MEXC is cheaper than Bybit: it has lower listed fees and a higher rebate. Bound through Fee Otter, you get 40% back on Bybit (code FEEOTTER) and 60% on MEXC (code mexc-FEEOTTER), so the net futures taker fee is 0.033% on Bybit vs 0.016% on MEXC, roughly half (checked October 2026). Most KOL codes you find online pay 20%; ours pays 2 times that on Bybit and 3 times on MEXC. On 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT; Bybit returns 400 and MEXC 600. Where Bybit wins is tokenised US stocks and Earn interest sharing.
Quick verdict
- Either way, you get more than a common KOL code: Bybit's 40% is 2 times a typical 20% code and MEXC's 60% is 3 times.
- MEXC's listed fees are lower across the board: futures 0.01% / 0.04% vs 0.02% / 0.055%, spot 0% / 0.05% vs 0.10% / 0.10%.
- MEXC's rebate is 20 points higher: 60% vs 40%, the difference being MEXC's own 20% automatic rebate.
- MEXC's net futures cost is about half of Bybit's: taker is 0.016% vs 0.033%, maker 0.004% vs 0.012%; there is no crossover at any taker share.
- The gap is even wider on BTC, ETH perps and spot: MEXC currently charges 0% maker and 0.02% taker on BTC and ETH perpetuals (promotional rates), and 0% on spot maker orders.
- Where Bybit scores: 171 tokenised US stock perpetuals with measured data, and 40% of Earn interest sharing returned; old accounts can add a code within 14 days, then use a KYC identity transfer. MEXC allows self-service linking within 30 days.
Listed fees: MEXC is lower in every cell
| Trade type (VIP 0) | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Spot maker / taker | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0% / 0.05% (BTC, ETH) |
| Platform token discount | None | None |
| USDT-M futures maker (standard) | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| USDT-M futures taker (standard) | 0.055% | 0.04% |
| Promotional low-fee contracts | None | BTC and ETH 0% / 0.02%; about 125 contracts at 0% / 0% |
Fees verified: 2026-10-18 (official fee pages); MEXC contract counts and promotional rates: 2026-10-18 (MEXC public API) · Data sources and methodology
Bybit's 0.055% futures taker fee is a notch above the usual 0.05% and 2.75 times its maker fee; MEXC's 0.04% taker is 4 times its maker, but both of its numbers sit below Bybit's. MEXC's fee page is rendered with JavaScript, so we use what MEXC's public API returned on 2026-10-18: of about 1,190 contracts, about 560 carry the standard 0.01% / 0.04%, about 490 (BTC and ETH among them) 0% / 0.02%, and about 125 charge 0% on both sides (promotional, subject to change). On spot, BTC and ETH are 0% maker and 0.05% taker, while about 1,100 of 1,864 pairs, mostly smaller coins, charge 0.08% taker; some MEXC spot promotions are fee-free, and this article uses the 0.05% BTC and ETH carry.
The rebate is paid on the fees you actually pay, so the fair comparison is the net rate after the rebate, not the rebate rate or the listed fee alone. Check the latest fees at the source: Bybit fee page · MEXC fee page.
Rebate rates: MEXC is 20 points higher
| Item (bound through Fee Otter) | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Referral code | FEEOTTER | mexc-FEEOTTER |
| Automatic rebate from the exchange | None | 20% |
| Fee Otter extra rebate | 40% | 40% |
| Total | 40% | 60% |
| Against a common 20% code | 2 times | 3 times |
Fee Otter's extra rebate is 40% on both. MEXC adds its own 20% automatic rebate for a total of 60%, while all of Bybit's 40% is settled daily by Fee Otter. See how the rebate is settled and automatic vs extra rebate.
In money: on 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT; ours returns 400 USDT on Bybit (code FEEOTTER) and 600 USDT on MEXC (code mexc-FEEOTTER). That is 2,400 and 4,800 USDT a year more than a common code. Rates are set by the exchanges and the platform and may change; the live figure on the platform applies.
If you are already a VIP on an exchange and want to rebind or sign up on another one, contact support and we can help you apply for special trading benefits or a higher rebate rate.
Net cost after rebate: MEXC is about half of Bybit
| How you bind | Bybit net maker | Bybit net taker | MEXC net maker | MEXC net taker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listed | 0.02% | 0.055% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Through Fee Otter (40% / 60%) | 0.012% | 0.033% | 0.004% | 0.016% |
Formula: net rate = listed fee × (1 − rebate rate). For example, Bybit taker: 0.055% × (1 − 40%) = 0.033%; MEXC taker: 0.04% × (1 − 60%) = 0.016%; Bybit maker: 0.02% × (1 − 40%) = 0.012%; MEXC maker: 0.01% × (1 − 60%) = 0.004%. MEXC's net taker rate is about 48% of Bybit's, and its net maker rate only a third.
Taker share: no tipping point for this pair
Let t be your taker share; net rate = [t × taker + (1 − t) × maker] × (1 − rebate rate). After the rebate, Bybit = 0.012% + 0.021% × t and MEXC = 0.004% + 0.012% × t. MEXC starts lower and rises more slowly, so this pair has no tipping point: from all-maker to all-taker, MEXC is cheaper. With a common 70% taker / 30% maker mix, the blended listed fee is 0.0445% on Bybit and 0.031% on MEXC; net after the rebate is 0.0267% vs 0.0124%. More combinations in effective perpetual fees after rebate.
In money: one order and one month
One order: 2,500 USDT margin at 20x leverage
Notional = 2,500 × 20 = 50,000 USDT. Opening as taker, Bybit charges 50,000 × 0.055% = 27.5 USDT and MEXC 50,000 × 0.04% = 20 USDT. After the rebate you pay 27.5 × (1 − 40%) = 16.5 USDT on Bybit and 20 × (1 − 60%) = 8 USDT on MEXC. Opening as maker, Bybit charges 10 USDT (6 USDT net) and MEXC 5 USDT (2 USDT net).
500,000 USDT a month, all taker
| How you bind | Bybit returned | Bybit net cost | MEXC returned | MEXC net cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common 20% code | 55 USDT | 220 USDT | 40 USDT | 160 USDT |
| Fee Otter (40% / 60%) | 110 USDT | 165 USDT | 120 USDT | 80 USDT |
Monthly fees: Bybit 500,000 × 0.055% = 275 USDT, MEXC 500,000 × 0.04% = 200 USDT; returned = monthly fees × rebate rate, net cost = monthly fees − returned. MEXC charges less, yet its return of 120 USDT beats Bybit's 110 USDT because the rate is 20 points higher. Switching code on the same exchange matters too: Bybit drops from 220 with a common 20% code to 165, saving 660 USDT a year; MEXC drops from 160 to 80, saving 960 USDT a year.
BTC, ETH and zero-fee contracts: MEXC's extra edge
Everything above uses MEXC's standard rate, but its two largest contracts are currently priced below it: per MEXC's public contract API as of the 2026-10-18 verification date, BTC and ETH perpetuals are 0% maker and 0.02% taker, and about 125 contracts charge 0% on both sides. If you only trade BTC or ETH perps, MEXC's net taker after rebate is 0.008%, about a quarter of Bybit's. Zero-fee contracts have no fee and therefore no rebate; these are promotional rates, subject to change at any time and stated as of 2026-10-18; they revert to the standard 0.01% / 0.04% when they end, so check MEXC's order page and announcements.
Spot: free maker orders on MEXC, and half the taker fee
| How you bind | Bybit net maker / taker | MEXC net maker | MEXC net taker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Through Fee Otter | 0.06% (40% rebate) | 0% | 0.02% (60% rebate) |
Spot rebate rates on both exchanges match their futures rates. Bybit = 0.10% × (1 − 40%) = 0.06%; MEXC = 0.05% × (1 − 60%) = 0.02%. On 100,000 USDT of monthly spot taker volume, Bybit charges 100 USDT (60 USDT net) and MEXC 50 USDT (20 USDT net). Spot strategies in fee rebates for spot investors.
Where Bybit adds value: tokenised stocks and Earn sharing
- Tokenised US stock perpetuals with measured data: against Binance's 198 TradFi perpetuals as the baseline, Bybit covers 171 (measured 2026-09-20), charged at normal futures rates; our tokenised stock study did not cover MEXC. Details in tokenised stock perpetual fee comparison.
- Earn interest sharing: Bybit Earn has no separate fee, and affiliates earn a share of your Earn interest; bound through Fee Otter, 40% of that share comes back to you, calculated separately from the trading fee rebate. See Bybit Earn interest sharing.
Adding a code later and rebinding: Bybit 14 days, MEXC 30 days
| Item | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a code after signup | Within 14 days, main account, no referrer yet, affiliate codes only | Within 30 days, main account, no referrer yet, self-service linking |
| Changing referrer after binding | Not possible | Not possible |
| After the window closes | Register a new account first, then do a KYC identity transfer | Sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link |
Bybit: within 14 days of signup, a main account with no referrer can add the code FEEOTTER under Profile → Account → Account Info → Join an Affiliate's Community; only affiliate codes are accepted and the code cannot be cancelled or changed afterwards (see Bybit's guide to adding an affiliate code). After 14 days, register a brand-new, unverified account through the dedicated link, then move the old account's KYC across with Bybit's official identity transfer: the old account must have completed KYC at least 24 hours earlier, and both accounts have withdrawals and fiat restricted for 24 hours afterwards. Full steps in the Bybit rebind guide and KYC identity transfer and rebates.
MEXC: MEXC is one of the few exchanges with a 30-day self-service window, so an account under 30 days old can add the code mexc-FEEOTTER directly without opening a new one. The account must be a main account with no referrer yet, the referrer must have signed up before you, and the link cannot be changed later (see MEXC's self-service referrer linking guide). After 30 days, sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link; one identity can hold at most 2 accounts, and if both are used you must close one first, which takes up to 15 working days. Steps in the MEXC rebind guide.
Different codes, and the order matters. Bybit's identity transfer moves only your KYC, not assets, email, phone number or referral code, so always register the new account through the dedicated link before transferring KYC. Then submit the new UID on Fee Otter; it is reviewed automatically at 16:00 the next day (UTC+8) and passes if you traded the previous day. Binding needs only your UID, never an API key or password.
Which one fits you
- Mostly futures taker (day trading, scalping): MEXC. Net taker is 0.016% vs 0.033%, or 85 USDT less per month on 500,000 USDT notional.
- Mostly BTC and ETH perpetuals: MEXC. Currently 0.02% taker on BTC and ETH, or 0.008% after rebate.
- Mostly spot: MEXC. 0% maker, and a net taker of 0.02% vs 0.06% on Bybit.
- Tokenised US stocks: Bybit. 171 TradFi perpetuals with measured data; we have not measured MEXC.
- Idle assets you want to earn on: Bybit. Earn interest sharing returns 40% through Fee Otter.
- Want both: bind both: futures and spot on MEXC, tokenised stocks and Earn on Bybit, with rebates in one dashboard.
Next step: for MEXC, sign up with the code mexc-FEEOTTER (link in MEXC referral code); accounts under 30 days old can self-link via the MEXC rebind guide. For Bybit, sign up with the code FEEOTTER (see Bybit referral code); add it within 14 days, or follow the Bybit rebind guide for a KYC identity transfer. Once your UID is bound, rebates start accruing from your next fee.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bybit or MEXC?
MEXC. Listed fees are 0.01% / 0.04% futures and 0% / 0.05% spot on MEXC, against 0.02% / 0.055% and 0.10% / 0.10% on Bybit. Bound through Fee Otter, the net futures taker rate is 0.016% vs 0.033%, about half.
What rebate do you get on Bybit and MEXC through Fee Otter?
40% on Bybit, all of it Fee Otter's extra rebate, and 60% on MEXC: the exchange's 20% automatic rebate plus Fee Otter's 40% extra. That is 2 and 3 times a common 20% code.
What are the Bybit and MEXC referral codes?
Bybit's code is FEEOTTER and MEXC's is mexc-FEEOTTER, with the mexc- prefix; signing up through our dedicated link fills in the right one automatically.
My Bybit account is more than 14 days old. Can I still get the rebate?
Yes. Register a brand-new, unverified account through the dedicated link, then use the official identity transfer to move your old KYC across; the old account needs at least 24 hours since KYC, and both accounts have withdrawals and fiat restricted for 24 hours afterwards.
My MEXC account is more than 30 days old. Can I still get the rebate?
Yes. Sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link, check that mexc-FEEOTTER is already filled in, and bind the new UID on Fee Otter. One identity can hold at most 2 accounts; if both are used, close one first, which takes up to 15 working days.
For BTC perpetuals, Bybit or MEXC?
MEXC, for now. Its BTC perpetual carries a promotional 0.02% taker fee (as of 2026-10-18), 0.008% net after the rebate; Bybit charges 0.055%, 0.033% net. Even after the promotion reverts to the standard 0.04%, MEXC stays lower.
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