Nexo is a centralized crypto exchange founded in 2018 in Bulgaria and today operates across some 200 jurisdictions from its base in Switzerland. It provides services including spot trading, futures trading, peer-to-peer loans, cold wallet storage and fiat-on ramps to buy crypto tokens. The crypto firm is registered with some respected financial authorities, such as the ASIC, and offers some fairly unique additional services including a credit card.
BitMEX is a crypto exchange and derivatives trading platform, launched in 2014. The firm offers a fiat–crypto onramp, spot trading, and crypto derivatives including perpetual contracts, traditional futures and quanto futures. BitMEX offers amongst the largest market liquidity of any cryptocurrency exchange.
Bonus Offer
Loyalty scheme with various bonuses, plus referral program and bonus paid to lenders on credit line
Fee reduction for BMEX token holders
Comment by Reviewer
"Nexo gives crypto traders the capability to trade, invest, lend and borrow digital assets in one place, and it’s especially good for its credit functions that pay out very high yields to lenders. However, its fees are relatively high and many day traders will prefer a more tightly regulated crypto broker."
"Active traders who want access to a good range of crypto derivatives will be intrigued by BitMEX's offering, with Perpetual Contracts available. The 100x leverage on Bitcoin is also higher than many alternatives."
Pros
Reputable crypto exchange that has been in business since 2018 and has taken some steps toward regulation
Nexo Pro is a user-friendly proprietary platform that suits day trading strategies with great charting features
Value-add tools integrated into the trading platform including social media analysis and newsfeeds by asset
Traders can access perpetual futures to open long or short positions on crypto assets, increasing strategic opportunities
Nexo’s crypto staking and credit features support crypto lending and borrowing, and the yields lenders receive are among the best going
Traders benefit from bonuses and incentives including free trading funds paid to lenders and cashback in the form of the exchange’s native Nexo token
The Guilds social trading service allows traders to participate in competitions and earn rewards, including a weekly prize pool worth 4,000 USDT at the time of writing
BitMEX continues to deliver a considerable amount of market information for free, as well as trading guides and community channels on Discord, Telegram and more
The broker offers high levels of security, using a combination of hot and cold wallets and cryptography key management
The native token, BMEX, can be staked with up to 15% trading fee discounts, among other exclusive privileges
Comprehensive customizability is available within the platform, with movable widgets and order book filters
Traders have the opportunity to connect with investors using the intuitive inbuilt chat feature
The exclusive crypto platform makes it more streamlined than other multi-asset terminals
Traders can earn interest if they HODL Tether and Bitcoin
The broker offers 2 API systems for seasoned traders
Cons
Although Nexo has registered with some reputable watchdogs, it is riskier to trade with than established crypto brokers like AvaTrade and Vantage
High deposit and withdrawal fees for cards and e-wallets will price many traders out of the most convenient payment methods
Very few educational resources are available, reducing its appeal to beginners who can find more helpful resources at category leaders like eToro
High maker/taker fees mean day traders will pay more to trade derivatives than they would at rival exchanges like Binance
The range of tokens is extensive compared to most crypto brokers but still much smaller than similar crypto exchanges like Kraken
BitMEX is an offshore firm and is not regulated by any reputable authority, though this is common among crypto brokers
BitMEX is geared towards more active traders, with fewer tools and features aimed at newbies
The broker was involved in a legal dispute with US regulators which resulted in fines
Withdrawals are only carried out at a specified time of day
Only Bitcoin is accepted for free withdrawals
Awards
Best Cryptocurrency Wallet – FinTech Breakthrough Awards, 2023
Best Use of Crypto and/or Blockchain in Financial Services – PAY360 Awards, 2022
Nexo offers trading on an impressive suite of around 70 tokens, including Bitcoin. Digital assets can be bought, sold and swapped directly on the exchange or traded in over 500 pairs. Digital assets can also be used as collateral for fiat loans or used to generate passive income with the ‘smart staking’ tool or from interest earned via peer-to-peer loans.
BitMEX continues to offer a highly competitive crypto trading environment, with cheap $1 contracts and leverage up to 1:100. The broker’s proprietary platform offers cutting-edge trading features, including a customizable order book, a depth chart and dozens of technical indicators.
