UK investors are looking for the best cryptocurrency exchanges and Bitcoin trading platforms in the UK. Given that rules vary by country, we wanted to dive in and find the best options for UK investors.
It's important to remember that cryptocurrencies are not regulated in the United Kingdom and there is no compensation for consumers who lose their digital assets.
However, for UK investors to invest in a cryptocurrency exchange or platform, the platform must register with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). While this doesn't prevent you from losing money, it does require the company to offer crypto asset services and products to customers in the United Kingdom in compliance with anti-money laundering and "terrorist" financing rules.
With that in mind, here are the best cryptocurrency exchanges for UK investors. If you want our overall list, check out the Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges Overall (though some of these may not service those in the UK).
Best Crypto Exchanges In The UK
We break down our top choices for crypto exchanges and bitcoin trading in the UK.
These platforms feature easy-to-set-up accounts, low cost trading, lots of crypto options, and more.
1. eToro
eToro has been around for a while in the UK and throughout Europe, making it one of the longest operating exchanges on this list. They offer a huge variety of digital assets to buy and sell on their platform, and even better, they have a practice trading account so you can give it a try before you actually use real funds.
You are able to instantly deposit funds with a UK debit/credit card or e-wallet and start trading almost immediately.
Read our full eToro review here.
This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.
2. Binance
Binance is the world's most popular exchange, and it's potentially a great option for UK investors. Recently, it's been having issues with the FCA, which has made deposits and withdrawals somewhat challenging, but you can still use a UK debit card to invest.
Once you have funded your Binance account, you can trade more than 1,000+ digital assets at incredibly low commissions - including popular ones like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more.
Note: Binance.us is the US-version of the platform and has limited coins and tokens to invest in versus the international version of Binance.
Read our full Binance review here.
3. Crypto.com
Crypto.com is one of the largest and fastest growing crypto exchanges. It's based in Hong Kong, but offers a ton of support for UK-based customers.
Right now, you can have access to over 250 tokens and coins worldwide, and 50 tokens and coins to earn interest in the UK. Plus, the offer solid rates on their crypto savings accounts.
The only major drawback is that it's only app-based at this time, there is no desktop platform.
Read our full Crypto.com review here.
4. Bitstamp
Bitstamp is one of the oldest and most well-established cryptocurrency exchanges. Founded in 2011, it's been operating for over 10 years. It offers over 50 tokens that you can trade in the UK.
Bitstamp has a volume-based fee structure, allows you to buy crypto instantly with your credit or debit card, and has a solid mobile app. Bitstamp charges a flat 0.5% fee when you place a crypto trade, which falls to 0.25% if you exceed £7,975 in trading volume per month.
Read our full Bitstamp review here.
5. AQRU
AQRU is short for Accru Finance Ltd, a London-based financial company that focuses on crypto savings accounts. AQRU currently supports five cryptocurrencies, all of which can be purchased directly with both crypto or via Moonpay (credit cards and debit cards).
AQRU offers up to 12% interest per year on stablecoin deposits and 7% on BTC or ETH deposits.
6. Uphold
Uphold offers simple solution to trading multiple assets — open one account and trade multiple assets without making a trip back to cash. If you've every traded crypto, you'll know a lot of coins and tokens only trade in certain pairs, so you're always going back to BTC or ETH. But on Uphold, you can trade multiple assets directly.
Plus, Uphold is one of the few exchanges that allows you to trade XRP, DOGE, and more. They currently offer over 115 cryptocurrency options in the UK.
Read our full Uphold review here.
7. Kraken
Kraken is one of the original crypto trading platforms and they have a good selection of coins and tokens to trade and invest in. They also allow margin trading. However, it's a real exchange, and not as easy to use as some of the top platforms on this list.
Kraken is one of the few platforms on this list that allow you to trade in DOGE and other, more risky, tokens. They currently have over 50+ tokens available in the UK.
Read our full Kraken review here.
8. YouHodler
YouHodler’s crypto-based savings accounts are high-yield and also seems to offer a lot of protections for investors. They are currently not available in the United States, but they are available in the UK, EU, Eastern Europe, and Asia (China, Japan, Korea).
The company allows savers to withdraw from the platform at any time. But the minimum investment is $100 USD.
Read our full YouHodler review here.
9. Gemini
Gemini is a popular platform to invest in crypto as it was one of the first major exchanges, and today it's one of the largest by assets.
Gemini supports most major cryptocurrencies, has decent support and engagement, and pays competitive interest rates on assets, if you qualify.
Plus, when you open a Gemini account, you can earn $10 in BTC after trading $100 in crypto.
Read our full Gemini review here.
10. Coinbase
Coinbase is by far the most popular and one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges because you can invest directly with Pounds. You can currently purchase Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin and 50+ other coins and tokens on the platform. Furthermore, you can earn interest on your USDT, and you can earn token rewards by completing various activities.
Plus, when you open a new Coinbase account, you get a $10 BTC bonus after you trade $100 if you sign up using our link!
Read our full Coinbase Review here.
Before You Open A Cryptocurrency Account In The UK
Before you open a cryptocurrency account, you need to remember that cryptoassets are a highly volatile unregulated investment products. There are no investor protections if you invest in these assets and lose money. In fact, there is a huge risk to investing in cryptocurrency and cryptoassets, and you can lose money.
- You can lose money - Cryptocurrencies are high risk investments. Beyond the actual token or coin, you also have to keep your wallet and passwords safe. There is little recourse if you're hacked or otherwise get your account compromised.
- May be subject to taxes - Cryptocurrency gains in the UK are subject to the Capital Gains tax, similar to the equity markets.
Top Features In UK Cryptocurrency Accounts
While every person wants something different in an account, these are some features that make sense to consider.
- Easy to use - Usability should be a foregone conclusion these days. Unfortunately, many crypto exchanges hide information in tough-to-find locations. The exchanges we recommend make it easy to track performance, place trades, and even invest automatically.
- Low fees - Don’t bother paying high fees for your crypto trades. Look for exchanges that offer low fees.
- Lots of investment options - Make sure that you find a crypto exchange that offers the coins and tokens you want to invest in. Many on our list have lots of options, but others may be limited.
Don’t Forget To Consider Alternatives
Investing in cryptocurrency involves risk, and if you're just getting started, even navigating the options can be confusing.
When searching for an exchange to start investing on, make sure you're looking at a few major features, including the number of tokens and coins available, the price or commission charged, the ease of use, the security of the platform, the customer service, and the features (such as cryptocurrency savings accounts).
And don't forget, if you're looking for a cryptocurrency exchange in the United States or elsewhere in the world, check out our full guide here: Best Cryptocurrency Exchanges.
Robert Farrington is America’s Millennial Money Expert® and America’s Student Loan Debt Expert™, and the founder of The College Investor, a personal finance site dedicated to helping millennials escape student loan debt to start investing and building wealth for the future. You can learn more about him on the About Page, or on his personal site RobertFarrington.com.
He regularly writes about investing, student loan debt, and general personal finance topics geared towards anyone wanting to earn more, get out of debt, and start building wealth for the future.
He has been quoted in major publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Fox, ABC, NBC, and more. He is also a regular contributor to Forbes.
Editor: Claire Tak