Key Highlights
- BitGo gains BaFin approval to trade crypto securely in Europe
- Institutions get access to liquidity, custody, and MiCA compliance
- Pension funds and asset managers see safer entry into crypto
A Major Step in European Crypto Regulation
Crypto custody leader BitGo has received a license from German regulator BaFin, enabling its Frankfurt-based subsidiary, BitGo Europe GmbH, to expand operations into regulated crypto trading.
With this license extension, BitGo Europe will now offer both over-the-counter (OTC) and electronic trading services across thousands of digital assets and stablecoins under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA). This move adds to BitGo’s existing offerings in custody, staking, and transfers — creating a fuller stack of regulated crypto services for institutional and traditional financial clients.
A Safer Gateway for Institutions and Asset Managers
This development is especially relevant for institutional investors — pension funds, asset managers, and large financial entities that demand not only liquidity and efficient execution, but also regulatory oversight and asset protection.
Brett Reeves, BitGo’s Head of European Sales and Go Network, said:
“We are thrilled to bolster our European platform and enable our clients to trade seamlessly, competitively, and confidently.”
He added that combining institutional-grade custody with high-performance execution gives clients access to “deep liquidity with the peace of mind that their assets will remain in cold storage under MiCA-compliant, regulated custody.”
This regulated ecosystem means institutions no longer must open accounts on multiple exchanges or use different custodians. All transactions can be done within BitGo’s regulated framework, reducing complexity, counterparty risk, and regulatory uncertainty.
Strengthening Europe’s Digital Asset Ecosystem
BitGo’s expansion is expected to increase confidence among European institutional investors considering entering the digital asset space for the first time. Reeves described the milestone as a “game-changer for any institution looking to operate safely and efficiently in the digital assets markets and a strong step forward for Europe’s maturing digital asset ecosystem.”
BitGo now joins a select group of EU-regulated crypto providers offering custody, staking, remittances, and trading. Other exchanges already licensed under MiCA include:
- Bybit (Austria, May 2025)
- Coinbase, Kraken, and Bitvavo (Luxembourg, Ireland, Netherlands, June 2025)
- Gemini (Malta, August 2025)
For institutions, this means more options in regulated environments — and fewer tradeoffs between security, regulation, and access to liquidity.
