The publicly listed broker plans to launch spot crypto services for local clients in Cyprus in 2026.
XTB secured regulatory approval in Cyprus to offer spot cryptocurrency trading, sidestepping months of political deadlock in its home market over implementing the EU’s digital asset framework.
In the background, there was an open letter to the president, a veto of a bill that runs to more than 300 pages in its Polish version, and an attempt to force it through parliament again in exactly the same form that the head of state had refused to sign.
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) authorized XTB’s local entity to provide spot crypto services under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation Regulation Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Like any other industry with a high net worth, the financial services industry is tightly regulated to help curb illicit behavior and manipulation. Each asset class has its own set of protocols put in place to combat their respective forms of abuse.In the foreign exchange space, regulation is assumed by authorities in multiple jurisdictions, though ultimately lacking a binding international order. Who are the Industry’s Leading Regulators?Regulators such as the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority ( Read this Term. The broker plans to roll out trading to clients in Cyprus first, then expand to other jurisdictions once it clears regulatory hurdles there.
“This step will allow us not only to enhance our offering but also fully test this new feature before the planned rollout to other jurisdictions,” Omar Arnaout, XTB’s CEO, said in a statement.
The Cyprus move comes after XTB’s public push for Poland to adopt MiCA legislation failed. President Karol Nawrocki has not signed a crypto bill that passed parliament, leaving Poland more than 11 months behind other EU members in implementing the bloc’s digital asset rules.
XTB first signaled its spot crypto ambitions in January when it posted a job listing for a “Head of Crypto” to build a digital asset trading platform. Filip Kaczmarzyk, the broker’s head of trading, confirmed to FinanceMagnate.com that spot cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrencies By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw By using cryptography, virtual currencies, known as cryptocurrencies, are nearly counterfeit-proof digital currencies that are built on blockchain technology. Comprised of decentralized networks, blockchain technology is not overseen by a central authority.Therefore, cryptocurrencies function in a decentralized nature which theoretically makes them immune to government interference. The term, cryptocurrency derives from the origin of the encryption techniques that are employed to secure the netw Read this Term were under review, though he noted other products took priority at the time.
The company has offered crypto CFDs since 2018 but wanted to add actual digital assets to compete with platforms already providing spot trading.
Poland’s draft crypto law became a flashpoint between industry players. XTB wrote an open letter to the president in November arguing that the absence of regulation posed bigger risks than any flaws in the proposed legislation. The broker warned that Polish investors were being pushed to offshore platforms outside national supervision.
“Without a local law, Polish investment firms cannot obtain the necessary licenses,” XTB says in a letter signed by two board members, including Jakub Kubacki and Kaczmarzyk.
Critics including Sławomir Mentzen, leader of the opposition Konfederacja party, called Poland’s proposed law “the most unfriendly in Europe.” The bill runs to 334 pages compared to 23 in Austria and 16 in Romania. It hands oversight to the Financial Supervision Authority, or KNF, a regulator Mentzen accused of hostility toward crypto innovation.
The legislation includes a 0.4% tax on gross revenues that industry voices said would burden operators. Mentzen warned the regulator could blacklist companies “without the right to appeal.”
Parliament passed the same bill a second time without changes, creating an unusual political standoff that left no clear path forward for domestic crypto regulation. The question is why the president would sign it now, and why the government is so determined to push it through in its unchanged form.
XTB acknowledged regulatory concerns but insisted that operating without any framework created worse problems. The company said only foreign entities could legally serve Polish customers under current rules, potentially costing the government tax revenue.
The Cyprus authorization lets XTB move forward with spot crypto trading while Poland’s legislative process remains stuck. The broker said it would maintain both CFD and spot crypto products as separate instruments once services launch.
