Bitpay has secured authorization under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, giving its Dutch subsidiary a regulatory base to expand cryptocurrency and stablecoin payment services across the bloc.
Key Takeaways
Bitpay won MiCA approval on July 16, opening regulated payment services across the EU.AFM authorization supports stablecoin and cross-border commerce in 27 EU countries.Bitpay plans further European investment after 15 years in cryptocurrency payments.“Receiving a MiCA authorisation from the AFM is an important milestone for Bitpay and strengthens our ability to serve businesses and consumers with regulated digital asset services across the EU,” said Thom de Jong, Bitpay’s chief compliance officer for Europe.
Stablecoins and Cross-Border CommerceA unified authorization may also reduce some of the regulatory fragmentation confronting companies that want to offer digital asset services in several EU countries. Bitpay can now build its regional payment operations around one regulatory structure while working with merchants, partners, and consumers across multiple markets.
“Europe is one of the most important regions for the future of payments,” said Jonathan Arler, Bitpay’s head of Europe. “From Amsterdam, Bitpay is now positioned to support merchants, partners, and consumers as demand grows for practical ways to accept, move, manage, and spend digital assets.”
Building on a 15-Year Payment RecordBitpay plans to continue investing in European operations, strategic partnerships and regulated payment infrastructure. Its next challenge will be converting the authorization into measurable adoption among merchants and consumers while meeting MiCA’s continuing compliance requirements.
