8 Best Crypto Exchanges for Leverage Trading (2026)

What to look for in a leverage trading exchange

MEXC is our top pick for traders who want high leverage on a very wide range of altcoins at some of the lowest futures fees available. The maximum leverage figure tells you little on its own. Check whether the cap drops on the coin you actually trade, what you pay per trade, and how much volume sits behind the order book, because a thin book means your orders and stops can fill at worse prices when the market moves fast.

Risk tools matter just as much. Look for isolated margin, stop-loss and take-profit orders, and a protection fund or proof of reserves. Also decide who holds your money: centralised exchanges keep your funds, while Hyperliquid and Aster let you trade from your own wallet but add smart-contract risk.

1. MEXC

MMEXC4.2/10Read reviewVisit ↗

MEXC gives you 200x leverage on futures across 614 coins, more than any other exchange here, so you can take leveraged positions on small altcoins that rivals never list. Those smaller markets are often thin, so check the order book before sizing a trade, or a big order can push the price against you.

Futures cost 0% for limit orders and 0.02% for market orders, among the lowest rates here, which matters because leverage inflates the position size those fees are charged on. Around $5,211,931,663 changes hands on its futures markets each day, and you can use limit, market, stop-limit and trailing orders plus take-profit and stop-loss on positions. A futures demo account with simulated funds lets you practise leverage and exits first.

Spot trades cost 0% for makers and 0.05% for takers, you can deposit crypto or pay by card, bank transfer, SEPA, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and identity verification is required before you can trade. MEXC launched in 2018, is based in Singapore and is run by its co-founder and CEO, John Chen. The biggest concern is its record: there are many reported cases of MEXC withholding customer funds, so keep only the money you are actively trading there.

Key points

• MEXC offers 200x leverage on futures covering 614 coins, the widest futures range here.
• Futures fees of 0% for makers and 0.02% for takers keep the cost of leveraged trading low.
• The main catch is the many reported cases of withheld customer funds, which makes MEXC a place to trade from rather than a place to store savings.

2. Binance

BBinance8.9/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Liquidity is Binance's strongest argument: roughly $21,326,138,921 trades on its futures markets each day, the most here, so large orders fill close to the price you see. You get up to 150x leverage on futures covering 525 coins, plus margin trading on the spot market if you prefer to borrow without futures.

On futures, Binance charges makers 0.02% and takers 0.05%, and its order toolkit is among the fullest here, with stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stops, OCO, TWAP and iceberg orders. Margin trading offers cross and isolated modes, and multi-asset mode lets profits on one futures position offset losses on another. A billion-dollar security fund sits behind the platform as an extra layer of protection.

Binance charges 0.1% on spot trades whether you add or take liquidity, you can deposit by bank transfer, card, SEPA, SWIFT, Google Pay or P2P, and you must verify your identity with a photo ID plus a selfie. Co-founded by Changpeng Zhao in 2017, Binance has its base in the Cayman Islands and CEO Richard Teng at the helm. The main risk is that the platform can slow down during sharp market moves, which is exactly when you may need to close or adjust a leveraged position quickly.

Key points

• Binance has the deepest futures markets here, which means less slippage when you open or close large leveraged positions.
• Futures leverage reaches 150x, backed by a full set of stop, take-profit and conditional orders.
• The main catch is that the platform can slow down in volatile markets, so orders may lag at the moments that matter most.

3. Bybit

BBybit9/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Bybit is clear about how much leverage you really get: up to 100x on Bitcoin and Ether, dropping to between 10x and 75x on less popular coins depending on their trading volume. That tells you up front how much buying power you have on the altcoin you want to trade. Futures cover 577 coins, with about $5,209,786,633 traded daily.

Bybit's futures fee is 0.02% when your order adds liquidity and 0.055% when it takes liquidity. You can switch between isolated and cross margin, hold longs and shorts on the same contract in hedge mode, and use portfolio margin, triggers that lock in gains or cap losses, TWAP and iceberg orders. The platform stays responsive during high volatility, which helps when you need to cut a losing position fast.

On Bybit, a spot trade costs 0.1% on either side of the book, funding options include bank transfer, SEPA, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PIX and more, and you need to pass identity document and selfie checks. Bybit dates from 2018, has its headquarters in Dubai, and Ben Zhou, who co-founded it, serves as CEO. In February 2025 it was hacked for over $1.5 billion and recovered all users' funds within 72 hours, but an incident that size shows even the largest exchanges are targets, so avoid keeping long-term savings there.

Key points

• Bybit caps Bitcoin and Ether at 100x and sets lower limits on smaller coins, so check the cap on your coin before planning a trade.
• Isolated, cross and portfolio margin plus hedge mode give you fine control over liquidation risk.
• The main catch is the February 2025 hack of over $1.5 billion, which Bybit made good within 72 hours but which shows the exposure of any exchange that holds your funds.

4. Bitget

BBitget7.8/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Flexible margin is what Bitget does well: you can open positions at up to 125x leverage on any of 478 coins and choose USDT, USDC or coin-margined contracts. Coin-margined futures let you post Bitcoin or other coins as margin instead of converting to a stablecoin first. Around $2,661,159,680 trades on its futures daily, less than at Binance or Bybit, so check depth before placing very large orders.

Bitget futures cost makers 0.02%, while takers pay 0.06%. You choose cross or isolated margin per position and set exit targets and loss limits from the position panel, and copy trading lets you cap your losses if you would rather follow another trader. A futures demo with virtual funds lets you test your settings first.

Bitget's spot fee is 0.1% for makers and takers alike, deposits work by card, bank transfer, SEPA, PIX, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and every account must complete a document check and a face scan. Bitget started in 2018 with Sandra Lou among its co-founders, operates from Singapore and has Gracy Chen as CEO. In September 2026 it reported unauthorised transfers of about $351.6 million from some hot and warm wallets and temporarily suspended withdrawals during the investigation, so money you deposit now may be stuck until that ends, even though Bitget says user balances are secure and its $464+ million User Protection Fund covers the loss.

Key points

• Bitget offers 125x leverage with cross or isolated margin and coin-margined contracts.
• Futures cost 0.02% for makers and 0.06% for takers, slightly above Binance and Bybit on the taker side.
• Withdrawals are temporarily suspended after a reported $351.6 million loss from hot and warm wallets, so new deposits could be locked until the investigation ends.

5. Hyperliquid

HHyperliquid8.8/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Hyperliquid runs its whole futures order book on its own blockchain, so you trade from your own wallet and every order, cancellation and liquidation is recorded publicly. Leverage tops out at 40x, lower than most exchanges here, which caps your buying power but also slows how fast a bad move can wipe out your margin. Futures cover 183 coins, and about $2,678,364,747 trades daily, on par with several centralised exchanges.

Hyperliquid's futures rates begin at 0.015% to add liquidity and 0.045% to take it, with no gas fees on trades and lower taker fees on its HIP-3 markets. Order types include market, limit, scale and TWAP, plus profit targets and stop orders, and a public dashboard shows funding rates and liquidations in real time. A community-owned HLP vault handles market making and liquidations.

On spot, Hyperliquid charges makers 0.04% and takers 0.07%, you can deposit crypto or buy with a card, bank transfer, Apple Pay or Google Pay, withdrawals are crypto only, and KYC is optional. Hyperliquid went live in 2021 out of Singapore, with co-founder Jeff Yan leading it. The main risk is technical: flaws in the Arbitrum bridge contracts could lead to lost user funds, and its young blockchain may suffer downtime that leaves you unable to manage open positions.

Key points

• Hyperliquid lets you trade leveraged futures from your own wallet, with every trade and liquidation recorded on-chain.
• Futures fees start at 0.015% for makers and 0.045% for takers, and leverage is capped at 40x.
• The main catch is smart-contract risk in the Arbitrum bridge, where a flaw could cost you funds.

6. Bitunix

BBitunix8.4/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Bitunix pairs 200x leverage on USDT-margined futures with optional identity checks, so you can trade 520 futures coins without handing over documents. About $1,735,306,091 trades on its futures daily, less than at the largest exchanges here, so check depth before placing big orders.

On Bitunix futures, the maker rate is 0.02% and the taker rate is 0.06%. You get cross and isolated margin, hedge mode for holding longs and shorts together, and take-profit, stop-loss, trigger orders and trailing stops on TradingView charts. A demo mode lets you rehearse positions before using real money.

Bitunix takes 0.08% from spot makers and 0.1% from takers, accepts deposits through PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PIX, SEPA, bank transfer or card, and lets you withdraw up to $500,000 a day without KYC. Set up in 2021, Bitunix is headquartered in Seychelles, where co-founder Arron Lee holds the top job. Withdrawals are crypto only, so getting money back to your bank means sending coins to another platform first, which adds fees and time.

Key points

• Bitunix offers 200x leverage on 520 futures coins with cross and isolated margin.
• KYC is optional, and unverified accounts can withdraw up to $500,000 a day.
• The main catch is crypto-only withdrawals, so cashing out to a bank takes an extra step through another platform.

7. Aster

AAster6.6/10Read reviewVisit ↗

Aster is built almost entirely for perpetual futures, with 582 futures coins against only 33 on spot. Leverage runs to 200x on major pairs and tapers on smaller markets, so the full figure only applies to the biggest coins. Around $581,416,878 trades in futures daily, the thinnest here, which means large orders may fill at worse prices.

Its maker fee is the lowest here at 0.005%, with takers paying 0.04%, though you pay network gas on top, which on Ethereum can outweigh the fee on small positions. Hidden orders keep your resting size off the public book, cutting your exposure to front-running bots. Because Aster is non-custodial, an exchange breach cannot drain balances it never holds.

You fund by sending crypto from a wallet on Ethereum, BNB Chain, Arbitrum or Solana, there are no fiat deposits or withdrawals, and KYC is optional. Aster opened in 2024, calls Seychelles home, and co-founder Leonard is in charge. Its main risk is a contract bug on a young platform with no regulator to appeal to, which could cost you funds with no way to recover them.

Key points

• Aster offers 200x leverage on major pairs, with lower caps on smaller markets.
• Its 0.005% maker fee is the lowest here, but network gas is added to every trade.
• Smart-contract risk and a short track record are the main catch, so keep only money you can afford to lose there.

8. WEEX

WWEEX8/10Read reviewVisit ↗

The highest ceiling here belongs to WEEX, which lets you trade 570 coins at up to 400x leverage and handles around $7,420,309,861 of futures trade daily, second only to Binance. Leverage that high means a price move of well under one percent can liquidate a full-size position, so treat the maximum as a ceiling rather than a target.

WEEX's futures maker fee is 0.02%, but its taker fee of 0.08% is the highest here, which adds up if you trade with market orders often. A 1,000 BTC protection fund backs user assets, and you can attach exit orders for gains and losses straight from the positions panel, though the range of futures order types is limited, so complex conditional setups may not be possible. A futures demo with virtual USDT lets you practise first.

WEEX charges 0.1% on every spot trade, maker or taker, and once verified you can buy crypto with a card, SEPA, PIX, P2P, Google Pay or Apple Pay; withdrawals are crypto only, and unverified accounts can take out up to $10,000 a day. WEEX has been running since 2017 from its base in Singapore, with Ricardo Suarez as both co-founder and chief executive. The main risk is that it is an unregulated platform, which leaves you with no regulator to turn to if a dispute over your funds arises.

Key points

• WEEX offers 400x leverage, the highest here, backed by deep futures volume.
• Its 0.08% taker fee is the highest here, so it suits limit-order traders better than those who trade at market.
• It is unregulated, which means little outside recourse if something goes wrong with your account.

How we ranked these exchanges

Our editorial team selected, tested and ranked the best crypto exchanges for leverage trading. We judged each exchange on what it offers a trader who uses leverage, weighing the points below together rather than running them through a formula. The order is an editorial judgment of the whole package, while the CWR Score on each card rates that exchange on its own, which is why some exchanges placed lower carry a higher score.

• Usable leverage: the maximum on offer and whether it drops on smaller coins.
• Futures fees: maker and taker rates, plus extra costs such as network gas.
• Liquidity: daily futures volume and how well the order book absorbs larger orders.
• Risk tools: isolated and cross margin, stop-loss and take-profit orders, hedge mode and protection funds.
• Security record: past hacks, proof of reserves and who holds your funds.

How leverage and liquidation work

Leverage lets you control a bigger position than your deposit, and it works in both directions.

• Leverage multiplies gains and losses. With $1,000 at 10x you control a $10,000 position, so a 5% rise in price earns you $500, half your deposit, while a 5% fall loses the same $500.
• Margin and the liquidation price. The $1,000 you put up is your margin, and if losses eat through it, at roughly a 10% move against you at 10x, the exchange closes the position at the liquidation price and that margin is gone. Fees and the exchange’s minimum margin requirement put the real liquidation price a little closer than the simple maths suggests.
• Isolated versus cross margin. Isolated margin limits your loss to the margin assigned to one position, while cross margin draws on your whole futures balance to keep positions open, which delays liquidation but puts everything in the account at risk. Bybit, Bitget and Bitunix let you choose between the two.
• Funding on perpetual futures. Perpetual contracts never expire, so longs and shorts swap regular funding payments to keep the contract price close to the spot price. When funding is positive longs pay shorts, and when it is negative shorts pay longs, so holding a leveraged position for days can cost or earn you money on top of fees; Hyperliquid shows funding rates on a public dashboard.
• Stop-losses do the protecting. A stop-loss set well before your liquidation price closes the trade at a loss you chose, instead of letting the exchange close it for you and take the whole margin.

Bottom line

MEXC is our pick if you want high leverage on the widest range of altcoins at very low futures fees, as long as you keep only your trading balance there given its record on withheld funds. Binance has the deepest order books and the fullest set of order types, and Bybit is the clearest about how leverage drops on smaller coins. If you would rather keep custody of your funds, Hyperliquid offers deep on-chain liquidity with a lower leverage cap, and Aster has the lowest maker fee but the thinnest volume. Whichever you choose, use isolated margin and a stop-loss on every position, and treat the maximum leverage as a limit, not a target.