With cryptocurrency going mainstream and getting legitimized here and there, it is only a matter of time before a huge population wants to get in on the action. Marketplaces that allow people to trade, buy, and sell digital assets are becoming crucial.
To address this market demand, cryptocurrency exchanges were created.
By definition, a cryptocurrency exchange is an online marketplace where users can exchange one kind of digital asset for another. These exchanges will be based on the market value of the given assets.
Banks are real financial institutions that can receive deposits, store and transfer money, and are licensed in the real world. The banks regulate money. They are the only legal institution that can offer customers the ability to exchange fiat currencies for another.
Stock brokers can trade securities and stocks on a stock exchange. Only stocks that are listed on an exchange can be purchased or sold. Stock exchanges are marketplaces that stock sellers and buyers use to trade their stocks.
In the digital world, cryptocurrency exchanges provide similar services to banks and Stock exchanges.
Still, as with there are people who still treat cryptocurrencies with trepidations and agitations. For some people, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges are treated as borderline illegal online marketplaces.
These people believe these places could facilitate the trading of unregistered securities. They believe that crypto exchanges can be places where suspicious people can launder money and have limited AML/KYC to evade the law.
Of course, some of these claims are not entirely unfounded. As with all dealings with cryptocurrency, there are inherent risks to using cryptocurrency exchanges.
For example, there is a good chance that law enforcement may shut down an exchange. When this happens, these exchanges might not be able to return your money because some operate illegally in gray areas.
There is also the possibility of your funds getting locked in the exchange, leaving you with no way of withdrawing or even selling your cryptocurrency and other digital assets. This could happen when your cryptocurrency exchange is seized or under investigation by the authorities.
Lastly, there is a very big possibility of you losing your money from speculating cryptocurrency and then having the rug pulled under you by the founders or founding team of these exchanges. This is especially true if these founders are scammers or hustlers who excel at what they do.
It is important to remember that cryptocurrency and any other related technology are always a risky business. Always be cautious. As with gambling, there is a greater chance of losing than winning. High-risk, high-reward.
If you prefer to see the experience in a more visual way, Mark Farfan’s YouTube video review is for you. To get a comprehensive overview of Binance, you may still want to check out our article below, which compares it to some competitors.
Binance Exchange Stormgain vs Binance
Binance Overview
Binance is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the entire world. It offers the largest number of trading pairs and has the highest trading volume among all crypto exchange services.
Binance was established in 2017 by Changpeng Zhao, a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur. The company was initially based in China, but with the growing crypto restriction on crypto in the country, it was moved to Japan and soon to Malta.
The company didn’t have a place to call home back then.
The company is currently based in Malta. That said, Binance serves most countries around the globe, except for the United States, where a specific version of the platform, Binance.US, had to be established.
Binance’s popularity with its user base is because of its low fees, a large number of available cryptocurrencies, as well as its innovative products. The platform has a lot to offer in terms of products that are based on cryptocurrencies.
These products/services offer the opportunity to earn, trade, stake, derive and NFTs. The service allows you to get loans, make payments and even apply for credit cards.
Cryptos Under Binance
Binance also has its own set of tokens and cryptocurrencies. There are actually two.
The BUSD is the first. It is a stablecoin fiat-backed issued by Binance and Paxos. This stablecoin token is backed 1:1 by US dollars in reserve. The company created BUSD as a means to provide a more stable cryptocurrency alternative for traders and investors wanting to avoid the volatile nature of the digital asset market.
BNB is the second. It was previously known as Binance Coin. The initial coin offering (ICO), launched it in 2017. This was to provide an asset for users back when Binance was still very young. It began as an ERC-20 standard token built on the Ethereum blockchain.
It is currently a native token in Binance, where it powers operations. It’s used to pay trading, listing and exchange fees as well as other expenses that users incur on the platform.
Binance Perks
- Low Fees
This is why Binance is the most popular crypto exchange platform in the world. Binance trades are as good as free. The platform charges a maker/taker fee. Fees will vary depending on trading volume and Binance Coin (BNB) balance.
Despite this, fees are still charged by the platform for certain services, including withdrawals and payment types.
- Large Selection of Cryptos
A crypto exchange platform will only be as good as the selection of cryptocurrencies available in its market. Of course, being the biggest one there is, Binance carries a lot and other digital currencies available.
There are even decentralized finance (DeFi) tokens available, as well as stablecoins, altcoins, and other popular cryptos.
Some of the available currencies include:
- Binance Coins (BNB)
- VeChain (VET)
- VeThor (VTHO)
- Harmon (ONE)
- Matic Network (MATIC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Cosmos (ATOM)
- Cardano (ADA)
And many more.
- Multiple ways to Earn
For those wanting to get more mileage out of their investments, Binance allows you to earn more from your crypto assets. Customers can earn income by adding liquidity to token pairs. There are also staking options on the platform.
However, these opportunities come with a lot of risk. Users must be able to recognize and weigh the risks. Trading and dealing in crypto is risky enough.
- Advanced trading tools
Lastly, Binance would not be called a crypto exchange platform if it were without trading tools.
Binance offers advanced trading tools that make it easy to tailor trading options. It makes it easier to set limit orders to buy and sell crypto at a specific price.
Then there are charting tools that can be very useful for veteran traders making decisions. You can even sell leveraged tokens to make trading easier.
Binance Trading Experience
Binance’s overall trading experience is excellent. It provides various trading tools that allow for smoother and faster transactions. You can even use real-time charts with moving averages, which makes it easy and accessible.
You don’t have to trade on your computer. Rather, you can use Binance however you want. It’s possible to do this through the Binance App or the Binance website.
The platform will keep track of traders’ portfolios for them, so they won’t need to use any additional tools or platforms. Even those who want to keep track of their trades will only need to access their trade history, which is also available on the exchange platform.
Even how they view their trading can be customized. This allows for easier comprehension of data. Users can even choose how they want these data presented. This makes it easier for users to identify the most important.
Binance Trading Fees
Binance trading fees will depend on the customers’ trading history and trading volume in the past 30 days. The amount of BNB that the user has will also be important.
The fees you pay will depend on whether you are a taker or a maker. Takers, who remove liquidity orders from a market, tend to get higher fees than makers (those who add liquidity to it).
Binance uses its native currency to facilitate transactions. You get 25% off your trading fees when you use BNB to make trades. Binance also offers 0% trading on selected Bitcoin and Binance USD (BUSD) pairs.
This chart can be used to quickly reference Binance’s fees.
VIP | 30-Day Trade Volume (BUSD) | Maker/Taker |
0 | Less than 1,000,000 | 0.10%/0.10% |
1 | 1,000,000 to 4,999,999 and at least 25 BNB | 0.09%/0.10% |
2 | Between 5,000,000 and 19,999,999 with at least 100 BNB | 0.08% / 0.10% |
3 | Between 20,000,000 and 119,999.999, with at least 250 BNB | 0.07% / 0.10% |
4 | 120,000,000 to 199.999.999 with at least 500 BNB | 0.07% / 0.09% |
5 | 200,000,000 to 499,999,999 and at least 1,000 BNB | 0.06% / 0.08% |
6 | 500,000,000 to 999,999,999 and at least 1,750 BNB | 0.05% / 0.07% |
7 | 1,000,000,000 to 2,499,999,999 and at least 3,000 BNB | 0.04% / 0.06% |
8 | 2,500,000,000 to 4,999,999,999 and at least 4,500 BNB | 0.03% / 0.05% |
9 | More than 5,000,000,000 and at least 5,500 BNB | 0.02% / 0.04% |
Binance Issues
Despite being one of the biggest names in crypto, Binance has its issues and controversies.
The year 2019 was a bad year for the exchange platform.
On May 7, 2019, it was revealed that Binance became a victim of a “large-scale security breach.” It was reported that hackers had stolen 7,000 Bitcoin worth $40 million then. However, customers were reimbursed by the site’s “Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU).
However, it wasn’t as rough as the year 2021 was. It’s not true to say that Binance had a difficult year in 2021.
On allegations of tax crimes and money laundering, the United States Department of Justice investigated the company.
It was also forced to cancel its planned launch in Britain of a digital asset marketplace. This was due to their application not meeting the anti-money laundering requirements set by their government.
It was again in trouble the next year when it was revealed that Binance had shared client data with Russia. In an effort to combat crime, these data contained names and addresses.
Then in October of the same year, it suffered another hack on its network. After discovering an exploit between two different blockchains, the company had to suspend transactions and funds transfers temporarily. As soon as the issue was discovered, it was resolved.
However, about $100m in funds remained unrecovered from a total of $570m that was stolen.
Binance Pros & Cons
Pros
- Low fees
- Simple Access to Passive Income Opportunities
- Large Selection of Cryptocurrencies
- Trading tools that are sophisticated
- Multiple ways of Depositing Money
- Flexible Trading Options and Order Types
Cons
- Non-beginner friendly. Many features can be overwhelming for beginners to use and access
- Regulation Issues with many countries, including major ones like the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and many more.
- Due to regulatory issues, the service is not available in the United States. Even the US-specific service, Binance U.S. (a more limited version), is unavailable in some states.
- There is no built-in digital wallet
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Coinbase Versus Binance
There are two cryptocurrency platforms that can be used, and they have different approaches. Coinbase and Binance are the best examples.
The one is an American-based exchange and is suitable for beginners. It has a simple interface with limited transaction types and is best suited for veterans.
The crux of the difference between Coinbase and Binance is who their main audience is and how they cater to these people.
Coinbase Overview
Coinbase, also known as Coinbase Global, Inc, a publicly traded American company that acts as a cryptocurrency exchange platform. It is a distributed company, and as such, all people employed by the platform operate via remote work.
The company doesn’t have a physical headquarters. The company used to have its headquarters in San Francisco. However, this palace was demolished and the company moved to remote-first.
Coinbase was founded in June 2012 by Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer. He joined the Y Combinator incubator program and received a $150,000 cash injection.
After seeing Armstrong’s Reddit post, Fred Ehrsam became his co-founder. This was back in the days when bitcoin was only $6 and was only known to “a few nerds online” (Ehrsam’s words not mine).
The two guys believed that bitcoin was a crazy idea that would revolutionize money and finance. Both men shared the belief that bitcoin would be huge. They wanted to make crypto more mainstream and easy to use. This was the impetus behind Coinbase.
While Coinbase now sits among the pantheon as the biggest crypto exchange in the United States and one of the biggest worldwide, its beginnings were not glamorous. Coinbase was actually founded in a shared two-bedroom apartment. Stormgain vs Binance
Cryptos Under Coinbase
Coinbase does not have its original coin or cryptocurrency. That said, the platform does support over 100 cryptocurrencies. They also regularly add more cryptocurrencies as the need arises.
Here’s a look at the various cryptocurrencies that coinbase offers:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Solana (SOL)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Uniswap (UNI)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- DAI (DAI)
- SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- A wide selection of cryptocurrency
There is a reason why coinbase is the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States. This is because of the vast and varied cryptocurrencies available in the market.
A Bitcoin (BTC-focused exchange. Coinbase has grown to offer over 150 types of cryptocurrency on the platform. In fact, you can trade currencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and other major coins for smaller and newer digital tokens.
Coinbase is the only cryptocurrency exchange that offers a wide selection of products in the U.S. market.
- Simple and Advanced Trading
Coinbase offers two trading tools to make it easier for users to access their accounts. Users can choose between a simple trade option or an advanced trading option.
Simple trading options are easy to use for beginners. This option has one drawback: it charges higher fees. This is contrary to the crypto investing philosophy of keeping fees low.
Advanced trading, on the other hand, offers more options such as charts and a live order list, as well as the ability to limit orders. This option is cheaper, but it comes with a tradeoff: it’s more difficult to use, more complicated, and more intimidating for new users.
With that said, placing your trades in advanced trading is highly advisable just to maintain low fees.
- Get Free Crypto
For those wanting to earn more crypto, Coinbase gives a cool feature that allows customers to do so. Coinbase Earn is Coinbase’s feature that lets users earn free crypto in exchange for learning more.
Users are encouraged to read more about crypto through educational modules, and when one has completed one module, coinbase allows them to earn more.
While the feature does not give much, it still doesn’t hurt. Besides, even a few crypto bits are always a blessing, especially in this economy. Besides, whoever declines free money is always a fool. Even if the amount is not.
- Educational Content
Coinbase’s library is an educational resource, as we have already mentioned. These resources include tips and tutorials, as well as information about crypto basics. Market updates are also available. It is for this reason that Coinbase is the ideal platform for those just starting to invest in crypto.
- Mobile App
Coinbase up its accessibility factor by allowing users to access their accounts with a mobile app. Like the web platform, their mobile app provides user-friendly ways to buy, sell, and manage your cryptocurrency.
The Coinbase app isn’t just garbage. It’s legit and gets high ratings from both the Apple App Store as well as Google Play Store.
- Crypto Rewards
Your Coinbase account can allow you to earn interest on many cryptocurrencies. Coinbase automatically pays interest on certain stables like USD Coin (USDC).
This allows you stake certain cryptocurrencies such as Solana (SOL), and Ethereum (ETH).
Staking is how many cryptocurrencies verify their transactions and allows participants to earn rewards on their holdings. You commit your crypto assets to support a blockchain network and confirm transactions when staking in cryptocurrencies. Stormgain vs Binance
As said, staking on cryptos will give you certain free rewards. This is not possible for all cryptos. It depends on where you live and the cryptocurrency.
- Coinbase Debit card
Aside from trading, Coinbase allows users to access and spend their hard-earned wealth using the Coinbase card.
A Coinbase account allows you to apply for a Coinbase Card, which is a prepaid Visa debit credit card that can be linked to your Coinbase balance. It allows you to spend cryptocurrency to purchase certain services, especially those that accept Bitcoin or other crypto payments.
What’s more, using the Coinbase card gives you a chance to win crypto rewards. You can even choose which crypto from a rotating list you earn for this rewards
Coinbase Trading Experience
Coinbase offers a different kind of service than Binance, which has lower fees and more advanced training tools. Coinbase targets people just starting their crypto journey.
This platform provides tools to enable crypto traders to quickly and easily trade. This is in line with their original goal to “make Bitcoin easier to use.”
They have provided their determination to achieve this vision by letting users earn cryptocurrency just for watching tutorial videos geared towards beginners.
This doesn’t mean veteran traders only have beginner tools to play with. Coinbase Pro is the perfect platform for you. A platform that is specialized for seasoned traders. Stormgain vs Binance
Coinbase Pro is different because it was designed for professional traders. It gives them more tools that allow for greater customization of their trades. Examples include the ability to choose among several order types, such as stop or limit order and margin order.
Users can also access real-time charting tools, trade history, order book, and price charts. This can help them create more informed decisions when moving their positions and doing their trades.
Although it states pro on the can, that doesn’t necessarily mean users will need to pay a fee for Coinbase Pro. No, there is no need for that. Anyone can access the pro version of Coinbase by creating an account.
Coinbase Trading Fees
Coinbase doesn’t disclose their fees and pricing. Their entire fee schedule was removed from the online help section. That said, this doesn’t mean you will pay your fees blindly. Costs are still shown when entering a trade, so you still know how much you will pay.
To be honest, this is where coinbase falls off from the competition. Its fee structure can be too complex and a little hard for the mind to wrap around. It is said that the fee structure depends on three confusing factors:
- Coinbase charges a spread on cryptocurrency sales and purchases. There is a huge charge that rates will vary depending on market fluctuations.
- Coinbase claims that fees are based on a variety of factors, including the chosen payment method, market conditions (volatility or liquidity) and the order size.
- Lastly, Coinbase also charges fees to cover the costs of executing transactions on the external blockchain networks that support the cryptocurrencies in which it deals. Stormgain vs Binance
Coinbase Pro’s pricing structure is simpler. It is determined by the customer’s monthly trading volume as well as the liquidity of the asset at purchase. Also, Coinbase pro users are required to make deposits and withdrawals through a bank account.
Below is a chart that shows you the fees you can expect from the main coinbase platform.
Trade Size | Coinbase Fee |
$10 or less | $0.99 |
From $10 to $25 | $1.49 |
$25 to $50 | $1.99 |
From $50 to $200 | $2.99 |
Trades over $200 are subject to a percentage-based fee instead of a flat fee.
The chart below gives an overview of Coinbase Pro’s fees.
Pricing Tier | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
Up to $10K | 0.60% | 0.40% |
$10K – $50K | 0.40% | 0.25% |
$50K – $100K | 0.25% | 0.15% |
$100K – $1M | 0.20% | 0.10% |
$1M – $15M | 0.18% | 0.08% |
$15M – $75M | 0.16% | 0.06% |
$75M – $250M | 0.12% | 0.03% |
$250M – $400M | 0.08% | 0.00% |
$400M+ | 0.05% | 0.00% |
Coinbase Issues
Given how much of cryptocurrency is still in a legal area, there is a distinct chance that those involved in it will have their fair share of issues or controversies.
On February 16, 2018, Coinbase admitted that some customers were charged more than originally intended for their credit and debit purchases of cryptocurrencies. These problems started earlier in the month when banks and card issuers charged crypto purchase merchant category codes (MCC).
This was due to the fact that cryptocurrency payments were classified as “cash advances”, and banks and credit card issuers may begin charging cash advance fees for these purchases.
According to a Financial Times article Visa, the credit card company, initially blamed Coinbase. However, it later rescinded those statements and clarified on the Coinbase blog that the “issue was not caused by Coinbase”
Coinbase received more customer complaints than ever in 2018, with an increase of over 100%. Most of these problems were categorized as “money was not available when promised.” The company solved this issue by increasing its customer service staff to reduce wait times.
Coinbase also participated in the first ever case of insider trading in cryptocurrency. The company’s former product manager shared information about tokens. The company provided prosecutors with the right information for an internal investigation.
Pros and cons of Coinbase
Pros
- It is very easy to use and user-friendly for people just beginning in cryptocurrency
- Supports a large number of cryptocurrencies
- Offers the opportunity to earn cryptocurrency and learn about them.
- You can trade simple or advanced depending on your preference
- Offers coinbase debit card, which allows for easy withdrawing of funds Stormgain vs Binance
Cons
- Complex and convoluted fee structure that is also not transparent
- Some transactions attract high fees
- There are limited staking opportunities and interest possibilities.
- A lot of altcoins are missing from their selection
- Customer service issues
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Binance versus Kraken
Binance and Kraken, both giants in the cryptocurrency industry, have millions of users. There might seem like a huge gap between the two platforms should we compare their rank (Binance being first and Kraken at fourth), but there is more to it than that.
For example, US-based Binance users are severely hampered by the fact that they can only access Binance’s U.S. platform (Binance.US.) Kraken, however, is readily available in the country.
These two platforms share many similarities, including both offering advanced trading options and low fees as well as mobile apps. Their target audiences are the same as they are geared towards seasoned or even veteran and advanced cryptocurrency traders.
Customers will ultimately decide which platform they prefer by choosing the most important features. Binance will be the one to choose with their lower fees, large selection of coins and extra way of managing funds. Or will it be Kraken and its high regard for security standards, which won them a bank charter approval in Wyoming in 2021. Stormgain vs Binance
Kraken Overview
Kraken is a fully functional crypto exchange characterized by its low fees and a good selection of tokens, coins, and cryptocurrencies. This platform is unique in that it offers advanced trading tools such as margin.
Kraken’s primary goal is to be the most secure and reliable crypto trading platform. In fact, users and traders have praised Kraken for being one of the only crypto exchanges that “has been probably the only exchange that hasn’t been involved in some kind of shady activity against its users…that doesn’t indulge in questionable corporate policies,”
In connection on the November 2022 FTX Controversy, Kraken founder and former CEO Jesse Powell tweeted: “…Happy to live simply, take a fee for matching trades. A balance sheet is mostly Bitcoin and some ETH.”
Kraken was co-founded in 2011 by the aforementioned Jesse Powell, who was an alumnus of California State University, Sacramento, with Thanh Luu. It was launched in September 2013 and offered bitcoin, Litecoin and euro trades. Additional currencies and margin trading were to follow.
Powell started working on Kraken to replace Mt.Gox (another bitcoin exchange, based in Shibuya Tokyo, Japan). He was a consultant for that exchange before its collapse in 2014 due to failing security audits.
Kraken had also joined other US Bitcoin players to form the “Committee for the Establishment of the Digital Asset Transfer Authority” as the industry’s self-regulatory group. Stormgain vs Binance
The year 2014 was very big for Kraken. The company received a Series A investment of $ 5,000,000 from Hummingbird Ventures in March 2014.
Later, it became one of the first bitcoin exchanges to be listed on Bloomberg Terminal. It has since chosen to help with the investigation of Mt. Gox, Powell’s former employer. Kraken was relied upon because of its proven operating history of not being breached by hackers.
After Wyoming granted such a charter, Kraken was the first cryptocurrency exchange to have a special purpose deposit institution (SPDI), charter in September 2020.
September 21, 2022, saw CEO Powell stepping down as CEO of the platform citing “spending more of his time on the product of the company, user experience, and broader industry advocacy.
Dave Ripley replaced him as CEO.
Cryptos under Kraken
Kraken supports at most 110 cryptocurrencies. The most well-known and popular currencies are:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Solana (SOL)
- Sushi (SUSHI)
- Uniswap (UNI)
Kraken supports several stablecoins, including Tether, USD Coin and Dai. A limited number of Kraken currency exchanges are also available in certain territories. This includes converting US dollars into Canadian dollars, Japanese yen, and Swiss francs. Stormgain vs Binance
Kraken Perks
- Beefy Security
Kraken has been an integral part of the cryptocurrency market since its inception in 2011 and its launch in 2013. Its eyes were focused on security from its first day, and it never kept its eyes off it after all these years. In fact, it is the only cryptocurrency exchange that has not had any major hacking accounts.
As such, this United States-based exchange is the consistent leader in terms of security in the industry. Some in the industry associate Kraken with financial stability and physical security. This is a claim Kraken is too proud to make.
- Healthy Range of Available Cryptocurrencies
Kraken has over 160 coins and seven fiat currencies available to trade on its platform. While it’s not the biggest amount, it is still a healthy number and is comparable to some of the best crypto exchanges. Stormgain vs Binance
Kraken’s liquidity is high, which allows Kraken to make it easier for users to buy and sell at fair prices.
Kraken works using currency pairs, a one-to-one equivalency between two currencies. It is the price quote of the exchange rate of two different currencies traded in FX markets.
Kraken would use dollars to buy Bitcoin, and vice versa. If you are using dollars to buy Bitcoin and then Bitcoin to buy Ethereum, you will always be swapping one currency for another.
In the case of Kraken, not all of its currencies are exchangeable for the others.
- Trading features
Kraken is the only exchange that offers margin, stop orders and crypto short sales. Kraken also has a dark pool where high-volume investors can trade without their names being known.
Kraken allows you to leverage a currency pair by up to 5x. Some eligible pro clients can access up to $500,000 in the margin. This does not remove the risk that margin trading inherently brings.
- The fees are affordable.
While it is not the lowest in the market, the prices of Kraken’s fees are pretty competitive and on par with several exchanges. It is even cheaper than other exchanges.
There are no fixed trading fees. They will vary from one exchange to the next. One sure factor, though, is that your fees will depend on your monthly trade history. While we will talk about fees in depth in another segment, it is important to know that fees are higher when using the instant buy feature rather than the pro platform.
- Optional Strong Staking
Kraken offers a variety of stake options. You can stake in over 15 cryptos. Users can earn as much as 20%, up to 0.25%.
Staking refers to the act of holding your coins in order to make a contribution to the security of a specific blockchain. It can be a great way to passively earn an income.
Kraken Trading Experience
Kraken users can choose between Kraken and Kraken Pro. Between these exchanges, Kraken Pro offers lower pricing. Anyone can access both platforms with a Kraken Account.
Kraken is a trading platform geared toward intermediate to veteran users in mind. However, beginners can still use the platform if they want. It is suggested that they start with the central Kraken platform to learn the ropes. Stormgain vs Binance
Kraken allows verified accounts with linked bank accounts to purchase cryptocurrency quickly. From there, selling or converting your crypto into your account is just a simple process. Inside the website, orders are done using a straightforward form, which will mostly only take a few seconds.
It is easy to purchase cryptocurrencies with your bank account balance. Your account doesn’t need to be funded first.
In terms of security, you can keep your Kraken account safe by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). As such, you will need your device to log in to your account.
On the other hand, Kraken Pro is Kraken’s more advanced trading platform. At first glance, it has a more complex interface than the regular Kraken exchange. Kraken Pro is intimidating for new traders. However, it is worth learning. Stormgain vs Binance
It includes more detail about assets, active charts and the ability to view open orders.
Kraken allows you to pay lower fees, as we have already stated. If you feel confident, you can trade the same trade with Kraken Pro. You’ll pay less and earn more at the end of the day.
Kraken Fees
Kraken’s fees fall in the middle of the market, as we have already stated. It is not the lowest on the market and it is not the highest. There are other factors that could affect the cost of the fees you will be paying.
Also, prices and fees will differ depending on your platform. Kraken Pro will always have cheaper fees than the normal Kraken.
Fees for instant purchases are 1.5% for most cryptos and 0.9% for stablecoins that use the U.S. Dollar or another stablecoin.
There are also additional fees that depend on how you fund your purchases. These prices range from 0.5% for funding with a bank account. For a digital wallet, you can get a 25-Euro cents debit card, credit card or card at 3.75% plus 25 Eurocents. Stormgain vs Binance
Meanwhile, Kraken Pro’s pricing is pretty different. The fees for Kraken Pro are generally lower than those on the main Kraken platform. Fees will be calculated based on the volume of your trades over the past 30 days. Another fee to remember is that most transactions are subject to a 0.26% taker fee or 0.16% maker fee.
Below is a chart showing their maker-taker fees for a volume of 30 days in US dollars.
30- Day Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
$0 – $50,000 | 0.16% | 0.26% |
$50,001 – $100,000 | 0.14% | 0.24% |
$100,001 – $250,000 | 0.12% | 0.22% |
$250,001 – $500,000 | 0.10% | 0.20% |
$500,001 – $1,000,000 | 0.08% | 0.18% |
$1,000,001 – $2,500,000 | 0.06% | 0.16% |
$2,500,001 – $5,000,000 | 0.04% | 0.14% |
$5,000,001 – $10,000,000 | 0.02% | 0.12% |
$10,000,000+ | 0.00% | 0.10% |
Kraken Issues
There really are not many issues concerning Kraken aside from disagreement with a work culture which is something the company has already worked on and moved on
On the security side, Kraken has lived up to customer expectations and has proven itself with being the only major cryptocurrency exchange that has not been a victim of a major hack.
Kraken does have its share of problems with government regulations.
In April 2018, Kraken refused to comply with an investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office on issues about the measures taken by crypto exchanges to protect their customers from money laundering and market manipulation.
Kraken’s main reason is that doing so would be bad for business.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control began investigating the exchange in September 2021 for possible violations of sanctions by allowing trade with Iranian customers. In late September 2021, Kraken was ordered to pay a fine to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission for $1.25 million allowing unregistered margin trading.
Kraken Pros and Cons
Pros
- Advanced and sophisticated features like margin trading and staking.
- Good and dependable customer service option
- Relatively low Bitcoin withdrawal fees (BTC).
- Provides a wide range of educational material.
- Most secure exchange in the market
- Simple user interface
Cons
- Base Kraken platform has pretty expensive fees compared to the Kraken Pro version. Both modes can be accessed as long you have a Kraken account.
- Kraken only accepts a few fiat currencies
- A few users complain about their accounts being hacked. Stormgain vs Binance
- Not available in all U.S. States
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Binance versus crypto.com
Binance and Crypto.com have become some of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges. Both offer a wide range of features, such as low fees, staking, and advanced trading. It does not necessarily mean that they are identical.
There is a reason one is better than the other, but that does not mean that you should automatically run toward the higher-ranked exchange for the sake of numbers. There are many factors that influence which exchange is ranked higher than another.
It is better to look at both options before you choose the crypto exchange that appeals to your needs. You can choose to go with Binance, which has a wider range of crypto currencies, but you will also have the option to choose Crypto.com, which is more user-friendly and charges lower fees. Stormgain vs Binance
Crypto.com Overview
Crypto.com was established in Hong Kong in 2018 The founders of Crypto.com, Gary Or, Kris Marszalek and Rafael Melo originally called it Monaco. It only became Crypto.com when the company purchased a domain that cryptography researcher and professor Matt Blaze owned.
The sales might be on the bigger one, with Domain sellers valuing the domain at US$5 – 10 million.
As for the overall platform, Crypto.com does what most cryptocurrency exchanges does. It allows users to trade, invest, put a stake in some currency and much more.
It also has a huge selection of currencies numbering at least 250 different currencies, reasonable fees, and even discounts to some specific customers (like those with huge stakes in the Crypto.com’s very own coin, the cronos (CRO).
Crypto.com’s main selling point and focus is in their exchange. They offer many crypto services, including their own crypto wallet and an NFT shop. The company has even partnered with Shopify those in the e-commerce platform accept cryptocurrency as a valid payment.
Crypto.com can be described as a cryptocurrency platform that allows traders and investors to do more than just buy and hold. With Crypto.com, cryptocurrency can also be currency.
Cryptos under Crypto.com
Crypto.com offers a wide selection of currencies. It support more than 250 currencies for spot trading with a subset of staking. The platform supports the following currencies:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Uniswap
As mentioned above, Crypto.com also has its coin called Cronos (CRO). Having a significant stake in this coin rewards you with lower trading fees, higher stalking interest rates, and higher credit card rewards. Stormgain vs Binance
Crypto.com Perks
- One-Stop Shop
Crypto.com has a lot going for it aside from being just a plain old trading platform. It allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies on the exchange and swap said cryptocurrencies with others through your DeFi wallet.
Crypto.com lets you spend your crypto with a prepaid Visa Card. Crypto.com places a lot of weight on cryptocurrency’s currency component.
- Low Fees
Crypto.com’s low fees are comparable to many other sites.
In fact, there are transactions within Crypto.com that do not even require any fees. You can deposit your money via wire transfer or electronic bank to your account.
Crypto.com also allows you to purchase and sell cryptocurrency at its true cost, giving the real meaning of “what you see is what you get.”
The platform charges a fee for purchases of crypto with a debit or credit card. Payments made with a debit card or credit card might also be subject to a cash advance fee for crypto purchases.
- Convert Your Money Easily
Although this feature isn’t unique to Crypto.com it deserves to be listed. The Crypto.com app allows users to convert their fiat currencies into crypto. Crypto.com only supports 20 fiat currencies.
These fiat currencies include USD and GBP as well as EUR. However, just because it is available for trade on Crypto.com does not mean that a fiat currency will be available to you for trade. You will be limited in your ability to trade certain fiat currencies due to the country you live in.
- Cashback cards
One of the greatest perks that you can receive as a Crypto.com member is the availability Visa Cards linked to your Crypto.com account with its crypto currency.
Currently, Crypto.com has five types of prepaid Visa Cards available to its users. These cards must be charged before they can be used fully.
Your CRO stake in the platform will determine which Card you can get.
Their Ruby Steel card is the lowest available tier, and it also offers a 1% cash back on your contribution. Of course, you will need to have at least a $400 stake to be able to avail of this.
Meanwhile, those who own deeper pockets can avail of their top-of-the-line, Obsidian tier. This earns you 5% cash or crypto back, along with loads of extra bonuses. To qualify, you will need to have at least $400,000 in stakes. Stormgain vs Binance
Midnight Blue, Jade Green/ Royal Indigo and Frosted Rose Gold/ Icy White are some of the other cards that are available. These cards don’t have an annual fee, and you get a certain number of ATM withdrawals and foreign transaction each month for no additional charge.
- Earn Interest
Crypto.com is more than a place to purchase tokens and coins. It’s a one-stop shop that offers everything crypto. Those who have a Crypto.com account can also earn high rates of interest. In fact, Crypto.com have some of the best high-yield savings accounts in the market.
You may have to keep a lot of cash in CRO to benefit from this perk, but the maximum interest you can earn is below 10%.
You can get a rate of interest depending on many factors, including the time you spend with your money, how much currency you have saved, and how much CRO you stake.
Using the app, you can increase your interest rate in multiple ways. One way is to stake more than 4,000 CROs. It is even possible to get more if you stake up to 40,000 CRO, but that may be asking for too much.
You can also increase the interest rate if you deposit for a one-month term to three-month terms. Between these choices, depositing for one-month terms might be more flexible, but three-month term deposits yield better rates.
Finally, stablecoin investments can also increase your interest rate. Stablecoins usually peg their values to an external reference. Some can even be tied to the U.S. Dollar. These stablecoins can help you earn more interest.
Stablecoins, being stable, are less likely to appreciate in value than normal cryptocurrencies. They are less likely to lose value.
In the end, keeping your savings in crypto is still risky. Cryptocurrencies are still a volatile entity, and if it fails, your savings may be reduced… by a lot.
- Gifts Cards and Phone Top Ups
Gift Cards and Phone Top-ups are other ways that Crypto.com allows you to spend your crypto. You even earn cash-back benefits by buying gift cards from several popular brands.
Crypto.com sells gift cards from well-known brands in a variety of industries, including hotels, general retail, gaming, education, and entertainment from at least 41 different countries. Like Spain, Norway, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Brands include Macy’s, Barnes & Noble, Airbnb, and many more.
The amount of cashback you get will still depend on how much CRO you have staked and what type of company it is.
Crypto.com Trading Experience
When using Crypto.com, your trades will mostly revolve around its mobile app, which serves as the platform’s central hub. So those who are already used to trading stocks on a phone or tablet will have a breeze of time and will find the experience pretty similar to that. Stormgain vs Binance
This app shows the user their portfolio and lists of their most popular assets. It offers everything that Crypto.com claims it can. You can trade currencies, earn by staking crypto, make cryptocurrency payments, and even apply for a Crypto.com card.
Where would you pick up a trading application without its chart tools. The Crypto.com app shares a simple set of data which aims to not overwhelm or intimidate users. These charts provide enough information for users to understand the cryptocurrency and blockchain, which might be useful before they buy.
Crypto.com offers a wide range of fiat currencies. More popular ones include the Australian (AUD) and Canadian (CAD) dollar, the euro (EUR), the British pound sterling (GBP), the ever-popular U.S. Dollar (USD), and even the Brazilian real (BRL). This allows users from multiple countries to buy and enter crypto using their local currency.
Crypto.com Fees
Crypto.com’s trading fees are very competitive. They are actually among the few that offer the lowest trading fees on the market. Those who trade in higher volumes can qualify for fees as low as 0.04% for makers and 0.1% for takers, even without CRO staking.
Users who have at least 5,000 CRO in their bank account can get discounted trading fees. Rates go lower with larger stakes.
However, Crypto.com users who are newer than 25 000 USD will be charged 0.4% for trades that have a monthly volume less than $25,000.
Below is a table that shows fees for spot trades and margin trades for customers who have no CRO stake.
30-Day Spot Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
Less than 250,000 | 0.0750% | 0.750% |
Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0700% | 0.0720% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0650% | 0.0690% |
Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0600% | 0.0650% |
Greater than 10,000,000 or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0500% |
The table below shows the maker and taker rates of those with less than 100 CRO (3% discount).
30 Day Spot Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
Less than 250,000 | 0.0728% | 0.728% |
Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0679% | 0.0698% |
More than 1,000,000 or equal | 0.0631% | 0.0669% |
Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0582% | 0.0631% |
Greater than or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0485% |
As said, the higher your CRO stakes are the bigger your discounts. Stakes over 50,000 CRO are exempt from maker fees. People with even higher stakes may be eligible for rebates.
Crypto.com Issues
Crypto.com, like most cryptocurrency exchanges has its problems.
On January 2022, Crypto.com was the victim of a serious hack. It was reported that the company lost US$15 million worth of Ether. After users reported suspicious activity to their accounts, the company lost US$15 million worth of Ether. The company quickly paused withdrawals which were later restored. The company reported that no customer funds were lost alongside the restoration of withdrawals.
Most of the problems with Crypto.com were due to the downturn of cryptocurrency in general. As such, Crypto.com had to let go of hundreds of employees, which started in May. The company was forced to lay off between 30% and 40% of its employees in October 2022.
In November of 2022, their exchange token Cronos (CRO) has lost approximately $1 billion in value. This was due in part to the collapse of FTX. Crypto.com CEO Marszalek reassured that the exchange was operating normally.
Crypto.com Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very low fees
- Provides lots of avenues for paying with crypto
- Converts money easily
- Visa card perk with great cash back rewards
- Allows you to earn interest on crypto
- Pretty big selection of cryptocurrency coins and tokens Stormgain vs Binance
- Has strong security
Cons
- The exchange interface is not easy to use.
- Coins are not universally available, and availability will be dependent on country and location
- Some areas are lacking customer service and some of it is very poor.
- THere is a lack of educational resources.
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Binance versus Kucoin
When Comparing KuCoin and Binance side by side, the winner is pretty clear. It is Binance, and that is by a lot. KuCoin, despite being one of the earliest platforms for trading cryptocurrencies, has been left in the dust by the likes of Kraken and FTX (at least before they went bankrupt).
As of today, while KuCoin still has its users and most traders generally avoid the platform like the plague. Many negative reviews have been written about the exchange, with a variety of reasons. Some are semantics while others are alarming.
KuCoin Overview
KuCoin was founded in 2017 by top tech geeks Micahel Gan and Eric Don. It is a cryptocurrency exchange platform that was launched by Top Lan, Kent Li. John Lee, Jack Zhum, Linda Lin, and John Lee. The company was founded back in 2013.
KuCoin started because of MichaelGan’s eagerness to learn about blockchain and its application possibilities. Eric was his boss and he told him about Bitcoin. He then got involved in the action.
The impetus came when he found out that the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges during that time were very difficult for beginners to use. They believed this was inversely proportional to how blockchain changed the world, especially with how Bitcoin and crypto changed the global financial system.
Eric and Michael had already written the first code for KuCoin in a coffee shop by the end of 2013. This was how the platform, which would later be known as the “People’s Exchange,” got its start.
Cryptos under KuCoin
It is not surprising that the exchange is an older cryptocurrency exchange platform. This means there are a lot of cryptocurrencies that you can trade and buy.
This extensive range of tokens and coins may appeal to veteran traders who are looking for an assortment of assets. KuCoin’s greatest strength is its ability to mine altcoins for tokens and coins. Stormgain vs Binance
This was also the reason why the company was started in the first place: to make less mainstream currencies more prominent and to allow people to access them.
These lesser-known coins are riskier than the more stable and popular ones. As such, people need to understand what people are getting themselves into.
KuCoin has its token, called KuCoin Token or KCS. The following are some other popular coins that can be found on the exchange platform:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Tether (USDT)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- XRP (XRP)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Filecoin (FIL)
- Internet Computer (ICP)
- Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
- USD Coin (USDC)
Bear in mind that these are just a few selections of what you can find in the exchange platform
KuCoin Perks
- Wide range of Coins
KuCoin offers a wide range of tokens, coins and altcoins that are available for trading on their exchange. In fact, it ranks in the upper echelon when selecting coins available in the exchange.
As such, one of its strengths is that it is easier to find smaller coins on these platforms than on other platforms. KuCoin is the ideal platform for traders looking to diversify into less-popular crypto.
It is a key mission of KuCoin to help smaller and more recent cryptocurrencies succeed. They even have a Spotlight section that promotes new currencies.
This is a good thing for users and the coin, as it allows them to start using a new currency earlier.
- Low fees
KuCoin has very low trading fees. Though it is not the lowest available in the market, it is still fairly low that it can compete with other exchanges.
KuCoin doesn’t charge any monthly fees. Withdrawal fees are in line with other exchanges, and depositing cryptocurrency to the service is free. That said, you will still need to pay a fee to deposit fiat money, such as U.S. dollars. Stormgain vs Binance
These fees will depend on your transfer mode and the third-party app you use.
- Earn Through Interest on Your Crypto
KuCoin, like most cryptocurrency exchanges lets you make money with your crypto. KuCoin Earn is the name of the KuCoin service.
KuCoin Earn gives you two ways to make money from your crypto. You can first take your coins through Pool-X which is backed by KuCoin. The second way is to loan out your crypto and get paid the interest.
Your interest rate for borrowing crypto is higher than the one you would get from a savings account. However, your earnings will still be affected by the demand for your coin.
According to the exchange, you can earn up to 8% to 12% on average from this way. KuCoin uses this money to finance margin trading. Although it might seem risky, the company assures that all lenders will be fully repaid.
This repayment could be made from collateral or KuCoin margin insurance funds.
- Advanced Features
KuCoin provides veteran users with plenty of toys and extra features to play with. They allow for margin trading, which allows users to leverage their position, which means borrowing money to buy more crypto.
KuCoin’s mobile app also supports trading bots. This means that you don’t have to buy and sell your cryptocurrency yourself. Instead, you can let a computer handle that task for you. This is pretty convenient as you do not always need to be online to do your business.
That said, using bots can be pretty risky. Bots are susceptible to errors and you may lose out on many opportunities. Then there is the fact that you mostly don’t know about their perimeters and strategies when doing their trades.
As such, the convenience bots provide may not be worth the uncertainty of how they’re handling your assets.
KuCoin Trading Experience
The KuCoin trading experience can start either through an online portal or an Android and iOS mobile app. Each platform offers a variety of tools and features that you can use to trade on it.
After logging into your KuCoin account on mobile or desktop, you can access KuCoin’s dashboard or front page. Users can view markets, trade, buy, lend, or trade cryptos from there.
In the case of order types, the platform supports four. These are market order, limit order, stop-limit order, and stop-market order.
Users have access to orders as well as margin, futures and P2P trading. You can stake your crypto to earn some back or get a discount on trading fees. Stormgain vs Binance
Recently, the exchange has just added a Trading Bot feature to help simplify the whole trading process.
Overall, KuCoin has plenty of advanced features. Veteran traders might find this a great benefit. However, they might be a nightmare for beginners as desktop, and mobile platforms are not user-friendly.
KuCoin Fees
KuCoin breaks down trading fees by levels. The three main factors that determine the trading fees are: The minimum KCS holding within the past 30 days and the spot trading volume within the last 30 day (BTC) are the key factors in determining the trading fees.
Below is a table showing which trading level corresponds with which.
Trading Fee Level | Min KCS Holding last 30 Days | Spot Trading Volume Last 30 Days (BTC) | Futures Trading Volume Last 30 Days (BTC) |
LV0 | 0 | <50 | <200 |
LV1 | 1000 | >=50 | >=200 |
LV2 | 10000 | >=200 | >=400 |
LV3 | 20000 | >=500 | >=1000 |
LV4 | 30000 | >=1000 | >=2000 |
LV5 | 40000 | >=2000 | >=3000 |
LV6 | 50000 | >=4000 | >=6000 |
LV7 | 60000 | >=8000 | >=12000 |
LV8 | 70000 | >=15000 | >=20000 |
LV9 | 80000 | >=25000 | >=40000 |
LV10 | 90000 | >=40000 | >=80000 |
LV11 | 100000 | >=60000 | >=120000 |
LV12 | 150000 | >=80000 | >=160000 |
These levels will then decide how much you will have to pay in maker or taker fees. Spot trading fees are charged in accordance with the base currency for the trading pairs. KCS users will receive 20% off for paying fees.
Also, KuCoins has a 24h withdrawal limit.
Trading Fee level | Maker/Taker | 24h Withdrawal Limit |
LV0 | 0.1% / 0.1% | 200 |
LV1 | 0.09% / 0.1% | 200 |
LV2 | 0.07% / 0.09% | 200 |
LV3 | 0.05% / 0.08% | 200 |
LV4 | 0.03% / 0.07% | 200 |
LV5 | 0% / 0.07% | 500 |
LV6 | 0% / 0.06% | 500 |
LV7 | 0% / 0.05% | 1000 |
LV8 | -0.005% / 0.045% | 1000 |
LV9 | -0.005% / 0.04% | 2000 |
LV10 | -0.005% / 0.035% | 2000 |
LV11 | -0.005% / 0.03% | 3000 |
LV12 | -0.005% / 0.025% | 3000 |
KuCoin Issues
KuCoin doesn’t have the best reputation in this industry, to be honest. You can see the extent of dissatisfaction by just looking at the reviews.
Trustpilot reviews gave it an average rating of 1.7 stars out 600 reviews. Many of the negative reviews focus on customer service, withdrawals, or even deposits. Stormgain vs Binance
KuCoin was also accused of manipulating the market. Some even claimed that their assets disappeared randomly from their accounts. This is a problem especially when it comes to assets, money and finance.
Security is another issue.
KuCoin, a crypto exchange that is generally safe, was hacked in 2020. The exchange lost about $280 million worth of crypto from users’ hot wallets to hackers. This was a serious security breach, despite the fact that all assets were covered by an insurance plan.
KuCoin Pros and Con
Pros
- Low fees
- Strong user base
- Wide range of coins
- Allows you to earn interest on your crypto
- Advanced trading features
- Good customer service
Cons
- The U.S. has not granted license for this product.
- Limited payment methods
- Can be intimidating and overwhelming for new traders
- Has limited education resources
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Bittrex versus Binance
Bittrex and Binance are two crypto exchanges with more similarities than differences. Both have similar features that users can use. That said, these two platforms do have their major differences.
The key difference between the two platforms is their size. Bittrex is more focused on a scaled-down experience, whereas Binance has the highest trading volume of all the exchanges.
Bittrex was once one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. Still, Binance surpassed them after the former implemented stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering policies.
Bittrex Overview
Bittrex, a cryptocurrency exchange, aims to provide a high-quality service with trust and focus.
It was co-founded by three Amazon cybersecurity engineers: Bill Shihara (co-founder and CEO); Richie Lai (co-founder and chief information officer); and Rami Kawach (co-founder and chief tech officer). Its headquarters can be found in Seattle.
In the beginning, the platform only offered crypto-to-crypto trading, but it soon introduced fiat-to-crypto trading. Stormgain vs Binance
Despite their new fiat trading platform, they offer many cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. They are also available in 46 states of the United States, except Hawaii, New York, Vermont, and Vermont.
Cryptos under Bittrex
Bittrex offers a variety of stablecoins and cryptocurrencies on their exchange. Like most exchanges, this variety makes platforms very enticing to traders.
Their selections include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tether (USDT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Bittrex Perks
- A huge selection of cryptocurrency
As stated above, Bittrex has a rather sizable option of cryptocurrency available in their market. Customers looking for niche, but more risky trades will find it attractive.
- Low fees
Bittrex offers low fees starting at 0.3% This can get lower depending on the trade volume. That said, it is not the lowest available in the market. Some exchanges have lower fees compared to them.
- Fast trading executions
Unlike other services, Bittrex has a custom-built trading engine that allows faster trades. This engine even works well despite high demand. This is a great way for investors to take advantage of volatile markets like cryptocurrency’s price fluctuations.
- Cardano staking
Cardano (ADA), cryptocurrency holders would be thrilled to have this platform. Bittrex allows users to stake their Cardano crypto throughout the exchange. You can get up to 5.5% in reward. Stormgain vs Binance
- Educational Content
We all know how complicated and elusive finances can be. As such, cryptocurrency can be just as confusing and obscure. So anything that offers a way to educate yourself on the topic is a godsend.
Bittrex has an impressive library of educational resources available in its Discover section. You will find references and articles on a variety of crypto topics here. There are references and lessons for topics ranging from crypto taxes to how crypto mining works.
You can even see a breakdown of some of these cryptocurrencies on the platform, which will give you an idea about what you’re betting on and whether it is worth your time.
Although it doesn’t completely eliminate the risk of cryptocurrency, it can help users make better decisions. Stormgain vs Binance
- Referral Program
Bittrex operates a referral program where when someone you know signs up for an exchange account and uses your referral link, you will earn 10% on all trading commissions they pay.
While this may not look like much. Referring a serious crypto whale can net you substantial rewards. Although unreliable, it is a good and less risky way to passively earn crypto income.
Bittrex Trading Experience
Bittrex trading is simple and straightforward. Logging in is all that’s required to access the trading dashboard. It can be accessed via a desktop or mobile app.
The desktop interface offers a simple “instantbuy/sell” option. This option lets users quickly make trades or purchase crypto with a debit card, bank account, or Bittrex account balance.
Users can also benefit from a real-time view of the markets available on the platform. Besides that, users have the option for more advanced order types. Stop, stop limit, trailing stop, and laddered orders.
Bittrex Fees
Bittrex uses a simple maker/taker fee structure, making their fees more transparent than most exchanges. That said, you still get fee discounts for trades with higher volumes. These fees are generally quite low, but not the lowest on the market.
30-Day Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
Less than $25,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
$25,000 – $50,000 | 0.25% | 0.30% |
$50,000 – $100,000 | 0.15% | 0.25% |
100,000 – 1 Million | 0.10% | 0.20% |
$1 million – $5 million | 0.06% | 0.16% |
$5 million – $10 million | 0.05% | 0.15% |
$10 million – $60 million | 0.02% | 0.10% |
$60 million – $100 million | 0.00% | 0.08% |
$100 Million + | 0.00% | 0.05% |
Bittrex Issues
Bittrex has been on the receiving end of negative reviews from its users. Many of these problems are caused by account lockouts, assets that have been frozen, and identity verification issues. Most of these problems are common across many crypto exchanges.
The platform hasn’t experienced any major setbacks or controversies.
Bittrex Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highly secure
- Extensive selection of available cryptocurrency
- Very low fees
- Advanced trading tools
- Pretty helpful educational content
Cons
- Customer support is mediocre and often unhelpful
- For beginners, it can be difficult
Binance versus eToro Stormgain vs Binance
Binance and eToro are two of the most well-known cryptocurrency platforms. They are both very well-known and have a strong market presence.
However, there is a difference that divides the two. That is, they are very different platforms. Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange. eToro, however, is not. It is, in fact, a cryptocurrency broker.
Binance sells a wide range of digital assets ranging from the usual cryptocurrency to NFTs and other services. A cryptocurrency broker also sells crypto along with other investment products such as stocks and fractional shares.
eToro Overview
Unlike most of the companies listed in this review, eToro did not start as a platform for cryptocurrency. Rather, the Tel Aviv-based company was originally an online forex broker under the name RetailFX. This was back in 2007.
When RetailFX started offering commodities, indices, and stocks, it changed its name to eToro. It later launched the innovative social trading feature, which allowed users to copy trades from successful traders on the platform.
eToro was only able to get involved in the cryptocurrency market after it added support BTC in 2014. CFDs could now be bought and sold to non-U.S. users. On the world’s leading digital currency. Four years later, it also added support for Ripple (XRP) and Ethereum (ETH). Stormgain vs Binance
Also, in 2018, eToro went full steam on the crypto industry. More coins and currencies were added to the platform. The company also launched eToroX, a digital asset platform and its crypto wallet.
Cryptos under eToro
eToro and its digital asset platform have few cryptocurrency selections. This is probably because they did not start as an exchange but as a brokerage. Nevertheless, the service does include some of the most popular currencies:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dash (DASH)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC).
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Polygon (MATIC).
- Solana (SOL)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
eToro Perks
- CopyTrader
The CopyTrader is eToro’s signature feature. It was a feature that existed before the platform dabbled in the crypto industry. Stormgain vs Binance
This basically allows eToro users to copy trades done by their favorite traders with just one click. Users only need to set the amount of money they want to allocate for the trade.
The platform will then set the funds and attempt to match the positions of their favorite eToro traders proportionally.
It is completely free, which is quite surprising. This feature requires a fee, but it can be used as often as the user wishes.
- Invest more than just crypto.
Since the platform started in foreign exchange, it was to be expected that new users could still get in on that action.
eToro allows you to have both stocks and cryptocurrency in one account. The platform also offers stock trading at zero commissions and the possibility to purchase fractional shares.
Even for people who want to test out stock investing, eToro offers a virtual brokerage account that lets you simulate owning stocks without putting real money at risk.
- Deposits to Fee Debit cards
Unlike other cryptocurrency exchanges that charge fees, eToro doesn’t charge users to make a debit card payment. As such, investors can deposit fiat money via bank transfer or debit card, all for free.
That said, there is a conversion fee for non-U.S. dollar transactions, so users should remember that.
eToro Trading Experience
eToro is available as a simple web-based platform and a well-designed mobile app.
It is easy to get started on the platform by depositing fiat currency using a bank account or debit card. Once they have done that, they can trade instantly.
An intuitive trading tab gives a view of current prices and buys, sells, and even converts crypto.
The top perk CopyTrading makes doing trades pretty simple and easy. You can even trade with high-performing traders on the platform.
Overall, the platform offers many basic market and limit orders. However, it lacks some of the more advanced conditional orders and more advanced charting capabilities.
The platform is limited in its ability to offer cryptocurrency fairs due to a lack of options.
It is also eToroX, the flagship digital asset platform with all the bells and whistles users would expect from an institutional-grade exchange.
eToroX now offers U.S. Dollar deposits, margin trading and trading APIs. It also allows for fast execution.
eToro Fees
When it comes to fees, eToro is a breath of fresh air. Unlike most cryptocurrency exchanges, which don’t show their fee, eToro lists the fees it charges when trading crypto.
eToro users pay a flat fee of 1% for each crypto trade. This 1% market fee is added to the market price the platform calls a bid-ask spread. This fee is charged when users close or open positions.
However, most users do not like that on eToro, and you pay for the “round trip” upfront. This is unlike other exchanges that only charge a fee when a purchase or sale of a crypto asset is done.
With eToro, you pay 1% for the eventual sale of the coin in advance, plus a $1 fee on the purchase.
Users can have this problem if they transfer their coins to another wallet. As they can no longer return them to the trading platform.
eToro Issues
It is not surprising that there have been many controversies about the platform due to its age. Most of these do NOT involve the cryptocurrency market.
One that does, though, happened during the 2021 closure of leveraged position. The following was notified to European clients of the platform in the early part of that year:
“Due to extreme market volatility in the crypto markets, margin positions for all leveraged crypto positions” should be changed to non-leveraged, or they would be closed within four hours.
This was a bad move and many users and lawyers expressed their intent to file a lawsuit as a group. It even provoked actions of having the eToro license in Cyprus revoked.
eToro also found itself in an unfavorable feud against Redditors from /r/wallstreetbets following the GameStop short squeeze.
eToro Pros and Con
Pros
- A platform that is already established
- Regulated in numerous jurisdictions
- CopyTrading is a unique feature that is only found in the platform.
- There’s more to it than just crypto trading.
- Fee is transparent
Cons
- Only 44 states in the United States allow stock, ETF and cryptocurrency trading
- Margin trading not available to U.S. users
- There are a few cryptocurrencies available.
- The 1% fee is quite high in comparison to other fees.