Binance.us was founded in 2017 by Changpeng Zhao, a Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur and cryptocurrency enthusiast. Since then, the platform has become the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume.
The company claimed its dominance through a mix of low fees, access to a wide range of assets that live on the blockchain, and genius marketing campaigns.
While the platform is impressive, United States residents don’t have access to Binance.com and must use a limited version of the services offered at Binance.us. Nonetheless, even with a limited number of assets available, the company offers quality services and a trading platform that’s obviously geared toward the expert trader.
So, should you sign up? Keep reading to find out.
Key Features of Binance.us
If you’re looking to buy crypto, Binance.us is likely one of the top options on your list. The company became a leader in the space by offering quality, low-cost services to crypto enthusiasts.
These are among the platform’s most exciting features.
Available Assets
The Binance.us exchange likely has what you’re looking for, whether you want to buy Bitcoin (BTC) or another popular altcoin like Ethereum (ETH) or LiteCoin (LTC). It can even help if you’re in the market for up-and-coming coins like Tether (USDT) and Cardano (ADA).
All told, the exchange provides access to more than 600 different digital coins, but there’s a caveat.
Residents of the United States must use Binance.us, a platform with limited cryptocurrency availability. In the United States, the number of available altcoins on the exchange drops from more than 600 to just over 90.
Nonetheless, U.S. residents have access to the largest, most popular offerings on the platform as well as some of the more attractive upstart coins.
Fees
Chances are you’ll encounter fees regardless of the type of asset you decide to invest in. Cryptocurrency is no different. However, Binance.us fees are competitive, to say the least. The company follows a maker/taker fee structure under which the buyer and seller pay a small fee when they trade cryptocurrencies.
The spot trading fee ranges from 0% to 0.10%, a testament to the low trading fees on the platform when compared to Coinbase’s 0.50% fee.
Depending on the payment method you choose for the withdrawal, Binance.us may charge withdrawal fees:
| Payment Type | Transaction Fee |
| Bank Account (ACH Transfer) | Free |
| Debit Card | 4.5% |
| Wire Transfer | $15 for U.S. Residents |
Binance.us also offers margin trading at competitive rates. The exact rate you’ll pay on margins depends on the assets and volumes you trade.
Intuitive Trading Platform
Most cryptocurrency trading platforms are relatively simple, offering some technical tools, but little by way of advanced features. Binance.us is the exception to the rule.
Expert crypto traders love Binance.us because of the long list of trading tools the company provides. Traders have access to real-time, interactive trading charts and the ability to overlay these charts with technical indicators, just like they’d be able to do with some of the most intuitive stock trading platforms.
While the in-depth nature of the trading platform is a major plus for experts, it can be a disadvantage for beginners. There are so many tools on the platform that it may be confusing at first, leading to a steeper-than-necessary learning curve. Nonetheless, learning how to use Binance is worth the added effort because the available tools give you an advantage as you trade.
Several Trade Types to Choose From
Most cryptocurrency exchanges only allow one order type, known as the market order, which can be placed to buy or sell cryptocurrencies the same way it’s used in the stock market. However, experienced traders use a wide range of order types to help control the balance between risk and reward.
You’ll have access to seven different types of trades on the Binance.us platform, ranging from market orders to stop-loss, stop-limit, trailing stop-loss, and limit orders. This gives you more control over the trade-off between risk and reward as you trade.
Binance Coin (BNB) Dedicated Cryptocurrency
Binance Coin, or BNB, was launched along with the platform, representing the currency at the center of Binance’s financial ecosystem, and there are benefits to owning BNB outside of its potential growth in value.
Some of the biggest benefits include:
- 25% Off. Get 25% off spot trading and margin fees when you own BNB.
- 10% Off. Get 10% off futures trading fees.
- Staking. Earn rewards and yield by staking your Binance Coin holdings in the BNB Vault. You can earn up to 8% interest on staked BNB, though returns are subject to change/
- Crypto Lending. Apply for crypto loans that are only available to BNB holders.
- VIP Programs. You may qualify for VIP programs to save even more on the platform depending on how much BNB you own. There are nine different VIP Tiers, and each new tier unlocks lower trading fees. As a VIP, your trading fees range from 0.02% to 0.09%. If you trade heavily, these discounts could provide significant savings over the 0.1% you pay as a regular user.
However, there are a few drawbacks to owning the proprietary BNB coin. Some of the most important to consider include:
- Speculation. Proprietary coins like BNB are largely driven by speculation, which significantly increases investment risk.
- Benefits Decrease Over Time. If you pay in BNB on Binance.us, you enjoy discounts. However, these discounts are expected to decrease over time. It’s likely that less people will want the coin as they do, which could lead to liquidity issues if you hold it for too long.
- Liquidity. BNB is only available on Binance.com or Binance.us platforms. This limits the number of potential buyers you can sell BNB to, which could cause liquidity issues when you decide it’s time to offload your holdings.
Recurring Buys
If you find a cryptocurrency you’re interested in and want to buy a specific amount of it on a regular basis, you’ll be able to do so automatically with recurring buys.
For example, if you expect Bitcoin to continue to rise over time, you can set a recurring buy to buy a small amount of Bitcoin every payday to make sure you don’t miss the boat.
Intuitive Mobile Platform
Many cryptocurrency trading platforms advertise that they let you trade on the go. However, most crypto mobile apps are seriously limited in terms of the technical analysis tools you’ll have access to. That’s not the case with Binance.us.
If the feature is available on the company’s desktop app, you’ll be able to use it on the go with its mobile app. That said, the large number of tools on the small screen means you may have to do some digging for your favorite tools until you learn the quirks of navigating the app.
Binance NFT
Cryptocurrency isn’t the only type of digital asset Binance has an interest in. Last year, the company launched Binance NFT, a non-fungible token exchange where users can buy, sell, and trade NFTs.
This is a major plus because most cryptocurrency exchanges don’t offer access to NFTs. However, NFTs have exploded in popularity over the past couple of years, as even celebrities are jumping on the bandwagon. Binance saw an opportunity and made a one-stop shop for decentralized assets.
Bear in mind that while NFTs are popular, they’re also a very risky investment. The majority of these assets don’t hold value well, but the masses are attracted to them because a small percentage of them have seen jaw-dropping growth. NFTs also have major liquidity risks that you’ll want to consider carefully before diving in.
Nonetheless, if you do decide NFTs are right for you, Binance.us is a great place to trade them.
Advantages of Binance.us
Binance.us is the most popular cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume, and it became popular because there are several benefits to using it. Some of the biggest advantages to trading crypto with Binance.us include:
- Low Fees. Binance.us’s spot trading fees are some of the lowest in the industry, and its margin rates are competitive. Low fees mean you’ll be able to hold onto more of your earnings from profitable trades.
- Mobile App. The Binance.us mobile app features everything you’ll get when you use the desktop application and is available on both iOS (through the Apple App Store) and Android (through the Google Play Store).
- Security. Binance.us takes security seriously. The security features employed on the platform include two-factor authentication, FDIC-insured USD balances, device management, address whitelisting, and cold storage.
- Available Cryptocurrencies. U.S. residents have access to more than 90 cryptocurrencies on the Binance.us platform.
- Comprehensive Charting. Binance.us takes charting and trading tools to the next level. If you’re a technical trader, you’ll love the interactive charts and technical indicators available on the platform.
- Recurring Buys. Recurring buys make dollar-cost averaging easy and regular investments in your favorite cryptocurrencies automatic.
Disadvantages of Binance.us
There are plenty of reasons to consider signing up for Binance.us, but there are a few drawbacks you should also consider. The most significant of those include:
- Binance.us is Limited Compared to Binance.com. United States residents must use Binance.us instead of Binance.com, limiting the number of cryptocurrencies available to just over 90. Anecdotal feedback suggests that fees are lower on Binance.com than they are on Binance.us, but we were unable to verify this claim because Binance redirected us to the “.us” domain.
- Intense Platform. The Binance.us platform is a pretty intense one, with several advanced indicators and tools. This can be intimidating for newcomers, leading to a steep learning curve.
- Regulatory Concerns. Binance has had regulatory and legal issues in the United States, Europe, and China, with most of those issues being centered around inadequate money laundering checks. It’s important to work with financial services that stay on the right side of the legal regulatory line, and Binance’s track record might give you pause.
How Binance Stacks Up
Coinbase is Binance.us’s biggest competitor. So, how do the two stack up against each other?
| Binance.us | Coinbase | |
| Fiat Currencies Supported | USD, EUR, AUD, GBP, HKD, and INR | USD, EUR, GBP |
| Spot Trading Fee | Between 0% and 0.10% | 0.50% |
| Cryptocurrencies Available | 90+ | 90+ |
| Charting | Intuitive interactive charts with a long list of technical indicators | Basic charting features |
| Ease of Use | Several features make for a steep learning curve | Easy to navigate and understand, even for beginners |
| Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Futures Trading | Yes | Yes |
Binance.us Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you still have questions about Binance.us, you’ll find some answers here.
Is Binance.us Legitimate?
Binance is a legitimate cryptocurrency exchange, but it does have some smudges on its track record. Binance has faced regulatory and legal issues around the world, primarily surrounding its lack of money laundering checks.
Some also have an issue with the fact that Binance.us doesn’t have a global headquarters. The company claims that there is no global headquarters location because it’s a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange.
Millions of users do take advantage of Binance’s services around the world. Complaint volumes remain low, with no widespread reports of problems withdrawing funds, trading, or taking part in legitimate cryptocurrency market activities.
However, if Binance doesn’t get its regulatory problems under control, the future is less certain.
What Is the Annualized Interest Rate for Binance.us?
The annual interest rate you’ll be paid depends on the cryptocurrencies you stake. When you stake BNB in the BNB Vault, you’ll earn up to 8% interest, which is significantly higher than the average savings account interest rate in the United States.
Bear in mind that staking any crypto coin has risks, including the loss of your investment. Staking proprietary coins is particularly risky, hence the very high yield.
What Is the Binance.us Interest Rate for Margin?
Binance.us users have access to margin trading. When you use margins, Binance.us offers loans for the purchase of cryptocurrency. This allows you to expand your holdings when you trade — magnifying any earnings or losses.
The interest rate you’ll pay on margin loans largely depends on the cryptocurrency you buy with the loan. While some margin rates, like those on Bitcoin and Ethereum, are as low as 3.65%, others will be exorbitantly high. For example, margin rates on BNB transactions exceed 100% annually. Margin rates are reduced for VIP members.
Make sure you know the interest rate you’ll be charged before taking out any margin loans.
What Is the Binance.us Commission Kickback Rate?
When you refer friends to Binance.us, you’ll receive a commission kickback, meaning you’ll earn a percentage of the fees your friends incur when they trade. The current kickback rate is 20%, but that rate is subject to change over time.
What Is the Borrow Rate for Binance.us?
You’re able to take out cryptocurrency loans when you work with Binance.us. The borrow rate, or interest rate, you’ll pay on the cryptocurrency loan largely depends on the cryptocurrency you borrow when taking the loan out.
Borrow rates are charged on an hourly or daily basis with most cryptocurrencies coming with a 0.025% rate per day. That works out to about a 9% APR, which is significantly lower than the interest charged on most credit cards. You can also use these loans for margin trades.
Final Word
Binance.us became the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by trading volume by providing its customers with quality service at a fair price. The company’s platform is intuitive, offering all the tools you’ll need no matter if you’re an expert or you’re new to cryptocurrency investing — though Binance.us isn’t the most user-friendly crypto platform on the market.
While U.S. residents only have access to a limited number of assets on Binance.us, there are still plenty of altcoins available if you’re looking to build a diversified crypto portfolio. Combine the available assets and technical trading tools with industry-low spot trading fees and the reasons for Binance.us’s industry leadership become more clear.
On the not-so-bright side, Binance has had some regulatory issues. The most serious involved controls for suspected money laundering, which are difficult to ensure in a truly decentralized system.
All in all, Binance.us is a solid platform for buying and selling crypto. Just be sure to consider the pros and cons carefully before you get started.