Trading cryptocurrency is one of the hottest, new things on the financial market now and that is mainly because of the dramatic rise of Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin. It may be intimidating at first if you’re just starting out, but the best crypto exchanges make buying and selling digital coins a breeze. Continue reading to learn more about which cryptocurrency exchange is the best option for you.
Compare and view more offers from Coinbase & Gemini in addition to more cryptocurrency promotions.
Best Crypto Exchanges
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 |
Coinbase is a very easy platform to use, so it is great for people how are new to crypto-trading and want to purchase digital coins with USD. However, if you want lower fees and more robust charting and trading experience, then Coinbase Pro is the one for you. The more advanced platforms that offer crypto-to-crypto transactions and allows users to place market, limit and stop orders.
Additionally, they are one of the most highly liquid exchanges out there, which protects investors against major price slippage in an incredibly volatile market.
On top of that, they also offer a free wallet service with private key access. Or you can choose to keep your cyrpto 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.
(Visit Wise.com to learn more)
Coinbase $10 Sign-Up Bonus
Get a $10 Bitcoin bonus when you sign up for a new Coinbase account with our referral link in the button below and buy or sell at least $100 worth of cryptocurrency.
(Visit Coinbase to learn more)
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 |
BlockFi Interest Account members have the opportunity to earn up to 7.5% APY on their cryptocurrency holdings. Keep in mind that the interest rate can vary by currency and fluctuates with the 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
(Visit BlockFi to learn more)
BlockFi $10 Sign-Up Bonus
Get a $10 Bitcoin bonus when you sign up for a new BlockFi account.
(Visit BlockFi to learn more)
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 |
Gemini Basic is a great starting point for people who are new to crypto trading. If offers a quick set up process as well as an easy to use interface to purchase digital assets using USD.
If you don’t already have a digital wallet, the exchange offers their own insured wallet. For added security, 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 (thank you in advance!) and you’ll earn $10 in Bitcoin once you trade $100 within 30 days of account creation.
(Visit Gemini to learn more)
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 |
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 |
Kraken is on our list because is is one of the few exchanges that offers future 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.
(Visit Kraken to learn more)
Bisq: Best Decentralized Exchange
Trading & Transaction Fees | Maker fee = 0.001 BTC Taker fee = 0.007 BTC |
Cryptocurrency Selection | 120+ |
Stablecoin | BSQ |
Insurance | Insured by transaction deposit |
Customer Support | |
Licensed to Operate In | Everywhere |
Because Bisq is a decentralized exchange, you can registeer for an account regardless of where you live, and with no required identification. The P2P software allows for the best anonymity, increased privacy, complete control of your crypto, and better security than any centralized exchange. 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*** |
Cryptocurrency Selection | 220+ | 20+ | >10 |
Stablecoin | 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.
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.
(Click the link above to sign up for an account)
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.
(Click the link above to sign up for an account)
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.
(Click the link above to sign up for an account)
Bottom Line
If you’re looking to getting into cryptocurrency trading then you’re in the right spot because we’ve compiled a list of the best crypto exchanges available and listed out some details about them. All you have to do is choose the one that has the feature set that appeals to you. For more posts like this, check out our list of cryptocurrency promotions.