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Bitstamp vs Bitvavo

Comparing
two exchanges
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-23
Bitstamp4.3

One of the oldest bitcoin exchanges, now owned by Robinhood and powering its UK and institutional crypto rails.

Bitvavo4.5

The largest euro spot exchange in the world, licensed under MiCA by the Dutch regulator, with free euro and iDEAL deposits.

Verdict: Bitvavo

Bitvavo rates higher on our rubric: 4.5 against 4.3 for Bitstamp.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Bitstamp
4.3
Bitvavo
4.5

Bitstamp and Bitvavo, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

Bitstamp and Bitvavo compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactBitstampBitvavo
Editorial rating4.34.5 (favoured on this row)
Published feesMaker-taker, falls with volume0.15% maker at the base tier
Maker feeNot published0.15 percent below 100,000 euros of 30-day volume, 0.10 percent above
Taker feeNot published0.25 percent below 100,000 euros of 30-day volume, 0.20 percent above
Identity verificationRequiredRequired
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Payment rails supported34
Countries ranked in3127
Ranks first in027
Countries shared2727
Security record12 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-02-068 dated events, 4 incidents, latest 2025-06-27
Founded20112018
HeadquartersLuxembourgAmsterdam, Netherlands
Last reviewed2026-08-122026-08-23

Where both Bitstamp and Bitvavo are ranked

Each country guide ranks its own roster on published fees, security record and local payment support, so the two can sit in a different order from one country to the next.

Countries whose guide ranks both Bitstamp and Bitvavo, with each platform's position in that guide.
CountryStatusBitstamp ranksBitvavo ranksComparison
AustriaLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
BelgiumLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
BulgariaLegal#6#1
CroatiaLegal#6#1
CyprusLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
Czech RepublicLegal#6#1
DenmarkLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
EstoniaLegal#6#1
FinlandLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
FranceLegal#6#1
GermanyLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
GreeceLegal#6#1
HungaryLegal#6#1
IrelandLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
ItalyLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
LatviaLegal#6#1
LithuaniaLegal#6#1
LuxembourgLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
MaltaLegal#6#1
NetherlandsLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
PolandLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
PortugalLegal#6#1
RomaniaLegal#6#1
SlovakiaLegal#6#1
SloveniaLegal#6#1
SpainLegal#6#1Best exchanges there
SwedenLegal#6#1Best exchanges there

Security records of the exchanges ranked in this comparison

Dated events from each review, newest first: breaches, enforcement actions, licences, audits and proof-of-reserves publications. Every exchange ranked here carries one.

Bitstamp12 events

  1. 2026-02-06Licence

    Virtual asset service provider registration in the British Virgin Islands

  2. 2025-07-03Licence

    Major payment institution licence granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore

  3. 2025-06-26Enforcement

    French appeal court holds Bitstamp Europe liable for serving France without AMF registration

The full record, with sources, in the Bitstamp review

Frequently asked questions

Is Bitstamp or Bitvavo better?

Bitvavo rates higher on our rubric: 4.5 against 4.3 for Bitstamp. The rating weighs published fees, security record and local payment support; the table above sets each beside the other so you can check the score against the facts.

Which is cheaper, Bitstamp or Bitvavo?

Bitstamp: Maker-taker, falls with volume. Bitvavo: 0.15% maker at the base tier. Those are each platform's published headline rates; card purchases and instant-buy widgets cost more than the order book on both, and each review carries the full schedule.

Where can I use both Bitstamp and Bitvavo?

Both are ranked in our guides for 27 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus. Bitstamp is ranked in 31 countries in all and Bitvavo in 27; each country guide ranks its own roster, so the two can sit in a different order from one country to the next.

Has Bitstamp or Bitvavo had a security incident?

Bitstamp carries 2 incidents among 12 dated events, the latest on 2015-01-04: 18,866 BTC drained from the hot wallet, worth 5.26 million dollars, customers repaid in full. Bitvavo carries 4 incidents among 8 dated events, the latest on 2024-05-01: Data breach exposed names, home addresses and IBANs. Both reviews list every event with its source.

Do Bitstamp and Bitvavo require ID verification?

Bitstamp: required; identity verification is required before depositing or trading.. Bitvavo: required.

The full reviews: Bitstamp and Bitvavo, each with its sources, and every exchange we review.

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