In order to trade successfully, it is very important to choose the right broker. in the US, a large number of companies provide access to trading and you will have to choose the one for you among them. It is important to work only with reliable brokers providing all the required instruments for trading based on your trading strategy. TU analysts have selected the best crypto brokers for short selling in the US 2026. You can compare their features and trading conditions.
1
Bybit - Best for short selling in the US
Bybit is a leading cryptocurrency exchange specializing in derivatives trading. Its proprietary trading platform is user-friendly but caters primarily to experienced traders who are comfortable with advanced financial instruments. Integration with TradingView provides seamless market analysis and trade execution. Bybit is regulated by the AFSA (Astana Financial Services Authority - Kazakhstan), holds a preliminary license from the VARA (Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority - Dubai) and secures MiCAR (Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation) license from Austria’s Financial Market Authority (FMA).
Bybit allows highly leveraged trading of up to 100x with a clear and transparent fee structure. For those seeking alternative investment strategies, Bybit offers copy trading programs for both derivatives and spot markets, enabling users to automatically replicate the trades of successful investors. The exchange provides 24/7 customer support, a safe banking environment, and instant deposits/withdrawals. Additionally, Bybit offers a crypto debit card, allowing users to spend their digital assets on everyday purchases.
👍 Advantages of trading with Bybit for traders from the US:
•Convenient trading platform;
•Integration with TradingView;
•Combination of futures and perpetual contracts trading;
•There is an order book;
•It has a minimum entry threshold;
•It is possible to open long and short positions with subsequent mutual recalculation;
•Opportunities for Muslim traders to participate in the crypto market.
👎 Disadvantages of Bybit for traders from the US:
•Difficult conditions for trading futures;
•Lacks a mechanism to protect the interests of traders.
2
Kraken - Best for short selling in the US
The Kraken exchange is a trading platform for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Cardano, XRP, other cryptocurrencies, and stablecoins. Fiats are represented by EUR, USD, CAD, CHF, AUD, GBP, and JPY. In addition to margin trading, Kraken has indices and futures trading. The exchange provides traders with x5 leverage for margin trading and x50 for futures. Commission fees are among the lowest on the market - up to 0.26%. The crypto exchange has a proprietary trading terminal for an internet browser, as well as mobile applications for iOS and Android devices. The platform offers an extensive knowledge base, tutorials, and video podcasts with news and analytics. The referral program is the standard single-level model with a yield of 20% of the referral’s commission fees.
👍 Advantages of trading with Kraken for traders from the US:
•convenient, intuitive terminal with one-click trading;
•all major cryptocurrencies, as well as seven fiats;
•margin trading, as well as futures and indices trading ;
•large leverage (x5 for margin, x50 for futures trading);
•an extensive database of information and training materials;
•large trading volumes on the exchange provide high liquidity;
•some of the lowest fees in the cryptocurrency market.
👎 Disadvantages of Kraken for traders from the US:
•no investment programs;
•no call center.
3
Interactive Brokers - Best for short selling in the US
Interactive Brokers is among the best-known global online brokers. Based in the US, it has been operating since 1977. Interactive Brokers allows clients to trade products from 160 exchanges including stocks, option, currencies, bonds, funds and more from a single unified platform. The company is regulated by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the UK Financial Regulatory Authority (FCA, 208159), and other international financial regulation commissions. Interactive Brokers has earned recognition as a top broker, garnering multiple awards and accolades from respected industry sources such as Barron's, Investopedia, Stockbrokers.com,and many others. Also, the broker is popular in other countries. Here you can read reviews of Interactive Brokers in Canada, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Ireland.
👍 Advantages of trading with Interactive Brokers for traders from the US:
•extensive and free educational resources through the IBKR Campus;
•access to160markets in 36 countries and territories;
•trading in stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, funds and more from a single unified platform.
👎 Disadvantages of Interactive Brokers for traders from the US:
•Support service does not work on Saturday;
4
FTMO - Best for short selling in the US
FTMO is a prop trading firm offering experienced traders the chance to manage a funded account of up to $200,000 with a wide range of instruments including Forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. To qualify, traders must pass a two-step evaluation process.
Beginners may start with a Free Trial account which has the same trading conditions as the challenge ones. Long-term traders are free to use a Swing Account that has no restrictions on holding positions over the weekend or trading during macroeconomic releases. The company offers trading with the most popular platforms – MT 4/5, cTrader, and DXtrade. The leverage is up to 1:100.
Additionally, FTMO is recognized for its educational resources and continuous support.
👍 Advantages of trading with FTMO for traders from the US:
•Quite low testing cost is €155.
•Classic platforms such as MT4, MT5, and Ctrader are familiar to many traders. For these platforms, hundreds of indicators, scripts, and advisers have been developed.
•The starting reward is 80%.
•Diversification of tariff plans. Candidates can choose a demo deposit from 10 thousand to 200 thousand US dollars. There are tariff plans that span from standard to aggressive trading.
•Leverage is up to 1:100.
👎 Disadvantages of FTMO for traders from the US:
•Strict requirements for the test period. The allowable maximum loss is 10% of the deposit amount. The target profit is 10%.
•There is no information about how the company is funded.
5
CoinMetro - Best for short selling in the US
The CoinMetro cryptocurrency exchange is a specialized platform for exchanging and trading cryptocurrencies with the ability to invest via copying transactions and bonds. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Bitcoin Cash, and other cryptocurrencies are at your disposal for trading on the exchange. CoinMetro’s forte is its trading terminal with extensive functionality and built-in analytics. Also, five times leverage is available for margin trading. The crypto exchange operates under the licenses of the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit (the FIU), license nos. FVR000143 and FRK000121. It is also licensed by the US regulator Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). CoinMetro has one of the lowest trading margins.
👍 Advantages of trading with CoinMetro for traders from the US:
•handy trading terminal with built-in charts and indicators;
•popular cryptocurrencies are available for trading on the exchange;
•five times leverage;
•built-in service for copying deals;
•deposits in CoinMetro's bonds;
•low fees for exchange and trade;
•licensed by EU and US regulators.
👎 Disadvantages of CoinMetro for traders from the US:
•analytics are not provided (only news);
•there are not many cryptocurrencies and tokens at your fingertips.
Commissions & Fees
Brokerage fees are the amount of money that you pay for using the services that a brokerage offers in order to perform trading and manage investments. The brokerage fee structure and regulations vary from broker to broker, and there are two primary fee types which are:
Trading Fees: This type of fee is only charged when you perform a trade. It can be a conversion fee, margin rate, financing rate, spread, or commission.
Non-Trading Fees: This type of fee isn't directly related to your trading activity, and it can include inactivity fee, withdrawal fee, deposit fee, etcetera.
Bybit Commissions and Fees
The Traders Union experts analyzed the Bybit platform documents regulating the trading conditions for differentiation of commissions. The commission depends on which category is assigned to the trader: Maker or Taker. The Taker commission is 0.075%; whereas the Maker commission is 0.025%.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
From $ 20 |
No |
Kraken Commissions and Fees
The Kraken cryptocurrency exchange charges commissions and fees on all transactions by traders. The amount of the fee depends on the trading level, which is determined by the user’s trading volume over the last 30 days. This indicator is recalculated daily.
There are six trading levels. At the lowest - the first level, the maker’s/taker’s commission is 0.20% each. At the highest - the sixth level, the maker’s/taker’s commission is 0.0%. These fees are relevant for all cryptocurrencies and stablecoins.
For users with the highest verification level (Pro), the commissions are different, as is the scale of their calculation. For example, at the first level, the maker’s commission is 0.16%, and the taker’s commission is 0.26%. At the same time, there are nine levels for Pro users, which makes trading more flexible, allowing you to receive profitable commissions on intermediate trading volumes.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
0.20% per order |
available |
Interactive Brokers Commissions and Fees
Traders Union analysts have verified Interactive Brokers for hidden fees and assessed the commission level in the company. You can withdraw funds for free once a month; if you withdraw funds more often, you’ll have to pay a fee, the amount of which varies depending on the base currency of the account and the payment system.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Real |
From $2 |
Depending on the currency and withdrawal method |
FTMO Commissions and Fees
The experts at the Traders Union analyzed the trading conditions of FTMO. The support service reported on a separate request that the spread is ranging from 0-3 pips on majors. The fee for testing depends on the chosen strategy and the deposit amount. The minimum deposit is €155, the maximum is €1080.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard/Swing |
From $6 |
No |
CoinMetro Commissions and Fees
On the cryptocurrency exchange platform, the maker's fee is 0%, the taker's fee is 0.1%. On the margin trading platform, all fees are 0.1%, plus an interest rate that is recalculated every 4 hours. The swap fee 0%. When copying transactions, the fee is 0.1% for the exchange; 5-25% for the manager's work; and 1-5% for the effectiveness of trading. Fees for depositing and withdrawing funds differ depending on the source/destination of the transfer. Deposits from cryptocurrency wallets are free.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
From 0.1% per market order |
Yes (but no fees for cryptocurrencies) |
Summary
Many brokers are available for traders from the US, but not all of them offer good conditions. In this review, TU experts chose the Best crypto brokers for short selling in the US 2026. These are the most trusted companies that offer the best conditions for traders. You will also be able to review the general assessment of each broker.
Overall score of the best Crypto Brokers For Short Selling in the US
| Bybit | Kraken | Interactive Brokers | FTMO | CoinMetro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall score |
9.3 |
9.2 |
6.77 |
8.4 |
4.36 |
|
Execution of orders |
8.57 |
9.23 |
6.45 |
8.6 |
6.2 |
|
Investment instruments |
9.8 |
9.8 |
10 |
8.9 |
9.8 |
|
Withdrawal speed |
9.3 |
6.2 |
9 |
7.5 |
5.5 |
|
Customer Support work |
9.7 |
7.1 |
6.5 |
8 |
6.5 |
|
Variety of instruments |
0 |
0 |
7.34 |
7.52 |
0 |
|
Trading platform |
9.2 |
7.3 |
5.6 |
8 |
6.1 |
|
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FAQ
Is it possible to work with offshore brokers?
It is best not to work with offshore brokers. However, if you have chosen such a company, you need to check and analyze it very thoroughly. There are offshore brokers with good reputations. Before you start working with such a company, deposit the minimum amount and start trading. Once you’ve worked with the broker for a little while and checked how it operates and how quickly it processes withdrawals, you can start depositing higher amounts.
Can you earn passive income in the financial markets?
Yes, the best brokers in the US offer passive income options. These could include copy trading, PAMM accounts, managed portfolios, etc.
What are the risks of trading in the financial markets?
Any trading in the financial markets carries risks of losing your money due to asset volatility. Therefore, it is important to develop the rules of risk management in your strategy and strictly follow them.
What is a demo account and why is it important?
On a demo account, you trade by using virtual funds. It is important to choose a broker offering a demo account both for beginners, who are only learning, and for experienced traders, who can use this account type to test new strategies or EAs risk-free.
Best Crypto Brokers For Short Selling by Countries
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Team that worked on the article
Mikhail Vnuchkov joined Traders Union as an author in 2020. He began his professional career as a journalist-observer at a small online financial publication, where he covered global economic events and discussed their impact on the segment of financial investment, including investor income. With five years of experience in finance, Mikhail joined Traders Union team, where he is in charge of forming the pool of latest news for traders, who trade stocks, cryptocurrencies, Forex instruments and fixed income.
Olga Shendetskaya has been a part of the Traders Union team as an author, editor and proofreader since 2017. Since 2020, Shendetskaya has been the assistant chief editor of the website of Traders Union, an international association of traders. She has over 10 years of experience of working with economic and financial texts. In the period of 2017-2020, Olga has worked as a journalist and editor of laftNews news agency, economic and financial news sections. At the moment, Olga is a part of the team of top industry experts involved in creation of educational articles in finance and investment, overseeing their writing and publication on the Traders Union website.
