Bitstamp is a trusted name among UK crypto users, but it’s not the only cryptocurrency exchange worth considering. As the market matures, several Bitstamp alternatives are emerging with unique features, competitive fees, and tailored experiences for different types of traders.
Whether you’re a first-time trader looking for simpler onboarding, an experienced investor seeking lower fees and more trading features, or a finance professional researching reliable, FCA-compliant platforms, there are other great options depending on your goals.
Table of Contents
In this article, we break down seven of the best Bitstamp alternatives available in the UK, highlighting their strengths, unique features, and what kind of trader they’re best for.
Let’s help you find the right platform for the next step in your crypto journey.
Top 7 Alternatives to Bitstamp in the UK
Uphold
Uphold is considered one of the top alternatives to Bitstamp because of its easy-to-use interface and wide range of cryptocurrencies. Founded in 2014, Uphold was initially known as Bitreserve, but rebranded in 2015. The exchange is headquartered in New York but serves more than 10 million users across at least 180 countries.
As one of the oldest exchanges, this trading venue offers deep liquidity for over 360 digital assets. Uphold is connected to more than 25 trading venues, including layer-1 chains, layer-2 networks, rollups, and decentralized exchanges. While the company offers some of the best crypto services, it also allows the purchase of four precious metals, including gold, silver, platinum, and palladium.
Uphold is more suitable for crypto beginners and holders because it lacks many advanced trading features needed by active traders.
Key Features
- Early new token support
- Interest accounts
- Uphold Academy
- Staking
- Wallet
- Crypto Visa card
Fees: Uphold's transaction fees are flexible and depend on many factors, such as the trade size, external costs, and payment method. However, bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) fees range from 1.4% to 1.6%, while costs for altcoins hover between 2.5% and 2.95%.
Minimal Deposit: Users can start trading on Uphold with as low as $1.
Best for Staking
OKX
Another popular Bitstamp alternative for UK crypto traders is OKX. This trading platform is one of the top five largest globally and offers services to at least 180 regions. Formerly known as OKEx, the exchange was founded in 2017, with its headquarters in Seychelles.
The crypto platform supports more than 300 crypto assets across more than 70 blockchain networks. OKX offers an environment suitable for experienced traders alongside tools for beginners. Although the exchange is centralized, it also provides decentralized applications in addition to many other products. Most users may prefer OKX to Bitstamp for several reasons, including their trading goals and strategies.
Key Features
- Copy trading
- Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) marketplace
- Decentralized applications (DApps)
- Token and game launchpad
- Leverage and derivative options
- Staking
- Crypto loans
- Interest accounts
- OKX Wallet
Fees: Transaction fees on OKX vary depending on a user's activity and trading volume. The exchange charges regular users a maker fee of 0.08% and a taker fee of 0.1%.
Minimal Deposit: The minimum deposit on OKX is set at $10.
Best for Advanced Trading Strategies
eToro
eToro is one of the favorite crypto exchanges for UK residents because of its beginner and casual-trader-friendly user interface. The Israeli exchange was first launched in 2007 as a forex and investing platform, but by 2014, it had added cryptocurrencies to its list of financial instruments.
With an extensive trading catalog, eToro boasts at least 35 million users across more than 100 countries. The Bitstamp alternative offers a well-rounded trading experience curated with both beginners and experts in mind. The company also allows novices to learn from advanced traders through its copy trading feature. Beginners can also learn the basics of interacting with crypto assets and their networks by using eToro's demo account. One more perk of using eToro is its straightforward pricing model.
Key Features
- Copy trading
- eToro Academy
- Demo trading
- Affiliate program
- Digital Wallet
Fees: The exchange charges 1% for buying and selling but between 1.5% and 3% for crypto conversion trades.
Minimal Deposit: Users on eToro must deposit at least $50 before investing. However, they can subsequently deposit as low as $10 if they reside in the UK.
Best for All-round Traders
Gemini
What makes Gemini one of Bitstamp's top competitors is the platform's versatility. Launched in 2014, the Winklevoss twins-owned entity is licensed to operate in more than 60 countries, including the UK. Although Gemini does not support as many cryptocurrencies as other crypto exchanges, users can trade at least 70 assets on the platform.
Gemini offers competitive fees, a beginner-friendly user interface, and a custodial platform. In addition to trading cryptocurrencies, Gemini's services expand to derivatives, offering up to 100x leverage on options like perpetual futures.
There is also Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) functionality on Gemini, enabling users to consistently invest over time. Additionally, the exchange offers staking services for crypto holders.
Key Features
- Helpful customer support
- Staking
- Derivatives trading
- Gemini ActiveTrader
- Gemini Credit Card
Fees: Gemini's transaction fees vary depending on the activity, but they can be as low as 0.02% for makers and 0.04% for takers on spot trades, which are less than $10,000.
Minimal Deposit: The minimum deposit for traders on Gemini is $1.
Best for Traders Seeking Regulated Platforms
CoinJar
CoinJar may be one of the best alternatives to Bitstamp because the exchange is licensed to operate only in the UK and Australia. Hence, the platform is primarily tailored to meet the needs of UK and Australian users. Also, the exchange has been around since 2013, so it is reliable and has a solid reputation.
This digital asset trading platform aims to simplify the crypto experience for everyone, from beginners to advanced traders. It has a user-friendly interface and a suite of products and features geared toward that goal.
Unfortunately, CoinJar supports fewer cryptocurrencies than other exchanges, so traders looking for an extensive range of assets may not find the platform appealing. Regardless, the exchange offers a secure and efficient trading experience and is worth checking out.
Key Features
- Instant Buy
- Recurring Buy (DCA)
- CoinJar Card by Mastercard
- CoinJar Rewards
- CoinJar Wallet
Fees: CoinJar's fees are relatively low and depend on the volume being traded. At the time of writing, the exchange offered zero fees for all trades in the Great British Pound (GBP), except crypto-to-fiat transactions. These trades have taker and maker fees as low as 0.10%, depending on transaction volume and size.
Minimal Deposit: CoinJar has no minimum deposit amount.
Best for a Simple Trading Experience
Bitpanda
An all-in-one investment platform, Bitpanda has been in existence since 2014. Bitpanda has more than 1,000 digital assets, including stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), precious metals, crypto indices, and commodities. Tailored to meet the needs of European investors, the exchange offers at least 50 cryptocurrencies across tens of blockchain networks.
Bitpanda has a user-friendly interface and offers a transparent fee structure. The platform has an extensive network of educational resources to ensure traders are well-rounded. While offering competitive fees, Bitpanda allows the staking of cryptocurrencies. Users can also earn rewards by participating in the entity's affiliate program.
Key Features
- Small-scale investing
- Bitpanda Academy
- Bitpanda Card
- Staking
- Bitpanda Affiliate Programme
- Rewards
Fees: Bitpanda charges no fees on deposits and withdrawals for all fiat currencies. However, users can pay between 0.02% and 1.49% for crypto trades.
Minimal Deposit: You can start trading on Bitpanda with as low as €10
Best for Small-scale Investors and Crypto Index Traders
Coinbase
Coinbase is the largest crypto exchange in the United States; however, the platform's services have expanded to the UK. It is one of the easiest exchanges to use in the UK and is tailored for both beginners and advanced traders. As one of the most popular trading platforms globally, Coinbase boasts at least 250 cryptocurrencies and 100 million users in more than 100 countries.
The exchange's extensive network makes it ideal for novices and experienced traders. Coinbase offers multiple products and services, including a DApp explorer, NFT platform, wallet, competitive fees, and debit and credit cards. The exchange also provides yield products like interest-bearing accounts and a trading facility for institutions. This trading platform is undoubtedly one of the top Bitstamp competitors.
Key Features
- NFT Marketplace
- Coinbase Wallet
- Debit Card
- Staking
- Derivatives
- Crypto-backed Loans
Fees: Similar to other platforms, Coinbase's fees vary according to transaction volume and type. The platform charges maker and taker fees as low as 0.10% and 0.20%.
Minimal Deposit: Coinbase does not have a minimum deposit amount, but you can start trading with as little as $1.
Best for Experienced Traders
What makes a good Bitstamp alternative?
Bitstamp is one of the best exchanges in the UK. Before a rival can be qualified as an alternative, here are some factors to be considered:
Accessibility
Before a crypto exchange can be considered a better alternative to Bitstamp, it has to be easily accessible. The platform needs to have a mobile app, desktop, and web versions with friendly user interfaces. This ensures that users can have access to their preferred services regardless of the devices being used.
Support for Cryptocurrencies
The range of cryptocurrencies traded on an exchange will determine if the platform can be used instead of Bitstamp. If a trader's goal is to have access to a wide range of crypto assets, then exchanges with more extensive networks would be ideal. While considering supported cryptocurrencies, evaluating the liquidity depth and trading volume for these assets is essential to avoid issues with buying and selling.
Fee Structure
You cannot leave Bitstamp for another exchange only to pay more for the services rendered. So, a crypto exchange needs to have a transparent and competitive fee structure to be deemed better than Bitstamp.
User Reviews
Good customer ratings are a good way of discovering trading platforms that can serve as alternatives to Bitstamp. If a user experience on a platform is good, then the exchange likely renders satisfactory services.
Payment Methods
Some crypto exchanges have limited payment methods, and this restricts a user's options. Before trading platforms can be regarded as Bitstamp competitors, they need to offer extensive payment methods. These methods should include common options like cards, bank transfers, peer-to-peer (P2P), and Apple Pay.
Security
Some platforms are known for their robust security measures, while others are famous for tackling one breach or the other at any given time. Exchanges with constant security issues cannot be regarded as good alternatives to Bitstamp because the safety of user assets is paramount.
Regulation
If a crypto exchange is not licensed to operate in the UK, it faces scrutiny and possibly sanction from regulatory agencies. This puts users' assets at risk, as the exchange in question is not subject to rules that guide licensed platforms.
FAQs
Why should I consider alternatives to Bitstamp?
Bitstamp is one of the oldest exchanges—founded in 2011—and as a result, its underlying infrastructure may be outdated. Over the last decade, many crypto exchanges have developed new and better platforms. Besides the emergence of modernized exchanges, Bitstamp's services and products do not cover all aspects of the crypto sector. So, it is wise to consider other platforms in your trading journey.
Which Bitstamp competitor offers the lowest fees?
It is difficult to say which Bitstamp competitor offers the lowest fees. This is because each fee structure varies according to transaction volume and activity. So, depending on the asset and the amount you are trading, you could pay more or less on any platform.
Which alternative to Bitstamp has more advanced features?
OKX and Coinbase offer more advanced features for UK traders. The exchanges' wide range of offerings and products allows for the execution of advanced trading strategies, ideal for experienced traders.
Which Bitstamp alternative is best for crypto beginners?
CoinJar is the best Bitstamp alternative for crypto beginners in the UK. This is because the platform has one of the simplest user interfaces tailored for UK users.
Conclusion
Bitstamp is a popular crypto exchange, but the platform cannot satisfy the needs of every crypto trader in the UK; hence, there is a need for alternatives. This article has explored several Bitstamp competitors and the perks they offer to their users. While we have highlighted the benefits of exploring exchanges other than Bitstamp, it is important to do your own research before interacting with any of them.
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