Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency platform that offers a variety of cryptocurrency products, including a mobile app, an Exchange, staking, NFTs, a cryptocurrency rewards card, and a DeFi wallet.
There’s enough available at Crypto.com that it could meet the needs of the typical cryptocurrency investor or trader with only one login.
However, it’s not the cheapest cryptocurrency exchange around. And it may not be perfect fit for U.S. residents since they'll have access to fewer features. Plus, it's not the easiest app to use either. Keep reading to learn more and find out if it’s right for you.
Quick Summary
Crypto.com Details | |
|---|---|
Product Name | Crypto.com |
Features | Trading, Staking, NFT Marketplace, Rewards Card, DeFi Wallet |
Minimum Deposit | $0 |
Trade Fees | Up to 0.40% |
Promotions | Earn a $10 bonus signing up |
Pros And Cons
Pros
Cons
What Is Crypto.com?
Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency platform with 10 million users across 90 countries. The company was founded in 2016 and operates a global operation out of a Singapore headquarters.
You might recognize it as the namesake of Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) in Los Angeles, various sports sponsorships, and commercials starring Matt Damon. But cryptocurrency enthusiasts should know it for its CRO coin and wide range of cryptocurrency products and features.
Key Crypto.com Features
These are the most noteworthy products to know about at Crypto.com:
Buy And Sell Crypto
U.S. residents can buy and sell crypto with Crypto.com using the Crypto.com App (available on iOS and Android), while users in most other countries will also have access to the web-based Crypto.com Exchange.
In total, the Crypto.com App's supported asset list includes more than 150 cryptocurrencies and 20 fiat currencies. But over 25 of those currencies aren't currently available for U.S. users and even fewer are available in every state.
The top 20 currencies at Crypto.com by market cap are:
Crypto.com advertises that exchanges are at true market rates, meaning there’s no spread added for Crypto.com profit. It primarily makes money through fees, which we’ll dive into more below.
You can buy and sell the most significant cryptos through Crypto.com as well as many coins that are less-widely available.
Staking And Rewards
If you’re willing to stake your balance, you can earn up to 14% interest per year on certain balances. Earn rates vary based on your CRO coin stake size, deposit term, and the coin you’re staking.
With 47 currencies supported for earning, there’s a good chance it will at least give you something if you stake it at Crypto.com. The highest rates are for stablecoins and users willing to lock in their holdings for three months while holding a balance of at least $40,000 CRO. That’s a lot, so most people will earn less.
Even with less than $400 in CRO and a flexible withdrawal date, you can earn 6% for most stablecoins and around 0.5% to 3.5% on other supported currencies. Rates are flexible but tend to beat other sites we’ve looked at for stablecoins while coming in average on other supported coins.
Crypto.com Rewards Card
Crypto.com offers a prepaid Visa card that comes in five different versions depending on your CRO cryptocurrency balance in your account. The main categories and rewards rates are below. Rewards are paid in CRO.
Card Color | Stake Required | Rewards Rate |
|---|---|---|
Midnight Blue | $0 USD | 1% |
Ruby Steel | $400 USD | 2% |
Royal Indigo or Jade Green | $4,000 USD | 3% |
Frosted Rose Gold or Ice White | $40,000 USD | 5% |
Obsidian | $400,000 USD | 8% |
While the lower tiers are not all that exciting compared to other rewards cards, anyone in the top two tiers earns serious rewards and should consider using the card regularly.
In addition, depending on the tier, you can get rewards of 100% back for Spotify, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and 10% for Expedia or Airbnb. The top three tiers also get a complimentary Lounge Key airport lounge membership, among other perks.
Crypto.com NFTs
The site is home to an NFT directory and marketplace, where you can create your own NFTs or buy, sell, and exchange existing NFTs. It’s not the size of OpenSea, but it’s noteworthy.
Crypto.com NFT has partnered with major brands and celebrities, including Astin Martin, Snoop Dogg, Death Row Records, and Boy George to mint specific NFT series and sets.
Cryptocurrency Wallet
As with many large competitors, Crypto.com has its own crypto wallet that runs through a dedicated mobile app. You can download and install the wallet on Apple and Android devices.
The wallet works with DeFi services for staking, NFTs, token swaps, and more. The wallet works with Swap and Earn services from Crypto.com, among others.
Crypto.com Trading Platforms
Screenshot of the main web-based Crypto.com Exchange
If you live outside the U.S., the primary way to trade is through the web-based Crypto.com Exchange. You can buy and sell quickly when logged in, with a handful of advanced charting and trading tools available.
You can enter limit, market, stop limit, and stop loss orders through the platform in just a few clicks.
U.S. residents can download and use the Crypto.com App which is designed for all users, including beginners. It allows you to check your balances or trade crypto from the couch, your commute, or anywhere else. Plus, you can activate the Crypto.com Visa Card from right inside the app.
Crypto.com Fees And Pricing
If you trade less than $25,000 per month in volume, you’ll pay 0.40% on trades in most cases. With a large stake in CRO, you may qualify for significant discounts, depending on the size of your stake. Discounts start at a $5,000 CRO balance or greater.
High volume and high CRO stake customers can get fees as low as 0%, but most people won’t have nearly the volume or stake to get that rate. There are withdrawal fees as well, which vary by coin. You can see the full fee schedule here.
How Does Crypto.com Compare?
Ultimately, the decision of whether to use Crypto.com or one of its competitors is likely to boil down to which currencies you're hoping to trade.
The 0.40% rate that you're likely to pay on trades with Crypto.com is competitive with other top exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken, but is far from the cheapest. However, some of the exchanges that have lower trade fees may not support as many coins as Crypto.com.
If you live in the U.S., you'll also want to consider how you prefer to trade. Since the Crypto.com App is your only option there right now, you'll need to look elsewhere if you're partial to web/desktop trading.
Header | |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
Star Rating | |||
Trade Fees | Up to 0.40% | Up to 1.49% | Up to 1.50% |
Supported Currencies | 150+ | 100+ | 90+ |
Platforms | Web and mobile, but mobile-only in the United States | Web and mobile | Web and mobile |
Rewards Card | |||
Cell |
Is It Safe And Secure?
As a Hong-based company, Crypto.com isn't required to follow all the regulations that a U.S.-domiciled company like Coinbase must adhere to. However, U.S. users' cash deposits are held at Metropolitan Commercial Bank, which means that they are insured by the FDIC up to $250,000.
Again, this FDIC insurance only applies to cash. Once you've purchased crypto with your money, that protection goes away. But Crypto.com does provide up to $750 million of crypto insurance that protects against physical damage, destruction, or theft.
Crpto.com has submitted to multiple independent security assessment and has received a number of high-level certifications. You can read about them here. Users can also further protect their accounts by setting up multi-factor authentication.
Final Thoughts
Crypto.com isn’t perfect, but it does an excellent job balancing reasonable fees with a long list of currencies and useful features. It could be your cryptocurrency home for all your needs or complement other cryptocurrency exchange accounts.
But the lack of web-based trading in the United States could be a deal-breaker for some active traders who live there. If you want to compare your options, check out our head-to-head breakdown of the best crypto exchanges.
Crypto.com Features
Products | Web-based exchange (includes lending and staking Mobile app Digital wallet Rewards card |
Min Deposit | $0 |
Min Balance Requirement | $0 |
Staking Rewards On Crypto Deposits | Up to 14% per year |
Card Rewards Rate | Midnight Blue: 1% Obsidian: 8% |
Maintenance Fees | No |
Trade Fees | 0.36% to 0.40% depending on your 30-day trading volume and whether the trade provided liquidity (maker) or took liquidity (taker) |
Withdrawal Fees | Yes, varies by coin |
Supported Payment Types | Debit/Credit Card PayPal Crypto.com Pay Wire Transfer |
Supported Coins | 150+ (some tokens aren't available to U.S. users) |
Insurance | $750 million of policy coverage led by Arch Underwriting at Lloyd’s Syndicate |
Security | - Fiat currencies are stored with regulated banks - Multi-factor authentication Certifications
- ISO/IEC 27001:2013 - PCIDSS v3.2.1 Level 1 |
Mobile App Availability | Android and iOS |
Desktop Availability | Worldwide: Yes United States: No |
Customer Support Options | Contact form and a helpdesk FAQ |
Promotions | Earn a $10 bonus signing up |
Eric Rosenberg is a financial writer, speaker, and consultant based in Ventura, California. He holds an undergraduate finance degree from the University of Colorado and an MBA in finance from the University of Denver. After working as a bank manager and then nearly a decade in corporate finance and accounting, Eric left the corporate world for full-time online self-employment. His work has been featured in online publications including Business Insider, Nerdwallet, Investopedia, The Balance, HuffPo, Investor Junkie, and other fine financial blogs and publications. When away from the computer, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, traveling the world, and tinkering with technology. Connect with him and learn more at EricRosenberg.com.
