Costs, licensing, consumer protection Privacy, self-custody, censorship resistance

MidChains

MidChains

3.6/5 1.0/5
Taker fee 0.2%

Data verified on unchanged since the sources

Worth it if you're an institutional client in the UAE and want an ADGM-licensed exchange with low spot fees (maker 0.1% / taker 0.2%).

Avoid it if you're a retail user or operate outside the UAE: the offering is institutional-only and UAE-focused, with no retail service and not available in Italy.

MidChains is an ADGM-licensed exchange based in Abu Dhabi, positioned as a financial hub for institutional clients in the UAE. Its limitation is its focus: it caters exclusively to institutional users and the UAE market, with no retail offering.

73
Transparency: Medium
73/100 · see methodology
73
Data exposure: Medium
73/100 · lower is better for sovereignty · methodology

Data & conditions

Maker / Taker fee 0.1% / 0.2%
Markets Spot
Max leverage 0×
Supported assets 50+
Trading pairs 16+
24h volume $0
Fiat on-ramp Yes
Deposit methods Bank wire transfer, Crypto deposit
Fund custody Custodial (platform holds funds)
KYC Full
Supported countries MENA · 2+ countries
Regulator VARA (Dubai)
OAM Italy registration No
Segment B2C
MiCA / License status ADGM FSRA UAE ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)

Strengths

  • ADGM license; focus institutional UAE; Abu Dhabi financial hub.
  • No notable sovereignty advantage documented.

Weaknesses

  • Not retail; UAE focus.
  • Custodial: the platform holds your funds and can freeze or lose them.
  • Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
  • Subject to regulation (ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)): reporting to authorities and freezes on order.

Verdict

B D ★ 3.6/5 ★ 1.0/5

The ADGM license in Abu Dhabi and its positioning as a financial hub for institutions give MidChains a high-profile regulatory frame, with low 0.2% taker fees. The score stays in the B range, though, because of its extreme focus: the offering targets institutional clients and the UAE market exclusively, with no retail service, which makes it effectively inaccessible and of little relevance to the ordinary user.

MidChains is built for the regulated institutional segment, the exact opposite of the crypto-native ethos: centralized custody, full KYC and an ADGM frame designed for maximum compliance. There is no self-custody, no privacy, no trustless access. Its institutional excellence, which counts on the protection side, moves nothing through this lens.

Privacy & anonymity 30% 0.8
Fund control 20% 0.0
Censorship resistance 20% 1.5
Costs 10% 3.0

Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.

"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.

Reputation

What happened to people who used MidChains, and what users say. External signals: they do not feed the promp.it rating.

Incidents & regulatory actions

No known incident

Search across public sources: no known hack, withdrawal freeze or regulatory action as of the verification date.

verified on

FAQ

What are MidChains's fees?

On MidChains, spot fees are maker 0.1% / taker 0.2%. They drop with monthly volume and VIP tier.

Is MidChains regulated in Europe?

Regulatory status of MidChains: ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market). Licence: ADGM FSRA UAE (AE).

Does MidChains publish Proof of Reserves?

Proof of Reserves publication is not documented for MidChains. No third-party reserve audit is documented. Reserve transparency is a critical factor after the FTX collapse.

Can I send transfers to third-party IBANs from MidChains?

No, MidChains is an exchange and does not allow transfers to third-party IBANs: fiat withdrawals return to a bank account in your own name.

Does MidChains support derivatives and futures?

MidChains does not offer derivatives: it focuses on spot trading.

Sources

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Update history

✓ Terms unchanged since Jun 14, 2026

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