Bison is the cryptocurrency app from Börse Stuttgart Digital Exchange — backed by one of Germany's oldest and most respected stock exchanges. For German investors who place trust and institutional credibility above all else, Bison offers an unmatched pedigree. This review examines its fees, coin selection, and who Bison is really designed for.
Germany's most trusted crypto brand — Börse Stuttgart backing, clean app, full regulatory compliance.
Bison is operated by Boerse Stuttgart Digital GmbH, a subsidiary of the Boerse Stuttgart Group — the second-largest stock exchange in Germany, founded in 1861. When Bison launched its crypto app in 2019, it brought institutional-grade credibility to an industry still struggling with trust. For conservative German investors who had never bought crypto because they didn't trust the exchanges, Bison's connection to a 160-year-old Stuttgart institution was the reassurance they needed.
Bison is fully BaFin regulated and operates under Germany's stringent financial services laws. As part of the Boerse Stuttgart Group's digital assets arm, it also benefits from the group's deep relationships with regulators, banks, and institutional investors. There are few more credible crypto platforms available to German retail investors from a regulatory and institutional standpoint. Check the BaFin register at bafin.de for full details.
The Bison app is deliberately simple. There are no order books, no margin trading, no DeFi integrations — just clean, straightforward buy and sell functionality for a curated selection of around 30 major cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Stellar, Chainlink, and other established coins are available. The interface is calm, professional, and designed to feel as trustworthy as a banking app rather than a trading platform.
This simplicity is both Bison's strength and its limitation. For an investor who wants to buy Bitcoin monthly and hold it safely, Bison is excellent. For someone who wants to trade 200 different altcoins with limit orders, Bison is the wrong tool.
Bison uses a spread-based fee model rather than explicit commission fees. The spread — the difference between the buy price and the sell price — ranges from 0.75% to 1.25% depending on the asset and market conditions. Bitcoin typically has the tightest spread (around 0.75%), while smaller altcoins may see spreads toward 1.25%. This means the fee is embedded in the price you see, rather than added as a separate charge. Compared to CEX.IO (0.25% taker) or Bitvavo (0.25% taker), Bison is more expensive — but for small, infrequent purchases, the difference in euros is modest.
Bison supports SEPA bank transfers from all German banks, free of charge for deposits. Given its institutional backing, SEPA processing is handled reliably and efficiently. SEPA Instant is also supported where your bank offers it. There is no minimum deposit amount, and withdrawals of EUR back to your German bank account are also free. Bison does not currently support crypto deposits from external wallets — you can only buy crypto through the app.
Bison offers staking for Ethereum (ETH), providing passive yield on ETH holdings within the app. Staking rewards are credited to your account automatically. The yield is competitive with industry norms and represents a good option for long-term ETH holders who want their assets to generate returns without complexity.
As part of the Boerse Stuttgart Group, Bison benefits from enterprise-grade security infrastructure. Customer crypto assets are held in insured cold storage. The app supports biometric authentication and PIN protection. Regulatory audits are conducted regularly due to BaFin oversight. For investors whose primary concern is safety of funds rather than maximum coin selection, Bison's institutional backing is a compelling argument.
| Fee Type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Spread (BTC) | ~0.75% | Embedded in buy/sell price for Bitcoin |
| Trading Spread (Altcoins) | 0.75–1.25% | Higher spreads on smaller coins |
| SEPA Deposit | Free | EUR bank transfer, SEPA Instant supported |
| EUR Withdrawal | Free | Withdraw to German bank account at no cost |
| Crypto Withdrawal | Network fee | Available for most coins |
| Staking (ETH) | Free | Staking rewards credited automatically |
Download the Bison app from the App Store or Google Play. Register with your email and complete KYC verification using your German ID. As a regulated German platform, identity verification is required and typically completed in minutes.
Navigate to Wallet → Deposit EUR and send a SEPA transfer from your German bank account. Deposits are free. SEPA Instant is supported for near-instant funding at participating banks.
Browse the 30+ available coins, select your asset, and tap Buy. Enter the EUR amount and confirm. The spread fee (0.75%–1.25%) is included in the quoted price — no separate commission is charged.
Your crypto is held securely by Bison in cold storage. For ETH holders, enable staking in the app for passive rewards. You can also withdraw crypto to an external wallet or sell back to EUR and withdraw to your German bank account at any time.
