Want to start DCA investing but don’t know which exchange to use? It seems like nowadays, every exchange claims to be the best for DCA investors, with built-in DCA tools, recurring buys, and bots to automate diversification. But who should you actually choose?
That’s where I come in. I have over 7 years of experience using crypto exchanges, and I’ve reviewed close to 40 exchanges with FXEmpire over the last 18 months. So, I have a pretty good idea of what to look for when you’re in search of a new exchange. I focus on things like automatic recurring buys with a bank card, portfolio rebalancing bots, and robust security & asset custody.
While DCA investing sounds straightforward, not every DCA investor’s needs are the same. That’s why I’ve come up with six categories that should cover almost everyone. I’ve given my top pick for each category along with some pros and cons to help you decide which exchange is best for you.
Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy where you buy a fixed amount of a cryptocurrency at regular intervals (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly), regardless of its price. This helps reduce the impact of market volatility and lowers the risk of making large investments at high prices.
I ranked the exchanges based on a range of criteria that are vital to DCA investing and buying crypto in general. Here are a few of the key features I look for in each platform before recommending and placing it on this list:
| Exchange | Ranking | Taker/Maker | Available Crypto | Accepts Fiat | Payment Methods | KYC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crypto.com | 4.3 Read Review | 0.5% / 0.25% | 432 | Yes | +5 | Full KYC Required |
Binance | 4.8 Read Review | 0.1% / 0.1% | 447 | Yes | +1 | Yes |
Coinbase Exchange | 4.1 Read Review | 1.2% / 0.6% | 376 | Yes | +6 | Yes |
Kraken | 4.2 Read Review | 0.4% / 0.25% | 675 | Yes | +3 | Yes |
Bybit | 4.6 Read Review | 0.1% / 0.1% | 482 | Yes | +2 | Yes |
KuCoin | 4.5 Read Review | 0.1% / 0.1% | 951 | Yes | +2 | Yes |
You probably know Crypto.com because of its famous Visa card and best-in-class mobile app, but after testing the exchange, it’s also my top pick for exchanges to DCA. It’s an all-in-one platform that lets you invest, trade, or stake your holdings, with features like automated buys to make your life easier. All of this whilst offering strong security and regulatory compliance. If you’re looking for an exchange to start DCA investing with, Crypto.com should definitely be one of the first exchanges you consider.
I’ve been using Binance for over 7 years now, the world’s largest crypto exchange with over 300 million users worldwide. While it is best known for its spot and futures trading, Binance also offers some of the best bots and automated DCA features in the industry, which let you automatically invest and manage your portfolio. Together with its strong security, transparency, and insurance coverage, Binance is a great option for DCA investing and holding a wide range of crypto.
Coinbase is a household name in the US and probably one of the first exchanges that comes to mind. Being a publicly traded company means it’s heavily regulated in the US, with the exchange licensed in 49 U.S. states in addition to federal registration with FinCEN. Strong security and strict regulation, combined with a user-friendly interface and seamless DCA investing makes Coinbase my top choice for people living in the US.
I’ve been using Kraken for over 6 years now, and it’s always my number one recommendation for beginners and first-time investors. It offers everything you’d want as a beginner: an intuitive, easy-to-navigate platform, convenient deposit methods, along with strong security and strict regulatory compliance. It also has some dedicated features that take the pain out of DCA investing and make it a hassle-free process that anyone could do.
As someone living in Europe, Bybit has been one of my favorite exchanges to trade on for years now. It’s best known for its leverage trading and advanced trading interface, but it also offers some of the best DCA features available in Europe. It has an easy-to-use interface that makes setting up DCA orders easy, while letting you diversify beyond crypto with forex, stocks, indices, commodities, and metals. If you live in Europe and want a regulated, low-cost, but full-featured exchange for investing, Bybit is a no-brainer.
From my experience, KuCoin is one of the best exchanges for altcoin enthusiasts. It offers all the features you’d expect from a top-tier exchange. Low fees, direct fiat support, strong security, and licensing in the EU, all while offering over 1,000 different cryptos. If you want to diversify your portfolio and DCA into the latest coins without sacrificing security and transparency, KuCoin is the best exchange for you.
By investing fixed amounts at regular intervals, you average out price volatility and reduce the risk of buying at peaks. This tends to be more profitable in the long run as you benefit from the dips, leading to a lower average price.
Let’s say you invest $100 monthly in Bitcoin for the next 5 months. For example:
| Month | BTC Price ($) | BTC Purchased (For 100$) |
| Jan | 40.000 | 0.0025 |
| Feb | 30.000 | 0.0033 |
| March | 50.000 | 0.0020 |
| April | 35.000 | 0.0029 |
| May | 45.000 | 0.0022 |
| Total | – | 0.0129 |
| Average Price | 38.760 | – |
| Pros | Cons |
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There’s no real right answer to this question, so I always say the best frequency is one that you can actually stick to consistently. But there are a few factors to consider:
Generally, DCA investing works better in bear markets where prices are falling or trading sideways for a long period of time. This lets you accumulate more of an asset at lower prices. When the market eventually recovers, those cheaper prices help boost your overall returns. It can be painful during crypto winters, but buying consistently during a bear market is where the real long-term gains are made.
In strong bull markets, the higher prices are working against you. Each purchase you make increases your average price and means you would have been better off investing a lump sum right at the start. But this never happens since it’s almost impossible to perfectly time the market.
DCA works best with the coins you have the strongest conviction in, because DCAing only pays off if you are able to hold the token long-term. I tend to pick the larger market cap, established tokens for my DCA strategies. Here are a few of my top picks:
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need thousands saved up to start DCA investing. Most top-tier exchanges will let you buy as little as $10 per purchase. You don’t need to buy whole Bitcoins or large amounts of altcoins to make DCA investing work. The most important thing is to invest amounts you can afford to invest in without it affecting your day-to-day finances. Start with whatever feels comfortable, and then you can scale it up or down from there. The key is consistency over a longer period of time.
Shennon Hewa is a crypto trader and crypto journalist based in London. Active in the crypto space since 2017, he specializes in scalping, derivatives day trading, and swing trading. At FXEmpire, he has reviewed dozens of crypto exchanges and has extensive knowledge of platform strengths and weaknesses.
At FXEmpire, we strive to provide unbiased, thorough, and accurate exchange reviews by industry experts to help our users make smarter financial decisions.