Firstrade vs Kuna: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Firstrade and Kuna 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 September 1, 2025

Firstrade

Kuna

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Available Countries

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Yes

Europe

Latin America

India

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Firstrade is ideal if:

Perfect if you value simplicity and self-led growth — Firstrade shines for investors who want a straightforward platform enhanced by rich educational content and intuitive tools like Options Wizard and FirstradeGPT.
Great for cost-conscious traders focused on the US market — It delivers commission-free trading across stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds, ideal if you prioritize low ongoing costs and trade U.S. securities.
Not ideal if you need advanced or global asset access — The platform doesn’t offer futures, forex, crypto, IPOs, or international markets, so it's not suited for highly diversified or exotic investment strategies.

Kuna is ideal if:

Effortless Quick Buys – If you prefer rapid purchases without account creation, Kuna’s “5-click” system lets you buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether in around 30 seconds directly to your wallet.
Straightforward and Friendly UI – Kuna offers a clean, intuitive interface (web and mobile) that’s especially suitable for newcomers and those who value simplicity and smooth navigation.
Regional Fiat Flexibility – If you're in supported areas, Kuna enables seamless fiat-to-crypto trades using local methods in UAH, USD, or RUB, plus tools like cash codes—making funding your trades frictionless.

Firstrade isn’t ideal if:

If you seek automated or advisor-led services — Firstrade doesn’t provide AI-driven trading automation, robo-advice, or personalized financial planning options.
If you need access to non-U.S. or exotic markets — It excludes futures, forex, international equities, and advanced asset classes, limiting your global exposure opportunities.
If you prioritize sleek navigation and advanced macroscopic insights — The platform’s layout can feel cluttered, with limited portfolio tracking and broader market analytics visible at a glance.

Kuna isn’t ideal if:

Limited Asset Variety – If you're looking to trade a wide range of cryptocurrencies or exotic altcoins, Kuna offers only a modest selection that may feel restrictive.
Basic Trading Tools Only – For those seeking advanced charting, technical indicators, or professional-grade trading features, Kuna’s platform remains quite simplistic.
No PayPal or Wallet Options – If you prefer funding your account with PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller, or need live chat or phone support, you’ll find those options aren’t available here.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Firstrade does not operate on a crypto exchange-style maker/taker fee model since it primarily offers commission-free trading for stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds; there are no volume-based discounts tied to a native token.

Kuna applies a flat 0.25 % trading fee for both makers and takers, without tiered volumes—though holding at least 100 KUN tokens grants VIP status, which waives maker fees entirely.

Futures/Derivatives

Firstrade does not support trading in futures, options on crypto, or any leveraged derivative contracts, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees in this category.

Kuna does not offer futures or other derivative trading instruments; therefore, there are no associated maker, taker, or funding fees.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

As Firstrade does not currently offer direct spot cryptocurrency trading, there are no applicable spreads for BTC/USDT or ETH/USDT pairs within its platform.

Kuna does not publicly disclose spread data, and their simplified fee model suggests minimal hidden spread, though precise average figures for these pairs are not available.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

Deposits and withdrawals are processed via ACH, wire transfers, and check requests; ACH is typically free and fast (1–2 business days), while wires may have a fee and take 1–3 days depending on the bank.

Fiat deposits are accepted (e.g., via credit card for Ukrainian-issued Visa/Mastercard or via methods like Perfect Money, Payeer, Advanced Cash, or Kuna Code), with variable fees depending on the method—withdrawals mirror those deposit options, again with method-dependent fees and typical processing within short timeframes.

On-chain Withdrawals

Since Firstrade does not facilitate direct on-chain crypto transfers, there are no blockchain network withdrawal fees for BTC, ETH, TRX, or other tokens.

Crypto withdrawal fees are based on asset and network; for example, withdrawing BTC incurs a fixed fee of approximately 0.0005 BTC. Other assets like ETH or TRX may have different dynamic fees, though Kuna doesn’t specify those publicly across all networks.

Hidden Costs

The main extra cost to be aware of is currency conversion for non-USD accounts; Firstrade does not charge inactivity or expedited account verification fees.

There’s no explicit information about inactivity fees or express KYC charges; however, currency conversion may incur a flat percent fee embedded in the exchange rate, depending on your selected method.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

This action cannot be performed directly on Firstrade, as it does not provide native crypto purchasing; acquiring BTC would require an external platform, where costs would depend on that provider’s commission, spread, and withdrawal fee structure.

Buying €500 worth of BTC would incur the standard 0.25 % trading fee and any minor spread embedded by the platform, plus the fixed withdrawal cost of ~0.0005 BTC when sending the funds on-chain—exact totals depend on BTC’s live price at the time.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Firstrade offers trading in approximately 38–41 cryptocurrencies, focusing on spot pairs only—there’s no full order book with crypto-to-crypto pairings, just single-asset buys priced in USD on their platform.

Kuna lists approximately 22 to 40 cryptocurrencies and supports around 40 trading pairs, with the most active ones being BTC/UAH, ETH/BTC, ZEC/UAH, DAI/UAH, ZEC/USDT, KUN/USDT, BTC/USDC, and ETH/UAH.

Product Range

Firstrade supports only spot cryptocurrency trading; it does not support margin, perpetuals, futures, options, ETFs on crypto, staking, lending, copy trading, grid bot tools, or automated DCA programs.

Kuna’s product suite is straightforward—spot trading only (crypto–crypto and crypto–fiat), no margin, derivatives, ETFs, lending, copy trading, grid bots, automatic DCA, or options; however, it does offer staking rewards through holding certain assets.

Liquidity

Firstrade does not disclose actual 24-hour volume or order book depth data for crypto; trading occurs via their internal system with instant settlement but without traditional exchange-level liquidity metrics.

Kuna’s 24-hour volume is modest (several million USD equivalent), with BTC/USDT and ETH markets showing some activity; however, order-book depth is not publicly detailed, suggesting liquidity is appropriate for medium-sized trades but not high-frequency institutional-level operations.

Tools

Their crypto offering includes basic order types, real-time quotes, charts, and research features, but lacks advanced tools such as stop/OCO orders, advanced charting, native TradingView integration, alerts, or API/WS access for crypto.

Kuna supports basic order types like limit, market, and stop orders, features standard trading charts (not TradingView-native), and provides API access; it doesn’t offer advanced charting tools, OCO orders, price alerts, or built-in TradingView integration.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Crypto trading is available only to users in the United States; there are no crypto markets or services offered outside U.S. jurisdictions.

While spot trading is broadly available, Kuna does not provide derivatives or advanced products in any region, and its services are restricted for U.S. users; features like staking may also be limited depending on local regulations.

Innovation

Firstrade has not rolled out innovation tools like launchpad/launchpool, nor any flexible vs blocked crypto-earned programs—its crypto offerings remain simple and limited to direct spot purchases.

Kuna’s innovation footprint includes unique tools like Kuna Code (transfer via code), Kuna Pay (payment processing), and browser extensions from the community, but it currently lacks features such as a launchpad, launchpool, or differentiated flexible vs locked earning programs.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

The crypto service is delivered through Firstrade Crypto LLC, a U.S.-based subsidiary operating under parent company Firstrade Securities Inc., founded in 1985 and headquartered in Flushing, New York.

Kuna was founded in 2014 in Ukraine and maintained operations through regional entities—including those in the UK and Lithuania—but as of March 2025, the platform has fully ceased operations and is no longer active.

Licenses/Registration

Firstrade Securities operates as a registered broker-dealer under FINRA and the SEC; crypto trading itself is facilitated by Apex Crypto LLC, acting under regulatory standards but without explicit VASP or MiCA licensing.

Kuna did not hold formal VASP licenses under European frameworks like MiCA, nor did it register under equivalent regimes; current regulatory programs such as those in the Cayman Islands or EU never applied to Kuna due to its closure prior to implementation of those licensing regimes.

Custody

Cryptocurrency custody is handled by Apex Crypto LLC as a third-party provider—not held on Firstrade’s own infrastructure. There’s no publicly shared proof of reserves, audit reports, or stated cold-storage percentages.

Kuna undertook what it called “the largest Proof of Reserves in history” to demonstrate backing of user funds, though there is no evidence of third-party audits, formal PoR implementation, or specified cold storage reserve ratios.

Insurance & Protection Funds

While traditional account assets benefit from SIPC and possibly FDIC protections, crypto holdings are not covered under these programs and have no dedicated insurance or extra custodian protection.

No formal insurance products or customer protection funds were publicly offered or advertised by Kuna at any point during its operation.

Incident History

Firstrade hasn’t suffered publicized hacks or major suspensions tied to its crypto platform; however, it recently received FINRA censure and a fine for misleading communications about crypto offerings via an affiliate.

Kuna maintained a calm incident history, with no publicly documented hacks, platform outages, account freezes, or regulatory fines reported prior to its closure.

Risk Controls

Firstrade enforces strong security measures including multi-factor authentication, SSL encryption, firewalls, fraud detection systems, phishing education, and a secure security center, but doesn’t highlight features like API permissions or sub-accounts for crypto.

Kuna offered basic security features such as two-factor authentication (2FA) and email confirmations, though advanced tools like withdrawal whitelists, anti-phishing measures, tiered sub-accounting, or granular API permission controls were not prominently supported.

Transparency

There’s no public monthly reporting or wallet audit data available for crypto holdings. Users rely on Firstrade’s Online Protection Guarantee for unauthorized trades, yet there’s no SLA or public wallet addresses disclosed.

There were no monthly transparency reports, public audit statements, or disclosed service-level agreements. While the platform shared its initiative around reserves, ongoing financial transparency metrics or operational dashboards were not made available.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

Firstrade supports fiat deposits via ACH, wire transfer, check, and transfers from other brokerages; ACH from U.S. bank accounts is fee-free and takes a couple of business days, wires are faster but involve sending-bank fees, and check deposits vary by type and processing, with some available immediately.

Fiat deposit options on Kuna include credit cards (limited to Ukrainian-issued Visa/MasterCard) and payment services like Advanced Cash, Perfect Money, Payeer, or Kuna Code; there’s no publicly stated minimum or maximum, and processing times vary—card payments can be nearly instant, while some transfer methods may take several minutes to days depending on method and region.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

There’s no formal tiered KYC structure; account opening requires ID verification, and once verified, users can access full services—there are no intermediate “basic” or “advanced” levels with differing limits.

Kuna requires identity verification to unlock full functionality—basic account creation has limited access, and submitting documents (ID, proof of address) elevates you to a fully verified level, with no public breakdown of tiered access or trading limits, but verification is mandatory for fiat operations.

Withdrawals

Withdrawals are available via ACH, check, or wire—ACH (up to $50,000 per day) is free and takes 1–2 business days, checks may take up to two weeks depending on delivery, and wires cost a fee and take several days; crypto token withdrawals (e.g. ERC20/TRC20) are not supported.

Cryptocurrency withdrawals on Kuna support networks like ERC-20, TRC-20, BTC (native), and others; BTC withdrawals, for example, incur a 0.0005 BTC fee and typically process within 10 minutes after email and 2FA confirmation—limits are set internally and not publicly disclosed.

Customer Support

Support is offered via email and U.S. phone during business hours, complemented by a Help Center with FAQs—there’s no 24/7 live chat, and response times and knowledge base depth are moderate and office-hour dependent.

Kuna offers multilingual support via the help center and ticketing system (English, Ukrainian, Russian), with an extensive FAQ and tutorial base—while there’s no 24/7 live chat, support is accessible through email or tickets, and response times are generally prompt but unspecified.

Languages & Localization

The platform and mobile app support English, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese; the interface displays USD values only, with no localized support for Spanish or Euro-based users—reflecting its U.S.-centric design.

The platform supports English (as well as Ukrainian and Russian), displays prices and fees in common fiat currencies like €/USD, and reflects some local regulatory positioning (e.g., awareness of Lithuanian VASP licensing), although it remains primarily headquartered in Ukraine.

App Quality & Stability

The Firstrade app (iOS/Android) is well-rated, noted for intuitive navigation and sync across devices, though some users report occasional crashes; regular updates enhance features and UX, but no official crash-rate metrics are disclosed.

Kuna offers a mobile app for both iOS and Android that integrates core features like deposits and withdrawals; while there’s no public data on crash rates or update frequency, documentation includes instructions for confirming withdrawals via the app—suggesting a maintained and functional experience.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Firstrade delivers a clean, beginner-friendly interface that helps new users get started quickly, though it doesn’t offer distinct “Lite” or “Pro” modes; advanced traders may find the layout functional but not deeply customizable.

Kuna’s design is widely praised for being intuitive and accessible to beginners, with no separate “Lite” or “Pro” modes—just a unified interface that blends simplicity with functionality to help new traders start quickly while still serving seasoned users.

Performance

Firstrade offers solid performance under normal conditions, but during high-volatility events, users sometimes note slight delays in order execution; account verification remains swift even during surges, with KYC queues rarely causing major hold-ups.

Users report that orders on Kuna process nearly instantly under normal conditions; while data on crashes during volatile markets or extended KYC backlogs is limited, the lightweight design and responsiveness suggest generally stable performance even under pressure.

Education

The platform provides a rich library of written and video educational resources for investing concepts, though it lacks a dedicated simulator or demo trading environment and does not yet offer educational content in Spanish.

Kuna currently offers limited educational materials and lacks demo or simulator tools; content is primarily in English, Ukrainian, and Russian, with no dedicated academy or learning hub in Spanish available at this time.

Community

Firstrade does not operate official community channels like Discord or Telegram. It did run a referral program in the past, but that has been discontinued, and users must rely on formal help centers rather than peer-driven forums.

Kuna fosters an active user community via its official Telegram and social media channels, alongside a generous affiliate/referral program (up to ~75% commission), though it doesn’t operate its own dedicated forums or Discord server.

Integrations

Firstrade recently integrated advanced research tools from Trading Central, but doesn’t support direct TradingView charting, bot trading, or built-in tax/accounting integrations—users rely on manual methods or third-party tools.

The platform doesn’t natively integrate with TradingView or third-party trading bots; there are no built-in tax reporting or accounting tools, making it more suited to straightforward trading rather than advanced automation or reporting workflows.

Who Each One Is Best For

Firstrade shines with investors who value a reliable, easy-to-use platform with educational support and occasional advanced tools—ideal for self-directed U.S. investors prioritizing simplicity over complex trading setups.

Kuna shines for casual traders, especially in Eastern Europe, who want a no-frills, easy-to-navigate platform for basic spot trading in fiat and crypto—making it a solid fit for those seeking simplicity and regional accessibility rather than advanced trading features.