Key Takeaways
- • Forbes Advisor ranks six crypto exchanges currently offering welcome or milestone bonuses, evaluating more than 20 platforms on reward type and deposit requirements.
- • Coinbase offers new U.S. users between $10 and $2,000 in bitcoin after a first crypto purchase of at least $50, with a 1% chance of a reward between $1,000 and $2,000 and most rewards between $10 and $100.
- • SoFi's claw-machine welcome bonus ranges from $2 to $1,000 in crypto with no purchase required, but most users receive $2 and only one chance is allowed.
- • eToro pays $10 for deposits of $100 to $4,999 and up to $300 for deposits of $5,000 or more, with funds required to stay in the account for at least 90 days.
- • Forbes Advisor and certified financial planners caution that crypto bonuses should not be the main reason for choosing a platform, and that withdrawal restrictions and tax implications apply.
Summary
Forbes Advisor has published a 2026 roundup of the best crypto exchange bonuses and promotions, selecting six platforms from more than 20 reviewed: Kraken, SoFi, Crypto.com, Coinbase Exchange and eToro. The publication says the evaluation considered five decision factors, including reward type and deposit requirements, and it scored each exchange on a Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) alongside ease of use, features, security, supported crypto and satisfaction. Kraken posted the highest CSI score at 6.6, followed by SoFi at 5.9, Crypto.com at 5.6, Coinbase at 4.8 and eToro at 3.5.
The headline offers differ considerably in structure. Coinbase provides between $10 and $2,000 in bitcoin to new U.S.-based users who make a first crypto purchase of $50 or more within one year of account creation, though Forbes Advisor notes that the odds of the largest reward are slim. Kraken offers $25 after users deposit and trade $100. Crypto.com awards mystery boxes worth $1 to $100 each, with one box available for each trading volume milestone reached within the first 30 days; rewards must be opened manually and the trading volume is calculated before fees, with a minimum trade of $100. eToro's welcome bonus is $10 for deposits between $100 and $4,999 and up to $300 for deposits of $5,000 or more, with the initial deposit required to remain in the account for at least 90 days. Residents of Hawaii, Nevada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands open an eToro Broker account, and those ineligible for an MSB account receive an equivalent cash bonus instead of crypto.
SoFi's bonus, described by Forbes Advisor as a claw-machine welcome offer, requires no purchase, and users who open an account and make a deposit within 30 days select a reward from $2, $5, $10, $25, $100 or $1,000 at random; the platform says most users receive $2. SoFi supports more than 25 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, Ethereum, solana, XRP and stablecoins such as SoFiUSD and USDC.
Forbes Advisor cautions that bonuses are often time-limited and that most exchanges prohibit claiming more than one bonus from the same platform. Certified financial planners quoted in the piece advise investors not to choose a platform primarily for a sign-up incentive, noting that such bonuses are typically subject to withdrawal restrictions and tax obligations.
The headline offers differ considerably in structure. Coinbase provides between $10 and $2,000 in bitcoin to new U.S.-based users who make a first crypto purchase of $50 or more within one year of account creation, though Forbes Advisor notes that the odds of the largest reward are slim. Kraken offers $25 after users deposit and trade $100. Crypto.com awards mystery boxes worth $1 to $100 each, with one box available for each trading volume milestone reached within the first 30 days; rewards must be opened manually and the trading volume is calculated before fees, with a minimum trade of $100. eToro's welcome bonus is $10 for deposits between $100 and $4,999 and up to $300 for deposits of $5,000 or more, with the initial deposit required to remain in the account for at least 90 days. Residents of Hawaii, Nevada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands open an eToro Broker account, and those ineligible for an MSB account receive an equivalent cash bonus instead of crypto.
SoFi's bonus, described by Forbes Advisor as a claw-machine welcome offer, requires no purchase, and users who open an account and make a deposit within 30 days select a reward from $2, $5, $10, $25, $100 or $1,000 at random; the platform says most users receive $2. SoFi supports more than 25 cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, Ethereum, solana, XRP and stablecoins such as SoFiUSD and USDC.
Forbes Advisor cautions that bonuses are often time-limited and that most exchanges prohibit claiming more than one bonus from the same platform. Certified financial planners quoted in the piece advise investors not to choose a platform primarily for a sign-up incentive, noting that such bonuses are typically subject to withdrawal restrictions and tax obligations.
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