KuCoin vs OKX 2024: Which Exchange is BEST?

Last updated: Nov 01, 2023
31 Min Read
AI Generated Summary
Summary
Summary
https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/08/OKX_Inline.jpg
https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/09/merch_inline.jpg
https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/08/OKX_Inline.jpg
https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/09/merch_inline.jpg
cbc-logo
cbc-logo
Rating
4.3
4.4
Headquarters

Seychelles

Seychelles

Year Established

2017

2016

Regulation

Not regulated by any national licensing bodies. Legally operates as a Digital Assets Exchange under Seychelles law

Virtual Asset Trading License– HK SFC

VFAA compliant– Malta Financial Services

Provisional Virtual Assets License– Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority

Spot Cryptocurrencies Listed

700+

350+

Native Token

KCS

OKB

Maker/Taker Fees

Lowest: -0.005%/0.025%

Highest: 0.1% / 0.1%

Lowest: -0.005%/0.020%

Highest: 0.080%/0.1%

Security

High

Very High

Beginner Friendly

Advanced trading concepts can be confusing for beginners. Many features and products on KuCoin may be overwhelming for new users.

Advanced trading concepts can be confusing for beginners. Many features and products on OKX may be overwhelming for new users.

KYC/AML Verification

KYC is required for all account levels.

KYC is required for all account levels.

Fiat Currency Support

Crypto can be purchased with 50+ fiat currencies supported through various integrated partners.

Fiat withdrawals not supported.

Crypto can be purchased with 90+ fiat currencies and withdrawals are supported in 12 fiat currencies.

Fiat withdrawals not supported.

Deposit/Withdraw Methods

Deposit– Buy crypto with 70+ payment methods such as card, bank transfers, Apple Pay etc. through third-party integrations. Crypto deposits accepted.

 Withdraw– Crypto only

Deposit- Buy crypto with 129+ supported services for bank transfers, card purchases, Apple Pay, etc. through third-party integrations. Crypto deposits accepted.

Withdraw– Crypto only.

cbc-logo
cbc-logo
Rating
4.3
4.4
Headquarters

Seychelles

Seychelles

Year Established

2017

2016

Regulation

Not regulated by any national licensing bodies. Legally operates as a Digital Assets Exchange under Seychelles law

Virtual Asset Trading License– HK SFC

VFAA compliant– Malta Financial Services

Provisional Virtual Assets License– Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority

Spot Cryptocurrencies Listed

700+

350+

Native Token

KCS

OKB

Maker/Taker Fees

Lowest: -0.005%/0.025%

Highest: 0.1% / 0.1%

Lowest: -0.005%/0.020%

Highest: 0.080%/0.1%

Security

High

Very High

Beginner Friendly

Advanced trading concepts can be confusing for beginners. Many features and products on KuCoin may be overwhelming for new users.

Advanced trading concepts can be confusing for beginners. Many features and products on OKX may be overwhelming for new users.

KYC/AML Verification

KYC is required for all account levels.

KYC is required for all account levels.

Fiat Currency Support

Crypto can be purchased with 50+ fiat currencies supported through various integrated partners.

Fiat withdrawals not supported.

Crypto can be purchased with 90+ fiat currencies and withdrawals are supported in 12 fiat currencies.

Fiat withdrawals not supported.

Deposit/Withdraw Methods

Deposit– Buy crypto with 70+ payment methods such as card, bank transfers, Apple Pay etc. through third-party integrations. Crypto deposits accepted.

 Withdraw– Crypto only

Deposit- Buy crypto with 129+ supported services for bank transfers, card purchases, Apple Pay, etc. through third-party integrations. Crypto deposits accepted.

Withdraw– Crypto only.

With the multitude of crypto exchanges out there specializing in different areas, finding the right one to meet your needs can be difficult, we get it. That’s why here at the Coin Bureau, one of our missions is tirelessly testing, reviewing, and covering dozens of different cryptocurrency exchanges to help our community find the perfect exchange for them.

In today’s review, we have two of the largest, longest-standing, and most well-respected titans in the space. Both OKX and KuCoin have been around the crypto block a time or two and have earned the trust and adoption of millions of users worldwide after years of providing an excellent platform for crypto trading.

For more information on these two crypto exchanges, be sure to check out our in-depth dedicated OKX Review and KuCoin Review.

Also, as you are on a journey to find a great cryptocurrency exchange, you may enjoy reading the Top Crypto Exchanges 2024 article.

Alright, let’s get into the OKX vs KuCoin review and determine which one is right for you.

Note: Users located in the US and UK are not supported.

KuCoin vs OKX

Further in this article, we will take a closer look at each exchange individually, but first, we want to give you an overview of our findings by comparing OKX vs KuCoin.

https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/08/OKX_Inline.jpg

If I were to summarize this article in a few short sentences, my verdict would be that OKX (formerly OKeX) is the better exchange for those looking for an “all-in-one” crypto exchange. OKX is leading the exchange industry in Web3, DeFi and NFT innovation, and has an impressive catalogue of product and feature offerings.

Not to mention, thanks to their rock-bottom fees, comprehensive fiat and deposit support options, professional-grade trading engine, and brilliantly designed UX/UI, OKX has become a leading favourite for millions of crypto users around the globe. OKX is the perfect exchange for those who are new and “crypto-curious” to those who want to be on the cutting edge of Web3 and DeFi innovation, and even professional traders enjoy the seamless trading experience on OKX.

👉 Sign up to OKX and get a whopping 40% discount on trading fees for life!

KuCoin, on the other hand, is better suited for those who enjoy “Vegas-Style” trading competitions and lottery-style giveaways. KuCoin has done a great job gamifying trading and has a fantastic launchpad for users interested in investing in early startup projects. KuCoin is also the #1 exchange for rare altcoin enthusiasts as they support a whopping 700+ tradable assets.

👉 Sign up for KuCoin and claim your 60% discount on trading fees!

KuCoin vs OKX: Products Offered

OKX and KuCoin have more similarities than differences when it comes to product offerings. They both provide professional-grade trading platforms with second-to-none matching and trading engines to ensure a flawless trading experience for spot, margin, and derivatives trading. Both platforms offer a robust site featuring an Earn section, crypto lending, an NFT marketplace, trading bots, and more.

At the time of writing, KuCoin is ranked the #5 largest exchange in the world with OKX not far behind at the #9 position for spot trading, and OKX is #3 with KuCoin at #4 for derivatives trading in terms of 24h trading volume. OKX is one of the fastest growing exchanges since their rebrand and focus on Web3 integration and is quickly moving up the ranks, looking to enter the top 5 for spot trading volume as well.

A good note is that both OKX and KuCoin have published their Proof of Reserves after the FTX collapse as well, providing users with confidence that there is no shady business going on.

Here is a look at how these two compare in terms of trading volume according to CoinMarketCap:

exchange listings 2
 A Look at OKX vs KuCoin by Derivatives Trading Volume. Image via CoinMarketCap

KuCoin has become a popular platform for serious traders thanks to the advanced trading interface and huge number of tradeable derivatives and spot products available. KuCoin’s launchpad is also one of the best in the industry and the platform features some of the best trading competitions around.

KuCoin, along with Bybit, leads in the area of trading competitions and trading games, enticing serious traders who are interested in putting their skills to the test. KuCoin is also the top exchange for users who like to try their luck with lottery-style giveaways.

KuCoin Homepage
 A Look at the KuCoin Homepage

OKX, on the other hand, has a fantastic reputation as one of the most secure exchanges in the world, which we will cover in a later section. They are also one of the front-runners when it comes to building a bridge connecting DeFi and CeFi, providing a beautifully crafted and simple way for users to engage with DeFi protocols without the complexities traditionally involved.

Like KuCoin, OKX also has a massive offering of tradeable spot, derivatives, and margin products, attracting both beginner and professional traders. OKX has a robust earn section that is perfect for those looking to grow their hodl-stash, or users can access crypto loans, a variety of trading bots, or take advantage of the launchpad called Jumpstart.

OKX checks a box that KuCoin does not, and that is that they are a regulated and licensed exchange. 

The user interface and experience on OKX is also one of the best in the industry. Many crypto exchanges have decided to use the same layout and design, there are dozens of exchanges that are basic clones of one another with different colour schemes. OKX designed their platform from the ground up and created one of the most beautifully designed interfaces:

okx homepage
 A Look at the OKX Homepage

Alright, let’s take a quick look at what KuCoin has to offer

  • Buy crypto with over 50 fiat currencies
  • Swap crypto easily with the “convert” feature
  • Access an advanced trading interface for Spot, Margin and Derivatives trading
  • Trade leveraged tokens
  • 10x leverage for Spot trading up to 100x leverage for Futures
  • KuCard crypto debit card
  • Rewards hub
  • Trading Bots
  • Crypto lending, Earn, and launchpad
  • Full-service NFT marketplace for buying, selling, minting, and investing in fractionalized NFTs

Here is what OKX offers:

  • Buy crypto with over 90 fiat currencies
  • Swap crypto easily with the convert feature
  • Access an advanced trading interface for Spot, Margin and Derivatives trading
  • 125x leverage on Futures, 5x Leverage on spot pairs
  • Leveraged tokens
  • Easy integration to DeFi and Web3 DApps
  • Trading Bots
  • Earn section, crypto lending and launchpad
  • NFT marketplace
  • Safety + Security with comprehensive licensing and regulatory compliance and robust security measures

That covers the products and key features at a glance, now let’s jump into how else these two stack up.

KuCoin vs OKX: User Friendliness

Both OKX and KuCoin offer advanced trading products and features that cannot be considered “beginner-friendly,” but both platforms are very user-friendly for those who know their way around a crypto exchange.

While the advanced features may not be well-suited for beginners, both platforms also provide crypto swap and convert features that are beginner-friendly, and the other areas of the platform are also quite user-friendly. The OKX app does an especially good job separating different sections of the app and wallet, making the platform easy to navigate for users with different needs and skill levels.

OKX mobile
 Image via OKX

The navigation for both platforms is intuitive and the sites are well-designed, there aren’t any glaringly negative criticisms to be made about the user experience on either platform.

I feel that OKX does take the win in this category though as it provides features and products for crypto users on any step of their journey, from newbies to pros, as opposed to KuCoin, which is slightly geared more towards experienced traders. The UX/UI on OKX also edges out a win over KuCoin in my opinion.

If we turn our attention to the meat and potatoes of the platforms, the trading interfaces themselves, both platforms leverage the incredibly powerful TradingView charting interface, which has become the industry gold standard in charting tools.

TradingView ensures that both platforms can meet the needs of even the most hardcore technical analysts. OKX also offers their own native trading interface that can be accessed with a click of a button, which also provides plenty of utility.

Here is a look at the OKX trading screen:

OKX trading interface
 A Look at the OKX Trading Interface

Here is a look at KuCoin’s trading interface

KuCoin Trading
 A Look at the KuCoin Trading Screen

OKX also features a “Basic” trading screen for those who don’t need all the extra bells and whistles, and both KuCoin and OKX feature the easiest way to trade with these simple “Convert” options:

Convert
 Both OKX and KuCoin Feature a Convert Option, The Easiest Way to Trade

Pro Tip: On most platforms, using the “one-click-trading” convert or swap features, though convenient, often come with the highest fees, substantially higher than you will encounter by using the trading interface. You don’t even need to learn how to trade, simply using the “buy” and “sell” buttons on the trading interfaces can help you save a lot in the long run.

If you do want to learn how to trade, we do have a fantastic article on learning technical analysis. If you prefer video format, Guy also has a great three-part video series where he teaches the craft of trading, you can find part one below:

Both platforms offer advanced order types and are robust enough with deep liquidity for professional and institutional traders. To sum this section up, from a pure trading perspective, neither platform takes the win as both are equally matched and best-in-class.

Outside of the trading interface, OKX takes the win as the platform is better designed, has a nicer interface, has more functionality and utility, and Web3 and DeFi integrations, making it better suited to a wider range of crypto users.

KuCoin vs OKX: Fees

KuCoin and OKX are incredibly competitive when it comes to fees, both offering the lowest trading fees you’ll find in the industry.

Both crypto exchanges use a tiered fee structure with fees depending on a 30-day rolling trading volume and/or assets held. KuCoin users can enjoy an additional 20% off trading fees if they choose to pay their fees with KuCoin’s KCS token, which places their fees fractions of a percentage lower than what is offered on OKX.

Here is a look at the Spot trading fees on OKX:

OKX fees
 Image via OKX

You can find the full list of fees on the OKX Fees page.
👉 Sign up to OKX and get a huge 40% discount on trading fees for life!

Here is what traders can expect to pay on KuCoin:

KuCoin trading fees
 Image via KuCoin

You can find a full list of fees on the KuCoin Fees page.
👉 Sign up for KuCoin and claim a massive 60% discount on trading fees!

Though the trading fees are incredibly low on these platforms, the biggest weakness for both exchanges is the lack of native fiat onramp support.

Unlike exchanges like Binance, Kraken, Crypto.com, and Coinbase, neither OKX nor KuCoin natively supports buying crypto with fiat or bank deposits and needs to facilitate purchases and deposits through third-party service providers. These service providers charge higher fees for purchasing crypto than utilizing bank transfer/deposit options on exchanges that support banking services natively.

KuCoin often runs promotions allowing users to buy crypto via card with zero fees which is worth looking out for and both platforms offer P2P trading, which can often be a cheaper way to buy and sell on these platforms.

KuCoin vs OKX: Security

With many of the major exchanges experiencing hacks that have resulted in stolen customer funds, finding a secure exchange is of the utmost importance.

Unfortunately, both OKX and KuCoin have suffered hacks in the past, with the OKX hack being back in 2017 and the KuCoin hack happening in 2020. Since then, both exchanges have significantly bolstered their security protocols and now meet industry best practices for security.

OKX takes a win in the security category due to the fact that they are regulated and have not had a security breach since 2017. OKX also has incredibly robust security and safety protocols and procedures in place, making them one of the most secure exchanges available.

OKX security
 Image via OKX

Using secure online and offline storage systems with multi-signature protection, multiple backups, and public proof-of-reserves, OKX users can rest easy knowing that they are using a highly secure platform. Here is a look at the impressive lengths OKX takes with their security responsibilities:

  • Each cold wallet address stores no more than 1,000 BTC and is only used once.
  • Private keys never interact with internet or USBs. Each private key is encrypted on an offline computer using AES with the non-encrypted keys being deleted.
  • AES encryption password is held by employees in different locations.
  • The offline private keys are only accessible via QR codes, not coming into contact with the internet.
  • QR codes are printed and copies are stored in separate bank vaults on different continents, each requiring in-person access.

OKX keeps 95% of funds in offline, air-gapped cold storage environments well outside the reach of hackers. For their hot wallets, OKX utilizes semi-offline multi-signature mechanisms and multiple risk management methods to verify deposits and withdrawals, making unauthorized access to hot wallets highly unlikely.

If hackers do somehow manage to drain any portion of the 5% of funds kept in hot wallets, OKX has a risk reserve fund where they allocate a percentage of their earnings to reimburse users in the event of a hack. All this together makes OKX a fantastic choice for security-minded users.

From a customer perspective, users can enable the following security options to secure their accounts:

  • Login Password
  • Email Verification
  • 2FA for login
  • Google Authenticator
  • Mobile Verification
  • Secondary password for withdrawals
  • Anti-phishing code

Turning our attention to KuCoin, while they do not go above and beyond like OKX, they do take the most important step in crypto security, and that is that they keep the majority of customer funds in offline, cold storage wallets. KuCoin follows comprehensive security precautions at both the system and operational levels with platform monitoring and site-wide encryption.

KuCoin has also partnered with a company called Onchain Custodian to secure the cryptocurrencies held, which includes insurance against crimes such as hacks.

From a customer perspective, users can secure their accounts with the following features:

  • Login Password
  • 2FA
  • Security Questions
  • Phone Verification
  • Email Notifications
  • Trading Password
  • Anti-phishing code
  • IP address whitelisting

Great, now that we have covered a bit of head-to-head, let’s dive into each one a little more in detail.

KuCoin Overview

What is KuCoin

KuCoin was one of the first crypto exchanges that set its focus on providing a robust crypto trading platform for serious traders. The founders have been working in blockchain since all the way back in 2011 and began the design for KuCoin in 2013. The founders were so obsessed with perfecting the platform that they did not launch until 2017. The years of work and dedication were instantly noticed as early adoption skyrocketed and KuCoin has remained a top 5 exchange to this day with millions of users worldwide.

kucoin features
 Some of KuCoin’s Boasting Rights. Image via KuCoin

KuCoin has always been a popular hub for trading enthusiasts thanks to the high-performance trading interface and trading/matching engines that ensure the platform is suitable for anyone ranging from institutional traders all the way down to the average retail trader.

Best known for its large selection of products, impressive altcoin support, Vegas-style trading contests, promos and giveaways. KuCoin requires KYC for all levels of trading. 

  • Level 1: Requires personal information
  • Level 2: Photo ID (Selfie)
  • Level 3: Face recognition 

KuCoin has also managed to remain a top ten exchange thanks to its incredibly low fees, though it's good to note its primary weakness is a lack of fiat on and offramp support, resulting in traders not being able to withdraw fiat to a bank account.

Cryptocurrencies Offered

KuCoin and Gate.io are the leaders in the industry when it comes to asset support with KuCoin offing 750+ different cryptocurrencies and listing new assets quicker than most of the competition.

The crypto exchange also has a fantastic selection of dozens of different USDT-M and Coin-M tradable Futures contracts.

You can find a full list of supported assets on KuCoin’s Supported Assets Page.

KuCoin Products

Here we will cover an overview of the products on KuCoin. We go into more detail about these products in our dedicated KuCoin review if you want to learn more.

Trading Platform

The trading interface on KuCoin is very highly rated, performing at the highest level along with the other top exchanges. The team did a stellar job building an intuitive and highly functional trading interface that is used in both professional and retail trading environments.

Traders can access both Spot markets and Derivatives markets with leverage as high as 10x for spot and 100x for Futures.

KuCoin offers trading options for both beginners who want simplicity with their “convert” feature and a more advanced trading interface for traders who need further order types and charting functionality that looks like this:

KuCoin trading interface
 Access Advanced Order Types and Charting Functionality on KuCoin

The trading interface provides access to all of the cryptocurrencies, markets, and trading pairs available on KuCoin.

The trading chart on KuCoin is powered by the world’s most popular charting platform TradingView, which provides traders with all the charting functionality needed for any style of trader.

The trading functionality on KuCoin is seamless and the platform functions at the high calibre level that you would expect from one of the world's largest exchanges. I have never encountered any issues with the trading functionality and the positive reviews online highlight what a great trading experience users have on KuCoin.

KuCoin Earn

KuCoin has one of the most comprehensive earn sections of all the exchanges, providing users with plenty of ways to earn passive income on their crypto assets.

KuCoin earn
 Put Your Crypto to Work with KuCoin Earn. Image via KuCoin

I won’t go into all the different Earn features here as we cover that in our KuCoin Review, but users on KuCoin can earn from lending, staking, the Spotlight launch platform, KuCoin Pool, KuCoin Win, and holders of the KCS token can simply hold it for daily rewards.

KuCoin also supports Polkadot parachain slot auctions giving users an easy way to get involved with the Polkadot auction process.

There are Earn products on KuCoin suitable for all risk appetites ranging from short-term to long-term.

KuCoin Spotlight

The KuCoin Spotlight is ideal for investors who are looking to pick up tokens for promising projects early before they are available to the general public.

By committing KuCoin’s KCS tokens for the various launch events, users get to enjoy deep discounts on tokens from projects that are new in the space.  This is a similar concept to the Launchpads featured on other platforms like Binance and Bybit.

KuCoin spotlight
 A Look at KuCoin Spotlight. Image via KuCoin

Thanks to the massive user base on KuCoin, the launchpad is able to attract some high-calibre and exciting new projects for investors to speculate on. Getting into tokens early before the projects gain mainstream popularity is one of the best ways to increase your ROI in crypto, but early project investing also comes with higher levels of risk.

KuCoin NFTs

The NFT sector is one area where KuCoin does things a bit differently and provides one of the best multi-tiered approaches for anyone interested in NFTs.

Through KuCoin’s Windvane, users can buy, sell, and swap NFTs, as well as gain access to exclusive airdrops, earn dividends of commission income and enjoy whitelist access to NFT projects. Windvane is KuCoin’s standard NFT marketplace and features some interesting NFT projects.

kucoin nft
 A Look at KuCoin’s NFT Platform Windvane

KuCoin also has an NFT launchpad called Wonderland, which is a fantastic concept. Wonderland acts like a standard launchpad, but instead of project tokens being available for early access, it is NFTs from some exciting GameFi and NFT projects.

Wonderland is where NFT projects can market themselves and provide KuCoin users with early access to their NFTs before they are available outside of the KuCoin ecosystem.

The third way that KuCoin is fostering innovation and advancing the NFT space is with its NFT fractionalization platform:

Kucoin fractionalized NFTs
 Image via KuCoin

Fractionalized NFTs are great for users who want exposure to some blue-chip NFTs but don’t want to pay the high price tag needed to purchase an entire NFT.

NFT Projects can contact the KuCoin team to offer up their NFTs to have them fractionalized and promoted on the platform as well.

KuCoin Leveraged Tokens

Leveraged Tokens on KuCoin are tradeable crypto assets with features of leverage built into them. These are popular products that provide traders with responsible access to leverage, without the liquidation risks or complexities of margin trading.

KuCoin leveraged tokens
 A Few of the Leveraged Tokens Available at KuCoin

KuCoin has a great selection of leveraged assets available for coins such as BTCETHADAVeChain, and more.

KuCoin Card

Crypto cards have become popular products offered by many crypto exchanges with companies like Crypto.com and Binance leading the industry with the most popular cards in the space.

In order to remain competitive, KuCoin has also recently announced that it will be making its entry into the crypto debit card space with its own KuCoin card.

kucoin card
 Image via KuCoin

The KuCoin card is not released yet and we don’t know much about it at the time of writing, but it could be worth keeping an eye on as I would not be surprised to see KuCoin roll out a great product here.

KuCoin Win

KuCoin Win is a fun platform for anyone who enjoys contests and giveaways. Win combines gamified entertainment with token listings, providing an additional way for KuCoin users to gain access to initial token distributions.

kucoin win
 Image via KuCoin

Win allows participants to gain early access to initial token distributions for promising blockchain projects at low costs.

LuckyRaffling is also part of the KuCoin Win platform where users can play a lottery-style game where they swap crypto for codes that are drawn to win prizes like Apple Airpods or USDT.

KuCoin Futures Brawl

Futures Brawl on KuCoin attracts users who seek to try their luck in a game of educated chance, with an opportunity to win some great prizes.

The concept is simple:

  1. Decide how much in USDT you’re going to wager in the brawl.
  2. Choose to go long or short on the price of Bitcoin, whichever direction you think Bitcoin is going to go over the next 24 hours.
  3. The system will match you with an opponent who has a different bias.
  4. Win tokens if you choose right, lose the brawl if you choose wrong.

The number of points you can win increases with larger wagers and more when you are on a winning streak. Brawl can be participated in once per day and winnings can be increased by joining 3v3 matches and continuing a winning streak. The prizes can be things like iPhones and full Bitcoins.

KuCoin Trading Bots

KuCoin is one of the leading exchanges for automated trading with its fantastic trading bot platform and massive selection of bots available for users to copy or create. These trading bots are great for traders looking to automate parts of their trading strategy and can act as helpful assistants for experienced traders who know how to trade. Trading bots are best utilized by skilled traders who understand how to set the bot up and know how to identify the right market conditions in which to deploy the bot.

You can learn more about the risks of trading bots and why they aren’t the money printers they are often advertised as by checking out our article on  Crypto Trading Bots.

KuCoin Trading Bots
 Image via KuCoin

On KuCoin, traders can see the popularity and performance of each trading bot on the platform or set up their own. See KuCoin’s article on trading bots to learn more about how they work and the bots available.

If you are interested in exploring trading bots and automated trading further, I recommend checking out 3Commas and our Top Trading Bots article. Feel free to take advantage of our 3Commas sign-up link, which gets you a 3-day free trial and a 50% discount if you choose to sign up.

Types of Accounts and KuCoin Fees

Users on KuCoin can sign up for an account that will fall under one of 13 different tier levels depending on 30-day trading volume and/or KCS tokens being held. Here is a look at the Spot trading fees:

KuCoin trading fees
 Image via KuCoin

Here is what traders can expect for Futures trading fees:

KuCoin futures trading fees
 Image via KuCoin

KuCoin is one of the most fee-friendly places for traders, especially among large volume traders and institutions as levels 8 and above start enjoying negative fees, meaning they can earn a profit from Maker trade orders. This attracts traders looking to trade large amounts and increases liquidity on the platform.

For deposits and withdrawals, crypto deposits are free, but purchasing crypto using card can see some hefty fees of 2-8%, so try and use bank transfers when possible. Crypto withdrawals vary depending on the token and network. Up-to-date fees can be found on the KuCoin Fees Page

KuCoin Security

After the unfortunate hack in 2020, KuCoin enhanced its security measures and created a robust security framework that is pretty safe when it comes to securing customer funds.

KuCoin places the majority of funds in offline cold storage wallets, outside of the reach of hackers. They have also partnered with Onchain Custodian to help ensure the crypto held on their exchange is secure and there is insurance in place to cover customers in the unlikely event of a hack.

The KuCoin platform features encryption technology and there are a number of control departments in place that provide round-the-clock activity monitoring to identify suspicious behaviour.

Users on KuCoin can take advantage of these extra security measures to further protect their accounts:

  • Two-factor authentication
  • Security Questions
  • Anti-phishing safety phrase
  • Login safety phrase
  • Trading Password
  • Phone Verification
  • Email Notifications
  • Restrict login IP address

Everything you need to know about KuCoin security can be found in the KuCoin Security Blog Article

And that covers a high-level overview of KuCoin. It is a great place to trade for users looking for the best selection of tradeable assets. There is a good reason they have remained such a dominant player in the exchange industry for so long. If you don’t mind the lack of regulation and fiat offramp, it's tough to find a better platform.

OKX Review

What is OKX?

OKX is a cryptocurrency exchange located in the Seychelles that offers both a simple and advanced trading platform for spot and derivates including margin, futures, perpetual swaps and options.

okx review
 A Bold Claim. Image via OKX

OKX is one of the fastest-growing and most popular centralized exchanges thanks to its robust and advanced trading features, order types, and second-to-none trading experience. Aside from trading, the comprehensive platform also offers trading bots, a popular Earn section, crypto loans, a launchpad, and the OKX wallet claims to be the “Portal to Web3” as they are one of the leaders in DeFi, Metaverse, GameFi, and DApp integration.

The OKX brand is a subsidiary of OKCoin, which is owned by OK Group, a company founded in 2013 by Mingxing Xu. After the success of OK Coin, the OKX crypto exchange was launched in 2017.

Note: Users located in the US and UK are not supported.

Cryptocurrencies Offered

OKX exchange has over 350 crypto assets supported and over 500 trading pairs across the spot, margin, and derivatives markets for users located in over 180 countries. One notable location exclusion is the United States. For US-based users I recommend Kraken.

OKX Products

OKX has multiple products and features available that we cover in more detail in our dedicated OKX review if you want to know more, but here is an overview of the most prominent features.

Cryptocurrency Trading

Trading crypto on OKX is an absolutely seamless and enjoyable experience. It is clear why the platform has attracted millions of users around the globe and is rapidly growing.

trading interface OKX
 A Look at the Charting Screen. Image via OKX

The trading and matching engine promise nearly instantaneous trade execution and the exchange has deep levels of liquidity, ensuring suitability for any style of trader from scalpers to institutions. OKX supports advanced order types and a charting platform powered by TradingView so it is capable of meeting the needs of professional traders.

Traders can toggle between TradingView or Original chart where they can access a depth chart, order book, and utilize advanced trading features and order types.

OKX also provides a Convert feature for traders who are looking for the easiest way to trade with the simple click of a button, making OKX suitable for traders regardless of skill level or type of trading they are looking to do.

OKX Earn

For users looking to earn some passive income on their hodl-stash, OKX Earn is a great place where users can earn a nice APY on their holdings.

OKX Earn
 Image via okx.com/earn

OKX offers multiple different products for all levels of risk appetite from low to high risk with varying interest rates. There are Earn products that are as simple as staking and saving where users can just hold and earn, to more advanced dual investment options that come with higher reward, but higher levels of risk.

OKX DeFi

DeFi is not known for being overly user-friendly with a large barrier to entry being its complexities and the confusion that often comes along with self-custody.

OKX is changing that by combining the user-friendly interface that comes with centralized exchanges with integrations to popular DeFi platforms like Aave, Compound Finance, Sushiswap and others.

OKX DeFi
 Image via OKX

This feature is very convenient as it is essentially a “one-stop-shop” for those looking to access the benefits of DeFi in the easiest way possible with the UX/UI powered by OKX, but with all the complex “DeFi stuff” happening behind the scenes.

Polkadot & Kusama Slot Auctions

Fans of the Polkadot and Kusama ecosystems will be interested in the slot auction feature on the OKX platform.

The parachain slot auctioning process on the DOT and KSM networks can be quite complex and confusing for users to get involved with, fortunately, OKX has built a simple front-end interface that allows users to participate in the auctions in the most seamless way possible.

OKX Slot Auctions
 Image via OKX

Through OKX, users can vote on proposals for future DOT and Kusama projects with OKX covering the fees involved with voting, token lockups, release dates, etc. If the project that the user supports wins the auction, they will receive rewards for voting and have their tokens returned to their OKX account.

You can learn more about Polkadot Slot Auctions in the video below:

OKX Jumpstart

Launchpads have become a popular product for investors looking to get their hands on tokens early at discount prices before they hit mainstream adoption. Jumpstart is OKX’s response to popular launchpads like the ones featured on Binance and KuCoin.

OKX Jumpstart
 A Look at the Jumpstart Platform. Image via OKX

Jumpstart helps new projects launch and grow their communities while investors can stake their OKB tokens and receive new tokens from projects based on the user’s staked amounts. Getting into projects early has become a popular strategy used by crypto-enthusiasts to boost their portfolio’s performance and the Jumpstart launchpad is attracting some interesting projects with potential.

MetaX- OKX Wallet

MetaX is a non-custodial wallet that connects OKX users to the world of decentralized apps, DeFi, Metaverse, GameFi, and supports general Web3 functionality.

MetaX
 Image via okx.com/metax

This versatile platform connects users to everything Web3 has to offer all from one very convenient place. Anyone who has accessed DeFi understands the pain points involved and how inconvenient it can be to connect multiple different wallets and networks to multiple different protocols, which is why OKX has created this one-stop DApp oasis.

From MetaX, users can access multiple different DEXs, aggregators, DApps, NFT marketplaces and more in the thousands of supported decentralized applications available.

OKX NFT
 OKX is a Great Platform For NFT Enthusiasts. Image via OKX

Many of us in the crypto space believe that the next “billion-dollar project” will be the one that finally cracks the DeFi conundrum and can bring DeFi to the masses by creating a user-friendly platform/interface. OKX’s MetaX web wallet is making large strides in that objective.

OKX Trading Bots

The trading bot community on OKX is massive with over 940,000 traders utilizing bots and auto trading features, making OKX one of the best exchanges to take advantage of automated trading strategies.

OKX trading bot
 Image via OKX

Traders on the platform have accumulated over 31+ million in earnings from bot trading either from creating their own or choosing one of the hundreds of bots available in the OKX bot marketplace.

Bots on OKX fall under the following categories:

  • Grid bot
  • DCA bot
  • Recurring buy bot
  • Arbitrage bots
  • Smart Portfolio rebalancing bot
  • Slicing bots

You can learn more about the trading bots available on OKX in our article on OKX Trading Bots.

Types of Accounts and OKX Fees

OKX has two types of accounts, one for individuals and one for corporations. Individual traders can select different modes for their accounts based on their needs and the level of KYC they reach. Here is a look at the different account modes available:

account mode
 Image via OKX

Users will need to undergo KYC and ID verification to access different levels and products.

As mentioned, OKX is one of the most fee-friendly exchanges in the industry, with the fee structure being based on a maker/taker fee model depending on asset holdings and/or 30-day trading volume.

Here is a look at the spot trading fees:

OKX fees
 Image via OKX

When purchasing crypto, as the fees are set by OKX’s third-party purchasing providers, be sure to check the fee that will be shown to you before finalizing the purchase to make sure you aren’t paying an arm and a leg in fees. Try and utilize bank transfer options if available as opposed to card purchases as they are often cheaper.

OKX Security

We already covered OKX security in the above section when pitting OKX vs KuCoin head-to-head, but to summarize, OKX is pretty darn impressive in the lengths they take to ensure the safety of customer funds.

OKX balances offline and online storage of funds in a way that maximizes security without disrupting user experience when performing withdrawals or asset swaps.

Keeping 95% of funds in cold storage and ensuring private keys never come into contact with USB drives or online, and keeping private keys and backups located on different continents around the world only accessible by key personnel, OKX has some of the most robust security protocols in place.

Due to the offline security measures and physical location restrictions, funds on OKX are nearly impervious to hack attempts, viruses or malware, and multi-personnel access helps ensure internal bad actors cannot run off with funds. In the very unlikely event of a hack, OKX also has an insurance fund in place to reimburse customers should they experience losses.

The fact that OKX is also licensed and regulated by multiple authorities around the world also provides customers with a higher level of confidence and trust in the platform.

The full OKX security framework can be found on the OKX Security Page, it is well worth a read if you are considering using OKX.

https://img.coinbureau.dev/strapi/2021/09/merch_inline.jpg

KuCoin vs OKX: Conclusion

I hope this article gave you a good indication of which platform is better suited to meet your needs as a trader. Those who are interested in trading contests and gamified trading products will likely opt for KuCoin.

👉 Sign up to KuCoin for a huge 60% trading fee discount for life!

Users who are interested in a more robust trading platform looking to do more than just trading and explore the world of DeFi and Web3 will likely choose OKX thanks to their comprehensive and secure platform and the OKX Web3 wallet.

👉 Sign up to OKX and enjoy a very attractive 40% fee discount for life!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OKX Secure?

Yes, OKX has some of the most robust security protocols in place and is trusted by millions of users worldwide. OKX has not had any security breaches since 2017 and has insurance in place to reimburse customers in the unlikely event of a hack. OKX is also licensed and regulated, making it one of the more safe and most trustworthy exchanges available.

Are KuCoin Fees High?

No, both KuCoin and OKX have some of the lowest fees in the space. KuCoin users can lower the already low fees by a further 20% if they choose to pay their fees in the platform’s KCS token.

Is OKX a Good Exchange?

OKX has been a top ten exchange for many years by trading volume for both spot and derivatives trading, trusted by millions of users worldwide.

With one of the most intuitive and beautifully designed platforms available, a massive selection of assets and products, and a professional-grade trading interface, OKX is one of the best exchanges available.

Being highly respected and trusted within the crypto community, OKX is also regulated and has issued its proof-of-reserves, enhancing the level of trust and transparency of the company.

Is KuCoin Better than Coinbase?

KuCoin is more suitable than Coinbase for users looking to actively trade as KuCoin offers significantly more tradeable markets and assets than Coinbase and offers leverage.

KuCoin also offers a better Earn section and features products like auto trading and leveraged tokens and has significantly lower fees than Coinbase.

Coinbase is better suited to beginners who are looking for an easy platform to simply buy and hold crypto, and features a fiat offramp, making it the better platform to sell crypto for fiat. Coinbase is also the preferred exchange for those looking for a safe, regulated, and reputable exchange.

Tayler McCracken

Providing financial education to those who need it most has always been a passion of mine. While working as a Financial Advisor, I had my eyes opened to the world of crypto and its potential to help make the world a better place. I believe that blockchain technology can build a brighter future and am excited to be part of it. 

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Disclaimer: These are the writer’s opinions and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research.

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