Bitcoin.de vs Kraken Pro Comparison
| 0.5 % | Fees | 0.4 % |
| € 5.00 | Cost for €1,000 | € 4.10 |
| 10 | Cryptos | 380+ |
| SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
| Regulated in Germany as a marketplace of futurum bank AG | Regulation | - EU: MiCA - USA: CFTC - UK: FCA |
Cost comparison
The basis is a Bitcoin purchase worth €1,000, including all fees and spreads.
| € 5.00 | Cost for €1,000 | € 4.10 |
| 0.5 % | Fees | 0.4 % |
| € 3.73 | Wallet transfer | € 1.49 |
| Limited | Cost transparency | Yes |
| € 60 | Minimum Amount | € 5 |
| SEPA Transfer | Payment Methods | SEPA Instant Transfer, SEPA Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card |
On a €1,000 purchase you pay €0.90 less at Kraken Pro.
Pros & Cons
- Regulated in Germany as a marketplace of futurum bank AG
- Pioneer among German cryptocurrency platforms – active since 2011
- Trading fees of 0.5 %
- Wallet transfer possible
- Funds remain in the user’s own bank account
- Selection with only 10 cryptocurrencies could be expanded
- Only SEPA bank transfer as a payment method – additional options could be expanded
- Interface occasionally criticized as in need of modernization
- 2FA only via SMS – TOTP support could be expanded
- Volume-based maker/taker fees from 0.25% / 0.40%
- Pro order types: stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop, iceberg, OCO
- Margin trading up to 5x (selected pairs up to 10x)
- Full-featured API: REST and WebSocket v2 incl. Level 3 order book
- Shared account with standard Kraken -- no transfer required
- Active in the market since 2011 with unchanged security record
- Learning curve compared to the standard interface has room for improvement
- Margin availability regionally restricted within the EEA
- Futures run on a separate derivatives platform with own onboarding
- Lowest fee tiers only reachable from high 30-day volume onward
Features
| ✓ | Savings plan | ✓ |
| ✓ | Staking | ✓ |
| ✓ | Wallet transfer | ✓ |
| ✓ | Cost transparency | ✓ |
| ✓ | 2FA security | ✓ |
| ✓ | SEPA transfer | ✓ |
| ✓ | Credit card | ✓ |
| ✓ | Minimum amount | ✓ |
| ✓ | Mobile app | ✓ |
| ✓ | Web platform | ✓ |
| ✓ | Maker/Taker Model | ✓ |
| ✓ | Margin Trading | ✓ |
| ✓ | Futures/Derivatives | ✓ |
| ✓ | Order Types | ✓ |
| ✓ | API | ✓ |
| ✓ | Charts | ✓ |
| ✓ | Mobile App (Pro Mode) | ✓ |
| ✓ | Asset Selection | ✓ |
| ✓ | 2FA Security | ✓ |
| ✓ | Cold Storage | ✓ |
- Pioneer among German crypto marketplaces – since 2011
- Regulated through futurum bank AG in Germany
- Euro balances remain in the user’s own bank account
- KYC via bank verification, VideoIdent or PostIdent
- Volume-based fee model from 0.25% maker / 0.40% taker
- Pro order types including iceberg and OCO bracket
- Margin trading with up to 5x leverage across 150+ markets
- API access for REST and WebSocket v2
Details
| futurum bank AG | Company | Payward Inc. |
| 2011 | Founded | 2011 |
| Regulated in Germany as a marketplace of futurum bank AG | Regulation | - EU: MiCA - USA: CFTC - UK: FCA |
| € 60 | Minimum Amount | € 5 |
| Bank verification, VideoIdent, PostIdent | KYC | Photo ID, VideoIdent |
Verdict
In our overall rating Kraken Pro leads with 4.4 against 3.2 for Bitcoin.de.
On a €1,000 purchase you pay €0.90 less at Kraken Pro.
For most investors Kraken Pro is therefore the better choice.
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. Regulation through futurum bank AG in Germany and the principle that euro balances remain in the user’s own bank account are viewed positively by security-conscious users.
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.
Bitcoin.de is seen as particularly suitable for investors who want to rely on a long-established, Germany-regulated platform and focus primarily on trading Bitcoin and a few other cryptocurrencies.
Kraken Pro is the separate trading interface from Kraken (pro.kraken.com and Pro mode in the mobile app) and is aimed at active traders. Unlike the standard platform with flat 0.99% fees, the volume-based maker/taker model applies here, starting at 0.25% maker and 0.40% taker, decreasing as 30-day volume rises. Account, verification, and asset balances are shared between both interfaces.
The order set covers market, limit, stop-loss, take-profit, trailing stop, iceberg orders, and bracket/OCO combinations. Margin trading is offered with up to 5x leverage depending on the pair, with selected assets reaching 10x. The availability of margin and derivatives is tied to MiFID II requirements in some EEA countries and is handled via Payward Europe Digital Solutions. Charts, order book, and API access (REST and WebSocket v2) are described in user reviews as sufficient for active strategies; the learning curve compared to the standard interface is occasionally criticized.
Kraken Pro is considered particularly suitable for active traders who value pro order types, lower volume-based fees, and margin features. Those primarily looking for savings plans or simple spot investing will find a more fitting setup on the standard interface. This comparison does not constitute investment advice.