#18 of 115 in the US ranking · Exchange
CEX.IO Review (October 2026): Fees, US States and Licenses
Best for: Card and PayPal purchases
6.6/10
By Vahe Hakobyan Verified Medium confidence No affiliate links
- Taker fee0.25%
- US states— Not verified
- New YorkNo
- Coins— Not verified
- CustodyCustodial
- App Store4.4 ★ · 13K
Our verdict
CEX.IO serves US customers through CEX.IO Corp, a FinCEN-registered money services business that lists money transmitter licenses in 38 states plus DC. US users get spot trading and instant purchases funded by ACH, cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal; ACH transfers carry no platform fee. Savings, staking and margin trading are not offered in the US, and New York is a restricted location.
Pros
- Money transmitter licenses in 38 states plus DC
- ACH transfers carry no CEX.IO fee
- Accepts cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
Cons
- New York is a restricted location
- No staking, savings or margin trading for US users
- Card deposits cost 0.49%–4.99% plus a service charge
CEX.IO fees
- Maker / taker
- 0.15% / 0.25%
- Simple buy
- Card purchases: 0.49%-4.99% card fee plus a service charge, depending on provider and conditions
- Volume tiers
- Official comparison page: spot fee starts at 0.25% and falls to 0.10% above $20M in 30-day volume; 0.15% base maker fee rests on a secondary source
- ACH deposit
- Free (no CEX.IO fee)
- Wire deposit
- — Not verified
- Card purchase
- 0.49%–4.99% plus a service charge, depending on method
- USD withdrawal
- ACH: no CEX.IO fee
- Crypto withdrawal
- — Not verified
- Minimum deposit
- $20
Is CEX.IO available in my state?
CEX.IO Corp lists money transmitter licenses in 38 states plus DC, and its US terms (updated Sept 17, 2026) name New York as a restricted location.
The list of states this platform serves is not verified yet.
US terms (updated Sept 17, 2026) define New York as a Restricted Location; Louisiana and Tennessee licenses do not cover virtual currency transmission. Guam, Puerto Rico and USVI are unsupported territories.
- New York
- No
- ID check (KYC)
- Yes
- Withdraw crypto
- Yes
- Funding
- ACH, Debit card, Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Crypto
Is CEX.IO regulated?
- FinCEN MSB
- NMLS 1804170
- US operator
- CEX.IO Corp.
- Parent company
- — Not verified
- State licenses
- Money transmitter-type licenses in 38 states plus DC listed on the official US licenses page; New York, California and Hawaii are not listed
- New York license
- None
- Founded
- 2013
- Headquarters
- Naperville, IL, USA (US entity, per 2024 press release)
How secure is CEX.IO?
- Proof of reserves
- — Not verified
- Audits
- PCI DSS (per CEX.IO)
- Insurance
- US terms state accounts and digital assets are not FDIC or SIPC insured
Incidents since 2019
None found in the sources checked.
Crypto held on a platform is not covered by FDIC or SIPC insurance.
What you can do on CEX.IO
- Spot
- Advanced trading
US accounts get Spot Trading and Instant Buy; CEX.IO Earn (savings and staking) and margin trading are closed to US customers, and CEX.IO Pay is unavailable in 11 states.
- Apps
- Web, iOS
- Support
- Help center
CEX.IO FAQ
Can New York residents use CEX.IO?
No. CEX.IO does not accept New York residents.
What are CEX.IO's fees?
On its order-book screen CEX.IO charges 0.15% maker and 0.25% taker at the base tier. Simple buy: Card purchases: 0.49%-4.99% card fee plus a service charge, depending on provider and conditions.
Is CEX.IO regulated in the US?
US customers are served by CEX.IO Corp.. Registrations and licenses on record: FinCEN MSB, NMLS 1804170.
Can I withdraw crypto from CEX.IO to my own wallet?
Yes. CEX.IO lets US users send crypto to an external wallet.
Does CEX.IO require ID verification?
Yes. CEX.IO verifies your identity before you can trade.
Alternatives to CEX.IO
Coinbase#1 · All-in-one US platform8.0
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Kraken#5 · Margin and perpetuals traders7.4
Not financial advice. Crypto prices are volatile and you can lose everything you put in. World-Crypt earns nothing from the platforms reviewed here.