The investors’ first and safest choice has always been traditional and conventional forms of investment, but nowadays, there has been a significant shift of interest amongst investors in the world of digital currencies.
Events like Bitcoin and Ethereum hitting life-time highs and Dogecoin craze all over “X” (formerly Twitter) often drives crypto enthusiasts to further park their investment in crypto coins in the hope of making a fortune.
Due to the huge adoption of cryptocurrencies at a global level, there has been a lightning increase in the number of cryptocurrency exchanges. A crypto exchange allows investors to buy and sell digital currencies on their platform. The most-referenced price-tracking website for crypto, Coinmarketcap, tracks a total of 225 crypto exchanges.
After the URLs of nine crypto exchanges were banned in India, it is essential for an investor in India to opt for an exchange that is Financial Intelligence Unit India-(FIU-IND)registered.
But, as this sector is in the developing phase and not yet fully regulated, it becomes crucial for investors to invest via reputed exchanges. This guide by Forbes Advisor India will help you navigate through the best cryptocurrency exchanges in India in 2024 based on their quality, features and performance.
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Best Crypto App in India
- CoinDCX: Best Crypto Exchange for Advanced Traders
- CoinSwitch: Best Crypto App for Beginners
- WazirX: Best Crypto Exchange for Novice and Intermediate Traders
- Mudrex: Best Crypto App for Theme-based Crypto Baskets
- ZebPay: Best Crypto Exchange for Intraday Trading and Crypto Lending
- Bitbns: Best for Advanced Trading Features
- UnoCoin: Best for New-Age and Millennial Users
- BuyUcoin: Best for Earning Reward Points.
- Giottus: Best for Crypto Staking
9 Best Crypto Exchange in India
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Best Crypto Exchange for Advanced Traders
CoinDCX
4.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.20%/ 0.20%
Cryptocurrencies Available
500+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.20%/ 0.20%
Cryptocurrencies Available
500+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Why We Picked It
CoinDCX is considered one of the safest and most transparent cryptocurrency trading platforms in India. The onboarding process of users is carried out with a large number of security checks done through automated software applications such as biometrics. This exchange has also introduced self-custody wallets, enabling users to transfer cryptocurrencies to their own custody with just one click.
CoinDCX provides a wide range of products and services such as margin trading, staking and systematic investment plans, futures and lending options in cryptocurrencies. Its mobile application is available on both Android and iOS. It also offers its investors a broad range of innovative instructional material on crypto trading strategies through its vlogs and blogs. CoinDCX provides an in-depth guide on earning passive income from idle-lying cryptocurrencies.
Key Features:
- Supported Currency: Supports INR as a fiat currency.
- Deposits: NEFT, RTGS and IMPS.
- Options: SIP, marginal and future trading along with instant buy and sell features.
- Margin: 10x leverage in case of margin trading.
- Lending: Up to 16.25% annual interest on lending cryptocurrencies.
- Security: Strong safety measures with two-factor authentication (2FA). 95% of funds are stored in cold storage.
- Extra Features: Built-in news app for daily feeds.
Pros & Cons
- Fast order execution, arbitrage opportunities and limitless trading.
- Free deposit and withdrawal fee.
- Funds are insured via a third party.
- Less commission and which get even lower as trading volume increases.
- 15x leverage with future trading.
- High cybersecurity measures such as solid encryption, biometrics and 3FA password protection practices.
- Only supports INR as the fiat currency.
- The tedious process of opening an account.
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Best Crypto App for Beginners
CoinSwitch
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.1%/ 0.1%
Cryptocurrencies Available
100+
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.1%/ 0.1%
Cryptocurrencies Available
100+
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 100
Why We Picked It
Offering low trading fees on all Bitcoin transactions, CoinSwitch is best suited for beginners. The users can trade in more than 100 cryptocurrencies for as low as INR 100 via the easiest user interface. CoinSwitch provides trading pairs of INR to crypto and therefore supports INR crypto trading. It also has launched the benchmark index for measuring the Indian rupee-based crypto market performance and crypto rupee index.
It also offers an extensive range of educational training material on the blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFT) and cryptocurrencies, which is also there on our app, under the ‘LEARN’ section
Key Features:
- Supported Currency: Supports INR as a fiat currency, and thus withdrawals and deposits are made in INR only.
- Deposits: Accepts deposit payment methods such as NEFT, RTGS and IMPS.
- Transactions: Bitcoin transactions are made with a respective trading fee and as per terms and conditions.
- Products: Offers products such as SIP in bitcoin, to boost returns on crypto investments.
- Security: Strong password safety measures with 2FA and OTP.
Pros & Cons
- Beginner-friendly and easy-to-use interface.
- Instant buy, sell and withdrawal.
- Real-time live chatbot for instant user support.
- No charge for deposits and withdrawals.
- No zero trading fee for Bitcoin transactions.
- No demonstration or free trial.
- Only supports INR as the fiat currency.
- No margin trading and staking
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Crypto Exchange for Novice and Intermediate Traders
WazirX
4.4
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.1%/ 0.25%
Cryptocurrencies Available
300 +
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.1%/ 0.25%
Cryptocurrencies Available
300 +
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Why We Picked It
WazirX is one of the fastest growing crypto exchanges in India with more than 6 million registered users. It offers a broad range of tradable pairs and coins at very competitive trading fees. It is also known for its user-friendly interface and advanced trading charts that are available across Windows apps, web, Android and iOS. WazirX runs a referral program that can make investors earn rewards of up to 50% on every trade.
Key Features:
- Supported Currency: Enables users to invest in INR, U.S. dollars and Bitcoin and make peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions.
- WRX: WazirX has its own digital currency named WRX, which can be purchased by using INR and can be exchanged for other cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum or Dogecoin.
- Products: Facilitates smart token fund (STF), which helps new users find expert traders, and lets them manage their crypto portfolio.
- P2P Feature: The users can also use the platform’s P2P option for deposits, which is completely free. P2P helps the user to convert their fiat currency into crypto instantly.
- App feature: Fully loaded mobile application offering features such as advanced detailed charts, live-market status and quick buy/sell options.
- Transactions: Allow customers to make fast payments via a lightning network.
- Security: Superior security feature with a multi-signature wallet system that adheres to strict KYC regulations.
- Educational Material: A wide range of educational material via WazirX blogs is available.
Read More: WazirX Review 2024
Pros & Cons
- India’s first automated P2P trading platform.
- Instant price alert feature on WazirXApp.
- 95% of the funds are stored in cold storage.
- Good customer service options such as live chat.
- The trading fee is 0.2%, which is a bit on the higher side.
- Lacks margin trading, crypto lending and staking.
- The P2P platform only supports eight coins paired with USD Tether.
- Charges a huge trading commission on the withdrawal of funds.
- Does not have an insurance fund in cases of hacks and fraud.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Crypto App For Theme-based Crypto Baskets
Mudrex
On Mudrex’s secure application
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.25%/0.25%
Cryptocurrencies Available
350+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Why We Picked It
Mudrex is one of the best cryptocurrency investing applications in India. It was founded in the year 2018 with a clear vision of long-term and less risky investments. The process of investing on this platform is simple and fast with 350+ cryptocurrencies to invest in. It has no fees on crypto deposits and provides great security features like storing users’ funds in cold wallets and biometric authentication.
The unique quality of Mudrex is that it offers its users “Coin Sets” i.e. expert-curated theme-based crypto baskets. This provides diversification and decreases risk factors. It also offers transparency, competitive fees and user-friendly interfaces. They have one million plus invested users with a 96% customer satisfaction score.
Key Features:
- Huge variety of coins: The user can trade in 350+ cryptocurrencies including top cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum to lower cryptos like Neo and Osmosis.
- Security: Mudrex has strong security measures including two-factor authentication, data encryption, multisig technology, cold storage for funds and regular security audits.
- Coin Sets: Based on the popular themes from the crypto world, coin sets are expert-curated theme-based coins that provide diversified portfolios.
- UPI Transactions: This rare offering of UPI payment options for users is specific to Mudrex.
- Insurance: All the funds managed by Mudrex are insured by the reputed Lloyd’s of London.
Read More: Mudrex Review 2024
Pros & Cons
- 350+ cryptos available.
- Supports UPI payment mode.
- Zero fees on crypto deposits.
- A rare feature of Coin Sets.
- Strong safety measures.
- Not appropriate for professional traders as it focuses more on long-term investing.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Crypto Exchange for Intraday Trading and Crypto Lending
ZebPay
4.0
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.45%/0.5% (Fees Tier: Regular)
Cryptocurrencies Available
150+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.45%/0.5% (Fees Tier: Regular)
Cryptocurrencies Available
150+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 100
Why We Picked It
ZebPay is well-known among investors for instant trading, purchasing curated crypto portfolios, and earning interest on idle cryptocurrency holdings through the lend feature. It provides its users with fixed return options ranging from 0.2% to 8.5% for lending cryptocurrencies. At present, the exchange supports 150-plus crypto coins with nearly six million users.
Zebpay is also best for intraday crypto trading as it allows a lightning-fast payment with lower maker fees. This exchange also offers various attractive cashback offers for its users on their first trade and provides monthly rewards to the top trades.
Key Features:
- Lending: Users can lend cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, Binance Coin, Tether, and more to earn returns ranging from 0.2% to 8.5%.
- Security: ZebPay has strong security measures, with almost 98% of coin storage in cold wallets. The platform also offers a bug bounty program for the community to identify issues that may put users at risk.
- Crypto Pairs: ZebPay provides trading across INR pairs and USDT pairs.
- Transactions: The platform allows customers to make fast payments via a lightning network.
- Exchange Presence: ZebPay is available in India, Australia, and Singapore.
- Educational Material: ZebPay offers specialized content in the crypto space and provides news updates via blogs and social channels.
Pros & Cons
- Offers attractive and fixed returns for lending crypto.
- Trading on certain pairs occasionally incurs no fees.
- Provides attractive reward and referral programs.
- Offers some of the most competitive rates for crypto deposits and withdrawals.
- Implements strong safety measures.
- Users have options to invest in curated thematic portfolios using CryptoPacks.
- There is a real-time chatbot option available in the Support section of the mobile app.
- Supports very few coins and crypto trading pairs.
- Not as user-friendly and reputed as other top exchanges in India.
- No margin trading and staking.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Advanced Trading Features
Bitbns
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0%/ 0.1%
Cryptocurrencies Available
508 +
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 100
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0%/ 0.1%
Cryptocurrencies Available
508 +
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 100
Why We Picked It
With almost 500 cryptocurrencies listed, Bitbns enables its investors to trade in an extensive variety of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and more. There are 40 lakh plus active users on this platform. Bitbns offers a wide range of educational material on cryptocurrency space via various Bitbns academies and research reports. It runs, “predict and win” contests along with refer and earn programs for new users as well as existing users.
In the year 2022, Bitbns became the first ever crypto exchange to extend tax relief to cryptocurrency investors by offering zero tax deducted at source (TDS) on SIP transactions. Investors availing of an SIP of 12 months (minimum period) can now invest smoothly without worrying about paying the TDS.
Bitbns crypto exchange has become synonymous with Indian cryptocurrency investors for introducing metaverse tokens after successfully listing popular metaverse tokens in recent times including DEAPcoin, Alien World, TRACE, RFOX and Klaytn (KLAY).
Key Features:
- Wallet: Option to choose a standard e-wallet or order a Bitbns hardware wallet to store funds.
- Trading: Trading options like margin trading which can be leveraged by experienced traders and automated trading options. Advanced and updated training system for beginners and novice traders.
- Staking: It provides an option to earn passive income by staking BNS, which is Bitbns’ native coin.
- Fees: The exchange does not charge any deposit fee but a withdrawal fee is applicable on all transactions.
- Alerts: Facility of instant price alerts for orders like bracket orders, limit orders, and stop-limit orders with charts.
- Products: Offers products such as SIP in Bitcoin, FIP which is a fixed deposit to boost returns on crypto investments.
- Referral Programs: Variety of referral programs such as crypto gift voucher, sprink vouchers and other contests.
- Supported Currency: Supports U.S. Dollar, INR and Arab Emirate Dirham (AED) as fiat currencies.
- Educational Material: Bitbns Academy, is a dedicated online education platform that offers scholastic tutorials, resources and educational content on Cryptocurrency and Blockchain.
Pros & Cons
- Lowest trading fee for Bitcoin.
- No charges for deposits be it UPI, P2P or bank.
- Availability of a wide variety of crypto coins and tokens.
- Enable the user to opt for a hardware wallet for storing cryptocurrencies.
- Easy-to-use training system for novice traders.
- Availability of a wide research report and education material.
- Works only on Android, web browsers and iOS.
- Staking can only be done through BNS (Bitbns native coin).
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for New-Age and Millennial Users
UnoCoin
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
NIL / 0.5%
Cryptocurrencies Available
100+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 1,000
Fees (Maker/Taker)
NIL / 0.5%
Cryptocurrencies Available
100+
Minimum Investment Required
INR 1,000
Why We Picked It
UnoCoin cryptocurrency exchange is one of the oldest exchanges for trading cryptocurrencies. It’s been a decade for this platform to help users buy, sell and store BTC along with the other merchant processing activities. The user can trade in a total of 100 plus kinds of digital currencies on this platform. Unocoin offers free Bitcoins on signing-up and also users can refer and earn 15% of their transaction fees.
Key Features:
- Products: Launched the first-of-its-kind systematic buying plans (SBP) for Bitcoin and Ethereum for as little as INR 10.
- Fees: Charges a fee of 0.5% to buy or sell Bitcoin.
- Lending: Facilitates the lending feature related to over-the-counter (OTC) trade that enables the trading in bulk.
- Wallets: Users can purchase store coins in a varied selection of over 40 Unocoin Wallets.
- Deposits: The minimum deposit amount is INR 1,000 which can be deposited via IMPS, NEFT and RTGS payment options.
- Registered Users: The total number of registered users is more than 2 million.
- Ease of Usage: Users can recharge their mobile phones or DTH using Bitcoin
- Other Features: The crypto basket feature allows users to diversify their crypto portfolio based on market capitalization or volume. “Gold Member ” accounts allow users to enjoy higher buying and selling limits along with lower transaction fees.
Pros & Cons
- Enable users to opt for SBP to boost their returns.
- Ensures advanced crypto lending feature, helps users hold the Bitcoin in the form of a mortgage U.S. Dollar or INR against it.
- Attractive discounts on “Refer and Earn” schemes.
- Limited live chatbot options.
- The verification process is very tedious.
- Costly Bitcoin prices and high transaction fees.
- Supports INR as fiat currency and is only regulated in India.
- Not much educational material on the website
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Earning Reward Points
BuyUCoin
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.24%/ 0.24%
Cryptocurrencies Available
40+
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 500
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.24%/ 0.24%
Cryptocurrencies Available
40+
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 500
Why We Picked It
BuyUcoin is one of the popular crypto exchanges among millennial users because of its easy and simple user interface and features such as– free wallet, real-time spot trading, lifetime commission on referrals and cashback. The total number of registered users is one million plus. The users get free BTC on signing up and also earn free lifetime rewards for referral programs. BuyUCoin also runs certain contests such as Predict to earn crypto.
Key Features
- Supported Currencies: Allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies using INR.
- Trading: Provides services such as spot trading, futures and OTC wholesale trading. Provides limit orders with charts.
- Fees: No charge for any deposit fee or know your customer (KYC) fee. Transactions related to OTC wholesale trading come at no fee.
- Offers: Provides a variety of perks and offers such as crypto cashback offers.
- Products: Launched systematic crypto investment plans (SCIP) to maximize the returns.
- Crypto Pairs: Provides more than 130 crypto pairs like BTC-INR, ETH-INR, DOGE-INR, YFI-INR and much more.
- App Features: It has a user-friendly mobile app available on iOS and Android.
- Educational Material: Offers latest news and updates on crypto, NFT and blockchain space in its ‘learn’ section.
Pros & Cons
- Lowest fee structure rates.
- Own its NFT marketplace.
- Option of creating a virtual demo account.
- No margin trading, lending and staking services.
- It is only limited to Indian investors and deals only in INR as fiat currency.
- The website interface looks mundane.
- Dissatisfactory customer support services.
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for crypto staking
Giottus
3.5
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.2%/ 0.2%
Cryptocurrencies Available
200+
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 100
Fees (Maker/Taker)
0.2%/ 0.2%
Cryptocurrencies Available
200+
Minimum Investment Requirement
INR 100
Why We Picked It
Giottus is among one of the fastest-growing cryptocurrency exchanges in the country. It allows its users to trade and earn via various cryptocurrency instruments. It offers facilities such as fixed deposits, fixed deposits, SIPs and the creation of a crypto basket of themed coins, only if one is looking to invest in cryptocurrency for a longer duration.
Giottus is all set to launch a non-fungible token (NFT) and lending service. The user can also enjoy the option to earn rewards from its refer and earn schemes which gives them a chance to earn up to 10,000 tokens. However, its staking feature provides them great avenues to earn more passive income from cryptocurrency coins which might go up to more than 10%.
Key Features:
- Supported Currency: Supports only INR as a fiat currency.
- Deposits: NEFT, RTGS and IMPS.
- Staking: Available.
- NFTs and Lending: Yet to launch
- Trading: Interactive interface with advanced tools such as real-time order books, high liquidity, charting tools, trade history.
- Advanced Features: Investment via SIP where frequency can be set as low as one hour and up to one month. Offers interest up to 25% on the fixed deposits of cryptocurrencies. Provides an opportunity for investors to put money in expert-curated crypto theme baskets.
- Ease of Usage: Investors can buy and sell crypto in multilingual languages such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali.
Pros & Cons
- Highly rated platform on Android and iOS.
- Key focus on INR pairs.
- Multilingual crypto mobile app and customer support services.
- Funds are backed by insurance.
- Zero maker fee for sellers.
- No margin trading and crypto lending.
- Limited advanced trading instruments.
- Only supports INR as fiat currency.
Compare the Best App for Crypto Trading
Cryptocurrency Exchange | Company – Logo | Forbes Advisor Rating | Forbes Advisor Rating | Crypto Coins Available | Fees (Maker/Taker) | Minimum Investment Required (INR) | Learn More CTA text | Learn more CTA below text | LEARN MORE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CoinDCX | ![]() | 4.5 | ![]() | 500+ | 0.20%/ 0.20% | 100 | View More | ||
CoinSwitch | ![]() | 4.4 | ![]() | 100+ | 0.1%/ 0.1% | 100 | View More | ||
WazirX | ![]() | 4.4 | ![]() | 300+ | 0.1%/ 0.25% | 100 | View More | ||
Mudrex | ![]() | 4.3 | ![]() | 350+ | 0.04%/ 0.1% | 100 | View More | ||
ZebPay | ![]() | 4.0 | ![]() | 150+ | 0.15%/0.25% | 100 | View More | ||
Bitbns | ![]() | 3.5 | ![]() | 508+ | 0%/ 0.1% | 100 | View More | ||
UnoCoin | ![]() | 3.5 | ![]() | 100+ | NIL / 0.5% | 1,000 | View More | ||
BuyUCoin | 3.5 | ![]() | 40+ | 0.24%/0.24% | 500 | View More | |||
Giottus | ![]() | 3.5 | ![]() | 200+ | 0.2%/ 0.2% | 100 | View More |
Methodology: How We List The Best Crypto Exchange in India
While evaluating and choosing the top cryptocurrency exchanges in India, Forbes Advisor analyzed these exchanges on the basis of the following ten parameters:
- Basic And Advanced Trading Features
- Margin Trading And Crypto Lending Services
- Educational Resources
- Number of tradable Cryptocurrencies
- Trading Fees Structure
- Safety and Security Measures
- User Feedback
- Customer Support Services
- Ease of Deposit And Withdrawal
- Platform Availability
What Is A Cryptocurrency Exchange And How Does It Work?
Cryptocurrency exchange is an online trading platform that acts like an intermediary between buyer and seller of cryptocurrencies.These platforms enable trading in cryptocurrencies in exchange for digital and fiat currencies. These exchanges facilitate a user to deposit money via methods such as direct bank transfer, net banking or P2P etc and charge a commission or fee for every transaction done using its services.
When you are done with setting up an account with a cryptocurrency exchange, then it enables you to buy and sell digital currencies such as like bitcoin (BTC), ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), dogecoin (DOGE), and so on. The user can purchase crypto by using a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar or INR, or by trading one form of crypto against another.
To initiate your trading process, the investor is supposed to fund their crypto exchange account or a wallet provided to them by their exchange. However, if you place bulk orders then we recommend setting up your own crypto wallet for better security. The users can view the trading prices of various cryptos, determined by the market forces based on demand and supply parameters. Now, the users can easily place a buy order and then generate it into the order book along with other buy and sell orders.
What Are The Different Types of Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Centralized Exchanges or CEX
These kinds of cryptocurrency exchanges are the most general kind of platform that ensures simple and easy processes along with a very effortless user interface of crypto trading. As the name suggests, a central institute is responsible for governing and regulating these exchanges.
Every order or transaction is recorded, validated by the company to avoid any further discrepancies. The user’s fund is deposited in the wallet, managed by the CEX. And, to open an account here, the user needs to fulfill the KYC requirements where personal information of the user is shared.
Decentralized Exchanges or DEX
These kinds of cryptocurrency exchanges are decentralized in nature, meaning there is no institution regulating these exchanges. The trades on these exchanges are fully automated and are executed via smart contracts and decentralized apps. At the same time, no KYC and no personal details are required here. DEXs are known to be more secure among investors as they are automated via smart contracts, which are being thoroughly written keeping required security checks in mind.
However, the interface of DEXs is not as smooth as CEXs, which generally impacts transaction speed and its volume. CEXs might prove to be more useful for beginners and novice traders and DEXs for experienced ones.
Hybrid Exchanges or HEX
Hybrid exchanges have the best features of both decentralized and centralized exchanges. A hybrid crypto exchange is still in a developmental phase. It has the liquidity feature just like the centralized platforms and maintains the anonymity and security, like the decentralized exchanges. One of the most notable features while transacting through HEX trading is that, there are no taker fees and gas fees involved here.
Understanding Crypto Exchange Fees
In India, different cryptocurrency exchanges levies different charges and fees. Let’s have a look in more detail at what these charges are:
Joining Fee
In India, majority of the exchanges like WazirX, Zebpay, Unocoin and Bitbns, have completely waived off the joining fee for its users. However, there may be a small membership deduction in the case of inactive accounts.
Deposit Fee
This fee is charged when the user deposits money or coins to the crypto exchange to initiate the buying or selling. Deposit fee amount depends totally on how the user has transferred the money, whether through payment service providers, credit or debit cards, a crypto wallet, P2P or via net banking transfers.
Trading Charges
Trading charges are the most crucial part of crypto exchange’s fee mechanism. Trading charges may be levied as a flat percentage of the crypto amount that a trader buys or sells, or an exchange may charge based on the orders placed, such as makers and takers, both differently charged. So before going further, it is very important to understand- Maker and Taker fees.
A maker is a party that creates liquidity on the exchange by selling cryptocurrency
A taker is a party that takes it off the liquidity by buying the cryptocurrencies.
Both maker and taker pays a certain amount of fees for the transaction. However, makers generally pay less.
The trading charges vary across exchanges, ranging from almost 0% to 0.25% in most of the exchanges. However, it is to be noted that certain exchanges claim to charge the user zero fees, one must look carefully, that if they are charging in the form of spread — the difference between the rate of buying or selling the cryptocurrency. And, generally this rate is higher as compared to the trading fee.
Withdrawal Fee
Some crypto exchanges charge the user on the withdrawal of money into fiat currency. Withdrawal happens when a user places a sell order on his crypto exchange and then the funds reflect in his or her wallet. The user here can withdraw money partially or completely, into their registered bank account, it can be chargeable. Investors can also choose to make a withdrawal in coins, which also has a cost attached.
Crypto Wallet vs. Crypto Exchange
Cryptocurrency Wallet | Cryptocurrency Exchange |
---|---|
It is a software program which stores your cryptocurrencies. | It is a website or a mobile app which lets you buy and sell cryptocurrencies at a given price and with security. |
Allows full control over your private key and transfer of funds. | Does not provide full access to your private key. |
Wallet only allows storing your digital currencies. One cannot buy or sell via wallet. | Exchange is the platform which offers buying, selling and trading. |
A user is solely responsible for the safety and security of their cryptos. | The exchange is responsible for managing your cryptocurrencies and will set up your storage automatically. |
If you want full control over your cryptocurrencies and wish to have easy access then you must go for wallets. | If you are an avid trader and want to buy and sell crypto to maximize returns, then crypto exchange is the best option for you. |
What to Consider When Selecting a Crypto Exchange?
Security: Security is a crucial factor when selecting a cryptocurrency exchange. Always go for an exchange that has enough cold storage and also insurance backup for your stored funds. If something happens to your crypto exchange, you must be in a position to return your cryptocurrency currencies immediately.
Secondly, the best exchanges will run bug bounty programs which help in pointing out the shortcomings and vulnerabilities in the exchange network. Also, they will have two-factor authentication and robust safety measures which later will help user’s holdings against crypto hacks and severe attacks.
Variety of Investment/Trading Options: Before choosing the best crypto exchange for you, always consider the following factors:
- What kind of different trading avenues and options do they provide?
- How many trading pairs and coins does the exchange support?
- Do they offer alternative crypto products such as staking, lending and futures?
- Does the crypto exchange have its own wallet?
- What is the minimum deposit amount and payment mode?
Liquidity: Liquidity refers to how swiftly you can convert your coins into fiat currency or vice-versa. Always select the crypto exchange with a good liquidity feature. To decide the liquidity of an exchange, you can always refer to its 24-hour trading volume, the higher the better. Also, refer to the real-time trading volume data of various exchanges, then compare them and select the best one.
Other Features: A cryptocurrency exchange should be one go-to platform that is enriched with all the best features such as responsive customer support, lucrative rewards and referral programs, an easy user interface, a wide range of educational materials and research reports, price alerts, various options of payment modes, which makes your trading experience smooth and easy.
Fees: All the crypto exchanges charge a certain fee in some or the other way. You must check which exchange is charging what fees and should not impact your earnings. Before selecting the most suitable exchange, always compare the deposit, trading, transfer and withdrawal charges, which will give you a fair idea of the fees and charges that a particular exchange is levying upon users.
A decent crypto exchange will have higher trading volumes and a user base. Do not go for an exchange that offers you the lowest fees or high rewards. As cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, select your cryptocurrency exchange only after actual market understanding and research.
How To Open A Crypto Exchange Account?
The process of opening an account with any of these exchanges is fairly simple. After selecting an appropriate exchange, a user needs to follow these steps to open a trading account:
Download the cryptocurrency exchange’s application from the Play Store or Apple Store or directly sign up from the exchange’s official website.
Open the app, where you will be asked to either log-in or sign-up. Click on the “sign-up” option if you’re a new user.
Type your e-mail address and password. You will receive a confirmation email on your given email ID.
Go to your inbox and tap on the link for verifying your email.
The application then prompts you to tap on your security options. The majority of the app allows you to skip this step, but it is advisable to select your security options at this stage only.
After this, you are required to fill in all the required details such as name, address, date of birth, PAN and Aadhar card to complete the KYC formalities.
Once all the information is submitted, you will receive a confirmation notification from your crypto exchange. Now, everything is completely functional for placing your first transaction.
If you want to know more on how to purchase a cryptocurrency, read How To Buy Cryptocurrency.
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