KuCoin Review
Editorial record: June 1, 2026
Trading Fees
0.1% / 0.1%
Cryptocurrencies
700+
Founded
2017
Source status
Sources linked
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Risk Disclaimer
Cryptocurrency trading and investing involve a substantial risk of loss. Prices can change significantly in a short period, and you can lose some or all of your invested capital. This page gives information and does not give financial, investment, or legal advice. Check current provider terms and assess your risk before you make a financial decision. InsideCryptoReview can earn a commission from an affiliate link. A provider cannot approve or change our editorial copy. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Invest only an amount that you can afford to lose.
Editorial desk producing public-source crypto product research. Pages identify their evidence and limitations; hands-on testing is claimed only when dated evidence is shown.
Last Updated: June 1, 2026
Editorial MethodKuCoin lists 800+ cryptocurrencies and provides built-in trading bots. Its published base spot fee is 0.1% for makers and takers.
KCS can reduce eligible trading fees by 20%. KuCoin reported recovering about 84% after attackers stole $280 million in 2020.
US residents cannot use KuCoin. The exchange operates from Seychelles and lacks published proof-of-reserves data.
Our Editorial Verdict
KuCoin lists 800+ cryptocurrencies across 1,200+ pairs. Its published base spot fee is 0.1% for makers and takers.
The exchange includes grid, DCA, futures-grid, infinity-grid, and rebalancing bots without subscription fees. KCS holders can receive a 20% trading-fee discount.
Attackers stole about $280 million from KuCoin hot wallets in September 2020. KuCoin reported recovering about 84% and compensating affected users.
KuCoin operates from Seychelles and does not serve US residents. The page data records limited regulatory oversight and no published proof-of-reserves audit.
Suitable for:
- Traders who need broad altcoin access
- Traders who use built-in automation
- Users who need P2P support for many fiat currencies
Skip KuCoin if:
- You live in a restricted country
- You need a simple first exchange
- You require audited reserve data
- You want government-backed deposit protection
- You need to store large balances for long periods
KuCoin overview
Michael Gan founded KuCoin in 2017. The exchange operates from Seychelles and reports more than 30 million registered users.
KuCoin lists 800+ cryptocurrencies across 1,200+ trading pairs. Many smaller tokens appear before listings on Binance or Coinbase.
The broad listing policy gives traders more choices. Small tokens can also have weak liquidity, wide spreads, or little operating history.
Main products
- Spot markets include TradingView charts, indicators, and drawing tools.
- Futures offer USDT-margined and coin-margined perpetual contracts with leverage up to 100x.
- Margin trading supports cross-margin and isolated-margin modes.
- KuCoin Earn includes staking, flexible savings, and DeFi yield products.
- P2P trading supports 40+ fiat currencies and uses escrow.
- KCS can reduce trading fees by 20% under the published program.
Trading bots
KuCoin provides spot-grid, futures-grid, DCA, infinity-grid, and smart-rebalance bots. The platform does not charge a bot subscription fee.
Grid bots trade within a price range. DCA bots make scheduled purchases. Smart Rebalance restores selected portfolio weights.
Bot orders still pay market fees and can lose money. Thin markets can add spread and slippage costs.
September 2020 breach
Attackers compromised hot-wallet private keys and stole about $280 million in September 2020. KuCoin paused withdrawals and coordinated with other exchanges and token projects.
KuCoin reported recovering about 84% of the stolen assets. The exchange also reported compensating every affected user.
The breach remains part of KuCoin's security record. KuCoin later added stronger wallet controls and monitoring.
Access and custody
KuCoin blocks users in the United States, mainland China, Singapore, and some Canadian provinces. A VPN can breach KuCoin's terms and risk account restrictions.
Exchange custody exposes funds to platform failure and account controls. Consider a personal wallet for assets that do not need active trading.
KuCoin fees
KuCoin publishes a 0.1% maker fee and 0.1% taker fee at its base spot tier. A $1,000 trade costs $1 before discounts.
KCS holders can receive a 20% fee discount. The published discount reduces a 0.1% fee to 0.08%.
Spot fee tiers
| VIP level | 30-day volume | Maker | Taker | With KCS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LV0 | Under 50 BTC | 0.100% | 0.100% | 0.080% / 0.080% |
| LV1 | 50 BTC or more | 0.090% | 0.100% | 0.072% / 0.080% |
| LV2 | 200 BTC or more | 0.085% | 0.095% | 0.068% / 0.076% |
| LV3 | 500 BTC or more | 0.080% | 0.090% | 0.064% / 0.072% |
| LV4 | 1,000 BTC or more | 0.070% | 0.085% | 0.056% / 0.068% |
| LV5 | 2,000 BTC or more | 0.060% | 0.080% | 0.048% / 0.064% |
KuCoin publishes a 0.02% maker fee and 0.06% taker fee for base-tier futures. Funding charges apply separately every eight hours.
Selected withdrawal fees
| Asset | Network | Published fee |
|---|---|---|
| BTC | Bitcoin | 0.0005 BTC |
| ETH | Ethereum | 0.005 ETH |
| USDT | TRC20 | 1 USDT |
| USDT | ERC20 | 20 USDT |
| USDT | Arbitrum | 1 USDT |
| USDC | ERC20 | 15 USDC |
| XRP | XRP Ledger | 0.1 XRP |
| SOL | Solana | 0.01 SOL |
Network fees can change. Confirm the asset, network, address, and final charge before each withdrawal.
Thin altcoins can add spread and slippage costs. Futures positions can also incur funding charges.
Card purchases cost 3% to 3.5% in the page data. Crypto deposits and platform-side P2P trades have no listed KuCoin fee.
KuCoin security and the 2020 breach
Attackers stole about $280 million from KuCoin hot wallets in September 2020. The breach exposed a failure in hot-wallet key controls.
KuCoin paused withdrawals after detecting abnormal transfers. CEO Johnny Lyu described the breach and recovery plan in a public livestream.
Other exchanges froze some stolen assets. Several token projects migrated contracts to invalidate stolen tokens.
KuCoin reported recovering about 84% of the assets. The exchange reported compensating all affected users through its insurance fund.
Recorded security controls
| Control | Page data |
|---|---|
| Cold storage | More than 90% of funds |
| Two-factor authentication | Required for withdrawals |
| Trading password | Optional six-digit code |
| Anti-phishing code | Available |
| Withdrawal whitelist | Available |
| New-address delay | 24 hours |
| Bug bounty | HackerOne program |
| Insurance fund | Internal and not independently audited |
KuCoin does not publish proof-of-reserves data. Binance, Kraken, and OKX publish reserve information.
KuCoin operates from Seychelles with limited regulatory oversight. No government-backed deposit insurance protects user balances.
Use a unique password and an authenticator app. Add an anti-phishing code and a withdrawal whitelist before funding the account.
Exchange controls reduce common account attacks. They cannot remove custody, insolvency, regulatory, or market risk.
Who should consider KuCoin?
KuCoin serves traders who need broad altcoin access or built-in automation. The exchange lists 800+ assets and provides five bot types.
KuCoin may suit:
- Active traders who can assess small tokens and thin order books
- Bot users who accept market and strategy risk
- International users who meet KuCoin's regional rules
- Traders who use P2P markets across 40+ fiat currencies
- KCS holders who can use the published fee discount
Skip KuCoin if:
- You live in the United States or another restricted region
- You need a simple buying interface and guided education
- You require published proof-of-reserves data
- You need government-backed deposit protection
- You plan to keep large balances on an exchange
- You need predictable support during volatile markets
High leverage can liquidate a position after a small adverse price move. Small tokens can also have poor liquidity or fail completely.
Set up a KuCoin account
Use KuCoin only where its terms and local law permit access.
- Open KuCoin's official website.
- Check the domain before you enter account details.
- Register with a unique email address and password.
- Enable an authenticator app for two-factor authentication.
- Set a separate trading password.
- Add an anti-phishing code and withdrawal whitelist.
- Review the current identity-verification rules for your region.
- Confirm the asset and network before a deposit.
Crypto deposits have no listed KuCoin fee. The sending platform or network can still charge a fee.
P2P trading supports 40+ fiat currencies in the page data. Card purchases list a 3% to 3.5% fee.
Use a limit order when a market has a wide spread. A market order can produce substantial slippage in a thin order book.
Test a new withdrawal address with a small amount. Keep long-term assets in a wallet that matches your custody needs.
Published KuCoin user-review themes
Trustpilot
Published Trustpilot reviews often mention delayed support, withdrawal holds, and account verification. Other reviews praise the asset range, fees, and trading bots.
Trustpilot attracts many complaints, so its score does not measure every user's experience. Read recent reviews and separate product limits from account-specific disputes.
App stores
App-store reviews commonly praise price alerts and mobile trading tools. Complaints often mention sync delays and a steep learning curve for futures.
Reddit discussions frequently mention KuCoin for smaller token listings. Users also discuss the 2020 breach, reserve transparency, and support delays.
User reviews are anecdotal. Confirm fees, access rules, and account limits in KuCoin's official terms.
KuCoin competitor comparison
The comparison uses recorded asset counts, base fees, security histories, and access rules.
| Feature | KuCoin | Binance | OKX | MEXC | Gate.io |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptocurrencies | 800+ | 400+ | 300+ | 1,500+ | 1,400+ |
| Spot maker / taker | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.08% / 0.10% | 0.00% / 0.00% | 0.09% / 0.09% |
| Maximum leverage | 100x | 125x | 125x | 200x | 100x |
| US access | No | No | No | No | No |
| Identity checks | Optional | Required | Required | Optional | Optional |
| Built-in bots | Yes | Limited | Basic | Basic | Yes |
| Published reserves | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Recorded major hack | 2020 | None | None | None | None |
KuCoin provides more listed assets than Binance or OKX in the comparison data. MEXC and Gate.io list more assets.
Binance reports deeper liquidity on major pairs. OKX lists lower base spot-maker fees.
KuCoin's bot tools can reduce manual work. Automation does not remove trading risk.
Compare the related Binance, Bybit, and OKX pages before choosing an exchange.
KuCoin setup checklist
- Open KuCoin's official website.
- Confirm that KuCoin permits access from your location.
- Register with a unique password.
- Enable an authenticator app and a trading password.
- Add an anti-phishing code and withdrawal whitelist.
- Read the current identity-verification and withdrawal rules.
- Deposit a supported asset on the correct network.
- Use a small test transfer for a new address.
- Check the spread before you place an order.
- Move assets that do not need active trading to suitable custody.
Pros & Cons
What We Like
- Lists 800+ cryptocurrencies across 1,200+ pairs
- Publishes a 0.1% base maker and taker fee
- Provides five built-in bot types without subscription fees
- Offers a 20% trading-fee discount through KCS
- Supports P2P trades across 40+ fiat currencies
- Lists futures fees of 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker
- Reported recovering 84% of assets stolen in 2020
- Reported compensating every user affected by the 2020 breach
What Could Be Better
- Attackers stole about $280 million from KuCoin in 2020
- US residents cannot use KuCoin under its regional rules
- KuCoin does not publish proof-of-reserves data
- Support can slow during volatile markets
- Seychelles registration provides limited regulatory oversight
- The interface can overwhelm new traders
- Some pairs have less liquidity than Binance
- Altcoin futures can have volatile funding rates
What to check
This profile summarizes public-source information. Check the linked evidence for each factor before you decide.
- Trading Fees
- Security
- User Experience
- Customer Support
KuCoin vs Exchanges
| Feature |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trading Fees | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.2% / 0.2% |
| Cryptocurrencies | 700+ | 490+ | 700+ | 200+ |
| Security | 2FA available | 2FA available | 2FA available | 2FA available |
| Read Review → | Read Review → | Read Review → | Read Review → |
Frequently Asked Questions
KuCoin has account-security controls, but exchange custody still carries risk. Attackers stole about $280 million from KuCoin hot wallets in 2020. KuCoin reported recovering about 84% and compensating affected users. The platform now records cold storage, two-factor authentication, address whitelisting, anti-phishing codes, and a bug bounty. KuCoin does not publish proof-of-reserves data. Its Seychelles base also provides limited regulatory protection.
No. KuCoin lists the United States as a restricted country. A VPN workaround can breach KuCoin's terms and lead to account restrictions. US residents should use a platform that permits their location. Check the platform's current terms and local rules before depositing funds.
KCS is KuCoin's native token. The published program gives holders a 20% trading-fee discount. The discount reduces a 0.1% spot fee to 0.08%. KuCoin also describes daily KCS rewards funded by part of its trading-fee revenue. KCS has price and custody risk. Confirm the current discount, reward formula, and eligibility before buying KCS.
KuCoin lists five bot types without a subscription fee. Spot Grid trades within a range, while DCA makes scheduled purchases. Infinity Grid removes a fixed upper range. Futures Grid uses leverage, and Smart Rebalance restores selected portfolio weights. Bot trades still incur market fees and can lose money. Review every parameter before activation.
The structured exchange data states that some unverified accounts can trade and withdraw up to 5 BTC daily. Rules and limits vary by region. Basic verification requires identity documents. Higher verification levels can add fiat services and larger limits. Check KuCoin's current terms before funding an account.
KuCoin lists leverage up to 100x on some BTC and ETH perpetual contracts. Smaller altcoin contracts usually have lower limits. Cross-margin can expose a larger account balance. Isolated margin limits exposure to the margin assigned to one position. Funding settles every eight hours in the page data. High leverage can liquidate a position after a small adverse price move.
KuCoin lists more assets in the page data. Binance reports deeper liquidity and more regulatory licenses. Both exchanges list a 0.1% base spot fee. The recorded token discounts are 20% for KCS and 25% for BNB. KuCoin has a 2020 breach in its history and lacks published reserve data. Compare access rules before depositing.
KuCoin Earn includes flexible savings, fixed staking, lending, and Dual Investment products. Rates vary by asset, term, demand, and market conditions. Lending exposes funds to platform and borrower controls. Dual Investment can settle in an asset that loses value. All products keep assets in KuCoin custody. Read the current terms and risk disclosures before subscribing.
KuCoin uses several verification levels. The page data records limited access for some unverified accounts and higher limits after identity checks. Verification can require a government ID, facial recognition, or proof of address. Fiat access can depend on the verification level and region. Check KuCoin's current requirements before registration because regional rules can change.
KuCoin's large asset list and advanced tools can overwhelm a new trader. Futures, margin, bots, lending, P2P, and staking add separate risks. A beginner should learn order types and custody risks before using advanced features. Start with small amounts and avoid leverage while learning.
KuCoin offers 24/7 live chat and ticket support. Published user reports describe faster replies for basic questions than for account investigations. Market volatility can increase wait times. Keep transaction IDs, screenshots, and security details ready for a support request. Use only contact channels listed on KuCoin's official website.
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When to skip KuCoin
Skip KuCoin if you need protections that its current license or custody terms do not provide.
Sources & References
Market Data
User Reviews
Documentation
External links open in a new tab. We are not responsible for third-party content.
Risk Disclaimer
Cryptocurrency trading and investing involve a substantial risk of loss. Prices can change significantly in a short period, and you can lose some or all of your invested capital. This page gives information and does not give financial, investment, or legal advice. Check current provider terms and assess your risk before you make a financial decision. InsideCryptoReview can earn a commission from an affiliate link. A provider cannot approve or change our editorial copy. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Invest only an amount that you can afford to lose.