9 of the best crypto exchanges for margin trading in 2026

To find the best crypto exchange for margin trading, experienced traders often look beyond surface-level features. Fee structures, available trading pairs, collateral flexibility, leverage limits and risk management tools are just the beginning.

When it comes to crypto margin trading, the right exchange balances liquidity with risk management. That means:

• Low and transparent fees, including margin opening and rollover costs
• Deep liquidity to support order execution without major price swings
• Regulatory compliance and strong security, especially when using leverage
• Advanced risk tools, such as stop-loss and one-cancels-the-other (OCO) orders, to help manage crypto market volatility

At Kraken, we believe transparency is essential. This list offers objective, fact-based insights to help you choose the best margin trading platform for your goals. 

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.01%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Start at 0.01% for every 4 hours
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.25% and taker fees start at 0.40%
• Available pairs: 240+
• Collateral options: 52+
• Max leverage: Up to 10x leverage for spot margin and up to 50x for derivatives

Kraken Pro is built for advanced traders, offering deep liquidity, professional-grade tools and a long-standing commitment to security.

Kraken Pro platform supports both cross and isolated margin trading. The platform also offers a streamlined maker-taker fee structure for margin trades, which can help reduce trading costs as your volume increases. Margin fees include competitive opening and rollover rates, which scale based on asset type and market conditions.

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.10%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varies
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.10% and taker fees start at 0.10%
• Available pairs: 700+
• Collateral options: 350+
• Max leverage: Up to 10% for cross-margin, up to 20% for isolated margin, and up to 100% for futures trading

Binance is one of the largest global exchanges by volume and offers broad access to leveraged products.

Binance provides both isolated and cross-margin trading, with access to hundreds of pairs. Its user-friendly margin interface includes options for borrowing limits, risk alerts and liquidation tracking.

While Binance has strong liquidity and advanced features, its regulatory challenges in several jurisdictions, including the U.S. Features like margin trading may not be available to all users.

Kraken traders often value transparency and compliance, especially when it comes to leveraged products. Kraken Pro’s predictable fee model and focus on regulatory alignment offer peace of mind, particularly for U.S.-based traders who may face restrictions on Binance.

Binance, on the other hand, appeals to aggressive, high-volume traders with its broader selection of assets, higher leverage options and deep liquidity across global markets. Its flexible collateral options and rapid trade execution make it popular for experienced users willing to navigate a more complex, less regulated environment.

While Binance may offer higher leverage, Kraken offers more consistent platform stability, detailed margin management tools and a proven security record.

• Margin trading opening fee: Same as spot trading fees
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varies
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.08% and taker fees start at 0.010%
• Available pairs: 500
• Collateral options: Not published
• Max leverage: Up to 10x for spot margin and up to 125x for derivatives

OKX is known for its derivatives platform and expanding suite of trading tools for margin users. The platform supports both cross and isolated margin trading with advanced tools like customizable order types, real-time charting and a robust API for automation. 

However, for U.S. users on OKX.US, the margin feature set is still rolling out and remains more restricted compared to its global counterpart. Traders should review regional terms carefully before onboarding.

While OKX’s re-entry into the U.S. market is starting to roll out options for margin traders, Kraken’s long-standing U.S. operations provide a more mature and transparent environment for active traders.

Kraken has built trust through consistent regulatory compliance, high liquidity and a security-first approach. Its long-standing U.S. presence means users benefit from fully operational margin tools right away, without needing to wait for features to roll out or adapt to regulatory ambiguity.

• Margin trading opening fee: Vary
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varied hourly interest rate
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.25% and taker fees start at 0.50%
• Available pairs: 200+
• Collateral options: 20+
• Max leverage: Up to 10x for spot margin and up to 50x for derivatives

Crypto.com combines margin trading with a broad set of crypto products, including staking and a native token ecosystem. Its margin trading platform is available through its web interface and app. It supports a relatively small number of trading pairs compared to larger exchanges.

Still, it’s designed for ease of use. Users can monitor margin ratios, set stop orders and view their real-time borrowing limits with a few clicks. The platform integrates margin alongside other services like staking, lending and crypto debit cards, making it popular with users who prefer an all-in-one crypto app.

That said, Crypto.com’s margin product is good for retail traders. It lacks certain pro-level tools like customizable order interfaces, advanced charting integrations or robust risk metrics beyond basic liquidation alerts.

For traders seeking deeper access to margin markets and advanced features, Kraken Pro offers significantly more flexibility than Crypto.com. Kraken supports over 200 pairs for margin trading, plus offers higher leverage (up to 10x). It also includes advanced order types, like OCO (one-cancels-the-other), trailing stops and real-time liquidation metrics.

Crypto.com’s appeal lies in its user-friendly design and crypto rewards ecosystem. But for serious margin traders, its limited leverage, smaller market selection and higher fees for low-volume users can be constraints.

Kraken also stands out in security and regulation. While both platforms use cold storage and multi-factor authentication, Kraken’s long-standing compliance track record and proven U.S. presence offer a layer of confidence for margin traders managing higher capital or frequent trades.

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.10%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varied hourly interest rate
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.10% and taker fees start at 0.10%
• Available pairs: 100+
• Collateral options: Most of the supported crypto assets
• Max leverage: Up to 10x on spot margin trading and up to 125x on futures

KuCoin is known for listing emerging altcoins and providing flexible margin options. The platform supports both isolated and cross-margin trading, with tools that appeal to a global audience. One standout is its margin lending marketplace, which allows users to borrow or lend tokens directly to each other, offering more dynamic rates than platform-set borrowing fees. 

Their interface also integrates spot, margin and futures trading tabs into one unified workspace. This may be ideal for traders juggling multiple strategies.

However, KuCoin is not accessible for use in the U.S., which poses an issue for American traders. The exchange has also been flagged in the past for operating without proper regulatory registrations in some jurisdictions, which may raise concerns for traders prioritizing platform longevity and legal clarity.¹

Kraken stands out for its licensed operations and secure infrastructure, especially in regions where compliance is a top concern. 

While KuCoin appeals to traders interested in early-stage tokens or yield-generating strategies, it lacks the proven transparency, security history and regulatory legitimacy that Kraken has built over more than a decade.

For margin trading specifically, Kraken offers similar leverage, more consistent access to fiat ramps, and smoother execution across high-liquidity pairs. If you’re looking for a regulated platform with deep margin markets, Kraken is the more scalable option.

• Margin trading opening fee: N/A
• Margin trading rollover fee: N/A
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.00% for high-volume traders
  and taker fees start at 0.05% for high-volume traders
• Available pairs: 550+
• Collateral options: 10+ (varies depending on jurisdiction)
• Max leverage: Margin trading has been discontinued

Coinbase is one of the most well-known exchanges in the U.S., celebrated for its simplicity and beginner-friendly interface. It briefly launched margin trading in 2020, but paused the feature after regulatory scrutiny in the U.S. Since then, its efforts have shifted toward expanding derivatives access through regulated futures products and improving access for institutions.

As a result, retail traders looking to trade on margin won’t find the tools they need here. While the exchange excels at onboarding new users and offering custodial security, it’s not designed to support more complex or leverage trading strategies.

The contrast here is clear: Kraken provides a full-featured margin product with leverage, risk tools and deep pair access — all available to eligible U.S. users. Coinbase, by comparison, is better suited to buy-and-hold investors or those focused on staking and spot trades.

Kraken also has a significantly more competitive fee structure for advanced users. Coinbase’s fees can add up quickly, especially in high-frequency environments. 

Traders looking for leverage, lower fees and professional-grade execution tools will find Kraken Pro better equipped to meet those needs.

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.10%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varied hourly interest rate
• Spot trading fees: Maker and taker fees both start at 0.10%
• Available pairs: 1,300+
• Collateral options: Varies
• Max leverage: Up to 10x for spot margin trading and up to 125x for derivatives

Bybit is a derivatives-heavy platform that has gained popularity for offering up to 100x leverage on futures and a clean, performance-optimized interface.

While Bybit’s roots are in perpetual swaps and leveraged contracts, Bybit also offers spot and margin trading. The platform emphasizes copy trading as well — allowing users to mirror the positions of top-performing traders. This makes Bybit attractive for newer users looking to outsource strategy, although it introduces risks if traders aren’t actively monitoring positions.

One major limitation is that Bybit is not available to U.S. users, and operates under looser regulatory frameworks in offshore jurisdictions. While it has introduced compliance measures, such as KYC and IP restrictions, its legal accessibility remains limited.

Bybit may offer higher leverage and gamified features like copy trading, but Kraken provides a more mature, regulation-aligned experience for traders looking to scale. For serious margin traders, Kraken’s offering is structured around precision, stability and trust — with tools like real-time liquidation alerts, customizable dashboards and strong asset protection.

Kraken is built for traders who prefer control over automation and value platform stability over hype. And with the ability to trade margin legally in the U.S., Kraken offers a key advantage over Bybit for American users seeking a compliant and transparent environment.

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.00%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varied hourly interest rate
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.00% and taker fees start at 0.05%
• Available pairs: 3,000+
• Collateral options: Varies
• Max leverage: Up to 10x for spot margin trading and up to 400x for select futures

MEXC is popular for its aggressive fee structure and deep altcoin listings, offering over 3,000 trading pairs and up to 500x leverage on select futures contracts.

The platform supports margin trading on hundreds of spot assets, making it a draw for traders seeking early exposure to new coins with added buying power. It integrates margin directly into its basic trading screen, making it accessible even for new users. 

However, the platform prioritizes access over refinement — its risk tools, order types and liquidation warnings are more basic than those on Kraken.

Another drawback: MEXC is not available to U.S. users. Its regulatory profile is less established, and although it offers advanced features globally, traders in compliance-focused jurisdictions may find its long-term availability uncertain.

MEXC might appeal to traders chasing emerging tokens or ultra-high leverage, but Kraken brings stability, regulatory clarity and advanced execution tools, making it better suited to margin traders building sustainable strategies.

Kraken also offers institutional-grade protection, including proof-of-reserves audits and granular risk metrics. These features can make a meaningful difference when trading with borrowed capital.

• Margin trading opening fee: Start at 0.10%
• Margin trading rollover fee: Varied hourly interest rate
• Spot trading fees: Maker fees start at 0.10% and taker fees start at 0.10%
• Available pairs: 800+
• Collateral options: Varies depending on the setting
• Max leverage: Up to 10x for spot margin trading and up to 125x for futures

Bitget has built its reputation on copy trading and derivatives, offering users a chance to mirror the trades of top-performing investors. Its margin product allows traders to borrow assets against a wide range of collateral and execute leveraged spot trades through its interface. 

Bitget has leaned heavily into copy trading, where users can follow top-performing accounts and mirror their trades in real time — including margin and futures positions. While this feature appeals to beginners or passive traders, it introduces extra risk, as users are reliant on others’ decision-making and may incur slippage or over-leverage if not carefully monitored.

In terms of regulatory accessibility, Bitget is not currently available to U.S. users, and operates from jurisdictions with more lenient financial oversight. However, the company does employ strong security measures.

Kraken and Bitget serve fundamentally different types of margin traders. Bitget caters to a social and automation-driven audience, with tools designed for passive exposure and high leverage speculation. Its margin system is accessible but basic, and the reliance on third-party trading strategies via copy trading may not suit users who want full control over their positions.

By contrast, Kraken is built for precision and risk-managed trading. Kraken Pro gives traders the tools to execute, monitor and adjust their own strategies without being dependent on automated signals or external decision-makers.

Kraken also stands out for its security-first infrastructure and full U.S. regulatory compliance. Traders in the U.S. can use Kraken’s margin features legally, with confidence that the platform is operating within established regulatory frameworks.

Margin trading opens up new strategies and opportunities but it demands precision. It requires a platform that balances power, transparency and security. Kraken Pro gives you the tools to act decisively, with confidence in every trade.

1. U.S. Department of Justice