Bithumb
Centralized exchangeSouth Korea's second-largest exchange, open only to Korean residents with a KB Kookmin real-name account.
- Spot fee
- 0.25%
- 0.04–0.20% with purchased fee coupons
- Coins with a halal verdict
- 0
- of those listed here
- Available in
- 0 of 20
- countries we track
- Checked
- Sep 27, 2026
Reliability
3.9/ 10
No regular public proof of reserves, a 2026 ledger failure and heavy AML fines.
Score updated
- Proof of reserves0.0
- Licences5.0
- Incident history5.0
- Segregation of funds5.0
- Insurance fund5.0
- Security practices6.0
Liberandum halal verdict
Not suitable
Not recommended: low reliability and no Shariah product; plain spot only if you already use it.
Use
- Spot only, coin by coin
Avoid
- Leverage, lending
- Any margin or derivative product
More details
Bithumb, South Korea's second-largest exchange, offers plain spot trading but serves only Korean residents with a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account. Its reliability score is low: no regular public proof of reserves, only a Korean registration, a February 2026 ledger failure that credited 620,000 non-existent BTC and heavy AML sanctions. It is not recommended as of September 2026. Spot trading on Bithumb's KRW market settles immediately, which fits AAOIFI Shariah Standard No. 1 (immediate exchange of currencies) and Shariah Standard No. 20 (sale of commodities in organized markets). Margin, leverage and derivatives fail these standards, and fixed-yield lending is riba. In mid-2025 Bithumb launched a leveraged crypto lending product; the Financial Services Commission ordered exchanges to suspend lending on 19 August 2025 and issued guidelines on 5 September 2025. Bithumb has no Islamic account, no Shariah-certified product and no Shariah screening of listed tokens. Reliability is weak (3.9/10). On 7 February 2026 an employee entering a promotional payout in BTC instead of KRW credited 249 users with about 620,000 BTC, while Bithumb held only 175 BTC of its own and 42,619 BTC for customers. The internal ledger allowed non-existent coins to be traded; 99.7% were recovered the same day, about 125 BTC remained unrecovered, and Bithumb covered users' price-drop losses from company assets plus an extra 10%. The FSS found internal-control deficiencies and moved to sanction Bithumb; no final penalty had been announced as of September 2026. On 16 March 2026 the FIU imposed a 36.8 billion won fine and a six-month partial suspension (new customers) for about 6.65 million AML/KYC violations; the suspension was stayed by the Seoul Administrative Court on 30 April 2026 pending a final ruling. No regular, independently verified proof of reserves was found. Korean law (in force July 2024) requires customer deposits to be entrusted to a bank separately from company assets, at least 80% of customer crypto in cold wallets and insurance or reserves covering 5% of hot-wallet assets, which limits but does not remove these risks. Bithumb holds ISMS-P certification. Availability: only for Korean real-name account holders; there is no licensed entity in any Muslim-majority market.
How to use Bithumb the halal way
What is allowed and what to avoid on this exchange
- Allowed
Spot
Both sides settle at once
- Allowed
Convert
Instant swap, settles like spot
- With care
Staking
No Shariah-certified staking
- Avoid
Savings and Earn
2025 lending was leveraged, suspended
- Avoid
Margin
Leverage fails settlement rules
- Avoid
Futures and options
Leverage and derivatives avoided
- Avoid
Loans
Leveraged lending, suspended by regulator
- Avoid
Structured products
Fixed return, not certified
No dedicated halal product
Bithumb offers no Islamic (swap-free) account and no Shariah-certified earn or staking product. Its 2025 crypto lending product was leveraged and interest-based and was suspended on the Financial Services Commission's order of 19 August 2025.
No token screening
Bithumb does not screen listed tokens for Shariah compliance. It runs an independent listing committee and publishes project disclosures through Xangle, but this is ordinary listing review, not Shariah screening.
Step by step
How to trade halal on Bithumb
Sign up and complete Korean real-name verification
Register with Korean identity verification and link a KB Kookmin Bank account in your own name (Bithumb's only partner bank since March 2025). Without it you cannot deposit or withdraw KRW.
Deposit KRW from KB Kookmin
Use the Deposit/Withdrawal section (입출금) to transfer KRW from your linked KB Kookmin account. Keep the cash in a non-interest current account rather than an interest-bearing deposit.
Buy on the KRW spot market only
Trade in the Exchange section (거래소) with ordinary spot orders, which settle immediately and in full as required by AAOIFI Shariah Standard No. 1.
Avoid lending and leverage
Do not use Bithumb's crypto lending (launched in 2025 with leverage and restricted by the FSC), any borrowed position, or reward products that promise a fixed yield. Fixed-yield lending is riba.
Check each coin on Liberandum
Bithumb does not screen tokens for Shariah compliance. Check each coin's halal status on Liberandum before buying and avoid coins tied to interest, gambling or other prohibited activity.
Withdraw to self-custody
Given Bithumb's 2026 ledger failure and weak reliability score, do not keep long-term holdings on the exchange. Withdraw to a wallet you control, registering the address as Korean travel-rule procedures require.
Availability
Where Bithumb serves users and under which licence
Your country:Choose your country
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- European Union
- Indonesia
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Türkiye
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uzbekistan
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- Country not found
Choose your country to see availability
Not available in United Arab Emirates
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Saudi Arabia
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Qatar
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Kuwait
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Bahrain
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Oman
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Jordan
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Egypt
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Morocco
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Türkiye
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Indonesia
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Malaysia
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Pakistan
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Bangladesh
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Kazakhstan
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Uzbekistan
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in Nigeria
- Licence
- No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in United Kingdom
- Licence
- No FCA registration. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in United States
- Licence
- No US licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
Not available in European Union
- Licence
- No MiCA authorisation. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KYC
- Korean real-name verification and linked KB Kookmin Bank account required
- United Arab EmiratesUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- Saudi ArabiaUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- QatarUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KuwaitUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- BahrainUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- OmanUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- JordanUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- EgyptUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- MoroccoUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- TürkiyeUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- IndonesiaUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- MalaysiaUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- PakistanUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- BangladeshUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- KazakhstanUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- UzbekistanUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- NigeriaUnavailable
No local licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- United KingdomUnavailable
No FCA registration. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- United StatesUnavailable
No US licence. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
- European UnionUnavailable
No MiCA authorisation. Bithumb serves only users with Korean identity verification and a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account.
Presence by country
- United Arab EmiratesNo UAE licence; Bithumb is limited to Korean real-name account holders.Unavailable
- Saudi ArabiaNo Saudi licence; Bithumb is limited to Korean real-name account holders.Unavailable
- TürkiyeNo Turkish licence; Bithumb is limited to Korean real-name account holders.Unavailable
- IndonesiaNo OJK licence; Bithumb is limited to Korean real-name account holders.Unavailable
- MalaysiaNo Securities Commission Malaysia registration; Bithumb is limited to Korean real-name account holders.Unavailable
Reliability in detail
Overall 3.9 of 10
Proof of reserves
0.0No regular public proof of reserves or independent reserve attestation was found. Bithumb says an accounting firm audits the company and financial statements are disclosed semi-annually. In February 2026 its internal ledger credited 620,000 BTC while it held 42,619 BTC for customers and 175 BTC of its own.
Licences
5.0Registered with Korea's FIU as a virtual asset service provider (one jurisdiction) and holds a KB Kookmin Bank real-name account partnership (renewal to September 2027 pending FIU approval, September 2026). No licences in other jurisdictions were found.
Incident history
5.0February 2026: 620,000 phantom BTC credited to 249 users; 99.7% recovered the same day, about 125 BTC unrecovered; user losses covered by Bithumb plus 10%. FSS found internal-control deficiencies and moved to sanction. March 2026: FIU fine of 36.8 billion won for about 6.65 million AML/KYC breaches; suspension stayed by court.
Segregation of funds
5.0The Virtual Asset User Protection Act (July 2024) requires customer deposits to be entrusted to a bank separately from company assets and customer crypto kept apart from company assets. The February 2026 incident showed balances run on an internal ledger not reconciled to on-chain holdings; no independent segregation audit found.
Insurance fund
5.0Korean law requires insurance or reserves covering at least 5% of hot-wallet assets. Bithumb covered 2026 user losses from company assets, but no dedicated protection fund, size or addresses are disclosed.
Security practices
6.0Bithumb states it holds ISMS-P certification (Korea's externally audited information-security and privacy certification) and uses 24-hour external security monitoring. Its cold-wallet ratio is not disclosed (legal minimum 80%). The 2026 incident showed missing automated checks on manual payouts.
Fees
Spot trading, deposits and withdrawals
Spot trading
0.25% maker · 0.25% taker
KRW market reported at 0.25% without a fee coupon; purchased coupons lower it to 0.04%-0.20%. Secondary sources only, not confirmed on Bithumb's fee page.
Deposits
KRW deposits only from the linked KB Kookmin Bank account; crypto deposits reported free except amounts below per-coin minimums.
Withdrawals
KRW withdrawals only to the linked KB Kookmin account. Crypto withdrawals carry fixed per-coin network fees; check the current fee in the app before withdrawing.
Halal coins you can buy on Bithumb
Coins with a halal verdict listed on this exchange
No coins with a halal verdict on this exchange yet
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