With cryptocurrency going mainstream and getting legitimized here and there, it is only a matter of time before a huge population wants to get in on the action. As such, marketplaces where people can buy, sell, exchange and trade digital assets have become crucial places.
And right on cue, to fulfill the adage: “If there’s a demand for it, someone will try to fill up that demand.” As for this case, cryptocurrency exchanges came into the picture to remedy this marketplace demand.
By definition, a cryptocurrency exchange is an online marketplace where users can exchange one kind of digital asset for another. These exchanges will be based on the market value of the given assets.
Banks are real financial institutions that can receive deposits, store and transfer money, and are licensed in the real world. Banks, basically, regulate money. They are the only legal place offering the right to exchange one fiat currency for another to its customers.
Stock brokers can trade securities and stocks on a stock exchange. Stocks can only be bought or sold only if they are listed on an exchange. Stock exchanges are marketplaces that stock sellers and buyers use to trade their stocks.
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.
These people believe these places could facilitate the trading of unregistered securities. They believe that crypto exchanges can be places where suspicious people can launder money and have limited AML/KYC to evade the law.
Of course, some of these claims are not entirely unfounded. Just as with dealing with cryptocurrencies in general, using cryptocurrency exchanges come with its own inherent risks.
There is a chance that law enforcement will close down an exchange. When this happens, these exchanges might not be able to return your money because some operate illegally in gray areas.
There is also the possibility of your funds getting locked in the exchange, leaving you with no way of withdrawing or even selling your cryptocurrency and other digital assets. This can happen especially when the cryptocurrency exchange you are using has been seized by law enforcement or is under investigation by the proper authorities.
Lastly, there is a very big possibility of you losing your money from speculating cryptocurrency and then having the rug pulled under you by the founders or founding team of these exchanges. This is especially true if these founders are scammers or hustlers who excel at what they do.
It is important to remember that cryptocurrency and any other related technology are always a risky business. It is smart to always proceed with caution. 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 vs Ethermine
Binance Overview
Binance is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the entire world. It has the highest trading volume of any crypto exchange service and offers the most number of cryptocurrency trading pairs.
Binance was founded in 2017 by Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and business executive Changpeng Zhao. Initially, the company was based in China. However, due to growing crypto restrictions in China, the company moved to Japan and then to Malta.
The company didn’t have a place to call home back then.
However, there is current news that the company was headed to Malta, where it is said to be currently based. 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. You can even get loans, do payments, and even avail of credit cards from the service.
Cryptos Under Binance
Binance has its own tokens and cryptocurrency. There are actually two.
The first one is called BUSD. It is a fiat-backed stablecoin issued by Binance and Paxos. Each token of this stablecoin is backed 1:1 with US dollars in reserve. 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 the main reason Binance is the largest crypto exchange platform worldwide. 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.
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.
Decentralized finance tokens (DeFi) are also available.
Some of the available currencies include:
- Binance Coins (BNB)
- VeChain, (VET)
- VeThor (VTHO)
- Harmon (ONE)
- Matic Network (MATIC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Cosmos (ATOM)
- Cardano (ADA)
And many more.
- Earn Multiple Ways
Binance is a platform that allows users to make more money from their crypto assets. Customers can earn income by adding liquidity to token pairs. You can also try on some staking options available on the platform.
That said, most of these opportunities carry great risk, so it is up to users to discern and weigh these risks. That said, trading and dealing with crypto is already risky in itself.
- Advanced trading tools
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 makes it easier to set limit orders to buy and sell crypto at a specific price.
Then there are charting tools that can be very useful for veteran traders making decisions. You can even sell leveraged tokens to make trading easier.
Binance Trading Experience
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.
You don’t have to trade on your computer. You can use Binance in any way you like. You can do it through the Binance App, the Binance website, or even the Binance desktop app.
The platform will keep track of traders’ portfolios for them, so they won’t need to use any additional tools or platforms. Anyone who wants to track their trades can access their trade history on the exchange platform.
You can even customize how they view trading. This allows for easier comprehension of data. In fact, users can choose how they prefer these data to be presented, which makes it easier to pinpoint the more important ones.
Binance Trading Fees
Binance fees are based on customers’ trading history, and the trading volume over the last 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).
As Binance has its own native currency, the platform encourages using its payment for transactions. Whenever you use BNB for your trades, you get a 25% discount on the trading fee. 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 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 999,999,999 and at least 1,750 BNB | 0.05% / 0.07% |
7 | 1,000,000,000 to 2,499,999,999 and at least 3,000 BNB | 0.04% / 0.06% |
8 | 2,500,000,000 to 4,999,999,999 and at least 4,500 BNB | 0.03% / 0.05% |
9 | More than 5,000,000,000 and at least 5,500 BNB | 0.02% / 0.04% |
Binance Issues
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.
It was again in trouble the next year when it was revealed that Binance had shared client data with Russia. These said data included names and addresses of users in a bid to fight crime.
In October the same year, another hacker attacked its network. The company had to temporarily suspend transactions and fund transfers after detecting an exploit between two blockchains. 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
- Wide Selection of Cryptocurrencies
- Sophisticated trading tools
- Multiple ways of Depositing Money
- Flexible Order Types and Trading Options
Cons
- Non-beginner friendly. Many features can be overwhelming for beginners to use and access
- Regulation Issues with many countries, including major ones like the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and many more.
- Not available in the United States because of regulatory issues. Even the US-specific service, Binance U.S. (a more limited version), is unavailable in some states.
- No built-in digital wallet available
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Coinbase Versus Binance
There are no two different cryptocurrency platforms whose approach can differ as much as Coinbase and Binance.
The one is an American-based exchange and is suitable for beginners. It has a simple interface with limited transaction types and is best suited for veterans.
The difference between Coinbase & Binance lies in who their primary audience is and how they cater.
Coinbase Overview
Coinbase, or Coinbase Global, Inc, is an American publicly traded company that operates as a cryptocurrency exchange platform. The platform is a distributed business, so all employees work remotely.
As such, the company does not have a physical headquarters because they don’t need one. It used to have a company headquarters in San Francisco, but this palace was abandoned, and the company changed operation to remote-first.
Brian Armstrong, an ex-engineer at Airbnb, founded Coinbase in June 2012. He started coinbase by enrolling in the Y Combinator startup incubator program, where he received a $150,000 cash infusion.
After seeing Armstrong’s Reddit post, Fred Ehrsam became his co-founder. 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. They both shared a confident view that bitcoin will be very big. As such, they wanted to bring crypto to the mainstream and make it easy to use. That was their impetus for making Coinbase.
While Coinbase now sits among the pantheon as the biggest crypto exchange in the United States and one of the biggest worldwide, its beginnings were not glamorous. Coinbase was actually founded in a shared two-bedroom apartment. Binance vs Ethermine
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.
As such, here is a glimpse of the different cryptocurrencies coinbase has to offer:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Solana (SOL)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Uniswap
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- DAI (DAI)
- SushiSwap: SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- A wide selection of cryptocurrency
Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in America. This is because of the vast and varied cryptocurrencies available in the market.
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.
Coinbase is the only cryptocurrency exchange that offers a wide selection of products in the U.S. market.
- Simple and advanced trading
Coinbase offers two trading tools to make it easier for users to access their accounts. Users can choose between a simple trade option or an advanced trading option.
The simple trading option features a straightforward design that is easy to use, especially for beginners. This option has one drawback: it charges higher fees. This is contrary to the crypto investing philosophy of keeping fees low.
Meanwhile, advanced trading offers more features, such as charts, a live order book, and even 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.
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.
Users are encouraged to read more about crypto through educational modules, and when one has completed one module, coinbase allows them to earn more.
While the feature does not give much, it still doesn’t hurt. Besides, even a few crypto bits are always a blessing, especially in this economy. Also, anyone who declines to pay for money is a fool. Even if that amount is
- 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. Their mobile app, which is similar to the web platform, allows users to manage, buy, and sell 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
Your Coinbase account can allow you to earn interest on many cryptocurrencies. 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 allows participants to receive rewards for their crypto assets. It is how many cryptocurrencies verify transactions. You commit your crypto assets to support a blockchain network and confirm transactions when staking in cryptocurrencies. Binance vs Ethermine
As said, staking on cryptos will give you certain free rewards. This is not possible for all cryptos. It depends on where you live and the cryptocurrency.
- Coinbase Debit card
Aside from trading, Coinbase allows users to access and spend their hard-earned wealth using the Coinbase card.
If you have a Coinbase account, you can apply for a Coinbase card, a prepaid Visa debit card linked to your Coinbase account 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. 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 targets people just starting their crypto journey.
The platform offers tools that allow investors new to crypto trading a fast, easy, and secure way to 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. Coinbase Pro is the perfect platform for you. This platform is designed for experienced traders. Binance vs Ethermine
Coinbase Pro is different in that it was made for professional traders and gives them more tools, allowing for better customization of their trades. You can choose from several order types such as stop, limit or margin orders.
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.
While it says pro on the tin-can, it doesn’t mean that users will have to pay another fee to access Coinbase Pro. There is no such fee. Anyone with a Coinbase account can already access and use the pro version.
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. That said, this doesn’t mean you will pay your fees blindly. 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. Its fee structure can be too complex and a little hard for the mind to wrap around. The fee structure is based on three factors that can be confusing:
- Coinbase charges a spread for cryptocurrency purchases and sales. There is a huge charge that rates will vary depending on market fluctuations.
- Coinbase claims that fees are based on a variety of factors, including the chosen payment method, market conditions (volatility or liquidity) and the order size.
- Lastly, Coinbase also charges fees to cover the costs of executing transactions on the external blockchain networks that support the cryptocurrencies in which it deals. Binance vs Ethermine
Coinbase Pro’s pricing structure is simpler. It is based on the customer’s monthly trading volume and liquidity of the asset at the time of purchase. Also, Coinbase pro users are required to make deposits and withdrawals through a bank account.
The chart below gives an idea of the fees you can expect on the main coinbase platform:
Trade Size | Coinbase Fee |
$10 or less | $0.99 |
$10 to $25 | $1.49 |
$25 to $50 | $1.99 |
From $50 to $200 | $2.99 |
Trades over $200 are subject to a percentage-based fee instead of a flat fee.
For Coinbase Pro, a general idea of the fees is shown in the chart below.
Pricing Tier | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
Get up to $10K | 0.60% | 0.40% |
$10K – $50K | 0.40% | 0.25% |
$50K – $100K | 0.25% | 0.15% |
$100K – $1M | 0.20% | 0.10% |
$1M – $15M | 0.18% | 0.08% |
$15M – $75M | 0.16% | 0.06% |
$75M – $250M | 0.12% | 0.03% |
$250M – $400M | 0.08% | 0.00% |
$400M+ | 0.05% | 0.00% |
Coinbase Issues
There is a good chance that cryptocurrency will be a legal issue because it is still a new area of technology.
Coinbase acknowledged that customers were being charged more for cryptocurrencies they purchased with debit and credit cards than they originally intended. 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.
According to a Financial Times article Visa, the credit card company, initially blamed Coinbase. However, it later rescinded those statements and clarified on the Coinbase blog that the “issue was not caused by Coinbase”
In 2018, customer complaints against Coinbase jumped more than 100%. These complaints were mostly referred to as “money not available when promised.” Coinbase solved the problem by increasing customer service staff to decrease wait times.
Coinbase was also involved in the first-ever case of insider trading regarding cryptocurrency. A former product manager of the company as he shared information about certain tokens listed by the company. Prosecutors were provided with all the information necessary for an internal investigation by the company.
Pros and cons of Coinbase
Pros
- Easy to use and very friendly for those just starting 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
- Offers coinbase debit card, which allows for easy withdrawing of funds Binance vs Ethermine
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. It might seem that there is a big gap between these two platforms if we compare their ranks (Binance at the top and Kraken at the bottom), but there are more to it.
For example, US-based Binance users are severely hampered by the fact that they can only access Binance’s U.S. platform (Binance.US.) Kraken, however, is readily available in the country.
These two platforms share many similarities, including both offering advanced trading options and low fees as well as mobile apps. Both platforms are targeted at experienced or veteran 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. Kraken or Binance with their high security standards that won them a Wyoming bank charter approval in 2021. Binance vs Ethermine
Kraken Overview
Kraken is a fully functioning crypto exchange that offers low fees and a wide selection of tokens and coins. This platform is unique in that it offers advanced trading tools such as margin.
Kraken’s main cause is to become the best and most secure 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 and some ETH.”
Jesse Powell (alumnus from California State University, Sacramento) and Thanh Luu, co-founded Kraken in 2011. However, it was only launched in September 2013, offering Bitcoin, Litecoin, and euro trades. 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). Before its 2014 collapse due to failed security audits, Powell was a consultant to the exchange.
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 vs Ethermine
The year 2014 was very big for Kraken. The company received a Series A investment of $ 5,000,000 from Hummingbird Ventures in March 2014.
It was later listed on Bloomberg Terminal as one of the first bitcoin exchanges. Then it has chosen to assist with investigating the lost bitcoins of Mt. Gox, Powell’s former employer. Because of its track record of being secure, Kraken is trusted.
After Wyoming granted such a charter, Kraken was the first cryptocurrency exchange to have a special purpose deposit institution (SPDI), charter in September 2020.
Chief Executive Officer Powell resigned as CEO of the platform on September 21st, 2022. He said that he had spent more time on the product, the user experience and industry advocacy.
He was replaced as CEO by Dave Ripley.
Cryptos under Kraken
Kraken supports at least 110 cryptocurrencies. The most well-known and popular currencies are:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Solana (SOL)
- Sushi (SUSHI)
- Uniswap
Kraken supports several stablecoins, including Tether, USD Coin and 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 vs Ethermine
Kraken Perks
- Beefy Security
Since its founding in 2011 and launching in 2013, Kraken has been a mainstay of the cryptocurrency industry. Since its inception, Kraken’s focus was on security. It has never stopped focusing on it over the years. It is actually the only cryptocurrency exchange to have not been hacked.
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. This is a claim Kraken is too proud to make.
- Healthy Range of Available Cryptocurrencies
Kraken offers trades on its platform with over 160 coins and seven fiat currency. It’s not the largest amount but it’s still quite healthy and comparable to the top crypto exchanges. Binance vs Ethermine
Kraken’s liquidity is high, which allows Kraken to make it easier for users to buy and sell at fair prices.
Kraken works using currency pairs, a one-to-one equivalency between two currencies. It is the price quote of the exchange rate of two different currencies traded in FX markets.
Kraken would use dollars to buy Bitcoin, and vice versa. If you are using dollars to buy Bitcoin and then Bitcoin to buy Ethereum, you will always be swapping one currency for another.
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.
- The fees are affordable.
Although it’s not the most expensive on the market, Kraken’s fees remain competitive and comparable to other exchanges. It is even cheaper 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
Staking options within Kraken are pretty good. Users have the opportunity to stake over 15 different cryptos. Users can earn as much as 20%, up to 0.25%.
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. Anyone can access both platforms with a Kraken Account.
Kraken is a trading platform geared toward intermediate to veteran users in mind. However, beginners can still use the platform if they want. It is suggested that they start with the central Kraken platform to learn the ropes. Binance vs Ethermine
Kraken allows verified accounts with linked bank accounts to purchase cryptocurrency quickly. It is easy to sell or convert your crypto to your account. The website has a simple form that allows you to place orders. It usually takes a few seconds.
It is easy to purchase cryptocurrencies with 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. As such, you will need your device to log in to your account.
Kraken Pro, on the other hand is Kraken’s most advanced trading platform. It appears more complicated than the regular Kraken exchange. Kraken Pro is intimidating for new traders. However, it is worth learning. Binance vs Ethermine
It includes more detail about assets, active charts and the ability to view open orders.
As stated above, Kraken also allows for lower fees. So if you think you are ready, it would be better to make the same trade with Kraken Pro instead of Kraken. You’ll pay less and earn more at the end of the day.
Kraken Fees
As stated above, Kraken’s fees are in the competitive middle. It is not the lowest on the market and it is not the highest. There are other factors that could affect the cost of the fees you will be paying.
Also, prices and fees will differ depending on your platform. Kraken Pro will always be cheaper than regular 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 vs Ethermine
Kraken Pro’s pricing however is quite 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.
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’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. Kraken was fined $1.25million by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in September 2021 for allowing unregistered margin trades.
Kraken Pros & Cons
Pros
- Advanced features such as margin trading and stakestaking are available.
- Excellent and reliable customer service
- Relatively low Bitcoin withdrawal fees (BTC).
- 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
- Some users have complained about having their accounts hacked. Binance vs Ethermine
- It is not available in all U.S. States
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Binance versus Crypto.com
Binance and Crypto.com are some of the more popular exchanges in the cryptocurrency industry. Both offer a wide range of features, such as low fees, staking, and 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. Plenty of factors are at play for why one is ranked higher than the other.
The better way to choose your crypto exchange is to examine both options and determine which one appeals to you more. You can choose to go with Binance, which has a wider range of crypto currencies, but you will also have the option to choose Crypto.com, which is more user-friendly and charges lower fees. Binance vs Ethermine
Crypto.com Overview
Crypto.com was founded in Hong Kong back in 2018. It was originally called Monaco by founders Bobby Bao, Gary Or, Kris Marszalek, and Rafael Melo. When Crypto.com purchased the domain of Matt Blaze, a cryptography researcher, it became Crypto.com.
The sales might be on the bigger one, with Domain sellers valuing the domain at US$5 – 10 million.
Crypto.com is a platform that does the same thing as most cryptocurrency exchanges. It allows users to trade, invest, put a stake in some currency and much more.
It also has a huge selection of currencies numbering at least 250 different currencies, reasonable fees, and even discounts to some specific customers (like those with huge stakes in the Crypto.com’s very own coin, the cronos (CRO).
Crypto.com’s 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. Crypto.com allows cryptocurrency to be used as currency.
Cryptos under Crypto.com
Crypto.com offers a wide selection of currencies. You can trade spot with more than 250 currencies, and you can also staking. Some of the more popular currencies available in the platform include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Chainlink (LINK)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Uniswap
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 vs Ethermine
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. Crypto.com places a lot of weight on cryptocurrency’s currency component.
- Low fees
Crypto.com’s low fees are comparable to many other sites.
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 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. Payments made with a debit card or credit card might also be subject to a cash advance fee for crypto purchases.
- Convert Your Money Easily
Although this feature isn’t unique to Crypto.com it deserves to be listed. The Crypto.com app allows users to convert their fiat currencies into crypto. Provided that Crypto.com is limited to 20 fiat currencies available on the platform.
These fiat currencies include USD and GBP as well as EUR. However, just because it is available for trade on Crypto.com does not mean that a fiat currency will be available to you for trade. Your country of residence will still be a big factor limiting your ability to trade in certain fiat currencies.
- Cashback cards
One of the best perks you can get as a member of Crypto.com com is the availability of Visa Cards connected to your Crypto.com account and its crypto currency.
Crypto.com currently offers five types of prepaid Visa cards to its customers. 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 earns you 5% cash or crypto back, along with loads of extra bonuses. That said, you must have at least $400,000 worth of stake for CRO to qualify for this. Binance vs Ethermine
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
Crypto.com is more than a place to purchase tokens and coins. It’s a one-stop shop that offers everything crypto. Crypto.com accounts can earn high interest rates. In fact, Crypto.com have some of the best high-yield savings accounts in the market.
To benefit from this perk you will need to have a lot of cash in your CRO. However, the maximum amount of interest you can earn is less than 10%.
The interest rate you can acquire will depend on factors like the duration of time you leave your money, the currency you save, and the amount of CRO you have staked.
Using the app, you can increase your interest rate in multiple ways. One way is to stake 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. While one-month terms are more flexible than three-month terms, deposits for three-month terms yield better rates.
Lastly, investing in stablecoin also increases your interest rate. Stablecoins are usually tied to an external reference. Some can be pegged to the U.S. dollar. These stablecoins can help you earn more interest.
Stablecoins, being stable, are less likely to appreciate in value than normal cryptocurrencies. That also means they are also less likely to depreciate in 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
Gift Cards and Phone Top-ups are other ways that Crypto.com allows you to spend your crypto. Buy gift cards from popular brands to earn cash back benefits.
Crypto.com sells gift cards from well-known brands in a variety of industries, including hotels, general retail, gaming, education, and entertainment from at least 41 different countries. Like Spain, Norway, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
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 vs Ethermine
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? The Crypto.com app shares a simple set of data which aims to not overwhelm or intimidate users. These charts provide enough information for users to understand the cryptocurrency and blockchain, which might be useful before they buy.
In terms of fiat currencies, Crypto.com has a fair selection. More popular ones include the Australian (AUD) and Canadian (CAD) dollar, the euro (EUR), the British pound sterling (GBP), the ever-popular U.S. Dollar (USD), and even the Brazilian real (BRL). This allows users from multiple countries to buy and enter crypto using their local currency.
Crypto.com Fees
Crypto.com’s trading fees are very competitive. In fact, they are among those who offer the lowest trading fees in the market. Those who trade in higher volumes can qualify for fees as low as 0.04% for makers and 0.1% for takers, even without CRO staking.
Users who have at least 5,000 CRO in their bank account can get discounted trading fees. Rates go lower with larger stakes.
That said, newer Crypto.com users without any CRO staking will pay a 0.4% fee on trades with a total monthly trading volume of 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 |
Less than 250,000 | 0.0750% | 0.750% |
Greater than or equal to 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% |
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 250,000 | 0.0679% | 0.0698% |
Greater than or equal to 1,000,000 | 0.0631% | 0.0669% |
More than 5,000,000 or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0582% | 0.0631% |
Greater than or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0485% |
As said, the higher your CRO stakes are the bigger your discounts. Stakes over 50,000 CRO are exempt from maker fees. People with even higher stakes may be eligible for rebates.
Crypto.com Issues
Crypto.com, like most cryptocurrency exchanges has its problems.
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. After users reported suspicious activity to their accounts, the company lost US$15 million worth of Ether. The company quickly paused withdrawals which were later restored. The company stated that customer funds had not been lost in the process of restoring withdrawals.
Most of the problems with Crypto.com were due to the downturn of cryptocurrency in general. As such, Crypto.com had to let go of hundreds of employees, which started in May. The company was forced to lay off between 30% and 40% of its employees in October 2022.
Their exchange token Cronos (CRO), lost $1 billion in value between November 2022 and November 2022. This was in part due to the collapse of FTX. Crypto.com CEO Marszalek reassured that the exchange was operating normally.
Crypto.com Cons and Pros
Pros
- Competitively Low fees
- Provides lots of avenues for paying with crypto
- Converts money easily
- Great cash back rewards with Visa card Perk
- Allows you to earn interest on crypto
- Pretty big selection of cryptocurrency coins and tokens Binance vs Ethermine
- Strong security
Cons
- User interface and the exchange itself is pretty difficult to navigate
- Coins are not universally available, and availability will be dependent on country and location
- Some areas are lacking customer service and some of it is very poor.
- THere is a lack of educational resources.
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Binance versus Kucoin
When Comparing KuCoin and Binance side by side, the winner is pretty clear. It is Binance, and that is by a lot. KuCoin was one of the first platforms to trade cryptocurrencies. However, FTX and Kraken have taken over.
KuCoin is still available to its users, but most traders avoid it like the plague. Many negative reviews have been written about the exchange, with a variety of reasons. Some are semantics while others are alarming.
KuCoin Overview
KuCoin 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. Eric was his boss and he told him about Bitcoin. He then got involved in the action.
The impetus came when he found out that the biggest cryptocurrency exchanges during that time were very difficult for beginners to use. They believed this was inversely proportional to how blockchain changed the world, especially with how Bitcoin and crypto changed the global financial system.
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. In fact, it is one of KuCoin’s strongest aspects that the platform is a goldmine for altcoins and tokens. Binance vs Ethermine
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. 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. 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. KuCoin is the ideal platform for traders looking to diversify into less-popular crypto.
After all, it is one of the main missions of KuCoin, to give smaller and newer cryptocurrencies a fighting chance. They even have a Spotlight section that promotes new currencies.
This is a good thing for users and the coin, as it allows them to start using a new currency earlier.
- Low Fees
KuCoin has very low trading fees. Though it is not the lowest available in the market, it is still fairly low that it can compete with other exchanges.
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. That said, you will still need to pay a fee to deposit fiat money, such as U.S. dollars. Binance vs Ethermine
These fees will depend on your transfer mode and the third-party app you use.
- Earn through interest on your crypto
Like most cryptocurrency exchanges, KuCoin lets you earn money through your deposited crypto. In the case of KuCoin, the service is called KuCoin Earn.
KuCoin Earn gives you two ways to make money from your crypto. You can first take your coins through Pool-X which is backed by KuCoin. The second way is to loan out your crypto and get paid the interest.
Your interest rate for borrowing crypto is higher than the one you would get from a savings account. That said, the coin and its demand still affect how much you earn.
According to the exchange, you can earn up to 8% to 12% on average from this way. KuCoin 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 provides veteran users with plenty of toys and extra features to play with. They allow for margin trading, which allows users to leverage their position, which means borrowing money to buy more crypto.
KuCoin also allows the use of trading bots in its mobile app. 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 very convenient because you don’t always have to be online in order to run your business.
That said, using bots can be pretty risky. Bots can be prone to glitches, and being too dependent on them may cost you a lot of opportunities. You don’t always know their strategies and perimeters when you trade with them.
The convenience bots offer may not be worth the uncertainty about how they handle your assets.
KuCoin Trading Experience
The KuCoin trading experience can start either through an online portal or an Android and iOS mobile app. Each platform offers a variety of tools and features that you can use to trade on it.
After logging into your KuCoin account on mobile or desktop, you can access KuCoin’s dashboard or front page. 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 vs Ethermine
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. This might be a boon to veteran traders. 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. These trading fees will mostly depend on 3 factors. To determine the trading fee level, you have to look at the Minimum KCS Holding within the last 30 days, and the Spot trading volume last 30 days (BTC), or the Future Trading Volume within the last 30 days (BTC).
Below is a table showing which trading level corresponds with which.
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.
Trading Fee level | Maker/Taker | 24h Withdrawal Limit |
LV0 | 0.1% / 0.1% | 200 |
LV1 | 0.09% / 0.1% | 200 |
LV2 | 0.07% / 0.09% | 200 |
LV3 | 0.05% / 0.08% | 200 |
LV4 | 0.03% / 0.07% | 200 |
LV5 | 0% / 0.07% | 500 |
LV6 | 0% / 0.06% | 500 |
LV7 | 0% / 0.05% | 1000 |
LV8 | -0.005% / 0.045% | 1000 |
LV9 | -0.005% / 0.04% | 2000 |
LV10 | -0.005% / 0.035% | 2000 |
LV11 | -0.005% / 0.03% | 3000 |
LV12 | -0.005% / 0.025% | 3000 |
KuCoin Issues
KuCoin doesn’t have the best reputation in this industry, to be honest. Just by looking at reviews of the company, you can already see a glimpse of how bad the dissatisfaction is.
Trustpilot reviews gave it an average rating of 1.7 stars out 600 reviews. Many of the negative reviews focus on customer service, withdrawals, or even deposits. Binance vs Ethermine
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.
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
- Can be intimidating and overwhelming for new traders
- Has limited education resources
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Binance versus Bittrex
Bittrex and Binance are two crypto exchanges with more similarities than differences. Both have similar features that users can use. That said, these two platforms do have their major differences.
One key difference between these two platforms has to do with size. While Binance boasts about the largest amount of trading volumes among the different exchanges, Bittrex aims for a more scaled-down experience.
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 vs Ethermine
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.
They include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tether (USDT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Bittrex Perks
- A huge selection of cryptocurrency
As stated above, Bittrex has a rather sizable option of cryptocurrency available in their market. Customers looking for niche, but more risky trades will find it attractive.
- Low fees
Bittrex 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
Bittrex offers a unique trading engine that speeds up trades, which is unlike other services. 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 allows users to stake their Cardano crypto throughout the exchange. This can earn them up to 5.5% in rewards. Binance vs Ethermine
- Educational Content
We all know how arcane-ish finances in general are. So by association, cryptocurrency is just as mind-boggling and arcane. 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. There are references and lessons for topics ranging from crypto taxes to how crypto mining works.
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 vs Ethermine
- 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. Of course, it is accessible via a mobile app or desktop computer.
The desktop interface offers a simple “instantbuy/sell” option. This option lets users quickly make trades or purchase crypto with a debit card, bank account, or Bittrex account balance.
A real-time view of all the market data available on the platform is also available to users. Besides that, users have the option for more advanced order types. You can also choose from stop, stop limit, trailing stop and laddered orders.
Bittrex Fees
Bittrex has a simple fee structure that makes it easier to understand their fees than other exchanges. You still receive fee discounts for trades that have higher volumes. These fees are generally quite low, but not the lowest on the market.
30-Day Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
Less than $25,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
$25,000 – $50,000 | 0.25% | 0.30% |
$50,000 – $100,000 | 0.15% | 0.25% |
$100,000 – $1 million | 0.10% | 0.20% |
$1 million – $5 million | 0.06% | 0.16% |
$5 million – $10 million | 0.05% | 0.15% |
$10 million – $60 million | 0.02% | 0.10% |
$60 million – $100 million | 0.00% | 0.08% |
$100 million + | 0.00% | 0.05% |
Bittrex Issues
Bittrex has received negative reviews from 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
- High security
- A wide range of cryptocurrency available
- Very low fees
- Advanced trading tools
- Very useful educational content
Cons
- Customer support is mediocre and often unhelpful
- For beginners, it can be difficult
Binance versus eToro Binance vs Ethermine
eToro and Binance are two pretty famous 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, however, is not. It is, in fact, a cryptocurrency broker.
Binance offers a variety of digital assets, including NFTs and services. Meanwhile, a cryptocurrency broker sells crypto alongside other investment products like stocks and fractional shares.
eToro Overview
eToro was not founded as a cryptocurrency platform, unlike most companies in this review. Rather, the Tel Aviv-based company was originally an online forex broker under the name RetailFX. This was back in 2007.
When RetailFX started offering commodities, indices, and stocks, it changed its name to eToro. Later, it launched its innovative social trading feature that allowed users to copy trades of successful traders on the platform.
eToro was only able to get involved in the cryptocurrency market after it added support BTC in 2014. This enabled users to buy and sell CFDs (to non-U.S. users). On the world’s leading digital currency. Four years later, it also added support for Ripple (XRP) and Ethereum (ETH). Binance vs Ethermine
Also, in 2018, eToro went full steam on the crypto industry. More coins and currencies were added to the platform. The company also launched eToroX, a digital asset platform and its crypto wallet.
Cryptos under eToro
eToro’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. That said, some popular currencies found in the service include:
- 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 vs Ethermine
This basically allows eToro users to copy trades done by their favorite traders with just one click. The trade can be initiated by setting the money that the user wants to spend.
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 is one of the few places on the internet that allows you to own cryptocurrency and stocks in one account. The platform also offers stock trading at zero commissions and the possibility to purchase fractional shares.
eToro provides a virtual brokerage account which allows you to simulate stock investing without putting any real money at risk.
- Fee Debit card deposits
Unlike 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.
Users should be aware that there is a conversion charge for transactions not in U.S. dollars.
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. 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.
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 other cryptocurrency exchanges that don’t list their fees, eToro lists its fees when trading crypto.
eToro users pay a flat fee of 1% for each crypto trade. This 1% market fee is added to the market price the platform calls a bid-ask spread. 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.
This could be a problem when users transfer their coins to an external wallet. As they can no longer return them to the trading platform.
eToro Issues
Due to its age, it is not surprising that the platform has had its fair share of controversies. Most of these do NOT involve the cryptocurrency market.
However, one did occur during the 2021 closing of leveraged positions. The following was notified to European clients of the platform in the early part of that year:
“Due to extreme market volatility in the crypto markets, margin positions for all leveraged crypto positions” should be changed to non-leveraged, or they would be closed within four hours.
This was a bad move and many users and lawyers expressed their intent to file a lawsuit as a group. This led to the revocation of the eToro licence in Cyprus.
eToro also found itself in an unfavorable feud against Redditors from /r/wallstreetbets following the GameStop short squeeze.
eToro Pros and Cons
Pros
- A platform that is already established
- Regulated in many jurisdictions
- CopyTrading is a unique feature that is only found in the platform.
- Has more to offer outside of crypto trading
- Transparency in the fee
Cons
- Stock, ETF, and cryptocurrency trading only available in 44 U.S. states
- Margin trading is not available for U.S. users
- There are a few cryptocurrencies available.
- 1% fee is pretty high compared to others.