Overview
- BitPay’s Dutch unit received MiCA crypto-asset service provider authorization from the AFM on July 16, 2026, enabling the company to operate across EU member states from a single regulatory base.
- The authorization lets BitPay offer payment processing, cross-border transfers and consumer-facing crypto services and the company has said it will prioritize stablecoin payments with USDC as its main option.
- ESMA’s weekly update on July 16 added 14 firms, including Ripple Payments Europe, bringing the central MiCA register to 294 listed CASPs and showing continued licensing activity after the July 1 transition deadline.
- The Netherlands has emerged as a favored jurisdiction for MiCA approvals and BitPay’s license replaces its prior Dutch Central Bank AML supervision with a harmonized EU framework and an Amsterdam regulatory home.
- EU anti-money-laundering authorities have warned that customer migration from de‑authorised platforms could strain onboarding systems and compliance controls, raising operational risks for licensed providers as volumes shift to them.