AltCoinTrader: licences, security, fees and reviews
Centralized exchange
In short
- Legal entity
- AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd, private company registered in South Africa, registration number 2015/418624/07
- Fees
- Spot maker: 0.50% at tier 1 (R 0 - R 100 000 30-day volume), down to -0.01% at tier 6
- Risks and caveats
- The terms say buying, selling, saving and holding crypto on AltCoinTrader carries a risk of partial or total financial loss.
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
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Key facts
- Type
- Centralized exchange
- Country of registration
- South Africa
- Operator
- AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd
- Official site
- altcointrader.co.za
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.
What is AltCoinTrader
AltCoinTrader is a South African centralised crypto exchange operated by AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd, which describes itself as a licensed crypto asset service provider and authorised financial services provider (FSP 53614). It offers order-book trading against the rand-pegged token xZAR, easy buy/sell, Easy Save rewards and ACT Pay payments.
Good to know
- Order-book markets are quoted against xZAR, a rand-pegged token, rather than directly against the rand. ↗
- Since 1 June 2026 trading fees are tiered by 30-day volume: from 0.50% maker / 0.60% taker at the base tier. ↗
- Card deposits in rand cost 5% for local cards and 7% for international cards. ↗
- Unverified (level 1) accounts can withdraw only R 100 in total; higher limits need FICA documents. ↗
- Accounts dormant for at least 12 months may be frozen without notice. ↗
- The proof-of-reserves page linked in the footer shows no reserve figures. ↗
Services
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot trading | Order-book trading of crypto against xZAR, including BTC, ETH, XRP and USDT |
| Staking / Earn | Easy Save: rewards on deposited crypto and ZAR with no lock-in period and no fees |
| Card | ACT Pay: QR-code payments at South African merchants, powered by Zapper and ScanTo Pay |
| Fiat deposits | Rand deposits via Capitec Pay, ABSA Pay and card payments through Stitch |
| Custody / wallet | Physical gold coins can be deposited and are credited as XAU (1 XAU = 1 ounce coin) |
Licences and registrations
| Jurisdiction | Entity | Licence / registration | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa | AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd | Crypto asset service provider and authorised financial services provider, FSP number 53614 (as stated by the exchange) | Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) |
Security and audits
- AltCoinTrader applies the FATF Travel Rule, implemented in South Africa by the Financial Intelligence Centre, from 30 April 2025.
- Withdrawal limits rise with verification level, from R 100 in total for unverified accounts.
Security incidents
Incidents are reported by third parties (press, incident databases) but are not confirmed in the company’s own channels, so none is listed here.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot maker | 0.50% at tier 1 (R 0 - R 100 000 30-day volume), down to -0.01% at tier 6 |
| Spot taker | 0.60% at tier 1, down to 0.05% at tier 6 (over R 250 000 000) |
| Deposits | Crypto deposits free; rand deposits 2% (Capitec Pay, max R95), 2.5% (ABSA Pay), 5% / 7% (cards) |
| Withdrawals | Crypto withdrawal fees per asset and network, e.g. 0.00012 BTC |
Who can use it
- Verification: Verification levels: level 1 after phone and ID number; level 2 requires verified FICA documents; level 3 adds two-factor authentication active for over a month.
- OTC accounts are not available to citizens or residents of UN-sanctioned countries or to registered US taxpayers.
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 2016 | The exchange's homepage offers BTC, LTC and NMC trading. |
| May 2018 | xZAR, the rand-pegged token used for AltCoinTrader's markets, is created. |
| 30 April 2025 | The Travel Rule takes effect for AltCoinTrader transfers. |
| 11 May 2026 | A major system upgrade adds easy buy/sell for over 150 assets and a new API. |
| 1 June 2026 | A tiered maker/taker fee structure replaces the previous fees. |
Risks and caveats
- The terms say buying, selling, saving and holding crypto on AltCoinTrader carries a risk of partial or total financial loss.
- Deposits sent to a wrong address or with wrong bank details may be lost with no recourse against AltCoinTrader.
- Markets settle in xZAR, a token pegged to the rand, rather than in rand itself.
- No proof-of-reserves figures are shown on the exchange's proof-of-reserves page.
About the company
- Legal entity
- AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd, private company registered in South Africa, registration number 2015/418624/07
- Headquarters
- South Africa; terms governed by South African law
Official links
- Website: altcointrader.co.za
- Fees: altcointrader.co.za/trading-fees
- Proof of reserves: altcointrader.co.za/proof-of-reserves
- Terms of use: altcointrader.co.za/terms-and-conditions
- Status: altcointrader.co.za/status/wallet
- Blog: altcointrader.co.za/news
Questions and answers
Is AltCoinTrader regulated?
AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd states it is a licensed crypto asset service provider and authorised financial services provider with FSP number 53614 in South Africa.
What are AltCoinTrader's fees?
Trading fees are tiered by 30-day volume, starting at 0.50% maker and 0.60% taker. Crypto deposits are free; rand deposits cost 2% to 7% depending on the method.
Who owns AltCoinTrader?
The exchange is operated by AltCoinTrader (Pty) Ltd, a South African private company (registration number 2015/418624/07).
Does AltCoinTrader publish proof of reserves?
It has a proof-of-reserves page, but the page shows no reserve figures.
What is xZAR on AltCoinTrader?
xZAR is a token pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, created in May 2018, and AltCoinTrader's markets are quoted against it.
Sources
- AltCoinTrader - Home
- AltCoinTrader - Terms & Conditions
- AltCoinTrader - Trading fees
- AltCoinTrader - Contact us
- AltCoinTrader - News
- AltCoinTrader Help Centre - What is xZAR?
- AltCoinTrader Help Centre - What are the account levels?
- AltCoinTrader Help Centre - Travel Rule
- AltCoinTrader home page, 17 January 2016 (Wayback)
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