NDAX vs Kraken | Which Exchange Is Best For CA & US?
Jack Moreau
Feb 2024
8 min read
Fact checked
NDAX vs Kraken: In this comprehensive comparison, we delve into the key aspects of both exchanges to assist you in choosing the best exchange. From examining their KYC requirements, country availability, product offerings, trading fees, withdrawal methods, and more, we provide a detailed analysis to help you determine which exchange best aligns with your trading preferences!
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
NDAX and Kraken are both prominent cryptocurrency exchanges that offer a wide range of trading services and support numerous cryptocurrencies. However, there are notable differences between the two platforms.
NDAX, or National Digital Asset Exchange, was founded in 2017 by Bilal Hammoud in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
It is a Canadian-based exchange that focuses on providing a secure and user-friendly platform for users to buy, sell, and trade various cryptocurrencies.
NDAX places a strong emphasis on compliance, security, and customer support, ensuring that users can trade with peace of mind. The exchange is only available in Canada and does not support users from any other countries.
With an estimated user base of between 250,000 to 500,000 registered users in Canada, NDAX has established itself as a trusted platform within the country.
The NDAX app, available on both Android and iOS, has been downloaded by over 50,000 Canadians and has received positive reviews.
Kraken was founded in 2011 by Jesse Powell and is registered in the US with its headquarters based in San Francisco.
With an impressive workforce of over 2000 employees, Kraken has become a leading cryptocurrency exchange known for its security, reliability, and wide range of supported crypto and fiat currencies.
The platform offers various services including spot trading, margin trading, futures trading, and staking, catering to both beginners and experienced traders.
Kraken's user-friendly interface, emphasis on security and regulations, and competitive fees have contributed to its popularity. The exchange is available in 190 countries and has over 9 million users, mainly based in North America and Europe.
The Kraken app has been downloaded over 1 million times and has received a strong rating of 4.3 stars based on over 20,000 reviews.
In terms of available cryptocurrencies, Kraken offers users access to buy and sell over 190 cryptocurrencies, including popular options such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Cosmos.
On the other hand, NDAX provides a smaller range of around 40 cryptocurrencies, including BTC, ETH, XRP, ARB, ADA, ATOM, and a few other well-known coins and tokens.
NDAX vs Kraken KYC Requirements
When it comes to signing up for an exchange and completing the necessary Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, NDAX and Kraken both have their own processes in place.
Starting with NDAX, signing up for an account is a straightforward process. Users simply need to enter their full name, select a username, provide an email address, and set a password.
Once the email address is verified, the account is officially opened and users can move on to the KYC process.
It's worth noting that NDAX is exclusively available for Canadian citizens, so if you're not a Canadian resident, unfortunately, you won't be able to use their services.
To complete the KYC verification on NDAX, users need to provide personal information such as their full name, date of birth, phone number, address, and a valid government ID.
Once this information is submitted, NDAX will then verify the details, which can take anywhere from 1 to 2 business days.
KYC is mandatory on NDAX, meaning users cannot access the exchange's services without completing the verification process.
If you're considering signing up for Kraken, you can expect a quick and efficient process. Creating an account on Kraken takes less than a minute, and basic verification can be achieved in under 2 minutes.
However, it's worth noting that Kraken requires all customers to verify their identity through KYC.
To start the signup process on Kraken, users need to provide their email address and set a password. Once the account is created, users can proceed to complete the KYC process.
This involves submitting the necessary documents and personal details, proof of address, and a valid government ID. The verification process on Kraken can take a few days in the slowest of cases.
NDAX vs Kraken Crypto Products
When it comes to product offering, NDAX is a basic exchange that offers spot trading for a limited range of 40 cryptocurrencies.
It also supports recurring buys, allowing users to schedule automatic purchases. Staking is available for 5 cryptocurrencies but with a high 20% staking fee.
The user experience on NDAX is straightforward and easy to navigate making it suitable for beginners.
However, more experienced traders may find the limited range of cryptocurrencies and services to be insufficient. Liquidity on NDAX is low, resulting in higher spreads and prices for users.
Kraken offers a more wide product range compared to NDAX. It provides spot trading for hundreds of cryptocurrencies, as well as cash-settled futures with various maturities and margin trading.
Staking and an NFT marketplace are also available although staking is currently restricted to non-US users. Kraken's user experience is designed with beginners in mind, making it simple to buy and sell cryptocurrencies.
In terms of liquidity, Kraken frequently ranks in the top 10, with daily spot trading volumes ranging from $300 to $600 million. The maximum leverage on Kraken is 50X for futures and 5X for margin trading.
Overall, while both NDAX and Kraken cater to beginners with user-friendly interfaces, Kraken offers a wider range of products and higher liquidity.
NDAX is limited in its offerings and has lower liquidity, resulting in higher spreads and prices.
When it comes to trading fees, let's take a closer look at NDAX and Kraken to see how they stack up against each other.
Starting with NDAX, this exchange charges a flat fee of 0.2% for both buying and selling cryptocurrencies. While this might not be the lowest fee in the market, it is in line with other reputable exchanges like Gate.io and MEXC.
Unfortunately, NDAX does not offer any rebates for high volume traders, meaning that regardless of how much you trade, you'll be paying the same fee.
On the other hand, Kraken offers a slightly different fee structure. For spot trading, their maker fee stands at 0.16%, which is relatively competitive.
However, the taker fee is slightly higher at 0.26%. This means that if you are actively trading and taking liquidity from the market, you'll have to pay a bit more in fees.
Kraken also provides the opportunity to lower your trading fees if your monthly trade volumes exceed $50,000. This can be a significant advantage for high volume traders who want to minimize their costs.
Comparing the two, it's clear that Kraken has a more dynamic fee structure with the potential for discounts based on trading volumes.
NDAX, on the other hand, offers a straightforward flat fee without any rebates. However, both exchanges have reasonable trading fees that are not too far out of line with the best in the industry.
NDAX and Kraken are both cryptocurrency exchanges that offer various deposit methods for fiat currencies. Let's take a closer look at the deposit methods provided by each exchange.
NDAX, primarily catering to the Canadian market, allows users to deposit Canadian Dollars (CAD) via Interac e-Transfer or Wire Transfer. Both deposit methods are free of charge, providing convenience and cost-efficiency for their users.
The Interac e-Transfer option ensures instant deposit of funds, while Wire Transfers may take up to 1 business day for the funds to arrive.
On the other hand, Kraken offers support for deposits with several fiat currencies, including USD, EUR, CAD, AUD, GBP, CHF, and JPY. The exchange provides multiple deposit methods such as Fedwire, SWIFT, ACH, SEPA, FPS, and more.
Kraken stands out by offering free ACH deposits for USD, EUR, and CAD. Users can easily deposit funds through bank transfers (ACH) or SEPA without incurring any additional charges.
While both exchanges offer convenient deposit methods, NDAX focuses solely on the Canadian market and provides specific deposit options for Canadians.
Kraken, on the other hand, caters to a broader international user base and offers a wider range of fiat currencies and deposit methods.
When it comes to withdrawing funds from NDAX, users have the option to withdraw either their CAD or their cryptocurrencies.
For CAD withdrawals, NDAX provides a single method called EFT (Direct Bank). This method typically takes 1 business day to arrive and incurs a fee of $4.99 CAD.
On the other hand, cryptocurrency withdrawals from NDAX are relatively instant. The fees for these withdrawals vary depending on the specific cryptocurrency. For Bitcoin withdrawals, the fee is 0.0004 BTC.
For Ethereum withdrawals, the fee is 0.001 ETH. For Solana withdrawals, the fee is 0.01 SOL. Finally, for ERC-20 Tether withdrawals, the fees range from 10 to 20 USDT.
Moving on to Kraken, this exchange offers fiat withdrawals for all 7 of the currencies they support. For users looking to withdraw in fiat, they have several options available. ACH withdrawals are free of charge, making it a convenient and cost-effective option.
For SEPA withdrawals, there is a fee of 0.9 EUR. SWIFT withdrawals come with a fee of $4, while FPS withdrawals have a fee of 1.95 GBP.
On the cryptocurrency front, for Bitcoin withdrawals, the fee is 0.00001 BTC. Ethereum withdrawals have a fee of 0.0035 ETH. Solana withdrawals come with a fee of 0.01 SOL. Finally, ERC-20 Tether withdrawals have a fee of 3.55 USDT.
In conclusion, when comparing NDAX and Kraken, it is evident that both exchanges have their own unique advantages and offerings.
NDAX, with its focus on the Canadian market, provides a secure and user-friendly platform for Canadian residents to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies.
While NDAX offers a smaller range of around 40 cryptocurrencies, it places a strong emphasis on compliance, security, and customer support.
Kraken offers a wider range of services than NDAX and supports over 190 cryptocurrencies, making it more appealing to users who require a larger variety of trading options.
In terms of the signup and KYC verification processes, NDAX and Kraken both require their users to pass KYC in order to trade but NDAX is only available to Canadian citizens.
And while NDAX charges a flat fee of 0.2% for buying and selling cryptocurrencies, Kraken offers a more dynamic fee structure that starts at 0.16% for makers and 0.26% for takers, with potential discounts based on trading volumes.
While NDAX's fee structure is straightforward, Kraken's discounts can be advantageous for high volume traders.
And while NDAX only supports deposit and withdrawals with CAD, Kraken caters to a more global user base and supports multiple fiat currencies, offering various deposit methods such as bank transfers and SEPA.
While NDAX is a decent local Canadian exchange, unfortunately, it is not able to compete and win against Kraken.
Kraken is simply the more versatile exchange of the two as it offers more cryptocurrencies, more products, lower fees and leveraged products.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
eToro is a multi-asset investment platform. The value of your investments may go up or down. Your capital is at risk.
eToro USA LLC: Investments are subject to market risk. Including the possible loss of principal. Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest.
Author
Jack Moreau
Jack is a crypto writer and reviewer who has been active in the space since he caught the crypto bug in 2017. With a passion for trying out new shiny things, Jack is always eager to try the latest cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets or DeFi applications.