TOP Exchanges and Bitcoin-Friendly Countries

The table including the best bitcoin exchanges and their reviews from our experts is waiting for you directly below. And after our breakdown of the exchanges, don’t forget to look up the varying acceptance of cryptocurrency in different parts of the globe. We are excited to introduce a list of the most Bitcoin-friendly countries, which favor the technology to be tested and used at a rapid pace. You will find this block below the bitcoin exchange platforms.

Exchange	Location	Payment Methods
		+ other cryptocurrencies+ others
		+ other cryptocurrencies+ others

Reviews of the Best Bitcoin Exchanges

We prepared the brief reviews of the best bitcoin exchanges. Here you can get acquainted with the main specific items of each platform, their advantages and disadvantages from our experts point of view. With help of this data, users are notified of all problems that may appeared while interaction with stock exchanges.

Bitquick ️ Bitquick is a US-based bitcoin exchange that was founded by Jad Mubaslut in 2013. The company lets users buy Bitcoin with a cash deposit, and is supported in the 49 US states. This platform is well-trusted, although it was hacked in 2016.

Pros	Cons
Fast purchase time Great to be able to use cash Customer support is fast	The prices can be quite high compared to the market Was hacked (no customer funds taken) Must go to bank to send money
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CEX.IO ️ Cex.io is a comprehensive bitcoin exchange that was founded in 2013 and is based in London. It allows a variety of payment methods to get money into the system and trades Dash, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Zcash. As a trading platform, it is both transparent and effective.

Pros	Cons
Easy to use for beginners Quotes fees way ahead of time Working to add more cryptocurrencies to platform	Extensive verification process Not very liquid for GBP Has unlisted LiteCoin
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Changelly ️ Changelly as a bitcoin exchange was founded in 2013 and is based in Prague. Compared to most other options, Changelly is about providing users with the ability to switch between altcoins, which is a bit of a niche market. The company also builds widgets for companies who would like to deal more with cryptocurrencies.

Pros	Cons
No personal information is required Allows for easy switching between altcoins Has high limits and liquidity	Higher rates charged than most other exchanges Trades take 5-30 minutes Not capable of converting fiat currencies
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Coincheck ️ Coincheck is one of the leading bitcoin exchanges in Asia. It has spent a lot of time building a network that covers a lot of Asia as well as boosting their service offerings. By providing massive utility to its customers, platform is creating a great platform in a market that desperately needs it.

Pros	Cons
Lots of different service lines, including options Tight security which includes cold storage Good user interface and available in English	High fees for trading and withdrawal Customer service can be slow to respond
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Coinmama ️ Coinmama is a bitcoin exchange based in the Slovak Republic and is a very simple marketplace solution. Since it is not possible to sell cryptocurrencies on the platform, it is most suitable to those who are buy-and-hold type investors. This is a company that is getting really good at providing a single service with no frills.

Pros	Cons
Easy to buy cryptocurrencies with credit card Very little identity verification is required Simple interface	Not possible to sell cryptocurrency High fees Customer service is slow to respond
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QuadrigaCX ️ As Canada’s premier bitcoin exchange and trading platform, QuadrigaCX has received a lot of publicity. They were the world’s first publicly traded exchange, but more importantly, they offer superior fees to all the other options in Canada. Every exchange has their issues, but it seems like Quadriga is working to sort those out.

 

Pros	Cons
Good wallet security Best option within Canada (fees and volume) Lots of deposit options	Slow verification times Customer service is slow Platform experience is lacking
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HitBTC ️ HitBTC is a bitcoin exchange and trading platform based in Europe. It launched in 2014 and has built itself into a well-known multi-currency trading platform that provides markets for numerous trading pairs. Their API boasts 4 advanced types of protocols which help it establish credibility with other companies.

Pros	Cons
Low fees and high liquidity Trades cryptos, tokens, and ICO’s High level of security	Slow customer support Hacked in 2015 Requires complicated verification
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Localbitcoins ️ LocalBitcoins is a different type of bitcoin exchange in that it allows users to meet in person and trade cryptocurrencies. Founded in 2012 in Finland, the company has grown fast and has a rabid community following. It acts as a matchmaking service that puts buyers and sellers in touch while providing an escrow service.

Pros	Cons
Cash can be used to purchase High amount of privacy Meet people in Bitcoin community	More expensive than online trading Liquidity is low Potential to be physically harmed
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Yobit ️ Yobit is a controversial company because of the amount of complaints it has, not to mention the fact it is being investigated by Russian authorities. This bitcoin exchange was founded in Russia in 2015, there is not a lot of additional information surrounding the trading platform. Use of this platform will depend upon the risks you are willing to take in order to get free coins.

Pros	Cons
Extremely fast verification process Intuitive trading process Cheap transaction fees	Only accepts USD for deposits High volume of complaints Poor customer service
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Bitcoin in Europe

Cryptocurrencies and bitcoin exchanges received a lot of skepticism until very recently, but now some countries are warming up to it. That, or they are implementing strong authoritarian policies that make it hard to use BTC. We saw France crack down on all things crypto-related when they didn’t understand it, but now a lot of European countries are working to harness some of the benefits that can result from having bitcoin exchanges present in their economy.

The United Kingdom

REGULATION: but not explicitly TAXES: the same percentage as a regular business; capitals gains taxes apply to investments EXCHANGES

The United Kingdom is one of the best places in the world for both investing in Bitcoin and carrying out business in Bitcoin. Britain has always been ahead of the curve in terms of financial innovation. They understand the inevitability of currency and bitcoin exchanges and are already working to integrate into their economy since they know they can’t fight it. Regular business can be carried out using Bitcoin, and although not explicitly regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authorit.

Bitcoin exchanges have voluntarily started to work within the regulations of this authority. This included anti-money laundering measures and is why they also tend to turn away American customers so as to avoid additional regulation of the sector. The Bank of England is said to be considering adding some elements of Bitcoin or blockchain technology to their currency.

Denmark

REGULATION TAXES EXCHANGES

The Danish have come out as not recognizing Bitcoin as a currency, and it is not regulated by European or Danish authorities. The good news is this means no taxes are charged on business carried out with Bitcoin, and the government won’t do anything to prevent the opening of a Bitcoin exchanges in Denmark. Additionally, Denmark is very technology forward and already has a lot of citizens using digital currency. This makes Bitcoin a very appealing option for those people. The goal to become cashless is going quite well for Denmark and the question is if/when they decide to pivot their strategy to include BTC and bitcoin exchanges.

The Netherlands

REGULATION TAXES EXCHANGES

The Netherlands are among those countries with the most pro-Bitcoin attitude. The country was one of the first to introduce unique concepts of the Bitcoin Embassy and the Bitcoin City to ensure anyone who wants to apply Bitcoin in everyday life can. The Bitcoin Embassy not only allows people to pay with Bitcoin, but also supports the whole community of enthusiasts who love talking about BTC and bitcoin exchanges and make it a great learning experience.

Whereas, the Bitcoin City serves as a place for the whole group of people to adopt BTC as their primary payment method, and the experiment seems to be going really well. The Dutch authorities have made no indication they intend to regulate this currency and bitcoin exchanges, which has led to a bit of money-laundering thus far.

BTC in America

America is seen to be the key player of the Western world when it comes to the advancements being made and attitudes held. Bitcoin is a revolution for the finance industry the same way that these countries were a revolution from the British way of living. If there is anywhere you would expect Bitcoin exchanges to catch on fast, it is America. Silicon Valley has been thought of the root of worldwide innovation for a while, but as companies such as Amazon and Shopify appear, more innovation hubs are being created.

Innovation hubs are important not because of the companies present, but the workers and genius that power these companies. The more innovation hubs there are, the more genius is unlocked and can be put towards advancing BTC, bitcoin exchanges and blockchain technology as a whole. One example of this is the North American Bitcoin Conference which is slated for January of 2018 in Miami. The conference is hosted by an ace team that has run 12 similar conferences in the last five years and will focus on Bitcoin, ICO’s, and the future of the technology.

Canada

REGULATION TAXES: capital gains and business tax EXCHANGES

With Toronto and Vancouver being the major Bitcoin hubs, Canada can be considered very friendly towards Bitcoin startups. Cryptocurrency and bitcoin exchanges are regulated under the AML laws within Canada and is expected to be reported as the business or investment income. There are numerous Bitcoin ATM’s in Canada, as well as conferences, and it has even shown a willingness to develop its own digital currency in the future.

Canada is the prime example of a country with a massive economy and numerous intelligent investors who would like to get involved in the industry, but cannot find the means to enter. The options for bitcoin exchanges are quite limited and, as a result, it takes significantly more effort to find a platform Canadians are permitted to trade on. Waterloo has become a major innovation hub in the country, and it is about time that a Coinbase equivalent emerged so the perceived barriers to entry for investment into Bitcoin can disappear.

The United States

REGULATION TAXES: marginal rate or capital gains rate EXCHANGES

The United States of America is among the most technologically developed and advanced countries, so it makes sense that cryptocurrencies would have caught on so quickly there. Silicon Valley is one factor, but also the immense wealth present in the country has made it possible for blockchain startups to pop up. As a major financial superpower, most countries are watching to see what the US does and how it works.

Additionally, the use of LocalBitcoins as bitcoin exchange has greatly increased since its inception. This can be attributed to the nature of the US economy where many of the richest people, and therefore most likely to have disposable income they are willing to invest in Bitcoin, are concentrated in several areas defined by large cities.

Bitcoin in Asia

Asia is seen to be the future of the world economy. As we see more and more Internet users come online, we are expecting a massive change in the finance world. Startups are looking for ways to monetize the previously unharnessed power of the Asian citizen. Unlike the west, where everyone has credit histories, there is a dearth of information on individuals in Asia. This creates a massive opportunity for whatever technology can empower these people. BTC (and bitcoin exchanges) is clearly one such technology as it enables users to directly manage their own cash without the aid of a bank.

China has always been known for its privacy issues, and that is another reason why an idea like Bitcoin can have a lot more power there. Recently, China has announced a ban on the trading of Bitcoin, but this is not expected to last. It is more likely that the Chinese government is going to search for ways to control bitcoin exchanges a little better and then integrate into the economy. Due to certain competitive advantages in the Bitcoin mining space, China is the leading miner of Bitcoin, with approximately 50% of the global mining network power.

Additionally, non-existent trading fees mean that China also accounts for 70% of the global trading volume of Bitcoin. As a whole, this creates a massive market that is ready to flourish if it can properly be integrated with the outside world without being stifled too much by the Chinese government. The same applies to a lot of the more authoritarian countries in Asia that would benefit from having a stronger financial system.

Japan

REGULATION TAXES EXCHANGES

Japan is known as a very Bitcoin-friendly country and has allowed a lot of different bitcoin exchanges to set up shop recently. This makes Japan unique compared to other Asian countries, which gives it a very pro-business advantage. Laws were recently passed which declare Bitcoin a form of payment, but not legal currency. This puts it in the zone of being regulated, but not being fully taxed in the same way as regular currency. The big worry for Japanese regulators is money-laundering, and they have remained vigilant to potential abuses of the cryptocurrency.

When an economy such as Japan shows a positive outlook on BTC and bitcoin exchanges, the result is a huge potential inflow of money. Many have credited part of the massive rise in Bitcoin’s value (~$125 billion) to the positive indication the Japanese government began to give it in 2017. There are clearly many other factors involved, but it is true that a positive regulatory stance can be a strong contributing factor in consumer sentiment.

South Korea

REGULATION TAXES EXCHANGES

South Korea has always been known as a very technologically advanced country. Bitcoin exchanges are currently not regulated, although there are no longer any bans on trading BTC in South Korea. Since there are no regulations, a lot of Bitcoin-related businesses have popped up. Everything from ATM’s to trading platforms is coming into existence, which is creating a huge opportunity for investors who believe in the cryptocurrency’s future. Additionally, a lot of conferences and communities relating to Bitcoin have emerged in South Korea.

Although cryptocurrencies and bitcoin exchanges have received a positive feedback from the South Korean government, ICO’s have not. The Financial Services Commission has put out a full ban on them until they can find a way to properly regulate this new form of venture capital.