Investing, one junction at a time.
Compare online brokers, crypto exchanges and ways to buy gold if you live in Europe. We check licences, show the real costs and tell you what each one is bad at.
Where do you want to go?
Stocks and ETFs, crypto and gold, compared with one method. Pick a line and follow the junctions.
A monthly ETF plan
Online brokers licensed in the EU, compared on what €100 a month really costs, with SEPA or iDEAL deposits and tax paperwork for your country.
Your first Bitcoin
Crypto exchanges reviewed on fees, MiCA licences and track record. If an exchange can't legally serve you, we say so.
Gold, held for you
Coins at home, vaulted bars in your name or a gold ETC: three routes compared on premiums, storage and tax.
Most-read reviews
Binance
Wrong way for EU residents: no MiCA licence
Kraken
This way for a wide coin range and EU-regulated futures
Coinbase
Turn here: licensed and simple, but use Advanced to cut costs
Bybit
Turn here for cheap spot trading, if you accept the track record
Bitget
Wrong way for EU residents: no MiCA licence yet
Gate.io (Gate)
Turn here: MiCA-licensed altcoin spot exchange, fiat fees unpublished
Popular comparisons
Binance vs Bybit
Living in the EU? Pick Bybit: Bybit EU holds an Austrian MiCA licence, while Binance has none and has limited EU accounts to withdrawals since 1 July 2026. Outside the EU, Binance has the lower 0.10% spot fee and more coins, but the heavier regulatory record.
Coinbase vs Kraken
Both are MiCA-licensed, so EU readers can choose on cost and features. Pick Kraken for lower order-book fees (0.40%/0.80% against 0.60%/1.20%), more coins and a clearer route to EU futures; pick Coinbase for free euro withdrawals and the transparency of a Nasdaq-listed company.
Binance vs Kraken
Living in the EU? Pick Kraken: it holds an Irish MiCA licence, while Binance has none and has limited EU accounts to withdrawals since 1 July 2026. Outside the EU, Binance is cheaper (0.10% against Kraken Pro's 0.40%/0.80%) but carries the heavier regulatory record.
Binance vs Coinbase
Living in the EU? Pick Coinbase: it holds a MiCA licence from Luxembourg, while Binance has none and has limited EU accounts to withdrawals since 1 July 2026. Outside the EU, Binance is far cheaper (0.10% against 0.60%/1.20% on Coinbase Advanced) but has the heavier regulatory record.
Crypto.com vs Gemini
If you live in the EU or UK, pick Crypto.com: Gemini closed all accounts there on 6 April 2026. In the US, Crypto.com has lower published order-book fees and more coins, while Gemini suits buyers who want a New York-regulated custodian and accept higher fees.
KuCoin vs Bitget
EU residents should pick neither for now: KuCoin's Austrian MiCA licence isn't operating yet and Bitget has only applied. Outside the EU, KuCoin suits altcoin hunters and Bitget suits copy traders who accept the risk after its September 2026 hack.
Four rules we don't bend
Licence first
We only recommend providers that may legally serve you, and link to the register.
Costs in euros
Fees worked out for realistic amounts, not a headline percentage.
The catch, up front
Every verdict names who should look elsewhere.
Not for sale
Paid links say “Ad”. Money never changes a score or a ranking.
Brokers & Exchanges is an independent comparison of online brokers, crypto exchanges and ways to buy gold for people who live in Europe, whether you want an ETF plan, to trade crypto or to hold gold. We started with the Netherlands and Germany and cover the rest of the European Union from there, in English, with every cost in euros.
We research official sources: providers’ fee schedules and legal documents, regulator registers and enforcement notices. Every fact has the date we last checked it, most recently 23 October 2026. We don’t claim hands-on testing, and we don’t give investment advice.
How we compare brokers and crypto exchanges: Europe first
We compare brokers and crypto exchanges for one reader: someone living in a European country inside the EU who wants to invest €50 to €500 a month, or make a one-off buy of around €1,000. Every review follows the same four steps.
- Licence first. A broker needs an EU investment licence and an investor compensation scheme; a crypto exchange needs MiCA authorisation. If a provider can’t legally serve you, we say so and don’t recommend it.
- Costs in euros. Low fees in the headline don’t always mean a low bill, so we work out what €100 a month or a €1,000 buy really costs, including spreads, deposit and withdrawal fees and other hidden fees.
- The catch, up front. Every verdict names who should look elsewhere, next to the main reason to choose it.
- One score, one method. Costs count for 30%, licence and protection for 30%, and products and ease of use for 20% each, on every trading platform we review. We don’t rate which app has the most user friendly interface, because we haven’t tested them ourselves. Our methodology explains the weights and the four trail-mark verdicts.
Three lines, one map: stocks and ETFs, crypto and gold
We cover three asset classes, compared with the same method. Pick the line that fits your goal and follow the junctions.
Stocks and ETFs
For a monthly ETF plan, an online broker licensed in the EU is the route. Trade Republic offers €0 savings plans from €1 in 18 European countries, and Interactive Brokers covers every EU country with wider market access and no inactivity fee for most account types. Your shares are client assets, and EU rules set investor compensation of at least €20,000 if a broker fails. See the best online brokers in Europe.
Crypto: where to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum and other coins
For crypto, we compare cryptocurrency exchanges on their licence, trading fees, payment methods and track record. Bitvavo, a crypto trading platform with low fees, charges 0.25% on a market order to buy Bitcoin, so €2.50 on €1,000, and takes free deposits by SEPA, iDEAL or Bancontact; Kraken and Coinbase accept free SEPA bank transfers too. Kraken suits experienced traders who want futures trading under EU rules. You can buy and sell major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ether, and many other digital currencies, on every licensed exchange we recommend; our ranked shortlist is the best crypto exchanges for EU residents. Our crypto exchange reviews cover the cryptocurrency exchanges people in Europe search for, including the ones we wouldn’t use.
Gold
For gold and other precious metals, you can keep coins at home, own vaulted bars in a professional vault or buy a gold ETC through your broker. Investment gold is VAT-free across the EU, so the differences are storage, what you own and tax. BullionVault lets you buy and sell vaulted gold online from 1 gram and charges 0.12% a year to store it, at least $4 a month. See how to buy gold in Europe.
What we compare on each crypto trading platform before you buy crypto
Crypto trading costs differ more than most people expect, so every review of cryptocurrency exchanges checks the same things for Bitcoin, Ethereum and other digital currencies:
- Trading fees and spreads: Gate EU and OKX have the most competitive fees at 0.10% for a market order (at OKX only with an X-Perps account); Coinbase Advanced charges 1.20%. Low trading fees on the order book can still come with a spread on instant buys, and fees fall as your trading volume grows.
- Payment methods: SEPA transfers are free at Bitvavo, Kraken, Coinbase and OKX, while a debit card or Apple Pay costs 1.00% at Bitvavo and 3.99% at Crypto.com.
- Coins and tools: Kraken offers a wide range of coins plus futures, and Bitvavo’s 450+ coins in euros are a wide range for most retail investors. Kraken and OKX add advanced trading tools for active cryptocurrency trading, such as futures and, at OKX, spot margin; Bitvavo, Bybit EU and Gate EU don’t offer crypto derivatives to EU users.
- Extras: a prepaid Visa card at Crypto.com, copy trading at eToro and staking at several exchanges, each with its own risks.
- Storage: whether you can withdraw your digital assets to cryptocurrency wallets where you hold the private keys, and what the withdrawal fee and network transaction fees cost.
Nobody can tell you where the crypto market goes next, so do your own research and only put money into crypto investments you can afford to lose.
Why MiCA matters when you pick a crypto platform
MiCA, the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, decides which crypto exchanges may serve you for trading and custody of digital assets. It has applied in full since 30 December 2024, and since the transitional period ended on 1 July 2026 only MiCA-authorised firms may provide crypto services in the EU.
That has changed the map. Binance has no MiCA licence and EU users can only withdraw, Gemini closed all EEA accounts on 6 April 2026, and KuCoin EU holds a licence but its regulator still prohibits it from starting operations; other exchanges, such as Bitget, have only applied. Authorised exchanges, such as Bitvavo, Kraken and Coinbase, can passport their licence to every EU country.
Authorisation means supervision, not safety from losses. Crypto prices are volatile, and crypto-assets fall outside investor compensation schemes, unlike shares at a licensed broker. Whichever crypto platform you use, turn on two-factor authentication and consider your own crypto wallet for larger amounts. To check a licence yourself, see how to check a MiCA licence.
Where to start: the best crypto exchange, broker or gold route for you
Your investment decisions depend on your trading goals: a monthly ETF plan, a first Bitcoin buy or gold you can hold for years. Not sure which line fits you? Find your route in a few questions, or start with our crypto investing guides if you’re new. Investing involves risk: you can get back less than you put in, and with crypto you can lose everything.
Questions people ask
Which crypto exchange is best in Europe?
For most EU residents, Bitvavo: it is authorised by the Dutch AFM under MiCA, charges 0.25% on a market order and takes free SEPA, iDEAL and Bancontact deposits. Kraken suits experienced traders who want futures under EU rules. See our best crypto exchanges for EU residents.
Which is the best online broker in Europe for ETFs?
For a €100–500 monthly ETF plan, Trade Republic is our first pick: savings plans cost €0 per execution from €1, and it serves 18 European countries. Interactive Brokers covers every EU country, with a more complex platform.
What is the most trusted crypto exchange?
No exchange removes the risk. On our checks, Bitvavo and Kraken score highest among crypto exchanges for licence and protection, with 8 out of 10: both are MiCA-authorised and publish proof-of-reserves reports. Even then, crypto isn't covered by investor compensation.
How do you make money?
Some links to providers may earn us a commission; those are labelled Ad. Money never changes a score, a verdict or a ranking, and we don't recommend providers that can't legally serve you. Our how we make money page has the details.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We compare licences, costs and rules from official sources so you can decide yourself. If you're unsure what suits your situation, speak to a qualified, independent adviser.