Skip to content
buybitcoinsmart
Menu

Bitstamp vs Kraken

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.

Kraken4.7

A 2011-vintage exchange with one of the cleanest security records in the business, heading toward a US stock listing.

Verdict: Kraken

Kraken rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 4.3 for Bitstamp.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Bitstamp
4.3
Kraken
4.7

Bitstamp and Kraken, 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 Kraken compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactBitstampKraken
Editorial rating4.34.7 (favoured on this row)
Published feesMaker-taker, falls with volumeFrom 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker
Maker feeNot published0.25% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Taker feeNot published0.40% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Identity verificationRequiredRequired
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Payment rails supported314
Countries ranked in31127
Ranks first in010
Countries shared3131
Security record12 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-02-0610 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-06-30
Founded20112011
HeadquartersLuxembourgSan Francisco, United States
Last reviewed2026-08-122026-08-23

Where both Bitstamp and Kraken 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 Kraken, with each platform's position in that guide.
CountryStatusBitstamp ranksKraken ranksComparison
AustriaLegal#6#4Best exchanges there
BelgiumLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
BulgariaLegal#6#3
CroatiaLegal#6#3
CyprusLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
Czech RepublicLegal#6#3
DenmarkLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
EstoniaLegal#6#3
FinlandLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
FranceLegal#6#3
GermanyLegal#6#4Best exchanges there
GreeceLegal#6#3
HungaryLegal#6#3
IcelandLegal#5#2Best exchanges there
IrelandLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
ItalyLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
LatviaLegal#6#3
LiechtensteinLegal#5#3
LithuaniaLegal#6#3
LuxembourgLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
MaltaLegal#6#3
NetherlandsLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
NorwayLegal#5#2Best exchanges there
PolandLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
PortugalLegal#6#3
RomaniaLegal#6#3
SlovakiaLegal#6#3
SloveniaLegal#6#3
SpainLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
SwedenLegal#6#3Best exchanges there
United KingdomLegal#4#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

Kraken10 events

  1. 2026-06-30Proof of reserves

    Latest proof of reserves shows bitcoin backed at 102.9%

  2. 2026-04-14Breach

    Kraken refuses extortion after two support staff misused internal systems

  3. 2025-06-26Licence

    Kraken wins a MiCA licence from the Central Bank of Ireland

The full record, with sources, in the Kraken review

Frequently asked questions

Is Bitstamp or Kraken better?

Kraken rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 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 Kraken?

Bitstamp: Maker-taker, falls with volume. Kraken: From 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker. 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 Kraken?

Both are ranked in our guides for 31 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus. Bitstamp is ranked in 31 countries in all and Kraken in 127; 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 Kraken 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. Kraken carries 2 incidents among 10 dated events, the latest on 2026-04-14: Kraken refuses extortion after two support staff misused internal systems. Both reviews list every event with its source.

Do Bitstamp and Kraken require ID verification?

Bitstamp: required; identity verification is required before depositing or trading.. Kraken: required; identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade..

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

More comparisons

Every other head-to-head Bitstamp or Kraken appears in.