How To Choose a Crypto Exchange: A Selection Guide

Crypto exchanges are rising in popularity. Just as with standard stock exchanges, people are rushing to crypto exchanges to try to find out what is new and where all the hot currencies are.

But which ones are best? Let’s take a look at some useful criteria and which exchanges look set to take the top ranks in 2023. There is good news, in fact; according to buidlbee, there are still some interesting developments ahead.

How to Manage Debt with a Simple Plan

March 27, 2026

520

5 Best CFD Brokers for Beginners [UK, 2026]

March 27, 2026

529

What makes a strong exchange?

Numbers of users

An obvious way to look for good exchanges is to see how many people are using them. People will be less likely to keep using places that are untrustworthy or that are known for being somehow problematic. Conversely, the best ones will logically be the most popular as people will keep coming back to them.

Try doing a search for exchanges and see which places come up on top. You can then do individual research on those places to find out more details about them.

Safe trading

Another criterion that people use to measure strong exchanges is safety. Although blockchains are encrypted and their information mostly secure, there is some degree of risk of hacking or assets suddenly disappearing. Even if this happens only rarely, it will be great enough of a concern to determine many people from getting involved.

A related concern is devaluation. Some of the less trustworthy exchanges are known to see values drop suddenly. When you’re researching exchanges, be sure to make this a primary part of your search.

Try to find exchanges that have undergone audits. As the crypto world is still a relatively new one, governments and regulatory agencies are still trying to figure out how best to regulate them and where they should be categorized in comparison to other types of exchanges.

Number and type of coins

Another thing to look for is the number of coins that can be traded. In general, the exchanges that let you trade larger numbers of coins tend to be more reliable.

You should also pay attention to which coins are on offer. Some exchanges offer complicated ranges and types of coins, and others are more straightforward. There are also foreign exchanges, just as with the regular stock market, although you should note the differences in regulations as there could be compatibility issues with trading.

Fees

Many crypto exchanges charge fees for transactions, and the fees are of different amounts depending on the exchange, asset, and nature of the transaction being made. In looking for an exchange, try to find one that offers commission-free trading, if possible.

You should also pay attention to the precise amounts of your transactions and what the associated fee rates are, and what your average volume of trade is on a monthly basis. Fees are often based on total volume over monthly periods, with percentages going down as volume increases.

Another thing you can do is try to find promotions that will help keep fees down.

Insurance policies

As you’re looking for an exchange, take note of which ones offer insurance. This is another safety measure that will ensure you don’t end up losing unexpectedly. Some exchanges don’t offer insurance at all, and the ones that do vary on type so it’s a good idea to look at the details of the plans offered.

Liquidity

Another reason that large volume is important is that traders need to have a sufficient number of buyers and sellers on any given day that they can conduct large-scale transactions.

This is particularly the case when there is an asset that is quickly devaluing as an insufficient number of participants in the exchange means that people can end up being stuck with bad assets.

Cold and hot storage

Cold storage refers to the idea that assets can be kept in a Crypto wallet, “cold,” so that they cannot be touched. Hot wallets, on the other hand, are ones that can be accessed only when a storage device is online. It is good to look for the option of cold storage so that assets can be accessed at any time.

There are also “multi-signature wallets,” that require more than one form of verification to access.

These are just a few of the features that you should look for in a crypto exchange. Conditions are changing rapidly, of course, so keep looking at the reviews and make sure you follow judgment criteria carefully so that you’ll consistently end up finding the best places.

David Prior

David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.