KuCoin Review

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Bottom line:

KuCoin is one of the world's foremost cryptocurrency exchanges due to its low 0.1% spot fees, selection of assets, helpful automation tools, and responsive customer support. KuCoin can compete with other leading exchanges, like ByBit and OKX, in terms of fees and features.

However, its interface needs some improvement, particularly by adding more filters to the P2P marketplace. Furthermore, KuCoin's trading bots need more customization, which could be problematic for traders searching for advanced automation tools.

How We Rated KuCoin

Category	Hedge With Crypto Rating
Features	4.8 / 5
Supported Fiat and Deposit Methods	4.2 / 5
Supported Crypto & Trading Pairs	4.8 / 5
Fees	4.6 / 5
Ease of Use	4.5 / 5
Customer support	4.5 / 5
Security Measures	4.6 / 5
Mobile App	4.8 / 5

Pros Explained

• Large selection of coins. KuCoin is perfect for altcoin traders as it supports 750 unique cryptocurrencies and over 1,400 trading pairs. As a result, there are always profitable opportunities available on the exchange.
• Deep liquidity. At the time of writing, KuCoin is ranked within the top five platforms globally for its trading volumes, which means better order execution and lower spreads for traders.
• Low trading fees. It's crucial to keep costs down while trading. Thankfully, KuCoin has some of the most competitive rates, with its fees starting from 0.1% on spot markets, comparable with Binance and ByBit. Furthermore, with volume-based discounts available, KuCoin is a very cost-effective trading platform.

Cons Explained

• Not available in the United States. KuCoin is available to trade in many countries worldwide, however, is not allowed in the US due to strict regulations and therefore does not report to the IRS. Traders will need to opt for an alternative that is licensed within the US.
• Can't withdraw cash to a bank account. Unfortunately, KuCoin does not support fiat withdrawals in all regions it operates. While GBP and EUR withdrawals are available, AUD, CAD, and USD withdrawals are currently unavailable.

KuCoin Compared and Alternatives

EXCHANGE	CRYPTO ASSETS	TRADING FEES	RATING	PROMOTION	WEBSITE	REVIEW
Binance	385	0.1% (spot) and 0.02% / 0.04% (Futures)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.8 / 5	Up to $100 welcome bonus	Visit Binance	Binance Review
ByBit	331 (608 trading pairs)	0% (spot), 0.06% / 0.01% (futures)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.8 / 5	0% trading fees for 30 days (spot only)	Visit ByBit	ByBit Review
MEXC Global Exchange	1521	Spot: 0% (maker) / 0.2% (taker), Futures: 0.02% (maker) / 0.06% (taker)	Rating We provide an overall weighted average rating out of 5 stars. Our ratings are based on objective criteria like the ease of use, fees, deposit methods, customer support and availability. Our reviews are not influenced by 3rd parties. Click here for further information about our rating methodology and a full list of categories we review against. 4.3 / 5	10% discount on trading fees	Visit MEXC Globa…	MEXC Global Exch…

Here are other exchanges like KuCoin we have reviewed and compared:

• KuCoin vs. Coinbase
• KuCoin vs. Kraken
• KuCoin vs. Gate.io
• KuCoin vs. ByBit
• KuCoin vs. Binance

KuCoin At A Glance

KuCoin is a Seychelles-based cryptocurrency exchange catering to beginners and experienced traders alike. The platform operates globally and boasts over 20 million registered users. However, KuCoin is not licensed by any authoritative bodies and is unavailable within the United States. While it has its perks as being one of the few crypto exchanges without full KYC, it's only a matter of time before it becomes fully compliant with AML/KYC requirements.

Exchange Name	KuCoin
Features	Spot Exchange, Derivatives Trading, Trading Bots, Launchpad, P2P Marketplace, Staking, Lending Cloud Mining
Accepted Fiat Currencies	USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, +34 Others
Deposit Methods	e-Wallet, Wire Transfer, Credit/Debit Card, Crypto
Supported Cryptocurrencies	750
Number of Trading Pairs	1,638
Trading Fee	0.1%
Customer Support	Chatbot, Help Center, Ticket System, Live Chat
Security Measures	2FA, IP Limiting, Cold Storage, Multi-Sig Wallets
Mobile App	Yes (Android and IOS)

KuCoin Features Reviewed

KuCoin Fast Trade

KuCoin has built its Fast Trade platform to enable investors to quickly buy crypto assets using fiat currency and various payment methods, including credit/debit cards, bank transfers, Simplex, Banxa, and PayMIR.

To use Fast Trade, you must first complete KuCoin's KYC verification. After doing so, you can buy BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, and KCS using 45 fiat currencies and over 70 payment methods. When using the service, KuCoin will display the reference price below the ‘Buy' button, letting users double-check the spread they're paying before confirming the trade.

KuCoin Fast Trade makes it easy to buy cryptocurrency using local currencies and payment methods, making it ideal for beginners looking to invest painlessly or international customers looking for a cost-effective way to boost their holdings without paying currency conversion fees. That said, the spread can be high, so previewing the trade beforehand is vital.

Derivatives and margin trading

The most simple form of leveraged trading offered by KuCoin is its margin trading platform. You can select from over 220 trading pairs and access up to 5x leverage on cross-marginated pairs and up to 10x on isolated pairs, both of which are available on all assets that support margin trading. However, a liquidation event will occur if the debt ratio hits 97%.

KuCoin also offers USDT-M, USDC-M, and COIN-M perpetual contracts that let users trade without direct exposure to the underlying asset. Up to 125x leverage is available to short on KuCoin when trading perpetual contracts, which aligns with popular exchanges like Binance. There are 171 futures trading pairs available on KuCoin, which is substantially more than OKX's 60.

Another way KuCoin customers can boost their profits and losses is via its collection of leveraged tokens, which can amplify price movements by 2x to 4x. Short and Long tokens enable users to profit regardless of the market's direction. Furthermore, leveraged tokens have no liquidation risk, ideal for longer-term bets in volatile markets.

Unfortunately, KuCoin charges fees of 0.02% (maker) and 0.06% (taker), which makes it more expensive than ByBit, Huobi, or Binance. That said, non-verified KuCoin users can trade derivatives on the exchange, which is rare in today's industry. As such, while KuCoin is expensive, it could be perfect for traders looking to protect their anonymity.

KuCoin trading bots

If you're looking to supplement your trading earnings without monitoring more positions, KuCoin offers six crypto trading bots that work out of the box or can be customized to use an alternative strategy.

Some of the trading bots that can be used are:

• Spot Grid: A bot that automatically buys and sells one of six supported assets within a specific price range.
• Futures Grid: Similar to the spot grid bot, it trades with leverage on the futures market.
• Smart Rebalance: Automatically keeps the assets within a portfolio to a specific weighting (e.g., BTC – 50%, ETH – 25%, XRP – 25%).
• Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA): Regularly buys crypto using USDT account balance at a predetermined interval ranging from 1 hour to 2 weeks.
• Infinity Grid: Automatically buys low and sells high in percentages with no upper limit.
• Martingale: Buys an asset and increases position size as price drops to lower the average cost. It sells when a certain profit percentage is achieved.

For this KuCoin review, we tested some of the exchange's bots and appreciated that the auto mode displays backtested profits over seven days, enabling users to understand its performance. However, we found that control of the bots could be better when setting custom parameters.

In comparison, OKX lets you set up a bot using technical indicators, KuCoin does not offer this feature which could cause issues for technical traders building a bot based on a particular strategy. That said, the tool is straightforward, and its auto mode ensures its accessible for beginners.

Earn with Kucoin

KuCoin created its range of Earn products to help users grow their crypto investments passively. You can delegate around 50 different assets on KuCoin Earn, but the search bar is deceiving as it only shows 11 assets. To check whether a specific crypto is supported, you must search its name instead of being able to browse the available selection easily.

Although the selection of cryptocurrencies supported by KuCoin Earn has decreased, the company offers several products to appeal to the broadest range of investors.

• KuCoin Savings. A flexible product where you deposit coins into a savings wallet to earn interest of between 0.05% and 32% APR. The benefit of using a KuCoin Saving product is the ability to withdraw your delegated funds anytime. As such, KuCoin Savings is best suited to investors wishing to grow their holdings without any commitments.
• Staking. Another flexible product offered by KuCoin is its crypto-staking platform. 29 Proof-of-Stake (PoS) cryptos can be pledged to earn rewards from 2.05% to 45.05%. Seven staking products have sold out, signaling that KuCoin users are big fans of this feature. However, some significant PoS assets are missing, for example, Solana and Alogorand.
• Promotions. KuCoin often runs promotions that reward existing users with higher returns than usual. These are limited-time offers with a participant limit. In addition, a mixture of fixed and flexible products is available, letting you earn up to 180.05% APR on your terms (example shown below).
• BurningDrop. A more complex product, BurningDrop, enables you to lock up a cryptocurrency to earn rewards. In addition, you can burn POL tokens to gain additional ‘Computing Power' and boost your earning potential. Unfortunately, all products were sold out while checking out the service when writing this review.
• Dual Investment. Worth considering for those searching for high-yield products, KuCoin's Dual Investment feature enables users to deposit eight tokens and earn rewards based on their performance at the end of the term (selectable by the customer), similar to an options contract.

Clicking the ‘Subscribe' button on any KuCoin Earn product will summarize critical information like projected profit, subscription date, and POL fees. As such, you can quickly review each product to determine whether it's right for you. Unfortunately, it's common for exchanges to obscure crucial details, so it's nice for KuCoin to operate with transparency.

In comparison, while Bitstamp only supports 11 assets for staking, KuCoin boasts around 5x that figure, making it one of the most versatile Earn programs in the industry. Furthermore, KuCoin Earn offers products akin to futures trading, making it appealing to active traders looking to supplement their trading income.

KuCoin Wealth

In addition to its standard Earn products, KuCoin Wealth offers customers a way to invest in structured products that protect against price fractionations. Although the APR offered by KuCoin Wealth is lower than that of its other interest-yielding products, the additional safety features make it ideal for those looking to boost their holdings with minimal risk.

While testing the service for our KuCoin review, 12 Protective Earn products were available, split between BTC and ETH, with terms ranging from 7 to 30 days. After choosing a product and clicking ‘Subscribe,' you will be shown details about the product, including cutoff time, interest accrual time, price protection, and the auto-take profit.

It's important to note that KuCoin Wealth does not guarantee returns. Instead, the user must successfully predict which way the market goes to earn a profit. However, the protection feature limits the maximum drawdown, helping to mitigate some risks. In this sense, it's more similar to a trade or options contract than a typical staking product.

Despite being marketed as an interest-bearing product similar to staking, KuCoin Wealth requires a good deal of know-how, as returns depend on predicting the price movement of BTC, ETH, SOL, and BNB.

KuCoin Spotlight for new listings

In mid-2022, KuCoin unveiled its newly updated crypto launchpad dubbed KuCoin Spotlight. To date, 28 projects have been launched using the service. Some of the most notable include COTI, Velo, and Chromia. Despite being much newer than competing services like Binance's Token Launch platform, which has launched 69 projects, KuCoin Spotlight is quickly catching up to established platforms in terms of successful launches.

Although only a few big names have launched via KuCoin Spotlight, some, like Fraction Protocol (FT), have yielded returns of over 15x versus the initial launch price. As such, the service is worth checking out for investors willing to take on the risk associated with early-stage projects.

In-built Peer-to-Peer crypto exchange

KuCoin users can obtain digital assets using fiat currencies through the KuCoin Peer-to-Peer (P2P) marketplace. The P2P platform allows investors to perform fiat-to-crypto trades directly with other users for zero additional cost. As such, the tool is handy for those looking to invest in crypto using payment methods not natively supported by KuCoin.

You can filter the P2P marketplace by supported crypto (USDT, BTC, ETH, KCS, and USDC) and view the payment method each seller accepts, making it easy to find an offer relevant to your needs. However, to create a post on the marketplace, KuCoin requires a formal merchant application to be filled out, which can take up to seven days.

The KuCoin P2P marketplace supports 35 fiat currencies and 20+ payment methods, including AirTM, Payeer, and Transfer Wise. As KuCoin vets merchants, the marketplace is likely safer than platforms like OKX, where anyone with a verified account can create an offer.

The KuCoin P2P marketplace is well-rounded and easy to use. However, adding the ability to filter offers by payment method would be beneficial in making it easier for international investors to find a relevant offer. Although KuCoin charges zero fees for P2P trades, this is common among leading exchanges and shouldn't be a decision-making factor for using KuCoin.

KuCoin Token (KCS)

KuCoin's native token (KCS) is a feature worth mentioning. The token has many uses on the exchange, perhaps the most notable of which is the 20% trading fee discount when using it to pay fees. Additionally, KuCoin holds 50% of its accrued trading fees to distribute to anyone holding over six KCS tokens.

KuCoin's token is reasonably well-equipped with features that drive its value and reward holders. However, as its primary value proposition is reduced fees and some profit sharing, the utility offered by KCS pales compared to exchange tokens like BNB and CRO, which provide additional usability and their blockchains.

KuCoin Fractional NFTs

A unique feature KuCoin offers is the ability to invest in blue-chip NFT collections via a tradable token representing 1/1,000,000 of an NFT. The system mints 1 million tokens linked to a collection each time an NFT is added to KuCoin's pool and removes 1 million tokens from circulation once an NFT is redeemed. However, the system is partially flawed as it does not consider NFT rarity or floor price (each token has a fixed cost when initially minting).

Ultimately, the system does not offer great value, as there would be roughly a 30% price premium when buying an NFT using this method. However, as users can trade the tokens on KuCoin, investors could snag a cheap blue-chip NFT if the asset linked to a collection drops in value, letting people buy popular projects at a discount versus a traditional NFT marketplace.

Account and Verification Requirements

To create a KuCoin account, customers must provide/confirm an email address and password. However, without completing Know-Your-Customer (KYC) verification, there are restrictions on withdrawing from KuCoin. These include up to 1 BTC daily, trading $2,000 daily on the P2P marketplace, and not being able to deposit fiat currency.

To attain fiat deposit support, withdrawal limits of up to 200 BTC, and P2P trading limits of up to $500,000, you can complete verification by providing a photo ID (passport, driving license) and a selfie.

Basic verification can be approved within a few hours; however, advanced verification requires additional documentation and can take between 2 and 3 business days to be approved. The official KuCoin website states that KYC verification takes no more than 5 days after users submit their information. For institutional accounts, the KuCoin team can review them for at least one week.

Supported Fiat Currency and Deposit Methods

Customers can deposit crypto and 39 fiat currencies directly to KuCoin, including USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD. However, while bank deposits are supported, most fiat currencies available on KuCoin only had credit/debit card support, which was undergoing maintenance and unavailable at the time of writing.

KuCoin also supports deposits using e-wallets like Skrill, AirTM, Advcash, and Revolut via its Fast Trade interface. However, this route incurs a spread fee of around 1.3%, which significantly impacts the viability of Fast Trade, particularly when depositing substantial amounts.

Supported Cryptocurrencies and Trading Pairs

One of KuCoin's most notable aspects is its extensive range of trading pairs and cryptocurrencies. Customers can access 750 unique cryptocurrencies paired against BTC, KCS, fiat currency, and altcoins for 1476 trading pairs.

Furthermore, KuCoin offers 171 futures trading pairs denominated in USDT and USDC, bringing the combined number of tradable assets to 1,638. Compared to other crypto exchanges we've reviewed, like Kraken and Bitstamp, KuCoin's range of pairs is phenomenal. Combined with its competitive fees, the platform is one of the best exchanges for day traders.

KuCoin Fees Explained

Spot Trading Fees

KuCoin boasts a competitive fee structure starting at 0.1% per transaction with significant trading fee discounts available to high-volume traders or those with substantial KCS holdings. Additionally, the trading costs on KuCoin can be reduced by a further 20% by using KCS to pay fees.

It's important to note that KuCoin charges higher spot fees for lesser-known altcoins like CULT and MEM. The exchange divides these assets into Class B and Class C, with costs per trade starting at 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Therefore, if you tend to trade smaller market cap altcoins, KuCoin is likely not the best altcoin exchange for your needs.

Individuals with a monthly trading volume greater than 2000 BTC can use maker orders (e.g., limit orders) to trade crypto with zero fees. As such, KuCoin could be the cheapest exchange for serious traders that frequently deploy large amounts of capital.

Min KCS Holdings	Spot Trading Volume (BTC)	Futures Trading Volume (BTC)	Fees (Maker/Taker)
0	0	0	0.1% / 0.1%
1,000	50	200	0.09% / 0.1%
10,000	200	400	0.07% / 0.09%
20,000	500	1,000	0.05% / 0.08%
30,000	1,000	2,000	0.03% / 0.07%
40,000	2,000	3,000	0% / 0.07%
50,000	4,000	6,000	0% / 0.06%
60,000	8,000	12,000	0% / 0.05%
70,000	15,000	20,000	-0.005% / 0.045%

KuCoin's spot trading fees are in line with the industry average and provide equally as much value for money as ByBit or Binance's. However, the company's derivatives trading fees are slightly higher than average, at 0.02% (maker) and 0.06% (taker), meaning another platform like OKX could better serve those wishing to trade using leverage.

Exchange	Spot Fees	Derivatives Fees (Maker / Taker)
OKX	0.08% (Maker) / 0.1% (Taker)	0.02% / 0.05%
ByBit	0.1%	0.01% / 0.06%
Binance	0.1%	0.02% / 0.04%
KuCoin	0.1%	0.02% / 0.06%

Derivatives Trading Fees

KuCoin utilizes a volume-based fee structure starting at 0.02% (maker) and 0.06% (taker). However, you can reduce these fees to as low as -0.015% (maker) and 0.03% (taker) by holding at least 150,000 KCS or having over 80,000 BTC worth of spot trading volume. However, this tier requires at least roughly $1.2 million in investment, so it's out of reach for most.

Deposit / Withdrawal Fees

KuCoin does not charge an additional fee for withdrawals. However, the exchange does levy a flat fee designed to cover network costs and eliminate fluctuations, which is typical for most exchanges. Examples include Bitcoin withdrawals costing 0.000 5 BTC and Ethereum withdrawals costing 0.005 ETH.

Furthermore, while it's free to deposit cryptocurrency to KuCoin, bank deposits incur an average fee of 1%, and credit/debit card deposits cost 3.80%, more than double Binance's 1.8% fee.

KuCoin Ease of Use

KuCoin aims to be easy for beginners to use while retaining features and tools suited to experienced traders. To this effect, the exchange ensures you can access critical features via the header navigation bar. Similarly, the charting interface utilizes the standard order book-based interface, meaning KuCoin is easy for anyone with experience to get used to.

Ideal for technical traders looking for profitable opportunities, KuCoin lets you view four charts simultaneously, a feature seldom seen on mainstream exchanges we've tested. The company's charting software is provided by TradingView, meaning you can access 70+ technical indicators and a plethora of drawing tools for conducting detailed analysis.

KuCoin lets you precisely enter and exit positions using five order types: limit, market, and One-Cancels-The-Other (OCO). While not as plentiful as other crypto exchanges we've looked at, KuCoin's selection should surface for most traders. Additionally, managing positions is simple, as you can view open orders and trade history directly from the charting interface.

New traders will be impressed by KuCoin's intuitive interface, which makes it simple to access critical features. Additionally, advanced traders will appreciate KuCoin's multi-screen charting and superior crypto trading tools that help make finding promising opportunities a breeze. Overall, KuCoin is a well-designed exchange suitable for novice and experienced traders.

KuCoin App

KuCoin offers its customers a mobile app for Android and iOS devices. When we wrote our KuCoin review, it had been downloaded over 10 million times and boasted an average rating of 4.3/5 stars. Although most users praised the app, some were unhappy, citing issues with logging in and the inability to withdraw fiat currencies.

While mobile users can access every feature available on the desktop version of KuCoin, some have slightly different names, which could confuse customers. For example, the platform to buy crypto with a card is called ‘Fast Trade' online but is titled ‘Bank Card' on mobile.

After logging into the KuCoin app, you can view quick links to major features like deposits and markets. While the desktop platform offers advanced analytical tools, those who want to trade crypto on mobile are limited to six technical indicators and no drawing tools, making it extremely challenging to perform meaningful analysis without another charting tool.

While performing testing for our KuCoin review, we noted how responsive the app was and its impressive feature set. However, due to the limited range of cryptocurrency indicators and lack of drawing tools, the app will be unsuitable for technical traders aiming to perform analysis from a mobile device.

Customer Support

KuCoin has created a help center containing articles on common topics like resetting 2FA and freezing accounts. Unfortunately, the help center is challenging to access as there is no link within the header. Instead, users must access the help center via a small overlay button that does not appear on every page across the site.

KuCoin also offers an AI chatbot called ‘KuCoin Emilia' that can direct you to recent articles about your issues. After providing details regarding a problem, the bot will connect you to a support agent. While no response time frame is provided, we waited around two minutes for a reply during our test, which is excellent compared to other platforms we've reviewed.

KuCoin Security Measures

While writing our KuCoin review, we investigated the platform's security measures. While exact figures are not available to the public, KuCoin has revealed that it utilizes a mixture of cold and hot wallets protected by multi-signature technology. Additionally, KuCoin constantly monitors wallet addresses for suspicious behavior, helping to prevent bad actors.

KuCoin customers can also protect their accounts using Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) and login IP address restrictions. However, despite these measures, KuCoin was hacked on September 25, 2020, resulting in a loss of approximately $285 million. Thankfully, KuCoin recovered 84% of the stolen funds and covered any user losses using its insurance fund.