Best Crypto and Bitcoin Exchanges in the USA in 2025

Best Crypto Exchanges in 2025

After much research and analysis, the CCN crew believes the following Bitcoin exchanges are the best you’ll find in the USA.

Review of Our Top 7 Crypto Exchanges

I understand that you’re possibly eager to make a purchase. However, before you do, it’s important to read the overviews of the Bitcoin exchanges discussed on the page.

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Overview of the Best Crypto and Bitcoin Exchanges in the USA in 2025

Disclaimer: Investing in cryptocurrencies carries significant risk. Values are highly volatile. Never invest more than you can afford to lose. This site does not provide financial advice. Act based on your own research and consult with a financial professional before making decisions. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.

Why Trust CCN’s Reviews

CCN is a free, informative resource that provides the latest, unbiased, and fact-checked insights on everything crypto. Our team consists of multiple reviewers with expertise in crypto trading, tokenomics, blockchain technology, and years of experience curating educational content.

Committed to excellence, we base our analysis on in-depth research, real-world data, and personal hands-on testing to ensure that the insights we deliver reflect the actual user experience of the platforms we review.

But most importantly, we prioritize objectivity. Whether we evaluate the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the USA, guide you with our step-by-step tutorials, or review crypto tools and platforms, we provide you with clear, actionable information you can trust.

We believe that everyone has the right to objective and reliable information to make better decisions when exploring the dynamic crypto market. This is why we share our findings with the general audience and make sure you are always well-informed.

Different Types of Crypto Exchanges in the USA

The crypto exchanges available in the USA can take many different shapes and forms and can be categorized into different types based on various operational and functional differences.

For example, based on the operational model they use to facilitate transactions and handle user funds, crypto exchanges can be classified as:

• Centralized Exchanges – Governed by a central authority, these platforms take custody of user funds and manage transactions from order placement to execution.

• Decentralized Exchanges – Not governed by anyone, these exchanges act merely as a meeting spot for buyers and sellers and allow them to directly trade with each other.

Furthermore, depending on the range of features and trading options they provide to users, crypto exchanges can also be split into:

• Cryptocurrency Apps – Mobile applications that allow users to quickly and easily buy and sell cryptocurrencies with only a few taps.

• Full-Scale Exchanges – Comprehensive platforms whose service offerings go beyond the basic trading tools and provide plenty of additional features and services.

Each platform type offers its own set of benefits and drawbacks and caters to a specific trading style. Recognizing your own trading preferences and matching them with the platform’s features and capabilities can help you narrow your options when looking for the best crypto exchange in the USA for your trading needs.

Centralized vs. Decentralized Exchanges

Modeled after traditional financial institutions, centralized crypto exchanges help users eliminate counterparty risk by acting as intermediaries between buyers and sellers. When trading on these platforms, users simply place their order and let the matchmaking system do the rest.

Moreover, these platforms are typically neatly designed with intuitive interfaces and are generally easier to use than decentralized exchanges. They also provide customer support, so they are the natural choice for many beginners and inexperienced traders.

Decentralized exchanges, on the other hand, are much more technically demanding and don’t feel as familiar as centralized platforms. Since they are typically unregulated, these platforms never ask users to create an account or verify their identity and simply let them trade directly from their crypto wallets.

While they can seem intimidating at first, with a little experience and practice everyone could learn how they work. However, the lack of customer support and their autonomous nature make decentralized platforms significantly less popular than centralized exchanges that offer a smoother and more guided user experience.

Cryptocurrency Apps vs. Full-Scale Exchanges

Cryptocurrency apps are mobile applications allowing a seamless crypto buying and selling process. These are typically small and specialized apps that don’t offer too many features that may be confusing for beginners and provide the easiest way to purchase cryptocurrencies.

More often than not, these apps support some of the most popular fiat payment methods to add to their convenience and enable quick and familiar transactions. However, it is worth pointing out that cryptocurrency apps typically charge significantly higher fees than other exchanges.

In contrast, full-scale exchanges are platforms that try to cater to as many crypto user needs as possible. These platforms sacrifice simplicity and ease of use for improved functionality and support various features and trading options suitable for all traders.

In addition to buying, selling, and exchanging cryptocurrencies, full-scale exchanges offer additional crypto-related services. These include futures trading, margin trading, staking, loaning and borrowing, NFT marketplaces, and other crypto activities.

Regulatory Compliance: How Crypto Exchanges Are Regulated in the USA?

While you’re researching the best crypto exchanges in the US, it is also a good idea to learn more about how these platforms are regulated in the country and what rules they must adhere to to maintain a legitimate operation.

Crypto regulation in the US is a multi-agency framework, and several financial authorities are involved in overseeing different aspects of cryptocurrency activities.

While we will discuss the other regulatory bodies in more detail in a separate section below, the primary authority that crypto exchanges must interact with on a federal level is the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

According to its guidelines, any legal entity that accepts and transmits cryptocurrency or converts it into fiat currency is considered a money transmitter. To run a legitimate operation in the US, all money transmitters must be registered as a money service business (MSB) and adhere to the regulations that come with this designation.

Some of the MSB registration requirements include:

• Implementing KYC/AML protocols to verify the identity of registered users
• Monitoring user transactions and reporting suspicious behavior to the proper authorities
• Maintaining detailed records of user information and transaction histories

In addition to adhering to FinCEN’s requirements, crypto exchanges operating in the US must also comply with state-level regulations that may vary from one state to another.

Crypto-Friendly States

While the regulations that come from the federal agencies apply to all crypto exchanges available in the US, each of the US states has its own laws and the ability to create additional rules and licensing requirements.

That said, some states, like Wyoming, Texas, Florida, Arizona, New Hampshire, and Colorado, use their authority at a state level to actually make it easier for crypto exchanges to operate legally within their jurisdictions. For example:

• Wyoming exempts crypto businesses from the money transmitter license requirements and applies no state income tax.
• Texas allows local banks to take custody of cryptocurrencies and does not apply state income tax.
• Florida also exempts crypto businesses from the money transmitter license requirements and accepts crypto as payment for state fees.
• Arizona applies a favorable flat state income tax rate of 2.5% and does not levy tax on airdrops.
• New Hampshire also exempts crypto businesses from the money transmitter license requirements and does not impose state income or capital gains taxes.
• Colorado also accepts crypto as payment for state fees and applies a favorable flat state income tax rate of 4.4%.

For this reason, an international crypto-exchange registered in the US is much more likely to offer its services in these crypto-friendly states than in others.

States With Stricter Regulations

In contrast to the aforementioned states, there are also states where the regulation of crypto exchanges is much more restrictive. Among these strict jurisdictions, the three that are most infamous for their stance on crypto regulation are:

• New York with its costly BitLicense and high-income taxes. However, it is still possible to find exchanges operating in NYC to purchase crypto coins.

• Hawaii, traditionally among the worst three, has actually eased off on its crypto regulation requirements since July 2024.

• California has the highest income taxes in the country and rigorous licensing requirements, but it does license a plethora of crypto exchanges, similar to New York.

Their stringent requirements, coupled with unfavorable taxes, make these states the least attractive destinations for crypto businesses. This is why many international crypto exchanges offer services almost everywhere in the US except for a few high-regulation states.

How Cryptocurrency is Regulated in the US?

If you want to start trading Bitcoin in the US, we suggest you study the legislative framework around cryptocurrency to ensure you comply with the law and relevant regulations.

Given the country’s complicated legal system, cryptocurrency in the US is not classified with a single legal status, but rather, different regulatory bodies apply their own definitions and rules:

• The SEC views most cryptocurrencies, except Bitcoin and Ethereum, as securities and regulates them under the same framework as other investment products.
• The CFTC classifies cryptocurrencies as commodities and regulates their derivatives markets, such as futures and options trading.
• The IRS treats cryptocurrencies as properties for tax purposes and subjects crypto owners to capital gains taxes and income taxes accordingly.

In addition, FinCEN does not recognize cryptocurrency as legal tender but rather defines it as “convertible virtual currency” to enforce its authority on crypto trading platforms.

Having already covered FinCEN’s role in the paragraph above, let’s examine the three other regulatory bodies and see how their regulations impact crypto traders.

SEC - Cryptocurrencies as Securities

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the regulatory body that oversees financial instruments known as securities. According to its interpretation of the law, most of the popular cryptocurrencies, bar-established assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum, qualify as securities as they meet the criteria outlined in the Howey Test.

Classifying cryptocurrencies as securities means more regulations for crypto exchange operators who list these coins on their platforms. To run a legitimate operation in the US, they must register with the SEC and meet its compliance requirements, besides the FinCEN’s.

On the other hand, this classification means better consumer protections and rights but also potential trading limitations for US crypto traders.

CFTC - Cryptocurrencies as Commodities

In the US, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates tradable commodities such as precious metals and oil. Unlike stocks and bonds, these assets are physical or tangible resources with inherent value traded on a derivative market.

Now, cryptocurrencies may not be physical assets, but major coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum meet specific criteria to be classified as commodities by the CFTC. For this reason, crypto exchanges that want to run a legit operation in the US and offer crypto derivatives trading services need to register with the CTFC and adhere to its regulatory framework.

To avoid an additional registration with the CFTC, many of the best crypto exchanges in the US, like Binance and Gate, create specialized platforms dedicated to US-based users, where they don’t provide futures trading services.

IRS - Cryptocurrencies as Property

Finally, the last financial authority that plays a role in crypto regulation in the US is the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For tax purposes, the IRS treats cryptocurrency as property and imposes taxes on both crypto traders and businesses that receive crypto as a form of payment for the sale of goods and services.

What’s more, all crypto exchanges available in the US have a legal obligation to report all the transactional information their users generate on their platforms. This means that crypto investors can no longer fly under the radar when earning profits from crypto-related activities.

How Is Cryptocurrency Taxed in the US?

Having covered the regulatory framework, the last important bit we want to turn your attention to right now is crypto taxation. In the US, crypto earnings can be taxed in two ways, depending on how they were acquired and used.

Capital Gains Tax on Cryptocurrency

Capital gains tax (CGT) is a tax obligation levied on individuals who sold an asset at a price higher than the price at which they purchased it. Considering that the IRS views cryptocurrency as property, CGT is applied on profits made from crypto-related activities such as:

• Selling crypto for fiat currency
• Trading one crypto for another
• Using crypto as a means of payment for other goods and services

Each of these transactions qualifies for GCT taxable events, and engaging in them would subject you to GCT tax.

Now, determining how much GCT you would need to pay on your gains depends on several factors, including how long you held the asset before selling it, your yearly income, and your marital status.

If you hold your cryptocurrency for less than a year, you will pay the short-term GCT rate, which is based on the federal income tax brackets. We have a table on them in the paragraph below.

However, if you held your cryptocurrency for more than a year before selling it, you’d be subjected to long-term GCT rates, which are typically lower for most taxpayers. Here are the long-term GCT tax brackets for the 2025 tax year:

It is also worth pointing out that US taxation laws allow for reducing capital gains taxes by using losses from bad investments to offset the gains from successful investments.

Cryptocurrency Taxed as Income

In addition to GCT, income earned through crypto-related activities can also be subject to income tax in the USA. Activities that may qualify as taxable events for income tax, rather than GCT, include transactions where you more or less earn crypto and not selling coins for profit, such as:

• Receiving salary in crypto
• Receiving payments for goods and services in crypto
• Earning crypto through mining, staking, airdrops
• Earning crypto through lending, referral bonuses, paying games, watching videos, and other DeFi earning opportunities
• Other activities where you are rewarded with cryptocurrency.

For these taxable events, crypto users must pay taxes according to the federal income tax rates, just like for the short-term capital gains we mentioned above. For the 2025 tax year, the federal income tax brackets are the following:

In summary, crypto taxation laws are somewhat complicated, but they essentially cover most instances where traders earn in crypto with existing tax brackets and rates. Keep in mind that this is just a quick overview of crypto taxation laws, and there are additional rules and exceptions we suggest you inform yourself about.

Comparing US Crypto Exchanges: How to Pick the Best Exchange for Your Needs?

While everyone should choose which of the crypto exchanges available in the US is best for their trading needs, several essential criteria must never be overlooked.

Available Cryptocurrencies

The range of cryptocurrencies and trading pairs supported by the crypto trading platform you will be trading on is a key consideration when choosing a crypto exchange. Naturally, you want to find a platform that supports the cryptos you are interested in trading, but it is always a good idea to opt for one with broad coverage.

Traders who are just starting out typically just want to trade with one or two popular cryptocurrencies. However, as you evolve as a trader, you will soon discover the value of diversification and investing in various assets to maximize returns.

As we mentioned earlier, BitMart lists a huge list of cryptocurrencies, and it is the best crypto exchange in the USA in this domain. However, if you prefer trading on a platform with stronger regulatory oversight, you can also check out Kraken and Coinbase, as they also support a solid variety of cryptocurrencies.

Security and Insurance

As with any financial platform, security, and data protection should also be a priority when choosing the best crypto exchange for your trading needs. You will provide this platform with sensitive information, and it will be responsible for your funds, so you should be confident in its ability to safeguard them.

In our selection, we singled out Gemini for its no-nonsense approach to user security, and we stand behind that. But that doesn’t mean other exchanges on our list are unsafe.

As we mentioned, the US crypto regulation requirements are very demanding, so you can rest assured that if an exchange meets the standards required for a US financial license, it should be secure enough for you.

Fees and Trading Costs

For many crypto traders, researching the top cryptocurrency exchanges in the USA is essentially looking for the platforms with the lowest trading costs. And we can’t blame them, as these charges, although they seem small and irrelevant, can seriously impact your earnings.

The trading fees on most crypto exchanges are tied to a tiered structure. They provide discounts to users based on the trading volume they generated in the past 30 days. Your focus should be on finding the right fee structure best suited to the trading activity you will likely achieve.

You have no use for discounts, no matter how generous, if they are attached to a massive trading volume that is out of your reach.

Our recommendation for the most affordable trading fee structure is BitFlyer. Nevertheless, we must also mention Binance US with its BNB discounts and BTC zero-fee trading, as another cost-effective alternative you should check out.

Educational Resources

For beginners, crypto trading seems very complex and overwhelming. In fact, trading is actually a skill that can be developed over time. If you are open to improving your trading skills to boost your confidence, what's a better place to start learning than the very platform you are trading on?

Many of the best US crypto exchanges provide learning materials to their users, but the ones we were the most impressed with were Coinbase’s and eToro’s educational hubs. The resources on these exchanges are well-structured, comprehensive, and nicely written.

That said, not everyone has the same learning style, so it is a good idea to also check out Crypto.com’s “University,”  Gemini’s “Cryptopedia,”  as well as Bitstamp’s educational resources .

Interface and User Experience

Another important factor when choosing a crypto exchange to trade on is user experience. You don’t want to get frustrated with a clunky interface and confusing navigation when trading. Instead, you want to feel comfortable and confident while managing your trades.

While most centralized crypto exchanges feel similar to one another, we were really taken by Crypto.com’s design and interface. The platform looks and feels great on all devices we tested it on, particularly on mobile. Its payment solution integrations make depositing, trading, and withdrawing feels smooth and seamlessly connected.

Additionally, we want to highlight Coinbase, as the exchange is exceptionally beginner-friendly and feels intuitive and simple.

Licenses

If you want to trade on a regulated exchange that adheres to legal standards and compliance requirements of financial authorities, look up the licensing information on its platform.

Registration and licenses can be very telling. As we explained in the crypto regulation section above, the US regulatory agencies are quite demanding on crypto exchanges. To obtain the proper license, these platforms need to play by the strict rules.

When curating our best crypto exchanges in the US list, we decided to showcase only platforms that hold the necessary licenses and permits to operate legally in the country, so choosing any of them can be a safe bet.

Payment Methods

Other key considerations for crypto traders are fiat-friendliness and support of convenient and familiar payment solutions. You want the exchange you are trading cryptocurrencies on to accept your USD deposits without hassle and process them as quickly as possible.

Well, you can relax. Each platform in our top cryptocurrency exchanges in the USA list accepts USD deposits and supports multiple payment methods. Additionally, most of them support Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and other popular payment methods, making it easy to buy Bitcoin with PayPal, for example.

Customer Support Options for US Users

Finally, the last consideration we’d like to discuss is customer support. While often overlooked as a factor, choosing a crypto exchange that can quickly and effectively resolve issues is very important and can save you a lot of headaches.

When a technical issue arises and your withdrawal gets delayed, you want prompt and clear communication instead of radio silence. These situations are often related to large sums of money, so it is understandable when users lose their patience and trust in the platform.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the final choice of the best crypto exchange in the US comes down to your preference. Whether you prioritize affordability, access to a wide range of cryptocurrencies, support of convenient payment methods, or something entirely different, you can take your pick from our recommendations.

As a final thought, we’d like to remind you to take crypto regulations seriously and make sure you fully understand your compliance obligations. If you need some help with the taxation laws, we suggest you consult a professional tax advisor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Rundown of the Best Crypto and Bitcoin Exchanges in the USA in 2025

1. Uphold 
2. eToro US 
3. Kraken 
4. CEX.IO 
5. Gemini 
6. Coinbase 
7. OKX