Best crypto exchanges for 2025

Frequently asked questions

Beginner’s guide to crypto

• Where can I buy and sell crypto?

  To buy and sell crypto in the UK, you need to sign up to a cryptocurrency exchange or app. Increasingly, you can buy and sell crypto through banking apps like Revolut. Our guides and comparisons help you to filter down your options to what’s important to you.

  Crypto guides are plastered with warnings and there’s a good reason for that, which is that crypto is incredibly volatile and you could lose all your money. It’s worth knowing that before you take the plunge.

• What is an altcoin?

  Altcoin stands for alternative coin, and refers to any cryptocurrency other than Bitcoin (BTC). This broad term covers everything from coins like Ether (ETH), which was released in 2014 and has a 12-figure market cap, right down to brand new crypto coins which were invented this morning.

• Are Bitcoin and BTC the same thing?

  Yes, Bitcoin is also known as BTC (and, less commonly, XBT). All cryptos have a “code”, called a ticker symbol, which is typically 3 letters but can be 4 or more. Bitcoin is BTC, Ether is ETH, Ripple is XRP, Dogecoin is DOGE and so on.

• What’s the difference between a wallet and a crypto exchange?

  Typically, a crypto wallet is used to safely store your crypto (online or offline) and it can be hardware or software. Whereas, a crypto exchange works like a stock exchange where you can buy or sell crypto by dealing with other crypto investors, and the exchange itself acts as a middleman (or broker) to help facilitate trades.

• Do I need to pay tax on crypto in the UK?

  Yes. In the UK, profits made from selling crypto are subject to Capital Gains Tax (CGT). You may also be taxed if you’re earning crypto through staking or mining. HMRC provides clear guidance, and you can use online tools to help calculate your tax obligations.

How do you pick the best crypto exchange?

• How do I choose the right crypto exchange?

  This depends on what cryptocurrencies you’re interested in and how you plan to invest. We’ve listed some of the best crypto exchanges that excel in different categories, but the best exchange for you to use will be based on which one suits your needs and budget.

  First, think about how you plan to invest in cryptocurrency (or whether you’re looking to trade cryptoassets). If you’re a complete beginner, check out the more beginner-friendly apps and platforms that are simple to use and have some useful learning resources.

  If you happen to know your hash rates from your halvings, you might want to think about using one of the crypto exchanges offering more advanced trading features to help you make the most of your investing experience.

  Whether you’re a beginner or experienced crypto trader, it’s always worth comparing fees to try and find the best UK crypto exchange with low fees to ensure you get the most value from your digital investments.

• Which crypto exchange is best?

  There’s no single answer unfortunately, it’s all about finding the best crypto exchange for your budget and investing strategy. We’ve broken down the top FCA-registered crypto exchanges into different categories to help you narrow down the best option to suit your cryptocurrency plans.

• What is the best crypto exchange in the UK?

  The best crypto exchange in the UK depends on your needs. For beginners, eToro, Revolut and Kraken offer user-friendly interfaces. If you’re seeking low trading fees and advanced features, Kraken Pro, Revolut X and Uphold strong options. Always choose an FCA-registered exchange where possible.

• What is the best crypto exchange in the UK according to Reddit?

  There’s no single thread where all the crypto-enthusiast Redditors get together to vote on the best UK crypto exchange. However, a number of posts, threads and comments have highlighted Kraken, which is also on our list as one of the best.

• How do maker and taker fees work?

  To trade crypto, there has to be a buyer and a seller. The people adding to the order book are makers. For example, if you’re selling a coin at a high price. These orders didn’t exist beforehand, so you’re making more options available. If you buy or sell at a price which is already available, you’re taking options away. Both makers and takers can be charged a fee when trading, called – you guessed it – maker fees and taker fees.

• Can I leave my crypto funds on the exchange?

  It’s up to you whether you want to leave your funds on an exchange or store them in your own private wallet, which can be done either online or offline. If you do choose to leave your funds on an exchange, it would help to choose one which has additional insurance. This is because the exchange could be hacked, which is something that has happened at very large crypto exchanges in the past.

• What’s the best crypto exchange to withdraw fiat in the UK?

  Our current pick is Uphold is a good choice because you get a debit card linked to your digital wallet that allows you to withdraw your crypto balances as fiat currency (pounds sterling, for example) at a cash machine just like you normally would. You can also use it in shops and online to spend directly from your cryptocurrency balance and you’ll even earn 1% cashback in GBP when spending on your card.

• What’s the best decentralised exchange or non-KYC crypto exchange?

  We don’t score and rate decentralised exchanges or those that don’t follow “know your customer” (KYC) requirements because these exchanges don’t comply with the rules.

Crypto safety and protection

• Is it legal to buy Bitcoin?

  Yes, it is legal to buy and sell Bitcoin (BTC) in the UK. In order to ensure you’re being legally compliant, it’s a good idea to use only crypto exchanges which are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). All of the crypto trading platforms in this guide registered with the FCA (which means they’ve passed checks for money-laundering).

• Are crypto exchanges legal in the UK?

  Yes, cryptocurrency exchanges are legal in the UK. However, exchanges that serve UK residents must register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for anti-money laundering compliance. Not all global exchanges are FCA-registered, so always check this before you sign up.

• Can I buy crypto in the UK?

  Yes, you can trade crypto legally from the UK on FCA-registered exchanges like those in this guide. There are currently no signs that crypto trading will be made illegal in the UK.

• Which crypto exchange is safest in the UK?

  FCA-registered exchanges like eToro, Coinbase, Kraken, Uphold and all the crypto exchanges listed here are considered safe due to their regulatory compliance. For extra security, we’ve given each platform a Finder score to help you choose platforms offering things like cold storage, 2FA, and a stellar security track record.

• Can I use Binance in the UK?

  No, as of Monday 16 October 2023 at 5pm UK time, Binance stopped accepting new UK users. If you had an existing account, this should still work to some degree but you can’t open a new account with Binance because it does not comply with the FCA’s rules around crypto exchanges and money laundering.