Is Kraken any less unsafe than any other "regular" way of buying Bitcoins? And generally Kraken vs. Localbitcoins...?

So, where I live, the cheapest Localbitcoins are some 7-15 % above BTC market rate.

A direct SEPA deposit to a Kraken account, however, would carry no extra fees whatsoever - if I haven't misunderstood something, I'd get the Bitcoins at the market rate, no more and no less.

So, two questions here:

a) Is Kraken considered no more unsafe than any other "regular" way of getting Bitcoins (think Circle, Coinbase, et. al.)?

b) If you were in my shoes, would you rather just go the Localbitcoins route, despite the 7-15 % mark-up?


Comments


[1 Points] throwahooawayyfoe:

If you have to buy bitcoins, I would always choose LBC over anything else. You can buy pretty much anonymously with cash so any sort of a paper trail that might be present in bank transfers or credit card use just isn't there.


[1 Points] youtakesally:

Kraken + tumbler = cheaper, faster and easier than LBC


[1 Points] earthmoonsun:

it's an American company, so don't expect too much privacy


[1 Points] karolinabbb:

i believe theres no way of saying for sure that any exchange is safe out there