Top 5 Crypto Exchanges in Europe

Choosing the best cryptocurrency exchange in the European market can be challenging, considering that there are so many options available. Platforms operate under different rules, and their functions and services vary. Sometimes, it is difficult for novice investors to understand what to look for.

To facilitate your choice, we have prepared an overview of the top 5 crypto exchanges operating in Europe and licensed by local regulators. You will learn about their features, fees, as well as pros and cons.

Bybit

It is a derivatives trading platform that was founded in 2018. Its daily trading volume exceeds $25 billion across all order books, which indicates high liquidity. The exchange is licensed by the Cypriot regulator CySEC and offers 1,200 digital assets, including cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Traders have access to spot, futures, and options trading, using perpetual contracts and leverage. To mitigate risks, Bybit offers the Smart Leverage feature, which automatically adjusts a participant's leverage based on current margin positions and market conditions.

You can deposit funds to your euro account on Bybit using SEPA, iDEAL, Zen, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and bank payments.

Futures trading is subject to a 0.02% maker's and 0.055% taker's commission, and spot trading — 0.1% for both players.

• Pros: high liquidity, leverage up to 100x, bonuses and loyalty programs for active traders.
• Cons: trading instruments are more focused on professionals.

Kraken

It is a global crypto exchange in Europe that has been operating since 2011. The platform is licensed by regulators in the UK, Lithuania, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Kraken provides access to more than 200 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, Solana, and various new tokens. You can deposit fiat via SEPA, SWIFT, or bank transfer. A total of eight currencies are offered, including the euro.

Kraken has three levels of services: for beginners, experienced traders, and professionals. Users have access to spot, margin, and futures trading, order setting, and more. The commission ranges from 0% to 0.26% of the total order value. Kraken users can also make money on crypto loans and staking. Profit rates can reach 17% per annum and 12% per annum, respectively.

• Pros: high liquidity, low spreads, NFT trading, products and services for investors of all levels.
• Cons: complex and lengthy account verification process, some newer cryptocurrencies with low capitalization are not supported.

Coinbase

The exchange was founded in 2011 in the United States and now has offices in Dublin, London, Berlin, and Paris and provides services in more than 30 European countries. Coinbase's activities are controlled by the regulators of Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Sweden.

The platform can be used to buy, sell, transfer, and store more than 250 cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and tokens. In addition, the exchange supports about 40 fiat currencies. To open a deposit in euros, you can use SEPA, card transfers, PayPal, and Google Pay.

Traders are offered a wide range of trading tools: interactive charts, advanced order types, margin trading, real-time market data, leveraged tokens, and trading bots. Commissions are deducted from transactions: 0.40% for makers and 0.60% for takers.

The Coinbase Earn feature allows users to earn small amounts of cryptocurrency by completing educational tasks.

• Pros: mobile application, passive earnings.
• Cons: supports only USDC for perpetual futures settlements.

Binance

It is one of the largest and most popular exchanges in the world with a wide range of crypto products and services. The platform was founded in 2017 and is licensed by Lithuanian, Polish, French, Italian, Spanish, and Swedish regulators. In total, its services are available in 19 European countries.

Binance supports 350+ digital currencies and 40+ fiat currencies. Payment methods in euros: SEPA, P2P, and card transfers. Users can also use Binance DEX for decentralized cryptocurrency exchange.

Among the services of the crypto exchange, you will find futures, margin trading, lending, copy trading, and automatic DCA (regular purchases of cryptocurrency for a certain amount without manual intervention). Binance's internal DEX platform offers a decentralized crypto exchange.

The exchange is characterized by high liquidity and low fees: 0.009% — 0.10% for makers and 0.018% — 0.10% for takers.

• Pros: advanced cryptocurrency trading functions, global accessibility.
• Cons: legal proceedings with the SEC, complicated for beginners.

eToro

The platform has existed since 2007 and has more than 30 million users. There are 4,500+ financial assets available for trading, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as stocks, commodities, and ETFs, all through a single interface. The exchange supports deposits in EUR, USD, GBP, and other currencies. You can fund your account using SEPA, iDEAL, Sofort, PayPal, and transfers from cards and e-wallets. A 1% commission is charged for buying and selling cryptocurrencies.

The exchange is licensed by leading European regulators: CySEC (Cyprus), DNB (Netherlands), AMF (France), OAM (Italy), MFSA (Malta), and the Bank of Spain. Among the key advantages is the copy-trading function, which allows you to automatically copy trades of popular investors on the platform.

• Pros: wide range of assets, demo account
• Cons: the spread can be too high, a $10 fee is charged for inactivity.