The 12 Best Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency Affiliate Programs for 2021

The 2008 banking crisis cost the American taxpayer $70,000.

Each.

Markets crashed, banks were bailed out and the average consumer lost faith in FIAT.

The stage was set for a new type of currency to emerge, which was Bitcoin.

In just 10 short years an experiment in decentralized finance created an industry currently worth US$2.48 trillion.

The next Bitcoin and cryptocurrency Bull market is projected to happen in early 2024.

At which point the crypto industry is projected to be worth almost US$5 trillion.

So right now is a good time to carve out your corner of this niche with the crypto affiliate programs listed below.

Let’s get to them.

1. Binance

And the first crypto affiliate program in our roundup is Binance.

This is one of the several cryptocurrency exchanges that have active affiliate programs.

Founded in 2017, this crypto exchange claims to be the largest in the world with $2 billion in daily trading volume spread across its crypto investors.

The Binance affiliate program pays you a 40% – 50% cut of the transaction fees charged to a new user that signs up through your referral link.

But high-performers can also earn substantial bonuses.

This cryptocurrency affiliate program is run in-house and requires you to complete a Google Form for approval.

Active accounts are reviewed every 90-days to remove non-performing affiliates.

Why You Should Promote Binance

Binance is an established presence in the cryptocurrency vertical with a whole lot of brand recognition. This should mean they’re front-of-mind with your audience so require less of a pre-sell.

My affiliate marketing buddy Nate Ginsburg over at SellerPlex agrees that Binance is a solid offer:

Note: Binance requires that you have an existing audience of 5,000 followers on social media, a community with at least 500 members, or a web presence with at least 2,000 users and 5,000 daily visits.

 

2. Coinbase

Coinbase has been part of the cryptocurrency scene since 2012.

This was back when the world was just starting to pay attention to the new phenomenon that is decentralized finance.

They operate a really simple business model: Be the easiest cryptocurrency exchange for people to trade on.

The Coinbase affiliate program pays you a 50% cut of your referral’s trading fees…but only for the first 90-days.

But the upside here is that their program is managed by Impact, so you get solid reporting and they also offer payments via PayPal.

How do you become a Coinbase affiliate?

You can become a Coinbase affiliate by using the sign-up link at the end of this mini-review. Their affiliate offer doesn’t have specific traffic or audience requirements, unlike other affiliate cryptocurrency affiliate programs.

Why You Should Promote Coinbase

They’re a recognized name in the cryptocurrency market thanks in no small part to their recent IPO. Coinbase offers a professionally managed affiliate program and a competitive, if short-lived, commission rate.

 

3. Local Bitcoins

The idea behind decentralized finance is to give you more control over your money i.e. away from central banks.

So it seems a little counterintuitive to then centralize your crypto-financial trading with just a handful of exchanges.

LocalBitcoins offers an alternative in the form of a person-to-person online marketplace where you can exchange crypto for other cryptos or just cold hard cash.

And then get paid in your local currency.

Promoting this cryptocurrency affiliate program will earn you a 20% commission of the trading fees for both buyer and seller, for a total of 40%.

The downside to the LocalBitcoins affiliate program is that you only receive a commission for the first 3 months of your referral’s trading activity.

Why You Should Promote Localbitcoins

LocalBitcoins offers a more anonymous way for your visitors to trade in cryptos, with a relatively high commission rate, and the option for daily payouts.

 

4. KeepKey

Even the biggest crypto exchanges can and do suffer from data breaches.

The sensible way for your visitors to keep coins safe is with an offline cold storage device like the KeepKey.

This hardware wallet supports more than 40 of the most popular cryptocurrencies with additional protection for your investments in the form of PIN and passphrase security.

So what has this program to offer an affiliate marketer when compared to other cryptocurrency wallet affiliate programs?

You get a 25% commission rate for starters and the ability to track your referrals thanks to the marketing and tracking tools on offer.

Why You Should Promote Keepkey

As cryptocurrencies move rapidly into the mainstream (thanks Dogecoin!), there will be growing demand for storing data offline in wallets such as the KeepKey. Research indicates this specific market will increase in size by 27% within the next 5 years.

With Crypto in general, you need to be at the top of your game according to my buddy Tung Tran over at TK Ventures.

 

5. Kraken

Kraken is a leading cryptocurrency exchange popular with the altcoin audience as well as those with more advanced trading strategies.

But another reason for this popularity is that Kraken charges low fees, combined with strong security because most of their assets are stored offline.

The platform is aimed at slightly more advanced users but is intuitive enough for newbies to find their way around it.

Kraken pays its affiliates a 20% commission for the lifetime of the referral and not just the first 90-days offered by most other exchanges.

Referrals do have a $1,000 commission cap, so it’s “lifetime” but with an income limit.

Apart from that, this is a solid crypto affiliate program.

Why You Should Promote Kraken

They’ve been in the market for almost a decade, so have longevity on their side as well as an industry-standard commission rate. The “lifetime” commissions deal would be super-sweet if it wasn’t limited to just $1,000 in earnings per customer.

 

6. Bitcoin IRA

A typical IRA (Individual Retirement Account) is backed by investments in a variety of financial products from Treasury bills, to mutual funds, and a stock portfolio.

Bitcoin IRA – the first product of its kind – allows your audience to trade in cryptocurrencies as part of your retirement planning, providing them with fiscal diversity.

Your visitors can play the crypto market but limit the taxes paid on their earnings until they cash in their IRA when they retire.

This affiliate program pays $50 per lead, but with the opportunity to earn performance-related cash bonuses.

The Bitcoin IRA program is managed by Commission Junction, so you’ll need an account with them to promote this offer.

Why You Should Promote Bitcoin IRA

Being an early adopter in a relatively new market can be very profitable, especially when it involves a service that blends a traditional investment model with the promise of tax-free cryptocurrency trading.

 

7. Coinrule

Keeping up with the latest dip or rally in the crypto market can be very time-consuming.

But it’s something crypto traders need to be able to do if they want to make money.

Coinrule automates your investments across the 10 most popular crypto exchanges.

It comes with more than 150 preset rules or you can create your own – there’s no code required.

The Coinrule affiliate program is available via Commission Junction, but you can also sign up through FlexOffers if you’re declined by CJ.

You will receive 25% commission on any monthly plan you sell via your affiliate links, but 30% on any annual plan purchased by a referral.

Why You Should Promote Coinrule

They offer an innovative product in the cryptocurrency space that’s also competitively priced.  You can use their ‘Free’ plan to encourage your readers to sign up and take Coinrule for a zero-commitment test drive.

 

8. BlockFi

Founded in 2017, BlockFi has a simple mission: To create a bridge between the world of traditional finance and decentralized currencies.

Your audience can now put their cryptocurrency to work for them in one of two ways:

BlockFi doesn’t charge its clients a commission fee, is a U.S-based company, with the associated safety of regulation, but remains a global platform.

Commission rates vary depending on the product but start at 0.5% of all crypto deposits within a 30-day attribution window. You can also earn a commission of up to $500 per funded loan.

That makes this one of the best affiliate programs in this roundup based on earnings potential.

Why You Should Promote Blockfi

This is one of the first cryptocurrency investment affiliate programs of its type in the world, with the potential to serve a global market, especially emerging economies.

 

9. Ledger

The smart crypto investor makes sure that the bulk of their assets are secured in cold storage i.e. offline.

An offline crypto hardware wallet like those made by Ledger is one of the safest ways to do this.

These devices look like simple USB keys but have all kinds of clever encryption and security chips hidden away inside them.

So…how much money can you make promoting Ledger’s products?

Their affiliate program pays 10% on all sales, which means you’ll average $5.90 to around $12 per sale.

This offer is managed by the Awin affiliate network. If you’re not already a user you’ll need to pay a $5 refundable deposit to sign up with them.

Why You Should Promote Ledger

Ledger has solid products, tons of social proof in the form of 5-star product reviews, and a claimed average order value (AOV) of $100+ per sale.

 

10. CCG Mining

The first Bitcoins were mined by enthusiasts who built custom rigs in their basements.

These days you can simply invest in a Bitcoin mining contract that runs on one of the 600+ mining rigs operated from the Eastern European headquarters of CCG Mining.

Or you can purchase a crypto mining rig from them outright, but leave them to manage the hardware for you.

This could offer a more efficient way for you to build a cryptocurrency portfolio over the long term.

Affiliates get a 6% cut of all cloud mining contracts sold through an affiliate link, and 3% if a referral purchases a mining rig.

Why You Should Promote CCG Mining

While every other affiliate is focused on finding the best cryptocurrency exchange to get their visitors to sign up to, you can hit them with a truly unique (and valuable) offer in the form of crypto mining rigs.

 

11. Phemex

Phemex is a cryptocurrency and derivatives trading platform launched in 2019 by a group of former Wall Street investors and traders.

You can buy and sell, but also trade in, 21 different coins as well as in gold and USD FIAT cash on Phemex.

What sets them apart from their competitors is that you can trade crypto contracts without having to pay fees.

But only their paying customers with a membership get to take advantage of that particular benefit.

This affiliate program offers a 50% commission rate on all referral trading fees.

This commission rate does appear to be for the lifetime of the customer so appears to be worthy of your affiliate marketing efforts.

Why You Should Promote Phemex

This is a crypto exchange run by a group of financial experts with 40+ years of experience in the game. They also offer new crypto traders a signup bonus of up to $60 worth of either Ethereum or Bitcoin, and you can earn an extra 10% from the earnings of other affiliates that sign up under you.

Note: I used their customer support chat tool to get more information on their affiliate payout options. It wasn’t an entirely positive experience.

 

12. Bybit

And now we come to the last of the crypto affiliate programs in our round – Bybit.

This is another cryptocurrency trading platform in the same vein as Phemex, except that Bybit does charge fees for its trading services.

From its launch in 2018, Bybit has experienced huge growth, amassing 1.6 million users.

It offers a fast and secure platform for trading popular crypto pairs and other derivatives.

How does Bybit’s affiliate program compare to the other referral programs listed here?

You’ll earn 30% on the transaction fees of anyone who signs up with them via your affiliate link. 30% is at the lower end of the commission scale in this market.

Why You Should Promote Bybit

This is a relatively new exchange with low fees and a lot of liquidity. A claimed 60% conversion rate is also very attractive, especially when combined with their 30% commission rate.

 

Cryptocurrency Niche Challenges You Need to Know About

The crypto niche is chock full of scams, so you have to be careful about the offers you promote i.e. there’s a reason why we didn’t feature certain other crypto affiliate programs.

Affiliate marketers need to do their due diligence when it comes to evaluating any cryptocurrency affiliate program.

Remember, this is an audience made up of either grizzled cynics or wide-eyed newbie:

There’s no middle ground.

Wrapping Things Up

So there you have our list of the best crypto affiliate programs out there right now.

We didn’t just focus on Bitcoin affiliate programs because the cryptocurrency affiliate scene is now much bigger than just one coin.

This is a very lucrative niche right now.

But financial niches also tend to be super competitive.

There’s also the inevitable risk of another crypto crash and the resulting loss in traffic and income.

With that said, decentralized finance is a growth market.

Which you can profit from…if you know how to build a profitable affiliate site to generate passive income.

Lucky for you, this is exactly what I teach in the Affiliate Lab.

I’ve already made dozens of costly mistakes…so you and other affiliate marketers don’t have to.