Skip to content
buybitcoinsmart
Menu

Bitvavo vs Kraken

Comparing
two exchanges
Decided by
Editorial rating
Last reviewed
2026-08-23
Bitvavo4.5

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

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 4.5 for Bitvavo.

Criterion
Editorial rating
Bitvavo
4.5
Kraken
4.7

Bitvavo 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.

Bitvavo and Kraken compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactBitvavoKraken
Editorial rating4.54.7 (favoured on this row)
Published fees0.15% maker at the base tierFrom 0.25% maker, 0.40% taker
Maker fee0.15 percent below 100,000 euros of 30-day volume, 0.10 percent above0.25% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Taker fee0.25 percent below 100,000 euros of 30-day volume, 0.20 percent above0.40% on Kraken Pro below $10,000 in 30-day volume, decreasing at higher tiers
Identity verificationRequiredRequired
Bitcoin-onlyNoNo
Payment rails supported414
Countries ranked in27127
Ranks first in2710
Countries shared2727
Security record8 dated events, 4 incidents, latest 2025-06-2710 dated events, 2 incidents, latest 2026-06-30
Founded20182011
HeadquartersAmsterdam, NetherlandsSan Francisco, United States
Last reviewed2026-08-232026-08-23

Where both Bitvavo 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 Bitvavo and Kraken, with each platform's position in that guide.
CountryStatusBitvavo ranksKraken ranksComparison
AustriaLegal#1#4Best exchanges there
BelgiumLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
BulgariaLegal#1#3
CroatiaLegal#1#3
CyprusLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
Czech RepublicLegal#1#3
DenmarkLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
EstoniaLegal#1#3
FinlandLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
FranceLegal#1#3
GermanyLegal#1#4Best exchanges there
GreeceLegal#1#3
HungaryLegal#1#3
IrelandLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
ItalyLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
LatviaLegal#1#3
LithuaniaLegal#1#3
LuxembourgLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
MaltaLegal#1#3
NetherlandsLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
PolandLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
PortugalLegal#1#3
RomaniaLegal#1#3
SlovakiaLegal#1#3
SloveniaLegal#1#3
SpainLegal#1#3Best exchanges there
SwedenLegal#1#3Best 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.

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 Bitvavo or Kraken better?

Kraken rates higher on our rubric: 4.7 against 4.5 for Bitvavo. 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, Bitvavo or Kraken?

Bitvavo: 0.15% maker at the base tier. 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 Bitvavo and Kraken?

Both are ranked in our guides for 27 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus. Bitvavo is ranked in 27 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 Bitvavo or Kraken had a security incident?

Bitvavo carries 4 incidents among 8 dated events, the latest on 2024-05-01: Data breach exposed names, home addresses and IBANs. 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 Bitvavo and Kraken require ID verification?

Bitvavo: required. Kraken: required; identity verification is required to deposit fiat and trade..

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

More comparisons

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