5 Best Exchanges for Investing in NFT Projects

NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have taken the crypto world by storm. You may have just started to get to grips with understanding digital currencies when the NFT craze swept across the globe. Now you’re trying to make sense of NFT marketplaces and wondering why top projects like “Bored Ape Yacht Club”,  Larva Labs “Cryptopunks”, and the “Mutant Ape Yacht Club” are so popular. Even Gary Vaynerchuk got involved in the NFTs world with his “Veefriends”

As blockchain technology develops exponentially, The NFT marketplace adds new NFT collections daily. Enthusiasts are searching for the best NFT platforms, buying digital art, creating NFT collections with their retail investor accounts, and hoping they’ll get lucky and buy into one of the fastest appreciating NFT collectables to make significant profits. 

If you are interested in creating NFTs of your own, it can be costly if done on the Ethereum blockchain, but some exchanges with an NFTs marketplace provide less expensive alternatives. 

Want to go back a step and start at the basics? This Beginner’s Guide to NFTs will do just the trick.

What’s Happening in the NFT Space?

The NFT world is exploding, and digital artwork collectors scour the marketplaces looking for NFT sales for the top NFT projects. We researched the best exchanges, (some with NFTs marketplaces) to buy and sell NFTs coins and become part of the NFT boom. You may even wish to make NFTs of your own, and on many NFT platforms, you have that exciting option via the Ethereum blockchain. 

NFTs are still highly speculative, so we used a tried and trusted ranking methodology to find the best NFT market via reputable exchanges. You might not be ready to start an NFT collection with one of the 10,000 digital assets from the “Bored Ape Yacht Club” on the Ethereum blockchain, but NFTs coins can be your first entry into the digital art marketplace.

Our objective is to save you hours searching for the best digital assets from NFT projects on the exchanges available in the NFT space.

Ranking Methodology

1. User-friendly*: The last thing you want is an exchange with a complex interface or challenging procedures for buying a digital asset
2. Range & Availability of projects:  We sourced exchanges with a broad range of the best NFT projects and coins to suit beginners or advanced traders and collectors
3. Ease of Purchase & Payment Methods – Cryptocurrency exchanges were once notoriously challenging for navigation, especially for beginners. Our ranking methodology found the easiest NFTs platforms for new users
4. Reputation: A reputable platform with consumer protection for users’ funds

Highlights of the Winners

Binance – Most Liquidity for the Best NFT projects

• Good range of the best NFTs coins
• Binance’s NFT marketplace lists mant non-fungible tokens
• Zero deposit fees
• Over 400 cryptocurrencies supported & 1600+ markets
• Blockchain and crypto education for beginners to advanced traders
• Low transaction fees 
• Trust Wallet – Binance’s official crypto wallet
• Buy directly with fiat currencies using a credit/debit card
• Card Wallet – deposit EURO with your card
• Cash balance – buy with your cash balance
• Trading CFDs available on limited currencies
• P2P trading – bank transfer and 100+ options available
• Third-party payment options– Simplex, Banxa (SEPA)
• Gift card – register for a customizable crypto gift card

Coinbase – Buy Your First NFT Project Coins

• Most of the popular NFT coins are available
• NFT marketplace coming in 2022
• Buy coins instantly with fiat currencies using your debit or credit card
• Offline storage – most of the digital assets are stored in secure offline storage
• Best-in-class security – every Coinbase account has 2-step verification. For extra protection, it’s best to have an algorithmically-generated password
• Insurance protected – crypto stored on Coinbase servers has insurance cover
• Mobile App – available to iOS and Android for on-the-go crypto trading
• User-friendly – the Coinbase trading platform is the easiest and most intuitive platform to navigate for total beginners
• Free USD wallet and hosted crypto wallet service
• No fees for transferring from one Coinbase wallet to another
• Coinbase card – zero fees for spending USDC, but there is a flat 2.49% transaction fee for purchases made with other cryptocurrencies

Gate.io – The Biggest Selection of NFT Project Coins

• Lists the most popular NFTs coins
• Low trading fees of 0.2%
• Zero deposit fees
• Low withdrawal fees 
• Massive selection of 1300+ coins and over 2,200 trading pairs
• High liquidity for fast order transactions
• Small minimum order size of $10
• No deposit or withdrawal fees
• User-friendly platform and trading interface
• Rebate scheme for VIP traders
• Secure platform
• Exchange & proprietary “S1” hardware wallet
• 10/10 CoinGecko Trust Score

KuCoin – Trade Smaller NFT Project Coins Anonymously (KYC-Free)

• 600+ listed coins & 1100+ trading markets
• Good trading volume
• Multi-chain NFT platform (NFTb)
• 10 million global investors 
• KuCoin mobile app
• 24/7 customer service
• No restrictions between fiat and crypto on the exchange 
• 50+ listed fiat currencies
• “KuCoin Earn” – earn interest from staking or lending your coins
• Competitive fees
• Bank-level asset security
• Non-custodial trading
• Custodial & non-custodial wallet services 
• KuCoin has a native token $KCS
• Simple interface for NFT beginners for buying & selling NFTs

Slept on: Kraken – Best Design and User Experience for Younger Traders

• 130+ coins & 450+ trading pairs
• Good range of the best NFT tokens
• NFT marketplace under development
• Fiat currencies
• Competitive fees
• High-level security including 2FA & account locking if you fear a breach
• 24/7 customer service
• Staking options
• Beginner-friendly interface
• Two trading platforms – Kraken and Kraken Pro
• Purchase cryptocurrencies with a debit or credit card (intermediate & Pro level)
• Other Payment methods – Online bank transfer. Deposit in Euros using SEPA or SWIFT
• Quick and easy to open an account – less than 15 minutes
• No minimum deposits
• Fully regulated crypto exchange
• Easy and intuitive for NFT newbies
• The minimum transaction is €10.
• Mobile app available on iOS and Android

Let’s Take a Closer Look at the Winners

Binance – Most Liquidity for the Best NFT Projects

Binance is the leading cryptocurrency exchange globally and has an impressive NFT marketplace. The platform lists a good range of NFT coins, including Decentraland (MANA), Axie Infinity (AXS) and the Sandbox (SAND), and is one of the best NFT marketplaces on an exchange. The NFT platform is user-friendly and even lists some Bored Ape Yacht Club digital art and Cryptopunks by Larva Labs. 

“Global Freedom – Our vision is to increase the freedom of money globally. We believe that by spreading this freedom, we can significantly improve lives around the world” – Binance website.

Binance has a good range of NFTs tokens, including: –

• Theta (THETA)
• Tezos (XTZ)
• Chiliz (CHZ)
• Dapper Labs (FLOW)

Though NFTs are a secondary market to the cryptocurrency trading and investing sphere, Binance has all the tools for developing their NFT platform and listing the best NFT tokens on the market today. 

You can also create your own NFTs using Binance’s native token $BNB instead of the more expensive Ethereum wallet process. You can create one NFT or as many NFTs as you wish, all within the Binance platform.

Binance is one of the fastest global exchanges, with 140,000 TPS, and it offers 24/7 support via live agents.

The Exchange has a Vast Ecosystem, Including: –

• Binance Chain – a blockchain software system
• Binance Labs – an infrastructure fund for blockchain projects
• Binance Info – a vast encyclopedia of cryptocurrency knowledge
• Binance Research – data-driven research and analysis
• Binance Charity – a non-profit foundation for blockchain development
• Binance Academy – one of the industry’s best educational hubs for blockchain, NFTs and cryptocurrency education

“Binance NFTs – start your NFT journey here” – Binance NTFs marketplace

Coinbase – Buy Your First NFT Project Coins

Coinbase is one of the most straightforward exchanges for beginners. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate and you can sell, buy, trade or convert all currencies from one beginner-friendly platform. Finding the coins you want to trade is as simple as searching the dashboard. 

You can set up your bank account ready for when you sell your NFT coins and want to convert them to fiat currency to transfer to your bank. Coinbase is also linked with Coinbase Pro, a platform with more trading options, though it is more suited to intermediate or advanced traders.

The Coinbase exchange recognized the demand for NFTs today, and as a result, is developing a marketplace for NFTs for 2022. Coinbase has a good range of tools to invest and trade NFTs coins and you will soon be able to buy NFTs on the platform. 

“Today, we’re announcing Coinbase NFT, a peer-to-peer marketplace that will make minting, purchasing, showcasing and discovering NFTs easier than ever. Just as Coinbase helped millions of people access Bitcoin for the first time in an easy and trusted way — we want to do the same for the NFTs” – Coinbase website

You can choose to trade a digital currency or invest and store your tokens securely in your cryptocurrency wallet. You can update from the settings page to set up your Coinbase account as you wish.

Gate.io – The Biggest Selection of NFT Project Coins

Gate.io is one of the leading and most reputable cryptocurrency exchanges, with excellent cybersecurity and a CoinGecko trust score of 10/10. Their NFT Magic Box launched the Bored Ape Yacht Club series in October 2021. Like many NFT marketplaces, the platform allows you to create NFTs of your own. 

“Gate.io Official Recommendation: NFT Magic Box: Explore and collect the best quality NFT’s here!” – Gate.io website

If you wish to trade or invest in NFTs or native tokens, Gate.io has an excellent range to choose from, including: –

• Decentraland (MANA)
• The Sandbox (SAND)
• Theta (THETA)
• Tezos (XTZ)
• Chiliz (CHZ)
• Apenft (NFT)
• Dapper Labs (FLOW)

CER.live rated Gate.io as excellent and the top cryptocurrency exchange for cybersecurity for two consecutive years. 

One of the best things about Gate.io is the simplicity of opening a new account. As soon as your details are registered, your account is ready to go, and you can start buying or trading NFTs or tokens. Another benefit is the free “S1” cold storage hardware wallet. An offline wallet is more secure than an exchange wallet because it’s less accessible to hackers.

Gate.io has an extensive range of cryptocurrencies, with over 1300 coins and more than 2,200 trading pairs. You can create and mint your first NFTs for free, and in December 2021, Gate.io introduced the popular NFT mystery box. 

KuCoin – Trade Smaller NFT Project Coins Anonymously (no KYC Needed)

Image Source: KuCoin

KuCoin is a beginner-friendly exchange with unique features within the cryptocurrencies space. It’s a nifty gateway where you can buy cryptocurrencies with a debit or credit card (KYC required for this), and it lists some of the best NFTs, such as Axie Infinity (AXS) and Decentraland (MANA) tokens. KuCoin claims that 1 in 4 token holders are registered with KuCoin.

Other NFTs coins on the KuCoin platform include: –

• The Sandbox (SAND)
• Theta (THETA)
• Tezos (XTZ)
• Chiliz (CHZ)
• Apenft (NFT)
• Dapper Labs (FLOW)

At the first level of registration with KuCoin, you can trade anonymously because there is no strict verification process. Whilst level one trading is attractive if you wish to trade anonymously with KuCoin, there are restrictions that you can check once you register for an account.

You can buy NFTs (non-fungible tokens) coins on the KuCoin exchange, each with its own characteristics as the native currency of the popular projects. 

One of the best features of KuCoin exchange is the availability of 50+ fiat currencies, and there are ZERO restrictions between fiat and cryptocurrencies on the platform.  KuCoin offers a custodial or non-custodial service. You can store your coins securely on the KuCoin exchange or link an external wallet to your KuCoin account, ensuring the wallet accepts the NFTs coins you wish to hold securely.

Slept on: Kraken – Best Design and User Experience for Younger Traders

Last but not least, Kraken is a popular cryptocurrency exchange with an exceptional reputation. The platform has been around since 2011 when Bitcoin was practically unknown to the public. Kraken is developing an NFTs marketplace to address the needs of its platform users. 

There are two KuCoin trading platforms available, Kraken and Kraken Pro. The former is best suited to beginners, and the latter is for more advanced traders. 

The exchange lists most of the popular NFTs coins, including trading pair AXS/USD. $AXS is the native token of Axies Infinity, and, like all digital tokens, the price of Axies vary according to market demand. 

Kraken also lists the popular tokens: –

• Decentraland (MANA)
• The Sandbox (SAND)
• Tezos (XTZ)
• Dapper Labs (FLOW)

Kraken is ideal for younger traders with little experience, especially with your first exploration into buying NFTs or NFTs native coins. The Kraken user interface is beginner-friendly. Security is good with 2FA protection, and the platform has a helpful feature allowing you to block your account if you suspect a security breach. 24/7 customer support is available.