In today's review, we're looking at Uphold, a crypto exchange available in 180+ countries that also offers stocks, precious metals, and more.
This is part of a larger review where we tested 20+ cryptocurrency exchanges. We'll go over the pros and cons of using Uphold and see if it's worth signing up for. Let's get started.
What Is Uphold?
If you’re looking to trade multiple assets all in one place then Uphold might be what you’re looking for. They offer 130+ cryptocurrencies, 50 equities, 5 precious metals, and 20+ fiat currencies.
When you log in to Uphold, you'll see a beginner-friendly and minimal design. Anyone can figure out how to make trades regardless of experience. Its main feature is you can trade "Anything-to-Anything" in just a few clicks. For example, Gold to Bitcoin without having to convert to fiat first.
Uphold is relatively popular. They have 10 million users since being founded in 2013. They are based in the USA but offer their services in 180+ countries.
Some Stats
- 10 million users
- Available in 180+ countries
- 130+ cryptocurrencies
- 20+ fiat currencies
- 8 assets for staking
- Headquartered in USA
- Founded in 2013
Bottom Line
The bottom line is Uphold has high spreads (up to 3% or more) and it's hard for some countries to fund their accounts. Overall, we found that there are better cryptocurrency exchanges on the market. On the upside, Uphold does offer 130+ cryptocurrencies and a variety of assets like stocks and precious metals all in one app.
See our top crypto exchanges here. You can compare over 20 platforms on fees, features, security and more to find the best one for you.
Where It Shines:
Where It Falls Short:
Uphold At A Glance
Coins Offered | 130+ |
BTC Spread | 3.46% (Apr 16, 2022) |
Trading Fee | Free |
Bank Account Deposits | |
BTC Withdrawal Fee | 0.0003 BTC + $2.99 |
Notable Features | Trade crypto, stocks, precious metals, and more |
Supported Countries | 180+ (View restricted countries) |
User Interface
Platform & Features
In general, Uphold does not have the highest number of features, like a Binance or Crypto.com. But, they do let you trade multiple asset classes, stake crypto, set up recurring transactions, and more.
A great thing about Uphold is that you can open an account in 10 minutes, and it's easy to use, regardless of your experience with investing. A beginner will appreciate the clear navigation and the beginner-friendly design. With no learning curve, you can focus on investing rather than learning how to use the platform.
The biggest drawback is high spreads, which I discussed in the fees section. Here's more information about Uphold's products and services.
130+ Cryptocurrencies
Uphold supports 130+ cryptocurrencies. They frequently add new coins, so the number of available coins keeps increasing. In 2021, they only had about 70 coins. While it's a good selection, the best altcoin exchanges are Binance and KuCoin. They both offer 600+ coins with the lowest fees and spreads in the industry.
Trade 20+ Currencies
Uphold offers a wide range of fiat currencies. From Peso's and Shekel's to Rupee's and Swiss Franc's, you have a variety of choices. Keep in mind, not all currencies support deposit/withdrawals.
U.S. Equities
Uphold lets you trade over 50 U.S. stocks for as little as $1. However, this service is only available in certain regions.
Precious Metals
You can buy gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. And you'll enjoy instant liquidity as well as zero custody costs.
Trade "Anything to Anything"
The "anything to anything" trade allows you to move between crypto, national currencies, and metals using one screen. There are no trading fees, but beware of the spreads, which can be quite high. It claims to be 1.2% on their website, but when we tested it, it was 3.46%. A considerable difference!
Recurring Transactions
With recurring transactions, you can dollar-cost average (DCA) into your investments completely automated. Uphold lets you automatically withdraw money from your card without having to deposit it every time.
Staking
Uphold lets users earn rewards automatically every week based on how much you stake. The more you stake, the higher the APY you may earn, which currently ranges between 4% and 19.5%. There are currently 8 assets available for staking (KSM, KAVA, ADA, DOT, ATOM, SOL, ETH, XTZ).
App Integrations
Uphold lets you to connect your wallet and account to third-party apps for more functionality. For example, you can connect with CoinTracker, Koinly, BlockReward, and other services. There is at least a dozen "Uphold approved" integrations which can be added in a few clicks.
Uphold Debit Card
The Uphold card allows you to use crypto, gold, and other assets as payment methods. You can earn 1% cashback and 2% crypto rewards. The debit card is also integrated with Google and Apple Pay.
Customer Support
You can reach Uphold by email or live chat. They also have a pretty comprehensive FAQ section that covers most topics. Unfortunately, we didn't test their customer support so we can't give them a review.
- Live chat (log in to your account)
- Help center (https://support.uphold.com/)
- Submit a ticket (https://support.uphold.com/hc/en-us/requests/new)
- Email Uphold (support@uphold.com)
Opening An Account
Uphold has a seamless registration process. In less than a minute, you can open an account. Then, verification will take another few minutes. In under 10 minutes, you can start trading crypto and other assets right away. Trading on Uphold requires you to provide your ID and complete KYC.
Requirements:
Application Time | Under 10 minutes |
KYC | Mandatory |
Instant Verification | Yes |
Who Is Eligible? | 150+ Countries |
Sign Up Requirements |
|
Fees & Spread
- Trading Fee: Free
- Recurring Buys: Free
- Staking Fee: 15% (already included in the APY)
- Bank Deposits: Free
- Bank Withdrawals: Free
Spreads
This is what Uphold claims are their spreads on their website:
- 1.80% for BTC and ETH, significantly higher for other coins
- 3.00% for precious metals
- 0.20% for major fiat currencies like EUR, USD, and GBP
However, in our test, Bitcoin had a 3.46% spread, nearly twice as much. The results are below:
Uphold Price Test | Results |
|---|---|
Spread | 3.46% |
BTC Buy Price | $41,446 USD |
BTC Sell Price | $40,061 USD |
Ref. Price Difference | Buy: 0.45% Sell: -2.91% |
Reference Price (Google) | $41,261 USD |
Deposit & Withdrawals
Fiat Currencies
Fiat Wallets (Deposit/Withdrawals supported) | |
Credit/Debit Card | Yes |
P2P Exchange | No |
Crypto Withdrawal Fees
Type | Fee | Minimum Withdrawal |
|---|---|---|
Bitcoin | $2.99 + 0.0003 BTC | 0.00001 BTC |
Ethereum | $2.99 + Gas Fees (dynamic) | 0.001 ETH |
USDC | $2.99 + Gas Fees (dynamic) | ? |
Security
Company Security Features
User Security Features
Is Uphold Safe?
Yes, Uphold is a safe and secure platform. They have never been hacked (founded in 2013) and are regulated in multiple countries. They also have full reserves and are very transparent about their holdings. Their assets and balances are publicly available and can be viewed in real time.
⚠️ Although this platform is safe, over 50% of platforms we tested have had hacks or incidents in the past. We strongly recommend storing and protecting your crypto on a non-custodial wallet where you own the private keys. Preferably, a reputable hardware wallet like the Ledger Nano X.
The Bottom Line
Uphold has zero trading fees, 130+ cryptocurrencies, and a variety of assets you can trade. However, it has high spreads and it's hard for some countries to fund their accounts. Overall, we found that there are other better platforms for crypto investors.
Reasons To Use Uphold
- Variety of cryptocurrencies
- Trade precious metals, stocks, and currencies
- Beginner friendly and easy to use
Reasons To Not Use Uphold
- Can't deposit/withdraw all fiat currencies
- Uphold has high spreads and cheaper platforms are available
- High crypto withdrawal fees
- No advanced trading
See our top crypto exchanges here. You can compare over 20 platforms on fees, features, security and more to find the best one for you.
Start Trading 130+ Cryptocurrencies
Compared
Compare the world's most popular cryptocurrency exchanges:
Name | Coins | # of Features | Standard Trading Fee | Supported Countries | Fiat Wallets? | BTC Withdrawal Fee | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
240+ | 15+ | 0.10% | 190+ | No | 0.0005 BTC | ||
 Binance 🏆(#1 overall) | 600+ | 30+ | 0.10% | 100+ | Yes | 0.0005 BTC | |
150+ | 15+ | 0.20% | ? | Yes | 0.0004 BTC | ||
750+ | 10+ | 0.25% | 180+ | No | 0.0005 BTC | ||
50+ | 5+ | 0.50% | ? | Yes | 0.0005 BTC | ||
300+ | 5+ | 0.75% | 100+ | Yes | 0.0003 BTC | ||
140+ | 15+ | 0.10% | 180+ | No | 0.0005 BTC | ||
170+ | 10+ | 3.99% | 100+ | Yes | Dynamic | ||
110+ | 5+ | 0.60% | 100+ | Yes | Dynamic | ||
30+ | 10+ | 0.10% | 150+ | Yes | 0.15% | ||
250+ | 20+ | 0.40% | 90+ | Yes | 0.0006 BTC | ||
40+ | 10+ | 0% | 50+ | Yes | 0.50% | ||
1400+ | 30+ | 0.195% | 190+ | No | 0.001 BTC | ||
60+ | 15+ | 1.49%+ | 60+ | Yes | 0.001 BTC | ||
60+ | 10+ | 0% | 100+ | Yes | 0.0005 BTC | ||
500+ | 20+ | 0.20% | 130+ | Yes | 0.0005 BTC | ||
190+ | 10+ | 0.26% | 190+ | 0.00002 BTC | |||
700+ | 20+ | 0.10% | 190+ | No | 0.0005 BTC | ||
350+ | 25+ | 0.10% | 100+ | No | 0.0002 BTC* | ||
300+ | 10+ | 0.155% | 100+ | No | 0.0005 BTC | ||
130+ | 10+ | 0% | 180+ | Yes | 0.0003 BTC + $2.99 |
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