Best Сryptocurrency Exchanges for Low-Cost Trading in the USA

What Are the Cryptocurrency Exchange Typical Fees?

Trading Fee

Trading fees on cryptocurrency exchanges are fees that you must pay in order to trade on a platform. This is often how the exchanges make their money and keep their platforms running.

So, how much does it usually cost to trade on a cryptocurrency exchange? Most cryptocurrency exchanges charge between 0% and 1.5% per trade. However, these percentages depend on whether you’re a maker (buyer) or taker (seller). Fees also vary by exchange.

To understand how much you’ll have to pay in trading fees, it helps to look at an example. So, if you end up paying 0% and 1.5% trade and you invest $1,000 of your money into crypto, you’ll end up paying anywhere from $0 to $15 in fees.

Taker and Market Fee Difference

Another key aspect of trading on cryptocurrency exchanges is maker-taker fees. These fees are transaction costs that occur when orders are placed and filled.

Trading fees depend on the type of order placed. For example, if you’re a maker, you’re “creating or making” the market for other traders, bringing liquidity to the exchange. On the other hand, if you’re a taker, you’re removing liquidity by “taking” available orders that are filled immediately.

Usually, taker fees are slightly higher than maker fees. Cryptocurrency exchanges that implement lower maker fees do so to incentivize market makers.

Deposit and Withdrawal Fee

Beyond trading fees, investors of cryptocurrency might also have to pay deposit or withdrawal fees, depending on the platform they choose. Often, deposit fees vary based on the type of deposit. However, only some crypto exchanges charge deposit fees.

The exchanges that forego withdrawal fees choose to do so because it might disincentivize traders from funding their accounts. Therefore, deposit fees tend to be less common than withdrawal fees.

For cryptocurrency withdrawals, many exchanges charge a flat fee regardless of the amount withdrawn. However, some might take an additional fee based on your country or the type of withdrawal (i.e. whether it’s crypto or fiat).

Other Fees

There are other fees on certain crypto exchanges that you may run into. For example, you might have to pay borrowing fees on crypto exchanges that offer margin trading.

With margin trading, you can borrow additional funds to increase your position and create leverage. So, if you’re trading on margin, you may have to pay additional fees based on the amount you borrow.

You might also be subject to paying an interest rate, which is typically based on the supply of funds available. You might also be responsible for liquidation fees if your trade goes upside down and the position is liquidated.

Cryptocurrency Exchanges With Lowest Crypto Trading Fees in the USA

Below are the cheapest cryptocurrency exchanges (spot)

Below are the cheapest cryptocurrency exchanges (futures)

Cryptocurrency Exchanges Non-Trading Fees Comparison

Cryptocurrency Exchanges With Low Fees: How Do They Compare?

Binance U.S

Binance Review

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The Binance US crypto exchange offers a blend of useful charts and a simple user interface. Moreover, Binance US's spot trading fees are rock-bottom, and instant-buy fees are extremely competitive. Sadly, not all residents of the U.S. can access this platform.

Customers of Binance US can trade in tiers according to their risk tolerance.

There are no fees associated with Tier 0 trades in this case. The BTC/USD pair, BTC/USDC pair, BTC/USDT pair, and BTC/BUSD pair are the only four Bitcoin (BTC) trade types allowed. Tier 1 and Tier 3 cover the rest of the trades.

On certain asset pairs, Tier I trades have taker fees of 0.20% and maker fees of 0.1%. Some examples are Ethereum (ETH)/USD and Solana (SOL)/USD.

A Tier II trade starts at a 0.60% taker/0.40% maker fee for trading less than $10,000 in a 30-day period. Examples of Tier II asset pairs include Cardano (ADA)/USD and Polkadot (DOT)/USD.

The more you trade on Binance US, the lower your trading fees become. On Tier I trades, traders with a 30-day trading volume greater than $50,000 but less than $100,000 will pay 0.075% taker fees. You can also save on transaction fees by using the platform's proprietary coin, BNB.

Kraken

Kraken Review

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Kraken trading fees are relatively low compared to competitors, with Kraken trading fees are relatively low compared to competitors, with fees ranging from 0% to 0.26% per trade. And the platform’s maker-taker fees are amongst the lowest in the industry. Kraken also offers a Pro account option, which consists of a tiered fee structure that allows high-volume traders to save on trading fees. So, for example, if you’re a trader with 30-day volumes of less than $50,000, you’ll pay as low as 0.16% in maker fees and 0.26% in taker fees.

But if you’re a trader with 30-day rolling volumes of over $10 million, maker fees can drop as low as 0%, and taker fees can drop as low as 0.10%. Beyond its low cryptocurrency trading fees, Kraken is also a great choice for traders because it supports a large number of cryptocurrencies and is a highly liquid exchange.

Coinbase

Coinbase Review

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Coinbase is one of the trusted exchanges widely used for cryptocurrency trading across the U.S. It stands out for its advanced security features, a wide range of supported cryptocurrencies, and a user-friendly interface, which makes it a suitable platform for both beginners and advanced traders.

Coinbase offers a transparent fee structure with no hidden charges. It charges a spread of about 0.50% for buying or selling crypto in addition to the transaction fee. Besides, the transaction fees vary based on factors such as trading volume and payment method used for transactions. Typically, the fees range from 1.49% to 2.99%.

Furthermore, Coinbase Pro, the advanced trading platform, offers lower fees for high-volume traders compared to Coinbase’s standard brokerage service. The market maker fee range starts from 0.40% to 0.00%, while the taker fee range starts from 0.60% to 0.05%. For instance, the taker fee for a trading volume of $10k within 30 days is 0.60%, while the fee for a trading volume of $50k - $100k (for a taker) is 0.25%. Simply put, the higher the trading volume, the lower the transaction fee charged by Coinbase Pro.

Crypto.com

Crypto.com Review

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Crypto.com is another top crypto exchange with a wide range of digital assets; it offers one of the cheapest fees in the industry. Crypto.com also employs a transparent fee structure where withdrawal and transaction fees are based on trading volume, VIP level, and the type of asset traded.

The broker charges withdrawal fees based on the type of crypto asset, while trading fees are hinged on the transaction volume of the maker and taker. The regular trading fee for the maker is from 0.0750% to 0.00%, while that of the taker is from 0.0750% to 0.0500%. So, for instance, a maker with a transaction volume of less than $250,000 would be charged a 0.0750% transaction fee.

Conversely, a maker with a higher transaction volume, say $1,000,000, would be charged a 0.0650% transaction fee, while the fee for a transaction volume of $10,000,000 and above is 0.00%. The essence is to reward high-volume traders with discounted lower transaction fees, effectively lowering trading costs.

Furthermore, Crypto.com offers a special feature known as VIP Programme, which rewards high-volume traders with lower transaction fees. The VIP model transaction fee for takers is from 0.040% to 0.025%, depending on the trading volume. Conversely, the trading activities of price makers attract no transaction fee.

Paxful

Paxful Review

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Paxful is a beginner-friendly crypto platform that allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies using various methods. The platform stands out for its peer-to-peer (P2P) model, making it convenient for individuals with varying preferences and challenges to transact in crypto without hassle.

Paxful connects crypto buyers and sellers directly via peer-to-peer trading, allowing users from different countries to participate in P2P transactions. It employs standard security measures to protect customers’ funds.

Paxful’s transaction fees can vary depending on the payment method and trade amount. Typically, Paxful has higher transaction fees for sellers than buyers; it charges a 1% transaction fee for sellers, while the fee for buyers is free in most cases.

How to Choose a Low-Commission Cryptocurrency Exchange

There are many types of cryptocurrency exchanges available to choose from. But if you’re trying to minimize your trading fees as much as possible, how can you find exchanges that offer low commissions?

We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to help you find cryptocurrency exchanges with the lowest fees on the market.

Step 1

Research different cryptocurrency exchanges that are available in your country. Make a list of possible exchanges.

Step 2

Go on each exchange’s website to look at their fees. Under each exchange, write down their fee structures. This might include commissions, trading fees, maker-taker fees, or margin trading fees. Other fees you might consider are potential liquidation fees. Also, if withdrawal and deposit fees are something you’re concerned about, check whether potential exchanges charge these fees.

Step 3

Using the information you’ve gathered about potential exchanges, create a comparison table. List out the different exchanges.

Create columns/rows for different fee categories, including commissions, trading fees, maker vs. taker fees, any margin trading fees, liquidation fees, or deposit and withdrawal fees.

Looking at the comparison table, determine which platforms offer the most favorable trading conditions and the lowest fees.

It’s a good idea to eliminate the ones that offer trading fees higher than 1.5%. Anything lower than 1.5% is considered low when it comes to trading fees. So, by sticking to this rule, you can narrow down your choices to just a few exchanges.

Step 4

Consider if the different platforms offer tiered accounts, which provide you with opportunities to decrease your trading fees.

Some crypto exchanges offer professional accounts that allow you to get discounts for your trading fees. However, other platforms don’t offer these opportunities. So, be sure to do your research and compare.

Step 5

Some crypto exchanges have their own native coin like Binance (BNB), OKEx (OKB), Huobi Global (HT), and many more.

Usually, these platforms allow you to reduce your trading fees by staking a certain amount of their native coins.

The more coins you stake, the more you can save in trading fees. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, be sure to keep this factor in mind when considering low commission crypto exchanges.

Step 6

As you consider the many factors in regards to trading fees for different cryptocurrency exchanges, you might come across a few with a similar fee structure.

To help you narrow your list down further, you can consider other features beyond trading fees. There are other things that can make your trading experience a positive one.

For example, a platform’s ease of use, security, the number of supported cryptocurrencies, whether the platform offers margin trading, whether the exchange is under regulation by financial authorities, the available trading platforms, and the method of purchasing coins.

You might also consider the minimum amount you can deposit to open your account. Some platforms have high deposit minimums, while others allow you to deposit a small amount of money to get started. Maybe, you also interested in information how to turn $100 into $1000 in crypto trading.

You can also see if the exchanges you’re considering have sign-up offers and other deals that give you access to free cryptocurrency.

For example, some exchanges may offer a certain number of free Bitcoin or even give you money upon creating a new account. This will, in turn, reduce the fees in your portfolio balance.

With these features, you can create another comparison table. Only this time, you’ll be listing out the exchanges you’ve narrowed down. And the columns and rows will have the different features offered by each platform that doesn’t have to do with trading fees. This can help you narrow down your choice further.

Step 7

Looking at the comparison table, consider which features mean the most to you. For example, if you’re interested in margin trading, and only one platform in your list offers it, then choose that platform.

Follow the same principle for features that you’re most likely to use. From there, you should be able to settle on one or two exchanges.

How Do I Exchange Cryptocurrencies Without Fees or With Low Fees?

There are several ways to trade crypto with low fees including:

• Using peer-to-peer trading platforms where you can trade and purchase crypto directly from others without the need for a centralized authority.

• Use decentralized exchanges which operate on blockchain technology and allow users to trade crypto directly without a centralized authority.

• Look out for promotions and referral programs. Most exchanges will offer promotions and referrals to gain and keep clients. These can help you lower fees when trading crypto.

Expert Opinion

This ranking of cryptocurrency exchanges for cost-effective trading was compiled not only with regard to commission policies. The research also considered important indicators such as the variety of trading instruments, entry thresholds, security guarantees, and the presence of profit withdrawal limits. The rating aims to assist traders in identifying a suitable option that corresponds to their financial goals and trading style. Executing transactions on platforms with low commissions indeed helps significantly reduce expenses and maximize profits, but it's essential not to rush the choice. It's better to carefully assess all aspects and make an informed decision.