Bitso review: availability, registrations, custody, and fees
Bitso is a leading Latin American cryptocurrency exchange that serves users in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, among other markets. It operates in Mexico under the Fintech Law framework supervised by the National Banking and Securities Commission and holds further registrations across the region. It is custodial and does not serve United States residents.
Information, not advice. This is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice, and it is not a recommendation to use any platform. Verify the current rules with a qualified local professional and the official regulator before acting.
Bitso, founded in 2014, is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Latin America, serving users across Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. As of June 2026 it operates in Mexico under the Fintech Law framework supervised by the National Banking and Securities Commission, holds a distributed ledger technology licence from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, and is registered with the regulator in Argentina. It is custodial and does not serve United States residents. Check the position for your own country before signing up.
What Bitso is
Bitso launched in 2014 and has grown into one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in Latin America, with several million users across the region. It offers spot trading and a consumer app built around local currencies such as the Mexican peso, the Brazilian real, the Argentine peso, and the Colombian peso, and it also runs a business arm focused on cross border payments.
The platform is custodial, which means Bitso holds the assets in your account on your behalf rather than handing you the private keys. Users who want to control their own keys move funds to a separate self custody wallet. Bitso's positioning centres on regional reach and local payment rails rather than advanced derivatives.
Where Bitso is available
As of June 2026 Bitso serves customers across several Latin American markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, with localised currency support in each. Its largest presence has historically been in Mexico, where it operates under the country's Fintech Law framework, and it has expanded steadily across the region.
Supported features and funding methods vary by country, so a product available in one market may not be present in another. Bitso does not serve United States residents. Anyone uncertain about access should confirm current eligibility directly with Bitso before relying on it.
Registrations and licences
- Mexico. Bitso operates under Mexico's Fintech Law framework, with the National Banking and Securities Commission as the supervising authority. Full authorisations for financial technology institutions in Mexico have moved slowly across the sector, so confirm the current status (as of June 2026).
- Gibraltar. Bitso holds a distributed ledger technology licence from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, used for parts of its international operations (as of June 2026).
- Argentina. Bitso is registered with the National Securities Commission in Argentina under the country's virtual asset service provider registry (as of June 2026).
- Brazil. Bitso operates in Brazil, where the sector is moving onto the authorisation regime set by the Banco Central do Brasil under the country's virtual asset law, with a transition period running through 2026 (as of June 2026).
- United States. Bitso does not hold United States registrations and does not serve United States residents (as of June 2026).
Each registration is stated as of 8 June 2026. Licences and registrations change. Confirm the current position on the regulator register and the licences page of the platform before acting.
Custody, fees, strengths, and limitations
Bitso is custodial. It holds your assets on your behalf rather than handing you the private keys, so users who want to control their own keys move funds to a separate self custody wallet. Its registrations across Latin America set anti money laundering and conduct requirements, though that framework does not remove ordinary platform and market risk.
On fees, Bitso applies trading fees that vary by market and order type, and its instant buy and sell feature typically carries a spread that differs from the exchange order book. Funding and withdrawal costs differ by country and payment method. Pricing changes over time, so confirm the current schedule for your country on the platform before trading.
In plain terms, the strengths are a broad Latin American footprint, deep local currency support, and registrations in several regional jurisdictions. The limitations are that it does not serve the United States, supported features vary by country, regulatory authorisation in some markets is still maturing, and the model is custodial. None of this is a recommendation to use or avoid the platform, only the factual picture you would weigh against your own country and needs.
Bitso serves specific Latin American markets, and whether it is available to you depends on where you live. Rather than assume, compare the exchanges that are genuinely available in your country before you choose.
Every availability status here is dated and checked against the named regulator's public register. We never place a link to a platform where it is not available.
Regulator and sources
The relevant regulators include the National Banking and Securities Commission in Mexico, the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, the National Securities Commission in Argentina, and the Banco Central do Brasil, each of which supervises a different part of Bitso's operations.
- National Banking and Securities Commission, Fintech Law records and supervision in Mexico.
- Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, distributed ledger technology licence records.
- Bitso, official terms, licences page, and country availability information.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bitso legal to use?
In the Latin American markets it serves, yes. Bitso operates in Mexico under the Fintech Law framework supervised by the National Banking and Securities Commission, holds a distributed ledger technology licence from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission, and is registered with the regulator in Argentina. It does not serve United States residents (as of June 2026).
Which countries is Bitso available in?
Bitso serves users across several Latin American markets, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia, and supports local currencies in those markets. Availability and supported features vary by country, so confirm the current position for your country with Bitso (as of June 2026).
Can United States residents use Bitso?
No. Bitso is built around Latin American markets and does not serve United States residents (as of June 2026).
Is Bitso regulated in Mexico?
Bitso operates in Mexico under the country's Fintech Law framework, with the National Banking and Securities Commission as the supervising authority. Mexico's full authorisations for financial technology institutions have moved slowly, so confirm Bitso's current status directly before relying on it (as of June 2026).
Does Bitso hold my crypto for me?
Yes. Bitso is a custodial platform, so it holds the assets in your account on your behalf rather than giving you the private keys. If you prefer to control your own keys you would use a separate self custody wallet. This is information, not advice.
Rules change frequently. Crypto regulation across Latin America is still developing, including the maturing authorisation regimes in Mexico and Brazil. The position on this page is dated 8 June 2026. Confirm the current status with the named regulator and the platform before you act.
Related pages
Subscribe to The Compliance Ledger
One short email when a rule or an exchange status shifts where it matters to you. No noise, no hype.