BitBay

BitBay Exchange

BitBay, kicking off in 2014, is a centralized crypto exchange originally based in Katowice, Poland, but now operating out of Estonia under BB Trade Estonia OÜ. It rebranded to Zondacrypto in recent years, aiming to be a major player in Europe with over 1 million users. It focuses on serving European traders, especially Polish users, with fiat trading in PLN, EUR, and GBP, alongside 50+ coins like BTC, ETH, and USDT. As of late 2024, its 24-hour trading volume is around $10M, showing it’s active but not a top-tier exchange globally.

What’s Notable About BitBay

BitBay (now Zondacrypto) lets you trade over 50 coins and tokens with fiat pairs (PLN, EUR, GBP) and stablecoins (USDT, USDC), plus BTC and ETH markets, making it a decent fiat on/off-ramp for Europeans. Fees are tiered—starting at 0.17%–0.3% for makers and 0.25%–0.43% for takers on fiat-to-crypto trades, but crypto-to-crypto is cheaper at 0% maker and 0.1% taker. It’s regulated by the Estonian Financial Intelligence Unit, with strict AML/KYC rules, and offers a simple web platform with TradingView charts, though it lacks advanced tools. You can also use their mobile app via TabTrader, a third-party trading terminal, since they don’t have a dedicated app. Extra features include Zondacrypto FIAT Exchange and Zondacrypto Pay for broader crypto use.

Things to Be Aware Of

Despite its Estonian license, some users on Trustpilot and Reddit have raised red flags—complaints about delayed withdrawals (one user waited 11 days for a EUR withdrawal in 2021), poor support response, and even scam accusations tied to fake apps mimicking BitBay (like birbayap.vip in 2024). The platform’s focus on Europe means it might not suit non-European users, especially with its fiat-centric approach. Security seems solid with 2FA, cold storage, and manual transaction approvals, but the lack of advanced trading tools and a modest $10M daily volume suggest limited liquidity for smaller coins. Also, the rebranding to Zondacrypto might confuse users, and its site reflects the new identity, but older BitBay links may still float around.

BitBay (Zondacrypto) is a practical choice for European traders, especially in Poland, needing fiat-crypto trades with decent security, but its user complaints and regional focus might push others toward bigger platforms like Binance.