BitPay secured approval from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets to operate as a crypto-asset service provider, enabling the payments company to offer crypto and stablecoin services across EU member states under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework.
The announcement came on July 16, 2026, days after MiCA compliance became mandatory for all crypto-related service providers across the European Union on July 1. BitPay’s license positions the company to expand payment infrastructure in a region where regulatory clarity has become a prerequisite for operation.
Jonathan Arler, BitPay’s European head, said in a statement: “Europe is one of the most important regions for the future of payments.” The licensing approval reflects BitPay’s commitment to operating within the EU’s newly formalized regulatory environment.
BitPay’s move follows a similar licensing milestone by Ripple, which announced a CASP license with Luxembourg’s financial regulator in the week prior to BitPay’s announcement. Both approvals underscore how major crypto companies are now navigating the post-MiCA landscape, where regulatory authorization has shifted from optional to mandatory.
MiCA, which took effect on July 1, 2026, requires all entities offering crypto-related services in the EU to hold a license from a member state’s financial regulator. The framework covers stablecoin issuance, crypto-asset trading, custodial services, and related activities.
Binance, by contrast, abandoned initial efforts to secure EU regulatory approvals ahead of the July 1 deadline, according to available reporting. BitPay’s approval demonstrates that some platforms have successfully completed the licensing process as the regulatory transition period concluded.
