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BitPay obtains Dutch MiCA authorization on July 16 2026, granting EU passport for crypto payments and stablecoin services, a key step for regulated
BitPay’s European subsidiary, BitPay B.V., was granted a crypto‑asset service provider (CASP) licence by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) on July 16 2026, giving the firm a single regulatory home to offer payment processing, cross‑border transfers and stablecoin‑denominated services across all 27 EU member states【1】.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Licence date | July 16 2026 |
| Regulator | Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) |
| Scope | EU‑wide passport for payment processing, cross‑border transfers, stablecoin payments |
| Immediate focus | Expansion of USDC stablecoin transactions |
Before MiCA, crypto firms needed separate licences in each EU country, creating a patchwork of rules that slowed market growth. The AFM licence designates BitPay B.V. as an authorized CASP, allowing the company to operate under a unified EU framework rather than navigating individual national regimes【1】. This “passport” model mirrors the approach taken by other firms such as MoonPay, which also secured Dutch CASP licences in 2025‑2026【1】.
BitPay’s chief compliance officer for Europe, Thom de Jong, said the authorisation “significantly strengthens the company’s capacity to serve both businesses and consumers with compliant digital asset services throughout the EU”【1】. The licence builds on BitPay’s prior supervision by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB) under anti‑money‑laundering rules, upgrading its compliance posture to meet the full MiCA requirements【1】.
The company highlighted stablecoins—specifically USDC—as the primary target of its post‑licence expansion. Stablecoin transactions already represent a “substantial and growing share” of BitPay’s payment volume, and the EU licence enables the firm to scale these services without additional national filings【1】. By offering regulated stablecoin payments, BitPay aims to address merchant hesitancy that stemmed from regulatory uncertainty, providing a compliant counter‑party for businesses seeking to accept crypto‑linked payments【1】.
BitPay’s EU‑wide MiCA licence marks a concrete step toward normalising crypto payments in Europe, turning a fragmented regulatory landscape into a single, compliant framework that could accelerate stablecoin adoption across the bloc. The next phase will reveal whether the licence translates into measurable market share gains for the payment processor.
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AI-assisted synthesis by the TrendWatcher Editorial Desk · sourced from 4 outlets · Jul 16, 2026 · How we report
Crypto payments function through payment gateways that integrate with a merchant's website or point-of-sale system to process digital asset transactions. These gateways allow businesses to receive funds in various cryptocurrencies, monitor transaction performance via dashboards, and utilize APIs to customize the payment experience.
Crypto payments are generally irreversible due to the nature of blockchain technology. Because transactions cannot be reversed, businesses must manually resend tokens to a recipient's wallet if a refund is required.
Risks associated with crypto payments include market volatility, regulatory uncertainty, and concerns regarding safety and reliability. As of October 2024, 63% of U.S. adults reported having little to no confidence in the reliability and safety of current methods for using or trading cryptocurrencies.