Altcoin exchanges are trading platforms that allow investors to buy, sell, hold, and trade cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. We reviewed the top 30 platforms based on factors like liquidity, security, supported altcoins, fees, and additional features, and have curated a list of the ten best places to buy altcoins to help you make informed decisions.
Binance, founded in 2017, has grown to become the world’s largest crypto exchange by trading volume. It offers a comprehensive platform with a huge selection of coins and trading pairs, deep liquidity, and very low fees. The crypto exchange caters to both beginners and advanced traders, offering options from simple buys in Lite mode to advanced order types in Pro mode.
Beyond spot trading, Binance supports margin and derivatives trading, including perpetual futures and options, as well as peer-to-peer (P2P) trading and various DeFi earning opportunities.
Coinbase is a US-based cryptocurrency exchange regulated by top financial . It was established in 2012 and is well-known for its user-friendly interface, making it ideal for beginners. Coinbase offers a broad selection of digital assets, with access to over 550 trading pairs and markets, including crypto derivatives.
The platform provides simple buy/sell options, staking, crypto rewards cards, and educational resources through its Coinbase Earn program. Though Coinbase’s trading fees tend to be higher than some competitors, its seamless fiat onramps, insured wallets, cold storage, and compliance make it a popular choice for US-based crypto investors and institutions alike.
Supported Coins and Pairs: Over 240 supported cryptocurrencies and more than 550 trading pairs and derivative markets.
Bybit was founded in 2018 and has established itself as a leading derivatives cryptocurrency exchange. The exchange platform specializes in perpetual contracts and options trading with leverage up to 100x, serving professional traders demanding deep liquidity, fast order matching, and advanced trading tools.
Bybit offers spot trading as well, but its strength lies in derivatives markets, including major altcoins like ETH, SOL, and XRP, as well as a growing list of lesser-known altcoins. The platform is known for its intuitive interface, fast execution speeds, and various automation options.
Supported Coins and Pairs: 700+ coins and 1,200 pairs for spot and derivatives. The crypto exchange also has deep liquidity in perpetual futures and options markets.
OKX was launched in 2017. The crypto exchange offers a wide range of features and a user-friendly interface designed for both beginners and advanced traders. It provides spot trading, futures, perpetual swaps, and options with deep liquidity and customizable margin. Its integration with a Web3 wallet provides users with easy access to DeFi projects, NFTs, and decentralized applications.
OKX offers additional services such as automated trading bots, yield products, and participation in token Launchpads. While OKX is suitable for beginners and seasoned traders, US residents face trading restrictions. Aside from its user-friendly interface, OKX offers low fees and a strong focus on user experience with cross-platform apps.
Supported Coins and Pairs: Large selection of altcoins (350+ supported coins) and 500+ pairs.
Bitget is a popular exchange known for its leading copy trading platform designed for futures and spot markets. The crypto exchange was founded in 2018 and is especially favored by traders interested in social trading, as it allows users to follow and replicate the strategies of more experienced traders.
Bitget supports a wide variety of low-market-cap crypto tokens alongside major cryptocurrencies and offers low fees across spot and futures markets. Its user interface is optimized for mobile devices, and it provides a large protection fund as an added safety layer. Bitget underwent regulatory expansion and offers monthly transparent Proof of Reserves reports, reassuring users of its solvency.
KuCoin is a global crypto exchange popular for its intuitive design, security, and ease of use. It supports spot trading, futures trading with leverage, margin trading, staking, and lending of cryptocurrencies, offering over 900 digital assets for trading across various markets.
It caters to both beginner and seasoned traders, offering user-friendly interfaces and advanced trading tools, including automated bots. The exchange also has its native token, KuCoin Shares (KCS), and supports multiple fiat currencies, mainly via P2P markets and third-party integrations for credit/debit card purchases.
Gate.io is a global cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2013. It provides a broad range of trading options, including spot trading, margin trading with leverage, futures trading, options, and both manual and automated trading with trading bots.
Gate.io also has its own blockchain ecosystem, GateChain, and a native utility token, GateToken (GT). In addition to trading, Gate offers services like staking, lending, NFT trading and minting, and crypto-based payment solutions (Gate Pay). It also supports a non-custodial, multi-chain Web3 wallet that works with over 100 blockchain networks.
MEXC is a high-performance crypto exchange well-regarded for its massive altcoin selection, boasting around 3,500+ coins, including many smaller or emerging projects. The exchange provides advanced trading features, including up to 500x leveraged futures, zero maker fees on spot and futures trading, copy trading, a decentralized exchange (DEX+) integration, and a launchpad for new token sales.
MEXC Exchange was launched in 2018 and currently serves over 40 million users across more than 170 countries. In addition to MEXC’s quick registration process, the exchange is among the best crypto exchanges for zero-fee trading.
BingX is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange launched in 2018, known for its comprehensive suite of trading services, including spot trading, futures trading with up to 125x leverage, and a strong focus on copy trading, allowing users to replicate strategies of experienced crypto traders automatically.
The exchange supports over 750 cryptocurrencies and trading pairs. It offers user-friendly features such as a simplified futures interface called “Futures Kick-Off,” real-time market data, advanced risk management tools, and a demo trading option.
Supported Coins and Pairs: 750+ coins and a wide variety of trading pairs across spot trading, futures, and derivatives markets.
HTX, formerly known as Huobi, is a prominent global crypto exchange founded in 2013. It originated in China and has since expanded operations globally with offices in Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and other locations. HTX was rebranded from Huobi in 2023 and is now headquartered in Seychelles.
The exchange has a native token, HTX (formerly Huobi Token or HT), which offers benefits such as discounted trading fees, voting rights for governance, access to exclusive promotions, and rewards through seasonal buybacks.
An altcoin exchange is a cryptocurrency trading platform where users can buy, sell, and trade altcoins, which are cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin. These exchanges support trading in major digital assets like Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ethereum Classic (ETC), and XRP, as well as other altcoins, including memecoins and stablecoin pairs.
Centralized exchanges are cryptocurrency trading platforms operated by a single company or entity that acts as an intermediary between buyers and sellers. Users deposit their funds into individual accounts held by the crypto exchange, which acts as a custodian and facilitates transactions via an order-book system similar to traditional stock exchanges.
Since the exchange holds users’ funds, there is a need to trust the platform’s security and fairness, even though these exchanges are more susceptible to hacking attempts than decentralized exchanges. Some examples of centralized exchanges are MEXC, Binance, Coinbase, and KuCoin.
A decentralized exchange (DEX) is a peer-to-peer marketplace where users trade crypto directly with each other, without a central intermediary or custodian. Instead of relying on a company or centralized entity to hold and manage funds, DEXs operate through blockchain-based smart contracts that automatically execute trades and record transactions on the blockchain.
This non-custodial approach means users maintain control of their private keys and funds throughout the trading process. Popular examples of DEXs include Uniswap, PancakeSwap, MetaMask, and SushiSwap.
Hybrid exchanges (HEXs) are crypto trading platforms that combine features from both centralized exchanges and decentralized exchanges to offer an optimized trading experience. They combine the speed, liquidity, and user-friendly interfaces of centralized exchanges with the security, privacy, and non-custodial control of DEXs.
These exchanges use a CEX, a fast order-matching engine to ensure quick and efficient trade execution, while settlement and custody of funds occur on a blockchain via smart contracts, allowing users to retain control over their private keys and assets.
Popular examples of HEXs include Qurrex and Nash Exchange. Other platforms, such as Binance, Huobi Global, and Coinbase, are considered “hybrid” due to their integration of both CEX features and decentralized/non-custodial wallet solutions.
Altcoins matter in crypto trading for several important reasons:
When choosing a crypto exchange, consider these key factors to ensure security, usability, and suitability for your trading needs:
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to buy altcoins:
Here are the key steps to trade altcoins successfully:
Finally, use hardware or secure software wallets to protect your investments, especially if you’re holding for the long term.
