Crypto.com vs Kraken: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Crypto.com and Kraken This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Crypto.com

Kraken

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

Yes

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Crypto.com is ideal if:

Mobile-first crypto explorers: Ideal for users who want a sleek, all-in-one app experience—from buying and managing assets to using a crypto debit card for everyday spending.
Feature-curious investors: Great if you're looking for a platform that layers advanced options—staking, NFTs, lending, and even a customizable trading exchange—on top of a beginner-friendly interface.
Security-conscious users: Well-suited for those who value robust safeguards, including enterprise-grade certifications and a strong regulatory footprint across major markets.

Kraken is ideal if:

Built for both simplicity and sophistication: Kraken’s intuitive interface makes it approachable for newcomers, while Kraken Pro delivers advanced trading tools, analytics, and charting for serious traders.
Security-first, regulation-backed platform: With an unbroken crypto protection record, proof-of-reserves audits, cold storage, and licenses across major markets—including new MiCA approval for EU operations—Kraken prioritizes trust and compliance.
More than a crypto exchange: Beyond trading, Kraken now offers a peer-to-peer payments app (Krak), commission-free U.S. stock and ETF trades, and staking options—making it an all-in-one digital finance hub.

Crypto.com isn’t ideal if:

Pure “buy & hold” investors: If your goal is simply to purchase and store crypto long-term, you might find other platforms more straightforward and less overloaded with extra features.
Desktop-first users: Some key functions—like card purchases—are only accessible via the mobile app, potentially limiting functionality for desktop-heavy users.
Entry-level traders with low volume: If you place small or occasional market orders, you may find the effective trading costs less competitive compared to more entry-volume friendly platforms.

Kraken isn’t ideal if:

Overwhelming for total beginners: The interface and tiered platforms (Lite vs Pro) may feel complex without a solid understanding of trading, tools, and order types.
Limited access and features in some regions: Certain U.S. states and geographies have restrictions on staking, derivatives, or account creation—potentially blocking full platform use.
Support and platform bottlenecks: Account verification or support processes can be slow, and mobile app performance or customer assistance (no phone line) may frustrate users in need of swift help.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Spot trading fees follow a tiered structure where higher 30-day trading volumes and staking of the native CRO token unlock progressively lower maker and taker rates, rewarding both liquidity providers and token holders.

Kraken uses a tiered maker-taker structure where both maker and taker fees decrease as your 30-day trading volume grows, and higher activity triggers reduced costs—even reaching zero for makers—though the schedule excludes transactions via instant buy tools.

Futures/Derivatives

Derivatives fees—including for perpetuals and futures—use maker/taker pricing and also incorporate funding rate costs, with potential zero maker fees or rebates available depending on CRO stake levels.

Futures follow a volume-based tiers system—lowering maker and taker rates as volume increases—paired with periodic funding payments (every eight hours) that depend on contract premiums versus spot prices.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

On deep liquidity pairs like BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT, spreads are kept narrow to reflect an efficient order book, though the exact difference between bid and ask may vary with market conditions.

While Kraken doesn’t publish fixed spreads, its instant-buy feature embeds variable spreads that widen or narrow depending on market volatility, order size, and asset type.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Fiat can be moved via bank transfers or cards, with most basic deposit methods being essentially fee-free on the platform side and withdrawals varying by method; processing times range from near-instant to a few business days depending on the option.

Kraken supports methods like ACH, SWIFT, PayPal, SEPA, domestic transfers, etc., with low or no deposit fees; but deposits may trigger temporary withdrawal holds (e.g. 72-hour for cards, 7-day for ACH).

On-chain Withdrawals

When sending crypto externally, fees are determined per chain and typically set at a fixed amount rather than variable, with different values depending on the network—for example Bitcoin, Ethereum, or other supported assets.

Cryptocurrency withdrawal fees vary per network—e.g. BTC, ETH, TRX have different fixed minimums depending on blockchain and congestion, not necessarily dynamic or network-based.

Hidden Costs

Unadvertised charges may arise from non-native currency conversions, inactivity penalties if accounts are unused over long periods, or paying for expedited identity verification services when needed.

Be aware of currency conversion premiums (from asset swaps), inactivity terms, and express KYC fees—these can add extras atop headline trading charges.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

If you buy crypto worth roughly €500, you’d incur a small combined cost from order execution (dependent on order type and liquidity), a modest spread for execution price, and then any withdrawal fee when sending the asset off-platform—pulling these factors together gives a realistic cost overview for a typical user.

Suppose you convert €500 to BTC and withdraw it—your total cost would include the instant-buy embedded spread, then a network withdrawal fee during transfer, and possible fiat hold timing—resulting in slightly less BTC and slower access.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Crypto.com lists over 400 cryptocurrencies and supports more than 600 trading pairs overall, with the most active among them—including major tokens like BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, ADA, XRP, SOL, DOGE, and MATIC—regularly comprising its top 20 by volume.

Kraken supports over 1,000 spot, margin, and futures markets overall, and its top 20 trading pairs by volume typically include high-cap assets like BTC/USD-variant, ETH/USD-variant, and other popular tokens.

Product Range

The platform supports a wide array of services

You’ll find a full suite including spot, margin (up to 10× leverage), futures/perpetuals, staking (recently reenabled in the U.S.), with access to ETFs and options still pending—plus no native copy-trading, grid bots, DCA autos yet.

Liquidity

Crypto.com maintains deep liquidity across its markets, with spot order books for BTC and ETH particularly robust—though precise 24-hour volumes and depth figures fluctuate, the Exchange manages high throughput and tight market depth for its most liquid pairs.

Kraken ranks among the world’s most liquid venues—especially for BTC-EUR and ETH-EUR—and sees substantial 24-hour volumes with deep order-book depth, enabling tight execution even for large trades.

Tools

A full suite of order types is available—including limit, stop-loss, take-profit, and OCO orders—alongside native TradingView integration for enhanced charting, advanced bot tools (DCA, TWAP, grid, arbitrage), and a high-performance API/WSS infrastructure covering spot, margin, and derivatives trading.

Kraken Pro offers advanced tools—limit, stop, OCO orders, real-time alerts, native TradingView-style charts, downloadable historical OHLCVT data, plus full REST and WebSocket API access.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain regions face product limitations—derivatives and margin trading may be restricted or unavailable depending on jurisdiction, whereas spot trading and earning services are broadly accessible but vary by local regulation.

Certain products, like margin, futures, or staking, are restricted by jurisdiction—eligibility varies and some features may be blocked in specific countries due to regulatory constraints.

Innovation

Crypto.com continues to expand with creative offerings like crypto launchpad or launchpool-style events for new token releases, and flexible vs locked earn options that let users choose between liquidity or higher yields—reflecting a commitment to innovation in user engagement and passive strategies.

While traditional launchpad/launchpool programs aren’t yet offered, Kraken distinguishes between flexible vs. locked staking options and continues evolving with new offerings, particularly for institutional clients.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Crypto.com is managed by Foris DAX Asia (a Singapore-based company), with its global operations dating back to 2016 and headquarters located in Singapore.

Kraken operates under several legal entities depending on region, including Payward, Inc. (U.S.), Payward Europe Solutions (Ireland, EEA), and Payward Ltd. (UK), all founded around 2011, headquartered in the U.S. with significant European presence.

Licenses/Registration

The platform is compliant across major regions—registered as a Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) in Spain, holding MiCA authorization through its Maltese entity, and operating under regulatory approvals in the UK, Cyprus, France, Singapore, Australia, Canada, and the US, among others.

Kraken holds multiple regulatory approvals, including VASP licenses in EU countries like the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Ireland, and FCA registrations in the UK, in addition to its SPDI charter in Wyoming and MSB registration in the U.S.

Custody

Crypto.com employs client-segregated custody with advanced MPC-based secure holdings, offers bankruptcy-remote vaults, and undergoes regular audits with transparent architecture—while explicit proof-of-reserves remains internal.

Kraken self-custodies customer assets with a substantial portion held in cold storage; it publishes regular Proof-of-Reserves (PoR) attestations audited by external parties to ensure transparency.

Insurance & Protection Funds

Its U.S.–based Custody Trust benefits from a robust insurance policy of around USD 120 million covering cold-storage assets and potential theft, supported by Lloyd’s underwriters and arranged by Aon.

Kraken maintains insurance for digital assets held online, though the coverage is limited; there is no formal protected fund for customer losses but additional insurance for certain custodial assets exists.

Incident History

In early 2022, Crypto.com experienced a hack resulting in about $15 million in Ether taken; withdrawals were briefly paused and later restored, with no client funds lost, and there have been no major subsequent breaches publicly reported.

Kraken has not experienced any major platform hacks; compliance suspensions or asset freezes have been minimal, and the exchange has not faced any public multi-million dollar regulatory fines.

Risk Controls

The platform enforces strong protections like mandatory 2FA, withdrawal whitelists, anti-phishing mechanisms, API permissions, role-based access, and optional sub-accounts to maintain granular control and mitigate unauthorized access.

Kraken enforces robust account security with multiple 2FA options (passkeys, hardware keys, authenticator apps), whitelisting, anti-phishing tools, sub-accounts, and granular API permissions for sophisticated client control.

Transparency

Client assets are maintained in separate, auditable wallets with structural segregation; while public monthly audits or visible SLAs are not routinely published, the architecture reflects operational transparency and institutional-grade security standards.

The platform regularly publishes audit-style reports and Proof-of-Reserves summaries; users can view wallet addresses and Kraken maintains service-level expectations without public SLA guarantees.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

You can fund your account via bank transfer, credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay; minimum and maximum thresholds vary by method and region, ranging from low single-digit amounts up to substantial daily and monthly caps; fund arrivals can be instant (cards/e-wallets) or take several hours to a few business days (bank transfers).

Users can deposit fiat via bank transfers (ACH, SWIFT, SEPA), credit/debit cards, and e-wallets like PayPal; minimums are low (starting around 1 USD/EUR), but maximums depend on your verification level and jurisdiction, with deposit arrival ranging from near-instant to several days depending on the method.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Users can engage with limited features before KYC; completing full KYC (identity and selfie upload) unlocks higher transaction thresholds and full access to platform services—lower tiers impose strict withdrawal and product restrictions.

Kraken offers tiers like Intermediate and Pro (plus Express/Starter in some regions) — Intermediate unlocks full trading and funding access, while Pro raises both deposit and withdrawal limits, with each level subject to rolling daily/monthly caps shown in your dashboard.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are subject to minimum amounts per coin and daily caps (e.g., around 10 BTC per 24 h); supported networks include ERC-20, TRC-20, BEP-20, etc., and processing times depend on both network congestion and method—crypto withdrawals may take minutes to over an hour.

Limits, Timing, Networks

Customer Support

Help is available via 24/7 in-app chat and email, with typical resolution times varying by query complexity; a detailed knowledge base supports self-help for tutorials and FAQs.

Kraken provides 24/7 live chat and email support in multiple languages (including Spanish), alongside a comprehensive support center; while most issues are resolved quickly, some users report delays during high-traffic periods.

Languages & Localization

The platform supports native Spanish alongside other languages, displays fees and balances in local currencies such as €, and adapts features based on regional regulatory frameworks for better local relevance.

The platform is available in over a dozen languages, including native Spanish; local currencies and fees are displayed based on your region, ensuring comfortable and compliant user experience.

App Quality & Stability

The mobile app is routinely updated and regarded as stable and performant; although official crash-rate metrics aren’t public, regular releases and smooth UX improvements indicate robust maintenance and reliability.

The Kraken mobile app mirrors most web functionality and supports biometric or PIN access; it generally performs reliably, though user feedback on crashes or app issues is mixed and depends on device and OS.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

The platform shines with clear organization and user-friendly navigation, designed to welcome newcomers while offering deeper controls—premium users benefit from a more advanced interface, akin to a “Pro” mode, though there’s no explicitly separate branded version.

Kraken offers two distinct experiences—“Lite” is streamlined for instant buys and basic navigation, while “Pro” and “Desktop” are modular and customizable, designed to support advanced traders executing complex strategies across flexible layouts and in-depth tools.

Performance

Crypto.com generally offers swift order execution under normal market conditions, with strong platform resilience, though unsurprisingly, major volatility spikes can slightly increase latency and lead to temporary delays in KYC verification high-traffic periods.

Kraken Pro is built on institutional-grade infrastructure to minimize order latency and handle peak demand efficiently, although during market surges user-reported delays in KYC verification and performance pops may still arise.

Education

While Crypto.com offers a variety of educational materials, including guides and announcements, native Spanish content is mostly limited to community posts and localized support updates rather than a dedicated academy or trading simulator in Spanish.

Kraken’s Learn Center delivers comprehensive articles, videos, and webinars (including futures tutorials), complemented by a derivatives demo environment for live practice—but it doesn’t currently offer a dedicated DCA simulator or localized Spanish academy; some content is translated.

Community

The ecosystem includes vibrant official communities on Discord and Telegram—supportive spaces for updates and peer help—as well as referral incentives, but there’s no central copy-trading or reward-sharing program.

Kraken publishes user reviews and interactive feedback across its site, but does not maintain official public discussion forums, Discord, or Telegram communities—though it does offer a referral program to reward users bringing in new clients.

Integrations

Crypto.com integrates with TradingView on its interface, supports native automated tools like DCA and grid bots, and links to external accounting or tax tools; full support for third-party bot platforms is expanding

Kraken Pro integrates with TradingView-style charting and pattern tools, fully supports third-party trading bots via REST/WebSocket/FIX APIs, and connects seamlessly to tax/accounting platforms like Koinly, Crypto Tax Calculator, and others.

Who Each One Is Best For

Beginners appreciate the intuitive onboarding design and helpful community, while intermediate users benefit from advanced charting, automation tools, and the hybrid feel of a “Lite-to-Pro” progression—pro traders may find other services with more dedicated Pro-tier offerings fit their needs better.

“Lite” suits beginners, offering simplicity and straightforward buying; “Pro” and “Desktop” excel for active, technical traders needing granular control, advanced order forms, analytics, and deep customization.