8 Best Crypto Exchanges In Uganda

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 it in Uganda 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 Ugandan shilling, and is compatible with the biggest financial institutions in Uganda, you’ve come to the right place.

Here are my top picks for the best crypto exchanges Uganda 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. Yellowcard.io

Yellow Card is a Nigerian-based cryptocurrency exchange that offers access to crypto to users across Africa. Yellow Card was launched in Nigeria in 2019, and operates in 16 African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Tanzania. In 2021 it secured $15 million in funding, and it’s looking to expand its reach in Africa.

Yellowcard supports three of the largest cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Tether (USDT). You can purchase crypto using any of the 16 supported fiat currencies. Some of those currencies are the Central African CFA Franc, the Kenyan Shilling, and the Nigerian Naira.

One of Yellowcard’s best features is its accessibility and compatibility with financial institutions across Africa. It is available on Android (3.4/5 rating) and iOS (2.7/5 rating), and it offers a unique funding method: Yellow Card pins. Traders can purchase Yellow Card pins with cash from various Yellow Card Merchants across Africa – these pins can then be entered directly into your Yellow Card account and you’ll be credited the corresponding amount of fiat, instantly. 

One downside is its somewhat unclear fees – most fees are very variable and will depend on the country you live in. Crypto and fiat deposits are completely free, but fiat withdrawal fees range from 1.5% – 1.95%. Crypto withdrawals incur network fees, depending on the asset (0.002 BTC for Bitcoin). Keep in mind that in some countries they charge flat fees instead of percentual, which may be preferable in some cases.

Features

• Supports 3 cryptocurrencies
• Supports 13+ fiat currencies
• Yellow Card Academy
• Fund your account quickly using Yellow Card Pins
• Available on Android (3.4/5 rating) and iOS (2.7/5 rating)

Cost

• Deposit Fees (Crypto): Free
• Withdrawal Fee (Crypto): Depends on the crypto (0.002 BTC for Bitcoin)
• Deposit Fees (Fiat): 0.5% 
• Withdrawal Fee (Fiat): From 1.5% to 1.95% (depending on the country)

5. Huobi Global

Huobi Global is the sixth largest crypto exchange, based in the island nation Seychelles but with strong ties in the Asian market, with offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Japan. It also has a strong presence in Europe in countries like Italy and Portugal.

Huobi offers competitively low fees starting at 0.2%. Additionally, it offers plenty of tools veteran investors will appreciate: interactive charts, limit and stop orders, and margins and futures trading. Huobi supports over 400 cryptocurrencies.

New Huobi users will receive a $150 bonus in point cards and will get the chance to start earning Huobi Tokens (HT) for additional discounts—the more Huobi Tokens you hold, the higher the tier and the lower the fees. In terms of security, it offers 2FA authentication and the option to freeze your account.

Features

• 24/7 customer support available via live chat or email
• Instant account verification
• Supports over 400 cryptocurrencies
• 98% cold storage policy keeps your crypto extra secure
• Earn crypto rewards through staking
• Huobi Tokens, earn discounts and rebates just by holding the token

Cost

• Trading Fees: From 0.20% to 0.07% based on HT tier
• Maker’s Fees: From 0.0362% to 0.0097% based on HT tier
• Taker’s Fees: From 0.0462% to 0.0193% based on HT tier

Signup Bonus

$150 in Huobi Point Cards bonus

Best For

Veteran investors looking for the very best investing tools and access to some of the newest cryptocurrencies.

6. Pursa

Pursa is different than most crypto exchanges on this list. It is a Cameroon-based peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency exchange that was founded in 2017 by Mbuh Jude, with the goal to release a fully decentralized trading platform. When you use Pursa you don’t make any deposit to the platform – you actually trade directly with the buyer. 

Using this platform has many benefits compared to regular exchanges; for starters, Pursa doesn’t charge deposit or withdrawal fees—you only pay spreads, which range from 1% – 3%, and there's no registration process. Transactions are completed instantly and anonymously and deposited directly to your wallet.

Pursa is supported in over 200 countries and has an attractive referral program: you can earn up to 20% of all sales your referee makes – with no limits. You can invite as many friends as you want. One major downside is that you can only trade Bitcoin using this platform.

Features

• Supports (only) Bitcoin
• No deposit or withdrawal fees
• No registration needed
• Instant Bitcoin deposits directly to your wallet
• Completely anonymous
• Attractive referral program (earn 20% of your referees’ sales)

Cost

• Spreads: 1% – 3%

7. Coinbase

Coinbase is an American cryptocurrency exchange that was originally founded in 2012. It’s based in San Francisco and it’s one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. It’s also the second-largest crypto exchange in the world, the first being Binance.

Coinbase was designed to be one of the easiest places to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency, and it serves retail investors, businesses, and institutions alike. The sign-up process is quick, and after you create your account, you will gain access to your personal online wallet.

Originally, Coinbase only supported Bitcoin, but it now supports over 100 of the biggest cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Ethereum, and Litecoin. As a new user, you will receive a $10 bonus, and trading fees range from $0.99 to $2.99 for trades below $200 and from 1.49% to 3.99% for trades over $200.

Features

• Supports 100+ cryptocurrencies
• Coinbase Pro, access to research tools and graphs
• Coinbase Earn, earn crypto for free by watching tutorials
• Manage your crypto from your phone with the Coinbase Wallet app
• Secure platform, Biometric auth, 2FA and access to Secure Enclave
• User-friendly for both beginners and advanced traders
• Earn rewards by staking certain coins

Cost

• Account Opening: Free
• Purchase Fees (Below $200): Flat fee, from $0.99 to $2.99 per transaction.
• Purchase Fees (Over $200): 1.49% (US banks), 3.99% (Debit Card and PayPal)
• Credit Transaction: 2% 
• Bank Account:1.49%
• Wire Transfers: From $10 to $25
• ACH Transfer: Free

Signup Bonus

$10 signup bonus

Best For

New investors looking for an easy-to-use platform or for veteran investors looking for advanced research tools.

8. Binance

Binance is an international cryptocurrency exchange that currently serves as the world’s largest crypto trading platform by volume of daily trading. It began operations in 2017 and is now headquartered in the Cayman Islands.

Binance was founded in Hong Kong but later moved its headquarters overseas due to increased government intervention in cryptocurrencies. It has several notable characteristics, including powerful charting tools, access to DeFi yield farming through Binance Earn, and the Binance Visa Card.

Features

• Wide array of supported cryptocurrencies (300+)
• Wide array of supported fiat currencies (50+)
• Binance Earn allows users to stake coins and earn interest on their crypto holdings
• Earn up to 8% back in BNB on every transaction made with a Binance Visa Card
• Get access to lower fees by transacting in Binance's native currency Binance Coin (BNB)

Cost

• Crypto deposit fees: Free
• Fiat deposit fees: From 0% to 3.5%
• Crypto withdrawal fees: From 0% to 2,5%
• Taker fees: From 0.04 to 0.1%
• Maker fees: From 0.02 to 0.1%
• Futures trading maker fees: 0.02%
• Futures trading taker fees: 0.04%
• Instant buy/sell trade fees: 0.5%
• Debit/credit card purchases: 4.5%

Best For

Investors looking for a secure, internationally-recognized exchange.

What To Look For In A Great Ugandan Crypto Exchange

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

• Supported coins: The best Ugandan 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), and they 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 favor. Depositors' insurance is another safeguard offered by some exchanges, which keeps your assets safe even if the platform itself 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 Uganda 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 Uganda, and have made my selections below based on years of research and personal experience.

Capital is the favorite among knowledgeable Ugandan 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 Uganda, I can’t recommend Capital highly enough.

Best Crypto Exchange Uganda FAQs

Which Ugandan crypto exchange has the lowest fees?

The Ugandan 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 Uganda?

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 Uganda?

The best altcoin exchange in Uganda is one of Capital, Kraken, or Yellowcard.io. All of them support a wide variety of cryptocurrencies and regularly add more of the altcoins Ugandan investors are looking for.

What is the safest crypto wallet in Uganda?

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 Uganda?

The safest cryptocurrency exchange in Uganda 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 Uganda and are known for being a reputable, trustworthy exchange.

How can I sell Bitcoin in Uganda?

There are several different ways to sell Bitcoin in Uganda, 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 Uganda?

The best crypto exchange for beginners in Uganda 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 Uganda?

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

What’s the best crypto app in Uganda?

The best crypto app in Uganda 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 Ukraine or Turkmenistan 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 Uganda?

The best crypto exchange for day trading in Uganda 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 Ugandan government track cryptocurrency?

Yes. Just like in places such as China, India, Tunisia and Taiwan, Ugandan 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 Uganda 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.