bitFlyer Review 2022: Features, Fees, Pros & Cons
bitFlyer is a popular cryptocurrency exchange that has obtained licenses to operate in the United States, Europe and Japan. In this review, we assess the platform's features, benefits, fees, customer support and security measures to help you decide if it's a safe exchange to use.
- Trusted cryptocurrency exchange since 2014
- Licenced exchange to operate in the United States, Europe and Japan
- Advanced mode for professional and institutional traders
- Purchase cryptocurrency from as little as 1 EUR
- Responsive mobile app
bitFlyer is a popular cryptocurrency exchange that provides a beginner-friendly and safe service to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and other altcoins. The exchange supports fiat currency such as the Euro, Japanese Yen and US Dollar includes several features that will suit a wide range of investors and traders alike. The exchange is best known for their easy and safe to use Instant Buy service. Individuals can obtain crypto rapidly using a credit card and other instant payment methods
This post contains affiliate links with our partners who may compensate us. Read our disclaimer for further information.
What Is bitFlyer?
bitFlyer is a cryptocurrency trading platform and licensed financial institution that operates in several jurisdictions across the world including Japan, Europe and the United States. The exchange has amassed thousands of traders and was ranked #1 in 2017 for monthly trading volume with over 250 Billion traded in Japan.
bitFlyer continues to provide a safe and easy platform for users to trade the world's most popular cryptocurrencies and is often featured in online publications such as TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal and CoinDesk.
Is bitFlyer Legit?
bitFlyer appears to be a legitimate crypto assets exchange that is licenced and regulated in multiple jurisdictions around the world such as Europe, Japan and the United States. The exchange has gained the trust of users from all over the world with $250 billion traded in 2017.
bitFlyer Compared
Advanced features, an intuitive user interface and a mobile trading app are important features on bitFlyer. This comparison table lists other top-rated crypto trading exchanges that offer world-class features.
| Exchange | Crypto Assets | Trading Fees | Rating | Promotion | Website | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Binance | 600+ | 0.1% | Rating  | Up to $100 welcome bonus | Visit Binance | Binance Review |
 Coinbase | 250+ | 0.5% | Rating | $5 BTC bonus (USA only) | Visit Coinbase | Coinbase Review |
 eToro | 70+ | 1% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit eToro eToro USA LLC; Investments are subject to market risk, including the possible loss of principal. Archived, "Virtual currencies are highly volatile. Your capital is at risk." | eToro Review |
 bitFlyer | 7+ | Up to 0.2% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit bitFlyer | bitFlyer Review |
Is bitFlyer Safe?
bitFlyer appears to be a safe exchange to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies instantly. The website features a number of security measures to prevent against technical attack. Client funds stored in a bitFlyer wallet are secured by Two Factor Authentication, cold wallet storage technology and multi-signature processes.
Features & Services
bitFlyer provides world-class features to buy, trade and sell cryptocurrency using the desktop and mobile app version. The best features of bitFlyer include:
- A beginner-friendly user interface that will suit beginners and experienced traders
- 'Instantly Buy' feature to purchase Bitcoin and Ethereum fast
- bitFlyer Lightning Exchange for professional crypto traders
- Real-time market data and charting to trade popular altcoins
- Crypto app to monitor portfolio and trade from anywhere on smartphone devices
- Secure bitFlyer wallet that used a cold wallet to protect users funds
- An affiliate program that rewards you for bringing more users to the platform
- 24/7 customer service team with multilingual support
Supported Cryptocurrencies
bitFlyer supports 7 of the major cryptocurrencies to buy such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Litecoin (LTC), Lisk (LSK) and Monacoin (MONA). These assets can be traded against fiat currencies such as EUR, JPY and USD. Compared to other trading exchanges, the offering of cryptocurrency pairs is limited to popular coins only.
Account Registration
To create an account with bitFlyer, the process is very simple and takes only a few minutes to complete. To start, follow these steps:
- Visit the bitFlyer website
- Enter in a valid email address and click on the 'Sign Up' button
- Verify the provided email address and set a strong password
- Enter in details such as name, nationality, address and mobile number
- Verify the number sent to the mobile device
- Login to bitFlyer using credentials
Verification Requirements
To be eligible for trading on bitFlyer, users must be a resident within the supported regions of the USA, Japan or Europe and complete a verification process. The process is per Know Your Customer (KYC), Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT). These activities help to discourage illicit transactions and improve bitFlyer account and wallet security from malicious activity.
To complete the bitFlyer verification, the following information will need to be submitted:
- Scan of a Passport or Identification Card
- Proof of address
- Photograph (selfie)
- Nationality
- Phone number
Depositing Funds
To deposit funds into a bitFlyer account, users can transfer funds using a bank transfer (SEPA for EU customers). To get started, follow these simple steps:
- Log in to bitFlyer account
- Navigate to the top menu and click on 'Account Funding'
- Select a preferred fiat currency e.g. EUR for citizens in Europe
- Enter in banking details and 6 digits unique character code
- Review details and click on 'Confirm Payment'
User Interface
The bitflyer dashboard is the default window after signing into an account. The dashboard is well laid out and provides a snapshot of assets within the bitFlyer wallet. Users can also quickly find market information on the right such as the price of Bitcoin in fiat currency. There is a useful navigational menu on the left with quick links to other bitFlyer features.
Instant Buy Feature
BitFlyer has released a new feature called 'Instant Buy' that allows users to instantly buy cryptocurrencies using a credit card and other instant payment methods. The Instant Buy option is highly suitable for beginners that are looking for a fast and simple way to buy cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or the major altcoins using the online desktop version or bitFlyer mobile app.
To buy crypto instantly with bitFlyer, follow these simple steps:
- Login to your bitFlyer account
- Click on the Buy/Sell link on the left
- Select a cryptocurrency to purchase (e.g. Bitcoin)
- Enter the amount of Bitcoin you wish to purchase in the 'Amount' field
- Review and confirm the purchase by clicking on the 'Buy' button
bitFlyer Lightning Trading
Cryptocurrency traders will be suited to the bitFlyer Lightning Exchange which provides a beginner-friendly use user-interface with trading tools, risk management orders and responsive charts. Traders that know how to read candlestick charts are able to speculate on the market without having to create another account.
Compared to the most popular cryptocurrency trading exchanges in the world, the features and tools available with bitFlyer Lightning is very simple and suitable for beginners that want to learn how to trade cryptocurrency.
The platform's features might be fairly limited compared to other advanced trading exchanges, however, bitFlyer Lighting does include all the basic tools. Users can view a price chart, trade history, order book (recent buy and sell orders) and enter trades using a limit or market order.
bitFlyer Lightning also supports API integration that will allow users to build and test crypto trading bots. This does require programming experience to set up but is a great feature that will appeal to certain traders. An example of how a bot can be used is to automatically place two limits orders on either side of the order book to profit from the inefficiencies in the market price, often regarded as arbitrage trading. This can be a very profitable strategy for advanced users. bitFlyer could also be integrated with some of the best cryptocurrency trading bot platforms such as Pionex, 3Commas, Bitsgap and Coinrule.
bitFlyer App
bitFlyer has a mobile trading app that supports both iOS and Android mobile operating systems. The bitFlyer Wallet App can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or the iOS App Store. Users on the app can buy, trade and sell digital currencies on the move and at any time.
bitFlyer Fees
bitFlyer Europe Fees
The bitFlyer Europe exchange offers a competitive fee structure to buy crypto instantly using Euros and is based on a 30-day trade volume as shown below. Traders that buy and sell cryptocurrencies on the exchange do not incur a trading fee.
There are no fees to deposit EUR into a bitFlyer wallet using SEPA. However, there is a small transaction fee of €0.30 for ≤ €250,000.00 and €10.00 for > €250,000.00 to withdraw Euros back to a bank account which is very reasonable.
| Trading Volume (30 day) | Lighting Spot Fee | Instant Buy/Sell Fee |
|---|---|---|
| €0 - Less than €1 million | 0.20% | None |
| €1 million - Less than €10 million | 0.15% | None |
| At least €10 million | 0.10% | None |
bitFlyer USA Fees
The fee structure for bitFlyer users in the United States varies slightly. Overall, the fees to buy crypto are competitive to other exchanges in the US. There are no fees to deposit USD into a bitFlyer wallet using a bank deposit via ACH and Fedwire. There is a $20 withdrawal fee using Fedwire which is a little high for beginners. Users should use ACH to electronically withdraw funds as it is free.
| Trading Volume (30 day) | Lighting Spot Fee | Instant Buy/Sell Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 0 - Less than 1 million | 0.12% | None |
| 1 million - Less than 10 million | 0.07% | None |
| At least 10 million | 0.02% | None |
bitFlyer Japan Fees
The trading fees with bitFlyer Japan are considered to be low and competitive. The fee structure is tiered which means the trading fee gradually reduces with higher increased trading volume based on the previous 30-day period. In fact, the fees are very competitive compared to Coincheck which is a major crypto exchange in Japan.
There are no fees to deposit and withdraw JPY into a bitFlyer account using a bank transfer through SBI Sumishin Netbank. We do note using other payment methods can incur a transaction fee up to 330 JPY for each deposit.
| Trading Volume (30 day) | Lighting Spot Fee | Instant Buy/Sell Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 100,000 JPY | 0.15% | None |
| 100,000 - Less than 200,000 JPY | 0.14% | None |
| 200,000 - Less than 500,000 JPY | 0.13% | None |
| 500,000 - Less than 1 million JPY | 0.12% | None |
| 1 million - Less than 2 million JPY | 0.11% | None |
| 2 million - Less than 5 million JPY | 0.10% | None |
| 5 million - Less than 10 million JPY | 0.09% | None |
| 10 million - Less than 20 million JPY | 0.07% | None |
| 20 million - Less than 50 million JPY | 0.05% | None |
| 50 million - Less than 100 million JPY | 0.03% | None |
| 100 million - Less than 500 million JPY | 0.02% | None |
| At least 500 million JPY | 0.01% | None |
bitFlyer Wallet SecuritFlyer Security
bitFlyer prides itself on adopting the highest security standards to offer a trading environment where its users feel safe making Bitcoin transactions. The website includes security measures such as SSL certificates, SHA-2 encryption and web application firewalls.
Users funds in the bitFlyer wallet are kept safe with security measures such as:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
- 80% of assets kept in cold storage wallets
- Multi-signature process
While the security measures are in line with industry standards for crypto exchanges, we recommend users always transfer their assets to an external wallet. If you don't have a wallet, read our article on the best Bitcoin hardware wallets.
Customer Support
The bitFlyer website has a comprehensive support and FAQ section to beginners get started with bitFlyer. The support section help topics are sorted into categories for quick navigation, or users can use the search feature to find a frequently asked question.
bitFlyer features a ticket support system to request assistance, ask questions, or provide feedback on the service. The response via email was quick (less than 24 hours) and the customer support representatives were professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
bitFlyer EU provides services to Europe and European Economic Area (EEA) residents. The exchange currently operates in every country within the EEA such as: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
bitFlyer Japan users that are part of the EEA can open an account with bitFlyer EU however will need to create a new account using a different email address.
bitFlyer US is a cryptocurrency trading platform for customers in the USA that want to buy, trade, store and sell Bitcoin and other digital assets such as stablecoins. bitFlyer US is a separate entity from the European and Japanese exchange so users in the US will need to create an account on the bitFlyer US website.
bitFlyer does not have a licence to operate within Australia and allow fiat-to-crypto purchases with the AUD. Customers from this region will need to purchase digital currencies such as Bitcoin using an Australian crypto exchange.
The bitFlyer affiliate program allows users to generate additional income by promoting bitFlyer to friends and family to earn rewards up to €130. To be eligible for affiliate commissions, each referred users needs to complete account registration with bitFlyer and perform trades.
Conclusion
To conclude our bitFlyer review, the exchange is an easy to use cryptocurrency platform that is ideal for both beginners and advanced traders. The user interface is well designed on the desktop and mobile app versions. It is licensed and regulated in multiple regions such as Europe, Japan and the United States which is very important.
You might also be interested in
