Make Money Without Trading: 10 Crypto Exchange Affiliate Programs that Pay

Simple “sign up and share” programs to earn while incentivizing the adoption of digital currencies

Whether you’re new to crypto, or have been trading for nearly a decade, chances are you are trading at least in part because you like making money. Fortunately, one of the most powerful ways for exchanges to grow is by sharing profit with their users through their affiliate programs.

Affiliate links are a way for the average trader to make money by sharing an exchange with their network, family, or friends. Essentially, companies and brands across all industries, reward users for sharing their product or services through incentives for getting additional users to buy a product or sign up.

The leading online retailer Amazon, for example, has an affiliate program which pays members a percentage of sales generated through their unique affiliate link. Additionally, many credit card blogs also leverage affiliate programs to generate revenue.

It makes sense, then, that the leading trading platforms would also leverage the power of affiliate programs to increase user numbers and develop a trusted brand in the crypto space.

We’ve put together a quick list of some of the best affiliate programs for trading platforms today. Not only do these exchanges offer a unique trading experience, but they also help you potentially make some money in the process. In fact, some traders and crypto enthusiasts, are able to make a five to six figure income simply be recommending exchanges to their network.

Binance: 20–40% of referee trading fees

One of the most popular crypto trading platforms in the world, Binance’s affiliate program is in line with what other top exchanges offer. After referring a user to the exchange, you will receive a 20% commission of the referred users tradings fee in real time.

Additionally, users who hold 500 BNB tokens (Binance’s token), can receive a commission of up to 40% of the referred users trading fees.

Binance is also known to increase referral fees during specific promotions and other major events related to crypto.

Ready to join Binance or want to test the referral experience? Just use our link here!

Bitmex: 10% fee discount for 6 months

A popular trading platform for experienced traders, BitMex currently has a referral program that rewards both the new users and the user referring users. Once a user is referred to Bitmex via your link, the user must complete registration within 7 days to receive credit for payout.

Referred users are also eligible to receive a 10% fee discount for 6 months once registration is complete. Bitmex increases % of commissions based on the amount of BTC held in the exchange as detailed in the chart below.

Eligible referral payouts from Bitmex occur daily. You can join with this (non-affliate) link.

Coinbase: 50% of referred users trading fees for 3 months

One of the more well known and trusted exchanges in crypto today, Coinbase recently announced their official affiliate program to the public and their initial payouts appear to be quite generous. Before the newly introduced affiliate program, referrals were rewarded with up to $10 in BTC.

Coinbase affiliates will now receive 50% of their referred users trading fees for 3 months. For eligible affiliates, payouts are made in your local currency wherever you live, and you can choose to be paid electronically via Paypal or bank account.

For among the gentlest introduction and one of the best interfaces to the cryptocurrency world, you can join Coinbase with our referral here.

If you’ve got an audience — say, you’re a blogger or influencer — and are ready to sign up to be a Coinbase Affiliate, check out the program here.

Don’t have a huge audience to cater to but still want to earn? Any user can refer new Coinbase signups through a simple affiliate like this one, letting both get $10 of free Bitcoin when your friend buys or sells at least $100 of digital currency.

CEX.IO: A flat payout of 30% of referred users trading fees

Home to over 2 million active traders, CEX.IO continues to grow in popularity. CEX.IO’s affiliate program is fairly straight forward. You earn a flat rate of 30% of your referred users trading fees indefinitely, and at the time of this writing, there is no cap to how much you can earn.

Unlike some other exchanges on the list, CEX.IO does not share additional benefits to the referred users who signup, but when you refer a user you receive 30% of their transaction fees forever.

Want to join CEX.io? Visit the homepage here.

Deribit: 20% of user trading fees for 6 months, then drops to 10%

The cryptocurrency future and options trading exchange Deribit has an affiliate program that rewards both referring users and those who are new to signup to the exchange.

New users who use a valid affiliate link when signing up will receive a 10% discount on trading fees for the first 6 months. Members of the affiliate program who refer new users will receive 20% of the trading commissions of referred users for 6 months after signing up.

Once 6 months have passed, the % commission then drops to 10%.

US-based users are excepted from being able to make an account or participate in the affiliate program, but you can visit the homepage here.

EMX: Up to 50% of trading fees, depending on time frame

An up and coming trading platform, EMX has promised an incredibly lucrative referral program to help get the exchange off to a strong start once launched. The program is among the most generous on this list, and that makes sense — EMX has a whole exchange audience to build — but rates like this aren’t likely to last forever.

Their affiliate program not only has instant, competitive payouts for both new users and affiliate members, but the affiliate program gives you access to a personal account manager as well as high converting multilingual marketing creatives to help you improve your affiliate performance.

Like Bitmex they offer both new users and those who referred those users rewards which makes their program a win-win for everyone.

50% commissions are offered to select partners, and you can apply to get this special rate.

We decided to jump into EMX, and would love to have you join us through our referral link here!

Leading into the launch of the exchange to the general public, EMX pledges to offer a limited time only, increased referral bonus. Their referral payouts are as follows:

Huobi: 30% of user trader fees for first 90 days

A Singapore based trading platform and crypto exchange, Huobi is a go to exchange for many traders all around the world. Huobi’s affiliate program currently offers 30% of the trading fees of referred users for the first 90 days of their account.

Rewards are sent to affiliates in the form of USDT or points which can then be traded for a wide variety of crypto or other fiat denominations.

Affiliate members will receive their payouts the next day after daily settlement time at 0:00 (GMT +8)

Ready to add Huobi to your list of exchanges? You can join with our referral link here.

Kucoin: Payout depending on “level” of the invitee

Another popular trading platform particularly in Asia, Kucoin is one of the more playfully branded exchanges online today. With their vibrant colors and easy to use interface, they continue to grow in popularity.

Kucoin’s affiliate program offers their affiliates a percentage of new users trading fees for an entire year depending on the level of the invitee which is based on the letters A, B, and C. You can see the % of trading fees distributed based on the levels below:

Whether you’re an “A” or a “C,” we’d still love to help you get set up on Kucoin. You can join up using our link here.

Localbitcoins: Up to 40% (20% from both the buyer and seller) for a successful transaction

Not your typical trading platform, LocalBitcoins was designed to help spread the Bitcoin revolution by encouraging the exchange of BTC between two individuals online locally regardless of your country of origin.

Users of LocalBitcoin can buy or sell crypto easily based on prices of crypto locally. As an affiliate of LocalBitcoins, you’re entitled to a 20% commission of the trading fees from both participants which brings the total of your commission to 40% of the LocalBitcoins.com fee.

As noted on their website, if you refer two users who do a buy and sell order of 100 BTC, you would receive .4 BTC.

Payouts are done daily which is also a huge plus.

Ready to explore Localbitcoins? Check out the site using our link to see the available buy and sell orders in your area.

Okex: 30–80% trading fees based on total referrals

Another leading trading platform, OKex’s affiliate program is a little more complicated than others on the listed.

Branded as their global partner program, their rewards and payouts are based on the amount of OKB tokens owned by the affiliate as shown in the chart below.

Also, like some of the other higher quality affiliate programs, their program is by application only to reduce spam and other unethical affiliate behaviors. Affiliates in good standing who hold a high quantity of OKB can earn up to 80% of trading fees of referred users

While there are hundreds of trading platforms, we hope you take the time to consider signing up for some of these high quality referral programs.

Since we’re not based in a location served by Okex, we’ve got no special link for you besides direct to the home page here.

Did we leave a trading platform off the list? Let us know in the comments.