Binance Pro vs Kraken Comparison

Editorial assessment, November 2026: We have downgraded Binance Pro to 2.1 out of 5 and make no recommendation. Binance Pro is the professional interface of the same Binance account, so the same situation applies: no MiCA authorisation, no entry in the ESMA register (file dated 5 November 2026, accessed 8 November 2026) and the attack on the hot wallets on 29 October 2026, after which withdrawals were suspended until 1 November. The low maker and taker rates do not change that. MiCA-licensed exchanges are listed in our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges.

Binance holds no MiCA authorisation in the EU. According to its own statement, the company withdrew its application with the Greek regulator HCMC on 24 June 2026 and said it would pursue authorisation in another EU member state. As of 1 November 2026, Binance has not publicly named that state. Binance does not appear in ESMA's register of authorised crypto-asset service providers (file dated 30 October 2026). Binance itself says users may be affected depending on their country and account status.

Hack in October 2026: According to Binance, hot wallets of the exchange were compromised at around 20:05 UTC on 29 October 2026. Binance puts the loss at around USD 6.3 billion, of which around USD 3 billion has been frozen on-chain. Binance temporarily suspended withdrawals, while deposits continue to work. The exchange says it is covering the losses from its SAFU emergency fund and company funds: on 31 October Binance reported that 90% of the stolen assets had been replenished, with BTC, ETH, USDT, BNB, SOL, USDC and XRP fully covered, and published a new Proof of Reserves snapshot taken at 00:00 UTC on 31 October. Binance announced a phased resumption of withdrawals for Sunday, 1 November 2026; since the morning of 1 November the first withdrawals have been running again; at 16:30 UTC the Binance interface showed them open for Bitcoin, Ether, BNB, Solana, XRP, USDT and USDC.

Binance Pro is the professional trading environment within the Binance ecosystem and is aimed at experienced traders. Instead of the flat direct-purchase fee on the standard interface, a volume-based maker/taker model applies here, with entry rates of 0.10% maker and 0.10% taker. From VIP 1 upwards, you need a balance of at least 5 BNB in addition to USD 1 million in 30-day trading volume; at VIP 9 the rates fall to 0.011% maker and 0.023% taker. Those who pay fees in BNB receive an additional 25% discount, bringing the entry rate to 0.075%. Fees as of 1 November 2026, according to Binance's fee page.

The order set covers limit, market, stop-limit, OCO, trailing stop, limit-maker, and iceberg orders. Margin trading and futures are mapped through separate interfaces within the Binance account, but are restricted for retail investors in the EU. API access is provided via REST, WebSocket, and FIX for institutional users.

Binance Pro is aimed at traders who value low maker/taker conditions, a broad pair selection, and pro order types. Anyone who needs a trading venue authorised in the EU will not find one here at present. This comparison does not constitute investment advice.

In short: Kraken is one of the oldest crypto exchanges in the world, active since 2011 and licensed under MiCA in the EEA. More than 600 coins, 490 of them directly against the euro, a regular proof of reserves and strong security features speak for the platform. The simple buy costs 1% plus spread; on the Kraken Pro order book you pay from 0.40% as a maker and 0.80% as a taker.

Is Kraken safe and licensed in the EU?

Yes, Kraken may serve customers across the EU. In the EEA, Kraken operates through Payward Europe Solutions Limited, based in Dublin, licensed under MiCA since 25 June 2025 and supervised by the Central Bank of Ireland. Through the EU passport the licence covers 30 EEA countries, including Germany, France and Spain (ESMA register, file of 30 October 2026). It covers custody, exchanging crypto for money and for other crypto, order execution and transfers, among other services. Kraken's parent Payward agreed on 14 October 2026 to buy Lithuania's Saldo Bank; closing is planned for 2027 and needs regulatory approval (our report on the deal).

Reserves and security: Kraken has its proof of reserves prepared regularly by auditors. The snapshot of 30 June 2026 shows coverage of 102.9% for Bitcoin, 100.5% for Ether, 100.6% for Solana and 102.3% for XRP, and 105% or more each for USDC and USDT. Kraken is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022, offers two-factor authentication with FIDO2 passkeys and a Global Settings Lock, and does not recover accounts by phone or SMS.

Account freezes and delistings: Between 17 and 24 August 2026, Kraken customers received almost 12,000 tiny deposits from wallets that analytics firms attribute to the sanctioned exchange HTX. Sanctions screening temporarily froze affected accounts; access has since been restored (our report on the dust attack). Kraken also removes tokens from trading regularly, most recently 13 tokens on 23 October 2026; withdrawal deadlines and steps are in our delisting report.

What you can do yourself: turn on a passkey or two-factor authentication and the Global Settings Lock, leave tiny deposits of unknown origin untouched and keep larger amounts on your own hardware wallet.

Who is Kraken for?

Kraken suits investors who want a long-established exchange with a wide choice of euro pairs, a savings plan and staking. Regular traders save with Kraken Pro. Since 26 October 2026, EEA customers with a derivatives account can also trade bitcoin and ether options there after an appropriateness assessment, provided by Cyprus-based Payward Europe Digital Solutions (CY) Limited under CySEC supervision. For simple euro trading, Bitvavo is cheaper, and Coinbase is an alternative with a listed parent company. All licensed providers are listed in our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges.