Kraken vs Coinbase

✓ You own the coin — withdrawable on-chain

Compare

Kraken — Fees
Spot taker fee	0.8%	Source · Verified 2026-08-25
Card purchase	—	Source · Verified 2026-08-25

Coinbase — Fees
Spot taker fee	0.6%	Source · Confirmed indirectly 2026-08-25
Card purchase	3.99%	Source · Confirmed indirectly 2026-08-25

Kraken — Regulation
Regulation	Scope	Source
FCA (GB) · 757895 Crypto Facilities Ltd (trading as Kraken MTF)	Licensed	Source · Verified 2026-08-25
FCA (GB) · 928768 Payward Ltd (Kraken Digital Asset Exchange)	AML registration only — not investor protection	Source · Verified 2026-08-25

Coinbase — Regulation
Regulation	Scope	Source
FCA (GB) · 900635 CB Payments Ltd	E-money licence — not investment protection	Source · Verified 2026-08-25

No material incidents on record.

No material incidents on record.

Is Kraken cheaper than Coinbase?

0.8% against 0.6% on the headline figure. Deposit, withdrawal and spread costs sit on top and can reverse that for small trades.

Is Kraken safe?

Nothing meeting our threshold has been documented for Kraken. That is an absence of evidence, not a safety guarantee.

Can I withdraw my coins from Kraken?

Yes. Kraken is an exchange — the asset is yours and moves to a wallet you control.

Which suits a beginner better?

Whichever is licensed where you live and lets you withdraw the asset. Leverage and daily financing are what turn a beginner's position into a loss.

We earn a commission on some links. It never changes the ranking — our method is published and the data is sourced.

Crypto is volatile and largely unregulated. CFDs are leveraged and most retail accounts lose money. Never risk money you cannot afford to lose.

Information only. This is not investment advice.