Coinbase vs Bitstamp
Side-by-side comparison from our sourced exchange data. A dash means we haven't verified that fact — we don't fill gaps with guesses.
| Coinbase | Bitstamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score | — | — |
| Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
| Headquarters | No headquarters — remote-first company since May 2020 (per its 10-K, it does not maintain principal executive offices) | Offices in Luxembourg, the UK, Slovenia, Singapore, and the US; owned by Robinhood since June 2, 2025 (no single HQ stated). |
| Spot maker (base) | 0.4% | 0% |
| Spot taker (base) | 0.6% | 0% |
| Listed assets | ~247 | — |
| KYC | Required | Required |
| Notably unavailable | China, Russia | — |
How they differ
Coinbase, founded in 2012, is a remote-first company with no principal executive offices, listing about 247 assets and splitting its product between simple buys and Coinbase Advanced. Bitstamp, founded in 2011, has offices in Luxembourg, the UK, Slovenia, Singapore and the US, and has been owned by Robinhood since 2 June 2025. The Bitstamp profile does not record a coin count, so listing breadth cannot be compared here.
Fee schedules start at very different points. Coinbase Advanced begins at 0.4% maker and 0.6% taker, tiered by 30-day volume, with 0% maker on selected stable pairs, and simple Coinbase buys priced separately. Bitstamp's recorded position is no trading fees below $1,000 of 30-day volume, with tiered maker and taker fees above that. That zero-fee figure comes from a December 2022 Bitstamp blog post and should be re-verified against the current schedule before you rely on it.
Both require identity verification. Coinbase mandates it for full use of services under anti-money-laundering law and requires an SSN or ITIN from US customers. Bitstamp requires full verification, including a government ID, proof of address and possibly a selfie, before depositing, trading or withdrawing; that detail comes from a third-party source rather than Bitstamp's own FAQ. Coinbase reports availability in over 100 countries and excludes China and Russia, while Bitstamp's profile records no notable exclusions and describes coverage across the EU, UK, US and Asia.
Bitstamp's funding rails are the more traditional set: international wire, SEPA, UK Faster Payments, US ACH, and card purchases outside the US. The Coinbase profile records no payment methods. Bitstamp reports over 50 active licences globally including a New York BitLicense from April 2019; Coinbase holds a MiCA licence via Luxembourg. Bitstamp's incident dates to January 2015, when 18,866 BTC worth about $5.26M left a hot wallet while cold storage was unaffected; Coinbase's was a May 2025 contractor-driven data breach affecting roughly 70,000 customers.