Best Crypto Exchanges for Altcoins

What Is an Altcoin?

Altcoins refer to any cryptocurrency that is not Bitcoin, literally, an alternative token. Bitcoin has reigned supreme due to being the origin of crypto, and its value has surpassed any crypto to date. Additionally, Bitcoin is responsible for more real-world transactions than any other coin.

Recently, cryptos, stablecoins, and defi currencies have garnered more attention, crypto investors, and ultimately more wealth. Many of these coins are designed with a different intent than Bitcoin, making them indirect competitors. Altcoins focus on alternative blockchain solutions and payment systems, and the industry indeed allows enough room for the experimentation and success altcoins offer. So, if you want to buy cryptocurrency, specifically altcoins, read on!

1. Binance Exchange

If you’re interested enough in crypto to read this guide, you likely already know about Binance, perhaps the largest and most famous cryptocurrency exchange. But Binance is more than its stunning reputation. Let’s take a deeper look.

Based in Hong Kong, Binance was founded in 2017, making it a relative newcomer to the exchange scene. Still, with only a few years under its belt, Binance has seen resounding success. In volume alone, Binance has hit numbers close to $50 billion per day.

Binance’s ICO blew most other exchanges out of the water, garnering $15 million. Regardless, Binance saw most of its success in its product, the exchange itself. Even Binance Coin (BNB), Binance‘s native token, does well for itself, especially since users can use it to pay transaction fees on the site.

Understandably, a large part of Binance’s trading volume is due to the excess of Bitcoin on the exchange. However, Binance offers over 100 altcoins with 400 trading pairs, creating a beautiful exchange platform. Binance supports payment from a bank transfer, credit card, debit card, wire transfer, fiat, or PayPal and offers high liquidity.

Binance is among the best crypto exchanges for altcoins due to its low fee structure, separating it from other exchanges of similar size. If you’re trading with low volume, you can enjoy exchange fees lower than 0.1%. Likewise, Binance offers tremendous customer support, giving users a sense of security beyond Binance’s anti-hacking infrastructure.

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2. Coinbase Exchange

Originating as a Bitcoin wallet service in 2012, Coinbase has grown over the years into one of the best crypto exchanges for altcoins. US-based, Coinbase has seen much of its success on the back of venture capital.

One of the exchange’s most significant selling points is its user-friendly charting, design, and interface. If you’re a veteran of the crypto trade, you can even use Coinbase PRO for a more in-depth and technical feel. This updated platform allows you to customize your user experience to your liking, allowing you to optimize trading if you know what you’re doing.

As with most centralized exchanges (CEXs), Coinbase’s mobile app acts as a crypto wallet, giving you access wherever you go and keeping you from seeking out another party to hold your coins.

Coinbase hosts around 50 digital assets, including some less popular tokens like 0x (ZRX) and Stellar (XLM). Be careful, however, as some of these coins are not available in all countries. Still, Coinbase has a presence in over 100 countries, making it one of the most widespread exchanges.

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3. Bittrex Exchange

One of the best crypto exchanges for altcoins is Bittrex. Founded in 2014 by a team of digital security experts, Bittrex has continued to change and progress remarkably. We can credit much of this to the platform’s commitment to security to ward off hackers and scams, making it easily one of the most trusted exchanges on the crypto market.

Exchanges like Coinbase made it onto our list due to their sheer popularity, not necessarily how many altcoins they sport. Bittrex is nearly unmatched in this area, offering over 300 unique cryptocurrencies and over 600 trading pairs!

This diversity doesn’t necessarily mean that the coins are the type to rise at first and then fizzle out. Before they get brought onto the exchange, each currency undergoes a thorough evaluation by Bittrex’s team.

One of the more disappointing features is Bittrex’s customer support, which is lacking. Many accounts get suspended for various reasons, some more ambiguous than others, and you have to undergo a long and drawn-out process to get the account reinstated. This issue has caused many users to leave, but, according to Bittrex, the problem only affects less than 0.1% of users.

Bittrex complies with AML and KYC regulations and, due to its decentralized nature, requires a bit of personal info on your behalf on signup. Overall, Bittrex and similar exchanges use this data for general security features, but it poses an impasse for some traders who want to keep all of their data secure. If that’s what you desire, consider decentralized exchanges (DEXs).

Tap here for a full Bittrex crypto exchange review!

4. KuCoin Exchange

KuCoin is another platform that offers fees as low as 0.1%. About one-quarter of all crypto traders worldwide use KuCoin, a staggering number, to say the least. Whether confirmed or not, it’s clear that quite a few traders have tried using KuCoin.

While only opening its brokerage in 2017, KuCoin was under development for six years, giving them a bit of a springboard from which to launch themselves. Today, KuCoin sees about $500 million traded per day, according to a P2P fiat currency exchange, mainly due to the company’s innovation and subsequent success in the market.

KuCoin is one of the best crypto exchanges for altcoins because it boasts around 200 altcoins and 400 trading pairs. Expect the majority of the most popular coins, like BTC, ETH, and ERC-20 tokens.

Tap here for a full KuCoin crypto exchange review!

5. Kraken Exchange

While Kraken offers fewer altcoins than many of the others on our list, it has enough gusto to land a spot on our best crypto exchanges for altcoins list. Founded in 2011, making it one of the first on the scene, Kraken launched in 2013 with the options to trade Bitcoin, Litecoin, and other Euro trades. Jesse Powell, the exchange’s founder, spent a lot of time learning about what makes unsuccessful exchanges fail, working as hard as he could with his team to avoid those mistakes with Kraken.

After Kraken acquired Coinsetter and Clearcoin in 2016, it expanded to 37 states in the US, eventually adding around 50 altcoins to its list of available trades. This growth came with the added benefit of a few hundred pairs. With futures, staling, and margin trading available, Kraken allows its users to find more than a few ways to make a profit.

Today, Kraken offers international availability, making it a powerhouse able to surpass once larger exchanges like Bitfinex. The only countries you cannot use Kraken are Afghanistan, Tajikistan, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Japan.

Kraken is known for, and relishes in, keeping 95% of all deposits in cold storage, backed by real-time surveillance and the integration of KYC regulations. Additionally, you can expect the same 2FA utilized by most CEXs.

Tap here for a full Kraken crypto exchange review!

6. Changelly Exchange

Changelly lands a spot on our best crypto exchanges for altcoins list because it’s been a juggernaut in the scene since its inception in 2015. Today, Changelly has over 2 million consistent users.

Primarily, Changelly operates as a crypto exchange. Still, as of recent development, it also allows for fiat currency trading, making it stand apart from many others on this list. The main fiat currencies offered for deposits include EUR, USD, and GBP.

This exchange’s primary focus is making crypto available to all people or, as its team would say, “lowering the entry barrier.” They’ve achieved this in part with their intuitive and simple signup process. Like others on the list, they offer a PRO version, where you need access via a KYC form for added ergonomic benefits and more.

For its size especially, Changelly surprises us with over 150 coins available, many of them popular, making it a reasonably legitimate exchange. Enjoy low withdrawal fees, such as the BTC withdrawal rate of 0.0004 BTC.

Tap here for a full Changelly crypto exchange review!

7. Gemini Exchange

Gemini is another exchange on the best crypto exchanges for altcoins list that doesn’t sport a tremendous amount of coins. Instead, it gets a spot due to its uniqueness and forward-thinking strategy.

Gemini is one of few crypto exchanges that allow bank account deposits and withdrawals on account of their BitLicense. Gemini gets a lot of support from regulators, making a consistent effort to operate by the books and with the highest security measures.

According to data on trading volume, most of Gemini’s users come from the US. Still, you can also access Gemini in South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, Puerto Rico, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

You can expect fees around 0.25% on average, a lower number than many other popular exchanges, but still, nothing compared to others on this list of the best crypto exchanges for altcoins. What’s better, Gemini offers no withdrawal fees for up to 10 Bitcoin or Ethereum withdrawals and 30 bank account withdrawals per month.

In the US, enjoy access to up to 25 different coins. Again, this is nothing to brag about compared to other entries, but still worth a shot if those cryptos are the only ones you trade.

Tap here for a full Gemini crypto exchange review!

8. CEX.io Exchange

Starting in 2013, CEX.io has over 3 million users across the globe. The cross-platform exchange has an intuitive interface backed by solid apps for both iOS and Android. CEX.io offers fiats such as EUR, GBP, USD, and RUB, with dozens of other altcoins and mainstay coins like ETH and BTC.

The exchange’s founder, Oleksandr Lutskevych, started as a mining provider, a necessary trade in the crypto industry. This experience gave him a solid base to forgo his mining operation and move to a crypto trading platform. Now, they have popular services like crypto-backed loans, staking, and margin trading.

While CEX.io is on our list of best crypto exchanges for altcoins, you will experience fees around 0.15% to 0.25% for maker and taker, respectively, with different deposit and withdrawal fees based on the fiat you use and payment method. CEX.io supports VISA, Epay, MasterCard, Bank Transfer, ACH, and Skrill payments.

One of the significant downsides of this exchange includes revealing a lot of personal information to CEX.io, including your address and personal ID.

Tap here for a full Cex.io crypto exchange review!

9. Poloniex Exchange

Now, back to some serious numbers. Poloniex gains a spot on our best crypto exchanges for altcoins thanks to its over 100 altcoins you can freely trade. Poloniex only takes 0.125% in maker and taker fees, one of the lowest rates available that allow their users to freely, actively, and consistently trade–ideal for those who make day trading one of their primary sources of income. With good margin trading options, Poloniex reigns tried and true for experienced users.

Before 2019, this exchange only allowed crypto-to-crypto exchanges, but as of today, they accept multiple fiat currencies for payment in a limited fashion. Regardless, Poloniex was the first exchange to reach a $1 billion trading volume, which is a pretty high-volume. It reigns as one of the most trusted and used crypto exchanges on the market.

Poloniex has one issue in its past holding it back to this day: in May 2019, a flash crash caused the CLAM/BTC margin to freeze, ultimately causing a loss of 1,800 BTC. Remarkably, this exchange reimbursed all traders who lost BTC and has made strides to avoid similar mistakes in the future. With tons of trading options at the ready, Poloniex represents one of the best altcoin exchanges.

Tap here for a full Poloniex crypto exchange review!

10. Huobi Exchange

We can trace Huobi’s origins back to 2013, founded by Leon Li, a prominent computer engineer. Huobi began in China, but after China banned crypto exchanges and ICOs in 2017, Li looked to a global scale, expanding as he saw fit. Currently, the headquarters reside in Seychelles.

Today, Huobi boasts up to 340 different digital currencies to trade, encompassing a ton of altcoins, rivaling industry giants like Binance—not a small feat. Huobi operates as a jack of all trades in the crypto industry, allowing users to trade swaps, futures, and options. Likewise, users can use their OTC services and crypto-asset servicing and loans.

Huobi offers unique selling points, like their above-average currency exchange, multiple dedicated mobile apps, and the Huobi Wallet that allows you to store coins on the same platform you trade—taking a lot of the hassle out of CEX.

This platform is among the best cryptocurrency exchanges for altcoins because it has excellent security, including multiple signatures for wallets and access to accounts, as well as two-factor authentication. This top-rated altcoin exchange is a great place to start trading crypto derivatives especially for advanced traders. This includes a variety of futures markets that can all be accessed on margin.

Tap here for a full Huobi crypto exchange review!

11. Swyftx Exchange

Swyftx started in 2019, controlled by blockchain aficionados Angus Goldman and Alex Harper. Based in Australia, this platform rapidly grew into one of the best crypto exchanges for altcoins, especially in the Aussie market.

With Swyftx, users can take advantage of an intuitive, ergonomic interface. Couple this with over 280 altcoins at your disposal, and you have a stellar exchange out of the box. Users experience high traffic and trading volumes, testaments to Swyftx’s prowess. Even if you want to trade some of the more obscure altcoins (CVC, MITH, and CRV, for example), Swyftx has you covered.

Swyftx offers automated trading, allowing you to make a profit even while you sleep. Utilizing the platform’s TradingView features, you can instantly access the best speeds and prices, customized to meet your parameters. This exchange features a native wallet and a dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android, allowing you to streamline the process and trade altcoins wherever you want.

Tap here for a full Swyftx crypto exchange review!

12. eToro Exchange

Are you a beginner in the crypto world? Then eToro might be among the best crypto exchanges for altcoins on your radar. With only 17 cryptos available now, eToro makes the process seamless and straightforward for newcomers, making the exchange a great jumping-off point.

eToro was one of the first exchanges on the scene, debuting in 2007. To this day, it serves over 140 countries and has a whopping 20 million users.

If you’re an advanced user, skip this exchange. Many veterans find it too simple to accommodate their needs. Nonetheless, eToro presents a fantastic way to dip your feet into altcoin trading if you’re a novice.

eToro supports multiple payment methods such as debit and credit, sporting a low minimum deposit of only $50, allowing you to get started at any volume—especially with the low trade commissions. This exchange is highly regulated by some of the world’s top-ranking regulatory bodies, making it super safe.

Tap here for a full eToro crypto exchange review!

13. Coinspot Exchange

We’re sure you’ve heard of Coinspot before—with its household name and ranking among the best crypto exchanges for altcoins. This platform is one of the oldest and most reliable exchanges based in Australia. With Coinspot, you can expect low fees and a large selection of cryptos, allowing you to mostly trade how you like (with coins like Dogecoin (DOGE), Litecoin (LTC), Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Cardano (ADA), Tether (USDT), Stellar (XLM), Tron (TRX), and more).

Users get the most out of Coinspot by engaging in OTC trades, market orders, instant buys, swaps, and sells. The infrastructure allows you to venture into advanced trading, utilizing stop orders, limit orders, recurring buys, and taking a profit.

Advanced trading cryptocurrency will run you some premium fees, starting at 1% per trade, but this is expected for such a service. You can freely deposit funds via your bank accounts, credit cards, and numerous alternative payment methods.

Still, you will run into many limits for the higher-end features. BPAY limits clock in at $10,000 daily, and cash withdrawals have an $8,000 maximum and $50 minimum. You will have a $2,000 limit in your first week, but you can efficiently work around this, primarily if you use another exchange in the meantime.

Ultimately, you can expect a robust infrastructure ready to handle whatever you throw at it. Withdrawal limits might pose a barrier for some, but for others trading in lower volumes, you’ll hardly ever have to worry about them.

Tap here for a full Coinspot crypto exchange review!

14. Bitstamp Exchange

Beginning to round off our best crypto exchanges for altcoins list is Bitstamp. Co-founded in 2011 by Damian Merlak and Nejc Kodrich, the platform was initially based out of Slovenia. Now, it’s relocated to Luxembourg after a slew of regulatory issues in the UK.

This exchange is stellar for traders in the European Union, as many rules and regulations will prove commonplace. Bitstamp follows all European finance law, backed by large institutions like Credit Agricole, Swissquote, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Bitstamp has remained selective in their allowed altcoins, but they’re constantly reviewing new currencies—currently ETC, BAT, USDC, ZRX, and ZEC. Deposit funds with U.S. Dollar (USD) or Euro (EUR) to complete your first order. You can also use CHF and GBP, but Bitstamp converts them to USD or EUR for a minimal fee.

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15. Crypto.com Exchange

Crypto.com has over 250+ altcoins. This exchange is worth looking into if you want to diversify your portfolio with the best long-term crypto investments. It takes only minutes to open an account and you can immediately buy Bitcoin or buy altcoins using a debit card once you have been verified. The fee for this service is 2.99%, but it is sometimes waived for new customers.

You can also transfer funds through ACH or a domestic bank wire free of charge to reduce costs. You will pay only 0.40% per slide once the funds have arrived. Crypto.com also offers a popular altcoin, CRO. This allows you to lower your trading commissions.

Crypto.com also ranks among the top altcoin trading platforms , earning interest on your crypto holdings. The crypto savings account supports many altcoins, and the yields are determined by how long you keep the tokens locked away. You can choose between a one- or three-month lock-up, or none at all.

You can also increase your APY with the CRO token, as previously mentioned. The top-rated altcoin exchange offers crypto loans, which is another popular feature. This feature allows you to quickly raise funds without having to sell your crypto tokens. Finally, Crypto.com provides a secure mobile wallet app and an NFT marketplace.

Tap here for a full Crypto.com crypto exchange review!

Final Thoughts

When choosing the best crypto exchanges for altcoins, you have a lot to consider. Whether you pick a tried and true company from the early age of crypto or a newcomer utilizing bold, fresh ideas, many exchanges offer value and plenty of altcoins to trade.

If you think you’ve got what it takes and are ready to chase trends and follow the data, take a moment to consider what exactly you want out of an exchange. Don’t be afraid to try a few until you find one that fits your style. Ultimately, as long as you’ve discovered a CEX that supports the coins you’re interested in, you cannot go wrong.