Kraken vs Coinmama: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Kraken and Coinmama 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

Kraken

Coinmama

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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

Yes

China

Yes

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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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.

Coinmama is ideal if:

Effortless for beginners — Streamlined, no-frills interface lets you buy crypto and send it straight to your own wallet in just a few taps.
Global and flexible — Available in nearly 190 countries with a wide range of local payment methods to suit diverse needs.
Built for safety and autonomy — Non-custodial model means you always control your funds, supported by robust regulatory compliance and encryption.

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.

Coinmama isn’t ideal if:

Not for advanced traders — Lacks tools like charts, limit orders, and margin trading, making it unsuitable if you need sophisticated trading features.
Limited crypto variety — Offers a relatively small selection of coins, which may frustrate users looking for broader portfolio options or niche tokens.
No built-in wallet or phone support — You must use your own external wallet for storage, and customer support lacks direct phone access for urgent communication.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

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.

Coinmama doesn’t operate with traditional maker/taker tiers based on order book liquidity—instead, it charges a flat commission plus a built-in spread, with loyalty-based fee reductions (up to around 25% off) for users who reach certain cumulative spending thresholds over time.

Futures/Derivatives

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.

Coinmama currently does not offer futures, margin, or derivative trading, so there are no related maker, taker, or funding costs involved.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

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.

While specific spread numbers aren’t publicly listed, Coinmama embeds a markup—commonly known as a spread—within the quoted rate on top of its commission, meaning any trade price you see already includes a buffer above market mid-price.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

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).

You can fund your account via bank transfers (SEPA, SWIFT, Open Banking) or card/e-wallets (Visa/Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill), with free options for some bank channels and a percentage-based “express fee” for cards and wallets; Fiat withdrawals are sent back to your original payment method, typically taking one to several business days to process.

On-chain Withdrawals

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.

Crypto withdrawals to your own wallet are facilitated without extra platform fees, but actual network fees apply and depend on the blockchain (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tron), varying dynamically with network congestion and gas rates.

Hidden Costs

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

Additional implicit costs may come from currency conversion if using non-fiat-native methods or local currency—plus small surcharges for instant payments through certain methods—while there are no inactivity fees and identity verification is required but generally included as part of the signup process, not as a premium service.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

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.

If you buy €500 worth of Bitcoin, the price you pay includes Coinmama’s commission and built-in spread, and sending that BTC to your wallet means you’ll also incur the standard blockchain network fee—but there are no surprises beyond the displayed total at checkout.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

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.

Coinmama offers over 40 cryptocurrencies in total, including around 19 of the top 30 by market cap. Its top-20 by volume mainly include familiar names like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), BNB, Solana (SOL), XRP, and others, ensuring exposure to the most traded assets.

Product Range

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.

Coinmama focuses exclusively on spot purchases and simple swaps—offering no margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, staking programs, loans, copy trading, grid bots, or automatic DCA functionality.

Liquidity

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.

Being a broker rather than an exchange, Coinmama doesn’t display order books or real-time volume data for pairs like BTC or ETH; liquidity is assured through its own inventory, making market depth and 24-hour volumes internal and not publicly shown.

Tools

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.

Coinmama offers none of the typical advanced trading tools—there are no limit, stop, or OCO orders, no alerts, no charting interface, no public API or WebSockets, and no native integration with TradingView for analysis.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

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.

All of Coinmama’s services are globally accessible where regulations permit; no additional products like derivatives or margin are available anywhere, so there are no region-specific product restrictions beyond general country bans.

Innovation

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.

Coinmama doesn’t support features like launchpad or launchpool initiatives, nor does it offer flexible or locked earning programs—its current setup remains strictly focused on one-time fiat-to-crypto purchases without ongoing yield products.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

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.

Coinmama is operated by a regulated company incorporated in Ireland (originally founded in Israel in 2013) and is part of Wellfield Technologies, with its current main base in Vancouver, Canada.

Licenses/Registration

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.

Coinmama is registered as a Money Services Business (MSB) with the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and also compliant with Canadian regulation under FINTRAC, ensuring proper oversight in these key jurisdictions.

Custody

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.

Coinmama operates on a non-custodial model—meaning you always control your crypto, as they don’t hold tokens on your behalf—and there is no public proof of reserves, auditing statements, or disclosed cold-storage ratios.

Insurance & Protection Funds

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.

The platform does not advertise any insurance or user fund protection schemes, so users rely primarily on Coinmama’s non-custodial approach for the safety of their crypto holdings.

Incident History

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.

Coinmama experienced a data breach in 2019, involving compromised emails and hashed passwords of older accounts; since then, no major hacks or regulatory penalties have been reported publicly.

Risk Controls

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.

Security measures include two-factor authentication (strongly recommended for users), but Coinmama does not currently offer advanced features like address whitelisting, anti-phishing layers, sub-accounts, or granular API permissions.

Transparency

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.

The exchange does not provide transparent, publicly available reports like monthly proof-of-reserves, accessible wallet addresses, or service-level agreements for uptime—but emphasizes clarity about its regulatory standing and verification processes.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

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.

You can fund your Coinmama account using bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets (like Skrill or Neteller), as well as regional systems such as Giropay, PIX, and PSE, with minimum amounts usually starting around $5–$20 and daily or monthly maximums tied to your verification level; processing times vary by method, with cards and e-wallets instantly crediting your account and banks typically taking longer.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

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.

Verification is tiered

Withdrawals

Limits, Timing, Networks

Crypto withdrawals are sent directly to your own wallet and incur only the standard blockchain fee; fiat withdrawals return funds through the original payment method, with a minimum typically around $30 and timing dependent on the payout channel.

Customer Support

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.

Support is available 24/7 via live chat and email, backed by a rich knowledge base and academy content for self-help—though phone support isn’t offered, allowing generally quick replies and practical guidance.

Languages & Localization

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.

The platform’s interface is primarily in English, but supports multiple fiat currencies (like €/USD/GBP) for display, and adapts payment options and compliance to match local regulatory requirements across different countries.

App Quality & Stability

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.

Coinmama operates via a web-based service and does not offer a mobile app; while the website is reliable and regularly updated, there’s no downloadable application to discuss in terms of stability or crash performance.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

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.

Coinmama uses a clean, modern web interface that’s highly intuitive—there’s no Lite or Pro toggle, keeping it straightforward and instantly approachable for newcomers who just want to buy crypto quickly.

Performance

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.

Purchases are generally processed swiftly after payment confirmation, with minimal order latency even during busy periods; KYC processes remain efficient, and there’s little evidence of significant delays during bull runs.

Education

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.

Coinmama offers a helpful Academy hub with beginner-friendly articles in English, though it lacks demo trading tools or simulators, and currently doesn’t provide education content in Spanish.

Community

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.

While Coinmama doesn’t host an official forum or Discord, it does run a robust affiliate/referral program with tools and dashboards, fostering a grassroots community of promoters rather than active chat groups.

Integrations

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.

The platform remains minimalist with no external integrations—there’s no TradingView, bot support, tax accounting tools, or bookkeeping connectors, keeping the focus purely on one-click fiat-to-crypto purchases.

Who Each One Is Best For

“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.

This platform excels for buyers who value simplicity and speed, especially beginners; advanced traders seeking analytics, automation, or educational languages beyond English may prefer more feature-rich alternatives.