Testing the best crypto exchanges is not simply our job; it is our passion. We at Coinweb have experts with different backgrounds and experiences, and we use that information when evaluating a new platform. Today, we’re happy to present you with the River Financial review!
River Financial 101
| Cryptocurrencies | Bitcoin |
| Available Countries | United States |
| Mobile App | On iOS and Android |
| Headquartered In | San Francisco |
| Current CEO | Alexander Leishman |
In a nutshell, River Financial is your best option if you’re interested in buying lots of Bitcoin with low fees. They offer top-notch security by simply handing you full control of your assets. This means that 100% of your Bitcoin is in reserve custody.
River Financial does not lend, use, or move your assets without you knowing it.
All our team members based in the US are using River Financial for this exact reason. Having Bitcoin on River is like using a Ledger wallet with more features and the same level of security.
Another thing that we love about River is the use of the Lightning Network. Many crypto users don’t invest in Bitcoin because the blockchain is slow, and transactions take 10-15 minutes to complete.
The River Wallet uses Lightning Network to speed up your transactions, reducing wait times to mere seconds.
So, with top-notch security and many crucial features, River Financial is a Bitcoin investing platform well worth a shot.
River Financial Fees
In addition to a small spread percentage, River charges a percentage-based fee depending on the order size. The fee schedule for River fees for both buy and sell orders is listed in the table below:
| Order Size | River Fee |
| Less than $250,000.01 | 1.20% |
| Between $250,000.01 and $1,000,000 | 1.00% |
| Between $1,000,000.01 and $5,000,000 | 0.90% |
| More than $5,000,000 | 0.80% |
| All recurring buy orders | 0.00% |
Recurring buy orders will have zero fees starting seven days after the order is set up. For a daily or hourly recurring order, the 8th day and onward will be zero-fee. For a weekly recurring order, the second order and onward will be zero-fee.
The Top Features of River Financial
Our team of Web3 experts tested River Financial and found the following features to be the most valuable compared to other companies.
River Learn
With over 100 articles, River Learn gives its readers all the information they need to invest in Bitcoin.
From Bitcoin basics to Bitcoin Taxes, the writers at River cover all the aspects and problems an investor might face.
If you’ve never encountered Bitcoin in your investment journey, reading River Learn articles for a day or two will significantly ease your first steps.
River Inheritance
One of the biggest problems with cold crypto wallets and Bitcoin is passing them down generations.
Imagine you’ve worked hard and bought 10 BTC in your lifetime, but when you die, there’s no system in place to pass down the password for the cold wallet. In that case, your Bitcoin is lost forever.
With River Inheritance, I created a personalized beneficiary plan to pass my Bitcoin on to my loved ones.
River Private Client
River Private provides an expert team to serve high-net-worth individuals who can invest more than $100k solely in Bitcoin.
With this service, you can invest using high-quality signals and fundamental analysis from top-notch investors and financial analysts.
This tool can also be used by family offices, IRA LLCs, multi-entity trusts, and other institutional-level entities.
River Mining
Do you want to become a Bitcoin miner and earn by validating transactions on the blockchain? With River Mining, this becomes easier than ever.
I bought my first miner in 2021, right after the launch of this service. With time, I added two more miners to my fleet, managing them directly from the app.
River supports this service for IRA LLC, business accounts, family offices, and other institutional entities.
River Wallet
With the River Wallet, you can access many interesting features and functionalities. It can do anything from instantly sending Bitcoin through the Lightning Network to optimizing your taxes.
In addition, its multi-sig technology ensures the same security as any Bitcoin wallet, keeping your hard-earned money away from hackers and scammers.
How to Get Started with River Financial
These are the three easy steps to create a River Financial account:
More details
River Financial is the best option for those interested in buying lots of Bitcoin with small fees. They offer top-notch security by simply handing you full control of your assets. This means that 100% of your Bitcoin is in reserve custody. River Financial does not lend, use, or move your assets without you knowing it.
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100% Reserve Custody
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High Security of Crypto
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No Fees on Recurring Buy Orders
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Only One Crypto Available
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Working Only in the US
Step 1: Sign Up
To sign up on River Financial, you must provide your legal name and email and create a strong password.
To continue, you should provide a phone number. If you don’t have a US-based phone number, don’t worry, all phone numbers work.
Step 2: Pass the KYC
To start using the platform, you must provide your social security number, your address, and some other personal details.
Unfortunately, you can’t register on River Financial if you’re not based in the United States. The company is only available to US residents.
Step 3: Connect a Bank
To complete the sign-up process, you should link a bank account to start instantly buying Bitcoin.
As you might know, buying Bitcoin on River Financial gives you 100% reserve custody. This means that River never uses or lends your Bitcoin.
How to Buy Bitcoin on River Financial
Buying Bitcoin on River Financial is very easy. You connected the bank account previously, and you just have to choose the type of order you want to place.
If you want to buy Bitcoin quickly, place a one-time buy order. You can also create an order that will automatically buy Bitcoin at the price you set.
But the most interesting type of orders on River is the recurring buy order, which I use. You set up an order to buy Bitcoin hourly, daily, or monthly. The advantage of this method is the zero fee.
After choosing the type of order, you simply have to type in the amount of money you want to spend and place the order.
Is River Financial Worth It?
As a US resident and a Bitcoin advocate, I love River Financial. It was the first platform I bought Bitcoin on, and since then, it has become like a savings account where I constantly transfer money for my pension.
One of my friends, a huge crypto fan who knows much more about it than me, introduced me to Bitcoin and River Financial in 2019. I started reading their articles, and Bitcoin instantly got me hooked.
I bought my first Bitcoin at the end of 2019 when the price was already ~$7k (I spent a good chunk of my savings on it) and set up a monthly recurring buy order for $500. Since then, I’ve spent ~$20k, but due to the volatile nature of BTC, I have much more than that.
When I understood this could be life-changing money, I used River’s Inheritance program to give my loved ones access to the account in case something happened to me. I’m confident that the Bitcoin I bought won’t go anywhere, as River Financial gives you 100% reserve custody.
In recent years, I’ve greatly diversified my crypto portfolio, investing in different crypto exchanges and holding different coins in different cold and hot wallets. But the backbone of my wealth, my Bitcoin, always sits on River Financial.
To summarize, River Financial is the best platform to secure your Bitcoin wealth. It gives new investors all the tools they need to learn, buy, and hold Bitcoin for long periods.
If I were to start my crypto journey from zero, I would choose River Financial as my main platform for Bitcoin transactions.
Top 3 River Financial Alternatives
If you don’t want to use River Financial, here are the best alternatives:
1. Kraken
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Kraken Exchange offers a robust platform for serious crypto traders. It stands out with its diverse coin selection, advanced trading features, and competitive fees. However, its complex interface may prove challenging for beginners. Strong security measures further reinforce its reliability.
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Margin trading and staking.
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Support/chat is one of the best.
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Low trading fees to withdraw Bitcoin (BTC).
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Provides tons of resources for learning.
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Only a few fiat currencies.
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Doesn't accept debit cards or Paypal.
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Has three apps.
Kraken is one of the best crypto exchanges for buying Bitcoin. The CEX offers low or even non-existent fees on most BTC pairs and has never had any incidents with hacks or lost funds. However, it has some regulatory issues in the US.
2. Binance
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Binance is a great combination of low fees, deep liquidity and multiple cryptocurrencies and trading pairs. We have tested every aspect of it and it STILL holds its reign as the top exchange in the world. In our view, it is the perfect crypto exchange for both newbies and advanced traders alike.
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Biggest exchange in the world.
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Industry's lowest trading fees.
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Advance trading options like leverage trading.
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600+ crypto options, 150+ for the US.
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Lucrative on-site staking options.
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Hiccups in account verification.
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Less regulated than some competitors.
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The corporate structure is not transparently.
Binance is the biggest crypto exchange on the market. The CEX, founded by CZ, is one of our favorites. It has a huge liquidity pool, tens of different Bitcoin pairs, and no fees for buying Bitcoin.
3. Coinbase
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Coinbase is one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world and a widely-used platform for buying, selling, and trading over 200 cryptocurrencies. It offers trading solutions for beginner, advanced, and institutional traders alike. Take a look at what makes it an excellent option for individual traders looking to trade in cryptocurrencies and beyond.
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A wide-selection of coin offerings.
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Most secure online crypto platforms.
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Top-rated mobile app.
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Easy interface and user-friendly.
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Expensive and complex fee structure for beginners
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Higher fees as compared to other cryptocurrency exchanges.
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Slow customer support.
Coinbase is the largest US-based CEX and probably the most secure exchange in the world. The company is publicly traded, meaning US regulatory bodies and simple investors have constant access to their balance sheets, guaranteeing maximum security.
Shawn Munir
Shawn Munir is the CEO of Coinweb.com and spearheads all the collaborative partnerships for the platform. He bought his first Bitcoin in 2017 and never looked back. He is also an investor in 200+ Web3 startups and is considered an expert in the field. Before building Coinweb with his co-founders, he co-founded Presail, a management platform designed for companies and investors to manage their investments in Web 3. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Shawn serves on the United Nations...
