Bitstamp vs River — Head-to-Head Custody Comparison

An independent, data-driven comparison of Bitstamp and River across security, insurance, fees, regulatory compliance, and more.

Verdict

Quick Verdict

Bitstamp scores 7.5 vs River's 6.6. Bitstamp leads in 6 of 8 categories.

Bitstamp is better suited for European investors, Institutional traders, Long-term exchange users. River is better suited for Bitcoin-only investors, DCA enthusiasts, Beginners.

7.5

GoodCustody Score

Bitstamp

6.6

FairCustody Score

River

Scores

Score Comparison

Weighted scores across all 8 custody criteria.

Criterion	Weight	Bitstamp	River	Winner
Security	20%	7.5	7.5	Tie
Insurance	15%	6.5	4.0	Bitstamp
Regulatory	15%	8.5	7.0	Bitstamp
Fee Transparency	10%	8.0	7.5	Bitstamp
Track Record	15%	8.0	7.0	Bitstamp
Withdrawal Flexibility	10%	8.0	9.0	River
Reporting & Audit	10%	7.5	6.0	Bitstamp
Counterparty Diversification	5%	3.0	2.0	Bitstamp
Overall Score	100%	7.5	6.6	Bitstamp

Visual

Score Radar

Visual overlay of Bitstamp and River across all categories.

BitstampRiver

Deep Dive

Category-by-Category Analysis

A deeper look at how each provider performs in every scoring criterion.

Security (7.5 vs 7.5)

Bitstamp uses BitGo custody partnership key management with 95%+ in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: SOC 2 Type 2. Incident history: 2015 hot wallet breach (19,000 BTC). Fully repaid users..

River uses Proprietary cold storage key management with Majority cold in cold storage and regular penetration testing. Compliance: SOC 2. Incident history: No incidents.

Insurance (6.5 vs 4.0)

Bitstamp offers BitGo custody insurance for cold storage via Via BitGo. Cold storage through BitGo with insurance coverage.

River offers Not explicitly disclosed via N/A. US-regulated Bitcoin-only platform.

Regulatory (8.5 vs 7.0)

Bitstamp holds Luxembourg payment institution license, FCA registered (UK), Multiple EU licenses and is not a qualified custodian operating in Luxembourg / EU / Global. Luxembourg-licensed. One of the most established exchanges globally.

River holds FinCEN MSB, State money transmitter licenses and is not a qualified custodian operating in United States. US-regulated Bitcoin financial services company.

Fee Transparency (8.0 vs 7.5)

Bitstamp charges None in annual custody fees with 0.0-0.4% tiered per transaction. Competitive tiered fee structure. One of Europe's most established exchanges.

River charges None in annual custody fees with 1.0-1.5% (spread) per transaction. Zero-fee recurring buys. Spread-based pricing. Free withdrawals.

Track Record (8.0 vs 7.0)

Bitstamp was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Luxembourg. AUM: $5B+ trading volume. Incident history: 2015 hot wallet breach (19,000 BTC). Fully repaid users..

River was founded in 2019 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA. AUM: Not publicly disclosed. Incident history: No incidents.

Withdrawal Flexibility (8.0 vs 9.0)

Bitstamp withdrawal fees: Network fees. Minimum account: $10 minimum. Supported assets: Bitcoin, Ethereum, 80+ cryptocurrencies.

River withdrawal fees: Free Bitcoin withdrawals. Minimum account: No minimum. Supported assets: Bitcoin only.

Reporting & Audit (7.5 vs 6.0)

Bitstamp: SOC compliance is SOC 2 Type 2. Not classified as a qualified custodian.

River: SOC compliance is SOC 2. Not classified as a qualified custodian.

Counterparty Diversification (3.0 vs 2.0)

Bitstamp is a exchange custody provider. Key management: Exchange-managed custody with BitGo partnership for cold storage..

River is a exchange custody provider. Key management: Bitcoin-only exchange with proprietary custody infrastructure..

Fees

Fee Comparison

Side-by-side fee breakdown for Bitstamp and River.

Fee Type	Bitstamp	River
Setup Fee	Free	Free
Annual Custody	None	None
Transaction	0.0-0.4% tiered	1.0-1.5% (spread)
Withdrawal	Network fees	Free Bitcoin withdrawals

Bitstamp: Competitive tiered fee structure. One of Europe's most established exchanges.

River: Zero-fee recurring buys. Spread-based pricing. Free withdrawals.

Features

Feature Comparison

Checklist of features across both providers.

Feature	Bitstamp	River
13+ year track record	✓	✗
BitGo custody partnership	✓	✗
Bitcoin education resources	✗	✓
Bitcoin-only focus	✗	✓
Excellent mobile app	✗	✓
Free Bitcoin withdrawals	✗	✓
Institutional API	✓	✗
Lightning Network support	✗	✓
Low trading fees	✓	✗
Luxembourg banking license	✓	✗
SEPA/SWIFT support	✓	✗
Zero-fee recurring purchases	✗	✓

Recommendation

Who Should Choose Which?

Bitstamp is better if you…

✓Are a european investors
✓Are a institutional traders
✓Are a long-term exchange users
✓Are a fiat gateway seekers
✓Want: 13+ year track record — among oldest exchanges
✓Want: Luxembourg banking license
✓Want: Competitive fee structure

River is better if you…

✓Are a bitcoin-only investors
✓Are a dca enthusiasts
✓Are a beginners
✓Are a us-based bitcoiners
✓Want: Bitcoin-only — aligned with Bitcoin ethos
✓Want: Zero-fee recurring purchases
✓Want: Free Bitcoin withdrawals

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bitstamp or River better for Bitcoin custody?

Bitstamp scores 7.5 vs 6.6 in our weighted Custody Score. Bitstamp leads in 6 of 8 scoring categories. However, the best choice depends on your specific needs: Bitstamp is best for European investors and Institutional traders, while River suits Bitcoin-only investors and DCA enthusiasts.

What is the difference between Bitstamp and River?

Bitstamp is a exchange custody provider, while River is a exchange custody provider. Bitstamp excels in Regulatory, whereas River is strongest in Withdrawal Flexibility.

How do Bitstamp and River fees compare?

Bitstamp charges None annual custody fees with 0.0-0.4% tiered transaction fees. River charges None annual custody fees with 1.0-1.5% (spread) transaction fees.

Which is more secure, Bitstamp or River?

Bitstamp scores 7.5/10 for security while River scores 7.5/10. Bitstamp uses BitGo custody partnership key management, and River uses Proprietary cold storage.