Best crypto exchanges

Binance.com is the largest crypto exchange in the world in terms of trading volume. And even though U.S. investors can't use the platform, Binance.US is still a comprehensive exchange with incredibly low fees.

Low trading fees are truly the main reason to use this exchange. But you still have extensive cryptocurrency selection and the ability to stake several coins to earn crypto passive income. Binance.US also has an advanced trading dashboard for more technical traders. And if you live internationally, Binance.com is one of the best crypto exchanges out there for trading fees and overall selection.

Potential drawbacks: Binance.US has less cryptocurrency selection than Binance.com and options like Coinbase. However, you still get major cryptos like Bitcoin, Cardano, Solana, and even altcoins like Dogecoin.

Additionally, Binance.US isn't available in Hawaii, Idaho, New York, Texas, or Vermont.

Trading fees: Binance.US fees start at a 0.10% maker and taker fee and 0.50% fee for spot trading. You can also get trading fee discounts for holding BNB coin, the exchange's native token for the Binance Chain.

If you want to manage all your stock, ETF and crypto in one place, eToro is your best choice. This online broker has always been a popular choice for stock trading. And now, eToro supports crypto trading for over 40 popular coins

What's nice is that eToro has a simple crypto trading interface for beginners as well as a crypto exchange interface with more advanced trading tools. You can also create a virtual portfolio to test your crypto trading skills before investing.

Potential drawbacks: eToro crypto trading isn't as robust as dedicated crypto exchanges. It still has advanced trading tools, but it supports fewer crypto assets than many competitor exchanges. This makes it the best choice if you want to also trade stocks and ETFs. But for standalone crypto support, eToro isn't the best.

Trading fees: eToro has a simple 1% trading fee whenever you buy or sell crypto. This is higher than many crypto exchanges but it's also easier to understand. If you're new to crypto investing, this fee structure is easy to understand, although it's not the most cost-effective option in the long-run.

Crypto.com is one of the most popular global cryptocurrency exchanges. This exchange supports over 250 cryptos and 20 currencies, and it's available in over 100 markets. You can trade through its simple mobile app or use its advanced trading web dashboard. Margin and derivative trading are also available.

Crypto.com also has excellent crypto rewards. Its staking program Crypto Earn supports 40+ coins and pays up to 14.5% APY. And the Crypto.com Visa card pays up to 8% crypto back in CRO tokens, the exchange's native token.

When you add its new NFT marketplace, Crypto.com is one of the most robust and globally-friendly exchanges.

Potential drawbacks: The main downside to Crypto.com is that you have to hold and stake CRO tokens to get more rewards. For example, its crypto rewards card has tiers with better rewards the more CRO you hold. Trading fees also get heavy discounts but only once you trade a lot of money per 30 days or if you stake serious amounts of CRO tokens.

Trading fees: Trading fees start at a 0.40% maker and taker fee. But fees drop incredibly low for high-volume traders. This makes Crypto.com worse for small portfolios but a competitive choice for active traders dealing with a lot of capital.

Gemini is another leading cryptocurrency exchange that lets you buy and sell over 90 cryptocurrencies. It also has an excellent staking platform that lets you earn up to 8.05% APY by staking different coins. And, with its ActiveTrader offering, Gemini also caters to more serious crypto traders who need extra tools.

But where Gemini shines is in its security. The exchange is a licensed New York trust company, so it goes through more audits and cybersecurity reviews than your average exchange. Plus, U.S. dollars in your account are FDIC-insured up to $250,000. Gemini also has digital asset insurance and stores most assets in cold wallets which are less vulnerable to theft.

Potential drawbacks: Gemini's main drawback is that its fee structure is somewhat complicated. Normal mobile and web orders charge various fees depending on the order amount. And Gemini ActiveTrader has a completely different fee structure altogether.

Fees are similar to Coinbase overall but aren't as low as Binance or DEXs like 1inch.

Trading fees: Mobile and web fees cost $0.99 to $2.99 for orders up to $200. Orders over $200 then charge 1.49% of trade value. Gemini ActiveTrader fees start at a 0.40% taker fee and 0.20% maker fee plus 0.01% auction fee.

Coinbase is one of the largest exchanges in the world. It's also very beginner-friendly, making it the best overall crypto exchange for beginner investors. And with extensive coin support, you can buy popular cryptos like Bitcoin or Ethereum plus plenty of altcoins.

Coinbase also has staking rewards and a crypto rewards card that pays up to 4% back in crypto on daily spending. And there's even a new Coinbase Learn program that pays you with free crypto for completing short educational modules.

Potential drawbacks: Coinbase is very easy to use, but trading fees are slightly higher than some other cryptocurrency exchanges. The basic version of Coinbase doesn't have many trading tools either, so you need to learn how to use the free Coinbase Pro interface if you want more trading capabilities.

Trading fees: Coinbase charges various spread fees that vary depending on order size, payment method, and the crypto you're trading. This can range from 0.5% to 2% or higher, which is steep. Using Coinbase Advanced Trade is a smart move since the first trading tier has a 0.40% maker fee and 0.60% taker fee.

Unlike centralized exchanges, decentralized exchanges (DEXs) don't rely on a custodian or middleman to hold funds and process trades. Rather, DEXs use automated market maker protocols and let people exchange crypto and fiat in a peer-to-peer network.

And out of all decentralized exchanges, 1inch is one of the best. That's because it's a DEX aggregator that finds the lowest crypto prices across other DEXs and connects traders to get the best prices possible. And this decentralized exchange doesn't charge trading fees. If you value your privacy and want to avoid fees, 1inch is one of your best options.

Potential drawbacks: DEXs like 1inch aren't nearly as beginner-friendly as centralized exchanges like Coinbase. For starters, you have to learn how to connect a crypto wallet to 1inch. And while you don't pay trading fees directly, you still pay gas fees, which can get pricey depending on the crypto and blockchain network congestion.

1inch also has limited fiat options, so it's really a crypto-to-crypto DEX aggregator above all else. If you're willing to go down the crypto rabbit hole, 1inch is worth it. But for the occasional crypto trader, the learning curve isn't something to take on lightly.

Trading fees: 1inch doesn't charge crypto trading fees. But you pay gas fees for every transaction that vary depending on the crypto and blockchain conditions.

Kraken is one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges out there and began in 2011. It's also a great exchange if you want advanced trading tools and to trade futures or on margin.

Kraken still has a simple trading interface if you're new. But its premium Cryptowatch dashboard lets you analyze 2,000+ crypto markets and trade across multiple exchanges. The Kraken terminal itself offers robust charting and analysis tools as well. Plus, Kraken has excellent staking options that pay up to 23% APY.

Potential drawbacks: Kraken has spot trading and a simpler mobile app and web version if you're new to crypto. But this exchange really shines for advanced traders who use Kraken Pro. If you're new to crypto, exchanges like Coinbase or Gemini are more beginner-friendly.

Trading fees: Kraken spot trading charges a 0.9% fee for any stablecoin and 1.5% for other crypto or FX pairs. For Kraken Pro, fees start at a 0.26% taker fee and 0.16% maker fee. Margin fees vary by coin and futures start at a 0.05% taker fee and 0.02% maker fee.

Robinhood is a popular commission-free investing app that's also branched out into crypto. This mobile-friendly app lets you invest in popular cryptos like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Polygon, and Solana starting with just $1.

If you want a simple way to buy crypto from your smartphone, Robinhood is for you. Recently, Robinhood opened its waitlist to let users receive and send crypto from their account to other exchanges or wallets. This means you can soon use Robinhood to buy your favorite cryptos and then send them to an external wallet or platform that offers staking if that's what you're interested in.

Potential drawbacks: Robinhood supports under a dozen cryptocurrencies, and this is its main drawback. If you want to occasionally add popular cryptos to your portfolio and keep things simple, it's a great app. But for more crypto trading tools and asset support, look to various exchanges instead.

Trading fees: Robinhood doesn't charge commissions on crypto trades. But you still pay varying spread fees which are similar to many exchanges.