The Honest Crypto Exchange Monitor: Data Over Marketing.
We cut through the marketing noise. Real bonus conditions, actual trading fees, and live stablecoin yields — all in one place.
Real Welcome Bonuses: What They Don't Tell You.
Other sites show the maximum number in giant text. We show you exactly what you need to do to actually get it — and what the real catch is.
🔐 Tier 1 — Regulated Exchanges (Safest for beginners)
Coinbase advertises 'up to $200' but requires a lucky spin wheel — only 11% get more than $6. Expect $10 guaranteed. Upside: most regulated US-licensed exchange with fund insurance.
The $100 is a trading voucher, not withdrawable cash. The 'up to $600' requires $10k deposit + $300k in trades. Binance has the most coins and best liquidity globally but check regulatory status in your country first.
🌐 Tier 2 — Global Platforms (Lower fees — check availability in your country)
The $30 is the most straightforward bonus here — lowest barrier, 72h credit. Not available to US residents. In 2025 Bybit suffered a major hack but covered all losses. Proof-of-reserves publicly verified.
The $75 mutual bonus is rare and genuinely generous. Catch: stablecoin trades don't count — must trade BTC/ETH. Not available in UK/EEA. Kraken has never been hacked in 14 years — best security record in the industry.
OKX has the lowest spot fees of all 5 (0.08% maker) — best for active traders. The mystery box bonus is gimmicky. Not available to US residents. Based in Seychelles, less regulated than Coinbase/Kraken but publishes monthly proof-of-reserves.
Spot Trading Fee Comparison (Maker vs. Taker)
Fee differences compound. A 0.5% gap on $10,000/month = $600/year leaving your portfolio.
Why Maker/Taker Fees Matter for Your Portfolio
| # | Exchange |
Spot Maker
Maker: You place a limit order that waits to be filled. You 'make' liquidity — exchanges reward this with lower fees.
|
Spot Taker
Taker: You place a market order that executes immediately. You 'take' liquidity — exchanges charge more for this.
|
Withdrawal | Beginner Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
OKX
|
0.08% | 0.10% | ~$1–5 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 |
Binance
|
0.10% | 0.10% | ~$1–8 | ★★★★★ |
| 3 |
Bybit
|
0.10% | 0.10% | ~$1–5 | ★★★★★ |
| 4 |
Kraken
|
0.16% | 0.26% | ~$5–15 | ★★★★★ |
| 5 |
Coinbase
|
0.40% | 0.60% | ~$3–20 | ★★★★★ |
Standard tier fees. Kraken and Coinbase score highest for beginners due to superior regulation and UX.
Live Stablecoin Yields: DeFi Protocols vs. Centralized Apps
USDC and USDT sitting idle lose real value to inflation. Best verified yields available — with honest risk notes.
DeFi yields are non-custodial (you keep your keys). CEX yields require trusting the exchange.
How We Verify 'SwapFacts'
Every data point is manually verified against official exchange documentation.
We're honest about how we make money.
When you sign up through our links, we earn a commission from the exchange. This never affects our rankings — the data is the data.