Introduction
Bitvavo is Dutch, cheap on the entry tier and focused on spot. Coinbase is listed in the United States, offers more products and holds two European licences — but also has a considerable enforcement history. Data as at August 2026.
Which one for whom?
| Topic | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | Bitvavo | 0.15% / 0.25% against 0.40% / 0.60%. |
| Spread | It depends | Only Bitvavo measured (~0.11% on USDC). For Coinbase we have no measurement of our own. |
| Safety and supervision | Bitvavo | Bitvavo has no filings at all, Coinbase eight decisions in four countries. |
| Products | Coinbase | Since 9 March 2026 Coinbase also has futures in 26 European countries, Bitvavo spot only. |
| Yield on collateral | Neither | Neither of the two pays interest on collateral. |
| Ease of use | Draw | Bitvavo Dutch-language until 23:00; Coinbase 18 languages, but 24/7 only with a paid subscription. |
Bitvavo for anyone who buys in euros and steers on rate. Coinbase for anyone who wants derivatives or values a listed company with public annual accounts.
Head to head
| Bitvavo | Coinbase | |
|---|---|---|
| Licences | MiCA (AFM Netherlands) | MiCA (CSSF Luxembourg) + MiFID II (CySEC, via the BUX acquisition) |
| Entity | Bitvavo B.V. (NL) | Coinbase Europe Ltd (LU) · former BUX entity (CY) |
| Operating since | 2018 | 2012 |
| Spot fees (entry tier, maker/taker) | 0.15% / 0.25% (EUR pairs) | 0.40% / 0.60% |
| Perpetuals | No | Yes — 0.02% / 0.04% entry tier |
| Currencies | EUR and USD | EUR and USD |
| Capital efficiency | Staking, separate from trading | USDC interest and staking, not linked to collateral |
| Proof of reserves | Quarterly | Not published |
| Hack and loss history | €280m Genesis exposure in 2022, customers fully compensated | No loss of customer funds |
| Enforcement history | No enforcement record | 8 decisions in 4 countries |
| Exchange score | 6.0 / 10 | 7.1 / 10 |
How the scores are built
Bitvavo scores 6.0 / 10, Coinbase scores 7.1 / 10. Supervision and safety of funds together account for half the score; the rest sits in products, costs and yield. The full weighting is set out in our methodology.
Costs
Bitvavo starts at 0.15%/0.25% on EUR pairs, Coinbase at 0.40%/0.60%. At retail amounts Bitvavo is therefore well over twice as cheap. At Coinbase the rates come down per volume tier, but only seriously from a few hundred thousand a month. At Bitvavo, mind the spread mark-up of about 0.11 percent on USDC pairs.
Spread
At Bitvavo we measured a spread of around 0.11% on the conversion into USDC. For Coinbase we have no measurement of our own, and we do not take over figures we have not checked ourselves. What is certain: at both, the simple buy button charges an all-in price with the spread built into it, and that price is higher than on the professional screen. What we have measured is in our spread measurement.
Safety and supervision
Both are MiCA-licensed; Coinbase has MiFID II on top and may therefore offer derivatives. On history they diverge widely. Bitvavo has no filings at all with a regulator. Coinbase has eight in four countries, including $50 million from the New York regulator, €3.3 million from the Dutch central bank and €21.46 million from the Irish central bank in November 2025. Bitvavo publishes proof of reserves quarterly, Coinbase does not.
Products
Bitvavo does spot only. Coinbase does spot, staking and, since 9 March 2026, futures in 26 European countries, including the Netherlands. For anyone who only buys and holds, that difference is not there.
Yield on collateral
Both offer yield, but neither on collateral. Bitvavo has staking as a separate choice alongside trading. Coinbase pays interest on USDC and offers staking, but that is not tied to the margin under a position. For anyone who buys and holds that is fine; for anyone holding positions it means that part of your balance by definition does nothing. What it earns elsewhere is in the yield-on-collateral comparison.
Ease of use
Bitvavo is the closest to home, Coinbase the broadest. Bitvavo has six languages, Dutch-language customer service and phone by appointment, but no 24/7 — daily from 07:00 to 23:00. Coinbase has eighteen languages in the app including Dutch and TradingView charts, but 24/7 support only with a paid Coinbase One subscription; outside that, office hours apply. At both, the professional mode is a toggle in the same app. Bitvavo has had a FIX API since April 2026; Coinbase does not offer one on Advanced.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Coinbase more expensive?
Coinbase uses higher entry fees (0.40%/0.60% against 0.15%/0.25%) and only comes down seriously at high volume. Against that stands a broader product range.
What do those eight enforcement decisions against Coinbase mean?
They are mainly about anti-money-laundering shortcomings and operating without registration, not about loss of customer funds. The largest is the Irish fine of €21.46 million in November 2025, because more than thirty million transactions had never gone through the required screening.
Does Coinbase publish proof of reserves?
No. Coinbase is listed and publishes audited annual accounts, but not a periodic proof-of-reserves attestation like Bitvavo.