Key takeaways
- Uphold offers multi-asset trading, supporting cryptocurrencies, fiat, precious metals and equities.
- The platform is known for its transparent fee structure but has higher spread fees on certain assets.
- Security is prioritized with cold storage, 2FA and regulatory compliance.
- Customer support is available via email but lacks live chat.
Uphold is a versatile and user-friendly digital finance platform founded in 2014.
Headquartered in New York City, Uphold has gained recognition for offering a wide range of financial services, including cryptocurrency trading, fiat-to-crypto transactions and precious metals investments.
The platform aims to simplify buying, selling and holding digital assets while maintaining a high standard of security.
As of 2025, Uphold serves users in over 140 countries, facilitating transactions across more than 300 currencies and commodities. The platform has powered over $40 billion in transactions since its launch.
Unlike its competitors such as Kraken, Coinbase and Binance, Uphold has a spotless security record, with the only exception being a security incident in 2023 when one of its third-party service providers suffered a data breach.
Let’s dive deeper.
User experience
Uphold offers a seamless trading experience across multiple platforms:
- Web interface: Accessible via modern web browsers, providing a comprehensive suite of features for trading and account management.
- Mobile applications: Dedicated apps are available for iOS and Android devices, ensuring users can manage their portfolios and execute trades on the go.
- API access: For developers and advanced users, Uphold provides API access, allowing integration with third-party applications and custom trading solutions.
Did you know? Uphold is committed to accessibility, ensuring equal access and usability for all individuals, regardless of abilities or disabilities.
Uphold’s interface is designed with clarity and user-friendliness in mind.
The design features a clean layout highlighting key functionalities such as sending, receiving, trading and converting between assets. Navigation between markets, wallet balances and trade options is smooth, with real-time updates ensuring users can make informed decisions quickly.
The mobile app mirrors the web interface, offering a similar experience with a responsive design so users can manage their assets with ease from any device.
Registration process
Creating an account with Uphold is straightforward and user-friendly:
- Step-by-step guidance: New users are guided through the registration process, which involves providing an email address, setting up a secure password and confirming the email.
- Verification process: After the basic details are filled out, the platform’s verification process ensures a smooth entry into crypto trading.
As part of Uphold’s commitment to regulatory compliance, users must undergo a Know Your Customer (KYC) procedure when signing up. This involves submitting a government-issued ID, proof of address and sometimes a selfie for identity verification.
While this process may take longer for new users, it ensures that Uphold operates with full legal compliance and adds an extra layer of security to your account.
Supported assets
Uphold supports over 250 digital assets and a diverse range of trading pairs, including major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC), as well as a variety of altcoins and stablecoins.
Additionally, Uphold provides cross-asset trading, enabling exchanges between crypto, fiat, and precious metals like gold and silver.
Lastly, Uphold supports a broad range of fiat currencies for deposits and withdrawals, including USD, EUR, GBP and CAD.
Users in select countries can also deposit in local currencies such as AUD, BRL and MXN, facilitating easy entry into crypto trading with minimal conversion fees.
Did you know? Uphold’s vault service offers an assisted self-custody solution, allowing users to retain full control of their digital assets while enjoying the convenience of a centralized exchange.
Fees
Uphold’s fee structure varies based on asset type, payment method and market conditions. For trading, fees are typically:
- Stablecoins and major market FX: 0.25%
- BTC, ETH: 1.4% - 1.6%
- Altcoins: 1.9% - 2.95%
- Precious metals: 1.9% - 2.95%
Fees on altcoins can vary depending on liquidity, with newly supported or small-cap tokens typically incurring higher fees.
During periods of increased volatility, fees may increase, and when market spreads are unusually wide (over 4%), an in-app notification is displayed to inform users.
Uphold provides fast and reliable trade executions, with most transactions processed almost instantly. For regular trading pairs, executions are nearly immediate, though more complex transactions, such as cross-asset trades, may take a bit longer due to additional processing layers.
Security measures
A significant portion of customer assets is stored in cold storage, meaning they are kept offline to safeguard against unauthorized access and cyber threats.
While Uphold has not publicly disclosed specific insurance coverage for digital assets, it’s worth noting that the platform maintains separate accounts for customer funds, ensuring that user assets are distinct from the company’s operational funds.
For account security, Uphold provides several features designed to enhance user protection. Users are encouraged to set up two-factor authentication (2FA), adding an extra layer of security to their accounts.
The platform also allows users to set up a withdrawal list, ensuring that withdrawals can only be made to pre-approved addresses. Uphold provides guidance on recognizing phishing attempts and advises users to be cautious of unsolicited communications.
On the regulatory side, Uphold is certified for SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS, ensuring rigorous control over information security management systems, data handling, and payment processing practices.
Moreover, in response to the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), Uphold announced plans to delist certain stablecoins, including Tether (USDT), by July 1, 2024, to comply with the new regulations.
Did you know? Aside from the incident outlined in our intro, as of February 2025, no publicly reported security breaches or legal issues have impacted Uphold’s reputation.
Customer support
Uphold offers a few channels to assist users:
- Email support: Users can email Uphold’s support team for assistance with various inquiries.
- Help center: The platform provides a comprehensive help center with articles covering account management, deposits and withdrawals, trading features and security. This resource allows users to find answers to common questions independently.
- Social media: Uphold maintains a presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where users can find updates and engage with the community.
As expected from a platform that doesn’t offer live chat or phone support, Uphold’s customer support has received mixed reviews regarding response times.
Some users report timely and helpful assistance, with issues resolved efficiently. However, others express frustration over slow response times and difficulties resolving issues, particularly during high-demand periods.
Additional services
Uphold distinguishes itself from other exchanges through several unique features:
- Multi-asset trading: Uphold enables users to trade directly between various asset classes, including cryptocurrencies, fiat currencies, precious metals and equities, all within a single platform.
- Interest accounts: Uphold offers interest-bearing accounts for USD balances, allowing users to earn up to 4.9% APY, with FDIC insurance protection up to $2.5 million.
- Staking services: The platform allows users to stake over 15 digital assets, offering staking rewards of up to 14%, providing an opportunity to earn passive income on holdings.
- Uphold card: Available in the UK, the Uphold Card is a debit card that enables users to spend their digital assets anywhere Mastercard is accepted, bridging the gap between digital and traditional finance.
- Transparent operations: Uphold maintains transparency by publishing its assets and liabilities every 30 seconds, allowing users to verify the platform’s financial health in real time.
Final thoughts
Uphold stands out as a versatile choice, going above and beyond what is usually expected of crypto exchanges with its broad range of trading options, from cryptocurrencies to precious metals.
Its user-friendly interface and transparent fee structure make it an attractive option for new and experienced traders. Not to mention, it boasts an impressive security record.
While the higher spread fees on certain assets and the lack of live customer support may be drawbacks, Uphold is an excellent choice for those looking to trade crypto and more.
FAQ
1. What is Uphold?
Uphold is a versatile digital finance platform founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York City. It offers a wide range of financial services, including cryptocurrency trading, fiat-to-crypto transactions and precious metals investments. The platform aims to simplify the process of buying, selling and holding digital assets while maintaining high security standards.
2. Which cryptocurrencies can I trade on Uphold?
Uphold supports over 250 digital assets, including major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH) and Litecoin (LTC), as well as a variety of altcoins and stablecoins.
3. What are the fees associated with trading on Uphold?
Uphold’s fee structure varies based on factors like asset type, payment method and market conditions. For trading, fees are typically:
- Stablecoins and major market FX: 0.25%
- BTC, ETH: 1.4% - 1.6%
- Altcoins: 1.9% - 2.95%
- Precious metals: 1.9% - 2.95%
Fees on altcoins can vary depending on liquidity, with newly supported or small-cap tokens typically incurring higher fees. During periods of increased volatility, fees may increase, and when market spreads are unusually wide (over 4%), an in-app notification is displayed to inform users.
4. How can I deposit and withdraw funds on Uphold?
Uphold supports various deposit and withdrawal methods, including:
- Fiat deposits: Debit/credit cards, bank transfers (ACH, SEPA) and Apple/Google Pay.
- Cryptocurrency deposits: Direct transfers from external wallets.
Withdrawal methods include bank transfers, debit/credit cards and cryptocurrency network withdrawals. Please note that fees and limits may vary based on location and the chosen method.
5. Is Uphold available in my country?
Uphold operates in over 140 countries, facilitating transactions across more than 300 currencies and commodities. However, services are not available in certain jurisdictions. Uphold does not offer services in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Belarus and several others.
Additionally, Uphold is unable to offer new accounts in Germany, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia and others. For a comprehensive list of supported and unsupported countries, please refer to Uphold’s official documentation.
6. How can I contact Uphold’s customer support?
Uphold offers several support channels to assist users:
- Email support: Users can email Uphold’s support team for assistance with various inquiries.
- Help center: The platform provides a comprehensive help center with articles covering topics such as account management, deposits and withdrawals, trading features and security. This resource allows users to find answers to common questions independently.
- Social media: Uphold maintains a presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, where users can find updates and engage with the community.
Uphold does not offer live chat or phone support.
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