Bisq: licences, security, fees and reviews

Decentralized exchange

In short

Legal entity: None; open-source code governed by the Bisq DAO
Fees: Spot maker (Bisq 1, paid in BTC): 0.15% (as of 31 October 2026; wiki page edited 2 October 2026)
Risks and caveats: Peer-to-peer trades can end in mediation or arbitration; a protocol violation can cost part or all of a security deposit.
Checked: 31 October 2026

Visitor ratings: do you like Bisq?

Key facts

Type: Decentralized exchange
Operator: none: open-source peer-to-peer software governed by the Bisq DAO
Official site: bisq.network

Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources and regulator registers.

What is Bisq

Bisq is an open-source, peer-to-peer bitcoin exchange network that runs as desktop software on users' own computers, without registration or KYC. Trades are secured by 2-of-2 multisig escrow and security deposits (Bisq 1) or by seller reputation (Bisq Easy in Bisq 2). There is no operating company: the project is governed by the Bisq DAO.

Good to know

Bisq is not a website or a company: it is software run on users' own hardware, governed by a DAO. ↗
On 1 May 2026 an attacker exploited missing validation checks in the Bisq v1 trade protocol, targeting active altcoin trades; trading was halted by an emergency mechanism. ↗
Victim losses were 11.59104 BTC; Bisq states affected users have been reimbursed, funded by 'Refund Angels'. ↗
Bisq 1 requires both traders to lock a BTC security deposit (15% to 50% of the trade amount), so a buyer needs some bitcoin to start. ↗
Bisq Easy (Bisq 2) has no trade fees and no security deposit, but relies on seller reputation and is meant only for small amounts. ↗
The Bisq wallet is a hot wallet; the project advises against keeping long-term savings in it. ↗
Bisq 2 is a separate application that installs and runs alongside Bisq 1. ↗

Services

Services — Bisq
Parameter	Details
Spot trading	Peer-to-peer BTC trades against national currencies and other cryptocurrencies via desktop software.
Custody / wallet	Non-custodial: trade funds are held in 2-of-2 multisig addresses controlled only by the two traders.
Own token	BSQ, the Bisq DAO token, can be used to pay trading fees at a discount.
Bisq Easy	Bisq 2 trade protocol for novice buyers, launched March 2024.

Security and audits

Non-custodial 2-of-2 multisig escrow; mediators and arbitrators hold no key since Bisq v1.2.
Every Bisq node runs as a Tor hidden service; data is stored locally.
May 2026 protocol exploit: trading halted, version 1.10.0 shipped broad hardening; Bisq says wallet funds were not directly compromised.
Three-tier dispute resolution: trader chat, mediation, arbitration.

Fees

Fees — Bisq
Parameter	Details
Spot maker (Bisq 1, paid in BTC)	0.15% (as of 31 October 2026; wiki page edited 2 October 2026)
Spot taker (Bisq 1, paid in BTC)	1.15% (as of 31 October 2026)
Fees paid in BSQ (Bisq 1)	Targeted at 0.1125% maker and 0.8625% taker; adjusted each DAO cycle (as of 31 October 2026)
Bisq Easy	No trade fees; the seller pays the network fee to send the bitcoin (as of 31 October 2026)
Deposits / withdrawals	No platform deposit or withdrawal; users pay Bitcoin network mining fees.

Who can use it

Verification: No registration or identity verification.

History

History — Bisq
Date	Event
April 2016	The project runs as Bitsquare, 'the decentralized bitcoin exchange', at bitsquare.io.
August 2017	The same site presents the software under the name Bisq.
March 2024	Bisq Easy launches as the first Bisq 2 trade protocol.
1 May 2026	Security incident in the Bisq v1 trade protocol; trading halted.
16 June 2026	Bisq reports that victims of the incident have been reimbursed.
24 October 2026	Bisq v1.10.10 security update released (latest release on GitHub).

Risks and caveats

Peer-to-peer trades can end in mediation or arbitration; a protocol violation can cost part or all of a security deposit.
A protocol exploit on 1 May 2026 caused losses of 11.59104 BTC for a limited number of users (later reimbursed).
Bisq Easy trades rely on seller reputation only; trading with low-reputation sellers carries significant risk.
The built-in wallet is a hot wallet and is not meant for long-term savings.

About the company

Legal entity: None; open-source code governed by the Bisq DAO
Formerly: Bitsquare
Own token: BSQ (Bisq DAO token)

Official links

Website: bisq.network
Fees: bisq.wiki/Trading_fees
Security: bisq.network/blog/security-incident-post-mortem
Blog: bisq.network/blog
Source code: github.com/bisq-network/bisq

Questions and answers

What is Bisq?

Bisq is open-source desktop software for trading bitcoin peer to peer for national currencies or other cryptocurrencies, without registration or KYC. It has no operating company and is governed by the Bisq DAO.

Is Bisq safe?

Bisq never holds user funds: trades use 2-of-2 multisig escrow and security deposits. On 1 May 2026 a protocol exploit caused losses of 11.59104 BTC for some altcoin trades; Bisq says affected users were reimbursed and shipped security fixes.

What are Bisq's fees?

As of 31 October 2026, Bisq 1 charges 0.15% maker and 1.15% taker when fees are paid in BTC, or less when paid in BSQ. Bisq Easy has no trade fees.

Is Bisq regulated?

No licence or regulator is listed: Bisq describes itself as code, not a company, so there is no regulated operator.

Does Bisq require KYC?

No. Bisq requires no registration or identity verification.

Sources

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Page updated: 2026-10-31