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The Best Altcoin Exchange in 2024: Reviewed & Compared

By Alice Leetham - Updated 02 April 2024
eToro
Fact Checked

If you’re looking to buy cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, there are many cryptocurrency exchanges that offer a variety of altcoins. Each platform comes with different features, fees, and pros and cons.

This page will take a detailed look at the best altcoin exchanges, what kind of users each one might be best for, and what to consider when picking one. By the end, you should have all the information you need to find the altcoin exchange that’s right for you.

Best Altcoin Exchanges - Our Top 3 Picks

Looking for a quick answer? Here are our top 3 recommended altcoin exchanges to use for buying and selling altcoins.

1
Min Deposit
$ 100
User Score
5
CFDs on BTC, ETH, LTC, NEO, XRP, IOTA, EOS, BAB, ADA, TRX, XMR
No need to open a crypto exchange account or use a special wallet
Regulated Broker - FCA, ASIC, CySEC (license number 250/14)
Visit Site
Description:
Plus500 is a leading provider of Contracts for Difference (CFDs), delivering Leveraged trading on +2,000 financial instruments, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, Options and Cryptocurrencies. CySEC license number (#250/14)
Payment Methods:
Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Trustly, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Discover, Bank Transfer: SEPA, Bank Transfer: FPS, skrill
Full Regulations:
ASIC, FCA, FSA, MAS, CySEC #250/14
82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
2
Min Deposit
$ 10
User Score
4.95
Up to $240 bonus!
Build a diversified portfolio with crypto, stocks, and ETFs — all in one place.
Trade on the world's leading social trading and investing platform
Open Account
Description:
eToro offers a wide range of cryptos, such as Bitcoin, XRP and others, alongside crypto/fiat and crypto/crypto pairs. eToro users can connect with, learn from, and copy or get copied by other users.
Payment Methods:
Bank Transfer, Debit Card, PayPal, Credit Card, Wire Transfer
Full Regulations:
CySEC, FCA
3
Min Deposit
$ 0
Promotion
User Score
4.8
Get insights from millions of investors, creators, and analysts
Build your portfolio of stocks, ETFs, and crypto–all in one place
No minimum deposit
Visit Site
Description:
Public is an investing platform that allows you to invest stocks, ETFs, crypto, and alternative assets like fine art and collectibles—all in one place.
Payment Methods:
Debit Card, Wire Transfer, Check, Bank Wire
Full Regulations:
Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

The 11 Best Altcoin Exchanges in 2024

  1. eToro – Best Overall Altcoin Exchange

  2. Binance – Best Altcoin Exchange for Low Fees

  3. Coinbase – Best Altcoin Exchange for Beginners

  4. Bitpanda – Best Exchange to Buy Altcoins Securely

  5. Capital.com – Best Broker for Trading Altcoin CFDs

  6. Skilling – Best Place to Trade Altcoins with Leverage

  7. Bitstamp – Altcoin Exchange with the Best Customer Support

  8. OKX – Best Altcoin Exchange for Advanced Traders

  9. KuCoin – Best Exchange for Choice of Altcoins

  10. Coinmama – Best Altcoin Exchange for High Spending Limits

  11. bitFlyer – Best Altcoin Exchange for Fees and Simplicity

Top 11 Altcoin Exchanges Quickly Compared

Regulation

Min. deposit

Trading fees

No. of coins

eToro

FCA, CySEC

$10

1% + spread

70+

Binance

AMF

$50

0.1% or less

600+

Coinbase

FCA, most US states

$50

Up to 0.6% + spread

150+

Bitpanda

AMF, BDE

$25

1.49% premium

199+

Capital.com

FCA, CySEC, ASIC

$20

Floating spreads

491+ pairs

Skilling

CySEC, FSA

$100

Various spreads

55+

Bitstamp

CSSF

$10

0.5% or less

75+

OKX

VARA

$10

0.1% or less

343+

KuCoin

None

$5

0.3% or less

700+

Coinmama

FinCEN

$30

Up to 5%

15+

Top 11 Altcoin Exchanges Reviewed

1. eToro – Overall Best Altcoin Exchange

eToro homepage

eToro is the best place to buy and trade altcoins thanks to its rich and innovative advanced trading features. You can use the Discover tab to explore trending altcoins and the biggest daily movers. You can add any altcoins that interest you to your watchlist to keep up with their market performance and set up price alerts.

Each altcoin page has “News” and “Feed” tabs where you can stay on top of the latest developments and what other users are saying about them. There are also stats, research, and charts for each coin to help you with fundamental and technical analysis.

Those who are new to crypto will also find this particular exchange, eToro easy to use as the platform is clearly laid out and the buying process is made simple.

eToro stands out from other altcoin exchanges by virtue of its unique CopyTrader feature. This is a great tool for beginners and those looking to gain experience as it lets you copy the best altcoin traders around the world. You can pick a user to copy based on stats such as their percentage profit and risk tolerance.

There are over 70 altcoins to choose from, and eToro gives you the chance to add a range of other asset types to your portfolio. These include stocks, ETFs, and indices. You can even use the smart portfolio feature to deploy thematic investment strategies.

There is a good range of payment methods available and the minimum deposit is $10. You can buy as little as $10 worth of each altcoin at competitive fees of 1% plus the spread. There is a withdrawal fee of $5. Read our full eToro review here.

Pros

  • Reliable

  • Regulated

  • Easy to navigate

  • Copy trading feature

  • Multi-asset platform

  • Industry-leading security

  • More payment options than many competitors

  • Virtual trading account

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Unavailable in a number of countries

  • Fewer altcoins than some competitors

2. Binance – Best Altcoin Exchange for Low Fees

Binance hompage

If you don’t want fees to eat into your profits, then Binance is the crypto exchange for you. The platform leads the market when it comes to trading fees, which are just 0.1% or less. Some fiat currency deposit and withdrawal methods are free and all crypto deposits are free.

Binance is a great place for altcoin traders as it provides customizable charts, tools, and a range of indicators. More experienced traders may appreciate the chance to trade advanced instruments such as futures and leveraged tokens.

New traders aren’t left out, however, as the convert feature provides an easy way to swap between any two altcoins. If you want to learn more about altcoins and how crypto works, there are lots of educational articles to check out in the Binance Academy.

You can check on your altcoins from anywhere with the Binance mobile app, spend them worldwide with the Binance Card, and even use them as collateral to take out instant loans. There is also the chance to grow your altcoin holdings with a range of earning products, including savings accounts, staking, and liquidity farming.

It should only take a few minutes to set up and verify your account, after which you can make a deposit of at least $50. The minimum trade amount is $10. Read our full Binance review here.

Pros

  • Lower fees than competitors

  • More than 600 altcoins

  • Charts and indicators

  • Altcoin derivatives and margin trading

  • Range of interest-bearing products

  • Crypto loans

  • Educational materials

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • High minimum deposit

  • Limited payment options in some countries

  • Regulatory problems in some places

3. Coinbase – Best Altcoin Exchange for Beginners

Coinbase homepage

Coinbase’s clear layout, intuitive interface, and easy-to-follow purchasing process make it one of the top altcoin exchanges for crypto beginners. You can add your favorite altcoins to your watchlist to keep track of them, and the past performance of your portfolio is displayed in your dashboard.

The great thing about Coinbase is that you don’t need to spend a large amount on altcoins—you can purchase as little as $2 of each coin if you want to start with small investments in crypto assets.

If you’re keen to develop your understanding of altcoins and crypto topics, the platform provides a wealth of educational resources to help you do just that. You can even earn some altcoins for free during Coinbase’s regular learn and earn campaigns.

If you want to employ a dollar cost averaging strategy, this is made simple with the recurring buys feature. More advanced strategies are possible too, as you can easily switch to the Coinbase Pro platform to access tools, charts, and indicators.

Coinbase is fully licensed and it uses cold wallet storage and crypto insurance to protect users’ assets. The platform recommends a minimum deposit of $50 and the trading fees are fairly competitive at up to 0.6% plus the spread. Read our full Coinbase review here.

Pros

  • Intuitive interface

  • Simple to use

  • $2 order minimum

  • Set up recurring buys

  • 150+ altcoins

  • Learn and earn campaigns

  • Licensed

  • Strong security

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • High minimum deposit

  • High fees for some payment methods

4. Bitpanda – Best Exchange to Buy Altcoins Securely

Bitpanda homepage

Bitpanda secures all assets in offline storage, making it one of the safest places to buy altcoins. As a regulated platform, Bitpanda instills confidence in its users due to its licenses and compliance with AML regulations.

The platform has been rated excellent on Trustpilot, with users particularly praising Bitpanda’s customer support. There is also a Helpdesk with information on using the exchange platform, as well as plenty of educational articles on altcoins in the Bitpanda Academy.

There are nearly 200 altcoins available, though as a multi-asset platform, Bitpanda also provides access to stocks, ETFs, metals, and even crypto indices. Unlike other platforms, Bitpanda actually lets you swap directly between different types of crypto assets.

You can check on your altcoins wherever you are through the mobile app and also spend your crypto coins anywhere with the Bitpanda Card. Meanwhile, you can use a savings plan to set up recurring buys and start trading.

You will have to deposit at least $25, once you’ve taken a few minutes to sign up and complete the verification, and there is a range of accepted payment methods. A 1.49% premium is included in the prices you see on the exchange, and you can purchase as little as $1.50 or €1 worth of each altcoin. Read our Bitpanda review.

Pros

  • Secure and licensed

  • Excellent rating on Trustpilot

  • Almost 200 altcoins

  • Swap between different asset types

  • Easy to navigate

  • Low order minimum

  • A variety of payment options are available

  • Educational materials

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • The only support available is via email

  • Crypto deposits incur fees

  • Mostly unavailable outside of Europe

5. Capital.com – Best Broker for Trading Altcoin CFDs

Capital.com homepage

By trading in altcoin contracts for difference, you can make a profit by speculating on the prices of altcoins, but as you don’t actually own any, you don’t need to worry about storage and security. Capital.com is one of the top places for trading CFDs of altcoins.

Capital.com users can trade CFDs on over 6,000 assets, including hundreds of altcoin pairs, as well as stocks, indices, forex, and commodities. Although CFD trading is a high-risk activity, the platform comes with risk management tools, such as negative balance protection.

Those who are new to CFD trading can take advantage of the demo account to practice in a risk-free environment. There are also trading guides and online courses available, as well as the Investmate app, which provides access to financial educational resources.

Advanced traders are well catered for on the crypto exchange platform, as they can trade with up to 30x leverage. There are plenty of advanced tools and features available, including price alerts, client sentiment, over 70 technical indicators, and AI-powered post-trade analysis.

It will take a few minutes to set up and verify an account, after which you will have a choice of payment options to make a minimum deposit of $20. The platform doesn’t charge any deposit fees, withdrawal fees, or commission, though there are floating spreads on altcoin CFDs and variable overnight fees.

Pros

  • 0% commission

  • No deposit or withdrawal fees

  • Regulated and secure

  • Fast order execution

  • Hundreds of altcoin trading pairs

  • Negative balance protection

  • Demo account

  • Financial education available

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Only offers high-risk CFDs

  • Crypto CFDs unavailable in the UK

  • Spreads could be tighter

6. Skilling – Best Place to Trade Altcoins With Leverage

Skilling homepage

If you want the chance to multiply potential profits by trading altcoins with leverage, then Skilling is the ideal destination. The platform offers up to 50:1 leverage on crypto, which is higher than many competitors.

You can trade CFDs on more than 50 different altcoins on Skilling, while the platform also provides access to hundreds of other instruments, including shares, commodities, indices, and forex. Skilling is fully licensed and regulated, keeping funds and personal information secure. There is also customer support available Monday to Friday via phone, email, or live chat.

Users have a choice of CFD trading platforms. The Skilling Trader platform is intuitive and user-friendly, expertly designed to accommodate traders of all levels. The cTrader platform, on the other hand, caters to experienced traders, providing a variety of indicators, algorithmic trading, advanced order functionality, and risk management.

Skilling is unfortunately unavailable in the US, but most other countries can access the platform. It provides a decent range of deposit methods, most of which are free, though there is a fee for Skrill and Neteller deposits.

The minimum deposit is $100 and there is no commission on trades. The spreads are competitive, starting at 0.1 pips, but you will need to check the page for the specific altcoin to find out the exact costs. Read our full Skilling review here.

Pros

  • High leverage available

  • Trade CFDs on multiple asset types

  • Good customer support

  • Advanced trading tools

  • Licensed and regulated

  • Demo account

  • Variety of payment options

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Not available in the US

  • High minimum deposit

Buy altcoins with Skilling now 82% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

7. Bitstamp – Best Altcoin Exchange for Customer Support

Bitstamp homepage

Bitstamp is a great place for altcoin trading if you want to be able to rely on comprehensive customer support. Phone and email support are available globally around the clock. Plus, you can find out about market insights and global trends with Bitstamp’s free Crypto Pulse report.

The platform employs institutional-grade security measures, such as storing 98% of users’ assets in offline cold storage. Bitstamp also ensures personal information is strongly encrypted and enables whitelisting and transaction confirmations.

Reliable order execution is ensured on the platform due to its high liquidity and industry-leading uptime, so trading Bitstamp’s 75 cryptocurrencies should be a seamless experience.

There is plenty to satisfy experienced traders, who can deploy algorithmic strategies with Bitstamp’s range of powerful APIs. There are also advanced order types, analytical tools, and real-time data streaming.

The mobile app means you can trade altcoins from anywhere in the world, and there is a 5% fee for instant credit or debit card purchases, which are supported almost everywhere. You just need to complete the registration and verification process, which shouldn’t take long.

The minimum amount of an altcoin you can buy is $10 and most deposit methods are free. The withdrawal fees vary by altcoin and the trading fees are pretty competitive at up to 0.5%.

Pros

  • Phone and email support are available 24/7

  • Reliable order execution

  • Intuitive interface

  • Industry-leading security

  • Advanced trading features

  • Free deposits for most payment methods

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Fewer altcoins than some competitors

  • High fees for instant card purchases

8. OKX – Best Altcoin Exchange for Advanced Traders

OKX Homepage

OKX’s rich feature set makes it a great platform for traders with more experience. Spot trading on the platform comes with customizable charts, technical indicators, and a choice of order types. Discover altcoins in the opportunities section, which shows the top digital assets in categories such as new, trending, and surging coins.

Users can also trade altcoins with leverage and trade altcoin derivatives such as futures, perpetual swaps, and options. Beginners aren’t left out, however, as the convert feature makes it easy to swap between any two altcoins with no fees or spreads.

If you want to deploy more advanced strategies, the crypto trading bot makes it easy to set up smart portfolios and crypto arbitrage trading orders, among other things. Block trading also provides access to world-class APIs for making large orders and custom multi-leg strategies.

The exchange offers more than 340 altcoins and also gives you the opportunity to grow your holdings through a range of interest-bearing products. These include savings accounts, staking, fixed income, dual investment, flash deals, and DeFi.

OKX employs offline cold storage, as well as emergency backups and a semi-offline multi-signature mechanism for online storage to keep users’ assets safe. If you want to expand your knowledge, there are plenty of tutorials, trading articles, and industry analyses on the platform.

It takes minutes to set up your account and supports a variety of payment methods. You will have to deposit at least $10 and the minimum trade amount depends on the altcoin. Spot trading fees on the platform are very competitive 0.1% or less.

Pros

  • 340+ altcoins to trade

  • Low fees

  • Charting tools

  • Margin trading

  • Altcoin derivatives

  • A trading bot with advanced strategies

  • Strong security

  • Good choice of payment methods

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Limits on withdrawals

  • Not available to US citizens

9. KuCoin – Best Exchange for Choice of Altcoins

Kucoin Homepage

With more than 700 altcoins available, KuCoin is the best place to go to find new and obscure cryptocurrencies—including many coins that you can’t get on any other centralized exchange.

There are comprehensive tools for spot trading, including customizable charts and a range of technical indicators. Those with less experience, however, can easily switch between any two altcoins with one click and zero fees through the convert feature.

There’s margin trading available for those who want to magnify potential profits with leverage, as well as futures trading and a trading bot that provides the opportunity to earn profits passively without the need to constantly monitor the crypto market.

Once you’ve purchased your altcoins, KuCoin Earn provides somewhere to grow your holdings with products such as savings accounts, staking, and higher yield farming promotions. In addition to this, the exchange offers crypto lending and a token launch platform.

There is plenty of information on altcoins and blockchain on the blog, and KuCoin Labs provides in-depth crypto market analysis and research. If you have any questions, customer support is available 24/7.

There are at least 70 payment methods supported across the more than 200 countries that KuCoin serves. The minimum deposit is $5, with a 3.8% fee for card payments. The minimum trade size depends on the altcoin and trading fees are competitive at 0.3% or less. Read our full KuCoin review here

Pros

  • Over 700 altcoins to trade

  • Low trading fees

  • Margin trading

  • Altcoin derivatives

  • Earning products

  • 200+ countries covered

  • Trading bot

  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Not licensed in the US

  • Can be complicated for beginners

10. Coinmama – Best Altcoin Exchange for High Spending Limits

Coinmama Homepage

If you’re looking to buy a large number of altcoins, Coinmama has one of the highest spending limits of any of the crypto exchanges, allowing you to purchase as much as $30,000 at a time with your bank account.

There are many other payment options available, including cards, SEPA, SWIFT, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Skrill, most of which are fast and can see you receive your altcoins within 10 minutes. As Coinmama doesn’t store funds or payment information, users retain full control throughout the process.

Traders may find the platform wanting due to its lack of charts and advanced trading features and tools. However, it’s a great place for beginners who want a simple way to buy 15 of the most popular cryptocurrencies.

Coinmama is available in 188 countries and has a customer support team on hand to help with any issues. The platform also has an academy where you can discover more about crypto and blockchain.

The fast-track verification means you can set up your account and buy altcoins within minutes. The minimum purchase amount is $30 for most payment methods but rises to $250 for SWIFT and $500 for Fedwire. Paying with Skrill incurs a 2.5% fee while using Google Pay, Apple Pay, or a credit or card carries a 5% fee. All other payment methods are free. Read our full Coinmama review here.

Pros

  • High spending limits

  • Very simple to use

  • Non-custodial

  • Good range of payment options

  • Available in 188 countries

  • Fast-track verification

Cons

  • No trading features

  • No mobile app

  • High fees for some payment methods

  • Very limited choice of altcoins

11. bitFlyer – Best Altcoin Exchange for Fees and Simplicity

BitFlyer is the largest cryptocurrency exchange platform in Japan. Customers enjoy fast execution speeds and a wealth of altcoins to choose from. With operations in the EU and US, bitFlyer is also one of just a few Asian exchanges to plant its roots down firmly in the West.

With low fees and bullet-proof security (bitFlyer has never been hacked), bitFlyer is the number one choice for people who put the safety of their capital first.

When it comes to the platform, the user experience is streamlined and minimal. While many exchanges suffer from a surfeit of information, bitFlyer has managed to pare things down without dumbing things down. For this reason, bitFlyer is our number-one choice for the best user experience. Read our full bitFlyer review for an in-depth guide.

Pros

  • Regulated in the EU and US

  • Thumbs up for security! Has the rare claim in crypto of having never been hacked.

  • Regularly audited by well-known financial institutions

  • New users can get trading straightaway without KYC for small amounts

Cons

  • Buying altcoins with one click is unavailable on the US exchange

  • Certain tools such as leverage are unavailable in some jurisdictions

  • Smaller amount of altcoins than other exchanges

Why We Chose bitFlyer

We chose bitFlyer primarily because of its security and low fees. Since it has never been hacked it is one of a rare breed of crypto-related businesses that have kept their client funds waterproof.

BitFlyer was also our first choice for usability because of its clean, slick appearance.

Some Supported Cryptocurrencies on bitFlyer

Ethereum (ETH); Ethereum Classic (ETC); Bitcoin Cash (BCH); Litecoin (LTC); Lisk (LSK); Monacoin (MONA); Stellar Lumens (XLM); Basic Attention Token (BAT); and more.

What Is an Altcoin Exchange?

An altcoin exchange is somewhere you can buy, sell, or swap cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. Pretty much every crypto exchange nowadays qualifies as an altcoin exchange, but they vary in the number of altcoins they offer and how advanced the trading features they provide are.

How Do Altcoin Exchanges Work?

When you put in an order to buy an altcoin, it will be matched with a sell order. The platform usually charges a trading fee for facilitating this exchange. Some altcoin exchanges may only let you buy altcoins with fiat currencies, while others may only offer crypto-to-crypto trading pairs.

Different Types of Altcoin Exchange

Centralized Altcoin Exchange

Most altcoin trades take place on centralized exchanges like Binance. These cryptocurrency exchanges have a centralized structure as they are controlled and operated by a company that acts as an intermediary between different users.

Centralized exchanges display the current prices of altcoins. When users create orders, they are collated in a central order book where buy orders are matched with sell orders. In this way, trades are facilitated, for which the crypto exchange typically charges a trading fee.

Major crypto exchanges tend to handle a large volume of trades which means there is high liquidity of altcoins and trades can be executed quickly. Centralized exchanges often offer other services such as asset custody. As centralized exchanges can be a target for hackers, the best crypto exchanges provide cutting-edge security and usually require customers to complete identity verification as part of their KYC requirements.

Decentralized Altcoin Exchanges

Decentralized exchanges (DEXs) aren’t run by a person or company as trades take place directly between users on a peer-to-peer marketplace with no intermediaries. There are no order books and you can only trade crypto—you can’t use fiat currencies.

DEXs run on a blockchain, like Ethereum, and transactions are facilitated by smart contracts. Prices are established algorithmically and trades are made against “liquidity pools”. Users can earn rewards by contributing their tokens to these pools.

DEXs are non-custodial so users can retain control over their altcoins and also keep their anonymity. They also tend to be harder to use, however, and the gas fees can be very high on some blockchains. Potential bugs in the smart contracts powering DEXs mean they could still be vulnerable to attack and users could lose tokens.

Hybrid Exchanges

A hybrid exchange is a combination of both a decentralized and centralized exchange. They will provide the user with the usability and security of a centralized exchange but will also have features from decentralized exchanges such as direct wallet-to-wallet trading.

Peer-to-Peer Altcoin Exchanges

On peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms, trades take place directly between users without an intermediary, like on a DEX. Unlike a DEX, however, there are no liquidity pools. Purchasers instead choose a seller and send them fiat through a payment processor.

Buyers and sellers can use a centralized service to connect and funds are often held in escrow and only released once both parties have sent the agreed amount of money or tokens. Some centralized exchanges, such as Binance and OKX, also provide P2P platforms.

The benefits of peer-to-peer platforms are that there is often a greater choice of payment methods and users don’t necessarily have to provide any identification. There are also no fees or commissions, but as the seller sets the price, buyers won’t necessarily get the best deal. Users should be cautious of potential crypto scams.

Altcoin Derivatives Exchanges

Unlike spot trading, which involves buying and selling the altcoins themselves, a derivatives exchange lets users speculate on the prices of altcoins by trading contracts that derive their value from the performance of the underlying asset.

A number of centralized exchanges, like Binance and OKX, offer the trading of crypto derivatives such as futures, perpetual swaps, and options.

Trading altcoin derivatives with leverage provides an opportunity to increase profits but it can also increase losses. Derivatives trading is more complicated than spot trading and should therefore only be conducted by traders with the right skills and experience. Some exchanges only offer derivatives to professional clients or users in certain countries.

Altcoin Exchanges vs Brokers

The terms “broker” and “exchange” are often used interchangeably or simply lumped together as “crypto platforms”. There are, however, technically some differences, as we’ll discuss below.

Altcoin Exchanges

An altcoin exchange is a place where you can exchange one asset for another—fiat for crypto or crypto for another crypto. Buyers are typically matched with sellers in an order book and the equilibrium price is set by the balance of buyers and sellers. The cryptocurrency exchange facilitates this process, for which it charges “maker” and “taker” fees. If there is sufficient liquidity, trades can be settled instantly.

Altcoin Brokers

An altcoin broker acts as an intermediary between traders and the crypto market, and the broker sets the price. Users, therefore, trade with the brokerage, rather than with other traders. Brokers typically make their money from spread, which is the difference between buy and sell prices. The broker may also charge a commission on trades.

Settlement is more flexible on a brokerage platform so users don’t need to have the necessary funds in their exchange account when they initiate a trade. Crypto brokers don’t necessarily provide ownership of actual cryptocurrencies. They may instead provide trading of crypto derivatives such as contracts for difference.

Key Things to Consider When Choosing an Altcoin Exchange

Altcoins Available

If there are specific altcoins you want, it’s important to check whether they are actually available on a prospective platform. If you’re interested in new and obscure coins, you might want to use a platform with a large selection, such as Binance or KuCoin. If you’d prefer to buy more well-known and better-established cryptocurrencies, you might prefer a platform that has a smaller selection but offers other features you want.

You can check the website for a particular platform to find out what its coin selection is. It might also be worth checking which trading pairs are available. This will sometimes just be each available coin paired with your local currency, while other platforms may offer a choice of crypto to crypto trading pairs.

Geographical Availability

Clearly, a broker or cryptocurrency exchange is of no use to you if it is unavailable in your country. You can check the website for a list of countries where it operates. Some platforms may have a separate subsidiary to serve some countries (Binance and Binance.US, for example) while others may offer different services in different countries (like restricting the trading of derivatives in certain places).

Safety and Security

The security of your assets is one of the most important things to consider when choosing an altcoin exchange—you don’t want to be at risk of losing your crypto to a hack. Find a platform that secures access to your account through features such as encryption and two-factor authentication.

You also want to know your assets will be safe if someone attempts to hack the cryptocurrency exchange. Good security practices to look out for include offline cold wallet storage of cryptocurrencies and crypto insurance.

Reputation and Regulation

You want to find a platform that is reliable, and this will most likely be the case for well-established cryptocurrency exchanges that have built up a strong reputation and earned a large number of satisfied customers.

Check whether a prospective platform is regulated in your country. Regulated platforms provide the best security and an unregulated one could be unsafe to use.

Fees

You’ll want to know upfront what costs you will incur so make sure to check the small print. Some platforms charge a trading fee for each trade, while others charge a spread and maybe a commission.

You can also check whether there are deposit and/or withdrawal fees. How much these are may depend on the payment method you use. Other potential fees include account management and inactivity fees.

Features

Different platforms may offer different features and you should check that a platform offers everything you want before creating an account. Most of the platforms reviewed here provide charting tools and indicators, which are useful for traders.

Platforms such as Binance and OKX support margin and derivatives trading, as well as products for earning interest, like staking and savings accounts. You may decide that you want access to a more specific feature, like eToro’s CopyTrader.

Payment Options

Most platforms accept deposits via bank card and/or bank transfer. You may be limited in which platforms you can use if you wish to use a less common payment method. The fees may vary for different payment methods and on different platforms, so this is worth looking into. eToro supports a variety of payment methods and doesn’t charge any deposit fees.

Ease of Use

You want to find a platform that you feel comfortable using. For experienced traders, this might mean a responsive platform with lots of clearly labeled advanced tools. A beginner, on the other hand, might prefer a simple platform without any complicated features.

Platforms ought to provide clear instructional resources on how to use them. If you use a platform that provides a demo account, you can trade virtually without risking any money while you familiarize yourself with the platform.

What is one of the most important things to look out for when choosing a crypto platform to sign up to?

"Trading fees and spot price used during swaps/trades. These can sometimes be overlooked, however, certain exchanges claim to have zero fees but when using their swap/trading functions you realize that the spot price used in the trades is a few percentage points higher than other exchanges."
Paolo Ardoino
CTO of Bitfinex

How to Buy Altcoins From an Exchange

Follow these simple steps to purchase altcoins on eToro .

1. Open an account

Bring up the registration form by clicking on the “Join Now” button. Then you can fill in your email address, username, and password, or sign up with Google or Facebook. Tick the boxes to accept the terms and conditions and click “Create Account”.

2. Verify your account

Click the link in the email you receive to verify your email address. You will then need to complete your profile by providing your full name, date of birth, phone number, and some form of photographic identification. After that, you’ll need to answer some questions about your investing experience.

3. Make a deposit

Hit the “Deposit Funds” button and enter how much you want to deposit. Use the dropdown lists to select your local currency and preferred payment method. Fill in any payment details requested then simply click “Deposit” to transfer the funds.

4. Buy altcoins

Use the search box to find the altcoin you want, or use the Discover tab for inspiration. Click on “Trade” and you will have the option to switch from Trade to Order if you want to buy at a future price with a limit order. Just fill in the amount and click “Open Trade”.

 

Where to Store Your Altcoins After Buying?

If you only purchase a small amount of altcoins or want to make regular trades with them, you may find it most convenient to store them in the free web wallets that most exchanges provide. Long-term investors with large holdings might prefer to buy a hardware wallet like TrezorBitBox, or Ledger as they are the most secure type of wallet.

You could also download a wallet onto your computer or mobile and keep your altcoins there. Find out more about the best crypto wallets.

Final Thoughts on Altcoin Exchanges

If you want to branch out from Bitcoin, there are plenty of places where you can buy and sell altcoins. There are benefits and drawbacks to each and they often offer different features. As well as this, you’ll want to consider aspects such as the coins available, security, regulation, and fees.

Based on these considerations, we believe the best altcoin exchange is eToro, which is easy to use and has competitive fees, a range of free deposit options, and unique social trading features.

Methodology - how we test and compare altcoin exchanges

We first tested every altcoin exchange individually and then analyzed them against each other highlighting the good and bad points for each. These were then individually added in the pros and cons sections for each exchange.

In our analysis, the things we looked for included how long did it take to sign up. If the KYC took a long time, and there wasn’t a good security reason for it, we would mark it down.

We also judged the UX of each site assessing how easy it was to navigate to the parts of the exchange we wanted to reach. If this was tricky, or the right information was hard to find within a few seconds, we would mark the exchange down. Bonus points were given for clean, simple lines and a feeling of space without the loss of features and functionality.

We next looked at add-ons, in particular educational facilities that would help beginners learn more about crypto. Here, some were better than others with Binance and Coinbase standing out in this area.

Check out our why trust us and how we test pages for more information on our testing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are altcoin prices different on exchanges?
The prices of altcoins on exchanges are decided by the balance of buyers and sellers that are trading them. This can vary slightly from one crypto exchange to the next.
What exchange has the most altcoins?
KuCoin has the most altcoins, numbering more than 700, making it a great place to discover new and obscure coins. Binance also has a very large selection of over 600.
How do I sell my altcoins?
You can sell digital currencies including your altcoin through an exchange that is listed on this page. Transfer the coins to the exchange if you have them somewhere else. Creating a sell order is very similar to the buying process, but you will specify the number of altcoins you want to sell and click the “Sell” button.
Where can I find altcoins to invest in?
You can find altcoins to invest in on any of the platforms listed on this page. KuCoin has the largest selection, and eToro has a Discover tab to help you find which altcoins are trending.
How much should I invest in altcoins?
This is up to you but you should never invest more than you can afford to lose as all cryptocurrency investments are high risk.
Where is the best place to trade altcoins?
We believe eToro is the best place to trade altcoins as it is easy to navigate, free to make deposits, and has unique features like the innovative CopyTrader.
What is the best way to buy altcoins?
The best way to buy altcoins is through a reliable and regulated platform like the ones listed on this page. You can find step-by-step instructions on how to buy altcoins on our top recommended platform, eToro, further up.
Can I buy altcoins on Coinbase?
Yes. You can buy more than 150 altcoins on Coinbase by clicking the “Buy / Sell” button, choosing the coin you want, and providing your payment details. You can also set up recurring buys of altcoins if you wish.
Is staking crypto on exchanges worth it?
It can be lucrative to stake your altcoins but is only really worth it in bull markets or if you plan on holding your coins for a long time.
Can I send my altcoins from one exchange to another?
Yes, you can send money between exchanges using you wallet addresses at both the sending and receiving end. To do this without losing you altcoins, you need to make sure you're on the right network and have the correct wallet addresses.

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