The best crypto exchanges and trading platforms allow people with minimal trading knowledge to join the cryptocurrency revolution. On these these platforms, you can exchange your coins for more traditional (fiat) money or purchase more cryptocurrency you want to invest in.
Today, the cryptocurrency landscape is growing at an incredible rate. It reached a value of $1,782 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase in value to $32,420 billion by 2027. That’s a CAGR of 58.4%, demonstrating just how popular alternative currency is.
For anyone interested in building their crypto portfolio, take a look at the top crypto trading platform options below.
What are the Best Crypto Exchanges?
1. Coinbase
Best Overall
Coinbase is one of the most versatile cryptocurrency trading platforms on the market, and our top pick for the best solution overall. This platform offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies to purchase and trade, as well as an exceptional level of security.
Beginner-friendly, the service doesn’t require a lot of existing knowledge in crypto trading to get started. It also offers a more advanced trading platform, “Coinbase Pro”, for more professional traders with deeper insight into the space.
Coinbase has its own dedicated API so you can integrate your custom backend with Coinbase commerce in case you want to accept crypto payments as an eCommerce store, or online service provider.
Key Features:
- Large number of supported assets: More than 150 supported currencies to choose from and a range of trading pairs for beginners.
- Security: Coinbase insures the digital funds held on behalf of users, and stores US dollar balances in an FDIC-insured bank account.
- Storage: There are multiple storage options for crypto, including a custodial option for new investors, and a non-custodial wallet.
- Global: The company is geographically decentralized with availability in more than 100 countries.
Coinbase Pricing
| Pricing Tier | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
|---|---|---|
| $0-10K | 0.60% | 0.40% |
| $10K-50K | 0.40% | 0.25% |
| $50K-100K | 0.25% | 0.15% |
| $100K-1M | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| $1M-20M | 0.18% | 0.08% |
| $20M-100M | 0.15% | 0.05% |
| $100M-300M | 0.10% | 0.02% |
| $300M-500M | 0.08% | 0.00% |
| $500M+ | 0.05% | 0.00% |
Coinbase doesn’t have a monthly fee to join, but there are relatively high trading fees in some cases. For instance, you’ll pay up to 0.60% depending on your trade volume. There are also fees for “staking” services, which start at 25% commission.
2. eToro
Best for Copy Trading
eToro is one of the best crypto exchanges and trading platforms on the market for beginners. You can essentially “copy” the trades of another trader to get you started if you’re struggling with figuring out which coins you should invest in.
There are more than 2,700 stocks and shares to choose from on eToro, and the platform is extremely easy to navigate, with access available through both a browser and mobile app. Notably, eToro also allows users to invest and trade with more than just cryptocurrency, you can get involved with CFDs, ETFs, and stock trading too.
One of eToro’s most compelling features is its social investing community, with a social-media style news feed where people can discuss trading options.
Key Features
- Social features: Aside from a social investing community, eToro also has the eToro club, which allows users who make a certain amount of money to access guidance.
- Education: Anyone can stock up on knowledge about trading with a range of eToro “Academy” lessons and tutorials.
- Smart portfolios: Through Smart Portfolios, you can invest in a pre-built selection of assets, diversify your holdings, and start making money with no knowledge.
- Security: eToro is regulated by the FCA in the UK and uses advanced encryption to protect assets.
eToro Pricing
A major advantage of eToro is you can invest in stocks and ETFs without paying management fees or commissions. However, there is a flat withdrawal fee of $5 whenever you want to withdraw money. Crypto assets also have a 1% fee whether you’re buying or selling.
Pros
- More than 2,700 stocks and shares to choose from, and hundreds of cryptocurrencies.
- Social features for trading guidance and support.
- Smart portfolios to help you build your assets easily.
Cons
- Withdrawal fees can be expensive.
- Inactivity fees are applied after 12 months.
| Not provided by vendor
3. Binance
Best for Low Fees
Binance is excellent for trading everything from Bitcoin to NFTs. This is our choice for the best crypto trading platform for low fees, because it features a generous fee structure with a maximum 0.1% maker/taker fee.
One of the things that makes Binance unique is access to a specific proprietary cryptocurrency, BNB, which allows you to buy and sell other coins. You can also purchase a wide range of coins in USD if you want to avoid conversion fees.
The range of purchase options and available discounts is great for users who want to really jump into crypto trading as quickly as possible, with minimal budget. However, Binance is only available in some regions worldwide.
Key Features:
- Asset options: You can choose from a wide range of cryptocurrencies, invest in NFTs, and even purchase proprietary BNB.
- Solutions for sellers: Binance pay allows you to collect cryptocurrency as a form of payment from your customers and clients.
- Mobile app: Easy-to-use mobile app with convenient insights into your crypto wallet anywhere.
- Security: Asset funds protect a share of user cash, while personalized access controls give you more peace of mind.
Binance Pricing
| Spot Trading Fee: 25% Off | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot Trading | |||||
| Level | 30d Trade Volume (BUSD) | and/or | BNB Balance | Maker/ Taker | Maker/ Taker BNB 25% off |
| Regular User | < 1,000,000 BUSD | or | ≥ 0 BNB | 0.1000% / 0.1000% | 0.0750% / 0.0750% |
| VIP 1 | ≥ 1,000,000 BUSD | and | ≥ 25 BNB | 0.0900% / 0.1000% | 0.0675% / 0.0750% |
| VIP 2 | ≥ 5,000,000 BUSD | and | ≥ 100 BNB | 0.0800% / 0.1000% | 0.0600% / 0.0750% |
| VIP 3 | ≥ 20,000,000 BUSD | and | ≥ 250 BNB | 0.0700% / 0.1000% | 0.0525% / 0.0750% |
| VIP 4 | ≥ 120,000,000 BUSD | and | ≥ 500 BNB | 0.0200% / 0.0400% | 0.0150% / 0.0300% |
| VIP 5 | ≥ 200,000,000 BUSD | and | ≥ 1,000 BNB | 0.0200% / 0.0400% | 0.0150% / 0.0300% |
Binance benefits from extremely low trading fees which max out at 0.1% for both the maker and taker. There are also various discounts available, such as 20% kickbacks when you refer a friend to the platform.
4. Kraken
Best for Experienced Traders
If you’re an experienced trader, Kraken can help you take your strategy to the next level, with an intuitive and professional-grade trading platform. There are advanced order types, margin and futures trading, and a range of other unique features to explore.
This feature-rich crypto trading platform is quickly becoming one of the go-to choices for professional traders. There are two platforms, the main option and the “pro” platform, which provides highly customizable analysis tools, insights, and a wide range of order types.
On Kraken, users can get involved with concepts like staking and set up margin trading options. There’s also 24/7 support from the customer service team in case you have any issues.
Key Features
- Trading options: Advanced trading options like margin trading, Indices, futures, and staking give professional traders more freedom.
- Security: Kraken has industry-leading security features in place to safeguard your funds and NFTs. There’s a world-class security team and offline storage.
- Support: Around the clock global support ensures you can always reach out to someone if you’re having issues with your funds.
- Cryptowatch: The Cryptowatch platform allows you to keep a close eye on coins as they rise and fall in value.
Kraken Pricing
Kraken offers some of the best industry-leading fees in the space. You’ll pay around 0.9% to Kraken for stable coins, and 1.5% for any other crypto on Instant Buy. For Kraken Pro, the maximum fees are around 16% for the maker and 26% for the taker.
5. Crypto.com
Best Mobile App
Crypto.com is one of the best crypto exchanges and trading platforms for managing your coins on-the-go. This mobile crypto exchange provides an extensive investing and trading system accessible directly through your smartphone. It’s easy to use, convenient, and even offers access to unique products like metal Visa cards.
Crypto.com has a powerful digital asset ecosystem composed of its own blockchain, known as the Crypto.org chain. It also has its own native token (CRO), and yield-generating crypto products to explore. There’s also plenty of educational tools to help expand your crypto knowledge.
Whether you’re interested in NFTs or cryptocurrencies, Crypto.com has something for everyone. You can also get instant loans from Crypto credit.
Key Features:
- Mobile app: The dedicated mobile app allows you to buy and sell crypto easily, and experiment with other unique Crypto.com features.
- Crypto Earn: Gain up to 14.5% p.a. rewards on your coins, so you can get more out of your portfolio.
- Dedicated card: A Crypto card from Crypto.com provides 5% cashback on all spending, so you can earn while you shop.
- DeFi: Access a full DeFi wallet with control over your private keys and earn interest from a range of DeFi products.
Crypto.com Pricing
| Level | 30D Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker | Discounted Maker/ Taker 10% Off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $0 – $25,000 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.360% / 0.360% |
| Level 2 | $25,001 – $50,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% | 0.315% / 0.315% |
| Level 3 | $50,000 – $100,000 | 0.15% | 0.25% | 0.135% / 0.225% |
| Level 4 | $100,001 – $250,000 | 0.1% | 0.16% | 0.090% / 0.114% |
| Level 5 | $250,001 – $1,000,000 | 0.09% | 0.15% | 0.081% / 0.135% |
| Level 6 | $1,000,001 – $20,000,000 | 0.08% | 0.14% | 0.072% / 0.126% |
| Level 7 | $20,000,001 – $100,000,000 | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.063% / 0.117% |
| Level 8 | $100,000,001 – $200,000,000 | 0.06% | 0.12% | 0.054% / 0.108% |
| Level 9 | $200,000,001 and above | 0.04% | 0.1% | 0.036% / 0.090% |
The trading fees on Crypto.com can be quite high unless you’re trading in very high volumes. The most expensive fees start at around 0.4% for both makers and takers. However, there are discounts available in some cases.
6. Robinhood
Best for Ease of Use
For beginners in the crypto trading space, apps don’t come much more user-friendly, than Robinhood. This service features a streamlined interface ideal for people who haven’t had a lot of time to learn how to trade from scratch. You can trade stocks, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrency for free, and purchase fractional shares without spending a fortune.
There are also a range of unique features available from Robinhood, like the ability to enable a “dividend reinvestment program” which automatically places any dividends earned from stocks back into your ETFs and other environments.
Robinhood also allows users to take part in the company’s initial public offering, so you can help to grow the overall business too.
Key Features
- Mobile app: While the features on the mobile app are basic, they’re extremely easy to use, so you can place trades and manage your cash easily.
- Options: You can trade options contracts, ETFs, stocks, and cryptocurrencies for free. Partial investments mean you can also get shares for as little as $1.
- Rewards card: Robinhood has a cash card which allows users to earn weekly rewards to add to their investment portfolio as they spend.
- Web3 wallet: The company introduced a Web3 wallet recently for decentralized trading.
Robinhood Pricing
Robinhood doesn’t charge any commissions to open or maintain your account or transfer funds. However, there will be regulatory transaction fees, and a trading activity fee of around $0.000130 per share. Trading on a margin will require a Robinhood Gold subscription for $5 per month.
7. BitMart
Best for Altcoins
Bitmart stands as one of the best crypto exchanges and trading platforms for altcoins. If you want a trading platform that goes beyond the better-known coin options, there are more than 1,000 currencies to buy and sell here. There’s also a helpful “earn” feature to give you more interest on your crypto assets over time.
While you can purchase cryptocurrencies with standard fiat funds on Bitmart, you’ll also be able to use the company’s proprietary coin to get discount son trades. The solution offers standard, margin, and advanced trading, as well as Futures trading, for more professional traders.
There are NFT options if you want to expand your portfolio, and you can also take part in a number of competitions held by the company on a regular basis, for the chance to win some of the group’s proprietary coins.
Key Features:
- Cryptocurrencies: Bitmart offers a huge selection of cryptocurrencies, including various alt coins and unique coin pairs.
- Trading options: You can use margin trading, Futures trading, and even purchase NFTs to expand your portfolio.
- Research: Markets insights provides you with behind-the-scenes knowledge of the coins and assets you’re going to be trading.
- Ease of use: You can purchase crypto with debit or credit cards on a simple and straightforward platform, and manage everything in the same place
Bitmart Pricing
| Level | BMX Holding Balance & Trading Volume (30D) | Maker/ Taker | Maker/ Taker (BMX 25% Deduction) |
|---|---|---|---|
| LV1 | BMX ≥ 0 & 150 BTC | 0.2500% / 0.2500% | 0.1875% / 0.1875% |
| LV2 | BMX ≥ 2,500 & < 150 BTC | 0.2000% / 0.2000% | 0.1500% / 0.1500% |
| LV3 | BMX ≥ 10,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.1800% / 0.2000% | 0.1350% / 0.1500% |
| LV4 | BMX ≥ 25,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.1600% / 0.1800% | 0.1200% / 0.1350% |
| LV5 | BMX ≥ 50,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.1400% / 0.1600% | 0.1050% / 0.1200% |
| LV6 | BMX ≥ 100,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.1200% / 0.1400% | 0.0900% / 0.1050% |
| LV7 | BMX ≥ 200,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.1000% / 0.1200% | 0.0750% / 0.0900% |
| LV8 | BMX ≥ 500,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.0800% / 0.1000% | 0.0600% / 0.0750% |
| LV9 | BMX ≥ 1,000,000 & < 150 BTC | 0.0600% / 0.0800% | 0.0450% / 0.0600% |
The amount you’ll spend on your Bitmart trading fees will depend on whether you’re a standard or professional user. Standard users can pay a max of 0.25% as a maker or taker, while Pro users pay a maximum of 0.04%.
Crypto Exchanges and Trading Platforms Guide
What Are Crypto Exchanges and Trading Platforms?
The best crypto exchanges and trading platforms are marketplaces where users can buy and sell various forms of cryptocurrency, ranging from the more popular options like Bitcoin and Ethereum to lesser-known names like Cardano and Polkadot. Cryptocurrency exchanges are very similar to standard financial trading platforms.
You’ll have an account where you can create different kinds of orders for buying and selling in the crypto market. Some solutions come with advanced trading features like Futures and margins trading. Others simply allow you to buy and sell various crypto pairs.
There are different kinds of crypto exchanges often separated into two main categories. Centralized exchanges are managed by a single organization and make it easy to convert fiat currency like USD into crypto. Alternatively, decentralized exchanges distribute the responsibility for facilitating and verifying various kinds of crypto exchange.
What to Look for In Crypto Exchanges and Trading Platforms?
There are several different concepts you may need to consider when buying and selling with cryptocurrency platforms. One of the first things you’ll need to think about are the fees associated with trading on a platform, but you’ll also need to consider:
Security
As crypto continues to grow more valuable and popular, it’s also become a huge target for hackers. You’ll need to ensure the exchange you choose has the right encryption and other security standards in place to protect your money. You can also minimize your risk by spreading your investments across various exchanges.
Coin availability
There are numerous forms of cryptocurrency available in the market today. If you want to diversify your portfolio, it’s often a good idea to choose a marketplace with more than just a handful of coins. You’ll usually be able to see the coins available on the exchange’s website before you start investing.
Trading volume
Liquidity is always a crucial part of successful trading. The availability of coins isn’t going to help you if there’s no-one available to buy and sell with you. Higher trading volumes make it easier to sell the coins you have when you want to make back some extra fiat cash.
Resources
It’s helpful to have a range of educational resources, market insights and guidance, particularly if you’re a beginner in the cryptocurrency space. You’ll be able to find a number of great platforms with their own educational environments, like eToro.
Accessibility
Exchanges aren’t always available in every country or state. It’s worth keeping this in mind when you’re exploring your options. Check to see whether you can actually access the exchange first.
Advanced features
If you’re a more advanced trader, you’re more likely to want access to features like Margins, Futures trading, and staking. This will give you more freedom to expand your portfolio.
Crypto Exchanges and Trading Platforms FAQ
Q: How can you buy crypto?
To purchase your own cryptocurrency, you’ll need an account on a crypto exchange, and you may also need to obtain a wallet where you can store your currency. Make sure you know whether your exchange will allow you to transfer your coins off your platform. You can usually purchase crypto using either fiat funds (USD), or a coin created by the platform.
Q: How much does it cost to buy crypto?
These days, you don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune to get involved with Crypto. Exchanges like Robinhood allow you to start purchasing portions of coins for as little as $1. Just make sure there are no minimums for how much you need to buy.
Q: How do you open a crypto exchange account?
You’ll usually need to provide some basic details to a crypto exchange to open account, such as your name, social security number, and date of birth. Some trading platforms will require you to apply for an account and wait for a space to become available.
Q: Which crypto exchange is the most secure?
The majority of crypto exchanges will include a range of features designed to keep your investments and money secure. However, Kraken is considered one of the safest exchanges on the market, thanks to high levels of encryption, and excellent tools for storing your crypto offline.
Q: How many crypto exchanges out there?
Since not every crypto exchange will necessarily register with a central authority, it’s difficult to know for certain how many exchanges are active at any given time. There are at least a few hundred options to choose from as of 2023.
Choosing The Best Crypto Exchange
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to choosing the best crypto exchanges and trading platforms. There are a huge range of options out there, and each come with their own positives and negatives to consider. Some of the best options available right now include:
- Coinbase: The best overall crypto exchange for a wide range of cryptocurrency options, and a selection of beginner-friendly and advanced tools
- eToro: An excellent solution for beginners, eToro has great social trading features, and copy trading options, so you can find a portfolio instantly.
- Binance: One of the most affordable options for cryptocurrency trading, Binance offers extremely low fees, and a wide range of assets.
- Kraken: Ideal for advanced traders, Kraken is a secure platform with advanced features like Margin trading.
- Robinhood: One of the easiest tools to use in the cryptocurrency trading landscape, Robinhood is great if you’re just getting started.
Remember, we’d love to hear about your experiences trading in the crypto landscape. Share your experiences using the tools above below or tell us about your favorite crypto trading platform.
Want to Learn More?
- Insights: The Ultimate List of Cryptocurrency Statistics
- Our Picks: The Best Crypto Tax Software
