Fees, Safety and MiCA Compared

Bitstamp vs Bybit is a choice between two eras of crypto. Bitstamp is the conservative fiat gateway, live since 2011 and now owned by Robinhood. Bybit is the modern trading venue, with lower fees, more coins and constant rewards. Both hold a MiCA license, so Europeans can use either one legally. This comparison covers fees, coins, products, safety and who each exchange suits.

Quick verdict: Bybit is the better pick for active traders and reward hunters. Bitstamp is the better pick for simple euro buys of major coins and for users who value a long, quiet record.

Bitstamp vs Bybit at a Glance

Fees: Bybit Is Clearly Cheaper

Cost is the simplest part of this comparison. Bitstamp starts at 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker. Bybit, by contrast, charges a flat 0.10% on spot at the base tier.

On a $1,000 market buy, that works out as follows:

• Bitstamp: $4 as taker, $3 as maker
• Bybit: $1 either way

So Bybit costs a quarter of Bitstamp for the same trade. Both ladders drop with volume, but small accounts feel the gap most.

Funding matters as well. Bitstamp’s card and instant purchases carry a fee of about 4%. Therefore, always fund it by SEPA transfer instead. Bybit EU also supports SEPA, and it now offers IBAN accounts through its payments license.

Coins and Products

Bybit wins on range. Its global platform lists 480+ coins, plus hundreds of perpetual contracts with leverage up to 125x. Copy trading, bots and options sit in the same account.

European readers need one clarification, though. Bybit EU is a separate, regulated platform with a slimmer menu. Launchpool and TradFi products, for example, are not open to EEA accounts. Even so, its spot list still beats Bitstamp’s.

Bitstamp keeps things narrow on purpose. It lists roughly 100 to 130 assets and focuses on majors. Staking covers only a few coins, such as ETH and ADA, with a 15% commission. In short, Bitstamp does a small number of things and does them reliably.

For the complete picture, read our Bitstamp review and our Bybit review.

Rewards and Bonuses

This section is short, because only one side shows up. Bitstamp offers almost nothing in sign-up bonuses or trading campaigns. Bybit, meanwhile, runs deposit bonuses, trading rewards and token events most of the year.

Availability depends on your region, so check the current Bybit promotions before you deposit. For anyone who likes earning extras on money they would deposit anyway, Bybit is the obvious choice.

Safety and Track Record

Both exchanges have been hacked once. How they handled it matters more than the headline.

Bitstamp lost about 19,000 BTC from a hot wallet in January 2015. It covered every customer loss and has had no comparable incident since. That is more than a decade of clean operation.

Bybit’s breach is far more recent and far larger. In February 2025, attackers took roughly $1.5 billion in ETH. Bybit covered all customer losses from its own funds, and withdrawals never froze. Since then, it has published monthly proof of reserves.

Ownership differs too. Bitstamp now belongs to Robinhood, a listed US company with audited accounts. Bybit is private and headquartered in Dubai. As a result, cautious users often lean toward Bitstamp, while traders accept Bybit’s record for its pricing.

My Own History With Bitstamp

Bitstamp was my go-to exchange for years as a European. Before 2017, I ran a fiat gateway business that depended on it. An automated tool rebought Bitcoin on Bitstamp every time a customer bought from us. I shared that story in an earlier post.

That experience shapes my view here. Bitstamp’s banking and API simply worked, day after day. For a business, that reliability was worth more than low fees.

Where You Can Use Them

Both serve the European Economic Area under MiCA. Beyond that, their maps split. Bitstamp is licensed in the US, including New York, and in the UK. Bybit serves neither market, and Canada is off limits as well.

Europeans can see how both rank against other licensed platforms in our guide to the best crypto exchanges in Europe.

Which One Fits You?

Bybit suits you when:

• Low trading fees are your priority
• A wider coin list matters
• Bonuses and campaigns appeal to you
• Active trading is your style

Bitstamp suits you when:

• Buying Bitcoin or Ethereum with euros is the whole plan
• A long record and a listed parent company reassure you
• Home is the US or the UK
• API stability matters for your business

Looking at an American app instead? Our last comparison, Robinhood vs OKX, covers that angle.

Keep This Content Free

Bitstamp has no referral program with us, while Bybit does, and we’d rather tell you that upfront. If Bybit matches your style, joining through our links keeps these comparisons free.

Use our referral links:

Every other head-to-head is collected in our exchange reviews hub.

Final Words

Bitstamp vs Bybit has no universal winner, but it does have a clear split. Bybit is cheaper, broader and more rewarding for anyone who trades. Bitstamp is calmer, older and easier to trust with a simple euro purchase.

Many Europeans could sensibly use both. Buy with SEPA where you feel safest, then trade where the fees are lowest. Whatever you choose, keep long-term coins in your own wallet.

FAQ

Is Bybit cheaper than Bitstamp?
Yes. Bybit charges 0.10% on spot at the base tier. Bitstamp starts at 0.30% maker and 0.40% taker.

Are Bitstamp and Bybit legal in Europe?
Yes. Bitstamp holds a MiCA license through Luxembourg, and Bybit EU holds one through Austria.

Which is safer, Bitstamp or Bybit?
Bitstamp has the longer clean record, with one hack back in 2015. Bybit was hacked in 2025 but covered every customer loss.

Who owns Bitstamp?
Robinhood. The acquisition closed in June 2025, and the exchange now operates as Bitstamp by Robinhood.

Can Americans use Bybit or Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is licensed in the US. Bybit does not serve US residents.

Which has more coins?
Bybit. Its global platform lists 480+ coins, while Bitstamp offers roughly 100 to 130.