There are many crypto exchange platforms online.
Not all of them are good for buying Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
You might’ve made a list of Altcoins to invest in, but finding the best exchange to use becomes a problem.
However, the problem is finding the best crypto exchange for buying, or swapping different crypto-coins easily.
I’ve used them myself to buy or sell different coins online (including some new penny cryptos).
In this guide, am going to make you understand what cryptocurrency exchanges are and how they work.
You will also get to find the best platforms you can always use to exchange your cryptocurrencies online.
Let’s get started.
What is a crypto exchange?
The meaning of cryptocurrency exchange is similar to a stock, or fiat currency exchange platform.
It’s a technical system that provides the tools require for the purchase of Bitcoin and Altcoins.
The user can buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies on these financial exchanges, which are also referred to as digital currency exchanges (DCEs).
Like other financial exchanges, the investor can make a limit order or market order.
Types of cryptocurrency exchange
There are two main types of cryptocurrency exchange sites that exist online, and they are:
- Fiat-to-Crypto exchanges
- Crypto-to-Crypto exchanges.
A fiat-to-crypto exchange lets an investor purchase, or sell a cryptocurrency using a government-backed currency.
This includes US Dollar, Mexican Peso, Japanese Yen, Nigerian Naira etc.
While a crypto-to-crypto exchange lets an investor buy or sell a crypto-coin using using another cryptocurrency pair.
This type of exchange is also referred to as an altcoin crypto exchange.
Further differences exist.
Investors have three types of platforms from which to choose for making cryptocurrency investments:
- Traditional crypto exchanges
- Cryptocurrency brokers
- Direct exchange platforms
A traditional exchange lets investors buy, sell and trade according to the fluctuating market price and value.
Meanwhile, a cryptocurrency broker still facilitates a purchase, but determines the price to sell each coin.
It usually uses the prevailing market price, but adds some amount.
On the other hand, a direct platforms are P2P (peer-to-peer) exchanges that act as escrow between individuals.
Think of it as the Napster for cryptocurrencies.
Platforms that allow purchases with fiat may allow linking your bank account, credit card, or loading cash into a digital wallet.
When you make the first purchase, you’ll have to use an exchange that accepts fiat currency, because you will not yet own any other cryptocurrency.
After that, you can move to using an exchange that accepts cryptocurrencies.
Now that you know what exchanges are, let’s go straight into the best ones you should be using for your transactions.
Let’s get there now!
Best cryptocurrency exchange
Finding the best exchange to use requires that you do your own research, and not just following this list of crypto platforms.
However, you can still make use of these exchange platforms listed below, but try to read reviews for each one you choose.
1. Binance (Recommended)
Binance is a rapidly growing exchange registered in Malta, and concluded ICO (Initial Coin Offering) on 21st July 2017, which raised up-to 15,000,000 USD.
Since ICO till date, the platform has grown tremendously and is now placed in the world lowest fee cryptocurrency exchanges.
It has over 190 coins listed on it, which are only increasing as days are passing, and being centralized exchange has a unique take to expand its business.
You can read my article on how to reduce Binance cryptocurrency withdrawal fees.
Users from USA has an exclusively division of the platform where they can sign-up, while Singapore users can signup for Binance Singapore.
To start with they have 0.1% standard trading fee which is already quite less than other peers.
You can even reduce your fee further if you pay your trading fee in BNB according to the below-shown structure.
To get started with Binance, you need to register using your email ID, and the process is quite simple & fast.
They also have aggressive plans like multi-lingual support, mobile apps for both iOS and Android users.
Register an account on Binance
2. Changelly
Changelly offers a service that is still rarely new in the crypto space: fast and anonymous crypto-to-crypto transfers with no third party holding.
The platform is not designed for buying and selling, but rather as a fast, discreet and efficient means of swapping coins in crypto wallets.
It works by offering you competitive rates for a large range of coins, and making the transfer directly between your own private wallet.
For this service, they charge a higher fee than most exchanges, but not excessively though.
The premium paid is for the anonymity and simplicity compared to a more traditional crypto-to-crypto exchange.
Changelly does also allow fiat-to-crypto exchanges, but these have notoriously high and opaque fees, and this service is not widely used.
3. PrimeXBT
PrimeXBT is a fiat-to-crypto exchange that offers cutting-edge tools, extremely high leverage and pooled liquidity from other platforms.
This combination of features made Prime XBT a top pick among advanced investors looking to capitalize on short term price movements.
Once you register an account, you can directly fund it with Bitcoin, or indirectly through Changelly using either fiat currency.
Prime XBT offers by far the lowest fees in the industry, as well as the highest liquidity by drawing on the volumes from the top 12 existing exchanges.
4. Coinbase
If you have been involved in the world of cryptocurrency for a long time, then there is a good chance you’ve heard of Coinbase.
Created in 2011 and located in San Francisco, Coinbase has one of the largest trading volumes for Bitcoin.
However, they also allow you to buy and sell three Altcoins, which are Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) plus few other tokens.
People love Coinbase because, they allow you to deposit using a debit/credit card, or even buy any coin with bank account.
Before you get started with fiat money, you will need to verify your identity.
This is straightforward, as all you need to do is provide a few personal details and then upload a government-issued ID (such as your passport).
Security is also very good, Coinbase holds 98% of customer funds in cold storage, and you also have the option of setting up two-factor authentication.
Cold storage is when cryptocurrencies are held offline, with no connection to the internet.
One of the main downside is that it’s only available in selected countries (like; Australia, Canada, Singapore, United States, and mostly European Union countries).
Using a debit or credit card to deposit is also quite expensive at just under 4%, however, this is normal when using this payment method.
Transaction fees are also very good, with Coinbase charging just above the current market rate.
5. KuCoin
KuCoin platform is another easy and hassle-free cryptocurrency exchange in the market – just like Binance.
It offers many popular and unique coin such as DragonChain, $KCS, and many others just like Binance.
They also offer a fully functional mobile app for Android and iOS.
Personally, I have been using KuCoin for the past 2 years and they have been constantly adding new features gradually.
Which crypto exchanges has the lowest fees?
At the moment, I would say that Binance offers the most competitive low fees to their users.
Are there any regulated cryptocurrency exchange?
There are few crypto exchanges that are regulated, but Binance exchange is regulated.
Final thoughts
There is no one final exchange, but if you do some kinds of research, you will find a good number of platforms to use.
They all varies depending on where you live, cryptocurrencies, frequency and if you’re a beginner or advanced investor.
However, your location decides which exchanges you can use, but I recommend Binance platform due to their security features.
They also have the best price rate, when it comes to buying cryptocurrencies directly through your bank accounts and otherwise.
