Safety & Trust

Most secure.

If you plan to hold significant balances on an exchange, security history matters more than any other factor. These exchanges have the cleanest track records and strongest infrastructure.

TL;DR

Kraken has the cleanest security history of any major exchange — never hacked in 13+ years. Coinbase is the only publicly-traded exchange with full FDIC insurance on USD. Bitstamp's European regulatory standing is best-in-class.

Our Top Pick

Best overall.

#1 Top Pick

Kraken

Est. 2011 · San Francisco, USA

One of the oldest and most respected exchanges, with an exceptional security track record and strong fiat support. A favourite for serious traders who value reliability over hype.

Score

4.6

Spot Fee

0.25%

Coins

300+

Best

Security-Conscious Users

Read Full Review Visit Kraken →

Why It Wins

＋ Never been hacked since founding in 2011 — best security record in the industry
＋ Excellent fiat support across multiple currencies
＋ Proof of Reserves audited regularly by independent third parties
＋ Generous staking rewards on 20+ assets including ETH

Also Strong

Other top picks.

Bitstamp

Luxembourg

4.3

/ 5.0

One of the oldest crypto exchanges in the world, founded in 2011 and now owned by Robinhood. A sterling regulatory record and strong focus on institutional and European users makes it a favourite for the cautious and the long-term-minded.

Read Review → Visit

Coinbase

San Francisco, USA

4.5

/ 5.0

The most trusted name in crypto for beginners. Publicly traded on NASDAQ, fully regulated in the US, and packed with educational tools — though fees are higher than rivals unless you use Advanced Trade.

Read Review → Visit

Methodology

What we looked for.

To rank exchanges in this category, we weighed the following factors heavily:

▸ Historical security incidents and response quality
▸ Cold storage practices and audit transparency
▸ Insurance fund size and coverage
▸ Proof-of-Reserves verification
▸ Regulatory licences in major jurisdictions

Full Methodology

Other Categories

Most secure.

Best overall.

Kraken

Other top picks.

Bitstamp

Coinbase

What we looked for.

Best for beginners

Lowest fees

Best for derivatives

Best for altcoins