How we review & score
Every exchange on CoinVetted is scored on five weighted pillars using publicly verifiable data — fee schedules, proof-of-reserves, regulatory registrations, supported assets, and hands-on testing. We do not accept payment to change a score. Affiliate relationships never influence a rating, and our rankings always follow score order.
The five pillars
| Pillar | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | 20% | True cost to trade & withdraw — published maker/taker fees, spreads, withdrawal and fiat on-ramp costs, and a hidden-fee check. |
| Security | 25% | How safe funds are — proof-of-reserves, cold storage, 2FA/hardware keys, insurance funds, third-party audits, and incident history. |
| Regulation & Trust | 25% | Legal standing & track record — licenses and registrations, entity transparency, years operating, and any fines or restrictions. |
| Assets & Features | 15% | Breadth & capability — number of supported assets and the range of products (spot, derivatives, staking, earn). |
| UX & Support | 15% | Usability & help — onboarding friction, fiat funding options, consumer products, and support quality. |
Why security and regulation are weighted highest
In crypto, losing your funds costs far more than saving on fees. That is why Security (25%) and Regulation & Trust (25%) together make up half of every score. This is a deliberate honesty stance: we rank safety over hype.
The formula
Overall = Fees×0.20 + Security×0.25 + Regulation×0.25 + Assets×0.15 + UX×0.15
Scores are rounded to one decimal. On every review we show the pillar bars and a full “How we scored” breakdown so the arithmetic is auditable.
Verdict bands
- 9.0–10 — Exceptional
- 8.0–8.9 — Excellent
- 7.0–7.9 — Good
- 6.0–6.9 — Fair, with caveats
- Below 6.0 — Below our bar; see the risks
Our anti-hype rules
- No invented numbers. Every pillar input cites a source. Missing data is marked “not disclosed” and penalises transparency rather than being guessed.
- No perfect 10s by default. A wall of 9.9s reads as fake — honest scoring produces spread.
- Never ranked by commission. Ranking order equals score order, and we say so.
- Recomputed on changes. Each review shows a “last verified” date; scores update when fees, licensing or security change.
Not financial advice. CoinVetted provides information and comparisons for educational purposes only.