Best Crypto Exchanges and Apps for 2025

• Transaction Fees: 0.00% to 0.40%
• Currencies: 200+
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: $1
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

Kraken’s professional-grade trading platform is our pick for the best low-fee exchange because it charges some of the lowest fees in the crypto asset exchange landscape. However, it’s also our top choice for experienced traders, as it offers advanced order types and supports margin and futures trading.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Large number of supported cryptocurrencies

• Low fees

• Highly liquid exchange

Cons

• Not available in all U.S. states

• Limited account funding options

Overview

Established in 2011 and headquartered in San Francisco, Kraken is one of the most reputable cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. The San Francisco-based exchange enables investors to buy, sell, and store over 200 cryptocurrencies while charging low fees on its professional-grade trading platform, Kraken Pro. 

This feature-rich crypto exchange established itself as the go-to platform for professional investors in the early days of the crypto asset market, and it has maintained its reputation as a reliable and professional trading venue. 

Kraken offers two platforms: its main trading platform and its professional platform, Kraken Pro. The exchange’s Pro dashboard provides highly customizable chart analysis tools, detailed insight into the order books, numerous order types, and high-speed execution. In addition to spot trading, Kraken users can also trade cryptocurrency using margin and execute crypto derivatives trading strategies. 

Cryptocurrency investors who use the instant buy feature will incur a charge for the service. The fee will vary depending on the funding method, market conditions, order size, and asset type. When ready to execute the trade, investors will find the fee included in the pricing.

Kraken and Kraken Pro both offer a tiered fee structure that allows high-volume traders to save on trading fees. For traders with 30-day volumes of less than $10,000, Kraken Pro’s maker fees start at 0.25%, and taker fees start at 0.40%. However, maker fees can drop as low as 0%, and taker fees can drop as low as 0.10% (for traders with 30-day rolling volumes of over $10 million). Moreover, Kraken has limited funding options, with wire transfers being the primary payment method for Kraken users. ACH transfers are not supported.

Best for Beginners Coinbase

• Transaction Fees: 0.00% to 0.60%
• Currencies: 200+
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: $2
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

Coinbase is our pick for the best crypto exchange for beginners because it offers a large number of supported cryptocurrencies, strong security, and advanced trading options, all on an easy-to-use platform.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Large number of cryptocurrencies and trading pairs

• Offers both beginner-friendly and advanced trading platforms

• Highly liquid exchange

Cons

• Lack of high-quality customer service

• Coinbase's default wallet is a custodial account, with no control over your private keys

Overview

Coinbase was founded in 2012 to enable people to buy, sell, and store Bitcoin. Fast-forward to today, Coinbase is a publicly traded cryptocurrency exchange geographically decentralized with no headquarters and available in 100+ countries. It stands out for providing a user-friendly trading experience, robust security, and a range of advanced features for experienced traders.2

Because of its large number of supported assets (5,500+) on Coinbase Wallet and easy-to-use platform, Coinbase has become the go-to exchange for many first-time crypto buyers.3 The platform has the look and feel of an online banking app, which most people use already, making the transition to crypto investing simple.

Coinbase also insures the digital funds it holds on behalf of users and stores U.S. dollar balances in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)-insured bank accounts to prevent a loss of user funds in the case of a security breach.4 Trading accounts can be funded with a wide range of payment methods, including wire transfer and ACH transfer.

What’s more, Coinbase also offers crypto storage options. The first is a custodial option for new investors: storing your coins on the Coinbase.com exchange. The second is a non-custodial wallet (Coinbase Wallet) for experienced crypto users.5 When storing your crypto on Coinbase.com, Coinbase holds the private keys and effectively stores funds on behalf of Coinbase.com users. With Coinbase Wallet, the user has complete control over their funds as they hold the wallet’s private keys.

While Coinbase is a suitable digital asset exchange for both new and advanced crypto investors, trading fees can be relatively high, ranging from 0% to 0.60%, depending on trade volume.6 In addition, Coinbase’s user feedback is relatively poor. For instance, several Trustpilot users mention problems with customer support.7 Additionally, there are numerous stories of unexpected account closures that have tainted the exchange’s image.8

Moreover, Coinbase has been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with allegedly operating as an unregistered securities exchange.9 The SEC claims that “Coinbase, despite being subject to the securities laws, commingled and unlawfully offered exchange, broker-dealer, and clearinghouse functions.” 

Coinbase says it has asked the SEC several times how to satisfy the regulator’s concerns.10  

Despite the exchange’s drawbacks and the current charges by the SEC, Coinbase is still worth considering due to its ease of use.

Best Mobile App Crypto.com

• Transaction Fees: 0.00% to 0.075%
• Currencies: 350+
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: $1
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

We chose Crypto.com as the best mobile crypto exchange app because it provides an extensive digital asset trading and investing ecosystem you can access easily from your smartphone.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Supports more than 350 cryptocurrencies

• Provides a range of cryptocurrency products

Cons

• Poor customer support

Overview

After launching in 2016 and being founded in Hong Kong, Crypto.com has established itself as one of the leading global crypto exchanges. It’s now available in 90 countries worldwide, and it supports over 350 cryptocurrencies.

In addition to offering a large number of supported assets, Crypto.com provides a vast digital asset ecosystem composed of its own blockchain, Crypto.org Chain; a native token called CRO; a crypto visa card; yield-generating crypto products; and more.

What stands out the most, however, is the Crypto.com mobile app. While many crypto exchange mobile apps provide a watered-down version of the exchange’s web-based platform, Crypto.com put a strong focus on building an app that offers a wide range of products and features so users can benefit from this exchange’s ecosystem on the go. Mobile app users can buy, sell, trade, and earn interest on their crypto, as well as pay with crypto.11

While Crypto.com offers an impressive array of products and features, customer support is lacking. Additionally, unless you trade at higher volumes, you will end up paying trading fees of up to 0.075%.12

If you are looking for an excellent mobile crypto trading experience, Crypto.com is arguably the best option thanks to its range of products and features, as well as its large number of supported assets.

Best For Security Gemini

• Transaction Fees: 0.0% to 0.40% for active trader, 1.49% for most transactions on regular platform
• Currencies: 70+
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: Varies
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

We have picked Gemini as the crypto exchange with the best security because it has robust security protocols, insures user funds, and is SOC 2-certified. (SOC, or Service and Organization Controls, is a cybersecurity compliance standard). However, alongside its high-security standards, crypto traders will appreciate that the site's user experience is sleek and easy to use.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Available to users in all 50 U.S. states

• Highly liquid exchange

• Insures funds held in hot wallet

• Strong security framework

Cons

• High fees on many trades

• Supports fewer cryptocurrencies than many competitor exchanges

Overview

Launched in 2014 in New York City by Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, Gemini stands out for putting a strong emphasis on security and compliance. The New York-based exchange has hot wallet insurance to make sure user funds remain safe in the case of a security breach.13

Gemini also encourages users to utilize two-factor authentication to secure their accounts, and it provides the option of reviewing and approving devices used to log into the trading account. Another standout security feature of Gemini is that it is SOC 2-certified, which means that external auditors have verified the company’s security and compliance frameworks.14

Built with advanced traders in mind, Gemini provides a professional-grade trading dashboard and supports over 80 digital currencies and tokens, including fiat currencies.15 Gemini also offers a cryptocurrency reward card and allows participants to use it to pay for goods and services with crypto.

Gemini's main platform and active trader platform use different fee structures. The primary platform charges fixed amounts for smaller trades and a very high 1.49% on trades above $200.16 The active trader platform charges maker and taker fees up to 0.4%, with reductions as your volume grows. These are also on the high side. However, paying the comparatively high fee may be a small price to pay for Gemini’s highly robust security.17

Traders and investors who prefer to trade on a highly secure platform will appreciate what Gemini has to offer.

Best for Altcoins BitMart

• Transaction Fees: 0.04% to 0.10%
• Currencies: 1500+
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: $50 for Bitmart purchases
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

BitMart is our top pick in the best for the altcoins category. Although crypto traders can still trade popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, BitMart allows users in 160+ countries to buy and sell over 1,500 cryptocurrencies.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Supports a very large number of cryptocurrencies

• Provides crypto earning opportunities

• Offers a simple buy/sell cryptocurrency feature

Cons

• Experienced a large-scale hack in 2021

• Poor feedback from customers

Overview

Founded in 2017, BitMart is a global cryptocurrency exchange that’s available in over 160 countries. It allows users to buy, sell, and store over 1,500 digital currencies and tokens. 

Incorporated in the Cayman Islands, BitMart has established itself as a leading trading venue for small and mid-cap cryptocurrencies. BitMart offers more assets and trading pairs than its market-leading peers, so Investors looking to add newly launched or obscure crypto assets to their portfolios will likely find what they are looking for on this exchange. 

Additionally, BitMart customers can use the exchange’s Earn feature to receive interest on crypto assets held with the exchange. However, BitMart Savings is not available to investors residing in the United States.18 Moreover, experienced crypto traders can trade perpetual swaps on over 100 cryptocurrencies on BitMart with leverage of up to 100 times. Users can also access trading fee discounts when holding the exchange’s native token, BMX.

While BitMart has a lot to offer for experienced crypto traders, the exchange has received some poor customer feedback over the years. Several complaints from users reported withdrawal problems, poor customer support, and trust issues. Other users report positive experiences.19

Moreover, BitMart suffered a security breach in December 2021 that resulted in the loss of $196 million in user funds.20 BitMart promised to reimburse users. Still, the Kaspersky cybersecurity firm cites the hack as one of the most infamous cybersecurity hacks. 

Despite these drawbacks, crypto enthusiasts interested in trading a wide range of lesser-known cryptocurrencies will find what they are looking for on BitMart.

Best for Bitcoin Cash App

• Transaction Fees: 0.00% to 3%
• Currencies: 1
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: $1
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

We chose Cash App as our top pick among Bitcoin-only exchanges as it allows you to seamlessly and securely buy, sell, and store Bitcoin from your smartphone.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Easy-to-use interface

• Withdraw to wallets

• Supports the Bitcoin Lightning Network

Cons

• Only supports Bitcoin

• Custodial wallet

• Various limits on deposits, sales, etc.

Overview

Launched in 2013 by Block, Inc. (formerly Square, Inc.), and headquartered in San Francisco, Cash App allows individuals in the United States and the United Kingdom to send, spend, bank, and invest. It’s essentially a mobile banking app geared towards peer-to-peer payments, but it also has an investment component. Users can invest in stocks, ETFs, and Bitcoin through Cash App. Unlike its peers, such as Robinhood and Venmo, Cash App also lets users withdraw their Bitcoin to external wallets, which makes it stand out from its competition.

In early 2022, Cash App’s CEO Jack Dorsey announced that the company has started to roll out support for the Bitcoin Lightning Network to enable near-instant Bitcoin transfers at almost no cost.21 

The main drawback of using Cash App to buy and store Bitcoin is that the in-app wallet is custodial, which means the company holds your virtual currency on your behalf. While custodial wallets can be convenient, they are also regarded as less secure than non-custodial wallets. However, since you can withdraw your Bitcoin from Cash App, you can move your cryptocurrency into a personal wallet to which you hold the private keys.

Cash App’s Bitcoin trading fees vary and are only shown when you are asked to confirm your buy or sell crypto transaction. When you trade Bitcoin, Cash App uses the mid-price and adds a spread fee. Cash App is also a winner in our Best Money Transfer Apps roundup article. Making it a versatile option for those who want to own Bitcoin and be able to send money.

Best Decentralized Exchange Bisq

• Transaction Fees: 0.15% to 1.15%
• Currencies: Not Disclosed
• Minimum Deposit Or Purchase: Not Disclosed
• Trade Limits: Yes

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Why We Chose It

Bisq is our pick for the best decentralized exchange because it allows users anywhere in the world to securely and privately buy and sell Bitcoin and a range of other cryptocurrencies.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Available globally

• Offers a high degree of privacy, no ID verification required

• 50+ different payment options

Cons

• Transaction speed can be slow

• Trading volumes can be low

• Not designed for active trading

Overview

Launched in 2014 and headquartered in Barcelona, Catalonia. Bisq is an open-source cryptocurrency trading software that enables individuals from across the globe to trade a range of digital currencies and tokens in a peer-to-peer manner. It currently does not disclose how many cryptocurrencies it supports.

This decentralized exchange does not require users to complete a Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification process, nor is the trading software limited to users in specific jurisdictions. On Bisq, users can buy and sell Bitcoin and other types of crypto using various payment methods, including bank wire transfers, ACH transfers, and cash deposits. 

While Bisq is popular among early cryptocurrency adopters as it stays true to many of the values that Bitcoin was built on, such as decentralization, privacy, and sovereignty, the exchange is not very beginner-friendly. The escrow mechanism used in the peer-to-peer trading process may be challenging for new users while the comparatively slow trade execution could deter first-time users and active traders. Additionally, the exchange is more targeted at making smaller trades as trading volumes are lower than on centralized global exchanges. 

However, for experienced crypto investors who prefer to trade on a decentralized, KYC-free platform, Bisq offers everything you need to buy and sell cryptocurrency.

Unlike traditional brokerage firms, cryptocurrency exchanges are not members of the Securities Investor Protection Corp. (SIPC). Therefore, unless user terms specify otherwise, investors with cryptocurrency assets commingled on a custodial cryptocurrency exchange could potentially lose their funds as unsecured creditors.22

Our Expert Picks

Choosing the right crypto exchange that meets your needs as an investor is an essential aspect of investing in cryptocurrencies. Whether you require easy liquidity, low trading fees, a wide variety of tradable assets, or a user-friendly mobile trading experience, you can find an exchange that fits the bill. 

If you're looking to trade on a highly secure, regulated crypto exchange that offers a large number of supported cryptocurrencies, Gemini is your go-to choice. If, instead, you're looking to trade a wide range of new and small-cap crypto tokens, BitMart is arguably the best choice. Conversely, if you're only interested in investing in Bitcoin, CashApp is probably the most convenient option.

Experienced traders looking to deploy advancing crypto derivatives trading strategies will find a home with Kraken, while privacy-conscious crypto investors will enjoy the added layer of privacy that the decentralized exchange Bisq offers. 

Compare the Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges

Company	Transaction Fees	Currencies	Minimum Deposit or Purchase	Trade Limits
Kraken Best for Low Fees & Experienced Traders	0.00% to 0.40%	200+	$1	Yes
Coinbase Best for Beginners	Variable fees (Coinbase), 0.00% to 0.40% maker fee, and 0.05% to 0.60% taker fee per trade	200+23	$224	Yes
Crypto.com Best Mobile App	0.00% to 0.075%	350+	$1	Yes
Gemini Best for Security	0.0% to 0.40% for active traders, 1.49% for most transactions on the regular platform25	70+	Varies	Yes
BitMart Best for Altcoins	0.04% to 0.10%26	1,500+	$50 for Bitmart purchases27	Yes
Cash App Best for Bitcoin	0.00% to 3%28	1	$1	Yes
Bisq Best Decentralized Exchange	0.15% to 1.15%29	Not Disclosed	Not Disclosed	Yes30

"Crypto is a relatively new asset class that is picking up interest as the days go by. We have seen “new” assets garner a great deal of interest and simply go away as time goes on. I do not believe crypto will be an asset that goes away, but how it is used and what coin or option will be the most viable is hard to tell. I think the best way to go about investing in this space is using an ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) that will provide you with exposure and diversification within the asset class. It will also insulate you from fraudsters and thieves who may try to steal Bitcoin directly from your wallet. You may think that this is impossible, but we had a family we work with that had $150k of Bitcoin stolen right from their wallet, and there was nothing they could do about it." - Lawrence Spung, a member of Investopedia’s Financial Advisor Council.

Guide for Choosing the Best Crypto Exchanges

Are Crypto Exchanges Worth It?

If you are looking to purchase cryptocurrencies, signing up for a crypto exchange can be your best option to get started. 

While buying a few hundred dollars worth of Bitcoin from a local Bitcoin ATM may be convenient, it makes more sense to use an exchange if you are looking to invest a larger amount or you’re interested in buying a range of cryptocurrencies.

Crypto exchanges are the safest and most legal way to obtain cryptocurrency. But those aren't the only reasons using an exchange is most suitable:

• Crypto exchanges let users buy and sell cryptocurrencies online or using a mobile app, making it easy to access the crypto markets from anywhere.
• Most cryptocurrency exchanges offer a range of digital currencies and tokens, providing numerous options for investors who want to build a diversified portfolio of digital assets. 
• Leading crypto exchanges typically hold user funds in cold storage to ensure the safety of assets. 
• Global crypto exchanges usually comply with Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering (KYC/AML) rules as well as financial regulations. Therefore, users can be assured they’re not dealing with a fraudulent company or malicious market participants. 

How to Choose the Best Crypto Exchange

When choosing a crypto exchange that meets your needs, there are several factors to consider. The most important things to look at are:

• Supported assets: If you are looking to buy cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, look at the list of supported assets before deciding on an exchange. Some only support a few cryptocurrencies, while others allow you to trade hundreds. 
• Payment methods: Crypto exchanges typically offer a handful of ways to fund your account or purchase cryptocurrencies directly. While most exchanges support wire transfers, some platforms also allow you to buy crypto using credit cards, debit cards, and other digital payment methods. 
• Fees: High fees can eat into your investment returns, which is why it is important to research crypto exchange fees before you open an account. Crypto exchanges typically charge trading fees and withdrawal fees, but other transaction fees can also pop up. 
• Security: Unfortunately, crypto exchanges are a prime target for hackers looking to get their hands on cryptocurrency. Security breaches and cyber theft are common in the crypto exchange landscape, which is why it is essential to choose an exchange with strong security measures in place.
• Customer service: If you are new to cryptocurrency or investing, you may have questions or need help getting started. In that case, choosing an exchange with excellent customer support is probably the right move. 
• Reputation: Before you sign up for an account on a crypto exchange, it’s a good idea to research that exchange’s reputation first. Read customer reviews, look into the exchange’s history, and look for any recent news stories that might provide some valuable insight. 

How to Sign Up for a Cryptocurrency Exchange Account

Opening an account on a cryptocurrency exchange works similarly to signing up for an online brokerage account. Investors will need to provide personal and financial information to open an account successfully.

Below are the general steps that investors can expect to follow:

1. Create an account: Investors must provide an email address and create a password to open an account. You will then receive an email asking you to confirm that you are the owner of that email account.
2. Upload personal information: Next, you will need to provide your personal information. This generally involves providing your full name, address, and mobile phone number and then uploading a copy of a government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport. 
3. Complete identity verification: Some exchanges may also require an extra step to prove the ID you're uploading is yours. Generally, this involves taking a photo of yourself holding your ID with a webcam or phone and submitting the photo to the exchange. 
4. Fund your account: After completing the verification process, you can fund your trading account using the available funding options and start to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.