# BitPay secures EU-wide MiCA license, expands stablecoin payments

**Published:** 2026-07-16T23:49:24.079Z  
**Topic:** Crypto Payments  
**Sentiment:** neutral  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/c75404c2-7e02-4f0f-9632-0a4c7ef19618

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 |

## EU passport replaces fragmented compliance  

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】.  

## Stablecoins as the growth engine  

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】.  

## What to watch  

- **Regulatory extensions** – Monitor whether other EU jurisdictions adopt similar passport‑based approaches, which could broaden the pool of authorised crypto‑payment providers.  
- **Stablecoin transaction volume** – Track the growth of USDC payments through BitPay’s platform as an indicator of market uptake under the new licence.  
- **Further MiCA licences** – Watch for additional firms obtaining Dutch or Irish CASP authorisations, signalling competitive pressure on BitPay’s EU foothold.  

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.

## Sources
1. Crypto Briefing — [BitPay secures Dutch MiCA license, sets sights on stablecoin ...](https://cryptobriefing.com/bitpay-dutch-mica-license-stablecoin-expansion/)
2. Prnewswire — [BitPay Secures MiCA License to Expand Cryptocurrency ...](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitpay-secures-mica-license-to-expand-cryptocurrency--stablecoin-payments-across-the-eu-302827081.html)
3. Pymnts — [BitPay Obtains EU Crypto License Under MiCA Regulations](https://www.pymnts.com/cryptocurrency/2026/bitpay-obtains-eu-crypto-license-under-mica-regulations/)
4. News — [BitPay Wins Dutch MiCA License, Sets Sights on Stablecoin ...](https://news.codegotech.com/bitpay-dutch-mica-license-stablecoin-payments-expansion/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "BitPay secures EU-wide MiCA license, expands stablecoin payments", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/c75404c2-7e02-4f0f-9632-0a4c7ef19618