Until now, buying crypto with Revolut happened inside the banking app, in a few taps — convenient, but with fees that climbed fast. Revolut X is the neobank's answer to traders who found the mainstream offer too expensive and too limited: a dedicated exchange, separate from the app, built for heavier use.
01What is it, exactly?
Revolut X is a standalone crypto exchange, available on the web (exchange.revolut.com) and through a mobile app that's separate from the regular Revolut app. It targets a broad audience: the beginner who wants to go further than one-click buying, as well as the experienced user looking for serious tools with low fees. The interface stays simple, but the features are those of a real exchange. In the European Economic Area, the service is operated by Revolut Digital Assets Europe Ltd (RDAEL), the group's crypto entity.
The fee difference is the real selling point. In the standard app, crypto fees range from 0.49% to 1.49% depending on your plan (Standard to Ultra), with extra tiers on top. On Revolut X it's 0% on the maker side and 0.09% on the taker side, with no sliding scale. One important point to avoid any confusion: this isn't a time-limited launch offer, but the standard fee schedule shown in Revolut's official terms. For anyone who trades regularly, the gap is considerable.
Maker and taker, made simple
These two words are everywhere on exchanges, and they decide the price you pay. It all starts with the order book: the list of every pending buy and sell order. Depending on whether you feed that list or take from it, you're a maker or a taker.
You set a price, then you wait
You place a limit order that doesn't execute right away: it sits in the book until someone comes to take it. You add liquidity to the market — which is exactly what Revolut X rewards by making it free.
You take a price that's already there
You place a market order that executes immediately against an order already in the book. You remove liquidity — the exchange charges for that service (here 0.09%).
The reflex to pay less: when you're not in a hurry, prefer a limit order (maker) over a market order (taker). You get the exact price you're aiming for and, on Revolut X, you pay nothing.
02How it works
- You fund it from your Revolut accountInstant switching between euros and crypto (on-ramp / off-ramp) straight from your Revolut balance — no external transfer to wait for.
- You place ordersTwo types: market order (immediate execution at the best price) and limit order (automatic execution at the price you set).
- You analyse with real toolsBuilt-in TradingView charts, technical indicators and real-time market data, like on a dedicated exchange.
- You automateRecurring buys (DCA) across many tokens, plus API access to plug in your own algorithmic trading strategies.
- Your funds stay in custodyRevolut holds the crypto for you: mostly cold storage, held 1:1 and — according to Revolut — never lent out or reused.
This last point is structural. Revolut X is custodial: you don't hold the private keys, Revolut holds the assets. It's simpler (no seed phrase to protect, no risk of losing everything by misplacing a key), but it's also the opposite of the "not your keys, not your coins" philosophy.
03Pros & cons
For The upsides
- Unbeatable fees: 0% maker / 0.09% taker, among the lowest on the European market.
- Banking integration: funds instantly available from a Revolut account you already use daily.
- Regulated framework: French banking licence (ACPR/ECB) obtained in August 2026 — a rare mark of seriousness in crypto.
- Pro tools: TradingView, limit orders, recurring buys and API in a clean interface.
- Wide choice: more than 300 tradable tokens.
Against The downsides
- Custodial: no private keys, you trust Revolut with custody.
- Limited withdrawals: only ~30 coins can leave to an external wallet — the rest stay "locked" on the platform.
- Pricey standard app: outside Revolut X, crypto fees remain high (0.49–1.49%).
- Closed ecosystem: no native DeFi access, no real on-chain autonomy.
- Limited region: restricted to the European Economic Area.
04Against the other exchanges
On spot trading fees at the entry tier (base rates, excluding promotions), Revolut X ranks very well:
| Platform | Maker | Taker | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revolut X | 0% | 0.09% | single rate, no tiers |
| Binance | 0.10% | 0.10% | 0.075% with the BNB token |
| Kraken (Pro) | 0.25% | 0.40% | volume-based discounts |
| Coinbase (Advanced) | 0.40% | 0.60% | the priciest at entry |
At the entry tier, Revolut X is the cheapest of the group, especially on the maker side (0%). Very high volumes can change the picture — Binance with BNB, or Kraken dropping to 0% maker above $10M/month — but for an active retail user, the gap clearly favours Revolut X. Worth qualifying: token choice, order-book depth and advanced options remain richer on specialised exchanges.
05A word on tax (France)
On tax, nothing is specific to Revolut: standard French rules apply. Capital gains become taxable once yearly disposals exceed €305, at the flat tax of 31.4% since 1 January 2026 (with the option to elect the progressive income-tax scale). Revolut provides a transaction history, but tracking and filing remain your responsibility. Rules differ by country — check what applies where you live.
06So, who is it for?
Ideal if…
You trade regularly, you're already on Revolut, and low fees matter more to you than full sovereignty over your assets.
Avoid if…
You want self-custody, DeFi access, or the freedom to withdraw any token to your own wallet.
Discover Revolut
Revolut is a European neobank (French banking licence granted by the ACPR and the ECB in August 2026) that combines a current account, cards, multi-currency payments, savings, stocks and crypto in a single app. Sign-up is 100% online in a few minutes, and access to Revolut X unlocks once the account is created.
Open a Revolut account →Transparency: this button is a referral link. If you open an account through it, the author may receive a benefit — at no extra cost to you.
Risk warning
Crypto is a highly volatile asset: its value can drop sharply and quickly, up to the total loss of the capital invested. Only invest what you can afford to lose, do your own research and, if in any doubt, consult a professional. Nothing in this article is investment advice.
This article is for information only and is not investment or tax advice. It aims to follow the rules on communicating about digital assets: balanced information, a risk warning, and an explicit mention of the referral link. Fees, the token list and tax rules change: check current conditions before making any decision.