Best ways to buy crypto in 2026
When it comes to buying crypto, there are plenty of things to consider. Indeed, although there are plenty of brokers to purchase crypto from, they are all different. So, while some may be highly reliable and secure, others may be much riskier. Therefore, taking the time to learn about the various platforms available is a great way to decide which broker to use. Here is a closer look at some of the top brokers to choose from.
Start Trading Crypto Now with ByBit!What are the best places to buy crypto in 2026?
When searching for the best places to buy crypto, there are various factors to consider. Here are a few of the most important ones:
Low fees
No matter what platform you use to trade crypto, the best platforms have low fees when compared to other platforms. While the amount may vary depending on which platform you use, the best of them offer free spot trading to their users.
Security
Another very important aspect of a crypto trading platform is its level of security. This is because the crypto sector is highly unregulated overall. Therefore, if you want to make safe trades, you must make sure that you are working with a safe broker that has various safeguards to protect your investments. Generally speaking, the best crypto exchanges are well-regulated and have many reviews asserting their safety.
User-friendliness
Lastly, user-friendliness is a very important aspect of finding the best crypto trading platforms. This is because the sector is so new, and thus, there is a learning curve to overcome before you can learn to trade effectively. Therefore, you should be searching for platforms that are known for their user-friendliness to improve your capacity to quickly learn how to effectively trade on the platform.
Top 10 places to buy crypto in 2026
If you are interested in finding the best places to buy crypto, you have quite a few options. The crypto sector is booming, and there are plenty of companies adding crypto services every day, while newer companies are also emerging with the goal of making money off of crypto trades while encouraging their users to educate themselves on the crypto realm to become more successful traders. Here are 10 of the best places to buy crypto in 2026.
XM
XM is a globally recognized broker, operating in nearly 190 countries and serving over 15 million traders. In 2025, the company marks its 15th anniversary. It provides access to more than 1,400 trading instruments, including Forex pairs, stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and precious metals. Licensed by CySEC (Cyprus), FSCA (South Africa), DFSA (Dubai), FSC (Belize), FSA (Seychelles), FSC (Mauritius), CMA (Kenya) and SCA (United Arab Emirates), XM offers a secure and regulated trading environment.
The broker ensures high-speed order execution without requotes, with 99.35% of trades executed almost instantly. Leverage is up to 1:1000 in some non-EU countries, while strict European compliance applies in other regions, and spreads start from 0.8 pips.
XM runs multiple bonus programs, adapts trading conditions to each client’s country, and provides negative balance protection. Accounts are available for traders of any level and strategy, and for passive income, the broker offers a copy trading platform for investors as well as experienced traders willing to share their strategies.
Pepperstone
Pepperstone (Pepperstone.com) was founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, by professional traders who were not satisfied with the quality of services provided by most brokers. The founders decided to avoid many of the disadvantages of competitors, including high commissions, delayed execution of orders, etc. The founders therefore focused on improving the technical component. The company has set itself the goal of changing the “rules of the game” and setting the bar high for online trading.
Today, Pepperstone offers clients all over the world some of the best technological solutions and favorable trading conditions. The company also provides professional tools that help traders not only master the fine art of trading, but also significantly increase trading efficiencies. In addition, Pepperstone’s platform is scrutinized by seven regulatory authorities, including ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission, AFSL No.414530), FCA (UK Financial Conduct Authority, 684312), DFSA (F004356), BaFin (151148), CMA, SCB (SIA-F217), and CySec (388/20). Moreover, with Pepperstone, clients' assets are maintained in aggregated accounts with several major, global banking institutions.
Fusion Markets
Fusion Markets is a young broker from Australia. It was created in November 2017 and began to provide full services in 2019. The company offers to trade in currency pairs and CFDs. Headquartered in Cremorne, Melbourne, Australia, the broker is regulated by ASIC (Australian Securities and Investment Commission, 385620), FSA (Financial Services Authority of Seychelles, SD096) and VFSC (Vanuatu Financial Services Commission, 40256).
Bybit
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.
Bitget
The Bitget crypto exchange provides traders with the opportunity to trade in spot, futures, and cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is used exclusively as instruments at the exchange: BTC (₿), LTC (Ł) ETH (Ξ), USDT (₮) and others. Trades are carried out on the crypto exchange’s own platform, which is available as a web terminal and an application for mobile devices. Bitget's futures fees are lower than its competitors in the market, with maker fees of 0.02% and takers of 0.04%. The commission can also be paid with bonus funds that each Bitget client receives upon registration, verification, and a trading account replenishment. There are no fees for maintaining an account, but a commission is charged upon withdrawal, the amount of which depends on the cryptocurrency in which the withdrawal is made. For investors, Bitget offers its own service for copying trades, and it is available at the exchange and at an affiliate program. Novice traders can use demo accounts to hone their trading skills, but there are no educational materials on the website. The Bitget cryptocurrency exchange provides services on an international level and cooperates with traders from different countries.
FxPro
FxPro is a well-established broker offering traders access to over 2,100 financial instruments across multiple asset classes, including Forex, stocks, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. It is regulated by reputable authorities – FCA, CySEC and others.
The broker stands out with its focus on technology and offers an average order execution speed of 14-30 ms, setting a market benchmark. FxPro also provides an impressive suite of trading tools and educational resources, such as Trading Central analytics. The minimum deposit of $100, however, is higher than some competitors.
With a company capital exceeding 100 million euro, and a track record of reliability, FxPro stands out as a top-tier choice for traders looking for a secure and dynamic trading environment.
Exness
Exness is one of the world’s largest brokers, known for its competitive trading conditions, high security, and wide selection of assets. The company serves over 1 million active clients and processes a monthly volume exceeding $4 trillion.
While specializing in currency pairs, Exness also offers CFDs on stocks, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. The broker caters to all experience levels with various account types – from cent accounts and social trading for beginners to high leverage and Expert Advisor support for seasoned professionals.
Exness holds multiple international licenses, including the stringent FCA and CySEC, ensuring trader funds are protected.
With features like 24/7 support, fast withdrawals, and analytics tools, Exness strives to provide an optimal trading experience.
Markets4you
Forex4you (Markets4you) caters to a wide range of traders, offering different account types, including cent accounts and ECN accounts with tight spreads from 0.1 pips. The broker provides leverage of up to 1:2000, order execution speed from 0.1 sec, and access to over 150 trading instruments, including Forex pairs, indices, commodities, and stocks. Its proprietary copy trading platform, Share4you, allows traders to earn additional income by sharing their strategies or copying successful traders. Additional features like cashback, bonuses, and partnership programs further enhance the trading experience.
Markets4you doesn't accept clients from the U.S., Canada, Japan, and EU countries, but it presents a compelling option for eligible traders seeking a well-rounded trading experience.
InstaForex
Disclaimer: InstaForex Global services are not available to citizens and residents of the European Union. Service availability, trading conditions, leverage, promotions, and products may vary depending on jurisdiction and applicable regulations.
InstaForex is a leading broker with over 7,000,000 clients. The company provides access to 2,500+ trading instruments, including Forex pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Clients can benefit from competitive spreads starting from 0 pips, leverage up to 1:1000, and access to non-standard technological solutions like synthetic securities. The average execution speed is 0.1 sec.
The broker offers a wide range of cryptocurrency CFDs, with over 70 instruments available and zero spreads on major cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it supports passive investment options including PAMM accounts, copy trading services, and unique offering - OYS portfolios. The company provides responsive client support and insurance coverage up to €20,000 under European regulation.
Libertex Global
Libertex is an online broker that provides access to trading CFDs on stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and more. The company has been in the market for over 10 years. One of the advantages and distinctive features of the broker is its proprietary web trading platform with non-standard functionality designed for novice traders. It features a user-friendly interface, high information content, and advanced technical functionality.
What are the cheapest places to buy crypto
There are plenty of cheap places to buy crypto. However, ByBit is considered the best international exchange, while Binance is the best in the US. This is because they offer free crypto spot trading, which means you can buy and sell crypto without any fee. Moreover, they have a wide variety of cheap withdrawing methods.
Bybit Fees - Bybit is known for providing an array of futures and derivatives instruments. With low trading fees, those trading futures are subject to a taker fee and maker fees are only 0.06% and 0.01%, respectively. ByBit Fees Review – Is ByBit Cheaper Than Binance?
Binance: Binance never charges deposit fees for crypto. However, when dealing with withdrawals, users pay a flat fee to cover the transaction costs. These withdrawal rates are determined by the blockchain network and tend to fluctuate. Binance Fees Review
How to choose the best place to buy crypto online?
If you are looking for the best place to buy crypto online, you will need to take some time to consider various factors. Here is an overview of some of the most important factors to consider:
Low Fees
Next, you will want to focus on low fees. Although most platforms offer relatively low fees for cryptocurrencies, some of them are much higher than others. For instance, some charge a transaction fee every time you buy crypto, while others do not. Make sure you take the time to thoroughly research these fees before you decide which platform to invest your money in.
Multilingual Customer Support
Another great feature of a crypto broker is multilingual support. This is especially good for those who are multilingual. However, it can also be helpful in situations in which someone may do lots of traveling. Also, multilingual support is a sign that the platform is more established and reputable.
Use Friendly App
Lastly, you want to ensure that the platform is user-friendly. This is a useful feature because rather than needing lots of guidance, many people are able to figure out crypto brokerages on their own. Therefore, you will want to check the user-friendliness level before investing in any particular platform.
8 Best Cryptocurrency AppsHow to buy crypto online
If you are ready to buy crypto online, here at the steps to get started:
First, choose a Platform: The first step to purchasing crypto is to choose a broker. There are plenty of cryptocurrency exchanges to choose from and various traditional brokers that will allow you to invest in cryptocurrencies.
Figure out Where You Will Store It: Next, you want to figure out where you will store your crypto. You can keep it in a hot wallet or a cold wallet. Alternatively, you can also allow it to be stored on the platform you purchase them from. Best Crypto Wallets Security & Fees Comparison
Purchase Your Crypto: After that, you will want to make your purchase. This involves deciding how much your budget will be and purchasing the cryptocurrencies you have researched thoroughly.
Manage Your Investment: Lastly, you must manage your investment plan over time. Determine how long you want to hold your crypto before selling and figure out what the signs are that it’s time to sell.
Best crypto wallets to save your crypto safely
If you are wondering which crypto wallets are the best for keeping your crypto safe, they are:
Coinbase Wallet: The Coinbase Wallet enables users to manage their own private keys. while also storing their crypto coins on their devices directly. There is no way to connect Coinbase Wallets to your bank account or complete other similar transactions that veer outside of the crypto realm.
Trezor: The Trezor wallet is considered by many to be one of the best cold wallets for those seeking security. Trezor hardware wallets are the safest and most resilient way to secure Bitcoin and cryptocurrency assets offline. In addition, Trezor wallets never expose your digital asset information to an insecure environment connected to the internet.
Luno Wallet: Luno Wallet is considered one of the best crypto wallets for beginners. This is because it is highly user-friendly, making it simple for even the newest investors to use.
Ledger: Ledger is considered the best cold wallet with Bluetooth. It is also one of the most secure ways to store your cryptocurrency overall.
Trust Wallet: Trust Wallet is considered the best simplified hot wallet. It is a non-custodial digital wallet that stores cryptocurrencies using hot storage.
Arculus: The Arculus is considered the best cold wallet with a hardware card. This crypto wallet is considered highly secure because it offers 3-factor authentication and provides investors with cold storage for crypto and NFTs while also keeping your private keys accessible to you solely.
Is it a good time to buy crypto now?
When it comes to buying crypto, many investors are struggling to figure out the best time to buy it. It depends on various factors, including your unique investment strategy. For instance, those who assert that now is a great time to buy crypto are operating on the ‘buy and dip’ principle. In other words, this operates on the assumption that price drops are temporary aberrations that often correct themselves over time.
Therefore, dip-buyers are investors that purchase cryptocurrencies when prices are down. They do so in the hope of exploiting dips by buying at a discounted price and reaping the rewards when prices rise again. Either way, crypto markets are considered highly volatile. Therefore, buying cryptocurrencies at any price, no matter how high or low the price may be, is risky.
There is no way to know how low or high prices may get. So, while buying the dip may seem like a potentially lucrative practice, it could also serve to be one of the worst investments you have ever made. Therefore, when you are buying the dip, you want to carefully consider the product you’re investing in and do some research on how the crypto coin has performed over time. Moreover, make sure that you carefully consider your investment budget. On the one hand, if you genuinely believe in the coin, you may want to invest a more significant amount in order to make more money. However, you should also be mindful of the fact that you could lose everything. Therefore, you should never invest more money than you can afford to lose.
FAQ
What is double spending?
Double-Spending is a term used to describe using the same crypto coin twice. This is essentially impossible when dealing with currencies such as Bitcoin, which has a 21 million set limit on the protocol, meaning that no more can be produced. However, this fraudulent practice may be possible with other less secure coins.
What are the benefits of investing in crypto?
Some of the benefits of investing in crypto are its a relatively secure sector, the transaction fees are typically low, it can be a great way to diversify your investment portfolio, and the transactions are considered relatively secure.
How is crypto stored?
Typically speaking, crypto is stored in e-wallets, or they can be held on the crypto exchange you purchased them from.
How do you safely trade cryptos?
Choose reputable platforms and make sure that you are only trading what you can afford to lose and that you have a safe location to store them in.
Methodology for compiling our ratings of crypto exchanges
Traders Union applies a rigorous methodology to evaluate crypto exchanges using over 100 quantitative and qualitative criteria. Multiple parameters are given individual scores that feed into an overall rating.
Key aspects of the assessment include:
User reviews. Client reviews and feedback are analyzed to determine customer satisfaction levels. Reviews are fact-checked and verified.
Trading instruments. Exchanges are evaluated on the range of assets offered, as well as the breadth and depth of available markets.
Fees and commissions. All trading fees and commissions are analyzed comprehensively to determine overall costs for clients.
Trading platforms. Exchanges are assessed based on the variety, quality, and features of platforms offered to clients.
Extra services. Unique value propositions and useful features that provide traders with more options for yield generation.
Other factors like brand popularity, client support, and educational resources are also evaluated.
Glossary for novice traders
-
1
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency is a type of digital or virtual currency that relies on cryptography for security. Unlike traditional currencies issued by governments (fiat currencies), cryptocurrencies operate on decentralized networks, typically based on blockchain technology.
-
2
Bitcoin
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital cryptocurrency that was created in 2009 by an anonymous individual or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on a technology called blockchain, which is a distributed ledger that records all transactions across a network of computers.
-
3
CFD
CFD is a contract between an investor/trader and seller that demonstrates that the trader will need to pay the price difference between the current value of the asset and its value at the time of contract to the seller.
-
4
Yield
Yield refers to the earnings or income derived from an investment. It mirrors the returns generated by owning assets such as stocks, bonds, or other financial instruments.
-
5
Expert Advisor
An Expert Advisor (EA) is a piece of software or script used in the MetaTrader trading platform to automate trading strategies. EAs are programmed to execute trading decisions based on predefined criteria, rules, and algorithms, allowing for automated and systematic trading without the need for manual intervention.
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.
Dr. BJ Johnson is a PhD in English Language and an editor with over 15 years of experience. He earned his degree in English Language in the U.S and the UK. In 2020, Dr. Johnson joined the Traders Union team. Since then, he has created over 100 exclusive articles and edited over 300 articles of other authors.
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. Her specialties are daily market news, price predictions, and Initial Coin Offerings (ICO).