Mercatox Crypto Exchange Review: Fees, Features, and Real User Problems in 2025

If you're looking at Mercatox as a place to trade crypto, you need to know the truth before you deposit any money. It’s been around since 2015 - that’s longer than most exchanges - and it still works. But longevity doesn’t mean safety. Thousands of users have reported trouble getting their funds out, and customer support often disappears when you need it most.

What Mercatox Actually Offers

Mercatox isn’t just a place to buy and sell Bitcoin or Ethereum. It’s built as a one-stop shop: you can trade, lend crypto, send payments, and store multiple coins in one wallet. That sounds useful, especially if you don’t want to jump between five different apps. The platform works on desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux), iOS, and Android. You can even connect it to tax tools like Koinly and CoinLedger, which helps if you’re tracking gains or losses.

The trading interface is customizable. You can set up price alerts, choose order types (market, limit, stop), and view your trade history in real time. It’s not as slick as Binance or Kraken, but it’s functional. If you’ve traded before, you won’t be lost. If you’re new, the layout won’t scare you off - but don’t expect hand-holding tutorials. The platform assumes you know what you’re doing.

Fees: Not Low, Just Average

Mercatox charges a flat 0.25% fee on every trade, whether you’re buying or selling. That’s the same as what Coinbase and Kraken charge for standard trades. Some sites call this "low," but that’s misleading. On exchanges like Bybit or KuCoin, you can get fees as low as 0.1% if you use their native tokens. On decentralized platforms like Uniswap, you pay less in gas fees than Mercatox charges in trading fees.

There are no hidden fees for deposits - you can send BTC, ETH, or USDT in without cost. But withdrawals? That’s where things get messy. Withdrawal fees vary by coin, and while they’re not outrageous on paper, the real problem isn’t the fee - it’s the delay. Many users say their withdrawals sit in "processing" for days, sometimes weeks. And when you ask why, support often goes silent.

The Real Problem: Withdrawals and Customer Support

This is the part most reviews skip. Mercatox has a 2.5/5 rating on Cryptogeek based on 30+ reviews. That’s not a fluke. On Reviews.io, users from September 2025 are still posting: "I sent my ETH out on the 12th. It’s the 25th now. No update. No reply. I’ve been locked out of my account twice."

Multiple people mention hiring third-party fund recovery services - not because they got hacked, but because Mercatox wouldn’t release their coins. One user said they had to pay $800 to a recovery firm just to get back $3,000 in Bitcoin. That’s not a rare story. It’s a pattern.

Support claims to be 24/7, but live chat often redirects you to a ticket system. Responses take 48-72 hours. If you’re trying to get funds out during a market dip, that delay could cost you thousands. And if your account gets flagged for "suspicious activity" - which happens often with smaller exchanges - you might need to submit ID documents again. No guarantee they’ll approve it.

Who Is Mercatox For?

There are only two types of people who should consider Mercatox:

• Someone who already has funds on the platform and doesn’t want to go through the hassle of moving them
• Someone who wants to trade altcoins that aren’t listed on bigger exchanges

Mercatox supports over 150 cryptocurrencies, including obscure ones like DASH, ZEC, and LTC. If you’re trying to trade a coin no one else offers, this might be your only option. But if you’re starting fresh, there’s no reason to choose Mercatox over a platform with better liquidity, faster withdrawals, and real user trust.

How It Compares to the Big Players

On December 2, 2021, Mercatox had a 24-hour trading volume of $36 million. That sounds like a lot - until you compare it to Binance, which did $30 billion the same day. That’s 833 times more. Higher volume means tighter spreads, faster order fills, and less slippage. If you’re trading more than $500 at a time, you’ll feel the difference.

Also, Mercatox is based in Canada. That sounds safe, right? But Canada doesn’t have strict crypto licensing rules like the EU or Singapore. There’s no public record of Mercatox being audited or regulated by any financial authority. That’s not a red flag by itself - but when combined with withdrawal issues, it’s a warning sign.

Is Mercatox Safe?

There’s no evidence Mercatox has been hacked. Their systems haven’t crashed. But safety isn’t just about being hacked - it’s about whether you can access your money when you need it. And based on hundreds of user reports, that’s the biggest risk.

The platform uses standard security: two-factor authentication, email confirmations, and cold storage for most funds. But if the company decides to freeze accounts - for any reason - you have no legal recourse. No FDIC insurance. No regulatory body to file a complaint with. You’re at the mercy of their internal policies.

Bottom Line: Proceed With Extreme Caution

Mercatox isn’t a scam. It’s still operating. It’s not fake. But it’s also not trustworthy. If you’re a beginner, pick Coinbase or Kraken. If you’re trading larger amounts, use Binance or Bybit. If you want to hold altcoins, use a non-custodial wallet like Exodus or Trust Wallet.

Mercatox might be fine for small, occasional trades - say, $100 of a niche coin you can’t find elsewhere. But don’t keep more than you’re willing to lose. And if you do use it, never leave funds there longer than you need to. Move them out as soon as your trade clears.

The exchange has survived 10 years by catering to users who don’t know better. Don’t be one of them.