Introduction
Kraken has existed since 2011 and is one of the longest-running exchanges with no major loss of customer funds. Bitvavo is younger, Dutch and popular mainly for low flat fees and euro ease. Data as at August 2026.
Which one for whom?
| Topic | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | Bitvavo | 0.15% / 0.25% against 0.40% / 0.80% on the entry tier. |
| Spread | It depends | We measured Kraken at ~$1.00 (BTC perps) and Bitvavo at ~0.11% (USDC conversion). Different markets, not one-to-one. |
| Safety and supervision | Bitvavo | Bitvavo has no filings at all, Kraken six decisions in three countries. |
| Products | Kraken Pro | Spot, perpetuals and equity CFDs against spot only with margin up to 5x. |
| Yield on collateral | Neither | At neither of them does collateral earn. |
| Ease of use | Draw | Kraken 24/7 in 28 languages; Bitvavo Dutch-language, but only until 23:00. |
Bitvavo for anyone who wants to buy in euros simply, at a Dutch company. Kraken Pro for anyone who values a long track record, lower fees at volume and access to derivatives.
Head to head
| Kraken Pro | Bitvavo | |
|---|---|---|
| Licences | MiCA (CBI Ireland) + MiFID II (CySEC) | MiCA (AFM Netherlands) |
| Entity | Payward European Solutions Ltd (IE) | Bitvavo B.V. (NL) |
| Operating since | 2011 | 2018 |
| Spot fees (entry tier, maker/taker) | 0.40% / 0.80%, falling per tier | 0.15% / 0.25% (EUR pairs) |
| Perpetuals | Yes — 0.02% / 0.05% entry tier | No |
| Currencies | EUR and USD | EUR and USD |
| Capital efficiency | Collateral sits idle | Staking, separate from trading |
| Proof of reserves | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Hack and loss history | No major loss of customer funds since 2011 | €280m Genesis exposure in 2022, customers fully compensated |
| Enforcement history | 6 decisions in 3 countries | No enforcement record |
| Exchange score | 6.5 / 10 | 6.0 / 10 |
How the scores are built
Kraken Pro scores 6.5 / 10, Bitvavo scores 6.0 / 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
At Kraken, mind the difference between two environments: Kraken Pro charges 0.40%/0.80% on the entry tier and comes down quickly per volume tier (0.12%/0.25% from $100,000 per 30 days), while the simple buying environment costs around 1 percent. Bitvavo starts at 0.15%/0.25% on EUR pairs. At small volume Bitvavo is cheaper, at larger volume the lines cross. At Bitvavo, mind the USDC pairs: about 0.11 percent spread mark-up comes on top there.
Spread
The two cannot be compared directly on spread, and that is itself the answer. At Kraken we measured around $1.00 on BTC perpetuals; Bitvavo has no perpetuals, so there we measured around 0.11% on the conversion into USDC. For anyone who buys in euros and holds, the Bitvavo measurement is the relevant one; for anyone who trades actively the Kraken measurement, and that one is on the wide side. Method in our spread measurement.
Safety and supervision
Both publish a quarterly proof-of-reserves attestation, and on the enforcement record they differ — no filings at all for Bitvavo, which only four exchanges in our overview manage, and six decisions for Kraken. The rest of the difference sits in the licences and the history: Kraken has MiFID II on top and has had no major loss of customer funds since 2011. Bitvavo had exposure to Genesis in 2022 that locked up €280m of lent-out customer funds; that was fully compensated later.
Products
Kraken offers spot, perpetuals and equity CFDs. Bitvavo offers spot only, with margin up to 5x. For buying and holding that changes nothing, for active trading everything.
Yield on collateral
At neither of them does collateral earn anything. Kraken has perpetuals, but the money in the futures wallet sits idle. Bitvavo has no perpetuals and offers staking as a separate choice alongside trading. For anyone who buys and holds that changes nothing; for anyone holding positions it is a cost that is never presented as a cost anywhere. What it does earn at other exchanges is in the yield-on-collateral comparison.
Ease of use
For a Dutch user the two are closer than you would think. Kraken has 28 languages including Dutch and 24/7 support with live chat and phone; Bitvavo has six, but it does have Dutch-language customer service — only not 24/7, but daily from 07:00 to 23:00. Kraken publishes its turnaround times (instant automatic, 45 minutes manual), Bitvavo does not. The biggest practical difference: at Kraken Pro is a separate app, at Bitvavo a toggle in the same one. Both now offer REST, WebSocket and FIX.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Kraken and Kraken Pro?
Same company, different environment. Kraken Pro charges maker/taker fees from 0.40%/0.80%, falling per volume tier; the standard app charges about 1 percent for instant buys. On costs, Pro is almost always the better choice.
Is Kraken or Bitvavo cheaper?
On the entry tier, Bitvavo: 0.15%/0.25% against 0.40%/0.80% on Kraken Pro. At larger volume Kraken's rates come down quickly and the two move towards each other.
Which is better for beginners?
Bitvavo has the simplest euro experience and Dutch support. Anyone expecting to grow into active trading is better off getting used to Kraken Pro straight away.