Kraken vs CoinSpot: How these crypto exchanges compare

When you’re starting your trading journey, selecting the right crypto exchange to fit your goals and needs is one of the most important decisions you will make.

Both Kraken and CoinSpot offer a secure and intuitive way to buy and sell crypto. But the trading products available, asset choice, customer support and fees, vary between the two platforms.

Kraken is a long-established brand known for its commitment to security, transparency and customer experience. Where Kraken offers a global footprint and institutional-grade infrastructure, CoinSpot focuses on the Australian market, delivering AUD rails, a broad token selection, and a user-friendly interface.

Some traders may prefer advanced trading tools and low fees, while others might value asset variety or specific security features to help keep their crypto safe. This article examines how the two exchanges compare across key categories such as product offering, pricing, regulation, customer support and more.

Founded in 2011 in the United States, Kraken is among the earliest and most established names in the cryptocurrency industry. Launched less than two years after Bitcoin’s debut, the exchange has earned global recognition for its strong focus on security, operational transparency, and a high-quality user experience.

Today, Kraken serves more than 15 million clients in over 190 countries. Its offerings range from the flagship Kraken platform for individual investors, to powerful all-in-one trading platforms for advanced and institutional traders via the Kraken Pro platform and Kraken Desktop app.

Kraken’s institutional suite that covers spot, margin, futures markets, staking, and OTC trading for qualified clients. Kraken also invests heavily in education through Kraken Learn, supporting both new and experienced traders.

Headquartered in Wyoming, Kraken underscores is committed to accountability with routine Proof of Reserves, a practice it introduced to the industry back in 2014. It was also the first crypto exchange to be listed on the Bloomberg Terminal, helping bridge the gap between traditional finance and digital assets.

With regulatory licenses across key markets including the US, Canada, UK, EU and a history of assisting with cases such as Mt. Gox creditor claims, Kraken has built a reputation for stable, compliant operations that make it a trusted destination for those seeking a secure and enduring crypto exchange.

Founded in 2013 by Russell Wilson and Brendan Halfpenny, and based in Melbourne, CoinSpot has become Australia’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, frequently cited for listing over 530 cryptocurrencies and serving millions of users.

The platform supports AUD deposits via multiple methods including PayID, BPAY and Direct bank transfer.

CoinSpot primarily caters to Australian residents and while it offers simplicity and broad token access for local investors, its focus is domestic, and it does not match the global coverage or extensive derivative product range of larger international exchanges like Kraken.

While CoinSpot is a good choice for Australian users seeking spot crypto trading in AUD with a large token list, Kraken provides a broader global platform.

Kraken operates in more than 190 jurisdictions, supports an expansive set of products including futures, staking and tokenised equities, and maintains a reputation for world class compliance and transparent operations.

For users whose goals extend beyond the Australian market and spot-only trading, Kraken delivers greater flexibility and more innovative products.

Kraken’s product ecosystem is designed to support a wide range of trading styles and experience levels. Users can trade on the go with its streamlined mobile app or tap into more advanced tools through Kraken Pro, which offers detailed charting, custom order types and real-time market data.

The platform supports spot trading for all users, with margin trading (up to 5x leverage) and futures contracts (up to 50x leverage) available in eligible regions. Institutional and high-net-worth clients can access additional services through Kraken’s OTC desk and Kraken Prime offering.

Beyond trading, Kraken provides crypto staking on over 21 assets, with rewards up to 17% APY depending on the coin and network conditions. Users can earn passively by staking assets like Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL) and Cardano (ADA) directly through the platform.

Kraken also supports global digital payments through Krak, a feature enabling users to send crypto or cash without transaction fees.

In 2024, Kraken released its Ink Layer-2 network built on Optimism’s SuperChain, providing a seamless bridge between centralized exchanges and popular DeFi protocols.

For those seeking to deepen their financial knowledge, Kraken Learn offers educational resources covering everything from blockchain basics to advanced trading strategies.

CoinSpot’s product set is geared primarily toward Australian retail and self-managed investors. The platform enables spot trading of hundreds of cryptocurrencies, an intuitive app interface, crypto ‘bundles’ for diversified holdings and an in-platform NFT marketplace.

However, CoinSpot does not focus on margin trading, futures or global institutional services, its features are structured around straightforward spot purchases and local fiat access rather than advanced derivatives or global multi-asset expansion.

CoinSpot offers API access, including a public API for market data, a standard API for trading, and a read-only API for account information. The API is secured using a shared secret key with HMAC-SHA512 and has rate limits of 1000 requests per minute.

Unfortunately, CoinSpot does not have a non-custodial wallet. As a solely custodial service and cryptocurrency exchange, not a non-custodial wallet, CoinSpot holds and manages your crypto's private keys on your behalf.

CoinSpot delivers a streamlined experience for Australians focused on spot crypto trading, but Kraken offers a stronger and more varied multi-asset, multi-product environment.

Kraken’s ecosystem encompasses not only spot trading but also futures, staking, institutional tools and cross-market exposure with tokenized stocks and ETFs, all supported by global regulation and premium technical infrastructure.

For users aiming to access advanced trading, diversified asset types or global markets, Kraken provides significantly more breadth and flexibility than CoinSpot’s regionally tailored offering.

Clients can access over 600 cryptocurrencies on Kraken, including majors such as Bitcoin (BTC) and XRP (XRP) as well as a variety of altcoins, from memecoins to liquid staking tokens.

There are also more than 11,000 commission-free ETFs and stocks available to trade directly in the Kraken app. And for clients in eligible locations, they can invest in xStocks, which are tokenized versions of these equities.
Kraken supports withdrawals and deposits in ten major fiat currencies, making it quick and convenient for global clients to fund their accounts.

Supported fiat currencies include:

• USD (US Dollar)

• CAD (Canadian Dollar)

• GBP (Pound Sterling)

• EUR (Euro)

• JPY (Japanese Yen)

• AUD (Australian Dollar)

• CHF (Swiss Franc)

• ARS (Argentine Peso)

• MXN (Mexican Peso)

• BRL (Brazilian Real)

There are also 15 stablecoins supported, including Tether (USDT), USDC and USDG.

CoinSpot lists a broad collection of digital assets for its user base in Australia. Supporting over 530 cryptocurrencies and multiple trading pairs against AUD, BTC and USDT, the range of crypto is one of the exchange’s major strengths.

Its crypto ‘bundles’ product also offers grouped exposure to themed asset sets, such as ‘Top 10 Market Cap’ and ‘AI Bundle’, making it quick and easy for users to diversify their portfolio or focus investments on certain narratives.

Although the asset tally is strong for a local exchange, CoinSpot’s footprint remains region-centric and lacks the global reach or combined spot, derivatives and traditional asset depth seen in larger platforms like Kraken.

CoinSpot’s asset range is impressive for an Australian exchange, but Kraken provides access to a far wider trading ecosystem. Clients can choose from hundreds of cryptocurrencies, staking opportunities, regulated futures and even tokenised stocks and ETFs in specific regions.

This broader reach gives Kraken the upper hand for traders seeking global diversification and multiple asset classes rather than a purely spot-focused domestic platform.

CoinSpot serves its local audience well, but Kraken is built for cross-market, multi-strategy trading.

Kraken’s volume-based fee model is tiered and transparent to support both professional traders and casual investors.

With maker fees starting at 0.25% and taker fees at 0.40% there are also discounts available for high-volume individuals and institutions. With to a Kraken+ subscription, these fees can be eliminated entirely for eligible clients up to certain monthly volumes.

Most crypto and fiat deposits are free, with some exceptions depending on the transaction method and specific asset. Kraken also highlights transparency by displaying all fees before a transaction is confirmed, ensuring clients are well aware any fees upfront and avoid costly surprises.

CoinSpot offers two primary fee tiers. Its ‘Markets’ order books come with a maker/taker fee of 0.10%, billed from the total order value.

Meanwhile, its ‘Instant Buy/Sell/Swap’ feature carries a typical fee around 1.0% plus potential spread costs, a trade-off for the simplicity of one-click execution.

While these rates are competitive for casual Australian traders, high-volume or multi-product traders may find them limited compared to global exchanges with tiered fee models.

While CoinSpot delivers low-cost trading for the Australian spot market, Kraken’s fee structure offers broader relevance across multiple markets and product types.

Kraken publishes maker/taker rates that apply globally across spot, margin and futures and reduces dependence on special interface tiers or spread-heavy ‘instant’ purchases.

For users whose strategy spans international assets or institutional volumes, Kraken’s unified cost visibility presents an advantage over CoinSpot’s region-specific fee model.

Kraken is widely regarded as one of the most secure crypto platforms in the industry. Since inception, Kraken has never experienced a breach resulting in loss of client funds, a claim that few other exhcanges can make. Clients benefit from multi-layered account protection, including 2FA with passkeys, PGP email encryption, granular API key permissions with range boundaries, configurable account timeout, real-time monitoring for suspicious activity, withdrawal whitelisting and master key settings.

Kraken pioneered Proof of Reserves in 2014 and continues to lead the industry with regular, independently verifiable audits. This cryptographic procedure allows clients to personally review how their account balances are backed by real assets, at any time. Kraken also holds ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, SOC 2 Type 2 audit compliance and operates a robust public bug bounty program.

CoinSpot positions itself as a secure and regulated exchange in the Australian market.

It holds an ISO 27001 certification for information-security management, uses cold storage for the majority of its assets, and offers customisable account-security settings such as two-factor authentication and withdrawal whitelists.

Its public reviews underscore a reputation for operational dependability, though some users indicate delays or friction around withdrawals or account access.

Although CoinSpot’s security credentials are strong within its regional remit, Kraken brings a higher-order security proposition.

It publishes full Proof of Reserves audits, holds licences across multiple international jurisdictions, and operates with a long track-record free from major custodial breaches.

For traders prioritising global compliance, institutional-grade custody and cross-border asset protection, Kraken offers a deeper layer of assurance.

Kraken is known for its responsive and professional customer service, offering multiple support channels to meet different user needs. Clients can access 24/7 live chat with real human agents, submit requests via email, or (in select cases) speak directly with a support specialist by phone.

Kraken’s multilingual support team can assist users in over a dozen languages. This helps the company service its global customer base more effectively.

The exchange has also earned high marks in customer satisfaction and was recognized as the Winner of Best Use of AI in CX (Europe) at the Customer Centricity World Series. Its focus on clarity, empathy, and speed in resolving issues continues to distinguish Kraken’s client experience in a competitive space.

CoinSpot provides customer support through its Help Centre and email ticketing system, offering assistance on account verification, deposits, and troubleshooting.

The platform also features an in-app support widget and an active presence on X for status updates and announcements.

While CoinSpot’s support is reliable for standard retail issues, users occasionally report delays in response times during busy periods.

CoinSpot’s asset range is impressive for an Australian exchange, but Kraken provides access to a far wider trading ecosystem. Clients can choose from hundreds of cryptocurrencies, staking opportunities, regulated futures and even tokenised stocks and ETFs in specific regions.

This broader reach gives Kraken the upper hand for traders seeking global diversification and multiple asset classes rather than a purely spot-focused domestic platform.

CoinSpot serves its local audience well, but Kraken is built for cross-market, multi-strategy trading.

Both Kraken and CoinSpot have earned trust within their respective markets, but their focus differs. CoinSpot is purpose-built for Australian investors seeking a simple, secure way to buy, sell, and store crypto in AUD, with access to hundreds of local and global assets.

Kraken offers a worldwide, full-service exchange with advanced trading tools, regulated futures, staking institutional-grade products, Krak payments and more.

For users whose goals are primarily domestic, managing AUD on-ramps and spot crypto portfolios, CoinSpot remains an easy, compliant choice. But for those looking for greater product variety, global market access, and industry-leading transparency, Kraken provides a broader, more versatile platform.