Independent crypto vetting · verified August 2026
Every crypto platform, vetted before you trust it.
We score exchanges and hardware wallets on a public rubric: licences, proof-of-reserves, hack history and real fees. Nobody can pay to move up. Not financial advice.
- Exchanges scored
- 6
- Wallets reviewed
- 5
- Rankings sold
- 0
Top rated
8.4
OKX · /10
#1 · OKX
Read the review →8.5
Security
5.5
Regulation
10.0
Fees
9.0
Assets
10.0
UX
Affiliate link · not shown to UK visitors · not financial advice
Updated hourly · as of · CoinGecko, gold-api.com · Data provided by CoinGecko
Film · 18 seconds
It looked safe. Until it wasn’t.
Mt. Gox halted withdrawals in 2014. Celsius froze them in June 2022. FTX filed for bankruptcy that November. Each one looked safe the week before. Our rubric checks what a logo can’t show: reserves, licences, incident history and real fees.
Our picks · trade & secure
#1 on our score · exchange
OKX
EU MiCA licence (Malta), monthly zk-STARK proof-of-reserves above 100%, no known exchange-level hack, and spot fees among the lowest we track (0.08% maker / 0.1% taker). The catch, spelled out in our review: a 2025 US guilty plea.
#1 on our score · exchange
Exchange links are off in your region
Local rules restrict how crypto platforms may be promoted where you are, so we don't show exchange buttons here. Our scores, reviews and method stay fully readable.
Sponsored · affiliate links · exchange links are not shown to UK visitors · a hardware wallet you own is safer than any exchange · not financial advice
01 — How we vet
A private-bank standard of due diligence, published.
We show the math
Every score traces to a public rubric and to facts you can check: licences, proof-of-reserves, incidents, published fees. No invented ratings, no pay-to-play.
We say who should skip it
Each review names the real cons and the people who should not use the platform. A review that only lists strengths is an advert.
We disclose loudly
Affiliate links are labelled and never change a score. Three of the six exchanges we rate have no link at all — and we say why.
02 — The ranking
Exchanges, scored.
Six of the largest exchanges, scored on the same five pillars. Three carry real regulatory baggage, and the scores show it. Click any bar for the full review.
Ranked strictly by score · ties go to the safer platform · never by commission
The full ranking
Verdict on each →| # | Exchange | Score | Spot taker | Proof-of-reserves | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | OKX | 8.4 | 0.1% | Yes ✓ | 2017 | VisitNot available in your region |
| 02 | Bybit | 8.4 | 0.1% | Yes ✓ | 2018 | No partner link: we have no relationship with Bybit |
| 03 | Coinbase | 8.1 | 0.6% | Not published | 2012 | VisitNot available in your region |
| 04 | Kraken | 8.0 | 0.4% | Yes ✓ | 2011 | VisitNot available in your region |
| 05 | Binance | 7.6 | 0.1% | Yes ✓ | 2017 | No link: no MiCA licence, EU sign-ups suspended since July 2026 |
| 06 | KuCoin | 7.1 | 0.1% | Yes ✓ | 2017 | No link: guilty plea in the US (2025), one licence only |
Ranked strictly by score, never by commission · data verified August 2026
Not sure which exchange fits you?
Four questions (country, experience, what matters most) and one matched pick, in under a minute.
03 — Hold it yourself
Not trading it? Then it shouldn't sit on an exchange.
The safest place for crypto you're not actively trading is a hardware wallet whose keys only you hold. We review the main options, including Ledger's 2020 customer-data leak and Tangem's no-seed default.
Partner · hardware wallet
Sponsored · affiliate link · a hardware wallet you own is safer than any exchange
04 — Beyond crypto
Physical gold, vetted the same way.
We rank allocated, vaulted gold on real fees and legal title, never by commission, and we document the fear-marketing the gold trade aims at retirees. Guides on true cost, scams, Shariah compliance and buying from abroad.
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Frequently asked questions
How does CoinVetted make money?
We earn affiliate commissions when readers open an account or buy a product through some of our links. This never affects scores or rankings — the rubric is public and the ranking follows score order. Binance, Bybit and KuCoin have no link on this site at all. See our disclosure.
How are the scores calculated?
Five weighted pillars: Fees (20%), Security (25%), Regulation (25%), Assets (15%), UX (15%). Security and regulation weigh most because losing funds costs more than saving on fees. When two platforms round to the same score, the one with the higher Security score ranks first. Full methodology is public.
Is my crypto safe on an exchange?
Exchanges carry counterparty risk. The safest publish proof-of-reserves and keep most funds in cold storage, but for long-term holdings a hardware wallet you control is safer than any exchange. This is not financial advice.
Do you show exchange links to UK readers?
No. UK rules on financial promotions restrict how crypto platforms can be marketed to UK consumers, including referral incentives. If you are in the UK and click an exchange button, you get an explanation page instead of a referral link.