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Jason Finance
Crypto

Crypto: Choosing an Exchange, Security, Fees and Idle Cash

This section covers what to know when using crypto exchanges: how to choose one, how to check proof of reserves, which security settings to turn on, how fees work, and where idle dollars and USDT can go, along with the extra risk each option carries.

Where to start:

  • Exchange reviews: the exchanges I actually use, covering security, past incidents, licences, fees and earn products, with screenshots from my own account. The OKX review is up; Bybit, which I have used the longest, and Bitget, which I started using later, are in progress.
  • Scores and comparisons: scores for 14 international exchanges, with the data and sources behind each item, are in Exchange rating methodology; general-user fees, the effective rate after the invitation fee discount and USDT withdrawal fees are in International exchange fee comparison; how to read reserve ratios and verify them yourself is in Proof of reserves guide. How to choose an exchange is in How to choose a crypto exchange; how the invitation fee discount is calculated and how to check it applies is in What is a crypto exchange fee discount.
  • TWD deposits and withdrawals: converting USDT to New Taiwan dollars on MAX in Taiwan and withdrawing to a bank is covered in MAX USDT to TWD.
  • Idle cash: whether idle dollars and USDT should go into exchange earn products, Aave, Bitfinex lending or short-term Treasuries, see Where to park idle USD and USDT; for the cost of converting USDT to dollars on Bitfinex, see Bitfinex USDT to USD.
  • Wallets and security: how to check that a new cold wallet is fresh and untampered, and the October 2026 reseller-linked theft, see Ledger theft incident.
  • Deposits and transfers: what to check, in order, when a transfer is confirmed on-chain but the exchange has not credited it, see USDT deposit delayed: what to do.

The content is based on exchanges I have used myself and on public information, and every post states the date of its data. This site does not predict coin prices, does not run copy-trading, and does not give advice on specific coins, futures contracts or leverage.

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