Phemex vs Independent Reserve

On trading fees Phemex starts ahead: 0.06% taker versus 0.5% for Independent Reserve. On listing breadth Phemex wins (300 assets vs 41). Only Phemex offers derivatives (up to 100x leverage). Before picking between Phemex and Independent Reserve, ask whether you will trade actively or just accumulate: the answer can flip the ranking.

Phemex Independent Reserve
Tier B A
Rating ★ 3.7 ★ 4.0
Maker / Taker fee 0.01% / 0.06% 0.5% / 0.5%
Markets Spot + Derivatives Spot
Max leverage 100× 5×
Supported assets 300+ 41+
Trading pairs 600+ 63+
24h volume $2B $14.38M
Fiat on-ramp Yes Yes
Deposit methods SEPA, SEPA Instant, SWIFT, Bank wire transfer, Credit/Debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Crypto deposit Bank transfer, EFT, SWIFT, Osko/PayID, POLi, Credit/Debit card, PayPal, Crypto
Geo restrictions US, GB, CA-ON, CA-QC, CA-AB, CA-SK, AE, AU, CN, HK, IN, ZA, IR, KP, SY, CU, VE United States, China, Turkey, Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, Syria, Oman, Sudan, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, Thailand
Fund custody Custodial (platform holds funds) Custodial (platform holds funds)
KYC Full Full
Supported countries APAC, EEA · 60+ countries APAC · 3+ countries
Regulator FinCEN, Lithuania FCIS, Poland ASIC / AUSTRAC
Segment B2C B2C
OAM Italy registration — No
Regions APAC, EU/EEA APAC
Licences & safety VASP AUSTRAC AU + MAS SG
Phemex 3.7/5 · Tier B
Numbers Open ↗
Independent Reserve 4.0/5 · Tier A
Numbers Open ↗

Frequently asked questions

Phemex vs Independent Reserve: which is better?

On trading fees Phemex starts ahead: 0.06% taker versus 0.5% for Independent Reserve. On listing breadth Phemex wins (300 assets vs 41). Only Phemex offers derivatives (up to 100x leverage). Before picking between Phemex and Independent Reserve, ask whether you will trade actively or just accumulate: the answer can flip the ranking.

Is Phemex custodial or self-custody?

Phemex is custodial: funds are held by the platform, while Independent Reserve is custodial.