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Best crypto exchanges
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Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
- The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
- The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
- The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
- The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
- There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
- Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
- Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
- You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
- Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
- A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
We compare 10+ platforms, from long-established trading platforms to popular new fintechs.
We don’t compare every exchange, just those that are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority – these have passed money-laundering checks.
Finder Scores help you choose
Our scores and top picks reflect what cryptocurrency investors told us they care about. We analysed the data then our in-house experts carried out testing to help us decide the best.
Our top picks by category
Crypto investors and traders come in different shapes and sizes, and so do their apps. We’ve selected categories to help you find the best exchange.
Best for beginners
A beginner-friendly crypto exchange may sound like an oxymoron, but they do exist! Our top pick for cryptocurrency beginners needs to be easy to use and have plenty of tools and learning features designed for those just starting to explore the wide world of crypto.
Finder Score
4.2
★★★★★
eToro makes cryptocurrency investing as straightforward as possible. Using the platform is a breeze and there are excellent features like a free virtual portfolio and an academy to learn how to trade crypto.
Best for low fees
Choosing an exchange with the lowest fees is crucial for crypto investing. Fees vary for deposits, withdrawals, trading, and inactivity. Our top pick for low fees focuses on simple, transparent transactions with, you guessed it, low fees.
Finder Score
4.4
★★★★★
We found CoinJar offers the lowest fees among all the exchanges we reviewed. It's free to withdraw funds or make a deposit via bank transfer. While card and Apple/Google Pay transactions incur a 2% fee, recurring buys come with a discounted 1% fee.
Best for advanced features
Not all exchanges are designed to provide an equal trading experience. Certain platforms offer advanced tools and resources to support the trading strategies of those who want to dive deeper into the diverse world of cryptocurrency investing.
Finder Score
3.8
★★★★★
Kraken is our top pick because it offers its crypto trading platform, Kraken Pro, for free. This means crypto enthusiasts can jump straight on board to trade like a pro using advanced customisable features.
Best for crypto debit card
Some exchanges offer debit cards that allow you to spend your crypto in the same way you might spend your fiat currency (like pound sterling). Crypto debit cards bring a new interactive element to cryptos to more easily blend with your current finances.
Finder Score
3.9
★★★★★
Uphold offers the best crypto debit card available with unbeatable functionality. You can spend crypto directly from your Uphold wallet (earning 1% GBP cashback) or even withdraw your crypto as cash.
Best for all-in-one app
Some investors don't want to use multiple finance apps, but there aren't many finance platforms out there that can cater to today's diverse range of requirements like saving, spending and investing. Only a small number offer the ability to combine traditional personal finance with cryptocurrency.
Finder Score
4.2
★★★★★
Revolut is our best pick for an all-in-one finance app because the app is simple to use and it’s jam-packed with financial features, letting users buy, sell and hold a range of cryptocurrencies.
Best for altcoins
Many cryptocurrency investors like to take a diverse portfolio approach. Along with backing major players, they also want to use their research and insights to spice things up with lesser-known altcoins. However, not all exchanges offer a wide selection of crypto altcoins.
Finder Score
4.6
★★★★★
Crypto.com offers a huge selection of over 350 altcoins. It’s our best pick for altcoins because you’d be hard pressed not to find the cryptocurrency you’re looking for.
Frequently asked questions
Beginner’s guide to crypto
How do you pick the best crypto exchange?
Crypto safety and protection
How we choose the best exchanges
Each exchange has strengths and weaknesses based on its target audience.
We chose our list of exchanges by crunching data on fees and features and giving many of them a hands-on test. We look at what each exchange has to offer and dig into whether it does what it’s supposed to do. There’s no single best exchange and our list reflects that.
*Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.
Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
Ready to get started?
Let’s look at which trading platforms the experts rate best by category.
Bitcoin price predictions for 2024, 2025 and 2030
Bitcoin's price is expected to rise to $87,169 by year-end 2024, according to the average prediction from Finder's panellists.
Our most bullish panellists see BTC trading at $200,000 by the end of 2024, while our most bearish panellist sees it dropping well below where it is now, reaching $10,000 by the end of the year.
Our panellists also predict BTC will hit $127,494 by 2025 and $383,514 by 2030. The panel is far more bearish than last quarter when their long-term prediction for 2025 came in at $150,996 and $567,489 for 2030.
All the content may be republished with a link to this page.
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