Binance and Kraken are two of the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, providing users with the opportunity to buy, sell and trade a vast range of cryptocurrencies.
On top of the standard services, both exchanges offer additional features such as staking and earning yield on digital asset holdings.
Quick verdict
The main difference between these two exchanges is the number of cryptocurrencies, range of products, currency support and regulation.
If you're looking to trade using Australian dollars, only Kraken offers proper AUD support, including the ability to buy and sell in AUD and bank deposits and withdrawals.
If you're looking for lower trading fees, more liquidity or the ability to trade more cryptocurrencies, Binance could be the better bet.
Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of cryptocurrency or any specific
provider, service or offering. It is not a recommendation to trade.
Overview: Binance vs Kraken
Features
Kraken
- Instant buy: Buy cryptocurrencies instantly with a card.
- Fiat-to-cryptocurrency exchange: Buy cryptocurrencies with deposited fiat.
- Staking: Get rewarded for lending cryptocurrency holding.
Binance
- Instant buy: Buy cryptocurrencies instantly with a card.
- Staking: Earn yield on lending your digital assets.
- LaunchPad: Participate in initial coin offerings (ICOs).
- Access to DeFi through Binance Smart Chain.
Trading Fees
Kraken
Fees vary and depend on trade volume and order type. Kraken offers USD/stablecoin, OTC (over the counter) trading as well as standard cryptocurrency trading.
Instant buy: 0.9% fee for stablecoin purchases, 1.5% for cryptocurrency, 0.5%+ fee for bank transfers, and 3.75%+ fee for card processing.
Maker: 0.00-0.25%
Taker: 0.10-0.40%
Withdrawal fees vary depending on fiat and cryptocurrency.
Binance
Fees vary and depend on the order type. Typical spot orders use a maker/taker system with fees starting at 0.1%. This drops as volume increases.
Discounts available with native BNB cryptocurrency.
Withdrawal fees vary depending on fiat and cryptocurrency.
Payment methods
Kraken
- Credit card
- Cryptocurrency
- Debit card
- PayPal
- PayID
Binance
- Credit card
- Cryptocurrency
- Debit card
- P2P
Trading volume
According to information collected by exchange aggregator CoinGecko, Binance is the largest exchange in the world by normalised trading volume, while Kraken comes in 16th place (last updated 24 September 2024).1
Likewise, at the time of writing, Binance had the largest liquidity score on market aggregator CoinMarketCap, while Kraken was 6th.2
Both are among the most popular cryptocurrency exchanges by trading volume, which ensures high liquidity and low slippage.
Security
Binance and Kraken are widely considered among the safest exchanges on the market. They both offer a variety of ways to secure your account, including customer support for compromised accounts and 2-factor authentication (2FA) which has become a standard procedure in the cryptocurrency industry.
For cryptocurrencies stored on the exchanges, Binance and Kraken employ cold storage facilities to mitigate against online attacks.3, 4 Cold storage means that funds are held within offline wallets and cannot be accessed without physical presence.
Binance also has a Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU) emergency fund that can be used to cover lost customer funds. It currently has around US$1 billion in USDC.5
Kraken is praised as being one of the most secure exchanges on the market, having never been hacked. Binance, unfortunately, did suffer a hack in 2019 that resulted in the loss of roughly 7,000 BTC, after which it audited and upgraded its cybersecurity. It is now also touted as being one of the safest exchanges in the cryptocurrency space.
Regulation
Formed in 2015, Binance operates in a distributed manner, with the location of its primary business and operations subject to controversy. Although based in Hong Kong, the exchange has historically been reported to be registered in Malta.
It's flexibility has enabled it to offer an enormous range of industry leading products and services. In Australia, it is registered with AUSTRAC.
Launched in 2011, Kraken is one of the older exchanges in the cryptocurrency industry. Headquartered in San Francisco, Kraken is a US-regulated organisation that also serves more than 50 countries.
The exchange is registered with FinCEN and has been granted a US state banking charter. It is a Wyoming-based cryptocurrency bank, being the first of its kind.
The company is also registered in Canada, the UK, Japan and Australia, where it is registered under AUSTRAC.
Verdict: Should you use Binance or Kraken?
Binance and Kraken are without a doubt among the top exchanges in the world and can be used by both beginner and advanced cryptocurrency investors.
Binance no longer supports AUD bank deposits and withdrawals and has no AUD trading pairs. In comparison, Kraken supports AUD bank transfers and has multiple AUD trading pairs, which may make it more suitable for Australian traders looking to buy and sell using AUD.
On the other hand, Binance offers lower standard trading fees, better liquidity and more coins to trade, which may better suit more advanced traders with existing holdings looking to trade specific cryptocurrencies or access more competitive trading fees.
Binance
Binance is the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume and hosts the greatest number of cryptocurrencies. It is widely known for its vast array of products, offering services such as staking and lending. Thanks to its popularity, its fees are among the lowest on the market.
It is one of the better platforms for accessing the decentralised finance (DeFi) space via Binance Smart Chain. The native BNB token is required for interaction on this platform and also provides discounts for users within the main exchange.
Overall, Binance is a superb platform for users trying to get the most out of their cryptocurrency experience.
Kraken
Kraken has become one of the largest and most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges on the market. It provides a versatile range of financial products such as staking, margin trading and AUD spot markets.
Kraken's competent customer service desk, with availability 24/7 365 days a year, is above average, and while being a veteran cryptocurrency exchange, it delivers top-notch security protocols.
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Disclaimer: Cryptocurrencies are speculative, complex and involve significant risks – they are highly
volatile and sensitive to secondary activity. Performance is unpredictable and past performance is no guarantee of
future performance. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before relying on this information.
You should also verify the nature of any product or service (including its legal status and relevant regulatory
requirements) and consult the relevant Regulators' websites before making any decision. Finder, or the author, may
have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
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