Welcome to our Bitvavo review! Here at Coinweb, we went through tons of crypto exchanges throughout our crypto trading careers. We’ve been in the industry for almost 10 years and have seen the rise and fall of many exchanges.
In this review, we want to share our experience working with Bitvavo, an EU–based crypto exchange that changed how newbies can enter the crypto market.
It is important to weigh a cryptocurrency exchange’s pros and cons before choosing it as your daily trading platform.
But don’t worry. Here, you’ll find all the information you need to decide if Bitvavo is the best crypto exchange on the market for YOU. Enjoy!
Bitvavo Highlights
Cryptocurrencies | 238 |
Daily Trading Volume | ~600 mln |
Active Users | 1+ million |
Available Countries | Over 27 |
Mobile App | Available for iOS and Android in over 180 countries |
Trading Pairs | Over 350 |
Headquartered Inf | Netherlands |
Current CEO | Mark Nuvelstijn |
What is Bitvavo?
Bitvavo is one of the largest centralized crypto exchanges in the world and probably the largest in Europe. Established in 2018, Bitvavo’s main goal is to bridge the gap between cryptocurrencies and traditional assets.
Founded by Mark Nuvelstijn, the exchange offers reasonable fees, top-notch security and a simple-to-use platform that has made it an ideal choice for beginners and experienced users alike.
Top 5 Best Features of Bitvavo
More details
Bitvavo is one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world and probably the largest in Europe. It is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges for newbies based in the European Economic Area. Bitvavo offers many advanced features while keeping the interface easy to understand and user-friendly.
-
Reasonable fees
-
Top-notch security
-
Intuitive interface
-
Great choice for beginners
-
No 24/7 support
-
Doesn't have crypto/crypto trading pairs
Here are the best Bitvavo features, in my opinion.
Crypto Staking
Unlike other exchanges, Bitvavo doesn’t offer traditional proof-of-stake staking but rather a platform-specific service that includes proof-of-work coins. That’s why you can also stake Bitcoin with Bitvavo.
The APRs can go up to 7,5%. Admittedly, there are only a few assets that reach similar numbers – most of them linger around 1–4%.
Bitvavo Account Guarantee
In an attempt to make crypto a more secure space, Bitvavo insures all trading accounts for up to €100k.
This means that if you lose your funds due to a hack or phishing attack (which is highly unlikely with Bitvavo’s security), you will get your funds back.
Bitvavo Learn
Bitvavo offers thousands of different articles describing all the aspects of the crypto world in the simplest terms possible.
Don’t know what a blockchain is? Bitvavo will help. Don’t know how to buy a cryptocurrency? Bitvavo will help!
This source of information is great for both experienced traders and complete newbies, giving all the data to make an informed decision on the market.
User-Friendly Interface
The exchange offers one of the most user-friendly interfaces in the industry. It is also semi-customizable, allowing you to change widgets and make the interface more comfortable.
It offers chart drawing tools, collapsible sections, and even a night and day mode so that you can create a platform that suits your needs.
Create an Account on Bitvavo
Here are seven easy steps to create a Bitvavo account:
More details
Bitvavo is one of the largest crypto exchanges in the world and probably the largest in Europe. It is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges for newbies based in the European Economic Area. Bitvavo offers many advanced features while keeping the interface easy to understand and user-friendly.
-
Reasonable fees
-
Top-notch security
-
Intuitive interface
-
Great choice for beginners
-
No 24/7 support
-
Doesn't have crypto/crypto trading pairs
Step 1: Visit Bitvavo
Go to the main page and hit the “Sign Up” button.
Step 2: Create an account
Choose your country of residence, write your first and last name, and create the account.
Step 3: Add e-mail and password
Add your email, create a strong password, and create an account.
Then, confirm the email address you used with the Bitvavo exchange and log in with the password and email you just confirmed.
Step 4: Complete questionnaire
Complete three easy questions about your trading and crypto investing experience.
Step 5: Go through the KYC
Complete the KYC. After that, you are free to use the crypto exchange fully.
Deposits
To deposit cryptocurrency or fiat on Bitvavo, go to the main dash and hit “Deposit.”
There, you will be able to either deposit crypto or fiat. To deposit fiat money, connect a bank account and put in the sum of money you want to deposit.
To deposit crypto, just copy the address of your desired cryptocurrency and use it to deposit a cryptocurrency from another exchange or wallet.
Withdrawals
To start the withdrawing process on Bitvavo, go to the main dash and hit “Withdraw.”
If your account is new, you must complete some security measures before proceeding.
This includes linking a bank account to the trading platform, enabling the 2FA, and identifying yourself with the IBAN.
After you do that, withdrawals are simple. Choose the cryptocurrency needed, write the address, pay the withdrawal fees, and send the cryptocurrency.
Security
Bitvavo is one of the most secure crypto exchanges. In addition to the classical two-factor authentication and high password requirements, it has new device verification, a crypto withdrawal lock, and an anti-phishing code.
Bitvavo Fees
Bitvavo bases its fees on trading volume from the previous 30 days. Here are the fees you have to pay:
Category A
Fees for BTC, ETH, XRP, ADA, and SOL.
Volume | Maker Fee | Taker Fee |
€0+ | 0.15% | 0.25% |
€100k+ | 0.1% | 0.2% |
€250k+ | 0.08% | 0.16% |
€500k+ | 0.06% | 0.12% |
€1M+ | 0.05% | 0.1% |
Category B
Fees for stablecoin pairs: USDT/EUR, USDC/EUR, EUROC/EUR.
Volume | Maker Fee | Taker Fee |
€0k+ | 0.15% | 0.15% |
€100k+ | 0.1% | 0.1% |
€250k+ | 0.05% | 0.05% |
€500k+ | 0.02% | 0.02% |
€1M+ | 0.01% | 0.01% |
Category C
Fees for all the other assets available on Bitvavo.
Volume | Maker Fee | Taker Fee |
€0k+ | 0.15% | 0.25% |
€100k+ | 0.1% | 0.2% |
€250k+ | 0.08% | 0.16% |
€500k+ | 0.06% | 0.12% |
€1M+ | 0.05% | 0.1% |
Personal Experience with Bitvavo: Great for Novice Traders
I started my crypto journey with Bitvavo. I lived a good part of my life in Europe, and Bitvavo has always been around and discussed by fellow crypto traders as one of the most secure platforms available on the continent.
When I started trading crypto on their platform, I noticed how user-friendly their design is and how easy it is for me to find every aspect of trading I need, from leverage trading to trading history and more.
Compared to other exchanges, where only experienced traders could invest money without being constantly confused, Bitvavo gave me the opportunity to accustom myself to the crypto market.
One thing that I liked the most was that the cryptocurrency exchange only had euro trading pairs. This way, I always knew how much “real money” I was buying my digital assets.
I remember my first trade on Bitvavo. After registering and verifying my account, I started looking for crypto coins worth buying. I read an article about all advanced traders having a small bag of Bitcoin and decided to follow their example.
Then, I went on Bitvavo and found the needed pair. Transferred some fiat via a bank transfer (yeah, it was that long ago) and bought 0.5 BTC, worth around 1500 Euros. I didn’t even know the purchase would have a trading fee.
Should You Use Bitvavo?
Bitvavo is probably the best cryptocurrency exchange if you’re a newbie based in the European Economic Area. It offers many functionalities while keeping the interface easy to understand and highly user-friendly.
The exchange is also highly secure, with all the necessary measures to prevent scams and hacks. I have never heard of someone losing money stored on Bitvavo—there are simply too many walls to climb.
With a decent trading volume and cryptocurrency assortment, Bitvavo is the best cryptocurrency exchange based in the EU.
Bitvavo Top 3 Alternatives
If you don’t want to use Bitvavo, here are the best alternatives:
Binance
More details
Binance is a great combination of low fees, deep liquidity and multiple cryptocurrencies and trading pairs. We have tested every aspect of it and it STILL holds its reign as the top exchange in the world. In our view, it is the perfect crypto exchange for both newbies and advanced traders alike.
-
Biggest exchange in the world.
-
Industry's lowest trading fees.
-
Advance trading options like leverage trading.
-
600+ crypto options, 150+ for the US.
-
Lucrative on-site staking options.
-
Hiccups in account verification.
-
Less regulated than some competitors.
-
The corporate structure is not transparently.
Binance is the biggest crypto exchange in the world by user funds and trading volume. It offers low fees, deep liquidity, and multiple cryptocurrencies and trading pairs. More than 80% of our team uses Binance as their main cryptocurrency exchange.
Kraken
More details
Kraken Exchange offers a robust platform for serious crypto traders. It stands out with its diverse coin selection, advanced trading features, and competitive fees. However, its complex interface may prove challenging for beginners. Strong security measures further reinforce its reliability.
-
Margin trading and staking.
-
Support/chat is one of the best.
-
Low trading fees to withdraw Bitcoin (BTC).
-
Provides tons of resources for learning.
-
Only a few fiat currencies.
-
Doesn't accept debit cards or Paypal.
-
Has three apps.
Kraken is one of the top 5 crypto exchanges worldwide. It offers a wide coin selection, advanced trading features, and competitive fees. However, its complex interface may prove challenging for beginners.
Bitstamp
More details
Bitstamp, with its user-friendly interface and reasonable fees, offers a good start for beginners despite a limited choice of 80+ cryptocurrencies. Though seasoned users might seek more coin diversity, Bitstamp does provide advanced order types. Moreover, it supports debit and credit card transactions in fiat currencies like USD, GBP, and EUR.
-
Easy-to-use platform for beginners and pros.
-
Competitive fees compared to other crypto exchanges.
-
Long history of supporting cryptocurrency users.
-
Earn rewards with crypto staking
-
Limited list of supported currencies.
-
KYC for fiat currency, deposits, and withdrawals.
-
No margin trading or lending features.
-
2015 hack resulted in the loss of $5.2 million
Bitstamp has a wide presence in the European market, which makes it a great alternative for European customers. However, Bitstamp is harder to use and offers a wider range of advanced features that don’t work great for newbies. I use it for trading options.