Bitvavo is a centralized cryptocurrency exchange headquartered in Amsterdam. It lets customers buy, sell and store 453 digital assets, with EUR and USDC markets, staking, recurring purchases and margin trading available through the same account.
Company and founders
Bitvavo B.V. operates under Bitvavo Group B.V. The exchange was founded in 2018 by Mark Nuvelstijn, a business administrator, and programmers Jelle de Boer and Tim Baardse. Bitvavo reports more than 2 million active users and €10 billion in monthly trading volume as of October 2026. Mark Nuvelstijn resigned as CEO in July 2025.
How the exchange works
Bitvavo provides custodial exchange accounts, so assets bought on the platform are managed through the service rather than a self-custody wallet. Its mobile app supports buying and selling, while Pro Mode adds advanced order tools and keyboard navigation. Recurring Buy schedules purchases with adjustable amounts and frequencies.
Staking offers Flex and Fixed options for supported assets. Lending is also available, while Bitvavo's Web3 wallet provides access to more than 15,000 crypto assets beyond the exchange. Margin trading covers 20 assets, with long and short positions, take-profit and stop-loss tools, and up to 10x leverage.
Fees and availability
Trading fees range from 0.00% to 0.25%. The base-tier Category A maker fee is 0.15%, and the taker fee is 0.25%. Margin trades use standard volume-based trading fees, plus borrowing fees and a 2% liquidation fee. USDC/EUR, EUROP/EUR, EURCV/EUR, USDCV/EUR and EURC/USDC trades do not count toward the 30-day volume-fee calculation.
Bitvavo is available in the European Economic Area and accepts euro transfers through eight payment methods, including SEPA. The exchange operates under a MiCA crypto-asset service provider authorization from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets and holds Dutch Central Bank registration as a digital-asset service provider.
Track record and risks
Bitvavo launched in 2018 and received Dutch Central Bank registration in 2020. It obtained its MiCA license in June 2025. A September 2022 configuration error exposed eight users' personal data for about 15 minutes; Bitvavo said funds were unaffected and reported the incident to the Dutch Data Protection Authority. A November 2023 infrastructure outage temporarily blocked access. A December 2025 FLOW exploit halted the network, after which Bitvavo said mitigations were deployed and systems were restored.
Customers face centralized custody and counterparty exposure, with regional limits outside the EEA. Staking and lending are not regulated under MiCA, and margin trading can result in the loss of initial capital, with a separate liquidation fee.