Europe is quickly becoming the new battleground for crypto innovation — and two major exchanges are leading the charge.
This week, crypto exchanges Bybit and OKX officially launched fully regulated platforms in Europe, aligning their operations with the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) framework. Their expansion reflects growing confidence in Europe’s unified approach to crypto regulation and marks a big step forward for user safety and cross-border trading accessibility within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Bybit Launches MiCA-Compliant Exchange in the EEA
Bybit.eu is now live and licensed under MiCA, giving the platform a green light to operate across 29 EEA countries. Headquartered in Austria, the new platform supports multiple languages including English, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish, with German, French, Italian, and Romanian support on the way.
Unlike many unregulated platforms, Bybit’s new exchange is designed with EU retail and institutional users in mind. It offers aggregated liquidity, advanced trading tools, and a strong focus on transparency — all essential under MiCA’s strict compliance guidelines.
OKX Goes Live in France Under MiCA Passporting
Meanwhile, OKX has launched its fully compliant crypto exchange in France, one of Europe’s fastest-growing crypto hubs. Through MiCA passporting, OKX can now offer its services across the entire EEA from a single license.
According to Erald Ghoos, CEO of OKX Europe, France is a “key market” and this launch marks a “major milestone” in the company’s European roadmap.
The French version of the platform includes euro trading pairs, staking options, trading bots, and localized customer support, all tailored to meet local regulations and user needs.
What Is MiCA and Why Does It Matter?
MiCA, which went into effect in December 2024, standardizes crypto rules across the European Union. It allows licensed companies to operate across all member states without needing separate approvals — a system known as “passporting.”
This level of regulatory clarity has drawn major global players to set up shop in the EU, especially compared to countries like the UK where regulatory uncertainty still looms.
Europe Emerges as a Crypto Hotspot
The arrival of Bybit and OKX adds to a growing list of global firms expanding in Europe:
- Kraken recently secured its MiCA license and is ramping up EEA operations.
- Bitvavo received regulatory approval in the Netherlands.
- Paxos launched the USDG stablecoin, fully MiCA-compliant.
- Other major banks and platforms are actively pursuing licenses under MiCA to tap into the EU’s fast-evolving crypto market.
Experts like Konstantins Vasilenko, co-founder of Paybis, say the MiCA rollout is already paying off: “In the first quarter of 2025 alone, our EU trading volumes jumped 70%, even though trade count stayed the same. That tells me big money is moving in, and it’s serious.”
Final Thoughts
Bybit and OKX’s MiCA-compliant launches aren’t just about legal boxes being checked — they signal the start of a new era of regulated, transparent, and scalable crypto in Europe. As more platforms align with MiCA, the region is poised to become one of the most influential crypto markets in the world.
If you’re a European crypto user or investor, the future just got a lot more exciting — and a lot more secure.
