BitGo supports both crypto-native and traditional finance firms.
Major provider of digital asset infrastructure BitGo has been granted a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) license by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). The approval allows BitGo to grow its regulated crypto offering throughout the 27 member states of the European Union, which is a key step in the firm’s European growth.
The licence went to BitGo Europe GmbH, the company’s European division, founded back in 2023 and based in Frankfurt. BitGo Europe has already been registered in several countries in the EU such as Italy, Spain, and Poland, as well as Greece, and is well placed to serve many clients in the region.
Managing Director Harald Patt of BitGo Europe GmbH brought attention to the fact that the company’s activities must comply with regulators’ laws. “We put meeting the most stringent regulatory standard as a leading player in digital asset infrastructure first. This BaFin MiCA license enhances our footprint in the EU to push on the innovation and trust in the crypto space and to back up Europe’s increased adoption of digital assets,” Patt said.
MiCA Framework Drives Crypto Growth in EU.
MiCA regulation, applied throughout the EU since December 2024, creates a single legal context for crypto assets, including stablecoins, exchanges, and custodial services. In the realm of digital assets, it aspires to foster innovation while simultaneously enhancing safeguards for consumers, openness, and market integrity.
BitGo approval by the MiCA makes it among the first crypto custody providers in the U.S to get such recognition in the EU. This milestone allows the company to provide its institutional-grade services to crypto-native companies and regular traditional financial institutions such as banks and asset managers in need of secure and compliant digital asset solutions.
MiCA’s clear and harmonized regulatory approach has made the EU a primary crypto innovation hub, primarily due to the latter. Since its introduction, the region has witnessed a boom in regulatory approvals and improvements in such fields as staking and stablecoins, luring more institutions.
BitGo is in a good position to exploit this trend. The firm offers custody, trading, financing, establishment, wallet staking, and other services via regulated cold storage. Over a decade in operation, BitGo processes a significant share of Bitcoin network transactions and is known as the largest independent digital asset custodian in the world.
BitGo’s Strategic Expansion in Europe
BitGo’s European adventure started with the foundation of BitGo Europe GmbH in 2023, which was then followed by a strategic emphasis on compliance with regulations and market growth. The BaFin licence will take advantage of the existing registrations of the company in different EU jurisdictions and allow it to operate under one set of rules in the entire bloc.
This approval is consistent with BitGo’s wider ambitions to help meet the increasing need for crypto infrastructure that is secure and compliant in Europe. The company wants to cater to a wide range of clients, from crypto-native platforms to conventional financial outfits interested in entering the digital space.
The EU licence is also different from BitGo’s regulatory history in the U.S. where it struggled with Securities and Exchange Commission in 2020 before getting the greenlight in New York and hitting a $1.75 billion valuation in 2023. Providing a less cumbersome regulatory environment, the EU’s MiCA framework is one that BitGo has benefited from to grow its business.