Bitvavo Secures MiCA License to Expand Crypto Services Across Europe

Dutch crypto exchange Bitvavo has received a Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) license from the Netherlands' financial regulator, the AFM, allowing it to operate across all 30 European Economic Area (EEA) countries. This license, introduced under the EU’s MiCA regulatory framework, enables compliant exchanges to offer crypto services under a unified set of rules across the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.

The MiCA regulation, effective since December 2023, aims to standardize oversight of the cryptocurrency market across the European Union. Since its implementation, crypto firms have raced to secure regulatory approval, with several major exchanges now licensed across different EU jurisdictions. Bitvavo joins a growing list of exchanges meeting MiCA compliance, including Coinbase (licensed in Luxembourg), Kraken (Ireland), OKX, Crypto.com, and Bitpanda (Malta), and Bybit (Austria). The Netherlands granted licenses to four exchanges in December, shortly after the MiCA framework took effect.

Bitvavo is already the global leader in euro-denominated spot crypto trading. Before acquiring its MiCA license, the exchange had secured regulatory registrations in France, Austria, Italy, and Spain, in addition to the Netherlands.

Mark Nuvelstijn, Bitvavo’s CEO and co-founder, called the license a major milestone. “This license provides clarity, confidence, and enables Bitvavo to fulfill its ambition: to become the leading digital asset trading platform in Europe,” he said.

With regulatory approval across the EEA, Bitvavo is now positioned to expand its services and compete with major global exchanges under Europe’s unified crypto regulatory landscape.