Where are crypto currencies traded?
There are now over 1500 crypto exchanges worldwide. Here we give an overview of the most established providers. The list is not exhaustive and without guarantee. Members of the CVJ.CH editorial staff have traded on the listed exchanges to get an impression.
In the following exchange comparison, we distinguish between traditional exchanges, on which one can buy and trade various crypto-currencies, and derivative exchanges which offer leveraged trading for the most important crypto-currencies. The former are suitable for investors who want to buy crypto-currencies and either transfer them into a wallet or trade in Bitcoins and Altcoins from time to time. Derivatives exchanges are suitable for traders who want to trade short-term and with leverage or derivative instruments. Please note the risks involved.
Traditional crypto exchanges
The exchanges listed below are all established names and are among the largest providers. They are suitable for trading crypto-currencies, or for purchasing them and transferring them to your own wallet.
| Exchange |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | https://www.binance.com | https://www.coinbase.com | https://kraken.com |
| Founded in | 2017 | 2012 | 2011 |
| Fiat Deposit | ✅ CHF, EUR, USD | ✅ EUR, USD | ✅ CHF, EUR, USD |
| Jurisdiction | HK, JP | US | US, EU, UK |
| Spot Market | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Currency pairs | 1'400+ | 500+ | 600+ |
| Futures | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Options | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Margin trading | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Insurance Fund | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Fees Maker/Taker | Volume based 0.02% - 0.1% (with BNB tokens up to 25% less each) |
Maker: 0.00 - 0.40% Taker: 0.05 - 0.60% |
Maker: 0.00 - 0.16% Taker: 0.10 - 0.26% |
| Affiliate link | 10% discount on fees | 10 USD in BTC | Account |
| Mobile App iOS | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mobile App Android | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Deposit methods (EU-customers) | credit card, Paypal, instant, bank transfer | Bank transfer, 3D Secure Card, Ideal/immediately | Bank transfer |
| Comment | Currently the largest crypto exchange in terms of currency pairs and trading volume. BNB Token reduces trading fees. Futures and margin trading are also available. | A traditional and established trading place. Various fiat deposit options. FDIC depositor protection on cash holdings for US Americans. | Established and with availability of various currency pairs. fiat deposit options. besides spot trading, margin and futures trading also possible. |
Derivatives exchanges
Exchange providers of derivative instruments have specialized in providing leveraged trading of crypto-currencies in the form of futures and option-like instruments. Note the risks involved.
| Exchange |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | https://www.bitmex.com/ | https://www.deribit.com/ | |
| Founded in | 2014 | 2016 | |
| Fiat Deposit | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Jurisdiction | SYC | PAN | |
| Spot market | ✅ | ❌ | |
| Currency pairs | 100+ | 50+ | |
| Futures | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Options | ❌ (option-like instruments) | ✅ | |
| Margin trading | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Insurance Fund | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Fee's Maker/Taker | Maker -0.01% Taker 0.075% | 0.01 - 0.05% | |
| Affiliate link | 10% discount on fees for the first 6 months | 10% discount on fees for the first 6 months | |
| Mobile App iOS | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Mobile App Android | ✅ | ✅ | |
| Deposit methods (EU customers) | Bitcoin | Bitcoin, Ethereum | |
| Comment | One of the first derivatives providers in the crypto-universe. Besides classic leveraged futures, option-like instruments are available for trading. | An already dominant derivatives exchange. In addition to futures with various maturities on BTC, ETH and SOL, classic options contracts are also tradable. |
Decentralized crypto exchanges
Blockchain-based crypto exchanges mimic their traditional counterparts using decentralized programs (dApps). A wide range of providers enables diverse trading opportunities without giving up personal sovereignty over one's own assets. In return, further risks arise in the form of smart contract hacks/exploits.
| Exchange |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link | https://app.gmx.io/ | https://dydx.exchange/ | https://app.paraswap.io/ |
| Founded in | 2021 | 2017 | 2019 |
| Fiat Deposits | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Jurisdiction | ❌ | CH (dYdX Foundation) | FR |
| Spot market | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Currency pairs | 10+ | 35+ | 10'000+ |
| Futures | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Options | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Margin trading | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Insurance Fund | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Fees | 0.1% | Maker: 0.00% - 0.02% Taker: 0.00 - 0.05% | 0% (only fees of DEXes) |
| Affiliate link | 5% discount on fees | 5% discount on fees | 25% discount on Slippage |
| Mobile App iOS | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Mobile App Android | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Deposit methods | Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC on Arbitrum/Avalanche | Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDC on Ethereum | ERC20-Token on Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, Arbitrum, etc. |
| Comment | Largest decentralized futures exchange on layer 2 solution Arbitrum. Trading with BTC, ETH, and AVAX possible. | One of the first decentralized futures exchanges. Low transaction fees via Starkware Layer 2 solution. Diverse currency pairs. | One of the leading aggregators of decentralized exchanges (DEXes). Automatically selects the best trading routes on various blockchains. |
Investments, especially in crypto currencies, are always associated with risk. Especially in leveraged instruments, a total loss of the capital invested cannot be ruled out. Crypto-currencies are very volatile and can therefore be exposed to extreme exchange rate fluctuations within a short period of time.
The deposited partner links lead to savings in trading fees of up to 10% during registration. If necessary, the current savings are pointed out during the registration process. All information without guarantee.
