Binance vs KuCoin · Comparison
Binance vs KuCoin in 2026: Fees, Licences and Where Each Exchange Is Open
Binance and KuCoin both quote 0.10% maker and taker as the base spot rate (operator pages read 22 and 23 September 2026), but only Binance publishes what its discounts are worth: BNB and PRM26 take it to 0.06%. Neither is open to new EEA users: Binance stopped EU/EEA sign-ups on 1 July 2026, and KuCoin EU holds an Austrian licence but may not yet commence business.
Binance: not for new EU/EEA users since 1 July 2026, no rebate for UK users, not available in the US. EEA residents: KuCoin EU is not open either; see our list of MiCA-licensed exchanges.
Affiliate link: Binance pays us a commission if you register through it. The fees and rebate you receive are the same either way. KuCoin pays us nothing.
Written and checked by Sascha Martins, Promo Code Network, Switzerland
How Binance vs KuCoin was compared
Three criteria, from the operators’ pages and the regulators’ own releases: trading fees, with Binance’s BNB discount and PRM26 rebate as separate steps; availability in the EEA, the UK and the US; and regulatory status, only where a regulator’s page states it. Fiat rails, card fees and products are not compared: none of the pages cited publishes deposit costs for either exchange. Binance pays this site a commission; KuCoin does not.
Cryptocurrency trading carries substantial risk; this page is information, not financial advice.
Binance vs KuCoin fees: base rates and discounts
| Rate | Binance | KuCoin |
|---|---|---|
| Spot, base, maker / taker | 0.10% / 0.10% | 0.1% / 0.1%; the help centre says this does not apply to some pairs |
| Fees paid in the exchange token | 0.075% with BNB (25% off spot and margin fees) | A “KCS pay fees” option can change the rate; no percentage on the page read |
| Referral rebate | PRM26: 20% of the net fee until VIP 3, so 0.06% with BNB (40% off in total) | Not compared; we have not tested KuCoin’s own referral terms |
| USDT-margined perpetuals, maker / taker | 0.020% / 0.050%; 0.018% / 0.045% with BNB; up to 20% rebated for 12 months with PRM26 | Not stated in the KuCoin help article cited |
Perpetual futures are leveraged: a small price move against you can liquidate the position and lose the entire margin.
On 10,000 USD of spot traded, both base rates cost 10.00 USD. With BNB the Binance fee is 7.50 USD, and with the PRM26 rebate on top 6.00 USD; the rebate is paid hourly in USDC on net fees after maker rebates. For KuCoin this page states only the base figure its help centre gives (article updated 3 August 2026); its KCS option, VIP levels and futures rates are not covered.
Where Binance and KuCoin are open: EEA, UK and US
| Region | Binance | KuCoin |
|---|---|---|
| EEA | Withdrew its MiCA application on 24 June 2026; no sign-ups, trading or deposits for EU/EEA users since 1 July 2026; existing accounts can withdraw | KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH authorised by the FMA on 27 November 2025, but may not commence business; KuCoin’s global terms list France and the Netherlands as restricted |
| UK | Not authorised for UK retail customers; UK users receive no referral incentive | Not in the restricted list of KuCoin’s terms; UK status not checked further |
| US | binance.com not available; CFTC settlement of 21 November 2023 (below) | Listed as a restricted location; CFTC consent order of 30 March 2026 (below) |
| Switzerland | Available; PRM26 applies | Not in the restricted list of KuCoin’s terms |
KuCoin terms of use, updated 29 July 2026; ESMA interim MiCA register, read 23 September 2026 (KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH listed, no Binance entity).
Regulatory record of both operators
KuCoin EU. In its notice of 18 May 2026, the Austrian FMA says it ordered a ban on new business on 19 February 2026 after key anti-money-laundering functions were no longer filled, and lifted it on 18 May 2026. Commencing business “still remains inadmissible” under an administrative decision of 18 February 2026, pending governance requirements and further senior-management appointments. We found no later FMA notice on 23 September 2026.
KuCoin in the US. The CFTC’s release of 30 March 2026 says a federal court entered a consent order that permanently enjoins Peken Global Limited, KuCoin’s operator, from letting US participants trade on KuCoin without registering as a foreign board of trade, with a 500,000 USD civil penalty. The same release notes that Peken Global pleaded guilty in the parallel criminal case to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
Binance in the US. The CFTC’s release of 21 November 2023 (8825-23) says Binance and its then CEO agreed to pay 2.85 billion USD to the CFTC for illegally operating a digital-asset derivatives exchange and evading US law, as part of resolutions with the DOJ, FinCEN and OFAC totalling over 4.3 billion USD.
Binance in the EEA. Binance withdrew its MiCA application on 24 June 2026 and holds no entry in ESMA’s register.
Binance vs KuCoin: the verdict by residence
In the EEA. Neither. Binance is closed to new EU/EEA users and KuCoin EU may not commence business. Choose a venue that is both authorised and operating from our list of MiCA-licensed exchanges; our comparisons with Kraken and OKX cover two of them.
In the US. Neither: binance.com is not available, and KuCoin lists the US as restricted.
In the UK. Neither is a recommendation from us: Binance is not authorised for UK retail customers and pays UK users no rebate, and we have not verified KuCoin’s UK status.
In Switzerland and other countries both serve. Binance, our affiliate partner, on published fees: the same 0.10% base as KuCoin, a stated path to 0.06% with BNB and PRM26, and perpetual rates of 0.020% / 0.050%. KuCoin’s help article states neither its discounts nor its futures rates.
Binance vs KuCoin: common questions
Can EU residents open a KuCoin EU account?
Is KuCoin available in the US?
Are Binance and KuCoin spot fees the same?
Does KuCoin have a fee-token discount like BNB?
Do Binance and KuCoin have a US enforcement record?
Why does this page recommend neither exchange in the EEA?
Sources
- Binance fee schedule, Referral Pro FAQ and Referral Program terms, read 22 September 2026: base rates, BNB discount, PRM26 rebate, EEA and UK exclusions.
- KuCoin: How are Fees Calculated and Charged? (updated 3 August 2026) and KuCoin terms of use (updated 29 July 2026), read 23 September 2026.
- FMA: ban on new business lifted, commencement of business remains prohibited, 18 May 2026, read 23 September 2026.
- CFTC release 9203-26: permanent injunction against Peken Global Limited, 30 March 2026, and CFTC release 8825-23: Binance and its CEO agree to pay 2.85 billion USD, 21 November 2023; both read 23 September 2026.
- ESMA interim MiCA register of crypto-asset service providers (CSV), read 23 September 2026: KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH listed (FMA); no Binance entity.