In the rapidly expanding cryptocurrency exchange universe, Coinbase and KuCoin rank among the best-known platforms. They each provide a different array of features, services, and experiences for different sets of users. This Coinbase vs KuCoin comparison examines their backgrounds, technologies, trading environments, fees, and other features to assist you in determining which exchange is right for you.
Coinbase was established in 2012 by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam in San Francisco. It initially started as a website that simplified the purchase of Bitcoin for the mass consumer and has transformed into a publicly traded entity (NASDAQ: COIN). Coinbase focuses on being compliant with regulations, ensuring the security of users, and having a simple user interface that particularly draws in beginners and U.S. residents.
Meanwhile, KuCoin began in 2017 in Seychelles. It was founded by a number of cryptocurrency enthusiasts with a vision for making a feature-rich, accessible trading platform for the entire world. KuCoin became a hit with international traders soon, thanks to low fees, a wide choice of assets, and a diverse array of trading tools for professionals.
Although they both aim to facilitate trading in cryptocurrency, Coinbase and KuCoin differ significantly in approach, both in services and philosophy.
Coinbase is recognized for having a clean, easy-to-use interface. It makes the trading experience easy with a simple dashboard, providing basic buy/sell features, portfolio tracking, and educational content. This is perfect for a new crypto user or for those who like a hands-off approach to investing.
In contrast, KuCoin is geared toward experienced customers. It has features such as spot trading, margin trading, futures, trading robots, and a charting system that can be tailored to a user's specifications. The site is packed with functions, which may be daunting for a beginner but valuable for experienced traders who need a robust functionality.
Each exchange has mobile apps on iOS and Android, with Coinbase's application being more accessibility-oriented and KuCoin's application being more comprehensive with extended trading capabilities, such as order books and derivatives.
Coinbase lists approximately 250 cryptocurrencies, with a focus on established and compliant assets. The number is increasing, but Coinbase has a selective listing procedure in order to be in compliance with U.S. regulations.
There are more than 700 cryptocurrencies supported by KuCoin, ranging from lesser-known altcoins to early tokens. It is one of those platforms where a user who wants exposure to a multitude of up-and-coming projects can go. This variety offers greater opportunity in trading but with greater risk.
For compliance-oriented and stability-minded users, Coinbase is the best bet. For those who value diversity and speculation, KuCoin is a more viable option.
Coinbase provides simple trading facilities through its primary interface and more sophisticated tools through Coinbase Advanced. Margin trading and native trading bot support, however, are not supported by it. It supports staking for some cryptocurrencies such as ETH, ADA, and SOL, and offers learning rewards on occasion through viewing educational videos and taking quizzes.
KuCoin offers a solid trading platform with spot, margin, and futures trading, as well as peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace and crypto loans. It also includes a native trading bot, copy trading, and sophisticated order types. KuCoin Earn enables users to stake or lend out assets to earn passive income, increasing utility well beyond simple trading.
KuCoin evidently targets experienced traders who need advanced features, as opposed to Coinbase, which is appropriate for long-term holders and beginners.
Coinbase is well regulated and is in compliance with U.S. financial regulations. It is licensed in several states and offers robust security features such as USD balance coverage through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (up to $250,000), two-factor authentication (2FA), biometric login, and cold storage for the majority of user balances. The public listing brings yet another element of openness and trust.
KuCoin is less regulated and offers less legal protection. It does, however, have in place protective measures like 2FA, whitelisting for withdrawals, and encrypted messaging. It had a severe security breach in 2020, which it remedied by responding promptly and afterwards retrieving the majority of stolen currencies, but it raised some concerns with risk-averse users.
In the event that regulatory compliance and legal coverage are top priority, Coinbase is the safer choice. KuCoin is more nimble but assumes greater risk.
Coinbase has higher fees compared to a lot of the exchanges. Normal exchanges on the primary interface can come with a spread of approximately 0.5% together with a variable fee based on geography and mode of payment. Coinbase Advanced lowers the fees marginally, but they're quite a bit higher compared to KuCoin.
One feature that KuCoin is well-known for is the low fees for trading, typically 0.1% or less for trading in the spot market, with further discounts for those who pay in KuCoin's native token, KCS. Margin and future fees are also competitive, and the exchange runs promotions with additional discounts quite often.
Cost-savvy traders prefer KuCoin, which is less expensive. Coinbase's premium is justified by ease and compliance, which is preferred by some who can justify the extra.
Coinbase offers responsive customer support in the form of email, chat, and a help center with in-depth articles. It also offers support for identity verification and fiat deposit options such as bank transfers and cards, specifically in the U.S. and Europe.
The customer support for KuCoin is available but can be slow from time to time. It supports live chat, tickets, and a large help center, but is missing the regulated fiat gateways provided on Coinbase. Deposits are crypto-based with limited fiat support from third-party providers.
For American customers and those looking for frictionless fiat integration, Coinbase is a preferable option. Crypto-to-crypto functionality is where KuCoin is strongest.
Publicly traded and regulated
Easy, intuitive interface
Supports fiat deposits and withdrawals
Robust security controls and compliance processes
Increased trading fees
Restricted dealing capabilities
Smaller coin choice
Reduced trading fees
Extensive coin listings
Margin, Futures, and Bot trading
Staking, loans, and earning instruments
Reduced regulatory supervision
History of a major security breach
Not well suited for fiat transactions
Company | ||
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User rating | 15 user review | 16 user review |
Cryptogeek rating | ||
Trust Score How it works |
15 user review | 16 user review |
Coinbase is a leading digital currency platform and wallet where sellers and buyers can transact with new types of digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. The exchange was founded by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam in 2012 and is based in San Francisco, California. They focus on the US market, however, the company currently operates in 31 countries and offers storage of bitcoins in 190 countries around the world.
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KuCoin is a relatively new exchange that started to operate in the mid-2017. The team behind the project is claimed to be experienced in the blockchain research since 2013. KuCoin has more than a hundred coins listed as well as about 400 active Markets.
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2012 | 2017 |
USA | Hong Kong |
Centralized | Centralized |
Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Polish | English, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, Indonesian |
iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
548 Market St #23008 San Francisco, CA 94104 | Mahé (The exchange does not disclose the exact location of its office) |
PRICING TIER: TAKER FEE / MAKER FEE Up to $10k: 0.50% / 0.50% $10k-$50k: 0.35% / 0.35% $50k-$100k: 0.25% / 0.15% $100k-$1m: 0.20% / 0.10% $1m-$10m: 0.18% / 0.08% $10m-$50m: 0.15% / 0.05% $50m-$100m: 0.10% / 0.00% $100m-$300m: 0.07% / 0.00% $300m-$500m: 0.06% / 0.00% |
Tier Min. KCS holding (30 days) 30-day trade volume in BTC Maker/Taker fee KCS Pay fees LV 1 1,000 ≥50 0.09%/0.1% 0.072%/0.08% LV 2 10,000 ≥200 0.07%/0.09% 0.056%/0.072% LV 3 20,000 ≥500 0.05%/0.08% 0.04%/0.064% LV 4 30,000 ≥1,000 0.03%/0.07% 0.024%/0.056% LV 5 40,000 ≥2,000 0%/0.07% 0%/0.056% LV 6 50,000 ≥4,000 0%/0.06% 0%/0.048% LV 7 60,000 ≥8,000 0%/0.05% 0%/0.04% LV 8 70,000 ≥15,000 -0.005%/0.045% -0.005%/0.036% LV 9 80,000 ≥25,000 -0.005%/0.04% -0.005%/0.032% LV 10 90,000 ≥40,000 -0.005%/0.035% -0.005%/0.028% LV 11 100,000 ≥60,000 -0.005%/0.03% -0.005%/0.024% LV 12 150,000 ≥80,000 -0.005%/0.025% -0.005%/0.02% Full fee schedule: https://www.kucoin.com/vip/level |
About |
Coinbase is a leading digital currency platform and wallet where sellers and buyers can transact with new types of digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. The exchange was founded by Brian Armstrong and Fred Ehrsam in 2012 and is based in San Francisco, California. They focus on the US market, however, the company currently operates in 31 countries and offers storage of bitcoins in 190 countries around the world.
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KuCoin is a relatively new exchange that started to operate in the mid-2017. The team behind the project is claimed to be experienced in the blockchain research since 2013. KuCoin has more than a hundred coins listed as well as about 400 active Markets.
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Founding Date | Founding Date 2012 | Founding Date 2017 |
Country | Country USA | Country Hong Kong |
Type | Type Centralized | Type Centralized |
Languages | Languages Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Turkish, Polish | Languages English, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish, Indonesian |
Mobile app | Mobile app iOS, Android | Mobile app iOS, Android |
Full address | Full address 548 Market St #23008 San Francisco, CA 94104 | Full address Mahé (The exchange does not disclose the exact location of its office) |
Fees |
Fees
PRICING TIER: TAKER FEE / MAKER FEE Up to $10k: 0.50% / 0.50% $10k-$50k: 0.35% / 0.35% $50k-$100k: 0.25% / 0.15% $100k-$1m: 0.20% / 0.10% $1m-$10m: 0.18% / 0.08% $10m-$50m: 0.15% / 0.05% $50m-$100m: 0.10% / 0.00% $100m-$300m: 0.07% / 0.00% $300m-$500m: 0.06% / 0.00% |
Fees
Tier Min. KCS holding (30 days) 30-day trade volume in BTC Maker/Taker fee KCS Pay fees LV 1 1,000 ≥50 0.09%/0.1% 0.072%/0.08% LV 2 10,000 ≥200 0.07%/0.09% 0.056%/0.072% LV 3 20,000 ≥500 0.05%/0.08% 0.04%/0.064% LV 4 30,000 ≥1,000 0.03%/0.07% 0.024%/0.056% LV 5 40,000 ≥2,000 0%/0.07% 0%/0.056% LV 6 50,000 ≥4,000 0%/0.06% 0%/0.048% LV 7 60,000 ≥8,000 0%/0.05% 0%/0.04% LV 8 70,000 ≥15,000 -0.005%/0.045% -0.005%/0.036% LV 9 80,000 ≥25,000 -0.005%/0.04% -0.005%/0.032% LV 10 90,000 ≥40,000 -0.005%/0.035% -0.005%/0.028% LV 11 100,000 ≥60,000 -0.005%/0.03% -0.005%/0.024% LV 12 150,000 ≥80,000 -0.005%/0.025% -0.005%/0.02% Full fee schedule: https://www.kucoin.com/vip/level |
Coinbase trading volume is 128,979,540.0. The exchange has 78 available trading pairs. Fiat trading is available on the exchange. Margin trading is not available.
KuCoin trading volume is 36,168,422.0. The exchange has 445 available trading pairs. Fiat trading is available on the exchange. Margin trading is available.
Please note: The bigger number of available trading pairs provides you with more trading opportunities, but may cause technological shortcomings at the same time.
128979540 | 36168422 |
78 | 445 |
29 | 223 |
Free | Free |
Percentage | Percentage |
- |
Volume | Volume 128979540 | Volume 36168422 |
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Pairs | Pairs 78 | Pairs 445 |
Coins | Coins 29 | Coins 223 |
Fiat trading | Fiat trading | Fiat trading |
Deposit | Deposit Free | Deposit Free |
Fees | Fees Percentage | Fees Percentage |
Margin | Margin - | Margin |
Verified | Unverified |
Two factor authentication | Two factor authentication | Two factor authentication |
---|---|---|
Verified | Verified Verified | Verified Unverified |
coinbase-consumer.sjv.io | www.kucoin.com |
@coinbase | @kucoincom |
1100000 | 337999 |
Website | Website coinbase-consumer.sjv.io | Website www.kucoin.com |
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Twitter @coinbase | Twitter @kucoincom | |
Number of followers | Number of followers 1100000 | Number of followers 337999 |
User rating | 15 user review | 16 user review |
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Cryptogeek rating |
Coinbase and KuCoin are both solid exchanges, but for different types of traders. Coinbase is ideal for beginners, hobby investors, and those who value regulatory protection and integration with fiat currencies. KuCoin is ideal for serious traders who need advanced features, a variety of assets, and cheap fees. Knowing your trading habits as well as what you value will assist you in selecting the exchange that suits your cryptocurrency objectives.
We choose the winner based on our TrustScore Rating. Please remember, it’s still up to you which company to choose! How do we calculate Trust Score? |
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We choose the winner based on our TrustScore Rating. Please remember, it’s still up to you which company to choose! How do we calculate Trust Score? |
On this page, you can compare Coinbase with KuCoin. Which exchange is better to use? You can compare exchange characteristics, fees, trading features, safety, and social media presence.
At the end of this page, you can see our final ratings for both exchanges.
In the table below you can see general information on both exchanges. Coinbase was founded in 2012 in USA. KuCoin was founded in 2017 in Hong Kong.
When choosing an exchange for trading, you should take into account how long it has been an active market player. Older exchanges usually have a good reputation and tend to be more reliable. It may be a good decision to use the older exchange, which is Coinbase. At the same time, newer projects may be more technologically advanced.
You should also pay attention to where the exchange is located. Some countries have strict financial regulations, which makes it difficult to seek court assistance when needed.
Coinbase is Centralized and KuCoin is Centralized. You can read more about the pros and cons of centralized and decentralized exchanges in this article.
Coinbase has a mobile app available for iOS and Android. KuCoin has a mobile app available for iOS and Android.
Coinbase has 8 languages available, including Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Turkish and Polish. KuCoin has 10 languages available, including English, Portuguese, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Turkish and Indonesian.