Bitstamp will automatically reject cryptocurrency deposits exceeding €1,000 from third-party self-custody wallets starting August 18, according to a notice reviewed by CryptoSlate. Customers whose deposits are rejected must contact support to arrange return of their funds.
The threshold applies only to transfers from wallets owned by someone other than the Bitstamp account holder. Deposits originating from other cryptocurrency exchanges are reportedly unaffected, as are transfers from a customer’s own self-custody addresses.
The move aligns with EU Regulation 2023/1113, which requires cryptocurrency service providers to assess whether customers own or control self-hosted addresses when transfers exceed €1,000. The regulation permits risk-based responses including requesting information, executing, rejecting, returning, or suspending transfers, but does not mandate automatic rejection of every deposit above the threshold.
Compliance Infrastructure Build
Bitstamp has spent months building the technical infrastructure to enforce the rule. The exchange added a rejection endpoint in March, followed by address-verification and xpub tools in May, and deposit-originator address data in June. These mechanisms allow Bitstamp to verify control of external addresses through ownership-status checks, Satoshi tests, and xpub registration.
The regulation allows receiving crypto-asset service providers discretion in how they respond to transfers above €1,000. Bitstamp’s choice to implement automatic rejection represents one compliance approach, though the regulation does not require it.
Deposit Return Process
Rejected deposits are not automatically returned to the originating address. Instead, customers must initiate contact with Bitstamp support to retrieve their funds. Bitstamp has not publicly disclosed the timeline for processing returns, applicable fees, or how the €1,000 threshold is calculated for multi-part transfers.
Bitstamp has not publicly authenticated the deposit-rejection notice. The rule’s scope regarding affected legal entities, jurisdictions, and account types remains unspecified. The exact time on August 18 when the system will begin rejecting deposits has also not been disclosed.
