Regarding secure exchange, I'd stick with binance (cliché, I know). There are also dexes available on popular blockchain platforms where it's not like 'you completely hand over money' which you could use, but they come with their different share of risks.
Its always better to stick to the most popular exchange where most people trust them for their money. I know Binance has recently a lot of issues being faced but still, it is better to stick to Binance than to any other XYZ exchange.
The risk is a deposit in centralized exchange always exists no matter if it is binance or any other exchange, and we need to mitigate the risk ourself by not depositing the extra money on the exchanges and withdrawing the money back to our personal wallet and if we are buying any coin in spot, better withdraw it too if you are buying it for mid to long term.