Top Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Cryptocurrencies continue to gain popularity and more and more people want to invest in this industry. As a result, new services are constantly appearing that offer the possibility of purchasing them for fiat currencies or exchanging them. A cryptocurrency exchange is a place where a user can buy and sell digital currencies online. Besides trading cryptocurrency, crypto exchanges also provide the ability to store coins in personal wallets. These sites operate similarly to currency, commodity and stock exchanges - prices are determined by the market, based on the supply/demand principle for each token. We offer you a list of the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges.
Hong Kong is one of the key jurisdictions in the cryptocurrency industry - a very large number of companies are based here, including exchanges, OTC platforms and brokers. They are currently being monitored by the local currency board and the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC).
Coinbase
This platform was launched in 2012 in San Francisco, USA. Coinbase provides two types of services through its two divisions: buying cryptocurrency on the Coinbase crypto exchange service (which includes a crypto wallet) and trading on the Coinbase Pro crypto exchange. It provides a simple coin exchange mechanism and supports popular payment methods such as bank cards, transfers and even PayPal. During its existence, it has served about 30 million customers and reached $ 150 billion turnovers. One of the company's products - the Coinbase PRO - is the leading cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trade volume. Since 2018, Coinbase has been authorized by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to act as a financial services organization. Currently, the platform serves more than 10 million clients.
| Coinbase | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 23 types of digital coins, including Bitcoin (BTC); Ethereum (ETH); Ripple (XRP); Litecoin (LTC); Bitcoin Cash (BCH); EOS (EOS); Stellar Lumens (XLM); Cosmos (Atom); Dash (DASH); Chainlink (LINK). | |
| Commissions and fees | All transactions under $ 200 have the following fees: $ 0.99 - for transactions less than $ 10;$ 1.49 - for transactions from $ 10 to $ 25;$ 1.99 - for transactions from $ 25 to $ 50;$ 2.99 - for operations from $ 50 to $ 200.For transactions over $ 200, a fixed interest rate comes into play. Its size depends on the payment method. | |
| Wallet | Free mobile and online. The advantage of this wallet is that transactions can be made off-blockchain. | |
| Payment method | Funds can be deposited and withdrawn using a bank card, transfer and a range of payment systems. SEPA transfers are available for EU residents; | |
| Security | Two-factor authentication; All website traffic is encrypted using the SSL cryptographic protocol; All wallets keys are protected by AES-256 encryption; Only 2% of her clients' cryptocurrency funds are stored online and they are insured in case of loss; | |
| Mobile application | Mobile applications for Android and iOS; |
Binance
This exchange was founded in 2012 and today it serves over 12 million traders. From 2018 to 2020, Binance is the undisputed leader in terms of trading volume and number of users among the best cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. Its trading volume exceeds USD40 billion. Coinbase is available to traders from 32 different countries, mainly from Europe and North America. On the platform, 740 different crypto and fiat trading pairs are available for trading. One of the winning features of the site is that it adds new coins almost every week. This news is constantly reported on the company's official Twitter account. Sometimes users are even asked to vote for one or another coin that subsequently appears on the exchange. The popularity of Binance is also influenced by the high order processing speed, which is at almost 1.5 million per second.
| Binance | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 740 different crypto and fiat pairs, including own token BNB; | |
| Commissions and fees | Binance offers competitive trading fees (commissions): 0.1% on each side of the trade or 0.075% if you are using your Binance tokens (BNB); | |
| Wallet | Trust Wallet mobile application; | |
| Payment method | Bank transfer, debit/credit cards, various P2P payment channels; | |
| Security | The exchange launched CryptoSafe Alliance (CSA). This initiative will bring together exchanges, blockchain protocols, cybersecurity experts, and regulatory compliance companies. It is the first comprehensive threat monitoring and protection tool in a decentralized data exchange environment. | |
| Mobile application | A free app is available Google Play Store or the App Store. |
Kraken
This platform was registered in the United States as Payward, Inc in 2011. The headquarters is located in San Francisco. For today, the exchange has offices in various cities around the world, including London, Chiyoda (Japan) and Singapore. Kraken developed the Cryptowatch trading terminal that provides real-time cryptocurrency market data, charts, and trading services for over 25 cryptocurrency exchanges. The service attracted 4 million clients in two hundred countries. In general, Kraken focuses on traders who trade top cryptocurrency assets.
| Kraken | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 8 tokens are available for trading; | |
| Commissions and fees | Transactions under 50,000 units of a particular currency are subject to a commission of 0.16% for the seller and 0.26% for the buyer;For sums over 50,000 units, commissions are reduced to 0.14% and 0.24% respectively; | |
| Wallet | No crypto wallet is offered on the site; | |
| Payment method | Crypto wallets and money transfers via bank transfer. Deposit/withdrawal via bank cards is not available; | |
| Security | The exchange offers users two-factor authentication (2FA), PGP encryption, and global settings lock, which prevents any account changes within a certain period of time; | |
| Mobile application | Kraken Pro and Kraken Futures trading applications. |
Bittrex
This cryptocurrency started its work in New York in 2015. It began operations as an ordinary internet exchanger. But the service quickly became popular and the following year expanded its functionality to the level of a full-fledged exchange. The Bittrex trading platform has a variety of financial, trading, and analytical tools for successful trading. In June, its trading volume exceeded $ 51 million. It allows its customers to work with a huge number of trading pairs. Bittrex provides reliable storage of users' assets because almost all funds are kept in cold wallets. It is probably one of the safest cryptocurrency exchange platforms as it was founded by cybersecurity experts. The platform supports five basic markets: dollar, euro, BTC, ETH and USDT (Tether ERC-20); various ERC-20 tokens and many other independent coins.
| Bittrex | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 250+ trading pairs are available; | |
| Commissions and fees | Topping up your euro account is available via: SEPA credit transfer; international bank transfer; bank card. Fiat funds withdrawal is possible to a bank account using an international bank transfer, and for euros, a SEPA credit transfer is supported. The withdrawal commission depends on the chosen cryptocurrency: in bitcoin, it is 0.0005 BTC, in Ethereum - 0.00600000 ETH. The site has a fixed trading fee of 0.25% of the total value of the order; | |
| Wallet | No crypto wallet; | |
| Payment method | Bank transfers, credit/debit cards; | |
| Security | Two-factor authentication (2FA);IP check which requires an email confirmation of entry from a newIP-address; IP whitelists; Cold storage for 80%-90% assets; | |
| Mobile application | There are two apps for Android and iOS respectively: Bittrex Global and Bittrex. |
Bitmex
BitMEX was launched in 2014. The site has proven itself as a stable resource offering maximum opportunities for profitable digital coin trading. All withdrawals and replenishments can be done only in BTC and the users need to convert altcoins into bitcoin. At the moment, the Bitmex exchange occupies a leading position in terms of trading volumes, with an average daily rate of $ 2 billion to $ 4 billion. The exchange owns its own insurance fund, which currently manages over 31,000 bitcoins. It is used to cover liquidated positions on the platform. Due to the ability to conduct margin trading with 100x leverage in a very volatile cryptocurrency market, many traders compare trading on the exchange with gambling. Last month, the platform introduced an obligatory verification of all the account holders which has to be completed by February 2021.
| BitMEX | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 55 trading pairs; | |
| Commissions and fees | BitMEX does not charge any fees for deposits or withdrawals. When withdrawing BTC, a minimum Bitcoin Network commission is applied;Trading commissions for takers are 0.075% of the total order value, while makers are paid an additional 0.025% for each trade; | |
| Wallet | Crypto BitMEX wallet | |
| Payment method | Apart from cryptocurrencies, BitMEX does not accept any other deposits; | |
| Security | Funds are stored in cold wallets;Two-factor authentication;Registration via SMS notifications;Multi-signature wallets for transactions;Email communications are encrypted using PGP encryption; | |
| Mobile application | BitMEX Mobile launched in September 2020. |
The cryptocurrency adoption is steadily penetrating to all corners of the planet, and for today, the global crypto market cap is $351,24 B.
Bitfinex
This cryptocurrency exchange was founded in 2012 in Hong Kong. It is well- known for working with the Tether (USDT) project. The platform provides its users with exchange services, margin trading, and supports all major types of coins and tokens. The project is designed for professional traders and large investors, and it proved by a variety of serious financial instruments. On Bitfinex, you can apply short strategies and try long-term investing.
| Bitfinex | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | Over 140 coins and 300 trading pairs; | |
| Commissions and fees | No additional payments for deposits and withdrawals in digital coins. When you deposit USD, you will have to pay a commission of 0.1%, but not less than $ 20;Minimum fee for withdrawing fiat money is $ 60;With the minimum currency turnover per month, the trading fee is 0.1% for the maker and 0.2% for the taker; | |
| Wallet | Users are offered three wallets to choose from - Exchange Wallet, Margin Wallet, and Financing Wallet; | |
| Payment method | Besides cryptocurrencies, bank transfers and withdrawal of money to the card are available to users. | |
| Security | Only 0.5% of crypto assets are kept online to support daily transactions. The rest of the coins are kept in cold wallets out of the reach of hackers. For these wallets to become available, manual authorization of several members of the management team is required; | |
| Mobile application | Available. |
Localbitcoins
LocalBitcoins was founded in Finland in 2012. The project aim was to create a safe platform for trading cryptocurrency. The site is actively used in more than 240 countries around the world. Here you can exchange Bitcoin for all fiat currencies officially existing in the world. Users place orders to buy and sell bitcoin, indicating the exchange rate, the method of payment and the minimum / maximum transaction amounts. Other users choose the preferred offers and confirm the transaction.
| Localbitcoins | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin | |
| Commissions and fees | The service does not charge a commission from the buyer. For sellers, there is a set commission of 1% on each sale. | |
| Wallet | Bitcoin wallet | |
| Payment method | Bank transfers, banking cards, electronic systems; | |
| Security | The security of the transaction is ensured by the escrow method, which has proven to be highly effective;User accounts are protected by two-factor authentication. | |
| Mobile application |
Poloniex
It is an American cryptocurrency exchange that entered the market in 2014. Besides the traditional spot exchange, the resource offers margin trading, as well as options for those wishing to lend their funds. In 2018, the company was acquired by Circle Internet Financial Limited. And after it, the service introduced an obligatory verification procedure according to the KYC demands. Currently, a daily trading volume exceeds $ 13 million and users can trade over 100 currency pairs. The largest percentage of the audience is interested in trading and currency exchange options. Advanced analytics (cryptocurrency price for the last day, trading history) creates a favorable environment for effective trading.
| Poloniex | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 100+ currency pairs | |
| Commissions and fees | All deposits are allowed without any additional charges;The withdrawal fee is fixed, and it depends on the type of the cryptocurrency;Trading commissions are from 0 to 0.25%maker commission is from 0% to 0.15%;taker commission is from 0.1% to 0.25%;The higher is the volume of completed transactions in one month, the lower is the commission for all subsequently completed transactions; | |
| Wallet | Yes; | |
| Payment method | Replenishment of an account with a bank card or withdrawal to a card are not available for users of some countries; | |
| Security | The administration highly recommends to add two-factor authentication to your account; | |
| Mobile application | Available |
Kucoin
This young exchange was created in 2017. Though, it has already proved to be one of the most reliable trading platforms in the world of cryptocurrencies and blockchain. The exchange offers one of the largest selection of trading pairs in the world, enabling its clients to trade over 450 trading pairs. KuCoin is very popular for new cryptocurrencies that just went through the ICO, The exchange has its own token - KuCoin Shares (KCS). the KCS coin holders get trading discounts.
| Kucoin | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 200+ coins and 450+ trading pairs; | |
| Commissions and fees | All deposits are free on the site and there is a fixed fee for withdrawals;KuCoin offers a flat trading commission of 0.10%, which is less than the industry average. | |
| Wallet | Inner site crypto wallet; | |
| Payment method | A variety of payment methods supported by P2P fiat services; | |
| Security | The exchange offers you the option to set up two-factor authentication by Google Authenticator. | |
| Mobile application | Available |
Cold storage in the strict sense is the transfer of bitcoins to addresses with a private key that can never be compromised (disclosed). In its simplest form, these are keys obtained on a computer without a network connection.
Bitpanda
It is an Austrian startup founded in 2014. It owns powerful API applications, high-performance servers and a fully automated real-time order system. Now the site serves more than 1.2 million customers, but through investments, it hopes to expand its client base. The company has a European license PSD2, the resource is equipped with modern security methods and ways to protect the account from access by hackers. The exchange has its own Bitpanda Ecosystem Token (BEST), its holders can get a 25% discount on trades.
| Bitpanda | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin, Ethereum and 30+ digital assets; | |
| Commissions and fees | The trading commission of the service depends on the type of currency and the nature of the transaction. When buying bitcoins, you pay 1.49%, when selling - 1.29%;Commission for replenishment and withdrawal is fixed for each coin and is debited from the account; | |
| Wallet | Bitpanda crypto wallet | |
| Payment method | You can make a deposit either by bank transfer, credit cards or electronic payment systems; | |
| Security | Bitpanda refers to systems that independently manage user wallet keys.Besides, the following security measures are offered:Fund cold storage;Session control. Every login attempt from a new device requires two-factor authentication confirmation;Authentication and validation via email; | |
| Mobile application | Yes |
Coinmama
The service began its work back in 2013 and since then has been offering services for purchasing the two most popular currencies for fiat money from a bank card. Coinmama is not an exchange in its usual sense. Here you can only buy currency. The platform does not even have a built-in wallet and the purchased assets are transferred to the address specified by the user. Currently, the service has 2.3 million users in 188 countries.
| Coinmama | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | The platform sells Bitcoin, Ethereum. Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Qtum, Ripple, Ethereum Classic, Cardano, Tezos and EOS; | |
| Commissions and fees | The use of credit or debit cards implies a service charge of 5%.Besides, the platform charges 3.90% for buying coins and 0.9% for selling these; | |
| Wallet | No; | |
| Payment method | Credit/debit cards and bank transfers;It supports SEPA and SWIFT payments; | |
| Security | Coinmama is a reputable company with a secure site using Trust Guard and Comodo technologies. Both services have confirmed that 256-bit SSL encryption is actively used on pages containing personal information; | |
| Mobile application | Yes |
Hitbtc
This cryptocurrency exchange is a joint project of European and Israeli entrepreneurs created in 2013. The platform is open to traders from around the globe, regardless of the country of residence. The site’s interface is simple and easy to use as the service has been designed for all traders regardless of their professional level. A potential client can try demo trading and use the analytics tools to understand the cryptocurrency market better. HitBTC supports trading a very large number of cryptocurrencies and works with fiat money, offering a profitable exchange rate for GBP, USD, EUR. The site supports SEPA and SWIFT payments. HitBTC uses various promotion methods to attract traders, including active advertising on social networks.
| Hitbtc | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | 800 currency pairs are being traded on the platform today; | |
| Commissions and fees | No commissions for deposits and a fixed commission for withdrawals depending on the coin;HitBTC uses a multi-level trading fee calculation system. The more a user trades, the lower his commission will be; | |
| Wallet | No crypto wallet; | |
| Payment method | The HitBTC exchange can be replenished exclusively with digital currency; | |
| Security | The platform provides 2-factor authentication,high-end encryption technology and cold storage of funds; | |
| Mobile application | No |
Paxful
Paxful is an international P2P marketplace for buying and selling bitcoin, launched in 2014 by Estonian and American entrepreneurs. Paxful's main goal is to create a transparent and secure platform that enables anyone to buy Bitcoin quickly. Paxful does not sell cryptocurrency on its own, the site has taken on the role of an intermediary between buyers and sellers. The exchange is actively participating in social projects like building schools in Africa.
| Paxful | ||
| Cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin and Tether | |
| Commissions and fees | Commissions are applied for crypto selling:0.5% for bank transfers;1% for bank cards and e-payments;3-5% for gift cards;No commission is charged for buying cryptocurrency;Paxful will charge a transfer fee for sending funds to an external wallet.$ 0 - $ 9.99 = 0.0001 BTC $ 10 - $ 19.99 = 0.0002 BTC More than $ 20 = 0.0005 BTC | |
| Wallet | The Paxful Wallet App makes it easy to store and manage coins with your mobile cryptocurrency wallet; | |
| Payment method | More than 300 ways to buy coins, including bank transfer, credit and debit cards, PayPal, Western Union, and even Amazon, iTunes or Steam gift cards; | |
| Security | The security of the system is ensured by two-factor authentication, depositing and the obligatory verification procedure when working with large amounts. | |
| Mobile application | Paxful Wallet for Android and iOS. |
When choosing an exchange, be sure to carefully study the conditions for registration and withdrawal of funds. It is important to read users reviews and check whether it has been involved in fraudulent schemes or subjected to hacker attacks. Another thing is to make sure that the exchange has a large trading volume. And always remember that the exchange is not a safe way to store cryptocurrency. It is highly recommended to choose resources that have cold wallet storage and reliable security methods.
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