Kraken, the crypto tech platform, has achieved a new milestone in its European expansion as the firm announces it has been granted a licence under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI).
With the new MiCA licence, Kraken will be able to offer regulated services in the European Economic Area and engage directly with clients across the region. The licence improves Kraken’s offering, which has been designed with a focus on regulations and operations as its foundation, to capitalise on growth opportunities across the world. MiCA enables unified passporting and pan-European service delivery — significantly expanding Kraken’s market reach.
Kraken already holds virtual asset service provider (VASP) registrations in European markets including Ireland, Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain. The company has had a strong presence in the region for over a decade, introducing the first BTC/EUR trading pair in 2013.
Meeting CBI regulatory demands
“Securing a license from the Central Bank of Ireland, with its long heritage and experience as a rigorous financial regulator, isn’t just about compliance. It’s a powerful signal of Kraken’s commitment to expanding the crypto ecosystem through responsible innovation,” said Arjun Sethi, co-CEO of Kraken. “Being the first major global crypto platform to receive authorisation from the CBI affirms Kraken’s commitment to building for the long term.
“We believe trust is the most valuable currency in crypto, and it’s something you earn. Over the past several years, our team has worked tirelessly to meet the CBI’s gold standard regulatory expectations. This license reflects that effort and places us in a strong position to expand our product offering, grow our institutional and retail client base, and deliver secure, accessible, and fully regulated crypto services to millions more people across the EU.
“We’re deeply grateful to the Central Bank of Ireland for its professionalism, and to the Irish Government and IDA for their consistent support. This collaboration is a blueprint for how public and private sectors can work together to build a more secure, innovative financial future for Europe, and we’re proud to be leading the way.”
Capitalising in Europe
The euro now accounts for 17.5 per cent of global fiat spot crypto trading volume, more than doubling compared to a year earlier — a clear indicator of the growing prominence of European markets.
With the MiCA license now in place — alongside MiFID and EMI licenses already secured by the group — Kraken is able to extend its regulated offering to millions of clients across the EU. Together, these licenses support significant growth opportunities across retail, professional, and institutional client segments, including in spot trading, derivatives and payments.
For clients, MiCA provides added assurance that Kraken’s services adhere to a consistent, EU-wide set of regulatory standards — including stronger consumer protections, increased transparency, and robust oversight — formalising the high standards Kraken has long upheld and reinforcing long-term trust in the market.
Preparing for MiCA
In recent years, Kraken has laid the groundwork to lead under MiCA by expanding its operational, product, and regulatory footprint across Europe:
- Expanded geographic reach through the acquisition of Dutch crypto broker BCM (2024), enabling direct access to key EU markets.
- Launched MiFID II-regulated derivatives, offering compliant futures trading for sophisticated European clients.
- Broadened asset capabilities via the acquisition of NinjaTrader (2025), paving the way to integrate traditional finance derivatives.
- Partnered with Mastercard, paving the way for Kraken clients across the UK and Europe to soon spend their crypto assets at over 150 million merchants worldwide.
- Deployed Kraken Embed, a turnkey Crypto-as-a-Service solution, now live with Dutch neobank bunq.
