KuCoin exchange profile

Profile of KuCoin: exchange information, markets and recorded details on GradeMarket.

KuCoin is one of the oldest Chinese-founded cryptocurrency exchanges, now headquartered in Seychelles, and is well known for its extensive selection of altcoins. Its standard spot trading fee is 0.10% for both makers and takers, while futures trading fees start at 0.02% maker and 0.06% taker. According to KuCoin's official Terms of Service, Iran is listed as a restricted jurisdiction. Following a major regulatory settlement with U.S. authorities, KuCoin has become a far more cautious and compliance-focused exchange than it was just a few years ago.

The Case That Forced KuCoin's Founders Out of Management

In January 2025, KuCoin's parent company pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business. As part of the settlement, the company agreed to pay nearly $300 million in fines and forfeitures.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, KuCoin had operated for years without an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program. Prosecutors alleged that employees openly promoted the platform as an exchange that did not require Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, allowing billions of dollars in suspicious transactions—including proceeds linked to darknet marketplaces and ransomware—to flow through the platform.

As part of the agreement:

• Co-founders Michael Gan and Eric Tang stepped down from all management positions.
• KuCoin agreed to completely exit the U.S. market for at least two years.
• In March 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) made the exchange's prohibition from serving U.S. customers permanent.

Key Features

• Extensive selection of altcoins, with more than 1,000 cryptocurrencies and approximately 1,800 trading pairs
• Trading fee discounts through the native KCS token
• Built-in automated trading bots for both spot and futures markets
• Integrated Web3 Wallet and peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace
• Regulatory registrations under Europe's MiCA framework, Australia's AUSTRAC, and India's FIU

Fees and Costs

The standard spot trading fee is:

• Maker: 0.10%
• Taker: 0.10%

Holding KCS tokens can reduce trading fees by up to 20%.

For futures trading, the base fee schedule is:

• Maker: 0.02%
• Taker: 0.06%

These futures fees are slightly higher than Binance's but broadly comparable to Bitget's.

Security and Trust

In September 2020, KuCoin suffered a security breach that resulted in the theft of approximately $281 million in cryptocurrency.

However, the exchange managed to recover a significant portion of the stolen assets through cooperation with blockchain projects, token freezes, and assistance from industry partners.

Since then, KuCoin has strengthened its security by implementing:

• Expanded cold wallet storage
• Customer asset insurance programs
• Mandatory KYC verification, introduced in August 2023

Today, KuCoin's primary risk is generally considered to be regulatory compliance rather than technical security, as demonstrated by its 2025 settlement with U.S. authorities.

Support for Iranian Users

According to Article 17 of KuCoin's official User Agreement, Iran is listed as a restricted jurisdiction under the exchange's sanctions compliance policies.

Since KYC became mandatory in 2023, Iranian identity documents are generally not accepted during verification, meaning that simply changing an IP address or using a VPN is insufficient to access the platform.

Because KuCoin significantly tightened its compliance policies following its recent legal settlement, this restriction is unlikely to change in the near future.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Excellent selection of altcoins and trading pairs
• Successfully recovered a large portion of the assets stolen during the 2020 hack
• Obtained multiple international regulatory registrations after strengthening its compliance framework

Cons

• Faced a major U.S. criminal case and is permanently barred from serving the U.S. market
• Experienced a $281 million security breach in 2020
• Officially restricts users from Iran under its AML and sanctions policies

Compared with Competitors

For traders seeking newly launched or lesser-known cryptocurrencies, KuCoin ranks alongside Gate.io as one of the industry's strongest options.

Its futures trading fees are slightly higher than Binance's but remain broadly competitive with Bitget.

Compared with exchanges such as Kraken or Coinbase, KuCoin carries a significantly more complicated regulatory history, including the legal case that ultimately led to the resignation of its co-founders.

How to Sign Up in Three Steps

1. Register on the official KuCoin website or mobile app using a valid email address or a non-Iranian phone number.
2. Upload valid identity documents to complete the mandatory KYC verification process.
3. Fund your account and choose between spot or futures trading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does KuCoin work for Iranian users?

No. According to KuCoin's official User Agreement, Iran is listed as a restricted jurisdiction.

Is KuCoin still operating after the 2025 legal settlement?

Yes. The exchange remains operational internationally, although it no longer serves customers in the United States and its founders have stepped down from management.

Has KuCoin ever been hacked?

Yes. In 2020, the exchange suffered a security breach involving approximately $281 million in cryptocurrency, but a substantial portion of the stolen assets was successfully recovered.

Final Verdict and Rating

• Security: 6/10
• Fees: 7/10
• Persian-language Support: 1/10

KuCoin is an excellent choice for traders seeking access to a broad range of altcoins and emerging crypto projects. However, its history of a major security breach and significant regulatory enforcement actions should be carefully considered. For Iranian users, the exchange is not an officially accessible option due to its sanctions compliance policies.

This review is based on information available as of 2026. Exchange policies, fees, supported jurisdictions, and regulatory requirements may change over time. Always verify the latest information on KuCoin's official website before creating an account.