25 September 2025
1108
How We Compiled a Ranking of Cryptocurrency Exchanges Popular in the CIS and Eastern Europe
To compile an objective ranking of cryptocurrency exchanges popular in the CIS and Eastern Europe, our team of AsicFIX relied on assessment methods from CoinGecko, Forbes, and CoinDesk, adapting them to regional specifics.
CoinGecko's Approach
CoinGecko generates an exchange's Trust Score on a scale of 0 to 10, analyzing the following key aspects:
Liquidity and Market Depth: How easy is it to buy or sell an asset on the exchange at the market price without significant slippage?
Transparency: Assessed by the degree of openness about the team, owners, and company structure.
Scope: Trading volumes and user activity demonstrate how actively the platform is used.
Information Security: We use auditing services from cer.live (Hacken), which checks the security of accounts, servers, and resistance to attacks.
API functionality: how comprehensive is the data provided and how supported are API trading capabilities.
Operational history: whether there have been any outages, hacks, loss of funds, or other serious incidents.
Proof of reserves: transparency regarding assets and liabilities—are reports published, and can users verify the availability of funds?
Forbes Method
Forbes magazine conducts a more comprehensive analysis based on 40 metrics collected through both its own research and direct inquiries with companies. The main focus is on:
Cryptocurrency availability (20%): how wide a range of coins is available for trading.
Trading fees (15%): how low are the fees compared to competitors.
1. OKX
OKX ranks first thanks to having the largest transparently verified reserves and a strong track record of security — with no serious incidents reported in recent years.
The only notable issue occurred back in October 2020, when OKEx temporarily suspended withdrawals due to losing contact with one of the holders of the private keys. By the end of November that year, all withdrawals were fully restored. Since then, the platform has operated without similar disruptions.
The exchange publishes monthly Proof-of-Reserves reports, demonstrating 100% backing of user assets with actual reserves.
In April 2025, OKX officially entered the U.S. market after resolving legal claims by the U.S. Department of Justice regarding unlicensed financial services and failure to implement proper KYC/AML procedures.
In addition, OKX became one of the first global exchanges to obtain a MiCA license and passport its services across the European Economic Area (EEA).
advanced trading tools and features;
VIP program with reduced fees for high-volume traders;
integrated Web3 wallet;
digital payment solution OKX Pay.
Number of trading pairs: 675
Fees:
Spot: 0.08% maker / 0.1% taker
Futures: 0.02% maker / 0.05% taker
CoinGecko Trust Score: 10/10
CoinDesk Rating: A (75 out of 100)
2. Bybit
In 2025, Bybit remains one of the most popular crypto platforms in Russia — as of April, around 26% of its total web traffic came from Russian users, highlighting the platform’s strong position in the region.
In February 2025, the exchange was targeted by a cyberattack, reportedly carried out by the Lazarus hacking group. The breach resulted in estimated losses of around $1.4 billion USD. Despite the scale of the incident, Bybit quickly restored withdrawal operations for users and significantly strengthened its security infrastructure.
In May 2025, Bybit officially obtained a MiCA license in Austria and launched a regulated trading platform for users in the European Union, fully compliant with the new regulatory framework.
Number of trading pairs: 680
Fees:
Spot trading: 0.1% for makers and takers
Futures: 0.02% maker / 0.055% taker
CoinGecko Trust Score: 10/10
CoinDesk Rating: A (75 out of 100)
3. MEXC
MEXC stands out among competitors for offering the largest variety of altcoins. At the time of writing, the platform lists over 2690 spot trading pairs, making it one of the leaders by this metric.
A key advantage of the exchange is the fast listing of new tokens — MEXC often becomes one of the first major platforms to add newly launched assets. Since the beginning of 2025, the total trading volume of new tokens has exceeded $34 billion, indicating strong user interest.
Another benefit is the very low trading fees. Makers pay 0% fees on both spot and futures, while takers are charged only 0.05% on spot and 0.02% on futures.
Users can save even more by paying fees with MEXC’s native tokens (MX) — this grants a 20% discount, which increases to 50% if the user holds at least 500 MX (approximately $1300) on their balance for 24 hours.
Number of trading pairs: 2690
Trust Score (CoinGecko): 10/10
CoinDesk Rating: C (50 out of 100)
4. KuCoin
Like MEXC, KuCoin focuses on offering a wide range of tokens. The exchange provides several specialized platforms, such as GemSPACE and Spotlight, where users can launch new tokens and participate in farming.
In 2024, KuCoin introduced Apple Pay support for its KuCard and upgraded its lineup of trading bots, enhancing automation options for its users.
KuCoin introduced new AI-based trading strategies and Earn services for traders, while offering listing programs like GemSlot and GemPool for projects. By the end of the year, the platform rolled out futures copy trading, options trading, and the Learn and Earn service.
In 2025, KuCoin focused on strengthening trust and regulatory compliance. The exchange implemented international security standards SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022, and launched the Trust initiative with a $2 billion fund dedicated to user protection.
In August, the Ministry of Finance of Thailand selected KuCoin as its first international partner to implement the tokenized government bonds program, G-Token.
Number of trading pairs: 1317
Fees:
Trust Score: 9/10
CoinDesk Rating: B (60 out of 100)
5. Gate
At the same time, the company launched an OTC platform in Malta, participated in major industry events in Asia and the Middle East, and became a partner of the Milan football club Inter as well as a sponsor of the Blockchain Life and Coinfest conferences.
In 2025, Gate Dubai’s division obtained a full license from the VARA regulator, and the company celebrated its 12th anniversary in Dubai, unveiling a new domain (Gate.com) and refreshed corporate identity. The exchange also became an official sponsor of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team in Formula 1. By July, the platform’s user base exceeded 30 million.
Number of trading pairs: 2664
Fees:
Trust Score: 10/10
CoinDesk Rating: BB (74 out of 100)
Here is the English translation of your text:
The choice of platform depends on your goals and priorities:
OKX is a great option for those actively working with DeFi and looking to combine centralized and decentralized finance. The exchange offers advanced trading tools, a VIP program with significant discounts, and Web3 integration.
MEXC attracts users with minimal fees — 0% for makers and very low for takers. Additional discounts of up to 50% when paying with MX tokens make the platform attractive for high-frequency trading. A wide selection of over 2700 trading pairs allows users to buy new tokens first.
Bybit remains one of the leaders in traffic volume from Russia. Despite an incident in February 2025, the exchange quickly restored operations and enhanced security. The MiCA license provides additional protection for European users.
KuCoin specializes in trading bots and AI-based strategies. The GemSlot and GemPool programs offer early access to new tokens, while a $2 billion protection fund guarantees asset safety.
The AsicFIX team recommends diversifying your assets — do not keep all funds on one platform, even if it seems the “most reliable.” Regularly transfer earned funds to cold wallets for long-term storage.
Gate, with 2664 trading pairs and a VARA license in Dubai, is well-suited for operating in Middle Eastern markets. Sponsorship of Formula 1 and over 30 million users confirm the exchange’s financial stability.
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