United States
United Kingdom
Germany
Netherlands
Australia
United Arab Emirates
Canada
Italy
Spain
Austria
Croatia
Serbia
Portugal
CyprusKraken vs KuCoin
What each one charges, who licenses it, and how they rank against each other country by country.
The short version
We rank both for crypto in 8 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them.
We score each country separately, based on the company that would actually hold your account there, so check your own country in the table below.
On the one fee we could check for both, KuCoin is cheaper.
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, KuCoin from FMA (Austria).
- KuCoin is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.1%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken.Edge: KuCoin
- We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and KuCoin in 8. They overlap in 8.Edge: Kraken
- Kraken gets more search attention than KuCoin (Market Signal 73 vs 63). That tells you how well known it is, not how good it is.
Where you can use each one
Where each one ranks on our list in every country we cover, its Coinish Score there, and the company that would hold your account. If a broker isn't allowed to take clients from a country, it isn't on that country's list.
Crypto exchanges
| Country | Kraken | KuCoin |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 2168/100Locally licensed KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Croatia | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Cyprus | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Germany | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 2168/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Italy | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Netherlands | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Portugal | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Spain | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #9 of 1968/100EU passport KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH · FMA (Austria) |
| Australia | #3 of 774/100Foreign licence Bit Trade Pty Limited · AUSTRAC | Not listed |
| Canada | #3 of 676/100Locally licensed Payward Canada Inc. · CSA | Not listed |
| United Kingdom | #2 of 576/100Locally licensed Payward Ltd · FCA | Not listed |
Fees and features side by side
| Kraken | KuCoin | |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Crypto, Futures | Crypto, Futures |
| Owner | Payward, Inc. | Not verified yet |
| Crypto trading fee | 0.8%, base-tier taker fee on the order book | 0.1%, base-tier taker fee on the order book |
| Inactivity fee | None | Not verified yet |
| Withdrawal fee | Not verified yet | €1, SEPA Instant withdrawal |
| Minimum deposit | €1 (Payward Europe Solutions Limited) | Not verified yet |
| Instruments | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Platforms | Kraken app, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop | KuCoin app (Android, iOS), KuCoin web |
| Deposit methods | Debit/credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH transfer | SEPA, Visa, Mastercard, Bank transfer |
| Withdrawal time (stated) | most arrive within 24 hours | SEPA Instant: instant; SEPA credit: within 2 working days |
| Demo account | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Support | live chat, email · 24/7 | Not verified yet |
Every figure comes from the broker's own pages or its regulator. You'll find the sources in each review (Kraken, KuCoin).
Licences
Kraken vs KuCoin: common questions
Which is better, Kraken or KuCoin?
We rank both for crypto in 8 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them. For reference, Kraken's best ranking is #2 of 5 crypto exchanges in the United Kingdom, and KuCoin's best ranking is #9 of 21 crypto exchanges in Germany.
Is Kraken cheaper than KuCoin?
KuCoin is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.1%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken.
Is Kraken or KuCoin better regulated?
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, KuCoin from FMA (Austria). Which company you actually sign up with depends on where you live; the country table on this page names it for each one.
Can I use both Kraken and KuCoin where I live?
We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and KuCoin in 8. They overlap in 8. For crypto, you'll find both on our lists in Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.