It is only a matter time before cryptocurrency becomes mainstream and is recognized everywhere. Marketplaces that allow people to trade, buy, and sell digital assets are becoming crucial.
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 based on the market value of the given assets.
In the real world, banks are financial institutions that are licensed to receive deposits, transfer funds, and store money for their clients. Banks, basically, 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.
The digital world offers cryptocurrency exchanges similar services as 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.
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.
Some of these claims may not be entirely true. As with all dealings with cryptocurrency, there are inherent risks to using cryptocurrency exchanges.
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.
There is also the possibility that you will lose your money by speculating in cryptocurrency, and then have the rug pulled under your feet by the founders 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. It is smart to always proceed with caution. As with gambling, there is a greater chance of losing than winning. High-risk, high reward.
For those of you who prefer a more visual experience, here is a video review from Mark Farfan’s YouTube channel. 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 Binance Add Payment Method
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 founded in 2017 by Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and business executive Changpeng Zhao. 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. Binance has many products that are based upon cryptocurrency.
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 first one is called BUSD. It is a stablecoin fiat-backed issued by Binance and Paxos. Each token of this stablecoin is backed 1:1 with US dollars in reserve. BUSD was created by the company to offer a stable alternative to the volatile 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 was originally an ERC-20 standard token that was 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 why Binance is the most popular crypto exchange platform in the world. Binance trades can be done for free. The platform uses a maker/taker fee structure. The trading volume and Binance Coin balance will determine the fees.
That said, the platform still charges fees for some services, such as withdrawal and payment types.
- Large Crypto Selection
A crypto exchange platform will only be as good as the selection of cryptocurrencies available in its market. Binance is the largest crypto exchange platform. This means that it has a lot of digital currencies.
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
For those wanting to get more mileage out of their investments, Binance allows you to earn more from your crypto assets. Customers can try to earn income via adding liquidity to pairs of tokens. 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. 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 is easier to place limit orders to buy or sell crypto at a certain 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
The overall trading experience with Binance is pretty good. 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.
When trading, you do not need to be stuck to your computer. Rather, you can use Binance however you want. It’s possible to do this through the Binance App or the Binance website.
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. 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.
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 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 offers 0% trading for selected Bitcoin and Binance USD pairs (BUSD).
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 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 | 20,000,000 to 119,999,999 and 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
Binance is a crypto-currency company that has many problems and controversy, despite being the most prominent.
The year 2019 was a bad year for the exchange platform.
Binance was the victim of a large-scale security breach on May 7, 2019. It was discovered that hackers stole 7,000 Bitcoins worth $40 million. That said, the site reimbursed customers through its “Secure Asset Fund for Users(SAFU).
It wasn’t as bad as 2021. 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 was also forced to cancel its planned launch in Britain of a digital asset marketplace. Their application did not meet anti-money laundering requirements.
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. These said data included names and addresses of users in a bid to fight crime.
Then in October of the same year, it suffered another hack on its network. The company had to temporarily suspend transactions and fund transfers after detecting an exploit between two blockchains. 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
- Easy Access to Passive Income Opportunities
- Large Selection of Cryptocurrencies
- Sophisticated trading tools
- There are many ways to deposit 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.
- Not available in the United States because of regulatory issues. The US-specific service Binance U.S., which is a limited version of the service, is not available in all states.
- There is no built-in digital wallet
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Coinbase Versus Binance
There are no two different cryptocurrency platforms whose approach can differ as much as Coinbase and Binance.
One is a United States-based exchange that is designed for beginners with a simple interface and limited transaction types, while the other has a steep learning curve and is more suited to veteran users.
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. The platform is a distributed business, so all employees work remotely.
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 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).
They believed bitcoin was an insane idea that would revolutionize finance and money. 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.
Coinbase is now the largest crypto exchange in America and the world, but its humble beginnings are not glamorous. In truth, Coinbase launched out of a two-bedroom apartment that was shared with another company. Binance Add Payment Method
Cryptos Under Coinbase
Coinbase doesn’t have any original coins or cryptocurrency. The platform supports over 100 cryptocurrencies. As the need arises, they add new cryptocurrencies regularly.
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: SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- Extensive Selection of Cryptocurrency
There is a reason why coinbase is the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States. The market offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies.
From 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.
In fact, few cryptocurrency exchanges could compete with Coinbase in terms of selection 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. Users can choose between a simple trade option or an advanced trading option.
The simple trading option features a straightforward design that is easy to use, especially 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
Coinbase offers a cool feature to help customers earn more cryptocurrency. Coinbase Earn allows users to earn crypto 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. Even a few crypto bits can be a blessing in this economy. Besides, whoever declines free money is always a fool. Even if that amount is
- Educational Content
As lightly touched above, coinbase has a library that is a well of educational resource. These resources range form the basics of crypto, tips, and tutorials to more complex stuff and even market updates. 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 is legit and has high ratings on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Crypto Rewards
You can earn interest on many cryptocurrencies through your Coinbase Account. This is because Coinbase pays interest on specific stables, like USD Coin (USDC), automatically.
This allows you to stake certain cryptocurrencies like 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. Binance Add Payment Method
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
Coinbase lets users trade, but also allows them to access their hard-earned wealth and use it with 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.
You can also use the Coinbase card to earn crypto rewards. This rewards program allows you to choose the crypto that you want from a rotating list.
Coinbase Trading Experience
Coinbase offers a different kind of service than Binance, which has lower fees and more advanced training tools. Coinbase’s target market is those just beginning 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 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. Binance Add Payment Method
Coinbase Pro is different in that it was made for professional traders and gives them more tools, allowing for better 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. There is no such fee. 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.
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. There is a huge charge that rates will vary depending on market fluctuations.
- 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. Binance Add Payment Method
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. Coinbase Pro users must have a bank account to make withdrawals and deposits.
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 |
$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 |
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%. 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 was also involved in the first-ever case of insider trading regarding cryptocurrency. The company’s former product manager shared information about tokens. Prosecutors were provided with all the information necessary for an internal investigation by the company.
Coinbase Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to use and very friendly for those just starting in cryptocurrency
- Supports a large number of cryptocurrencies
- Offers the opportunity to earn cryptocurrency and learn about them.
- Offers simple and advanced trading depending on user preference
- Offers coinbase debit card, which allows for easy withdrawing of funds Binance Add Payment Method
Cons
- Complex and convoluted fee structure that is also not transparent
- Some transactions attract high fees
- Limited staking and interest opportunities.
- There are a bunch of altcoins missing from their selection
- Customer service issues
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Binance or 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.) while Kraken is widely available in the country.
These two platforms share many similarities, including both offering advanced trading options and low fees as well as mobile apps. Both platforms are targeted at experienced or veteran 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. Kraken or Binance with their high security standards that won them a Wyoming bank charter approval in 2021. Binance Add Payment Method
Kraken Overview
Kraken is a fully functioning crypto exchange that offers low fees and a wide selection of tokens and coins. One of the most defining characteristics of this platform is that it is one of the only U.S. crypto exchanges to provide advanced trading tools like 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.
Kraken was co-founded in 2011 by the aforementioned Jesse Powell, who was an alumnus of California State University, Sacramento, with Thanh Luu. However, it was only launched in September 2013, offering Bitcoin, Litecoin, and euro trades. Additional currencies and margin trading were to follow.
Powell began working on Kraken as a possible replacement for Mt.Gox, another bitcoin exchange based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Before its 2014 collapse due to failed security audits, Powell was a consultant to the exchange.
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. Binance Add Payment Method
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.
It was later listed on Bloomberg Terminal as one of the first bitcoin exchanges. 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.
He was replaced as CEO by Dave Ripley.
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
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. You can convert US dollars into Canadian dollars, Japanese Yuen and Swiss Francs. Binance Add Payment Method
Kraken Perks
- Beefy Security
Kraken has been an integral part of the cryptocurrency market since its inception in 2011 and its launch in 2013. 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. As such, some in the industry have affiliated Kraken with physical security and financial stability. A claim that the company is just too happy to boast about
- 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. Binance Add Payment Method
This amount helps Kraken maintain high liquidity, making buying and selling at a fair price easier on the platform.
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.
Kraken’s currencies cannot be exchanged for each other.
- Advanced 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 allows you to leverage a currency pair by up to 5x. Pro clients who are eligible can get up to $500,000 in margin. This does not remove the risk that margin trading inherently brings.
- 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 fixed trading fees. They will vary from one exchange to the next. Your monthly trade history will determine how much you pay. 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
Kraken offers a variety of stake options. You can stake in over 15 cryptos. They can earn between 0.25% and upwards of 20%.
Staking is the act that involves tying up your coins to contribute to the overall security of a particular blockchain and can be a great way for investors to earn a passive 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. It is suggested that they start with the central Kraken platform to learn the ropes. Binance Add Payment Method
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. 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. You don’t even need to fund your account first.
In terms of security, you can keep your Kraken account safe by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). To log in to your account, you’ll need to have your device.
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. Binance Add Payment Method
Some features added to it are more detailed asset information, active charts, and even a view to open orders.
Kraken allows you to pay lower fees, as we have already stated. So if you think you are ready, it would be better to make the same trade with Kraken Pro instead of Kraken. You will pay less but earn more in the end.
Kraken Fees
Kraken’s fees fall in the middle of the market, as we have already stated. It’s not the lowest in the market, and it is also not the highest. There are other factors that could affect the cost of the fees you will be paying.
Prices and fees may vary depending on the platform. Kraken Pro will always be cheaper than regular 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. For funding with a bank account, these fees range from 0.5% to 1.5%. For a digital wallet, you can get a 25-Euro cents debit card, credit card or card at 3.75% plus 25 Eurocents. Binance Add Payment Method
Meanwhile, Kraken Pro’s pricing is pretty different. Generally, fees are lower than the main Kraken platform. Fees will be calculated based on the volume of your trades over the past 30 days. Remember that transactions are subject either to a 0.16 maker fee or 0.26% taker fees.
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
Kraken has not had to deal with any issues other than disagreements about its work culture, which the company has worked on and is now ready to move 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.
Approximately a year after, the Office of Foreign Assets Control investigated the exchange for potential violation of sanction regimes by allowing trade for customers based in Iran. 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 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.
- The most secure exchange on the market
- Simple user interface
Cons
- The Base Kraken platform is more expensive than Kraken Pro. 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. Binance Add Payment Method
- 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 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.
The better way to choose your crypto exchange is to examine both options and determine which one appeals to you more. 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. Binance Add Payment Method
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. It only became Crypto.com when the company purchased a domain that cryptography researcher and professor Matt Blaze owned.
Domain sellers might sell the domain for a larger sum, with the domain being valued at between US$5 and 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.
You can also choose from over 250 currencies. There are reasonable fees and discounts for some customers, such as those who have large stakes in Crypto.com’s own coin, the Cronos (CRO).
Crypto.com’s primary selling point is 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.
Overall, we can consider Crypto.com as an all in one cryptocurrency platform that is perfect for investors and traders who want to do more than buy and hold. Crypto.com allows cryptocurrency to be used as 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 (UNI)
Cronos (CRO) is Crypto.com’s coin. Having a significant stake in this coin rewards you with lower trading fees, higher stalking interest rates, and higher credit card rewards. Binance Add Payment Method
Crypto.com Perks
- One-Stop Shop
Crypto.com is more than a trading platform. You can trade cryptocurrencies and buy and sell them on the exchange.
Most importantly, Crypto.com allows you to spend your hard-earned crypto through a prepaid Visa card. Crypto.com places a lot of weight on cryptocurrency’s currency component.
- Low fees
Crypto.com’s low fees can rival that of many sites.
There are many transactions on Crypto.com that don’t require fees. One example is depositing your money into your account via an electronic bank or wire transfer.
Crypto.com allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrency at the true price, which is why you should know that “what you see is what your get”.
That said, the platform does charge you a fee for crypto purchases made with a credit card or a debit card. As an added reminder, payments made with a credit card may also have an added charge of a cash advance fee when buying crypto
- 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, GBP, and EUR, among others. 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.
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. Binance Add Payment Method
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. 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.
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.
The app allows you to increase your interest rate in many ways. One of them includes Staking 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.
If you make a deposit for a term of one month or more, the interest rate can be increased to 3 months. 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 can help you 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.
- Gifts 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 offers gift cards from popular brands covering different industries like hotels, general retail, games, airlines, education, and even entertainment from at least 41 countries. Like Spain, Norway, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Macy’s and Barnes & Noble are some of the brands.
How much CRO you stake and what kind of company you are will determine how much cashback you receive.
Crypto.com Trading Experience
Your trades with Crypto.com will largely revolve around the mobile app. This 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. Binance Add Payment Method
The app in question shows the user’s portfolio and a list of their more popular assets. It offers everything that Crypto.com claims it can. With it, you can trade currencies, earn through staking in crypto, make payments with cryptocurrency, and even sign up for a Crypto.com credit card.
Without chart tools, where would you find a trading app? 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. 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 in multiple countries to purchase and get into crypto using their local currency.
Crypto.com Fees
Crypto.com’s trading fees are very competitive. In fact, they are among those who offer the lowest trading fees in the market. Trade volume can be higher and qualify for lower fees, as low as 0.4% for makers or 0.1% for takers. This is even with no CRO.
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 showing fees for spot and margin trades for customers with no CRO stake amount.
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% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0650% | 0.0690% |
More than 5,000,000 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 to 250,000 | 0.0679% | 0.0698% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0631% | 0.0669% |
Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0582% | 0.0631% |
Greater than 10,000,000 or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0485% |
As said, the higher your CRO stakes are the bigger your discounts. Maker fees for those with stakes greater than or equal to 50,000 CRO become zero. Those who have even more may even enjoy rebates.
Crypto.com Issues
Crypto.com, like most cryptocurrency exchanges has its problems.
Crypto.com was the victim in a serious hacker attack on January 20, 2022. It was reported that the company lost US$15 million worth of Ether. This was after some users reported suspicious activity on their accounts. 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.
Their exchange token Cronos (CRO), lost $1 billion in value between November 2022 and November 2022. This was due in part to the collapse of FTX. That said, Crypto.com CEO Marszalek assured that the exchange was functioning normally.
Crypto.com Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very low fees
- There are many ways to pay with crypto
- Converts money easily
- Visa card perk with great cash back rewards
- Earn interest on crypto
- Pretty big selection of cryptocurrency coins and tokens Binance Add Payment Method
- 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 shortage 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, 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 established in 2013.
KuCoin started because of MichaelGan’s eagerness to learn about blockchain and its application possibilities. 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. They believed this was inversely proportional to how blockchain changed the world, especially with how Bitcoin and crypto 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
Since it is an older cryptocurrency exchange platform, it is not surprising that there is a pretty sizable selection of cryptocurrencies you can buy and trade in the exchange.
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. Binance Add Payment Method
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. 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
- 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. For traders who want to branch out into less popular crypto, KuCoin will be the perfect platform for them.
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 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.
In KuCoin, you don’t have to pay any monthly account fees. The withdrawal fees are the same as other exchanges and deposits to KuCoin are free. However, depositing fiat money such as U.S. Dollars will require you to pay an additional fee. Binance Add Payment Method
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. In the case of KuCoin, the service is called KuCoin Earn.
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. You can also lend your crypto to get 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.
The exchange claims that you can make a lot of money this way, with an average earning rate of 8% to 12.5%. KuCoin makes margin trading possible by using this money. 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 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. Rather, you can have a computer do that for you. This is pretty convenient as you do not always need to be online to do your business.
However, bots can pose a risk. Bots can be prone to glitches, and being too dependent on them may cost you a lot of 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.
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.
The platform supports four order types. 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. Binance Add Payment Method
Recently, the exchange has just added a Trading Bot feature to help simplify the whole trading process.
KuCoin is a great cryptocurrency with many advanced features. Veteran traders might find this a great benefit. They can be difficult for novice traders, as they aren’t user-friendly on mobile platforms.
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 that shows which trading level corresponds to which.
Trade 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. Paying fees with KCS will net users 20% off.
KuCoins also has a 24-hour withdrawal limit.
Trade Fee | 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. Most of these negative reviews are about problems with customer support, the withdrawal process, and even making deposits Binance Add Payment Method
KuCoin has also been accused of market manipulation, with some even saying their assets randomly disappeared from their accounts. This can be a very big problem, especially when we talk about assets, money, and finance.
Then there is an issue of security.
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 Cons
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. Despite being similar, the two platforms have 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.
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, 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. Binance Add Payment Method
Despite the newness of their fiat trading, they still offer a wide selection of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Also, they are available in 46 U.S. states, excluding Hawaii, New York, 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 also offers low fees, which start at 0.35%. This can get lower depending on the trade volume. It is still not the lowest on the market. Some exchanges charge lower fees than others.
- Execution of fast trading
Unlike other services, Bittrex has a custom-built trading engine that allows faster trades. This even keeps up despite having a heavy demand. This is a great way for investors to take advantage of volatile markets like cryptocurrency’s price fluctuations.
- 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. Binance Add Payment Method
- 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. You will find references and articles on a variety of crypto topics here. You will find references and lessons on topics that range from crypto taxes to crypto mining.
They even have a breakdown of some of the cryptocurrencies available on the platform to give you an idea of what you are betting on and whether one is a good investment.
While it does not fully remove the risk in cryptocurrency, at least it helps users make more informed decisions. Binance Add Payment Method
- Referral Program
Bittrex offers a referral program. If someone you know opens an account with Bittrex and uses your link, you’ll earn 10% on all trading commissions.
This may not seem like much. Referring a serious crypto whale can net you substantial 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. Users just need to log in, and then they can access their trading dashboard. It can be accessed via a desktop or mobile app.
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. Users also have the option to place more complex orders. 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. Overall, these fees are pretty low but are not the lowest available in 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. Most of these issues stem from account lockouts, frozen assets, and problems with identity verification. Most of these problems are common across many crypto exchanges.
The platform hasn’t experienced any major setbacks or controversies.
Bittrex Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highly secure
- Extensive selection of available cryptocurrency
- Very low fees
- Advanced trading tools
- Pretty helpful educational content
Cons
- Mediocre and mostly unhelpful customer support
- For beginners, it can be difficult
Binance versus eToro Binance Add Payment Method
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. Rather, it is 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. The Tel Aviv-based company was actually an online forex broker originally under RetailFX. This was back in 2007.
RetailFX began offering stocks, indices and commodities. It changed its name to eToro. Later, it launched its innovative social trading feature that allowed users to copy trades of 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. The world’s most popular digital currency. Four years later, it also added support for Ripple (XRP) and Ethereum (ETH). Binance Add Payment Method
In 2018, eToro also made a big push in the crypto market. More coins and currencies were added to the platform. The company even launched its digital asset platform, eToroX, and even its crypto wallet.
Cryptos under eToro
eToro’s digital asset platform has a limited selection of cryptocurrency options. 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
CopyTrader is eToro’s most distinctive feature. It was a feature that existed before the platform dabbled in the crypto industry. Binance Add Payment Method
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.
What is surprising about this tool is that it is entirely free. This feature requires a fee, but it can be used as often as the user wishes.
- Invest more than 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. Regarding stock investing, the platform offers zero-commission stock trading with the ability to buy 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 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.
An intuitive trading tab gives a view of current prices and buys, sells, and even converts crypto.
CopyTrading is the top perk that makes trading simple and straightforward. You can even trade with high-performing traders on the platform.
Overall, the platform offers many basic market and limit orders. It does not offer advanced charting and conditional orders.
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 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, 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.
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. They can’t return the coins to the trading platform.
eToro Issues
It is not surprising that there have been many controversies about the platform due to its age. However, most of these do not involve the crypto 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:
Margin positions for all leveraged crypto position should be changed from leveraged to non-leveraged. Otherwise, they will be closed in less than four hours.
This was not a good move, and many lawyers and users expressed intent to file a class action lawsuit. 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 Cons
Pros
- An established platform
- Regulated in many 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
- Stock, ETF, and cryptocurrency trading only available in 44 U.S. states
- Margin trading not available to U.S. users
- There is a limited selection of cryptocurrencies.
- 1% fee is pretty high compared to others.