Updated October 2026 Binance Referral Program Not for Hong Kong and some other regions

Binance Referral Code BN16188: Up to 20% Off Trading Fees, and Where It Does Not Apply

Enter BN16188 in the referral code field when you register with Binance. The discount configured on this code tops out at 20% of your spot trading fees. It does not work everywhere. Binance pays no referral commission on either side when the person signing up is a Hong Kong resident, and as this archive reads it, such an account should not count on a discount from the code. Users registered in the EEA cannot take part in the referral program, and Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom and Turkey each have restrictions of their own. There is one way to enter the code: open the sign-up page on binance.com yourself and type it into the referral code field. If you leave it out at registration, whether you can still add one afterwards depends on the state of the account.

Read the short version first ↓

20%

MAXIMUM DISCOUNT SET ON THIS CODE
BN16188

0.1%

STANDARD SPOT FEE
SAME FOR MAKER AND TAKER, REGULAR USERS

0.06%

WORKED EXAMPLE: BOTH DISCOUNTS
APPLY AND MULTIPLY

TL;DR · THE SHORT VERSION

The 20% on BN16188 is the ceiling set on the code, and the rate that actually applies is the one your account shows. For the limits in Hong Kong, the EEA, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom and Turkey, see the section on where a Binance referral code does not apply.
Switch on fee payment in BNB as well. In this page's worked example, which assumes both discounts apply at once and multiply, the spot rate goes from 0.1% to 0.06%; the assumption and the working are in the section on how the fee comes to 0.06%.
Binance does not charge you anything extra for entering the code. Crypto Archives receives a commission from Binance.
When a code is advertised at 30%, 45% or 50%, look for an explanation on the page of how that number is worked out. Enter codes and log in only on pages whose address bar shows binance.com.
This page is editorial content from Crypto Archives, published under the pen name Keeper Shen. The referral disclosure is at the foot of the page.

Where a Binance referral code does not apply, starting with Hong Kong

The discount on this code only comes into play for accounts that can take part in the Binance Referral Program, and Hong Kong is the place where the official wording is plainest. Binance's help centre carries a set of additional notes on the referral program, revised in September 2026, and one line in them says that when a Hong Kong resident is the one being referred, no commission goes to the referrer or to the person referred. That line is about commission and says nothing about fee discounts. This archive's reading is that the discount on this code is the share of that commission passed on to the person referred, so with no commission there is nothing for the discount to come out of. Accounts in the EEA, Singapore, Japan, the United Kingdom and Turkey each face restrictions that differ in scope and start date; for those and any other regions, see Binance's own notes.

Should you use a Binance referral code advertised as "45% forever" or "50% for life"?

Hold off believing a figure like that until you know where it comes from. The first two checks below are arithmetic you can do yourself. The rest are worth doing before you enter any code at all.

Has it added several discounts together? A 20% code discount plus the 25% BNB discount comes to exactly 45% if you add them. Under the assumption used in the section on how the fee comes to 0.06% (the two multiply), together they cut what you pay by 40%. The BNB part of that does not change with the code you enter.
Is the extra part something the other party pays you separately? If they say they will transfer it to you privately, whether that money arrives is entirely up to them. Leave it out of your fee rate.
Does the figure carry a date? A number from a limited-time campaign stops counting once the campaign ends. If the page shows no start and end date, do not treat it as the current rule.
Whose code is it? A code pushed at you in a Telegram direct message or an X reply cannot be traced to an owner. Use only codes from pages that name their operator, give a contact email and disclose the referral relationship.
Does the route pass through another domain? If a "verification link" pauses on an unfamiliar domain even for a second, you cannot be sure where it finally lands. Enter codes, log in and upload documents only on pages whose address bar shows binance.com.
Does it ask for your seed phrase, password or 2FA code? Close any "activation" page that asks for these. Entering a referral code requires none of them.

The quickest check

If a page quotes a discount figure and does not show which items it is made up of and how they are calculated, do not enter that code yet.

Signing up on Binance with a referral code versus without one

WHAT THE CODE GIVES YOU

If the account can take part in the referral program, up to 20% off spot trading fees, as set on this code
Binance does not charge you anything extra for it
It can run alongside the BNB discount; the next section shows how the two combine
New-user campaigns have nothing to do with this code. Binance announces any that are running, along with what they offer

WHAT TO WEIGH UP

A referral code cannot be changed once it is bound. If you registered without one, whether you can add it afterwards depends on how long ago you registered and whether you have deposited or traded; the conditions are in the FAQ entry "Can I change my referral code after signing up?"
Binance.US is a legally separate entity, and this code does not work on Binance.US
Some jurisdictions restrict or ban Binance. Check the rules where you live first
The owner of the code (Crypto Archives) is paid a commission by Binance out of your trading fees, and you should know about that relationship
The rules of the referral program are set by Binance and may change. Do not take "permanent" or "lifetime" claims at face value

How a referral code and the BNB discount bring the Binance spot fee to 0.06%

The standard Binance spot fee for a regular user is 0.1% per trade, the same for maker and taker orders. The example below rests on one assumption: this code's discount (taken at 20%) and the BNB discount (25%) both apply at once, and the two multiply. The rate shown in your account is what counts:

Standard retail spot fee

0.1000%

After a 20% referral code discount

0.0800%

With the 25% BNB discount on top

0.0600%

Your resulting rate

0.0600%

The chart illustrates that assumption. Take a spot account that trades 10,000 USDT in a month: at the standard rate the fee is 10 USDT; with the referral code discount and the BNB discount both active it is 6 USDT, which is 4 USDT less. Over a year the formula is monthly volume × 12 × the difference in rate. At 100,000 USDT a month the difference is 0.1% − 0.06% = 0.04%, so a year comes to 100,000 × 12 × 0.04% = 480 USDT less. That 480 splits unevenly between the two reductions. With no code and only the BNB discount switched on, the rate is 0.075%, which already saves 100,000 × 12 × 0.025% = 300 USDT a year. The referral code then takes the rate down to 0.06%, and the additional saving is 100,000 × 12 × 0.015% = 180 USDT. Your own figure depends on your own volume, so put that into the formula.

Where to enter the referral code when you register on Binance

Open Binance's official sign-up page yourself

Type binance.com into your browser's address bar, open the official registration page, and enter BN16188 by hand in the optional referral code field on the sign-up form. The address bar should show binance.com and no other domain; if an unfamiliar domain appears, close the page at once. If the code is left out at this step, it is hard to add once registration is complete.

Register with an email address or phone number

Either method works. Set a strong password (16 characters or more is suggested, mixing upper and lower case, digits and symbols). Before you submit, look at the referral code field once more and confirm it reads BN16188.

Verify your email or phone, then set up 2FA

Enter the verification code you receive to finish registering. Straight afterwards, set up two-factor authentication (2FA) with an authenticator app in the account's security settings. This is the line of defence that is in your own hands, and the safety of the account should not rest entirely on Binance's user protection fund (SAFU).

Complete identity verification (KYC)

On the account's identity verification page, upload your document and complete the face check as prompted. For which document to choose, see the section on ID further down.

Switch on the BNB discount

Keep a little BNB in the account and turn on the setting that pays fees in BNB, which takes 25% off spot fees. In this page's worked example, which assumes both discounts apply at once and multiply, the spot rate works out at 0.06%.

Binance vs OKX: proof of reserves

Between the two exchanges, this section sets out a single public disclosure that can be checked against official pages: proof of reserves.

Binance vs OKX · proof of reserves

Public disclosures on the two official pages

Item	Binance	OKX
Proof of reserves (PoR)	Published monthly · the page states the snapshot time and the verification method	First report published in November 2022 · published regularly

Whether you can use an exchange, and whether you should, is not settled by this table: it depends on where you live, which service entity you would be dealing with, and whether you are eligible with that entity.

Can you deposit Chinese yuan (CNY) on Binance?

Binance does not accept direct bank-card deposits in Chinese yuan. The platform has a built-in P2P (C2C) module, aimed at the regions where Binance normally provides service. The feature exists in the product; whether it is open to you where you are is decided by local rules.

Current rule in mainland China: Yinfa [2026] No. 42

The notice numbered Yinfa [2026] No. 42 (in Chinese), issued on February 6, 2026 and in force from that date, also repealed Yinfa [2021] No. 237, the 2021 document commonly called the "9.24 notice". Any write-up that still cites No. 237 as the rule in force is out of date.

Three articles of No. 42 are worth reading in the original. Article (7) bars internet companies from providing online business venues, commercial display, marketing and promotion, paid traffic referral or similar services for business activities related to virtual currencies or the tokenisation of real-world assets. Article (18) states that those who carry out related illegal financial activities in breach of the notice, or provide services for such business, are to be penalised under the relevant provisions; domestic entities and individuals who know or should know that an overseas party is illegally providing virtual currency or real-world asset tokenisation services into China and still assist it are to be held liable under the law, and criminally liable where a crime is constituted. Article (19) states that where any entity or individual invests in virtual currencies, real-world asset tokens or related financial products in a way that violates public order and good morals, the civil legal acts concerned are invalid and the resulting losses are borne by that party; conduct suspected of disrupting financial order or endangering financial security is to be investigated and dealt with by the relevant authorities under the law. The last two articles reach individuals, and each carries a condition: knowing or having reason to know and still assisting in the one, violating public order and good morals in the other. How any of this applies to you depends on where you are and on your circumstances, so consult a local lawyer before deciding.

If you are in a region where Binance normally provides service, the fiat and P2P options that count are the ones that appear in your own account. Do not copy screenshots from someone in another region.

What ID does Binance accept for identity verification (KYC)?

A document being accepted does not mean the service is available where you live, and it does not mean the account can take part in the referral program.

Which types you can choose from. The document will be an identity card, a passport or a driving licence. The identity verification page lists the ones open to your country or region.
How to choose. Pick the one that is valid and legible, and do not choose by "which one gets round a restriction". Nationality and residence are established from what the document truthfully shows, and switching documents does not change where you are actually from or where you actually live. If you are stuck, explain the situation to Binance's official support and stay away from third-party "agents".
Hong Kong residents. The referral program handles referees who are Hong Kong residents differently; see the section on where a Binance referral code does not apply.

If the first attempt fails, do not resubmit the same set of photos. Take a new one with better light, sharp focus and all four corners in frame. Rule out photo quality first, then consider whether the document itself is the problem.

Frequently asked questions

What is the code BN16188?

BN16188 is the referral code that Crypto Archives holds under the Binance Referral Program. When a new user enters it while registering with Binance, the account is linked to this archive. If the account can take part in the referral program, the most the code can take off your spot trading fees is 20%, Crypto Archives receives a commission from Binance, and Binance does not charge you anything extra for it.

Will the 20% actually show up on my account?

Only if the account can take part in the Binance Referral Program. Hong Kong residents, users registered in the EEA and some others fall outside it. 20% is the maximum set on this code and is not a guaranteed figure. Whether an account that registered without a code can add one afterwards depends on the account; the question below on changing a code after sign-up sets out the conditions.

Do Hong Kong users get a fee discount from a referral code?

Binance's additional notes on the referral program say that where the referee is a Hong Kong resident, the referrer and the referee both go without commission. The notes do not mention fee discounts. This archive's reading is that the discount comes out of that commission, so where there is no commission there is no discount either. The EEA and the other regions where the program does not apply are listed in the same notes.

Why not 50%? Other sites advertise 45% or 50% lifetime cashback.

The discount set on BN16188 is at most 20%, and every worked example on this page uses that figure. You can reach 45% by adding a 20% code discount to the 25% BNB discount, and the BNB discount has nothing to do with which code you enter. If someone says they will make up the rest to you privately, whether that money arrives is entirely up to them, so leave it out of your fee rate.

Binance or OKX: which should I choose?

Both exchanges' proof of reserves can be looked up on official pages. Binance publishes monthly, and its page states the snapshot time and the verification method. OKX published its first report in November 2022 and has released them regularly since. Whether you can use either exchange, and whether you should, depends on where you live, which service entity you would be dealing with and whether you are eligible with that entity. Proof of reserves cannot answer that.

Can I use Chinese yuan (CNY) on Binance?

Not by depositing yuan directly from a bank card. The built-in P2P (C2C) module is aimed at the regions where Binance normally provides service. The current rule in mainland China is the notice numbered Yinfa [2026] No. 42, in force since February 6, 2026, which also repealed Yinfa [2021] No. 237 (commonly called the 9.24 notice). Its Article (7) bars internet companies from providing online business venues, commercial display, marketing and promotion, paid traffic referral or similar services for business activities related to virtual currencies, and its Article (19) states that where any entity or individual invests in virtual currencies and related financial products in a way that violates public order and good morals, the civil legal acts concerned are invalid and the resulting losses are borne by that party. For where the legal line falls for you as an individual, consult a local lawyer.

How long does Binance KYC take, and what ID do I need?

Binance shows the review time on the page once you submit. The document will be an identity card, a passport or a driving licence, and the identity verification page lists the ones open to your country or region. Pick the one that is valid and legible, and do not choose by which one might get round a restriction: switching documents does not change where you actually live. A document being accepted and the service being available where you live are two separate matters.

What should I check before entering a Binance referral code?

Two things: the rules on crypto trading where you live, and the regional rules of the Binance Referral Program. The regions where the program does not apply are covered in the section on where a Binance referral code does not apply. Binance.US is a legally separate entity, and this code does not work on Binance.US.

Can I change my referral code after signing up?

It depends on where the account stands. A referral code that is already bound cannot be changed or removed. For an account registered less than 30 days ago with no deposits and no trades, Binance's FAQ on Referral Pro Mode leaves a way to bind one afterwards: it is done on the official binding page, and the account also has to be a parent account with no existing referral relationship, its identity verification details must not have been used on another account in the past 180 days, and it must not be flagged for wash trading. Past that window, two routes with higher bars remain. The rebinding application is started by the referrer, and an account that has already traded needs cumulative trading volume of US$150,000 within 30 days of submitting it. The returning-user route is for accounts registered more than 90 days ago that have not used Binance at all in the past 90 days. Which of these is open to you depends on the account's own condition and on which program the referrer's code belongs to.

Is it legal to use a referral code?

The referral program is a public Binance program, and registering with a code is the ordinary way the program is used. Whether crypto trading is allowed where you live, and whether taking part in a program of this kind is allowed, is decided by local rules. Check them before you register.

Ready? Make a note of the code

Referral code BN16188. Its discount on spot trading fees goes no higher than 20% and counts only if the account can take part in the Binance Referral Program; it does not apply in Hong Kong and some other regions. Open Binance's official page yourself and type the code into the referral code field on the sign-up form.

Crypto Archives takes part in the Binance Referral Program. Whether to register is your decision. Crypto asset prices are highly volatile and you may lose your entire principal. This page is editorial reference and is not investment, legal or tax advice.

Referral disclosure and sources for this page

Crypto Archives takes part in the Binance Referral Program and holds referral code BN16188. The code is published here as plain text, with no referral link attached. When a reader registers with it and goes on to trade, the archive receives a commission from Binance, and Binance does not charge the reader anything extra for this.

The fee rates, proof of reserves, SAFU, the regional limits of the referral program and the conditions for adding a code after sign-up cited on this page come from the official Binance pages below. The second-to-last item is OKX's proof of reserves page, and the last is the original text of the No. 42 notice.

If you find a factual error on this page, or a link above that no longer opens or no longer matches what is written here, email [email protected].