C
Comparing against
CEX.IO
Crypto exchange with instant buy and spot trading, serving US residents through CEX.IO Corp. in licensed states.
- US availability
- Licensed states only; New York restricted
- Trading fees
- 0.25% (30-day volume up to $10,000)
- Simple buy fee
- Not verified
- Debit card purchase
- 0.49% to 4.99% + service charge
- Coins available (US)
- 83 for instant buy, sell and convert
- Staking (US)
- Not verified
CEX.IO serves US residents only through CEX.IO Corp. in states where it is licensed, and its Terms name New York as a restricted location. Below are six CEX.IO alternatives for US customers, compared on state coverage, spot fees, card costs and coin choice.
Key takeaways
- 01Coinbase — best for all 50 states: serves all 50 states, with a New York BitLicense and published order-book fees.
- 02Binance.US — best for low fees: 0% maker / 0.02% taker, but not in 12 states.
- 03Kraken — best for active traders: Kraken Pro order book at 0.40% maker, plus a Wyoming bank charter.
- 04Gemini — best for NY trust custody: all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, under a New York trust charter.
- !Switching? Send a small test withdrawal first, and use the same network on both sides.
What is CEX.IO?
CEX.IO is a crypto exchange with instant buy, spot trading and staking. In the US it operates through CEX.IO Corp., a FinCEN-registered MSB (NMLS 1804170). Spot fees start at 0.25% for 30-day volume up to $10,000, and 83 assets are listed for US instant buy. See the full CEX.IO profile →
How we picked these alternatives
- 01US availability — whether the exchange serves US residents and which states it excludes, from its own terms or supported-states page.
- 02Order-book fees — maker and taker fees at the lowest volume tier, from the published fee schedule.
- 03Simple-buy cost — the fee or spread on the one-click buy screen, where the exchange publishes it.
- 04Licenses — US registrations the exchange lists: FinCEN MSB, state money transmitter licenses, a BitLicense or charter.
- 05Coins and staking — tradable coins for US customers and where staking is offered.
Why look for a CEX.IO alternative?
State limits
CEX.IO serves the US only in licensed states, and its Terms name New York as a restricted location.
Card costs
Card purchases cost 0.49% to 4.99% plus a service charge.
Coin choice
83 assets are listed for US instant buy, sell and convert; Robinhood lists 140+ and Binance.US 200+.
CEX.IO alternatives compared
Select a name to jump to its review.
| Name | Best for | US availability | Trading fees | Simple buy fee | Staking (US) |
|---|
| CEX.IO ORIGINAL | Baseline | Licensed states only; New York restricted | 0.25% (30-day volume up to $10,000) | Not verified | Not verified |
|---|
| Coinbase | Coverage in every state | All 50 states | 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker | Not verified | Not verified |
|---|
| Binance.US | Lowest fees, where available | Not in AK, CT, GA, ME, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, VT, WA | 0% maker / 0.02% taker | Spread shown before purchase | Yes, 25+ assets |
|---|
| Kraken | Pro trading outside NY, ME | All states except NY and ME | 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker | 1% + spread | Not verified |
|---|
| Gemini | Custody and staking | All 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico | 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker | Varies, shown before you confirm | Yes |
|---|
| Robinhood Crypto | Stocks and crypto in one app | Most states; some coins limited in NY and TX | No commission (spread); 0.50% / 0.95% on Exchange Routing | No commission, spread in price | Yes, 25% commission on rewards |
|---|
| Crypto.com | Mobile app outside NY | All states except NY | Not verified | Varies, shown in trade preview | Yes, except NY, CA, MD, NJ, WI |
|---|
US availability: States the exchange does not serve, from its own page. Trading fees: Lowest-volume tier on the advanced order book: maker / taker. Simple buy fee: Fee or spread on the one-click buy screen. “Not verified” means we have not yet checked the value against the project’s own documentation.
The 6 best CEX.IO alternatives
A US exchange with a simple buy screen and the Coinbase Advanced order book, serving all 50 states. Its entry-tier fees are 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker, and the simple-buy spread is not published.
vs CEX.IO
- ▲ State coverage: Better
- ▲ New York: Better
- ▼ Spot fees: Worse
- Available in all 50 states
- NY BitLicense (NMLS 1163082)
#2B
Binance.US
Best for low fees
A US exchange run by BAM Trading Services, separately from Binance.com, with 200+ assets and the lowest order-book fees here. It is not available in 12 states, including New York and Texas, and charges 3.99% on card buys.
vs CEX.IO
- ▲ Spot fees: Better
- ▲ Coin choice: Better
- = New York: Equal
- 0% maker / 0.02% taker
- Free ACH deposits and withdrawals
A US-available exchange with an instant-buy app and the Kraken Pro order book (0.40% maker / 0.80% taker). It is not available in New York or Maine, and instant buys cost 1% plus a spread.
vs CEX.IO
- = New York: Equal
- ▼ Spot fees: Worse
- 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker on Kraken Pro
- Wyoming-chartered bank (SPDI) affiliate
#4G
Gemini
Best for NY trust custody
A US exchange and custodian supervised by NYDFS as a New York trust company, serving all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. Its entry-tier ActiveTrader fees are the highest here: 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker.
vs CEX.IO
- ▲ State coverage: Better
- ▲ New York: Better
- ▼ Spot fees: Worse
- All 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico
- Custody and staking
Crypto inside the Robinhood brokerage app. Default orders carry no commission, with the cost in the price, and 140+ coins are tradable. The spread on default routing is not published, and it keeps 25% of staking rewards.
vs CEX.IO
- ▲ Commission: Better
- ▲ Coin choice: Better
- ▲ New York: Better
- No commission on default routing
- NY BitLicense
#6C
Best for staking in an app
A US app for buying, holding and staking crypto, available in every state except New York. It lists CFTC exchange and clearing licenses; app fees are shown in the trade preview, not published as a fixed rate.
vs CEX.IO
- = New York: Equal
- ▼ Fee transparency: Worse
- Available in all states except NY
- CFTC exchange and clearing licenses
Which CEX.IO alternative should you choose?
For all 50 states and New York: Coinbase or Gemini. For lower fees and more coins where available: Binance.US.
Bottom line
CEX.IO works for US residents only in states where it is licensed, and not in New York. If you are in New York, Coinbase, Gemini and Robinhood are the options here. If the 0.25% entry fee is the issue, Binance.US charges 0% / 0.02% where it operates, while Coinbase and Kraken cost more per trade.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
How to move from CEX.IO safely
- 1List the coins you hold on CEX.IO and check the new exchange supports each coin and network.
- 2Open and verify the US account first; confirm your state is covered before you move anything.
- 3Withdraw a small test amount to the new deposit address, on the same network, and confirm it arrives.
- 4Move the rest, then download your full transaction history from CEX.IO for US tax records.
- 5Consider moving long-term holdings to a self-custody wallet instead of another exchange.
CEX.IO alternatives: FAQ
Is CEX.IO available in all US states?
±
No. CEX.IO Corp. serves US residents only in states where it is licensed, and CEX.IO’s Terms name New York as a restricted location.
What is the best CEX.IO alternative in New York?
±
Coinbase or Gemini, which serve all 50 states, or Robinhood, which holds a New York BitLicense.
Which alternative has lower fees than CEX.IO?
±
Binance.US charges 0% maker / 0.02% taker, versus CEX.IO’s 0.25% entry fee. Coinbase Advanced (0.40% / 0.60%) and Kraken Pro (0.40% / 0.80%) cost more.
Which alternative lists more coins?
±
Binance.US lists 200+ assets and Robinhood 140+, versus 83 on CEX.IO for US instant buy.
What changed in this list
2026-09-26First version: six US alternatives, facts checked Sep 26, 2026.