Cheapest exchange this week
Binance · $1.38 all-in avg
$1,000 buy avg · this week
What "0% fee" really costs
MEXC +€1.16 vs cheapest
all-in cost gap (EUR) · latest round
Cheapest way to move USDT at Binance
cheapest: BNB Chain 0.01 USDT · priciest: Tron 1.5 USDT
withdrawal fee · curated
Top reliability score right now
Kraken 88
sourced & dated · never bought
The True-Cost Index · monthly edition
True-Cost Index, August 2026.
measured by Skontro · permanent edition · month to date, not final
What a $1,000 buy cost across 8 exchanges (dollar books), August 2026, month to date, not final: 45,670 measurements.
The dollar edition · USD books
What a $1,000 buy cost across 8 exchanges, August 2026 (month to date) — fee plus hidden spread.
| Exchange | Measurements | Avg fee | Avg hidden spread | Avg all-in | Cheapest | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binance | 1693 | $1.00 | $0.46 | $1.46 | 8.1% | 0.1% |
| Kraken | 9021 | $4.00 | $0.17 | $4.17 | 21.1% | 0.2% |
| Bitstamp | 3541 | $4.00 | $0.84 | $4.84 | 3.6% | 1.8% |
| Crypto.com | 8594 | $5.00 | $1.09 | $6.09 | 0.0% | 4.9% |
| OKX | 9041 | $1.00 | $8.97 | $9.97 | 64.4% | 3.4% |
| Coinbase | 8635 | $12.00 | $0.34 | $12.34 | 0.0% | 59.6% |
| Gemini | 3965 | $12.00 | $1.13 | $13.13 | 1.7% | 27.3% |
| Bybit | 787 | $1.00 | $20.31 | $21.31 | 1.0% | 2.8% |
2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 45,670 measurements · Method: /true-cost/methodology
The “0% fee” check
No exchange in the set advertised a (near-)zero taker fee this period.
Sources & method
Skontro's dollar series. Each exchange is priced separately on every measured asset, then averaged into one number. 45,670 measurements in 9,744 asset-hour rounds (9,352 rankable), observed 2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 99.0% of scheduled asset-hour rounds so far (period still running).
Basket v2: the 25-asset series (from 2026-08-01). Ranking is by net amount received; affiliate relationships never move a number. How “hidden spread” is measured: /true-cost/methodology. Corrections → hello@skontro.com, applied and dated visibly.
The dollar edition · USDT books
What a 1,000 USDT buy cost across 9 exchanges, August 2026 (month to date) — fee plus hidden spread.
| Exchange | Measurements | Avg fee | Avg hidden spread | Avg all-in | Cheapest | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MEXC | 8139 | 0.50 USDT | 1.15 USDT | 1.65 USDT | 73.3% | 0.0% |
| Bybit | 9040 | 1.00 USDT | 0.81 USDT | 1.81 USDT | 19.9% | 2.4% |
| OKX | 3933 | 1.00 USDT | 1.01 USDT | 2.01 USDT | 2.4% | 0.6% |
| Bitget | 8139 | 1.00 USDT | 1.18 USDT | 2.18 USDT | 3.0% | 4.3% |
| Binance | 8115 | 1.00 USDT | 1.21 USDT | 2.21 USDT | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Kraken | 3524 | 4.00 USDT | 1.16 USDT | 5.16 USDT | 0.0% | 4.1% |
| Crypto.com | 8256 | 5.00 USDT | 2.15 USDT | 7.15 USDT | 0.0% | 34.4% |
| Gemini | 421 | 12.00 USDT | -0.34 USDT | 11.66 USDT | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| Coinbase | 5098 | 12.00 USDT | 3.29 USDT | 15.29 USDT | 0.0% | 51.9% |
2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 54,665 measurements · Method: /true-cost/methodology
The “0% fee” check
- MEXC advertises a near-zero taker fee — measured all-in 1.65 USDT per 1,000 USDT, 1.15 USDT hidden spread.
Sources & method
Skontro's dollar series. Each exchange is priced separately on every measured asset, then averaged into one number. 54,665 measurements in 9,353 asset-hour rounds (9,353 rankable), observed 2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 95.0% of scheduled asset-hour rounds so far (period still running).
Basket v2: the 25-asset series (from 2026-08-01). Ranking is by net amount received; affiliate relationships never move a number. How “hidden spread” is measured: /true-cost/methodology. Corrections → hello@skontro.com, applied and dated visibly.
The founding EUR series · longest continuous record
What a €1,000 buy cost across 13 exchanges, August 2026 (month to date) — fee plus hidden spread.
| Exchange | Measurements | Avg fee | Avg hidden spread | Avg all-in | Cheapest | Dearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KuCoin | 1336 | €1.00 | €0.35 | €1.35 | 2.5% | 0.0% |
| OKX | 9850 | €0.96 | €0.76 | €1.72 | 55.2% | 0.1% |
| Bitget | 3546 | €1.00 | €1.39 | €2.39 | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Bitvavo | 4025 | €2.50 | €0.18 | €2.68 | 1.0% | 0.1% |
| MEXC | 3937 | €0.50 | €2.29 | €2.79 | 0.3% | 0.9% |
| Binance | 8253 | €1.00 | €1.94 | €2.94 | 29.3% | 4.7% |
| Kraken | 9831 | €4.00 | €0.44 | €4.44 | 0.3% | 14.8% |
| Crypto.com | 2364 | €5.00 | €2.04 | €7.04 | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Bitstamp | 3577 | €4.00 | €5.36 | €9.36 | 0.1% | 9.2% |
| Coinbase | 7090 | €12.00 | €1.47 | €13.47 | 0.0% | 62.5% |
| Bitpanda * | 9850 | €0.00 | €14.48 | €14.48 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Gemini | 360 | €12.00 | €7.25 | €19.25 | 0.0% | 3.4% |
| Bybit | 4950 | €1.00 | €20.60 | €21.59 | 11.2% | 3.7% |
2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 68,969 measurements · Method: /true-cost/methodology
The “0% fee” check
- MEXC advertises a near-zero taker fee — measured all-in €2.79 per €1,000, €2.29 hidden spread.
Sources & method
Skontro's founding EUR series — the longest continuous record, running on as a continuing service beside the dollar edition. Each exchange is priced separately on every measured asset, then averaged into one number. 68,969 measurements in 9,825 asset-hour rounds (9,825 rankable), observed 2026-08-01 → 2026-08-17 · 99.8% of scheduled asset-hour rounds so far (period still running).
Basket v2: the 25-asset series (from 2026-08-01). * = estimated, not measured: a list-price exchange with no public order book; excluded from the cheapest/dearest rounds. Ranking is by net amount received; affiliate relationships never move a number. How “hidden spread” is measured: /true-cost/methodology. Corrections → hello@skontro.com, applied and dated visibly.
See what a buy costs today, live · or the current index and this week’s find.
Editions: June · July · August
Method: /true-cost/methodology · JSON: /api/truecost/index?month=2026-08
Skontro — built in Vienna by OptiRisk Consulting e.U. Not investment advice; Skontro is not a CASP under MiCAR.