Binance vs justTrade Comparison

Editorial assessment, November 2026: We have downgraded Binance to 2.2 out of 5 and do not recommend the exchange. The deciding factor is the missing authorisation: no Binance company is listed in ESMA's register of crypto-asset service providers authorised under MiCA (file dated 5 November 2026, accessed 8 November 2026), and Binance withdrew its application in Greece on 24 June 2026. On top of that came the attack on the exchange's hot wallets on 29 October 2026, after which withdrawals were suspended from 30 October to 1 November. Low trading fees and the large choice of coins do not outweigh this for us. MiCA-licensed exchanges are listed in our comparison of regulated crypto exchanges.

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: Binance holds no MiCA licence, and according to Binance users in the EU may be restricted depending on their country and account status. According to Binance, balances remain accessible and can be withdrawn.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; according to Recovery Update #4 of 1 November, around 95 percent had been replaced. 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 expects to publish its full proof of reserves by Tuesday, 3 November (UTC). What happened is in our report on the Binance hack, where the money went in our on-chain analysis. If you want to hold your coins independently of any exchange, our hardware wallet comparison lists the devices.

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.

In the DACH region, justTrade was long perceived as a fee-free trading model. That is no longer the case: under the price and services list dated 1 September 2026, the bank charges an order commission of 0.125 % of the order volume for executing orders in crypto assets, plus the trading venue’s spread. It remains inexpensive by comparison, but it is not free.

73 crypto assets and 94 crypto ETPs are tradable, 43 of them eligible for savings plans. The minimum order volume is €25, and fractional purchases are possible. The service is processed via the BaFin-licensed Sutor Bank, and the crypto assets are held by Tangany GmbH in Munich. In ESMA’s MiCA register (file dated 30 October 2026), Sutor Bank has been notified for crypto services under Article 60 MiCAR since 18 December 2025 and JT Technologies GmbH, under the justTRADE brand, since 14 July 2026; Tangany has held a MiCA authorisation from BaFin since 8 August 2025. For cost-conscious investors who also want to trade stocks and ETFs alongside crypto, justTrade is considered one of the cheaper options.

Also appreciated is the ability to set up crypto savings plans, as well as the 20 % discount at Blockpit for crypto tax reports. The platform can be used via both app and web and is aimed at investors who prefer an uncomplicated trading environment. Staking via crypto ETPs is seen as a useful addition. It is now also possible to stake crypto assets directly: flexible staking for Ethereum, Solana and Cardano is activated in the settings via the custodian Tangany and can be ended at any time.

However, wallet transfers to personal wallets are not possible, which is occasionally criticized by users. Multi-factor authentication is active from account opening: on the web via push through the app or by email, in the app by email code, with SMS as a fallback. justTrade is therefore particularly suitable for price-conscious beginners and occasional investors looking for inexpensive access to crypto and securities in a regulated German environment.