Uphold Review 2025: Features, Trading Fees, and More

Uphold is a global crypto platform that enables you to trade over 300 cryptocurrencies and traditional currencies, but also facilitates the trade of other commodities, as you’ll see in this comprehensive Uphold review. It’s a versatile platform with its own Web3 wallet that even offers a debit card to UK users. 

Besides learning what Uphold is, we’ll also explain how it works and the assets it lets you trade. You’ll learn about its fee structure, user experience, trading tools, security, and more. Let’s begin. 

Reader’s note: The numbers, facts, and figures provided in this article were accurate at the time of publishing.

Uphold trading platform review: Our verdict

Uphold is a versatile cryptocurrency trading platform that doubles as a trading app for commodities and fiat currencies. Its standout features are cross-trading capabilities, the support for three crypto wallets, and functions like crypto staking and a USD interest account.

Security is taken seriously, and the company is transparent about its assets and liabilities. It’s important to note that Uphold has access to liquidity from 30+ exchanges, meaning your orders will get executed with the least amount of slippage.

Despite the occasional location-based limitations, Uphold still has much to offer users across the globe. It’s designed for both beginner and advanced traders and includes separate accounts for businesses, making it worthwhile for a diverse user base. 

What is Uphold, and how does it work?

Uphold is a multi-asset trading platform trusted by 10+ million users that primarily focuses on cryptocurrencies. It enables individuals and businesses to trade various cryptos, commodities, and fiat currencies. 

Although focused on the UK, US, and EU markets, Uphold operates in over 150 countries. It provides different services based on location, like offering a proprietary debit card to UK users, crypto staking in numerous regions, and even interest for US users with USD in their balance. 

Besides commodities and fiat currencies, Uphold used to hold US equities and ETFs but no longer supports this form of trading. If you’re interested, here are the three best ETFs for beginners you can trade. 

Users can store their assets safely on site, while Uphold also offers the Vault, a proprietary self-custody wallet. There’s also the relatively new Web3 wallet called UpHODL, which is accessible to users from most jurisdictions and offers self-custody. 

One of the key aspects of Uphold is investing in emerging tokens, as the platform focuses on adding new and untested tokens that might yield significant returns to investors willing to take the risk. 

Another critical aspect of Uphold is the fact that all assets are 100% reserved. The platform even includes a dedicated UpHODL page showing exactly how it does that and what assets and obligations it currently holds. The numbers are updated constantly, which is a level of transparency not often seen on similar platforms.

Uphold reinstated staking in the UK

Uphold reinstated staking in the UK in February 2025 following an amendment to staking policies in the United Kingdom (the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000).

While staking is still unavailable in Europe and the U.S., Uphold is striving to have staking enabled by June 2025.

Crypto staking is an important feature that allows investors to earn a passive yield on their digital assets.

Cryptocurrencies you can trade on Uphold

Uphold supports the trade of more than 300 cryptocurrencies. The supported coins include Bitcoin, most major altcoins, various stablecoins, and even emerging tokens. Official Trump was recently added to the platform.

Uphold also offers some less-known cryptocurrencies as it aims to be the place for discovering new tokens with potential. If this interests you, here’s our take on the best crypto to watch and consider at the moment. If you see one or more of these on Uphold, consider investing a sum you’re comfortable with. 

Other assets Uphold covers

Uphold also supports the trade of around 20 fiat currencies, predominantly those used in more than one country and a couple of commodities. The best part is that you’re not limited to trading two of the same asset types. You’re free to trade Ethereum for gold or CHF for XRP.

Fiat currencies

The 20 or so fiat currencies you can trade include all the major denominations used worldwide, like the Euro, Swiss Franc, and Pound Sterling. You can also trade the Yuan, Yen, Swedish Krona, Polish Zloty, Israeli Shekel, Mexican Peso, and several others. 

Commodities

The situation might change in the future, but Uphold currently supports trading gold, silver, and platinum. Gold is the favorite of many investors, so here’s our guide on how to invest in gold.

Fees and commissions on Uphold

Uphold follows a straightforward fee structure and is highly transparent about the fees you’ll need to pay. 

It doesn’t levy commissions, but it charges spreads, and these are, unfortunately, slightly higher than on top-rated unregulated global crypto platforms – though in line with other regulated crypto exchanges. The fees are even higher on relatively unknown and newer tokens. On altcoins and commodities, the spreads can be between 1.9% and 2.95%, while stablecoins and major market assets typically carry a spread of only 0.25%. 

There’s also a $0.99 fee on trades below $500. 

If the conditions require a spread above 4%, the Uphold app will notify you to ensure you’re ready to move forward. 

Other than that, the use of the Uphold Vault comes with a monthly fee of $4.99 after the trial period.

Uphold also charges fees on some deposit and withdrawal options, and the numbers vary between countries. Here’s a breakdown of payment fees for US users:

Bear in mind that Uphold charges $0.99 on select cryptocurrency withdrawals or a fixed fee in crypto for major coins like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Polkadot. 

How user-friendly is Uphold?

Uphold is a user-friendly platform that both beginners and experienced traders can use. It sports a sleek and intuitive interface and relatively smooth onboarding. The sign-up process can be lengthy in jurisdictions with stricter laws, but Uphold still makes it as easy as possible by offering clear instructions and a responsive platform. 

The KYC is also simple and largely automated, with most users getting approved in only a few minutes. It’s a necessary process on regulated crypto exchanges, so it’s a relief that it doesn’t last too long. 

If you want to avoid KYC altogether, your only option is decentralized exchanges. Here’s a list of the biggest decentralized exchanges on the market. 

Depositing is straightforward, and the site will process transactions instantly in most cases, except for options like wire transfers, which need a few days to clear.

Once you start trading, you’ll notice that all assets provide the necessary info, like a simple line chart that shows recent price movements. There are additional stats like market cap and 24-hour trading volume, but that’s about it. 

The good news is that Uphold boasts a lot of educational resources that can be of great use to beginners, and it even offers courses through the Uphold Academy. Uphold reviews from users often praise these learning opportunities. 

Uphold mobile app user experience

The same level of user experience is evident in the Uphold app. It’s available for both iOS and Android, and you can easily download either using the QR codes on the site. 

Uphold desktop user experience

Desktop is the primary device for using Uphold and the user experience is top-notch. There’s no trading software to download, and you can use all the features straight from your browser, whichever type it is. 

Uphold card

The Uphold card is a debit card you can connect to your Uphold wallet. Its main benefits are 0% foreign transaction fees and very low FX rates. There’s no setup cost, and you don’t have to pay any annual fees. 

The card works like a regular debit card, meaning you can pay with it in various locations and withdraw crypto as cash from any ATM, as long as they accept Mastercard. What’s more, you can even add it to your mobile wallet through Google or Apple Pay. 

However, there’s one caveat: it’s only available to UK citizens for now. As for fees, there’s a £2.50 fee for ATM withdrawals in the UK and a £3.50 fee for withdrawals from foreign ATMs.

Cashback on the Uphold card

As of early 2024, Uphold card users earn a 1% cashback on most purchases. It’s paid in GBP monthly, usually within the first 15 days of the subsequent month. You can see how much you’ve accrued within the Uphold app. 

Bear in mind that some types of purchases won’t count toward the cashback, and you can view the list of excluded transactions on the Uphold website. 

Trading tools and trading resources on Uphold

Despite not offering the sophisticated trading features top exchanges are known for, like advanced charts, Uphold includes a few conveniences that many traders will find valuable. 

Before covering the features and trading resources, it’s worth noting that Uphold supports several complex and advanced order types, so you’re not limited to merely buying and selling assets manually. Here’s what’s available:

• Limit order — Create a trade and set the price at which you want to buy or sell that asset. The platform will execute the trade automatically only when the price is met. 
• Take profit order — The order lets you automatically sell an asset at a specific price point to secure profits without following the market.
• Trailing stop order — Limit your losses and lock in gains by selling an asset automatically with this order when its price falls by a specific amount or percentage. 
• Repeat transaction — A simple, repeatable trade you can set to occur daily, weekly, monthly, or over another custom period that will help you dollar-cost average into positions.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s cover the main features Uphold offers. 

Uphold Vault

The Uphold Vault is the brand’s self-custody crypto wallet made primarily for BTC and XRP holders. You will keep the keys to your assets, thus having complete control over your crypto, and even if you lose a key, Uphold offers a secure key-replacement service. 

As expected, the Vault supports instant connection to the Uphold trading platform, which makes trading straightforward. 

However, the service isn’t free. There’s a 30-day free trial, but afterward, you need to pay $4.99 per month or $49.99 annually. 

UpHODL Web3 wallet

Uphold offers another wallet for Web3 fans, aptly named UpHODL. It’s a multichain, self-custody crypto wallet that stores BTC, altcoins, ERC-20 tokens, and even NFTs. 

UpHODL also comes with the option to connect to DeFi apps through the WalletConnect feature and lets users purchase crypto directly. It’s a mobile wallet that is available as an app for iOS and Android devices. 

USD interest account

US Uphold users enjoy an added benefit in the form of interest on their USD balance as long as they retain at least $1 in the interest account. You can earn up to 4.9% APY (2% on balances below $1,000) without locking your funds or paying monthly fees. 

You need to move the funds to the interest account for this to work. You are able to have up to $2,500,000 ($250,000 per depositor, per insured bank for each account) Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance for deposits in your Atomic Brokerage account when those deposits are swept to all ten Program Banks in the Atomic Cash Sweep Program.

Funds held in your Atomic Brokerage account are not FDIC-insured. Funds held in your Atomic Brokerage account solely for the purpose of accessing the Cash Sweep are also not protected by SIPC.

Disclaimer: The USD Interest Account is a brokerage account offered by Atomic Brokerage LLC, which is a member of FINRA/SIPC. This account is used to participate in the Atomic Brokerage Cash Sweep Program. Cash deposited in the account solely for the purpose of accessing the Cash Sweep Program is not protected by SIPC. Neither Atomic Brokerage nor any of its affiliates is a bank.

Business account

If you own a business, Uphold also covers you with its special Uphold Business Account. 

The account provides easy access to international users, enabling cross-border payments without the high costs usually associated with them. You can also send money securely to employees and suppliers while spending very little on currency conversion. 

Crypto staking yields

You can stake around 20 cryptos, including:

• Ether (ETH) with 2.27% APY
• Polkadot (DOT) with 12.5% APY
• Solana (SOL) with 11.5% APY
• Cosmos (ATOM) with 15% APY
• Near Protocol (NEAR) with 8.26% APY
• Avalanche (AVAX) with 3% APY

Staking rewards start accruing as soon as you stake the coins and are paid every Thursday. However, bear in mind that you can’t unstake your coins immediately, and the timeframe depends on the altcoin you’re staking. 

Uphold Academy

Uphold’s educational resources are vast and well thought out. It’s all available in the Uphold Academy, where you’ll also find helpful courses designed for beginner, intermediate, and advanced crypto traders. 

Uphold licensing and security

Uphold comes with state-of-the-art security measures that align with what most reputable crypto exchanges offer. Its track record is good, and it offers a bug bounty program where users can earn rewards for spotting bugs and issues with the platform. 

The brand claims that over 90% of user funds are kept in cold storage for extra security. 

As we’ve already discussed, Uphold publishes its assets and liabilities every 30 seconds, and from what we’ve seen, liabilities are always entirely covered by the company’s assets. 

Moreover, Uphold is adequately regulated in the countries in which it operates. It holds licenses from the US FinCen, the UK’s FCA, and Canada’s Fintrac. 

Customer support on Uphold

There’s no sugarcoating it — customer service is not one of Uphold’s strong suits. Users often wait long to receive help, and complaints are handled slowly. 

However, the brand does offer live chat support through the Uphold app. You can also request help via an online form or contact the agents via X (formerly Twitter). 

How to start using Uphold? 

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to set up Uphold:

1. Visit the official Uphold website.
2. Click on “Get Started” to begin the registration process.
3. Input the required details, including email, phone number, address, country of residence, and citizenship. You can clearly see which countries are allowed in this step.
4. Review the terms and agree to continue. 
5. Input the required personal details. The exact info you need to provide will depend on your location. 
6. Verify your phone number and email address. 
7. Depending on your location, you’ll be asked a few questions about your plans for using the Uphold platform and your current financial situation, such as your estimated income and employment status. 
8. Once your account is set up, you must verify your identity by providing a valid ID. The process is safe, quick, and largely automatic, so you won’t have to wait too long to become a member. 
9. Once you’re done and your account is accepted, you can deposit funds. Just choose the payment method, enter the amount and payment details, and follow the instructions to complete the deposit.
10. With the money in your account, due immediately upon completing the deposit process (unless you’re using a wire transfer), you can start trading the assets you’re interested in. 

Bottom line

Uphold might not be on the level of top crypto exchanges, but its excellent coin coverage and the fact that you can also trade commodities and fiat currencies make it a unique player on the market. 

It’s one of the few to offer cross-asset trading. It also provides three distinct wallet services and other features like staking and USD interest payouts. 

If you’re willing to give it a shot, you’re unlikely to be put off by its few downsides, and you’re bound to appreciate the many benefits this trading platform brings. 

Uphold review: Our methodology 

Our experts take great pride in analyzing and reviewing every crypto trading platform carefully and thoroughly. We do all this to recommend only safe, reputable, and high-quality trading platforms. 

We review the platforms’ asset coverage, trading features, security measures, licensing, and more. Ultimately, we only recommend platforms that pass all or most of our strict requirements with flying colors, and we cover any downsides thoroughly. 

FAQs

References

1. Why Uphold is different (Uphold)
2. Uphold Academy (Uphold)
3. Uphold Support Center (Uphold)