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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.
KuCoin vs Pionex in comparison
Overview
KuCoin is a crypto exchange founded in 2017. Its global platform is run by Peken Global Limited, a company incorporated in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and lists more than 800 crypto assets with spot, margin and futures trading. KuCoin says it serves more than 45 million users in over 200 countries and regions.
- More than 800 crypto assets, counted without tokenized stocks
- Spot fees of 0.1% for makers and takers on major coins at the entry tier, 20% less when paid in KCS
- Futures up to 125x, copy trading and trading bots in one account
- Proof-of-reserves snapshots with a Merkle-tree check of your own balance
- Not available to US residents; in its 2025 guilty plea, KuCoin's operator agreed to exit the US market for at least two years
- No new registrations from the EEA on the global platform, and KuCoin EU has suspended trading and deposits
- Global platform not licensed in the Turks and Caicos Islands
- Higher spot fees of 0.2% and 0.3% on Class B and Class C coins
- Spot fees of 0.05% for maker and taker orders
- No bot usage fee on grid, DCA, futures grid and other trading bots
- Perpetual futures at 0.02% maker and 0.05% taker
- 311 crypto assets with an active spot market, by our count
- A fixed BTC withdrawal fee of 0.000018 BTC
- No license or registration named for pionex.com, and not in the ESMA MiCA CASP register
- The only third-party proof-of-reserves report was signed on January 19, 2023
- Bots and leveraged futures take time to learn for first-time buyers, in our view
- Verification and use are blocked in several countries, among them Canada and the United Kingdom
Features Comparison
- Cryptocurrencies
- Cryptocurrencies
0.1
%
0.10%
0.10%
₿
0.00009
0.05
%
0.05%
0.05%
₿
0.000018
837
+
$
5
311
+
$
1
- Discount on fees
- Access to token sales
- Faster support
Exchange Rating
Functions
- Spot, futures and margin trading
- Crypto interest through staking & lending
- Features for professional traders
- Automated trading with free bots (no bot usage fee)
- Manual trading with limit and market orders available
- Spot fees of 0.05% for maker and taker orders
Company Details
Our Review
In our view, KuCoin suits active traders who want more than 800 crypto assets, 0.1% spot fees on major coins, futures and trading bots in one account. Its regulatory record and the licensing gaps of its operator weigh against it. US readers can look at Coinbase, Kraken or, for spot trading, OKX US instead.
Selection Leader vs Bot Trading Specialist
KuCoin offers a large coin selection with complete trading features. Pionex specializes in automated trading bots with competitive fees. Different tools for different trading approaches.
Coin Selection
KuCoin lists 837 cryptocurrencies, a large selection.
Pionex lists 310. KuCoin has more than twice the variety.
Trading Automation
Pionex built its platform around trading bots—automated strategies without manual intervention.
KuCoin offers bot trading alongside many other features but not as the central focus.
Fee Comparison
Pionex charges 0.05% taker. KuCoin charges 0.10%. Pionex is cheaper.
Platform Scope
KuCoin offers everything—spot, futures, margin, staking, lending.
Pionex focuses on bot trading specifically.
The Decision
KuCoin at 8.9 suits users wanting a large selection and complete features.
Pionex at 8.5 suits users specifically wanting bot trading focus with lower fees.
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.
