This post is all about the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa and covers everything from their features and security and their fees to understand their value better.
Choosing the best one is vital for both novices and pro traders. This guide highlights secure, trustworthy, and easy-to-use services for people wanting to trade digital currency in South Africa.
Local customers’ favourite services and international services have been included for best convenience.
Key Points & Detailed
Platform | Key Points |
---|---|
Binance | Largest global exchange, wide crypto selection, advanced trading features. |
Coinbase | User-friendly, regulated in the US, good for beginners. |
VALR | South African exchange, low fees, supports multiple crypto pairs. |
Gemini | US-regulated, secure, strong compliance, beginner-friendly. |
AltCoinTrader | South African-focused, supports many altcoins, easy fiat deposits. |
Luno | Simple interface, popular in emerging markets, supports BTC & ETH. |
ByBit | Derivatives & futures trading, high liquidity, margin trading available. |
Uniswap | Decentralized exchange (DEX), Ethereum-based, no KYC needed. |
Deepcoin | Advanced trading features, global access, supports multiple crypto pairs. |
Weex | Emerging exchange, low fees, supports popular cryptocurrencies. |
10 Best Crypto Exchanges In South Africa
1. Binance
Launched in 2017, Binance is an international crypto giant and one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa. Binance is accessible locally and offers ZAR deposits through bank transfers and P2P trading.
Binance is also operational in 180 countries, and offers 350+ cryptocurrencies with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana being the most popular. Binance also offers some of the lowest trading fees in the world at 0.1% for spot trades.

Binance also includes futures, margin trading, and staking, and offers advanced trading tools. Customers rate Binance highly due to its secuity, liquidity, and mobile-friendly interface.
South African customers also enjoy its NFT marketplace and its mobile-friendly interface. Binance’s robust trading tools, educational ecosystem, and rich South African.
Features Binance South Africa
- Local Currency Support: Allows ZAR (South African Rand) deposits and withdrawals through P2P and bank transfers.
- Advanced Trading Options: Offers spot, margin, futures, and staking options.
- Educational Resources: Conducts live sessions and community events for user education.
- Security Measures: Enforced KYC and monitored transactions
2. Coinbase
Coinbase, founded in 2012 in the U.S., is a regulated, beginner-friendly platform, and is one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa.
South Africans cannot ZAR the account, but they can transact using international bank cards. It operates in 100+ countries and offers 250 cryptocurrencies. Its trading fee is 0.5-1.5%, depending on the transaction type.

It is praised for its clean interface, security, and educational tools. With the interface not locally licensed, it is ideal for users who emphasize safety and simplicity. It is also for users who prefer hassle-free transactions.
Strong ratings for compliance and transparency make it a trustworthy platform for South African users who want exposure to the global market.
Features Coinbase
- User-Friendly Interface: Designed for beginners and guests.
- Wide Asset Selection: Offers a wide variety of Cryptos.
- Educational Tools: Offers educational resources and pays users for completing educational materials.
- Security Features: Offers insurance and strong security.
3. VALR
VALR, launched in 2019, is a proudly South African exchange and one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa.
It supports ZAR deposits and withdrawals via local banks and is fully licensed by the FSCA with CAT I and II certifications.
VALR offers over 75 cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, and XRP. Trading fees start at 0.1%, with discounts for high-volume traders.

The platform provides spot and derivatives trading, staking, and even institutional services like OTC desks.
VALR is praised for its intuitive design, responsive support, and local relevance. It’s available only in select countries but optimized for South African users. VALR’s rating is consistently high due to its regulatory compliance and user-first approach.
Features VALR
- Local Exchange: Another South Africa based exchange supporting ZAR trading.
- Advanced Trading Tools: Offers spot, margin and perpetual futures.
- Staking Rewards: Offers hourly staking rewards on a variety of assets.
- Security Measures: Two-factor authentication and cold storage for assets
4. Gemini
Gemini was established as one of the Best South African Crypto Exchanges in 2014 by the Winklevoss twins. South Africans can access Gemini via international payment methods even though ZAR is not directly supported.
Gemini is used in more than 60 countries and offers access to 100+ cryptocurrencies. Its trading fees range from 0.35% to 1.49% which is based on the platform tier.
Gemini is known for its institutional-grade security that includes insurance on the digital assets.

It offers easy staking, interest accounts, and a modern mobile app. South Africans looking for reliable and compliant crypto trading can use Gemini
Which has a solid international standing and regulatory compliance even though it is not licensed locally.
Features Gemini
- Regulated Platform: Compliant with U.S. regulations which offers a safe environment.
- Institutional Services: Services for institutions and high-net-worth individuals.
- Tools for Advanced Trading: Lets you use price alerts and choose active trader options.
- High-Level Security: Implemented advanced security measures that make them SOC 2 Type 2 compliant
5. AltCoinTrader
Founded in 2015, AltCoinTrader is a South African crypto platform that has become one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa for its reliability and convenience.
Tailored for local users, it is the only exchange that accepts ZAR deposits and withdrawals. It has over 30 different cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.
It charges a 0.8% trading fee, which is on the higher end compared to international services, but takes into account ease of local access. AltCoinTrader is compliant to the FSCA and accepts bank EFTs and even cash deposits for crypto purchases.

Customers report its interface as overly simplified but reliable and it has become a trusted name for transparency and community involvement.
It is designed for South Africa only, making it great for anyone looking for a fully local experience. It is a reputable platform for cryptocurrency trading in South Africa.
Features AltCoinTrader
- Local Focus: Largest crypto platform in South Africa and has a reputation for a strong local focus.
- Buying/Selling Made Easy: Comfortable and simple processes for selling and buying crypto.
- Savings: Earning rewards on crypto holdings.
- Bank Integration: With a Nedbank account, crypto users can easily transfer to fiat.
6. Luno
Set up in 2013, Luno is also one of the best crypto exchanges in South Africa and the first South African crypto exchange to get a crypto license from the South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) with a CAT I license, Luno.
Luno supports ZAR deposits, and Luno serves over 40 countries, with major cryptocurrencies including BTC, ETH, and SOL. Trading fees go from 0.1% to 2% and depend on the transaction type.

The exchange is perfect for new traders, with useful education material, price alerts, and a simple and fast mobile application. Luno is also best for security, customer support, and in general
for the South African clients with the local partnerships and integration of fiat owing to seamless crypto to fiat exchanges, Luno is for new customers, or new crypto traders because of the seamless regulatory record.
Features Luno
- Beginner-Friendly: Designed for ease of use, it is perfect for beginners.
- Quick Withdrawals: Faster to withdraw to a supported bank.
- Limited Coin Availability: Focused on providing major cryptos, primarily BTC and ETH.
- Security Commitment: 100% proof of reserves for security
7. ByBit
Launched in 2018, ByBit is a global derivatives-focused crypto exchange and one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa. ByBit allows you to use South Africa Rand indirectly through crypto deposits and Trade via P2P.
With over 160 jurisdictions and more than 400 crypto assets, the exchange allows a global reach as well as a wide range of cryptocurrencies.

It’s also very cheap: you pay 0.1% for spot trading and 0.075% for derivatives. ByBit is one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa because of innovative and rapid expansion. ByBit is well rated for the design of its user interface, speed, and the instruments for trading.
Experienced users who wish to perform intensive trading of a wide range of crypto assets will find ByBit to their liking.
Features Bybit
- Advanced Trading: They focus on derivatives and futures trading.
- Cryptos Trading P2P: They provide a platform to buy and sell crypto from a person directly.
- Local Currency P2P: ZAR deposits accepted.
- User Security: Secured with advanced protection for users.
8. Uniswap
Uniswap is one of the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa for users who prefer autonomy. This decentralized exchange (DEX) became operational in 2018 and is built on the Ethereum blockchain.
There are no KYC requirements and no need to register to use the platform. Although Uniswap does not support ZAR, South Africans can trade Ethereum and ERC-20 tokens as ZAR-crypto pairs, using MetaMask wallets. Uniswap has over 5,000 cryptocurrencies and charges 0.3% per trade.

All the globe’s crypto users can use Uniswap’s DEX, decentralized traded exchange, and let their cryptocurrencies participate in decentralized governance with Uniswap’s governance tokens.
Uniswap is most popular among users in South Africa who prioritize non-custodial trading. High popularity in the DeFi space is accounted to Uniswap’s transparency in operations.
Features Uniswap
- Decentralized Exchange (DEX): No central authority that governs the platform.
- Ethereum Operations: Facilitates decentralized trading on the Ethereum blockchain.
- No KYC: Users can trade without identity verification.
- Wide Token Access: Offers many ERC-20 tokens.
9. Deepcoin
Deepcoin is one of the fastest growing exchanges in South Africa as it supports derivatives and spot trading. By trading crypto and ZAR, it indirectly supports South Africa’s local currency.
Deepcoin operates in over 100 countries and offers over 100 cryptocurrencies, copy trading, futures, and staking. As a new trader, fees are set at 0.1% and you are considered a VIP after trading a specific volume.
Though Deepcoin is not local licensed, it is the most innovative and fastest trading platform. South African traders are drawn to the well rated customer support and mobile app as well as the wide suite of trading tools.

The platform is very competitive, easily placing it as one of the most modern in trading platforms in South Africa.
Features Deepcoin
- Global Reach: Available worldwide, including South Africa.
- Sophisticated Trading Options: Provides spot and futures trading.
- Asset Protection: Strong security to protect user assets.
- Traders Platform: An easy to use interface for all levels.
10. Weex
Weex is relatively new, having begun operations in 2018 and now appearing in the Best Crypto Exchanges in South Africa listings. It operates indirectly with ZAR and services over 50 countries.
Weex focuses on futures and margin trading. Weex targetting the trading 0.02% for makers and 0.06% for takers. Weex has a futuristic approach in design, execution speeds, and has a wide variety of languages for customer support.
Although unlicensed by the FSCA, South African customers can still create accounts with Weex by using a crypto deposit.

Weex is picking up in popularity for their advanced and innovative systems. Weex is great for advanced customers living in developing markets and looking for a global trading experience with minimal trading costs.
Features Weex
- Rising Platform: Newer exchange gaining popularity in crypto space.
- Low Trading Costs: Offers attractive fee structures to customers.
- Mainstream Cryptos: Offers a decent selection of major crypto assets.
- Simplicity: Built for easy and straightforward navigation.
Conclsuion
In summary, South Africa has various trustworthy crypto exchanges that cater to different needs and priorities.
Binance and ByBit work best for advanced crypto traders, while Luno and Coinbase fit beginners.
VALR and AltCoinTrader give good local support and services. Many exchanges provide reliable crypto trading services in South Africa whether you prioritize security, low trading fees, or a wide selection of crypto assets.
FAQ
Luno and Coinbase are user-friendly and ideal for beginners.
Binance, VALR, Luno, and ByBit support ZAR deposits and withdrawals.
Yes, platforms like Gemini, VALR, and Binance use strong security measures.
VALR, Weex, and Binance offer competitive trading fees.
Yes, Binance, AltCoinTrader, and Deepcoin support a wide variety of altcoins.
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