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BTSE
Crypto and traditional asset exchange offering perpetual futures on equities, gold, and crypto
3.6/ 5
Our score
Good
Maker fee
0.2%
Taker fee
0.2%
Coins listed
150
KYC required
Yes
Proof of reserves
Yes
What is BTSE?
BTSE is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2018 that combines standard crypto spot trading with perpetual futures spanning digital assets, traditional equities, and commodities.
Leadership and backing
The exchange operates under CEO Henry Liu, who transitioned from merchant banking into blockchain in 2016, alongside COO Jeff Mei. By July 2026, the company logged approximately 8.1M monthly website visits.
Trading products and custody model
BTSE holds client funds on a centralized custodial basis and operates an order-book architecture accessible through web interfaces, mobile apps, and developer APIs, including REST, WebSocket, and FIX connectivity. Its spot marketplace lists more than 150 digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, settled across networks like Avalanche and BNB Chain. In addition to cryptocurrency derivatives, BTSE lists perpetual futures tied to U.S. equities such as Apple and Tesla, as well as commodities including crude oil and gold. The platform also runs BTSE Earn for yield-earning investment products, an over-the-counter block desk for large volume executions, and automated trading bots.
Fee structure
Spot market trading carries a baseline fee of 0.20% for both makers and takers, reducible by 10% when paying with the native BTSE token or falling to 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker for high-volume VIP tiers. Futures trading incurs a base fee of 0.0200% maker and 0.0550% taker. High-volume derivatives traders in higher tiers receive maker rebates down to -0.0050% alongside a 0.0200% taker rate.
Access and compliance
BTSE enforces mandatory identity verification. Identity checks applied to new signups starting in October 2025, and existing accounts faced a verification deadline of June 30, 2026 to avoid withdrawal-only restrictions. BTSE is restricted in select jurisdictions subject to international compliance and KYC requirements.
Security and platform risks
On April 9, 2026, blockchain security firm Hacken completed an independent proof of reserves audit confirming that BTSE backs user assets 1:1. Like all centralized exchanges, accounts remain exposed to custodial risk and platform counterparty exposure. High-leverage trading on perpetual contracts presents liquidation hazards, and trading synthetic equities and commodity perpetuals introduces pricing and index variations during volatile market sessions.
Founders
Jeff MeiCOO
Best for:Crypto and equity perpetual tradersNon-US high-volume futures tradersAlgorithmic traders needing FIX connectivity
Pros and cons
Pros
- Perpetual contracts cover equities and commodities alongside crypto
- Independent proof of reserves audited by Hacken in April 2026
- Base futures fees are 0.0200% maker and 0.0550% taker
- Institutional FIX protocol connectivity alongside REST and WebSocket APIs
Cons
- Mandatory KYC identity verification required for all accounts
- Centralized custody model exposes user funds to exchange counterparty risk
- Spot base fee of 0.20% is higher than many institutional competitors
Our review
3.6/5
Good
BTSE pairs competitive derivatives pricing and synthetic commodity and equity perpetuals with verified proof of reserves, but standard spot fees are unexceptional and mandatory identity verification applies to all users.
Founded in 2018, BTSE is a multi-asset trading platform led by CEO Henry Liu and COO Jeff Mei. The exchange differs from typical competitors in its derivatives lineup. It lists standard crypto perpetual contracts for assets like BTC, ETH, and SOL. Alongside those, it also provides perpetual futures covering traditional commodities such as crude oil and gold, as well as single-stock equities like Apple and Tesla.
Trading costs depend heavily on the market. Futures trading starts with a maker fee of 0.0200% and a taker fee of 0.0550% for base-tier accounts, scaling down to negative maker fees (-0.0050%) and 0.0200% taker fees for VIP accounts exceeding $4B in monthly volume. Spot trading fees start higher at 0.20% for both makers and takers, though paying with the native BTSE token reduces spot fees by 10%, and high-volume spot accounts trading over $5M reach 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker rates.
On security and solvency, BTSE completed an independent Proof of Reserves audit conducted by security firm Hacken on April 9, 2026, confirming 1:1 asset backing. Account compliance has tightened: mandatory identity verification took effect for new registrations in October 2025, and all existing accounts were required to complete KYC by June 30, 2026.
BTSE offers crypto, equity, and commodity perpetual contracts alongside REST, WebSocket, and FIX APIs.
Specs
| Markets | Spot, Futures, OTC · unverified |
|---|---|
| Maker fee | 0.2% · unverified |
| Taker fee | 0.2% · unverified |
| Coins listed | 150 · unverified |
| Fiat deposit methods | Bank transfer · unverified |
| KYC required ⓘ | Yes · unverified |
| Proof of reserves | Yes · unverified |
| Staking / earn | Yes · unverified |
| Mobile app | Yes · unverified |
| Security features | Proof of reserves, Sub-accounts · unverified |
| Futures & perpetuals | Yes · unverified |
| Earn / savings products | Yes · unverified |
| Referral program | Yes · unverified |
Not disclosed by the provider: Accepts US customers, Licenses & registrations, Max leverage (x), Copy trading, P2P market, User protection fund.
Data from the provider's website and public sources. Fees and availability change; confirm on the official site before you sign up.
Key features
Crypto and macro perpetuals
Trade perpetual futures on cryptocurrencies alongside traditional assets such as Apple stock, Tesla stock, crude oil, and gold.
Spot market access
Trade over 150 cryptocurrencies with a 0.20% base maker and taker fee, with discounts available when paying fees in BTSE token.
Developer and institutional connectivity
Connect to spot, futures, and OTC markets using REST and WebSocket endpoints or institutional FIX protocol interfaces.
Audited proof of reserves
User asset reserves maintain 1:1 backing confirmed by an independent audit completed by Hacken in April 2026.
BTSE Earn program
Earn yields by subscribing balances to flexible and fixed investment products directly inside the account wallet.
OTC block trading
Execute large-size spot and derivative transactions through dedicated over-the-counter quote requests.
Inside BTSE
Spot Trading
Supports direct exchange of over 100 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, and SOL against USDT and USDC stablecoin pairs.
Futures Trading
Offers perpetual contracts across cryptocurrencies, equities such as AAPL and TSLA, and commodities such as gold and crude oil.
Convert
Facilitates instant cryptocurrency conversions directly within the account balance without order book management.
OTC Trading
Provides over-the-counter block order execution for institutions and high-volume traders using dedicated REST, WebSocket, and FIX API connections.
BTSE Earn
Provides yield-bearing savings and asset management investment products for idle portfolio assets.
BTSE screenshots
What users say about BTSE
There are no genuine user reviews or discussions available, with activity consisting almost entirely of promotional posts and general chatter.
Based on 18 Reddit posts and comments from the last 12 months, checked Oct 21, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.
User reviews
No user reviews yet. Have you used BTSE? Share your experience below.
FAQ
Who founded and runs BTSE?
BTSE was founded in 2018 and is managed by CEO Henry Liu and COO Jeff Mei.
What trading fees does BTSE charge?
Base futures fees are 0.0200% for makers and 0.0550% for takers. Spot trading starts at 0.20% for both makers and takers, with a 10% discount when paying fees using the BTSE token.
Is KYC required to trade on BTSE?
Yes, identity verification is mandatory. BTSE required KYC for new users starting in October 2025 and mandated completion for existing users by June 30, 2026.
Has BTSE completed a Proof of Reserves audit?
Yes, blockchain security firm Hacken completed an independent Proof of Reserves audit for BTSE on April 9, 2026, confirming 1:1 backing of user assets.
Does BTSE have its own native token?
Yes, BTSE issues its native token, which provides fee discounts.
What non-crypto assets can you trade on BTSE?
BTSE lists perpetual futures contracts for equities, such as Apple and Tesla, as well as commodities including crude oil and gold.
Latest from BTSE on X
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Recent public posts from @BTSE_Official, shown as published. Not reviewed or endorsed by CryptoReview.
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