Key Highlights
- WazirX introduced “Wazir Zero,” a new ₹99 monthly subscription model that eliminates per-trade fees for unlimited crypto trading.
- The launch faces backlash as 45% of user funds remain locked following the 2024 hack and mandatory “socialized loss” restructuring.
- There is speculation about the company’s promise to use its new revenue streams, including Wazir Zero profits, to repay affected users through Recovery Token buybacks.
WazirX has announced a subscription-based trading model called “Wazir Zero” as the exchange continues its restructuring since it reopened operations recently. The new service, announced on November 26, is expected to replace the traditional per-trade fee mechanism.
The subscription-based model allows users to pay a fixed monthly fee of ₹99 for unlimited trading with no per-order transaction costs. It is expected to go live on December 1. The platform aims to prioritize users, offering an experience where trading decisions are not driven by fees or volume but by the trader’s strategy.
WazirX Zero offers 15-day free pass
WazirX has prepared a gradual rollout to introduce this new model to both existing and new users. Existing users will receive a 15-day free pass, starting on December 1, allowing them to experience unlimited, zero-fee trading across all markets immediately. Anyone signing up on or after December 1 will receive a 15-day free pass that activates automatically after their first deposit.
Following the end of the free pass period, users can opt to continue the WazirX ZERO benefits with the monthly charge of ₹99, or they can choose to revert to the traditional “Pay Per Trade” model, where a trading fee is charged on every order.
This change is driven by the belief that the crypto industry is ready for a shift away from traditional trading fees, which currently range from 0.4% to 0.5% on every buy and sell order, regardless of profit or loss. For active traders, these accumulated fees can equate to a big portion of their capital over the course of a year.
Public backlash
The launch has sparked outrage on social media, most specifically within comments of the company’s posts on X. Consumers are frustrated because the subscription service was announced when many of their assets are still not accessible.
Multiple comments highlighted the perceived irony of asking customers for a monthly fee to trade on a platform where they have already lost much money in the first place. General public sentiment remains critical of the exchange’s handling of the crisis.
One user on X replied to WazirX’s post, saying, “Once a scammer always a scammer!”
Many users feel the company is prioritizing its re-entry into the market and its own commercial interests over the immediate financial recovery and well-being of its affected customers. The crypto community has voiced its condemnation, arguing that the first contribution to covering the losses should have come from the company’s own profits and reserves, not from the customers’ personal portfolios.
Another user criticized the WazirX Zero’s paid subscription model, stating, “₹99 subscription? people don’t need cheaper trading. They need their own money back.
fix withdrawals first, customers aren’t asking for Netflix, they’re asking for access to their funds.”
Trust has been lost in the platform, with former users questioning the safety of depositing new funds or paying for subscriptions. While the restructuring process may be legally sanctioned, it is truly seen by a great deal of the community as a mechanism that protects the continuity of the company at the expense of the user base’s liquidity and asset value.
WazirX 2024 security breach
The subscription launch comes after the company went through restructuring after a major security breach. In July 2024, WazirX was hacked and lost more than $230 million, i.e., 45% of the users’ money. The platform shut down for more than a year while the firm pursued legal protection and restructuring in Singapore.
Trading resumed in October 2025 with the acceptance of the scheme by the court, in which the exchange adopted a “socialized loss” plan under which users regained access to about 55% of their portfolio, but 45% was locked up and converted into tokens that represented the debt.
Will recovery token holders share profits?
During restructuring, WazirX had promised that revenues accruing to the firm would be used to pay affected users. This involved “Recovery Tokens” being issued to creditors, where the exchange vowed to buy back such tokens with future profits and recover stolen money. The profit-sharing mechanism was offered as a way for users to recover the locked 45% over time if and when the exchange became profitable again.
However, users have noted a general lack of concrete follow-ups or detailed reporting on how these promises are being operationalized.
The current image and state of the company raise the question: has WazirX really recovered or just rebranded the damage? It is still unclear whether the revenue from the new Wazir Zero subscription model will go to the public recovery pool. While the subscription fee certainly is a revenue stream for the company, no documentation has clearly confirmed that this money is allocated for buying back Recovery Tokens or speeding up the repayment of socialized losses.
Also Read: Has WazirX Really Recovered or Just Rebranded the Damage?
