Kraken vs Binance
A no-nonsense side-by-side of Kraken and Binance for crypto futures — leverage, fees, maintenance margin and what each is actually good at. Whichever you pick, plan the trade first with our free calculators.
| Kraken | Binance | |
|---|---|---|
| Max leverage | 50× | 125× |
| Maker fee (base) | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Taker fee (base) | 0.05% | 0.04% |
| Maintenance margin | ~0.5% | ~0.4% |
| Known for | security and long-standing trust | the largest volume and the widest range of futures pairs |
Fees
On base taker fees, Binance is cheaper (Kraken 0.05% vs Binance 0.04%). Both reward makers (resting limit orders) with lower fees and cut rates further as your 30-day volume grows. For most active traders the fee gap is small next to the cost of a single bad liquidation — which is why position sizing matters more than chasing the lowest fee. See maker vs taker fees.
Leverage & liquidation
Binance offers the higher cap (Kraken up to 50×, Binance up to 125×), but the headline number is a trap: at 125× a roughly 1% move liquidates you. The maintenance margin rate (≈0.5% vs ≈0.4%) also nudges your liquidation price. Check yours before entering with the liquidation calculator, or the per-exchange pages: Kraken · Binance.
Which should you pick?
If you want security and long-standing trust, go with Kraken. If the largest volume and the widest range of futures pairs matters more, Binance fits better. Many traders keep accounts on both and route each trade to wherever the liquidity and funding are best on the day. There's no wrong answer — there is only an unplanned trade.
Fees and limits are approximate base-tier figures and change by tier, region and over time — confirm on each exchange. Exchange links are referral links; we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Educational, not financial advice.