With cryptocurrency going mainstream and getting legitimized here and there, it is only a matter of time before a huge population wants to get in on the action. Marketplaces that allow people to trade, buy, and sell digital assets are becoming crucial.
To address this market demand, cryptocurrency exchanges were created.
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.
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.
Meanwhile, a stock exchange is a facility where stock brokers trade company stocks and other securities. 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.
The digital world offers cryptocurrency exchanges similar services as banks and stock exchanges.
Still, as with there are people who still treat cryptocurrencies with trepidations and agitations. For some people, cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency exchanges are treated as borderline illegal online marketplaces.
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. These exchanges may not be able return your money if they are shut down by law enforcement because they operate in grey areas.
There is also the possibility of your funds getting locked in the exchange, leaving you with no way of withdrawing or even selling your cryptocurrency and other digital assets. This could happen when your cryptocurrency exchange is seized or under investigation by the authorities.
Lastly, there is a very big possibility of you losing your money from speculating cryptocurrency and then having the rug pulled under you by the founders or founding team of these exchanges. This is especially true if these founders are scammers or hustlers who excel at what they do.
Remember, when working with cryptocurrency and anything related to them, everything is always a gamble. Always be cautious. Like with gambling, there are more chances 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. You can still check our article below for a complete overview of Binance. It also compares it with some other competitors.
Binance Exchange Binance Spot vs P2P
Binance Overview
Binance is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the entire world. It offers the largest number of trading pairs and has the highest trading volume among all crypto exchange services.
Binance was established in 2017 by Changpeng Zhao, a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur. The company was initially based in China, but with the growing crypto restriction on crypto in the country, it was moved to Japan and soon to Malta.
The company didn’t have a place to call home back then.
The company is currently based in Malta. Binance is available in most countries, with the exception of the United States where Binance.US was created.
Binance’s popularity among its users is due to its low fees, large selection of cryptocurrencies available, and innovative products. Binance has many products that are based upon cryptocurrency.
Some of these products/services include the chance to earn, exchange, 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. In fact, there are two.
The BUSD is the first. It is a stablecoin fiat-backed issued by Binance and Paxos. This stablecoin token is backed 1:1 by US dollars in reserve. The company created BUSD as a means to provide a more stable cryptocurrency alternative for traders and investors wanting to avoid the volatile nature of the digital asset market.
The second is called BNB. 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.
It is currently a native token in Binance, where it powers 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 are as good as free. The platform uses a maker/taker fee structure. Fees will vary depending on trading volume and Binance Coin (BNB) balance.
Despite this, fees are still charged by the platform for certain services, including withdrawals and payment types.
- Large Selection of Cryptos
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.
- Earn Multiple Ways
Binance is a platform that allows users to make more money from their crypto assets. Customers can try to earn income via adding liquidity to pairs of tokens. There are also staking options on the platform.
However, these opportunities come with a lot of risk. Users must be able to recognize and weigh the risks. That said, trading and dealing with crypto is already risky in itself.
- Advanced trading tools
Lastly, Binance would not be called a crypto exchange platform if it were without trading tools.
Binance has advanced trading tools that allow users to customize trading options easily. 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. You can even sell leveraged tokens to make trading easier.
Binance Trading Experience
Binance’s overall trading experience is excellent. It provides various trading tools that allow for smoother and faster transactions. 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. Anyone who wants to track their trades can access their trade history on the exchange platform.
Even how they view their trading can be customized. This allows for easier comprehension of data. Users can even choose how they want these data presented. This makes it easier for users to identify the most important.
Binance Trading Fees
Binance trading fees will depend on the customers’ trading history and trading volume in the past 30 days. The amount of BNB that the user has will also be important.
The fees you pay will depend on whether you are a taker or a maker. Makers (those that add liquidity to the market) tend to be favored and get lower fees than takers (those that remove liquidity orders from the market).
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).
This chart can be used to quickly reference Binance’s fees.
VIP | 30-Day Trade Volume (BUSD) | Maker/Taker |
0 | Below 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 and 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 | 1,000,000,000 to 2,499,999,999 and at least 3,000 BNB | 0.04% / 0.06% |
8 | 2,500,000,000 to 4,999,999,999 and at least 4,500 BNB | 0.03% / 0.05% |
9 | More than 5,000,000,000 and at least 5,500 BNB | 0.02% / 0.04% |
Binance Issues
Despite being one of the biggest names in crypto, Binance has its issues and controversies.
The year 2019 was a bad year for the exchange platform.
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).
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 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. In an effort to combat crime, these data contained names and addresses.
In October the same year, another hacker attacked its network. After discovering an exploit between two different blockchains, the company had to suspend transactions and funds transfers temporarily. The issue had been contained as soon as it popped up.
However, about $100m in funds remained unrecovered from a total of $570m that was stolen.
Binance Pros & Cons
Pros
- Low Fees
- Simple Access to Passive Income Opportunities
- Large Selection of Cryptocurrencies
- Sophisticated trading tools
- Multiple ways of Depositing Money
- Flexible Trading Options and Order Types
Cons
- Non-beginner friendly. For beginners, many features can be difficult to access and use.
- 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. 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. It is a distributed company, and as such, all people employed by the platform operate via remote work.
As such, the company does not have a physical headquarters because they don’t need one. 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.
After seeing Armstrong’s Reddit post, Fred Ehrsam became his co-founder. This was back in the days when bitcoin was only $6 and was only known to “a few nerds online” (Ehrsam’s words not mine).
They believed bitcoin was an insane idea that would revolutionize finance and money. Both men shared the belief that bitcoin would be huge. As such, they wanted to bring crypto to the mainstream and make it 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 Spot vs P2P
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 (UNI)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- DAI (DAI)
- SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- A wide selection of cryptocurrency
Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in America. The market offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies.
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.
Meanwhile, advanced trading offers more features, such as charts, a live order book, and even the ability to limit orders. This option is cheaper, but it comes with a tradeoff: it’s more difficult to use, more complicated, and more intimidating for new users.
With that said, placing your trades in advanced trading is highly advisable just to maintain low fees.
- Get Free Crypto
For those wanting to earn more crypto, Coinbase gives a cool feature that allows customers to do so. Coinbase Earn allows users to earn crypto for learning more.
It is encouraged that users read more about cryptocurrency through educational modules. Once they have completed one module, coinsbase will allow them to earn more.
Although the feature doesn’t offer much, it is still useful. Besides, even a few crypto bits are always a blessing, especially in this economy. Also, anyone who declines to pay for money is a fool. Even if the amount is not.
- Educational Content
Coinbase’s library is an educational resource, as we have already mentioned. 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. Coinbase automatically pays interest on certain stables like USD Coin (USDC).
This allows you to stake certain cryptocurrencies like Solana (SOL) and Ethereum (ETH).
Staking allows participants to receive rewards for their crypto assets. It is how many cryptocurrencies verify transactions. When you stake in crypto, you commit your crypto assets to support the blockchain network and verify transactions. Binance Spot vs P2P
You will receive certain rewards for staking cryptos. 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.
A Coinbase account allows you to apply for a Coinbase Card, which is a prepaid Visa debit credit card that can be linked to your Coinbase balance. It allows you to spend cryptocurrency to purchase certain services, especially those that accept Bitcoin or other crypto payments.
What’s more, using the Coinbase card gives you a chance to win crypto rewards. You can even choose which crypto from a rotating list you earn for this rewards
Coinbase Trading Experience
If Binance provides low fees and more advanced training tools, Coinbase is geared towards a more different type of user. Coinbase’s target market is those just beginning their crypto journey.
The platform offers tools that allow investors new to crypto trading a fast, easy, and secure way to trade. This is linked to their original goal of “making Bitcoin easier to use.”
They have provided their determination to achieve this vision by letting users earn cryptocurrency just for watching tutorial videos geared towards beginners.
This doesn’t mean veteran traders only have beginner tools to play with. Coinbase Pro is the perfect platform for you. This platform is designed for experienced traders. Binance Spot vs P2P
Coinbase Pro is different because it was designed for professional traders. It gives them more tools that allow for greater customization of their trades. Examples include the ability to choose among several order types, such as stop or limit order and margin order.
You can also view real-time charts, trade history and order books, as well as 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
The thing with Coinbase is that they do not give away their pricing and fees. They even removed their full fee schedule from their online help section. However, you won’t have to pay all fees at once. You will still be able to see the cost of entering a trade so that you are aware of what you will have to pay.
This is where coinbase falls short of the rest. The fee structure is too complicated and difficult to understand. 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 that fees are based on a variety of factors, including the chosen payment method, market conditions (volatility or liquidity) and the order size.
- Coinbase charges fees for transactions executed on external blockchain networks that support cryptocurrencies. Binance Spot vs P2P
That said, Coinbase Pro’s pricing model is more straightforward. 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.
Below is a chart that shows you the fees you can expect from the main coinbase platform.
Trade Size | Coinbase Fee |
$10 or less | $0.99 |
$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. These problems started earlier in the month when banks and card issuers charged crypto purchase merchant category codes (MCC).
This was due to the fact that cryptocurrency payments were classified as “cash advances”, and banks and credit card issuers may begin charging cash advance fees for these purchases.
In a Financial Times article, Visa, the credit card company, blamed Coinbase at first. However, it later rescinded those statements and clarified on the Coinbase blog that the “issue was not caused by Coinbase”
Coinbase received more customer complaints than ever in 2018, with an increase of over 100%. Most of these problems were categorized as “money was not available when promised.” The company solved this issue by increasing its customer service staff to reduce wait times.
Coinbase was also involved in the first-ever case of insider trading regarding cryptocurrency. A former product manager of the company as he shared information about certain tokens listed by the company. The company provided prosecutors with the right information for an internal investigation.
Pros and cons of Coinbase
Pros
- It is very easy to use and user-friendly for people just beginning in cryptocurrency
- It supports a wide range of cryptocurrencies
- Provides opportunities to earn cryptocurrency while, at the same time, learning about them.
- Offers simple and advanced trading depending on user preference
- Offerings a coinbase debit card that allows easy withdrawal of funds Binance Spot vs P2P
Cons
- Complex and convoluted fee structure that is also not transparent
- Some transactions attract high fees
- Limited staking and interest opportunities.
- A lot of altcoins are missing from their selection
- Customer service issues
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Binance versus 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.
There are a lot of similarities between these two platforms, with both offering advanced trading options, low fees, and even mobile apps. Their target audiences are the same as they are geared towards seasoned or even veteran and advanced cryptocurrency traders.
Customers will ultimately decide which platform they prefer by choosing the most important features. 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. Binance Spot vs P2P
Kraken Overview
Kraken is a fully functional crypto exchange characterized by its low fees and a good selection of tokens, coins, and cryptocurrencies. 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. Kraken is praised by traders and users alike for not being involved in any kind of suspicious activity against their users… and that doesn’t follow questionable corporate policies.”
In connection on the November 2022 FTX Controversy, Kraken founder and former CEO Jesse Powell tweeted: “…Happy to live simply, take a fee for matching trades. A balance sheet is mostly Bitcoin, some ETH.
Kraken was co-founded in 2011 by the aforementioned Jesse Powell, who was an alumnus of California State University, Sacramento, with Thanh Luu. It was launched in September 2013 and offered bitcoin, Litecoin and euro trades. Additional currencies and margin trading were to follow.
Powell started working on Kraken to replace Mt.Gox (another bitcoin exchange, based in Shibuya Tokyo, Japan). He was a consultant for that exchange before its collapse in 2014 due to failing security audits.
Kraken 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. Binance Spot vs P2P
Kraken was very successful in 2014. The company received a Series A investment of $ 5,000,000 from Hummingbird Ventures in March 2014.
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. Because of its track record of being secure, Kraken is trusted.
In September 2020, Kraken became the first cryptocurrency exchange to hold a special purpose depository institution (SPDI) charter in the United States after Wyoming granted such a charter to the company.
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 (UNI)
Kraken supports several stablecoins, including Tether, USD Coin and Dai. A limited number of Kraken currency exchanges are also available in certain territories. You can convert US dollars into Canadian dollars, Japanese Yuen and Swiss Francs. Binance Spot vs P2P
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.
As such, this United States-based exchange is the consistent leader in terms of security in the industry. As such, some in the industry have affiliated Kraken with physical security and financial stability. This is a claim Kraken is too proud to make.
- A healthy range of available cryptocurrencies
Kraken has over 160 coins and seven fiat currencies available to trade on its platform. While it’s not the biggest amount, it is still a healthy number and is comparable to some of the best crypto exchanges. Binance Spot vs P2P
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 of the exchange rate between two currencies that are traded on 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.
- Trading features
Kraken is one of the few exchanges offering margin, stop orders, and crypto short sales. Kraken also has a dark pool where high-volume investors can trade without their names being known.
Kraken lets you leverage currency pairs 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.
Although it’s not the most expensive on the market, Kraken’s fees remain competitive and comparable to other 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.
- Optional Strong Staking
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 refers to the act of holding your coins in order to make a contribution to the security of a specific blockchain. It can be a great way to passively earn an income.
Kraken Trading Experience
Kraken users can choose between Kraken and Kraken Pro. Between these exchanges, Kraken Pro offers lower pricing. Both platforms are available to anyone with a Kraken account.
Kraken is a trading platform geared toward intermediate to veteran users in mind. 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 Spot vs P2P
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. Your account doesn’t need to be funded first.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a security feature that you can use to protect your Kraken account. 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. This makes Kraken Pro very intimidating, especially to trading newbies. It is well worth the effort. Binance Spot vs P2P
Some features added to it are more detailed asset information, active charts, and even a view to 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
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 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. Binance Spot vs P2P
Meanwhile, Kraken Pro’s pricing is pretty different. The fees for Kraken Pro are generally lower than those on the main Kraken platform. Fees will be calculated based on the volume of your trades over the past 30 days. Another fee to remember is that most transactions are subject to a 0.26% taker fee or 0.16% maker fee.
Below is a general chart of their maker-taker fees in a 30-day volume 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.
Kraken refused to cooperate with an investigation by New York Attorney General’s Office in April 2018 on questions about crypto exchanges’ measures to protect customers from market manipulation and money laundering.
Kraken believes that this would be a bad business decision.
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. Kraken was fined $1.25million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in September 2021 for allowing unregistered margin trades.
Kraken Pros & Cons
Pros
- Advanced and sophisticated features like margin trading and staking.
- 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. Luckily both modes can easily be accessed as long as you have a Kraken account.
- Kraken accepts only a handful of fiat currencies
- A few users complain about their accounts being hacked. Binance Spot vs P2P
- 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 offer a wide range of features, such as low fees, staking, and advanced trading. However, it does not mean that the two platforms are identical.
There is a reason one is better than the other, but that does not mean that you should automatically run toward the higher-ranked exchange for the sake of numbers. There are many factors that influence which exchange is ranked higher than another.
It is better to look at both options before you choose the crypto exchange that appeals to your needs. 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 Spot vs P2P
Crypto.com Overview
Crypto.com was established in Hong Kong in 2018 It was originally called Monaco by founders Bobby Bao, Gary Or, Kris Marszalek, and Rafael Melo. It only became Crypto.com when the company purchased a domain that cryptography researcher and professor Matt Blaze owned.
The sales might be on the bigger one, with Domain sellers valuing the domain at US$5 – 10 million.
As for the overall platform, Crypto.com does what most cryptocurrency exchanges does. It 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 primary selling point is their exchange. They offer many crypto services, including their own crypto wallet and an NFT shop. Shopify has partnered with the company to accept cryptocurrency as a payment method.
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. With Crypto.com, cryptocurrency can also be currency.
Cryptos under Crypto.com
In terms of selection, Crypto.com has a huge one available. You can trade spot with more than 250 currencies, and you can also 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)
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. Binance Spot vs P2P
Crypto.com Perks
- One-Stop Shop
Crypto.com has a lot going for it aside from being just a plain old 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. Basically, Crypto.com puts weight on the currency part of cryptocurrency.
- 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. 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. 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. Users can convert fiat currencies to crypto with the Crypto.com app. 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. You will be limited in your ability to trade certain fiat currencies due to the country you live in.
- Cashback Cards
One of the greatest perks that you can receive as a Crypto.com member is the availability Visa Cards linked to your Crypto.com account with its crypto currency.
Currently, Crypto.com has five types of prepaid Visa Cards available to its users. Granted, these cards will need to be topped up before one can fully utilize their uses.
The type of Card available for you will also depend on how much CRO stake you have in the platform.
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 tier earns you 5% cash back or cryptoback, as well as lots of bonuses. That said, you must have at least $400,000 worth of stake for CRO to qualify for this. Binance Spot vs P2P
Midnight Blue, Jade Green/ Royal Indigo and Frosted Rose Gold/ Icy White are some of the other cards that are available. These cards don’t have an annual fee, and you get a certain number of ATM withdrawals and foreign transaction each month for no additional charge.
- Earn Interest
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. Crypto.com offers some of the highest-yielding savings accounts on the market.
You may have to keep a lot of cash in CRO to benefit from this perk, but the maximum interest you can earn is below 10%.
You can get a rate of interest depending on many factors, including the time you spend with your money, how much currency you have saved, and how much CRO you stake.
Using the app, you can increase your interest rate in multiple ways. One 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 are usually tied to an external reference. Some can even be tied to the U.S. Dollar. These stablecoins allow you to earn more interest.
Stablecoins, being stable, are less likely to appreciate in value than normal cryptocurrencies. They are less likely to lose value.
In the end, keeping your savings in crypto is still risky. Cryptocurrencies can be volatile and your savings could be cut if they fail.
- 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 offers gift cards from popular brands covering different industries like hotels, general retail, games, airlines, education, and even entertainment from at least 41 countries. You can also find gift cards from the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Singapore and Spain.
Macy’s and Barnes & Noble are some of the brands.
The amount of cashback you get will still depend on how much CRO you have staked and what type of company it is.
Crypto.com Trading Experience
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 Spot vs P2P
This app shows the user their portfolio and lists of their most popular assets. It offers everything that Crypto.com claims it can. You can trade currencies, earn by staking crypto, make cryptocurrency payments, and even apply for a Crypto.com card.
Without chart tools, where would you find a trading app? The Crypto.com app shares a simple set of data which aims to not overwhelm or intimidate 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. The most popular are the Australian (AUD), Canadian (CAD), and the euro (EUR) dollars, as well as the British pound sterling and the U.S. Dollar (USD), which are all very popular. This allows users from multiple countries to buy and enter crypto using their local currency.
Crypto.com Fees
Crypto.com’s trading fees are very competitive. 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 that shows fees for spot trades and margin trades for customers who have no CRO stake.
30-Day Spot Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
Less than 250,000 | 0.0750% | 0.750% |
Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0700% | 0.0720% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0650% | 0.0690% |
Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0600% | 0.0650% |
Greater than 10,000,000 or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0500% |
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 |
Below 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 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. People with even higher stakes may be eligible for 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. 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 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. Crypto.com was forced to lay off hundreds of employees that had been working since May. In October 2022 alone, it was reported that the company had to lay off at least 30% to 40% of its staff.
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. That said, Crypto.com CEO Marszalek assured that the exchange was functioning normally.
Crypto.com Cons and Pros
Pros
- Very low fees
- There are many ways to pay with crypto
- Converts money easily
- Great cash back rewards with Visa card Perk
- Allows you to earn interest on crypto
- There are a lot of crypto coins and tokens available Binance Spot vs P2P
- Strong security
Cons
- User interface and the exchange itself is pretty difficult to navigate
- There are limited availability of coins.
- Customer service is pretty poor and lacking in some areas
- 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).
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 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 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.
Eric and Michael had already written the first code for KuCoin in a coffee shop by the end of 2013. This was the beginning of the platform that would become the “People’s Exchange”.
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. In fact, it is one of KuCoin’s strongest aspects that the platform is a goldmine for altcoins and tokens. Binance Spot vs P2P
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 less-known coins can be more risky than the stable and well-known ones. People need to be aware of what they are getting into.
KuCoin has its token, called KuCoin Token or KCS. The following are some other popular coins that can be found on the exchange platform:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Tether (USDT)
- Binance Coin (BNB)
- XRP (XRP)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Filecoin (FIL)
- Internet Computer (ICP)
- Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
- USD Coin (USDC)
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. It is actually the top echelon for coins that are available on 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.
After all, it is one of the main missions of KuCoin, to give smaller and newer cryptocurrencies a fighting chance. In fact, they even have a Spotlight section, which 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. Although it’s not the lowest on the market, it’s still low enough to be competitive 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. Binance Spot vs P2P
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. First, you can take coins through Pool-X, a company backed by KuCoin. The second way is to loan out your crypto and get paid the interest.
Loaning your crypto nets your interest bigger than what you’d normally get with a saving account. However, your earnings will still be affected by the demand for your coin.
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.
That repayment might come from the borrower’s collateral or a KuCoin margin insurance fund.
- Advanced Features
KuCoin offers veteran users a variety of toys and additional features. They allow for margin trading, which allows users to leverage their position, which means borrowing money to buy more crypto.
KuCoin’s mobile app also supports trading bots. This allows you to trade your cryptocurrency without having to do it 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 are susceptible to errors and you may lose out on many opportunities. You don’t always know their strategies and perimeters when you trade with them.
As such, the convenience bots provide may not be worth the uncertainty of how they’re handling your assets.
KuCoin Trading Experience
KuCoin can be accessed online or via an Android and iOS mobile application. Each platform offers a variety of tools and features that you can use to trade on it.
After logging into your KuCoin account on mobile or desktop, you can access KuCoin’s dashboard or front page. 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 include market order, limit or stop-limit orders, and stop-market orders.
Besides orders, users also have access to margin, futures, and P2P trading. You can stake your crypto to earn some back or get a discount on trading fees. Binance Spot vs P2P
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
When it comes to trading fees, KuCoin divides their rates 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 then decide how much you will have to pay in maker or taker fees. Spot trading fees will be charged based on the base currency of the trading pairs. Paying fees with KCS will net users 20% off.
KuCoins also has a 24-hour withdrawal limit.
Trading Fee level | 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
To be honest, KuCoin does not have the best reputation in the industry. You can see the extent of dissatisfaction by just looking at the reviews.
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 Binance Spot vs P2P
KuCoin was also accused of manipulating the market. Some even claimed that their assets disappeared randomly from their accounts. This is a problem especially when it comes to assets, money and finance.
Security is another issue.
While KuCoin is a generally secure crypto exchange, it was subject to a major hack back 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
- Large range of coins
- Allows you to earn interest on your crypto
- Trading features
- Good customer service
Cons
- Not licensed in the U.S.
- Payment methods are limited
- New traders can find it intimidating and overwhelming
- Has limited education resources
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Binance versus Bittrex
Bittrex is a crypto exchange that has more similarities than differences than Binance. Both have similar features that users can use. 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.
Bittrex was once one of the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. Still, Binance surpassed them after the former implemented stricter Know Your Customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering policies.
Bittrex Overview
Bittrex, a cryptocurrency exchange, aims to provide a high-quality service with trust and focus.
It was 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 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 Spot vs P2P
Despite their new fiat trading platform, they offer many 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. Like most exchanges, this variety makes platforms very enticing to traders.
Their selections include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tether (USDT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Bittrex Perks
- A huge selection of cryptocurrency
Bittrex offers a large selection of cryptocurrency in their marketplace, as we have already stated. 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
Unlike other services, Bittrex has a custom-built trading engine that allows faster trades. This engine even works well despite high 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
Cardano (ADA), cryptocurrency holders would be thrilled to have this platform. Bittrex lets users stake their Cardano cryptocurrency throughout the exchange. This can earn them up to 5.5% in rewards. Binance Spot vs P2P
- Educational Content
We all know how complicated and elusive finances can be. As such, cryptocurrency can be just as confusing and obscure. So anything that offers a way to educate yourself on the topic is a godsend.
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. There are references and lessons for topics ranging from crypto taxes to how crypto mining works.
You can even see a breakdown of some of these cryptocurrencies on the platform, which will give you an idea about what you’re betting on and whether it is worth your time.
While it does not fully remove the risk in cryptocurrency, at least it helps users make more informed decisions. Binance Spot vs P2P
- 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.
While this may not look like much. Referring a serious crypto whale can net you substantial rewards. Although unreliable, it is a good and less risky way to passively earn crypto income.
Bittrex Trading Experience
Bittrex trading is simple and straightforward. Users just need to log in, and then they can access their trading dashboard. It can be accessed via a desktop or mobile app.
The desktop interface offers a simple “instantbuy/sell” option. This allows users to quickly trade or buy crypto using a debit card, bank account or Bittrex account balance.
Users can also benefit from a real-time view of the markets available on the platform. 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. You still receive fee discounts for trades that have 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 received negative reviews from users. Many of these problems are caused by account lockouts, assets that have been frozen, and identity verification issues. Most of these problems are common across many crypto exchanges.
The platform hasn’t experienced any major setbacks or controversies.
Bittrex Pros & Cons
Pros
- High security
- A wide range of cryptocurrency available
- Fairly 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 Spot vs P2P
eToro and Binance are two pretty famous cryptocurrency platforms. They are both very well-known and have a strong market presence.
But there is one thing that separates them. That is, they are very different platforms. Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange. eToro, however, is not. It is, in fact, a cryptocurrency broker.
Binance sells a wide range of digital assets ranging from the usual cryptocurrency to NFTs and other services. Meanwhile, a cryptocurrency broker sells crypto alongside other investment products like 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 in 2007.
When RetailFX started offering commodities, indices, and stocks, 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. It added support for Ripple and Ethereum four years later. Binance Spot vs P2P
Also, in 2018, eToro went full steam on the crypto industry. 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. This is probably because they did not start as an exchange but as a brokerage. Nevertheless, the service does include some of the most popular currencies:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dash (DASH)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Polygon (MATIC).
- Solana (SOL)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
eToro Perks
- CopyTrader
The CopyTrader is eToro’s signature feature. This feature existed long before the platform began to explore the crypto industry. Binance Spot vs P2P
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.
From there, the platform will set those funds and try to mirror the positions of their favorite eToro trader 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 just crypto.
Since the platform started in foreign exchange, it was to be expected that new users could still get in on that action.
eToro allows you to have both stocks and cryptocurrency in one account. 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.
- Deposits to Fee Debit cards
Unlike other cryptocurrency exchanges that charge fees, eToro doesn’t charge users to make a debit card payment. As such, investors can deposit fiat money via bank transfer or debit card, all for free.
That said, there is a conversion fee for non-U.S. dollar transactions, so users should remember that.
eToro Trading Experience
eToro is available as a simple web-based platform and a well-designed mobile app.
It is easy to get started on the platform by depositing fiat currency using a bank account or debit card. Once they have done that, they can trade instantly.
A trading tab provides an intuitive view of the current prices, buys, sales, and converts crypto.
CopyTrading is the top perk that makes trading simple and straightforward. You can even trade with high-performing traders on the platform.
The platform provides basic market and limit orders. However, it lacks some of the more advanced conditional orders and more advanced charting capabilities.
The platform is limited in its ability to offer cryptocurrency fairs due to a lack of options.
It is also eToroX, the flagship digital asset platform with all the bells and whistles users would expect from an institutional-grade exchange.
Some of the new features included in eToroX include U.S. dollar deposits, margin trading, trading APIs, and fast execution.
eToro Fees
eToro offers a refreshing view on fees. 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. This fee is charged when users close or open positions.
However, many users don’t like the fact that eToro charges a fee for each round trip. This is unlike other exchanges that only charge a fee when a purchase or sale of a crypto asset is done.
With eToro, you pay 1% for the eventual sale of the coin in advance, plus a $1 fee on the purchase.
This could be a problem when users transfer their coins to an external wallet. They can’t return the coins 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.
One that does, though, happened during the 2021 closure of leveraged position. 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. It even provoked actions of having the eToro license in Cyprus revoked.
eToro was also in a feud with Redditors of /r/wallstreetbets after the GameStop short squeeze.
eToro Pros and Cons
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
- 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.