Best Crypto Exchanges in Australia in April 2024

Eric Huffman

Last updated: April 4, 2024 14:39 EDT | 25 min read

In this article, we review the best crypto exchanges in Australia in April 2024 to help you find one that fulfills your needs. Australian traders range from crypto dabblers to advanced traders who need more sophisticated features. We’ve got something for everyone in this roundup.

Choosing the right crypto exchange for your needs helps ensure a better overall experience, matching platform features to the way you invest and trade. Fees play a role, especially when trading often or trading in size, but features often make one exchange a better fit than another.

Let’s get started with our top crypto exchange picks for the land Down Under.

The Best Crypto Exchanges in Australia in April 2024

Listed below are the best crypto exchanges in Australia in April 2024.

1. MEXC — Overall best crypto exchange in Australia
2. OKX — Best for trading bots
3. Kucoin — Best for hard-to-find cryptocurrencies
4. Binance Australia — Best for high liquidity
5. PrimeXBT — Best for high leverage on multiple assets
6. Bybit — Best for derivatives trading
7. Margex — Best for privacy-oriented traders
8. CoinSpot — Best for regulatory compliance
9. Pionex — Best for beginners
10. Coinbase Australia — Best for easy onboarding
11. Kraken — Best for transparency

Top Crypto Exchanges in Australia in April 2024 Reviewed

We compared dozens of crypto trading platforms, narrowing the list to our picks for the best crypto exchanges in Australia.

1. MEXC — Best for Crypto Selection

Key Takeaways

• The MEXC exchange offers 1,700+ tradable cryptocurrencies.
• Both spot trading and futures trading are supported.
• MEXC charges 0% maker and taker spot trading fees, a 0% futures maker fee, and a 0.02% taker fee.

Overview

Founded in 2018, the MEXC exchange offers one of the largest cryptocurrency selections you’ll find anywhere, with 1,700+ coins available for trading. Most trading pairs use USDT, a popular stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. However, many popular coins, such as BTC, offer multiple trading pairs. 0% trading fees combined with a wide selection of cryptos make MEXC well-suited to traders who trade common cryptos, such as BTC or ETH, or less-common cryptos, like SUI and KAS.

Why We Picked It

MEXC’s 0% spot trading fees make the exchange a top pick for high-volume and high-frequency traders. Futures trades, using MEXC’s perpetual futures, cost 0% for maker trades and 0.02% for taker trades. Additional discounts are available for traders who hold 1,000+ MX tokens.

Low fees help reduce overall costs, but selection is MEXC’s strongest point. The Seychelles-based exchange offers 1,700+ coins (and 2,400+ trading pairs) at press time, having added 200+ new tradable cryptocurrencies in recent months. In addition, MEXC offers more than 400 trading pairs for perpetual futures trading.

Pros and Cons

2. OKX — Best for Trading Bots

Key Takeaways

• OKX’s low fees make trading affordable for small and large trades.
• Delivery futures alongside perpetual futures offer nearly 700 trading pairs.
• The OKX exchange supports advanced traders while providing a learning platform for new traders.

Overview

The OKX exchange offers more than 300 cryptocurrencies, including top names like BTC, ETH, and SOL, as well as new but popular assets, such as SUI. However, where OKX excels is in its range of trading features. Top features include trading bots to automate your trades around the clock, a demo account to practice trades, and copy trading that lets you follow the moves of top traders on the platform.

Why We Picked It

OKX offers a clean yet full-featured trading platform combined with low fees. Advanced traders will find all the tools they need to trade in higher volume, trade leveraged futures, or automate trades with customizable trading bots. The platform provides a healthy selection of bots with historical performance stats.

However, while geared to advanced users, OKX offers several beginner-friendly tools to help less-experienced traders learn the platform. Chief amongst these is OKX’s demo trading platform. Trade to your heart’s content without risking real money. Live trading follows the same interface, making the switch to actual trading familiar.

Pros and Cons

3. Kucoin — Best for Hard-to-Find Cryptocurrencies

Key Takeaways

• With 700+ tradable cryptos, Kucoin offers a wider selection than most exchanges.
• Kucoin supports hundreds of leveraged tokens for easy trading with up to 4x leverage.
• Demo trading gives Kucoin users ways to practice trading or test strategies without risk.

Overview

The Kucoin crypto exchange ranks seventh worldwide for trading volume. This Seychelles-based exchange offers nearly 750 cryptocurrencies for spot trading alongside 278 trading pairs for futures trading. Kucoin also provides hundreds of ways to trade long or short with leveraged tokens that provide access to up to 4x leverage with a few clicks.

Why We Picked It

Like OKX and a few other top exchanges, Kucoin offers demo trading, a risk-free way to learn trading or test trading ideas. We also liked Kucoin’s selection of cryptocurrencies. With over 700 tradable cryptos available, Kucoin more than doubles many better-known exchanges, including Coinbase.

Kucoin’s trading fees follow a volume-based schedule that keeps them low for “top cryptocurrencies” and “class A” cryptos, currently 0.1% for both maker and taker fees. Fees for less common cryptos increase to as high as 0.3%, although this level is still lower than fees on many exchanges.

Pros and Cons

4. Binance Australia — Best for High Liquidity

Key Takeaways

• Binance Australia offers a scaled-down experience compared to the global exchange at Binance.com; derivatives are no longer supported.
• Both simple and advanced platforms make Binance Australia newbie-friendly while also offering low-cost trading for experienced traders.
• Binance’s help pages and research center provide powerful tools to learn crypto trading or research digital currencies.

Overview

Binance often provides a different trading experience depending on location, with Binance Australia offering most of the features of the global exchange — with the notable exception of derivatives trading. For beginners and casual traders, the lack of derivates likely makes the platform both safer and easier to use. Advanced traders can still utilize Binance’s low fees and high liquidity for top cryptocurrencies.

Why We Picked It

Binance Australia offers both a simple trading platform and an advanced platform (with lower fees). However, fees on both platforms remain reasonable, with the simple trading platform offering 0.5% trading fees with a spread to lock in trade quotes. While the platform no longer supports direct AUD deposits, users can buy with AUD via credit or debit cards or through third-party providers, as well as make crypto deposits.

With more than 99 cryptocurrencies supported for simple trades, Binance provides a relatively safe on-ramp for Australian buyers who want an easy way to buy or sell leading cryptocurrencies.

Pros and Cons

5. PrimeXBT — Best for High Leverage on Multiple Assets

Key Takeaways

• PrimeXBT is a derivatives broker offering contracts for crypto, forex, commodities, and top indexes.
• The PrimeXBT exchange provides high-leverage options, up to 200x for crypto derivatives.
• PrimeXBT supports multiple asset classes, allowing additional trading opportunities.

Overview

Founded in 2018, the PrimeXBT exchange has grown to service customers in more than 150 countries worldwide. The platform focuses on fast trades and expands trading opportunities beyond crypto to include forex, commodities, and top equity indexes. PrimeXBT offers 32 cryptocurrencies for contract for difference (CFD) spot market trades alongside 31 USDT pairs available for leveraged futures trades. The PrimeXBT exchange offers up to 200x leverage for cryptocurrencies and up to 1,000x leverage for commodities, forex, and indexes.

Why We Picked It

While limited in its crypto offerings, PrimeXBT provides the opportunity to trade multiple asset classes and maximize potential returns up to a thousandfold. However, it’s also important to note that PrimeXBT’s assets are CFDs. Contracts for difference are a contract that measures profit or loss based on the price of the contract and does not allow you to take custody of the underlying asset.

Pros and Cons

6. Bybit — Best for Derivatives Trading

Key Takeaways

• Bybit specializes in derivatives, including futures and options.
• Spot trades support 1,120+ cryptocurrencies, with trading fees of 0.1% or lower.
• Powerful trading tools include AI-powered trades, trading bots, and copy trading.

Overview

Bybit is well-known for its crypto derivatives, including futures trading with up to 125x leverage. However, the platform offers low trading fees on both derivatives and spot trades. Base level fees for spot trades cost 0.1% for both limit and market orders. Futures contracts come with low 0.0550% taker fees, and 0.0200% maker fees. The platform also supports crypto options trading, a less common find among crypto exchanges.

Why We Picked It

Bybit combines low trading fees with multiple ways to trade a wide selection of cryptocurrencies. The exchange, registered in the British Virgin Islands, offers more than 1,120 cryptocurrencies in its spot markets and over 430 trading pairs for futures trading.

In addition, Bybit provides a powerful set of trading tools, including AI-powered trading and an assortment of customizable trading bots that make trades on your behalf 24/7. Backtested performance helps you choose the best bot for your trading goals. The platform also supports MetaTrader4, an advanced integration for power traders, and copy trading that lets users follow profitable traders on the platform move for move.

Pros and Cons

7. Margex — Best for Privacy-Oriented Traders

Key Takeaways

• Margex is a no KYC crypto exchange and doesn’t require personal details for sign-up.
• The Margex provides a focused trading experience suitable for beginners and experienced traders.
• Tutorials help newer traders learn the platform, while a demo account lets users build trading skills.

Overview

Margex is a derivatives-only platform designed for trading market moves. The exchange, based in Seychelles, is run by an anonymous team and does not require KYC (Know Your Customer) identity verification. Currently, spot trading is unavailable. Margex also offers staking with a higher yield compared to many other platforms. The exchange delivers higher yields by deploying assets in various CeFi and DeFi strategies.

Why We Picked It

Margex prioritizes privacy while also offering bank-grade security, manipulation-resistant trading markets, and high liquidity. The well-designed platform combines advanced trading with an easy-to-use interface that is welcoming to beginners as well as advanced traders who want distraction-free trading.

Low trading fees help you keep more of your profits. Market orders cost 0.060%, whereas limit orders cost 0.019%.

Pros and Cons

8. CoinSpot — Best for Regulatory Compliance

Key Takeaways

• CoinSpot is registered with both ASIC and AUSTRAC, Australia’s regulators for financial markets.
• The CoinSpot exchange offers more than 400 cryptocurrencies as well as an NFT marketplace.
• Bundles offer an easy way to diversify your crypto portfolio in a single transaction.

Overview

With over 400 tradable cryptocurrencies and a long history dating back to 2013, CoinSpot has become one of the most trusted crypto exchanges in the market. As Australia’s largest crypto exchange, CoinSpot enjoys a loyal customer base bolstered by CoinSpot’s dedication to customer service. The platform offers 24/7 live support. As an Australian-based exchange, CoinSpot offers more ways to fund your account with AUD compared to other exchanges, including direct deposit, cash deposit, PayID, and BPAY.

Why We Picked It

In an industry where derivatives and advanced trading tools often complicate trading interfaces, CoinSpot offers a welcome simplicity. However, the exchange pairs simple trading with low fees that compare well with competitors at 0.1%.

CoinSpot also offers a way to diversify your portfolio with “bundles,” a one-click method of automatically diversifying your crypto portfolio. Buy a 50-50 split of BTC and ETH, a top-ten selection of leading cryptos, or other curated bundles.

Pros and Cons

9. Pionex — Best for Beginners

Key Takeaways

• Pionex is a crypto exchange offering free built-in trading bots.
• It offers high liquidity, vast coin availability, and competitive fees of 0.05%.
• Features include demo trading, over a dozen free trading bots, and low fees on most crypto trading options.

Overview

Established in 2019, Pionex is a global crypto exchange with over a million registered users, handling over half a billion dollars in daily trading volume. It is recognized for its extensive range of AI trading bots, providing an automated platform with many free built-in Pionex trading bots. The platform is registered in the British Virgin Islands and holds various licenses, including a virtual asset service provider license in Ireland and money services business licenses in the US. Pionex charges competitive fees for spot and futures trading, with a maker-and-taker fee structure of 0.05% for the spot market and varying rates for leveraged and futures trading.

Why We Picked It

Pionex is ideal for crypto traders looking to automate their trading using bots and those looking for different crypto-earning features. Its wide range of trading bots, high liquidity, low trading fees, and mobile app support make it a reliable platform for beginners and professionals. The platform offers high-yield trading techniques and steady returns through its wealth management services and institutional-level products.

Pros and Cons

Visit Pionex

10. Coinbase Australia — Best for Easy Onboarding

Key Takeaways

• Coinbase is often considered one of the safest options in a largely unregulated industry.
• Nearly tradable cryptocurrencies offer support for top names and newer crypto assets.
• Coinbase’s Learn and Earn pays crypto rewards for learning about new crypto projects.

Overview

As the world’s largest publicly traded crypto exchange, Coinbase has earned a reputation for providing straightforward trading experience. In 2022, the exchange brought support for deposits in AUD, removing the need for additional transactions to reach a supported currency. Supported cryptocurrencies approach 250, including top assets like BTC and ETH, as well as many newer cryptocurrencies like INJ, TON, and more.

Why We Picked It

Coinbase has prioritized easy onboarding for new users and crypto beginners. While trading fees are higher than many competing exchanges, ease of use and proven staying power earn the Coinbase exchange extra points.

Coinbase’s simple trades set the standard for ease of use, although fees can get pricey at up to 4%. By comparison, advanced trade offers lower fees (0.6% limit orders and 0.8% market orders) while also providing an easier-to-use trading platform compared to competitors.

Pros and Cons

11. Kraken — Best for Transparency

Key Takeaways

• Kraken was among the first to offer proof of reserves to verify assets held by the exchange.
• The Kraken exchange offers nearly 250 cryptocurrencies.
• Kraken Pro provides an advanced trading platform that’s uncluttered and easy to use.

Overview

Kraken’s history in Australia dates back to 2013, making the exchange one of the most established crypto platforms available to Australian investors. Like Coinbase and a few other exchanges, Kraken makes onboarding for new users easier while also offering an advanced platform (with lower fees): Kraken Pro. The exchange is known for its transparency, among the first platforms to provide proof or reserves, a third-party verified method of showing the assets held by the exchange.

Why We Picked It

Transparency is key in an industry that’s largely without regulatory oversight and which has had its share of exchange collapses. Kraken’s proof of reserves no longer makes the exchange unique, but Kraken’s leadership in transparency provides additional assurance that funds are safe.

While Kraken offers leverage trading in many markets, the exchange has traditionally been more conservative, capping leverage at 5x and limiting access to financially qualified investors. These steps help keep the platform more stable by reducing risk during fast market moves. Lastly, fees for Kraken Pro come in lower than Coinbase, although higher than Binance and some other advanced exchanges.

Pros and Cons

Methodology: How We Rated the Best Crypto Exchanges in Australia

To select the best crypto exchanges in Australia, we analyzed several categories, assigning a point value to each, using a 10-point scale. We then weighted these criteria, assigning an internal multiplier to specific categories such as regulation, usability, advanced trading tools, or crypto selection.

We also considered the intended market, including advanced traders, beginners, or a mix, assigning a point value to how well the platform met the needs of its target market.

In total, we reviewed over 25 cryptocurrency exchanges and trading platforms, comparing weighted scores. Exchanges that did not meet a minimum threshold score were removed from consideration. Weighted average scores drive the final results.

Location/Jurisdiction

Australia leads the developed world in crypto adoption. However, only a handful of crypto exchanges are based in Australia. We included several additional international exchanges, assigning extra weight to Australia-based platforms.

Regulation

Relatively few crypto exchanges are registered with multiple regulatory agencies. We assigned extra weighting to platforms registered with ASIC, AUSTRAC, or both.

Crypto Selection

Some platforms offer as few as ten crypto assets, whereas others offer nearly 2,000. While up to 70% of crypto trading centers on BTC and ETH, platforms that offer a wider range of crypto assets earned a higher score in that specific category.

Ease-of-Use

A well-designed platform makes crypto trading more accessible while also reducing the chance of trading mistakes due to promotional clutter or unnecessary features.

Supported Payment Methods

Relatively few crypto trading platforms support direct deposits and withdrawals in AUD. Platforms that support AUD deposits rather than funding through third-party crypto providers, peer-to-peer purchases, or crypto deposits (only) earned higher scores for this category.

Advanced Trading Tools

Experienced traders may require more advanced trading tools, including trading bots, higher leverage choices, or MetaTrader or API support. We weighed advanced trading features in the context of the intended trading audience.

Platform Security

We evaluated platform security using tools like Cybersecurity Ranking and CERtification Platform. In addition, we weighed each platform’s two-factor authentication methods, if available, as well as price manipulation mitigation strategies.

Proof of Reserves

When available, exchanges with proof of reserves earned higher scores compared to platforms that did not offer proof of reserves or platforms in which the proof of reserves appeared incomplete.

Fees/Trading Costs

We evaluated trading fees for each exchange. However, we also examined spreads on sample transactions, deposit fees, withdrawal fees, and other fees that may affect trading costs.

Trading Volume/Liquidity

We examined liquidity for top crypto assets, such as BTC and ETH, but also compared trading volume and liquidity for lesser-known assets, the price of which can move dramatically in low-liquidity markets. Exchanges with higher liquidity for less common assets earned higher scores.

What Is a Crypto Exchange?

A crypto exchange typically serves as an onramp and offramp for crypto transactions with fiat currencies. In simple terms, exchanges offer a way to buy cryptocurrencies with AUD or sell cryptocurrencies for AUD. However, exchanges often also enable users to trade one cryptocurrency for another or even buy non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Advanced trading platforms provide additional features, often including perpetual futures or crypto options trading. Many advanced exchanges focus on trading tools, offering little support for fiat deposits. These exchanges my be best suited to users who already have crypto assets they want to trade.

Different Types of Crypto Exchanges in Australia

Crypto exchanges serve different markets and trader goals. As a result, different types of platforms have evolved to service specific trading needs. In many cases, you’ll find overlap, however, particularly with spot exchanges and futures exchanges.

• Spot Crypto Exchanges: Spot purchases refer to crypto trades that require immediate delivery. For example, if you buy 1 BTC, the exchange deposits 1 BTC in your exchange wallet.
• Futures Exchanges: Futures exchanges can include two types of futures: delivery futures and perpetual futures. Delivery futures are contracts to buy or sell at a specified price on a specific date in the future. Perpetual futures allow traders to bet on the future price without a settlement date or taking possession (or selling) actual crypto assets. Perpetual futures represent one type of derivative.
• Derivatives Brokers: Other types of derivatives include contracts for difference, in which traders buy or sell based on market prices but in which a contract based on that price replaces the actual crypto asset.

Are Crypto Exchanges Safe?

Common wisdom dictates that the safest way to use a crypto exchange is to make your trade and then remove your funds or crypto assets from the platform.

However, if you’ve connected a payment method, this in-and-out strategy offers only a partial solution. A platform breach or account hack could still allow someone to buy cryptocurrencies with your account and transfer the crypto elsewhere.

Crypto exchanges come with pros and cons but also require user actions to transact in the safest way.

Potential risks can affect the exchange itself, ultimately affecting users.

• Breaches: Account breaches or exchange hacks can put your crypto at risk.
• Insolvency: Several high-profile exchange failures, such as FTX, underscore the risk of leaving your crypto assets on an exchange. Similar to the way banks can become insolvent, crypto exchanges can suffer the same fate. However, crypto assets don’t have insurance like the Financial Claims Scheme (FCS) that protects bank accounts in Australia.
• Regulatory actions: Fines, lawsuits, or criminal charges brought against exchanges can severely affect liquidity and trading values as traders rush for the exits.

On the other hand, exchanges offer a way to gain exposure to the most dynamic asset class of the past decade-plus.

By using exchanges as a trading platform and storing your crypto in a self-custody crypto wallet between trades, you can greatly reduce exchange-related risks.

How to Choose a Cryptocurrency Exchange in Australia

Crypto exchanges often cater to specific types of traders. Not every exchange will be a fit for the way you trade and your investment goals.

Here are some aspects to consider when choosing a crypto exchange for your needs.

Security

Research the security measures of the exchange you’re considering before you open an account, add a payment method, or transfer cryptocurrency. Ideally, exchanges offer two-factor authentication to protect access to your account. Also, look at whether the exchange uses cold storage — and what percentage of assets are protected in crypto wallets that are not connected to the internet in any way. Sites like Coingecko offer exchange ratings, using TrustScores or similar tools to weigh various security factors.

Educational Resources

Several of the platforms reviewed above offer learning centers, training videos, or even demo trading to help newer traders learn the ropes before they invest real money in trades. Spend some time on the exchanges you’re considering to be certain the educational resources available fit the way you learn.

Available Coins

Nearly every exchange offers market leaders like BTC and ETH. However, if you want to invest in lesser-known cryptocurrencies, you may need to find an exchange with a larger offering or an exchange that specializes in newly launched cryptocurrencies.

Trading Volume

The Trading volume on exchanges affects trading prices. Spreads, the difference between the asking price on sell prices and the asking price on buy orders, can be much wider on low-volume exchanges or on thinly traded assets. Ideally, look for platforms that offer healthy liquidity for the assets you want to trade.

Accessibility

Only a handful of the exchanges available to Australian crypto traders provide direct AUD deposits. Many platforms only offer AUD purchases through third-party providers, often with additional fees. Alternatively, you may need to fund your account with crypto purchased elsewhere, again adding to trading costs. This consideration alone could be a pass-or-fail criterion if you need to fund your account easily.

Conclusion: What Is the Best Crypto Exchange in Australia?

New crypto investors likely have different priorities when choosing a crypto exchange compared to experienced traders. This means the best crypto exchange for you may differ depending on where you are in your trading journey and which cryptocurrencies you need to trade.

An exchange like MEXC offers an impressive number of cryptocurrencies but can be intimidating for newer traders. By comparison, exchanges like Pionex and CoinSpot cater to newer users but may not offer enough trading tools for more experienced traders.

Consider your trading needs carefully before signing up with an exchange or connecting a payment source. Once you choose the best crypto exchange for your needs, consider moving your crypto or cash balances off the exchange for safekeeping.

Visit MEXC

FAQs

What is the most popular crypto in Australia?

According to Capterra, Bitcoin remains the most popular crypto in Australia, with 80% of crypto holders owning BTC. This figure surpasses Bitcoin’s market share, also called dominance, in which Bitcoin represents about 50% of the total crypto market capitalization.

Is Binance legal in Australia?

Binance is registered with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC). However, the exchange’s Australia Financial Service (AFS) license has been canceled, meaning Binance can no longer offer crypto derivatives legally in Australia. Binance continues to offer spot trading for cryptocurrencies in Australia.

What is the easiest way to buy crypto in Australia?

Pionex and CoinSpot both offer easy onboarding for new crypto investors in Australia. Both exchanges focus on education for newer traders and support direct AUD deposits and withdrawals.

What is the most trusted crypto exchange?

Generally, Coinbase is the most trusted exchange. However, CoinSpot and Pionex are also trusted exchanges for Australian traders.

What is the safest crypto platform in Australia?

CoinSpot is the most regulated exchange in Australia, registered with both ASIC and AUSTRAC. The CoinSpot exchange also completed an External Statutory Financial Audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards.

References

• MEXC: Updates on Spot &Futures Trading Fees and Discounted Trading Fees for MX Holders
• Statista: Cryptocurrencies – Australia
• ASIC: Crypto-assets
• ASIC: ASIC sues crypto exchange alleging design and distribution failures
• AUSTRAC: Digital currency (cryptocurrency)
• Cer.live: Top Crypto Exchanges
• CoinGecko: Top Crypto Exchanges Ranked by Trust Score
• Bloomberg: Binance Australia Offices Searched by Regulator as Part of Derivatives Probe
• Bybit: Introduction to Bybit MT4 Account

About the Author

Eric Huffman

Eric Huffman's background includes a decade plus in business management as well as personal finance industry experience in insurance and lending. A strong understanding of consumer finance combined with a consumer advocate stance brought Eric to the crypto industry, where he writes articles and guides aimed at making crypto easier to understand.

More articles from Eric Huffman