Ranking crypto exchanges is impossible unless you rank them by particular metrics. Those with the highest transaction volumes clearly win. They accept more currencies, make more trades, and their interface is easy to use.
What makes a particular cryptocurrency exchange a better fit for you depends on what you value most. However, you can get an overview of what some of the most popular exchanges have to offer by comparing some of them.
Depending on the type of investment or trade that you are looking to conduct, you should be able to select the appropriate option for you.
Cryptocurrency Exchanges: Three Types
Let’s take a closer look at how the world’s top cryptocurrency exchanges are ranked in popularity before comparing them:
- Brokers
Buying cryptocurrency through an exchange broker is very simplistic. They are very simple websites where you can buy cryptocurrencies at a specific price. It’s quite similar to trading FX.
- Trading platforms
Websites connect buyers and sellers. Users can trade their crypto assets on secure and stable platforms with real-time pricing. There is a fee associated with every trading platform, typically a percentage of the transaction.
- Direct trading
Facilitates the exchange of financial products between sellers and buyers. Nevertheless, when direct trading is done, the price is not set by the exchange, but by the company or individual. Additionally, you can purchase cryptocurrency directly from your bank account using fiat money by using a direct trading platform.
Coinbase
As one of the oldest cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin exchanges, it is now considered one of the most trusted platforms for trading. Fiat to crypto and crypto to fiat can be stored, bought, sold, and traded on the platform.
Coinbase offers a user-friendly interface and emphasizes key market developments, making it one of the go-to platforms for small- and big-time investors. A certain amount of insurance is also available through Coinbase depending on the crypto you hold. The thing that sets it apart from the rest is the ease with which new investors can get started.
A few factors diminish its reputation, including low customer support, limited support for some countries, and limited payment options. I didn’t find any low transaction fees, but they are definitely not the highest.
Kraken
Kraken was established in 2011. In terms of Euro trading volume, it has become the most significant platform since then. Nevertheless, it is available in many other European countries and even in the United States, Canada, and Japan.
Kraken is different from other exchanges in that it also allows margin trading. For seasoned investors, this could be a major plus. Moreover, it supports most of the popular crypto coins, and it also allows you to buy crypto with crypto.
A complicated interface makes Kraken unsuitable for the general public. In addition to being daunting to use, it is quite detailed. Kraken does not offer a wallet suitable for long-term storage, unlike Coinbase. Neither PayPal nor credit cards are accepted as payment options. For most countries, Kraken prefers wire transfers and SEPA.
Anyone investing small amounts or without access to bank transfers is not advised to use this platform. The platform is most reliable for investors and traders with a high volume of transactions.
Binance
Binance is your best choice if you want to trade cryptocurrencies without dealing in fiat currencies. Cryptocurrency investors should consider this platform. In addition to offering one of the largest crypto offerings on the market, Binance also doesn’t offer fiat trading.
The platform is one of the few that don’t avoid trading new cryptos when they are released. While slightly more advanced than Kraken, the interface is not as confusing. Although it’s not quite as user-friendly as coinbase, it’s close.
The best part about Binance is that there are no fees for depositing and withdrawing coins. You can use this method if you don’t have that many assets but are trying to trade crypto for crypto. Only the transaction fee of 0.1% is a concern here, which is already quite low compared with other exchanges.
To get started with this exchange, you need to have some crypto assets. For many, Binance is the next step in their cryptocurrency journey.
Kriptomat
Cryptocurrency broker Kriptomat has localized and supported languages in 23 countries and is one of the fastest growing in CEE. As of 2018, the company was founded in an effort to make cryptocurrency storage, purchasing, and trading ultra-accessible in a secure manner to anyone.
Currently, they serve users around the globe who wish to trade and store among their 180+ supported cryptocurrencies. Their services are available across more than 80 countries worldwide. Kriptomat is a regulated entity under the laws and regulations of the European Union. In 2017, Estonia introduced robust cryptocurrency regulations for businesses dealing in cryptocurrencies cryptocurrencies cryptocurrencies. These regulations are outlined in the country’s Anti-Money Laundering Law (AML) and Terrorist Financing Act (TFA).
Since the company has only been in operation for a short time, it can still be trusted as transparent and trustworthy. In addition, Kriptomat is incredibly easy-to-use and ideal for customers who want to get started with crypto quickly and easily.
Choose the Right Exchange and Save Money
Among the Crypto exchanges, Binance is without a doubt your go-to exchange if you hold crypto assets. Purchasing your first crypto assets with fiat will require fiat trading, however, if you are just getting started. In spite of the high fees, even for small volume trades, Coinbase makes it very intuitive. Make sure to choose the write exchange that provides a secure Bitcoin wallet or crypto wallet for your currencies.
