By the TradeReviewed Research Team. Data from official exchange pages and regulator registers, dates shown per exchange. How we test
- Standard spot taker fees are the same or not verified for both.
- Coinbase holds more licences or registrations that we verified (6 vs 3).
- Both have a confirmed MiCA authorisation for EU users.
- Kraken has the higher 24h trading volume (spot plus derivatives), which usually means deeper order books.
Kraken vs Coinbase at a glance
| Our score | 2.5/5 | 2.7/5 |
|---|---|---|
| Spot maker / taker | 0.4% / 0.8% | - / - |
| Futures maker / taker | - / - | - / - |
| Max leverage | - | - |
| EU MiCA status | MiCA licensed | MiCA licensed |
| Verified licences and registrations | 3: EU, AE, CA | 6: EU, US, SG, JP, CA, IN |
| Restricted or banned in | IN | - |
| Proof of reserves | Periodic Merkle tree attestation | Not verified |
| 24h volume (spot + derivatives) | $2.53B | $1.86B |
| Deposit methods | Bank transfer (SEPA, ACH, wire), card, crypto | Card, bank transfer (SEPA, ACH), PayPal, crypto |
| Data checked | 2026-10-19 · fee source | 2026-10-19 |
Standard base tier fees. Card purchases, conversions and withdrawals cost extra. Leverage for EU retail clients is limited by law, whatever the global maximum.
Which one should you choose?
- Low fee spot buying: pick the lower taker fee and pay by bank transfer instead of card.
- Futures trading: compare futures taker fees and check that derivatives are allowed where you live.
- Safety first: prefer the exchange with more verified licences and a proof of reserves report, and read our safety pages below.
Is Kraken safe? · Is Coinbase safe? · Kraken review · Coinbase review
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Kraken or Coinbase?
Standard spot taker fees are 0.8% on Kraken and - on Coinbase.
Is Kraken or Coinbase better for EU users?
In the EU, choose the entity with a MiCA authorisation in the ESMA register and check which products it offers, because leverage and derivatives are limited for EU retail clients. Kraken: MiCA licensed. Coinbase: MiCA licensed.
Can I use both Kraken and Coinbase?
Yes. Many traders keep accounts on two exchanges to compare prices, spread counterparty risk and keep access if one has an outage. Never keep more on an exchange than you need for trading.
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Safety checks by exchange
Is BingX safe? Is OKX safe? Is Bybit safe? Is Binance safe? Is Bitget safe? Is MEXC safe? Is KuCoin safe? Is Coinbase safe? Is Kraken safe? Is Gate safe?
Not financial advice. Some links are affiliate links, which never change our data or scores. Affiliate disclosure