The Essentials to Know About Bitpanda
Launched in 2014 under the name Coinimal by the eponymous Austrian startup, Bitpanda has quickly established itself as a major player in the European cryptocurrency market. Today, the platform counts more than one million users and offers a diverse range of financial services.
Bitpanda launched its application with a fully English interface early on. Additionally, it’s smooth and very intuitive, which partly explains its success with English-speaking users.
In January 2025, Bitpanda became the first to secure a MiCAR license from Germany’s BaFin, enabling unified operations across all EU countries. The platform is also registered with the UK’s FCA, making it available to UK residents — though it remains unavailable in the United States and Canada due to regulatory restrictions.
Today, the platform is managed by a team of 160 employees who continuously work to develop the Bitpanda ecosystem and its various services.
To facilitate the functioning of its ecosystem, Bitpanda has developed its own utility token. This is BEST (Bitpanda Ecosystem Token), a token that provides 20% reduction on trading fees and access to certain exclusive benefits.
Bitpanda : Is it a Broker or an Exchange ?
Bitpanda employs an ambiguous communication strategy that oscillates between two distinct identities :
- The innovative neobroker : In its official communications and blog, it primarily presents itself as a “leading European neobroker” with a mission to “democratize the complex world of investing.”
- The cryptocurrency exchange : In some communications and comparisons, Bitpanda is presented as a “fully licensed cryptocurrency exchange.”
This duality is not trivial and raises important questions about the true nature of the services offered.
What’s the Difference Between a Broker and an Exchange ?
To understand this ambiguity, it’s essential to clarify the fundamental difference between these two types of platforms :
- A crypto broker acts as an intermediary between the investor and the market. It typically offers fixed prices and allows investing in the price of assets, often without the user actually owning the underlying cryptocurrencies.
- A crypto exchange is a platform where buyers and sellers can directly exchange their cryptocurrencies. Users actually own their assets and can generally transfer them to external wallets.
Bitpanda’s Different Services
Behind a smooth interface, Bitpanda combines several investment approaches based on very distinct logics. Broker, derivative products, spot exchange… everything is united under a single platform, but the mechanisms differ. Here’s an overview of the main services offered by Bitpanda:
Bitpanda (Standard Platform) : A Disguised Broker
Bitpanda’s standard platform essentially functions as a broker. On this platform, users “invest in the price of the most well-known cryptocurrencies without really owning them.” This formulation is revealing: users don’t actually own the underlying assets but take positions on their price evolution, which corresponds to the very definition of a CFD (Contract for Difference).
Bitpanda Stocks : CFDs in Disguise
The “Bitpanda Stocks” product perfectly illustrates the ambiguity of the offering. According to Bitpanda’s official blog:
“Bitpanda Stocks are not shares, but a contract that allows participation in the price movements of certain stocks, including dividend distributions.”
Although Bitpanda explicitly states that these products are not CFDs, they share all the essential characteristics :
- They are derivative contracts based on an underlying asset
- They allow speculation on price movements without owning the asset
- They are not tradable on traditional markets
Bitpanda Leverage : An Acknowledged CFD
Unlike Bitpanda Stocks, the “Bitpanda Leverage” product is explicitly presented as a CFD:
Bit panda Leverage is a CFD, or contract for difference. This derivative product functions as an agreement between an investor and a broker, in this case Bitpanda.
This product allows taking long or short positions on cryptocurrencies with leverage effect, involving overnight fees typical of CFD products. It is therefore unambiguously a speculative trading product, characteristic of CFD brokers and not traditional exchanges.
Bitpanda Pro : The Real Exchange
Only the Bitpanda Pro platform seems to correspond to the traditional definition of a cryptocurrency exchange. On Bitpanda Pro, users “actually acquire the assets” and can “directly trade currencies and cryptocurrencies.” This distinction is crucial but often minimized in Bitpanda’s overall communication.
What Financial Products Are Available on Bitpanda ?
Bit panda is determined to position itself as a first-class “neo-broker” in the market and offers a wide range of offerings:
Cryptocurrencies
It provides access to dozens of cryptocurrencies, from essentials like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana or XRP, to more speculative memecoins like Shiba Inu. The offering is regularly updated, with new tokens listed according to market trends.
Investment-wise, entry starts from just $1, but conditions vary depending on the platform used. On the standard version, the user is exposed to the price of the asset without actually owning it, like a derivative product. On Bitpanda Pro, however, purchases are made spot, with actual ownership and the ability to withdraw funds to an external wallet.
Stocks and ETFs via Bitpanda Stocks
Bitpanda allows investing in fractional shares of major international companies, as well as a selection of ETFs covering various sectors and stock indices. The offering is designed to allow diversified exposure, with accessible amounts, directly from the platform.
But beware: these are not real securities. Bitpanda Stocks are based on derivative contracts that replicate the price of underlying stocks. The user therefore does not own the asset itself, but still benefits from dividend replication for eligible stocks.
Digitized Precious Metals
Bitpanda also offers exposure to precious metals with the ability to invest in gold, silver, platinum or palladium. These assets are available directly from the platform, just like cryptos or stocks.
Each position is backed by physical reserves stored in secure vaults, which guarantees a certain transparency on the underlying asset. Investment is accessible from small amounts, allowing portfolio diversification without significant commitment.
Leveraged Products via Bitpanda Leverage
Bitpanda also offers access to leveraged trading via its Bitpanda Leverage product. This is a CFD allowing speculation on cryptocurrency price movements, both upward and downward. This product is aimed at a more experienced audience, familiar with risk mechanics and leverage.
Main features :
- Long or short positions on major cryptos
- Integrated leverage effect (with amplification of gains and losses)
- Daily leverage rebalancing
- Overnight fees of 0.1% on the exposed amount
Several fiat currencies are accepted (EUR, USD, GBP, CHF, TRY), and purchases can be made directly by credit card for European users.
Cryptocurrency purchases are made directly with your credit card if you are a European resident, which significantly simplifies the investment process.
How to Register on Bitpanda ?
Registration on Bitpanda takes only a few minutes and follows a simplified process :
- Go to the official Bitpanda website and click on “Get Started” in the top right
- Enter basic information : name, surname, email, password, country
- Confirm your email address via the received link
- Answer questions regarding money laundering and your reasons for using the platform
- Proceed with identity verification (KYC) by providing an ID document and taking a selfie
All sites that offer investments and cryptocurrency purchases require strict identity verification (KYC process) without which you can never start using their platform.
Once these steps are completed, you arrive at the site’s homepage and can start using Bitpanda’s services.
How Does the Bitpanda Platform Work ?
This website is designed to be simple to use. The user interface is entirely in English, smooth and very intuitive, making it accessible even to beginners.
The platform is also very easy to navigate. Services are arranged as tabs that you simply click on. In just a few clicks, you can buy cryptos, FIAT currencies, or physical assets.
Advanced Features
It also offers more advanced features :
- Savings plans : You can schedule regular payments to invest progressively (DCA investment).
- Money withdrawal : You can withdraw your funds at any time using the Bitpanda Pay service, which allows you to send your funds to an IBAN.
- Bitpanda Card : A VISA payment card with no monthly fees that allows you to pay using the funds you have in your Bit panda account.
Bitpanda Pro for Experienced Traders
More experienced users will appreciate the new Bitpanda Pro platform. It’s a new site aimed at experienced users who wish to buy cryptos or trade.
The difference from the normal version is that it’s an exchange while the normal platform is a broker. On the BitpandaPro exchange, you actually acquire the assets you buy, while on the normal version, you take positions on the asset’s price.
Users can then directly trade currencies and cryptocurrencies with the risks associated with this practice.
What Are the Fees on the Bitpanda Platform ?
On Bit panda, registration and account management are completely free. The only trading fees applied are 1.49% and concern Bitcoin buying and selling operations. Fees are included in the prices presented for other cryptos.
All money transactions from your card to the site and vice versa are free.
Fees on Bitpanda Pro
On Bitpanda Pro, caps of 0.1% and 0.15% have been set for maker fees and taker fees respectively.
Fees on Other Products
Other Bitpanda fees are :
- 0.5% for gold sales
- 2% for sales and 2.5% for purchases of silver and platinum
- 1.8% for sales and 2.2% for purchases of palladium
- Bitpanda Leverage: 0% for buying, 1% for selling, 0.1% overnight fees on the leveraged amount
Our Review of Bitpanda in 2026
After thorough analysis, it appears as a legitimate and regulated platform that offers quality services, but whose marketing positioning deserves to be approached with a critical eye.
Bitpanda’s Strengths
- User interface : Simple, intuitive and fully in English
- Product diversity : Wide range of available assets (cryptos, stocks, ETFs, precious metals)
- Regulation : Registration with the AMF in France
- Security : Fund protection measures and two-factor authentication
- Accessibility : Ability to invest from small amounts (€1)
- Complementary services : Payment card, automated savings plans
Bitpanda’s Weaknesses
- Ambiguity about the nature of products : Lack of clarity on the distinction between broker and exchange
- Relatively high fees : 1.49% for Bitcoin transactions on the standard platform
- Derivative products presented ambiguously : Notably Bitpanda Stocks
- Limited actual ownership of assets : Only on Bitpanda Pro for cryptocurrencies
Who is Bitpanda Suitable For ?
It caters to several user profiles, particularly those looking for a simple and centralized experience to invest in digital assets :
- Beginners : The intuitive interface makes it easy to get started, even without prior experience.
- Diversified investors : The platform offers a wide range of assets (crypto, stocks, ETFs, metals), ideal for building a complete portfolio.
- English-speaking users : The entire interface is available in English, which remains rare in the ecosystem.
- Regular investors : Scheduled investment plans offer a simple solution for implementing a DCA strategy.
However, experienced traders looking for the lowest fees and complete ownership of their assets might prefer other more specialized platforms.
