US crypto platforms compared (early October 2026)
The table shows the entry-level fees most new users will actually pay. "Order book" fees apply when you use the platform's advanced trading screen. "Simple buy" is the one-tap purchase in the main app.
| Platform | Order-book fees (lowest volume tier) | Simple buy cost | Coins (approx.) | State availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | Advanced: 0.40% maker / 0.60% taker under $10K monthly volume | Spread included in price, plus fees that vary by payment method; 1% extra execution fee on simple limit orders | 410 | Check at sign-up |
| Kraken | Kraken Pro: 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker ($0–$10,000 30-day volume) | 1% fee plus a spread (fee waived for Kraken+ members on up to $10,000 a month) | 748 | Reported unavailable in New York and Maine |
| Gemini | ActiveTrader: 0.60% maker / 1.20% taker at entry tier (schedule dated Sept. 1, 2026) | About 2.49% combined on standard orders (1% convenience fee + 1.49% transaction fee) | 82 | All 50 states |
| Robinhood Crypto | 0.00%–0.95% depending on 30-day volume; market orders pay the taker rate | Same fee tiers | See Robinhood's coin list | Every state, DC, Puerto Rico and USVI |
| Crypto.com | — | 0%–2.99% depending on transaction type | 548 | Check at sign-up |
| Fidelity Crypto | — | 1% | 5 | Check at sign-up |
Source: Kraken, Gemini, Coinbase and Robinhood fee pages; BrokerChooser (Coinbase Advanced); NerdWallet (coin counts, Gemini standard fees, Crypto.com and Fidelity fees, updated Oct. 1, 2026); Coin Bureau (Kraken states, Oct. 2025). Checked October 2026.
What each platform is a good fit for
Coinbase
Coinbase's main app is easy to use, but the convenience costs money: simple buys and sells include a spread in the price, and simple limit orders carry a separate 1% execution fee. If you trade more than occasionally, the Advanced screen shows the order book with no built-in spread and charges 0.40% maker and 0.60% taker at the lowest tier. Coinbase One, a paid subscription, removes standard trading fees within limits, though not the 1% limit-order fee or the spread.
Kraken
Kraken offers the widest coin list of the major US platforms, about 748 assets. Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker, falling as monthly volume rises. The basic app charges a 1% fee plus a spread. Bitcoin withdrawal fees and minimums have been flagged as relatively high, which matters if you plan to move coins to your own wallet. Kraken has been reported as unavailable in New York and Maine, so check before you apply.
Gemini
Gemini is a New York–chartered trust company regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services, and it serves all 50 states. Its coin list is short, around 82. Standard app orders are expensive at roughly 2.49% combined. ActiveTrader is cheaper, but its September 2026 schedule starts at 0.60% maker and 1.20% taker, higher than Kraken Pro or Coinbase Advanced at entry volume.
Robinhood Crypto
Robinhood charges an explicit fee from 0.00% to 0.95% based on your trailing 30-day volume, rather than relying only on a spread. It is available in every state plus DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. It suits people who already use Robinhood for stocks and want one app. Robinhood states plainly that crypto held through Robinhood Crypto, LLC is not a security, is not FDIC insured and is not SIPC protected.
Brokerage alternatives
Fidelity Crypto offers only a handful of coins (about five) with a 1% fee. Another route is a spot bitcoin exchange-traded product. The SEC approved 11 of them on January 10, 2024. They trade in an ordinary brokerage account or IRA alongside stocks. You do not hold the coins yourself, and the fund charges an annual expense ratio. See our guide to online stock brokers if you go this way.
How crypto fees really work
Crypto platforms charge in up to four places, and the advertised "fee" usually covers only one of them.
- Spread. The gap between the price you pay and the market price. Coinbase and Kraken both say their simple-buy prices include a spread. It is not shown as a separate line.
- Trading fee. A percentage of the trade. On order-book screens, a "maker" order (a limit order that waits on the book) usually pays less than a "taker" order (one that fills immediately).
- Funding fee. Debit or credit card purchases cost more than bank transfers on most platforms.
- Withdrawal fee. Moving coins off the platform triggers a blockchain network fee, and some exchanges add their own charge or minimum.
A worked example: a $1,000 bitcoin purchase placed as a taker order on Kraken Pro at the entry tier costs $8 in fees. The same $1,000 on Gemini's standard order screen costs about $24.90. Across many trades a year, that gap adds up.
Custody and protection: what is and isn't covered
This is the part most comparison pages skip. When you leave crypto on an exchange, the exchange holds it for you. There is no government-backed insurance for that crypto.
- No FDIC insurance. FDIC deposit insurance covers bank deposits, not crypto.
- No SIPC protection. SIPC protects up to $500,000 per customer at a failed brokerage, including up to $250,000 in cash, but only for securities. Crypto that is not a registered security falls outside that protection.
- Private insurance is narrow. Some exchanges, including Gemini, carry insurance on hot-wallet assets. These policies typically cover the platform's losses from events like hacks, not your losses from a falling price or a hacked personal login.
Your options are to keep a small amount on an exchange you trust, or move larger holdings to a wallet you control. Self-custody removes exchange risk but puts recovery entirely on you: if you lose your recovery phrase, nobody can restore the coins.
The regulatory picture in 2026
US crypto rules have changed quickly, and they are not finished.
- Stablecoins. The GENIUS Act became law on July 18, 2025. It requires payment stablecoin issuers to hold reserves of at least one-to-one against coins outstanding. Its main rules take effect on the earlier of January 18, 2027 or 120 days after final regulations are issued.
- Market structure. The CLARITY Act, which would set rules for exchanges, brokers and custodians, passed the House in July 2025. On September 15, 2026, a Senate motion to advance it failed 49–50, short of the 60 votes needed. A motion to reconsider keeps a later vote possible, but as of early October 2026 it was not law. Be skeptical of any claim that an exchange is “CLARITY compliant.”
Until a market-structure law is in place, the protections you get depend on each platform's state licenses and its own terms of service. Read the custody section of the user agreement before you deposit.
Taxes and Form 1099-DA
The IRS treats digital assets as property, not currency. That has several practical effects.
- Selling crypto, swapping one coin for another, or spending it is a taxable disposal. Gains on coins held more than one year get long-term capital gains rates. Shorter holdings are taxed as ordinary income.
- Staking and mining rewards count as ordinary income when you receive them.
- Every Form 1040 filer must answer the digital asset question. If you only held crypto and did nothing else, the answer is "No."
- Custodial platforms must report gross proceeds on Form 1099-DA for sales on or after January 1, 2025. For digital assets acquired on or after January 1, 2026, they must also report cost basis.
Because forms for 2025 sales show proceeds without cost basis, and coins bought before 2026 or moved between platforms may still lack basis, keep your own purchase records. Without them, the IRS sees only the sale amount. Smaller amounts may not appear on a form at all. Brokers using an optional method do not have to report qualifying stablecoin sales under $10,000 a year or specified NFT sales under $600. You still owe tax on any gain.
Scams are the biggest risk for many buyers
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logged 181,565 crypto-related complaints in 2025, with reported losses of about $11.4 billion, up 22% from 2024. Crypto investment fraud alone accounted for $7.2 billion. People aged 60 and older reported $4.4 billion in losses. The FTC separately reported $15.9 billion in total fraud losses for 2025, with investment scams the largest category at $7.9 billion.
Common warning signs:
- Someone you met online or by text steers you to a specific "exchange" or app.
- You see guaranteed returns or a dashboard showing rapid gains you cannot withdraw.
- You're asked to pay a "tax" or "fee" before you can withdraw.
- Someone claiming to be from government, your bank or exchange support asks you to move money into crypto or a bitcoin ATM.
Download apps only from the official app store listing, and type the exchange's web address yourself.
How to choose a platform
- Confirm it operates in your state. Availability differs, especially in New York.
- Decide how you will buy. If you plan to buy regularly, choose a platform with an order-book screen and use limit orders.
- Check the coin list. If you only want bitcoin and ether, a short list is fine.
- Compare funding and withdrawal costs. Use bank transfers rather than cards, and check withdrawal fees if you plan to self-custody.
- Turn on strong security. Use an authenticator app or hardware key rather than SMS codes, and set up withdrawal address allow-lists if offered.
- Size the position. Crypto prices can fall sharply. Many people cap it at an amount they could lose without hurting their emergency fund or retirement plan.
If you are still building a core portfolio, read how to invest in stocks and our guide to S&P 500 index funds first. Crypto works best as a small, deliberate slice, not the foundation.
Frequently asked questions
Which crypto exchange has the lowest fees?
At entry-level volume in October 2026, Kraken Pro (0.40% maker / 0.80% taker) and Coinbase Advanced (0.40% / 0.60%) had lower published order-book fees than Gemini ActiveTrader (0.60% / 1.20%). Robinhood's fees range from 0.00% to 0.95% depending on 30-day volume. Simple buy buttons on most platforms cost more because of spreads and convenience fees.
Is my crypto insured if an exchange fails?
Not by the government. FDIC insurance covers bank deposits, and SIPC covers securities at failed brokerages. Neither covers crypto. Robinhood states its crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected. Any private insurance an exchange holds generally covers its own losses, not yours.
Will I get a 1099 for crypto?
Yes, from US custodial platforms. Brokers report gross proceeds of digital asset sales on Form 1099-DA starting with sales on or after January 1, 2025. Cost basis reporting applies to assets acquired on or after January 1, 2026. Keep your own records for older purchases.
Do I owe tax if I just buy and hold crypto?
No tax is due on holding alone, and the IRS says you can answer "No" to the Form 1040 digital asset question if your only activity was holding. Selling, swapping or spending crypto, or earning staking rewards, is taxable.
Which crypto exchanges work in New York?
Availability changes, so check each platform's site. Gemini says it serves all 50 states, and Robinhood Crypto says it is available in every state. Kraken has been reported as unavailable in New York and Maine.
Is a bitcoin ETF safer than buying on an exchange?
It removes some risks and adds others. Spot bitcoin ETPs, approved by the SEC on January 10, 2024, trade in regular brokerage accounts and IRAs, so you avoid managing exchange logins or wallets. You pay an annual fund fee, can't move the coins, and still carry bitcoin's full price risk.
Sources
- Coinbase – Pricing and fees disclosures
- Kraken – Fee schedule
- Gemini – ActiveTrader fee schedule
- Robinhood – Crypto fee tiers
- Robinhood – Crypto trading FAQ
- NerdWallet – Best crypto exchanges and apps (updated Oct. 1, 2026)
- NerdWallet – Gemini review
- BrokerChooser – Coinbase fees
- Coin Bureau – Kraken review
- IRS – Digital assets
- IRS – Instructions for Form 1099-DA
- FinTelegram – US crypto regulation: GENIUS Act enacted, CLARITY Act not yet law (July 2026)
- The Block – FBI: crypto fraud losses hit record $11.4 billion in 2025
- Mondaq – SEC approves 11 spot bitcoin ETPs
- Forbes – Failure of crypto CLARITY Act cloture vote not a surprise (Sept. 16, 2026)
Rates, fees and terms change often. Figures were checked in October 2026; confirm current details with the provider before you apply.