The gap between Bybit and MEXC is wider than in most head-to-head comparisons: MEXC has lower listed fees and a higher rebate rate. When you bind through Quant Nova, a new user at the no-threshold Lv.1 gets 30% on Bybit and 50% on MEXC; SVIP, reachable through trading volume, is 35% vs 55%; the invite-only Supernova tier tops out at 40% vs 60%. After the rebate, the Lv.1 futures taker fee on Bybit is 0.055% × (1 − 30%) = 0.0385%, and on MEXC 0.04% × (1 − 50%) = 0.02%, roughly half. Most KOL codes you find online pay 20%; NOVA888 on Bybit pays 1.5–2 times that, and mexc-NOVA888 on MEXC pays 2.5–3 times. On 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT; Bybit returns 300–400 and MEXC 500–600. Bybit's edge is not fees but tokenised US stocks and Earn interest sharing. The codes differ too: Bybit is NOVA888, MEXC is mexc-NOVA888.
Quick verdict
- Either way, you get more than a common KOL code: from Lv.1 for new users, Bybit's 30% is 1.5 times a typical 20% code and MEXC's 50% is 2.5 times; at the top tier they are 2 and 3 times.
- MEXC's listed fees are lower across the board: futures 0.01% / 0.04% vs 0.02% / 0.055%, spot 0% / 0.05% vs 0.10% / 0.10%.
- MEXC's rebate is 20 points higher at every tier: Lv.1 50% vs 30%, SVIP 55% vs 35%, Supernova 60% vs 40%.
- MEXC's net futures cost is about half of Bybit's: taker at Lv.1 is 0.02% vs 0.0385%, maker 0.005% vs 0.014%; there is no crossover at any taker share.
- The gap is even wider on BTC, ETH perps and spot: MEXC currently charges 0% maker and 0.02% taker on BTC perpetuals and 0% / 0.01% on ETH (promotional rates), and 0% on spot maker orders.
- Where Bybit scores: 171 tokenised US stock perpetuals with measured data, and up to 40% of Earn interest sharing returned; old accounts can add a code within 14 days, then use a KYC identity transfer. MEXC allows self-service linking within 30 days.
Listed fees: MEXC is lower in every cell
| Trade type (VIP 0) | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Spot maker / taker | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0% / 0.05% |
| Platform token discount | None | None |
| USDT-M futures maker (standard) | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| USDT-M futures taker (standard) | 0.055% | 0.04% |
| Promotional low-fee contracts | None | BTC 0% / 0.02%, ETH 0% / 0.01%; about 440 contracts at 0% / 0% |
Fees verified: 2026-09-24 (official fee pages); MEXC contract counts and promotional rates: 2026-09-27 (MEXC public API) · Data sources and methodology
Bybit's 0.055% futures taker fee is a notch above the usual 0.05% and 2.75 times its maker fee; MEXC's 0.04% taker is 4 times its maker, but both of its numbers sit below Bybit's. MEXC's fee page is rendered with JavaScript, so we use what MEXC's public API returned on 2026-09-27: of about 1,180 contracts, about 660 carry the standard 0.01% / 0.04% and about 440 charge 0% on both sides (promotional, subject to change). Of 1,910 spot pairs, 1,547 are 0% maker and 0.05% taker; some MEXC spot promotions are fee-free, but this article uses the 0.05% that applies to most pairs.
The rebate is paid on the fees you actually pay, so the fair comparison is the net rate after the rebate, not the rebate rate or the listed fee alone.Check the latest fees at the source: Bybit fee page · MEXC fee page.
Rebate rates: MEXC is 20 points higher at every tier
| Item (bound through Quant Nova) | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Referral code | NOVA888 | mexc-NOVA888 |
| Automatic rebate from the exchange | — | 20% |
| Settled by Quant Nova (Lv.1 → Lv.5 → SVIP → Supernova) | 30% → 34% → 35% → 40% | 30% → 34% → 35% → 40% |
| Total: Lv.1 (new users, no threshold) | 30% | 50% |
| Total: SVIP (reachable through volume) | 35% | 55% |
| Total: Supernova (invite-only) | 40% | 60% |
| Against a common 20% code | 1.5–2 times | 2.5–3 times |
The part Quant Nova settles is the same on both (30% → 40%); MEXC adds a 20% automatic rebate from the exchange, while Bybit's 30%–40% is settled daily by Quant Nova according to your tier. Your tier follows XP, which is your fees over the last 30 days; see how rebate tiers and XP work and automatic vs extra rebate.
In money: on 1,000 USDT of monthly fees, a typical 20% code returns 200 USDT; NOVA888 on Bybit returns 300–400 USDT and mexc-NOVA888 on MEXC returns 500–600 USDT. At Lv.1 that is 1,200 and 3,600 USDT a year more than a common code. Rates are set by the exchanges and the platform and may change; the live figure on the platform applies.
Net cost after rebate: MEXC is about half of Bybit
| Tier | Bybit net maker | Bybit net taker | MEXC net maker | MEXC net taker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listed | 0.02% | 0.055% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Lv.1 | 0.014% | 0.0385% | 0.005% | 0.02% |
| SVIP | 0.013% | 0.03575% | 0.0045% | 0.018% |
| Supernova | 0.012% | 0.033% | 0.004% | 0.016% |
Formula: net rate = listed fee × (1 − rebate rate). For example, Bybit Lv.1 taker: 0.055% × (1 − 30%) = 0.0385%; MEXC Lv.1 taker: 0.04% × (1 − 50%) = 0.02%; Bybit Supernova maker: 0.02% × (1 − 40%) = 0.012%; MEXC Supernova maker: 0.01% × (1 − 60%) = 0.004%. At the same Lv.1, MEXC's net taker rate is about 52% of Bybit's, and its net maker rate only 36%.
Taker share: no tipping point for this pair
Let t be your taker share; net rate = [t × taker + (1 − t) × maker] × (1 − rebate rate). At Lv.1, Bybit = 0.014% + 0.0245% × t and MEXC = 0.005% + 0.015% × t; at Supernova, Bybit = 0.012% + 0.021% × t and MEXC = 0.004% + 0.012% × t. MEXC starts lower and rises more slowly, so this pair has no tipping point: from all-maker to all-taker, MEXC is cheaper. With a common 70% taker / 30% maker mix, the blended listed fee is 0.0445% on Bybit and 0.031% on MEXC; net at Lv.1 is 0.03115% vs 0.0155%, and at Supernova 0.0267% vs 0.0124%. More combinations in effective perpetual fees after rebate.
In money: one order and one month
One order: 2,500 USDT margin at 20x leverage
Notional = 2,500 × 20 = 50,000 USDT. Opening as taker, Bybit charges 50,000 × 0.055% = 27.5 USDT and MEXC 50,000 × 0.04% = 20 USDT. At Lv.1 you net 27.5 × (1 − 30%) = 19.25 USDT on Bybit and 20 × (1 − 50%) = 10 USDT on MEXC; at Supernova 16.5 USDT vs 8 USDT. Opening as maker, Bybit charges 10 USDT (7 USDT net at Lv.1) and MEXC 5 USDT (2.5 USDT net at Lv.1).
500,000 USDT a month, all taker
| How you bind | Bybit returned | Bybit net cost | MEXC returned | MEXC net cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common 20% code | 55 USDT | 220 USDT | 40 USDT | 160 USDT |
| Quant Nova Lv.1 | 82.5 USDT | 192.5 USDT | 100 USDT | 100 USDT |
| Quant Nova SVIP | 96.25 USDT | 178.75 USDT | 110 USDT | 90 USDT |
| Quant Nova Supernova | 110 USDT | 165 USDT | 120 USDT | 80 USDT |
Monthly fees: Bybit 500,000 × 0.055% = 275 USDT, MEXC 500,000 × 0.04% = 200 USDT; returned = monthly fees × rebate rate, net cost = monthly fees − returned. MEXC charges less, yet its Lv.1 return of 100 USDT beats Bybit's 82.5 USDT because the rate is 20 points higher. Switching code on the same exchange matters too: Bybit drops from 220 with a common 20% code to 192.5 at Lv.1, saving 330 USDT a year; MEXC drops from 160 to 100, saving 720 USDT a year.
BTC, ETH and zero-fee contracts: MEXC's extra edge
Everything above uses MEXC's standard rate, but its two largest contracts are currently priced below it: per MEXC's public contract API as of the 2026-09-27 verification date, BTC perpetuals are 0% maker and 0.02% taker, ETH perpetuals 0% maker and 0.01% taker, and about 440 contracts charge 0% on both sides. If you only trade BTC perps, MEXC's net taker after rebate is 0.01% (Lv.1) to 0.008% (Supernova), about a quarter of Bybit at the same tier; on ETH perps it is 0.005% to 0.004%, about one-eighth.Zero-fee contracts have no fee and therefore no rebate; these are promotional rates, subject to change at any time and stated as of 2026-09-27; they revert to the standard 0.01% / 0.04% when they end, so check MEXC's order page and announcements.
Spot: free maker orders on MEXC, and half the taker fee
| Tier | Bybit net maker / taker | MEXC net maker | MEXC net taker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lv.1 | 0.07% (30% rebate) | 0% | 0.025% (50% rebate) |
| SVIP | 0.065% (35% rebate) | 0% | 0.0225% (55% rebate) |
| Supernova | 0.06% (40% rebate) | 0% | 0.02% (60% rebate) |
Spot rebate rates on both exchanges match their futures rates. Bybit Lv.1 = 0.10% × (1 − 30%) = 0.07%; MEXC Lv.1 = 0.05% × (1 − 50%) = 0.025%. On 100,000 USDT of monthly spot taker volume, Bybit charges 100 USDT (70 USDT net at Lv.1) and MEXC 50 USDT (25 USDT net at Lv.1). Spot strategies in fee rebates for spot investors.
Where Bybit adds value: tokenised stocks and Earn sharing
- Tokenised US stock perpetuals with measured data: against Binance's 198 TradFi perpetuals as the baseline, Bybit covers 171 (measured 2026-09-20), charged at normal futures rates; our tokenised stock study did not cover MEXC. Details in tokenised stock perpetual fee comparison.
- Earn interest sharing: Bybit Earn has no separate fee, and affiliates earn a share of your Earn interest; bound through Quant Nova, up to 40% of that share comes back to you, calculated separately from the trading fee rebate. See Bybit Earn interest sharing.
Adding a code later and rebinding: Bybit 14 days, MEXC 30 days
| Item | Bybit | MEXC |
|---|---|---|
| Adding a code after signup | Within 14 days, main account, no referrer yet, affiliate codes only | Within 30 days, main account, no referrer yet, self-service linking |
| Changing referrer after binding | Not possible | Not possible |
| After the window closes | Register a new account first, then do a KYC identity transfer | Sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link |
Bybit: within 14 days of signup, a main account with no referrer can add NOVA888 under Profile → Account → Account Info → Join an Affiliate's Community; only affiliate codes are accepted and the code cannot be cancelled or changed afterwards (see Bybit's guide to adding an affiliate code). After 14 days, register a brand-new, unverified account through the dedicated link, then move the old account's KYC across with Bybit's official identity transfer: the old account must have completed KYC at least 24 hours earlier, and both accounts have withdrawals and fiat restricted for 24 hours afterwards. Full steps in the Bybit rebind guide and KYC identity transfer and rebates.
MEXC: MEXC is one of the few exchanges with a 30-day self-service window, so an account under 30 days old can add mexc-NOVA888 directly without opening a new one.The account must be a main account with no referrer yet, the referrer must have signed up before you, and the link cannot be changed later (see MEXC's self-service referrer linking guide). After 30 days, sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link; one identity can hold at most 2 accounts, and if both are used you must close one first, which takes up to 15 working days. Steps in the MEXC rebind guide.
Different codes, and the order matters. Bybit takes NOVA888; MEXC needs the prefix, mexc-NOVA888, and plain NOVA888 does nothing there. Bybit's identity transfer moves only your KYC, not assets, email, phone number or referral code, so always register the new account through the dedicated link before transferring KYC. Then submit the new UID on Quant Nova; it is reviewed automatically at 16:00 the next day (UTC+8) and passes if you traded the previous day. Binding needs only your UID, never an API key or password.
Which one fits you
- Mostly futures taker (day trading, scalping) → MEXC. Net taker at Lv.1 is 0.02% vs 0.0385%, or 92.5 USDT less per month on 500,000 USDT notional.
- Mostly BTC and ETH perpetuals → MEXC. Currently 0.02% taker on BTC and 0.01% on ETH, or 0.008%–0.01% and 0.004%–0.005% after rebate.
- Mostly spot → MEXC. 0% maker, and a net Lv.1 taker of 0.025% vs 0.07% on Bybit.
- Tokenised US stocks → Bybit. 171 TradFi perpetuals with measured data; we have not measured MEXC.
- Idle assets you want to earn on → Bybit. Earn interest sharing returns up to 40% through Quant Nova.
- Want both → bind both: futures and spot on MEXC, tokenised stocks and Earn on Bybit, with rebates in one dashboard.
Next step: for MEXC, sign up with mexc-NOVA888 (link in MEXC referral code); accounts under 30 days old can self-link via the MEXC rebind guide. For Bybit, sign up with NOVA888 (see Bybit referral code); add it within 14 days, or follow the Bybit rebind guide for a KYC identity transfer. Once your UID is bound, rebates start accruing from your next fee.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bybit or MEXC?
MEXC. Listed fees are 0.01% / 0.04% futures and 0% / 0.05% spot on MEXC, against 0.02% / 0.055% and 0.10% / 0.10% on Bybit. Bound through Quant Nova, the Lv.1 net futures taker rate is 0.02% vs 0.0385%, about half.
What rebate do new users get on Bybit and MEXC?
Bound through Quant Nova, new users at the no-threshold Lv.1 get 30% on Bybit and 50% on MEXC; SVIP, reachable through volume, is 35% and 55%; the invite-only Supernova tier is up to 40% and 60%.
What are the Bybit and MEXC referral codes?
Bybit is NOVA888 and MEXC is mexc-NOVA888. MEXC needs the mexc- prefix; signing up through our dedicated link fills in the right code automatically.
My Bybit account is more than 14 days old. Can I still get the rebate?
Yes. Register a brand-new, unverified account through the dedicated link, then use the official identity transfer to move your old KYC across; the old account needs at least 24 hours since KYC, and both accounts have withdrawals and fiat restricted for 24 hours afterwards.
My MEXC account is more than 30 days old. Can I still get the rebate?
Yes. Sign up again with a new email through the dedicated link, check that mexc-NOVA888 is filled in, and bind the new UID on Quant Nova. One identity can hold at most 2 accounts; if both are used, close one first, which takes up to 15 working days.
For BTC perpetuals, Bybit or MEXC?
MEXC, for now. Its BTC perpetual carries a promotional 0.02% taker fee (as of 2026-09-27), 0.01% net at Lv.1; Bybit charges 0.055%, 0.0385% net at Lv.1. Even after the promotion reverts to the standard 0.04%, MEXC stays lower.
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