
Ask HN: Where do you go to trade your cryptocurrencies? - gcatalfamo
What sites&#x2F;platforms do you consider best and trustworthy? Why?
======
geoah
Comments are off the top of my head when last used, not very scientific, just
markets I've used lately.

* gdax.com - coinbase's exchange - only btc/eth/ltc, easy to buy with CC, high fees, high traffic

* etherdelta.github.io - only erc20 tokens, contract based, low fees, very bad ux, low traffic

* kraken.com - quite a few alt coins and tokens, insanely slow support, bad ux, average to high fees, average traffic

* hibtc.com - many coins, average fees, slow site, low traffic

* bitfinex.com - many coins, average fees, high traffic

* poloniex.com - many coins, high fees, high traffic

* liqui.io - I really don't recall

You can always go to coinmarketcap.com and see the various exchanges for each
coin.

~~~
ericb
Questions on your list (which is appreciated) if anyone can fill these in:

-Which have (legal) US compliance?

-Which have options/futures or other contracts?

-Which have red flags (holds on withdrawls for mysterious reasons, like Poloniex, for example)

-Which have security red flags?

-Which have actual support help?

-What countries are they based in?

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mus1cfl0w
Kraken is one of the safest choices IMHO. I automated my trading via a script:

[https://github.com/elsesiy/crypto-trader](https://github.com/elsesiy/crypto-
trader)

~~~
RationPhantoms
For those reading this, Kraken does not (and has no intention too), of buying
the NY BitLicense. I had to close my account with them as my address was
registered in NY.

~~~
burger_moon
Also not able to use them if you live in the state of Washington.

I want able to find on their site which states they do support so you might
want to email them first before setting up an account you can't use.

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dekz
We are working on a platform for exchanging Ethereum (ERC20 tokens) at Ethdex.
Exchange happens atomically and on chain. No counter party risk, unlike
exchanges such as Bittrex. We aren't rent-seeking or forcing you to use a
token.

[http://ethdex.io](http://ethdex.io)

[https://github.com/Ethdex/contracts](https://github.com/Ethdex/contracts)

~~~
startswithaj
So how does this differ from Ox?

~~~
dekz
We have a FAQ[1] which is being fleshed out but take a look if it helps.

We are 100% non-rent seeking.

In Ethdex we incentivise Trading platforms by allowing fees to be charged in
Eth, the natural currency of Ethereum. Not by creating a token and forcing its
utility (ala ZRX and 0x).

We also support Multi-Relay, which is something 0x does not support. As a
maker you can submit your order to every trading platform, every slack channel
and every subreddit. Other platforms cannot do this.

We also don't have any obligations to VC's to ensure they make profit.

[1]: [http://ethdex.io/faq](http://ethdex.io/faq)

------
bouchardm
Bittrex: lots of cryptocurrencies, fast, simple and I didn't had problems with
them to this day.

~~~
banderman
They claim to be operating out of the US, and the address listed is a half
empty strip mall in the Las Vegas suburbs. They post no licensing details.
Seems legit?

~~~
bpicolo
They managed to get a BitLicense (one of very few orgs to do so) which at
least somewhat lends to legitimacy. Also pretty easy to find the people
involved, and a founding team of infosec people is a pretty decent means to
start an exchange.
[https://bittrex.com/home/about](https://bittrex.com/home/about)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLicense](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitLicense)

~~~
lightbyte
As far as I can tell they do not have a BitLicense, they just applied for one.
The wikipedia page you linked even includes the 3 companies who have been
granted one so far, and none are Bittrex.

~~~
bpicolo
Hmmm you're right. Interesting

------
RationPhantoms
I personally use Gemini for primarily trading Ethereum but dabble with Bittrex
and Poloniex (got an account pre-BitLicense).

Poloniex, I don't trust with the majority of my funds for various red-flags
that the community has presented and Bittrex doesn't seem to have any retail
presence (other than being in an abandoned strip mall in LV).

Gemini is founded by the Winklevi twins.

~~~
mercer
What red flags have you heard about concerning Poloniex?

------
levifig
I would've told you Coinbase until not long ago, but they seem to be going
down the drain in terms of support (and I promise: you will at some point need
it). It's been over a month for me to even get a single reply to a ticket
where there are hundreds of dollars in limbo, and I'm not alone (check their
@CoinbaseSupport reply threads)…

Previously, my setup was USD<>BTC at Coinbase, and BTC<>AltCoins at Bittrex…
Might try some of the other suggestions for USD<>BTC in the future.

------
literallycancer
Most of them (?) let you trade without verifying identity, as long as you only
withdraw cryptocurrencies.

The largest one in Europe seems to be Kraken. Bitfinex was one of the first to
let people use leverage, but nowadays you can get it on most of them.

If you want to withdraw fiat, you'll need to have a verified account (think
sending them a photo of your ID/passport and some invoices to verify your
location).

------
companyhen
[http://Binance.com](http://Binance.com) is by far the best! (for BTC => ALT
trading)

Interview with the CMO - [http://news.8btc.com/8btc-interview-binance-cmo-he-
yi-talks-...](http://news.8btc.com/8btc-interview-binance-cmo-he-yi-talks-
about-the-outlook-and-strategy-for-2017)

------
hedgedoops2
shapeshift.io - I used to use this a lot. It doesn't hold your crypto for more
than a minute.

bitmex.com - (futures exchange) - This is a gem. They're extremely
professional. Every feature seems throughly considered, e.g. margin positions
are valued based on global indices, not the local princes, to prevent flash
crashes. The API is the most feature complete I've seen. One thing that
bothers me is that Bitmex seems to have a conflict of interest, since they run
a trading bot ('anchor market maker') on their own platform.

etherdelta.github.io - (ICO tokens only) - This was designed so that the
exchange owner never controls your tokens, an Ethereum contract does. You
decide whether this reassures or frightens you. It supports all tokens which
is probably the main reason I used it (besides being a cool proof of concept).
The in-browser UI is pretty bad.

------
triceratop
I usually use SFOX (sfox.com) since they let me trade on multiple exchanges at
the same time and I'm big on arbitrage (I have scripts to do it for me). Not
sure why they're not more popular. Most UIs on exchanges are utter shit so at
least SFOX's is decent.

------
srrge
I traded on Poloniex once but they stopped withdrawal on Monero and would not
answer. Finally they processed the withdrawal like a week a later. I am not
using this platform anymore.

Currently I am using Bitfinex and it's working pretty well!

------
asidiali
Gemini to transfer from bank account for free instant buy capability, then
switch over to GDAX for the higher volume USD pairs. Poloniex for crypto
pairs.

------
fgcbs
Honestly KYC for cryptocurrencies is ridiculous. What if I want to buy for a
company shall I identify the beneficial owner?

Cryptocurrencies have limitations against alternative payment systems: (1)
they are "push" only (2) have a huge buy/sell spread and (3) risky
fluctuation, if they do not have at least anonymity benefit why should I
prefer them to UDS, EUR or GBP?

Anyway seems that there are ATM for bitcoins, never tried one
([https://coinatmradar.com/](https://coinatmradar.com/)). Did anybody already
tried one?

------
dest
Ask HN expansion: It would be good to know as well the degree of KYC enforced
by each of them (KYC = know your customer)

~~~
serg_chernata
Almost all exchanges have tiered KYC. Almost all allow you to deposit any
amount but limit withdrawal. Thus, this is largely dependent on how much
information you're willing to share and how much money you want to be able to
move within 1 day. Basic KYC is typically name and address, while highest
tiers require passports.

------
mason55
I'm looking for recommendations for those in New York State. Everything seems
to be blocked here.

~~~
RationPhantoms
Hey Mason, I can personally vouch for Gemini (being in NY myself). They allow
for immediate trading of your ACH deposits, before the money has cleared,
which I think is a massive boon to cc-traders.

I haven't had any availability issues with their backend (i.e Coinbase) and
their support staff seems responsive to the fact that the trading GUI needs an
overhaul (2 separate pages for buying and selling ETH).

------
candiodari
I used to go to TradeHill. So now, not really much trading to do anymore.

------
dmos62
Can someone share their experience with Bitfinex? Compare to others?

~~~
eminkel
[https://www.bitfinex.com/posts/216/review](https://www.bitfinex.com/posts/216/review)

Bitfinex is closed for US customers.

------
tbking
Poloniex. Because it's easy

------
owlninja
I use a mix of Gemini and Kraken.

