BitPay Secures Dutch MiCA License, Enables EU-Wide Stablecoin Payment Expansion

Crypto payments firm BitPay has been granted a license by the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to operate as a crypto‑asset service provider under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto‑Assets (MiCA) framework. The approval gives BitPay a “passport” that allows it to offer crypto and stablecoin payment services across all EU member states without needing separate authorisations in each country.

BitPay’s European head, Jonathan Arler, said Europe is a key market for the future of payments. The company plans to use the licence to broaden its stablecoin payment solutions for merchants and consumers throughout the bloc. The licensing follows a July 1 deadline that required crypto‑related service providers to be regulated, and comes after other firms such as Ripple secured similar licences, while some larger exchanges have struggled to obtain approval.

The Dutch licence marks a significant step in BitPay’s strategy to expand its regulated presence in the European digital‑asset ecosystem.