Compare
KR Kraken VS PH Phemex
Both exchanges offer Spot, Margin, Perpetual futures. The differences below come from our individual reviews of Kraken and Phemex.
| Kraken | Phemex | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 2019 |
| Regions | Available in most regions; futures product restricted in some jurisdictions including parts of the US: verify local availability before signing up. | Available in most regions outside the US, UK, Canada, and a growing restricted list that has recently added Australia, Hong Kong, and South Africa; EU access continues without MiCA authorization: verify local availability before signing up. |
| Products | Spot, Margin, Perpetual futures, Dated futures | Spot, Margin, Perpetual futures, Copy trading, Earn / lending |
| Maker fee | Verify current tier: Kraken uses a volume-based maker/taker schedule | Verify current tier: Phemex uses a volume-based maker/taker schedule (spot starts around 0.1%/0.1%; futures maker fees are among the lowest of any major exchange, around 0.01% at entry tier) |
| Taker fee | Verify current tier: Kraken uses a volume-based maker/taker schedule | Verify current tier: Phemex uses a volume-based maker/taker schedule (futures taker fees run above the industry average, around 0.06% at entry tier) |
Kraken pros
- Long operating history and a conservative security/regulatory posture relative to peers
- Separate, purpose-built futures product rather than a bolted-on feature
- Wide fiat on-ramp support in supported regions
Phemex pros
- Entry-tier futures maker fee (around 0.01%) is lower than Binance, Bybit, or OKX at equivalent volume
- Broad leverage ceiling, up to 100x on major pairs, for traders who specifically want it
- Copy trading with multiple position-sizing modes (fixed margin, multiplier, smart ratio) rather than a single one-size-fits-all follow function
- Fast recent growth in listed assets and user base, now covering 600+ tokens plus tokenized stock and metals futures
This table is generated from the same data behind our individual exchange reviews. See methodology for how it's put together. Fee figures marked "not yet verified" need confirming against live terms before this page is treated as launch-ready.