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Paxful alternatives

Status
Shut down
Alternatives
3
Review updated
2026-08-23

Paxful has shut down

Paxful announced its wind-down on October 1, 2025 and stopped conducting business, leaving only a limited window for customers to withdraw remaining assets. Paxful Holdings pleaded guilty in December 2025 to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, Bank Secrecy Act anti-money-laundering failures and a Travel Act violation, and was sentenced on February 10, 2026 to a 4 million dollar criminal fine alongside a 3.5 million dollar FinCEN penalty. Co-founder Artur Schaback pleaded guilty separately in July 2024.

Paxful has shut down. Paxful announced its wind-down on October 1, 2025 and stopped conducting business, leaving only a limited window for customers to withdraw remaining assets. The 3 exchanges below are where its users went, in the order our review lists them: Binance, Strike and Kraken.

Paxful no longer operates, so nothing on this page is an invitation to deposit there.

Where those users went

In the order our review lists them. "In common" counts the countries where both the alternative and Paxful rank in our guides.

Alternatives to Paxful compared on rating, fees, identity checks and country reach.
ExchangeRatingFeesID checkCountriesIn common
Binance4.2From 0.1% spot, maker and takerRequired181
Strike4.6Bitcoin-onlyFee shown before you confirmRequired2
Kraken4.7From 0.25% maker, 0.40% takerRequired127

Why each one

  1. Binance The largest crypto exchange by volume: the deepest bitcoin liquidity anywhere, the lowest headline spot fee of any major platform, and quarterly proof of reserves, under a settled US case and an independent monitor.

    Fees, Countries, Security record

  2. Strike Lightning-native app for buying bitcoin and sending it anywhere instantly, with no added fee on transfers.

    Fees, Countries, Security record

  3. Kraken A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.

    Fees, Countries, Security record

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Paxful?

Our review lists Binance first, rated 4.2: The largest crypto exchange by volume: the deepest bitcoin liquidity anywhere, the lowest headline spot fee of any major platform, and quarterly proof of reserves, under a settled US case and an independent monitor. It ranks in 181 of our country guides. The order is editorial, argued from fees, security record and local payment support.

Which Paxful alternative is available in the most countries?

Binance, which ranks in 181 of our country guides. Strike ranks in 2, Kraken ranks in 127.

Why did Paxful shut down?

Paxful announced its wind-down on October 1, 2025 and stopped conducting business, leaving only a limited window for customers to withdraw remaining assets. Paxful Holdings pleaded guilty in December 2025 to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, Bank Secrecy Act anti-money-laundering failures and a Travel Act violation, and was sentenced on February 10, 2026 to a 4 million dollar criminal fine alongside a 3.5 million dollar FinCEN penalty. Co-founder Artur Schaback pleaded guilty separately in July 2024.

Sources