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.
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 determined by the market value of the assets.
Banks are real financial institutions that can receive deposits, store and transfer money, and are licensed in the real world. Banks, basically, regulate money. They are the only legal place offering the right to exchange one fiat currency for another to its customers.
Stock brokers can trade securities and stocks on a stock exchange. Only stocks that are listed on an exchange can be purchased or sold. As such, stock exchanges are basically marketplaces where stock buyers and sellers do their business.
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 fear that crypto exchanges could be used by criminals to launder money, and they have limited AML/KYC capabilities to evade the law.
Some of these claims may not be entirely true. As with all dealings with cryptocurrency, there are inherent risks to using cryptocurrency exchanges.
For example, there is a good chance that law enforcement may shut down an exchange. When this happens, these exchanges might not be able to return your money because some operate illegally in gray areas.
There is also the possibility of your funds getting locked in the exchange, leaving you with no way of withdrawing or even selling your cryptocurrency and other digital assets. This could happen when your cryptocurrency exchange is seized or under investigation by the authorities.
Lastly, there is a very big possibility of you losing your money from speculating cryptocurrency and then having the rug pulled under you by the founders or founding team of these exchanges. This is especially true if these founders are scammers or hustlers who excel at what they do.
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. To get a comprehensive overview of Binance, you may still want to check out our article below, which compares it to some competitors.
Binance Exchange Luna Binance Spot
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 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.
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 BUSD is the first. It is a stablecoin fiat-backed issued by Binance and Paxos. This stablecoin token is backed 1:1 by US dollars in reserve. The company created BUSD as a means to provide a more stable cryptocurrency alternative for traders and investors wanting to avoid the volatile nature of the digital asset market.
BNB is the second. 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’s used to pay trading, listing and exchange fees as well as other expenses that users incur on the platform.
Binance Perks
- Low Fees
This is why Binance is the most popular crypto exchange platform in the world. Binance trades are as good as free. The platform uses a maker/taker fee structure. Fees will vary depending on trading volume and Binance Coin (BNB) balance.
That said, the platform still charges fees for some services, such as withdrawal and payment types.
- Large Crypto Selection
The number of cryptocurrencies on the market will determine how good a crypto exchange platform is. Binance is the largest crypto exchange platform. This means that it has a lot of digital currencies.
There are even decentralized finance (DeFi) tokens available, as well as stablecoins, altcoins, and other popular cryptos.
Some of the currencies available include:
- Binance Coins (BNB)
- VeChain, (VET)
- VeThor (VTHO)
- Harmon (ONE)
- Matic Network (MATIC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Cosmos (ATOM)
- Cardano (ADA)
There are many other options.
- 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. You can also try on some staking options available on the platform.
That said, most of these opportunities carry great risk, so it is up to users to discern and weigh these risks. That said, trading and dealing with crypto is already risky in itself.
- Advanced trading tools
Binance wouldn’t be considered a crypto-exchange platform if it didn’t have trading tools.
Binance offers advanced trading tools that make it easy to tailor trading options. It makes it easier to set limit orders to buy and sell crypto at a specific price.
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. You can even use real-time charts with moving averages, which makes it easy 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 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.
Whether you are a maker or a taker will also determine how much you will get on fees. Takers, who remove liquidity orders from a market, tend to get higher fees than makers (those who add liquidity to it).
Binance uses its native currency to facilitate transactions. 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 | 5,000,000 to 19,999,999 and 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 | 200,000,000 to 499,999,999 and 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 | Between 2,500,000,000 and 4,999,999.999999999 with at least 4,500 BNB | 0.03% / 0.05% |
| 9 | More than 5,000,000,000 and at least 5,500 BNB | 0.02% / 0.04% |
Binance Issues
Despite being one of the biggest names in crypto, Binance has its issues and controversies.
The year 2019 was a bad year for the exchange platform.
On May 7, 2019, it was revealed that Binance became a victim of a “large-scale security breach.” It was reported that hackers had stolen 7,000 Bitcoin worth $40 million then. That said, the site reimbursed customers through its “Secure Asset Fund for Users(SAFU).
It wasn’t as bad as 2021. It’s not true to say that Binance had a difficult year in 2021.
On allegations of tax crimes and money laundering, the United States Department of Justice investigated the company.
It was also forced to cancel its planned launch in Britain of a digital asset marketplace. This was due to their application not meeting the anti-money laundering requirements set by their government.
The next year, it was once again put in hot water as it was reported that Binance was said to have shared client data with the Russian government. In an effort to combat crime, these data contained names and addresses.
Then in October of the same year, it suffered another hack on its network. After discovering an exploit between two different blockchains, the company had to suspend transactions and funds transfers temporarily. 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
- Trading tools that are sophisticated
- There are many ways to deposit 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 such as the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom.
- Due to regulatory issues, the service is not available in the United States. Even the US-specific service, Binance U.S. (a more limited version), is unavailable in some states.
- No built-in digital wallet available
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Coinbase Versus Binance
There are two cryptocurrency platforms that can be used, and they have different approaches. Coinbase and Binance are the best examples.
The one is an American-based exchange and is suitable for beginners. It has a simple interface with limited transaction types and is best suited for veterans.
The difference between Coinbase & Binance lies in who their primary audience is and how they cater.
Coinbase Overview
Coinbase, also known as Coinbase Global, Inc, a publicly traded American company that acts as a cryptocurrency exchange platform. It is a distributed company, and as such, all people employed by the platform operate via remote work.
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.
Coinbase was founded in June 2012 by Brian Armstrong, a former Airbnb engineer. He started coinbase by enrolling in the Y Combinator startup incubator program, where he received a $150,000 cash infusion.
Later on, co-founder Fred Ehrsam joined him after noticing Armstrong’s post on Reddit. This was back in the days when bitcoin was only $6 and was only known to “a few nerds online” (Ehrsam’s words not mine).
The two guys believed that bitcoin was a crazy idea that would revolutionize money and finance. Both men shared the belief that bitcoin would be huge. As such, they wanted to bring crypto to the mainstream and make it easy to use. That was their impetus for making Coinbase.
Coinbase is now the largest crypto exchange in America and the world, but its humble beginnings are not glamorous. Coinbase was actually founded in a shared two-bedroom apartment. Luna Binance Spot
Cryptos Under Coinbase
Coinbase doesn’t have any original coins or cryptocurrency. The platform supports over 100 cryptocurrencies. They also regularly add more cryptocurrencies as the need arises.
Here’s a look at the various cryptocurrencies that coinbase offers:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Solana (SOL)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- USD Coin (USDC)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Uniswap
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Shiba Inu (SHIB)
- Algorand (ALGO)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- DAI (DAI)
- SushiSwap (SUSHI)
Coinbase Perks
- A wide selection of cryptocurrency
Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in America. The market offers a wide range of cryptocurrencies.
From a Bitcoin (BTC) focused exchange. Coinbase has grown to offer over 150 types of cryptocurrency on the platform. You can even trade Bitcoin (BTC), and other major currencies, for smaller or 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
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. This option is cheaper, but it comes with a tradeoff: it’s more difficult to use, more complicated, and more intimidating for new users.
To avoid high fees, it is highly recommended to trade in advanced trading.
- Earn Free Crypto
For those wanting to earn more crypto, Coinbase gives a cool feature that allows customers to do so. Coinbase Earn is Coinbase’s feature that lets users earn free crypto in exchange for learning more.
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. Even a few crypto bits can be a blessing in this economy. Also, anyone who declines to pay for money is a fool. Even if that amount is
- Educational Content
As lightly touched above, coinbase has a library that is a well of educational resource. These resources include tips and tutorials, as well as information about crypto basics. Market updates are also available. It is for this reason that Coinbase is the ideal platform for those just starting to invest in crypto.
- Mobile App
Coinbase 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 Reward
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 is how many cryptocurrencies verify their transactions and allows participants to earn rewards on their holdings. When you stake in crypto, you commit your crypto assets to support the blockchain network and verify transactions. Luna Binance Spot
As said, staking on cryptos will give you certain free rewards. Of course, not all cryptos are eligible for this. It depends on where you live and the cryptocurrency.
- Coinbase Debit card
Aside from trading, Coinbase allows users to access and spend their hard-earned wealth using the Coinbase card.
A Coinbase account allows you to apply for a Coinbase Card, which is a prepaid Visa debit credit card that can be linked to your Coinbase balance. Through it, you can spend your cryptocurrency to pay for some services (especially those services and establishments that welcome Bitcoin and 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’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 are determined to realize this vision and allow users to earn cryptocurrency by watching tutorial videos that are geared towards beginners.
This doesn’t mean veteran traders only have beginner tools to play with. Coinbase Pro is the perfect platform for you. A platform that is specialized for seasoned traders. Luna Binance Spot
Coinbase Pro is different in that it was made for professional traders and gives them more tools, allowing for better customization of their trades. Examples include the ability to choose among several order types, such as stop or limit order and margin order.
Users can also access real-time charting tools, trade history, order book, and price charts. This can help them create more informed decisions when moving their positions and doing their trades.
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. Their entire fee schedule was removed from the 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.
To be honest, this is where coinbase falls off from the competition. 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 on cryptocurrency sales and purchases. The spread is significant because rates can fluctuate depending on market conditions.
- Coinbase claims fees are also based on factors such as the selected payment method, market conditions (volatility and liquidity), and even the order size.
- Coinbase charges fees for transactions executed on external blockchain networks that support cryptocurrencies. Luna Binance Spot
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. Also, Coinbase pro users are required to make deposits and withdrawals through a bank account.
Below is a chart that shows you the fees you can expect from the main coinbase platform.
| Trade Size | Coinbase Fee |
| $10 or less | $0.99 |
| From $10 to $25 | $1.49 |
| $25 to $50 | $1.99 |
| From $50 to $200 | $2.99 |
Trades above $200 have a percentage-based fee rather than a flat fee.
For Coinbase Pro, a general idea of the fees is shown in the chart below.
| Pricing Tier | Taker Fee | Maker Fee |
| Up to $10K | 0.60% | 0.40% |
| $10K – $50K | 0.40% | 0.25% |
| $50K – $100K | 0.25% | 0.15% |
| $100K – $1M | 0.20% | 0.10% |
| $1M – $15M | 0.18% | 0.08% |
| $15M – $75M | 0.16% | 0.06% |
| $75M – $250M | 0.12% | 0.03% |
| $250M – $400M | 0.08% | 0.00% |
| $400M+ | 0.05% | 0.00% |
Coinbase Issues
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).
The issue stemmed from the fact that crypto payments were categorized as “cash advances” and that banks and credit card issuers could begin charging cash advance fees for these purchases.
According to a Financial Times article Visa, the credit card company, initially blamed Coinbase. However, it later rescinded those statements and clarified on the Coinbase blog that the “issue was not caused by Coinbase”
Coinbase received more customer complaints than ever in 2018, with an increase of over 100%. 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 also participated in the first ever case of insider trading in cryptocurrency. The company’s former product manager shared information about tokens. Prosecutors were provided with all the information necessary for an internal investigation by the company.
Coinbase Pros and Cons
Pros
- Easy to use and very friendly for those just starting in cryptocurrency
- Supports a large number of cryptocurrencies
- Provides opportunities to earn cryptocurrency while, at the same time, learning about them.
- You can trade simple or advanced depending on your preference
- Offers coinbase debit card, which allows for easy withdrawing of funds Luna Binance Spot
Cons
- Complex and convoluted fee structure that is also not transparent
- High fees on some transactions
- Limited staking and interest opportunities.
- A lot of altcoins are missing from their selection
- Problems with customer service
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Binance versus 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.
Binance.US users, for example, are severely limited by the fact that they cannot access Binance’s U.S.-based platform (Binance.US). while Kraken is widely 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.
Ultimately, it will be up to customers to choose which platform by choosing what they value most. Binance will be the one to choose with their lower fees, large selection of coins and extra way of managing funds. Kraken or Binance with their high security standards that won them a Wyoming bank charter approval in 2021. Luna Binance Spot
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 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.”
Jesse Powell, Kraken’s founder and former CEO, tweeted that the November 2022 FTX Controversy was a “”…Happy life, pay a fee for matching trades” A balance sheet is mostly Bitcoin and some ETH.”
Kraken was co-founded in 2011 by the aforementioned Jesse Powell, who was an alumnus of California State University, Sacramento, with Thanh Luu. However, it was only launched in September 2013, offering Bitcoin, Litecoin, and euro trades. Further currencies and margin trading would follow.
Powell began working on Kraken as a possible replacement for Mt.Gox, another bitcoin exchange based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. 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. Luna Binance Spot
The year 2014 was very big for Kraken. In March of that year, the company received a $ 5 million Series A investment from Hummingbird Ventures and Bitcoin Opportunity Fund.
It was later listed on Bloomberg Terminal as one of the first bitcoin exchanges. Then it has chosen to assist with investigating the lost bitcoins of Mt. Gox, CEO Powell’s former employer. Because of its track record of being secure, Kraken is trusted.
After Wyoming granted such a charter, Kraken was the first cryptocurrency exchange to have a special purpose deposit institution (SPDI), charter in September 2020.
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. Some of the more popular and well-known currencies include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Solana (SOL)
- Sushi (SUSHI)
- Uniswap (UNI)
Kraken supports several stablecoins, including Tether, USD Coin and Dai. A limited number of Kraken currency exchanges are also available in certain territories. This includes converting US dollars into Canadian dollars, Japanese yen, and Swiss francs. Luna Binance Spot
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. Some in the industry associate Kraken with financial stability and physical security. A claim that the company is just too happy to boast about
- A healthy range of available cryptocurrencies
Kraken has over 160 coins and seven fiat currencies available to trade on its platform. It’s not the largest amount but it’s still quite healthy and comparable to the top crypto exchanges. Luna Binance Spot
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 of the exchange rate between two currencies that are traded on FX markets.
Kraken would use dollars to buy Bitcoin, and vice versa. If you are using dollars to buy Bitcoin and then Bitcoin to buy Ethereum, you will always be swapping one currency for another.
In the case of Kraken, not all of its currencies are exchangeable for the others.
- Advanced 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. Some eligible pro clients can access up to $500,000 in the margin. This does not remove the risk that margin trading inherently brings.
- Fees are reasonable.
While it is not the lowest in the market, the prices of Kraken’s fees are pretty competitive and on par with several exchanges. It’s even less expensive than other exchanges.
There are no set trading fees, which will differ from exchange to exchange. Your monthly trade history will determine how much you pay. We will discuss fees in detail in another segment. However, it is important that you know that instant buy features are more expensive than the pro platform.
- Strong Staking Options
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. Between these exchanges, Kraken Pro offers lower pricing. Anyone can access both platforms with a Kraken Account.
Kraken is a trading platform geared toward intermediate to veteran users in mind. However, beginners can still use the platform if they want. It is suggested that they start with the central Kraken platform to learn the ropes. Luna Binance Spot
Kraken allows verified accounts to quickly buy cryptocurrency from linked bank accounts. 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. 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. This makes Kraken Pro very intimidating, especially to trading newbies. It is well worth the effort. Luna Binance Spot
Some features added to it are more detailed asset information, active charts, and even a view to open orders.
Kraken allows you to pay lower fees, as we have already stated. So if you think you are ready, it would be better to make the same trade with Kraken Pro instead of Kraken. You will pay less but earn more in the end.
Kraken Fees
As stated above, Kraken’s fees are in the competitive middle. It’s not the lowest in the market, and it is also not the highest. There are other factors that could affect the cost of the fees you will be paying.
Also, prices and fees will differ depending on your platform. Kraken Pro will always have cheaper fees than the normal Kraken.
Fees for instant purchases are 1.5% for most cryptos and 0.9% for stablecoins that use the U.S. Dollar or another stablecoin.
Additional fees will vary depending on how you fund your purchase. These prices range from 0.5% for funding with a bank account. Meanwhile, 3.75% + 25 Euro cents with a debit card, credit card, or digital wallet. Luna Binance Spot
Kraken Pro’s pricing however is quite 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.
On the security side, Kraken has lived up to customer expectations and has proven itself with being the only major cryptocurrency exchange that has not been a victim of a major hack.
Kraken does have its share of problems with government regulations.
In April 2018, Kraken refused to comply with an investigation by the New York Attorney General’s Office on issues about the measures taken by crypto exchanges to protect their customers from money laundering and market manipulation.
Kraken believes that this would be a bad business decision.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control began investigating the exchange in September 2021 for possible violations of sanctions by allowing trade with Iranian customers. 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 (BTC) withdrawal fees
- Offers a variety of educational materials.
- The most secure exchange on the market
- Simple user interface
Cons
- The Base Kraken platform is more expensive than Kraken Pro. 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. Luna Binance Spot
- Not available in all U.S. States
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Binance versus crypto.com
Binance and Crypto.com have become some of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges. Both provide a variety of features such as low fees and staking as well advanced trading. 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. 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. Luna Binance Spot
Crypto.com Overview
Crypto.com was founded in Hong Kong back in 2018. The founders of Crypto.com, Gary Or, Kris Marszalek and Rafael Melo originally called it Monaco. It only became Crypto.com when the company purchased a domain that cryptography researcher and professor Matt Blaze owned.
Domain sellers might sell the domain for a larger sum, with the domain being valued at between US$5 and 10 million.
Crypto.com is a platform that does the same thing as most cryptocurrency exchanges. It lets users trade, invest, stake in a currency, and many other things.
You can also choose from over 250 currencies. There are reasonable fees and discounts for some customers, such as those who have large stakes in Crypto.com’s own coin, the Cronos (CRO).
Crypto.com’s main selling point and focus is in their exchange. They offer many crypto services, including their own crypto wallet and an NFT shop. The company has even partnered with Shopify those in the e-commerce platform accept cryptocurrency as a valid payment.
Crypto.com can be described as a cryptocurrency platform that allows traders and investors to do more than just buy and hold. 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
As mentioned above, Crypto.com also has its coin called Cronos (CRO). A significant stake in this cryptocurrency will reward you with lower trading fees and higher stalking interest rates as well as higher credit card rewards. Luna Binance Spot
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.
Crypto.com lets you spend your crypto with a prepaid Visa Card. Crypto.com places a lot of weight on cryptocurrency’s currency component.
- Low Fees
Crypto.com’s low fees are comparable to many other sites.
In fact, there are transactions within Crypto.com that do not even require any fees. One example is depositing your money into your account via an electronic bank or wire transfer.
Crypto.com allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrency at the true price, which is why you should know that “what you see is what your get”.
That said, the platform does charge you a fee for crypto purchases made with a credit card or a debit card. Payments made with a debit card or credit card might also be subject to a cash advance fee for crypto purchases.
- Convert Your Money Easily
While this is not a feature unique to Crypto.com, it bears being listed here. The Crypto.com app allows users to convert their fiat currencies into crypto. Crypto.com only supports 20 fiat currencies.
These fiat currencies include USD, GBP, and EUR, among others. However, just because it is available for trade on Crypto.com does not mean that a fiat currency will be available to you for trade. You will be limited in your ability to trade certain fiat currencies due to the country you live in.
- Cashback cards
One of the best perks you can get as a member of Crypto.com com is the availability of Visa Cards connected to your Crypto.com account and its crypto currency.
Currently, Crypto.com has five types of prepaid Visa Cards available to its users. 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. Of course, you will need to have at least a $400 stake to be able to avail of this.
Meanwhile, those who own deeper pockets can avail of their top-of-the-line, Obsidian tier. This tier earns you 5% cash back or cryptoback, as well as lots of bonuses. To qualify, you will need to have at least $400,000 in stakes. Luna Binance Spot
Other cards available include Midnight Blue, Jade Green/ Royal Indigo, and the Frosted Rose Gold/ Icy White. These cards don’t have an annual fee, and you get a certain number of ATM withdrawals and foreign transaction each month for no additional charge.
- Earn Interest
Crypto.com is more than a place to purchase tokens and coins. It’s a one-stop shop that offers everything crypto. 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%.
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.
The app allows you to increase your interest rate in many 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.
If you make a deposit for a term of one month or more, the interest rate can be increased to 3 months. While one-month terms are more flexible than three-month terms, deposits for three-month terms yield better rates.
Finally, stablecoin investments can also increase 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 are still a volatile entity, and if it fails, your savings may be reduced… by a lot.
- Gifts Cards and Phone Top Ups
Crypto.com also offers phone top-ups and gift cards. You even earn cash-back benefits by buying gift cards from several popular brands.
Crypto.com offers gift cards from popular brands covering different industries like hotels, general retail, games, airlines, education, and even entertainment from at least 41 countries. Like Spain, Norway, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
Macy’s and Barnes & Noble are some of the brands.
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. Luna Binance Spot
The app in question shows the user’s portfolio and a list of their more popular assets. It includes everything needed that Crypto.com says it offers. 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.
Where would you pick up a trading application without its chart tools. In the case of Crypto.com’s app, it shares a relatively simple set of data that aims not to intimidate or overwhelm the users. The charts just contain enough information needed for users to learn how the blockchain and the currency work, something they might need before buying.
In terms of fiat currencies, Crypto.com has a fair selection. 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. They are actually among the few that offer the lowest trading fees on the market. Trade volume can be higher and qualify for lower fees, as low as 0.4% for makers or 0.1% for takers. This is even with no CRO.
Users who have at least 5,000 CRO in their bank account can get discounted trading fees. Higher stakes result in lower rates.
However, Crypto.com users who are newer than 25 000 USD will be charged 0.4% for trades that have a monthly volume less than $25,000.
Below is a table showing fees for spot and margin trades for customers with no CRO stake amount.
| 30-Day Spot Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
| Below 250,000 | 0.0750% | 0.750% |
| Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0700% | 0.0720% |
| More than 1,000,000 or equal | 0.0650% | 0.0690% |
| Greater than or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0600% | 0.0650% |
| Greater than 10,000,000 or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0500% |
The table below shows the maker and taker rates of those with less than 100 CRO (3% discount).
| 30 Day Spot Trading Volume (USD) | Maker | Taker |
| Below 250,000 | 0.0728% | 0.728% |
| Greater than or equal 250,000 | 0.0679% | 0.0698% |
| More than 1,000,000 or equal | 0.0631% | 0.0669% |
| More than 5,000,000 or equal to 5,000,000 | 0.0582% | 0.0631% |
| Greater than or equal to 10,000,000 | 0% | 0.0485% |
As stated, discounts are based on the CRO stakes. Stakes over 50,000 CRO are exempt from maker fees. Those who have even more may even enjoy rebates.
Crypto.com Issues
Crypto.com, like most cryptocurrency exchanges has its problems.
On January 2022, Crypto.com was the victim of a serious hack. It was reported that the company lost US$15 million worth of Ether. This was after some users reported suspicious activity on their accounts. 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. As such, Crypto.com had to let go of hundreds of employees, which started in 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. Crypto.com CEO Marszalek reassured that the exchange was operating normally.
Crypto.com Pros and Cons
Pros
- Very low fees
- There are many ways to pay with crypto
- Convert money quickly
- 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 Luna Binance Spot
- Strong security
Cons
- The exchange interface is not easy to use.
- Coins are not universally available, and availability will be dependent on country and location
- 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. It is Binance, and that is by a lot. KuCoin, despite being one of the earliest platforms for trading cryptocurrencies, has been left in the dust by the likes of Kraken and FTX (at least before they went bankrupt).
KuCoin is still available to its users, but most traders avoid it like the plague. The exchange has been troubled by many negative reviews, each with different reasons ranging from semantics to highly alarming.
KuCoin Overview
KuCoin was founded in 2017 by top tech geeks Micahel Gan and Eric Don. It is a cryptocurrency exchange platform that was launched by Top Lan, Kent Li. John Lee, Jack Zhum, Linda Lin, and John Lee. The company was founded back in 2013.
KuCoin 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.
He was shocked to discover that some of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges at that time were difficult to use for beginners. 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. Luna Binance Spot
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 also has it’s token, simply called KuCoin Token (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
As we have already stated, KuCoin has a broad selection of coins, tokens, and altcoins that can be traded in 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 advantageous for the coin and users who want to get in on a new currency early.
- 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. Withdrawal fees are in line with other exchanges, and depositing cryptocurrency to the service is free. However, depositing fiat money such as U.S. Dollars will require you to pay an additional fee. Luna Binance Spot
These fees depend on the transfer method you choose and what third-party app that you use.
- Earn Through Interest on Your Crypto
Like most cryptocurrency exchanges, KuCoin lets you earn money through your deposited crypto. KuCoin Earn is the name of the KuCoin service.
KuCoin Earn gives you two ways to make money 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.
Your interest rate for borrowing crypto is higher than the one you would get from a savings account. However, your earnings will still be affected by the demand for your coin.
The exchange claims that you can make a lot of money this way, with an average earning rate of 8% to 12.5%. KuCoin uses this money to finance margin trading. It might seem risky, but the company states that lenders will always be repaid in full.
This repayment could be made from collateral or KuCoin margin insurance funds.
- Advanced Features
KuCoin provides veteran users with plenty of toys and extra features to play with. They allow for margin trading, which allows users to leverage their position, which means borrowing money to buy more crypto.
KuCoin’s mobile app also supports trading bots. This means that you don’t have to buy and sell your cryptocurrency yourself. 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.
However, bots can pose a risk. Bots can be prone to glitches, and being too dependent on them may cost you a lot of opportunities. 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. Both have an abundance of features and tools which you can use when doing trades on the platform.
YOu can access KuCoin’s front page or dashboard after logging in to your account, be it on desktop or mobile. Users can view markets, trade, buy, lend, or trade cryptos from there.
The platform supports four order types. These are market order, limit order, stop-limit order, and stop-market order.
Besides orders, users also have access to margin, futures, and P2P trading. You can stake your crypto to earn some back or get a discount on trading fees. Luna Binance Spot
The exchange recently added a Trading Bot feature that will simplify the entire trading process.
KuCoin is a great cryptocurrency with many advanced features. Veteran traders might find this a great benefit. They can be difficult for novice traders, as they aren’t user-friendly on mobile platforms.
KuCoin Fees
When it comes to trading fees, KuCoin divides their rates by levels. The three main factors that determine the trading fees are: The minimum KCS holding within the past 30 days and the spot trading volume within the last 30 day (BTC) are the key factors in determining the trading fees.
Below is a table 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 are charged in accordance with the base currency for the trading pairs. KCS users will receive 20% off for paying fees.
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
KuCoin doesn’t have the best reputation in this industry, to be honest. Just by looking at reviews of the company, you can already see a glimpse of how bad the dissatisfaction is.
In Trustpilot reviews, it got an average of just 1.7 out of 5 stars out of 600 reviews. Many of the negative reviews focus on customer service, withdrawals, or even deposits. Luna Binance Spot
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
- Wide range of coins
- Earn interest on your crypto
- Advanced trading features
- Good customer service
Cons
- Not licensed in the U.S.
- Limited payment methods
- New traders can find it intimidating and overwhelming
- Has limited education resources
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Bittrex versus Binance
Bittrex is a crypto exchange that has more similarities than differences than Binance. Both offer similar features that users can enjoy. Despite being similar, the two platforms have major differences.
One key difference between these two platforms has to do with size. Bittrex is more focused on a scaled-down experience, whereas Binance has the highest trading volume of all the exchanges.
There was once a time when Bittrex was once among the global leaders in the cryptocurrency industry. Binance was able to surpass them despite having stricter Know Your Customer (KYC), and anti-money laundering policies.
Bittrex Overview
Bittrex, a cryptocurrency exchange, aims to provide a high-quality service with trust and focus.
It was co-founded by three Amazon cybersecurity engineers: Bill Shihara (co-founder and CEO); Richie Lai (co-founder and chief information officer); and Rami Kawach (co-founder and chief tech officer). Its headquarters can be found in Seattle.
The platform initially offered only crypto-tocrypto trading. However, it quickly added fiat-tocrypto trading. Luna Binance Spot
Despite the newness of their fiat trading, they still offer a wide selection of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Also, they are available in 46 U.S. states, excluding Hawaii, New York, and Vermont
Cryptos under Bittrex
Bittrex has a wide selection of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins available in their exchange. This variety, like most exchanges makes Bittrex platforms attractive to traders.
Their selections include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Ethereum (ETH)
- Cardano (ADA)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Dogecoin (DOGE)
- Polkadot (DOT)
- Tether (USDT)
- Polygon (MATIC)
Bittrex Perks
- 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 charge lower fees than others.
- 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. This is a great way for investors to take advantage of volatile markets like cryptocurrency’s price fluctuations.
- Cardano staking
Those who hold some Cardano (ADA) cryptocurrency would be overjoyed with this platform. Bittrex lets users stake their Cardano cryptocurrency throughout the exchange. You can get up to 5.5% in reward. Luna Binance Spot
- Educational Content
We all know how arcane-ish finances in general are. So by association, cryptocurrency is just as mind-boggling and arcane. 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. Here, users will find articles and references for various crypto topics. You will find references and lessons on topics that range from crypto taxes to crypto mining.
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. Luna Binance Spot
- Referral Program
Bittrex operates a referral program where when someone you know signs up for an exchange account and uses your referral link, you will earn 10% on all trading commissions they pay.
While this may not look like much. Referring someone who is a serious crypto whale could net you sizable rewards. It is an easy way to passively make crypto income, even though it is not reliable.
Bittrex Trading Experience
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.
In the desktop interface, users have a simple “instant buy Buy/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. 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 uses a simple maker/taker fee structure, making their fees more transparent than most 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 |
| Below $25,000 | 0.35% | 0.35% |
| $25,000 – $50,000 | 0.25% | 0.30% |
| $50,000 – $100,000 | 0.15% | 0.25% |
| 100,000 – 1 Million | 0.10% | 0.20% |
| $1 million – $5 million | 0.06% | 0.16% |
| $5 million – $10 million | 0.05% | 0.15% |
| $10 million – $60 million | 0.02% | 0.10% |
| $60 million – $100 million | 0.00% | 0.08% |
| $100 million + | 0.00% | 0.05% |
Bittrex Issues
Bittrex has been on the receiving end of negative reviews from its users. Many of these problems are caused by account lockouts, assets that have been frozen, and identity verification issues. Most of these problems are common across many crypto exchanges.
At the very least, the platform has not seen any major controversies or setbacks.
Bittrex Pros and Cons
Pros
- High security
- Extensive selection of available cryptocurrency
- Very low fees
- Advanced trading tools
- Pretty helpful educational content
Cons
- Mediocre and mostly unhelpful customer support
- For beginners, it can be difficult
Binance versus eToro Luna Binance Spot
eToro and Binance are two pretty famous cryptocurrency platforms. They are both pretty famous and lead the market in what they do.
However, there is a difference that divides the two. They are two very different platforms. Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange. eToro, however, is not. Rather, it is a cryptocurrency broker.
Binance sells a wide range of digital assets ranging from the usual cryptocurrency to NFTs and other services. A cryptocurrency broker also sells crypto along with other investment products such as stocks and fractional shares.
eToro Overview
eToro was not founded as a cryptocurrency platform, unlike most companies in this review. The Tel Aviv-based company was actually an online forex broker originally under RetailFX. This was back in 2007.
RetailFX began offering stocks, indices and commodities. It changed its name to eToro. It later launched the innovative social trading feature, which allowed users to copy trades from successful traders on the platform.
eToro only got involved in the crypto market when it added support for BTC in 2014. CFDs could now be bought and sold to non-U.S. users. The world’s most popular digital currency. It added support for Ripple and Ethereum four years later. Luna Binance Spot
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. They were not originally set up as an exchange, but rather 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. It was a feature that existed before the platform dabbled in the crypto industry. Luna Binance Spot
This allows eToro users simply to copy trades made by their favorite traders. The trade can be initiated by setting the money that the user wants to spend.
From there, the platform will set those funds and try to mirror the positions of their favorite eToro trader proportionally.
What is surprising about this tool is that it is entirely free. There is a need to pay an additional fee for this feature, which can be used as much as the user wants.
- Invest more than just crypto.
Since the platform started in foreign exchange, it was to be expected that new users could still get in on that action.
eToro allows you to have both stocks and cryptocurrency in one account. The platform also offers stock trading at zero commissions and the possibility to purchase fractional shares.
Even for people who want to test out stock investing, eToro offers a virtual brokerage account that lets you simulate owning stocks without putting real money at risk.
- Deposits to Fee Debit cards
Unlike most cryptocurrency exchanges, eToro does not charge fees for users who want to do a debit card deposit. Investors can deposit fiat money using a bank transfer or debit card for no additional fees.
That said, there is a conversion fee for non-U.S. dollar transactions, so users should remember that.
eToro Trading Experience
eToro can be used as a web-based platform or as a mobile app.
Starting in the platform is as easy as depositing fiat currency from a debit card or bank account, and then they can trade immediately.
A trading tab provides an intuitive view of the current prices, buys, sales, and converts crypto.
The top perk CopyTrading makes doing trades pretty simple and easy. You can even trade with high-performing traders on the platform.
The platform provides basic market and limit orders. It does not offer advanced charting and conditional orders.
Also, the lack of cryptocurrency choices limits the cryptocurrency fairs the platform can offer.
It’s also eToroX – the digital asset platform that is the most prominent.
eToroX now offers U.S. Dollar deposits, margin trading and trading APIs. It also allows for fast execution.
eToro Fees
When it comes to fees, eToro is a breath of fresh air. Unlike most cryptocurrency exchanges, which don’t show their fee, eToro lists the fees it charges when trading crypto.
eToro users pay a flat fee of 1% for each crypto trade. This 1% market fee is added to the market price the platform calls a bid-ask spread. This fee is charged when users close or open positions.
However, most users do not like that on eToro, and you pay for the “round trip” upfront. This is different from other exchanges, which only charge fees when an asset is purchased or sold.
With eToro, you pay 1% for the eventual sale of the coin in advance, plus a $1 fee on the purchase.
Users can have this problem if they transfer their coins to another wallet. They can’t return the coins to the trading platform.
eToro Issues
It is not surprising that there have been many controversies about the platform due to its age. 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:
Margin positions for all leveraged crypto position should be changed from leveraged to non-leveraged. Otherwise, they will be closed in less than four hours.
This was not a good move, and many lawyers and users expressed intent to file a class action lawsuit. This led to the revocation of the eToro licence in Cyprus.
eToro was also in a feud with Redditors of /r/wallstreetbets after the GameStop short squeeze.
eToro Pros and Cons
Pros
- An established platform
- Regulated in numerous jurisdictions
- CopyTrading, a unique feature only available on the platform, is an exclusive feature.
- There’s more to it than just crypto trading.
- Fee is transparent
Cons
- Stock, ETF, and cryptocurrency trading only available in 44 U.S. states
- Margin trading not available to U.S. users
- There are a few cryptocurrencies available.
- The 1% fee is quite high in comparison to other fees.