EU REGULATION · MiCA 2026
MiCA licensed crypto exchanges
Only exchanges authorised as Crypto-Asset Service Providers (CASP) under the EU MiCA regulation may legally onboard clients across the European Economic Area. This ranking shows the platforms from our Top 100 that hold such a licence, with the exact EU entity and supervising regulator behind it.
Licensed exchanges
14
National regulators
6
Combined 24h volume
$74.4B
Share of our Top 100
14%
Ranking of MiCA licensed exchanges
KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH
FMA · Austria · Licence since: 2026-01
Score 9 · $7.3B · 1,250 Pairs
Foris DAX MT Limited
MFSA · Malta · Licence since: 2025-01
Score 8.9 · $2.6B · 460 Pairs
Coinbase Luxembourg S.A.
CSSF · Luxembourg · Licence since: 2025-06
Score 8.7 · $4.2B · 520 Pairs
Gate Technology Limited
MFSA · Malta · Licence since: 2025-07
Score 8.6 · $6.8B · 3,400 Pairs
Payward Europe Solutions Limited
Central Bank of Ireland · Ireland · Licence since: 2025-06
Score 8.4 · $2.8B · 780 Pairs
Bitstamp Europe S.A.
CSSF · Luxembourg · Licence since: 2025-03
Score 8 · $520M · 180 Pairs
WB-Shields Innovations GmbH
FMA · Austria · Licence since: 2025-09
Score 7.6 · $1.6B · 420 Pairs
Gemini Intergalactic EU Ltd
MFSA · Malta · Licence since: 2025-05
Score 7.4 · $160M · 190 Pairs
"Trek Technologies" SIA
Latvijas Banka · Latvia · Licence since: 2026-03
Score 7.4 · $890M · 210 Pairs
bitFlyer EUROPE S.A.
CSSF · Luxembourg · Licence since: 2025-10
Score 7.2 · $210M · 40 Pairs
Licence data checked against the public ESMA CASP register. A licence belongs to a specific EU legal entity, not to a global brand — always sign up through the EU entity listed here. (September 6, 2026)
What is a MiCA licence?
MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets, Regulation EU 2023/1114) is the single European rulebook for crypto. Since 30 December 2024 any company that runs a trading platform, exchanges crypto for cash or holds client crypto in the EU needs a CASP authorisation from a national regulator such as Malta's MFSA, Austria's FMA, Luxembourg's CSSF, the Dutch AFM or the Central Bank of Ireland. One licence passports across all 30 EEA countries.
What the licence gives you as a user
Segregated client assets
Licensed platforms must keep customer crypto and cash separate from company funds and describe custody arrangements in writing.
Capital and governance rules
CASPs hold minimum own funds, run compliance and risk functions and have fit-and-proper management supervised by a national authority.
Clear complaint path
You complain to the exchange first, then escalate to the regulator of the member state that issued the licence — a route that simply does not exist offshore.
Honest marketing and disclosures
Fees, risks and conflicts of interest must be disclosed fairly; misleading promotions and unbacked yield claims are prohibited.
How to verify an exchange yourself
Find the EU entity
Scroll to the footer of the exchange and look for a European company name such as OKX Europe Limited or Bybit EU GmbH.
Search the ESMA register
ESMA publishes the full list of authorised CASPs. Search by legal entity name, not by brand — the brand is often not registered.
Check your country
Passporting is a notification, so confirm the provider has notified your member state as a market it serves.
Use the EU domain
Licensed operations often run on a separate domain or a dedicated EU sign-up flow. Only that entity is covered by the licence.
Big exchanges without a MiCA licence
These platforms appear in our global Top 100 but are not in the ESMA CASP register today. Some are mid-application, some reach EU users through partners, and some have withdrawn from the EU entirely. Missing from the register is not proof of wrongdoing, but it does mean they may not onboard new EU clients in their own name.
MiCA — frequently asked questions
Information only, not investment advice. Licence data comes from the public ESMA CASP register and may change; always confirm the current status before depositing funds.