Kraken takes it, 1 criteria to 0.
Criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Kraken | Bitpanda |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Fees | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Platform | 7.0 | 6.0 |
| Support | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Trader reviews | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Trust score | 6.6 | 6.4 |
The facts, side by side
| Kraken | Bitpanda | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | US | AT |
| Maximum leverage | 10x on perpetuals per the homepage; margin leverage varies by pair and was not retrieved | 10x crypto, 20x stocks and ETFs (EU); 3x crypto (UK) |
Kraken: strongest points
- Quarterly proof of reserves that covers client liabilities via a Merkle tree, not just on-chain assets
- Publishes working code so a client can independently rebuild their own Merkle leaf and path
- Publishes its own list of what proof of reserves cannot prove, including hidden encumbrances and borrowed funds
Bitpanda: strongest points
- MiCAR authorisations confirmed on the FMA's and BaFin's own databases and corroborated on ESMA's EU register, down to the service letters
- For crypto and securities the contracting entity is the licensed entity, in each of the 17 countries whose contract we checked
- The 2019 Austrian AML registration was formally extinguished by the MiCAR decision rather than left running alongside it
Full detail, licence tables and the evidence behind every number: read the Kraken review and the Bitpanda review. Scores are recomputed daily and this page updates with them.
SCORES ARE COMPUTED BEFORE ANY COMMERCIAL CONVERSATION ยท MONEY BUYS THE SLOT, NEVER THE NUMBER