Uphold Exchange & Wallet Review 2023: Is it Safe and Legitimate?

Senior Editor
Publish date: Apr 20, 2022
Last updated: Jan 09, 2023

Uphold is a multi-asset digital money platform that hosts cross-border transactions globally in a seamless way where crypto has become a big part of their offering with over 100 tokens and coins listed. Trade metals, equities, utility tokens, stablecoins, and fiat currencies through the anything-to-anything solution that lets you transact between any asset class on the platform. Uphold has taken financial services to a new level by leveraging digital money which serves as the main carrier of value on an easy-to-use interface. Not only do they have experience in money transmitting since 2015, but the FinCEN and FCA regulatory approval furthermore cements their credibility overall. Read the full story of Uphold in our complete review.

Our rating:
4.19/5
Excellent
Regulated by
FinCEN, FCA
United States flag
Uphold
Founded April 2013
Owner Uphold Inc
Type Multi-Asset Platform
Fees 0.85%
account minimum 1$
Best for Investors

Pros

• Very favorable spreads on all asset classes
• Uphold supports cross-border transactions between all asset classes
• Top choice among beginner investors

Cons

• There is no interactive charting interface
• Currently only available in English and Spanish
• The live chat is only available through the mobile app

Why Uphold

In this section of our Uphold review we have highlighted 6 special features that sets them apart when compared to other platforms.

Trade your strategies with zero trading fees. Minimize your day trading costs significantly and stay in the game.
$0 Trading Fee
Trade your strategies with zero trading fees. Minimize your day trading costs significantly and stay in the game.
Use recurring crypto investment to buy coins over time to simplify your investing. Choose how much and how often.
Recurring Crypto Purchase
Use recurring crypto investment to buy coins over time to simplify your investing. Choose how much and how often.
Deposit money instantly and access the markets within seconds. No delays, no mess, only trading.
Instant Deposits
Deposit money instantly and access the markets within seconds. No delays, no mess, only trading.
Easiest and fastest way to buy cryptocurrency with fiat through card payments, bank transfers, or e-wallets.
Buy Cryptocurrency
Easiest and fastest way to buy cryptocurrency with fiat through card payments, bank transfers, or e-wallets.
Trade or invest on the go with your smartphone. Keep track of your portfolio where ever you are.
Trading App
Trade or invest on the go with your smartphone. Keep track of your portfolio where ever you are.
This status is earned only by the safest and most trusted trading platforms with a proven track record of being safe.
High Security
This status is earned only by the safest and most trusted trading platforms with a proven track record of being safe.

About Uphold

Uphold is a US-based and US-licensed multi-asset trading platform that offers cross-border transactions with cryptocurrencies, national currency pairs, stocks, precious metals, and ETFs at very favorable rates. The company that runs the operation is called Uphold Inc and its main headquarters is located at 6 W 18th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, New York 10011, United States.

It’s safe to say that Uphold takes customer security seriously by being regulated by two different jurisdictions and two different government bodies, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in the USA, and the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. These regulations are what cement the credibility of this powerhouse in combination with a proven track record of operating safely since 2015.

Uphold’s motto and slogan “Anything-to-Anything” is what sets the platform apart from the rest where money transmitting across borders and between asset classes is done with ease through a very intuitive and beginner-friendly interface. It’s difficult not to like the design of Uphold and I can almost promise that all of our readers will find the interface very user-friendly, well done Uphold.

Why we like Uphold

Uphold is simple, flexible, and affordable, three aspects that made us dig the platform from day one and we are certain that you will feel the same. The fact that the platform hosts all their tokens, currencies, and commodities on the same ledger makes things so much easier since you can control, send, and transact between asset classes directly from your app.

“It’s created to make investing more effortless”, those were my first words after I started reviewing the platform and once you start browsing the features you will not disagree. The automated crypto trading feature where you can set up a recurring dollar cost averaging scheme is meant to streamline investing for beginners that have less experience or simply don’t have time to keep reinvesting.

The fact that Uphold offers 5 different asset classes makes them one of the most versatile multi-asset trading platforms that we have reviewed on Trading Browser and the interesting part is that they feature real cryptocurrency wallets which are not mirrored contracts of the price. This is a huge plus for those of our readers who want to keep their digital assets on the blockchain for future use.

Uphold trading

Uphold trading comes without added commissions and very low spreads that will keep your transaction costs to a minimum. The most interesting part of the trading platform is the option to automate your investing completely which is something that we strongly recommend all new investors try if you are not sure when and how to buy assets.

Now, since you can swap between asset classes (forex, stocks, commodities) you never have to worry about signing up for several accounts on different platforms, you can reach all of them from Uphold. This is something that most new investors will not appreciate in the beginning but I can tell you that diversification is the best risk management tool available and if you are planning to stay in the game for the long run you are going to have to diversify well.

The platform offers market orders, repeated orders (automated orders), and limit orders. The market order will execute your trade directly at the best market price to get you into the market as soon as possible. The repeated order system lets you set a date when the platform should repeat the same order, this can be done once per week, once every two weeks, or once per month depending on your investment strategy.

The limit orders are used to put an order into the market at a lower or higher price than the current value. For example, if you want to invest in Universal Carbon but you are not happy with the current price of $9.46604, you can then add a limit order to buy Universal Carbon at $9.2 instead and wait for the price to drop. Once the price drops to your chosen price level the platform will execute your order automatically.

All trading can be done directly through the Uphold mobile app.

Why use Uphold

Investing is the right word to associate with the platform and if you are looking for a new platform to handle all your needs as a beginner investor then Uphold is a great choice. The level of security it offers combined with five different asset classes and very favorable transaction rates puts the platform on the list of the top choices globally. Exchanging fiat to crypto is dead simple since the platform offers great fiat on-ramps.

Ease-of-use is another term that comes to mind when I’m browsing the interface and the app and I want to point out that Uphold is designed to make your investment operations as seamless as possible. The interaction between asset classes is just another bonus that I’ve not seen before and you should definitely take advantage of this option.

Since cryptocurrency is the hottest investment topic right now it only makes sense that they have included digital assets in their arsenal of tradeable assets but what is truly valuable about Uphold is the fact that you can send, store, and withdraw cryptocurrencies from a blockchain wallet while trading other asset classes such as gold, EUR/USD, Apple stock, and ETFs.

How to use Uphold

To buy an asset on Uphold you first have to deposit funds into your account and this can be done either with a bank card or through a bank transfer. You will find all assets in the left-hand side menu under the “Markets” tab. From the “Portfolio” tab you can follow your entire portfolio and analyze the development in real-time.

To buy an asset on Uphold, follow these simple steps:

  1. Start by creating an account.
  2. Verify your ID.
  3. Once verified, click Portfolio in the left-hand side menu.
  4. To the right, choose your order entry (Transact, Repeat, or Limit).
  5. Select deposit method (Banks or Debit Cards).
  6. Choose which fiat currency you want to deposit with.
  7. Select the asset you want to invest in (Crypto, Forex, Equity, ETF, or Metals)
  8. Confirm the purchase!

Follow the instructions for how to add your bank details or debit card details. Once you have connected your accounts you are free to invest in all the asset classes available on the platform. Now, to learn more about the special features, scroll down to the special features section of this review.

Uphold category rating

Costs:4.2/5
Security:4.8/5
Trading Features:4.2/5
User-friendliness:4.5/5
Educational Resources:4.0/5
Mobile-Friendly:4.5/5
Funding:4.0/5
Customer Support:4.0/5

Things to improve on

I don’t have many things to point out when it comes to the negatives of Uphold. The lack of a live chat is a miss for me but since I know the team is fast on their feet answering queries through email this is not a huge miss. I would also like to see an interactive chart where traders and investors have the option to make a simple technical analysis. This is something that I know most investors rely on to make forecasts about future price movements.

Set aside these minor misses I highly recommend Uphold to all our investors and traders, especially those who are just starting out.

Uphold Trading Fees

Products
Maker fee
Taker fee
Cryptocurrency
1 %
0.85 %
Forex
0.20 %
0.20 %
Stocks
1 %
1 %
Metals
3 %
3 %
ETF
1 %
1 %

Products

Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency
Forex
Forex
Stocks
Stocks
Metals
Metals
ETF
ETF

Trading Platforms

Webtrader
Webtrader
Mobile App Android + Mac
Mobile App Android + Mac

Order Types

LO - Limit Order
GTC - Good till Cancelled
GTD - Good till Date
GTED - Good till end of Day

Supported Devices

Desktop
Desktop
Smartphone
Smartphone
Tablet
Tablet
Web
Web

Special Features

2FA Verification
KYC
Institutional Trading
Education
Market News
Cold Storage Wallet
Cryptocurrency Wallet
Automated Trading
Beginner Friendly
Altcoins
Quick Registration
Fast Execution Speed
Fast Withdrawals
Performance Analytics
Low Slippage
High Limits
Veteran Trading Platform
Several Account Types
Security Of Funds
Professional Support
Fast Account Verification

About the special features on Uphold

There are a couple of special features that I would like to give some extra attention to and elaborate further on the details. As mentioned above, it goes without saying that Uphold is designed to help investors with their investments and they have done a great job of streamlining the path from no portfolio to becoming an active investor.

I highly suggest that you spend some time on this review to learn what the platform is all about before you get into the whole investing process. Even though it’s not complicated, there are a couple of elements that need explaining in order for you to make the best use of them.

Recap

Uphold has integrated Recap on its platform. Recap is an instant tool for generating crypto tax reports with ease. Recap enables you to track all your assets from one single point and lets you download your full HCMR tax report with only one click. This is a game-changer and when you have done significant crypto gains and you want to cash out some profits you are going to have to make your taxes right and with Uphold, it could not be easier.

Accointing

Accointing is another tax report tool that helps investors in the UK and EU sort out their tax reports on digital assets. Track your cryptocurrency performance directly through your wallet and generate professional tax reports that are legally binding. Accointing and Recap together cover most of the jurisdictions when it comes to taxing cryptocurrencies.

Limit orders

Limit orders are a big thing in investing. Why you might ask? When you are getting deeper into your investment strategies and you are aiming for long-term success you simply don’t want to just jump in and buy at market price. If you are a long-term investor, you have time to wait for prices to set back a little and earn 10, 20, or even 30% on some occasions.

This might not sound much but it gives you an incredible edge. So, the next time you think about your entry points, consider using the limit orders on Uphold to catch prices as they are falling, and remember, they are automatic which means that your orders will get executed at your price even if you are sleeping!

Dollar-cost averaging with crypto

In my opinion, this is one of the best tools Uphold has to offer. Dollar-cost averaging is one of the most effective ways to accumulate coins and keep reinvesting your savings at your own pace. The biggest problem investors face is pulling the trigger when markets start to swing wildly, especially when the markets fall in large numbers.

With a recurring purchase system, you don’t have to think twice about investing in difficult scenarios and there is no way for your emotions to get in the way. The system will automatically buy the same amount at the interval you have entered. For example, you can tell the system to buy $50 worth of Bitcoin and Ethereum every two weeks and it will keep buying until you tell it to stop.

As long as you have calculated your investment size and the interval between purchases you don’t have to worry about the system afterward. This gives investors a big edge when it comes to investing long-term and I highly recommend that you check it out.

Uphold fees

Uphold charges no fees on transactions, deposits, and withdrawals. However, there is a price spread that you should be aware of for each asset on the platform. This spread is a difference in the buy and the sell price and it works pretty much like a commission but on a percentage basis.

For example, if you were to invest $500 in Bitcoin, which has a 0.85% buy spread, you would pay $4,25 in spreads. This is not bad at all and definitely better than most competitors to Uphold.

Environmental assets

Here is a neat feature on Uphold if you care about the environment but still want to make good investments. You can help the climate by investing in their environmental assets UPCO2 and BTCO. These are some of the cleanest ways to invest in cryptocurrencies and it’s dead simple to do it. Head to the “Markets” tab in the main menu to the left and search for the ticker name.

Staking

Staking is an up-and-coming feature on Uphold that we are excited to learn more about. This review will be updated when staking goes live so you can learn more about the rewards, what coins are available, and all the extra information you might need. Stay tuned.

Digital wallets

Cryptocurrency wallets are available on Uphold which enables you to make blockchain transactions between your current wallet and the crypto wallet on Uphold. This is great because you can keep your digital assets when you sign up with Uphold and still be able to use all the features the platform has to offer. Uphold keeps 90% of its digital assets in cold storage which is one of the safest methods of storing cryptocurrencies today.

Our own experience with Uphold

Uphold home page
Uphold home page
Uphold dashboard
Uphold dashboard
Uphold chart
Uphold chart
Uphold service fee
Uphold service fee
Uphold BTC wallet
Uphold BTC wallet
Uphold staking
Uphold staking

Uphold Funding Methods

Visa
Visa
Mastercard
Mastercard
Maestro
Maestro
Bank transfer
Bank transfer
Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency

Accepted Currencies

ARS ($)
AUD ($)
BRL (R$)
CAD ($)
HRK (HRK)
CZK (Kč)
DKK (kr.)
AED (د.إ.‏)
EUR (€)
HKD (HK$)
HUF (Ft)
INR (₹)
ILS (₪)
KES (Ksh)
MXN ($)
NZD ($)
NOK (kr)
PHP (₱)
PLN (zł)
GBP (£)
RON (RON)
SGD ($)
SEK (kr)
CHF (CHF)
USD ($)
JPY (¥)
CNY (¥)

Limits

Max Withdrawal Limits $10000 daily
Min Withdrawal Limits $5
Min Deposit Limits $1

Uphold Withdrawal Fee

Method Fee
Cryptocurrency BTC 0.0003
USD 0 %

Languages

United Kingdom
English
Spain
Spanish

Restricted Countries

Albania
Antarctica
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Barbados
Cambodia
Central African Republic
Chad
Cuba
Eritrea
Fiji
French Southern Territories
Guinea
Iran, Islamic Republic of
Lebanon
Liberia
Mali
Mauritius
Korea, Democratic People"s Republic of
Palau
Samoa
Sudan
Syrian Arab Republic
Vanuatu
American Samoa
Bangladesh
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Burundi
China
Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Croatia
Equatorial Guinea
Georgia
Germany
Guinea-Bissau
Haiti
Indonesia
Iraq
Kenya
Libya
Moldova, Republic of
Montenegro
Myanmar
Netherlands
Republic of North Macedonia
Romania
Russian Federation
Serbia
Slovenia
Somalia
Turkmenistan
Ukraine
Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
Vietnam
Yemen

Security

Is Uphold regulated?

Yes, Uphold is registered by FinCEN as a Money Services Business (MSB) in the United States, and as an EMD Agent of an Electronic Money Issuer by the FCA in the United Kingdom.

Is Uphold safe to use?

After reviewing the website and all the security protocols and layers that Uphold follows I have no doubt that they adhere to the highest of standards when it comes to financial security. The regulatory approval in the United States and the United Kingdom alone is sufficient enough and this is why Uphold has earned both the Trading Browser “High Security” and “Security of Funds” badges which is something that only the safest platforms can achieve. On top of these features, Uphold is also compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard PCI/DSS which is required by all top-level payment brands such as VISA and Mastercard.

Uphold is routinely tested and audited by security professionals to ensure maximum safety of client funds and all their third-party payment solutions undergo strict due diligence checks.

Reserve Status

At the time of writing this review, Uphold holds global assets in reserve to a value of €2,189,266,189.

Support

Live Chat
Live Chat
Contact Form
Contact Form

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Frequently asked questions

Read what other investors ask about Uphold. Find answers without searching the web.

Uphold is a licensed and regulated multi-asset trading platform that offers global cross-border transactions between all asset classes listed for both individuals and businesses with a track record stretching back to 2015.

The Uphold wallet is considered very safe due to 90% of digital assets being kept offline in cold storage. Cryptocurrencies can be sent in and out of the wallet through blockchain which enables transactions between other crypto wallets that clients might have.

The operating company is called Uphold Inc.

Uphold Inc as a company is currently regulated and licensed by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in the USA and by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. This makes the app one of the safest trading applications on the market.

The platform offers free deposits, free withdrawals, and $0 trading commissions. However, every purchase on the platform has an added price spread.

Yes, you can store, send, and receive cryptocurrencies on Uphold.

The platform is used for investment purposes in different asset classes such as digital assets, equities, commodities, national currencies, and metals. The platform offers a recurring purchase system that automatically invests for you at your pre-set interval and amount. Uphold can also be used for cross-border transactions between any asset class listed on the platform.

1. Log in to your Uphold account. 2. Select the card you wish to withdraw funds from. 3. Choose "Send To Bank Account". 4. Select the bank account you want to receive your funds to.

We cannot find any information online that supports a customer being hacked while using Uphold.

Digital currency is not legal tender and is not backed by the government and therefore not subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or Securities Investor Protection Corporation protections. Source: Uphold website.

Yes, Uphold is licensed by FinCEN in the United States.

Review Sources

The editorial team of Trading Browser is required to use first-hand sources to collect and share information regarding the businesses we promote. Among these sources, you will find LinkedIn profiles, Trustpilot reviews, Crunchbase, Sitejabber ratings, whitepapers, government reports, and other reputable sources. Below is a shared list of the article sources used for this review.

  1. LinkedIn – “Uphold Company
  2. Trustpilot – “Uphold
  3. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network – “FinCEN