Bitstamp has once again achieved the highest AA rating in CCData’s Exchange Benchmark. We’re the only centralized crypto exchange to receive seven prestigious AA ratings back-to-back from the industry standard for evaluating digital asset exchanges.What is CCData and the Exchange Benchmark?CCData is an FCA-authorized benchmark administrator and a leading institutional data provider for digital assets. They established the Exchange Benchmark in 2019 to clearly assess the level of risk and key performance and reliability factors associated with centralized crypto exchanges, for the benefit of the digital asset exchange sector.The Benchmark provides a framework for assessing risk, bringing transparency and accountability to a market that can be complex. It's backed by thousands of hours of research and encompasses more than 200 qualitative and quantitative metrics. It combines these metrics to assign a grade to each exchange, representing its overall risk level.Why is an AA risk rating important?In an industry marked by exponential growth and heightened regulatory scrutiny, investors need a secure, reliable, and trustworthy platform for their crypto transactions more than ever.At Bitstamp, we focus on consistency and reliability. We take pride in our unwavering commitment to operational integrity, security, transparency, legal compliance and market quality. Achieving the highest possible risk rating from the industry’s independent benchmark once again validates our ongoing efforts to provide you with a dependable platform for your digital asset needs.We want to instill confidence in crypto and set new standards for crypto exchanges. Our status as the most dependable, consistent crypto exchange is underscored by seven consecutive AA ratings.Have ratings changed for 2024?CCData has updated the methodology for the April 2024 Exchange Benchmark, reflecting recent significant shifts in the industry. These include more stringent regulation from regulators in many jurisdictions, as well as enhanced oversight mechanisms globally. The key risk areas in question include security, transparency, legal & regulation, and market quality.How did Bitstamp retain its top rating?We achieved high scores in a number of key risk areas – some of the highest being:TransparencyWe believe in transparency and accountability. Our financial controls are reviewed annually by external parties and are subject to regular internal audit. This ensures that our control environment is validated and continuously improved, along with all our procedures. Since 2016, our annual global financial statements have been audited globally by a Big Four accounting firm, and in jurisdictions where we hold licenses, we’re supervised by regulators.KYC/Transactional riskWe're dedicated to maintaining a secure environment for all transactions, safeguarding your assets and our platform's integrity. Our surveillance systems and transaction monitoring protocols include strict KYC/AML procedures. We divide these procedures into two halves: user authentication during onboarding, and transaction analysis of current users, looking for ongoing signs of money laundering. Our user verification protocol leverages many different data points to ensure users are who they say they are, with no previous involvement in criminal activities.SecuritySecurity is at the core of our operations at Bitstamp. We prioritize the safety of your assets and the integrity of our platform through comprehensive measures. All customer funds are fully backed and available for withdrawal at any time, held in custody with licensed custodians on a 1:1 basis. Your crypto and fiat assets are stored separately from our corporate assets, ensuring they're never used without your explicit consent. 95% of crypto held at Bitstamp holdings is securely stored offline, with only a small percentage online for transactional efficiency. Furthermore, our custodians provide insurance coverage for client assets held in cold wallets, enhancing the overall security of your investments.Legal/regulationBitstamp currently holds over 50 licenses and registrations globally. But we don’t just tick regulatory boxes – we follow globally accepted best practice. Since we were founded in 2011, we’ve been held to the highest levels of compliance, both in terms of operations, and to protect our users' funds and personal information. You can read more about our regulatory practices here.Since 2011, we’ve been proud to be a trusted, reputable exchange, working for both retail traders and institutional investors. We’re proud to receive this recognition from CCData once again, but the real reward is the trust and loyalty these ratings help to maintain – from our customers and from our community. We remain, as always, your trusted partner in your crypto journey.Choose a crypto exchange that consistently tops risk ratings - choose Bitstamp.
