BISON vs Bitcoin.de Comparison

Editorial assessment, November 2026: We have downgraded BISON to 1.9 out of 5 and do not recommend it. The deciding factor is cost. According to BISON's fee page (accessed 8 November 2026), the proportional spread on Bitcoin and Ethereum averages 1.25 percent per purchase or sale, and 1.75 percent on all other cryptocurrencies. Buying Bitcoin and selling it later therefore costs around 2.5 percent, and around 3.5 percent for other coins. Deposits by credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay cost an extra 2.49 percent, and BISON keeps 27 percent of staking rewards on Ethereum and Solana. MiCA-licensed exchanges in our exchange comparison charge from 0.2 percent for the same purchase. The authorisation of EUWAX AG and Boerse Stuttgart Digital Custody GmbH in the ESMA register does not change this calculation.

BISON is the crypto app of Börse Stuttgart and is perceived in the DACH region as a provider with a traditional capital markets background. The provider is EUWAX AG, a Börse Stuttgart company supervised by BaFin that has notified BaFin of its crypto services under MiCA. Crypto custody is handled by Boerse Stuttgart Digital Custody GmbH, which has held a MiCA authorisation from BaFin since January 2025. Euro balances are held at Solaris SE and Deutsche Bank and are covered by statutory deposit protection up to EUR 100,000 per investor and bank. According to BISON, 69 cryptocurrencies are tradable, plus stocks and ETFs, and the app has more than 1.06 million users.

As one of the few offerings among German brokers, BISON allows free wallet transfers to your own wallets. Staking, savings plans, and an integrated tax report are also available. According to BISON, staking of Ethereum and Solana is currently not regulated under MiCA. Deposits are possible via SEPA, instant bank transfer, and credit card.

Costs sit in the spread, which according to BISON averages 1.25 % on Bitcoin and Ethereum and 1.75 % on all other cryptocurrencies, the upper range among the brokers compared. The exclusively SMS-based 2FA and the processing time for wallet transfers of up to 24 hours are also seen as room for improvement. Overall, BISON is aimed at investors who prefer an established German provider and are willing to accept trade-offs in fees and coin selection.

Bitcoin.de is regarded as a pioneer among German crypto marketplaces and has been active since 2011, making the platform one of the oldest providers in the German-speaking market; it says it has more than 1.1 million customers. The principle that euro balances remain in the user’s own bank account is viewed positively by security-conscious users.

Trading has largely been suspended since 12 June 2026, and deposits are paused as well. On 6 October 2026 the parent company Bitcoin Group SE announced that BaFin had not granted the application futurum bank AG filed on 27 June 2025 for authorisation as a crypto-asset service provider under MiCAR; this also ends the toleration under which its crypto services had been running. The bank can lodge an objection within one month of notification. For the restart, bitcoin.de is preparing a cooperation with two regulated partners based in Germany, an institution acting as trading partner and a custodian; the provider has not given a date (customer notice dated 7 October 2026). Until the transfer, futurum bank AG continues to hold the crypto assets, and withdrawals to your own wallets remain possible.

The selection of just 10 cryptocurrencies is clearly room for improvement compared with modern exchanges. The limitation to SEPA as the only payment method, the lack of a mobile app, and 2FA protection only via SMS are also occasionally criticized. Some users consider the interface in need of modernization. According to the provider, the new platform with apps for iOS and Android, more than 100 cryptocurrencies, savings plans, swaps and staking is technically complete, but it will only launch with the new operating model.

As long as trading is paused, Bitcoin.de is not an option for new purchases; existing customers can withdraw their crypto assets to their own wallets. After the announced restart, the platform will mainly appeal to investors who want to rely on a long-established German provider; fees and coin selection under the new model have not yet been published.