority of client assets in cold storage, maintains an insurance fund, and had a proof-of-reserves audit performed by Hacken in March 2026. CoinGecko records no prior security-incident history for the exchange, though its regulatory oversight is limited.
Can US residents use BTSE?
No. BTSE blocks access from the United States, along with Iran and Syria.
Compare BTSE with other crypto exchanges
See all crypto exchanges ranked by FYI →
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