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
OANDA - Best for short selling in the US
The name OANDA is an acronym for “Olsen & Associates” or “Olsen AND Associates”. It is registered in the United States and provides its clients with a wide range of financial services in most countries of the world. The company was founded in 1996 and is currently regulated in four jurisdictions. The main regulator of the broker is the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Oanda Canada is licensed by IIROC. The company has several significant awards to its credit, including a victory in the category "Best Forex Trading Technologies" from the UK Forex Awards, "Best Trading Platform" from FX Week, as well as "Best Customer Service" from the US Foreign Exchange Report.
👍 Advantages of trading with OANDA for traders from the US:
•Minimum deposit starting at $1
•Broad selection of the most popular currency pairs
•Regulated by several reputable financial authorities
👎 Disadvantages of OANDA for traders from the US:
•Website is inconvenient to use and poorly optimized
•No cent account options for low-risk trading strategies
4
Trezor Wallet - Best for short selling in the US
The Trezor Wallet is a hardware wallet used to store cryptocurrencies that includes cryptocurrency exchange functionality. The cross-platform wallet can be synchronized with a personal computer or smartphone after special software has been pre-installed on the device. You can trade on the crypto exchange and conduct transactions from the wallet itself. There are over 1,000 cryptocurrencies and tokens for trading on the exchange, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Ripple. The funds on the wallet are stored in Bitcoins. The free-of-charge conversions and transfers to other wallets are icing on the cake. You can use bank accounts, e-wallets, or gift cards and there are no limitations regarding deposits or withdrawals.
👍 Advantages of trading with Trezor Wallet for traders from the US:
•simplistic registration and intuitive interface;
•the ability to trade almost all cryptocurrencies;
•funds are kept in offline hardware storage;
•the absolute highest level of digital security;
•loads of features for developers and businesses;
•five-star support service;
•fine-tuning the wallet according to the criteria of a particular user.
👎 Disadvantages of Trezor Wallet for traders from the US:
•crypto exchanges cannot be used without a hardware wallet;
•it’s impossible to deposit or withdraw funds from or to debit cards.
5
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.
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 |
OANDA Commissions and Fees
Traders Union experts analyzed the OANDA broker for hidden fees. When withdrawing money to a debit card, no commission is charged. When withdrawing funds to a credit card (once a month), a commission is not charged either, but if funds are withdrawn to a credit card more than once a month, then the commission is from $15 for each withdrawal. Withdrawals via PayPal payment system are possible only in US dollars, Euros, and British pounds.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
From $11 |
When withdrawing to a debit card - no. When withdrawing to a credit card (once a month) - no. When withdrawing to a credit card (more than once a month) - from USD 15. Withdrawal via PayPal - no. |
|
Premium |
From $11 |
When withdrawing to a debit card - no. When withdrawing to a credit card (once a month) - no. When withdrawing to a credit card (more than once a month) - from USD 15. Withdrawal via PayPal - no. |
Trezor Wallet Commissions and Fees
The Trezor Wallet allows you to determine the size of the commission for sending a transaction. They are low, economical, normal, or high. It is also possible to set an individual fee. It is important to ensure that the fee is sufficient for the confirmation time you are trying to achieve. Sending a transaction with too low a fee may mean that the transaction will never be confirmed.
| Account type | Spread (minimum value) | Withdrawal commision |
|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
Individual |
No |
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 |
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 | OANDA | Trezor Wallet | FTMO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Overall score |
9.3 |
9.2 |
6.89 |
4.87 |
8.4 |
|
Execution of orders |
8.57 |
9.23 |
6.24 |
6.94 |
8.6 |
|
Investment instruments |
9.8 |
9.8 |
10 |
0 |
8.9 |
|
Withdrawal speed |
9.3 |
6.2 |
8 |
7.7 |
7.5 |
|
Customer Support work |
9.7 |
7.1 |
5.4 |
7 |
8 |
|
Variety of instruments |
0 |
0 |
6.58 |
0 |
7.52 |
|
Trading platform |
9.2 |
7.3 |
5 |
7.5 |
8 |
|
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FAQ
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.
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 commissions and fees should I take into consideration when I am choosing a broker?
The commissions and fees in the financial markets are divided into trading and non-tradings ones. Trading fees are the fees that are charged directly during trading (spread, commission per lot, etc.), while non-trading fees are the ones charged outside the trading process (for example, account fee, inactivity fee, deposit and withdrawal fee).
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.
