Fee Schedule

Effective Date: May 27, 2026 Last Updated: May 27, 2026 Currency: Bitcoin (BTC) + Local Fiat
💰 Transparent Pricing LocalBitcoins Africa charges competitive, transparent fees with no hidden charges. All fees are clearly displayed before you confirm any transaction.

1. Platform Trading Fees

Platform fees are charged on completed trades to maintain the marketplace, escrow system, and security infrastructure.

Fee Type Rate Charged To When Applied
Trading Fee 1.0% of BTC amount Seller When Bitcoin is released from escrow
Advertisement Creation Free N/A No fee to create buy/sell advertisements
Account Registration Free N/A No fee to create an account
Wallet Creation Free N/A No fee to generate your Bitcoin wallet
Trade Cancellation Free N/A No fee to cancel a trade (before release)
Note: The 1% trading fee is automatically deducted when the seller releases Bitcoin from escrow. The buyer receives the full advertised amount; the seller receives 99% after fees.

1.1 Trading Fee Examples

Trade Amount (BTC) Platform Fee (1%) Seller Receives Buyer Receives
0.01 BTC 0.0001 BTC 0.0099 BTC (after fee) 0.01 BTC (full amount)
0.05 BTC 0.0005 BTC 0.0495 BTC (after fee) 0.05 BTC (full amount)
0.10 BTC 0.001 BTC 0.099 BTC (after fee) 0.10 BTC (full amount)
1.00 BTC 0.01 BTC 0.99 BTC (after fee) 1.00 BTC (full amount)

2. Bitcoin Network Fees (Mining Fees)

Network fees are paid to Bitcoin miners to process transactions on the blockchain. These fees are separate from platform fees and are determined by blockchain congestion.

Transaction Type Fee Range (approx.) Paid By Description
Wallet Deposit Varies (sender pays) External sender Fee paid by whoever sends Bitcoin to your wallet
Wallet Withdrawal ~$1-$10 USD equivalent User (you) Fee to send Bitcoin from your wallet to external address
Escrow Lock Platform covers Platform No fee to you when trade begins
Escrow Release Platform covers Platform No fee to you when trade completes
Network Fee Variability: Bitcoin network fees fluctuate based on blockchain congestion. During high-traffic periods (e.g., bull markets), fees may increase significantly. The platform displays estimated network fees before you confirm any withdrawal.

2.1 Network Fee Estimation

Priority Level Confirmation Time Typical Fee (approx.) Recommended For
High Priority ~10-30 minutes $5-$20 USD Urgent transfers
Standard Priority ~1-3 hours $2-$10 USD Normal transfers
Low Priority ~6-24 hours $1-$5 USD Non-urgent transfers

3. Deposit Fees

Deposit Method Fee Processing Time
Bitcoin Deposit (from external wallet) FREE 1-3 confirmations (~10-30 min)
Fiat Deposit (via P2P trade) FREE (no platform fee to buyers) Instant (when trade completes)

4. Withdrawal Fees

Withdrawal Method Platform Fee Network Fee Total Cost
Bitcoin Withdrawal (to external wallet) FREE Dynamic (based on network) Network fee only (~$1-$10)
Fiat Withdrawal (via P2P trade) 1% trading fee (sellers) N/A 1% platform fee

5. Escrow Fees

Escrow protection is included FREE with every trade. There are no additional escrow fees.

Service Fee
Escrow Protection FREE (included in 1% trading fee)
Dispute Resolution FREE (no additional charge)
Moderator Review FREE

6. Other Fees

Service Fee Notes
Account Verification (KYC) FREE No fee for identity verification
2FA (Google Authenticator) FREE Enhanced security at no cost
Password Reset FREE No fee for account recovery
API Access FREE Currently not offered
Account Inactivity FREE No dormancy fees

7. Fee Comparison: LocalBitcoins Africa vs Competitors

LocalBitcoins Africa

1.0%
Trading Fee
  • ✅ Free escrow protection
  • ✅ Free dispute resolution
  • ✅ Free deposits
  • ✅ Free withdrawals (network fees only)
  • ✅ No hidden fees

Traditional Exchanges

0.5-2%
Trading Fee
  • ❌ KYC required immediately
  • ❌ Bank transfer fees
  • ❌ Withdrawal fees (often $5-$50)
  • ❌ Deposit fees (credit cards: 3-5%)
  • ⚠️ Custodial (they control your keys)

Other P2P Platforms

0-2%
Trading Fee
  • ⚠️ Variable escrow fees
  • ⚠️ Dispute fees (some charge $10-$50)
  • ⚠️ Listing fees
  • ⚠️ Withdrawal limits
  • ⚠️ Regional restrictions

8. Fee Discounts and Promotions

We may offer promotional fee discounts from time to time:

  • New user welcome bonuses
  • High-volume trader discounts
  • Referral program rewards
  • Special event promotions

Check your account dashboard or subscribe to our newsletter for current promotions.

9. Fee Payment and Deduction

9.1 Automatic Fee Deduction

All fees are automatically deducted at the time of the transaction. You do not need to manually pay fees.

9.2 Fee Display

Before confirming any transaction, the platform will display:

  • The base transaction amount
  • Platform fees (if applicable)
  • Estimated network fees (for withdrawals)
  • Total amount you will receive or pay

9.3 Fee Currency

  • Platform trading fees are deducted in Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Network fees are paid in Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Fiat payment fees (if any) are handled by external payment providers

10. Refund Policy

Platform fees are generally non-refundable once a trade is completed. However:

  • If a dispute is resolved in favor of the buyer, fees may be refunded to the seller
  • If a technical error causes incorrect fee charging, we will issue a refund
  • Cancelled trades (before escrow release) do not incur fees

11. Fee Changes and Notification

We reserve the right to modify fees at any time. Changes will be:

  • Posted on this Fee Schedule page with an updated date
  • Announced via email to all registered users
  • Effective 30 days after notification (unless otherwise stated)
  • Reflected in the platform interface before you confirm transactions

12. Tax Considerations

Important: Platform fees are deductible expenses for tax purposes in most jurisdictions. You are responsible for tracking and reporting fees paid for your tax filings. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

13. Contact Information

For fee-related questions or billing inquiries:

💡 Pro Tip To minimize costs, consider consolidating multiple small trades into larger ones to reduce the per-transaction impact of network fees. Plan withdrawals during low-congestion periods (typically weekends or late evenings UTC) for lower network fees.

Last updated: May 27, 2026. All fees are subject to change with prior notice. This fee schedule supersedes all previous fee disclosures.