The short version
- Score: 2.6/5, ranked 15 of 16 exchanges we rate
- Strongest: Access (5.0/5)
- Weakest: Support (0.0/5)
- US users: accepted
This review is generated from public evidence. Every point below links to the fee page, license, audit or report it came from, and the same rules score every exchange we cover. Evidence was last checked on Sep 30, 2026.
Blocklr score: 2.6/5
| Category | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Security and trust | 3.2/5 | 40% |
| Fees | 0.6/5 | 20% |
| Features | 2.9/5 | 15% |
| Access | 5.0/5 | 15% |
| Support | 0.0/5 | 10% |
How Uphold earned its score
Security and trust: 3.2/5
| What we checked | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Reserve assurance | 2 / 3 | Publishes its own proof of reserves, not attested by a third party. source |
| Incident record since 2019 | 3 / 4 | 1 incident since 2019. |
| Regulatory record since 2019 | 2 / 4 | 2 fines, bans or pleas since 2019. |
| Licensing | 3 / 3 | Licensed in the US or EU: FinCEN registration (US), US state money transmitter licenses (listed state by state), UK FCA. source |
| Account protection | 1 / 3 | Offers authenticator 2FA. source |
Fees: 0.6/5
| What we checked | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spot taker fee (base tier) | 0 / 4 | Charges a spread of about 2.05% instead of maker and taker fees. source |
| Spot maker fee (base tier) | 0 / 3 | Charges a spread of about 2.05% instead of maker and taker fees. source |
| Free bank deposits | 1 / 1 | Free ACH or SEPA deposits. source |
Features: 2.9/5
| What we checked | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Coins listed | 2 / 3 | About 300 coins listed. source |
| Products | 2 / 4 | Offers staking, trading API. source |
Access: 5.0/5
| What we checked | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| US availability | 3 / 3 | Available across the United States. source |
| Mobile apps | 1 / 1 | iOS and Android apps. |
Support: 0.0/5
| What we checked | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Support channels | 0 / 3 | Support channels could not be confirmed. source |
Track record since 2019
Incidents
- 2022 · Data breach: July 2022: an engineer at Customer.io, a third-party email vendor, gave customer email addresses from several clients, including Uphold, to a bad actor. Uphold said it was not hacked and no customer funds were stolen. source
Regulators and courts
- 2026 · Fine or settlement (New York Attorney General): 2026: Uphold agreed to pay $5 million to customers who lost money in CredEarn, a third-party yield product it promoted before Cred collapsed in 2020, plus any recovery from Cred's bankruptcy. Amount: $5 million. source
- 2023 · Fine or settlement (OFAC): March 31, 2023: Uphold HQ Inc. agreed to pay $72,230.32 to settle 152 apparent sanctions violations (Iran, Cuba, Venezuela) totaling $180,575.80 between March 2017 and May 2022. Amount: $72K. source
Who Uphold fits
A good fit if
- You are in the US and want a licensed exchange.
- You want a wide choice of coins (about 300 listed).
Think twice if
- You care most about support: it is Uphold's lowest category at 0.0/5.
Goes to the official site. Blocklr earns nothing from this link.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uphold available in the US?
Yes. Uphold is available across the United States. New York is the only US state on Uphold's list of locations where it does not offer services. The Uphold Card is also unavailable in Louisiana.
What are Uphold's trading fees?
Uphold has no maker and taker schedule. It charges a spread of about 2.05% on Bitcoin and Ethereum trades, built into the price you are quoted.
Has Uphold been hacked?
We found no hacks of Uphold since 2019.
How is Uphold's score calculated?
Uphold scores 2.6/5. The score is calculated by fixed rules from public evidence, and the same rules apply to every exchange. No company can pay to change it.
About this review
Blocklr has no affiliate, advertising or sponsorship deal with Uphold or any other platform, so nothing here was paid for. Scores come from the rules in our review methodology. A fact we could not confirm scores as the lowest tier, which can make a score lower than it deserves. If something is wrong or out of date, tell us and we will check the source and correct it.