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Bitstamp vs Coinbase

Comparing
two exchanges
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-12
Bitstamp4.3

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

Coinbase4.5

The easiest US on-ramp for beginners, publicly listed, and legally in the clear since the SEC dropped its case.

Verdict: Coinbase

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

Criterion
Editorial rating
Bitstamp
4.3
Coinbase
4.5

Bitstamp and Coinbase, 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 Coinbase compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactBitstampCoinbase
Editorial rating4.34.5 (favoured on this row)
Published feesMaker-taker, falls with volumeMaker-taker on Advanced Trade
Maker feeNot publishedAdvanced Trade maker fees fall with 30-day volume and sit well below simple-buy pricing
Taker feeNot publishedAdvanced Trade taker fees fall with 30-day volume and sit well below simple-buy pricing
Identity verificationRequiredRequired
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Payment rails supported313
Countries ranked in3162
Ranks first in07
Countries shared3131
Security record12 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-02-0610 dated events, 3 incidents, latest 2026-05-07
Founded20112012
HeadquartersLuxembourgUnited States (remote-first)
Last reviewed2026-08-122026-08-12

Where both Bitstamp and Coinbase 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 Coinbase, with each platform's position in that guide.
CountryStatusBitstamp ranksCoinbase ranksComparison
AustriaLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
BelgiumLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
BulgariaLegal#6#5
CroatiaLegal#6#5
CyprusLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
Czech RepublicLegal#6#5
DenmarkLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
EstoniaLegal#6#5
FinlandLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
FranceLegal#6#5
GermanyLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
GreeceLegal#6#5
HungaryLegal#6#5
IcelandLegal#5#4Best exchanges there
IrelandLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
ItalyLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
LatviaLegal#6#5
LiechtensteinLegal#5#4
LithuaniaLegal#6#5
LuxembourgLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
MaltaLegal#6#5
NetherlandsLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
NorwayLegal#5#4Best exchanges there
PolandLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
PortugalLegal#6#5
RomaniaLegal#6#5
SlovakiaLegal#6#5
SloveniaLegal#6#5
SpainLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
SwedenLegal#6#5Best exchanges there
United KingdomLegal#4#2Best 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 Coinbase better?

Coinbase 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 Coinbase?

Bitstamp: Maker-taker, falls with volume. Coinbase: Maker-taker on Advanced Trade. 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 Coinbase?

Both are ranked in our guides for 31 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus. Bitstamp is ranked in 31 countries in all and Coinbase in 62; 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 Coinbase 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. Coinbase carries 3 incidents among 10 dated events, the latest on 2026-05-07: An AWS cooling failure halted Coinbase trading for eight hours. Both reviews list every event with its source.

Do Bitstamp and Coinbase require ID verification?

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

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

More comparisons

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