Compare the best crypto exchanges in the UK for 2026: regulation, GBP deposits and withdrawals, fees, coins, futures and each exchange's main catch.
Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK Accepts clients from UK| Exchange | Spot assetscrypto | Futures assets | Spot feesmaker/taker | Futures feesmaker/taker | Max leverage | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. BloFinVisit | 243 | 438 | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.02% / 0.05% | 150× | Yes |
| 2. BitunixVisit | 546 | 520 | 0.08% / 0.1% | 0.02% / 0.06% | 200× | Yes |
| 3. KrakenVisit | 679 | 177 | 0.4% / 0.8% | 0.02% / 0.05% | 50× | Yes |
| 4. HyperliquidVisit | 316 | 183 | 0.04% / 0.07% | 0.015% / 0.045% | 40× | Yes |
| 5. CoinbaseVisit | 402 | 131 | 0.4% / 0.6% | 0.05% / 0.05% | 10× | Yes |
| 6. WEEXVisit | 2,048 | 570 | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.02% / 0.08% | 400× | Yes |
| 7. BTCCVisit | 246 | — | 0.2% / 0.3% | 0.03% / 0.06% | 500× | Yes |
| 8. BYDFiVisit | 527 | 228 | 0.1% / 0.1% | 0.02% / 0.06% | 500× | Yes |
| Exchange | Score | Founded | Headquarters | Founder | CEO | KYC | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. BloFinVisit | 8.8 | 2019 | Cayman Islands | Matt Hu | Matt Hu | No KYC | Yes |
| 2. BitunixVisit | 8.4 | 2021 | Seychelles | Arron Lee | Arron Lee | No KYC | Yes |
| 3. KrakenVisit | 9.3 | 2011 | San Francisco, USA | Jesse Powell | David Ripley | Required | Yes |
| 4. HyperliquidVisit | 8.8 | 2021 | Singapore | Jeff Yan | Jeff Yan | No KYC | Yes |
| 5. CoinbaseVisit | 7.7 | 2012 | Remote | Brian Armstrong | Brian Armstrong | Required | Yes |
| 6. WEEXVisit | 8 | 2017 | Singapore | Ricardo Suarez | Ricardo Suarez | No KYC | Yes |
| 7. BTCCVisit | 7.5 | 2011 | London | Bobby Lee | Mark Lee | No KYC | Yes |
| 8. BYDFiVisit | 7.6 | 2019 | Singapore | Michael Hung | Michael Hung | No KYC | Yes |
The UK column is checked live against each exchange's restricted-country list.
BloFin is our top pick for UK traders who want low spot fees, a wide choice of coins and the option to trade without ID checks. Buying and holding crypto is legal in the UK, exchanges serving customers here must register with the FCA for anti-money laundering checks, and crypto derivatives can’t be sold to retail customers.
Beyond that, the main questions are how you move pounds in and out, what each trade costs and whether the platform answers to the FCA. The usual way to pay in pounds is a Faster Payments bank transfer, which moves money between UK accounts in real time. Only Kraken and Coinbase pay withdrawals back to your bank; on every other exchange here you cash out in crypto and need another service to turn it into pounds.
BloFin suits UK traders who want cheap spot trading and a wide choice without handing over ID first. Spot trades cost 0.1% for makers and takers across 243 coins, and you also get copy trading, trading bots and a demo account for practice.
BloFin holds a US money services business registration with FinCEN and a Cayman Islands fund licence rather than an FCA registration, so no UK regulator oversees it. You can buy with pounds by card, and Apple Pay, Google Pay, Skrill and Neteller also work, but there are no fiat withdrawals. To get money back to your bank, you have to send crypto to a platform that pays out in pounds.
KYC is optional, unverified accounts can withdraw up to $20,000 a day, and proof of reserves and cold storage are in place. BloFin launched in 2019, is based in the Cayman Islands and is run by co-founder Matt Hu. It is still a fairly young exchange with moderate liquidity, so big orders can fill at worse prices than the screen suggests.
Key points
For range at a low price, Bitunix is hard to beat. It lists 546 coins on spot, with makers paying 0.08% and takers 0.1%, plus copy trading, staking and a debit card, so one account covers most of what a casual trader needs.
You can deposit by bank transfer, card, PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the P2P market lets you trade with other users through services such as Revolut and Wise. Withdrawals are crypto only, so turning coins back into pounds means selling on P2P or moving them to another platform. Bitunix is a registered US money services business and holds a Philippines SEC licence, but neither is an FCA registration, so no UK regulator watches over it.
KYC is optional, and unverified accounts can withdraw $500,000 a day. Bitunix dates from 2021, has its base in Seychelles, and its co-founder Arron Lee is in charge. The crypto-only cash-out is the main catch, because every trip back to your bank needs an extra step on another service.
Key points
If you want an exchange that answers to UK rules, Kraken is the strongest option here: it complies with the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK and verifies every customer. It also lets you pay in and withdraw pounds by bank transfer, so your money goes straight back to your UK account without a detour through another platform.
Kraken lists 679 coins, and Kraken Pro adds advanced charts, analytics and more order types. Staking isn't offered to UK users, so you can't earn rewards on coins you hold there. Makers pay 0.4% on spot and takers pay 0.8%, which adds up fast if you buy small amounts often.
Card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Google Pay also work for deposits, and ID verification is compulsory. Jesse Powell co-founded Kraken in 2011; the company has its headquarters in San Francisco, USA and David Ripley is now CEO. In June 2024 security firm CertiK used a bug to withdraw $3 million from Kraken's treasury, and although the money was returned and no customer assets were touched, it's a reason to turn on two-factor login and address whitelisting.
Key points
Hyperliquid works differently from everything else here. It's a decentralised exchange, so you trade from your own wallet and keep control of your coins instead of leaving them with a company. It also has the lowest spot fees in this ranking: 0.04% on limit orders and 0.07% on market orders, across 316 coins paired against USDC.
As a decentralised platform it has no FCA registration, so none of the checks a UK-registered exchange runs apply. You can buy crypto to fund it by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Revolut, Skrill or bank transfer. You can only withdraw crypto, which means you'll need another exchange to get pounds back into your bank.
There's no sign-up or KYC: you connect a wallet such as MetaMask, and staking the HYPE token can cut your fees. Hyperliquid started in 2021 with its home base in Singapore, and co-founder Jeff Yan leads it. Flaws in its bridge smart contracts could lose user funds, and its blockchain is less tested than older networks, so keep only what you're actively trading there.
Key points
Coinbase is a publicly listed, US-regulated company and one of the easiest places here to start with pounds. It accepts GBP deposits and pays withdrawals out to your bank, the app is built for beginners, and it lists 402 coins backed by proof of reserves and cold storage.
That simplicity has a price: a spot limit order costs 0.4% and a market order 0.6%, so regular buyers pay far more than on the cheaper platforms in this ranking. You can deposit by card, PayPal or crypto and withdraw by bank transfer. Pre-launch token markets aren't offered to UK customers.
ID checks are compulsory, and since January 2026 UK customers also have to give their tax residency and tax identification number. Coinbase launched in 2012, was co-founded by Brian Armstrong, who is also its CEO, and works as a remote company rather than from one head office. In spring 2021 more than 6,000 customers had their accounts compromised, so switch on two-factor login and address whitelisting before you keep much there.
Key points
No platform in this ranking lists more coins than WEEX, with 2,048 coins on spot, which matters if you want small tokens the bigger names don't carry. Spot trades cost a flat 0.1% for makers and takers at every account level, and copy trading and a futures demo account come alongside.
You can buy with pounds through third-party providers using a card, bank transfer, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or through the P2P market, and each route needs ID verification. There's no way to withdraw pounds directly, so getting them back means selling on P2P or moving coins to another exchange.
You can deposit crypto and trade without KYC, but unverified accounts at the entry level can withdraw only $10,000 a day. Set up in 2017, WEEX operates from Singapore under co-founder Ricardo Suarez. It has no FCA registration, so you rely on its own proof of reserves and protection fund rather than any UK oversight.
Key points
BTCC has been trading for well over a decade without a major hack, one of the longest clean records in this ranking, which counts when you're leaving money on an exchange. It lists 246 coins on spot, publishes proof of reserves and adds copy trading and a free demo account.
Spot trading is pricey, with makers paying 0.2% and takers 0.3%, and there's no discount however much you trade. You can fund it by card, bank transfer, Skrill, Apple Pay or Google Pay, but the fiat route only buys USDT and nothing except crypto can be taken out, which means cashing out to a UK bank involves moving coins elsewhere. Its registrations are with US and Canadian regulators rather than the FCA, so no UK regulator checks how it runs.
KYC is optional, with unverified withdrawals capped at $10,000 a day. BTCC launched in 2011, is headquartered in London and was co-founded by Bobby Lee, with Mark Lee now as CEO. Order types are limited, so anyone who relies on advanced stop strategies will find it restrictive.
Key points
Predictable costs are BYDFi's strength: spot trades cost a flat 0.1% for makers and takers across 527 coins, with no volume tiers or platform token to track. It also offers copy trading, grid and martingale bots, a demo account and a crypto card.
Deposits work through Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, card or providers such as Banxa and Mercuryo, and bank transfers carry no platform fee while card payments do. Money leaves only as crypto, and turning coins back into pounds takes another platform. Its licensing is in the US rather than with the FCA, so no UK regulator oversees your account.
KYC is optional, and unverified accounts can withdraw $50,000 a day. BYDFi opened in 2019; its headquarters are in Singapore and co-founder Michael Hung heads the business. Spot liquidity is weak, so larger orders can fill at worse prices than you expected.
Key points
Our editorial team selected, tested and ranked the best crypto exchanges for traders in the UK. We only included exchanges that accept UK users, then judged each one on the whole package rather than a single number. The order reflects our editors’ judgment of that package. The CWR Score on each card rates the exchange on its own, which is why some exchanges placed lower have a higher score.
Buying, holding and trading crypto is legal in the UK. Crypto exchanges and custodian wallet providers doing business in the UK must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under the money laundering regulations, which it has supervised since January 2020. That registration covers anti-money laundering checks only. The FCA says crypto is still largely unregulated in the UK, and registration doesn’t give customers access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
The FCA says crypto firms should show you prominent warnings about the risk of losing your money and shouldn’t offer free gifts or refer-a-friend bonuses. Crypto derivatives can’t be sold to retail customers, a ban in place since January 2021, but since 8 October 2025 retail investors can buy crypto exchange-traded notes traded on an FCA-approved UK investment exchange. A full regime under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Cryptoassets) Regulations 2026 is due to start on 25 October 2027, when crypto firms will need FCA authorisation; the FCA began taking applications on 30 September 2026.
In the UK, you may owe Capital Gains Tax when you sell crypto, swap it for a different cryptoasset, spend it or give it away, though gifts to a spouse, civil partner or charity are excluded. Only your total gains above the tax-free allowance of £3,000 a year are taxed, at 18% on gains within your basic-rate income tax band and 24% above it. Your cost is usually the average cost of your pool of that token, but tokens bought on the same day as a sale, or within 30 days after it, are matched first. Losses can reduce your gains once you report them to HMRC, and you can claim them up to four years after the end of the tax year of the sale.
Crypto from mining, staking or lending is taxed as other income under Income Tax if you’re not trading, and a £1,000 allowance can apply; crypto from an employer is subject to Income Tax and National Insurance. You report gains on a Self Assessment tax return, which has a cryptoasset section from the 2024 to 2025 tax year, or through HMRC’s real time Capital Gains Tax service. The tax year ends on 5 April, and online returns and payment are due by 31 January the following year.
This is a general overview, not tax advice. Tax rules change and depend on your situation, so check with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) or a tax adviser before you file.
Official sources, checked September 2026: GOV.UK (HMRC): Check if you need to pay tax when you sell cryptoassets; GOV.UK (HMRC): Check if you need to pay tax when you receive cryptoassets; GOV.UK (HMRC): Capital Gains Tax rates and allowances; GOV.UK: Capital Gains Tax, losses.
Getting Bitcoin or Ethereum in the UK takes only a few steps once you’ve settled on an exchange.
BloFin is our pick for UK traders who want cheap spot trades, lots of coins and optional ID checks. Kraken is the one to choose if FCA oversight and bank withdrawals in pounds matter most to you. Coinbase is the easiest start with pounds but costs more per trade, and Hyperliquid has the lowest spot fees if you’re happy to hold your own keys. Buying crypto is legal in the UK but still largely unregulated, so start small and switch on every security tool your exchange offers.
Yes. Buying, holding and trading crypto is legal in the UK. Exchanges serving UK customers must be registered with the Financial Conduct Authority for anti-money laundering purposes, but the FCA says crypto is still largely unregulated.
Not in the way a bank account is. FCA registration covers anti-money laundering checks only, and it doesn't give you access to the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Every centralised exchange in this ranking publishes proof of reserves, which lets you check that customer deposits are backed.
Crypto derivatives, including futures, can't be sold to retail customers in the UK. Retail investors can instead buy crypto exchange-traded notes traded on an FCA-approved UK investment exchange.
Kraken and Coinbase both pay withdrawals out by bank transfer. Every other exchange here only pays out in crypto, so you'd need to move your coins to a platform that sells them for pounds.
On Kraken and Coinbase, yes: both require ID checks, and Coinbase also asks UK customers for their tax residency and tax identification number. On the others verification is optional, but unverified accounts get lower withdrawal limits and some fiat purchases need ID.
Crypto gains can be taxable in the UK. See 'How is crypto taxed in the UK?' above for how it works.
