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. As such, marketplaces where people can buy, sell, exchange and trade digital assets have become crucial places.
To address this market demand, cryptocurrency exchanges were created.
A cryptocurrency exchange, by definition, is an online platform where users can trade one type of digital asset for the other. These exchanges will be determined by the market value of the assets.
Banks are real financial institutions that can receive deposits, store and transfer money, and are licensed in the real world. Banks, basically, regulate money. They are the only legal place offering the right to exchange one fiat currency for another to its customers.
Stock brokers can trade securities and stocks on a stock exchange. Stocks can only be bought or sold only if they are listed on an exchange. 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.
There are still people who treat cryptocurrency with fear and anxiety. Some people view cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency exchanges as illegal online marketplaces.
They believe that these places can facilitate the trade 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. Just as with dealing with cryptocurrencies in general, using cryptocurrency exchanges come with its own inherent risks.
There is a chance that law enforcement will close 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 can happen especially when the cryptocurrency exchange you are using has been seized by law enforcement or is under investigation by the proper 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. Especially when these founders are hustlers or scammers who are too good at what they are doing.
It is important to remember that cryptocurrency and any other related technology are always a risky business. Always be cautious. Like with gambling, there are more chances 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. You can still check our article below for a complete overview of Binance. It also compares it with some other competitors.
Binance Exchange Bitcoin Binance Futures
Binance Overview
Binance exchange is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the 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. Binance is available in most countries, with the exception of the United States where Binance.US was created.
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. You can even get loans, do payments, and even avail of credit cards from the service.
Cryptos Under Binance
Binance has its own tokens and cryptocurrency. There are actually two.
The first one is called BUSD. It is a fiat-backed stablecoin issued by Binance and Paxos. Each token of this stablecoin is backed 1:1 with 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. Formerly called Binance Coin, it was launched in 2017 through an initial coin offering (ICO) as an asset for users when Binance was still in its infancy. It began as an ERC-20 standard token built on the Ethereum blockchain.
Currently, it is a native token of the Binance ecosystem, where it plays an essential role by powering operations. It is used to pay listing, exchange, trading fees, and other expenses users incur on the platform.
Binance Perks
- Low fees
This is the main reason Binance is the largest crypto exchange platform worldwide. Binance trades can be done for free. The platform uses a maker/taker fee structure. Fees will vary depending on trading volume and Binance Coin (BNB) balance.
That said, the platform still charges fees for some services, such as withdrawal and payment types.
- Large Crypto Selection
The number of cryptocurrencies on the market will determine how good a crypto exchange platform is. 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 currencies available 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
Binance is a platform that allows users to make more money from their crypto assets. Customers can earn income by adding liquidity to token pairs. You can also try on some staking options available on the platform.
That said, most of these opportunities carry great risk, so it is up to users to discern and weigh these risks. That said, trading and dealing with crypto is already risky in itself.
- Advanced trading tools
Binance wouldn’t be considered a crypto-exchange platform if it didn’t have trading tools.
Binance has advanced trading tools that allow users to customize trading options easily. It makes it easier to set limit orders to buy and sell crypto at a specific price.
Charting tools can also be extremely useful for veterans traders when making trade decisions. There are even features that allow users to sell leveraged tokens and make trade easier.
Binance Trading Experience
Binance’s overall trading experience is excellent. You can trade with Binance using a variety of trading tools, which allow for faster and more efficient transactions. Some even have real-time charting tools with moving averages which makes everything convenient and accessible.
You don’t have to trade on your computer. Rather, you can use Binance however you want. You can do it through the Binance App, the Binance website, or even the Binance desktop app.
Traders will not need to use multiple platforms or other tools to keep track of their portfolios as the platform already does it for them. Anyone who wants to track their trades can access their trade history on the exchange platform.
You can even customize how they view trading. This makes it easier to understand 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 fees are based on customers’ trading history, and the trading volume over the last 30 days. Another thing that will matter is the amount of BNB the user has.
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.
The chart below can be used as a quick reference for 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 4999,999 with 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 | Between 200,000,000 and 499,999.999,999 with at least 1,000 BNB | 0.06% / 0.08% |
6 | 500,000,000 to 99,999,999999 and at most 1,750 BNB | 0.05% / 0.07% |
7 | Between 1,000,000,000 and 2,499,999.999999 and at most 3,000 BNB | 0.04% / 0.06% |
8 | Between 2,500,000,000 and 4,999,999.999999999 with 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. That said, the site reimbursed customers through its “Secure Asset Fund for Users(SAFU).
However, it wasn’t as rough as the year 2021 was. In fact, saying that Binance had a rough year in 2021 is an understatement.
The United States Department of Justice and Internal Revenue Service, on allegations of money laundering and tax offenses, investigated the company.
It also had to cancel the planned launch of its own digital asset marketplace in Britain. This was due to their application not meeting the anti-money laundering requirements set by their government.
The next year, it was once again put in hot water as it was reported that Binance was said to have shared client data with the Russian government. 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.
From the total $570m stolen, approximately $100m of funds were not recovered.
Binance Pros and Cons
Pros
- Low fees
- Simple Access to Passive Income Opportunities
- Large Selection of Cryptocurrencies
- Sophisticated trading tools
- Multiple ways of Depositing Money
- Flexible Order Types and Trading Options
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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Binance Versus Coinbase
There are no two different cryptocurrency platforms whose approach can differ as much as Coinbase and Binance.
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 difference between Coinbase & Binance lies in who their primary audience is and how they cater.
Coinbase Overview
Coinbase, or Coinbase Global, Inc, is an American publicly traded company that operates 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. It used to have a company headquarters in San Francisco, but this palace was abandoned, and the company changed operation to remote-first.
Brian Armstrong, an ex-engineer at Airbnb, founded Coinbase in June 2012. He started coinbase by enrolling in the Y Combinator startup incubator program, where he received a $150,000 cash infusion.
Later on, co-founder Fred Ehrsam joined him after noticing Armstrong’s post on Reddit. This was back when bitcoin was worth only $6 and only known by ” a few nerds on the internet” (Ehrsam’s words, not mine).
The two guys believed that bitcoin was a crazy idea that would revolutionize money and finance. They both shared a confident view that bitcoin will be very big. As such, they wanted to bring crypto to the mainstream and make it easy to use. That was their impetus for making 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. In truth, Coinbase launched out of a two-bedroom apartment that was shared with another company. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Cryptos Under Coinbase
Coinbase doesn’t have any original coins 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
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- DAI (DAI)
- SushiSwap: SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- Extensive 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.
From a Bitcoin (BTC) focused exchange. Coinbase now offers over 150 different cryptocurrency types. 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
To make the platform more accessible, Coinbase provides two separate trading tools that users can access in their accounts. You can choose from a simple or advanced trade option.
Simple trading options are easy to use for beginners. The only downside of this option is that it takes higher fees, which might be counterintuitive to crypto investing’s philosophy of keeping fees to a minimum.
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. While this option has lower fees, the trade-off is that it is less intuitive, more complex, and intimidating to new users.
To avoid high fees, it is highly recommended to trade in advanced trading.
- 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.
Although the feature doesn’t offer much, it is still useful. Even a few crypto bits can be a blessing 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. Coinbase is the best platform to start investing in crypto.
- Mobile App
Coinbase has made it easier for users to access their accounts via a mobile app. Like the web platform, their mobile app provides user-friendly ways to buy, sell, and manage your cryptocurrency.
This Coinbase App is not just something that is not some garbage or bloatware. It’s legit and gets high ratings from both the Apple App Store as well as Google Play Store.
- Crypto Rewards
You can earn interest on many cryptocurrencies through your Coinbase Account. 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. When you stake in crypto, you commit your crypto assets to support the blockchain network and verify transactions. Bitcoin Binance Futures
As said, staking on cryptos will give you certain free rewards. This is not possible for all cryptos. It varies depending on your region as well as the cryptocurrency.
- Coinbase Debit card
Coinbase lets users trade, but also allows them to access their hard-earned wealth and use it with the Coinbase card.
If you have a Coinbase account, you can apply for a Coinbase card, a prepaid Visa debit card linked to your Coinbase account balance. Through it, you can spend your cryptocurrency to pay for some services (especially those services and establishments that welcome Bitcoin and other crypto payments).
You can also use the Coinbase card to earn 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 linked to their original goal of “making Bitcoin easier to use.”
They are determined to realize this vision and allow users to earn cryptocurrency by watching tutorial videos that are geared towards beginners.
However, this doesn’t mean that veteran traders have only beginner tools to use. For that, Coinbase offers Coinbase Pro. This platform is designed for experienced traders. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Coinbase Pro is different in that it was made for professional traders and gives them more tools, allowing for better customization of their trades. You can choose from several order types such as stop, limit or margin orders.
Users can also access real-time charting tools, trade history, order book, and price charts. This will allow them to make better decisions about how they move their positions or 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
The thing with Coinbase is that they do not give away their pricing and fees. 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.
This is where coinbase falls short of the rest. 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 for cryptocurrency purchases and sales. The spread is significant because rates can fluctuate depending on market conditions.
- Coinbase claims fees are also based on factors such as the selected payment method, market conditions (volatility and liquidity), and even 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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
That said, Coinbase Pro’s pricing model is more straightforward. It is based on the customer’s monthly trading volume and liquidity of the asset at the time of purchase. Also, Coinbase pro users are required to make deposits and withdrawals through a bank account.
The chart below gives an idea of the fees you can expect on the main coinbase platform:
Trade Size | Coinbase Fee |
$10 or less | $0.99 |
$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.
For Coinbase Pro, a general idea of the fees is shown in the chart below.
Pricing Tier | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
Get 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
There is a good chance that cryptocurrency will be a legal issue because it is still a new area of technology.
On February 16, 2018, Coinbase admitted that some customers were charged more than originally intended for their credit and debit purchases of cryptocurrencies. This was due to problems that started when banks and card issuers charged the merchant category code (MCC) of crypto purchases earlier that month.
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.
In a Financial Times article, Visa, the credit card company, blamed Coinbase at first. Later, however, Visa retracted those statements and stated on the Coinbase blog that Coinbase was not responsible for the issue.
In 2018, customer complaints against Coinbase jumped more than 100%. These complaints were mostly referred to as “money not available when promised.” Coinbase solved the problem by increasing customer service staff to decrease wait times.
Coinbase was also involved in the first-ever case of insider trading regarding cryptocurrency. The company’s former product manager shared information about tokens. The company provided prosecutors with the right information for an internal investigation.
Coinbase Pros and Cons
Pros
- It is very easy to use and user-friendly for people just beginning in cryptocurrency
- It supports a wide range 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 Bitcoin Binance Futures
Cons
- Complex and convoluted fee structure that is also not transparent
- High fees on some transactions
- 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 or Kraken?
Both Binance and Kraken are giants of the cryptocurrency world, with both platforms amassing 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.
Binance.US users, for example, are severely limited by the fact that they cannot access Binance’s U.S.-based 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.
Ultimately, it will be up to customers to choose which platform by choosing what they value most. Will it be Binance and their offers of slightly lower fees, a huge variety of coins, and additional way of managing your funds. Or will it be Kraken and its high regard for security standards, which won them a bank charter approval in Wyoming in 2021. Bitcoin Binance Futures
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,”
Jesse Powell, Kraken’s founder and former CEO, tweeted that the November 2022 FTX Controversy was a “”…Happy life, pay a fee for matching trades” A balance sheet is mostly Bitcoin, some ETH.
Jesse Powell (alumnus from California State University, Sacramento) and Thanh Luu, co-founded Kraken in 2011. However, it was only launched in September 2013, offering Bitcoin, Litecoin, and euro trades. Further currencies and margin trading would follow.
Powell began working on Kraken as a possible replacement for 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 also joined with other US Bitcoin players in the formation of the “Committee for the Establishment of the Digital Asset Transfer Authority”, the industry’s selfregulating group. Bitcoin Binance Futures
The year 2014 was very big for Kraken. In March of that year, the company received a $ 5 million Series A investment from Hummingbird Ventures and Bitcoin Opportunity Fund.
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, CEO Powell’s former employer. Because of its track record of being secure, Kraken is trusted.
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 least 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)
Aside from that, Kraken also supports some stablecoins which include Tether, USD Coin, as well as Dai. Kraken also has a limited currency exchange that is available in select territories. This includes converting US dollars into Canadian dollars, Japanese yen, and Swiss francs. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Kraken Perks
- Beefy Security
Since its founding in 2011 and launching in 2013, Kraken has been a mainstay of the cryptocurrency industry. Since its inception, Kraken’s focus was on security. It has never stopped focusing on it over the years. In fact, it is the only cryptocurrency exchange that has not had any major hacking accounts.
This exchange, which is based in the United States, is the industry’s leader in terms security. Some in the industry associate Kraken with financial stability and physical security. A claim that the company is just too happy to boast about
- A healthy range of available cryptocurrencies
Kraken offers trades on its platform with over 160 coins and seven fiat currency. While it’s not the biggest amount, it is still a healthy number and is comparable to some of the best crypto exchanges. Bitcoin Binance Futures
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.
In the case of Kraken, one currency pair would be using dollars to buy Bitcoin and vice versa. You will always swap one currency for the other if you use dollars to buy Bitcoin, and then Bitcoin to purchase Ethereum.
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 offers a dark pool, where high volume investors can trade anonymously.
Kraken lets you leverage currency pairs up to 5x. Pro clients who are eligible can get up to $500,000 in margin. Margin trading is still risky.
- Fees are reasonable.
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’s even less expensive than other exchanges.
There are no set trading fees, which will differ from exchange to exchange. 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.
- Strong Staking Options
Staking options within Kraken are pretty good. 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. Kraken Pro is the cheaper of these two exchanges. Both platforms are available to anyone with a Kraken account.
Kraken is a trading platform that’s geared towards intermediate-to-experienced users. The platform is accessible to beginners if they wish. To learn the ropes, it is recommended that they begin with the Kraken central platform. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Kraken allows verified accounts to quickly buy cryptocurrency from linked bank accounts. It is easy to sell or convert your crypto to your account. The website has a simple form that allows you to place orders. It usually takes a few seconds.
Their system makes it easy to buy cryptocurrencies using 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. It appears more complicated than the regular Kraken exchange. Kraken Pro is intimidating for new traders. It is well worth the effort. Bitcoin Binance Futures
It includes more detail about assets, active charts and the ability to view open orders.
As stated above, Kraken also allows for lower fees. If you feel confident, you can trade the same trade with Kraken Pro. You will pay less but earn more in the end.
Kraken Fees
As stated above, Kraken’s fees are in the competitive middle. It’s not the lowest in the market, and it is also not the highest. Other factors may affect the price of the fees you are about to pay.
Also, prices and fees will differ depending on your platform. Kraken Pro will always have cheaper fees than the normal Kraken.
In normal Kraken, fees for instant purchases include 1.5% for most cryptocurrencies and 0.9% for stablecoins using the U.S. dollar or another stablecoin.
Additional fees will vary depending on how you fund your purchase. For funding with a bank account, these fees range from 0.5% to 1.5%. Meanwhile, 3.75% + 25 Euro cents with a debit card, credit card, or digital wallet. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Kraken Pro’s pricing however is quite different. The fees for Kraken Pro are generally lower than those on the main Kraken platform. Your fees will also be based on your total trading volume over the last 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
Kraken’s security record has been excellent and Kraken is the only major cryptocurrency exchange not to be hacked.
That said, Kraken has its fair share of issues regarding 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 & Cons
Pros
- Advanced features such as margin trading and stakestaking are available.
- Excellent and reliable customer service
- Relatively low Bitcoin (BTC) withdrawal fees
- 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 accepts only a handful of fiat currencies
- Some users have complained about having their accounts hacked. Bitcoin Binance Futures
- It is not available in all U.S. States
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Binance versus Crypto.com
Binance and Crypto.com are some of the more popular exchanges in the cryptocurrency industry. Both provide a variety of features such as low fees and staking as well advanced trading. It does not necessarily mean that they are identical.
While one exchange is better than another, that doesn’t mean you should always choose the highest-ranking exchange just for 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. Will you choose the more investor-friendly Binance with its wider selection of cryptocurrencies to invest in, or will you take Crypto.com’s side, which offers a more user-friendly experience and lower fees. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Crypto.com Overview
Crypto.com was founded in Hong Kong back in 2018. The founders of Crypto.com, Gary Or, Kris Marszalek and Rafael Melo originally called it Monaco. When Crypto.com purchased the domain of Matt Blaze, a cryptography researcher, it became Crypto.com.
The sales might be on the bigger one, with Domain sellers valuing the domain at US$5 – 10 million.
Crypto.com is a platform that does the same thing as most cryptocurrency exchanges. It lets users trade, invest, stake in a currency, and many other things.
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. However, that is not what they all do, they also offer a variety of crypto services which include their own crypto wallet, and even 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. Crypto.com allows cryptocurrency to be used as currency.
Cryptos under Crypto.com
In terms of selection, Crypto.com has a huge one available. It support more than 250 currencies for spot trading with a subset of staking. Some of the more popular currencies available in the platform include:
- 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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
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
While this is not a feature unique to Crypto.com, it bears being listed here. 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. But, just because a fiat currency is listed on Crypto.com, does not necessarily mean it will be available for you to trade. Your country of residence will still be a big factor limiting your ability to trade in certain fiat currencies.
- Cashback Cards
One of the best perks you can get as a member of Crypto.com com is the availability of Visa Cards connected to your Crypto.com account and its crypto currency.
Crypto.com currently offers five types of prepaid Visa cards to its customers. 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. To be eligible, you must have at least $400 in stake.
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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
Other cards available include Midnight Blue, Jade Green/ Royal Indigo, and the Frosted Rose Gold/ Icy White. All these cards have no annual fee and give you a set number of free ATM withdrawals and foreign transactions each month.
- Earn Interest
As a one-stop shop for everything crypto, Crypto.com isn’t just a place to buy coins and tokens. Crypto.com accounts can earn high interest rates. In fact, Crypto.com have some of the best high-yield savings accounts in the market.
To benefit from this perk you will need to have a lot of cash in your CRO. However, the maximum amount of interest you can earn is less than 10%.
The interest rate you can acquire will depend on factors like the duration of time you leave your money, the currency you save, and the amount of CRO you have staked.
Using the app, you can increase your interest rate in multiple ways. One of them includes Staking more than 4,000 CROs. You can even get more if your stake exceeds 40,000 CROs, but this may seem excessive.
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.
Lastly, investing in stablecoin also increases your interest rate. Stablecoins usually peg their values to an external reference. Some can even be tied to the U.S. Dollar. These stablecoins allow you to earn more interest.
That said, since stablecoins are stable, these are unlikely to appreciate in value compared to normal cryptocurrencies. They are less likely to lose value.
It is risky to keep your crypto savings. Cryptocurrencies are still a volatile entity, and if it fails, your savings may be reduced… by a lot.
- Gift cards and phone top ups
Crypto.com also offers phone top-ups and gift cards. 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.
How much CRO you stake and what kind of company you are will determine how much cashback you receive.
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. For those who have been trading stocks on their phone or tablet before, the experience will be easy and similar to what you would expect. Bitcoin Binance Futures
This app shows the user their portfolio and lists of their most popular assets. It includes everything needed that Crypto.com says it offers. 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. In the case of Crypto.com’s app, it shares a relatively simple set of data that aims not to intimidate or overwhelm the users. The charts just contain enough information needed for users to learn how the blockchain and the currency work, something they might need before buying.
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
When it comes to trading fees, Crypto.com is pretty competitive in its pricing. In fact, they are among those who offer the lowest trading fees in 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. Higher stakes result in lower rates.
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 |
Below 250,000 | 0.0750% | 0.750% |
Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0700% | 0.0720% |
More than 1,000,000 or equal | 0.0650% | 0.0690% |
Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0600% | 0.0650% |
Greater than or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0500% |
Meanwhile, the table below is the maker and taker rates for those who have less a stake of than or equal to 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% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0631% | 0.0669% |
More than 5,000,000 or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0582% | 0.0631% |
Greater than or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0485% |
As stated, discounts are based on the CRO stakes. Maker fees for those with stakes greater than or equal to 50,000 CRO become zero. 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. According to reports, the company had 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 immediately halted withdrawals, which were then restored. The company stated that customer funds had not been lost in the process of restoring 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.
Their exchange token Cronos (CRO), lost $1 billion in value between November 2022 and November 2022. This was in part due 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
- There are many ways to pay with crypto
- Convert money quickly
- Visa card perk with great cash back rewards
- Allows you to earn interest on crypto
- There are a lot of crypto coins and tokens available Bitcoin Binance Futures
- Has strong security
Cons
- User interface and the exchange itself is pretty difficult to navigate
- Coins are not universally available, and availability will be dependent on country and location
- Customer service is pretty poor and lacking in some areas
- THere is a lack of educational resources.
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Binance versus Kucoin
Comparing KuCoin to Binance side-by-side, it is clear who the winner is. Binance is the clear winner, and it is by quite a bit. KuCoin was one of the first platforms to trade cryptocurrencies. However, FTX and Kraken have taken over.
KuCoin is still available to its users, but most traders avoid it 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 is a crypto exchange platform launched in 2017 by tech geeks Micahel Gan, Eric Don, Top Lan, Kent Li, John Lee, Jack Zhum, and Linda Lin. The company was established in 2013.
KuCoin was founded by MichaelGan, who was eager to learn more about blockchain and the potential applications. He discovered Bitcoin from his boss, Eric, and started getting in on the action.
The impetus came when he found out that the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges during that time were very difficult for beginners to use. This was in direct proportion to the impact blockchain had on the world, particularly with the way that crypto and Bitcoin changed the global financial system.
By the end of 2013, Michael and Eric wrote down the first code of what would become KuCoin in a cafe. 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. In fact, it is one of KuCoin’s strongest aspects that the platform is a goldmine for altcoins and tokens. Bitcoin Binance Futures
It was also one of the main reasons why the company was founded in the first place, to give fewer mainstream currencies their spotlight and allow people to access them.
These lesser-known coins are riskier than the more stable and popular ones. People need to be aware of what they are getting into.
KuCoin also has it’s token, simply called KuCoin Token (KCS). Aside from that, some of the more popular coins available in the exchange platform include the following:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Tether (USDT)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- XRP (XRP)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Filecoin (FIL)
- Internet Computer (ICP)
- Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
- USD Coin (USDC)
These are only a small selection of the many options available on the exchange platform.
KuCoin Perks
- A 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.
After all, it is one of the main missions of KuCoin, to give smaller and newer cryptocurrencies a fighting chance. 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 also has 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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
These fees depend on the transfer method you choose and what third-party app that 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.
With KuCoin earn, you are given two ways to earn 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. That said, the coin and its demand still affect how much you earn.
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.
That repayment might come from the borrower’s collateral or a KuCoin margin insurance fund.
- Advanced Features
KuCoin provides veteran users with plenty of toys and extra features to play with. They permit margin trading which allows users leverage their position which allows them to borrow money to purchase more crypto.
KuCoin also allows the use of trading bots in its mobile app. 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 very convenient because you don’t always have to be online in order to run 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. Both have an abundance of features and tools which you can use when doing trades on the platform.
YOu can access KuCoin’s front page or dashboard after logging in to your account, be it on desktop or mobile. From there, users can do whatever they want, from viewing markets, buying, trading, and lending crypto, as well as many other activities.
In the case of order types, the platform supports four. These are market order, limit order, stop-limit order, and stop-market order.
Besides orders, users also have access to margin, futures, and P2P trading. If you want, you can even stake your crypto with the benefit of earning some back or a discount on some trading fees. Bitcoin Binance Futures
The exchange recently added a Trading Bot feature that will simplify the entire 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: To determine the trading fee level, you have to look at the Minimum KCS Holding within the last 30 days, and the Spot trading volume last 30 days (BTC), or the Future Trading Volume within the last 30 days (BTC).
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 determine how much you’ll have to pay for taker or maker 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.
Trade Fee | Maker/Taker | 24-hour 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. Just by looking at reviews of the company, you can already see a glimpse of how bad the dissatisfaction is.
In Trustpilot reviews, it got an average of just 1.7 out of 5 stars out of 600 reviews. Most of these negative reviews are about problems with customer support, the withdrawal process, and even making deposits Bitcoin Binance Futures
KuCoin has also been accused of market manipulation, with some even saying their assets randomly disappeared from their accounts. This is a problem especially when it comes to assets, money and finance.
Then there is an issue of security.
While KuCoin is a generally secure crypto exchange, it was subject to a major hack back in 2020. About $280 million in crypto was stolen from hot wallets and sent to hackers by the exchange. This was a concerning security breach despite the assets being covered by an insurance fund.
KuCoin Pros and Con
Pros
- Low fees
- Strong user base
- Large range of coins
- Allows you to earn interest on your crypto
- Trading features
- Good customer service
Cons
- The U.S. has not granted license for this product.
- Payment methods are limited
- Can be intimidating and overwhelming for new traders
- Has limited education resources
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Binance versus Bittrex
Bittrex and Binance are two crypto exchanges with more similarities than differences. Both offer similar features that users can enjoy. Despite being similar, the two platforms have major differences.
One key difference between these two platforms has to do with size. Bittrex is more focused on a scaled-down experience, whereas Binance has the highest trading volume of all the exchanges.
There was once a time when Bittrex was once among the global leaders in the cryptocurrency industry. Binance was able to surpass them despite having stricter Know Your Customer (KYC), and anti-money laundering policies.
Bittrex Overview
Bittrex is a cryptocurrency exchange that aims to operate a world-class service with focus and trust.
It was founded in 2014 by three cybersecurity engineers from Amazon: Bill Shihara, co-founder and CEO; Richie Lai, co-founder, and chief information officer; and Rami Kawach, co-founder and chief technology officer. Its headquarters are located in Seattle.
The platform initially offered only crypto-tocrypto trading. However, it quickly added fiat-tocrypto trading. Bitcoin Binance Futures
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 has a wide selection of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins available in their exchange. This variety, like most exchanges makes Bittrex platforms attractive to traders.
Their selections include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tether (USDT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Bittrex Perks
- Huge selection of cryptocurrency
As stated above, Bittrex has a rather sizable option of cryptocurrency available in their market. This makes it pretty attractive for customers looking for new, more niche but riskier trades.
- Low fees
Bittrex offers low fees starting at 0.3% Depending on trade volume, this fee can be lower. It is still not the lowest on the market. Some exchanges have lower fees compared to them.
- Execution of fast trading
Bittrex offers a unique trading engine that speeds up trades, which is unlike other services. This even keeps up despite having a heavy demand. Investors would love this as it allows them to capitalize on the many price movements that happen in a volatile market such as cryptocurrency.
- Cardano staking
Those who hold some Cardano (ADA) cryptocurrency would be overjoyed with this platform. Bittrex lets users stake their Cardano cryptocurrency throughout the exchange. This can earn them up to 5.5% in rewards. Bitcoin Binance Futures
- Educational Content
We all know how arcane-ish finances in general are. As such, cryptocurrency can be just as confusing and obscure. Any way you can educate yourself about the topic is a blessing.
In Bittrex’s case, it offers an impressive library of educational resources in its Discover section. Here, users will find articles and references for various crypto topics. You will find references and lessons on topics that range from crypto taxes to crypto mining.
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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
- 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 someone who is a serious crypto whale could net you sizable rewards. It is an easy way to passively make crypto income, even though it is not reliable.
Bittrex Trading Experience
Trading on Bittrex is a no-frills, straightforward experience. Logging in is all that’s required to access the trading dashboard. Of course, it is accessible via a mobile app or desktop computer.
In the desktop interface, users have a simple “instant buy Buy/Sell” option. This allows users to quickly trade or buy crypto using a debit card, bank account or Bittrex account balance.
A real-time view of all the market data available on the platform is also available to users. Besides that, users have the option for more advanced order types. You can also choose from stop, stop limit, trailing stop and laddered orders.
Bittrex Fees
Bittrex has a simple fee structure that makes it easier to understand their fees than other 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 |
Below $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 received negative reviews from users. Many of these problems are caused by account lockouts, assets that have been frozen, and identity verification issues. These problems are widespread across all crypto exchanges.
The platform hasn’t experienced any major setbacks or controversies.
Bittrex Pros and Cons
Pros
- Highly secure
- A wide range of cryptocurrency available
- Fairly low fees
- Advanced trading tools
- Pretty helpful educational content
Cons
- Customer support is mediocre and often unhelpful
- Can be challenging for beginners
Binance versus eToro Bitcoin Binance Futures
Binance and eToro are two of the most well-known cryptocurrency platforms. They are both pretty famous and lead the market in what they do.
But there is one thing that separates them. They are two very different platforms. Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange, eToro is not. It is, in fact, a cryptocurrency broker.
Binance offers a variety of digital assets, including NFTs and 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. The Tel Aviv-based company was actually an online forex broker originally under 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 only got involved in the crypto market when it added support for BTC in 2014. CFDs could now be bought and sold to non-U.S. users. On the world’s leading digital currency. It added support for Ripple and Ethereum four years later. Bitcoin Binance Futures
In 2018, eToro also made a big push in the crypto market. The platform was expanded with more currencies and coins. The company even launched its digital asset platform, eToroX, and even its crypto wallet.
Cryptos under eToro
eToro and its digital asset platform have few cryptocurrency selections. They were not originally set up as an exchange, but rather 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. Bitcoin Binance Futures
This basically allows eToro users to copy trades done by their favorite traders with just one click. The trade can be initiated by setting the money that the user wants to spend.
From there, the platform will set those funds and try to mirror the positions of their favorite eToro trader proportionally.
It is completely free, which is quite surprising. There is a need to pay an additional fee for this feature, which can be used as much as the user wants.
- Invest more than crypto.
It was expected that users would still be able to participate in the action since the platform began in foreign currency.
eToro allows you to have both stocks and cryptocurrency in one account. Regarding stock investing, the platform offers zero-commission stock trading with the ability to buy fractional shares.
eToro provides a virtual brokerage account which allows you to simulate stock investing without putting any real money at risk.
- Fee Debit card deposits
Unlike most cryptocurrency exchanges, eToro does not charge fees for users who want to do a debit card deposit. As such, investors can deposit fiat money via bank transfer or debit card, all for free.
Users should be aware that there is a conversion charge for transactions not in U.S. dollars.
eToro Trading Experience
eToro can be used as a web-based platform or as a mobile app.
Starting in the platform is as easy as depositing fiat currency from a debit card or bank account, and then they can trade immediately.
A trading tab provides an intuitive view of the current prices, buys, sales, and 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.
Also, the lack of cryptocurrency choices limits the cryptocurrency fairs the platform can offer.
It’s also eToroX – the digital asset platform that is the most prominent.
Some of the new features included in eToroX include U.S. dollar deposits, margin trading, trading APIs, and 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 are charged a flat fee of 1% per trade in crypto. This 1% market fee is added to the market price the platform calls a bid-ask spread. It is also included in the platform’s price when users open or closes their position.
However, many users don’t like the fact that eToro charges a fee for each round trip. This is different from other exchanges, which only charge fees when an asset is purchased or sold.
eToro charges 1% upfront for the eventual sale and a $1 purchase fee.
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
Due to its age, it is not surprising that the platform has had its fair share of controversies. However, most of these do not involve the crypto market.
However, one did occur during the 2021 closing of leveraged positions. Early that year, European clients of the platform were notified of the following:
“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. This led to the revocation of the eToro licence in Cyprus.
eToro was also in a feud with Redditors of /r/wallstreetbets after the GameStop short squeeze.
eToro Pros and Con
Pros
- A platform that is already established
- Regulated in many jurisdictions
- CopyTrading, a unique feature only available on the platform, is an exclusive feature.
- Has more to offer outside of crypto trading
- Transparency in the fee
Cons
- Only 44 states in the United States allow stock, ETF and cryptocurrency trading
- Margin trading is not available for U.S. users
- There are a few cryptocurrencies available.
- 1% fee is pretty high compared to others.