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Trading cryptocurrencies has gone mainstream, mostly due to the dramatic rise in Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin. If you’re new to the crypto world, it can be intimidating at first. But nowadays, the best crypto exchanges make buying and selling digital coins a breeze. Keep reading to find out which cryptocurrency exchange is the best option for you.
See our list of the best cryptocurrency bonuses here, including promos from BlockFi, Voyager, Coinbase and more.
BEST CRYPTO EXCHANGES
The crypto exchanges that made our “best list” boast high levels of trustworthiness and transparency, proven quality, user-friendliness, and asset/account security. In addition, we took into consideration cryptocurrency selection, various fees, and customer service, as well as account options like margin trading, Stablecoin support, staking rewards and crypto savings accounts.
With all of the above in mind, here’s our list of the best crypto exchanges out there:
| Best Overall | Coinbase |
| Best for Earning Interest | BlockFi |
| Best for Beginners | Gemini |
| Best for Low Fees | Binance US |
| Best for Futures & Margin Traders | Kraken |
| Best Decentralized Exchange | Bisq |
| Best of the Rest | Crypto.com Bitstamp bitFlyer |
Coinbase – Best Overall
| Trading & Transaction Fees | 0.5% to 4.5%* |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 50+ with Coinbase 60+ with Coinbase Pro |
| Stablecoin | USD Coin (USDC) |
| Insurance | – Insurance against data breaches & hacking – Cash is stored in FDIC-insured bank accounts |
| Customer Support | Email, Twitter, phone |
| Licensed to Operate In | All U.S. states except Hawaii |
*Depending on payment method, cryptocurrency, transaction size and platform. Other fees may apply.
Coinbase is an incredibly easy platform to use, so it’s perfect for crypto-trading beginners who want to purchase digital coins with USD. But if you want lower fees and a more robust charting and trading experience, Coinbase Pro is the way to go. The more advanced platform offers crypto-to-crypto transactions and allows users to place market, limit and stop orders.
Another highlight? Coinbase is one of the most highly liquid exchanges out there, which protects investors against major price slippage in an incredibly volatile market.
The exchange offers a free wallet service with private key access. Or, you can choose to keep crypto in your Coinbase account. Members can easily send crypto to other Coinbase users simply by entering the Coinbase Wallet username.
For security, the exchange uses two-step verification, biometric fingerprint logins, and insurance in the event that the platform is breached. Coinbase also stores 98% of members’ funds in offline cold storage.
Other Coinbase products include a Visa-branded debit card linked to your Coinbase balance, crypto investing, custodial accounts for institutions, and a crypto payments platform for businesses. To top it off, Coinbase Earn lets you “earn while you learn.” Simply watch video lessons about crypto trading and 12 of the digital coins on offer, and you can earn more than $115 worth in crypto.
Coinbase $5 Sign-Up Bonus
Get a $5 Bitcoin bonus when you sign up for a new Coinbase account with the link below.
For new accounts only. So, you can’t take advantage of both the $10 sign-up bonus with our referral link and this offer.
Coinbase $10 Sign-Up Bonus
Get a $10 Bitcoin bonus when you sign up for a new Coinbase account with a referral link and buy or sell at least $100 worth of cryptocurrency.
You can use our referral link below for the offer. Thank you ahead of time!
See the Coinbase promotions page
BlockFi – Best for Earning Interest
| Trading & Transaction Fees | No crypto-crypto trading fee No deposit fee Withdrawal fee depends on coin* |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 8 |
| Stablecoin | None |
| Insurance | Assets are stored with Gemini (see above) |
| Customer Support | AI-powered smart assistant, live chat, phone |
| Licensed to Operate In | All U.S. states except New York |
*One free crypto withdrawal and one free stablecoin withdrawal per month. Other fees may apply.
BlockFi Interest Account members earn up to 7.5% APY on their cryptocurrency holdings. The interest rate varies by currency and fluctuates with market values. BlockFi Interest Account has no hidden fees and no minimum balance requirements, plus Payment Flex lets you choose what currency your interest is paid in.
Other BlockFi features include:
- Loans by borrowing funds against your crypto assets, with rates as low as 4.5% APR.
- A no-annual-fee Visa credit card that earns an unlimited 1.5% back in Bitcoin on every purchase.
BlockFi Up To $250 Bitcoin Bonus
Fund your Block Interest Account (BIA) for the first time to earn a special bonus.
- $100 – $1,499 deposit = $15 BTC payout
- $1,500 – $19,999 deposit = $20 BTC payout
- $20,000 – $39,999 deposit = $40 BTC payout
- $40,000 – $74,999 deposit = $75 BTC payout
- $75,000 – $99,999 deposit = $100 BTC payout
- $100,000+ deposit = $250 BTC payout
No referral code needed with this link below
BlockFi $10 Sign-Up Bonus
Get a $10 bonus in Bitcoin when you register for a free account. To qualify, follow the steps below:
- Click on this referral link.
- Enter the code ce1208e6 in the Referral Field if it doesn’t automatically load.
- Create a BlockFi account.
- Deposit $100+ worth of crypto to your BlockFi Interest Account.
- Maintain a $100+ minimum balance in any type of crypto or stablecoin for at least 30 days after initial deposit.
After completing all the above steps, you will receive your bonus with your next interest statement.
See the BlockFi promotions page
Gemini – Best for Beginners
| Trading & Transaction Fees | 0.5% to 3.99%* |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 20+ |
| Stablecoin | Gemini Dollar (GUSD) |
| Insurance | – Insurance against data breaches & hacking, fraudulent transfers & employee theft – $200 million in cold storage coverage – Cash is stored in FDIC-insured bank accounts |
| Customer Support | |
| Licensed to Operate In | All 50 states |
*Depending on payment method and platform. Other fees may apply.
Gemini Basic is a great starting point for crypto-trading beginners. It offers a quick setup, as well as a simple and straightforward interface to easily purchase digital assets with USD.
If you don’t already have a wallet, the exchange provides insured hot wallets. For added safety, most of the assets are held in Gemini’s offline cold storage system, and only a small percentage are held in the online hot wallet. That said, assets in cold storage are still readily accessible.
Beginners also love Gemini’s education section, which is comprised of a glossary, simple, five-minute guides, and video webinars.
Other Gemini features include:
- Gemini Mastercard. A Bitcoin-backed, no-annual-fee credit card where members earn up to 3% back in the cryptocurrency of their choice and enjoy World Mastercard benefits.
- Gemini Earn. Put your crypto balance to work and earn 3.05% APY on Bitcoin, or up to 7.4% on various tokens.
- Gemini Pay. Purchase products at 30,000+ participating U.S. brick and mortar retailers – Nordstrom, GameStop, Whole Foods, Home Depot and more – directly from your crypto wallet.
- Gemini ActiveTrader. A platform with volume discounts, optimized speeds and advanced trading tools for more serious, high-volume traders.
- Gemini Clearing. Trade with peers off the order book with Gemini acting as the confirming third party.
Gemini $10 In Bitcoin For New Users
Sign up for a new account using our referral link (thanks ahead of time!) and you’ll earn $10 in Bitcoin once you trade $100 within 30 days of account creation.
See the Gemini promotions page
Binance US – Best for Low Fees
| Trading & Transaction Fees* | 0.1% spot trading fee 0.5% instant buy/sell fee 4.5% debit card fee |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 50+ |
| Stablecoin | Binance USD (BUSD) |
| Insurance | Cash is stored in FDIC-insured bank accounts |
| Customer Support | Live chat, email |
| Licensed to Operate In | 43 U.S. states |
*Other fees may apply.
You won’t find much lower than Binance US‘s 0.1% spot trading fee, especially compared to exchanges based in the United States. And the more you trade, the lower the fee. For example, if your 30-day trading volume is greater than $50,000 (but less than $100,000), the fee is only 0.09%. Fees are even lower when you use the platform’s native BNB coin to pay for transactions.
Cash deposits and withdrawals by ACH bank transfers are free, but bank wire transfers will incur a fee of $15 per transaction. Crypto withdrawal fees vary from coin to coin.
Other Binance features include:
- 3 different trading platforms: Basic, Advanced and OTC.
- Fast transaction times.
- Peer-to-peer trading.
See the Binance promotions page
Kraken – Best for Futures & Margin Traders
| Trading & Transaction Fees* | 0% to 0.26% per trade 1.7% + $0.10 for online bank processing 3.75% + €0.25 for credit card purchases |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 50+ |
| Stablecoin | None |
| Insurance | $100 million in its own insurance fund |
| Customer Support | Live chat |
| Licensed to Operate In | 48 U.S. states |
*Other fees may apply.
Kraken makes our “best list” because it’s one of the few exchanges that offers futures and margin trading. Kraken futures trading is available for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ripple. With a Kraken margin account, you can borrow up to five times your balance to trade in crypto assets. Plus, fees are right on par with the competition and security is top-notch.
That said, Kraken is a crypto exchange and only a crypto exchange. The platform does not offer a crypto wallet, savings account or debit card.
See the Kraken promotions page
Bisq – Best Decentralized Exchange
| Trading & Transaction Fees* | Maker fee = 0.001 BTC Taker fee = 0.007 BTC |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 120+ |
| Native Coin | BSQ |
| Insurance | Insured by transaction deposit |
| Customer Support | |
| Licensed to Operate In | Everywhere |
*Other fees may apply.
Because Bisq is a decentralized exchange, you can register for an account regardless of where you live, and without any identification. The P2P software boasts anonymity, increased privacy, complete control of your crypto, and better security than any centralized exchange. But what really sets Bisq apart from their decentralized competition is their simple and user-friendly interface.
Best Of The Rest
| CRYPTO.COM | BITSTAMP | BITFLYER | |
| Fees | 0.09% – 0.4%* | 0.1%** | Free*** |
| Cryptocurrencies | 220+ | 20+ | >10 |
| Native Token | CRO | None | None |
| Insurance | Cold storage insurance FDIC insurance | Cold storage insurance Crime insurance | None |
| Customer Support | Help center | ||
| Licensed to Operate In | All 50 states except NY | All 50 states | All 50 states |
*Discounted for high-volume trading. No deposit fees. Withdrawal fee depends on coin.
**Minimum fee = $25. Withdrawal fee depends on coin.
***Lightning spot fees range from 0.02% to 0.12%, depending on your 30-day trading volume. No deposit fees (if using ACH/Fedwire). Fedwire withdrawal fee is $20; ACH withdrawals are free.
Crypto.com $25 Welcome Offer
Get $25 USD in CRO locked in your CRO wallet when you complete registration using our referral link. You can also enter our promo code “54bfjg9vzj“.
Unlock your bonus by staking CRO for a Crypto.com Visa Card. Once you have an account opened and verified you can make referrals and earn $25 USD in CRO per referral.
Crypto.com Earn $10 Sign-Up Bonus
Earn a USD $10 Sign-Up Bonus in CRO when you stake in 1000 CRO as first stake. The code cro10 should apply automatically.
Use the link below for the offer.
bitFlyer $15 Welcome Bonus
Get a $15 bonus in Bitcoin when you use a referral link to join via the bitFlyer app on your smartphone. Please note, the bonus does not apply to accounts opened on the web platform.
To qualify, you need to complete identity verification, and buy or sell $100 worth of any crypto within 90 days of joining. The bonus will credit to your account within 24 hours after you satisfy all conditions.
Use the referral link below through your smartphone:
- https://bitflyer.com/invitation?id=oiby3g5d&lang=en-029 (referral code oiby3g5d)
See our cryptocurrency promotions page for all the best offers.
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| TradeStation | $100 Bonus | Review |
| Coinbase | $10 In BTC | Review |
| Robinhood | Free Stock | Review |
| Motley Fool | Stock Advisor Discount | Review |
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