Uphold, a cryptocurrency platform, offers a wide range of financial products. It lets users trade, buy, and sell nearly 100 cryptocurrencies.
Uphold is open about its fees. Uphold has a different fee structure than many other crypto exchanges. There are no deposit fees, commissions or maker-taker fees. Spread fees are essentially a small premium that you will pay over the market price. This allows Uphold to make money. Spread fees can lead to higher prices than you would see from other competitors. It could be a good option for people who want to invest in multiple asset classes on one platform.
How does Uphold work?
Uphold, a broker, allows you to buy, trade, and trade cryptocurrency and precious metals, fiat currencies and U.S. equity.
Cross-asset trading is what makes Uphold stand out. Trades can be made between any asset offered by Uphold, so you can trade cryptocurrency for stock or precious metal for foreign currency.
Uphold provides many other financial services beyond trading, including:
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Cryptocurrency assets are volatile in nature. Buy and trade at your own risk.
73% of retail investor accounts lose money trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Trading with financial instruments carries high level of risks that is not suitable for all investors. Before making any investment decisions, you should seek advice from independent financial advisor to ensure you understand the risks involved.
Trading with financial instruments carries high level of risks that is not suitable for all investors. Before making any investment decisions, you should seek advice from independent financial advisor to ensure you understand the risks involved.
- The Uphold Card is a debit card that allows you to pay with any asset in your account, and also earns rewards for your spending.
- Worldwide, instant fee-free payments to family and friends.
- You can receive payments from your employer in any currency you choose.
- Withdrawals to bank accounts in more than 30 countries, or to private crypto wallets.
Uphold Cryptocurrencies
Uphold currently offers users the ability to trade, buy and sell nearly 100 currencies on its platform. Available cryptocurrencies include:
- Bitcoin (BTC)
- Etherium (ETH)
- Litecoin (LTC)
- Ripple (XRP)
- Chainlink (Link)
- Stellar Lumens (XLM)
- Iota (MIOTA)
Trading Experience
Uphold is a simple trading platform that allows you to only view one asset’s price at a given time. This is different from other exchanges that typically display a sortable list with assets, prices, market caps, and relative price change over the last 24 hours. Uphold is a more “buy and keep” platform and not intended for active crypto traders. The platform does not offer advanced charting, stop orders or margin trading.
The “Crypto tab” allows users to access a list containing available crypto and then choose a cryptocurrency to trade. You can purchase crypto by making a deposit to Uphold using a linked bank account or wire transfer. There are no additional fees. You can also deposit supported cryptocurrency into your Uphold digital wallet to trade it for other assets on the platform such as stocks, cryptocurrencies and precious metals.
This exchange allows users to create recurring purchases. This allows them to purchase crypto in regular intervals, such as weekly or monthly. Customers can withdraw crypto assets by using the withdraw option. However, network fees may apply.
The Uphold mobile apps are available for both Android and Apple. They offer the same experience as the web-based platform and allow users to view their portfolio and make trades. Users can also withdraw or deposit funds to their accounts.
Fees
Uphold charges spread fees to customers who make cryptocurrency sales and purchases on its platform. Spread fees can be as high as 0.8% to 1.2% for most cryptocurrencies. They can also go higher for cryptocurrencies with lower liquidity. Spread fees can rise during market volatility, which is why they are called uphold.
Personal accounts do not have to pay withdrawal fees or deposit fees. However, withdrawals to external wallets may be subject to crypto network fees. These fees are the same as for any other provider.
They can be subject to market changes, but Uphold charges these spread fees for other asset classes:
| Take Action | Fee |
| Fiat Currencies | Spread fee of 0.2% |
| U.S Equities | Spread fee of 1% |
| Metals | Spread fee of 3% |
The Uphold Card
The broker can offer the Uphold Card, which allows you to pay with crypto, cash, precious metals, and any other assets in your account. It is a Mastercard so it can be used anywhere Mastercards are accepted. You can also earn 1% cashback on purchases in national currencies, and 2% in crypto rewards for crypto purchases.
There are some drawbacks to the Uphold Card. The card comes with a $9.95 application fee, $9.95 replacement fee, and $2.50 for U.S. ATM withdrawals. It’s still nice to be able to use your account to purchase cash or crypto.
Security
Uphold provides decent security to users. It includes two-factor authentication (2FA), encryption of data servers, and KYC identity verification.
These are the security features that the exchange offers:
- Two-factor authentication: Uphold requires two-factor authentication using third-party apps such as Google Authenticator. This protects against account hacking.
- Cold storage: Uphold stores around 90% of all crypto balances on “cold storage,” which is servers that aren’t connected to the internet. This protects most crypto assets from hackers and keeps them safe.
- Encryption: Uphold uses data encryption to protect all platform activity. Private keys are also stored to protect personal information and assets. TLS encryption is used for web-based activity. All emails are encrypted during transit. The platform also provides role-based access to employees and protects important information such as application credentials.
Register for an Uphold Account
It is easy to sign up for an account with Uphold. Click on the “Sign Up” button at the upper right of the website to get started. During the initial sign up process, you will need to provide the following information: email address, password and country of residence. Further information, including a government ID, is needed to confirm your identity.
After you have submitted your information and reviewed Uphold’s terms and conditions, you will receive a verification email. Once you have verified your email address, your account can be used.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Excellent cryptocurrency selection | Variable spread |
| Cross-asset trading | There is no lending or staking program |
| There are no trading, withdrawal or deposit fees | Mobile app not up to par |
Conclusion
Uphold makes it easy for new investors to start crypto trading. It allows them to deposit funds immediately and then buy crypto. Investors who wish to trade other assets such as stocks and precious metals can also use Uphold. This is the only exchange that allows users to trade across asset classes directly without needing to convert to cash.
High fees are possible, particularly when trading cryptocurrencies with low liquidity or in times of high network congestion. Spread fees can exceed 1.8%. Funding your account with a debit or credit card adds an additional 3.99% fee.
The platform has a lot of negative user reviews. This is mostly due to KYC identification verification and withdrawal issues. This could be a concern for some users, and it highlights the importance of passing all KYC verifications prior to depositing funds on a crypto-exchange.
Uphold is an excellent platform for those who are just starting to trade crypto and assets.
