BitPay gets EU MiCA authorization from the Netherlands for crypto payments across all 27 member states

BitPay has secured authorization under MiCA (Markets in Crypto-Assets) from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM), giving its European arm, BitPay B.V., permission to operate as a crypto-asset service provider (CASP) across the European Union. For PSPs and high-risk merchants, the important part is simple: one regulated setup now covers payment processing, cross-border transactions, and stablecoin-denominated payments across the bloc.

1. The approval was announced on Thursday, July 16, 2026, and was granted by the AFM in the Netherlands. BitPay’s European subsidiary, BitPay B.V., is now an authorized CASP under MiCA, which is the EU’s single rulebook for crypto-asset firms.
2. With the license, the Atlanta-based company can provide regulated services across all EU member states, including payment processing, cross-border transactions, and stablecoin-denominated payments. It can also let consumers and merchants buy, sell, and swap assets through authorized partners.
3. BitPay framed the approval as part of a broader push to expand its global regulatory footprint. Thom de Jong, the company’s chief compliance officer for Europe, said the authorization validates its “compliance-first approach,” while Jonathan Arler, head of Europe, said Amsterdam-based operations are now positioned to meet demand for digital asset utility in commerce and consumer finance.
4. The company was founded in 2011, has raised more than $70 million from investors including Founders Fund, Index Ventures and Virgin Group, and said it will keep investing in European infrastructure and strategic partnerships. In practice, that means more pressure on competitors to match regulated coverage if they want to serve the same merchant base without running into fragmented national rules.