Under the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), an exchange must hold a Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation to serve EU clients, and one member state's licence passports across the whole EU/EEA. As of July 2026, the major exchanges with a confirmed full CASP authorisation are Coinbase (Luxembourg, CSSF), Kraken (Ireland, Central Bank of Ireland), OKX and Crypto.com (Malta, MFSA), Bitstamp (Luxembourg, CSSF), and Bitpanda and Bybit (Austria, FMA). Two hold a licence but are not cleanly serving EU retail: KuCoin has an Austrian authorisation but its regulator says it may not yet begin operations, and Gemini holds a Maltese licence but wound down EU retail in April 2026. Binance is not authorised — it withdrew its EU application in June 2026 and halted EU services on 1 July 2026, when the MiCA transitional period ended. Always confirm the current status on the ESMA register — this is information, not financial advice.
EU MiCA CASP status by exchange — the Exchange Atlas regulatory matrix
This is the neutral, primary-source matrix the big comparison sites leave out: which major cryptocurrency exchanges hold a confirmed EU MiCA Crypto-Asset Service Provider (CASP) authorisation, where, and how to verify it yourself. A CASP licence from one EU/EEA member state passports across all 27 EU states plus the EEA. "Verified" means a full CASP authorisation confirmed against the ESMA register and the issuing national authority; "restricted" means the exchange holds a CASP authorisation but is not cleanly serving EU retail clients right now (an operating restriction or a voluntary EU wind-down); "not authorised" means no full CASP authorisation is on the register. The EU-wide MiCA transitional period ended on 1 July 2026 — from that date, serving EU clients without a CASP authorisation is a breach of EU law. Authorisations change weekly; always confirm the live entry before relying on it.
Status as of 8 July 2026, one week after the 1 July 2026 end of the MiCA transitional period. Source basis: the ESMA interim MiCA register and the issuing national competent authority (CSSF Luxembourg, MFSA Malta, Central Bank of Ireland, FMA Austria). Verify the current entry before relying on it.
| Exchange | Founded | EU MiCA CASP | Where authorised | Structure | Verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase | 2012 | Verified | Luxembourg (CSSF), Jun 2025 | US-listed (Nasdaq: COIN) | Register |
| Kraken | 2011 | Verified | Ireland (Central Bank of Ireland), Jun 2025 | Payward Europe Solutions Ltd | Register |
| OKX | 2017 | Verified | Malta (MFSA), Jan 2025 | OKX Europe Ltd | Register |
| Crypto.com | 2016 | Verified | Malta (MFSA), Jan 2025 | Foris DAX MT Ltd | Register |
| Bitstamp | 2011 | Verified | Luxembourg (CSSF), May 2025 | Bitstamp Europe S.A. (oldest exchange) | Register |
| Bitpanda | 2014 | Verified | Austria (FMA), Apr 2025 | Bitpanda GmbH (Austria-based) | Register |
| Bybit | 2018 | Verified | Austria (FMA), May 2025 | Bybit EU GmbH (derivatives-heavy) | Register |
| KuCoin | 2017 | Restricted | Austria (FMA) Nov 2025 — operations prohibited | KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH; not yet trading in EU | Register |
| Gemini | 2014 | Restricted | Malta (MFSA) Aug 2025 — EU retail wound down | US-based; closed EU retail Apr 2026 | Register |
| Binance | 2017 | Not authorised | Application withdrawn Jun 2026; not on register | Largest by volume; halted EU services 1 Jul 2026 | Register |
The MiCA transitional period ended EU-wide on 1 July 2026 with no extension. Around 200+ entities are now authorised across all CASP service categories on the ESMA register (a fast-churning figure — check ESMA's weekly CSV for the current count rather than relying on a fixed number). Two nuances the listicles miss: KuCoin holds an Austrian CASP authorisation but its FMA notice states 'commencement of business operations remains prohibited', so it is not yet trading in the EU; and Gemini holds a Maltese CASP licence but reportedly wound down EU retail in April 2026. Binance withdrew its Greek CASP application in June 2026 and halted EU services on 1 July 2026 — withdrawals remained open. A CASP authorisation is a consumer-protection signal, not a guarantee, and it does not exempt an exchange from each country's national advertising rules. This is information, not financial advice.
What MiCA authorisation actually means
MiCA entered into application on 30 December 2024, and the EU-wide transitional 'grandfathering' period ended on 1 July 2026 with no extension. From that date, providing crypto-asset services to EU clients without a CASP authorisation is a breach of EU law. A CASP licence granted by one EU/EEA member state passports across all 27 EU states plus the EEA, which is why an exchange may be authorised 'via Malta' or 'via Austria' yet legally serve clients across the whole bloc.
A CASP authorisation is a meaningful consumer-protection signal — it brings capital, custody, conduct and disclosure obligations — but it is not a guarantee against loss, and it does not exempt an exchange from each country's national advertising rules. That is why crypto promotion across the EU remains restricted rather than free, even for a fully licensed exchange. Around 200-plus entities are now authorised across all CASP service categories on the ESMA register; because that count churns weekly, check ESMA's own file for the current number rather than trusting a fixed figure in any article.
What changed at the 1 July 2026 deadline
The headline event this cycle is Binance. It applied for a CASP authorisation through a Greek entity, withdrew that application in June 2026 after signals it would be rejected, and from 1 July 2026 halted new sign-ups, new spot, margin and futures orders, deposits and staking for EU users — leaving withdrawals open. Binance holds no CASP authorisation and is not on the ESMA register; it has said it intends to re-apply. If you are an EU user, treat any offer of full Binance services as something to verify against the register first.
Two exchanges are a licence-but-not-open story. KuCoin's EU entity received an Austrian FMA authorisation in November 2025, but the FMA's own notice states that 'commencement of business operations remains prohibited' — so a licence exists on paper while EU trading has not cleanly started. Gemini holds a Maltese MFSA licence granted in 2025 but is reported to have wound down EU/EEA retail in April 2026. Both are why a simple 'licensed / not licensed' badge is misleading; our matrix marks them 'restricted' rather than green.
How to verify a CASP authorisation yourself
Treat any 'MiCA-compliant' marketing claim as unverified until you find the entry. The authoritative source is the ESMA interim MiCA register, published as downloadable files (authorised CASPs, plus a separate list of non-compliant entities) supplied by national competent authorities and refreshed at weekly intervals as ESMA integrates it into its IT systems through mid-2026. Cross-check the exchange's legal entity name — not just its brand — because a group may operate several entities, and only the authorised one carries the licence.
Then confirm with the issuing national authority: the MFSA in Malta, the CSSF in Luxembourg, the Central Bank of Ireland, or the FMA in Austria. A passported CASP licence is EU-wide, but the authorisation is held by a specific entity in a specific member state, and — as KuCoin shows — a national regulator can attach conditions that limit what the entity may actually do. If you cannot find the entity on the ESMA register or the national authority's list, do not rely on a marketing claim alone.
Authorised, restricted, or not on the register
The matrix above groups the ten major exchanges we track by their current EU MiCA standing. Authorisations and operating conditions change — treat this as a sourced July 2026 snapshot to verify, not a static fact, and always check the live ESMA register entry yourself before you deposit.
- Authorised and operating: Coinbase (Luxembourg, CSSF), Kraken (Ireland, Central Bank of Ireland), OKX and Crypto.com (Malta, MFSA), Bitstamp (Luxembourg, CSSF), Bitpanda and Bybit (Austria, FMA).
- Licensed but restricted: KuCoin (Austria/FMA authorisation, but operations not yet permitted) and Gemini (Malta/MFSA licence, EU retail reportedly wound down April 2026).
- Not authorised: Binance (application withdrawn June 2026; EU services halted 1 July 2026; not on the ESMA register).
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a crypto exchange is MiCA-licensed?
Check the ESMA interim register of authorised CASPs and the national regulator (for example the MFSA in Malta, the CSSF in Luxembourg, the Central Bank of Ireland or the FMA in Austria) for the exchange's legal entity name. A CASP authorisation from any one EU/EEA member state passports across the bloc. Treat a marketing claim of being 'MiCA-compliant' as unverified until you find the entry — and note that a licence can carry operating conditions, as with KuCoin. This is information, not financial advice.
Which crypto exchanges are MiCA-licensed in 2026?
As of July 2026, Coinbase (Luxembourg), Kraken (Ireland), OKX and Crypto.com (Malta), Bitstamp (Luxembourg), and Bitpanda and Bybit (Austria) hold confirmed full EU MiCA CASP authorisation, checkable on the ESMA register. KuCoin holds an Austrian licence but is not yet permitted to operate, and Gemini holds a Maltese licence but reportedly exited EU retail in April 2026. Binance is not authorised. Authorisations change — verify the live ESMA entry before relying on it.
Is Binance MiCA-licensed in the EU?
No. As of July 2026 Binance holds no EU MiCA CASP authorisation and is not on the ESMA register. It withdrew its Greek CASP application in June 2026 and halted EU services (new orders, deposits and staking) on 1 July 2026, leaving withdrawals open, and has said it intends to re-apply. Check the current ESMA register for the latest position before relying on any offer of Binance services in the EU.
Is Bybit MiCA-licensed in the EU?
Yes. Bybit's EU entity holds a MiCA CASP authorisation granted by Austria's Financial Market Authority (FMA) in 2025, which passports across the EU/EEA. That is a change from earlier in 2026, when Bybit's status was still unconfirmed. As always, verify the current entry on the ESMA register before relying on it. This is information, not financial advice.
Sources & further reading
An independent publisher mapping the regulation of cryptocurrency exchanges. Our editorial desk verifies every licence and availability claim against primary sources — the ESMA MiCA register, the FCA register, ASIC, MAS, VARA and each exchange's own terms — and never accepts payment for a better assessment or placement. We publish information only; nothing here is financial advice.