21bitcoin vs Binance Comparison

21bitcoin has established itself as an Austrian Bitcoin app across German-speaking Europe, valued above all for a transparent fee structure. On one-off purchases the provider charges a service fee of 1.29% to 1.49%, and in the savings plan no service fee applies from day 8. The provider is licensed by Austria's Financial Market Authority (FMA) as a virtual asset service provider and deals exclusively in Bitcoin. Users single out the automatic transfer to a personal wallet above defined thresholds as a genuinely useful security feature.

The savings-plan approach is refreshingly uncomplicated: standing orders are invested in Bitcoin as soon as the money arrives, and the flat wallet-transfer fee of 0.00001 BTC is widely seen as fair. For investors in Austria, Germany and Switzerland looking for an FMA-regulated alternative to the Swiss Bitcoin apps, 21bitcoin reads as a solid option. Total costs of €7.90 on a €1,000 trade sit in the middle of the field.

Because Bitcoin is the only asset on offer, 21bitcoin is not aimed at investors who want a broad crypto portfolio – a limitation some users do point out. The absence of two-factor authentication in the app and the €15 minimum order also leave room for improvement. That makes 21bitcoin a good fit for Bitcoin-focused investors in German-speaking Europe who care about cost transparency, automatic wallet transfers and Austrian regulation.

In short: Binance is the world's largest crypto exchange by trading volume: more than 480 coins, spot trading from 0.1%, from 0.075% with BNB, plus futures and a regular proof of reserves. For investors in the EU, licensing comes first: since 1 July 2026 Binance has not accepted new customers, deposits or new buy orders in the EU. According to Binance, balances remain accessible and can be withdrawn.

Is Binance safe and licensed in the EU?

Binance is not taking new customers in the EU at the moment. Crypto exchanges need a licence under the EU's MiCA regulation to serve customers in the EU. The transition period for providers registered under national rules ended on 1 July 2026 across the EU, and on 31 December 2025 in Germany. Binance does not appear in the ESMA register (file of 22 October 2026, 387 licensed providers). Binance withdrew its application with the Greek capital market regulator on 24 June 2026 and announced that it would apply in another EU member state. Background in our report on the Binance MiCA licence.

Reserves and track record: Binance regularly publishes a proof of reserves, verified with a Merkle tree and zk-SNARKs. The snapshot of 1 October 2026 shows coverage of 100.35% for Bitcoin, 100.00% for Ether, 103.88% for USDT and 100.47% for BNB (Binance proof of reserves). For emergencies such as hacks, Binance keeps its SAFU fund. In 2023 Binance pleaded guilty in the US to breaching anti-money laundering rules and paid $4.3 billion.

Hack in October 2026: On the evening of 29 October 2026 an attacker drained crypto from Binance wallets. In an official announcement the exchange puts the damage at around $6.3 billion, of which about $3 billion is frozen on-chain. According to Binance the entry point was an employee's compromised laptop; no private key leak has been found. Binance will cover all losses from its SAFU fund and company funds and has temporarily suspended deposits and withdrawals. What happened is in our report on the Binance hack, where the money went in our on-chain analysis.

What you can do yourself: if you still hold funds at Binance, turn on two-factor authentication and a withdrawal address whitelist, and keep larger amounts in your own wallet, for example a hardware wallet, or move them to an exchange with a MiCA licence.

Who is Binance for?

Binance suits experienced traders outside the EU who want a very large choice of coins, futures and low spot fees. If you want to open an account in the EU, choose an exchange with a MiCA licence, such as OKX, Kraken, Bybit EU or Bitvavo. Our report on Binance fees breaks down the costs; all licensed providers are listed in our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges.