Buda offers OTC and Spot trading on 6 cryptocurrencies in 5 markets, including CLP, COP, PEN, BTC, and USDC. The platform provides REST and Websockets API solutions. Crypto Buy and Sell transactions incur a 1.2% fee.
Buda Exchange Key Details
Buda Exchange, headquartered in Santiago, Chile, has established itself as a prominent cryptocurrency platform in Latin America since its inception in 2015.
Founded by Guillermo Torrealba, Buda.com SpA is funded by multiple companies, including Digital Currency Group, Inversiones Sauzalito, and Mintic.
Buda has never experienced a successful hack and implements essential security practices such as cold storage and two-factor authentication.
Buda.com Table of Specifications
Users have traded $3B+ on Buda. Let’s see what features have made the company the largest crypto exchange in South America.
Exchange | Buda |
Launch Date | 2015 |
Levels | 7 levels |
Trading Fees | Maker 0.10% - 0.40% Taker 0.20% - 0.40% |
Restricted Countries | Only available in Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina |
Supported Coins | 6 |
Futures Trading | No |
Minimum Deposit | $1 |
Deposit Methods | Crypto, CLP, COP, PEN |
Withdrawal Methods | Crypto, CLP, COP, PEN |
Maximum Leverage | 1:1 |
Minimum Trade Size | Variable based on the market |
Security Factors | Cold Storage, Partnership with Chainalysis, Dynamic Key |
Services | Spot Trading, API, OTC Market |
Customer Support Ways | Live Chat, Twitter, Email |
Customer Support Hours | Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (GMT-3) |
Fiat Deposit | Yes |
Affiliate Program | Yes |
Orders Execution | Market |
Native Token | No |
Buda.com Pros & Cons
When considering Buda.com as a cryptocurrency exchange platform, it's essential to weigh its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros | Cons |
Local fiat currencies support | Limited digital assets |
web and mobile trading platform | No margin trading |
Referral program | No copy trading or staking services |
90% of user funds stored in cold storage | Only available in select South American countries |
Buda User Levels
The exchange has implemented a 7-tier user-level system offering fee discounts based on 30-day trading volume in USD.
Tier | 30-D Trading Volume (USD) |
Tier 1 | 0 - 2K |
Tier 2 | 2K - 20K |
Tier 3 | 20K – 100K |
Tier 4 | 100K – 500K |
Tier 5 | 500K – 2.5M |
Tier 6 | 2.5M – 5M |
Tier 7 | 5M+ |
Buda Exchange Fees Explained
The platform charges 1.2% for buy/sell transactions, 2.4% for crypto swaps, and no fees on crypto deposits. The trading fee varies based on the user level. We’ll list the trading fees for each user level in this Buda review.
User Level | Maker | Taker |
Tier 1 | 0.40% | 0.80% |
Tier 2 | 0.35% | 0.70% |
Tier 3 | 0.30% | 0.60% |
Tier 4 | 0.25% | 0.50% |
Tier 5 | 0.20% | 0.40% |
Tier 6 | 0.15% | 0.30% |
Tier 7 | 0.10% | 0.20% |
Note that the exchange offers up to 50% additional discounts for trading selected pairs, such as USDC/PEN and USDC/COP. As a recent promotion, it charges no commissions for trading USDT/USDC.
Supported Cryptocurrencies on Buda.com
The exchange has listed 6 cryptocurrencies and 20 trading pairs in 5 markets.
Available markets include Chilean Peso (CLP), Colombian Peso (COP), Peruvian Sun (PEN), Bitcoin, and USDC. Available digital currencies on Buda exchange:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- USDC
- Tether (USDT)
Does Buda Offer Leveraged Trading?
Buda Exchange does not offer Futures markets and Margin trading. This decision aligns with the platform's focus on providing a straightforward and relatively low-risk trading environment for its users, particularly in the context of the South American market, where cryptocurrency adoption is still growing.
Buda.com Registration and KYC
Opening an account on Buda.com requires an email and completing the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
#1 Visit the Official Website
Go to the broker's site and click on “Create Account.” Enter your email and set a secure password.
#2 Email Confirmation
Open your inbox and click the verification link to activate your account.
#3 Identity Verification
In the user dashboard, select “ID Verification”, pick your country, and scan the QR code to continue on your smartphone.
#4 Submit Documents & Biometrics
Use your phone to scan your government-issued ID and complete biometric verification.
#5 Address & Investor Profile
Upload a proof of address (like a utility bill), and configure your investor profile to match your trading preferences.
Buda Exchange App and Platform
Developing a trading platform with TradingView integration is one of the upsides of this Buda review. The exchange offers a web-based platform and a mobile application available across multiple operating systems, including:
Buda Safety and Security
The exchange keeps 90% of the clients’ assets in offline cold wallets. Buda.com previously offered up to $5,000 in rewards through its Bug Bounty Program; however, the program has been suspended since early 2023. Buda security measures:
- Partnership with “Chainalysis” as a third-party solution to monitor transactions
- Dynamic Key to the login account
- Cold storage
Buda.com Payment Methods
The platform supports Fiat and Crypto transactions. The supported fiat currencies include Chilean Peso (CLP), Colombian Peso (COP), and Peruvian Sun (PEN). Buda exchange deposit and withdrawal options:
Currency | Method | Deposit Fee | Withdrawal Fee |
Chilean Peso (CLP) | Bank Transfer | 0 | 0 |
Credit Card WebPay | 1.49% | Not Available | |
Debit Card WebPay | 2.92% | Not Available | |
Colombian Peso (COP) | Bank Transfer PSE | COP 3,000 | Not Available |
Bank Transfer ACH | Not Available | COP 2,150 + 0.4% | |
Transfer TPaga | Not Available | 0 | |
PSE TPaga | COP 2,500 | Not Available | |
Peruvian Sun (PEN) | Bank Transfer | 0 | PEN 4 |
Debit Card | 2.25% + PEN 0.70 | N/A | |
Credit Card | 3% + PEN 0.70 | N/A |
Buda Exchange User Experience
The company has an acceptable standing in clients’ views. There are 156 comments on the Buda Trustpilot profile resulting in a score of 3.3 out of 5. While 85% of Buda reviews on TP are positive (4-star and 5-star), only 14% are 1-star.
Buda Features
The exchange does not offer a wide range of additional features and services to its users:
Staking | No |
Yield Farming | No |
Social Trading | No |
Launchpool | No |
Crypto Cards | No |
Buda Customer Support
We must mention in this Buda review that the exchange provides support Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM (GMT-3) through various channels, including Buda Twitter, email, and a live chat feature.
- Email: soporte@buda.com
- Live chat: Available on the official website
Does Buda.com Support Copy Trading or Investment Plans?
While the exchange doesn’t offer copy trading or investment plans, it provides two API protocols, includingREST and Websockets, suitable for developing EAs and automated trading. The exchange also offers an affiliate program for passive income with the following features:
- 20% of referred clients’ commissions
- No limits
- Tax included in Chile
- Monthly payouts
Buda Exchange Restricted Countries
The platform focuses on the South American market, and its services are only available in four countries, including:
- Chile
- Colombia
- Peru
- Argentina
Buda Compared to Other Crypto Exchanges
The platform does not have much to say in comparison to the competition:
Features | Buda Exchange | BitMart Exchange | Deribit Exchange | Cex.io Exchange |
Number of Assets | 6 | 1700+ | 30+ | 166+ |
Maximum Leverage | 1x | 1:100 | 1:100 | 1:10 |
Minimum Deposit | $1 | $1 or 0,0001 in BTC | $5 / 0.00001 BTC | $5 |
Spot Maker Fee | 0.1% - 0.4% | From 0.04% | 0% | 0.0% - 0.15% |
Spot Taker Fee | 0.2% - 0.8% | From 0.045% | 0% | 0.01% - 0.25% |
Mandatory KYC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Mobile Application | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Fiat Payment | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Staking | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Copy Trading | No | Yes | No | No |
Writer’s Opinion and Conclusion
Buda provides access to 20 trading pairs with amaker fee ranging from 0.10% to 0.40% and a taker fee ranging from 0.20% to 0.80%.
Buda.com has a score of 3.3 on Trustpilot. It provides services in Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina.