Contributor, Benzinga
September 18, 2024

eToro focuses on social trading for community-oriented investors whereas Binance offers advanced trading options and a wider selection of cryptocurrencies.

eToro and Binance are two major crypto exchanges that serve the same purpose of enabling traders to buy and sell assets, but they operate in fundamentally different ways. Choosing the right trading platform is essential, as it affects trading efficiency and strategy execution. A user-friendly interface and robust infrastructure facilitate quick decision-making and seamless trades. Additionally, the fee structure can influence profits, with high fees being detrimental. Selecting a platform that fits your trading strategies and goals equips you with the tools needed for better market navigation and increased success.

This eToro vs Binance comparison guides focuses on how these platforms help you access markets and shape your decision about which is more effective for you.

*eToro USA LCC does not offer CFDs, only real Crypto assets availableInformation is not intended for U.S. users.

eToro vs Binance: At a Glance

***Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk.

***Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.

eToro vs. Binance: An Overview

eToro, launched in 2007, is a leading social trading platform offering a variety of assets such as cryptocurrencies and stocks. Its user-friendly interface and social trading feature enable users to follow and replicate successful investors' trades, creating a community-driven environment. eToro also provides analytical tools to help users make informed investment decisions and build diversified portfolios.

Binance, launched in 2017, is a leading cryptocurrency platform known for partnerships with major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. While it may be less user-friendly than some European platforms, it offers advanced features for experienced traders, such as trading bots and detailed charts. High transaction fees can be mitigated by using the native BNB token, making Binance a popular choice for maximizing trading efficiency in the crypto market.

eToro vs. Binance: Key Features

Let's explore the essential features of both platforms, equipping you with the insights needed to make an informed decision on your crypto trading journey.

eToro Features

  • Multi-asset platform: You can trade a diverse array of assets, including cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), stocks, commodities and forex.
  • Account types: eToro offers four types of accounts: personal (retail), professional, corporate, and Islamic accounts.
  • Limited crypto offerings: eToro offers a limited selection of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, but has fewer altcoin options compared to Binance.
  • Social trading: eToro's social trading feature allows users to observe and automatically copy the trades of successful traders, helping them gain insights and potentially achieve similar success.
  • CopyTrader: The difference between this feature and social trading is time. This feature allows users to replicate trades of experienced traders in real time, enabling a hands-off investing approach without the need for active portfolio management.
  • Smart portfolio: eToro's Smart Portfolio allows for easy and quick investment in a diversified asset portfolio, with automatic and regular rebalancing managed by investment professionals.
  • eToro Club: The eToro Club is a membership program that provides enhanced benefits and privileges based on trading activity and account level. It has five tiers: Silver, Gold, Platinum, Platinum+, and Diamond, with each tier offering increasing rewards. Membership begins at Silver for clients with a $5,000 balance and goes up to Diamond for clients with a $250,000 balance.

Binance Features

  • Spot trading: The platform allows users to trade a wide variety of cryptocurrencies, catering to both novice and experienced traders.
  • Margin trading: You can borrow funds to trade larger amounts. This approach amplifies potential gains. However, it also increases risks. Exercise caution when leveraging borrowed funds in trading activities.
  • Futures and derivatives trading: Futures, options and other derivatives trading are advanced strategies used for effective risk management in financial markets.
  • Binance earn: Binance offers traders various ways to earn interest on their crypto holdings, such as through staking and savings accounts.
  • Binance Visa card: This allows you to use your cryptocurrency for real-world purchases through a Visa debit card linked to your Binance account.
  • Binance Smart Chain: A blockchain platform designed for creating high-performance decentralized applications (dApps).

eToro vs. Binance: Cryptocurrencies Available

Binance stands out as one of the largest and most diverse cryptocurrency exchanges in the world, offering hundreds of different cryptocurrencies for trading, including popular options like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as countless altcoins. This extensive selection allows users to explore a wide variety of investment opportunities and trading strategies. In contrast, eToro, while still providing access to a decent range of cryptocurrencies, has a more limited selection compared to Binance, focusing primarily on major coins and a few select altcoins.

PlatformNo. of available cryptos
Binance350+
Binance.US150+
eToro70+
eToro (U.S. customers)28

eToro vs. Binance: Fees

eToro's 1% flat fee on transactions offers simplicity and transparency for traders, as the cost remains constant regardless of investment size. While this can be appealing, it may disadvantage high-volume investors lacking opportunities for lower fees. Additionally, the fee impacts overall returns on investment, making it less suitable for all trading strategies or financial goals.

Binance has a trading fee of 0.1% for both maker and taker transactions, which can be reduced to 0.075% using Binance Coin (BNB). There are no fees for depositing cryptocurrencies, but withdrawal fees vary by cryptocurrency. When purchasing crypto with a debit or credit card, fees can reach up to 4.5%, while wire transfer purchases incur no extra charges.

eToro vs. Binance: Security

eToro employs both simple and advanced security measures to safeguard clients' funds. The company adheres to regulations set by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). These regulations aim to protect investors globally. Additionally, eToro provides users the option to activate two-factor authentication (2FA) for enhanced account security.

Binance employs strong security measures. Most funds are stored in offline cold wallets. This makes them inaccessible to hackers. The platform offers two-factor authentication (2FA). This includes hardware 2FA with YubiKey for enhanced account protection. Advanced features include real-time monitoring, IP access restrictions, wallet address whitelisting, and withdrawal limits. Additionally, Binance uses RSA encryption for API trading. This ensures secure communications and data transfer.

eToro vs. Binance Customer Support

Although eToro has a basic FAQ, there is very little centralized help if you need more information after this. The help center addresses fundamental questions but can be confusing for first-time crypto users. If you cannot find your answer there, you can submit a support ticket. However, responses may take some time. A more efficient way to get answers is to engage with the community, which is one of the advantages of eToro's social trading platform.

Binance offers customer support nearly 24/7 through live chat during specific operating hours. Users can contact the Support Center for general inquiries and frequently asked questions. A virtual assistant is also available to assist users with their queries.

Neither platform has phone support.

eToro vs. Binance: Ease of Use

The eToro experience is set up for utility. It’s added lots of features like margin trading and sophisticated option setups but it always seems to know how to house these features so they don’t get in the way.

Binance provides an intuitive interface for managing cryptocurrencies, allowing easy navigation for users. It offers both basic and advanced trading views to suit different experience levels and is designed for usability across various devices, including accessibility for users with disabilities.

eToro vs. Binance: Overall

eToro is primarily a social trading platform that appeals to beginners and casual investors due to its user-friendly interface and features like copy trading, where users can mimic the trades of successful investors. In contrast, Binance is a powerhouse in the cryptocurrency exchange realm, offering a vast array of cryptocurrencies for trading, advanced trading features, and lower fees, which cater more to experienced traders. While eToro provides a diverse range of assets, including stocks and cryptocurrencies, it lacks the same depth of cryptocurrency trading options available on Binance. Ultimately, the choice between eToro and Binance depends on the user’s trading preferences, experience level and the specific assets they wish to invest in.

Disclaimer: eToro is a multi-asset platform which offers both investing in stocks and cryptoassets, as well as trading CFDs.

Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 51% of retail investor accounts lose money when 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.

This communication is intended for information and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or investment recommendation. Past performance is not an indication of future results.

Copy Trading is a portfolio management service provided by eToro (Europe) Ltd. which is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.

Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose al the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.

eToro USA LLC does not offer CFDs and makes no representation and assumes no liability as to the accuracy or completeness of the content of this publication, which has been prepared by our partner utilizing publicly available non-entity specific information about eToro.

Cryptocurrency is offered by eToro USA LLC (“the MSB”) (NMLS: 1769299) and is not FDIC or SIPC insured. Investing involves risk, and content is provided for educational purposes online, does not imply a recommendation, and is not a guarantee of future performance. Benzinga is not an affiliate and may be compensated if you access certain products or services offered by the MSB.

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