Best XRP Exchanges: Fees, Security, and Features Compared

Last Updated: February 20, 2026

The best exchanges for buying XRP in 2026 are Coinbase for beginners, Binance for lowest fees, and Kraken for security-focused buyers. Each platform supports XRP/USD trading with different fee structures, deposit methods, and withdrawal options.

Choosing the right exchange is the most impactful decision an XRP buyer makes. The platform you select determines your trading fees, available payment methods, security protections, and whether you can withdraw XRP to a personal wallet. A buyer who uses Binance instead of Coinbase saves approximately $60 per year on a $1,000 monthly purchase plan—a meaningful difference that compounds over time. Security matters equally: exchanges that store the majority of funds in cold storage and publish Proof of Reserves audits provide measurably stronger protection than platforms that rely on opaque custody practices. For the complete step-by-step process of actually buying XRP once you have selected an exchange, see our complete step-by-step guide to buying XRP.

Since the SEC concluded its lawsuit against Ripple Labs in August 2025—confirming that XRP sold on exchanges is not a security (SEC Litigation Release No. 26306, May 8, 2025; appeals dismissed August 7, 2025)—every major US cryptocurrency exchange has restored full XRP trading access. This regulatory clarity expanded the number of available platforms, giving buyers more options to compare than at any point since 2020. With more exchanges competing for XRP trading volume, fees have become more competitive and features more differentiated.

This guide compares the major XRP exchanges across five dimensions: trading fees, deposit costs, security features, supported payment methods, and withdrawal capabilities. All fee data is sourced from each exchange’s official fee schedule as of February 2026 (Coinbase Advanced Fee Schedule, 2026; Kraken Fee Schedule, 2026; Binance Fee Structure, 2026; Robinhood Fee Disclosure, 2026; Gemini ActiveTrader Fee Schedule, 2026).

Since which exchange suits you depends on what you prioritize—fees, security, ease of use, or withdrawal flexibility—the sections below examine each dimension in detail.

What Is the Best Exchange to Buy XRP?

Coinbase is the best overall exchange for buying XRP in the United States due to its regulatory compliance, intuitive interface, multiple payment methods, and broad state-by-state availability. Binance offers the lowest fees globally, and Kraken provides the strongest security features.

The best exchange depends on your priorities. No single platform leads across every category, so the right choice varies based on whether you value low costs, strong security, or a simple buying experience. Below is a breakdown of the top five exchanges for XRP trading in 2026, ranked by overall suitability for US-based retail buyers.

Coinbase ranks first for overall experience because it combines regulatory compliance, ease of use, and broad payment method support. Coinbase is publicly traded on Nasdaq (ticker: COIN) and subject to SEC financial reporting requirements, providing a level of transparency unmatched by private exchanges. The platform supports over 100 million verified users globally (Coinbase 10-K Annual Report, 2025) and operates in all 50 US states through Money Transmitter licenses. XRP/USD is one of its most traded pairs, with deep liquidity and tight spreads on both its Simple and Advanced trading interfaces.

Coinbase accepts ACH bank transfers (free, 1–5 business days), debit cards (instant, spread-based fee), PayPal (instant, moderate fees), and Apple Pay (instant). Its mobile app allows one-tap XRP purchases from a linked bank account, and its Advanced Trade platform provides lower fees for buyers placing limit orders. Coinbase stores approximately 98% of customer cryptocurrency in cold storage and carries FDIC insurance on USD balances up to $250,000 through partner banks. For a detailed walkthrough, see our complete Coinbase XRP buying guide.

Binance ranks first for fees, charging just 0.10% maker and 0.10% taker at the base tier—six times cheaper than Coinbase. Binance also offers a 25% fee discount when paying with its native BNB token, reducing effective fees to 0.075% (Binance Fee Structure, 2026). The platform supports XRP/USDT, XRP/BTC, XRP/EUR, and XRP/FDUSD trading pairs with deep liquidity and consistently tight spreads. Binance’s peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace enables XRP purchases using over 100 fiat currencies and 800+ local payment methods—particularly useful for buyers in regions with limited banking access or where direct exchange deposits are restricted. Deposit methods include bank transfer, Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards (1.8% fee), Apple Pay, Google Pay, and third-party payment processors. US residents access Binance through Binance.US, which maintains the same low fee structure but with a more limited feature set and fewer trading pairs than the global platform. Binance maintains the Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU)—a $1 billion emergency insurance reserve. For step-by-step instructions, see our step-by-step Binance XRP tutorial.

Kraken ranks first for security, storing 95% of all customer assets in air-gapped cold storage and publishing regular Proof of Reserves audits conducted by third-party accounting firms (Kraken Proof of Reserves Attestation, 2025). Founded in 2011, Kraken has never been hacked—one of the few major exchanges with a clean security record spanning over 14 years. Kraken also charges the lowest XRP withdrawal fee at just 0.02 XRP (~$0.03 at current prices), making it the best choice for buyers who transfer XRP to a personal wallet after purchase. Kraken supports ACH transfers (free), wire transfers ($5 domestic), and card purchases through Visa and Mastercard (3.75% fee). Its Pro trading interface provides advanced order types including limit, stop-loss, and take-profit orders. Kraken recently introduced Kraken+, a $4.99/month subscription that waives trading fees on up to $10,000 in monthly Instant Buy volume—a compelling option for regular buyers who prefer the simpler purchasing interface over the Pro order book. Learn how to buy XRP on Kraken with our dedicated guide.

Robinhood provides the simplest buying experience with its stock-trading-style interface, zero explicit commissions, and free ACH deposits. The platform is FINRA-registered and SIPC-insured (protecting cash and securities, though SIPC insurance does not cover cryptocurrency). Robinhood displays XRP alongside stocks and ETFs in a unified portfolio view, making it familiar for users coming from a stock trading background. However, Robinhood applies a spread of 0.50–1.50% on every XRP trade, which functions as a hidden fee embedded in the execution price. On a $1,000 purchase, this spread typically costs $5–$15 in practice—often more expensive than Coinbase’s explicit fees. Robinhood also does not support XRP withdrawals to external wallets, meaning buyers cannot transfer their XRP to a hardware wallet, software wallet, or another exchange for self-custody. For buyers who want to hold XRP long-term in their own wallet, Robinhood is not suitable.

Gemini is a New York-regulated exchange that holds a BitLicense from the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and maintains SOC 2 Type 2 compliance—an independent audit of security controls conducted annually by a third-party firm. Gemini offers free XRP withdrawals (10 free per month), making it the most cost-effective choice for buyers who transfer XRP to personal wallets frequently. Its ActiveTrader platform charges 0.20% maker and 0.40% taker fees—competitive with Kraken and significantly below Coinbase. Gemini also offers a credit card with crypto rewards and an insured custody solution through Nakamoto Ltd., a captive insurance company established specifically to cover digital assets held on the platform.

Knowing which exchange leads in each category is useful, but most buyers ultimately choose based on fees—which is the single largest variable cost in every XRP purchase.

Which Exchange Has the Lowest XRP Fees?

Binance charges the lowest XRP trading fees at 0.10% for both maker and taker orders. Kraken follows at 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker. Coinbase charges the highest base-tier fees at 0.60% maker and 1.20% taker, approximately six times more expensive than Binance.

Exchange fees have three components: deposit fees, trading fees, and withdrawal fees. Understanding all three layers is essential because a platform with low trading fees but expensive deposits may cost more overall than one with moderate trading fees and free deposits.

Trading fees are the percentage charged on each buy or sell order. Most exchanges use a maker-taker model where limit orders (maker) cost less than market orders (taker) because limit orders add liquidity to the exchange’s order book. The table below compares base-tier trading fees—the fees most retail buyers pay—across all five exchanges. Fee data is current as of February 2026 (Coinbase Advanced Fee Schedule, 2026; Kraken Fee Schedule, 2026; Binance Fee Structure, 2026; Gemini ActiveTrader Fee Schedule, 2026).

Deposit fees depend entirely on the payment method, not the exchange. Bank transfers via ACH (US), SEPA (EU), Faster Payments (UK), or Interac e-Transfer (Canada) are free on Coinbase, Kraken, and Binance. Wire transfers carry flat fees—$10 incoming on Coinbase, $5 on Kraken. Debit and credit card deposits through Visa, Mastercard, or American Express cost 1.8% on Binance, 3.49% on Gemini, and 3.75% on Kraken. Coinbase uses a spread-based model for card purchases rather than a fixed percentage, typically resulting in costs between 2% and 3% depending on market conditions and the specific card used. For buyers who want instant funding without high card fees, exchanges that accept credit card for XRP vary significantly in what they charge. PayPal funding is available on Coinbase with instant settlement and fees that are generally lower than card deposits. Apple Pay and Google Pay provide additional instant funding options on Binance and Coinbase at fees comparable to debit card rates.

Withdrawal fees are flat fees denominated in XRP, charged when transferring tokens from the exchange to a personal wallet. Kraken charges the lowest at 0.02 XRP (~$0.03). Coinbase and Binance each charge approximately 0.25 XRP (~$0.34). Gemini offers 10 free withdrawals per month. Robinhood does not support XRP withdrawals.

Higher trading volumes unlock lower fee tiers on every platform. On Binance, VIP 1 status (over $1 million in 30-day volume) reduces fees to 0.09% maker and 0.10% taker. On Kraken, the same milestone drops fees to 0.16% maker and 0.26% taker. On Coinbase, trading over $10,000 monthly reduces fees to 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker. Coinbase also offers Coinbase One ($29.99/month), which eliminates trading fees in exchange for a subscription—a worthwhile option for buyers making multiple purchases per month totaling over $3,000. For most retail buyers making occasional purchases, the base-tier fees listed above are what apply.

Fees are the most quantifiable comparison point, but the exchange selection decision involves more than just cost. The next consideration is evaluating all five decision criteria together.

How Do You Choose an XRP Exchange?

Choose an XRP exchange based on five criteria: trading fees, supported payment methods, security features and insurance, availability in your country, and whether the platform allows XRP withdrawals to external wallets for self-custody.

Each criterion matters differently depending on your situation. A buyer making a single $100 XRP purchase has different priorities than someone investing $1,000 monthly through dollar-cost averaging.

Trading fees matter most for frequent buyers and large purchases. The difference between Binance’s 0.10% and Coinbase’s 1.20% taker fee on a single $1,000 market order is $11.00. Over 12 monthly purchases totaling $12,000, that difference adds up to $132 per year. For a one-time $100 purchase, the fee difference is $1.10—negligible for most buyers. Evaluate fees based on your expected purchase frequency and volume.

Importantly, the fee you pay depends on your order type. Market orders (executing immediately at the current price) incur taker fees—the higher rate. Limit orders (setting a specific price and waiting for it to be reached) incur maker fees—the lower rate. Learning to use limit orders on any exchange is the single most effective way to reduce your trading costs. On Coinbase, the difference between a market order (1.20% taker) and a limit order (0.60% maker) on a $1,000 purchase is $6.00—the equivalent of switching from Coinbase to Kraken.

Supported payment methods determine how quickly you can fund your account and at what cost. ACH bank transfers are free but take 1–5 business days. Debit cards are instant but cost 1.8–3.75%. PayPal is available on Coinbase and provides instant funding with moderate fees. For buyers who prefer PayPal, see our guide to buying XRP with PayPal. Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted on Binance and Coinbase for instant mobile funding. The ideal exchange supports your preferred payment method at the lowest available fee.

Security features protect your funds while they are held on the exchange. Key security indicators include: the percentage of customer assets held in cold storage (offline wallets), whether the exchange publishes Proof of Reserves audits, insurance coverage for USD deposits or crypto holdings, mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA), and whether the exchange has ever experienced a security breach. No exchange is completely risk-free, but platforms with published audits and clean security histories provide measurably stronger protections.

Geographic availability varies by exchange and, within the US, by state. Coinbase and Kraken operate in all 50 US states. Binance.US is available in most states but restricted in New York, Hawaii, Texas, and Vermont due to state-level licensing requirements. Robinhood supports XRP trading in all states where it holds Money Transmitter licenses. Gemini, as a New York Trust Company, operates under the strictest state-level regulatory framework (NYDFS BitLicense) and is available in all 50 states plus Washington D.C.

International buyers should verify that the exchange operates in their country and supports their local fiat currency. Coinbase supports deposits in USD, EUR, GBP, and AUD through ACH, SEPA, Faster Payments, and PayID respectively. Kraken supports seven fiat currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, CHF, JPY) with corresponding local bank transfer methods—SEPA for eurozone countries, Faster Payments for the UK, Interac e-Transfer for Canada, and SWIFT for international wire transfers. Binance’s global platform supports the broadest range of fiat currencies through its P2P marketplace, accepting payments in over 100 currencies through more than 800 local payment methods. XRP trading pairs are available against USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, and JPY on most major platforms, with XRP/USDT being the highest-volume pair globally.

Withdrawal support determines whether you can transfer XRP to a personal hardware wallet (Ledger, Trezor) or software wallet (Xaman, Trust Wallet) for self-custody. Coinbase, Kraken, Binance, and Gemini all support XRP withdrawals to external wallets. Robinhood does not. For buyers planning to hold XRP long-term, the ability to withdraw to a personal wallet is essential—the cryptocurrency principle of “not your keys, not your coins” reflects the risk of leaving assets on an exchange where a security breach or company insolvency could result in lost funds. See our XRP wallet guide for wallet options, setup instructions, and guidance on transferring XRP to a personal wallet.

Summary recommendation by buyer type: First-time buyers with under $500 should start with Coinbase for its simplicity. Regular buyers investing $500+ monthly should use Binance for the lowest fees. Security-focused holders planning long-term self-custody should use Kraken or Gemini for their security features and low withdrawal fees. Buyers who already have a Robinhood brokerage account and want casual XRP exposure without managing wallets can use Robinhood’s simple interface, understanding the spread cost and withdrawal limitations.

With the decision criteria established, the next question most buyers ask is which platform offers the strongest protection for their funds.

Which XRP Exchanges Are Safest?

Kraken is the safest XRP exchange, storing 95% of customer assets in air-gapped cold storage with published Proof of Reserves audits. Coinbase offers FDIC insurance on USD balances and SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. Both exchanges require two-factor authentication and have never lost customer funds.

Exchange security involves multiple layers: how funds are stored, what insurance protections exist, how accounts are authenticated, and whether the platform has been compromised in the past. The table below compares security features across the five major XRP exchanges. Security data is sourced from each exchange’s official security documentation and public audit reports (Kraken Proof of Reserves Attestation, 2025; Coinbase 10-K Annual Report, 2025; Binance SAFU Fund Documentation, 2025; Gemini SOC 2 Type 2 Report, 2025).

Kraken stores 95% of customer assets in air-gapped cold storage—hardware wallets physically disconnected from the internet and stored in geographically distributed secure facilities. Kraken is the only major exchange that publishes regular Proof of Reserves (PoR) audits, allowing users to cryptographically verify that the exchange holds sufficient assets to cover 100% of customer deposits. Kraken has never experienced a security breach in its 14-year operating history.

Coinbase stores approximately 98% of customer cryptocurrency in cold storage and carries a commercial crime insurance policy through Lloyds of London that covers digital assets held in its hot wallet. USD deposits held on Coinbase are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per individual through partner banks (Coinbase 10-K Annual Report, 2025). As a publicly traded company, Coinbase undergoes annual SOC 2 Type 2 audits and files quarterly financial reports with the SEC, providing transparency about its financial health and custodial practices.

Binance maintains the Secure Asset Fund for Users (SAFU)—a $1 billion emergency insurance reserve created in 2018 specifically to protect users in the event of a security breach. Binance allocates 10% of trading fee revenue to the SAFU fund. While Binance’s global platform experienced a $40 million hack in May 2019 affecting its hot wallet, the SAFU fund fully reimbursed all affected users with no customer losses (Binance Incident Report, 2019). Binance has since implemented additional security layers including hardware security modules (HSMs) and multi-party computation (MPC) for key management.

Account-level security is equally important. All five exchanges require two-factor authentication (2FA). Enable an authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Authy) rather than SMS-based 2FA, as SIM-swap attacks can compromise SMS codes—a technique where attackers convince your phone carrier to transfer your number to their device, intercepting any SMS verification codes. Use a unique, strong password with at least 12 characters including uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters for your exchange account. Enable withdrawal address whitelisting where available—this restricts withdrawals to pre-approved wallet addresses only, adding a 24–48 hour cooling period before any newly added address can receive funds. Even if an attacker gains access to your account, they cannot withdraw your XRP to an unauthorized address during the whitelisting delay.

Additional security practices include: verifying the exchange URL in your browser before entering credentials (phishing sites mimic exchange login pages), enabling login notifications to receive email or push alerts for every account access, and avoiding public Wi-Fi when accessing your exchange account. Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini all support hardware security keys (YubiKey, Titan) as a 2FA option, which provides the strongest available account protection against phishing attacks.

Understanding exchange security helps protect your funds, but many buyers also want to know the total all-in cost of buying XRP on each platform—including deposit fees, trading fees, and withdrawal fees combined.

Where Is the Cheapest Place to Buy XRP?

Binance is the cheapest platform to buy XRP when factoring all costs together. A $1,000 XRP purchase using a bank transfer and limit order costs $1.00 total on Binance, compared to $2.50 on Kraken, $2.00 on Gemini, and $6.00 on Coinbase before deposit fees.

Total cost depends on three variables: how you deposit funds, what order type you use, and whether you withdraw XRP to a wallet. The tables below calculate the complete all-in cost for two common scenarios: a $100 test purchase and a $1,000 standard purchase. All calculations use base-tier fees with bank transfer deposits (free on all platforms) and limit orders (maker fees). Fee data sourced from official exchange fee schedules as of February 2026 (Coinbase Advanced Fee Schedule, 2026; Kraken Fee Schedule, 2026; Binance Fee Structure, 2026; Gemini ActiveTrader Fee Schedule, 2026).

Scenario 1: $100 XRP purchase (bank transfer + limit order)

Scenario 2: $1,000 XRP purchase (bank transfer + limit order)

For buyers who use debit cards instead of bank transfers, the cost picture changes significantly. A $1,000 debit card deposit adds $18.00 on Binance (1.8%), $34.90 on Gemini (3.49%), and $37.50 on Kraken (3.75%). Coinbase’s card fee is spread-based and typically adds 2.49% (~$24.90). In these scenarios, Binance remains the cheapest option overall, but the gap narrows considerably. For a $1,000 purchase funded by debit card with a market order, the total all-in cost (deposit + trading + withdrawal) is approximately $19.34 on Binance, $36.90 on Gemini, $41.53 on Kraken, and $31.24 on Coinbase.

This is why payment method selection matters as much as exchange selection. A buyer who chooses Kraken for its superior security but funds with a debit card pays more in total than a buyer who uses Coinbase with a free ACH transfer. The lowest-cost combination on any exchange is always: free bank transfer deposit + limit order (maker fee) + hold on exchange (no withdrawal fee). The highest-cost combination is: debit card deposit + market order (taker fee) + XRP withdrawal to wallet.

For buyers using dollar-cost averaging—purchasing $100 of XRP weekly over a full year—the annual fee difference between Binance and Coinbase totals approximately $260 ($5,200 in purchases × 0.50% fee differential). Switching from Coinbase to Binance for a weekly DCA strategy saves enough in fees to buy an additional $260 worth of XRP per year.

Gemini emerges as the cheapest option specifically for buyers who plan to withdraw XRP to a wallet, because its 10 free monthly withdrawals eliminate that cost entirely. Combined with competitive 0.20% maker fees, Gemini offers the lowest total cost for the “buy and transfer to wallet” workflow.

With the cost comparison complete, some buyers also ask whether decentralized alternatives exist that bypass exchange fees entirely.

Can You Buy XRP on a Decentralized Exchange?

XRP can be traded on the XRP Ledger’s built-in decentralized exchange (DEX) without intermediaries or KYC verification. However, centralized exchanges like Coinbase and Binance offer simpler interfaces, fiat currency on-ramps, and customer support that most buyers prefer.

The XRP Ledger includes a native decentralized exchange (DEX) built directly into its protocol layer—one of the few blockchains with an exchange integrated at the base level rather than through a separate smart contract. The XRPL DEX allows users to trade XRP against any issued token on the ledger without creating an account on a centralized platform, uploading identification documents, or paying exchange-specific trading fees. Trading on the XRPL DEX requires only an XRP Ledger wallet with the 1 XRP base reserve (XRPL Documentation, “Reserves,” 2025). The DEX operates through the ledger’s built-in offer system, where users create buy and sell orders that are matched automatically by the protocol. Transactions settle in 3–5 seconds at a network fee of less than $0.01—far faster and cheaper than Ethereum-based DEXs that rely on automated market makers (AMMs) and can incur gas fees of $5–$50 per trade.

However, the XRPL DEX has significant limitations for most buyers. It does not support direct fiat-to-XRP purchases—you cannot buy XRP with USD, EUR, GBP, or a bank card on the DEX. You need to already own cryptocurrency or hold a fiat-backed stablecoin issued on the XRPL to trade. Liquidity is also substantially thinner than on centralized exchanges, meaning large orders may experience slippage (the difference between expected and actual execution price). The XRPL DEX processed approximately $50 million in daily trading volume in early 2026, compared to billions on Coinbase and Binance (XRPL Explorer data, February 2026; CoinGecko Exchange Volume Rankings, February 2026). There is no customer support, no account recovery if you lose your private keys, and no insurance protecting your funds.

For first-time XRP buyers and anyone purchasing with fiat currency, centralized exchanges remain the practical choice. The XRPL DEX serves advanced users who already hold digital assets and prioritize self-custody and permissionless trading over convenience. A comprehensive comparison of decentralized XRP trading options will be covered in our upcoming dedicated guide.

With all exchange options—both centralized and decentralized—now covered, the following questions address the most common remaining concerns buyers have when selecting an XRP exchange.

Frequently Asked Questions About XRP Exchanges