Gate says Malta unit secured MiCA and PI licenses to expand in EU
As MiCA’s July 1, 2026 deadline approached with no waivers, Malta-based approvals for Gate, FalconX and Strike and a Luxembourg license for bitFlyer contrasted with service curbs by Binance and Bybit in the EEA.
Spain’s regulator and the European Securities and Markets Authority said there would be no waivers or extensions before MiCA takes full effect on July 1, 2026, and that EU crypto clients must be served through MiCA-authorized entities. Against that backdrop, Gate, FalconX and Strike said their Malta entities had secured MiCA approvals through the Malta Financial Services Authority, while bitFlyer Holdings said its Luxembourg unit, bitFlyer Europe, received a MiCA CASP license from CSSF on June 26, effective the same day, enabling passported services across all 27 EU member states. At the same time, Binance and Bybit moved to restrict some services for EEA users after failing to secure or fully extend authorization before the deadline.
- MiCA: The European Union's Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, which creates a common rulebook for crypto services across the bloc.
- CASP license: Authorization required for a Crypto-Asset Service Provider to legally serve covered crypto customers under MiCA.
- payment institution: A regulatory authorization that allows a firm to provide certain payment services.