Digital Asset Firms Secure MiCA Licenses, Expanding Operations Across the EU

Four digital asset companies have recently obtained Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) licenses in the Netherlands, granting them the ability to operate across all 27 EU member states.

The licenses were issued by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) on December 30, signaling a significant step in implementing the EU’s MiCA regulatory framework.

The companies include MoonPay, a crypto payment platform; BitStaete, a digital asset management firm; ZBD, specializing in Bitcoin Lightning FinTech solutions; and Hidden Road, a prime brokerage and clearing firm. These approvals position them at the forefront of compliance under MiCA, which requires crypto companies to secure a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license from a single EU country to operate across the entire region.

MoonPay’s CEO, Ivan Soto-Wright, emphasized the importance of this regulatory milestone, calling it a transformative moment for the European digital asset space. He expressed pride in being among the first to adopt MiCA through collaboration with Dutch authorities.

Elsewhere in Europe, Socios.com, a fan engagement platform, received a class 3 Virtual Financial Assets Act (VFAA) license from the Malta Financial Services Authority. This allows the company to function as a regulated Virtual Financial Asset service provider, further expanding its reach in the European market.