KuCoin Vs Binance: Fees, Coins, Safety Comparison
Editorial Note: While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for How We Make Money. None of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer.
Binance is the better choice for most traders thanks to its lower effective trading costs, stronger research tools, better customer support, and more advanced trading platforms. KuCoin, however, stands out with a larger selection of cryptocurrencies and lower entry requirements, making it attractive for users seeking access to a wider range of digital assets. The best choice ultimately depends on your trading priorities and experience level.
KuCoin and Binance are two of the largest global crypto exchanges in the world. Both offer exceptional features for beginners and experienced traders alike, such as efficient charting options, hundreds of cryptocurrencies, minimal fees, and immense flexibility for international traders.
Binance and KuCoin have several similar and distinctive trading options. To help you choose the best crypto exchange for your trading needs, Traders Union experts did a KuCoin vs Binance comparison using 11 criteria. We also gave them overall ratings based on their performances in our analyzed parameters.
Binance vs. KuCoin: Rating
Both crypto exchanges are high-performing and flexible, offering a range of amateur to advanced trading options. We compared different aspects to help you get a brief overview of Binance and KuCoin before choosing one.
Here is a brief comparison of KuCoin vs Binance:
| Feature | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Overall | 4.5 | 4.7 |
Regulation | 2.7 | 3.1 |
Fees | 4.5 | 4.8 |
Trading Assets | 5 | 5 |
Investment Instruments | 4.8 | 4.7 |
Platforms and Charting Tools | 4.7 | 4.9 |
Deposit and Withdrawal | 4.6 | 4.7 |
Research | 4.3 | 4.6 |
Education | 4.8 | 4.8 |
Support | 3.8 | 4.8 |
Promo | 4.4 | 4.2 |
The US has strict rules for all cryptocurrency exchanges. While KuCoin doesn’t have the license to work in the country, Binance was banned legally and has been unavailable to users since 2019.
However, US traders can withdraw a specific amount of money with KYC verification. On the other hand, Binance established its separate US branch, Binance US, that works solely for US citizens.
When we take a rough look over the comparison table, we can see Binance outclasses its counterpart in almost all aspects. It has better customer support, research, charting tools, deposit and withdrawal fees and procedures, and stricter rules.
Binance vs. KuCoin: A Brief Introduction
Both KuCoin and Binance facilitate traders buying, selling, and trading of cryptocurrencies.
KuCoin surfaced in 2017, and within years it has developed into one of the largest crypto exchanges by trading volume. Apart from basic trading options, the platform also offers peer-to-peer (P2P) trading, margin, and futures trading.
It also allows users to lend or stake their currencies to win rewards and has relatively lower trading fees than the competitors. If you’re a US trader, you need to sign up for a KuCoin account to use KuCoin; however, the features are limited.
Meanwhile, Binance was founded in 2017 as a decentralized crypto exchange initially based in China. It is the largest crypt exchange, leaving KuCoin way behind in the race. The platform supports almost all popular tokens at the moment, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, Polkadot, DogeCoin, and more.
In addition to being a flexible exchange, Binance also offers traders a wallet where they can store their funds safely. It also has a mining pool and offers interest-earning features to the traders for extra rewards.
Binance has a separate platform, Binance US, for all the US users with almost all the advanced features of its parent.
Binance and KuCoin Pros and Cons
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Overall Pros | Trading With Leverage up to 1:100 | Trading With Leverage up to 1:100 |
Derivatives, NFT Available | Derivatives, NFT, ETF Available | |
Low trading and non trading fees | 3 Account Fiat Currencies + 50 Crypto | |
Passive Income With Staking and Mining Pool | Debit/Credit Card Withdrawal Fee – 0% | |
Great bonus program | Indicators Available | |
Passive Income With Staking and Mining Pool | ||
Strong Research | ||
Strong Education | ||
Overall Cons | Not regulated | Not regulated |
Limited access in the US |
KuCoin Vs Binance: Regulation
Binance and KuCoin both are decentralized crypto exchanges. No financial or governmental authority regulates any of the exchanges, including SEC, FINRA, SEC, SIPC Protection, etc. This means you can easily trade cryptocurrencies with advanced tools without providing your personal details.
| Regulated By: | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
SEC | No | No |
FINRA | No | No |
SIPC Protection | No | No |
Other Regulators | No | No |
KuCoin vs Binance: Trading Conditions
Cryptocurrency exchange platforms facilitate traders with flexible trading conditions. These include the number of supported markets, minimum deposit, trading platforms, maximum leverage on futures, and supported coins.
KuCoin charges half of what Binance applies to the users regarding minimum deposit. The former allows traders to start trading with just $5, while Binance requires $10.
In addition, both crypto exchanges have mobile and web versions for their traders. Binance also has a desktop version that KuCoin lacks.
Both platforms also offer similar maximum leverage on futures, 1:100, which suggests that users can handle digital assets worth $10 in their account for each dollar.
The major difference between both is the number of supported coins. KuCoin supports 630 coins, while Binance offers 396 coins. However, KuCoin supports fewer markets than Binance.
Another factor is the total number of base account currencies. For example, KuCoin has 20 fiat currencies + cryptocurrencies, while Binance offers 10 fiat currencies and 50+ cryptocurrencies.
| Trading Conditions | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $5 | $10 |
Trading Platforms | Web, Mobile | Web, Mobile, Desktop |
Max Leverage (Futures) | 1:100 | 1:100 |
Supported Coins | 630 | 396 |
Number of Markets | 1,196 | 1,358 |
Number of Trading Accounts | 1 | 1 |
Base Account Currencies | 20 fiat currencies + cryptocurrencies | USD, EUR, GBP +10 fiat currencies, 50+ Cryptocurrencies |
KuCoin Vs Binance: Trading Assets
Traders primarily choose a crypto exchange based on the variety of trading assets the platform offers. Having a set of different types of trading assets enables traders to buy, sell, and exchange several cryptocurrencies.
Both KuCoin and Binance support top cryptocurrencies, like Litecoin, Bitcoin, Polkadot, Binance Coin, and Dogecoin. Surprisingly, KuCoin supports more coins than Binance, offering traders more options to trade cryptos on the platform.
| Asset Name | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Overall | 630 supported coins | 396 supported coins |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
Derivatives | Yes | Yes |
Yes | Yes | |
Yes | Yes | |
ETF | Yes | Yes |
Binance Fees vs KuCoin Fees
Crypto exchanges charge a particular fee from traders in exchange for their services. For example, KuCoin and Binance also have specific trading fees, but they aren’t limited.
Both platforms also have non-trading fees, including withdrawal and deposit fees and conversion fees. Moreover, they charge futures trading fees as well.
Spot Trading Fees
The trading fees are commission-based charges that traders must pay for a successful trade. It comprises a specific percentage of your initiated transaction. For a $20 transaction and trading fee of 0.1%, the trader will pay $0.02 to the platform.
Initially, the trading fees on crypto exchanges are quite low to motivate people to get started. However, it can increase if you make multiple trades.
Comparing Binance fees vs KuCoin fees, both have almost the same minimum and maximum maker and taker fees. Keep in mind that the current KuCoin option is only available for KCS holders. On the other hand, Binance BNB holders also get a 25% discount, so Binance is cheaper than KuCoin.
| Fee | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Max Maker | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Max Taker | 0.1% | 0.1% |
Min Maker | 0.0125% | 0.012% |
Min Taker | 0.03% | 0.024% |
Debit/Credit Card Purchase Fee | 0.1% | 1% |
Futures Trading Fees
Almost all top crypto exchanges offer futures trading to help traders predict the price direction.
Futures contracts have just become available for cryptocurrencies. These are mutually-agreed terms and conditions related to the buying and selling an asset later at a pre-decided price.
Like spot trading fees, the futures trading fees of KuCoin or Binance are almost the same. However, Binance has a relatively cheaper maximum taker fee of 0.04%, while KuCoin charges 0.06%.
| Fee | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Max Maker | 0.02% | 0.02% |
Max Taker | 0.06% | 0.04% |
Min Maker | 0% | 0% |
Min Taker | 0% | 0% |
Non-Trading Fees
Non-trading fees matter the same as spot trading fees. Thus, knowing them before choosing a crypto exchange is necessary. Binance and KuCoin have almost no deposit and account fees, with Binance charging 0.1% for both.
Both exchanges also allow traders bank transfer and credit/debit withdrawal features. Comparatively, Binance has lower withdrawal fees than KuCoin. Moreover, none of the exchanges charge inactivity fees.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Account Fee | 0% | 0.1% |
Deposit Fee | 0% | 0.1% |
Bank Transfer Withdrawal Fee | 0,1% | 0.012% |
Debit/Credit Card Withdrawal Fee | 0,1% | 0.024% |
BTC Withdrawal Fee | 0.0005 | 0.0001 |
Inactivity Fee | 0% | 0% |
Binance or KuCoin: Passive Income Tools
KuCoin and Binance provide traders with passive income tools to earn interest by staking their crypto assets. The mining pool gives Binance and KuCoin a cutting edge over their competitors.
Binance’s mining pool is one of crypto exchanges’ high-demand passive income tools. It ensures traders a good profit when they participate in it to earn rewards. The same is the case for KuCoin’s mining pool. KuCoin also offers cloud mining, which Binance doesn’t.
In addition, Binance doesn’t offer managed accounts, while KuCoin does. Lastly, both platforms lack MAM/PAMM.
| Fee | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Staking | Yes | Yes |
Mining Pool | Yes | Yes |
Managed Accounts | Yes | No |
MAM/PAMM | No | No |
Other | Cloud Mining | No |
Best Trading Platform: Binance or KuCoin
Cryptocurrency exchanges offer their services on different platforms to facilitate traders. These include web, desktop, and mobile versions. While mobile apps provide them with an on-the-go trading option, the web versions assist them in trading at home or in offices.
KuCoin has a mobile app for both Android and iOS, but it lacks a desktop app. Meanwhile, Binance has got all three of them.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Web | Yes | Yes |
Desktop | No | Yes |
Mobile (Android, iOS) | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms Features
The most popular trading platform features that attract traders are filters, search bar, and two-factor authentication. These features make it easier for newbies and seasoned traders to carry out trade.
Here is how:
Two-factor authentication is an additional security measure that most crypto exchanges take to secure your assets. Both KuCoin and Binance offer SMS and App-based two-factor authentication (2FA). Some platforms also offer voice-based 2FA; however, Binance or KuCoin don’t offer it.
Search Bar: It navigates you directly and quickly to the asset you want to trade. KuCoin and Binance offer a search bar to their users.
Filters: Filters help you find and sort assets based on different aspects, like reward, price, success chances, risks, etc. You can easily find the most-suitable token for yourself on KuCoin and Binance both.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
SMS Based 2 FA | Yes | Yes |
App Based 2 FA | Yes | Yes |
Voice Call 2 FA | No | No |
Search Bar | Yes | Yes |
Filters | Yes | Yes |
Technical Analysis/Charting Tools
Traders can predict the movement in prices through several technical analysis and charting tools. This helps them avail profitable opportunities and ignore the useless ones. These include drawing tools, indicators, historical trades, and level 2 quotes.
While drawing tools identify trends, indicators can help evaluate support and resistance levels. Both KuCoin and Binance offer multiple technical analysis features.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Indicators | Yes | Yes |
Drawing Tools | Yes | Yes |
Historical Trades | Yes | Yes |
Level 2 Quotes | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading
Mobile trading feature facilitates users to trade from wherever they want. Both KuCoin and Binance have iOS and Android versions. However, they lack Apple Watch app, Touch ID, and Face ID compatibility.
| Features | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
iOS Version | Yes | Yes |
Android Version | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Touch ID | No | No |
Face ID | No | No |
Types of Orders
Order types also play a significant role in this KuCoin vs Binance comparison. Both platforms have almost similar types of orders, including market, limit, stop loss, and stop limit. However, KuCoin doesn’t support trailing stop orders like its counterpart.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Market | Yes | Yes |
Limit | Yes | Yes |
Stop Loss | Yes | Yes |
Stop Limit | Yes | Yes |
Trailing Stop | No | Yes |
KuCoin vs Binance: Deposit and Withdrawal
Bank transfer, credit/debit card, electronic wallets, and crypto are some of the standard deposit and withdrawal methods on cryptocurrency exchanges. Both KuCoin and Binance offer these methods to their users at a very fair price.
| KuCoin | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
Web | Yes | Yes |
Desktop | No | Yes |
Mobile (Android, iOS) | Yes | Yes |
KuCoin vs Binance: Research
Research options are pretty important when it comes to deciding which crypto exchange is the best. Both KuCoin and Binance have advanced research features, such as news feed and fundamental data.
Binance also offers chart analysis and email reports, while KuCoin doesn’t support both. Besides, both platforms don’t offer trading ideas.
| Research Type | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
News Feed | Yes | Yes |
Fundamental Data | Yes | Yes |
Chart Analysis | No | Yes |
Trading Ideas | No | No |
E-Mail Reports | No | Yes |
KuCoin Vs Binance: Education
Amateur traders usually prefer those crypto exchanges that educate them with the latest crypto trends along with advanced trading options. Most platforms use webinars, videos, articles, courses, and paper trading/demo-account educational resources.
KuCoin or Binance uses similar educational options. However, you won’t get resourceful books on both platforms.
| Education Type | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Demo-account/Paper Trading | Yes | Yes |
Courses | Yes | Yes |
Articles | Yes | Yes |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Books | No | No |
Binance US vs KuCoin: Support
Whether beginners or seasoned traders, customer support is essential for both. With responsive customer support, crypto exchanges can assist their users more easily.
Both Binance and KuCoin have responsive customer support features based on emails and online chat.
Binance also has phone and Telegram services, but KuCoin lacks both. However, the customer support teams are fully functional 24 hours a day on both platforms.
| Support Features | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Working Days | 24/7 | 24/7 |
Yes | Yes | |
Phone | No | Yes |
Online chat | Yes | Yes |
Other | No | Telegram |
KuCoin vs Binance: Promo
KuCoin and Binance offer promo, special offers, and affiliate programs for traders, especially for beginners. On Binance, you’ll get a bonus of up to $100 after registering on the platform, while KuCoin offers up to $500 on every registration.
Moreover, you can also earn commissions via referral programs by referring to the platform in your social circle. Both KuCoin and Binance offer 40% of the partner’s trading commission to the users.
| Promo | KuCoin | Binance |
|---|---|---|
Special Offers | Crypto Bonuses up to $500 | Sign-up Bonus up to $100 |
Affiliate Program | 40% of the partner's trading commissions | 40% of the partner's trading commissions |
Binance or KuCoin: What Exchange is Actually Better in 2026?
KuCoin and Binance both have almost similar features. As a result, you won't find any difference between both platforms regarding trading assets, trading conditions, regulations, and commissions.
However, Binance has a better overall rating of 4.7, while KuCoin has a 4.5 rating. That makes Binance a slightly better option than its counterpart. In addition, it is the largest cryptocurrency at the moment.
If you’re a US trader, Binance US is surely the best option for you to avail yourself of all the advanced trading options legally. On the other hand, KuCoin doesn't have a license in the country, so it is relatively less safe than Binance.
Moreover, Binance BNB holders receive a 25% discount, which is cheaper than KuCoin.
KuCoin Vs Binance: Which Exchange Is Better For Newbies?
Binance’s platform appeals to new traders as much as the experienced ones. It has simple and easy-to-use features for newbies, allowing them to easily use a range of lower-level to higher-level tools.
It offers enough coins and trading platforms to cater to newbies and seasoned traders the same way. Plus, it also has responsive support that stays always ready to answer the concerns of beginners. If you want to trade obscure crypto coins, Binance is the best option for you.
Moreover, it offers special discounts and promos to encourage beginners to sign up. Not only that, but it also provides the BNB holders with a 25% discount, making it cheaper than KuCoin.
Meanwhile KuCoin is also an excellent platform for beginners. It has almost similar features to Binance, but lacks several research options necessary for beginners. It also offers promo and discounts for registration and offers 500+ different cryptos to help beginners start trading.
Overall, Binance is a more suitable platform for newbies.
What Exchange Is Better For Day Trading?
Binance offers hundreds of margin trading, market pairs, futures, leveraged tokens, research options, etc. To start day trading on the platform, all you have to do is convert your fiat currency on the platform to cryptocurrency. Then, you’re good to go!
Meanwhile, KuCoin is also a great platform to start day trading as it has almost the same features as Binance. It allows users to store digital currencies and do spot trading, margin trading, and futures trading without any worries.
So, both platforms are good for day trading.
KuCoin Vs Binance: Which Exchange is Actually Cheaper?
Whether KuCoin or Binance, the fees for both platforms start at 0.1%. KuCoin offers very competitive fees for traders at a higher tier. So, if you’re willing to trade in large volumes and move further through the tiers, KuCoin might be cheaper for you. In addition, it also offers 50% dividends of the exchange earnings on the tokens.
On the other hand, Binance has no deposit or withdrawal fees on the assets. You’ll only need the Binance token to pay for any fees on the platform. So, if you’re just getting started and want to trade at the low tiers for sometime, Binance’s fees structure would facilitate you more than the KuCoin’s.
When it comes to futures trading, Binance has a better taker fee than KuCoin. Moreover, Binance offers 25% to its BNB holders, making it a cheaper option.
Choice of Trading Assets
Both KuCoin and Binance have a wide range of assets. While KuCoin offers 600+ cryptocurrencies, Binance has only 365+. Although KuCoin has more cryptocurrencies, Binance offers almost all top cryptocurrencies.
In addition, Binance allows trading through its token and Tether. On the other hand, KuCoin offers trading with its Tether, token, NEO, and BTC cash. It makes KuCoin more flexible than its counterpart.
Therefore, when choosing a platform based on trading assets, traders first have to determine their trading style and decide accordingly. Both KuCoin and Binance have comprehensive and impressive trading assets.
Choose the exchange that matches how you trade, not just what it offers
When comparing crypto exchanges, I always look beyond the number of listed coins or the lowest advertised fees. My recommendation is to think about how you actually plan to trade over the next year. If you expect to trade frequently, prioritize an exchange with reliable execution, intuitive tools, and a fee structure that rewards active users. If you're mainly investing for the long term, security features, account recovery options, and a smooth withdrawal process will have a much greater impact on your overall experience.
No exchange is the right choice for everyone. The platform that fits your trading habits today is far more valuable than the one with the longest feature list.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Binance stands out as the better all-around choice for most crypto traders due to its lower fees, advanced research tools, and superior customer support. For those who value access to the widest range of coins and lower entry barriers, KuCoin may be more appealing. For example, while Binance offers a robust desktop platform and significant fee discounts for BNB holders, KuCoin gives traders access to over 600 cryptocurrencies. Remember, the best exchange is not necessarily the one with the most features, but the one that best matches your trading habits and security needs today.
FAQs
How do KuCoin and Binance differ in minimum deposit requirements and their impact on new users?
What types of passive income tools are available on KuCoin and Binance?
Which trading order types are supported by each platform, and how might this affect trading strategies?
What are the differences in research and educational resources between KuCoin and Binance?
Editors' Top Picks and Insights
Related Articles
Team that worked on the article
Dwight specializes in risk, corporate finance, alternatives, fintech, general business trends, and financial markets, and he has broad experience managing complex projects. Dwight is an author for the Traders Union website.
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.
Mirjan Hipolito is a journalist and news editor at Traders Union. She is an expert crypto writer with five years of experience in the financial markets.
Forex leverage is a tool enabling traders to control larger positions with a relatively small amount of capital, amplifying potential profits and losses based on the chosen leverage ratio.
Index in trading is the measure of the performance of a group of stocks, which can include the assets and securities in it.
A Trailing Stop Order is a type of order that automatically adjusts the stop-loss level as the market price moves in a favorable direction, helping to protect profits.
A futures contract is a standardized financial agreement between two parties to buy or sell an underlying asset, such as a commodity, currency, or financial instrument, at a predetermined price on a specified future date. Futures contracts are commonly used in financial markets to hedge against price fluctuations, speculate on future price movements, or gain exposure to various assets.
Day trading involves buying and selling financial assets within the same trading day, with the goal of profiting from short-term price fluctuations, and positions are typically not held overnight.