The surging popularity of cryptocurrencies, propelled by the meteoric ascent of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin, has firmly entrenched crypto trading in the mainstream. For newcomers, this universe might seem daunting initially. 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 Coinbase, Crypto.com, OKCoin 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 Low Fees | Binance US |
| Best for Beginners | Gemini |
| Best for Futures & Margin Traders | Kraken |
| Best Decentralized Exchange | Bisq |
| Best for Number of Tokens | Crypto.com |
Coinbase – Best Overall
| Trading & Transaction Fees | 0.5% to 4.5%* |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 150+ |
| 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 Bonus: $10 Sign-Up Offer
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
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 | 100+ |
| Stablecoin | Binance USD (BUSD) |
| Insurance | Cash is stored in FDIC-insured bank accounts |
| Customer Support | Live chat, email |
| Licensed to Operate In | 46 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.
Binance.US Bonus: $10 Welcome Offer
For U.S. residents, get a 10 USDC bonus after you use the referral link below and complete $100 worth of trading in 30 days.
Here’s our referral link (code 58406809) for your 10 USDC bonus
See the Binance promotions page
Gemini – Best for Beginners
| Trading & Transaction Fees | 0.5% to 3.99%* |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 100+ |
| Stablecoin | Gemini Dollar (GUSD) |
| Insurance | – Insurance against data breaches & hacking, fraudulent transfers & employee theft – 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 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.
See the Gemini promotions page
Kraken – Best for Futures & Margin Traders
| Trading & Transaction Fees* | 0% to 0.26% per trade 0.5% plus Kraken fee for online bank processing 3.75% + €0.25 for credit card purchases |
| Cryptocurrency Selection | 150+ |
| Stablecoin | 3 |
| Insurance | Their team of experts have built in a number of sophisticated measures to prevent the theft of funds, NFTs, or information. |
| 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.
Kraken Referral Program: Earn Up To $100 In Bitcoin
Kraken’s referral program lets you earn up to $100 in Bitcoin through referrals.
- Invite friends to Kraken and you’ll each get $10 in BTC.
- Download the Kraken app and sign into your account.
- Navigate to app settings and tap the referral card to find your invite link.
- Share your link with friends. When they sign up and buy or sell $100 in crypto within 30 days, you’ll each get $10 in BTC.
- Referral program details here
Here’s our referral link if you’d like to use it to sign up for the $10 in BTC offer. You’ll have to sign up and buy/sell at least $100 in crypto within 30 days to be eligible for the bonus.
See the Kraken promotions page
Crypto.com – Best for Number of Tokens, NFTs
| Fees | Start from 0.075%* |
| Cryptocurrencies | 250+ |
| Native Token | CRO |
| Insurance | Cold storage insurance FDIC insurance |
| Customer Support | Help center |
| Licensed to Operate In | All 50 states except NY |
*Discounted for high-volume trading. No deposit fees. Withdrawal fee depends on coin.
Crypto.com Bonus: $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.
See the Crypto.com promotions page
Bisq – Best Decentralized Exchange
| Trading & Transaction Fees* | Maker fee = 0.0012 BTC Taker fee = 0.0088 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.
READ MORE: SEE THE BEST BANK BONUSES HERE AND THE BEST INVESTING BONUSES HERE.
