Kraken Cryptocurrency Exchange

- Buy, sell and trade 193 cryptos.
- Instant funding & advanced trading options.
- Join 9M+ users around the world.
Disclaimer: This page is not financial advice or an endorsement of digital assets, providers or services. Digital assets are volatile and risky, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Potential regulations or policies can affect their availability and services provided. Talk with a financial professional before making a decision. Finder or the author may own cryptocurrency discussed on this page.
When deciding on which crypto exchange is right for you, consider what you plan on using it for.
It’s quite common to use multiple exchanges to benefit from their different areas of specialty, such as using one for its range of coins and another for its low fees.
You may also want to consider whether you’re new to crypto markets or you’re a seasoned trader when selecting the platform that’s right for you.
Coinbase won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Crypto Exchange Overall because it offers a world-class service for all levels of crypto traders and investors.
If you are new to crypto, you can use the exchange to make instant purchases in just a few clicks. Seasoned crypto investors can use the platform's advanced trading option for lower trading fees, charting tools and a view of the exchange's order book.
Beyond trading, there are features such as lending, staking, a crypto wallet and an NFT marketplace, making the service well-rounded for most crypto needs.
Coinbase also encourages users to learn more about crypto assets and blockchain networks. In its Learning rewards section, you can watch videos that explain how digital asset networks work and then earn small amounts of the crypto assets you learn about upon correctly responding to questions about them.
Coinbase also automatically rewards you with yield on any USDC held in your account. So, if you decide to park your money in stablecoins for a while, you can still increase your digital asset holdings while doing so on Coinbase.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer (ACH),Debit card,PayPal,Wire transfer,Apple Pay,Google Pay |
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Deposit fees | Wire transfer: $10 |
Withdrawal fees | Wire transfer: $25 |
Trading fees | Maker: 0.00 - 0.4% Taker: 0.05 - 0.6% |
Kraken won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Advanced Trading because of the array of trading services it offers through Kraken Pro, its advanced crypto trading platform.
Kraken Pro was overhauled this year and offers crypto trading vets access to margin for leveraged trading, a highly customizable trading interface and low maker and taker fees that range from 0% to 0.26%.
Kraken is one of the few crypto exchanges in the US that offers margin as well as futures contracts to traders. Please keep in mind, though, that these financial instruments are risky to trade, and they aren't designed for less-experienced traders.
Kraken Pro's customizable interface allows you to resize and reorganize the windows on the platform's trading interface so you can optimize the presentation of the data you'll use to trade.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Credit card,Cryptocurrency,Debit card,Apple Pay,Google Pay,SWIFT,ACH online banking |
---|---|
Deposit fees | ACH deposit - Fees vary ($10 minimum deposit) Credit and debit card - Fees vary ($10 minimum deposit) Apple Pay or Google Pay - Fees vary ($10 minimum deposit) Crypto - Free |
Withdrawal fees | FedWire withdrawal - $4-$35 Crypto - Fees vary depending on coin or token |
Trading fees | Maker: 0-0.16% Taker: 0.1-0.26% |
eToro won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Platform for Beginners because its crypto trading services are tailored toward those new to the crypto market. It received positive customer reviews, as well.
The platform offers instant purchases, notable educational resources and unique trading features designed to help beginners learn to trade crypto better and benefit from the skills of more experienced traders.
If you're looking to make your first crypto purchases without having to navigate a complex trading interface, eToro makes it easy to buy digital assets in just a few clicks, which is why it also won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Instant Purchases.
The platform's beginner-level trading resource page provides short tutorials that have titles such as What is Bitcoin? and The Fed Made Simple to help prepare you to trade and invest.
eToro is known for its CopyTrader feature that lets users connect with and copy the trades of more experienced traders. This allows those new to financial markets to preview how more experienced traders operate plus automatically make the same trades as they do.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Debit card,PayPal,Wire transfer |
---|---|
Deposit fees | None. Minimum deposit amount is $10. |
Withdrawal fees | None |
Trading fees | 1% fee for buying or selling cryptoassets |
Bitstamp won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Value Exchange because with 24/7 customer support, it provides great value for entry-level traders.
Trading fees are relatively low, with maker and taker fees range from 0% to 0.3% and 0.03% to 0.4%, respectively, depending on how much you trade.
The exchange offers advanced charting tools, precise order execution, deep liquidity on over 75 crypto assets and top-quality APIs, which advanced traders can use to integrate their algorithmic trading strategy.
Bitstamp covers this service with 24/7 customer support that includes a phone line. This is incredibly rare for cryptocurrency exchanges, adding to its value for money service.
The exchange also has a commendable track record of serving its customers. It's only been hacked once in its more than 10 years of operation. All of the users that lost funds were reimbursed in full.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Credit card,Cryptocurrency,Debit card,SEPA,Faster Payments (FPS) |
---|---|
Deposit fees | Cryptocurrency: None; blockchain network fees apply Bank transfer (ACH): None; bank fees may apply Debit card transfer: 5% Credit card transfer: 5% Wire transfer: 0.05% |
Withdrawal fees | Cryptocurrency: None; blockchain network fees apply Bank transfer (ACH): None; bank fees may apply Wire transfer: 0.01% |
Trading fees | 0.0% - 0.40% |
Crypto.com won the 2023 Finder Award for Best Exchange for Altcoin Trading because the platform allows you to buy and sell over 300 cryptocurrencies.
The mobile app provides a simple pathway to buying and selling while the desktop exchange offers reduced fees and advanced order types for traders.
Crypto.com's site features up-to-the-moment digital asset price information from CoinMarketCap, a market data website that reports price information for over 20,000 crypto assets.
Using this information, you can set up price alerts to help time your trades and take advantage of market changes as they happen.
Crypto.com also supports earning for a wide range of altcoins.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Credit card,Cryptocurrency,Debit card,PayPal,Wire transfer,Apple Pay,Google Pay,SWIFT |
---|---|
Deposit fees | None |
Withdrawal fees | Cryptocurrency: Fees vary |
Trading fees | Maker - 0-0.075% Taker - 0.05-0.075% |
Gemini's app is intuitive, uncluttered and secure. Its straightforward interface makes it easy to buy, sell and store the more than 100 crypto assets it supports.
The app allows you to track your overall crypto portfolio as well as view and maintain a watchlist of cryptos you're interested in purchasing. And when you're ready to purchase new crypto assets, you can use the app to make a one-time purchase or set up recurring buys.
It also enables you to protect your account using two-factor authentication (2FA) and, if you have a Gemini credit card, you can use the app to track the crypto rewards you earn when you use the card.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer (ACH),Cryptocurrency,Debit card,PayPal,Apple Pay,Google Pay,SWIFT |
---|---|
Deposit fees | Cryptocurrency: None Bank transfer (ACH): None, bank fees may apply Wire Transfer: Determined by your bank Debit Card: 3.49% + Trading Fees Paypal: 2.50% of total deposit amount + Trading Fees |
Withdrawal fees | Cryptocurrency: None (for 10 withdrawals and below per month) Others: None (for 10 withdrawals and below per month) |
Trading fees | Taker fee - 0.03-0.4% Maker fee - 0-0.2% |
SoFi provides the tools and interface to manage and track all of your investment accounts in one place.
Using SoFi, you can get an overview of your crypto portfolio, retirement account and even your education savings account.
If you need some assistance managing your portfolio, SoFi offers a free robo-advisory service to help you invest according to your risk tolerance.
The platform provides visualized data on how your net worth has grown over time and on the progress you're making toward your retirement goals.
It also offers information focused on how to manage and grow your crypto portfolio.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer (ACH),Cash,Debit card,Wire transfer,Rollover or personal check |
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Deposit fees | N/A |
Withdrawal fees | N/A |
Trading fees | 1.25% |
Binance.US makes earning yield on crypto assets straightforward, which is why it's our pick for the best exchange for staking rewards.
Binance.US offers a staking-as-a-service feature, which lets you loan digital assets such as BNB, SOL, and ADA to the platform so that it can stake them for you. This removes the need to send your crypto to a non-custodial wallet and then stake it yourself.
Keep in mind that that you aren't directly staking your assets on-chain when you use Binance.US's staking service. Instead, you are lending the assets to Binance.US, which then stakes them on-chain for you.
Using Binance.US's staking service, you maintain plenty of control over your assets — deposit terms are flexible so you can withdraw at any time.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer (ACH),Cryptocurrency,Debit card,Wire transfer,Apple Pay |
---|---|
Deposit fees | Bank transfer: None Wire transfer: None Debit card: 3.75% Apple Pay: 3.75% Cryptocurrency: None |
Withdrawal fees | Bank transfer: None (minimum $1 withdrawal) Wire transfer: $10-15 (minimum $100 withdrawal) Cryptocurrency: Fees vary |
Trading fees | Maker: 0-0.30% Taker: 0-0.45% |
Uphold is unique in that it enables direct trading between cryptocurrencies, fiat currencies and precious metals.
This means you can trade directly between any two of these assets without having to first go back into a common asset like US dollars.
For example, you can trade some of your ether (ETH) for Japanese yen or gold-backed tokens.
Keep in mind, though, that you may be taxed as if you did sell back into US dollars depending on the jurisdiction in which you live, the currency that you sold and the amount of profit you made selling the said currency.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Credit card,Debit card,Bank transfer (SEPA),Apple Pay,Google Pay |
---|---|
Deposit fees | Debit/Credit Card Transactions: 2.49% Bank transfer: None Credit card: 3.99% Debit card: 2.49% Google Pay: None |
Withdrawal fees | Debit/Credit Card Transactions: 2.49% Cryptocurrency: Subject to network fees Bank transfer: None Google Pay: None |
Trading fees | Trading: $.99 for trades under $500 Spread: Up to 1.5% |
Paybis is a P2P crypto exchange on which you can trade upwards of 87 different crypto assets.
To receive the crypto you purchase on Paybis, you have to connect your account to a non-custodial crypto wallet, because Paybis doesn't custody the crypto assets that you purchase via the platform for you.
This makes Paybis a great option for those who don't mind accepting the responsibility of managing the crypto they purchase.
However, please note that if you are a frequent trader, Paybis might not be the best platform for you. The combination of commission and processing fees that it charges can total between 4.5% and 6.99%.
Fees and deposit methods | Bank transfer,Credit card,Debit card,Neteller |
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Deposit fees | Fees vary |
Withdrawal fees | Fees vary |
Trading fees | Fees vary |
It's important to research a wide range of crypto platforms and compare the pros and cons of each option. The best crypto exchange for you depends on what you're looking for, so consider the following:
There are plenty of places to buy crypto, including platforms founded here in the US or based in locations all around the world. Exchanges headquartered locally are required to register with FinCEN and comply with requirements that don't apply to global platforms. Depending on your goals, this may have some benefits or drawbacks.
For the sake of our example, let's assume that you have $500 that you want to use to buy Bitcoin (BTC).
Crypto exchanges in the US support a range of deposit methods, including the following:
Accepted payment methods vary between exchanges. Prior to signing up, it's worth checking that your preferred payment method is supported.
The term "exchange" may refer to a variety of cryptocurrency brokers, trading platforms and other services. Different types of exchange are often more geared toward beginners or experienced users.
It's difficult to find one exchange with all the coins and features you want. I spread my trading around several exchanges to make sure I'm getting exactly what I need, while also diversifying my risk should the exchange get hacked or shut down. To further reduce risk I use one registered locally so it's subject to local laws and regulations.
James Edwards
Finder's Global Crypto Editor
Cryptocurrency is held in digital wallets. Some exchanges will give you your own wallet that lets you hold cryptocurrency in your exchange account and then transfer it anywhere as desired.
However, once you have purchased what you consider to be a sizable amount of digital assets, you may want to consider transferring the private keys to those assets to a self-custodial wallet.
This is because the exchange controls the private key to your wallet, which means you don't have total control of your funds. And with exchanges sometimes falling victim to hackers, there is some degree of risk involved with leaving the private keys to your crypto in the hands of a centralized exchange.
Learn more about cryptocurrency walletsWe polled 56 specialists in the fintech industry to get their opinion on what the future looks like for centralized crypto exchanges and what the demise of FTX means for the crypto industry.
The vast majority of our panelists (83.93%) don't think the collapse of FTX was the beginning of the end for crypto, while 8.93% think it was and 7.14% are unsure.
However, because of the FTX collapse, more than half of our panelists (58.49%) believe that crypto exchanges should be regulated just as much as other financial trading platforms.
22.64% believe that crypto exchanges should be regulated, but less so than other financial trading platforms. 15.09% don't believe that crypto exchanges should be regulated to the same degree.
Over one-third of our panelists (35.19%) believe all crypto exchanges will be regulated as traditional financial institutions by 2030. A further 22.22% believe this will happen by 2025 and another 14.81% think it will happen by 2024.
In the future, the majority of our panelists (86.79%) feel that crypto exchanges should be required to disclose both their proof of reserves (PoR) and records of their liabilities.
42.31% think that more crypto exchanges will face bankruptcy as a result of a reduction in their customer base. 15.38% believe this will play out over the next 5 years while a quarter (26.92%) think it'll happen within the year.
Not all crypto exchanges are created equal and not all crypto buyers and sellers have the same trading needs. The best exchange or platform for one person might not necessarily be the right choice for someone else, so it's essential to do your own research.
Read our reviews of some of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the US and around the world before you decide which to use. Compare the features, fees and pros and cons of each platform and consider whether they align with your investment goals and budget.
To evaluate our 2023 picks for the best crypto exchanges in the US, we compared trading platforms on a range of criteria, including the following:
Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information. You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Whether products shown are available to you is subject to individual provider sole approval and discretion in accordance with the eligibility criteria and T&Cs on the provider website.
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