Binance vs Bybit (2026)
A head-to-head on price, free access, and staying power. Both live and price-verified as of Jul 20, 2026.
The verdict, first
What each one is
Binance
What sets it apart A volume-independent 25% fee discount for paying trading fees in its native BNB token, accessible to any user without climbing VIP volume tiers.
Binance is a centralized, custodial cryptocurrency exchange founded in July 2017 by Changpeng Zhao and Yi He, offering spot and derivatives trading across a large catalog of tokens and trading pairs. It is described as the largest exchange by daily trading volume. Standard spot trades cost 0.1% for both maker and taker, dropping 25% to 0.075% for users who pay fees in the platform's own BNB token, a discount available at any volume tier. The main binance.com platform is not open to United States residents, who are directed to the separate Binance.US entity, and the company runs on jurisdiction-specific licenses that include a regulatory base in Abu Dhabi's ADGM.
Sources Binance fee schedule (vendor) · Binance - Wikipedia · Binance restricted and supported countries 2026 (Datawallet) · Binance licenses and legal registrations (vendor)
Bybit
What sets it apart Derivatives are the core of the business rather than an add-on to spot, paired with a Merkle-tree proof-of-reserves that lets each user cryptographically check their own funds are recorded in the exchange's reserves.
Bybit is a centralized crypto exchange founded in 2018 and now headquartered in Dubai, built primarily around derivatives such as perpetuals, futures, and options, with spot markets alongside. Account holders can verify their balances against the exchange's holdings through a Merkle-tree proof-of-reserves attestation checked by Hacken. It operates across many markets but is restricted from the United States and, since 2021, the United Kingdom. In February 2025 Bybit disclosed a wallet breach in which roughly $1.4 billion in Ethereum was stolen, which independent analysts attributed to North Korea's Lazarus Group; the exchange said it restored 1:1 reserves within days.
Sources Bybit - Wikipedia · Bybit Trading Fee Structure - Help Center · Bybit Trading Fees (fee-rate schedule) · Assets Verified: Hacken's Ongoing Proof of Reserves for Bybit - Hacken
Side by side
| Metric | Binance | Bybit |
|---|---|---|
| From $/mo | Custom | Custom |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Founded | 2017 | 2018 |
| Best for | solo & SMB | solo & SMB |
| Status | Live | Live |
ALL FIGURES = LOWEST PAID MONTHLY PLAN · STATUS & PRICE VERIFIED JUL 20, 2026
Where they differ
Price
At least one of these is quote-based rather than a public monthly price - check current plans via the links. Verified Jul 20, 2026.
Free access
Both Binance and Bybit offer a permanent free tier - you can trial either at no cost. A permanent free tier lowers the risk of committing before you have validated the fit.
Track record
Binance has been operating since 2017; Bybit since 2018. For a tool you build a business process on, a longer survival record matters.
Questions of record
Binance or Bybit - which is better in 2026?
Is Binance cheaper than Bybit?
Does Binance or Bybit have a free tier?
Are Binance and Bybit still maintained?
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