Crypto Exchanges

7 Best Crypto Exchanges for US Customers in 2026

Seven exchanges that take US customers, ranked on entry fees, state coverage and licenses. Each fee and state list links to the exchange’s own page, checked Sep 26, 2026.

By DappAtlas Editorial · 4 min read
7 picks · 5 criteria · every fee linked to its source
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On this page

Most “best exchange” lists give one fee per exchange and skip the states. We list the entry-tier maker/taker fee from each fee schedule, the states each exchange says it does not serve, and the license it operates under. Binance.US, for example, is closed to residents of 12 states, including New York and Texas, while Coinbase and Gemini serve all 50.

Quick answer

For most US buyers, Coinbase is the safest default: it serves all 50 states, holds a New York BitLicense and publishes its fees. Pick Binance.US for the lowest order-book fees if your state is covered, and Kraken or Gemini if you want a second licensed account.

  1. 01Coinbase: Best overall for US buyers
  2. 02Kraken: best for a banked backup
  3. 03Gemini: best for NY-chartered custody
  4. 04Crypto.com: best for staking in the app
  5. 05Robinhood Crypto: best for commission-free buys

Check your state

Pick a state to check availability.

“No regulator listed” means the exchange’s licenses page names no regulator for that state; check the app before you sign up.

The 7 best crypto exchanges

#1

Coinbase

Best overall for US buyers

Coinbase serves all 50 states and holds a New York BitLicense (No. 122466). Its Advanced order book starts at 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker, and stablecoin pairs cost 0% maker. The parent company is listed and files reports with the SEC.

US availability
Licensed in New York (BitLicense) and other states
Trading fees
Maker/taker tiers by 30-day volume, shown after sign-in
Simple buy fee
Coinbase fee plus spread, shown in order preview
Debit card purchase
Debit card accepted; fee varies by payment method, shown in the trade preview
Coins available (US)
Not verified
Pros
  • Parent company is public and files with the SEC
  • Stablecoin pairs on Advanced cost 0.00% maker / 0.0045% taker
  • Separate self-custody app: Coinbase Wallet
Cons
  • Entry fees on Advanced of 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker
  • A 2025 data breach exposed customer ID images and partial SSNs
  • Simple-buy spread is not published on a page we could check

Skip it if you mostly buy with the simple buy screen: its spread is not published, so compare the final price with Coinbase Advanced first.

Visit site ↗Full profileAlternativesvs Kraken
#2

Kraken

Best for a banked backup

Kraken runs a Wyoming-chartered bank (SPDI) next to the exchange and publishes its full fee schedule. Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker. The instant-buy screen charges 1% plus a spread, so active buyers should use Pro.

US availability
All states except NY and ME
Trading fees
0.40% maker / 0.80% taker
Simple buy fee
1% + spread
Debit card purchase
$0.25 + 3.75% (debit card deposit)
Coins available (US)
574 (654 listed, 80 restricted for US clients)
Pros
  • Kraken Pro entry fee 0.40% maker
  • Wyoming-chartered bank (SPDI), SEC broker-dealer and CFTC futures affiliates
  • Fee schedule and licenses published openly
Cons
  • Not available in New York or Maine
  • 1% fee plus a spread on instant buys
  • Paid $30M to the SEC over US staking in 2023

Skip it if you live in New York or Maine: Kraken does not serve either state.

Visit site ↗Full profileAlternatives
#3

Gemini

Best for NY-chartered custody

Gemini operates as a New York trust company supervised by NYDFS and serves all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico. The trade-off is price: ActiveTrader starts at 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker, twice Coinbase’s taker fee.

US availability
All 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico
Trading fees
0.60% maker / 1.20% taker
Simple buy fee
Varies, shown before you confirm
Debit card purchase
3.49% of the purchase (debit card)
Coins available (US)
79 listed for trading; some not available in New York
Pros
  • Available in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico
  • Public company that files with the SEC
  • ActiveTrader fees fall to 0% / 0.02% at high volume
Cons
  • High entry fees on ActiveTrader: 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker
  • $37M NYDFS fine over Gemini Earn (2024)
  • Instant-buy fee is not published as a fixed rate

Skip it if fees matter more than the charter: at the entry tier, Gemini’s taker fee is the highest on this list.

Visit site ↗Full profile
#4

Crypto.com

Best for staking in the app

Crypto.com serves every state except New York and offers staking in most of them; staking is not offered in NY, CA, MD, NJ or WI. It also holds CFTC exchange and clearing licenses. It shows the fee in the trade preview but publishes no fixed rate for the US app.

US availability
All states except NY
Trading fees
0.25% maker / 0.50% taker (under $10,000 30-day volume)
Simple buy fee
Varies, shown in trade preview
Debit card purchase
Not verified
Coins available (US)
Not verified
Pros
  • Available in all states except New York
  • Holds CFTC exchange and clearing licenses
  • Staking offered in most states
Cons
  • Not available in New York
  • No fixed trading fee rate published for the US app
  • Some fee discounts require holding the CRO token

Skip it if you live in New York, or you want a fee you can check before opening the app.

Visit site ↗Full profileAlternatives
#5

Robinhood Crypto

Best for commission-free buys

Robinhood Crypto charges no commission on its default routing; the cost sits in the price. An optional Exchange Routing mode charges 0.50% / 0.95%. It lists 140+ coins, holds a New York BitLicense, and takes 25% of staking rewards.

US availability
Most states; some coins limited in NY and TX
Trading fees
No commission (spread); 0.50% / 0.95% on Exchange Routing
Simple buy fee
No commission, spread in price
Debit card purchase
0.0% to 1.5% with a debit card (Robinhood Connect)
Coins available (US)
90 on the availability page
Pros
  • No commission on default routing
  • Over 140 tradable coins
  • Holds a New York BitLicense
Cons
  • Spread on default routing is not published
  • 25% commission on staking rewards
  • Fined $30M by NYDFS in 2022

Skip it if you want to see the spread: Robinhood does not publish it for default routing.

Visit site ↗Full profileAlternatives
#6

Binance.US

Best for low order-book fees

Binance.US charges 0% maker / 0.02% taker at the entry tier, the lowest fee on this list, and lists 200+ assets. It is run by BAM Trading Services, separately from Binance.com.

US availability
Not in AK, CT, GA, ME, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, VT, WA
Trading fees
0% maker / 0.02% taker
Simple buy fee
Spread shown before purchase
Debit card purchase
3.99%
Coins available (US)
200+
Pros
  • 0% maker / 0.02% taker on the lowest tier
  • Free ACH deposits and withdrawals
  • 200+ assets and staking
Cons
  • Not available in 12 states, including NY and TX
  • 3.99% debit or credit card fee
  • No USD services in Kansas or Wisconsin

Skip it if you live in AK, CT, GA, ME, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, VT or WA, or you plan to buy with a card (3.99% fee).

Visit site ↗Full profile
#7

Uphold

Best for crypto plus metals

Uphold holds crypto, fiat currencies and precious metals in one account and offers Vault, a 2-of-3 key self-custody wallet. There is no commission, but its spread runs 2.05–3.8%, the costliest pricing on this list.

US availability
No regulator listed for HI, LA, MA, MT, NE, NY, WI
Trading fees
No commission; spread 2.05–3.8%
Simple buy fee
Spread 2.05–3.8%
Debit card purchase
1.75% (min $1), debit card or Apple Pay deposit
Coins available (US)
Not verified
Pros
  • Assisted self-custody through Uphold Vault
  • Precious metals as well as crypto
  • Licensed as a money transmitter in most states
Cons
  • Spreads of about 2–3.8% on crypto
  • No regulator listed for 7 states, including New York
  • Spreads widen when markets are volatile

Skip it if you trade often, or you live in one of the 7 states where Uphold names no regulator (HI, LA, MA, MT, NE, NY, WI).

Visit site ↗Full profile
Not on this list

Binance: Binance.com lists the United States as a restricted location in its terms. US residents are sent to Binance.US instead.

Bitstamp: Bitstamp USA holds a New York BitLicense, but we could not confirm its US fee schedule or state list on its own pages, so we did not rank it.

Crypto Exchanges compared

Select a name to jump to its review.
NameBest forUS availabilityTrading feesSimple buy feeStaking (US)
CoinbaseBeginners in any stateLicensed in New York (BitLicense) and other statesMaker/taker tiers by 30-day volume, shown after sign-inCoinbase fee plus spread, shown in order previewYes, 35% standard commission on rewards
KrakenSecond account, Pro tradingAll states except NY and ME0.40% maker / 0.80% taker1% + spreadYes, 17 assets; onchain staking only in 37 states plus DC and PR (not CA, NY, TX)
GeminiCustody under NY trust lawAll 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico0.60% maker / 1.20% takerVaries, shown before you confirmYes (ETH, SOL, MON), up to 35% fee on rewards
Crypto.comStaking, mobile appAll states except NY0.25% maker / 0.50% taker (under $10,000 30-day volume)Varies, shown in trade previewYes, except NY, CA, MD, NJ, WI; service fee deducted from rewards
Robinhood CryptoStocks and crypto in one appMost states; some coins limited in NY and TXNo commission (spread); 0.50% / 0.95% on Exchange RoutingNo commission, spread in priceYes, 25% commission on rewards
Binance.USLowest fees, if your state is coveredNot in AK, CT, GA, ME, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, TX, VT, WA0% maker / 0.02% takerSpread shown before purchaseYes, 25+ assets
UpholdCrypto, fiat and metalsNo regulator listed for HI, LA, MA, MT, NE, NY, WINo commission; spread 2.05–3.8%Spread 2.05–3.8%Yes: 20% to 25% commission (Boosted), 50% (Flexible); not in LA, WA

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 could not confirm the value on the project’s own pages.

How we rank crypto exchanges

  1. 01State coverage: the list of states the exchange says it does not serve, from its own help or licenses page. Fewer excluded states rank higher.
  2. 02Entry-tier fees: maker/taker fee at the lowest 30-day volume tier, plus the simple-buy fee or spread where the exchange publishes it. An unpublished spread counts against it.
  3. 03Licenses: the US licenses the exchange lists: FinCEN MSB registration, state money transmitter licenses, a New York BitLicense or trust charter, a bank charter.
  4. 04Enforcement record: settlements and fines with US regulators since 2022, from the regulator’s own release.
  5. 05Coins and staking: number of tradable coins for US customers and where staking is available.

No project paid to be listed or ranked. Full rules: methodology.

What we did not test
  • We did not open accounts, deposit money or place trades with these services.
  • We did not audit smart contracts, reserves or security claims ourselves; we report what the project and its auditors publish.
  • Fees, limits and availability change; the list date shows when we last checked them.

Rubric last updated Sep 26, 2026. Crypto assets are not insured by the FDIC or SIPC, and you can lose all the money you put in. This page is educational content, not financial advice.

How to choose

01

Check your state first

State rules decide more than fees. Kraken is closed in New York and Maine, Crypto.com in New York, Binance.US in 12 states. Use the state check above before comparing anything else.

02

Compare the order book, not the buy button

The one-click buy screen is the expensive way in. On Kraken it costs 1% plus a spread; on Kraken Pro the same trade costs 0.40% or 0.80%. Coinbase Advanced and Gemini ActiveTrader work the same way.

03

Read the license, not the logo

An exchange that holds a New York BitLicense or trust charter (Coinbase, Gemini, Robinhood) has passed New York’s capital and custody rules. A FinCEN MSB registration alone is a registration, not a license.

04

Withdraw what you do not trade

Every exchange here is custodial: it holds the keys. Move long-term holdings to a self-custody wallet and send a small test withdrawal first on the same network on both sides.

Who should skip all of these

  • Anyone who wants to hold their own keys from day one: start with a self-custody wallet instead, such as those in our best crypto wallets list.
  • Residents outside the US: fees, coins and licenses on this page apply to US accounts only.
  • Derivatives traders: we compare spot trading; futures access and margin rules are not ranked here.

Which one fits you?

First purchase, any stateCoinbase: all 50 states, a BitLicense and published order-book fees.Jump ↓Lowest fee per tradeBinance.US: 0% maker / 0.02% taker, if your state is not among the 12 excluded.Jump ↓Stocks and crypto togetherRobinhood Crypto: no commission on default routing inside the same brokerage app.Jump ↓Staking rewardsCrypto.com: staking in the app, except in NY, CA, MD, NJ and WI.Jump ↓

Bottom line

Open Coinbase if you want one account that works in every state. Add Kraken or Gemini as a second licensed account, and use Binance.US only if your state is covered and low fees matter most.

Whatever you pick, trade on the order-book screen instead of the instant-buy button, and withdraw long-term holdings to a wallet you control.

Educational content, not financial advice. Crypto assets are volatile; do your own research.

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FAQ

Which crypto exchanges work in all 50 states?

Coinbase and Gemini say they serve all 50 states; Gemini adds DC and Puerto Rico. Kraken excludes New York and Maine, Crypto.com excludes New York, and Binance.US excludes 12 states.

Which US exchange has the lowest fees?

At the entry tier, Binance.US charges 0% maker / 0.02% taker. Coinbase Advanced and Kraken Pro both start at 0.40% maker, with 0.60% and 0.80% taker. Gemini ActiveTrader starts at 0.60% / 1.20%.

Can I use Binance in the US?

No. Binance.com lists the United States as a restricted location. US residents can use Binance.US, a separate company, in the states it serves.

Which exchanges can I use in New York?

On this list, Coinbase, Gemini and Robinhood hold New York licenses. Kraken, Crypto.com and Binance.US do not serve New York, and Uphold names no New York regulator.

Is my crypto insured on an exchange?

Crypto held on an exchange is not covered by FDIC insurance. Custody rules depend on the exchange’s license; check its terms, and keep long-term holdings in a self-custody wallet.

Further reading

GuideWhat Is a DEX? Decentralized Exchanges ExplainedSep 26, 2026AlternativesCoinbase alternativesSep 26, 2026ComparisonCoinbase vs KrakenAlternativesKraken alternativesSep 26, 2026

Sources

  1. Coinbase Advanced trade fees
  2. Coinbase: licenses and disclosures
  3. Kraken fee schedule
  4. Kraken: where Kraken is licensed
  5. Gemini ActiveTrader fee schedule
  6. Gemini Trust Center
  7. Crypto.com: US state availability
  8. Robinhood Crypto fee schedule
  9. Binance.US: supported states
  10. Binance.US fees
  11. Uphold: regulators for US residents
  12. Uphold service fees

What changed in this list

2026-09-26First version: 7 exchanges, state lists and entry-tier fees checked on each exchange’s own pages.

Who made this page

Written by
DappAtlas Editorial

Editorial team

Compiles and updates the lists on DappAtlas. Facts come from primary sources: each project’s own pages, protocol docs and standards. No project pays to be mentioned.

Lists from DappAtlas Editorial
Fact check
Checked against 12 sources

Last check: Sep 26, 2026

A value we could not confirm on the project’s own pages is marked “Not verified” instead of estimated.

How we review

How this page works

Sources: Coinbase Advanced trade fees, Coinbase: licenses and disclosures, Kraken fee schedule. Data as of Sep 26, 2026.

How we review

Not affiliated with any project listed. Educational content, not financial advice.