KuCoin
Founded 2017 by Michael Gan & Johnny Lyu
The "People's Exchange" — where you find hidden gems before they hit the big platforms.
Quick Overview
What is KuCoin?
KuCoin is known as "The People's Exchange" — a name it earned by being one of the first platforms to list small-cap and emerging tokens, giving everyday traders access to promising projects before they reach the big exchanges.
Founded in 2017 by Michael Gan and Johnny Lyu, KuCoin has grown to support an incredible 800+ cryptocurrencies — making it one of the widest selections in the entire industry. If a new token is gaining buzz on crypto Twitter, chances are KuCoin listed it first.
Beyond its massive coin selection, KuCoin stands out for its AI-powered trading bots. The platform offers grid trading, DCA, smart rebalance, and infinity grid bots that run 24/7. The AI recommendations help you set up strategies even if you have no trading experience.
KuCoin has its own token, KCS (KuCoin Shares), which functions uniquely — holders receive daily dividend payments from a portion of the exchange's trading fee revenue. It's like owning a tiny piece of the exchange itself.
The exchange was historically known for allowing basic trading without mandatory KYC (identity verification), though withdrawal limits apply. This made it popular among privacy-conscious traders, though regulations have tightened significantly since 2023.
Important to know: KuCoin suffered a $280 million hack in September 2020. However, they recovered 84% of stolen funds and covered all remaining losses — no users lost money. In 2023, the SEC and DOJ charged KuCoin with operating as an unregistered exchange in the US. They settled and now restrict US access. Security has been significantly upgraded since the hack.
KuCoin Bonuses & Promotions
Current offers available to new and existing users.
Welcome Bonus
New users can receive up to $700 USDT in welcome rewards by completing tasks.
Complete deposit, trade, and learning tasks to unlock rewards.
Referral Program
Earn up to 20% commission on your referrals' trading fees forever.
Plus a bonus for each successful referral.
KCS Discount
Hold KCS (KuCoin Token) and pay trading fees with a 20% discount.
KCS holders also receive daily dividend bonuses from exchange trading fees.
Trading Bot Trials
Start trading bots with as little as $10 — free AI strategy recommendations.
Grid, DCA, and smart rebalance bots available.
Products & Features
Everything KuCoin offers — from simple buying to advanced trading.
Spot Trading
Trade 800+ crypto — one of the widest selections in the industry.
Futures Trading
Perpetual and delivery contracts with up to 100x leverage.
Trading Bot
AI-powered grid, DCA, smart rebalance, and infinity grid bots.
KuCoin Earn
Staking, savings, and promotions — earn passive income on idle crypto.
Spotlight (Launchpad)
Early access to new token sales — buy promising projects early.
Margin Trading
Trade with up to 10x leverage on spot positions.
KuCoin Wallet
Multi-chain self-custody wallet for DeFi interaction.
Lending
Lend your crypto and earn interest from margin traders.
Convert
Simple one-click crypto swap — beginner-friendly with zero order books.
KuCoin Fees
Spot Maker Fee
0.10%
Standard tier — lower with KCS
Spot Taker Fee
0.10%
Standard tier — lower with KCS
With KCS Discount
0.08%
20% off trading fees
Futures Fee
0.02%/0.06%
Maker/taker for derivatives
Crypto Deposits
Free
No deposit fees
Crypto Withdrawal
Varies
Network fees per cryptocurrency
Security & Safety
KuCoin takes security seriously, though they did experience a $280M hack in September 2020. Impressively, they recovered 84% of the stolen funds and covered the remaining losses — no user lost money. Since then, they have significantly upgraded their security infrastructure.
Payment Methods
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + Massive coin selection: 800+ cryptos (find gems early)
- + Low fees: 0.10% maker/taker with KCS discounts
- + Excellent trading bot platform — AI-powered
- + KCS token provides daily dividend income
- + No mandatory KYC for basic trading (limited withdrawal)
- + Active listing of new tokens — often first to list
- + Clean interface with beginner-friendly Convert feature
- + Strong lending and earn products
- + Available in 200+ countries
Cons
- − Suffered a $280M hack in 2020 (though fully covered)
- − Not licensed in the US (technically accessible but risky)
- − Lower liquidity than Binance/Coinbase on smaller pairs
- − SEC charged KuCoin in 2023 for operating illegally in US
- − Customer support can be slow
- − Fiat on-ramp options limited in some regions
- − Some listed tokens are very low quality / high risk
KuCoin Timeline
Founded by Michael Gan and Johnny Lyu in Hong Kong. Known as "The People's Exchange" for early token listings.
Survived the bear market. Built reputation for listing small-cap gems before other exchanges.
Launched KuCoin Spotlight (launchpad) and futures trading. Grew to 8M+ users.
Suffered $280M hack in September. Recovered 84% of funds and covered all losses. Major security upgrade followed.
Exploded in popularity during bull market. Reached 20M+ users. Launched trading bots.
Continued growing despite market downturn. Published Proof of Reserves. Expanded products.
SEC and DOJ charged KuCoin for operating illegally in the US. Settled and restricted US access.
Expanded global operations. Enhanced AI trading bots. Continued listing new tokens aggressively.
Reached 30M+ users. Remains the go-to exchange for finding new tokens early.
Our Verdict
KuCoin earns its "People's Exchange" nickname. With 800+ coins — more than almost any competitor — it's where crypto enthusiasts go to find promising new tokens before they hit Binance or Coinbase. The trading bot platform is excellent (especially the AI-powered strategies), and the KCS token provides real value through fee discounts and daily dividends. The 2020 hack is a concern, but their full recovery and upgraded security are reassuring. The SEC issues limit US users, but for the rest of the world, KuCoin is a gem-hunter's paradise.