Binance or Revolut X? The Real Cost of Buying BTC Long-Term

Binance

06 October 2026

If you only look at trading fees, Revolut X's 0% maker fee and 0.09% taker fee seem cheaper on paper than Binance's standard rates. But the true cost of buying BTC long-term is not just about trading fees. Revolut X is better for users who can get maker orders filled and don't need to withdraw crypto to a self-custody wallet often. If you prefer market buys or plan to move BTC to your own cold wallet regularly, Binance is actually smoother and has lower hidden costs.

Binance Exchange
The world's largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume,leading in security and liquidity.
New user benefit: Enjoy 20% off trading fees upon registration!

Trading Fees: Maker vs Taker Is the Key Difference

Revolut X has a very clear fee structure: no matter your trading volume, maker orders are 0% and taker orders are 0.09%. A $1,000 market buy costs $0.90 in fees.

Binance's standard spot fee is usually 0.1% for maker and 0.1% for taker, but you can get a discount if you hold BNB and use it to pay fees. However, one official Binance developer document about commission rates shows that standard commission rates can vary by trading pair and promotion. There is no single fixed global rate. So Binance's actual fee depends on your regional version and account status.

The takeaway here is simple: if you plan to buy BTC slowly with limit orders over a long period, Revolut X's 0% maker fee is a real advantage. Binance usually charges 0.1% even for limit orders, unless you hold BNB and get a discount.

But if you prefer market buys, the taker fee difference is very small: Revolut X 0.09% vs Binance around 0.1%. That gap is almost nothing. The real difference comes from withdrawal costs, which we'll cover next.

Withdrawing to a Self-Custody Wallet: Revolut X's Fixed Service Fee Hurts

People who buy BTC long-term usually want to move coins to their own hardware wallet eventually. This is where Revolut X has a clear extra cost.

According to Revolut X's official fee schedule, when you withdraw crypto, you pay not only the blockchain network fee but also a Revolut service fee: 3 GBP (or equivalent in local currency) for most cryptocurrencies, and 1 GBP for some coins. BTC falls under "most," so every withdrawal to an external wallet costs you at least about 3 GBP as a fixed fee.

Binance's withdrawal fee structure is different: it usually charges a single fixed withdrawal fee that already includes the platform's processing cost and network fee. There is no extra "service fee" stacked on top. For BTC, Binance's withdrawal fee varies by network, but it is usually a fixed BTC amount. It does not charge a high fixed fiat fee just because your withdrawal amount is small.

If your plan is to buy a little every month and withdraw once you accumulate enough, Revolut X's 3 GBP service fee per withdrawal will eat into your small holdings significantly. Binance's fixed withdrawal fee is friendlier for small withdrawals — you don't pay a separate fiat service fee just for the act of withdrawing.

Hidden Costs: Price Mechanics and Liquidity

Revolut X's 0% maker fee sounds attractive, but it is an order book exchange. Your limit order needs someone else to take the other side before it fills. If you place a buy order below the market price and the market never drops to your price, your order will not fill. This is a real problem for regular buying: you may need to adjust your price actively to get filled, which turns you into a taker, and then the fee becomes 0.09%.

Binance's spot market has deeper liquidity, so limit orders usually have a higher chance of filling. Binance also has a "Convert Recurring" feature. The official description says it has zero fees, and you can set it to buy automatically every hour, day, week, or month. The price comes from Binance's "OTC quote," which may differ from the spot market price, but it removes the hassle of placing limit orders manually and has no explicit trading fee. For users who truly want a "set and forget" dollar-cost averaging plan, this path has less friction.

Asset Custody: What Are You Actually Buying?

This determines what "long-term holding" really means. Revolut X allows withdrawals to external wallets, so in theory you can self-custody. But assets in the main Revolut app's crypto feature (not Revolut X) are claims against Revolut, not on-chain assets. You cannot withdraw them. If you confuse the main Revolut app with Revolut X, you might think you hold BTC when you actually only hold a platform liability.

Binance spot account assets can usually be withdrawn on-chain (as long as your account is in good standing and your region supports it). You have a more direct path of control over the BTC you buy.

How to Choose: Based on Your Buying Habits

If you insist on limit orders and withdraw to a hardware wallet immediately after each buy: Revolut X's 0% maker fee cannot offset the 3 GBP fixed withdrawal service fee. Binance's fixed withdrawal fee structure is better for "small, frequent withdrawals."

If you prefer market buys and rarely withdraw (leaving coins on the exchange): Revolut X's 0.09% taker fee and Binance's 0.1% are very close. Your choice depends on which platform you trust more and which is more convenient for you.

If you want a "set and forget" dollar-cost averaging plan: Binance's Convert Recurring feature is simpler to use and has no explicit fee. But you need to accept that its quote may differ from the spot market price.

One-sentence conclusion: Revolut X's low fees are very competitive if you only trade and never withdraw. But once you include "withdrawing to your own wallet" in the long-term cost, Revolut X's fixed service fee makes Binance the cheaper path.