tech from europe
vsKraken

BVNK vs Kraken

Last updated October 2026

Looking for a European alternative to Kraken? Here's how BVNK compares, on EU hosting, GDPR and what it does.

Our pick for a European buyer: BVNK. We weight data residency, GDPR and EU jurisdiction above everything else — that is the constraint this directory exists to solve.

What it is
Enterprise crypto and stablecoin payment infrastructure for high-volume merchants
A cryptocurrency exchange for trading, custody, and institutional services.
Headquarters
🇬🇧 GB
🇺🇸 US · 2011
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
DSGVO / GDPR
Yes
Yes
Certifications
ISO 27001:2022, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II
ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II
Price from
No
$4.99/mo
Free plan
No
Yes
Open Source
No
No
Integrations
Marqeta, Mastercard, Corpay, LianLian Global, Deriv +18
TradingView, CoinTracker, Koinly, Crypto Tax Calculator (CTC), ProfitView +1

Where each one wins

BVNK

Strengths

  • +Dedicated customer support and proactive account management
  • +24/7 cross-border settlement bridging fiat and stablecoin networks
  • +API-first architecture enabling rapid integration of crypto checkouts and mass payouts
  • +Clear multi-currency reporting dashboard and wallets
  • +Regulatory compliance with UK FCA EMI authorization and EU VASP registrations

Limitations

  • −Strict KYB/AML onboarding delays and extensive documentation requirements
  • −Occasional portal UI performance lags and slow page loading
  • −Enterprise-only focus with $500k/month minimum processing threshold

Kraken

Strengths

  • +High liquidity across major trading pairs
  • +Strong security measures including cold storage
  • +Transparent Proof of Reserves
  • +Competitive fee structure for high-volume traders

Limitations

  • −Complex fee structure for beginners
  • −Limited customer support responsiveness
  • −No default EU data residency
  • −No public sub-processor list

Data residency & compliance

BVNK
Kraken
EU data residency
Yes, for all customers
not established
Transfer mechanism
Not required — data stays in the EU
Standard Contractual Clauses
DPA
not established
Sub-processors
not established
Certifications
ISO 27001:2022, SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II
ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II

Pricing

BVNK

No published pricing we could verify.

Custom, volume-based transaction pricing. Wallet custody and internal transfers are free. Contact sales for binding fee schedules.

Kraken

  • Standard Account Free No subscriptionNo account opening or maintenance fees · 1% trading fee + spread for Buy/Sell/Convert
  • Kraken+ $4.99 MonthlyWaives trading fees on up to $10,000/month of eligible orders · Spreads and payment-processing fees may apply
  • Kraken Pro On request Per tradeTiered maker/taker fees · Base tier: 0.40% maker / 0.80% taker · Varies by volume and asset
  • DEX Trading 1% Per swapGasless swaps · Flat 100 bps fee

Fees vary by product, volume, and payment method. Institutional and high-volume pricing available on request.

Features

BVNK

Pay-ins & Payment Acceptance
Pre-built checkout payment pages, Hosted pay-in links, Customer-specific payment channels with dedicated crypto addresses, Auto-routing for payments on incorrect blockchain networks
Payouts & Global Money Movement
Cross-border B2B and B2C mass payouts, Payroll distribution in stablecoins, Fiat payouts via SWIFT, SEPA, SEPA Instant, UK Faster Payments, CHAPS, US ACH, Fedwire, FedNow, RTP
Multi-Currency Accounts & Custody
Named virtual accounts with unique IBANs and account numbers (USD, EUR, GBP), Institutional crypto/stablecoin custodial wallets, Layer1 self-managed infrastructure, Smart Treasury tools
Foreign Exchange & Trading
Real-time conversion between fiat and digital assets/stablecoins, Multi-leg smart order routing, Access to deep liquidity pools, Instant auto-conversion of incoming crypto to preferred fiat
Embedded Infrastructure & Card Issuing
Embedded multi-currency and stablecoin wallets for partners' end users, API-driven customer onboarding, Stablecoin-backed card issuing infrastructure

Kraken

Trading
Spot trading, Margin trading, Futures trading, Multiple order types
Institutional Services
Multi-venue liquidity, Post-trade net settlement, Desk-managed execution, Programmatic pricing
Security & Compliance
Proof of Reserves, Cold storage for assets, ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2 Type I & II audits
Integrations
TradingView for charting, CoinTracker for taxes, Koinly for taxes, 3Commas for bots