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FTX US vs Kraken Review 2022: Top Exchanges for Crypto Trading Compared!

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Kraken and FTX are two world-leading, best-in-class exchanges that are utilized and loved by users all over the world, and for good reason.

After massive global success and dominating the crypto exchange industry, FTX decided to bring their widely popular crypto trading platform to the American markets and launched FTX US in 2020, where it quickly became one of the most popular exchanges in the United States.

**⚠️Important Notice Update⚠️** In November 2022, FTX announced that they are suffering a liquidity crisis and there is a high likelihood of collapse. Discussions with Binance have broken down. We cannot recommend depositing with FTX at this time and recommend considering Binance as an alternative or Kraken for US-based readers.

If you are based in the United States and looking for a cryptocurrency exchange, you have done well to narrow your search down between these two, as these are both fantastic exchanges, each having their strengths and weaknesses in different areas that will be uncovered here in this FTX US vs Kraken Review.

If you are located outside of the United States, Kraken is still a fantastic choice, and you may want to check out our FTX review, which is available to most users outside of the US.

As this article aims to provide a high-level comparison between these two Titans, you may also find our following in-depth articles helpful to learn more about each exchange:

FTX US Review

Kraken Review

We also have an article on the Top Crypto Exchanges if you would like to explore other options on your journey to find which exchange is right for you.

Now, without further ado, let’s crack into this Kraken vs FTX US review

Page Contents 👉

FTX US vs Kraken Summary:

 

Kraken

FTX US

Headquarters:

San Francisco, California, USA

Miami, Florida, USA

Year Established:

2011

2020

Regulation:

FinCEN, FINTRAC, FCA, AUSTRAC, FSA

FinCEN

Spot Cryptocurrencies Listed:

185+

25+

Native Token:

N/A

FTT (Not Available in the US)

Maker/Taker Fees:

Lowest: 0.00%/0.10%

Highest: 0.16%/0.26%

Lowest: 0%/0.05%

Highest: 0.1%/0.4%

Security:

Very High:

2FA, email confirmation, customizable API keys, PGP encrypted emails, real-time platform monitoring, account timeout, global time lock, SSL encryption, password requirements

Very High:

2FA, password protection on withdrawals and login, 24-hour time lock, platform monitoring, SSL encryption

Beginner-Friendly:

Yes

Yes

KYC/AML Verification:

Required

Required

Fiat Currency Support:

USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, GBP, CHF, JPY

USD, CAD, EUR, AUD, GBP

Deposit/Withdraw Method

ACH, Wire, SWIFT, Signet, SEN, Debit/Credit card, SEPA, FPS CHAPS, e-Transfer, Osko, SIC, Furikomi

Crypto deposits +withdrawals supported, Apple/Google pay also available depending on jurisdiction.

ACH Bank transfer, Wire transfer, Credit/Debit Card

Crypto deposits + withdrawals supported

FTX US Inline

FTX US Inline

FTX US vs Kraken

Both FTX US and Kraken are highly respected, trustworthy, and leaders in the crypto exchange industry. Of the top 5 exchanges, FTX and Kraken are the only two to have never been successfully hacked and both follow incredibly high security standards and abide by the laws and regulations in the jurisdiction in which they operate.

According to Coin Market Cap, Kraken is the #4 largest exchange in the world with regards to trading volume with FTX sitting at the #3 spot and FTX US down at the #9 spot, meaning that Kraken is the more widely used and popular exchange over FTX US by quite a large margin, though they also have a 9-year head start on FTX US.

exchanges

Image via CoinMarketCap

Further on in the review, we’ll take a closer look at each exchange individually, but first, we want to give you an overview of our findings by comparing FTX US versus Kraken.

FTX US vs Kraken: Products Offered

FTX US and Kraken are a bit different in their product offerings and target customer. To save you some time right off the bat, if I were to sum these two up, I would say that Kraken is, hands down, the better exchange from a beginner-friendliness perspective, and for users looking for a simple and easy place to buy and sell crypto.

Kraken also has considerably better asset support for spot trading and allows up to 5x leverage on spot trading and up to 50x for futures trading.

kraken homepage

A Look at the Kraken Homepage

FTX US, on the other hand, is better suited for active day traders as it offers advanced order functionality and more tradeable instruments like stocks, leveraged tokens, ETFs and more. FTX US allows traders to access up to 10x leverage.

Both exchanges specialize more on the trading side of things and shy away from the Swiss army knife approach taken by exchanges like Binance and KuCoin, which offer every crypto product under the sun. US-based exchanges also have their hands tied from a regulatory perspective when it comes to Earn products and passive income, so if you are looking for an exchange with all the bells and whistles, I would recommend checking out Binance.

FTX US Homepage

A Look at the FTX US Homepage

To dive into a little more about specific trading instruments, here is what Kraken has on offer:

  • Spot and Margin trading
  • Indices
  • Forex
  • Futures

And here is what can be traded on FTX US:

  • Spot and Margin trading
  • Stocks
  • ETFs
  • Derivatives

Aside from trading, Kraken also offers the following features:

  • Highest security in the industry
  • Best customer support in the industry
  • Buy 185+ crypto assets with 7 different fiat currencies
  • NFT Marketplace
  • Staking
  • Polkadot and Kusama Parachain Auctions
  • Kraken Pro for advanced traders
  • Portfolio tracking
  • Mobile App

And here is what FTX US brings to the table:

  • Good security
  • Good customer support
  • Buy 25+ crypto assets with 5 different fiat currencies
  • Crypto debit card
  • NFT Marketplace
  • Staking
  • Portfolio tracking
  • Mobile app

Both FTX US and Kraken offer a pretty basic staking interface where users can stake their crypto assets to earn passive APY. Kraken takes a win in this category as they offer staking on 11 different crypto assets with APYs as high as 23%, compared to the 5 assets available for staking on FTX US with rewards up to 8%

Kraken staking

Assets Available for Staking. Image via Kraken

It is also worth mentioning another win for Kraken as they also offer Polkadot and Kusama Parachain Auctions, providing a way for users to get involved in the Polkadot and Kusama Auction process in a user-friendly way, avoiding the complexities of getting involved in the Polkadot ecosystem.

Sign-up for Kraken and see for yourself why this Exchange makes our Top 5 Regulated Exchanges list and is often our top pick for new crypto users.

Or

If you want to find out why FTX US is one of the top places for active trading, using our FTX US Sign-up Link will get you a 10% trading fee discount for life and your first $30 in trading fees free!

That covers the products and key features at a glance, now let’s jump into how else these two stack up.

FTX US vs Kraken: User Friendliness

User-friendliness is the first major area where we see these two platforms differ. FTX US is a professional-grade trading platform with advanced features, markets, order types, and functions that may be confusing and overwhelming for new users.

This is not meant as negative criticism towards FTX US at all, they understood their niche was catering to advanced and professional traders and purposely designed a platform that is incredibly powerful and could accommodate traders from all backgrounds. FTX US is very well-designed and user-friendly, it is one of the easiest crypto platforms to navigate and use once you get used to it.

ftx us review

Image via FTX US

As other exchanges such as SwissBorg and Coinbase already offered beginner and user-friendly platforms, FTX US decided to take their platform in a different direction and create a more robust feature-filled exchange to attract more sophisticated traders.

Kraken took an approach where they compete with the likes of SwissBorg and Coinbase in the beginner and user-friendliness category and have built what many consider to be one of the cleanest and most simple-to-use crypto exchanges with a brilliantly designed UX/UI. SwissBorg, OkCoin, and Kraken are always the two exchanges I recommend for new crypto users as they are the most user-friendly exchanges in the game.

kraken review

Image via Kraken

The problem with being too user-friendly is that it is often at the sacrifice of extra functions and features available on the platform. The more products, functions, features, and “bells and whistles” a platform offers, the more cluttered and less user-friendly it becomes, which is something Kraken understood well when they released Kraken Pro.

What I like about Kraken is that everything is easily available from one platform. Users looking for the easiest, cleanest, and most simple to use interface can enjoy Kraken, while advanced crypto users can open up Kraken Pro, which offers all the trading, charting, and order functionality needed to appease advanced users, offering the best of both worlds.

kraken vs kraken pro

Kraken vs Kraken pro. Image via Kraken

I also feel it is worth giving a shout-out to both FTX and Kraken for building their own platform from the ground up, offering a fantastic user experience and a sleek, clean, intuitive website. One of the annoyances I’ve noticed is how many crypto exchange platforms simply cloned the Binance platform and made an identical interface as you can see below:

crypto layouts

A Look at the Similar Layouts of 4 different Crypto Exchanges

When it comes to the actual trading interface, we also see some differences. Kraken offers two options for simple and advanced trading for users who don’t need charting functionality:

Kraken trading options

A Look at the Simple and Advanced Trading Screens on Kraken

And the Kraken Pro exchange screen can be accessed, which offers charts and technical tools, watch lists, depth charts, order books and order forms:

Trading on Kraken always functions seamlessly and is a pleasure to use, as you would expect from one of the world’s leading exchanges. The charting functionality itself is powered by the industry gold standard Tradingview, which has become standard across most of the major exchanges. The Tradingview integration makes Kraken suitable for even the most advanced technical analysis traders.

Turning our attention now to the trading interface on FTX US:

FTX Trading Screen

A Look at the FTX US Trading Screen Image via FTX US

Charting functionality is also powered by Tradingview, and as the FTX slogan states: “Built by Traders, for Traders.” The trading interface is as good as they come and is one of the highest-rated platforms for trading, attracting millions of crypto traders around the world to both the FTX and FTX US platforms.

FTX has become the fastest-growing exchange in crypto exchange history. You don’t achieve an accolade like that without offering a fantastic product with an incredibly powerful trading and matching engine.

FTX US and Kraken also have highly rated mobile apps for users who like to take their crypto trading on the go.

mobile exchange app

Images via Google Play

Similar to the web platforms, the Kraken app is easier to use, cleaner, sleeker and more user-friendly though the FTX US App is still incredibly well-designed and offers all the advanced features and functionality of the web exchange.

To sum this section up, Kraken is better suited for the average user and beginners and features Kraken Pro for users with advanced trading needs.

FTX US is more geared towards skilled and professional traders in need of a robust trading platform, though the lack of asset support on FTX US is disappointing to many traders.

FTX US vs Kraken: Fees

When it comes to fees, both Kraken and FTX US are low-cost leaders in the space, offering rock-bottom fees that are easy on the bank account.

FTX US does take a slight win in this category as their fees are just a hair lower, especially for users who use our link to get an additional 10% off the already rock-bottom fees.

FTX US uses a tiered fee structure for spot markets which covers maker and taker fees, with the percentage being based on the amount of a trader’s 30-day trading volume. Here is the FTX US fee table:

FTX Trading Fees

Spot Trading Fees Image via FTX US

Turning our focus to Kraken, Kraken fees are very competitive and refreshingly transparent, with no hidden or surprise fees to be found. Fees on Kraken are also dependent on 30-day trading volume and follow a similar maker/taker tiered fee structure as FTX US. Here is the Kraken fee table:

Kraken trading fees

Image via Kraken

Fortunately, both Kraken and FTX US offer a natively supported fiat on and offramp, which is always the cheapest way to fund your account and withdraw funds. Using bank transfers/wire transfers allow users to fund their accounts for free, or at very low costs depending on the method and currency selected.

Pro Tip: This goes for any exchange, always try and fund your account via bank account and avoid “instant buy” features or card purchases as these more convenient methods often come with significantly higher fees. Bank transfers are generally the cheapest way to go.

Crypto can be withdrawn from both platforms with industry-standard network miner/validator fees applied. These fees vary greatly depending on the asset being withdrawn.

We dive deeper into the different fees for different products and withdraw and deposit fees in our dedicated Kraken and FTX US reviews and provide links to the platform’s fee pages if you want to dig a bit deeper, but the key takeaway here is that FTX US has slightly lower fees on average.

If your primary priority is saving the most in fees then FTX US and Binance will likely be your best bet.

FTX US vs Kraken: Security

Security is one aspect where both of these platforms absolutely shine. In fact, according to Certified, an independent exchange security analysis company, Kraken is the #2 most secure exchange in the world, second only to Crypto.com. Kraken has held onto the number two spot for as long as I can remember.

certified

Image via cer.live

As mentioned earlier, Kraken and FTX are the only two exchanges in the top handful to have never been successfully hacked, which is far more impressive for Kraken as they have been around since 2014. The fact they have not had a security breach in nearly 10 years is a very impressive feat.

The Kraken team has decades of experience building security programs for the world’s top brands and are so highly respected in the industry that they have launched Kraken Security Labs, an elite team of security researchers that work with other companies to help ensure their security is up to scratch.

kraken security labs

Image via Kraken

Kraken invests heavily in security, safeguarding funds, and privacy, and takes the following security measures:

Safe Coin and NFT storage- 95% of all deposits are kept in offline, air-gapped, geographically distributed cold storage. Kraken holds full reserves so that users always have access to fund withdrawals.

Platform Security- Kraken servers reside in secure cages under 24/7 surveillance by armed guards and video monitors. Physical access is strictly controlled, and all code deployments are reviewed.

Information Security- All sensitive information is encrypted at both the system and data level. In addition, access is strictly controlled and monitored.

Penetration testing– Kraken employs an expert team dedicated to testing its systems via different attack vectors to identify any vulnerabilities. Kraken also offers a bug bounty for anyone identifying potential issues with the platform’s security.

Platform Monitoring– A dedicated security team continuously monitors the platform for suspicious activity.

From a customer perspective, users can enjoy peace of mind with the following security features to protect their accounts:

  • 2FA- Google Authenticator or Yubikey
  • Email confirmations for withdrawals with self-serve account locks
  • Customizable API key permissions
  • PGP signed and encrypted email
  • Configurable account timeout for another layer of protection
  • Global settings time lock

Kraken also has a $100m fund set aside to reimburse customers in the unlikely event of a hack. Pound for pound, Kraken is definitely one of the safest and most secure exchanges in the world.

While Kraken does take a win in this category, FTX US is certainly no slouch in the security game. They follow industry best practices when it comes to security, keeping funds safely in cold storage and out of the reach of hackers.

ftx security

FTX is a Leader in Crypto Exchange Security. Image via Shutterstock

FTX US has the following security features:

  • Round-the-clock platform monitoring
  • Team of security specialists on alert for suspicious activity
  • Time locks
  • 2FA
  • Email confirmations
  • Secondary withdrawal passwords
  • Whitelisting IP and wallet addresses
  • Manual review of suspicious or large deposits/withdrawals
  • Backstop Liquidity fund to compensate for losses
  • Liquidation engine to prevent mass liquidation events

FTX has also partnered with Chainalysis, a crypto-security firm to monitor platform activity and FTX also has funds set aside to reimburse customers in the unlikely event of a hack.

Security is one of the most important considerations when choosing a cryptocurrency exchange, and both of these platforms take highly respectable and impressive security measures. Users can rest easy on both these platforms knowing that both FTX US and Kraken and security leaders in the industry.

Alright, now that we have covered a side-by-side comparison, we will dig a little deeper into each exchange individually.

FTX US Overview

What is FTX US

FTX US is the US branch of the FTX franchise, launched in 2020 to accommodate American regulators. It is similar to FTX in terms of look, design, and technology, but it features considerably fewer tradeable assets and features due to tighter rules and restrictions in the United States.

FTX and their US arm have become one of the fastest growing platforms in crypto history and have undergone multiple funding rounds and have taken an aggressive marketing campaign to become a household name in crypto.

FTX US Review

Image via Shutterstock

FTX has done something that was once thought impossible, and that was that they took the number two spot away from Coinbase, knocking them out of the second most widely used exchange in terms of trading volume, second to Binance. Coinbase held an ironclad grasp on the #2 spot for years and the industry was surprised to that a newcomer like FTX was able to knock them from the podium. Since then, FTX and Coinbase have been playing leapfrog between the #2 and #3 positions.

This impressive meteoric rise was not only possible thanks to a successful marketing strategy, but also by simply offering one of the best trading platforms, filling a niche for traders looking for a best-in-class crypto derivatives trading platform. We go into much further detail about the team, the history, the partnership deals, and funding rounds in our detailed FTX US review. It is quite impressive and worth the read.

Cryptocurrencies Offered

Here we get into the #1 criticism against FTX US, and that is its lackluster asset support. FTX offers a decent 300+ crypto assets, while their US counterpart only offers 25 tradeable spot crypto assets, the lowest out of any US-regulated exchange. I don’t know what is with the feet dragging here, but they really need to up their game.

Fortunately, where they make up for it is with their Futures and Options trading products where traders can trade Bitcoin mini futures contracts for as little as 0.01 BTC with Ethereum Futures coming soon. Traders can access both Bitcoin and Ethereum mini and Deci Options for as little as 0.01 BTC or 0.10 ETH.

FTX US also has a good selection of over 50 stocks and ETFs, seems crazy that a crypto exchange lists more stocks than crypto assets 🤨

FTX Stocks

Some of the Stocks Available on FTX US

I suspect asset offerings on FTX US will start seeing significant improvement once the SEC sorts out what crypto assets classify as securities.

FTX US Products

Aside from the trading interface, the spot crypto assets, futures, options, stocks and ETFs already mentioned, here are the products apart from trading available on the platform.

FTX US EARN

Staking is limited on FTX US, with users able to earn Staking rewards on their crypto balances for:

  • FTT
  • UXBT
  • SOL
  • SRM
  • FIDA
  • RAY

Aside from Staking, FTX US also offers FTX EARN, which is only available on the mobile app. Here users can earn up to 8% APY on any balances held up to 10k, with anything after 10k up to 100k eligible for 5% APY. The APY varies between assets and are subject to change at any time.

FTX US Debit card

FTX US has launched a crypto debit card which is perfect for anyone who gets paid in crypto or wants to unbank themselves and make purchases using crypto.

The FTX card is powered by Swipe and is a Visa card, accepted anywhere that Visa is, which is just about everywhere. The card is connected to the user’s FTX US account, so when a user makes a purchase, the card will automatically pull from the account balance.

FTX Card

The Sleek Looking FTX Debit Card Image via

What is great about this card is that funds do not have to be sold into USD then loaded onto the card separately like most crypto debit cards. Cardholders are free to hold any token they want on FTX US such as Bitcoin, and the Bitcoin will be converted automatically to the USD needed at the time of purchase.

If you are on the lookout for a crypto card, feel free to check out our article on the Top Crypto Debit Cards.

FTX Pay

Users of FTX US can also use FTX pay to get paid or pay in crypto or fiat with FTX’s fast and secure, low-fee payment processor. FTX Pay is a widget that can be placed on a website, app, or store that allows users to accept crypto and fiat payments. It is customizable and allows users to receive payments according to their requirements.

FTX US NFT Marketplace

Following suit with other exchanges who have entered into the NFT marketplace niche, FTX was not about to let themselves be outdone.

FTX Market

FTX Marketplace for NFTs Image via FTX

FTX is bringing NFTs to the masses and has created a sleek and easy-to-use NFT marketplace that is easy to navigate and features NFTs on the Ethereum and Solana networks.

Here, users can mint, buy, sell or auction off NFTs and show them off in their NFT gallery. Be aware that FTX US will review NFTs before being offered on the marketplace and has the right to reject them. FTX US charges a 2% fee to the seller on each sale or trade and charges $1 to mint/list NFTs. The process is different for Ethereum based vs Solana-based NFTs as well, so make sure you take a look at their FAQ section so you know how they differ.

Types of Accounts and FTX US Fees

FTX US provides both individual and corporate accounts. Here is a look at the tiers for levels 1 and 2 for individual and corporate accounts for US and non-US-based entities:

FTX Account Tiers

Account Tiers and Limits Image via FTX

We outlined the tiered fee structure above, FTX US provides some of the lowest fees in the industry with maker and taker fees dependent on 30-day trading volume. The lowest fees traders will experience are 0%/0.05% and with the highest fees coming in at just 0.1%/0.4% for maker/taker fees.

FTX US waves the fees for first-time ACH deposits and subsequent deposits are $0.50 and there are no crypto deposit fees. Crypto withdrawals are subject to standard crypto network fees.

FTX US Security

FTX US is a highly secure exchange with a flawless security track record. We covered the specific features in the section above, but FTX and FTX US are highly reputable, trustworthy, and secure platforms.

The platform places the majority of funds in cold storage and takes security measures a step higher than most exchanges by partnering with crypto security firms and providing round-the-clock platform monitoring. FX US also has a backstop liquidity fund in place and has set funds aside to reimburse customers in the unlikely event of a hack.

Users can enable 2FA for login and withdrawals and set up secondary passwords and subaccounts. Users can also enable 24-hour lock periods to be placed on their accounts if passwords or 2FA are removed and email notifications are automatically sent out to the user in the event of suspicious activity or if there are account changes performed.

As FTX US is highly regulated and licensed, it is an incredibly secure exchange for crypto trading. Guy put this great video together that can help you get started with FTX US:

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And that covers FTX US. Now let’s take a look at Kraken.

Kraken Review

What is Kraken

Kraken is a top-rated, US-based crypto exchange that has grown in user adoption and popularity worldwide. The Kraken exchange has held the #4 position as the largest exchange by trading volume for several years and is considered one of the major five exchanges by user base and trading volume.

The Kraken exchange provides a fantastic (and cheaper) alternative to Coinbase for those looking for a solid US-based crypto exchange that offers more than simply buying, selling and swapping assets.

Why Kraken

Image via Kraken

Kraken was founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell in San Francisco, USA. Jesse is a veteran in the crypto space and is well respected for helping drive the crypto industry forward, above and beyond the scope of the simple Kraken exchange. Interestingly, before Kraken, he worked as a security consultant for Mt. Gox. Powell anticipated the Mt. Gox collapse and decided to start up a more sustainable and robust crypto exchange and Kraken was released…Pun intended.

Kraken is a popular place for trading spot crypto, futures, indices and even forex on an industry-leading exchange interface with a powerful matching and trading engine for a flawless trading experience.

Cryptocurrencies Offered

Kraken offers a respectable collection of over 180 cryptocurrencies, making it the better platform over FTX US for users interested in a wider selection of assets. They support major coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, along with harder-to-find tokens like Yield Guild Games and Star Atlas.

kraken asset support

A Few of the Assets Available on Kraken

For stablecoin support, Kraken supports USDT on Ethereum and Tron and supports tokens on PolkadotSolanaCardano, along with many other networks. Ripple is also available on Kraken for those XRP enthusiasts. You can find the full list on the Kraken Supported Assets Page.

Products Available on Kraken

We already mentioned Kraken’s high-performance trading interface where users can trade crypto, derivatives, indices and forex, now we will take a look at what is on offer outside of trading.

Kraken Staking

As with any good exchange, Kraken offers a staking section where users can stake popular Proof-of-Stake crypto assets and earn up to 23% APY.

kraken staking screen

A Look at the Staking Area on Kraken

Staking allows users to earn attractive APYs easily with just a few clicks of a button in a flexible manner for 13 different crypto assets, USD and EUR.

Kraken Pro

Kraken provides three different interfaces for traders all easily accessible on one platform. They offer simple and advanced trading screens. Here is an example of how you can access leverage on two different trading interfaces available on Kraken.

leverage screens

A Look at how to Access Leverage on Kraken and Kraken Pro

Kraken Pro has all the functions, features and order types needed by traders with more comprehensive trading needs and is also available as a separate mobile app.

Kraken Pro mobile

Image via Kraken

Kraken Pro is supports advanced charting functionality via a Tradingview integration and features lower fees than the standard Kraken platform, so it is worth getting familiar with it, even if you are just hitting the buy and sell buttons.

Fortunately, Guy put together this fantastic Kraken beginner’s guide to help new users get familiar with the platform:

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Kraken NFT Marketplace

Following suit with other major cryptocurrency exchanges, Kraken announced plans to launch its own NFT marketplace.

kraken nft

Image via Kraken

The marketplace will offer a zero-gas fee platform for NFTs custodied with Kraken. There will be no blockchain network fees for trading activity on the platform, though transfers off the platform will come with a network fee.

The platform will provide a rarity tracker, pay with cash option, will support multiple blockchains, and NFT creators will be rewarded with profits from each resale of an NFT. Ethereum and Solana are the only two announced networks supported so far, but the team mentions adding additional blockchain support in the future.

Polkadot and Kusama Parachain Auctions

Kraken supports DOT and KSM parachain auctions, which I am a big fan of, and has been an important driver attracting fans of the Polkadot ecosystem to Kraken. Polkadot is an exciting project with huge potential, but it can be quite complex and confusing, especially when it comes to the slot auction process.

Kraken parachain auctions

A Look at How Parachain Auctions Work on Kraken. Image via Kraken

Kraken simplifies the process for platform users, allowing them to participate in parachain slot auctions without the technical know-how needed to navigate the complex Polkadot DeFi environment.

Types of Accounts and Kraken Fees

Kraken has one type of account that allows access to different levels of access on the platform depending on what level of KYC the user goes through. You can see that below:

Kraken KYC requirements

Image via Kraken

They made this handy chart showing what features are possible with each of the verification levels to help users decide how far in the KYC process they need to go:

Kraken verification levels

Image via Kraken

If you are looking for an exchange that doesn’t require KYC, I recommend checking out our KuCoin ReviewBybit is another good choice for traders who want to skip KYC.

As for fees, Kraken is on the lower end of the fee spectrum and offers fairly low fees compared to many of its competitors.

Kraken users can expect the following fees:

  • Instant Buy- Digital wallet and card purchases will come with a 3.75% + $0.25 fee or a 0.5% fee for online banking/ACH purchases. Kraken’s purchasing partners charge these fees.
  • Crypto deposits are free for most crypto assets.
  • Crypto withdrawals have a variable fee structure depending on the asset. That information can be found on the Kraken Crypto Withdrawal Fees Page.
  • An additional 1.5% fee per transaction for stablecoin purchases, or 0.9% for purchases with USD for the Instant Buy option is tacked on by Kraken.

Fiat deposits vary depending on currency and method used but range between $0 to 3% or as high as £21 depending on method and currency selected. Detailed information can be found on the Kraken Deposit Fees Page.

Fiat withdrawals vary depending on currency and method used but range between $0 to $35, again depending on the currency and method. Detailed information can be found on the Kraken Withdrawals Fees Page.

We covered the standard maker/taker fees above, here are the fees for users looking to trade Futures:

Kraken future fees

Image via Kraken

Kraken fees certainly won’t break the bank and though the fees are slightly higher than those offered on the likes of Binance, FTX, and KuCoin, users seem happy to pay the extra fees knowing how much Kraken invests in its security and the safety of user’s funds. I’m happy to pay a bit more for the confidence of knowing my funds are safe, that’s for sure.

Kraken Security

As previously stated, Kraken is an absolute beast when it comes to security. Though Certified ranks them #2 in the world, from my own independent research and digging, I would have to respectfully disagree and place Kraken as #1.

The fact that they go well above and beyond what is expected from any exchange from a security standpoint, and knowing that they have been around for over a decade without ever having a security breach is massively impressive, there isn’t a single crypto exchange that can match that track record.

Also, knowing their security is so top-notch that they even created Kraken Security Labs to help other companies bolster their security is also a pretty good sign. I already covered what makes Kraken such a secure exchange, though I also recommend diving into our Kraken review where we really get into the nooks and crannies of this Fort Knox of a crypto exchange.

Newsletter Inline

Newsletter Inline

FTX US or Kraken: Conclusion

Well, there you have it. A head-to-head breakdown of how these exchanges compare. Honestly, trying to pick a winner out of these two is tough as they are both incredibly respectable exchanges and are industry leaders for a reason, it all comes down to the needs of the trader.

I feel that for the average crypto user, Kraken is the more suitable exchange as it provides an easier-to-use interface for a better user experience, and is certainly better for new users. I like that Kraken also has simple and advanced trading screens, catering to different levels of traders.

Kraken also has significantly better cryptocurrency support with 185+ crypto assets compared to the 25 on FTX US. This platform will also attract those who want to trade indices and forex along with crypto.

FTX US, on the other hand, is better suited for active traders who want to access crypto and stock trading for the absolute lowest fees possible. Both platforms are neck in neck for their derivatives offerings. FTX US will also attract users who want to get their hands on a crypto debit card and their NFT marketplace is fantastic.

👉 Sign up to FTX US for 10% off trading fees for life!

FAQs

Is Kraken better than Binance?

As Binance is the #1 exchange in the world in terms of users and trading volume by a huge margin, it is common opinion that Kraken is not better than Binance.

Binance offers significantly more tradeable assets, products, and features, has lower fees and a substantially better built-out Earn section than Kraken.

Kraken is, however, better suited for beginners, is more secure, and is the better choice for crypto users who don’t need access to all the extra features offered on Binance.

You can find out more about Binance in our dedicated Binance review.

Are Kraken fees high?

Users of Kraken can trade for low fees. The platform is very fee-friendly with the lowest fees being 0.00% and the highest trading fees coming in at 0.26%. Also, because Kraken supports native fiat on and offramp support, funding and withdrawing fiat comes with low fees or often no fees depending on the currency and method selected.

Is FTX US a good crypto exchange?

Thanks to the regulation and licensing of FTX US, it is a very safe and secure crypto trading exchange for users located in the United States. FTX is one of the most highly respected and reputable exchanges in the industry and especially caters to skilled and professional crypto traders.

Is FTX US better than Coinbase?

Experienced traders who are looking to actively trade crypto, derivatives, and access leverage will likely choose FTX US over Coinbase. FTX US offers lower fees and a better selection of tradeable assets.

Coinbase is more user-friendly and is often the better choice for beginners who are simply looking to buy and hold crypto without advanced trading needs. It is common for many crypto traders to “outgrow” Coinbase as their needs evolve and move onto other exchanges like FTX or Binance

Disclaimer: These are the writer’s opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.

Providing financial education to those who need it most has always been a passion of mine. While working as a Financial Advisor, I had my eyes opened to the world of crypto and its potential to help make the world a better place. I believe that blockchain technology can build a brighter future and am excited to be part of it. If you enjoy the hours of research I put into my articles and find them entertaining and insightful, please consider sending a tip as it really helps me out and I greatly appreciate it. BTC, ETH, LTC, XRP, BNB, DOT, SOL, VET, XLM, ALGO, AVAX, LINK, USDC, USDT, MATIC can be sent to tayler88.crypto

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