Use this if you want the simplest first buy, the cleanest onboarding flow, and one clear beginner bonus.
Coinbase says both people can earn $5 in BTC after the new user buys crypto, and it remains the cleanest first-click exchange on Nummix for simple onboarding and a straightforward first buy.
River says it is a bitcoin-only brokerage, publishes monthly Proof of Reserves, keeps client bitcoin deposits in cold storage, and pays up to $100 in bitcoin across staged referral buy thresholds.
Gemini says it is the world's first SOC 1 Type 2 and SOC 2 Type 2 certified crypto exchange and custodian, and its affiliate offer pays $25 after a referred user trades $100.
Coinbase stays first when the reader wants the simplest first exchange account, the easiest first buy, and the least confusing onboarding language.
River is the second click when the reader wants a bitcoin-only account, stronger reserve language, and a more deliberate recurring-buy posture instead of a broad exchange.
Gemini works best when the deciding factor is security language, exchange certifications, or a more explicit safety narrative after the first mainstream option is clear.