8 Best Crypto Exchanges In The United Arab Emirates

Here’s something you may not realize: the cryptocurrency exchange you choose matters. Your choice will impact how profitable your trades are, how easily you can buy and sell coins, and whether you can use them in the UAE at all.

Fortunately, I've been investing in crypto for more than 9 years, and I frequently update my list of the top platforms below. So if you’re looking for a safe and secure crypto exchange that’s easy to use, supports the United Arab Emirates dirham, and is compatible with the biggest financial institutions in the UAE, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are my top picks for the best crypto exchanges the United Arab Emirates has to offer.

1. Capital – Best Overall

Zero Fees

Trading fees: 0% Supports: 100+ coins Customer support: Excellent Trusted by millions.

★★★★★ Rated 4.9/5

Capital allows users to trade crypto alongside stocks, commodities, forex, market indices, ETFs and more—all without any trading fees. It supports 100+ cryptocurrencies, and users can trade with 2x leverage on crypto (up to 500x leverage on other assets).

Capital charges a tight spread ranging from 0.1% – 0.3% (depending on the asset), making the overall cost of using the platform (0% trading commissions + 0.1% – 0.3% spreads) very low. It has a fully functional desktop platform, a well-rated mobile app (4.7/5 on Android and iOS), and an excellent demo account where you can practice trading with real assets in real time.

Capital is licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, which means it’s a safe, secure platform. Every user receives a dedicated account manager they can reach by email or phone anytime, which is part of the reason Capital’s customer support team receives such positive reviews.

Deposits and withdrawals are always free with Capital, and you’ll never pay trading commissions regardless of whether you place spot orders or limit orders. Capital is ISO 27001 certified for meeting robust information security standards, making it an extremely safe platform to trade with.

The biggest drawback of Capital is that it can take several days to have your account verified since their verifications team is overwhelmed with signups right now. If you sign up using my referral link, though, you can skip the waitlist and start trading immediately.

I’ve personally used Capital for more than 4 years, and based on my experiences and those of millions of other users, I can’t recommend it highly enough. 

Features

• Zero trading commissions
• Tight spreads (0.1% – 0.3%) 
• Supports 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Allows up to 500x leverage (2x leverage on crypto)
• Fully functional demo account for paper trading
• Free deposits and withdrawals via debit/credit cards, bank transfer, POLi, PayPal, Apple Pay, etc.
• Dedicated account manager you can reach at any time
• Excellent desktop trading platform
• Well-rated mobile app (4.7/5 on both Apple and Google)
• Licensed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
• ISO 27001-certified for meeting extremely high information security standards

Cost

• Trading fees: 0%
• Spreads: 0.1% – 0.3%
• Deposits & Withdrawals: Free

Signup Bonus

Skip the waitlist and have your account approved immediately by using my referral link below.

Best For

Investors looking for the best overall crypto trading experience with no trading commissions.

2. Kraken – Extremely Narrow Spreads

Best Overall

Fees: 0.16% Security: Best in class Customer Support: Excellent Top-notch security + lowest fees.

★★★★★ Rated 4.9/5

Based in the United States, Kraken is a highly transparent exchange with a longstanding history of reliability. As one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world, Kraken outperforms smaller exchanges for a number of reasons.

For starters, Kraken's fees are far lower than most other exchanges, with most users paying 0.16% per transaction (fees decrease down to 0% if you trade high volumes). Kraken's spreads are also absurdly low, typically around $0.10 per Bitcoin, which is 0.0003%. Compare that with other exchanges—which routinely charge up to 2% in trading commissions plus an additional 2% or more in spreads—and it's easy to see why Kraken is such a popular exchange.

Kraken also has better customer support than most other exchanges, and is one of the only exchanges out there that still offers telephone support (available in English, French and Spanish). It supports 100+ cryptocurrencies and has a world-class trading platform and mobile app that's powerful yet easy to use.

If that wasn't enough, Kraken's trading platform is professional and robust, offering features like NFT trading, staking and support for a wide range of fiat currencies including USD, EUR, and more.

Overall, Kraken is an excellent fit for many crypto investors because it has lower fees, better support and a better trading platform overall. If you're looking to start trading crypto, we strongly recommend Kraken.

Features

• Extremely low trading commissions (0.16%)
• Extremely low spreads (0.0003%)
• Trade 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Stake 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Simple, intuitive user interface
• Kraken Crypto Watch allows you to keep track of the crypto market
• NFT trading inside the Kraken app
• 24/7 customer support via phone, email and live chat
• Plenty of free educational resources available to users
• 95% cold storage policy

Cost

• Trading Fees: 0.16% (spot trades cost 0.26%)
• Spreads: 0.0003%
• Fiat Deposit Fee: 0%
• Fiat Withdrawal Fee: $0 – $5 USD

Best For

Cryptocurrency investors looking to trade with extremely low fees.

3. CoinSmart

Very Secure

Total Fees: ~3% Security: 95% cold storage Signup bonus: $50 Great bonus but high fees.

★★★★ Rated 4.4/5

CoinSmart supports 16 cryptocurrencies, verifies accounts instantly, prides itself on its helpful customer service reps, and has a beautiful, well-rated app.

As a Canadian exchange, CoinSmart is regulated by several Canadian financial authorities, which keeps your money safe and secure. CoinSmart is also a publicly-traded company on Toronto’s NEO stock exchange, which means they’re subject to third-party financial and security audits at least once per year.

I've personally used CoinSmart for over a year, and I’ve had nothing but excellent experiences with them. I've tried out many of the other cryptocurrency exchanges on this list, so I'm confident that CoinSmart is a solid, reputable platform for most crypto investors.

From now until November 31, 2024, CoinSmart is offering a $50 signup bonus to Yore Oyster readers who fund their accounts with $200 or more. If you’re looking for a highly-respected exchange that offers the lowest fees, excellent customer service, and a slick mobile app, open a CoinSmart account today.

Features

• Extremely low trading fees (just 0.20% per trade)
• 24/7 customer support available via phone, live chat or email
• Instant account verification
• Supports 16 cryptocurrencies
• Immediate deposits and withdrawals
• User-friendly for both beginners and advanced traders
• 95% cold storage policy keeps your crypto extra secure

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Trading Fees: 0.20%

Signup Bonus

$50 bonus when you sign up using the link below and the CoinSmart promo code YOREOYSTER

Best For

Investors looking to trade stablecoins or altcoins with some of the industry’s lowest fees.

4. Plus500

Plus500 is a leveraged trading platform headquartered in Israel. It's one of the largest investing platforms in terms of volume, with millions of active traders worldwide. Plus500 supports 20+ crypto assets, including a mix of the largest cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum and promising altcoins like Polygon, Solana, and Cardano.

Plus500 Markets aggregates crypto prices from tens of data sources to offer very competitive prices. They also offer up to 2x leverage on all crypto investments. Investors can also set up price alerts and two types of stop orders: Stop Loss and Trailing Stop, to mitigate the risk of losing assets.

Plus500 doesn't charge trading fees – in fact, the only fees they charge are Overnight Funding, which applies when holding a position after a certain time, and Currency Conversion fees, if you trade in a different currency denomination than that of your account.

Plus500 users can also access most financial instruments, including shares, stocks and ETFs, CFDs, and even FX. Their mobile app is available on Android (4.3/5 ration) and iOS (also 4.3/5 rating), and they have excellent reviews on Trustpilot, averaging a rating of 4.2/5.

Features

• Supports 20+ cryptocurrency pairs
• Access to global markets for shares, ETFs, stocks, CFDs, FX, and crypto
• Demo account
• Supports 2x leverage for crypto assets

Cost

• Trading Fees: Free 
• Overnight Funding: Depends on the asset (from 0.02% – 0.05% for BTC)
• Spread: Depends on the asset (0.3% for BTC)

5. Crypto.com

Best For Altcoins

Trading fees: 0.4% Security: 95% cold storage Signup bonus: $10 Trade with 10x leverage.

★★★★ Rated 4.3/5

Crypto.com is a major global player that brings a mature, proven exchange to experienced crypto investors. It supports 100+ cryptocurrencies, making it an ideal fit for anyone looking to invest in undiscovered altcoins before the masses.

Crypto.com offers some unique features that no other cryptocurrency exchange can match. Users can trade options and futures contracts, earn interest by staking their coins, and make trades with up to 10x leverage when they feel particularly confident in a coin.

Crypto.com also has invested an enormous amount of money into its platform's security, making trading with them extremely safe. The exchange is lightning quick (prices update dozens of times per second), which gives day traders an upper hand over the rest of the market.

Overall, Crypto.com is a solid exchange for investors looking to cash in on brand-new altcoins.

Features

• Average trading fees (0.4%)
• Supports 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Allows up to 10x leverage
• Trade crypto derivatives (futures and options contracts)
• Earn daily interest by staking your coins
• Purchase newly-listed coins at up to 50% off
• Free deposits from all cryptocurrencies

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Trading Fees: 0.4%

Best For

Investors looking to buy altcoins and other new crypto assets before they go mainstream.

6. Rain

Rain is a crypto exchange that was founded in 2017 by Abdullah Almoaiqel and Yehia Badawy and has headquarters in the Kingdom of Bahrain. It has a narrow focus on the middle east and operates only in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. 

Rain supports all 6 fiat currencies from the supported countries plus the US dollar. It is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain, and it has a certificate of Shariah compliance approved by the Shariah Review Bureau. It also complies with AML laws and regulations.

Rain supports 75 of the largest cryptocurrencies and dozens of trading pairs for Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, and XRP. If you’re in one of the supported countries, Rain is probably one of the best options in terms of fees – they don’t charge fees for swapping or trading. The only fees are the spreads, which, at 1% or less, are more than reasonable. Fiat deposits and withdrawals are also free, and only BTC/ETH traders will pay crypto withdrawal fees.

The Rain mobile app is available on Android (rated 2.6/5) and iOS (rated 4.7/5), and they have a lot of informational content accessible from their website, including news and basic guides. For more experienced investors, there are candle charts showing historical prices of crypto and other basic charting tools.

Features

• Supports 75+ cryptocurrencies
• Supports 7 fiat currencies
• Cold storage policy
• Available on Android (2.6/5 rating) and iOS (4.7/5 rating)

Cost

• Trading Fees: Free
• Swaps: Free
• Spreads: 1%
• Deposit Fees (Crypto): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Crypto): Only when withdrawing BTC or ETH (network fee)
• Deposit Fees (Fiat): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Fiat): Free

7. Kraken

Founded in 2011, Kraken supports 87+ cryptocurrency assets and various order types (including stop loss and stop-limit orders). As a US-based exchange, Kraken has to meet extremely demanding security protocols, making it a highly secure exchange.

Intermediate and Pro users can trade futures contracts and use up to 5x leverage on 30+ cryptocurrencies. It keeps 95% of its crypto holdings offline in cold storage and has a Global Settings Lock (GSL) and Master Key system that blocks unauthorized changes to your account, even if your password and 2FA are compromised.

Kraken's fees range from 0.16% for makers to 0.26% for takers and decrease if you've traded more than $50,000 in the previous 30 days. It provides price data for digital assets to the Bloomberg Terminal and is accessible in more than 175 countries, making it one of the most international crypto exchanges worldwide.

Kraken offers a staking platform on 17 assets (including the US dollar). However, at a maximum APY of 23%, it pays lower interest than some other staking providers (e.g., just 0.25% APY on Bitcoin).

Features

• Supports 87+ cryptocurrencies
• 95% cold storage policy
• Well-rated mobile app (4.7/5 on iOS, 4.2/5 on Android)
• 24/7 live chat and email support
• Cryptowatch and custom alerts make tracking the entire market easy
• 24/7 customer support via phone, live chat, and email
• Deposit methods include bank transfers (PayID), wire transfers, OSKO, Apple Pay, Google Pay, SWIFT, SEPA, and cryptocurrency

Cost

• Maker fees: 0.16%
• Taker fees: 0.26%
• Crypto credit card purchases: 3.75% + €0.25
• ACH crypto purchases: 1.5%

Best For

Cryptocurrency investors looking for crypto exchanges with a wide array of supported altcoins and stablecoins.

8. SpectroCoin

SpectroCoin was launched in 2013 and is one of the oldest crypto exchanges. It supports 49 of the biggest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin (BTC), Polygon (MATIC), and Polkadot (POL). It also supports 14 of the biggest payment methods, including SEPA, Skrill, and Neteller.

SpectroCoin doesn’t charge any fees for makers – in fact, makers get paid up to 0.1% for listing their crypto in the market. Taker’s, on the other hand, pay a flat 0.1% fee for every trade. Depositing crypto is completely free, and withdrawing incurs only network fees (0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin). 

SpectroCoin supports collateralized loans with competitive APR (8.55% for BTC) and up to 75% LTV. That means you can consider other investments without ever losing your long position on crypto assets. They also released a crypto debit card, which can be topped up with fiat or crypto and is accepted anywhere Visa is.

One of SpectroCoin’s downsides is its strong ties with the BNK token – holding the tokens is a must if you want to access lower trading fees and lower APR on loans. Their fiat deposit/withdrawal fees can also be very high, going up to 5.5% depending on the payment method. 

Features

• Supports 49 cryptocurrencies
• SpectroCoin Visa Debit Card
• Crypto loans using your crypto as collateral (8.55% APR for BTC)
• Get paid for increasing liquidity in the market
• Up to 75% LTV on crypto loans
• Available in Android (3.7/5 rating) and iOS (2.9/5 rating) 

Cost

• Maker’s Fees: From 0% to -0.1% (based on BNK holdings)
• Taker’s Fees: 0.1%
• Deposit Fees (Crypto): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Crypto): Depends on the cryptocurrency (0.0005 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Deposit Fees (Fiat): Up to 5.5% (depending on the method)
• Withdrawal Fee (Fiat): Up to 5.5% (depending on the method)

Best For

Investors who can take advantage of collateralized loans.

What To Look For In A Great Emirian Crypto Exchange

I consider many different factors in my search for the best Emirian crypto exchange. Here are just a few of the more prominent ones:

• Supported coins: The best Emirian crypto exchanges support a wide variety of coins—at least 20 or 30—including all the major coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. Platforms that add new coins regularly tend to be more customer-focused overall, making this a strong indicator of a forward-thinking exchange.
• User interface: Choosing a platform with an easy-to-use trading interface is important, especially for beginners. If you're a seasoned crypto investor, you'll also want to look out for exchanges that offer more advanced features like advanced order types and transaction exports for tax purposes.
• Fees: All crypto exchanges charge fees (both in the form of trading commissions and bid-ask spreads), which can vary by a wide margin. I've specifically chosen low-fee platforms here to help you maximize your profits.
• Regulation: It's much safer to trade with a well-regulated exchange than an unregulated one, especially when markets aren't moving in your favour. Depositors' insurance is another safeguard some exchanges offer, which keeps your assets safe even if the platform faces liquidity issues.
• Deposit & withdrawal options: The exchange you choose should offer a variety of payment methods (bank transfers, debit/credit cards, PayPal, etc.) to ensure you can easily transfer funds in and out of your account. The more options you have, the better.
• Security: Look for an exchange that strictly enforces multiple layers of security, such as two-factor authentication and at least 95% cold storage. Additional security measures like daily offsite backups, third-party security audits, and email confirmations on transactions make your account even more secure.
• Customer support: The best crypto exchanges pride themselves on having well-trained, responsive support teams who can help users through any problems that come up. I pay particular attention to the channels each exchange offers support through, response times, the thoroughness and helpfulness of their responses, and user feedback on the customer support they've received.

In Summary

Choosing the best cryptocurrency exchange in the United Arab Emirates isn’t easy, given all the options out there and the different features each of them offers. As an avid crypto investor myself, I diligently keep up with the movements of the top exchanges in the UAE, and have made my selections below based on years of research and personal experience.

Capital is the favourite among knowledgeable Emirati crypto investors, both for its high level of security and for its ease of use. Capital's fees are also extremely low, so if you’re looking for a secure, cost-effective way to buy and sell crypto in the UAE, I can’t recommend Capital highly enough.

Best Crypto Exchange United Arab Emirates FAQs

Which Emirian crypto exchange has the lowest fees?

The Emirian crypto exchange with the lowest fees is Capital or Kraken, depending on the specific crypto assets you're trading. In most cases, Capital will be the cheapest option.

What’s the best crypto wallet in the UAE?

The best crypto wallet is the Ledger Nano S hardware wallet. It is the best way to keep your private keys secure and, more importantly, offline. All Ledger wallets are certified by the French National Agency of Security and are among the safest and most cost-efficient wallets out there, and they support 1,200+ crypto assets, coins, and tokens.

What’s the best altcoin exchange in the UAE?

The best altcoin exchange in the United Arab Emirates is one of Capital, Kraken, or CoinSmart. All of them support a wide variety of cryptocurrencies and regularly add more of the altcoins Emirian investors are looking for.

What is the safest crypto wallet in the UAE?

The Ledger Nano S is the safest wallet available today. All Ledger wallets far exceed industry standards for security: they use tamper-resistant Certified Secure Element (SE) with Common Criteria (CC) EAL5+ chips on their nanodevices, which means your private key stays on the secure chip. It also has a proprietary operating system called Blockchain Open Ledger Operating System (BOLOS) that's successfully undergone audits from the French National Agency of Security, many other government agencies, as well as regular audits from independent security organizations. 

What’s the safest crypto exchange in the UAE?

The safest cryptocurrency exchange in the UAE is Capital. They strictly enforce bank-level security protocols, run on servers in secure locations around the world, and undergo frequent financial and security audits to ensure all of their users’ assets are completely safe. They also have some of the lowest fees of any platform in the UAE and are known for being a reputable, trustworthy exchange.

How can I sell Bitcoin in the UAE?

There are several different ways to sell Bitcoin in the United Arab Emirates, though the easiest is to sell it directly from the crypto wallet or exchange that you’re holding it on. Remember to be cautious whenever you transfer coins between wallets, since blockchain transactions are irreversible.

What crypto exchange is best for beginners in the UAE?

The best crypto exchange for beginners in the UAE is Capital, followed by Kraken. Both are ideal for beginners because they verify accounts instantly, have easy-to-use trading platforms, and provide great customer support in case you need any help along the way.

Is cryptocurrency legal in the UAE?

Yes, cryptocurrency is legal in the UAE, and you can buy, sell and use crypto without breaking the law. However, cryptocurrency is not currently considered legal tender in the United Arab Emirates, which means the Emirian government and Emirian businesses are not legally obligated to accept it as payment for goods and services.

What’s the best crypto app in the UAE?

The best crypto app in the UAE is Capital. Its mobile app is very easy to use, has a nice, modern interface, and has very good ratings and reviews on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If you live in a country like United Kingdom or Ukraine instead, you’ll have to double-check to ensure you can get the Capital app in your local app store.

What is the best crypto exchange for day trading in the UAE?

The best crypto exchange for day trading in the UAE is Capital, since it has low trading fees, tight spreads, and its prices update multiple times per second, giving day traders an upper hand over the rest of the market.

Can the Emirian government track cryptocurrency?

Yes. Just like in places such as Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia and Uganda, Emirian tax authorities can track cryptocurrency trades and transactions—and not only when your digital assets interact with real-world institutions like banks. Some exchanges in the UAE are required by law to provide the government with information about their users’ transactions, including purchase price, purchase date, sale value, and all associated KYC data. If your tax returns don’t match the data the government receives from these exchanges, you may receive a fine.