Kraken vs Bitfinex

Kraken or Bitfinex – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare Kraken and Bitfinex in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

Kraken vs Bitfinex Comparison Table 2026
Kraken Bitfinex
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3.9
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2.9
Kraken is ranked #29 among crypto brokers. Bitfinex is ranked #28 among crypto brokers.
Review
Review
Kraken excels as a top cryptocurrency exchange, offering a unique trading platform and access to over 600 crypto tokens. It provides leverage of up to 5 times for spot trading with consistent fees and up to 50 times on futures. Founded in 2012, Bitfinex, based in Hong Kong, is a major force in the cryptocurrency sector. Its advanced proprietary platform offers 250 cryptocurrencies and over 430 market pairs for spot and perpetual derivatives trading. New payment options, reduced entry barriers, and innovative products like crypto futures are drawing an increased variety of active traders to Bitfinex.
Pros
  • Kraken allows accredited US investors to lock cash and stablecoins for 3 to 18 months, earning fixed APY of up to 7%.
  • Kraken, through Payward, obtained VARA approval in the UAE, allowing it to provide Dirham funding and trading pairs to local clients.
  • Kraken Pro offers perpetual futures via a CFTC-regulated venue.
  • Kraken Pro offers competitive trading fees.
  • 3D secure is necessary.
  • While initially challenging, the Bitfinex platform excels for experienced traders. It offers an extensive charting suite with 12 timeframes, along with margin trading and a range of order types.
  • Bitfinex now offers zero trading fees across spot, margin, derivatives, securities, and OTC. This change attracts traders seeking transparent pricing.
  • Bitfinex offers superb liquidity across its cryptocurrency trading pairs, minimising slippage and ensuring efficient order execution. This reliability makes it a trustworthy choice for traders, especially when handling large volumes.
  • Following an expansion, Bitfinex now provides access to over 250 cryptocurrencies. The platform includes mainstream options like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as volatile altcoins that might attract traders.
  • Bitfinex caters to algorithmic traders, offering seamless API integration for efficient automated strategy execution.
Cons
  • Insider data breach and extortion event impacting customer information in April 2026.
  • Delayed verification for Pro accounts.
  • Limited support for newer altcoins.
  • Minimal leverage in spot trading.
  • Slow processing times
  • Though Bitfinex bolstered security with two-factor authentication, it remains haunted by past security breaches and regulatory penalties. However, it obtained a DASP license in El Salvador in 2026.
  • Bitfinex, similar to numerous crypto exchanges, functions within a regulatory grey area, potentially increasing risks for traders. This contrasts with more reputable trading platforms such as eToro.
  • Testing shows insufficient support, particularly for active traders. Email response times are 12 hours, and the trading platform's live chat is unsatisfactory, leading to a frustrating user experience.
  • For traders and investors seeking a straightforward approach, platforms such as eToro, Gemini, and Kraken offer excellent choices.
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
Cryptos, xStocks, Pre-IPO Perpetual Futures Cryptocurrencies
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$10 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
Variable $10
Regulator
FINTRAC, AUSTRAC, CySEC, CBI CNAD, AFSA
Mobile Apps
Yes iOS & Android
Trading App
We've tested Kraken in a live account and it's an intuitive app, especially compared to alternatives like Binance. You can explore tokens, manage your portfolio, and set up a buy, recurring buy, sell or convert assets in a few taps after pressing the '+' icon in the bottom menu. 2FA and biometric login make for a secure mobile experience, while it's one of the few crypto apps to offer a route to secure potential prop funding from your palm. Bitfinex offers a mobile app replicating its web platform's full features, enabling smooth trading on the go. It has a Lite Mode for a simplified experience, providing a user-friendly interface for trading, staking, and lending cryptocurrencies with just a few taps. Available on both Apple's App Store and Google's Play Store, user ratings indicate a better experience on iOS devices.
iOS App Rating
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4.7
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4
Android App Rating
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4.2
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3.5
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
No No
MetaTrader 5
No No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
Yes No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No No
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
No No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No No
PAMM Account
No No
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No No
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
No No
Market Maker
No No
P2P Trading
No Yes
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Kraken Futures is integrated in other platforms which have bots: Bookmap, Caspian, FMZ Quant, Gunbot, HaasOnline, Hyndor, Margin Yes
Copy Trading
No No
Social Trading
No No
VPS Hosting
No No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
$0 $5
Islamic Account
No No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • JPY
  • TRY
Cryptocurrency
Kraken is a dedicated cryptocurrency exchange offering over 600 digital currencies, encompassing major coins like Bitcoin and various altcoins. Traders can access spot markets with 1:5 leverage or futures at 1:50. The platform is intuitive, with competitive fees. Bitfinex offers a wide range of over 250 cryptocurrencies. Beyond spot trading, it facilitates perpetual swaps, allowing margin trading with up to 10x leverage. Regular updates to token listings ensure diverse opportunities in the evolving crypto market.
Spread
0-0.26% average Taker (0.2% to 0.055%) and maker (0.1% to 0.0%)
Coins
  • AAVE
  • ALGO
  • ANT
  • REP
  • REPV2
  • BAT
  • BAL
  • XBT
  • BCH
  • ADA
  • LINK
  • COMP
  • ATOM
  • CRV
  • DAI
  • DASH
  • MANA
  • XDG
  • EWT
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • ETC
  • FIL
  • FLOW
  • GNO
  • ICX
  • KAVA
  • KEEP
  • KSM
  • KNC
  • LSK
  • LTC
  • MLN
  • XMR
  • NANO
  • OCEAN
  • OMG
  • OXT
  • PAXG
  • DOT
  • QTUM
  • XRP
  • SC
  • XLM
  • STORJ
  • SNX
  • TBTC
  • USDT
  • XTZ
  • GRT
  • TRX
  • UNI
  • USDC
  • WAVES
  • YFI
  • ZEC
  • BNB
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • USDT
  • LTC
  • XRP
  • DOGE
  • ETC
  • EOS
  • LINK
  • BCHN
  • DOT
  • DASH
  • IOTA
  • SUSHI
  • NEO
  • ZEC
  • UNI
  • ADA
  • OMG
  • MDOGE
  • BSV
  • TRX
  • XTZ
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • YFI
  • USDC
  • ZRX
  • FIL
  • VET
  • XMR
  • COMP
  • BTG
  • DAI
  • LUNA
  • CEL
  • ALGO
  • ATOM
  • EGLD
  • FTT
  • AVAX
  • MKR
  • LEO
  • BTT
  • CHZ
  • BAT
  • BAND
  • QTUN
  • CLO
  • AAVE
  • XDC
  • HEZ
  • KNC
  • ZIL
  • MANA
  • BAL
  • UOS
Crypto Lending
No Yes
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
Yes Yes
Auto Market Maker
No No
Kraken Bitfinex
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