Luno vs AltCoinTrader: fees, FSCA licensing, ZAR deposits and KYC compared

How this comparison was made

The table above renders the verified fields for both platforms with sources and dates; both fee pages were re-read on 3 October 2026. SwapSift has a referral arrangement with Luno and none with AltCoinTrader (see the affiliate disclosure); it does not change this comparison. We have not opened an account at either.

Who each platform suits

Luno suits a beginner who wants free rand rails in both directions, and stablecoin buyers (0.20 % taker on USDT/ZAR and USDC/ZAR). It also suits Capitec or Absa customers who want the cheaper bank-linked instant route of the two: Luno’s Capitec Pay and Absa Pay each cost less than AltCoinTrader’s at every amount.

AltCoinTrader suits someone who must fund by card (5 % local, 7 % international) or with cash (an extra 5 %). It also lets you deposit and trade before sending FICA documents. Its maker rate (0.50 %) is higher than Luno’s (0.40 %), and every rand deposit and withdrawal carries a percentage fee.

Fees compared

Exchange trading

Luno’s Exchange Tier 1 covers R0 to R20,000 of 30-day volume. It charges 0.40 % maker and 0.60 % taker on crypto/ZAR pairs, 0.20 % taker with a 0.01 % maker rebate on USDT/ZAR and USDC/ZAR, and 0.08 % / 0.10 % on crypto/crypto pairs, across 13 tiers. AltCoinTrader’s Tier 1 covers R0 to R100,000 and charges 0.50 % / 0.60 % on every pair, falling to 0.40 % / 0.50 % above R100,000, across six tiers.

Worked examples on a R10,000 taker order at the entry tier (assumptions, not quotes): BTC/ZAR costs R60 at both, and USDT/ZAR costs R20 at Luno against R60 at AltCoinTrader. As a maker on BTC/ZAR you pay R40 at Luno and R50 at AltCoinTrader.

One-tap buying

Luno’s buy and sell from the Portfolio screen cost 2 % each way; its 3.9 % card instant buy is listed as currently unavailable. AltCoinTrader’s Easy Buy & Sell charges a 1.5 % transaction fee on each buy or sell order, and each order is capped at 2 BTC.

Deposits

At Luno, a bank transfer (EFT) is free, with no limit at full verification, and an EFT from Standard Bank reflects fastest. Capitec and Absa customers cannot make an ordinary EFT to Luno. Luno’s paid routes are instant deposit through Stitch, Absa Pay, Capitec Pay and Apple Pay.

At AltCoinTrader, an EFT costs 0.5 % capped at R95, and Capitec Pay, Absa Pay, cards and cash each carry their own fee (cash adds 5 % on top of the EFT fee). No verification is needed to deposit, and there is no amount limit. The rand deposit routes table at the end of this page sets out every route at both platforms with its fee, minimum or limit and time to credit.

Withdrawals

Luno’s normal withdrawal is free and arrives up to two business days after processing, sooner with Standard Bank. Its same-day express withdrawal costs R20.00 to a bank on real-time clearing or R80.00 to any other. AltCoinTrader charges R16 + 0.5 %, with the 0.5 % capped at R95, plus R60 for near-instant processing (R140 above R100,000). It processes payouts through Standard Bank, and other banks can take up to 72 hours.

Round trip on R10,000 (assumptions, not quotes)

Take an EFT in, one taker buy and one taker sell on BTC/ZAR, and one normal withdrawal, ignoring spread and price movement. Luno costs about R120 (R0 + R60 + R60 + R0) and AltCoinTrader about R236 (R50 + R60 + R60 + R66). Through Capitec Pay instead of EFT, Luno costs about R129 (R9.00 in) and AltCoinTrader about R281 (R95 in, the cap). The fee calculator has verified presets for both.

Deposits and withdrawals compared

For a Standard Bank, FNB, Nedbank or Investec customer, Luno is free in and free out; AltCoinTrader charges at both ends. For a Capitec customer, Luno’s Capitec Pay is cheaper than AltCoinTrader’s at every amount: 1.25 % against 2 % up to R1,000, then a flat R9.00 against 2 % capped at R95. AltCoinTrader is the only one of the two with card and cash rails.

KYC compared

Luno grades rand limits by level: R15,000 of lifetime deposits and withdrawals at Level 1, R50,000 a month at Level 2, and no limits when fully verified. It accepts an SA ID card, ID book, driver’s licence or passport, may ask for a colour selfie and wants proof of address dated within three months; verification is usually automatic within minutes.

AltCoinTrader allows deposits and trading at Level 1, with only a once-off R100 withdrawal. To go further it needs proof of identity, proof of residence, a selfie holding the ID with a handwritten note and a verified cellphone number. Level 2 then allows R200,000 per 24 hours, and Level 3 (2FA active for a month) R1,000,000.

Products compared

Luno offers its Exchange order book and instant buy and sell, staking (service fee 20–40 % of rewards) and an OTC desk from about USD 50,000. It publishes no futures or margin product for South Africa. AltCoinTrader offers order-book spot trading, Easy Buy & Sell and an Easy Save account that showed “Savings is currently in maintenance” on 3 October 2026; it publishes no derivatives product.

Licensing compared

LUNO (PTY) LTD is entry 173 in Section A of the FSCA’s March 2026 list (FSP 53314, Category I & II), and ALTCOIN TRADER (PTY) LTD is entry 17 (FSP 53614, Category I & II). Luno additionally publishes NCR and FIC registrations, and AltCoinTrader’s FAIS disclosure document gives the same FSP number. We read both entries in that list on 27 September 2026.

Limitations of this comparison

Luno’s minimum rand withdrawal is R10 (withdrawal-limits article); its minimum deposit is not printed. AltCoinTrader’s minimum is less clear. Its near-instant withdrawal article lists a R17 minimum for near-instant withdrawals, but its fees page and general withdrawal article state none, so no figure is compared here. Spreads are not published by either platform, fee tiers fall with volume, and both schedules can change without notice. This compares published data, not account experience.

Next steps

Read the full profiles for Luno and AltCoinTrader, the Luno fees guide, and the instant EFT guide for the Capitec Pay and Absa Pay details across platforms. For a view across every platform by situation, see best crypto exchanges in South Africa.