ViaBTC vs F2Pool: which should you pick in 2026?
Head-to-head on the facts that decide the purchase: real prices in the provider's own unit, minimum, KYC, proof, payment and terms - every number sourced in the linked reviews.
Short answer: F2Pool wins overall (7.5/10 vs 6.1/10). Facts checked 2026-10-02.
| ViaBTC | F2Pool | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score (0-10) | 6.1 | 7.5 |
| Vertical | Hashrate markets | Hashrate markets |
| Type | hashrate broker | hashrate broker |
| Price from | unknown | unknown |
| Minimum | unknown | unknown |
| KYC | optional | none |
| Proof | partial | partial |
| Payment | BTC, BCH, LTC, KAS | BTC, LTC, BCH, DOGE |
| Contract term | unknown | unknown |
| Maintenance / fee | PPS+ 4% or PPLNS 2% (pool fee); no hardware/maintenance product | BTC FPPS 4.0% or PPLNS 2.0% (pool fee); no hardware/maintenance product |
| Operator | ViaBTC.com (no legal entity named in ToS; Samoa governing law) | Fram Farm Inc. (BVI company 2138445, Tortola) |
| Facts checked | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-02 |
// Score breakdown
F2Pool leads on economics (+1), reliability (+1.5), transparency (+2), track record (+2), support (+1).
why 6.1/10?
why 7.5/10?
// ViaBTC at a glance
A long-running, feature-rich mining pool with transparent fees, but it sells no hashrate, names no company in its own terms (Samoa law) and has a documented 2026 account-lock/funds-access complaint.
++ What works
- Pool operating since May 2016 with hourly payouts and a large user base
- Transparent fees: PPS+ 4% / PPLNS 2%
- One-stop services: mining management, built-in wallet, Auto Conversion, collateral loans
- Clear English product/help documentation and app
- Declared Hong Kong developer entity on Google Play
-- What to watch
- Does not sell hashrate, cloud mining, hosting or futures (negative finding)
- No company named in the Terms of Service; Samoa law with exclusive Samoa courts
- Mismatch between the Hong Kong declared developer and Samoa governing law
- Documented 2026 account-lock / inaccessible-funds complaint over KYC
- Services may be altered or suspended without prior notice
// F2Pool at a glance
A long-standing, well-disclosed mining pool with competitive fees and a named BVI entity, but it is pool-only and sells no hashrate, so it is not a hashrate/hosting supplier.
++ What works
- Named legal entity with company number (Fram Farm Inc., BVI 2138445)
- 13-year operating history since 2013, self-claimed most Bitcoin blocks of any pool
- Transparent, low pool fees: FPPS 4.0% / PPLNS 2.0%
- Self-announced SOC 2 Type II certification
- Low minimum payout (0.005 BTC), merged mining, Lightning withdrawals, API v1/v2
-- What to watch
- Does not sell hashrate, cloud mining, hosting or futures (negative finding)
- Scale claims (1.2M users, most blocks) are unaudited operator marketing
- No proof-of-reserves for customer balances
- Terms include arbitration, class-action waiver and restricted-person exclusions
- Offshore BVI structure with no named VASP/custody licence
// FAQ
Which is cheaper, ViaBTC or F2Pool?
Neither publishes pricing we could verify - check the linked reviews.
Which is more verifiable, ViaBTC or F2Pool?
Tie - both publish partial or full proof (partial).
Which needs less KYC, ViaBTC or F2Pool?
F2Pool is lighter on KYC (none required); ViaBTC is optional.
Which has the longer track record?
F2Pool has the longer track record (since 2013).
Scores and facts: meta-reviews with dated sources - ViaBTC · F2Pool. Method: how we verify. More: all providers compared.