Track record & scale
Every exchange we cover has operated for multiple years, processes meaningful daily trading volume, and serves millions of active users. Longevity and scale are not proof of safety on their own, but a platform with a short history and no public track record does not make our list.
Security infrastructure
We look for exchanges that publish their security practices: cold storage for the majority of user funds, mandatory two-factor authentication, withdrawal allow-lists, and a public bug bounty program. We favor platforms that have been transparent about past incidents and how they responded.
Proof of reserves
Where an exchange publishes proof-of-reserves audits or attestations, we treat that as a meaningful trust signal and link to it from our exchange pages. We recommend checking the latest published report yourself before making a large deposit.
Regulatory footprint
Licensing requirements vary a lot by country and change over time, so we do not display specific license numbers here. Before signing up, check the exchange's own legal/licensing page for your country and confirm the exchange is permitted to operate where you live.
Ongoing monitoring
We revisit our exchange pages regularly to reflect fee changes, new features and any material news. If an exchange no longer meets our bar, we remove it rather than continue recommending it.
Your own safety checklist
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) with an authenticator app, not just SMS.
- Use a unique, strong password and a password manager — never reuse passwords across exchanges.
- Only keep funds you are actively trading on an exchange; move the rest to self-custody.
- Set up withdrawal address allow-listing if the exchange supports it.
- Verify you are on the exchange's official domain before entering credentials — bookmark it directly.
- Check the exchange is legally available in your country before depositing funds.