Cryptocurrency has become quite popular in Greece in the past few years especially during the time of the Covid pandemic. While crypto mining operations are limited in the country due to cost constraints, crypto trading has received an enthusiastic response in Greece.
To cater to the growing community of crypto traders, several cryptocurrency exchanges have come up in Greece. These exchanges offer many services such as spot and margin trading and even cryptocurrency lending to Greek traders.
However, too much choice can often be overwhelming. Finding information about every available exchange can be difficult and time-consuming. But good news, we just made that task easier for you.
Here, we bring you a list of the best crypto exchanges in Greece so that you can learn about the various types of cryptocurrency exchanges operating in Greece.
This article is, however, only for information purposes. Do not treat it as a substitute for financial advice from a professional. You should always consult a qualified professional about your investment goals before investing in cryptocurrencies.
Top 8 Cryptocurrency Exchanges Operating in Greece
Binance
Binance is one of the most famous and diverse platforms for cryptocurrency trading. It offers a wide variety of 350+ cryptocurrencies for trading that you can get by paying fees which are even less than 0.10% in most cases. Apart from spot trading, Binance also supports margin, derivatives, and P2P trading.
OTC services and swap farming are also available on the platform. Besides that, Binance Earn enables you to earn some passive income on your idle crypto assets. Binance also provides trading bots that you can use to automate your trades. These bots can also be used to replicate the strategies of top traders to help you trade crypto like a pro.
Not just individuals, Binance also offers solutions for institutional investors. There are asset management and custody services available for them along with rebates on spot and futures markets trades. Plus, you can get loans secured by crypto assets on Binance.
Features
✔️More than 350 cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️Largest crypto exchange in the world
✔️BNB Coin is the native token
✔️Supports spot, futures and margin trades
Pros and Cons
✅Great crypto collection ❌Legal trouble in several places
✅Fast transactions ❌Not suitable for new traders
✅Trades are inexpensive
✅Automated trades via trading
bots
Trading Fees
Trading fees for Binance
Customer Reviews
Binance is a fine exchange for crypto trading
Binance’s customer support needs to be better
Why We Picked It
Binance has a lot of options for individual as well as institutional investors. Trading crypto here does not involve dozens of additional charges and you use BNB to get discounts on fees. You can also check out P2P trading on Binance and explore its NFT marketplace.
Coinbase
If you find Binance intimidating, Coinbase might be a better fit for you. Everything is very simple here, right from the registration process. Make an account on the platform, get your KYC confirmed and you are good to go. After that, you can buy or sell cryptocurrency in just a few steps with the “Buy/Sell” option.
If you ever get stuck in the way, Coinbase comes to the rescue with its extensive collection of tutorials to assist you in every step. Apart from buying, selling and trading crypto assets, you can also stake them here to earn passive income.
Coinbase’s Learn section is a gem if you want to learn more about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Here, you can also earn additional rewards by completing courses and doing quizzes.
Features
✔️More than 250 assets available for trading
✔️Second-largest cryptocurrency exchange
✔️Basic and pro platforms for different traders
✔️Offers consultancy services for institutions
Pros and Cons
✅Publicly listed company ❌Basic version has higher fees
✅Compulsory KYC verification ❌Customer service is poor
✅Coinbase Pro has lower fees
✅Several tutorials and learning
resources
Trading Fees
Trading fees for Coinbase
Customer Reviews
Coinbase is a good platform for crypto transactions
ID verification on Coinbase can take a lot of time
Why We Picked It
Coinbase is an old and reliable platform. It has a straightforward interface that is very user-friendly and an excellent mobile app. Coinbase Pro gives you access to better and more advanced tools and you can also earn rewards on the platform by completing educational courses.
Kraken
Kraken is not just one of the oldest cryptocurrency exchanges but also a Special Purpose Depository Institution(SPDI) in the USA. The platform started with just Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Euro trades and now boasts a collection of 200+ tradable cryptocurrencies.
Here, you can trade a variety of cryptocurrencies on the spot, margin and futures markets. Crypto indices are a popular option on Kraken and OTC services along with asset staking opportunities are also available here. As far as staking goes, there are both bonded and flexible products with good returns that you can explore.
Kraken’s Proof-of-Reserves results can be publicly viewed and verified on its website. It also has a bug bounty program where you are rewarded for reporting potential vulnerabilities in the system. For security reasons, Kraken users are encouraged to enable 2-factor authentication(2FA) and set up Global Settings Lock(GSL).
Features
✔️More than 200 cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️One of the oldest crypto exchanges
✔️Proof-of-reserves reports publicly available
✔️Uses 2FA and GSL for security
Pros and Cons
✅Fantastic crypto collection ❌Basic version has higher fees
✅Supports many trade types ❌Not suitable for beginners
✅Several options for staking
✅Has a bug bounty program
Trading Fees
Trading fees for Kraken Instant Buy
Trading fees for Kraken Pro
Customer Reviews
Kraken has a good customer support system
Accounts may be closed on Kraken without notice
Why We Picked It
Kraken is an old and regulated exchange. Spot and margin trading are supported here and it also offers OTC services. You can also check out several investment options for crypto indices. The Kraken Pro platform provides many benefits to traders including lower fees and more advanced tools.
Crypto.com
Singapore-based Crypto.com’s USP is its focus on mobile app trading. It recognizes that most people use their phones for everything and seeks to provide them with a convenient method for crypto trading from their mobile phones. This has resulted in Crypto.com becoming one of the fastest-growing apps for trading cryptocurrency.
On Crypto.com, you can access over 250 cryptocurrencies including Cronos(CRO) for trading. When it comes to CRO, you can use it to avail discounts on trading fees by locking up a specific amount of the token for a certain period. There are also no fees charged in the case of crypto-to-crypto exchanges and token deposits.
Among other services, Crypto.com offers a prepaid Visa card with various rewards and cashback. There are also plenty of staking opportunities here and an NFT marketplace where you can explore interesting NFT collections. The Crypto.com wallet can be used to store your crypto assets and NFTs.
Features
✔️Focus on trading via mobile apps
✔️More than 250 cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️Crypto lending is supported
✔️Cronos(CRO) is the native utility token
Pros and Cons
✅Diverse crypto collection ❌Educational resources are lacking
✅Fees are competitive ❌Not for beginners
✅In-built crypto wallet
✅Offers prepaid Visa card
Trading Fees
Trading Fees for Crypto.com
Customer Reviews
Crypto.com app has several features for crypto trading
Reports of problems with withdrawals on Crypto.com
Why We Picked It
You can trade cryptocurrency on the go with Crypto.com’s excellent mobile app. The trading fees here are reasonable and you can get discounts on the same by locking up the CRO token. Crypto.com also offers many other crypto products such as a Visa card for merchant payments, staking opportunities and an NFT marketplace.
OKX
OKX was earlier known as OKEx and is a cryptocurrency exchange quite famous for its low and competitive trading fees, fast transactions and strong APIs. This is quite a beginner-friendly platform that even has its own native blockchain called OKX Chain and a native OKB token.
On OKX, you can participate in spot, margin and options trading markets as well as swap perpetuals. Apart from that, options for crypto mining and crypto lending are also available here. The OKX exchange has a native wallet which is compatible with more than 40 networks. You can also use the OKX wallet to access Web3 and explore DeFi apps on the exchange.
Interestingly, OKX has a special network communication protocol that always remains partially offline for preventing online attacks.
Features
✔️400+ cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️Native blockchain is called OKX Chain
✔️Over 40 networks supported by OKX Wallet
✔️Special network communication protocol to prevent online attacks
Pros and Cons
✅Lower trading fees ❌Fee system is convoluted
✅Multiple payment options ❌Customer service is poor
✅Educational material available
✅Demo trading supported
Trading Fees
Trading Fees for OKX
Customer Reviews
OKX is a beginner-friendly exchange
OKX’s customer service needs improvements
Why We Picked It
OKX supports margin, spot and futures trading and perpetual swapping is also available here. With the demo trading feature, you can practice your trading strategies before actually implementing them. You can also mine cryptocurrency on OKX and explore Web3 and DApps here.
KuCoin
Though KuCoin is mainly known for its extensive cryptocurrency selection, this exchange has a lot to offer to users apart from that. It is a multi-lingual platform that supports 20+ languages and helps users connect to a diverse, global community of crypto traders.
With KuCoin Earn, you can put your idle crypto assets to use and earn passive income. Here, you can also lend out your cryptocurrency and get interest on the same or avail of crypto-backed loans. KuCoin also has an active referral program with rewards and commissions for inviting your friends to the platform.
Further, KuCoin’s regular security audits, pen tests and architecture reviews ensure a secure trading experience. Multi-factor authentication(MFA) for user accounts is standard here along with 24/7 monitoring of the accounts for safety.
Features
✔️Over 700 cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️Exchange supports 20+ languages
✔️Regular audits and pen tests for security
✔️Native coin is KuCoin Token(KCS)
Pros and Cons
✅Massive coin selection ❌Complicated fee system
✅Automate trades with trading bots ❌Listing of low-quality coins
✅Access Web3 with Halo wallet
✅Decent options for staking
Trading Fees
OKX trading fees breakdown
Customer Reviews
KuCoin is a somewhat easy-to-use platform
KuCoin’s customer support is poor
Why We Picked It
KuCoin is a worthwhile platform if you enjoy looking for underrated crypto coins. Here, you can use KCS to get discounts on trading fees. You can automate certain types of transactions with KuCoin’s trading bots, check out staking options and explore Web3 with the Halo wallet.
Bybit
Bybit might be a newer platform but it is giving tough competition to even the big players in the industry. Its innovative products have helped it develop a decent user base and make its space among the Top 10 cryptocurrency exchanges.
Unlike many other similar exchanges, Bybit focuses more on derivatives trading rather than spot trading. However, it still offers good options and a healthy variety of crypto pairs for spot and margin trading.
Convenience is a big factor in Bybit’s popularity as users find it easy to buy cryptocurrency in just one click with their debit and credit cards and bank transfers.
If you’re interested in using your crypto balance for making payments, you can get a physical Bybit card that can be used for directly paying merchants. There is also a P2P trading platform here for traders who would like to directly engage and negotiate with other traders.
Features
✔️Mainly a platform for derivatives trading
✔️Over 280 pairs for spot trading
✔️Debit cards, credit cards and bank transfers supported
✔️Supports P2P trading
Pros and Cons
✅Beginner-friendly UI ❌Derivatives trading is very risky
✅Available in multiple languages
✅Has a demo trading feature
✅Physical card for merchant
payments
Trading Fees
Bybit trading fees
Customer Reviews
Bybit is known for its excellent user interface
Users have reported negative experiences with Bybit
Why We Picked It
Bybit comes with a beginner-friendly layout but it also has many tools and features for advanced traders. Trading is quite inexpensive here and the VIP program gives many additional perks and benefits to users. You can also first practice trading on the demo trade before investing on the real platform.
eToro
eToro is not a cryptocurrency exchange in the strict sense of the term. It is rather a platform for investment and social trading that also supports cryptocurrencies. Therefore, its crypto selection is lower than the other options on the list. However, you can also invest in stocks and ETFs along with cryptocurrency on eToro.
eToro is one of the most secure platforms for trading as it is heavily regulated by the authorities of several countries including the USA and Australia. Both hot and cold wallets are used for storing user funds and the majority of them are kept in cold storage. eToro also employs encryption and masking technologies for securing the personal and financial information of its users.
Features
✔️Platform for social trading and investment
✔️More than 75 cryptocurrencies available for trading
✔️Supports trading in crypto, stocks and ETFs
✔️Runs VIP program for users
Pros and Cons
✅Copy trading supported ❌Lesser cryptocurrencies available
✅Heavily regulated ❌Inactive account charges
✅Free card deposits
✅Demo trading available
Trading Fees
Trading fees for the eToro platform
Wallet fees for eToro
Customer Reviews
Several asset types are available on eToro
Users have had negative experiences with eToro’s customer service
Why We Picked It
eToro has a wide variety of assets and not just cryptocurrencies. You can easily expand and diversify your investment portfolio with eToro. You also get to have a unique social trading experience with this platform.
Top 2 Decentralized Exchanges in Greece
UniSwap
There are crypto traders who prefer trading on platforms that do not ask them for their identifying information. Decentralized exchanges like UniSwap fit that bill. UniSwap is an Ethereum-based DeFi project and a famous platform for swapping ERC-20 tokens.
The whole process of creating liquidity and forming liquidity pools is automated on the exchange with the help of smart contracts. These smart contracts define down to the last detail the standard procedure for forming liquidity pools, providing liquidity and compensating liquidity providers.
This system is known as Automated Market Maker(AMM) which helps UniSwap prevent price manipulation to a large extent.
UniSwap is quite accessible and easy to navigate compared to many other decentralized exchanges that can often be very complicated. This is a major reason for its popularity apart from the vast variety of ERC-20 tokens and its compatibility with nearly all major crypto wallets.
Features
✔️Created on the Ethereum network
✔️Employs AMM system
✔️Three-tiered pool fees system
✔️UNI is the native token
Pros and Cons
✅ERC-20 token swapping ❌Coins are not vetted before listing
✅Trading with privacy
✅Accessible exchange
✅Community governance
Trading Fees
UniSwap fees explained
Customer Reviews
UniSwap is a good decentralized exchange for crypto trading
UniSwap has no official customer support
Why We Picked It
UniSwap is quite a popular DeFi exchange that gives users access to tons of ERC-20 tokens. It is rather easy to use for a decentralized exchange and works well with most major crypto wallets. You don’t have to give out your personal information for trading on UniSwap and can thus, maintain your privacy.
PancakeSwap
PancakeSwap is also a platform popular among decentralized exchange enthusiasts. Like UniSwap, it is a ‘swap’ exchange with the key difference between the two being their underlying blockchains. While UniSwap is an Ethereum-based exchange, PancakeSwap runs on the BNB Chain and enables the swapping of BEP-20 tokens.
BNB Chain gives PancakeSwap the advantage of fewer instances of network congestion and lower gas fees. Therefore, traders on PancakeSwap rarely have to deal with problems of prohibitively high gas fees.
Further, with the implementation of PancakeSwap’s v3, four tiers have been introduced for charging trading fees. The trading fees too, on average, have come down as compared to PancakeSwap v2. Additionally, there is a StableSwap feature available with more efficiency and lower slippage for swapping stable pairs.
Features
✔️Created on the BNB Chain
✔️Four-tiered fees system
✔️Native token is known as CAKE
✔️Platform governed by CAKE holders
Pros and Cons
✅No KYC needed ❌Bitcoin not available
✅BEP-20 token swapping ❌Problem of phishing and other scams
✅No issue of gas fees
✅Staking with yield farms and
syrup pool
Trading Fees
PancakeSwap trading fees
Customer Reviews
PancakeSwap is a fine decentralized exchange with lots of tokens
PancakeSwap has a problem of scams and low-quality coins
Why We Picked It
You don’t need to go through a registration process to trade on PancakeSwap. All you have to do is connect your crypto wallet and you are good to go. It has several crypto-related products such as lottery programs and yield farms for you to explore. Further, by holding the CAKE token, you can vote on proposals related to the platform.
Is Crypto Trading Legal in Greece?
As a European Union(EU) member, Greece has implemented the Fifth Anti-Money Laundering Directive(5AMLD) via Law 4734/2020. This law gives a broad definition of virtual currencies. It makes it mandatory for platforms providing crypto exchange services and custodian wallet providers to register with the Hellenic Capital Markets Commission(HCMC).
Further, cryptocurrency exchanges need to implement KYC measures, adopt adequate AML policies and report any suspicious transactions to the HCMC.
On the tax front, however, there are no specific legal provisions in Greece for levying tax on income from crypto mining or transactions. Income from crypto mining is simply considered income from commercial enterprises and it is taxed according to the general tax provisions.
The broader capital gains tax may be applied to crypto holders. Accordingly, they have to pay a 15% capital gains tax which progressively increases as income from capital gains increases.
Conclusion
Greek traders have a lot of choices when it comes to crypto trading. There are several prominent crypto exchanges operating in the country. They are registered with the HCMC and have to comply with KYC and AML norms. This ensures a basic level of security for cryptocurrency investments.
Therefore, you can easily go for any crypto exchange that suits your needs.
However, it is now common knowledge that cryptocurrencies are volatile assets. You can earn huge profits with crypto trading but just as easily can lose all your money too. Therefore, any investment in cryptocurrencies should be approached cautiously and you should never put in money you cannot afford to lose.