Bitstamp bags CASP license in Luxembourg for full MiCA rollout

Bitstamp has locked in its MiCA license, making it one of the first exchanges cleared to operate across Europe’s new crypto framework.

Cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp got approved for a crypto asset service provider license under the E.U.’s new MiCA rules, with Luxembourg’s license, giving the official green light for the exchange to expand its crypto services across Europe.

The license, granted by Luxembourg’s financial regulator the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier, allows Bitstamp to offer trading, custody, and order execution services for crypto across the European Economic Area, the exchange announced in a blog post.

Bitstamp says the license approval follows recent updates it made to its stablecoin offerings to meet MiCA guidelines, though didn’t share details about the changes.

The approval also enables Bitstamp to use the European Passport system to expand its services throughout the E.U. The company added it will continue to pursue new licenses in “key jurisdictions” and grow its product offerings for both retail and institutional investors.

The license comes less than a year after Bitstamp secured approval to operate a multilateral trading facility under the E.U.’s MiFID framework. The MiFID regulation, which governs traditional financial markets across the E.U., encompasses stocks, securities, and derivatives, applying to various trading platforms, investment managers, and banks.