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📋 How We Review: We score exchanges on fees (30%), security (25%), coin selection (20%), user experience (15%), and customer support (10%). All fee data from official Bitstamp schedules. Regulatory history verified against primary sources. We don’t take payment to change verdicts.
Bitstamp is the oldest major crypto exchange still operating — founded in 2011, fully regulated in the EU and US, and now backed by Robinhood after a $200 million acquisition that closed in June 2025. It’s now branded “Bitstamp by Robinhood.” This is the exchange for people who value track record over features: 14 years of operation, 50+ regulatory licenses, NYDFS BitLicense, MiCA compliance, SOC 2 Type II certification, CCData AA rating for 10 consecutive quarters, and no major hack since 2015. The trade-offs are significant — base fees of 0.50% are above average, only 100–130 coins, and no derivatives for most users.
⚡ TL;DR — Bitstamp by Robinhood
World’s oldest major exchange (2011). Acquired by Robinhood for $200M in June 2025. Best in class for regulation and compliance track record.
- ⭐ Rating: 3.5/5 — most regulated, highest fees at base tier
- 💰 Spot fee: 0.50% maker/taker (base, <$10K volume) → 0.00%/0.10% at top tiers
- 📅 Founded: 2011 — oldest major crypto exchange still operating
- 🏛️ Regulation: NYDFS BitLicense · MiCA (EU) · MiFID MTF · EU Payment Institution · Singapore MPI · BVI VASP (Feb 2026) · 50+ total licenses
- 🏆 CCData AA rating: 10 consecutive quarters — ranked 2nd overall globally (Nov 2025)
- 🔐 Security: No major hack since 2015 · SOC 2 Type II · ISO 27001 · 95% cold storage · Big 4 audited since 2016
- 🪙 Coins: 100–130 (major assets only)
- 🤝 Ownership: Acquired by Robinhood for $200M — closed June 2025
- ✅ Best for: EU/UK/US users who want the most regulated, safest major exchange for BTC, ETH, and XRP
Bitstamp Score Card
| Category | Weight | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees | 30% | 2.5/5 | 0.50%/0.50% base — above industry average · 4% card fee — very expensive |
| Security & Regulation | 25% | 5/5 | 50+ licenses · NYDFS · MiCA · SOC 2 · ISO 27001 · CCData AA (10 consecutive) · no major hack since 2015 |
| Coin Selection | 20% | 2/5 | 100–130 coins — major assets only; no altcoins |
| User Experience | 15% | 3.5/5 | Clean interface · strong fiat rails · App Store 4.8/5 |
| Customer Support | 10% | 3/5 | Email 12–24h response · KYC can take 3–14+ days · no live chat |
| Overall: 3.5/5 — Most regulated exchange; highest base fees; best for major asset spot trading | |||
What Is Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is a centralized crypto exchange founded in 2011 by Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak in Slovenia — making it the oldest major crypto exchange still operating. It’s headquartered in Luxembourg with offices in London, New York, and Singapore, and serves approximately 5 million users. In June 2025, Robinhood completed its $200 million acquisition of Bitstamp. The platform is now branded “Bitstamp by Robinhood” and covers spot trading, fiat on/off ramps in USD, EUR, and GBP, staking (ETH and ADA), institutional custody, and limited derivatives for eligible EU users.
The Robinhood Acquisition (June 2025)
Robinhood announced the $200M acquisition in June 2024 and closed it in June 2025. Bitstamp now operates as a Robinhood subsidiary. The “Bitstamp by Robinhood” branding is visible across the platform. For users, the practical impact so far has been limited — Bitstamp continues operating with the same regulatory licenses, fee structure, and product set. The integration gives Robinhood a fully regulated EU/UK exchange infrastructure and Bitstamp access to Robinhood’s distribution and product development resources. Watch for deeper product integration through 2026.
💡 Expert Tip: Bitstamp’s acquisition by Robinhood is strategically significant for EU traders. Robinhood brings significant retail distribution and technology resources, while Bitstamp brings 50+ regulatory licenses including full MiCA compliance. For now, treat Bitstamp’s product and fee structure as unchanged. The CCData AA rating for 10 consecutive quarters — ranked 2nd globally in November 2025 — is the clearest signal that this remains one of the most trusted exchanges in the world.
Regulation and Security
Bitstamp’s regulatory profile is the strongest of any crypto exchange that serves all three major markets (US, EU, UK) simultaneously. Key licenses and certifications:
- NYDFS BitLicense (US)
- EU Payment Institution license — first crypto exchange to hold this, 2016
- MiCA authorization (EU) — full crypto exchange and custody rights
- MiFID MTF license — enabling regulated derivatives in EU
- Singapore Major Payment Institution (MPI) license (2025)
- BVI Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) registration (February 2026)
- 50+ total registrations and licenses globally
- CCData AA rating for 10 consecutive quarters — ranked 2nd overall globally (November 2025)
Security setup: SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certified · approximately 95% of user assets in cold storage · Big 4 audit partnership since 2016 · no major hack affecting user funds since a 2015 incident ($5M stolen, fully reimbursed).
2025 Product Changes
- USDT Earn Lending ended for EU/EEA: April 2025 — ended as part of MiCA compliance.
- USDT → USDC conversion for EU users: May 2025 — affected EU users had USDT balances converted to USDC.
- UK Earn staking reopened: Late May 2025 — staking brought back for UK users (ETH and ADA).
- Stop order changes: April 2025 — trailing stops and stop-market buy orders removed.
- USDC on 7 networks: September 2025 — Solana, Optimism, Polygon, Avalanche, and Arbitrum added alongside Ethereum and Stellar.
- PayNow (SGD): October 2025 — SGD deposits/withdrawals and USD/SGD conversion added for Singapore users.
- BVI VASP registration: February 2026 — expanding global regulatory presence.
Bitstamp Features
100–130 curated coins: Bitstamp’s listing policy is conservative — BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL, ADA, LTC, BCH, LINK, UNI, and a handful of established DeFi/L2 tokens. No meme coins, no micro-caps, no new launches. This is a feature for compliance-focused users and a limit for altcoin traders.
Strong fiat rails: SEPA (EUR, free), ACH (USD, free), Faster Payments (GBP), wire transfers. Bank deposits and withdrawals in USD, EUR, and GBP with clear processing times. This is Bitstamp’s biggest operational advantage over offshore exchanges.
Two interfaces: Basic (Quick Buy/Sell — simple, but spread included) and Tradeview/Pro (full order book, TradingView charts, limit/market/stop orders). Always use Pro/Tradeview for actual trading.
Bitstamp Earn (staking): ETH (~3.1% APY) and ADA (~1.0% APY) in eligible regions. UK staking reopened May 2025. No staking in the US. Derivatives (limited): Perpetual swaps for eligible EU users via Bitstamp Financial Services (MiFID MTF license). Not available in the US, Canada, Japan, or other restricted regions.
Bitstamp Fees
| Fee Type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spot Maker (base, <$10K/month) | 0.50% | Volume-based tiers; drops to 0.00% above $20M/month |
| Spot Taker (base, <$10K/month) | 0.50% | Drops to 0.10% at top volume tiers |
| Instant buy (card/Apple Pay/PayPal) | 4.00% | Very expensive — avoid for regular use |
| SEPA deposit (EUR) | Free | 1–3 business days |
| ACH deposit (USD) | Free | 3–5 business days |
| Faster Payments (GBP) | Free | Same/next business day |
| Crypto deposit | Free | Network fees apply |
💡 Expert Tip: Bitstamp’s 0.50% base fee is above most major exchanges (Binance and Bitget are 0.10%, Kraken Pro is 0.16%). Best cost strategy: use Tradeview/Pro (not Basic), fund by bank transfer (not card), and place limit orders. This keeps effective cost at 0.50% — still higher than competitors, but manageable for major pair trading given Bitstamp’s deep BTC/ETH/XRP liquidity.
Who Should Use Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is a good fit if you:
- Are in the US, EU, or UK and want the most heavily regulated major exchange
- Primarily buy and hold BTC, ETH, and XRP with clean fiat banking (SEPA/ACH/Faster Payments)
- Are an institution or family office needing regulatory-compliant custody and OTC services
- Want full MiCA compliance for EU stablecoin and trading operations
This exchange probably isn’t right if you:
- Want altcoins beyond 100–130 assets — Coinbase (250+) or Kraken (200+) offer more with similar regulatory standing
- Want lower fees — Kraken Pro (0.16% maker) beats Bitstamp’s base significantly
- Want derivatives, copy trading, or bots — Bitstamp doesn’t offer these broadly
- Want fast KYC verification — can take 3–14+ days during peak times
Pros and Cons
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| Oldest major exchange (founded 2011) — 14+ year track record | 0.50%/0.50% base fees — above Binance, Bitget, Kraken |
| 50+ regulatory licenses · NYDFS · MiCA · MiFID · 2016 EU Payment Institution | Only 100–130 coins — no altcoin access |
| CCData AA rating — 10 consecutive quarters, ranked 2nd globally (Nov 2025) | 4% card deposit fee — very expensive |
| No major hack since 2015 · SOC 2 Type II · ISO 27001 · 95% cold storage | KYC verification can take 3–14+ days |
| Robinhood backing — institutional resources + distribution | No derivatives for US users |
| Strong fiat rails — SEPA, ACH, Faster Payments (all free) | No native token; no fee discount mechanism |
| BVI VASP (Feb 2026) · Singapore MPI (2025) · Big 4 audit since 2016 | No P2P trading · no copy trading · no bots |
Bitstamp vs Regulated Alternatives
| Feature | Bitstamp | Kraken | Coinbase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 ✅ (oldest) | 2011 | 2012 |
| Maker fee (base) | 0.50% | 0.16% ✅ | 0.40% |
| Taker fee (base) | 0.50% | 0.26% ✅ | 0.60% |
| Coins listed | 100–130 | 200+ ✅ | 250+ ✅ |
| NYDFS licensed | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| MiCA licensed | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| CCData AA rating | ✅ 10 consecutive | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Robinhood backed | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No (Nasdaq-listed) |
| Review | This article | Click here | Click here |
How to Get Started
- Sign up at bitstamp.net — Enter email, create password, verify email address.
- Complete KYC — Upload government ID and proof of address. This can take 3–14+ days during busy periods. Start early before you need to trade.
- Deposit by bank transfer — SEPA (EUR), ACH (USD), or Faster Payments (GBP) are all free. Avoid card deposits (4% fee).
- Switch to Tradeview (Pro) — Go to the Tradeview interface for the full order book and more control vs the Basic Quick Buy flow.
- Place limit orders — Both maker and taker fees are 0.50% at base level. For BTC/USD or ETH/USD, limit orders fill quickly given Bitstamp’s liquidity depth.
FAQs
Did Robinhood buy Bitstamp?
Yes. Robinhood announced the acquisition in June 2024 and closed it on June 2, 2025 for $200 million in cash. Bitstamp now operates as “Bitstamp by Robinhood” and is a fully owned Robinhood subsidiary. The exchange continues to operate under all its existing regulatory licenses. Product integration with the Robinhood app is still developing — the main near-term benefit for users is Robinhood’s institutional backing and resources behind Bitstamp’s EU/UK regulated infrastructure.
Is Bitstamp safe?
Bitstamp has one of the strongest safety profiles in the industry. It holds 50+ regulatory licenses across the US, EU, UK, Singapore, and other jurisdictions. It stores approximately 95% of user assets in cold storage, holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certifications, and has been audited by a Big 4 firm since 2016. CCData has awarded it an AA rating for 10 consecutive quarters, ranking it 2nd globally in November 2025. There has been no major hack affecting user funds since a 2015 incident — a $5 million breach that the exchange fully reimbursed.
What changed for EU users in 2025?
Several MiCA-driven changes: USDT Earn Lending ended for EU/EEA users in April 2025. Affected EU users had USDT balances converted to USDC in May 2025. EURT was delisted. Some assets were delisted for specific EU/EEA markets in March–May 2025. UK users got a positive change: staking reopened for ETH and ADA in late May 2025. USDC expanded to 7 networks (September 2025). Stop order types were also revised in April 2025.
How do Bitstamp’s fees compare to Kraken?
Bitstamp’s base fees (0.50% maker/taker) are notably higher than Kraken Pro (0.16% maker / 0.26% taker) at the same entry level. Both have volume-based tiers. Kraken also supports 200+ coins vs Bitstamp’s 100–130. For most retail traders, Kraken offers better value at lower cost. Bitstamp’s advantage is its longer track record, Robinhood backing, CCData 2nd-place ranking, and specific EU regulatory footprint through MiCA and the 2016 EU Payment Institution license.
Bottom Line: Bitstamp is the right exchange if compliance and track record matter more than fees or coin selection. Founded in 2011, 50+ regulatory licenses, NYDFS BitLicense, full MiCA compliance, SOC 2 Type II, Big 4 audited since 2016, CCData AA for 10 consecutive quarters (2nd globally), and no major hack since 2015 — these credentials are unmatched in combination. The Robinhood acquisition (June 2025) adds institutional backing. The cost is real: 0.50% base fees are above Kraken Pro (0.16%) and most offshore exchanges. For BTC, ETH, and XRP buyers who move money via bank transfer and want maximum regulatory protection: Bitstamp is the answer. For everything else, Kraken offers better fees and more coins at the same regulatory standing.
📋 Related Reviews: Kraken Review | Coinbase Review | Gemini Review
📊 Comparisons: Bitstamp vs Coinbase | Bitstamp vs Kraken | Bitstamp vs Binance
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