BitPay Gets Dutch MiCA License for EU Stablecoin Payments

BitPay, a major cryptocurrency payment processor, has secured a key regulatory license from Dutch authorities, granting it permission to operate across the entire European Union under the bloc's new harmonized digital asset rules. The Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets authorized BitPay B.V. as a crypto-asset service provider on July 16, 2026, under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.

The authorization allows the Atlanta-based company to offer regulated services including payment processing, cross-border transfers, and consumer-facing tools for buying, selling, and managing digital assets throughout all 27 EU member states. Previously, the company operated under Dutch anti-money laundering supervision, but the MiCA license replaces a patchwork of national rules with a single, unified regulatory structure for the region.

Company executives framed the approval as a critical milestone for its European expansion. Thom de Jong, BitPay's chief compliance officer for Europe, stated that receiving the authorization strengthens the company's ability to serve businesses and consumers with regulated digital asset services across the EU. He described MiCA as providing...