Over 390 reputable cryptocurrency exchanges are available to investors, but only a few carry the trade volume, deep liquidity, and high-frequency functionality to rise above the competition. We’ll be taking you through a review of the top ten cryptocurrency exchanges, comparing all their features, fees, and available crypto assets. Our review covers the Top 10 Derivatives Exchanges and Spot Market Exchanges independently. Each of these premier trading platforms boasts such extensive features, industry-leading security, and extreme ease of use that their very names have become synonymous with trading cryptocurrency, and we’ll show you exactly why.

Top 10 Cryptocurrency Derivatives Exchanges

Each of the cryptocurrency exchanges here lists perpetual contracts, futures, and margin trading with considerable leverage, cutting-edge, proven security, and deep liquidity offered. Here are the top ten cryptocurrency exchanges for derivatives trading.

Binance

Leading the way in both spot market and crypto derivatives exchanges is Binance.com. Every 24-hours, Binance processes $66.6 billion in cryptocurrency derivatives. Binance lists 134 perpetuals and 11 crypto futures. There are no less than 154 markets available which is slightly less than its closest competition but still way ahead of all other ranking exchanges.

Pros

• Trading Fees Starting At 0.02% Maker / 0.04% Taker
• Tiered Fee Reduction Structure (As Low As 0.017 % / 0.0%)
• Daily management Fee On Leveraged Tokens Of 0.01%
• USD-M Futures, COIN-M Futures
• Vanilla Options
• Leveraged Tokens
• Crypto Battle Feature (Long vs. Short)
• Up To 20x Leverage Available
• 19 Fiat Currencies Supported

Cons

• Winding Down Of Binance European Derivatives & Futures May Limit Certain Investors
• Licensed, Globally Regulated Exchange

Binance Futures are easy to use. The exchange is rock-solid exhibiting zero needle/exchange lag spikes and 24/7/365 uptime. Whether you’re starting off in crypto derivatives trading or one of those with a massive volume of over 1000 BTC looking to join the Binance Futures Market Maker program for zero-fees, Binance is a trading platform that everyone needs to check out.

OKEx

OKEx was founded in 2017 in the Seychelle and has rapidly expanded ever since. The second busiest cryptocurrency derivatives exchange in the world is skyrocketing in popularity, netting a daily trade volume reaching as high as $188 billion at its peak in February 2021. Today, OKEk averages $16 billion in trade volume every 24-hours and has the largest number of cryptocurrencies listed out of all the top-ranking exchanges at 201 various derivative crypto assets.

Pros

• Trading Fees Starting At 0.08% Maker / 0.100% Taker
• Tiered Fee Reduction Structure (As Low As 0.01% / 0.03%)
• Settlement Fee For Futures Charged At Fixed 0.03%
• Margin, Perpetuals, Futures, And Options
• Up To 5x Leverage Available
• Fiat Gateway With 30+ Currencies Supported
• Licensed, Globally Regulated Exchange

Cons

• US Traders Prohibited

OKEx has one of the most liquid markets in the world, which means that traders always get the best prices. Investors have a wide variety of options, standard futures, and perpetual swaps available. Both the mobile and web-based interfaces are clear and easy to use. There’s also high-reward staking, DeFi token farming, and liquidity mining aside from the unique loyalty program that grants OKex users free crypto for using its mobile app. OKEx is definitely worth a try if you’re outside of the US.

Bybit

Bybit launched in March 2018, operating from headquarters in Singapore but carrying exchange registration in the British Virgin Islands. With $11.9 billion in derivatives trading volume on average and 13 markets to trade, Bybit stands as the third-ranking cryptocurrency derivatives trading platform and one of the fastest-growing exchanges around.

Pros

• Market Makers Increasing Liquidity Receive Trading Rebate (Negative Trading Fee)
• Market Takes Seeking Liquidity Are Charged A Fee
• Fixed Fees At -0.025% Maker / 0.075% Taker On Inverse Contracts & USDT Contracts
• Up To 100x Leverage Available
• Limited Fiat-To-Crypto Offered
• KYC Not Requested For Withdrawals Of Up To 2 BTC

Cons

• Unregulated Exchange

Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange that recently began offering spot market trading in addition to its excellent derivatives trading platform. In the coming months, Bybit plans to expand towards ETH 2.0 support while also seeing the creation of a DeFi marketplace as a natural step in its progression. Traders will also find that Bybit has one of the most in-depth learning sections available, citing everything from basics to technical trading strategies. If Bybit continues on its course of good growth, we may find it climbing the ladder and reaching even higher trade volumes than it already does in the near future.

Huobi Global

The third-ranking cryptocurrency spot exchange is also the world’s fourth-best derivatives exchange, processing $10.3 billion in transaction volume every 24-hours. There are 52 cryptocurrency perpetual contracts and 13 various futures available for trading across a total of 91 different markets.

Pros

• Trading Fees Starting at 0.02% Maker/ 0.04% Taker
• Professional Tiered Fee Reduction Program (As Low As 0.0097%/0.0193$)
• 10% to 65% Effective FeeDiscount Based On Huobi Token Discount
• Up To 125x Leverage Offered
• Limited Fiat-To-Crypto Available
• Global Compliance Strategy – Licensed, Regulated Exchange

Cons

• US Trading Prohibited

The Huobi Global network offers a comprehensive range of features for newcomers, seasoned traders, high-frequency traders, stakers, and miners. Both the standard and discounted fees utilizing Huobi Token bring the costs of trading down to a bare minimum. There are nasty rumors constantly floating around concerning fake trade volume reporting by Huobi. The matter of controversy arose in 2014 before Huobi joined with CoinMarketCap on a data allegiance contract termed the Data Accountability And Transparency Alliance in 2019. This dedication to transparency puts unconfirmed rumors to rest, showing just how devoted Huobi Global is toward providing industry-leading service. If you are from one of the many countries supported, give Huobi trading a try.

CoinTiger

At $9.7 billion in 24-hour average trade volume and 61 derivative markets listed, the Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange CoinTiger takes fifth place. Investors can trade 62 different cryptocurrency perpetual contracts on CoinTiger, which has been steadily growing in popularity since its launch in 2017.

Pros

• Fixed Trading Fees OF 0.15% Taker / 0.8% Maker
• Spot, Fiat & Futures
• Withdrawals Under 2 BTC Do Not Require KYC
• Up To 125x Leverage Offered
• Fiat Deposits Permitted
• No KYC On Withdrawals Up To 2 BTC

Cons

• Unregulated Exchange

CoinTiger has low trading and withdrawal fees. There is a broad spot market available. There’s even derivatives trading, fiat currency funding, and withdrawals to a US bank account. While most traders experience very few problems at all, those who have contacted the support desk frequently complain about unresponsive customer service. Trustpilot cites several poor reviews, although closer investigation shows that all queries end up resolved eventually. Other than this minor hiccup in service, CoinTiger currently serves over 1.1 million investors from all around the world and may just be the right exchange to pick up a new listing or start growing a portfolio.

FTX

FTX handles a 24-hour trade volume in cryptocurrency derivatives of just over $8.8 billion spread across 111 markets. There are 106 perpetual contracts and five futures on FTX in addition to its spot market. By April 2021, the relative newcomer had racked up $400 billion in total trading volume, according to Bloomberg – a clear indication of how strong this trending exchange is.

Pros

• Trading Fees Starting At 0.02% Maker / 0.07% Taker
• Tiered Fee Reduction Structure (As Low As 0.00% / 0.04%)
• Trading Fee Discount For FTT Holders (3% to 15%)
• Creation & Redemption Fees Of 0.10%
• Leveraged Token Daily Management Fee 0.03%
• Up To 101x Leverage Available

Cons

• US Traders Prohibited

FTX is quickly rising to become a consistently high-volume cryptocurrency exchange with a range of exciting projects on the cards. There’s even a sports and entertainment-focused NFT marketplace coming soon. The ability to trade, deposit and withdraw without KYC verification is a major drawcard for many. However, FTX reserves the right to request more information at any time. Basic email verification alone enables withdrawals up to $2000.

In November 2022, FTX has filed for bankruptcy and the platform is reported to have assets still missing. This major failure of such a cryptocurrency exchange icon is due to a series of liquidity crush caused by misuse of funds by the owner. More details here.

ZBG

ZBG’s 24-hour trade volume on cryptocurrency derivatives exceeds $6.6 billion across 23 various markets. Combined with the spot exchange, ZBG processes over $10.3 billion daily. Traders have 13 perpetuals and 2 inverse perpetual contracts (BTC/USD-R & ETH/USD-R) available.

Pros

• 0.075% Taker / 0.025% Maker Derivatives Trading Fee
• Tiered Fee Reduction Program (As Low As 0.06% Per Trade)
• 0.10% to 0.3% Fee Reduction When Using ZB Token
• Spot Market & Cryptocurrency Derivatives Available
• Up To 100x Leverage Available
• Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Regulated

Cons

• No Explicit Information Concerning The Withdrawal Fee Charged
• No Fiat Currency Deposits – Crypto Only

ZBG is a non-custodial cryptocurrency exchange that doesn’t require KYC. Instead of a complicated verification procedure, ZBG has what is called a fast KYC feature enabled. Full verification (when requested and to enable maximum withdrawal limits) calls for a photo of the trader’s ID, driver’s license, or passport – that’s it. Even though ZBG is an unregulated Chinese exchange, it’s been offering trading successfully since July 2018 without any security breaches or loss of funds, making it a viable option for anyone looking to trade derivatives.

Bitget

The Singapore-based cryptocurrency exchange Bitget has an impressive 24-trade volume averaging more than $4.4 billion spread across 23 different markets. Ever since April 2018, Bitget has been growing in liquidity and popularity and today boasts over 936,000 registered investors.

Pros

• Desktop Exchange Client Available
• Spot Market, Unified Contracts, Derivatives & Futures
• Free Copy Trading Bot
• Fiat Currencies Supported With Credit Card Crypto Purchases
• Derivatives Trading Fees – 0.02% Maker / 0.02% Taker
• Reduced Trading Fee (0.14% Both Parties) When Using Bitget DeFi Token (BFT)
• Up To 125x Leverage Available
• FinCEN Regulated Exchanged

Cons

• Copy Trading Is A High-Risk Activity

Spot trading, OTC, and perpetuals are easy to trade using Bitget, and the platform is fully regulated. The addition to copy trading appears to be a huge hit, and Bitget has managed to recruit an impressive selection of elite copy traders. Since launching just a few years ago, Bitget has broken in the top ten exchanges and looks sure to stay. Give the web-based platform a try or download the desktop client for a dedicated trading interface. The mobile app is also well-designed and easy for newcomers to adjust to.

Phemex

Daily derivatives trade volume exceeding $3.4 billion makes Phemex the ninth-ranking exchange by a small margin. It may be a platform that only launched in November 2019, but Phemex’s flexible leverage and functional trading interface have translated to excellent growth. Phemex lets you trade 37 cryptocurrency perpetual contracts with a spot market (with mediocre trade volume) also available.

Pros

• No KYC Verification Required (Up To 2 BTC Withdrawal)
• Fiat Currencies Supported
• Credit Card Cryptocurrency Purchases
• 0.025% Maker / 0.075% Taker Trading Fees
• Up To 100x Leverage Available

Cons

• Fixed Trading Fee Structure Without Tiered Discounts
• US Trading Prohibited

If you’re a market maker, then the fee rebate alone may be enough to attract you to the reliable services of Phemex. Despite being unregulated, Phemex has been climbing in trade volume steadily. Zero fees are charged on spot trades for premium users. There’s a $100 welcome bonus and a program to earn tokens as you learn more about cryptocurrency and trading. Phemex professes to design its platform with a focus on a user-orientated approach, and it sure seems to show. From a cleanly arranged TradingView to simplicity throughout the site, Phemex is fundamentally straightforward to use and a great option for traders.

Bingbon

Bingbon quickly climbed up the trading charts since launching in 2018 and closes for the tenth place, just behind Phemex in daily trade volume. Bingbon handles a 24-hour trade volume of $3.3 billion, which is just behind Phemex but as of midway through 2021, Phemex shows almost 30% better growth in trade volume, which seems to mean that Bigbon is a secure number ten on our global top list. There are 31 cryptocurrency perpetuals and a range of basic exchange and social trading features that are sure to draw the attention of new and seasoned traders alike.

Pros

• Trading Fees – Taker 0.075% Discounted To 0.04% / Maker 0.045% Discounted To 0.020%
• Spot Market, Crypto Derivatives & Social Copy Trading Available
• Potential To Trade Contracts Associated To Indices, Commodities, Crypto & Forex
• Social Trading With Up To 8% Profits Per Trade
• FinCEN, AUSTRAC & Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication of Estonia Regulated

Cons

• Leverage Recently Reduced To 20X On Standard Contracts & 5X On Perpetual Swaps
• Fiat Currency Deposits Unsupported
• High Credit Card Crypto Purchasing Fees
• US Traders Prohibited

Bingbon offers new traders a lot. From a modern, clean interface with functional TradingView charts and profitable copy-trading system to a demo mode that gives traders 100,000 VSD virtual coins to practice leverage trading using practice money, Bingbon is a promising platform. One downside is the currency conversion fees when purchasing with a credit card. Expect to pay almost 8% of each conversion. Nonetheless, credit/debit card purchases are a useful feature, but most traders will fund from another wallet. Ultimately, Bingbon is a copy trading platform primarily with a surprisingly broad range of trading functionality. Over $171 billion in total trading volume has passed through the exchange, a tally that is sure to continue growing thanks to the variety of trading pairs and selection of varied derivatives available.

The Best Cryptocurrency Exchange  – Final Word

The global cryptocurrency community largely trusts the cryptocurrency exchanges listed here. Each consistently maintains its high average trade volume, with both CoinMarketCap and CoinCodex confirming metrics. Always trade safely, keeping basic security practices like only storing the funds you’re trading with in an exchange wallet while never trading without 2FA or a secured connection. We’d recommend going for a third-party authenticator like Google Auth for even greater security. With basic precautions covered, the top ten cryptocurrency exchanges reviewed here offers something for everyone and all investment styles.