KuCoin Review: Fees, Security, Coins & Live Volume
"The people's exchange": one of the longest altcoin lists in the industry, with 0.1% base fees discounted by KCS, built-in bots and a futures market — popular with traders hunting early-stage tokens.
By FX Broker Info Research DeskUpdated 9 hours agoLive data 1 hours ago2 min readKey Facts: KuCoin at a Glance
| Headquarters | Seychelles |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Maker fee | 0.1% |
| Taker fee | 0.1% |
| KYC / verification | Required |
| Products | Spot, Futures, Margin, Bots, Earn |
| Fiat support | Yes |
| Coins listed | 900+ |
| 24h volume | $901,363,890 (11,589 BTC) |
| Trust score | 9 / 10 · rank #17 |
| Official website | kucoin.com ↗ |
KuCoin 30-Day Trading Volume
Daily spot volume in BTC · source: CoinGecko · last bar = today (partial)
✔ Pros
- 700+ coins including many small-cap listings before larger exchanges
- 0.1% / 0.1% spot fees, 20% off when paying with KCS
- Free trading bots (grid, DCA, futures grid) and lending market
- KCS holders receive a daily share of trading fees
- Futures up to 100× with a large contract list
✘ Cons
- Settled US money-laundering charges and now requires full KYC everywhere
- Suffered a large hot-wallet hack in its earlier years (funds were recovered or covered)
- Thin liquidity on many small-cap pairs; check depth before trading
KuCoin Overview
KuCoin built its reputation as the place to find tokens months before they reach Binance or Coinbase, and that remains its selling point: hundreds of altcoins, often listed early and paired against USDT. The exchange token KCS pays holders a daily "bonus" from platform fee revenue, which has made it one of the more interesting exchange tokens to hold. The platform is headquartered in Seychelles with a growing set of regional licences.
What makes KuCoin different
| Native token | KCS (daily fee-share bonus) |
|---|---|
| Max leverage | 100× futures |
| Proof of reserves | Monthly Merkle-tree |
| Mobile app | iOS / Android with bots |
| Standout feature | 700+ coins and free bots |
KuCoin Fees and Costs
Spot trading costs 0.1% maker / 0.1% taker at the base level (Class A pairs), with a 20% discount when fees are paid in KCS and VIP tiers down to negative maker fees. Less liquid Class B and C pairs cost more (0.2–0.3%). Futures are 0.02% / 0.06%. Deposits are free; withdrawal fees vary by coin and network.
KuCoin Security and Regulation
After an early hot-wallet breach, KuCoin rebuilt its wallet infrastructure with Onchain Custodian and now keeps most assets in multi-signature cold storage, publishes proof of reserves and offers 2FA, trading passwords, anti-phishing phrases and withdrawal whitelists. Following a settlement with US authorities the exchange exited the US market, enforced mandatory KYC for all users and strengthened compliance.
KuCoin Products and Features
Spot, margin (cross and isolated up to 10×), USDT-margined futures up to 100×, free trading bots, crypto lending, KuCoin Earn (staking, fixed income, dual investment), Spotlight token sales, GemSEC early-stage listings, P2P market and the KuCoin Wallet. The mobile app includes most of the web features including bots.
KuCoin Deposits and Withdrawals
Fiat arrives through Visa/Mastercard, Apple/Google Pay, SEPA, Faster Payments, PIX and the P2P marketplace in major currencies. Crypto deposits are free on dozens of networks. Withdrawals are generally quick, though new accounts have 24-hour holds on recently deposited funds.
Who Should Use KuCoin?
Altcoin hunters and bot traders who want breadth and automation at low cost, and KCS holders who like the fee-share model. Not for US residents.
KuCoin Verdict
KuCoin is a strong, low-cost venue for exploring the long tail of crypto. Its compliance history argues for using it as a trading account rather than a vault, and for checking order-book depth on thinner pairs before placing size.
0.1% maker / 0.1% taker fees · 900+ coins · KYC required.
Compare with other exchanges
Binance$4.09B · 0.1% taker
OKX$1.46B · 0.1% taker
Bybit$1.18B · 0.1% taker
Gate.io$1.15B · 0.2% taker
Kraken$1.14B · 0.4% taker
LBank$1.13B · 0.1% takerKuCoin FAQ
Can US residents use KuCoin?
No. The exchange withdrew from the US market and now blocks US users as part of its regulatory settlement.
What is the KCS bonus?
Holders of at least 6 KCS receive a daily share of KuCoin's trading-fee revenue, paid in KCS.
Does KuCoin have trading bots?
Yes — spot grid, futures grid, DCA, smart rebalance and infinity grid bots are free to use.
Is KuCoin safe?
It uses multi-signature cold storage and proof of reserves, and covered past losses, but keep only active trading funds on any exchange.