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Bitvavo Secures a MiCA License From the Netherlands

The company joins Kraken, Coinbase and Bybit who have also received MiCA licenses to operate in Europe.

Amsterdam buildings (Unsplash/  Azhar J)
Amsterdam (Unsplash/Azhar J)

What to know:

  • Bitvavo received a Markets in Crypto Assets License from the Netherlands regulator the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM).
  • The company can now operate across the 30 nations in the European Economic Area.

Bitvavo is the latest crypto exchange to receive a Markets in Crypto Assets License from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) to operate across the 30 nations in the European Economic Area.

Crypto companies have been applying for the licenses since the regulatory regime came into force in December last year. MiCA, which came into force in 2023 harmonizes rules across the European Union's bloc of 27 nations plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

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The Netherlands also awarded licenses to four exchanges in December last year, as the rules took effect. Other exchanges like OKX, Crypto.com and Bitpanda secured a MiCA license from Malta. Kraken was awarded a license on Thursday from Ireland, Coinbase was awarded a MiCA license from Luxembourg in June and Bybit was awarded an EU license from Austria in May.

"This license provides clarity, confidence and enables Bitvavo to fulfil its ambition: to become the leading digital asset trading platform in Europe," said Mark Nuvelstijn, CEO and co-founder of Bitvavo, in a statement.

Bitvavo, which is the largest player globally in the EUR spot market, already held registrations in France, Austria, Italy and Spain, in addition to the Netherlands, the company's release said.

Camomile Shumba

Camomile Shumba is a CoinDesk regulatory reporter based in the UK. Previously, Shumba interned at Business Insider and Bloomberg. Camomile has featured in Harpers Bazaar, Red, the BBC, Black Ballad, Journalism.co.uk, Cryptopolitan.com and South West Londoner.

Shumba studied politics, philosophy and economics as a combined degree at the University of East Anglia before doing a postgraduate degree in multimedia journalism. While she did her undergraduate degree she had an award-winning radio show on making a difference. She does not currently hold value in any digital currencies or projects.

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