Bitstamp Exchange Review 2023: Fees, Platform, App, Safety & More

Summary

Bitstamp was founded in 2011, and it is one of the world’s most popular crypto exchanges. The company focuses on delivering excellent crypto trading services to clients from all over the world. Although the exchange offers only a limited number of cryptocurrencies, still the cost of trading is comparatively low as compared to other exchanges.  Bitstamp also offers multiple trading tools and information resources, allowing clients to stay ahead of the market and trade conveniently.

In this review, we discuss every aspect of the Bitstamp exchange in detail. We’ll Bitstamp supported cryptocurrencies, take you through Bitsctamp fees, help you open an account and take you through the verification process. This guide also covers the exchange’s online reviews and the general trading experience.

Pros & Cons

Before diving into details, let’s have a look at some main pros and cons of using Bitstamp as your crypto exchange.

Pros

User-friendly Interface – Bitstamp trading interface is quite simple to use. Even traders with the least trading exposure can explore the platform conveniently.

Multiple Trading Tools – Since cryptocurrencies are known to have higher volatility levels, the exchange offers a wide range of trading tools to help clients diversify their trading risks efficiently.

Funding Options – Bitstamp supports multiple methods for deposits and withdrawals. Traders can choose their preferred payment methods from the list of available options.

Customer Support – Unlike other crypto exchanges, Bitstamp can be contacted round the clock five days a week. The company enlists dedicated telephone numbers and email addresses to answer your queries. However, it doesn’t offer a live chat support feature.

Low Fee – The exchange ensures a low-cost fee structure. Besides low fees for deposits and withdrawals, clients can also expect a competitive trading fee compared to most crypto exchanges.

Cons

Fewer Crypto Coins – Despite being around for almost a decade, the exchange has a limited product portfolio. Clients can only trade ten cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, and a few more.

No MT4/MT5 – Although the exchange offers its in-house built trading platforms to support desktop and mobile trading, clients might feel the unavailability of industry-standard trading platforms, such as MetaTrader4 & MetaTrader5.

Pro Traders Oriented – Even though the exchange has one of the simplest trading platforms available, it might still not be suitable for newbies due to its range of advanced trading parameters.

Verification – Clients need to go through a time-consuming verification process at Bitstamp. The exchange does not allow you to deposit funds in your account unless you have verified your identity.

Supported Countries

Registration

Bitstamp holds a temporary registration from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) valid till 9 July 2021. The exchange is registered as a crypto asset business in the UK under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and Funds Transfers Regulation (2017).

Offices

Bitstamp Limited (Bitstamp Ltd.) is headquartered in England and Wales under the following details.

• Company Number: 8157033.
• Address: 5 New Street Square, EC4A 3TW London, United Kingdom.
• Email : support@bitstamp.net
• Phone : +44 20 3868 9628

Supported Countries:

Bitstamp supports more than 80 countries around the world. A table having names of supported countries is given below.

List of Coins and Crosses

Bitstamp supports the following cryptocurrencies and allows traders to trade the listed crosses.

Coins:

1. Bitcoin (BTC)
2. Litecoin (LTC)
3. Ethereum (ETH)
4. Ripple (XRP)
5. Chainlink (LINK)
6. OMG Network (OMG)
7. Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
8. Stellar Lumens (XLM)
9. USD Coin (USDC)
10. Paxos Standard (PAX)

Crosses:

Trading Fees

The exchange offers a low fee structure. The fee chart is divided into 17 categories based on 30-day trading volumes. The maximum fee that traders need to pay is 0.5% of the traded amount if the volume is less than $10,000. On the other hand, the minimum fee that the exchange charges to its customers is as low as 0.005% for a monthly traded volume of more than $6,000,000,000 but below $10,000,000,000. Given below is the table of fee schedules applicable for different monthly volumes.

Trading Platforms, Account Opening & How to Buy Crypto:

Bitstamp Desktop Trading Platform

Bitstamp offers a sleekly designed intuitive trading platform. As soon as you log in to your account, a dashboard with multiple buttons on the main panel welcomes you. There are six buttons available on the main dashboard screen, including Account, Markets, Deposit, Withdrawal, News and Trading View.

Account

The account tab shows information about your holdings, active and inactive accounts, as well as the status of your verification. You can also view your transaction history and open orders if any.

Markets

Traders can access the available crypto assets under the markets tab. By clicking on each crypto asset, clients can view the performance chart of the underlying assets. These charts are available in six time-frames. On the right side, traders can enter a buy or sell trade by filling up the required field.

Deposits

The next button is to view deposits. It includes all bank transfers or crypto deposits performed during the past 90 days. However, deposits older than 90 days may be viewable by clicking the older deposit button that is available at the top right corner of the same section.

Withdrawals

Similar to deposits, withdrawal tab also shows the history of all withdrawals initiated over the past 90 days.

News

News is the second last button available on the dashboard screen. Clients can use it to read the latest industry news.

Trading View

Lastly, there is a Trading View button. By clicking this button, traders can switch the screen to a dark mode. All other options remain the same. However, now you see the market watch is displayed on the left side of your panel.

How to Open an Account with Bitstamp on Desktop?

Signing up with Bitstamp is easy. Clients need to follow a few simple steps as listed below. However, the verification process of the exchange might drive you nuts. The company doesn’t allow you to perform any activity unless you get your account verified. Anyhow, let’s check out the steps involved in the signing up process.

Step 01: Go to the official page of the exchange by typing the web address in your web browser. Alternatively, it can also be accessed using this link www.bitstamp.net.

Step 02: Click on the register button available on the top-right edge of the web page.

Step 03: Choose the account type that you wish to open. At present, Bitstamp offers two types of accounts, including personal and corporate accounts.

Step04: Enter details, such as your full name and email id, and click continue to proceed with the sign-up procedure.

Step 05: Log in to your email id, and click on the confirmation link received from Bitstamp. Please note that the link might expire in 2 hours. Therefore, you either have to continue the signing up process within the time stipulated or start over again.

Step 06: Choose your password and click continue to proceed.

Step 07: Complete your verification.  You might need to provide a picture of your ID card or passport, including the front and backside. The exchange also requires you to submit a copy of the utility bill or bank statement to verify your residential address.

How to Buy Crypto with Bitstamp on Desktop?

To buy cryptos with Bitstamp, you need to follow the steps mentioned below.

Step01: Sign in to your account using your login credentials.

Step02: Click on the markets tab to access the list of available coins. You can switch the interface into dark mode by clicking on the trade view option as shown in the image below.

Step03: Select your favourite crypto asset from the available options. For example; BTC

Step 04: Enter the worth of coins you wish to buy.

Step 05: Select your preferred payment method from the list of available options.

Step 06: If you choose to pay using cards, such as debit/credit cards, then you need to enter the details of your card, including the name of the cardholder, expiry date of the card, and three-pin security code from the back of your card.

Step 07: Once you have entered the details, click continue to proceed with the payment. You will receive a payment confirmation message from your bank.

Bitstamp Mobile Trading App (Available on IOS & Google Play):

Bitstamp offers a custom-built mobile trading app with advanced features and trading tools to enable clients to trade cryptocurrencies on the go. The intuitive mobile trading interface quickly allows traders to log in to their account using face id or thumb impression and start trading instantly.

The mobile app features most of the services that are present in the desktop version of the Bitstamp trading platform. Some of the main features available through the mobile trading interface include four types of orders, real-time charts along with advanced analytical tools, and an order book.  With Bitstamp crypto wallet, traders can send, receive and store their digital assets securely.

The mobile trading app is available to download from both the App Store and Google Play Store. After downloading the app, traders can use the same login credentials they use for the desktop trading platform. Alternatively, clients can proceed with a new registration.

The dashboard screen of the mobile trading app looks simple and sophisticated. It has five tabs available, including Home, Tradeview, Trade, Wallet, and Settings.

Dashboard/Home 

The dashboard screen shows the current market prices of tradable assets along with an option to view your holdings.

Tradeview 

The Tradeview option takes you to the trading page, where clients can place orders. Tradeview page offers clients access to the charting tools available in 12 time-frames. It also has a range of indicators available to select from. Clients have the option to trade their favorite crypto crosses using the option available at the top right corner of the page.

Trade

Under this option, clients can buy or sell their crypto assets. However, this page might not be viewable unless you get your account verified. Not to mention, the exchange has a tiring process of account verification.

Wallet

To store your digital assets, Bitstamp offers an in-house built wallet. The exchange claims it to be super secure. According to the information available on the website, the company employs multi-signature protocols to ensure its protection. Face ID, biometric identification, and a two-step authentication process are among such features.

Settings

The last tab is Settings that clients can access using the mobile app feature.  Clients can customize their trading preferences using the settings tab. The setting tab has multiple options, such as changing personal information, subscribing to push notifications, and account linkage. Users can also configure their login credentials using the settings tab.

How to Open an Account with Bitstamp on Bitstamp Mobile App?

Bitstamp offers a mobile-based trading platform supported for both android and mac based devices. Clients can have the respective app downloaded from Google Play Store or App Store. After downloading it, follow the steps given below;

Step 01: Open the mobile trading app and tap on the register now button to start the signing-up process.

Step 02: Fill up the registration form. Enter your first and last name as well as your email id. Press continue to proceed to the next step.

Step 03: Check your email. Click on the link received from Bitstamp to complete the registration process.

Step 04: Choose a password and click continue to proceed to the next step.

Step 05: Activate your account to continue exploring the app.

How to Buy Crypto with Bitstamp on Bitstamp Mobile App?

Buying cryptos with Bitstamp using the mobile trading app is similar to what we have seen with the desktop trading platform. Still, let us quickly go through the steps involved in buying cryptos through the mobile app.

Step 01: Log in to your mobile trading app.

Step 02: Click on the trade tab available right in the middle of the mobile trading interface.

Step 03: Select the cryptos you wish to buy from the list of available cryptocurrencies.

Step 04: Enter the amount that you wish to buy for your favorite crypto.

Step 05: Select the payment method you wish to use to complete the purchase.

Step 06: Enter payment details. If you have chosen wire transfers, then you might need to add your bank account. Payment through debit or credit cards need you to provide the cardholder’s name, the expiry date of the card, and a three-digit security code.

Step 07: Review the payment, authorized it, and enjoy your purchased cryptos. You might also receive a payment confirmation message from your respective bank.

Payment Methods – Deposit and Withdrawals

Bitstamp allows customers to deposit in fiat currencies, including Euro (EUR) and U.S. Dollar (USD). Customers from the Eurozone having bank accounts can take advantage of this feature. Funds transferred through SEPA Transfers are instantaneous and arrives in your account in no time. The exchange also accepts card payments, allowing you to buy Bitcoins with a credit card at Bitstamp.

* Please note that credit card transactions involve a 5% transaction fee in addition to any fee charged by your respective bank. 

Bitstamp supports ten crypto-assets at present. Therefore, clients can also use them for deposits and withdrawals. The exchange also accepts BTCUSD IOU acting as a gateway to the Ripple (XRP) Network. Lastly, clients can go for Astro payments if other methods do not work for them.

Given below is the fee schedule applicable to different modes of transactions.

SEPA Transfers

ACH

FASTER PAYMENTS (UK)

CARD PURCHASE

INTERNATIONAL WIRE

NON-STANDARD PROCESSING

CRYPTO DEPOSITS & WITHDRAWALS

XRP IOU

A 0.20% fee is charged for IOUs transfers between accounts.

MINIMUM TRADE AMOUNT

The exchange stipulates a minimum order size of 25 on USD/EUR/GBP/PAX/USDC for USD/EUR/GBP/PAX/USDC-denominated trading pairs. Also, BTC-denominated trading pairs can be traded for a minimum amount of 0.001 BTC. Similarly, the minimum trade amount for ETH-denominated trading pairs is 0.02 ETH.

FEE ROUNDING

The exchange cautions its customers to consider fee calculation carefully. The exchange fees for USD/EUR/GBP/PAX/USDC-denominated pairs are calculated up to 5 decimal places. On the other hand, the fees on ETH-denominated and BTC-denominated pairs are calculated up to 8 decimal places. Also, the exchange rounds off additional decimal places to the closest value.

BANK EXCHANGE RATES

Bitstamp may also charge their customers the following rates on deposits/withdrawals requiring currency conversion. For example; if you choose to deposit Swiss Franc (CHF) to your U.S. Dollar (USD) account.

Education

As far as education is concerned, we were unable to find any such resources available on the official website of the exchange. However, the website has a news section to keep clients updated about recent industry trends. We’ve repeatedly expressed our concern that the company sounds a little more inclined towards veteran traders than focusing on newbies. The unavailability of educational resources also validates our reservations. Being a renowned crypto exchange, it should add some helpful resources to its education section.

Customer Support

Unlike other crypto exchanges, Bitstamp has shared multiple communication channels for its customers on the official website. Clients can talk to the company’s representatives five days a week during office hours (UK Standard Time). Those who wish to raise their concern in writing can generate an email to support@bitstamp.net. The company usually responds within a few hours. However, the exchange doesn’t offer a web chat feature that could have been a superb option otherwise.

Reviews

What Do People Say About Bitstamp on Reddit?

Reddit is a well-known social networking platform where people from all parts of the world interact and share their good and bad experiences. While searching for information on Reddit about the Bitstamp, we couldn’t find many posts. However, a few that were available seem to be positive. Bitstamp customer expressed his views about the exchange on Reddit in a good spirit. He said that he has been using the Bitstamp for nearly 07 years, and so far, he has had a wonderful

What Do People Say About Bitstamp on Quora?

Quora is also another information-sharing platform well-known in the United States. Going through random posts, we came across a post by a member asking a question concerning the safety of buying coins from Bitstamp. To respond to his question, someone said that Bitstamp falls in the list of the top 15 crypto exchanges which are considered safe for buying and selling cryptocurrencies.

However, he also cautioned clients to remain careful with their crypto investment. According to him, Bitstamp got hacked in 2015, losing 19000 BTC. Since then, the exchange started storing its digital assets in cold storage spaces, making it impossible for intruders to break in. He also said that Bitstamp was amongst the first few crypto exchanges that implemented the concept of cold storage options.

Is Bitstamp Safe?

Yes, Bitstamp is safe to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. The exchange doesn’t keep more than a fraction of crypto assets in its hot storage wallets. Also, the company employs the best security practices following multi-signature authorization. The exchange keeps almost 98% of its digital currencies in cold storage options with no internet access, making them well-secured.

Bitstamp VS eToro

While comparing the two most renowned exchanges side by side, it sometimes becomes difficult to remain impartial. However, facts should have considered carefully before signing up with any of the two exchanges. Listed below are some key factors that are worth your attention.

Bitstamp

Founded in 2011, Bitstamp is one of the pioneer crypto exchanges. The exchange serves its clients in nearly 80 countries of the world. It also offers its services to the residents of the United States through its subsidiary firm Bitstamp. US. The exchange provides low-cost trading options with intuitive trading platforms and multiple payment options. However, the stock of cryptocurrencies is limited to Bitstamp. Clients can only trade nearly ten crypto assets, including some top-of-the-line cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. Clients can also buy Litecoin, buy Ethereum, etc.

eToro

The eToro trading platform is the world’s most respected brokerage firm that offers multiple trading solutions under one roof. Founded in 2006, eToro has been the favorite trading platform for clients from all over the world. Besides user-friendly trading platforms and round-the-clock customer support, the exchange also offers social trading services. The company also has a customized crypto wallet – the eToro Wallet – to enable clients to store their digital assets securely.

Trading Fees – Bitstamp VS eToro

The fee structure of a crypto exchange holds significant importance. Bitsamp deposit, withdrawal, and trading fee is relatively lower than its competitors. It only charges a fee of 0.05% on international wire transfer, which is way below the average industry rates.

On the other hand, eToro employs a variable spread charging policy. Its spread rate varies from 0.7% to 2.0% for popular crypto-assets. Clients may need to pay a little higher spread cost for less common digital currencies.

Product Portfolio – Bitstamp VS eToro

As far as the range of coin selection or other tradable assets is concerned, Bitstamp might run out of available options. With a limited product portfolio that consists of ten digital currencies, there is nothing much to explore.

On the other hand, eToro has a wide range of crypto assets to offer. Clients can trade at least 16 digital currencies with numbers are still being added. Also, eToro provides access to the variety of tradable assets available across multiple asset classes, including stock, indices, and shares.

Customer Services – Bitstamp VS eToro

Concerning customer services, both Bitstamp and eToro need to elevate the existing standards. At present, the customer support staff at both of the firms is not very supportive. While Bitstamp has a dedicated frequently asked questions section where traders might find answers to their immediate queries. There are only a few heads available to dig into. Also, the exchange does not have a webchat feature available. However, clients can raise their queries with the company’s customer support staff via telephone or email.

Coming towards eToro, the firm offers basic customer support through all standard channels, including telephone, email, and webchat. However, the customer support representatives at eToro take a little longer to respond. Therefore, customers need to be patient. Also, you might not be able to find a resolution to your advanced-level queries. For that, you might need to generate a ticket with the company, separately.

Number of Coins: 20+

Margin Trading: YES

Minimum Deposit: $200

Invest In Cryptocurrency With $0 Commission

• Supports Multiple Languages
• Regulated by FCA, ASIC & CySEC
• Paypal, Debit & Credit Card Accepted

Visit eToro

eToro Full Review

Capital At Risk

Other Services Offered at Bitstamp:

Besides catering to the need of individual traders, Bitstamp does not forget to offer a customized experience to its corporate clients. The exchange features additional services to cater to major classes of investors, including Pro Traders, Crypto-as-Service, and Institutions & Partners.

Pro Traders:

Bitstamp’s advanced trading interface offers real-time insights into the crypto markets. Pro traders can use multiple analytical tools and order types to customize their trading strategy. The exchange’s top-notch API connectivity ensures all-time accessibility of real-time data. Proven stability with extensive liquidity makes Bitstamp’s always a preferred choice for seasoned traders.

Crypto As A Service (CAAS)

With the CAAS feature, Bitstamp allows banks and other financial institutions to offer their clients buy and sell cryptos in a customized way. Banks can start offering crypto services on their existing banking apps. The exchange also allows the banking sector to leverage cryptos and build innovative investment and business models. By doing so, banks and other financial corporations can open new income streams along with a great potential to increase their market share.

CAAS – Key Features

• With CAAS, the exchange offers a reliable process to match and execute orders.
• Accessibility to advanced insurance and custody of digital assets.
• Effective monitoring of transactions and unbreakable cybersecurity controls.
• Dedicated support from the technical team and account managers.
• Leading payment and banking services.

Institutions & Partners

Bitstamp offers a range of benefits to its institutional partners.

Brokers: Brokers can expand their range of offerings in partnership with the exchange that ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.

Fintechs: Fintechs can offer a unique customer experience to their clients with Bitstamp crypto integration.

Neo Banks: Neo-banks can start offering customized crypto offers using their existing infrastructure.

Hedge Funds: Hedge funds have the option to enhance their portfolio via leading cryptocurrency markets and trade execution services.

Family Offices: Bitstamp offers direct access to crypto markets for family offices. This is done through architecture featuring high-end security.

Banks: Banks can offer their clients a customized crypto investment solution. Also, banks don’t have to worry about regulatory compliance or extra cost for offering crypto investment plans in partnership with Bitstamp.

Aggregators: Aggregators can access the fastest APIs to integrate cryptos and leverage the exchange’s highly liquid markets.

Conclusion

After a detailed review of the exchange, we hereby conclude that Bitstamp is a reliable crypto exchange. Besides having a competitive fee structure, the company accepts fiat deposits. Also, traders find it easier to buy Altcoins from Bitstamp. The only drawback we came across is that it offers only a limited number of crypto assets. Also, the platform doesn’t have much to offer to the newbies as compared to seasoned traders.