Lawyers at Regulated United Europe have done global analysis and bring to your attention a list of the most popular licensed cryptocurrency exchanges in Europe.
Daily visitors: 4 541 180 Daily pageviews: 25 158 138 Alexa Rank: 100
License in Europe
Company activity description
Binance: Binance is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by stated volume, offers customers a huge selection of cryptocurrencies – over 1600 – on spot markets, derivatives and DeFi. There are four types of trading available on Binance: spot, margin, futures and P2P. Most of Binance’s volume includes bitcoin and ether perpetual futures.
History of the company
The cryptocurrency exchange Binance was built in 2017 and has become a global blockchain company providing a full range of services to investors and traders.
The head of Binance is Chanppeng Zhao, known in the crypto community as CZ. CZ has long been developing software for Wall Street futures trading. In 2005, CZ left the position of head of the research group at Bloomberg Tradebook Futures and moved to Shanghai. There he founded Fusion Systems. After discovering Bitcoin, he worked for Blockchain.info as a technology director and in other projects.
In 2017, Binance ICO earned about $15 million. At the first stage, the number of registered users exceeded 20,000 people.
In early 2018, Binance had to suspend registering new users to upgrade its architecture. After registering a few days later, about 240,000 users registered in the first hour.
In January 2018, Binance reached number one in the world’s crypto exchanges in terms of trade volume, and CZ made the cover of Forbes magazine.
Today, despite its relatively young age, Binance is a world leader in cryptocurrency trading – not only as a spot trading exchange that has already reached the top, but also as a crypto derivative trading platform that is only one year old. This was made possible by the tenacity, perseverance and initiative of Chanppeng Zhao and his team, which has more than 1,000 people working in more than 40 countries and serving users in more than 180 regions and countries.
Daily visitors: 1,148,561 Daily pageviews: 3,974,024 Alexa Rank: 584
License in Europe
Company activity description
Coinbase: Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the United States, which went public on Nasdaq through an $86 billion direct listing, the largest in history. Coinbase is regulated by the New York DFS with a virtual currency license, serves 44 U.S. states and, in addition to European licenses, holds a New York State banking license. Coinbase offers the largest number of coins and markets among U.S. crypto exchanges and launching an NFT marketplace and derivatives service.
History of the company
Coinbase, a startup founded by 29-year-old programmer Brian Armstrong in 2012, became an important tool for the United States to move away from the traditional banking system. Having made a timely start in the growing cryptocurrency market, Armstrong was able to grow the company to $100 billion in nine years and make its own $1 billion wealth.
In 2012, Coinbase launched services to buy and sell bitcoins through bank transfers, and received its first investment in May 2013, $5 million from Union Square Ventures. In December of the same year, one of Silicon Valley’s largest funds, Andreessen Horowitz, invested $25 million in Coinbase along with several other investors, making it the largest venture capital investment in cryptocompany at the time. Since 2012, Coinbase has raised over $500 million.
A powerful stimulus to Coinbase development was the cryptocurrency speculative bubble, which inflated by 2013.
The price of bitcoin rose more than a hundred times a year: from $10 in 2011 to $1,100 in 2013, and fell below $200 in 2015. During this period, Coinbase absorbed several related services, introduced insurance for the value of bitcoins stored on the exchange’s servers, and launched a secure cryptocurrency storage system. All this created trust and ensured the exchange of new customers.
In November 2013, the founders invited another “bitcoin-obsessed” partner, Adam White, an engineer who served five years with the US Air Force and then graduated from Harvard. He was given the ambitious task of finding ten companies with sales of over $1 billion each and signing contracts with them to accept bitcoin payments. Two months later, Coinbase signed an agreement with Overstock.com. Bitcoin deals conducted by a big company through Coinbase “opened gateways” for other corporate customers, reminiscent of White. Soon giants such as Expedia and Dell began working with a startup that boosted confidence in Coinbase and cryptocurrency in general. Today, thousands of large companies and small traders are already accepting Bitcoin payments through Coinbase.
Coinbase also signed agreements with traditional payment systems such as Stripe, Braintree, and PayPal, which, thanks to Coinbase, were able to process Bitcoin transactions.
The private customer base has grown at an incredible rate, with Coinbase reaching a million users in 2014. Faith in bitcoin and cryptocurrency related companies grew stronger, and in January 2015 Coinbase received an additional $75 million investment from the Draper Fisher Jurvertson Foundation, the New York Stock Exchange and the United Services Automobile Association, Fortune 500 Company.
The stock exchange attracted $100 million in the 2017 round of investments. The leading investor was Institutional Venture Partners, which previously invested in Netflix, Twitter, Dropbox, Slack, and Snap. At the time, the startup was estimated at $1.6 billion. Coinbase became the world’s first “unicorn” among cryptocurrency exchanges (a company valued at over $1 billion).
2020 crypto-boom opened new doors for Coinbase. During the year of the pandemic, the exchange earned more than $300 million (mostly from transaction fees) due to a sharp rise in cryptocurrency rates, compared to the $30 million loss a year earlier.
The financial success and growing customer base (currently around 43 million users) helped Coinbase make another round of investments with an almost unprecedented $100 billion valuation for the IT market. The success pushed Armstrong into publicity – not through the IPO procedure, but in the form of a direct listing on Nasdaq. The platform now claims to be one of the most expensive U.S. IT companies to go public with IPO Facebook in 2012.
Daily visitors: 251,047 Daily pageviews: 502,094 Alexa Rank: 2021
Company activity description
Crypto.com: Singapore-based, U.S.- and Europe-regulated Crypto.com paid $700 million for the naming rights to the former Staples Center in Los Angeles. The exchange trades 169 coins and offers 349 trading pairs. Crypto.com has more trading volume than Coinbase, despite a relatively expensive fee (40 basis points) for the entry-level transactions.
History of the company
Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency exchange that supports trade, investment, sourcing, wallets, NFTs, and more. The exchange offers a large number of different cryptocurrencies, moderate fees and discounts to owners of its Crypto.com Coin Token (CRO). Crypto.com’s ecosystem will be of interest to users who want to earn on their cryptocurrency assets in a variety of ways besides trading.
Crypto.com was founded in 2016 in Hong Kong. The exchange currently serves more than 10 million customers in 90 countries.
The project was originally called Monaco and held an ICO in 2017, raising $26.7 million through the sale of its MCO token. In 2018, Monaco was renamed and given its current name. At the same time, the company announced the launch of its own blockchain Crypto.com Chain with a CRO token.
In late 2019, Crypto.com launched a cryptocurrency trading exchange and subsequently introduced products such as Crypto.com Pay, Crypto Earn, and Crypto Credit.
In 2020, the company launched DeFi Wallet and DeFi Swap non-custodial services.
Overview of the main products of Crypto.com
Metal Visa Cards – Visa payment card for spending cryptocurrencies with cashback;
Crypto.com App – The main application of Crypto.com;
Crypto Credit – Crypto lending service;
Crypto.com Exchange – Crypto.com Trading Platform. Positioned as a platform for trading cryptocurrencies of deep liquidity, fair prices and low commissions;
Crypto.com NFT – Service for buying and selling non-fungible tokens with support for exclusive collections;
The Syndicate – Service for selling cryptocurrencies at a discount;
Supercharger – Staking pool for earning tokens from DeFi projects;
DeFi Swap – A platform for trading DeFi tokens. Uniswap analogue;
DeFi Earn – Income farming service in the decentralized finance space;
Crypto.com Price – A resource with information about prices of cryptocurrencies.
Trading on Crypto.com
Crypto.com’s main platform is a mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. If you’ve traded on the stock exchange with your mobile phone before, you’ll easily understand Crypto.com.
The app allows you to quickly view your own portfolio and access popular assets. Crypto.com’s mobile app has everything you need, including trading, betting, payments and card transactions. In addition, all these features are available in the web version of Crypto.com on the computer via browser.
Crypto.com uses simple and straightforward graphics tools without overloading the user with unnecessary data. In addition, the platform has support for traditional currencies, including the Russian ruble.
Daily visitors: 240,888 Daily pageviews: 1,228,529 Alexa Rank: 2173
License in Europe
Company activity description
Huobi Global: Founded in 2013 in China, Huobi provides services to intermediate and advanced traders. In addition to offering spot markets for over 200 assets, the company also provides derivatives, margin services, an over-the-counter desk and prime brokerage. The company closed the entire Chinese market in 2021 and now manages its operations from Singapore. Huobi is also regulated in Japan, Gibraltar and Luxembourg.
History of the company
Huobi is a Chinese cryptocurrency exchange that, as of March 2020, ranks 4th in CoinMarketCap’s liquidity ranking. It was created by Leon Lee. Huobi was launched in August 2013.
The project became known almost immediately, and Dai Zhikan and the Zhen Foundation drew attention to it in November 2013, making “angel” investments. A year later, Houobi received $10 million in investment from the American venture capital company Sequoia Capital. Huobi’s popularity grew rapidly, from 1 trillion yuan (~$144.2 billion) in June 2016 to 1.7 trillion yuan (~$245.2 billion) in November 2016.
After cryptocurrencies were banned in China in 2017, the head office of the exchange was moved to South Korea. Trading was resumed only in March 2018 under the domain huobi.pro. Within six months of the “move”, the exchange launches units in Singapore, Japan and the United States. In 2018, Huobi acquired BitYes, expanding its European and American user base.
The company also has branches in Japan, Singapore, USA and Russia. In Japan, Huobi obtained a license from the FSA after an incident involving the hacking of another Japanese exchange, Coincheck.
As of March 2020,550 cryptocurrencies have been added to the platform. As of March 19, 2020, the daily trade volume is $16,643,855,496.
Daily visitors: 320,485 Daily pageviews: 1,346,040 Alexa Rank: 2434
License in Europe
Company activity description
Blockchain.com (formerly Blockchain.info) is a Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchain exploration service, and a cryptocurrency wallet supporting Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum. It also provides data, statistics and insight into Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The company’s headquarters is located in London.
History of the company
Launched in August 2011, the service provides data on recent transactions, blocks extracted on bitcoin blockchain, bitcoin economy graphics, and statistics and resources for developers. This site is often quoted in the media or on cryptocurrency forums. Blockchain.info mobile app for Android allows users to safely send and receive cryptocurrency as well as view blockchain. In December 2013, the company acquired ZeroBlock LLC, the leader in the field of Bitcoin mobile apps.
Blockchain.info was the most visited bitcoin website in the world in 2013 with over 118 million page views and over 3 million unique visitors in November 2013. In January 2014, Blockchain.info reached one million wallet users.
In February 2014, Apple Inc. removed the Blockchain app from the App Store, causing a strong backlash from Blockchain and a public outcry in the bitcoin community, including the Reddit community. In July 2014, Apple restored the app.
In October 2014, Blockchain.info closed $30.5 million in funding for Lightspeed Venture Partners and Mosaic of Ventures, the industry’s largest digital currency financing round at the time.
In August 2015, Blockchain.info director Peter Smith was invited to accompany British Prime Minister David Cameron on a tour of South Asia to contact local representatives about the role of the United Nations in global FinTech.
Blockchain.info co-founders Nicholas Carey and Peter Smith announced a $40 million Series B investment in June 2017.
In June 2018, Blockchain.info changed its domain name to Blockchain.com.
In November 2018, Blockchain introduced a new currency in its purse: Stellar (XLM). The company decides to give $25 XLM to anyone who can verify his/her identity to facilitate the appearance of this currency on the platform and create a community around it.
At the end of March 2021, Blockchain.com raised $300 million in a fundraising round that led the company to $5.2 billion in ratings, just a month after the cryptocurrency startup raised $120 million by $3 billion in valuations. The main investors were Lightspeed Venture Partners and VY Capital. DST Global partners also took part in the transaction.
Analysts suggest that venture capitalists seek to capitalize on the boom in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Large companies such as Tesla and Square also buy bitcoins: Ilona Maska bought bitcoins worth $1.5 billion. Blockchain.com claims responsibility for 28% of all bitcoin transactions since 2012. The company is mainly known for its digital wallets, which are used to store cryptocurrencies, but has recently switched itself to trading via its own virtual currency exchange.
Bear in mind that Blockchain.com announced in March 2022 that the platform was valued at approximately $14 billion in a round of funding. This funding was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with the main participation of Baillie Gifford & Co., according to Blockchain.com.
Daily visitors: 198,750 Daily pageviews: 854,628 Alexa Rank: 3654
License in Europe
Company activity description
Kraken: Regulated in the US, UK, Lithuania and certain jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific region, the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange serves to experienced and advanced crypto traders. The company serves all US states, except New York and Washington State, and holds a banking license from the State of Wyoming. The company recently provided proof of reserves for $19 billion of client assets, becoming one of the few exchanges in history to do so. It holds 13 different licenses worldwide and has announced plans for an IPO this year. Its fees of 16 basis points for producers are lower than those of other large regulated firms. It is the only Class A company with a futures exchange.
History of the company
Kraken is a digital currency exchange service based in the United States. As of December 2019, total trade represented about 13% of global turnover. The data of app is displayed in the Bloomberg terminal.
The company was founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell in San Francisco. It has been continuously operating since September 2013. According to the founders, this is “the world’s largest bitcoin exchange in terms of euro transactions and its liquidity.” In addition, the exchange operates with trading pairs in Canadian dollars, US dollars, British pounds and Japanese yen. The exchange also has its own mobile app for iOS and Android. In the app and on the site you can easily find instructions for working with Kraken cryptocurrency, as well as the size of the commission. Developers will appreciate Kraken API.
In July 2013, Kraken joined other American players in the new payment and digital currency industry to form the Digital Asset Transfer Authority (DATA) Creation Committee. The stated goal of the committee was to create DATA as the future self-regulatory body of the industry. The first annual DATA meeting was held in April 2014.
In October 2013, the Kraken announced that it had found the main flaws in the Namecoin protocol and would not transfer cryptocurrency until they were removed. Although the shortcomings were soon corrected and Namecoin appeared on the Kraken stock exchange, it was eliminated two years after the decline in trading volumes.
In July 2014, Kraken joined a group of companies that advised Japanese parliamentarian Minyuki Fukudu, who chaired the IT Committee to establish the Japan Digital Assets Authority (JADA). JADA is the first state-owned organization that regulates economic relations in the exchange and use of bitcoins.
In 2014, the service became the world’s largest trading volume of bitcoins per euro. In April of the same year, information about Kraken was posted on the Bloomberg terminal interface.
A month before Kraken’s cryptocurrency was created, Jesse Powell wanted to offer help to the then-largest cryptographic exchange, Mt. Gox, who suffered a hacker attack. Seeing the technical problems of MtGox, Powell initiated to build his own cryptographic exchange to continue introducing Bitcoin into the masses. According to Jesse Powell, after the situation with MGox, he realized that “the exchanger is indeed the most important element of the ecosystem.”
The Kraken was launched in September 2013 after two years of development and beta testing. Initially, only Bitcoin, Litecoin and Euro were traded there. Other fiats and cryptocurrencies were added later, including Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, DASH, Monero, Ripple, Zcash, and Bitcoin Cash.
Kraken was the first cryptographic exchange to display trade information on the Bloomberg terminal, and the first to undergo a cryptographic audit of Proof-of-Reserve.
In 2016, Kraken acquired the American companies Coinsetter and Glidera, as well as the Canadian Cavirtex. In 2017, the cryptocurrency bought the CryptoWatch trading platform.
In 2017, Kraken’s exchange suffered from DDoS attacks and performance issues. On January 10, 2018, Kraken suspended trading for more than 48 hours to install an update that had only two hours. Since its opening in 2011, it has been the longest period of disconnection.
Daily visitors: 119,856 Daily pageviews: 491,411 Alexa Rank: 6382
License in Europe
Company activity description
Gemini: Founded by the Winklevoss brothers in 2013, Gemini is an American and regulated crypto exchange that leans heavily on its image to promote regulatory compliance. It also owns the NFT platform Nifty Gateway. The company raised $400 million from Morgan Creek Digital in November 2021 at a $7.1 billion valuation. Turnover of the exchange is in the middle of the ranking, although the number of coins and markets is slightly below average.
History of the company
Gemini Trust Company, LLC (Gemini) is a digital currency exchange that allows customers to buy, sell and store digital assets. It is a New York State Financial Services (NYDFS) trust company founded in 2014 by Cameron and Tyler Winkler.
In June 2016, according to a CNBC report, Gemini became the world’s first licensed Ethereum. In May 2018, it was announced that Gemini was the first licensed Zcash exchange in the world. The company is currently licensed in the USA, Canada, UK, Ireland, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore. All users can trade cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies in the open market. Users can transfer dollars to and from their bank accounts.
The twins began by facilitating the purchase and storage of bitcoins through a sophisticated private key system and password-protected systems. Only a small percentage of the total amount of bitcoins on the stock exchange is kept online to minimize the risk of losses from hacking.
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss announced Gemini in June 2013, and the company was launched on October 25, 2015. Twins then began adding the financial services they offer, some of which include FIX and API support. On May 5, 2016, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the approval of Gemini as the first licensed Ethereum exchange based in the United States. In addition, in 2016, the Twins announced that they would allow users to remove Ethereum Classic (ETC) from the exchange, following the Ethereum hard fork code.
In October 2017, Gemini announced that it allowed registered users to withdraw Bitcoin Cash from the stock exchange, provided that they had a balance on the stock exchange before August 2017 Bitcoin hard fork.
Winklevoss Twins stated that their main goal in 2018 was to add Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin.
In March 2018, the Twins added a number of partnerships and products to their portfolio and network. He announced a partnership with Caspian, a fully functional cryptocurrency trading and risk management platform for institutional and sophisticated investors.
In April 2018, Reuters announced that Gemini would use NASDAQ SMARTS technology to track transactions and combat fraud and price manipulation on its stock exchanges.
On May 14, 2018, the New York City Financial Services Department announced that it had approved the Twins’ proposal on their Zcash (ZEC) platform. NYDFS noted that the decision was “a continuation of New York City’s long-standing commitment to innovation and market leadership.” In the same press release, Gemini CEO Tyler Winklevoss was quoted as saying that the Twins are “proud to be the first licensed exchange to offer trading and storage services to Zcash.”
On September 10, 2018, Bloomberg News reported that Gemini had received approval from NYDFS for the release of the new product, Gemini Dollar (GUSD), and would begin trading coins on the same day. The twins described the product as a stable that supports 1:1 to the US dollar.
On October 3, 2018, it was announced that the Twins had received digital asset insurance covering tokens and coins held on his stock exchange. Bloomberg Markets reported that the insurance agreement was concluded by Aon, a London public risk consulting company and the next consortium of global underwriters.
In May 2020, a partnership was announced with Samsung, under which Samsung smartphone users can link their Samsung Blockchain wallets to their Gemini accounts to view balances and transfer cryptographic data.
NFT
In November 2019, Gemini Trust Co. acquired Nifty Gateway for an undisclosed amount. Nifty Gateway is the NFT market. The purpose of the NFT market is to be the custodian of various assets, including property documents, passports, merchandise, collections, video game characters, movies, music, and tickets to events.
Daily visitors: 43,336 Daily pageviews: 229,681 Alexa Rank: 15610
License in Europe
Company activity description
CEX.IO is a UK-based cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013 and regulated in the UK, Continental Europe, the US and Canada. While primarily retail-focused, CEX. IO is currently transitioning into the institutional space with prime brokerage, margin trading and API services. The company offers over 100 different coins for trading.
History of the company
CEX.IO is an online exchange service for digital currencies such as bitcoin, litecoin, ethereum, with support for fiat currencies such as dollar, pound and euro. Since 2013, the company has owned one of the largest bitcoin mining pools GHash.IO and provided cloud mining services.
CEX.IO declares that it has offices in the UK, the USA, Ukraine, Gibraltar and Cyprus.
CEX.IO was incorporated in the UK in 2013. It became known as a cloud mining provider and owner of GHash.IO pool, which covered 42% of the total bitcoin mining power in 2014.
In 2014, CEX.IO launched an instant cryptocurrency purchase service using bank cards.
In 2015, CEX.IO announced a suspension of cloud mining services due to a decline in the price of bitcoin.
In October 2016, GHash.IO pool was closed, and CEX.IO continued to function as a cloud mining service, and later – an exchange of cryptocurrencies, including with an option of withdrawal of funds to Visa and Mastercard bank cards.
In 2018, CEX.IO was a founding member of CryptoUK, a self-regulatory association of UK cryptocurrency market participants.
CEX.IO was registered in 2013 in London, United Kingdom. The company follows the Know Your Customer policy, as well as fight against money laundering (AML), received PCI DSS certification as demonstrative compliance with payment card industry data security standards.
Since 2013, CEX.IO has been providing its services worldwide. Since then, the company has already gained trust of more than 3,000,000 users. Our team constantly strives to provide service of the top level.
In 2020, the trading turnover of the exchange and crypto wallet reached $10 billion. In the first three months of 2021, it approached $6 billion.
The company is headquartered in London (UK). There are offices in New York and New Jersey (USA), Kiev, Cyprus and Gibraltar as well. They usually hire lawyers, marketers, and support professionals for different countries. The company explains that each market is unique and therefore needs the attention of individual teams.
Access to new markets. CEX.IO receives licenses in new jurisdictions and is engaged in international expansion. The company already operates in 90% of the world’s countries, but continues to increase this figure.
Development of an ecosystem that meets the needs of different consumers. For example, the company has noticed growing interest in cryptocurrency from institutional investors such as hedge funds and asset managers. Therefore, CEX.IO is now creating a product line for these customers.
Daily visitors: 50,675 Daily pageviews: 197,632 Alexa Rank: 14987
License in Europe
Company activity description
bitFlyer: One of Japan’s largest crypto exchanges, bitFlyer is regulated in Japan, the US and Europe. It limits its supply to bitcoin and, specifically, to bitcoin vs yen (BTC/JPY), available for a fee of 15 basis points to producers and buyers.
History of the company
BitFlyer Exchange is a digital platform for cryptocurrency trading. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ethereum Classic, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash are traded on it. Fiats are represented by the US dollar and the Japanese yen. The platform offers two trading options – through a simplified TradingView terminal and a professional Lightning Exchange solution, the company’s own development. Only the simplified trading terminal has a mobile version. The exchange does not offer investment solutions; only the referral program is available from options of passive income. The company develops its own blockchain solutions for business. Fraud protection is provided by CAM audit, 80% of users’ funds are stored cold.
Japanese cryptocurrency exchange bitFlyer announced its entry into the European market, Business Wire reports. Licensed as a payment operator to operate in the EU, it became the world’s first cryptocurrency exchange, officially regulated simultaneously in Japan, the US (branch was opened last November) and Europe. Initially, only the BTC/EUR pair will be available to traders, but in the coming months developers will add support for other cryptocurrencies, including Litecoin, Ethereum Classic, and Bitcoin Cash. “When I created BitFlyer in 2014, I did so with great ambition and conviction that getting regulatory approval is essential for the long-term success of Bitcoin and the virtual currency industry. I am proud that we are now the most promising cryptocurrency company in the world,” said Yuzo Kano, founder and CEO of BitFlyer. According to bitFlyer, in 2017, more than $250 billion worth of cryptocurrency transactions were concluded on platforms it controls. In Japan, bitFlyer is the largest bitcoin exchange, raising more than 4.1 billion yen, or $36 million, in venture funding. Europe is an essential market for bitFlyer, as the BTC/EUR pair has a monthly turnover of 10 billion euros worldwide (the third-largest bitcoin market, after the Japanese yen and the US dollar).
Although bitFlyer exchange is relatively new in Europe and the US, it has long been one of the most popular and visited cryptocurrency platforms not only in Japan, but also in the Far East as a whole.
In addition, if you check websites that rank cryptocurrency exchanges by volume, you may have noticed that this exchange is constantly at the top, often occupying #1.
That is why bitFlyer became one of the first cryptocurrency exchanges in Japan to obtain an official license from the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA).
Also, the exchange has about 1 million users, which is important given its share in the BTC/JPY market. Bitcoin/yen accounts for about 60% of total BTC trading.
Biggest crypto exchanges
In today’s world, cryptocurrencies are taking an increasingly significant place in the financial system. Cryptocurrency exchanges play a key role in this process, ensuring liquidity, accessibility and security of transactions with digital assets. This article provides an overview of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, their features and development prospects.
1. Binance
Binance is an international platform that leads the world in terms of trading volume and number of users. Founded in 2017, Binance offers a wide range of services including cryptocurrency trading, futures and options trading, staking, and lending. Binance is known for its fast transaction speeds and low fees, making it popular with traders around the world.
2. Coinbase
Coinbase, founded in 2012, is one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world and is best known in the United States. Coinbase offers an intuitive interface that is ideal for first-time users. In addition to basic cryptocurrency transactions, Coinbase is actively developing additional services such as custodial services and portfolio management.
3. Kraken
Founded in 2011, Kraken has established itself as one of the most reliable and secure cryptocurrency trading platforms. With a wide range of available currencies and advanced trading features, Kraken attracts professional traders. The exchange also offers margin and futures trading.
4. Bitfinex
Bitfinex, founded in 2012, is known for its innovative approaches to cryptocurrency trading. The platform supports a large number of currencies and offers extensive trading options, including margin trading and peer-to-peer lending. Bitfinex is often at the centre of the community’s attention due to its technological innovations.
5. Huobi
Huobi, founded in 2013 in China, now has offices all over the world. This platform is known for its stability and large selection of traded cryptocurrency pairs. Huobi also offers various additional services including OTC trading and cryptocurrency indices.
Conclusion: The choice of a cryptocurrency exchange depends on a number of factors, including preferences in fees, available features, level of security and the type of assets supported. The major exchanges continue to evolve, offering new technologies and services to meet the needs of their users. It is important to keep abreast of changes in legislation and security trends to ensure that the choice of platform is informed and suited to the individual trader’s needs.
Best crypto exchange Europe
Cryptocurrency exchanges are at the centre of the digital asset ecosystem, providing traders and investors with platforms to exchange, buy and sell cryptocurrencies. In Europe, a highly regulated region with a strong financial infrastructure, there are several prominent exchanges that offer a variety of services and products. In this article, we will take a look at the best cryptocurrency exchanges in Europe, their key features and advantages.
1. Bitstamp
Founded in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world and the most respected in Europe. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Bitstamp offers users a reliable platform with a high level of security and supports a wide range of currency pairs. The exchange is known for its strict approach to regulatory compliance, making it attractive to serious investors and professional traders.
2. Kraken
Kraken, founded in 2011 in San Francisco, has established itself as one of the most reliable and secure exchanges for trading cryptocurrencies. The exchange offers a wide range of trading instruments, including margin trading and futures. Kraken is particularly popular in Europe due to its competitive commissions, support for multiple currencies and high level of service.
3. Binance
Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is active in the European market, offering a wide range of services. The exchange offers not only spot trading, but also futures, options, and staking. Binance stands out thanks to its technology platform, high speed of order execution and innovative products such as Binance Smart Chain.
4. Coinbase
Coinbase, a well-known American cryptocurrency exchange, also has a significant presence in Europe. What makes Coinbase particularly attractive is its user interface, which is ideal for beginners. The exchange supports a number of European currencies and makes it easy to buy and sell cryptocurrency using local payment methods.
Conclusion: The choice of a cryptocurrency exchange depends on many factors, including a trader’s individual needs, level of experience and specific requirements for security, liquidity and services offered. The best exchanges in Europe offer high-quality services and strict regulatory compliance, which provides their users with confidence and protects their interests. When choosing an exchange, it is also recommended to consider feedback from other users and current trends in cryptocurrency market regulation.
Biggest crypto exchanges by volume
Cryptocurrency exchanges play a key role in the digital asset economy by providing platforms for trading, exchanging and storing cryptocurrencies. The trading volume of an exchange is one of the most important indicators of its activity and reliability. In this article, we will look at the largest cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume, their key features and strategies for success in the market.
1. Binance
Binance is the leading cryptocurrency exchange in terms of trading volume among all cryptocurrency exchanges. Since its founding in 2017, the exchange has quickly gone global thanks to its ability to offer a wide range of cryptocurrencies and innovative trading tools such as futures and options. High transaction processing speeds and low fees have made Binance the preferred choice for traders of all levels.
2. Coinbase Pro
Coinbase Pro is a platform for professional traders from the well-known American cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase. It is characterised by a high level of security and transparency ensured by strict compliance with regulatory requirements. Trading volumes on Coinbase Pro often increase due to the large flow of institutional investors, as well as due to the use of advanced trading features and analytical tools.
3. Huobi
Huobi is the leading cryptocurrency exchange in Asia and is also actively traded internationally. The exchange offers trading in a large number of cryptocurrencies and has one of the highest trading volumes globally. Huobi is known for its liquidity programmes and measures to protect user funds.
4. OKEx
OKEx is another major international exchange with a wide range of financial products, including spot and margin trading, futures and perpetual swaps. The exchange attracts users with its innovative financial engineering solutions and high level of technical support.
Conclusion: The trading volume of a cryptocurrency exchange is a key indicator of its liquidity, stability and user trust. Exchanges with high trading volume, such as Binance, Coinbase Pro, Huobi and OKEx, provide traders with various tools and opportunities for trading, as well as contribute to the development of cryptocurrency market infrastructure. When choosing an exchange to trade on, consider not only trading volume, but also factors such as security, commissions, available currency pairs and the quality of customer support.
Trading volume of the world’s leading exchanges
Exchange | Trading Volume (bn USD) |
Market Share (%) |
Binance | 3,711 | 49% |
UPbit | 523 | 7% |
OKX | 475 | 6% |
Coinbase | 462 | 6% |
Bybit | 336 | 4% |
Huobi | 276 | 4% |
Uniswap | 251 | 3% |
Kraken | 220 | 3% |
KuCoin | 197 | 3% |
MEXC | 191 | 3% |
Total | 6,643 | 88% |
A study conducted by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) found that only 10 cryptocurrency exchanges process 90 per cent of all transactions. Moreover, Binance accounts for almost half of global trading volumes. Together, the three cryptocurrency exchanges – Binance, UPbit and OKX – control more than 60 per cent of the market share.
Best country to create a crypto exchange
When choosing a country to establish a cryptocurrency exchange, it is important to consider many factors, including the regulatory environment, economic stability, tax policy and availability of qualified resources. Recently, Lithuania and the Czech Republic have stood out as two of the most attractive jurisdictions for cryptocurrency companies due to their innovative policies and supportive environment. This article analyses the advantages of these countries for launching and running a cryptocurrency business.
Lithuania: Progressive Regulation and Technological Innovation
Lithuania is rapidly becoming one of the leading blockchain technology centres in Europe. The country’s government is actively supporting the cryptocurrency industry with the following initiatives:
- Clear regulation: Lithuania has developed a specific regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies, making it easier for companies to understand the legal requirements and reducing the risks of non-compliance.
- Tax incentives: Lithuania’s tax policy regarding cryptocurrencies is friendly, including moderate taxes on profits from cryptocurrency transactions.
- Technologically Prepared Economy: The country provides excellent technological infrastructure and broad access to technological and financial innovation.
Czech Republic: Stability and Openness to Innovation
The Czech Republic also stands out as an attractive jurisdiction for cryptocurrency exchanges for several reasons:
- Liberal regulation: The Czech Republic is known for its liberal approach to cryptocurrencies, providing a clear and stable regulatory environment.
- Economic stability: As a member of the European Union, the Czech Republic offers political and economic stability, which makes it attractive for international investment.
- Support for innovation: The Czech government actively supports innovation and the development of new technologies, including blockchain and cryptocurrencies, which creates a favourable environment for business growth and development.
Advantages of choosing Lithuania and the Czech Republic
Choosing Lithuania or the Czech Republic to set up a cryptocurrency exchange offers the following advantages:
- Strategic location in Europe: Both countries have a strategic location in Europe, which facilitates access to European markets and customer base.
- Promoting technological progress: Lithuania and the Czech Republic are actively introducing new technologies and digitalisation, which fosters innovation and improves business processes.
- Attractive investment climate: Both countries’ policies aim to create an attractive investment climate for foreign investors and companies.
Conclusion
Lithuania and the Czech Republic are outstanding examples of countries where the establishment of a cryptocurrency exchange can be particularly successful due to a favourable regulatory environment, stability and support for innovation. These countries offer unique advantages for cryptocurrency companies looking to expand into the European market, providing a solid foundation for growth and development in the dynamically changing world of digital finance.
If you are launching a crypto project and would like to implement it in the most favourable jurisdiction, contact finTech lawyers from Regulated United Europe for a free initial consultation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What are the most popular licensed cryptocurrency exchanges in Europe?
Some of the most popular cryptocurrency exchange service providers in Europe include Binance, Coinbase, Crypto.com, Huobi Global, Blockchain.com, Kraken, Gemini, CEX.IO, and bitFlyer.
What is Binance's history and position in the crypto market?
Binance, founded in 2017 by Chanppeng Zhao, is the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume. It offers spot, margin, futures, and P2P trading, with over 1600 cryptocurrencies. Binance reached the top in 2018 currently is a global leader in cryptocurrency trading.
How did Coinbase become a prominent player in the crypto space?
Founded in 2012 and led by Brian Armstrong, Coinbase became a crucial tool in the U.S. crypto market. It went public on Nasdaq in 2021 and holds various licenses, serving 44 U.S. states and expanding into the European market.
What is Crypto.com's unique selling proposition and product offerings?
Crypto.com was founded in 2016 and is a Singapore-based exchange. It offers diverse services, including trading, investment, wallets, NFTs, and more. With over 10 million customers, it has a significant presence in 90 countries.
What services does Huobi Global provide, and how did it evolve since its launch in 2013?
Established in 2013, Huobi is a Chinese exchange that moved its headquarters to Singapore after China's crypto ban. It provides services to intermediate and advanced traders, offering spot markets, derivatives, margin services, and more.
What are the key features of Blockchain.com, and how has it evolved since its launch in 2011?
Blockchain.com, launched in 2011, is a London-based Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchain explorer and wallet service. It has evolved into a comprehensive platform, raising substantial funding and expanding its offerings.
How has Kraken positioned itself in the crypto market, and what licenses does it hold?
Kraken, founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell, is a U.S.-based exchange with licenses in the U.S., UK, and Lithuania. It serves experienced crypto traders and holds banking licenses.
What is Gemini and how has it expanded since its launch in 2014?
Gemini, founded in 2014 by the Winklevoss brothers, is a regulated U.S. exchange that emphasizes regulatory compliance. It offers a variety of services, including a notable NFT platform called „Nifty Gateway“.
What is CEX.IO?
CEX.IO, founded in 2013 and based in the UK, is a retail-focused exchange transitioning into the institutional space. It is regulated in multiple jurisdictions and offers a wide range of coins.
What are some unique features of bitFlyer?
bitFlyer, one of Japan’s largest exchanges, was founded in 2014 and expanded to the U.S. and Europe. It became the world’s first exchange regulated in Japan, the U.S., and Europe simultaneously, focusing on BTC/JPY trading.
What is the significance of having licenses in various European countries for these crypto exchanges?
Having licenses in European countries signifies compliance with regulatory standards, ensuring transparency, security, and legal operation. It fosters trust among users and allows exchanges to operate within the legal framework of each jurisdiction.
How do these exchanges differentiate in terms of the number of supported cryptocurrencies and trading pairs?
Exchanges vary in the number of supported cryptocurrencies and trading pairs. Binance and Crypto.com, for example, support a wide range, while others may focus on specific pairs. Traders can choose based on their preferred assets.
What strategies are these exchanges employing for international expansion, and how does it impact users in different regions?
Exchanges like CEX.IO and bitFlyer are expanding internationally by obtaining licenses in new jurisdictions. This strategy allows them to cater to users globally, providing access to cryptocurrency services while adhering to regional regulations.
RUE customer support team
“Hi, if you are looking to start your project, or you still have some concerns, you can definitely reach out to me for comprehensive assistance. Contact me and let’s start your business venture.”
“Hello, I’m Sheyla, ready to help with your business ventures in Europe and beyond. Whether in international markets or exploring opportunities abroad, I offer guidance and support. Feel free to contact me!”
“Hello, my name is Diana and I specialise in assisting clients in many questions. Contact me and I will be able to provide you efficient support in your request.”
“Hello, my name is Polina. I will be happy to provide you with the necessary information to launch your project in the chosen jurisdiction – contact me for more information!”
CONTACT US
At the moment, the main services of our company are legal and compliance solutions for FinTech projects. Our offices are located in Vilnius, Prague, and Warsaw. The legal team can assist with legal analysis, project structuring, and legal regulation.
Registration number: 304377400
Anno: 30.08.2016
Phone: +370 6949 5456
Email: [email protected]
Address: Lvovo g. 25 – 702, 7th floor, Vilnius,
09320, Lithuania
Registration number: 38421992700000
Anno: 28.08.2019
Email: [email protected]
Address: Twarda 18, 15th floor, Warsaw, 00-824, Poland
Registration number: 14153440–
Anno: 16.11.2016
Phone: +372 56 966 260
Email: [email protected]
Address: Laeva 2, Tallinn, 10111, Estonia
Registration number: 08620563
Anno: 21.10.2019
Phone: +420 775 524 175
Email: [email protected]
Address: Na Perštýně 342/1, Staré Město, 110 00 Prague