Our Scoring Methodology
How we rank crypto banks — every criterion, every weight, every data source. No black boxes.
Overview
Every platform on BestCryptoBanks is scored across 8 criteria, each with a fixed weight. The weighted composite is the Our Score value shown on every platform card and review page. Scores run from 0–10; the overall score is the weighted average.
Scores are reviewed monthly. When a platform's Trustpilot score changes, when a new regulatory event occurs, or when APY rates shift significantly, we update the data and recalculate. The date_last_reviewed field on each review page shows when that platform was last scored.
Scoring Criteria
Regulatory Safety
Licence type and jurisdiction (full banking licence > crypto licence > e-money > unregulated), deposit protection scheme, audit frequency, and Proof of Reserves publication. Post-FTX, this is the most heavily weighted criterion.
Yield / Earn Rates
Maximum APY offered across major assets (BTC, ETH, stablecoins), whether rates require native token lock-in, frequency of rate updates, and transparency of how yield is generated.
Banking & Fiat Integration
IBAN availability, SEPA/SWIFT support, number of supported fiat currencies, direct deposit support, and ATM access. Higher scores for platforms with full banking infrastructure.
Debit Card
Card network (Visa/Mastercard preferred), cashback or rewards rate, geographic acceptance, virtual card availability, and ease of topping up from crypto balance.
Fees
Account monthly fee, withdrawal fees, trading spread/commission, FX conversion fee, and overall fee transparency. Free tiers score higher, but hidden fees penalise more than transparent paid tiers.
Coin Selection
Total number of supported cryptocurrencies, availability of major assets (BTC, ETH, SOL, USDC, USDT), support for DeFi tokens, and ability to deposit/withdraw to external wallets.
User Experience
iOS App Store rating, Android Play Store rating, onboarding simplicity, and mobile-first design quality.
Customer Support
Trustpilot score and total review count. A high score with many reviews is weighted more heavily than a high score with few reviews. We also check for systematic issues (account freezing, withdrawal delays) in review text.
Editorial Independence
Affiliate commissions do not influence scores. We earn revenue when users open accounts through our affiliate links — this creates an incentive to recommend platforms users will be satisfied with, not platforms that pay us the most. Platforms with 1.3/5 Trustpilot scores (Crypto.com) and 1.8/5 scores (Fold) remain on the site with honest scores precisely because our revenue model depends on user trust, not manufacturer relationships.
What We Don't Score
We don't score marketing quality, brand awareness, social media presence, or sponsorship activity. These have no bearing on whether a platform is safe and useful for users.
Corrections & Updates
Found an error in our data? Email corrections@banksforcrypto.com. We investigate and correct within 48 hours if the error is substantiated.