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Transferable to your own wallet
Self-custody of cryptocurrencies plays an important role for many users who want to manage their cryptocurrencies and thus their "private keys" themselves and not leave them in the hands of the exchange. Most exchanges offer the option of sending the purchased cryptocurrencies to their own wallet.
Deposit protection is a safeguard for the assets of users of a stock exchange or broker, which is intended to protect investors in the event of insolvency or a high loss due to a hacker attack. Service providers based in Germany are legally obliged to provide deposit protection of €100,000. In some cases, international exchanges have a special insurance policy that covers a certain portion of the assets instead of a deposit guarantee.
The overall rating is the average of our individual ratings. Our ratings do not constitute investment advice, but merely our personal opinion. You are welcome to use them as rough indicators and additional perspective. In the dynamic and fast-growing crypto sector, parameters can often change from one day to the next, so we cannot guarantee that the rating data is up to date. Therefore, please never use our ratings as an isolated basis for decision-making and not as a substitute for your own research.
This rating describes our personal assessment of the user-friendliness of the product. How easy is the onboarding process? How modern is the user interface and is it easy to use? Are all the important functions quick and easy to find? We ask ourselves all these questions in order to give a personal rating from 1 to 10 points.
This rating describes our assessment of the fee structure of a stock exchange or broker. It is not only the amount of fees that can differ, but also the type of fees. The most common type of fees for crypto exchanges are the "maker/taker" fees or spreads. In some cases, there are also hidden fees that are not recognizable to users at first glance.
For products or services in the crypto space, trust and security should be the biggest factors in the selection process. Since we could not seriously evaluate the technical security of a platform or product, we analyze publicly available factors such as security features, location, regulation, certifications, audits, team/company, general reputation and, of course, track record.
Crypto doesn't have to be cryptic. Especially for beginners, the first contact with the crypto world can be overwhelming. With this rating, we give our assessment of how easy it is for beginners to find their way around: from the onboarding process to using the most important functions.
Customer support is an important factor for many users. A long wait or no response at all in the event of problems can be frustrating, especially when it comes to sensitive topics such as finances. With this rating, we give our assessment of the quality of customer support. In order to provide as balanced an assessment as possible, we also include user opinions from other platforms in our evaluation.
Some exchanges and brokers are regulated by financial supervisory authorities in certain countries/states. This often entails strict financial regulatory requirements and compliance requirements to which the company must adhere. Regulatory clarity can contribute to greater transparency and thus also greater trustworthiness.
Coinbase vs Phemex in comparison
Overview
Phemex was founded in 2019 and says it has more than 10 million users. It lists 139 crypto assets by our count and 141 perpetual futures pairs, TradFi included, with up to 150x leverage. Spot trades cost 0.10% at the entry tier, futures 0.01% maker and 0.06% taker, and Phemex publishes a monthly proof of reserves.
- Open in every US state, including New York under an NYDFS license
- Money transmitter licenses in 47 US jurisdictions, plus authorizations in Luxembourg, the UK and Canada
- Simple app for buying, plus Coinbase Advanced with TradingView charts and advanced order types
- More than 400 crypto assets with live markets, plus commission-free US stock trading 24/5
- Two-factor authentication switched on by default, with security key support
- Parent company listed on Nasdaq, with quarterly financial reports
- Higher entry-level fees than Kraken Pro: 0.50% maker and 0.90% taker on Coinbase Advanced in the US, against 0.40% and 0.80%
- Simple buys include a spread, and simple limit orders add a 1% execution fee
- Bitcoin and Ether futures for US customers go up to 10x leverage, so traders who want more look elsewhere
- No proof-of-reserves report for exchange balances that we could find
- Low futures fees: 0.01% maker and 0.06% taker at the entry tier
- 141 perpetual futures pairs, TradFi included, with up to 150x leverage
- Grid, martingale and AI trading bots, plus copy trading
- Monthly proof of reserves with a check of your own balance
- Fixed Bitcoin withdrawal fee of 0.000015 BTC
- Not available in the US, the United Kingdom and four Canadian provinces
- No license; AML registrations only
- Permanently banned from trading in Ontario, and on the warning lists of the UK FCA and Singapore's MAS
- Proof of reserves without a named auditor
- Mid-sized coin list of 139 crypto assets
Features Comparison
- Cryptocurrencies
- Cryptocurrencies
0.9
%
0.90%
0.50%
Varies
0.1
%
0.10%
0.10%
₿
0.000015
407
+
$
2
139
+
$
25
Exchange Rating
Functions
- Spot, futures trading options
- Coinbase Card
- Coinbase Wallet
- Spot, futures and margin trading
- Phemex Earn
- Launchpad
Company Details
Our Review
Coinbase is a US-listed exchange accessible to residents in every US state, with regulatory licenses in the US, Luxembourg, and the UK. In our view it is a good place for a first crypto purchase, with a simple app and a regulated operator. Active traders can pay less: we would compare Kraken Pro first, whose entry-level taker fee is 0.80%, against 0.90% on Coinbase Advanced in the US.
In our view, Phemex is a good fit for active traders: 141 perpetual futures pairs, TradFi included, with up to 150x leverage, entry-tier futures fees of 0.01% maker and 0.06% taker, a 0.10% spot fee, trading bots and copy trading. A monthly proof of reserves adds transparency, and the coin list, at 139 crypto assets, is mid-sized.
Beginner Trust vs Trader Value
Coinbase built the most trusted on-ramp for American crypto beginners. Phemex built a derivatives platform with some of the industry's lowest fees. One optimizes for trust, the other for trading economics.
Fee Gap
Coinbase includes a spread in the price of simple trades and adds a Coinbase fee. Phemex charges 0.10% taker on spot trades and 0.06% on perpetual futures. The cost difference is enormous for active traders.
Target Users
Coinbase scores 10/10 for beginner friendliness. It's designed for users with zero crypto experience.
Phemex scores 6/10 for beginners and explicitly notes it's not suitable for beginners. Built for traders who know what they're doing.
Trust and Regulation
Coinbase is publicly listed with U.S. regulation, scoring 9/10 on security.
Phemex is newer without the same regulatory standing, scoring 6/10. Functional but less established.
Features
Coinbase offers spot trading with basic futures and the Coinbase ecosystem.
Phemex offers derivatives, margin, and Phemex Earn. Trading-focused toolkit.
Choosing Your Platform
Coinbase at 8.3 is where beginners start—trusted and simple despite premium fees.
Phemex at 7.8 is for experienced traders who want low fees and don't need Coinbase's hand-holding.
About the author
At Exchange Flow, Ethan is recognized as the resident crypto expert. With 10+years of experience navigating the waters of global crypto exchanges, Ethan is a trusted voice in the ever-evolving world of digital currencies. He tests and scrutinizes exchanges so you don’t have to, offering reviews and articles that newbies and seasoned traders alike find invaluable. When he’s not coding, Ethan likes to travel and play retro games. He uses his crypto earnings to fund his trip around the globe.
