Institutional liquidity and turnkey trading infrastructure supporting over 1,500 instruments
KYC requiredSpot · Margin +2Futures & perpetualsBank transfer · Card
3.4/ 5
Our score
Fair
Maker fee
0.3%
Taker fee
0.4%
Coins listed
115
Accepts US customers
Yes
Proof of reserves
Yes
What is Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011. The Luxembourg-based platform now operates as Bitstamp by Robinhood after Robinhood completed its $200 million acquisition in June 2025. Its products cover spot crypto trading, institutional market access and EU-regulated perpetual futures.
Company and ownership
Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak co-founded Bitstamp in August 2011 as a European-focused exchange. Kodrič came from the Bitcoin community, while Merlak co-founded the exchange with him. Bitstamp moved its registered headquarters to Luxembourg in 2016 and is now owned by Robinhood Markets. It also has operations associated with the United Kingdom and the United States.
How the exchange works
Bitstamp provides custodial spot trading in digital assets and major fiat markets. The exchange listed more than 115 digital assets in June 2026. Institutional customers can connect through order and execution management integrations with CoinRoutes, Talos and Wyden.
Crypto perpetual futures launched for institutional and retail investors in the EU in April 2026. A July 2026 expansion added perpetual futures covering commodities, foreign exchange, equity indices and crypto from a single pool of capital. Perpetual futures use controlled leverage. Eligible retail customers in the EEA and Switzerland began receiving invitations from 15 October 2026 to manage existing Bitstamp Europe accounts through the Robinhood app.
Fees and account access
Spot trading below $10,000 in monthly volume costs 0.30% for makers and 0.40% for takers. At monthly volume above $1 billion, the stated rates fall to 0.00% maker and 0.03% taker. Card purchases carry a 4% fee. The exchange uses identity verification for account access, and availability depends on the customer’s jurisdiction and the relevant local authorization.
Regulation and track record
Bitstamp holds or operates under registrations and authorizations including the NYDFS BitLicense, CSSF Luxembourg authorization, FCA UK authorization, MAS Singapore authorization and EU MiCA CASP authorization. It has held more than 50 licenses and registrations across jurisdictions.
The exchange suspended withdrawals for several days after a distributed denial-of-service attack in February 2014. In January 2015, a hot-wallet hack stole fewer than 19,000 BTC; Bitstamp suspended service and reopened nearly a week later. Custody remains a central risk because customers rely on the exchange and its custodians for access to funds. Other limitations include jurisdictional restrictions, KYC requirements, card costs and the leverage risk of perpetual futures.
Founders
Nejc KodričCo-founder
He was a member of the Bitcoin community before co-founding Bitstamp in August 2011.
Damijan MerlakCo-founder
He co-founded Bitstamp with Nejc Kodrič in August 2011.
Best for:EU perpetual futures tradersInstitutional trading desksHigh-volume spot tradersRobinhood-linked Bitstamp customers
Pros and cons
Pros
- Operating history dating to 2011
- Robinhood ownership since June 2025
- More than 50 licenses and registrations
- EU-regulated perpetual futures launched in 2026
- Spot fees reach 0.00% maker at high volume
Cons
- Custodial model exposes users to exchange counterparty risk
- Card purchases carry a 4% fee
- KYC and regional rules restrict account availability
- 2015 hot-wallet hack stole fewer than 19,000 BTC
- Perpetual futures introduce leverage risk
Our review
3.4/5
Fair
Bitstamp combines a long operating history with broad regulatory coverage, but its 2015 hot-wallet hack and 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker entry fees remain material trade-offs.
Bitstamp is a centralized exchange founded in 2011 by Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak. Robinhood completed its $200 million acquisition in June 2025, and the service now operates as Bitstamp by Robinhood.
Bitstamp holds a NYDFS BitLicense, Luxembourg CSSF authorization, FCA UK authorization, MAS Singapore authorization and EU MiCA CASP authorization. It also has more than 50 licenses and registrations across jurisdictions. Certain Bitstamp Europe retail users in the EEA and Switzerland began receiving invitations to manage existing accounts through the Robinhood app from 15 October 2026. US access is associated with Robinhood operations, while availability remains jurisdiction-specific.
Fees fall to 0.00% maker and 0.03% taker above $1 billion in monthly volume. Card purchases carry a 4% fee, which is higher than the listed order-book spot trading rates. Bitstamp lists more than 115 digital assets as of June 2026, while its product range now includes EU-regulated crypto perpetual futures and multi-asset perpetual futures. Perpetuals add leverage risk and are not equivalent to ordinary spot ownership.
The security record is mixed. Those controls sit alongside a February 2014 withdrawal suspension after a denial-of-service attack and a January 2015 hot-wallet hack in which fewer than 19,000 BTC were stolen. The exchange reopened nearly a week later.
Specs
| Markets | Spot, Futures, OTC · unverified |
|---|---|
| Maker fee | 0.3% · unverified |
| Taker fee | 0.4% · unverified |
| Coins listed | 115 · unverified |
| Accepts US customers | Yes · unverified |
| Proof of reserves | Yes · unverified |
| Staking / earn | Yes · unverified |
| Mobile app | Yes · unverified |
| Licenses & registrations | NYDFS BitLicense, CSSF Luxembourg authorization, FCA UK authorization, MAS Singapore authorization, EU MiCA CASP authorization · unverified |
| Security features | 1:1 customer funds custody, Annual audits, Proof of reserves · unverified |
| Futures & perpetuals | Yes · unverified |
| Earn / savings products | Yes · unverified |
Not disclosed by the provider: Fiat deposit methods, KYC required, Max leverage (x), Copy trading, P2P market, User protection fund, Referral program.
Data from the provider's website and public sources. Fees and availability change; confirm on the official site before you sign up.
Key features
Spot crypto trading
The custodial exchange supports spot markets for more than 115 digital assets, based on its June 2026 listing.
Institutional connectivity
Institutional customers can connect through order and execution management integrations with CoinRoutes, Talos and Wyden.
Crypto perpetual futures
EU-regulated crypto perpetual futures launched for institutional and retail investors in April 2026.
Multi-asset futures
Perpetual futures cover commodities, foreign exchange, equity indices and crypto from a single pool of capital.
Robinhood app access
Eligible retail customers in the EEA and Switzerland can manage existing Bitstamp Europe accounts through the Robinhood app.
Volume-based fees
Spot rates start at 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker below $10,000 monthly volume, falling to 0.00% and 0.03% above $1 billion.
Fiat market access
The exchange supports spot trading in digital assets alongside major fiat markets, with card purchases charged at 4%.
Inside Bitstamp
Spot exchange
The centralized spot market lets customers trade digital assets against major fiat markets. Spot trading fees range from 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker below $10,000 in monthly volume to 0.00% maker and 0.03% taker above $1 billion.
Crypto perpetual futures
This product offers EU-regulated perpetual futures for crypto assets to institutional and retail investors. The contracts use controlled leverage rather than representing ordinary spot ownership.
Multi-asset perpetual futures
Multi-asset perpetual futures cover commodities, foreign exchange, equity indices and crypto from a single pool of capital.
Institutional market access
Institutional customers can connect through O/EMS integrations including CoinRoutes, Talos and Wyden.
Bitstamp by Robinhood app
Eligible existing Bitstamp Europe retail customers in the EEA and Switzerland can manage their accounts through the Robinhood app. Invitations began from 15 October 2026.
What users say about Bitstamp
Praise is limited to a few comments about reasonable fees, ease of use, and useful app functionality. Complaints are much more common, mainly involving blocked withdrawals or frozen accounts and slow support, with some reports of prolonged verification or access problems.
In their own words
“Works. Just like it's supposed to. After realizing how crazy the spread for selling crypto is on crypto.com I discovered bitstamp where the fees for trading and withdrawals are MUCH more reasonable. Thanks guys”
“Best app Easy and fast. Support staff is wonderful and willing to help extra mile.”
“Made a wire deposit in December, still has not been processed I made a wire transfer to Bitstamp on December 16. As of today, more than two months later, the funds have still not been credited to my account.”
“Unexplained account withdrawal block since October 15 On October 15, I deposited funds to my Bitstamp account, added my cold wallet to the whitelist, and tried to transfer Bitcoin to it. The transfer was blocked without any explanation.”
“Account frozen for almost a year after KYC with no explanation or updates. Has anyone had a similar experience and found a way to resolve it? Timeline in 2025: * May 13 - Successfully completed KYC. * May 13-20 - Account is working normally, and I made a few withdrawals.”
“10 years plus customer. My account is locked and I can't access my money. I keep getting "Account frozen because your ID expired" on my notification board - even if I've completed the procedure to provide an ID 3 times now, with 2 different devices.”
Scam warning: A user was deceived by a fake video verification appointment that requested login, password, and authentication details.
Scam warning: Several posts promote Instagram accounts claiming to recover funds, which may indicate recovery scams targeting users with losses.
Based on 100 Reddit posts and comments, 50 App Store reviews from the last 12 months, checked Oct 18, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.
User reviews
No user reviews yet. Have you used Bitstamp? Share your experience below.
Funding and investors
$200MTotal raised
2Rounds
2Investors
-
Strategic acquisition Jun 2025 $200MSource
-
Funding round Amount undisclosed
FAQ
Who founded Bitstamp?
Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak founded Bitstamp in August 2011. Robinhood Markets acquired the exchange in June 2025, and it operates as Bitstamp by Robinhood.
What are Bitstamp's trading fees?
For monthly spot volume below $10,000, Bitstamp charges 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker. Fees decrease to 0.00% maker and 0.03% taker above $1 billion in monthly volume, while card purchases cost 4%.
Is Bitstamp regulated?
Bitstamp holds NYDFS, Luxembourg CSSF, FCA UK, MAS Singapore and EU MiCA authorizations. It has more than 50 licenses and registrations across jurisdictions.
Has Bitstamp ever been hacked?
Bitstamp suffered a hot-wallet hack in January 2015 in which fewer than 19,000 BTC were stolen. It also suspended withdrawals for several days after a distributed denial-of-service attack in February 2014.
How many assets does Bitstamp support?
Bitstamp listed more than 115 digital assets as of June 2026. Its products include spot trading, crypto perpetual futures and multi-asset perpetual futures covering commodities, foreign exchange, equity indices and crypto.
Does Bitstamp offer futures?
Bitstamp offers EU-regulated perpetual futures for crypto assets to institutional and retail investors. It also offers multi-asset perpetual futures from a single pool of capital, which adds leverage risk.
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