Exchanges are the beating heart of the crypto market. Through them, cryptocurrencies and tokens flow in and out across different networks, moving and transforming as investors buy and sell their assets.
But, working with any given exchange can be challenging. Each organization has their own rules, fees, capabilities, and opportunities. That’s why it is important to find one that aligns with your investing goals.
This article covers these essential institutions, providing a list of the top centralized cryptocurrency exchanges recommended by our editors.
Each exchange is ranked based on several factors, including:
- How long they’ve been in business
- Their ratings on TrustPilot
- The user-friendliness of their interfaces
- The number of assets they support, and
- Their levels of security.
Note: This article covers centralized exchanges. Investors looking for decentralization should check out our article listing today’s top decentralized crypto exchanges.
| Exchange Name | Years in Business | TrustPilot Score | User-Friendliness | Number of Assets | Security | Score |
| Binance.us | 4 | 1.2 | 5 | 150 | 5 | 3.5 |
| Changelly | 5 | 4.4 | 5 | 135 | 3 | 3.5 |
| Binance | 3 | 2.4 | 4 | 100 | 5 | 3.0 |
| Bittrex | 6 | 1.8 | 4 | 125 | 5 | 3.0 |
| Coinbase | 8 | 1.6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 3.0 |
| Crypto.com | 7 | 1.9 | 5 | 250 | 4 | 3.0 |
| HitBTC | 7 | 3.8 | 3 | 300 | 4 | 3.0 |
| Uphold | 9 | 3.4 | 3 | 250 | 4 | 3.0 |
| Bitfinex | 8 | 3.3 | 4 | 97 | 3 | 2.5 |
| BitMart | 3 | 3.7 | 4 | 67 | 4 | 2.5 |
| BitMEX | 6 | 2.1 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 2.5 |
| CEX | 7 | 3.7 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 2.5 |
| CoinCorner | 6 | 3.7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Huobi | 7 | 3.1 | 4 | 115 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Kraken | 9 | 2.2 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Kucoin | 6 | 1.5 | 4 | 750 | 5 | 2.5 |
| OKEx | 6 | 3.3 | 3 | 175 | 4 | 2.5 |
| Bitstamp | 8 | 2.3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2.0 |
| CoinEx | 3 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 4 | 1.5 |
| Gemini | 6 | 1.9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1.5 |
| itBit | 8 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1.5 |
| Poloniex | 6 | 1.6 | 4 | 62 | 4 | 1.5 |
Binance US
BMJ Score: 3.5
Long-term investor utility: Similar features as Binance with fewer coins. Fees start at 0.1%, and the platform includes an automated buys feature.
The exchange is based in San Francisco and was founded in 2019. It is a derivative of international exchange Binance. The platform allows customers to trade over 50 assets and provides low-cost access to dozens of trading pairs.
Changelly
BMJ Score: 3.5
Long-term investor utility: More of a crypto swap service than an exchange, Changelly doesn’t support recurring buys, though the company does charge a 0.25% flat fee on all crypto-to-crypto trades. Other exchanges may be better for long-term investors.
Changelly was launched in 2015 to provide cryptocurrency investors with an easy-to-use platform to purchase digital assets, with over two million registered users that support over 210 digital coins and tokens. On Changelly, you can buy bitcoin and other digital assets using a credit card, but the exchange is mainly known for its crypto-to-crypto trading service, which charges only a 0.25% fee. Changelly can offer excellent conversion rates by using the trading API from several leading exchanges to receive the best prices.
Binance
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Regular users pay a 0.1% maker/taker fee, though a 25% trading fee discount when using BNB will apply. The platform supports recurring buys and easy withdrawals.
Binance is one of the market’s youngest and largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Binance supports over 100 digital assets and provides an intuitive trading platform that even beginners will find easy to use once they get the hang of it. The Cayman Islands-based exchange now has over 28 million users across the globe.
Bittrex
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Bittrex offers competitive fees in a user-friendly format. Their maker/taker fees range from 0.00% to 0.75%.
After launching in 2014, Seattle-based Bittrex quickly emerged as one of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges for those interested in investing in altcoins. Bittrex offers a wide range of digital assets and regularly adds (and removes) coins and tokens to meet investor demand. Investors active in the initial coin offerings (ICO) market are generally very fond of Bittrex, as it is often one of the first exchanges to list new ICO tokens.
Coinbase
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Coinbase is a user-friendly interface suitable for beginners. The platform offers a straightforward withdrawal process and automatic recurring buys, though fees are relatively high compared to other centralized exchanges. Fees range from 1.49% for bank purchases to 3.99% for credit card purchases.
San Francisco-based Coinbase is the first bitcoin startup “unicorn,” now valued at roughly $70 billion. Coinbase offers a very easy-to-use mobile and web-based platform to buy digital currencies. Its platform is available in over 100 countries and serves over 56 million users. When bitcoin rallied in late 2017, its app hit the top spot on the Apple iStore. Currently, Coinbase supports bitcoin (BTC), bitcoin cash (BCH), litecoin (LTC), ether (ETH), and many other assets.
Crypto.com
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Offers a full suite of products, including a debit card. It supports recurring buys with competitive fees—a prime option for an investor looking to go cashless.
Founded in 2016, Crypto.com operates out of Hong Kong and offers a product known as the Crypto.com Chain, which allows people to be paid in any cryptocurrency they want, regardless of their location.
HitBTC
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Known primarily for their altcoin offerings, HitBTC has high trading fees and no recurring buys.
HitBTC was launched in 2013 and managed to establish itself as one of the bitcoin exchanges with the highest BTC trading volumes. The exchange also offers over 300 digital assets for investors to buy and sell, making it popular among altcoin traders.
Uphold
BMJ Score: 3.0
Long-term investor utility: Uphold is a user-friendly platform without automatic recurring buys. As fees are included in the spread, calculating your buys is much easier. You can withdraw through the bank, crypto network, P2P, and debit cards, though you must pay a $2.50 fee per withdrawal.
This is one of our featured exchanges based in the US. Founded in 2013, the company supports over 30 assets and boasts users in over 180 countries. It also charges zero fees on many crypto-to-crypto trades.
Bitfinex
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: Bitfinex caters to beginners and professionals. They operate with at least 0.2% per trade fee, higher than more popular options like Binance.
Bitfinex was founded in 2012 to provide cryptocurrency investors with a wide array of digital currencies and tokens in which to invest. The Kazakhstan-based exchange has continuously ranked with the highest bitcoin trading volumes year-over-year.
BitMart
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: BitMart has a tiered trading-free structure that starts at 0.25%. Professional users who trade at least 150 BTC per month can start with market/taker fees of 0.04% and 0.06%, respectively. BitMart offers some of the most competitive rates on this list.
BitMart is a Cayman Islands-based digital asset exchange launched in 2017 to offer crypto-to-crypto trading for investors across the globe. BitMart has offices in the United States, China, and South Korea.
BitMEX
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: This platform is geared towards derivatives trading more than buy-and-holds. There are no recurring buys for BitMex. Their spot trading operates with a 0.075% taker fee.
BitMEX is a digital asset derivatives trading platform for professional traders. The exchange was founded in 2014 and emerged as one of the most popular trading platforms for experienced bitcoin traders. BitMEX provides currency futures trading, derivatives, and other financial products.
CEX
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: CEX is user-friendly for beginners, but its need for recurring buys and higher fees make it a less optimal choice for investors.
UK-based CEX.io is one of the oldest bitcoin exchanges in the country. It allows investors from around the globe to purchase several different digital assets with a range of fiat currency payment options.
CoinCorner
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: CoinCorner is geared primarily to the UK audience. Deposits are free for GBP and EUR bank transfers, but transactions have a flat fee of 1%.
CoinCorner was founded in 2014 and surpassed 100,000 users within three years. The UK-based company now serves over 200,000 users in nearly 50 countries.
Huobi
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: Huobi does not offer recurring buys and has a base fee of 0.2%.
Seychelles-headquartered Huobi is one of the most popular exchanges. It was founded in 2013 and emerged as one of the go-to trading platforms for Asian cryptocurrency investors.
Kraken
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: Known primarily for its security and regulatory compliance, Kraken is one of the better options for long-term investors looking to dive deep into crypto.
Kraken was founded in 2011 and continues to expand its digital asset offering to meet the demand of its users. Currently, the platform offers more than 90 cryptos, including bitcoin (BTC), litecoin (LTC), and ether (ETH), and provides a trading dashboard with a range of charting tools and historical price data. Kraken’s user interface can be somewhat challenging for novices, so we recommend it for more experienced investors.
KuCoin
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: Offers a variety of altcoins with moderate trading fees ranging from 0.005%-0.1%. Though it doesn’t offer automatic recurring buys, their withdrawal process is uncomplicated.
Kucoin was founded in 2017 in Hong Kong. It boasts more than eight million users in over 200 territories across the globe. The “People’s Exchange” operates out of Seychelles and has established communities in North America, Europe, and several other hotspots. It also offers 24/7 support in multiple languages.
OKEx
BMJ Score: 2.5
Long-term investor utility: A great option for traders, more than investors. The platform does not offer recurring buys but does have competitive fees starting at 0.1% for market makers and 0.15% for market takers.
Seychelles-based OKEx was founded in 2017 to provide Asian investors access to bitcoin and other digital assets. OKEx offers over 170 investable assets as well as futures trading.
Bitstamp
BMJ Score: 2.0
Long-term investor utility: BitStamp caters to the European market with moderate fees that start at 0.4%. With only 75 assets on the exchange, investors may fare better with other exchanges.
Luxembourg-based Bitstamp was founded in 2011 to provide easy access to bitcoin trading for European customers. The exchange quickly emerged as one of the go-to exchanges for European bitcoin investors.
CoinEx
BMJ Score: 1.5
Long-term investor utility: Apart from offering over 600 assets for trading, CoinEx offers competitive fees starting at 0.2% and a straightforward withdrawal process. Unfortunately, it no longer provides services to US citizens or residents due to regulatory requirements.
Launched by ViaBTC in 2017, UK-based CoinEx offers a range of investable assets. The exchange also offers an OTC trading service for large investors.
Gemini
BMJ Score: 1.5
Long-term investor utility: Gemini is a crypto platform catered to US investors. Transactions incur a 0.5% convenience fee compared to a transaction fee that varies based on size.
Gemini is a regulated cryptocurrency exchange that enables investors to buy and sell assets like BTC, ETH, and Zcash. The exchange was founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss brothers and offers its users a custodial service.
itBit
BMJ Score: 1.5
Long-term investor utility: itBit’s focus on institutional investors means lower fees. Their trading fees start at 0.25% for Makers and 0.35% for takers. The exchange does not support recurring buys.
New York-based itBit launched in 2013 to provide investors with easy access to bitcoin. Since then, the exchange has established itself as a go-to trading platform for US investors with a combination of low fees and a low barrier to entry. itBit also offers OTC trading services for large investors who want to trade outside of exchanges.
Poloniex
BMJ Score: 1.5
Long-term investor utility: Poloniex is a platform for investors looking specifically for altcoins. Their fees start at 0.145%.
Poloniex was launched in 2014 to offer investors greater access to altcoin investing. The exchange became one of the go-to altcoin trading platforms in the following years due to its range of investable assets and margin trading features.
Our Top Picks for Cryptocurrency Exchanges
If you’re still with us after all that information, thanks for sticking with us–because now we’ll dive into our top picks across all of these exchanges.
- If you’re a long-term investor looking for automatic recurring purchases, Binance is your best option.
- If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly exchange with many years in the business and an excellent reputation for security, Coinbase is our top pick.
- If you’re an experienced trader looking to build an extensive portfolio, HitBTC has the most options, with more than 1,000 crypto assets to trade.
Investor’s Takeaway
Chances are, if you’re investing in crypto, you’ll use an exchange. It’s crucial to pick one that fits your investing goals. Across the board, however, the exchange you use must focus on security, transparency, and accountability. You must use this article as part of your own research into the right exchange.
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