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Dutch Regulator Awards EU MiCA License to 4 Companies
The European Union set a deadline for its 27 member states to implement bespoke rules for crypto by December 30.
Updated Jan 6, 2025, 12:23 p.m. Published Jan 6, 2025, 12:12 p.m.
What to know:
- MoonPay, BitStaete, FinTech ZBD and Hidden Road attained a coveted Markets in Crypto Assets license from The Netherlands.
- The Crypto Asset Service Providers License allows crypto companies to operate across the European Union.
Four digital assets companies have just secured Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) licenses in the Netherlands, letting them operate across the entire 27-nation European Union.
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Crypto platform MoonPay, digital asset management company BitStaete, bitcoin lightning FinTech ZBD and prime brokerage and clearing company Hidden Road attained the much desired crypto asset service providers license from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), a filing from Dec. 30 showed.
MiCA is a bespoke rulebook for crypto companies that requires firms to receive a Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license from one member state which then enables them to operate across the entire European Union.
The European Union set a Dec. 30 deadline for its member states to implement MiCA, though not all countries have managed to.
“MiCA represents a pivotal moment for the European digital asset industry, and we’re proud to have worked collaboratively with the Dutch AFM to be among the first to embrace this new regulatory framework,” said Ivan Soto-Wright, CEO and co-founder of MoonPay, in a statement.
Fan engagement platform Socios.com secured authorization from the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), it said in a statement on Monday. The approval is for a class 3 Virtual Financial Assets Act (VFAA) license that will enable it to operate as a regulated Virtual Financial Asset service provider.
Meanwhile, the U.K., which is closely following after the EU in its approach to crypto, added crypto trading firm GSR Markets to its crypto register at the end of 2024.
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KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
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Iran accepts cryptocurrency as payment for advanced weapons
Prospective customers could purchase weapons such as missiles, tanks and drones using crypto, according to a government website.
What to know:
- Iran's Ministry of Defence Export Center is accepting cryptocurrency payments for advanced weapons systems as a means of bypassing international sanctions that the country faces.
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