Bitvavo vs Pointpay: Fees, Security, Features & Which to Choose (2025)

Trying to choose between Bitvavo and Pointpay This side-by-side comparison reveals total cost (fees + spreads), security & licenses, coins/derivatives, deposits/withdrawals, and app quality. In 2 minutes you’ll see who wins for beginners, active traders, and long-term holders. Clear pros/cons, a quick verdict, and safe links to get started.

Last updated on August 16, 2025

Bitvavo

Pointpay

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Available Countries

United States

Europe

Yes

Latin America

India

China

Canada

United Kingdom

Yes

United States

Yes

Europe

Yes

Latin America

Yes

India

China

Canada

Yes

United Kingdom

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Bitvavo is ideal if:

Europe-based beginners: Bitvavo’s clean design, intuitive mobile and web platform, and supportive onboarding make it a strong match if you're new to crypto in the EU.
Security-conscious traders: With regulated operations, cold-storage protection, multi-signature transfers, and a clear regulatory standing in Europe, it’s a solid pick for those prioritizing safety.
Passive holders: Features like built-in staking or “Earn” options give you a straightforward way to generate passive income from your crypto holdings (without complexity).

Pointpay is ideal if:

All-in-one crypto platform Seamlessly combines exchange, wallet, payment, and banking tools in one accessible ecosystem—not just trading.
Tailored for all experience levels Offers Classic and Advanced interfaces for seasoned users, plus Quick Exchange for newcomers for fast, intuitive trades.
Engaging community ecosystem Includes staking, Vault savings, educational Learn & Earn, a Launchpad, and competitions—great for active and curious users.

Bitvavo isn’t ideal if:

Outside EU? Bitvavo only serves SEPA-zone residents, so if you live outside Europe, you won’t be able to register or use the platform.
Advanced traders only? If you're into derivatives, margin, futures, or algorithmic (bot) trading, Bitvavo lacks those features.
Prefer full 24/7 support? Customer support isn't available round-the-clock, so off-hours support might be delayed.

Pointpay isn’t ideal if:

Limited advanced trading Some users find it lacks powerful tools like leveraged futures or deep charting options for professional-grade strategies.
Occasional tech hiccups Reports of login issues, app performance quirks, and delayed customer responses suggest potential reliability concerns in mobile use.
Uncertain regulatory clarity Conflicting information surrounds its licensing and regulatory compliance, leading to varied user trust and coverage depending on region.

Fees & Total Costs

Spot Maker/Take

Maker/taker fees are tiered based on your 30-day trading volume across Euro markets, with rates decreasing as volume increases; makers pay less than takers, and trading pairs involving USDC generally offer slightly lower fees.

PointPay charges a flat maker-taker rate around 0.05%, offering up to 35% fee discounts for users holding increasing amounts of PXP tokens, with no tiered volume brackets beyond the PXP-based loyalty levels.

Futures/Derivatives

Bitvavo does not support futures or derivatives trading in any form, so maker, taker, or funding fees for such instruments are not applicable.

PointPay currently does not offer any futures or derivative trading, so there are no maker/taker or funding fees applicable.

Average Spreads on Liquid Pairs

In instant (spot) trades, there is a modest spread for liquid pairs like BTC/EUR or ETH/EUR (around a small fraction of a percent), though this is eliminated when using advanced limit orders on their pro interface.

While precise spread data isn’t published, the exchange is noted for offering competitive pricing that closely aligns with market prices on popular pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT.

Fiat Deposits & Withdrawals

You can deposit and withdraw euros via SEPA and popular local methods—for example, iDEAL or Bancontact—with no charges and typical settlement in a few business days; card or PayPal options are faster but carry a small percentage-based cost.

Fiat deposits are facilitated via Mercuryo or MoonPay, and withdrawals are supported as well; deposits may include a small markup or cashback promotions but are generally straightforward, with processing times depending on the provider—often several hours to a couple of days.

On-chain Withdrawals

Crypto withdrawals carry a dynamic, network-based fee that aligns with blockchain conditions to ensure timely processing, and may include a markup compared to a private wallet to cover infrastructure and security.

Withdrawals incur network (miner) fees, varying by cryptocurrency and network conditions (e.g., BTC, ETH, TRX), rather than fixed platform fees, although PXP holders may enjoy reduced rates.

Hidden Costs

Bitvavo maintains transparent pricing with no inactivity fees, no hidden charges, and no premium for expedited KYC; indirect costs may stem from fiat conversion if your account currency differs or from wider spreads during volatility.

currency conversion, inactivity, expedited KYC, etc.

Real-World Cost Example: “€500 BTC

For instance, a €500 purchase of BTC via market order would incur a small combined effect of a liquidity fee plus a minimal spread, and later withdrawing that BTC would require paying a network-based withdrawal fee—altogether still relatively modest compared to industry norms.

If you buy €500 worth of BTC, your total cost would derive from the spread between buy/sell prices, a trading fee (e.g., ~0.05% discounted if holding PXP), and a subsequent withdrawal fee based on chain congestion and asset network—without quoting specific numbers to keep it evergreen.

Crypto Offering & Trading Features

Number of Coins & Pairs

Bitvavo supports over 200 crypto assets in more than 400 trading pairs, with its top-20 by volume typically including high-liquidity EUR pairs such as BTC/EUR, ETH/EUR, XRP/EUR, SOL/EUR, ADA/EUR, and others.

PointPay supports well over 140–200 cryptocurrencies with around 179–224 trading pairs available; top-20 volume pairs include BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, XRP/USDC, SOL/USDT, USDC/USDT and others such as DOGE, ADA, LINK, AVAX, BNB.

Product Range

Bitvavo offers spot trading, recurring buys (automatic DCA), staking and lending (“Earn”), but it does not support margin, derivatives, options, crypto ETFs, copy trading, grid bots, or similar advanced instruments.

At present, PointPay offers spot trading, staking (Vaults and flexible/locked terms), NFT and Launchpad features, savings/earn programs, and a multi-currency wallet; however, there’s no margin, perpetuals, options, ETFs, loans, copy-trading, grid bots, or automated DCA at this stage.

Liquidity

Bitvavo’s daily spot trading volume can reach into the high hundreds of millions to over a billion USD, with deep order book depth in BTC/EUR and ETH/EUR enabling tight spreads and smooth execution in large orders.

Estimated 24-hour trading volume ranges from around $138 million to over $206 million; order-book depth appears substantial for primary pairs like BTC/USDT and ETH/USDT, supporting solid liquidity for mainstream trading.

Tools

You can use market, limit, stop-limit, and “price guarantee” orders, with advanced time-in-force options; the platform includes native TradingView charts, REST and WebSocket APIs for live data and trading, though no OCO or conditional chains.

PointPay supports limit, market, stop-limit, and OCO orders; it includes advanced TradingView charts with multiple indicators and timeframes, has alert features, and provides API and WebSocket support for algorithmic access.

Geographic Restrictions by Product

Certain features—like lending (earn)—are restricted in select jurisdictions (for example, Germany), and advanced products like derivatives are globally unavailable, reflecting regional regulatory limits.

Derivatives and leverage aren’t available yet, and certain products are restricted in regions like the U.S. and other sanctioned countries, meaning advanced trading tools may not be accessible depending on your location.

Innovation

Bitvavo continually enhances its Earn program with both Flex (on-demand access) and Fixed (locked, higher-return) staking and lending structures, though it doesn’t currently offer launchpad or launchpool-style token events.

The platform provides Launchpad projects, a multi-asset Vault with flexible and locked staking (3, 6, and 12 month terms), and regular staking promotions, all aimed at enhancing user participation and passive income opportunities.

Security, Regulation & Custody

Operating Entity & Jurisdiction

Bitvavo is operated by Bitvavo B.V., founded in 2018 and headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

PointPay is operated by a Lithuania-based company founded in 2018, with its headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, situating it within the European regulatory environment and offering it EU operational grounding.

Licenses/Registration

Bitvavo holds a Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) license granted by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets, allowing it to offer regulated crypto services across the European Economic Area.

The platform currently holds a Lithuanian VASP license and is registered in the U.S. as a Money Services Business (Wyoming MSB), while actively pursuing additional licensing in the U.S. and enhanced compliance under recent European crypto frameworks.

Custody

Assets are held with external, insured custody providers like Coinbase Custody and Copper; Bitvavo publishes quarterly independent Proof of Reserves attestations showing assets are fully backed, with a significant majority stored in cold, multi-signature custody.

PointPay uses both hot and cold wallets, including air-gapped cold storage, with user-controlled wallet options, although there is no publicized Proof of Reserves or explicit cold-storage percentage disclosure.

Insurance & Protection Funds

User funds in custody are covered by a large insurance policy held by custodial partners, and Bitvavo offers an internal “Account Guarantee” that may reimburse eligible users up to €100,000 in cases of unauthorized access.

There is no publicly available information suggesting that PointPay offers dedicated insurance coverage or protection funds for users’ assets.

Incident History

Bitvavo has had no known hacks, but did experience technical outages and a brief data exposure incident, all resolved transparently, with no loss of assets or fines reported.

There have been no major reported hacks, systemic suspensions, or regulatory penalties associated with the platform to date, suggesting a clean operational track record.

Risk Controls

The platform supports strong security controls including mandatory 2FA, anti-phishing codes, API key restrictions with granular permissions, but does not offer sub-accounts or address whitelisting.

The platform enforces standard security layers including multi-factor authentication, encrypted transaction passwords, and tiered KYC levels; however, features like API-specific permissions, sub-accounts, whitelists, or anti-phishing tools are not prominently highlighted.

Transparency

Bitvavo promotes transparency through quarterly Proof of Reserves attestations and clear regulatory disclosures—though it does not publish public wallet addresses, detailed monthly reports, or formal SLAs.

While PointPay commits to regulatory alignment and security, it does not currently publish regular audit reports, Proof of Reserves documents, public wallet addresses, or formalized SLAs for uptime or response times.

Deposits, Withdrawals, KYC & Support

Fiat Deposit Methods

You can deposit euros via SEPA bank transfers, local options like iDEAL or Bancontact, as well as card payments and PayPal; SEPA and iDEAL support high maximums with no fees and settle in 1–2 business days, while PayPal and card top-ups are instant but carry percentage-based charges.

PointPay allows fiat deposits via intermediary services like Mercuryo and MoonPay, and possibly bank transfers, with straightforward minimums (e.g., around €25), though maximums vary by provider; processing times range from instant to a few hours or up to a couple of days depending on the channel.

Supported Fiat Currencies & Conversion

KYC (Verification Levels)

Full identification is mandatory to use the platform—there is no basic or limited mode; until you complete KYC (uploading ID and a short selfie video), deposits, trades, and withdrawals are blocked, while enhanced limits and quicker large transfers may require further compliance documentation.

PointPay’s KYC process is accessible through both app and website in five simple steps, typically completed within 24 hours; higher levels unlock full functionality such as trading, deposits, and withdrawals, while no-KYC users face limited access.

Withdrawals

Daily withdrawal capacity is capped (around €25,000 combined fiat and crypto) unless you provide source-of-funds documents; crypto withdrawals use only one approved network per asset—typically the native chain (e.g., ERC-20 for Ethereum)—and are processed as blockchain confirmations allow.

Withdrawals support common crypto networks (e.g., ERC20, TRC20), with limits like up to 10 BTC per withdrawal, and dynamic network fees; processing times have improved and can average 0.5 to 5 minutes for verified transactions.

Customer Support

You can reach support via email and access a comprehensive Help Center for documentation; while there’s no guaranteed 24/7 live chat, response times are reasonable and often backed up with detailed FAQ articles covering common scenarios.

PointPay offers live chat (often backed by bots and staff available 24/7) plus email support, although response times may vary; a knowledge base or FAQ section is available to help users find answers independently.

Languages & Localization

The interface is fully localized in multiple languages including English, displayed in euros by default, and aligned with EU/EEA regulations to ensure local compliance and intuitiveness for European users.

The platform supports multiple languages (over 18), displays fees in major currencies like EUR and USD, and has localized options for users—including regulatory adjustments based on region—for smoother experience.

App Quality & Stability

Bitvavo’s mobile and web apps are known for smooth stability with minimal crashes, and they receive regular updates to improve performance and roll out pro features, maintaining a solid user experience across devices.

PointPay’s mobile apps (iOS and Android) receive frequent updates with UI improvements and security enhancements (e.g., biometric login, 2FA fixes), though there are occasional user reports of withdrawal processing issues affecting app stability for some.

Experience, Performance & Ecosystem

UX/UI

Bitvavo offers a user-friendly “Lite” mode for beginners and a powerful “Pro” interface tailored for advanced users, featuring resizable dashboards, keyboard shortcuts, and integrated TradingView charts—making adoption smooth whether you’re new or experienced.

PointPay offers distinct trading interfaces—“Quick Exchange” for fast, hassle-free trading, plus Classic and Advanced modes—which helps users smoothly transition from simple to more feature-rich views as they grow comfortable.

Performance

Bitvavo Pro is optimized with faster chart interactions and order execution, scaling well even during high-volatility spikes; while onboarding may slow slightly during bull markets, the platform remains reliable under load.

A recent technological upgrade dramatically sped up load times and responsiveness, handling up to a million concurrent users, and significantly improving order execution even during high-volatility periods.

Education

Bitvavo Learn delivers structured, multilingual educational modules—from beginner to intermediate—covering crypto fundamentals and trading concepts, although there are currently no live simulators or Spanish-specific demo environments.

PointPay includes a “Learn & Earn” program with interactive lessons and rewards; however, it currently lacks a full demo simulator or dedicated educational content in Spanish.

Community

Bitvavo maintains an active help center and a referral program that rewards users for inviting others, but does not run its own public forums, Discord, or Telegram community channels.

The platform maintains an active presence via Telegram (English channel), regular AMAs, and a referral program that rewards users for inviting newcomers.

Integrations

The platform integrates seamlessly with TradingView for chart-based trading and offers REST/WebSocket APIs for developers—supporting external bots and connection to third-party tax or accounting tools.

PointPay integrates TradingView directly for in-platform charting, and provides API access, though there’s no evidence of official tax tools, accounting software partnerships, or third-party trading bot integrations at this time.

Who Each One Is Best For

Bitvavo Lite is ideal for casual and new crypto users, while Bitvavo Pro is built for active or professional traders needing advanced analysis and execution tools—giving each group the right balance of simplicity or sophistication.

PointPay serves beginner-to-intermediate traders best—offering intuitive onboarding, guided trading modes, and educational incentives—while more advanced traders relying on professional-grade tooling or automation may find the platform’s current scope limited.