As we conclude the decade, we look all the way back to 2011 as well as to the future

Celebrations kick off as we commemorate our 10 years of existence along with a decade of continuous uptime. The anniversary marks our story as one of the earliest companies in the cryptocurrency industry who helped shape the world of decentralized finance as we know it today. Along with our employees, business partners, and above all, you, our customers, we reminisce about the beginnings that seem so distant but whose founding values are still assiduously embedded in the very core of our operations today.

The year was 2011. Two students, Nejc Kodrič and Damijan Merlak, set up a makeshift office in a garage consisting of a desk, two non-identical chairs and a single laptop. From manifesting the first line of code to becoming a global crypto exchange with the longest-running track record under Julian Sawyer’s, Bitstamp’s CEO’s, vision, one single goal remained – enabling freedom of exchange for all through trust. Long-distance running instead of sprinting, becoming a lasting partner to all who wish to dive into the world of crypto instead of making a fast buck. That is the analogy that best describes Bitstamp.

From becoming the first exchange to obtain a payment institution license in Europe, to conducting the first ever financial audit of a crypto firm, we have always taken a different but coordinated approach – quality over quantity. Maintaining a safe environment for each user was paramount. Even if that meant sometimes going the extra mile in terms of self-regulation, considering regulatory obligations were scarce in the early days of crypto. Unhindered by self-imposing pressure of profit, the foundations for the expansion could be set much clearer and with greater care, resulting in a platform that can now, with rock-solid underpinnings, start catering to you to the fullest and adapt to a much wider array of your desires. And the desires are vast, considering we serve more than 4.4 million customers across 195 countries - literally from all over the world.

The milestones we’ve amassed over a decade are aplenty. Here are a few:

• Expanding customer base – By the end of 2011, our customer base consisted of 421 users. Ten years later, we are onboarding more than four times as many clients daily as we had by the end of 2011 combined.
• Going global – In our first month, the customers were from three European countries. We now serve a userbase from 195 countries in the world.
• Supplying asset pairs - From just BTC/USD available in 2011, our offered listing has grown to more than 100 various pairs.
• Welcoming female traders – From the percentage being zero in 2011, our share of females in the retail customer base is on a steep rise, up 24 percent in the last 6 months.
• Serving traders of all sizes - From trades worth just a few dollars to the largest transaction of almost 3.000 BTC, more than $130 million dollars at today’s prices, we serve to any demand.
• The team - Starting with just two eager visionary enthusiasts in 2011, Bitstamp is now firmly held together by more than 350 talented individuals, with more onboarding each passing week. The number is expected to pass 550 by year’s end.

While spreading our services to every nook and cranny of the world and to anyone who thinks of entering crypto, albeit a high-schooler or a financial institution, we’re committed to being here for all. The goal is to keep providing a reliable trading venue while offering unwavering support to the market through all its cycles. We will continue to build the financial infrastructure of tomorrow through transparency and trust, all the while holding ourselves to the highest standards of accountability. The future is bright.

Our firmly rooted gaze towards the future is not only reflected by constant new product launches, but also by recent high-profile hires that will help shape the company’s vision to the fullest in the decades to come. The goals are to maintain the momentum, to build upon our 10 years’ legacy, and to meet and exceed all our customers’ expectations in terms of unquestionable and reciprocal trust, as well as solving their most pressing financial problems by digitally transforming the world of finance.

To celebrate our position as the original and most experienced crypto exchange in the world and our explosive growth in the past year, including the continued global expansion of our services, we are going to share our success with all of you who are the reason for our existence. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you! Starting now and with no intention of stopping until the end of the year!

Maybe we should finish with this: Original since 2011

This webpage has been approved as a financial promotion by Bitstamp UK Limited which is registered with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority. Please read the Risk Warning Statement before investing. Cryptoassets and cryptoasset services are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Your investment may go down as well as up. You may be liable to pay Capital Gains Tax on any profits you earn.