Crypto.com vs Kraken - Which is the better crypto exchange?

You'll often find both Crypto.com and Kraken mentioned as two of the best crypto exchanges as they offer a multitude of features to their respective users

When it comes to cryptocurrency exchanges, choosing the right one can make or break your crypto journey. Two of the most popular and well-established exchanges are Crypto.com and Kraken. Both exchanges offer a wide range of features and benefits, catering to different needs of crypto investors and traders.

In this Crypto.com vs Kraken comparison, we'll dive into the details of each exchange, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, and key differences to help you make an informed decision.

Crypto.com - An overview

Launched in 2016, Crypto.com is a major player in the crypto industry. They provide users with a diverse range of services such as an NFT marketplace, derivatives trading, and a feature for earning passive income on crypto known as Crypto.com Earn.

Likely the best-known feature of the Crypto.com exchange is its Visa card. Regarded as one of the best crypto credit cards, it lets users spend cryptocurrency anywhere where Visa is accepted. Not only that, this card also offers tier-based cashback rewards, which are paid out in CRO tokens, Crypto.com's own cryptocurrency.

However, most of Crypto.com's best features are reserved for CRO token holders, which could be a drawback for some. As such, it may not be advisable to buy CRO just to get access to these features, as crypto prices are subject to volatility. If the price of CRO was to decline substantially, the perks of holding CRO would quickly be negated by the losses of its reduced worth.

Pros:

A wide selection of cryptocurrencies, including smaller-cap coins

Low trading fees, especially for CRO holders

The Crypto.com Visa card offers great perks

A user-friendly and beginner-friendly platform

Cons:

Some of the best features are locked behind CRO tokens

The 2022 security incident may still raise concerns for some

Create Crypto.com Account

Kraken - An overview

The Kraken cryptocurrency exchange is a pioneer in the space, operating since 2013. Known for its simplicity and a great security track record, the exchange's wallets have never been compromised. That makes it one of the safest crypto exchanges, especially when you consider the additional security options available to its users.

Kraken offers a wide selection of cryptocurrencies, though not as many as Crypto.com. However, most traders should still be able to find the coins they want on Kraken, as long as it's not a coin with a very low market cap.

Another great perk of the Kraken platform is that it allows users to trade Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies directly against fiat currencies. This greatly simplifies the process of investing in crypto and cashing out at the right time. The Kraken exchange also offers two separate platforms, each catering to a different audience. See our article exploring the differences between Kraken and Kraken Pro to get a more in-depth view.

Pros:

One of the oldest and most trusted crypto exchanges

Excellent security with multiple layers of protection

Advanced trading options and features

High trading volume and liquidity

Cons:

Not as many cryptocurrencies as some other exchanges

Higher trading fees compared to some competitors

Create Kraken Account

Crypto.com vs Kraken - Trading fee comparison

Trading fees are an important factor to consider if you frequently make trades. For those who only trade occasionally, trading fees become less relevant. Still, this is an important point to consider when choosing a crypto exchange.

Both Crypto.com and Kraken have a tiered fee structure, with the fees getting lower if the user generates more trading volume.

Crypto.com trading fees

Tier Trading volume (30 days) Maker fee Taker fee

Standard 0 CRO 0.40% 0.40%

Bronze 50,000 CRO 0.35% 0.30%

Silver 100,000 CRO 0.25% 0.20%

Gold 250,000 CRO 0.15% 0.10%

Platinum 500,000 CRO 0.10% 0.08%

Obsidian 2,000,000 CRO 0.04% 0.02%

When it comes to trading fees, Kraken is one of the more expensive exchanges, with Crypto.com offering significantly more competitive fees. It should also be noted that these are only the base fees for Crypto.com. Traders can further decrease their trading fees by locking up CRO, which can reduce the maker and trader fees by anywhere from 3% up to 30%, depending on the amount of CRO.

Crypto.com vs Kraken - Staking

Both Crypto.com and Kraken allow users to stake their idle cryptocurrency and earn rewards. When comparing the two, Crypto.com allows you to stake 29 different cryptocurrencies, while Kraken supports 23 at the time of writing.