BitPay secures EU-wide MiCA approval, opens regulated crypto payments across bloc
BitPay has won authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regime, clearing the way for the payments firm to offer regulated digital-asset services across the EU from its Dutch arm.
The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) has granted BitPay B.V. a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) license, allowing the company to “passport” its services into other EU member states under MiCA rules. That approval lets BitPay expand a range of regulated offerings across Europe, including merchant crypto payment acceptance, stablecoin-based transactions, cross-border business payments, and consumer tools for spending and managing digital assets. Partner platforms will also be able to support buying, selling and swapping cryptocurrencies through BitPay’s infrastructure.
“This authorization strengthens our ability to serve businesses and consumers throughout the EU while reinforcing our compliance-focused approach,” said Thom de Jong, BitPay’s Chief Compliance Officer Europe. He added that MiCA provides a common regulatory framework for responsible digital asset innovation across the region. Jonathan Arler, Head of Europe at BitPay, said the Amsterdam base positions the company to support growing demand for practical ways to accept, move, manage and spend digital assets.
What the MiCA approval enables
- EU-wide passporting via the AFM license
- Regulated crypto payment acceptance for merchants
- Stablecoin and cross-border payment solutions for businesses
- Consumer tools for managing and spending digital assets
- Support for buy/sell/swap through partner platforms
BitPay’s move comes as firms raced to secure MiCA authorization ahead of the EU’s July 1 deadline that required CASPs to operate under the new framework. Several notable companies have since secured European bases: Ripple obtained full CASP authorization from Luxembourg’s regulator after preliminary approval in June, while Coinbase chose Luxembourg for its European regulatory hub, gaining passporting rights across the 27 EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
Not all firms completed the process: Binance reportedly withdrew a Greek license application and scaled back services in several European markets after the transition period ended. Regulators have warned that the migration of customers toward licensed platforms creates fresh compliance demands. Bruna Szego, chair of the EU Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA), has stressed the need for firms onboarding large numbers of new users to keep robust anti-money laundering controls in place.
BitPay — founded in 2011 — said the AFM authorization expands its European and global regulatory footprint, supplementing existing money-transmitter licenses and other approvals. The company plans further investment in regional infrastructure and partnerships to grow regulated crypto-payment services as stablecoin transactions, consumer finance applications and cross-border settlement gain traction across Europe.
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