The best crypto exchanges to buy Bitcoin and altcoins are Binance, MEXC, BingX, Bybit, OKX, Bitget, and KuCoin. To choose the most reliable platform for trading cryptocurrencies, you need to consider factors such as trading fees, security measures, liquidity, trading features, reputation, and user-friendly interface. You can also claim exclusive trading bonuses on the Binance exchange. For bonuses, check out CryptoNinjas’ article.
In this guide, we will review the 7 most-trusted cryptocurrency exchanges along with their key features, pros, and cons. We’ll break down what makes each one of them stand out for both beginners and experienced traders.
First, here is a quick side-by-side comparison between these crypto exchanges…
| Exchange | Supported Coins | Spot Trading Fees | Futures Trading | Security Measures | U.S. Availability |
| Binance | 350+ coins | 0.10% maker/taker | Yes – perpetual futures | 2FA, SAFU Fund, cold storage, anti-phishing codes | Yes (via Binance.US) |
| MEXC | 2,700+ pairs | 0% maker / 0.05% taker | Yes – up to 200x leverage | Cold storage, multi-cluster system, 2FA | Not officially available |
| BingX | 800+ coins | 0.10% maker/taker | Yes – standard & perpetual futures | 2FA, cold storage, insurance fund | Not available |
| Bybit | 1,200+ pairs | 0.10% maker/taker | Yes – perpetuals, options | Cold storage, multi-sig wallets, $100M insurance fund | Not available |
| OKX | 350+ coins | 0.08% maker / 0.10% taker | Yes – futures, options, swaps | Cold/hot wallet storage, proof-of-reserves, 2FA | Yes (via OkCoin) |
| Bitget | 1,600+ coins | 0.10% maker/taker | Yes – USDT-M, Coin-M contracts | Cold storage, 2FA, $600M protection fund | Not available |
| KuCoin | 700+ coins | 0.10% maker/taker | Yes – margin & futures | Multi-layer encryption, 2FA, cold storage | Not available |
1. Binance: Best for high-volume
Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume, and it offers a massive range of trading products and services. Well, it’s a platform that pretty much has it all: from hundreds of coins to advanced trading products. Generally speaking, Binance is best for its high liquidity, and that also means you can easily buy or sell crypto without much price slippage.
Pros
- It has good trading volume and deep liquidity for all major cryptocurrencies
- Low fees (around 0.1% per trade, or 0.075% with Binance’s BNB discounts)
- Supports 550+ coins, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and a vast array of altcoins
- Offers spot, margin, and futures trading, plus staking, lending, and even a crypto card
Cons
- Binance.US platform for Americans is much more limited
- Faced regulatory challenges in several countries lately
2. MEXC: Best for low fees
MEXC is an exchange that is basically best in listing a huge number of new altcoins, and it’s really popular for its low trading fees as well as no-KYC trading. Also, MEXC keeps platform costs down for you: makers pay 0% and takers just 0.05% on spot trades.
Pros
- Ultra-low trading fees
- An enormous selection of new altcoins
- Good liquidity on popular pairs and early access to emerging tokens before other exchanges
- Supports spot and futures trading with 200x leverage
Cons
- Certain advanced features might trigger risk control measures like KYC
- Limited fiat deposit options compared to some bigger exchanges
- Mostly unregulated crypto exchange
3. BingX: Best for social trading
BingX is a crypto exchange that mainly focuses on simplicity and the social trading part. Here, you are going to find the interface clean and easy to use and without any overwhelming charts or clutter. Well, this platform is also a great option if you’re relatively new to trading and want to learn by watching or automatically copying the trades of more experienced users. Plus, they are also pretty focused on derivatives, so they offer both standard and perpetual futures contracts.
Pros
- Beginner-friendly platform with a simple and quite intuitive interface
- Social copy trading lets you mirror professional traders’ strategies easily
- Supports around 800+ cryptocurrencies, including all the major coins you care about
- Competitive fees (~0.1% per trade) and regular promotions that can lower costs
- Offers spot trading and futures (leverage up to 100x+ on some pairs), plus a demo mode for practice
Cons
- Some users have reported higher withdrawal fees for certain cryptos
- Not available to traders in the United States due to restrictions
- Regulatory licenses are not as comprehensive as the biggest exchanges
4. Bybit: Best for derivatives trading
Bybit is another one of the best crypto exchanges and is mostly known for derivatives trading. It offers both perpetual futures contracts and options trading with really high liquidity. They provide a pretty strong matching engine that can handle up to 100,000 transactions per second, and over time, they have also added a spot market, an NFT marketplace, and various Bybit Earn products for passive income.
Pros
- Excellent liquidity for derivatives
- Competitive fees for trading
- Advanced trading features like perpetual futures and options contracts
- Strong security track record (proof-of-reserves audits, insurance fund, two-factor authentication, etc.)
Cons
- Services are strictly unavailable to residents of the United States
- There are fewer fiat currency deposit options compared to rivals
- The complex interface and features can totally overwhelm new users
5. OKX: Best for high security
OKX is another secure crypto exchange that offers a good trading experience on par with Binance. They offer a ton of advanced trading tools, including futures, options, and various earning products, and they’ve also got a pretty strong focus on Web3, with their own OKX wallet and DEX (Decentralized Exchange) services integrated into the platform.
Pros
- Major global exchange with high trading volumes and deep liquidity
- Competitive trading fees with discounts
- Offers 350+ cryptocurrencies and a full range of markets
- You got extras like a built-in Web3 wallet, DEX aggregator, and an NFT marketplace
Cons
- Certain features, like derivatives, are heavily restricted in places like the UK
- They have faced some minor issues and lawsuits related to regulations
- Limited selection of cryptocurrencies compared to other platforms like MEXC
6. Bitget: Best for futures contracts
Bitget is a top-tier exchange that is mainly known for being a leader in the copy trading space and having a wide range of derivatives products. Well, that said, it’s not just for advanced users; Bitget also lists 1,600+ coins, so you can just as easily buy and sell spot crypto like on any other exchange.
Pros
- Considered a top platform for copy trading with a large community of traders
- A variety of innovative products, like Dual Investment and Shark Fin
- Regularly publishes a Merkle-tree Proof of Reserves for transparency
- Supports both the web platform and a full-featured mobile app
Cons
- The quick buy option for crypto can have slightly higher fees and spread
- Strictly unavailable for residents in the United States
- Customer support response times can be slow during peak periods
7. KuCoin: Best for altcoins
KuCoin is often called the “People’s Exchange” because it offers a good variety of altcoins and has a pretty strong community focus. Also, this exchange is an excellent choice if you’re looking to find and trade small-cap tokens before they get listed on the major, more conservative exchanges.
Pros
- Huge selection of coins and tokens
- Low fees for trading and withdrawals
- Offers spot trading, margin trading, and futures, plus extras like KuCoin Earn (staking, savings)
- Built-in trading bots and social features
Cons
- Previously had a major security breach in 2020, though they recovered funds
- They have faced some scrutiny over the lack of specific regulatory licensing
- There is no option to withdraw directly to fiat currency (like USD) to a bank
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the best crypto exchanges are Binance, MEXC, BingX, Bybit, OKX, Bitget, and KuCoin. So, if you are a high-volume trader and want the absolute lowest fees and the most features, then Binance or maybe OKX are pretty good choices, even though the US version of Binance is limited.
Again, if you want some low-cap altcoins or shitcoins and need a massive selection, then MEXC or KuCoin should definitely be on your list. And, for the people who want to learn by following others, Bitget or BingX, with their super-strong copy trading tools, are excellent options.
Also, when deciding, it is really important that you consider the fees you’ll pay, the features you’re gonna need (like advanced charting or copy trading), and whether the platform is available where you live.