We compared six Kraken alternatives on fees, US availability, licenses and coin choice, and noted where each one falls short of Kraken.
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Draft: some fees and state details are still being verified. Values we could not confirm from the exchange’s own pages are shown as “Not verified”.
Looking for a Kraken alternative? Below are six Kraken competitors for US customers, compared on state coverage, order-book fees, simple-buy costs, licenses and staking. The most common reasons to switch are living in New York or Maine, where Kraken is not available, and the cost of instant buys.
Kraken is a crypto exchange operated in the US through Payward entities, with an instant-buy app and the Kraken Pro order book. It lists a Wyoming-chartered bank, a broker-dealer and a futures affiliate among its US entities, and does not serve New York or Maine. See the full Kraken profile →
Kraken serves every other state. In New York or Maine you need another platform.
Buying through the Kraken app costs 1% plus a spread. Kraken Pro is cheaper, but not everyone wants an order book.
Under its 2023 SEC settlement Kraken ended its US staking-as-a-service program.
| Name | Best for | US availability | Trading fees | Simple buy fee | Staking (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraken ORIGINAL | Baseline | All states except NY and ME | 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker | 1% + spread | Not verified |
| Coinbase | Coverage and simplicity | All 50 states | 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker | Not verified | Not verified |
| Gemini | Custody and products | All 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico | 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker | Varies, shown before you confirm | Yes |
| Crypto.com | App users outside NY | All states except NY | Not verified | Varies, shown in trade preview | Yes, except NY, CA, MD, NJ, WI |
| Robinhood Crypto | Occasional buys | 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 |
| Binance.US | Lowest order-book fees | 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 |
| Uphold | Multi-asset holding | No regulator listed for HI, LA, MA, MT, NE, NY, WI | No commission; spread 2.05–3.8% | Spread 2.05–3.8% | Yes (staking program) |
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 largest US-listed exchange, with a simple buy screen and the Coinbase Advanced order book (0.40% maker / 0.60% taker at the lowest tier). It links to its own self-custody app, Coinbase Wallet.
A US exchange and custodian that went public in September 2025. Its entry-tier ActiveTrader fees are higher (0.60% / 1.20%), but it offers custody, staking and a rewards credit card.
A US app for buying, holding, staking and spending crypto, available in every state except New York. It lists CFTC exchange and clearing licenses; app fees are shown in the trade preview rather than published as a fixed rate.
Crypto inside the Robinhood app. Default orders carry no commission, with the cost in the price; 140+ coins are tradable and it holds a New York BitLicense. It keeps 25% of staking rewards.
Binance’s separate US company, with 200+ assets and very low order-book fees. It is not available in 12 states, including New York and Texas, and charges 3.99% on card purchases.
A multi-asset platform for crypto, fiat and precious metals. It charges no commission but a spread of about 2–3.8% on crypto, and offers Vault, an assisted self-custody wallet with 2-of-3 keys.
For New York and Maine: Coinbase or Gemini. For the lowest fees: Binance.US where available. For simple buys: Robinhood.
If you are in New York or Maine, Coinbase and Gemini are the direct replacements. If you want lower order-book fees, Binance.US undercuts Kraken where it operates. For occasional buys, Robinhood avoids Kraken’s instant-buy fee.
Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.
Coinbase for coverage in all 50 states, Binance.US for the lowest order-book fees where available, and Robinhood Crypto for simple buys.
Kraken lists all states except New York and Maine as served on its licensing page.
Binance.US charges 0% maker / 0.02% taker at its lowest tier; Coinbase Advanced charges a lower taker fee than Kraken Pro (0.60% vs 0.80%).
Crypto.com, Gemini, Binance.US and Robinhood offer staking to US customers, each with its own state limits and fees.
Withdraw each coin to the new platform’s deposit address on the same network, starting with a small test amount.
Sources: Kraken: where is Kraken licensed, Kraken fee schedule, Coinbase blog: Coinbase launches in Hawaii (Aug 2024). Data as of Sep 26, 2026.
Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.