Cryptocurrencies have attracted great interest in recent years as investors look to attract meaningful returns that beat inflation. As a result, digital currencies like Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC) are now oft-seen holdings in many portfolios - for both experienced traders and retail investors. However, to buy crypto assets, you need to start trading through an online brokerage or crypto exchange which we discuss here.
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How to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for your portfolio
To buy and sell cryptocurrencies, you have several options. You can sell an asset and take digital currency as a payment into your digital wallet. You can mine for digital currencies using highly sophisticated computers and software. Or, you can buy and sell them similarly to stocks and shares - on an exchange.
You can do so through a couple of means. First, there are brokers with online trading platforms that allow you to trade other asset classes. Or, you can use specialist online crypto exchanges, which are increasingly popular. They can help you cut out the middleman and reduce trading fees. However, there is still massive variation between cryptocurrency exchanges, impacting how user-friendly you find each one.
Our guide to the best cryptocurrency exchanges in the UK identifies those that provide the ability to trade Bitcoin and its peers easily and what factors make them so good. Understanding those factors will help you make the best decision on which exchange is right for you. As ever, with any form of investment and the practice of investing, everyone's situation is different. As a result, the perfect exchange for one investor could be wholly inappropriate for another.
What makes the best crypto exchanges?
When researching crypto exchanges, we identified the following factors as relevant. Keep them in mind whether you are interested in basic or advanced trading.
Interface
How you interact with an exchange is vital to how well-suited it is to you. If possible, have a few 'dummy' runs with specific platforms and see if you get along with the interface it provides to help you trade. Software should be intuitive for you and not hinder your ability to trade in any way. If you find it challenging to use, it is doubtful that you should use that exchange for trading. With your money at stake, particularly given the complexity that trading crypto can have, making things as easy as possible is a way to provide yourself with a helping hand. Timing trades is of the utmost importance, especially when margin trading, so you need a platform that offers more than just liquidity in the most popular cryptocurrency.
Straightforward procedures
Secondly, simply signing up to an exchange needs to be easy, as should any subsequent procedures. Try to identify which exchange has the best withdrawal processes in addition to its payment methods. For instance, can you pay the exchange by bank transfer, credit card or debit card? Or will you get faster payments elsewhere? Also, ask whether its verification process and KYC procedures are robust yet streamlined. Having straightforward and streamlined procedures is vital as an exchange can have the best interface in the world with the lowest fees. Yet, if the rest of its operations are slapdash and slow, you will find any interaction with the outfit exceedingly frustrating.
Device range
Despite often being at the forefront of FinTech, some exchanges do not always have a fit-for-purpose app for every device. So check whether the mobile app for your phone is effective and efficient. Or, if you know you will be using your computer more often to trade, ensure that the web or desktop application is suitable for you.
Research
Exchanges and online platforms can often help you do more than buy and sell crypto. Many exchanges will also offer research articles and investment suggestions on what trading pairs or exchange rates are most exciting at that moment in time. To some, that research may be unnecessary, while it may be invaluable to others. Depending on which camp you sit in, ensure that your potential exchange offers what you want. If it does provide a large amount of research, but you don't want it, ensure you are not paying for it unnecessarily.
Analysis tools
Analysis tools are another aspect of exchanges that some customers want, and others happily do without. Some exchanges or platforms will offer these in abundance. To some investors, they will be crucial trading tools to support making the best investment decisions and taking the best trading options possible. However, many investors will not want much more than a charting tool - if that. If that is the case, much like having an extensive provision of research, ensure you are not paying more to an exchange for analysis tools you never use.
Crypto wallet
Exchanges often come with a crypto wallet. You need to ensure that if the exchange you use provides a crypto wallet, you know how to use it. Additionally, you need to ensure that if it does provide a crypto wallet, it can store the cryptocurrencies you would like to hold or trade in the future. For example, does it just have the ability to store the private keys for the more famous cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin? Or, if you use a cold storage solution to store your private keys offline, does that work with your potential exchange? Crypto wallets are crucial to keep your assets safe from hackers, so it's essential to investigate what your potential platform offers.
Regulation
Here's a huge factor to consider when researching potential crypto exchanges. Is the exchange regulated by or registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), or does a different authority regulate it outside the United Kingdom? If it is, are you happy with the level of scrutiny and protection the non-UK authority offers if it is regulated at all? Regulation, though somewhat at odds with the decentralised nature of the digital asset as a whole, is there to protect investors. Without it, any investment class (from digital assets to stocks and shares) is prone to criminal activity and fraud - making investments in them potentially difficult and financially dangerous.
Fees
Here’s another biggie. Does your potential exchange offer high or low fees for each trade? What is its fee structure? Look into whether the transaction fees a company charges take into account trading volume or trading frequency, and then compare that to your trading strategy. If you are making large trades, you will likely want an exchange that rewards you for that style. However, you may like to trade little and often, in which case you want an exchange that does not penalise you for this. Instead, you want one that sets lower fees the more you trade. Also, remember to consider withdrawal fees, taker fees or how you are charged for a wire transfer.
Range of digital currencies
Finally, you need an exchange that offers the range of digital currencies you want to trade. In this way, looking at exchanges for their asset range is much like looking at foreign currency exchanges. If you are a Forex trader, you may want the ability to trade more 'exotic' currencies than just USD, EUR and GBP. That's the same with crypto. While Bitcoin is likely to feature in a person's cryptocurrency holdings, it is not the only digital asset available. There are over 12,000 digital currencies alone before considering other digital assets like non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Your exchange must provide the ability to have a wide-ranging order book and not just offer Bitcoin to its customers.
Top 8 exchanges to trade cryptocurrencies
Bearing the above in mind, here are some of the most popular crypto exchanges. However, that is not to say that any or all of the below will suit your needs. So remember to try them all for yourself.
1. Bitget
Bitget is a robust exchange that offers more than just trading. It’s an exchange that has been growing in popularity thanks to its advanced interface and innovative features, like copy and strategic trading. For instance, its one-click copy trade makes taking the positions of others exceptionally quick. Plus, more and more of its users are trying out its KYC-free trading feature too. Newbies to the crypto world will be attracted to the way Bitget allows passive trading through the app.
Importantly, the app isn’t just about novel features and looking slick. It’s also got the basics right, making it reliable. With a global workforce, you can find support easily if you need it wherever you are. Other than having great features, Bitget has partnerships with Lionel Messi, Juventus FC and a network of over 100.000 key opinion leaders worldwide. Security and transparency are also a strength of the exchange, which has a $300M protection fund to protect users’ assets and a dedicated page on its website showing a proof of reserves ratio, as of today of 246%. Users tout its high-security standards and futures trading as some of the best around, so it is worth considering for many levels of experience.
2. ICONOMI
This platform is a beginner-friendly option that also offers enough features that makes it suitable for advanced traders in the crypto market too. It’s a popular social trading platform as it’s easy to use which allows optimally timed trades, plus it’s regulated by the FCA and has over 150 different cryptocurrencies available for trading. Additionally, it has the capability for copy trading. So if you see a trader making crypto purchases that you think will yield a good return, ICONOMI could be somewhere to deposit funds to take advantage of this feature. Plus, with their low trading fees, you could start buying and selling Cardano, XRP or any stablecoins to add to your portfolio as and when you see fit thanks to the liquidity that the platform provides.
3. Kraken
The security-conscious will probably like Kraken thanks to its two-factor authentication for account login and other measures that make it safe to use. In addition, the fees are not exorbitant, particularly for basic transactions like depositing money or making withdrawals. What helps make it popular is how customisable an interface it has, plus it has an overall professional-looking design. Generally speaking, Kraken is better for experienced traders, but that does not mean a beginner who is happy using some expert language will not find it a good option.
4. Cex.io
Cex.io has one of the best support sections of all exchanges, a massive comfort for digital currency novices. Notably, Cex.io offers many different types of cryptocurrency, so it is suitable for those who want a diverse digital portfolio. The exchange also allows you to trade fiat currencies (digital currencies pegged to assets backed by a government). Users often state they find the platform very easy to use. It is intuitive, too, meaning you can hit the ground running when setting up trading accounts with Cex.io.
5. eToro
eToro has recently gained much notoriety thanks to its social trading feature. Customers can follow fellow traders and put in orders that copy that trader's investments and sales. While past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, many investors like to use other experienced traders' actions as a guide to structuring their platform. That could be both a help and a hindrance. However, eToro does have other advantages. Its main one is a low to zero commission structure, meaning fees are competitive despite having a highly sophisticated trading platform that supports its social trading feature.
6. Binance
Binance has many cryptocurrencies on its books for investors to trade. However, one of the crucial advantages of Binance is not just its breadth but also its speed. The exchange allows for instant payments that can rival more traditional forms of money payments that may take several hours, if not days, to settle. The company also offers its trades for a low price. Customers can even pay zero fees on some transactions. Of course, there is no such thing as a free lunch, but minimising your trading costs can be a big help - particularly when starting out with smaller trades.
7. Gemini
Gemini’s security is one of the reasons it has gained so much popularity. While it may have some higher fee charges than many competitors, it also has innovative features like digital assets insurance in its cryptocurrency wallet (Gemini wallet). In addition, Gemini stores a vast amount of its assets in cold storage, arguably making it much safer against online threats. Additionally, it has low minimum trade amounts making it a good option for beginners. Finally, it has effective apps for iOS and Android users.
8. Coinbase
There are two versions of Coinbase. The first, more basic version: Coinbase. The second is aimed at more seasoned investors and is called Coinbase Pro. Therefore, it is a pretty reputable solution for any type of crypto trader. Its educational resources are particularly accessible for first-time users. At the same time, the extra features in Coinbase Pro are beneficial for experienced traders looking to trade or exchange cryptocurrency with other traders, not just using Coinbase as a broker that holds its own positions.
Why you should and shouldn’t invest in crypto
While looking at exchanges that support cryptocurrency investing is essential before stepping foot into the digital market, it is also advisable to ensure that it is a suitable asset for you in general. Let's summarise some of the asset class's more considerable and notable advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
High return potential
The lure of potentially high returns is what possibly keeps drawing people into this asset class. For example, in 2021, Bitcoin investors could have seen their initial investment more than double from its starting price point on 1st January if they exited at the right time. Other digital assets can also generate high returns. Solana, for instance, reportedly made an 11,000% return in 2021, which is hard to imagine with traditional investments like stocks, bonds and even commodities.
Liquidity
Like the Forex market, there is a great deal of liquidity in the digital asset markets. That's down to the number of investors now trading digital tokens and coins and the sheer number of digital assets continually established or created. Another helping hand to the asset class's liquidity is that it is open 24/7. That means more people can access the market and its exchanges, further supporting liquidity. Having a liquid asset is a considerable comfort to investors as it means they can exit positions should they need cash quickly.
Decentralised
Cryptocurrencies are not beholden to Governments in a way traditional currencies are. They are truly global and are not regulated or overseen by any state. That is hugely attractive to many investors who like to move out of the realm of state intervention. Its decentralised nature is also supported by blockchain technology that makes cryptocurrency holdings and transactions anonymous. That is a big bonus to investors who like their financial affairs to remain private. They never have to hand over personal information when buying and selling on a crypto platform.
Disadvantages:
Unregulated
While being decentralised is a massive draw for many investors, it does come with the negative side effect of being less regulated. While financial regulatory bodies can oversee platforms and exchanges, providing some form of security buffer, there is still the risk that no single government has oversight of the asset. This can put investors at risk. In the UK, while the Government backs £85,000 worth of savings for each account holder in a bank via the FSCS, there isn't that reassurance in digital currency. It means that if a scam occurs so that an individual's holdings reduce to zero or are even stolen, there is little that the UK Government or the FCA can do to help you.
Volatility
No discussion of crypto is complete without mentioning its volatility. While all investments suffer from erratic price movements at some point in their investment lifecycle, volatility characterises cryptocurrencies on an hourly basis. It can make investing in them an overwhelming prospect. Calculating good entry and exit price points is complicated when an asset moves around as much as crypto does. While that does mean you can make significant returns, those returns can quickly turn into even more considerable losses almost instantaneously.
Complexity
Perhaps one of the reasons for digital currencies’ volatility is down to their complexity. Cryptocurrencies are based on technology that the average person may struggle to get their head around. Plus, while they are increasingly being used to pay for goods and services, as a government does not back them, it is hard to use traditional fundamentals that investors often use to appraise assets like stocks, bonds and Forex. It is not impossible to learn, however. The more you read about cryptocurrency and immerse yourself in that world, the more you will understand. That said, it is not a simple asset class by any means.
Cryptocurrency exchanges
While you may have identified what cryptocurrencies you want to invest in, consider what cryptocurrency exchange is suitable for you, too. Using an exchange ideal for your needs is essential to ensure you can place trades as and when you want. If your exchange is substandard for your needs, you put yourself at risk of losing money. That could be because you need help understanding how to use its software or because it does not offer the range of cryptocurrencies you believe offer the best investment potential.
As with any investment, ensuring you know that the asset class and specific investment fits in with your risk profile is crucial. But that is closely followed by ensuring that how you make that investment is appropriate for your risk profile. Using our above guide as a checklist can help to ensure that your final chosen exchange is the right one for you and the rest of your portfolio.
