United States
United Kingdom
Germany
Netherlands
Australia
United Arab Emirates
Canada
Italy
Spain
Austria
Croatia
Serbia
Portugal
CyprusKraken vs Bitstamp
What each one charges, who licenses it, and how they rank against each other country by country.
The short version
We rank both for crypto in 9 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them.
We score each country separately, based on the company that would actually hold your account there, so check your own country in the table below.
Of the 2 fees we could compare, Bitstamp is cheaper on 1 and the other is the same.
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, Bitstamp from CSSF, NYDFS and FCA.
- Bitstamp is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.4%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken.Edge: Bitstamp
- Neither charges an inactivity fee.
- We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and Bitstamp in 10. They overlap in 9.Edge: Kraken
- Kraken gets more search attention than Bitstamp (Market Signal 73 vs 42). That tells you how well known it is, not how good it is.
Where you can use each one
Where each one ranks on our list in every country we cover, its Coinish Score there, and the company that would hold your account. If a broker isn't allowed to take clients from a country, it isn't on that country's list.
Crypto exchanges
| Country | Kraken | Bitstamp |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 2158/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Croatia | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Cyprus | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Germany | #4 of 2176/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 2158/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Italy | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Netherlands | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Portugal | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| Spain | #4 of 1976/100EU passport Payward Europe Solutions Limited · CBI | #15 of 1958/100EU passport Bitstamp Europe S.A. · CSSF |
| United Kingdom | #2 of 576/100Locally licensed Payward Ltd · FCA | #4 of 558/100Locally licensed Bitstamp UK Ltd. · FCA |
| Australia | #3 of 774/100Foreign licence Bit Trade Pty Limited · AUSTRAC | Not listed |
| Canada | #3 of 676/100Locally licensed Payward Canada Inc. · CSA | Not listed |
| United States | Not listed | #4 of 658/100Locally licensed Bitstamp USA, Inc. · NYDFS |
Fees and features side by side
| Kraken | Bitstamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Products | Crypto, Futures | Crypto |
| Owner | Payward, Inc. | Robinhood |
| Crypto trading fee | 0.8%, base-tier taker fee on the order book | 0.4%, base-tier taker fee on the order book |
| Inactivity fee | None | None |
| Withdrawal fee | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Minimum deposit | €1 (Payward Europe Solutions Limited) | Not verified yet |
| Instruments | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Platforms | Kraken app, Kraken Pro, Kraken Desktop | Bitstamp web, Bitstamp mobile app |
| Deposit methods | Debit/credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH transfer | SEPA bank transfer, Debit card, Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Withdrawal time (stated) | most arrive within 24 hours | Not verified yet |
| Demo account | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Support | live chat, email · 24/7 | email, phone · 24/7 |
Every figure comes from the broker's own pages or its regulator. You'll find the sources in each review (Kraken, Bitstamp).
Licences
Kraken vs Bitstamp: common questions
Which is better, Kraken or Bitstamp?
We rank both for crypto in 9 countries, and Kraken comes out ahead in every one of them. For reference, Kraken's best ranking is #2 of 5 crypto exchanges in the United Kingdom, and Bitstamp's best ranking is #4 of 6 crypto exchanges in the United States.
Is Kraken cheaper than Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is cheaper for crypto trades (standard taker fee): 0.4%, compared with 0.8% at Kraken. Neither charges an inactivity fee.
Is Kraken or Bitstamp better regulated?
Both hold top-tier (tier-1) licences: Kraken from CBI, CSA and FCA, Bitstamp from CSSF, NYDFS and FCA. Which company you actually sign up with depends on where you live; the country table on this page names it for each one.
Can I use both Kraken and Bitstamp where I live?
We list Kraken in 11 of the 14 countries we cover and Bitstamp in 10. They overlap in 9. For crypto, you'll find both on our lists in Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, among others.