9 Best Crypto Exchanges In South Africa
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There are many crypto exchanges available for residents in South Africa to buy Bitcoin and crypto. It can be a difficult task for beginners to find an exchange that's the right fit with so many options. We have reviewed 100+ exchanges and will list our top-rated and best cryptocurrency exchanges in South Africa so you can make an informed decision.
Top Cryptocurrency Exchanges In South Africa For 2023
Based on our reviews, these are the best crypto exchanges for South Africa:
- Binance (overall best crypto exchange in South Africa)
- Kraken (best for South African crypto traders)
- Coinbase (top South African crypto exchange for beginners)
- Gemini (safest crypto exchange in South Africa)
- Crypto.com (best crypto app for South Africa)
- Easy Crypto (best place for crypto DCA)
- CEX.IO (suitable exchange to buy with a debit card)
- Luno (best crypto platform SA for ease of use)
- Coinmama (best exchange for fast and secure purchases)
South African Crypto Exchanges: Compared
This comparison guide provides an overview of the best South African crypto exchanges to buy, trade, and sell Bitcoin and other altcoins. Our assessment is based on thorough research into the platform's features, trading pairs, payment options, supported currencies, trading fees, customer support, and security methods.
| Exchange | Crypto Assets | Trading Fees | Rating | Promotion | Website | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Binance | 600+ | 0% to 0.1% | Rating    | Up to $100 welcome bonus | Visit Binance | Binance Review |
 Kraken | 222 | 0.16% (maker) and 0.26% (taker) | Rating | None available at this time | Visit Kraken | Kraken Review |
 Coinbase | 250+ | 0.4% (maker), 0.6% (taker) | Rating | $5 BTC bonus (USA only) | Visit Coinbase | Coinbase Review |
 Gemini | 117 | 1.49% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit Gemini | Gemini Review |
 Crypto.com | 229 | 0.075% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit Crypto.com | Crypto.com Review |
 Easy Crypto | 160+ | 0.5 - 1.35% spread | Rating | None available at this time | Visit Easy Crypto | Easy Crypto Review |
 CEX.IO | 100+ | 0.25% / 0.15% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit CEX.IO | CEX.IO Review |
 Luno | 10 | 0% - 0.1% (exchange), 2% (instant buy/sell) | Rating | Deposit $30 worth of any crypto and get AUD $30 worth of BTC | Visit Luno | Luno Review |
 VALR | 59 | Exchange: -0.01% (maker) / 0.1% (taker), Instant Buy/Sell: 0.75% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit VALR | VALR Review |
 Coinmama | BTC, ETH, XRP, LINK, USDT, DOGE & 10 others | 0.9% to 3.90% | Rating | None available at this time | Visit Coinmama | Coinmama Review |
Best Crypto Exchanges For South Africa Reviewed
1. Binance - Best Overall Crypto Exchange For South Africa
Binance is one of the best crypto exchanges in the world that offers a place to buy, trade and sell more than 600 digital cryptocurrencies. Since its launch in 2017, Binance has seen a meteoric rise to become the most popular crypto trading exchange with the highest daily trading volume in the world. New users can even claim up to $100 in free bonuses using a Binance referral code. The platform is available in South Africa for locals to use and take advantage of its state-of-the-art crypto products and services.
Residents in South Africa can buy crypto using a credit or debit card or through their Peer-to-Peer (P2P) service. Binance has a powerful P2P crypto platform that can convert ZAR into BTC in a fast, easy, and secure way without paying fees. Bitcoin can then be traded on the popular exchange for other cryptocurrencies. Binance customers can withdraw ZAR directly to a local bank account.
Binance is the best cryptocurrency exchange in South Africa to trade crypto in our opinion. The fees between 0% and 0.1% are one of the cheapest rates compared to other exchanges that we have reviewed. There are fee rebates and discounts for holding BNB tokens. Moreover, Binance has recently introduced zero-trading fees for BTC pairs. The exchange has removed spot trading fees for 13 Bitcoin trading pairs, which is unique in this list of exchanges.
South Africans that have bought crypto with Binance have access to a wide range of financial services and advanced features. This is the major reason Binance is our top pick. The features are unrivaled by competing crypto exchanges, specifically its simple-swap and advanced trading platforms, Binance Futures for leverage trading, its debit card and Binance Earn.
Related: What is the best place to trade crypto with margin?
In particular, Binance Earn is one of the best places to earn interest on crypto holdings. There are several products within the Earn program, with Binance Savings being the most popular. This allows South African investors to accrue interest on crypto that is stored in a cold storage wallet by the platform. The Binance Savings/Interest account supports a wide variety of lending options including major digital currency coins such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Binance USD (BUSD), and earning interest on USDT.
Overall, Binance is our top choice for crypto investors and traders in South Africa. It is the largest and most popular exchange in the world for good reason and should be at the forefront when picking a good crypto platform in South Africa.
2. Kraken - Best For Its Pro Trading Platform
Kraken is a Bitcoin and cryptocurrency exchange that was founded in 2011. Since its inception in the market, Kraken has become a leading exchange with a high reputation for ease of use, safety, and competitive pricing. The platform is regularly a top 5 exchange based on traffic, liquidity and spot trading volume. The exchange has over 200 coins to buy, trade and sell with new assets added frequently. Users can also trade crypto and Forex such as EUR/USD with Kraken.
For seasoned crypto traders in South Africa, the exchange has launched its Kraken Pro which has taken in feedback from over 1,000 clients and over 6 months of hands-on interviews. This enables Kraken to bring the best crypto trading platform that is highly suitable for serious traders. Some of its top features include a customizable user interface, full-featured crypto charting, and a real-time market tracker. South African users can also visualize portfolio performance and track all digital assets in a single location. For beginners, Kraken is ideal for its top crypto investment tracking functionality.
Kraken is also one of the best platforms to stake crypto with 17 Proof-of-Stake tokens supported on its exchange at the time of writing. This is a major advantage compared to other exchanges as investors can earn a yield on their assets while stored on Kraken. There is also the ability to earn a yield on fiat currency such as the US Dollar (USD) or the Euro (EUR) and benefit with compounding rewards of 3% and 1.5% respectively.
When it comes to the fees, Kraken uses a taker and maker system with trading fees of 0.16% and 0.26% respectively. There are volume incentives based on trading activity in the past 30 days for all cryptocurrency pairs. The fees are very reasonable in the market and is an economical platform for crypto enthusiasts. Combined with its modern and stable mobile app, Kraken is a top place for crypto traders in South Africa.
3. Coinbase - Great Platform For Beginners In SA
Coinbase is headquartered in San Francisco, California, and is considered the best crypto exchange with a wide offering of products and services for beginners. It is a public company listed on the Nasdaq with the ticker COIN. Founded in June 2012, Coinbase is well-known for providing a simple, reliable and easy-to-use platform. Individuals and institutions in South Africa can convert digital assets such as Bitcoin to Ethereum XRP, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash and many others.
Coinbase is specifically designed for new investors and beginners in South Africa with its easy-to-use and modern user interface on desktop and mobile app. The whole process of buying, trading and selling cryptocurrency has been streamlined. This includes creating an account, ID verification, adding a payment method, selecting crypto, making a purchase and monitoring the portfolio. The entire process is easy to follow with minimal distractions or confusing features. To top it off, Coinbase offers a great selection of 250+ crypto assets on its platform that can be bought and sold using its premier crypto app in the industry (shown below).
Coinbase is widely regarded as one of the safest exchanges to buy Bitcoin which features 'bank-like' security measures to ensure customer funds and personal information are kept safe at all times. To date, there have been no reported hacks resulting in any loss of funds due to criminal activity. A major benefit of using Coinbase is that funds stored online are covered by an insurance policy.
The only downside to using Coinbase is the deposit and trading fees are a little high compared to other exchanges. However, the Coinbase Pro trading platform has high liquidity and is equipped with top crypto charting features and risk management tools that will benefit professional and experienced traders.
In short, Coinbase is a great pick for beginners in South Africa that are looking for a simple and safe way to invest in crypto. It is a straightforward trading platform with a great selection of coins and a secure cryptocurrency wallet. Compared to Binance, expect to pay more in trading fees.
4. Gemini - Best Exchange In South Africa For Safety
Gemini is a New York-based firm and regulated cryptocurrency exchange that was founded by the Winklevoss twins. The exchange has focussed on simplicity and ease of use, making it an appealing way to invest in popular coins, DeFi tokens and meme coins through an intuitive and elegant web interface or mobile application. Gemini exchange was voted the best crypto exchange in previous years and maintains a high level of security that has built a solid reputation in the industry as a trusted digital asset provider. The exchange has also partnered with top companies in the world such as Samsung, Tradingview, Brave and Nifty Gateway.
Gemini supports over 100 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, SOL, DOGE, MATIC, LINK and DOT. The benefit of Gemini is they continue to add coins each month and carries decent liquidity on all coins on their exchange. The selection is much smaller than exchanges like Coinbase and Binance but is a reasonable selection for those in South Africa looking to get started with crypto. Other notable features include an advanced trading platform, custody service, secure wallet, mobile trading app, and off-exchange crypto trades (OTC).
In addition, Gemini is a secure place for individuals, traders and institutions to buy, sell, and store digital currencies and also earn interest. The digital asset exchange features institutional-grade measures to protect its user's information and funds stored on the platform. Security features include cold wallet storage, multi-signature withdrawal process, Two Factor Authentication, encryption, whitelisting addresses and brute force login protection.
When it comes to fees, this is where Gemini falls short. The fees start at 0.50% plus an additional 1.49% on fiat purchases such as the Rand. This is comparable to Coinbase, which is very similar in features as well. Overall, Gemini offers top-quality security and a beginner-friendly platform for investing in Bitcoin and other popular cryptocurrencies however is not the cheapest way to buy crypto with South African Rand.
5. Crypto.com - Best Crypto App For South Africa
With over 50 million customers worldwide, Crypto.com is a premium cryptocurrency exchange and trading app. The Crypto.com app is an all-in-one platform to buy, sell, trade, spend, store, earn, loan cash and even pay bills with crypto. Its popularity worldwide is a combined effort due to its marketing campaigns and seamless mobile app that enables a streamlined way to buy crypto in many countries around the world, including South Africa.
Crypto.com makes this list of the best exchanges as it has the option to buy crypto with a credit card in South Africa. Residents can use their local ZAR currency and bypass foreign conversion charges from a traditional bank with a waiver on credit card fees at the time of writing. There are currently over 250 cryptocurrencies that can be bought using the Crypto.com App. For traders that want to speculate on the crypto markets, Crypto.com Exchange also has a South African Tether price chart available that can be traded. This pair is not offered on other platforms and is tailored to South African traders that want to trade with a familiar unit of account.
In addition, Crypto.com Exchange is powered by TradingView charts that give full control over the display with hundreds of built-in indicators and drawing tools, as well as the ability to save different views per asset. Users can quickly access spot (and optional margin), perpetual and futures contracts, and even program crypto trading bots for more automated trading strategies. Order forms offer customization, including market, limits, stop-loss, and take-profit orders.
The disadvantage of Crypto.com is the arrangement between the Crypto.com App, Crypto.com Exchange and Crypto.com DeFi Wallet. Separate accounts need to be created and linked together which is also confusing when trying to understand the trading fees. Furthermore, several of the benefits on Crypto.com are reserved for customers that stake large amounts of CRO tokens.
Overall, Crypto.com is a solid choice and will suit crypto investors in South Africa that want a hassle-free way to buy, trade, and sell crypto with RAND. Moreover, there are many benefits in the Crypto.com ecosystem to leverage such as earning interest and staking.
6. Easy Crypto - Best Place For Dollar Cost Averaging
Easy Crypto offers one of the best places to convert ZAR into Bitcoin with its beginner-friendly trading platform that can be completed in a few minutes. The platform allows purchases with fiat currency and instant crypto swaps to convert one asset to another in a fast and secure way. There are over 122 digital currencies that can be bought such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP and the lesser-known altcoins and DeFi tokens. Individuals in South Africa that use Easy Crypto will be able to buy crypto using a bank transfer in RAND or SiD EFT.
https://easycrypto.com/Easy Crypto is a safe exchange that does not store customer funds or private keys for purchased cryptocurrencies. Purchased assets are sent directly to a hardware wallet which significantly reduces the risk of hackers stealing the coins that are held in hot wallets by traditional exchanges. Moreover, the broker complies with AML/KC requirements, offers a 100% fund safety guarantee, and includes 2FA to secure user accounts.
One of the best features of Easy Crypto is using the Dollar Cost Average (DCA) tool to build an investment in Bitcoin or another digital currency over time. The recurring order features can be used to automate deposits to the exchange on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The order will be executed at the price of the asset at the time of purchase and sent to the nominated wallet address.
As for the fees, buying and selling crypto with Easy Crypto South Africa is one of the more expensive platforms on this list. Easy Crypto charges a flat trading fee of 1.35% for all buy and sell orders.
7. CEX.IO - Good Platform In South Africa For Debit Card Purchases
CEX.IO is one of the oldest exchanges in the world for crypto buyers and sellers and is trusted by over 4 million users. It is a world-class exchange that caters to all types of investors with its easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for beginners and experienced investors.
CEX.IO is a popular choice in the USA for residents that want to buy crypto instantly using a credit/debit card. The exchange is available on a desktop or its mobile app that supports iOS and Android smartphones. Users can even convert Bitcoin to cash and withdraw fiat profits to a VISA, Mastercard, or bank account.
Like the other exchanges, CEX.IO's fee structure uses a taker and maker model that starts at 0.25% and 0.15% respectively. The fees reduce based on the 30-day trade volume for all pairs. There are discounts available however the amount traded is too high for most retail investors.
Overall, CEX.IO is a good beginner-friendly platform that is ideal for rapid purchases. On the other hand, the disadvantages of using CEX.IO are its trading and withdrawal fees which are above market rates.
8. Luno - Top Crypto Exchange For Ease of Use
Luno is a well-known cryptocurrency exchange for its beginner-friendly platform, mobile app, secure wallet and easy way to buy/sell and hold crypto. Available in multiple countries worldwide such as South Africa, Luno allows individuals to convert ZAR to digital assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin all in one place.
https://www.luno.com/The trading experience has been designed for beginners and is one of the easiest ways to start trading crypto using a wide range of fiat currencies. Luno also provides a trusted and secure online wallet for individuals to temporarily store their coins. The most common way to purchase cryptocurrencies with Luno is a bank transfer or debit card.
9. Coinmama - Best Option For Fast and Safe Transactions
Coinmama is a fiat-to-crypto exchange that is available to investors in South Africa that provides a fast, safe and easy way to buy digital currency. The exchange does not accept ZAR, this means users can only deposit USD and convert into Bitcoin or another asset. The available payment methods are bank transfer, SWIFT, SEPA, Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.
The main benefit of using Coinmama is that purchased coins are sent directly to a personal hardware wallet. Bitcoin is not stored or held by the exchange. However, the trading fees and credit card charges are quite expensive compared to the above exchanges.
How We Rated Them
With so many cryptocurrency exchanges to use, it can be a challenging task for beginners within South Africa. To assist with finding the best cryptocurrency exchanges, we have rated each exchange against a set of categories that can be read in our full review methodology which include the considerations below.
Trusted and Regulated
Using a local exchange is the safest option to buy and sell crypto in South Africa as some platforms are not supported in certain countries due to regulations. A crypto exchange that supports customers from South Africa and is a regulated platform in the USA is also a good option. The US enforces one of the world's highest standards of financial laws and regulations that govern the digital currency industry.
Beginner-Friendly
Ease of use is an important consideration for beginners that have limited experience using an exchange, broker or trading platform. New investors looking to convert fiat currency to cryptocurrencies are better suited using a simple and quick user-interface on desktop or a mobile app. We assess the user-friendliness of the desktop and mobile application.
Deposit Methods
The availability of local supported payment methods to fund an account should be at the forefront of new investors in SA. Our rating checks the deposit methods available for residents in the South Africa using ZAR. For example, one of the quickest and most accessible deposit options is using a credit card linked to a local bank.
Withdraw to a Local Bank Account
Not all exchanges allow the withdraw of ZAR to a bank account. This is an important feature for investors that will eventually cash out of their investment. Binance is one of the few exchanges that provides the option to convert crypto and withdraw money to a local bank in ZAR.
Supported Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin is widely available on the vast majority of digital currency platforms. However, there are thousands of other altcoins and tokens that have become popular. Our rating takes into consideration the number of cryptocurrency assets available and the trading pairs against cryptos and fiat currencies.
Wallet Security
The risk of online scams, fraud and theft is a major concern in the blockchain community. Our scoring system assesses the platform's security features to ensure the safety and protection of funds stored by the exchange. Common security measures include cold wallet storage, multi-signature withdrawal process and two factor authentication.
Fees
There are several different fee structures to be aware of when using a crypto exchange. There are fees to deposit ZAR, withdraw cash or crypto and trade between assets. Exchanges also charge spread fee which is often a 'hidden cost' and not fully disclosed. Essentially it is the difference between the bid and ask price on the market. Our review takes into consideration all fees.
Customer support
Explore the website to find out what communication methods are available to support users that need troubleshooting advice or assistance on the exchange. Also, some exchanges will provide comprehensive FAQ's and How-To-Guides which is useful for beginners.
Reviews
Search for online exchange reviews, forum comments and posts on social media is a great way to see what experience other investors and traders have had with the platform.
Conclusion
To conclude our article on the best cryptocurrency exchanges in South Africa, it is recommend to stick with a well-established, reputable and trusted exchange that accepts ZAR or USD deposits. The above Bitcoin & crypto platforms are proven to be safe and used by millions of customers worldwide to buy, trade and sell cryptocurrency. If you're are planning to buy and trade cryptocurrencies, make sure to withdraw your profits to a reputable digital wallet for safe-keeping. It is the best method to protect your crypto investment.
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