Tanzeel Akhtar has been reporting on cryptocurrency and blockchain technology since 2015. Her work has appeared in leading publications including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, CoinDesk, Bitcoin…
KuCoin has secured a major regulatory victory in Europe with its announcement that KuCoin EU Exchange GmbH (KuCoin EU) has obtained a Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCAR) license in Austria.
The approval allows KuCoin EU to provide fully compliant digital asset services across 29 countries in the European Economic Area (EEA), excluding Malta.
MiCAR is recognized for its rigorous standards and harmonized rules, designed to enhance investor protection, platform transparency, and market stability. By achieving full authorization through its Austrian entity, KuCoin demonstrates its commitment to operating responsibly within trusted regulatory regimes.
The MiCAR license follows a series of recent compliance milestones, including KuCoin’s securing of AUSTRAC Digital Currency Exchange Registration in Australia in November, alongside ongoing upgrades to its global compliance infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions.
With this new approval, KuCoin EU said it is positioned to roll out secure, transparent, and compliant digital asset services to millions of European users under a unified regulatory framework — an offering that many exchanges have yet to achieve.
Leaders Point Out MiCAR as a Defining Moment for KuCoin
BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin, called the approval a major achievement for the company’s long-term Trust and Compliance strategy. “Securing the MiCAR license with our local entity in Austria is a defining milestone,” Wong said. “Europe’s MiCAR framework represents one of the highest regulatory standards worldwide, and we are proud to meet this benchmark.”
As part of our $2B Trust Project, KuCoin will continue building transparent, credible, and security-driven Web3 infrastructure that strengthens user trust and supports responsible industry growth.”
KuCoin stated that its regulatory progress is supported by a robust trust architecture, including SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, ISO 27701, and CCSS certifications, as well as independent Proof-of-Reserves audits — all of which reinforce its “Trust First. Trade Next.” philosophy.
New EU Platform Coming Soon as Users Transition
With MiCAR authorization secured, KuCoin EU is preparing to launch a fully compliant European platform. Users across the EEA, except for Malta, will soon receive early-access updates and onboarding information. Moving forward, new user registrations will no longer be supported through KuCoin Global.
The MiCAR license marks not just a new chapter for KuCoin in Europe, but also a broader shift toward a safer, more transparent, and more regulated digital asset ecosystem worldwide.
Bybit Secures Austria’s MiCA License
Earlier this year, Bybit, the world’s second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume, officially planted its flag in Europe. The company has also received a MiCAR license from Austria’s Financial Market Authority, as stated in a May 29 news release.
